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Counter-Strike For Xbox Brings The Frag

Thanks to GameSpot for their hands-on impressions of Counter-Strike for the Xbox, as Valve's massively popular multiplayer title makes the transition to console gamers and Xbox Live. The article points out: "What began as a grassroots mod, literally created in a dorm room, has become the most widely played PC action game on the Internet - in just a few short years." There's also a number of new screenshots of this console conversion, which ships in November, and also includes map enhancements/downloads: "...of the 20 maps that will initially be available, seven are Xbox-exclusive... more maps should be available, via Xbox Live updates, sometime after release."

38 comments

  1. OMG I can't wait! by PeteyG · · Score: 1, Funny

    OMG I can't wait to lay down some s3ri0us 0wn4g3 on these X-box CS n00bs. My l33t m0us3 sk1llz will d3f34t t3h l4m3 gamepads of t3h n00bs!!!!11

    OMG I just crapped my pants.

    --
    no thanks
    1. Re:OMG I can't wait! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Unfortunately crapping your pants results in a -1, pants crapped moderation.

    2. Re:OMG I can't wait! by cbirdsong64 · · Score: 1

      I guess on Xbox Live they'll have to talk in leetspeak.

    3. Re:OMG I can't wait! by BenjyD · · Score: 1

      4LL J00 C$ W3EN1E5 c@n $UCk mY 4S$! DAY 0f D3fE@T 0wn5 Y0U!

    4. Re:OMG I can't wait! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Leetspeak is so lame dude...

    5. Re:OMG I can't wait! by PeteyG · · Score: 1

      Listen up soldier, I am a grizzled DoD veteran myself. I've been playing since 1.1. I was there before the post-1.3 Great Map Makeover. Me and my boys owned Caen before the demolition charges were added.

      I've been with DoD since DoD 1.3b. I am old-school.

      And there is NO ONE a true DoDer hates more than a pansy-ass nancy boy CS player who complains in lower l33t that he can't bunny hop.

      --
      no thanks
    6. Re:OMG I can't wait! by domninus.DDR · · Score: 1

      too bad bunny hopping was virtually eliminated from usefulness in 1.5 huh?

    7. Re:OMG I can't wait! by PeteyG · · Score: 1

      Are you talking about Counter Strike? I think you are.

      I never claimed to play CS a lot. In fact, I expressed my utter contempt for the CS players who invaded DoD servers.

      Too bad the thing you just posted in a condescending manner is irrelevant, huh?

      --
      no thanks
    8. Re:OMG I can't wait! by mattgreen · · Score: 1

      Last thing we need is more people talking like the original poster. Which I'm afraid the XBox port will bring.

  2. Phat ... by violent.ed · · Score: 2, Interesting

    is it just me or are the player models fatter than the pc version. Or is it just the horrible screenshots that gamespot provides.

    I would think that being a console port, it would adjust the collision detection of the projectiles for a less responsive aiming device such as a joystick, but still... making the arctic avenger model look like orah in a jumpsuit is just apalling (just the thought of oprah in ANY kind of jumpsuit, or the thought of oprah herself....)

    The textures themselfs seem a bit bland. They lack the crispness that the PC version has, which is acceptable for a console port, but c'mon, i REALLY hope that while im playing on PC with the 'l33t krew' skinny model dosn't mean that i would be a plump fat-ass donut gobbler on someones screen if they are playing on an x_bawx (emphasis on disdain for all 'nex-gen' consoles, the last one i bought was SNES :P)

    --
    - You're not paranoid, they really are after you.
    1. Re:Phat ... by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 4, Insightful

      " is it just me or are the player models fatter than the pc version. Or is it just the horrible screenshots that gamespot provides."

      CS has always been insanely out of perportion. When you make all the textures look good the unrealisticness of it all shines through
      Take a look at this screenshot for example. So theres a ledge on the ground up to his knees(+2 points for whoever can think of something in real life that has a structure like that) and a flamible barrel bigger than he is.. with boxes that dwarf them also. It makes much better gameplay, but just looks silly with pretty textures.
      Hopefully the game will be fast paced enough that you dont notice, like current counterstrike. Take a look at de_cbble some time, the map is supposed to be a persons house yet the door way are atleast twice as tall and three times as wide as you are. again, better gameplay.

      --
      Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
    2. Re:Phat ... by Matchu · · Score: 2, Informative

      In Europe, I've seen decorative rectangular fountains/pools with ledges that high.

    3. Re:Phat ... by Zardoz44 · · Score: 1
      1. To me it looks higher than his knees. From this angle, it looks nearly as tall as his ass. Are we assuming that he's 6 ft tall? It might be a bit too low for him, but for someone 5 1/2 feet, it might be perfect to sit on and have a coffee. Maybe it's tall and strong enough to prevent a forklift from falling over the edge, but not too tall to be an eye-sore. You're assuming too much about the the architecture of map without knowing what the site was used for. We're not given enough information.

