Counter Strike
Counter-Strike, commonly abbreviated to CS, or CS:S for Counter-Strike: Source, is a team-based, tactical first-person shooter game which originated with a total conversion mod created by Minh "gooseman" Le and Jess Cliffe, of Valve Software's first-person shooter, Half-Life. The game has been expanded into a series since its original release, which currently includes Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and Counter-Strike: Source.
Counter-Strike puts a team of counter-terrorists against a team of terrorists in rounds of competition won by completing an objective or eliminating the opposing force. The latest incarnation of the game, Counter-Strike: Source, is based on the Source engine developed for Half-Life 2. Signs of Counter-Strike's wide influence can be found in mods for games such as Quake III Arena, Unreal Tournament, and other standalone shooters such as Global Operations, Americas Army, Call of Duty and many more.
As of May 2006, Counter-Strike is still the most widely played online first-person shooter in the world. In 2002 there were over 30,000 populated Counter-Strike servers on the Internet (second place was Unreal Tournament with about 9,800). In 2004, GameSpy statistics showed over 85,000 players simultaneously playing Counter-Strike at any point in time, and in 2006, Steam regularly shows over 200,000 players for Counter-Strike[1] (this includes Counter-Strike: Source, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and Counter-Strike). According to statistics gathered by Valve's content-delivery platform, Steam, these players collectively contribute to over 6.177 billion minutes of playing time each month, as in February 5, 2007 [1] solidifying its position as the most popular online first-person shooter in history. Counter-Strike was originally played online through the WON gaming service, which was shut down in 2004,[2] forcing players to switch to Steam (to which a section of players responded by creating their own WON network, dubbed WON2).
Gameplay
Counter-Strike is a team-based, first-person shooter in which players join either the terrorist or counter-terrorist team, and combat the opposing team while fulfilling predetermined objectives. Server settings may automatically balance teams when one team has more players than the other. Each round starts with the two teams spawning simultaneously, as one of eight different default character models (four to choose from for each the counter-terrorist and terrorist teams. Counter-Strike: Condition Zero added two extra models, bringing the total to ten). Each player generally starts with $800, two magazines of ammunition, a knife, and a pistol: a Heckler & Koch USP .45 Tactical for counter-terrorists, and a GLOCK 18c for terrorists. Players are generally given a few seconds before the round begins (known as "freeze time") to buy equipment, during which they cannot attack or move in any direction. Players may buy equipment whenever they are in a "buy zone" for their team (some zones can be for both teams, depending on the map) provided the round has not been in session for longer than a specified time (90 seconds is default). Once the round has ended, surviving players retain their equipment for use in the next round; those who have died begin the next round with the default pistol and knife.
Picture of a Terrorist using a Desert Eagle on the map de_dust in the original Counter-Strike (left) and Counter-Strike: Source (right).
Picture of a Terrorist using a Desert Eagle on the map de_dust in the original Counter-Strike (left) and Counter-Strike: Source (right).
Standard monetary bonuses in the game are:
* Win a round: $3250 (awarded at the beginning of the following round)
* Lose a round: $1400 + $500 per round lost over 1 (to maximum $3400) (awarded at the beginning of the following round)
* Kill an enemy: $300 (awarded instantly)
* Instruct a hostage to follow: $150 (awarded instantly. Only works once per hostage, per round)
* Rescue a hostage: $1000 (awarded instantly)
* Plant the bomb: $800 (awarded at the beginning of the following round, does not matter if the Terrorist team win or loses the previous round.)
The scoreboard shows team scores in addition to data for each player: name, score, deaths, and ping (in milliseconds) on the map. The scoreboard also shows whether each player is dead, carrying the bomb (in bomb defusal maps), or the VIP (in assassination maps), although to obtain this information about players on the opposing team a player must be dead during the round. Killed players become "ghosts" for the duration of the round; they cannot change their names, text chat cannot be sent to or received from live players; and, while voice chat can still be received from live players, it cannot be sent to them (with the exception of a situation in which cvar sv_alltalk is set to 1, in which case voice chat can be freely exchanged between all players on the server at any time). Ghosts are generally able to watch the rest of the round from multiple selectable views, although some servers disable some of these views to prevent dead players from relaying information about living players to their teammates through alternative media (most notably voice in the case of Internet cafes and Voice over IP programs such as TeamSpeak. This technique, known as "ghosting," is considered cheating in many tactical shooters.
