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Counter-Strike For Xbox - Gold, Previewed, Cheat-Free?

Posted by simoniker on from the control-terror-allegedly-foiled dept.

Thanks to GamerFeed for reprinting the press release revealing that Valve's Xbox conversion of team-based tactical FPS Counter-Strike has now gone gold, and will be available in stores on November 18th. The console version boasts "seven never-before-seen multiplayer maps, one new counter-terrorist team, one new terrorist team and downloadable maps via Xbox Live", and GameSpot have a hands-on preview that rates the conversion as "a tight incarnation of the PC shooter", and mentions "subtle tweaks to [level] layout that will force veteran players to learn some new tricks." The Microsoft press release also claims: "The secure environment of Xbox Live ensures that gamers will experience nothing but cheat-free play."

38 comments

  1. tch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They probably shouldn't have said that. Now people will try even harder.

  2. well, that and the fact that... by millia · · Score: 2, Insightful

    it's running on a console do help to increase the possibility.

    however, it's still a microsoft system, so anything's possible. i wouldn't have been waving a red flag like that were i them...

    --
    stored on computers from birth to the grave
  3. Cheating by Nasarius · · Score: 1

    What if I run my XBox through a proxy of some sort and have it modify packets? Unless the server for Counterstrike on XBox is fixed to be totally secure, checking the client for modifications is pointless.

    --
    LOAD "SIG",8,1
    1. Re:Cheating by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Xbox network API by default encrypts all packets. You're not allowed to ship an Xbox Live game that doesn't. You'll have to crack this encryption first. As you do it, you'll have to make sure you don't trigger the cheat detection on Microsoft's servers (ie: you have to get it right in one try).

      Then you'll have to contend with being reported to Microsoft by other players if you cheat. They will notice. And since you can't change your online name (that's tied to your account and credit card number), it will be very easy to track you down, monitor what you're doing and ban your Xbox and Xbox Live account from their network. You'll now have a $200 paperweight when it comes to playing online.

      Then if you distribute or tell anyone about your cheat, expect to have a knock on the door from the FBI, your computers confiscated and charges filed against you under the DMCA for distupting a business (Xbox Live is not free, remember) by tampering with an encryption mechanism.

      Good luck, ciya around when you get out in 10.

      In other words: It really isn't worth it.

    2. Re:Cheating by tunah · · Score: 1
      Unless the server for Counterstrike on XBox is fixed to be totally secure, checking the client for modifications is pointless.

      And if the server IS totally secure, then checking the client for modifications is pointless :-P

      --
      Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
    3. Re:Cheating by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      there's other forms of 'cheating' that exist(than just altering packets)..

      that can't be contented.

      (have another xbox as spectator, have a ping increase pedal, take some speed, whatever.... )

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    4. Re:Cheating by Mawbid · · Score: 1
      Cheats come in many flavors. Some don't directly influence the control stream at all. The common wallhack for instance.

      This means that if you can intercept, decrypt, and understand the communications between the console and the server, you can cheat without running the risk of being flagged by any automatic cheat detector.

      If you want to get fancy, you can even imagine a setup that allows you to safely use aimbots too. That requires either a custom controller or a robot that moves the widgets on a standard controller in response to your actions on a second controller (most of the time) or your computer's commands (when you command the aimbot to take over).

      Still, I figured if you need to build or buy illegal hardware to cheat, I think the cheat prevention team has kinda won. But after thinking about it some more, maybe not. Regular people have their DVD players modded, gamers have their consoles modded and some are willing to spend a couple of hundred dollars for a controller they think will give them a slight edge (you mostly see that with wheels in racing games) so maybe the idea of a thriving black market for cheat enabling Xbox controllers is not totally out of the question.

      Encryption, automatic cheat detection, closed hardware, laws to protect closed hardware. All can cut down on cheating. But I think the other thing you mentioned is much more important:

      You're not anonymous. That's the real difference, I think.

      Now all you have to worry about is identity theft :-)

      --
      Fuck the system? Nah, you might catch something.
  4. Just like PC? by obeythefist · · Score: 3, Funny

    I assume this is a low res version of CounterStrike, without the fine aiming control of a mouse? Or does it have an auto-aim feature?

    I wonder which patch level of CS it will be running from. I found it amusing in the older versions that many "professional" players liked to use a sniper rifle and walk around crouched, and jump up and down in the air to shoot. Just like real life!

