Counter-Strike: Source? Anyone?

[Damien]

Oh c'mon, CS is so last tuesday! ET Elite mod is what hip kids play nowadays.

Actually, I quite enjoyed the CS but then the Steam came and completely ruined it for me.

[Flippy_D]

Steam works now. Honest to God.

[Haddas]

Steam works now. Honest to God.

It's those hacks of yours. Steam never works

[dasjoe]

steam really works.
unless you didn't *buy* some release..

and, imo, steam is pretty cool. no longer "oh, there's a new update. let's leech it. ah, server is down. wait, there's a server running the old version, let's downgrade". i really like the streaming content stuff.

[Mr Jake]

I never had any problem with steam other than during the major updates..

God damn whining kids!!! 

[c.leksutin]

While I dont share layabouts particular view on it, I've never really seen what all the hub-bub is about CS, seriously?  what makes it any better then any other on-line FPS?

And this steam thing sounds like they made it impossible to use this software with out a high speed connection?

I dont know.  Give em an on-line version of hitman anyday, plan your kills, like a real killer would

C

[scotch]

It's no more impossible to play multiplayer games on Steam than any other normal multiplayer game on slow connections, that is to say, almost impossible
You can't play FPS games, steam or non steam, on dialup and stand a chance against broadband users.Ã,  In general steam makes getting patches and things much easier, the steam servers are very fast and it's automatically kept up to date.Ã,  I'd love more games to use steam, bought HL2 through it, and I'd buy other games.
As for if CS is 'better' than other multiplayer games, I'm not sure, it's the most fun FPS I have played... the way shooting and tactical skill really matters, one good player can destroy a whole team with his aim or a cohesive team can outfox a group of better shooters makes it great to play when your plan goes well.Ã,  I'm sure there are other "tactical realism" games that are around the same level of fun, but CS is the most popular.Ã,  A Hitman type online game would be totally different, it's an idea we've discussed on IRC at length... it'd be hard to pull off but I'd love to see it tried.

BTW, everyone is welcome on the AGS CS:S server, unless you're an awp user

[AGA]

I used to share Layabout's opinion about CS (not in quite the same words, because I'm not an arsehole, but still). Then I actually bothered to play it, and found out it can be a lot of fun. Playing with friends is always fun, and playing against strangers is usually fun, as long as you're doing well.

I honestly think anyone who says "I'd prefer to stab myself in the eye with a fork than play counterstrike" has either never even tried the game, or had a bad first experience where they got ruined by the opposition.

As for Steam, like scotch says, it is pretty much for broadband users only, but so are online FPSes in general. Unless you're very good you're not gonna last long with a >100 ping. Steam is an excellent program, one that more game publishers should take up. It ensures you're always up-to-date, can easily find servers, and (at least when VAC2 finally gets implemented) that no cheats can play the game. Sure people have had problems with it, but there are millions of Steam users, with a target audience that large you're bound to get some troubles. For the most-part it's smooth and bug-free though [as long as you have broadband ]

[Flippy_D]

One good player can destroy a whole team with his aim...

Muwahahahahahahahahah....

[AGA]

He doesn't mean you.

[Mr Jake]

He means AGA, and by aim he means aimbot.

[sedriss]

I played a few times on the ags server, but my computer recently decided to kill itself, so I dont really know if I have the energy to install it again.

[Redwall]

While I dont share layabouts particular view on it, I've never really seen what all the hub-bub is about CS, seriously? what makes it any better then any other on-line FPS?

And this steam thing sounds like they made it impossible to use this software with out a high speed connection?

I dont know. Give em an on-line version of hitman anyday, plan your kills, like a real killer would

C

Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow's online mode... kind of.

[InCreator]

CS is a mixture of many different things.
For example, in Unreal Tournament you first search for weapon/armor, then battle, if you win - get powerups/yourself patched up again and seek next enemy.
In CS, the weapon and armor you buy lasts until you die. Other weapons can be aquired from battlefield, but it's much more difficult.

Also, you have your only life and when you're dead, you're dead. So you have to keep yourself alive until end of the round.

The weapons, are very different too. To get a gun which increases your chances to survive -  you have to play well. Or - have a strong team(work), which wins. In UT, Quake or other typical fps, even weakest n00b can pick up a rocket launcher and sell hordes of enemies to hell. But not here. Alternative is only to be really good/lucky sniper and make headshots with weakest pistol. But this is hardly possible for a weak player.

Each round starts by guessing which way enemies come from, and right decision is followed by ambush and great battle. In other games, people just randomly seek&destroy.

The tactical and strategical aspects of this game is what makes CS-S good. Er... this - and bumpmapping & ragdoll physics 

Steam works fine, in my opinion. Right, it's quite slow and annoying, but it does the game updating for you so there's no moments (unlike other games) where your try to connect to a server ends up with message that your copy of game is outdated.
And then seeking for patch.

Very similar to this game is America's Army, I played it for some time, but I've always thought that UT's engine is most slow and unreliable thing in the world. In matter fact, it is. UT, Rune, Devastation... whatever the game is, menus work bad, game lags and whole thing doesn't work too well. So - bah.

Source engine runs just fine. And is quite pretty too.
At least every multiplayer FPS fan should give it a try before taking any opinion.

[Redwall]

While I enjoy a bout of CS, I prefer UT w/ Instagib myself... No weapons, no armor, no chances. (and Fatman's the Universal Equalizer)