Counter-Strike is meant to be more realistic than futuristic first-person shooters such as Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament, but is also built to keep the action flowing faster than more realistic tactical shooters such as the Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon series. For example, relatively few shots will kill a player, and shots to different parts of the body inflict varying amounts of damage, but damage has no permanent bearing on ability to run or jump, allowing a player with just a few hit points remaining to keep fighting just as well as any other player. Movement, however, is restricted while taking damage from gunfire, and a player cannot run at full speed whilst taking damage.
There are several game types in Counter-Strike which define the objectives of each team in the game, and rules which determine which team wins. Each map is of a single game type.
Maps
Hostage Rescue
Hostage Rescue (cs_) maps are the original map-type, based on a hostage rescue situation. Four or more computer-controlled hostages are strategically located at or nearby the Terrorist spawn. The Counter-Terrorists must lead them from their location to a rescue zone, typically located around the Counter-Terrorists' spawn. If the Counter-Terrorists rescue all of the hostages within the time-limit, they win the round. If a player on either team kills a hostage, accidentally or intentionally, they lose money and may also be kicked off the server (depending on the server's configuration). Killing the entire enemy team also ends the round, but results in less money gained for the next round. Also, in Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, hostages could eventually attempt escape if the terrorists did not continuously point their weapons at them. They would also tip off a Counter-Terrorist if there was a Terrorist nearby.
cs_office - 1.6 versus Source
cs_office - 1.6 versus Source
The most popular hostage maps are:
* cs_assault (Chicago based map, including Blue line)
* cs_compound (Counter-Strike: Source only)
* cs_italy
* cs_militia
* cs_office
* cs_siege
* cs_estate
* cs_mansion
* cs_747
Bomb Defuse
Bomb defuse (de_) maps are the most common map type, based on a bomb-planting/defusing scenario. One of the terrorists starts out with a C4 bomb that can only be planted at bomb sites; usually there are two bomb sites on the map, defined by A and B, one of which is sometimes near the counter-terrorist spawn. If the terrorist carrying the bomb is killed, his team members will have to locate it using their radar and can pick it up like a dropped weapon.
Once the bomb has been planted, the counter-terrorists must locate and defuse it in 45 seconds (this is a variable; it can be changed; commonly also set to 35 seconds depending on the server admin(s)) before it explodes. On bomb defuse maps, counter-terrorists can buy a special defuse kit that decreases the time needed to defuse a bomb by 5 seconds. Killing the enemy team ends the round if the bomb has not been planted; if the bomb has been planted, the terrorists will win if they kill the counter-terrorists, but the counter-terrorists must defuse the bomb even if they kill the terrorists. Previously, the round could end with the bomb planted but not yet exploded, resulting in a victory for the counter-terrorists. However, the round timer now becomes void when the bomb is planted, meaning the bomb can be planted even with 1 second left in the round and the round will continue until the bomb is defused, it explodes, or the counter-terrorist team is eliminated. Bomb defuse maps are by far the most commonly seen maps in tournament play.
de_dust2 - CS 1.6
de_dust2 - CS 1.6
The most popular bomb defuse maps are:
* de_dust
* de_dust2
* de_aztec
* de_inferno
* de_nuke
* de_port (Counter-Strike: Source only)
* de_piranesi
* de_prodigy
* de_cbble
* de_train
* de_contra
* de_cpl_mill
* de_cpl_fire
* de_cpl_strike
* de_cpl_overrun (Released by The CPL the 3rd of February(Counter-Strike: 1.6 only))
* de_vegas
* de_vertigo
Assassination
Assassination (as_) maps are based on an assassination scenario. A member of the Counter-Terrorist team spawns as the VIP. While this player is unable to buy weapons or equipment in the entirety of the map, they are given a fully-loaded USP pistol, and an additional 100 armour points (totaling 200). The VIP must survive the journey from a spawn-point to a rescue point (typically a helicopter or APC.
* The Counter-Terrorists win if and when the VIP makes it to the rescue point, or all the Terrorists are killed (while the VIP is still alive).
* The Terrorists win if the VIP is ever killed or the time-limit is reached before the VIP has made it to the rescue point.
Assassination maps are far less popular than hostage rescue and bomb defuse maps. Currently, this gametype is not supported in Counter-Strike: Source. However, there is an unofficial modification in development that will allow assassination maps to be played.
