Counter Strike New Revealed
Valve finally announced Counter Strike New after weeks of speculation. It's a major upgrade to CS:GO that will be bringing it on the Source 2 engine.
It also introduces sub-tick server update and smoke grenades that respond to. It's made many armchair gamers crazy, but it looks like an upgrade for the average player.
Smokes
Counter Strike New is getting an update that will completely change the way smokes are used in the game. These changes are being dubbed as responsive smokes and will be a significant game changer. Smokes will expand to fill up spaces naturally and move around objects on the map. They will also react to the lighting of the game, which will make them appear more attractive and realistic. Smokes will also interact with gameplay events. This will create new tactical possibilities. For example, bullets will force smoke to briefly clear sightlines, and Hex grenade explosions will disperse smoke to block sightlines.
The biggest change to smokes is that they'll be a more dynamic part of the game. cs2 case opening in previous versions were fixed-shaped objects that had a restricted scope of movement and blocking. Smokes of the new design will fill the space where they are placed and make it harder for players to see vision when they are in place. This is a major change that will make the game more exciting and provide both sides with the same view.
Additionally smokes are now able to react to the environment, weaponry, and lighting in the world. This will make the smoke feel more real and allow players to use it in different ways to gain an advantage over their opponents. This is particularly useful in the chaotic matches that will take place on every map.
Smokes won't be one-way, which was a significant problem in CS:GO and allowed players to view their opponents' positions from behind the smoke. Twistzz, a popular CS:GO pro, says that the new system is an enormous improvement for players in competitive CS2 and will make it more fair for both teams.
Other minor changes include adjusting the vertical position of smoke particles in order to minimize the visibility of edges and updating spectators' smoke overlay visuals to match their camera position. The expiration of smokes was updated to match the visuals on screen.
Loadouts
Players of CS:GO can now customize their weapon choice before the start of every match. The new loadout system lets players to choose weapons that match their playstyles and team's strategy. The new system also brings new tactical depth to the game, because players must balance power and utility.
The CS: GO Update includes several additional improvements and modifications in addition to the brand new loadouts. Most importantly, the buy menu has been completely overhauled. The old buy wheel has been replaced by a customizable grid that shows all available purchase options simultaneously. The grid is populated with five pistols, as well as five "mid-tier weapons" like submachine guns, shotguns and rifles.
The new system is easy to use and will give players greater control over their weapon selection. It will let them pick the weapons that fit their playstyle and team strategy the best, as well being able to experiment with different combinations. It will also allow them to test out their skills against other players' loadouts and find out how they compare.
Many players have praised the increased flexibility, while others have criticized it for deviating away from the essence of Counter-Strike. They also expressed concern over how it would impact map-specific loadsouts and agent's skins that are based on visibility.
Despite these concerns, it is important to remember that the new loadout system is in its early stages and will undergo more thorough testing in the coming months. It is possible that some of these issues will be addressed in future updates, so it is essential to stay tuned for more details.
In addition to the brand new CS: GO features, the update also comes with Workshop Tools, which can be turned on in the game's settings menu. They allow community contributors to create weapons' finishes, stickers and maps. The update will also live ban players who break VAC guidelines in matches.
The latest CS GO update is scheduled to be released in the middle of summer. Players can now check out the full list of new features and upgrades by visiting the official CS: GO site.
Sub-Tick Updates
The world of Counter-Strike is constantly updated by the server in discrete increments of time called ticks. The smallest gap between a tick and the mouse click of a player can have an impact on the accuracy of a shot, so Valve is working hard to make sure that CS: GO is fluid and responsive. A new video reveals the most significant improvements to the game, referred to as sub tick updates.
Instead of a 64-tick-update every millisecond CS:GO can now use sub-ticks or, as Valve calls them, "micro ticks", to communicate with servers. Each of these small increments of time will be recorded by the client, and then transmitted to the server, which will then send back the latest game state to players. The servers will now know the exact moment when you shot and jumped, swung, and other inputs.
While a one-minute video is not enough to explain everything the video explains that each piece of information sent by the client is accompanied by a time stamp, and that the server will gather all information from all players in chronological order prior to sending it back. According to the video the CS: GO server will now be able to send up to twice as much information as a 64-tick server.
This means that even the tick rate of the game increased to 128 Hz, the game will still be able handle your commands instantly. Micro-tick updates also decrease the time it takes to input by making sure that the server reacts to your commands without glitches or delays.
Valve's technological improvements to the game are only beginning. Valve is currently implementing dynamic smoke and particle systems to improve the way smoke interacts with the surrounding and is updating all maps with high-resolution textures, lighting, and models. All CS: GO cosmetics and weapons will get a facelift with Source 2 tools and features.
Maps
The next update for Counter Strike New brings new maps, as well as a few classics with facelifts. These updates are currently being tested as part of a limited test beta. The first set of updates includes an upgrade and touchstone maps which will not undergo major changes in gameplay, whereas other maps have been completely renovated or redesigned using the new Source 2 Tools.
Among these, Overpass has been revamped to take advantage of the engine's new unified lighting system. The map's dark underground has been flooded with daylight to make it more spacious and less crowded. Additionally smoke grenades are now able to expand dynamically to fill spaces and interact with the new light.
Italy is a second map that has been overhauled. Its lighting, texture and structure have all been significantly improved. The new version is also more balanced than the predecessor, which was heavily CT-sided. In the near future fans can anticipate seeing classics like Aztec and Militia redesigned.
These maps will not be added to the competitive map pool, even though they are still playable. The only exception is Train which has been pulled out of Active Duty and will continue to be played in tournaments. Valve hasn't yet confirmed whether the other maps that were removed from the pool will be reinstated.
One of the more controversial updates is one created by Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's national newspaper. The newspaper has been a vocal critic of Russia's actions in Ukraine and the map takes inspiration from the city devastated by war, Donetsk. It's titled de_voyna, and features a number of references to the war.
The developer will release a set Source 2 Tools for map makers in the near future. This will include features like improved lighting and character read and physical-based rendering that produces realistic materials, textures and reflections. It will also make real-world objects like doors and windows, simpler to implement. The update is expected to be released sometime in the summer.