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Gameplay
Fig. 8. A scene from the Italian villageSince the release of the initial beta of Counter-Strike one year ago, there have been dozens of beta releases. But these beta releases have not simply been to fix bugs (although I might note that this current version is remarkably stable and bug-free). Rather, the makers have also been focused on providing superb, balanced gameplay. Through the dozens of different betas, they've focused on balancing the weapons and providing only the very best maps. Gameplay is all about the right mix of guns and scenery. For example, this latest beta release (taking CS from 6.0 to 6.5) tweaked the MP5 and added a few new maps. The MP5 is no longer as effective as it once used to be, as the zoom feature was removed.
Whenever adding new maps, it's important to focus on balanced starting points. Since the beginning, map makers have been continuously submitting new maps to the Counter-Strike team. They are highly selective about their maps (as they should be) and the result, for the most part, are the absolutely fantastic maps. Some of these maps include themes like an arctic fort, a giant oil rig, a 747, a desert fortress, and my favorite, an Italian village complete with frescoes and opera singing. Every single map is extremely well put together and the craftsmanship rivals even Valve's original work.
Fig. 9. incognito...In Counter-Strike, it's the guns and their appropriate usage that make this game so exciting. First of all, nearly every single gun has its supporters. I've heard people tell me that the Desert Eagle handgun is the only weapon to use. I've found that the shotgun is an amazing weapon which can absolutely blow away players in CQB situations. Meanwhile, assault rifles deliver the punch that machine guns cannot.
Sniper rifles seem to dominate any sort of map where any sort of camping or sniping can be attempted, and the LMG (M249 Para) is great for support fire or just mad rushes against the opponent. Finally, the player has the option of even using a combat knife to slice up his opponent (certainly worth a laugh when it does happen). There are, of course, certain instances when using one gun over another is strongly preferred. For example, on the arctic level, the sniper rifle works great on the many perches atop the forts. But that's just one example of how effective and useful these rifles are.
Fig. 10. Bullets from an MP5.In the Rainbow Six series, sniper rifles are hardly given a second thought because they were modeled in to be a nearly impossible to shoot except while plopped on the ground. In Counter-Strike, firing the first shot is basically a factor of wherever your reticule is placed and whatever latency may exist. The shooting model is perhaps not as complicated as it should be, since rifles have the tendency to recoil quite a bit, making those third and fourth shots all the more difficult.
In theory, I believe that the model should take into account jumping and moving for your shots. However, the model simply emphasizes shooting. For that reason, the single shot, long-range sniper rifles have a great advantage. Again, it should be emphasized that the game is really just a beta mod, and not completed. Of course, who knows if the game will ever be completed. Fortunately, Valve software has recently recognized the product of Counter-Strike and offered it complete backing. What that means is anyone's guess.