The most popular assassination maps are:
* as_oilrig
* as_tundra
* as_crazytank
Escape
The now defunct escape (es_) map scenario required the terrorist team to reach a map-specific exit point within the round time allowed, while the counter-terrorist team would do their best to stop them. Escape maps usually started the terrorist team without a buy zone, and weapons would have to be either found, or scavenged from the dead bodies of other players. Due to a rather obvious bias towards the counter-terrorist team, escape maps were removed from Counter-Strike in August 2000, in the Beta 7.0 update. However, it is still possible to play escape maps on 1.6 if you download the old ones or make your own new ones. There are no escape maps in Counter-Strike: Source.
The most popular escape maps were:
* es_frantic
* es_jail
* es_riverside
* es_trinity
Custom map types
In addition to the maps included with Counter-Strike, there are many custom maps available created by map-making programs. Typically, these maps are named using an unofficial scheme, consisting of the prefixes following:
* zm_, zh_ For Zombie Mod-maps.
o Zombie Mod involves a single "dead" player only given a knife, and has to successfully kill each player with a knife. While the Zombie respawns, any opponents killed by the Zombie also become Zombie. This concept is similar to the "Last Man Standing" style of gameplay.
* '"cs_'" for hostage maps, but because of the unpopularity of those maps cs_ can also mean a map larger than an fy_ map, also with no objectives.
* gg_ for the GunGame Mod.
o GunGame involves each player starting at a specific weapon, then stronger weapons are procured by killing opponents with their current weapon, thus "leveling up."
* ka_ for Knife Arena
o Fairly self-explanatory; In Knife Area, players are only availed of a single knife to use to defeat the opposing teams.
* fy_, commonly referred to as "Fun Yard" or "Fight Yard."
o These maps are deathmatch-style levels where players are able to pick up weapons placed on the map. Occasionally, some fy_ maps (such as _iceworld and _pool_day) have bomb zones placed for the Terrorist team.
* awp_ for AWP Arena maps.
o Also self-explanatory, the AWP Arena maps only give players the AWP sniper rifle and a knife.
* surf_ maps.
o These maps are derived from the modern surfing sport, involving players "surfing" down "waves" made in the map. These waves are created through ingenious angle of walls which, through the game engine's physics, negate friction.
* aim_ maps.
o These maps are most commonly used for teaching and maintaining proficiency in specific weapons. A particular aim_ map will only consist of one or two varieties of weapons, commonly displayed in the map's name; For example, aim_ak_colt is a popular map featuring both the AK-47 and M4.
* he_ maps.
o Named for the initialism of High Explosives, these maps only give players fragmentation grenades and a knife.
* "Glass Maps" are very uncommon in CS 1.6 but popular in CS:S. The levels are constructed of solely glass, allowing players to shoot enemies off of their platforms.
o These maps are named as such because of the use of a large amount of glass paneling in the map, typically the floor. In these maps, you are able to shoot (or use any weapon on) the glass panels on the floor, and make your opponents or yourself fall to the level below, or to the normal ground at the bottom (and usually die from the height), and adds an extra level of challenge from other types of map environments. It is also common for glass_ maps to be incorporated into maps of other variations, such as surf_, he_, and aim_ , so that you have a special set of weapons (or whatever else the other type of map incorporated into it has to offer), with the environment being glass floors instead of the standard map usually used with the various types of maps.
Official Map List
The following are official Counter-Strike maps, from Counter-Strike Beta 1 to current Counter-Strike: Source, past and present. Most of these maps are no longer packaged with the mod, and may not work anymore.
* cs_mansion
* cs_assault
* cs_siege
* cs_estate
* cs_militia
* cs_office
* cs_backalley
* cs_docks
* cs_compound
* cs_facility
* cs_italy
* cs_dam
* cs_tire
* cs_wpndepot
* cs_prison
* cs_desert
* cs_alley
* cs_ship
* cs_station
* cs_arabstreets
* cs_havana
* cs_747
* de_foption
* de_jeepathon2000
* de_rotterdam
* de_dust
* de_dust2
* de_iraq
* de_fang
* de_nuke
* de_aztec
* de_port
* de_prodigy
* de_cbble
* de_train
* de_contra
* de_vegas
* de_piranesi
* de_inferno
* de_vertigo
* de_tides
* de_railroad
* de_chateau
* as_oilrig
* as_arctic
* as_forest
* as_highrise
* as_tundra
* as_riverside
* es_jail
* es_frantic
* es_trinity
Weapons
One of the unique features of the original incarnations of Counter-Strike was that it did not feature fictional weapons like most games, instead using only existing firearms used the world over by real terrorist groups, counter-terrorist squads, armed forces, and law enforcement officials. The weapons are, however, only semi-realistic: many of them are incorrect in small details such as the caliber of ammunition or in their naming. Others do not fire quite as their real-life counterparts do, and many of them are inaccurately 'mirrored', wherein the spent cases are ejected from the wrong side of the weapon.
