CS-Nation

Covering the future of Counter-Strike
cs: source
mailbag: cs: source
This week's mailbag is one of the more obvious one's we've ever done, and that's saying something. Our question: What do you think of Counter-Strike: Source? Here are your answers.
from: [Comrade]RaVE
This game is a work of art. Ever since it's release, my fellow comrades and I have been religiously playing. We've noticed the realistic environments created by the physics engine as well as the fine graphical enhancements have, actually, made our game a bit better.

Weird to explain; but you feel more submerged in a game which FEELS real. Servers that are up and running are awesome; team-play is very common on larger servers.
As more people get the game, I'm sure teamplay will drop to its previous levels. It's inevitable: cooperation on pubs is a fleeting experience at best.

That said, the idea that the sudden enhancement in engines makes you better is interesting. I wonder how many other people have noticed that phenomenon.
from: H4CK3D_CT
The only thing i do not like about it is the fact that there are only 1 skin for ct and t., very little maps, and laggy if you have a slower machine... I had to play in a internet cafe to get crisp gameplay and that was alright.
See you all in cs.... HUMILIATION
Don't know why the 1 skin issue happened, but it's true that it can be laggy with a slow machine. Those who can't take it should probably stick to 1.6. Playing at less than 10fps isn't really playing at all.
from: Gpig
I just can't get enough of train, nuke, inferno, assault, and militia on source!

No seriously, I can't get anywhere near enough, like any.
No backalley either! Let's riot.
from: AceX
CS Source is good. Pings have been great, bullet reg has improved. One thing i's the fps issues with my system. i'm on a xp2500+, 1gb ram, 9600 pro 128mb, getting okay fps, but nothing too stable. To be fair, i shouldnt really expect to have a constant 100 + fps on my current rig, like i did with cs... Maybe its time i upgrade.
A lot of the Source engine, particularly with high options, is processor dependant. You'd think a 2500+ would be enough, but from what I'm hearing, 3Ghz is a much better baseline. Thank god for my Athlon 64 3000+!
from: vamiciouskanid
I can't believe they spent time "SOURCing" maps like Chataue and Piranesea ... While Valve ignored good maps like Nuke or Train (or Inferno, etc). Some of the map versions don't use the new Source engine to its advantage and it seems the only updates to the map were textures ... I can't get enough of shooting those oil barrels or empty bottles, so add more! Has anyone shot the couches in Office? Amazing! Or if you shoot the computer enough a vieo card pops out! Classic
Valve almost certainly has the original .bsps for Chateau and Piranesi, but may not have everything they need for Nuke, and may not have had the license to make new versions of Train and Backalley (which were both made by Barking Dog for CS Beta 5.) Releasing a game is a complicated legal battle, and we're largely shielded from it.

Yes, the stuff in Office is cool - I wish they had done that with other maps. We can always look towards the future.
from: Michael
I think CSS is a huge step from the original CS.The graphics got a major update, and almost everything about the environments are interactive. It also run very suprisingly smoothly on my system. I was rather dissapointed to find that this was the "full version" though. I was expecting more maps and player models, although I'm sure those will come in future updates. Right now there's a few minor bugs to be fixed, but overall I think it's worth the buy if your a big CS fan.
Plus, you get Half-Life 2 with your purchase. Not a bad extra.
from: KinetiK
Not having played CS since the 0.3 beta I can safely say that ... this Source version just completely stuns me. I'm impressed to say the least! Wow! I am an old time TFC guy and the fact I have to wait around to respawn pisses me off still but this game is really quite awesome. I think i'm gonna go play some more.
You'll get used to it! We all did. You'll curse the makers every time you die, and praise them everytime you live through an amazing round. That's CS for you - frustration and jubilation all wrapped up in a nice package. Now with physics on tin cans.
from: pS.IceMan
I like the look of source...it is orgasmic...they still have to do a lot of gameplay tweeking in order for it to just feel right....RECOIL...where did it go?, and mosty of all since when is 3 shots from a Deagle more powerful then a clip from an M4 or an AK...wierd how things change....other that that it is pretty much fantastic...
It's still there, as Valve has shown. You're just too busy orgasming to notice it.
from: Neuro
I love the graphics and physics, but what does this mean for league play? Sure, strats, etc can stay the same for most maps, but as far as aim goes, I'm not sure.
We'll see if the CPL adopts CS:Source. Where the CPL goes, other leagues will generally follow. I can't imagine them not switching their game to CS: Source, once they have HLTV all set up and working correctly. By showing off a prettier game, they will likely get more people interested.
from: -:Nighthawk:-
I'm honestly surprised by how buggy CS:S remains, especially being released as a final product. When it comes down to it, I think I still like the play of vanilla CS better, even though I really appreciate the updated graphics of CS:S. I guess it's kind of like changing the flavor of Coca Cola or something... once you get used to something, odds are you won't be entirely happy with any change.
The CS Community is notoriosly against change of any kind. A huge, sweeping change like this is bound to put some people off. If you still like vanilla CS, stick with that. It's not going anywhere.