Counter-Strike Xbox Screenshots

Victum_ writes "Over at Gaming Horizon they have posted some new Counter-Strike Xbox screens. These are supposedly the very first screenshots that have been released of the Xbox version. They look pretty much identical to CS:CZ screens, save the lower resolution." Anyone else feel like innovation in the FPS genre has stagnated since the introduction of Counter-Strike? I played this mod in college and loved it, and while I don't play it much anymore, I can't find another game that gives a better FPS experience.

Comments

Re:alas

[aridhol]

I'm certainly not going to *pay* for it since it's been out so long

What's the logic in that? You think that because they wrote it a few years ago, they don't still deserve to get money for it? Or because it's too "old tech" to spend your money on?

You want the game, pay for it. Or find something free to use as an alternative.

Yes, we non x-box folks think it stagnated.

[Elwood P Dowd]

But all the xbox fans seem to think Halo is better than Jesus. It's definitely prettier than CS, but I don't understand how people can take it seriously. Mostly because I can't get anywhere near the precision control on an xbox controller than I can with mouselook. But that's just me.

Counterstrike is revolutionary

[mnmn]

Halflife + CS showed that FPS games can be more than just better motion, weapons and effects. Halflife itself introduced a more immersing storyline than say quake and doom, and counterstrike just hit right on the nail of the adolescent desire for competition. Its violence for sure, but theres more, it tends to a persons sense of competition, strategy and planning the way sports do. Counterstrike is also a completely multiplayer game, unlike unreal where people get sick of the game by playing against the bots. Counterstrike brought the clan culture to the masses where players spend certain times of their days just practising for a real showdown, such a social element really improves the quality of the game.

And unlike quake3 and unreal, the clutter and fancy effects are removed to present a simple and very realistic game, just the minimum that even during its beta stages didnt require a $400 video card. Over time the rules were tweaked to balance the strength of the players to push competition and interest in the game. I doubt other developers cared so much about these things before halflife + cs.

One of the gripes about both quake versions was that it was too dark and grey. The constant cave-like walls, so ID presented the very colorful quake3. But the point was some realism. Boys just didnt want to play something like the sims, there had to be violence. Counterstrike now has a culture developed around it, with international matches and so many clans duking it out in every timezone. Now sierra has built an industry momentum and old halflife copies are still selling at the same price. Dethroning this will take effort in areas other than just technology and fancy radeon and geforce effects. It has to be an integral package with a story, an appropriate realism and gameplay tuned for competition.

Tribes2

[Wee]

I can't find another game that gives a better FPS experience.

Looks like CowboyNeal has never played Tribes2. It was incredibly innovative, and the engine was very good for combined indoor and outdoor playing. The game came with integrated 'email', IRC and newsgroup-ish fora, which was extremely cool (but never lived up to its potential since the "community" got killed along with Dynamix). I recently started playing it again and with a GeForce4 plus every setting cranked up, it's a really pretty game, too.

But where T2 really shined was in teamwork with vehicles. If you've ever played Tribes2 with four or five buddies you were communicating with, you know what I mean. There's nothing like a combined bomber/tank strike (with fighter escort) or a transport full of juggernauts to give you a great FPS experience. Or sending out scouts ahead of a couple engineers with deployable inventory stations, with shrikes keeping everyone's heads down. The Renegades mod really added a lot with all sorts of deployable stuff. I always liked mortar turrets.

'Course T2 wasn't all twitchy like Quake-ish games, and the maps were extremely large and detailed, so I can see why some people overlook it.

-B

FPS innovation

[FortKnox]

Honestly, the first time FPS had innovation was the beloved Starsiege:Tribes. Then there was the FPS/RPG twists of System Shock 2, and Deus Ex. The Thief series added some twists. CS, though, isn't anything really 'innovating,' IMHO. Perhaps the next Thief that IonStorm is working on will help out a bit. BF1942 adds a good team aspect that I haven't seen since Tribes. Metroid:Prime makes the 1-player only FPS the best I've played since Halflife.

My suggestion? Try BF1942 and Metroid:Prime for some FPS goodness until something new comes out.

Still More Room for Innovation

[ShaoK]

As long as developers don't go into it with "i want to make a game just like..." there can be still room for innovation within the FPS genre

I thought Metroid Prime (GCN) did a great job of an 'alternate' FPS style. For those of you who haven't played it, you just need to move your aiming reticle near something, and hold down a lock button and your aim stayed on it.

This forced much of the focus of the game to be on maneuvering your character and exploring the surroundings. as opposed to just shoot shoot shoot.

AA ANYONE?

[meltnick]

I cant believe there is discussion of FPS games and not one mention of America's Army! AA has taken it to a new level with pretty large maps, great effects, great commitment to new stuff over the next few years, and most importantly teamwork instead of Rambo-style play.

And yes, it is 100% FREE. FREE. FREE. It is recruitment tool, but it is the best FPS I have ever played.

Try America's Army

[Sandman1971]

Anyone else feel like innovation in the FPS genre has stagnated since the introduction of Counter-Strike?

I would definately not call Counterstrike innovative. It was a copy of stuff that was already around.

Now if you wanna try something that's a bit different, try America's Army. Not only is it different, it's also free to download and play :) (well, if you're American, you sorta already paid for it with your tax dollars). Very strategic FPS, even moreso than BF1942. Wthout team strategy, you lose. You also need to be able to successfully pass standalone missions before certain maps and weapons are made available to you for online play (so no one is a total newbie).

Re:Bluh. New Engine Needed.

[Joe the Lesser]

All I can say is, man, we've come a long way from Contra.

Looking for "Revolutionary", try Natural Selection

[Bishop923]

Natural Selection is another professional-quality but free Half-Life Mod which more/less combines the RTS and FPS genres in a very interesting way. Best way to describe it would be: Imagine playing Starcraft, but your marines are controlled by real people. Truly focuses on team strategy, instead of individual frag counts. The team is currently in final beta for the 1.1 release, very exciting times indeed.