cs: source impressions

[CSN NewsBot]

Counter-Strike: Source is the latest buzz from Valve, and CS-Nation got the inside scoop with a first impressions look and an exclusive interview with Valve Software's Jess Cliffe. And to top it all off we even threw in some new high-resolution screenshots. Here's just one highlight:



CS-Nation: We know that most of our favorite maps will be coming back in CS: Source, but what about any new maps?

cliffe: Thus far we've upgraded Dust, Dust II, Italy, Havana, Aztec, Piranesi, Cbble, Chateau, and Office. More classic maps will be added to this list over time. One of our mappers, Ido Magal, has even made an in-house test map called Rockworld -- based on everyone's favorite fragfest Iceworld.



Sticking with the CS tradition of ongoing development, new maps will come later on.

Plenty more where that came from!

[KhAoS]

awesome job, great article

[k1nk0s]

yay. rockworld sounds like lots of fun lol. not...

[f00kie]

Only 2 pics? Hmm.

[milz]

omg i cant w8

[azz0r]

Finally someone tells valve to use fsaa



Nice stuff CSN, very impressed :) You shouldve pressed them about bigger maps and vehicles thought

[[Mage]vas]

im eagarly awaiting this :)

[Velocd]

That Glock is so drooltastic.

[thor2488]

cliffe wrote..

cliffe: Half-Life 2 will come with CS: Source. Right now, we do not plan to include any other multiplayer games with Half-Life 2.

No DoD:S or TFC:S?



(Not to mention Ricochet Source!)

[Que_?]

Valve Software: What does DaveJ think of Source'ed versions of Dust and Dust II?

cliffe: I showed Dust to Dave a month or so ago and he was really excited. He mentioned that it was very close to how he'd originally envisioned Dust. So if it gets an enthusiastic DaveJ stamp of approval, we're happy. In fact, he'd be working with us on this if he weren't finishing school. Damn you Johnston!



So did cliffe question himself?

[HankPym]

Ambience has never been a strong suit in Counter-Strike's various maps. All of that has changed with CS: Source. Helicopters can be heard flying overhead. Birds chirp.

I'm relieved to hear that, given Valve's recent move away from ambient sounds on maps. I know some players don't like ambient sound, but watching that helicopter on cs_militia_cz hover silently is just plain eerie.

This feature—straight from the Source engine—will certainly not completely change how CS is played, but I must admit that making barrels roll down the ramp near bombsite A on Aztec is amusing.

I'm hoping that over time people develop new and exciting strategies involving the new physics.

The Flashbang effect is much more powerful now. Not only are players "blinded by the white," as it were, they are deafened with a high-pitched squeal and their vision is further limited by a retina burn-in effect

Me rikey.

CS: Source will now show all of one's accessories on his or her player model.

That's great too. What's next...player arms that actually match the model you've selected?

The infamous shield has been removed from Counter-Strike's port to the Source engine, and Valve gave no indication that it would return.

I'm mildly disappointed over this - I figured the Source engine would let them iron out the shield bugs/exploits once and for all, and it could finally become a widely-used item. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it though - like the article said, I never use it anyway.

The ragdoll effect is very subtle, and I personally didn't see any bodies bouncing left and right off of a series of spikes.

That's good, too - less is more.

cliffe: Thus far we've upgraded Dust, Dust II, Italy, Havana, Aztec, Piranesi, Cbble, Chateau, and Office. More classic maps will be added to this list over time.

Come on, as_oilrig! Maybe I should start one o' them online petitions. They always work...



A great read, thanks guys. One thing I'm wondering that I haven't seen an answer too yet: with CS: Source, is Valve experimenting at all with the damage/accuracy/price of the existing weapons? It'd be nice to see a lot of the overlooked guns get more playtime.

[melee :D]

koo j koo

[AceR]

rizzuh, what were the system specs on the computer you were play-testing it on?

[azz0r]

Yeah please make an AS_OILRIG for source, god I love that map

[rizzuh]

Que_? wrote..

So did cliffe question himself?

whoops! That's been fixed.

AceR wrote..

rizzuh, what were the system specs on the computer you were play-testing it on?

It was a really speedy dell with an ATI X800.