So you want L4D2 workshop content in SFM. Follow this guide through and lets hope I can help you get through this complex process one step at a time.
This will be a visual guide cause lets be honest, viewing things is better than reading am I right

Note: I haven't tried anything else but the models so I dont know if any of the other stuff would work with this process.

You are gonna need the following to do this guide:
SFM (Source Filmmaker)
Left 4 Dead 2.
Left 4 Dead 2 DLC from Source Filmmaker
The L4D2 Steam Workshop and item that you want to use in SFM. https(:)//steamworkshopdownloader(.)io/ Just copy and paste link into web broswer

GCFScape[https://valvedev.info/tools/gcfscape/] to open VPKs (aka steam workshop contents).

Lastly Any hex editor, but I would recommend to use this one[www.softcircuits.com]

Create a new folder in the game directory. Name it whatever you like! I named it "customstuff"
(C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SourceFilmmaker\game)
Note: dont use the "usermod" folder because it tends to break sfm.

Next, inside of this custom folder make more folders with exactly these names:

These are where we are gonna put the models and materials in.

Launch Source Filmmaker SDK. Click edit search paths
and import the custom folder to make the folder selectable in SFM

Find the model you want. I will be downloading a coach model to show yall. So follow along with me.
Once you downloaded the steamworkshop model, It should look like this.






Now you want to open VPK files with gcfscape.
Once opened, extract the Materials folder and Models folder
(if you see a scripts folder no need to extract that since thats for L4D and not SFM).


Once extracted, put the extraced Materials & Models into your custom folder from Step 1.


Launch Source Filmmaker SDK and select the Model Viewer. Open the model you downloaded in the Model Viewer, if it loads then your fine, but If Model Viewer crashes right when you try to load the model go to Step 3

Okay SFM keeps crashing. Well the reason why is because the workshop models typically share the same filenames as the SFM ones. So lets use the Hex editor to edit the workshop model's name. The Hex editor looks scary but is pretty simple to use. Let me show you!

Open up the Hex editor and click on "File", Then "Open", and search for the model. (\SourceFilmmaker\game\customstuff\models) directory if you need help

Now don't get panicked we only need to change two things really
Note: Hex editor replaces characters instead of pushing the text further ahead. If you make a mistake DO NOT USE BACKSPACE OR DELETE! USE CRL+Z TO UNDO

You see the "IDST1" at the right side. Click on the "t" and type in "0" It should look like this "IDST0" BOOM we fixed the crashing issue!

Now we need to change the name. You see the survivors/survivor_coach,mdl
We need to change the name to something different.
I'll just rename the model to survivors/survivor_remastered_coach.mdl
Dont forget to save the edit by going to "File" then "Save".
Only change the words after the slash (aka the "/")

Now onto Step 4

Okay now all we need to do is rename the files in the folders to the one we just put.. If you don't rename them, SFM cant find the files and can not load the model.

(SourceFilmmaker\game\customstuff\models\survivors)


BEFORE

AFTER







BE CAREFUL when renaming the file with ".dx90.vtx"
when you try to rename it, If you delete every thing highlighted it also deletes the ".dx90.vtx" name. Without it the models will not work.



After all that go into SFM and load up the model!

It probably wasn't as tough as you thought, right? I actually ended up putting this guide together after struggling myself for a good two days. Now you don't have to go through the same headaches I did.

This is an updated take on the '6000 ANGRY BEES' guide. I felt the original just wasn't clear enough and it's been quite a while since it was first uploaded.

Original guide: https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=231250066

Hey I have a youtube channel you can check out:
www.youtube.com/@anz4qt

Fair well,