    --
    I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    1. Re:Just like PC? by Randy+Wang · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just like real life! Hell yeah! And wouldn't it suck to be a real soldier without the luxury of a respawn?

      --
      --- Egads, I glow in the dark!
    2. Re:Just like PC? by eMartin · · Score: 1

      Or does it have an auto-aim feature?

      Ah! So the aimbots for cheating are built-in then?

    3. Re:Just like PC? by nadadogg · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You know what, if I can find some way to rig a mouse up to my Xbox, I would give this a shot, just to maybe find some new people to give hell to. CS is pretty much the only game I play nowadays, and since I'm not touching Steam anytime soon, I might give this a rent, just to see how it feels.

      --
      i use linux and windows oh god how can i have an opinion
    4. Re:Just like PC? by RockClimbingFool · · Score: 1

      steam is working pretty well now actually. it was hell for the first month, but that is just like the release of any other major internet based service. the one issue i have about version 1.6 is it seems cheating is pretty rampant. but that too seems to be decreasing. i guess in a few more months lots of ID will be banned and play should be consistantly cheat free. just my guess on that though...

    5. Re:Just like PC? by Quill_28 · · Score: 1

      The AWP completely sucks in CS. You can switch to fast from pistol to AWP.
      Switching to the awp should a take a sec or two.

      You should not be allowed to run or jump when have a awp. And the scope should take a bit of time to focus.

      It is simply too powerful the way it is and makes the game fun for only those who are good at it.

      And why does a shot in the leg kill you from a AWP when a shot from a deagle close range does not? Makes no sense.

    6. Re:Just like PC? by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 1

      Dunno if this is the reason, but once you get into hypersonic rounds, as many sniper rifles are, you can get into some pretty interesting effects, such as a shot to the hand will blow out your heart via shockwaves travelling through the blood system.

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
    7. Re:Just like PC? by Black+Hitler · · Score: 1
      I assume this is a low res version of CounterStrike, without the fine aiming control of a mouse? Or does it have an auto-aim feature?
      Well, in all fairness, a few of the previews mentioned that the developers were redoing the levels to make them more horizontally-oriented so less Y-axis aiming would be required. Still going from CS with a mouse to CS with a gamepad is not a prospect that interests me, but folks new to CS will probably get the swing of it pretty well.
  5. Too many online FPS by jnguy · · Score: 1

    We now have another good looking FPS on the Xbox. I just bought Rainbow Six 3 a few days ago, and I'm loving it. With all the other FSP (Ghost Recon, Ghost Recon:IT, RTCW, Swat, RBS 3) CounterStrike is going to have to fight a bit for a lot of people to play. Sure, its counterstrike, and EVERYBODY plays counterstrike, but I'll probabaly stick to Rainbow Six for now, unless something truely amazing happens in counterstrike.

    1. Re:Too many online FPS by bigman2003 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'll be buying it-

      I'm hoping that it has the same longevity on the Xbox as it has on the PC. Of course, it won't go for 5 years...but maybe it has longer legs than the other games.

      I just want a game that will have opponents on-line in two years when I decide to take it out again to play. So, I'm hoping that this will be a blockbuster, with a ton of sales.

      Mechassault on the other hand is a great game, and now that it comes bundled with Live, that just means it will have more players- which is great. And for a crappy player like me, more NEW players is also a good thing!

      I'm just out looking for one-forty-three.

      --
      No reason to lie.
  6. And of course... by Kyrthira · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Let's not forget the press release soon to come...

    'Microsoft announced the release of its first patch for its Xbox console game Counter-Strike today. One month after its release date, the game continues to be a high-seller in the pre-holiday shopping frenzy.

    'The patch is available with your Xbox Live account. If you do not already possess an account, you can still download the patch for $12.99.'

    [/snark]

    --
    ~Kyrthira Phelan~
    1. Re:And of course... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      har har

      When was the last time you were charged for a patch?

      ya dick

    2. Re:And of course... by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      and what would you do with the game without xbox live account?

      you know, the only environment where they would except you to need patches would be the xbox live(as it's the 'only' way to play online).

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    3. Re:And of course... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's see...

      Windows 95 > Windows 98 > Windows ME...

      Should I continue?

  7. CS w/o cheats? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sounds great! But is it *FUN*?

  8. At last! by wastaz · · Score: 0, Troll

    At last!
    Now we can get rid of all the filthy Counterstrike players from the LAN parties!

