How do I join a Gmod game?

Joining a Gmod game server to play online or with friends locally is easy once you understand the different options. According to SteamCharts, an average of 32,705 people are playing Garry‘s Mod concurrently on a typical day in 2024. With still an active community years after its original release, there are plenty of fun gaming moments to be had in Gmod both on public servers and privately with buddies.

As an avid Garry‘s Mod player and content creator myself, I‘ll walk you through the main methods to join a Gmod game:

I. Connecting Through the Public Server Browser

Using Gmod‘s server browser allows you to join from thousands of online game servers other players have made publicly available. Here‘s how:

1. Launch Garry‘s Mod and from the main menu click the "Find Multiplayer Game" option.

2. Select the game mode filter matching the type of server you want to join. Sandbox and TTT (Trouble in Terrorist Town) are popular options.

3. Scroll through the list of servers shown sorted by current players or use the search bar to find one specifically.

4. When you find a server that looks fun, click on it to view more details like current players, map, mods enabled, etc. This extra info can help identify quality servers.

5. If a server has a password set, enter it in the prompt after selecting it. Most publicly listed servers leave this blank though.

6. Finally, click the "Join Server" button to connect and be transported right into the game!

*Pro Tip: Sorting by current players can help find active servers with real people playing rather than empty bot-filled ones. I‘d recommend starting with servers that have 5 or more real players online.

Once connected to a Gmod server, you can jump right into playing and chatting by text or voice chat with other random players. Public servers are great for casual gaming sessions when your friends aren‘t online or you want to meet the awesome Gmod community.

II. Entering a Server‘s Direct IP Address

If someone gives you the connect details for their private Gmod server, you can join through directly entering the IP and port, rather than having to use the server browser.

Here‘s how to direct connect:

1. Get the server‘s IP address and port number from the host.

2. In Garry‘s Mod‘s main menu click "Multiplayer" then "Favorites" then "Add a Server".

3. Enter the server‘s IP address in the "Address" field and port number in the "Port" field.

4. Click "Add to Favorites" to save this server connection for later.

5. Select that saved favorite server and click the "Connect" button.

This will connect straight to that server without having to search for it publicly or through Steam friends. Direct connecting is necessary for privately hosted servers not listed publicly. Saving these favorites also enables fast access in the future.

III. Joining Friends‘ Games Through Steam

Playing privately with people you know is also super simple by having a friend host their own local listen server. Their hosted game will then appear for anyone on their Steam friends list to join.

Here‘s how to join Gmod games through Steam:

1. Have a friend host a Garry‘s Mod server on their own computer through Steam.

2. Launch Garry‘s Mod on your own computer while logged into Steam.

3. Press Shift + Tab while in-game to open the Steam overlay menu.

4. Click "View players" then "Friends" to see who‘s online and in-game.

5. Right click your friend‘s name who is hosting the server and select "Join game".

6. Accept the prompt confirming joining their game.

Within seconds you‘ll automatically connect to your friend‘s hosted server ready to play together!

Joining through Steam is by far the quickest and most convenient way to play Gmod with friends. Up to 32 players can join a hosted listen server this way playing together.

IV. Local Split-Screen and LAN Multiplayer Settings

You can also play Gmod locally with each other in split-screen or joinable through LAN by changing multiplayer settings:

1. From the Garry‘s Mod main menu, click "Singleplayer"

2. Change max players to 2 or more depending on number playing.

3. Under multiplier type select "Peer to Peer" then set visibility to Friends Only.

4. Pick a map/gamemode and other players can now join with controllers or keyboards locally.

This isn‘t a full private server, but does enable local couch gameplay quickly. Have everyone join in through Steam without needing to port forward or host.

Up to 4 players can game together on shared-screen this way! Enable split-screen mode in options for the authentic local multiplayer experience.

V. Troubleshooting Multiplayer Connection Issues

If you‘re having trouble getting into multiplayer games, here are some common issues and fixes while joining Gmod servers:

• Can‘t See Friends‘ Hosted Server – Ensure your Steam friend has multiplayer visibility set to Friends Only or Public, not Invite-Only. Also confirm firewall or antivirus isn‘t blocking Steam connectivity.

• Error When Joining Server – Close and restart Garry‘s Mod if servers show connect errors or fail to load. Also try disabling all Gmod addons/mods as custom content can prevent connecting.

• Connection Lost After Joining – Network instabilities on your end or the server host can cause disconnects. Check your own internet first. If online play works elsewhere, try a different Gmod server.

Following these troubleshooting tips should get you successfully playing online. Let me know if any other strange issues pop up!

VI. Choosing the Best Method for You

With the various ways to play Gmod with others explained now, here‘s a quick comparison of the pros and cons of each method in my opinion as an avid player:

In summary, joining public servers or making new friends is fun for casual play while joining specifically through Steam friends or Local play gives you more control.

I‘d recommend those new to Gmod start by browsing community servers to find a map and game mode you enjoy most. This lets you meet people and try different player-created content for discovering what aspects of the sandbox you find most fun. Then later gather a group of buddies to host private servers where you can setup customs mods, maps, and settings.

Private servers with Steam friends enable a deeper level of emergent gameplay by giving your group tools to take the sandbox further. So definitely try both public hopping and friend servers for the full experience!

I hope this complete guide helps you get playing Garry‘s Mod multiplayer successfully. See you in-game for some sandbox shenanigans my friends!