When retail versions of the game were first released, most of the weapons were given fictional names, often with fictional manufacturers.
[edit] Counter-Strike: Weapons Market
On September 22, 2006, Valve announced what they are calling the Counter-Strike: Weapons Market.[3] Each week, prices for weapons will be set based on the percentage of weapons sales, much like how the demand curve in economics affects prices. This system was put into place on October 11, 2006 and only affects Counter-Strike: Source, not Counter-Strike 1.6 or Counter-Strike: Condition Zero.[4] There is a cvar (mp_dynamicpricing) for servers that do not wish to use the new Dynamic Market.
Culture
is famous for the culture surrounding it, which includes everything from professional gamers and leagues, to excessive cheating and disruptive behavior. Certain professional teams (such as SK Gaming, Team 3D, and Team NoA) and players (Kyle Ksharp Miller, Emil HeatoN Christensen) have achieved a measure of fame, and have come to earn a living out of it.
Legacy
Counter-Strike remains extremely popular to this day. There are currently professional online leagues supporting Counter-Strike, such as the Cyberathlete Amateur League (CAL), and CyberEvolution, a pay-to-play league. Various LAN tournaments are held throughout the United States and Europe, with the largest being the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL), the Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC), the World e-Sports Games (WEG) and the World Cyber Games (WCG). Championship matches in these events are televised with commentary and analysis.
Half-Life and other contemporary games took full advantage of the advent of hardware graphics acceleration in the late 1990s, replacing earlier software-rendered games such as Quake. Likewise, gamers were expected to abandon the DirectX 5.0 Half-Life and its mods in favor of games utilizing the hardware T&L capabilities of DirectX 7.0 graphics cards such as the NVIDIA GeForce and ATI Radeon. However, the universal shift to the DirectX 7.0 level and beyond has not happened, and the continued popularity of Counter-Strike has given older video cards such as the 3dfx Voodoo 3, ATI Rage 128, and NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 continued usefulness.
However, as the criticisms of Condition Zero showed, many players feel that the GoldSrc engine has reached its limits in its capacity to evolve and to stay updated.[citation needed] Even Counter-Strike: Source has been criticized for not progressing the gameplay enough and failing to take full advantage of the Source engine.[citation needed]
There have been a multitude of games claimed by their developers, reviewers and fans to be "Counter-Strike killers," but none have seriously been able to dent its overall popularity. Server statistics in 2002 showed that Counter-Strike servers outnumbered their Battlefield, Unreal Tournament 2003 or Quake III first-person shooter counterparts at least 3 to 1.
Mods and scripts
Though Counter-Strike is itself a mod, it has developed its own community of script writers and modders. Some mods add bots, while others remove features of the games which some players found annoying, while yet others create different modes of play. Some of the most popular mods give server administrators more flexible and efficient control over his or her server. "Admin plugins", as they are mostly referred as, have become very popular. See Metamod, AMX Mod and AMX Mod X for more information.
Another type of mod is the "Zombie" mod. There are 2 teams, the Humans and the Zombies. Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists work together against the Zombies. In this mod, one player is randomly "infected" and turned into a Zombie at the start of the match. The first Zombie has anywhere from 500-2000 health, while all other Zombies that the first Zombie and any subsequent Zombies infect have anywhere from 250-1000 health, increased speed, and they can only use the knife, which turns living Humans into other Zombies. In addition, they also come equipped with night vision, a great blessing in dark Zombie maps. Humans cannot run as fast as Zombies (presumably weighed down by their equipment), but are able to purchase firearms and grenades. If at least one Human is still alive when the match time runs out, the Humans win. If all the Humans are either killed or zombified, the Zombies win.
Hacking
The game Counter-Strike has been a prime target since it came out. Hacking in the game has been widely criticized by many people. To keep people safe, Valve issued anti-cheat software called VAC, or Valve Anti-Cheat. Since then it has come to version 2.0 and most servers have it enabled. When players cheat on a VAC enabled server, they risk getting their account permanently banned from all VAC secured servers. A few common options included in hacks are wallhacks, which allow the player to see through walls; speedhacks, which give the player increased speed; and aimbots, which can target a desired location on a player's body each time a shot is fired. However, VAC will not ban a player for wall hacking. It will only ban players if they modify the main source files (which wall hacking does not do).