Counter-Strike Through the Years - A Look at the Past, Present, and Future of Dust and Dust 2

[Shawn Zipay]

Welcome to CS-Nation's first look at the details and changes of Counter-Strike throughout the years. The feature you're about to view is a pictorial journey through two maps, de_dust and de_dust2 as they changed over the course of over a decade's worth of Counter-Strike.

We tried our best to get the shots lined up almost identical to each other but with changes to map layouts, props, and geometry there was not always a perfect comparison shot opportunity. We hope you enjoy the look at how Counter-Strike has changed from Counter-Strike (1.6), to Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, on to Counter-Strike: Source, and finally ending with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Dust

CT Spawn 1
From left to right: CS1.6, CS:CZ, CS:Source, CS:GO


CT Spawn 2


Bombsite B


Sniper's Nest 1


Sniper's Nest 2


Double Doors


Bombsite A 1


Bombsite A 2


Palace Interior


Palace Interior Towards Overpass


Back Alley


Old Terrorist Spawn


New Terrorist Spawn


Front


Underpass 1


Underpass 2

Dust 2

CT Spawn 2
From left to right: CS1.6, CS:CZ, CS:Source, CS:GO


Long A Towards CT Spawn


Back of Bombsite A


Short Stairs


Middle


Outside Long


Long Doors 1


Long Doors 2


Long A


Looking at B


B Overlook


Bombsite B 1


Bombsite B 2


Tunnels 1


Tunnels 2


Pit Area


Above Pit


T Spawn


Middle from T Side

We hope you enjoyed this look at how Counter-Strike has changed over the years in Dust and Dust 2. We hope that if and when Valve adds more maps to the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive beta to continue this with future looks at how the map layouts had changed over time.

[K-16]

Well done on the comparison gallery. I imagine it was a daunting and boring task given multiple installations of Counter-Strike (hooray for CS related news on CS-Nation too, given how there was little to work with as time passed). There is something that's making me curious though.Were there any sniping issues with "Underpass 1?" I noticed the crate/boxes used for cover are now moved to the right side, when it was originally at the left. I don't know if this is to benefit the sniper's line of sight, or for players to be able to survive against the sniper with a better angle to fight with. Any ideas?

[defy487385]

de_dust2 first map I ever played, back in 2000 as counter-terrorist.

[Shawn Zipay]

Re: Counter-Strike Through the Years - A Look at the Past, Present, and Future of Dust and Dust 2

Well done on the comparison gallery. I imagine it was a daunting and boring task given multiple installations of Counter-Strike (hooray for CS related news on CS-Nation too, given how there was little to work with as time passed). There is something that's making me curious though.Were there any sniping issues with "Underpass 1?" I noticed the crate/boxes used for cover are now moved to the right side, when it was originally at the left. I don't know if this is to benefit the sniper's line of sight, or for players to be able to survive against the sniper with a better angle to fight with. Any ideas?

Thanks. TBH I already had CSGO and CSS installed which helped a lot. CS1.6 and CSCZ are really tiny downloads and installs by comparison.

As for sniping issues, it's difficult to tell to be honest. The AWP overall feels far easier to use. Line of sights down there are almost completely changed in some form or another. That's not even mentioning the fact that there is the entire added stairwell to the right (behind the boxes you see in the image) that lead up to the overpass area). So there are a number of different ways to approach that entire area now.

Two other areas that changed drastically were Bombsite A crate placement in Dust 2, and Bombsite A 2 in Dust. Bombsite A 2 still has crates in all four games in relatively the same area but the positioning either forces the player to have no line of sight down the tunnel if you stand against them on the right (as I did in 1.6 & CZ) and forces you out to stand in front of them if you want relatively the same line of sight. IE: If I stood to the right against the side of the boxes in CSS and CSGO, you wouldn't be able to see jack squat down that tunnel as the other boxes obscure your view almost completely.

[K-16]

Re: Counter-Strike Through the Years - A Look at the Past, Present, and Future of Dust and Dust 2

TBH I already had CSGO and CSS installed which helped a lot. CS1.6 and CSCZ are really tiny downloads and installs by comparison.

That's good to hear.

Line of sights down there are almost completely changed in some form or another. That's not even mentioning the fact that there is the entire added stairwell to the right (behind the boxes you see in the image) that lead up to the overpass area). So there are a number of different ways to approach that entire area now.

Oh that's right! I completely forgot about the extra path! You even showed it clearly in your TGN/CS-Nation preview video. Hmm... There's a huge likelihood that I was overthinking this, and the boxes were moved to the right to simply allow the new pathway to be feasible, instead of being too dangerous to even consier using it (no point bottlenecking to feed snipers). I imagine there is no logical way to construct a pathway to the left and keep the boxes in their original location, unless you do something retarded like a trap door on the ground that tunnels there. I also imagine that boxes on both sides would impair movement (and is likely redundant anyways). Point is, with the new pathway in mind, the change in cover at "Underpass 1" seems to make more sense now.

... Bombsite A 2 [in Dust] still has crates in all four games in relatively the same area but the positioning either forces the player to have no line of sight down the tunnel if you stand against them on the right (as I did in 1.6 & CZ) and forces you out to stand in front of them if you want relatively the same line of sight. IE: If I stood to the right against the side of the boxes in CSS and CSGO, you wouldn't be able to see jack squat down that tunnel as the other boxes obscure your view almost completely.

That was a very detailed explanation; I can actually picture the scenario clearly. Basically the risk suddenly skyrocketed for snipers, whereas back then players would have to rely on shot-putting smoke grenades and flashbangs, as the terrorists can block off two doorways with a lone sniper. I always thought it was ridiculous for one sniper to be able to cover half the interior section from the outside. Now it's still the same scenario, but at least he/she is more vulnerable being wide-open.