      2. Boxes and barrels can't be larger than people? I've been in wineries with barrels larger than my apartment. I've worked in a wharehouse-type setting that had boxes bigger than people. I think we also had some massive haz-mat barrels there as well with pcb oil from old transformers.

      I don't necessarily disagree with your statement that some of the maps take suspension of disbelief (Aztec is a pretty crappy museum/park, and militia has a weird piece of real-estate for a house) but just ignore it. It's a game.

  3. Cheaters.. by Aliencow · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Keep the cheaters off Xbox live, and I might just continue playing.
    Let them play like they do on PC, and I'll play on my PC for free...
    And whatever you do, don't do like Sega for PSO2 and charge money + allow insane amounts of cheaters that ruined the game in a few weeks.

  4. God damn, how long has it been since I played? by QuantumG · · Score: 1

    The guys in counterstrike have faces now? How cool are those textures? Damn that lighting looks good. Are there any bad things I should know about before rushing out to aquire a copy of the game?

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  5. CS:CZ Theories by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Theres something really odd.
    CS:CZ's release date is sometime this month. So is HalfLife2.
    Valve isnt /that/ stupid, so I think theyre bundling it. I'm thinking either condition zero will ship with hl2 or condition zero will be pushed over steam this wednesday. Theres no way valve will try to compete with their own game, It just wont work.

    These screenshots just further help my theory -- Those are condition zero models and maps, but with some multiplayer maps
    de_prodigy
    de_dust
    de_chateau
    de_chateau
    de_aztec(with the 1.6 bridge)

    The CS:CZ models can be seen on here for comparison

    A Gamespy article backs this up by saying
    "On the multiplayer side, Condition Zero will contain ten new Counter-Strike maps, available exclusively through the retail package. For current Counter-Strike players, a v1.6 patch should be released right around the same time the game hits shelves, ensuring online compatibility between the two games. When When we spoke with Valve a few weeks back, they mentioned that they would likely release some of these maps to the public, perhaps one very few weeks. The guys at Ritual confirmed that this was a possiblity, but nothing official has been decided yet. It's worth pointing out that Valve has historically been pretty generous with this kind of thing, and we be surprised if an official map or two wasn't released to the community within weeks of CZ hitting shelves. "

    So I'm thinking they are going to push cs:cz over steam, Possibly for free or maybe just at a very low cost. Theres no way you can sell it retail with HL2 coming out in mere weeks.

    (This post is mostly so come wednesday if I'm right I can link to this, heh)

    --
    Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
    1. Re:CS:CZ Theories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or, better yet, they could sell both on the shelves, because people will buy both, and make double the money. I know this doesn't fall in your "generous corporation" theory, but there's a touch more reality to it.

    2. Re:CS:CZ Theories by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 1

      Twice the money? Try half. If they sell both than no one will buy CS:CZ because it looks like ass. CZ really is just 1.6 singleplayer, and cs is getting really old now. If they release it for free, It keeps gamers occupied for the rest of the month when they can buy hl2. (And by free, I include the possibility of requring a current hl cdkey)

      --
      Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
  6. Not to be a party pooper but... by __aailob1448 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The graphics suck...a lot. Sure they are better than the pc version of the game. A game that uses an engine roughly equivalent to the Quake2 engine.

    (For those who don't already know, Counter-Strike is a Half-Life mod. HL uses a heavily modified Quake1 engine peppered with some bits of Quake2 engine code). QUAKE1 people!!!

    Therefore, comparing a nearly 5 year old game designed to run smoothly on a 300 Mhz PII with a TNT videocard to it's brand new Xbox counterpart is not really a smart move.

    This port had the potential to look a lot better than it does right now. Maybe the developpers are just prioritizing the much expected CS2 for pc (which will run on the stunning HL2 engine).

    Continuity? Transitions? What are you talking about?

    1. Re:Not to be a party pooper but... by goraknotsteve · · Score: 2, Interesting

      CS was never about the graphics for me, it was all about the gameplay. If it had bleeding-edge graphics then we wouldn't be able to play it on our 500-600MHz NT machines in OpenGL or software mode here in the office at lunchtimes.

      In fact we have even been known to replace the poor graphics of the Ts and CTs with square edged hitbox shaped skins to increase framerate and playability.

      --
      How much do you like toast?
    2. Re:Not to be a party pooper but... by RexRuther · · Score: 1

      The gameplay is what made CS a great game. Well thought out maps also add to the greatness of this game.

      Fancy graphics do not a great game make.

      Playing with a game pad will stink though.

