Team Fortress 2 – Fixing Pre-Update Demo Playback

Due to the DT system change in the latest (25.07.23) update, playback of the demo files which are recorded in the past weeks became impossible. But you always can fix that and here’s how.

Cause

Сrеdit gоеs to !

Throughout the time the engine gets a lot of updates. There’s usually no major problems with the new content being added, but when something existing is being changed or removed – old dependent stuff can easilly get broken.

This time Valve changed something in the DT system deeply in the engine, which caused all previously recorded demo files to crash with the following error:

RecvProp type doesn't match server type for DT_ObjectDispenser/"healing_array"
Host_EndGame: CL_ParseClassInfo_EndClasses: CreateDecoders failed.

The issue is still not fixed for now, so let’s hop into the method of reverting the update with advanced steam techniques.

Solution

Let’s quickly jump to the solution:

• 1) Run steam://open/console from Win+R while steam is opened
• 2) In the console type:

download_depot 440 232251 1093030316367308660

• 3) Wait for the depot to download, it will show no signs until it’s ready. Then the following message will appear:

Depot download complete : "%PathToSteam%\steamapps\content\app_440\depot_232251"

• 4) Back-up the following files in the Team Fortress 2 game folder:

bin/engine.dll
tf/bin/client.dll
tf/bin/server.dll

• 5) Replace them with the ones from depot directory. Launch the game and voi-la, old demos are fixed.

Replace them back with the originals if you want to play the game normally with the latest version.