    This is a day of joy! Microsoft did something good for once! I almost feel like I should thank them :D


    Now...how do we make all counterstrike players go get XboXes instead of infesting the otherwise decent computergaming society?

  9. This could be a good thing by Cirreus+Krestel · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Cheating in Counter-Strike has been a major problem (The most cheated online game ? Who knows , but I'm sure it'll be in the top 10 for years to come.) Xbox Live does check for inconsistencies in packets & data (to what extent will see) but this is good news to any of us that tired of cheaters ruining the game. If Microsoft can drasticly reduce cheating with it's Live service , there will be more entertaining games (knowing the person kicking your arse is really that good ... or not) & for serious players , more realiable matches , more tournaments & more competitions can be held. And that is good for everyone.

    --
    "taking over the world , one lego at a time"
    1. Re:This could be a good thing by JavaLord · · Score: 1

      Cheating in Counter-Strike has been a major problem (The most cheated online game ? Who knows

      I would say CS is the game which has had the most aimbots coded for it, and the most advanced ones. (Having used quite a few, for different FPS games).

      This wasn't a bright thing for microsoft to say, I'm sure someone out there will write a cheat for CS on the X-Box, it's not like the X-Box Live is some security utopia, I just think the majority of aimbotters don't want to be bothered with it. When they do, look out. The X-Box is probably easier to write cheats for than the PS2 since the X-Box uses PC hardware.

    2. Re:This could be a good thing by Quill_28 · · Score: 1

      Yes, cheating is a bad thing. I abhor it. But hears the thing that I dislike the most.

      I am an average player I guess, but sometimes I play against people that are awesome. I mean there will be 8 guys playing, I will be 32-12 only because my teammate is 60-3! Is he cheating? If he ain't cheating I am going to sit back and watch him play and learn, but everyone thinks he's cheating and I suspect also.

      And can you tell the difference between an awesome player and a cheater? how?

      Also, when I get on a streak it's gets old people telling me I am a cheater(this is rare), instead of saying well done they say stop cheating. Ruins the experience for everyone.

      ok done with my rant

  10. Good to see a classic FPS go to the console by The+Evil+Couch · · Score: 3, Interesting

    but will it support a keyboard and mouse if I "accidentally" spliced a USB hub onto a controller extender? :p

    --
    The World's Worst Webcomic!
    1. Re:Good to see a classic FPS go to the console by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      or just buy the PSO x-box keyboard adapter.

      http://www.xbox.com/en-us/pso2/keyboardadapter.h tm

      Shipping and handling costs $6.95 (U.S.). Offer only available in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada. Offer will expire on December 31, 2004.

    2. Re:Good to see a classic FPS go to the console by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, though the XBOX controller ports are derivatives of a USB port, games must detect if the attached device is an actual approved device or some random USB peripheral.

  11. AWP will be fixed on Xbox by AlexMax2742 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I feel your concerns about the AWP.

    However, the very fact that this is a console version of CS should dumb down the AWP enough. I mean, have you ever tried aiming a sniper rifle with a joystick as opposed to with a mouse in a game? It could be done, and done well, but it still would take miles more effort and wouldn't be done with quite the same accuracy as CS on the computer.

    Plus you have to factor in the fact that CS will be without console scripts, which most professional CounterStrikers seem to use.

    --
    I'm the guy with the unpopular opinion
    1. Re:AWP will be fixed on Xbox by Quill_28 · · Score: 1

      Yeah I don't like scripts either or nades... :-)

    2. Re:AWP will be fixed on Xbox by mikelu · · Score: 1

      I hear that...they should have build inaccuracy into the nade trajectories.

  12. less players, less servers, less options by Zed2K · · Score: 1

    There are so many servers and players out there playing CS that you can always just jump in and find a game. How many copies do they think they'll be able to sell of this for the XBox? There will be so few players that you'll be forced to play on certain servers whether you want to or not.

  13. Uh am i the only one who sees this problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They used the word Secure in the same sentance as a Microsoft product!
    LOL

  14. Level changes... by MMaestro · · Score: 1
    "subtle tweaks to [level] layout that will force veteran players to learn some new tricks."

    You mean the same "veterans" that always play on servers running the same de_dust, de_dust2, and cs_militia maps 24/7?

    Last time I checked CS was loaded with hundreds, if not thousands, of maps yet only 5-10 are really played.

  15. MOD PARENT UP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why was it modded as troll? He is right!

    I never thought I would say this, but...
    THANK YOU, MS!