      --
      -"The early bird catches the worm, but the late bird sleeps the most"
    3. Re:Not to be a party pooper but... by bluesnowmonkey · · Score: 1

      The graphics suck...a lot.

      Why do people always say stuff like that? Nuts. You don't even notice the graphics after a few weeks. The game isn't in the presentation, it's in the mechanics. That's what the game is to those who still play it. The moving and shooting, not the pretty skins.

      Some people don't even care if the player models look like people; they use stickmen versions for higher FPS and to precisely show the hitboxes. Think about it this way: is chess just as fun when you use plain, functional pieces instead of carved, beautiful pieces?

    4. Re:Not to be a party pooper but... by evil-osm · · Score: 1

      Its called "cash" dude.

      Simple formula for a sucessful company

      1. Keep costs low
      2. Re-use what you can and where, *esp* if hardly anyone will care, and it likly will be a cash cow, and if its not, your out a few hours work, could be worse.
      3. Don't fix what ain't broken
      4. ?
      4. Profit!

      --


      E.

      Never rub another man's rhubarb - The Joker
  7. CS got ported to XBox?! by MalleusEBHC · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear XBox owners,

    You bastards.

    Sincerely,
    The Mac Gaming Community

    1. Re:CS got ported to XBox?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mac... Gaming... Community?? BWAAHAAHAA!! How's Breakout doing? Any new versions released recently?

    2. Re:CS got ported to XBox?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      funniest... post.... ever.

    3. Re:CS got ported to XBox?! by rwven · · Score: 0

      AHAHAHA, i almost peed my pants....

    4. Re:CS got ported to XBox?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We have BREAKOUT?!!?! I thought the only game we had was the sliding puzzle with the Apple logo!

      I must tell this to the rest of the hardcore Mac gaming community. Thats right, all 3 of them!

    5. Re:CS got ported to XBox?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A Mac gamer who uses a hotmail account. This just made my week...

    6. Re:CS got ported to XBox?! by BigKato · · Score: 1

      If you can afford to buy a Mac these days, you should be able to afford an Xbox.

      --
      So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
  8. network compatible? by rwven · · Score: 1, Interesting

    will PC and XBOX players be able to play together? I cant wait for the day when console players and PC players can play the same game together....

    1. Re:network compatible? by n0wak · · Score: 1

      I cant wait for the day when console players and PC players can play the same game together....

      Your wait's over. It's called Final Fantasy XI.

    2. Re:network compatible? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As I don't work for MS I can't say this with 100% confidence, but seeing as Xbox Live runs over a closed, proprietary network I can't see Xbox players and PC players interacting in the same game. It might be possible if play online w/out Xbox Live, through Gamespy's tunnel service (think that's what it's called), for example. But I wouldn't be surprised if the two versions were fundamentally incompatible. While it would be cool to be able to play against PC users, I think keeping the network closed is the way to go. The cheating that is rampant online isn't present in any current Xbox Live games (that I've played, anyway), and as someone who also plays PC games I feel certain that the ability to use a mouse and keyboard instead of controller gives PC users a massive advantage. I like the controller-s, but it doesn't give near the level of precision of the keyboard/mouse combo.

    3. Re:network compatible? by AlexMax2742 · · Score: 1
      "I cant wait for the day when console players and PC players can play the same game together...."

      Didn't Quake III Arena for DC do this?

      --
      I'm the guy with the unpopular opinion
    4. Re:network compatible? by Zooka · · Score: 1

      "Didn't Quake III Arena for DC do this?"

      Yes, Dreamcast and PC players were able to play together. The PC'ers had to have the right point release (patch version) 1.17 iirc...) and the DC map-pack, and had to play on the DC servers (which were limited to 4 players).

  9. X-box shining for PC games... by phorm · · Score: 1

    I think this is where we'll see the X-box shine through. Games previously designed for PC, or already out on PC should make the transition quite easily due to similar architecture.

    Not that I like it though, as I hate to see some of the better games move away from PC. I'm just hoping somebody will find it easy enough to port decent X-box games back to PC as well...

    1. Re:X-box shining for PC games... by BigKato · · Score: 1

      I know you can use a microphone on the PC version but I think the quality of on the XBox will be superior. A lot of times the voices on PC are really muffled and hard to understand. The voice communication capabilities on the XBox might actually improve team cooperation.

      Then again without a keyboard you won't be able to talk smack to the other team.

      I just hope I'll be able to host a game with more than 4 players. I've had that problem with Unreal Championship for Xbox. Is it upload bandwith that affects this? I used to have only 128kbps upload with 1.5 Mbps download on cable. Now I have 256 kbps upload with 1.5 Mbps download on DSL. Will this affect the number of players i can host?

      --
      So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.