Enabling the Console

For the retail release: Right click the desktop shortcut and go into properties. Append -console to the end of the target, outside of the quotes (ie, "wherever you have this folder installed\Vampire - Bloodlines\vampire.exe" -console). The console should appear when you start the game, and can be accessed using the tilde (~) key.

For the Steam release: Under Steam's Library tab, right click on Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, and click Properties on the dialog box. Next, click on Set Launch Options, and add in -console on the next popup. Click OK, and the console will be fully enabled everytime the game is loaded.

Using the Console

The console is a basic text parser that allows commands to be run and settings to be changed without having to load up the game's (very limited) menu system. Commands can be simple setting changes (console variables, or convars, ie turning off rain effects, disabling player bob), engine commands (loading a map, starting a benchmark, etc), or game rule changes (which are Python based). For running purposes, using the engine commands or issuing a Python command to alter the game's story state or DnD based rules should only be done for testing purposes. Since some of these can crash the game instantly, tread carefully.

To issue any command, simply press the tilde (`) and type away. The basic format is:

<command or variable> <value>
cl_showpos 1
map sm_hub_1
etc
etc

Game Config Files

All game config files are stored in <base game folder>\vampire\cfg

Editable by any standard text editor, such as Notepad, the game's config files contain all of the basic player control and graphic settings in console format. At certain parts of the game, certain files will be loaded. If edited outside of the game, changes will take place the next time that file is loaded by the game itself. Remember that if changes are made to a cfg file while the game is running, chances are exiting the game will completely undo your own changes since the game rewrites those files upon exit.

Autoexec.cfg and config.cfg are the two main files that store basic settings. Autoexec.cfg is loaded as soon as the game loads, and config.cfg is loaded immediately after. Generally, autoexec.cfg is used to load up any player preferences before playing begins, which are then stored in config.cfg. Some game settings are loaded into default settings regardless of how they're stored in config.cfg, so putting changes into autoexec.cfg is advised.

Useful Commands

All of these commands can be copied directly into the autoexec.cfg file. The // denotes a comment that the game engine ignores.

autosave_on "0" //Disables the game's auto-save feature, which can speed up load times.
fps_max "125" //fps_max sets the game's maximum framerate, lowering it can avoid physics based bugs
cl_showpos "1" //This info panel, in the upper right corner of the screen, shows player velocity, position, and currently loaded map
vchar_skip_intro "1" //Enables the Skip Intro option when setting up a character
vskip_intro //Forces the intro to be skipped in case the Skip Intro option doesn't appear

fov "90" //Field of Vision setting, default is 75 although it's too zoomed in for some players, 90 is recommended
default_fov "90" //When un-zooming from a weapon, this is used as the fov to change back to
mat_drawwater "0" //Since water is a huge resource hog, it's a good idea to disable it

bind t "use item_g_bloodpack" //These binds allow the use of bloodpacks without having to use the in-game hotkey system.
bind c "use item_g_eldervitaepack" //Since these binds function exactly as they would if setup in the hotkey system
bind v "use item_g_bluebloodpack" //they're considered legal. Spells cannot be used this way however.

bind 1 "vhotkey #5" //These binds set up Trance, Blood Strike and Purge respectively.
bind 2 "vhotkey #6" //It just rebinds the keys to the matching in-game hotkeys.
bind 3 "vhotkey #7" //Blood Buff/Shield can be scrolled to.

bind [ "fps_max 60" //These two commands switch between a standard framerate for physics puzzles
bind p "fps_max 125" //and a higher framerate for proper bunnyhopping and acceleration.

cl_bob "0" //By default the player's view will sway up and down, back and forth
cl_bobup "0" //while moving around. These convars will disable all movement based
cl_rollangle "0" //swaying to help those with motion sickness. The one area that they
v_kickroll "0" //do not remove is the screen shake from taking a hit, which would be
v_kickpitch "0" //considered illegal.