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Too Late To Ban is a SourceMod plugin that keeps a short list of recently disconnected players, including their names and Steam IDs, so an administrator can select one from a menu and issue a ban after the player has left. Install the supplied TooLateToBan.smx file in your server’s SourceMod plugins directory, reload the map, then use sm_tltb, !tltb, or /tltb to open the menu.
The plugin’s original release is version 1.0.0a from 2009. The available documentation does not establish compatibility with current SourceMod builds or every modern game, so test it on a staging server and inspect the plugin error log before relying on it for live moderation.
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What Too Late To Ban does
Normally, a disconnected player disappears from the active-player list before an administrator can act. Too Late To Ban records recently disconnected players and presents them in a SourceMod menu. Selecting a name lets an administrator choose a ban duration and, when enabled, a reason. The plugin then calls SourceMod’s sm_addban command, allowing the configured ban backend to process the Steam ID.
It is intended for situations such as a player leaving immediately after griefing, cheating, or abusive chat. It does not provide a replay, evidence archive, or identity verification system. The menu contains only the players still held in its in-memory list, subject to the configured storage limit and any filtering you enable.
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Requirements and compatibility checks
Server components
- A running dedicated server for a Source engine game supported by your installed SourceMod build.
- MetaMod:Source installed and loading successfully.
- SourceMod installed, with its base administration and ban functionality working before you add this plugin.
- Permission to upload files to the server’s game directory and reload a map or restart the server.
Why version testing matters
The original release dates to 2009. Its documentation does not provide a current compatibility matrix, tested game list, or guarantee for present-day SourceMod versions. A plugin can appear in the directory yet fail to load because of an outdated binary, a changed API, or a game-specific difference.
Before enabling it for public moderation, install it on a test instance, check the SourceMod plugin list, watch the server console during a map change, and review addons/sourcemod/logs/ for errors. Do not assume that a clean file upload proves that menus and bans work correctly.
How to install Too Late To Ban
- Confirm that MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are already installed. Verify that ordinary SourceMod commands work and that your administrators can perform a normal test ban through the existing ban system.
- Obtain the plugin binary named
TooLateToBan.smx. Do not rename the extension. - Upload the file to
<mod_dir>/addons/sourcemod/plugins/, where<mod_dir>is the game’s server directory (for example, the directory that also containsaddons,cfg, andmaps). - Reload the map or restart the server. A map reload is specifically recommended in Nitrado’s installation guide published December 1, 2022; a restart is the more conservative choice when you are already changing several server components.
- After the first successful load, check for
cfg/sourcemod/too_late_to_ban.cfgandaddons/sourcemod/data/tltb_ban_options.txt. The plugin creates both files automatically. - Use the SourceMod console command
sm plugins list(or your host’s equivalent control panel) to confirm that the plugin is listed as running. If it is marked failed, read the exact error before attempting configuration changes.
The plugin does not need a separate installer. If the generated files do not appear after a confirmed load, check file ownership and write permissions for the cfg/sourcemod and addons/sourcemod/data directories, then reload the plugin or map.
Opening the disconnected-player menu
Console command
Run sm_tltb from the server console or from an administrator console with the necessary command access. The command opens the stored-player menu for that administrator.
Chat shortcuts
Administrators can type !tltb or /tltb in chat. The exclamation form generally displays the response to the invoking player; the slash form is commonly silent in public chat, depending on the game and SourceMod chat settings.
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SourceMod admin menu
When tltb_use_admin_menu is enabled, the plugin adds Ban disconnected player under the Player Commands section of the SourceMod admin menu. This is useful for moderators who do not use console commands, but it does not change the permissions required to issue the underlying ban.
Clearing stored names and resetting menu options
sm_tltb resetclears the currently stored disconnected-player list.sm_tltb resetmenuresets the ban-menu options file.
Use the reset command after a test session or when you deliberately want to remove all pending entries. Resetting does not ban anyone and does not alter SourceMod’s permanent ban database.
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The first load creates cfg/sourcemod/too_late_to_ban.cfg. Edit the values there, then execute the file or reload the map so the server applies them. The documented settings are:
| ConVar | Values | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
tltb_check_reason |
0 or 1 |
Not stated | When enabled, store only players who disconnected themselves. When disabled, the plugin can retain players removed for other disconnect conditions. |
tltb_stored_players |
0–20 |
7 |
Maximum number of disconnected players retained at once. A value of 0 leaves the menu with no usable entries. |
tltb_players_order |
0 or 1 |
1 |
Controls ordering so the newest disconnected players can be shown first when enabled. |
tltb_use_ban_reason |
0 or 1 |
1 |
Shows the ban-reason menu when enabled. |
tltb_use_admin_menu |
0 or 1 |
1 |
Adds the disconnected-player command to the SourceMod admin menu. |
The documentation specifies the range and default for tltb_stored_players and the defaults for tltb_players_order, tltb_use_ban_reason, and tltb_use_admin_menu. It does not state a default for tltb_check_reason; inspect the generated file on your server rather than assuming one.
Choosing a storage limit
The maximum is 20. A low value keeps the menu short and reduces the chance of selecting an old incident; a higher value helps busy servers where several players leave before a moderator can investigate. The list is not a permanent record, so increase the value only when your moderation workflow can distinguish the correct incident.
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Filtering disconnect reasons
Set tltb_check_reason according to your policy. With filtering enabled, voluntary quits are retained while other disconnect causes may be excluded. That can reduce false positives when a crash or network failure should not be treated as evasion. If your game reports disconnect reasons differently, test the behavior with controlled quits and kicks before using it in production.
Customize ban durations and reasons
The file addons/sourcemod/data/tltb_ban_options.txt defines the labels shown in the ban menu and the values passed to the ban command. The release example includes a Permanent entry whose time value is 0, plus a reason such as Abusive.
Keep the file’s existing key structure when editing it. Add only durations and reasons that your server policy authorizes, and use labels that moderators can understand quickly. A typical workflow is:
- Open the generated
tltb_ban_options.txtwith a text editor that preserves plain-text encoding. - Review every duration value, remembering that
0represents a permanent ban in the documented example. - Replace or add reason labels to match your published rules, such as abusive behavior or repeated evasion.
- Save the file, run
sm_tltb resetmenu, and reopen the menu to verify that the displayed options match the file.
Because the plugin passes the selected values to sm_addban, an invalid syntax or unsupported value can cause the ban action to fail even when the player selection worked. Test each custom option with a disposable test account and then verify the resulting entry in your ban backend.
Permissions and ban-backend integration
Too Late To Ban calls sm_addban, so it is designed to work with SourceMod’s basebans and with SourceBans installations that handle that command. The plugin itself does not replace your ban database, synchronization, or appeal process.
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Grant the administrator the ban permission required by the backend you actually use. The original documentation does not provide a modern permission matrix for every SourceMod or SourceBans release, so do not infer permissions from the menu being visible. A moderator may see Ban disconnected player yet receive an access-denied response when attempting to apply the ban.
Test the complete chain: select a disconnected test account, choose a temporary duration, choose a reason if enabled, and confirm that the ban appears in the backend. If the command works from the normal SourceMod ban menu but not here, compare the exact console output and the values in tltb_ban_options.txt.
Practical workflow for banning someone who left
- Record the incident while the player is still connected: note the displayed name, approximate time, and the reason you believe action may be necessary.
- After the player disconnects, open
sm_tltb,!tltb, or/tltbpromptly. The list is limited and can be replaced by later disconnects. - Match the stored name to your incident notes. Names can be changed or duplicated, so use the displayed Steam ID and your server logs as additional checks.
- Select the appropriate duration. If
tltb_use_ban_reasonis enabled, choose the policy reason next. - Confirm the action and verify the backend response. If the ban is not recorded, do not repeatedly submit it; inspect permissions, command output, and backend logs first.
- Document the decision in your normal moderation system. The plugin’s short-lived list is not an evidence archive.
When several people disconnect together, set tltb_players_order to show the newest entries first and use timestamps from the server log to avoid banning the wrong account.
Troubleshooting
The plugin does not appear in the plugin list
- Confirm the exact path:
<mod_dir>/addons/sourcemod/plugins/TooLateToBan.smx. - Check capitalization and the
.smxextension. Uploading the source file instead of the compiled binary will not load it. - Reload the map or restart the server after uploading.
- Read the SourceMod error log and server console for an API or game-version failure.
- Verify that MetaMod:Source and SourceMod themselves are loading before diagnosing the plugin.
The generated configuration files are missing
The files are created on first load. If the plugin reports as running but the files are absent, check whether the server process can write to cfg/sourcemod and addons/sourcemod/data. A read-only mount, incorrect ownership, or a host control panel that redirects the game directory can prevent creation.
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- No player has disconnected since the plugin loaded or since
sm_tltb resetwas used. tltb_stored_playersis set to0.tltb_check_reasonfiltered the disconnect event you expected to retain.- The list was filled with newer disconnects and the relevant player fell outside the configured limit.
Run a controlled test: connect a test account, disconnect it voluntarily, and immediately open the menu. Increase the storage limit only after confirming that the event itself is being captured.
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The menu opens but the ban fails
- Check that the administrator has the backend’s ban permission.
- Test the same administrator with the ordinary SourceMod ban command.
- Inspect the selected duration and reason values in
tltb_ban_options.txt. - Confirm that the Steam ID is valid and that your ban backend is reachable and writing entries.
- Compare the server console output with a successful manual ban.
An administrator cannot ban another administrator
Too Late To Ban’s original material does not define a current immunity policy. SourceMod or the connected ban backend may prevent a lower-immunity administrator from banning a higher-immunity account. Treat that as a permissions and governance issue, not as proof that the stored Steam ID is wrong.
Too Late To Ban versus Ban Disconnected Players
A later AlliedModders project named Ban Disconnected Players was created in response to reported problems with the older plugin, including an RCON requirement and handling of administrator immunity. Its documented command is sm_bandisconnected, and it requires the admin ban flag.
| Comparison point | Too Late To Ban | Ban Disconnected Players |
|---|---|---|
| History | Version 1.0.0a, released by Shenton in 2009. | Later project created to address issues reported with the older plugin. |
| Primary command | sm_tltb, plus !tltb and /tltb. |
sm_bandisconnected. |
| Workflow | Menu of recently disconnected players, configurable duration and optional reason menus. | Documented as another disconnected-player banning workflow; detailed menu behavior is not established in the available material. |
| Permissions | Uses the permission required by the configured sm_addban backend; no complete modern matrix is documented. |
Requires the admin ban flag. |
| Immunity and RCON | The older plugin has reported issues in these areas; current behavior depends on the installed version and backend. | Created specifically to address reported RCON and admin-immunity concerns. |
| Current compatibility | Not established for current SourceMod and game versions. | Current compatibility is also not established by the available documentation. |
Choose between them based on a test of your actual game, SourceMod build, permission configuration, and ban backend. The later project’s existence does not guarantee that it is maintained or compatible today, and the original plugin may still be sufficient on an older, stable server where its menu and permissions behave as expected.
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- Use the Steam ID as the identity check; treat the player name as a convenience label only.
- Keep the storage limit aligned with the number of disconnects moderators can realistically investigate.
- Publish ban reasons and durations so menu choices are applied consistently.
- Restrict access to administrators who are authorized to ban through your SourceMod or backend permission system.
- Review server and ban-backend logs after installing or changing the plugin.
- Preserve independent evidence such as demos, screenshots, chat logs, or staff notes; the plugin stores a short list, not an audit trail.
- Re-test after SourceMod, MetaMod:Source, game, or ban-backend upgrades because the 2009 binary has no documented guarantee for current versions.
What is and is not established about the plugin
The original AlliedModders release identifies version 1.0.0a and dates it to 2009. The page displayed a “Servers with this Plugin: 9” figure at the time it was shown, but that is a historical page count, not a current adoption statistic. Nitrado published an installation guide on December 1, 2022, including the map-reload and generated-file checks described above.
No independent performance, reliability, or modern adoption study is established here. Plan a rollback: keep a copy of your previous plugin directory and configuration, and remove TooLateToBan.smx if it causes errors or interferes with normal administration. Existing bans in your backend should remain governed by that backend, but verify its behavior after any change.
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