Valve Wants to Pull Players Off CS 1.6 with CS: GO
Valve wants to merge the two Counter-Strike communities with the release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
The original, 11-year-old Counter-Strike (1.6) game is currently Valve's most-played title on Steam, and its successor, Counter-Strike Source, is the studio's third-most played game. Yet with the release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Valve is essentially faced with the daunting task of luring those two communities away from their beloved games and stick with the newer product. That said, how will Valve end the seven year division between the two without shutting the games down completely?
One way to get them interested is to implement suggestions made by the pro Counter-Strike community. In an interview with Develop, Valve writer Chet Faliszek said they didn't take that route with Counter-Strike Source. "With Global Offensive we want to make sure that we’re doing what they want," he said. "Or that we at least understand the implications of what they’re asking for."
Other ways to get the long-term fans interested in the new game is to bring them into the closed beta so that they can help mold the shooter into what it should be, and to even bring them directly into the studio itself to play-test the beta right in front of the developers' eyes and ears. Feedback through forums is one thing -- doing so face-to-face with the game's creators can lead to a better understanding of what the players want, and what the developer is trying to create.
"It’s a really good way of testing your ideas," he said. "As a developer we may have what we think is a great idea, but then we realize people aren’t playing the game the way that we want them to. So you have to lead them to play it that way, and then you’ll find out the adjustments you have to make for that to happen."
"With Global Offensive, we’re making it to be the best version of Counter-Strike, and the one that people should be playing – but we can’t force that," he added. "We need to talk with those players and try to understand their concerns. But we know the 1.6 players and the CSS players are looking for something new. I think they’d like something from us that can incorporate them into being one."
Possibly one of the big selling points of Global Offensive is a possible support for cross-platform play between the Mac, PC and PlayStation 3. This in itself could open up a whole new batch of players who may have been unable to play a Counter-Strike title on their PC. Previous reports indicated that the PS3 to PC cross-platform support was a done deal, but Faliszek seems to indicate otherwise.
"We’re looking at it," he admitted. "It’s something that we’ll find out during the beta. We don't want to hamstring one platform to another."
He goes on to indicate that there's still details to hammer out in regards to Steamworks functioning at its full potential -- including handing out incremental updates -- on the PlayStation Network. And so far, there's still no sign of Steamworks support on the Xbox 360, but that hasn't been crossed off the list just yet.
"We’ll see," he said when asked about Steamworks on Microsoft's console. "That’s something Microsoft will has to decide. There’s some things going on with Portal 2 right now, but we’ll see. "
To read the full interview, head here.
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no one can kill my cs 1.6!
I just don't see it happening, they will need to make the greatest game of all time in order to pull die-hard 1.6 and source players from their respective games.
Pretty impressive CS1.6 is still this popular. I remember playing CS Betas from midnight till 5am all summer when I was 16. Good times.
Other games have also tried this, a controller won't win over a mouse and keyboard.
There's no way you can completely migrate all of your players over to a new game like that after so long.
Look at StarCraft, still played by millions and used in tournaments around the world.
I appreciate the fact they want to get input from the veterans. I hope they spend a lot of time in doing this too. I am going to have my time consumed playing BF3, MW3, and SWTOR. So by the time I have played the hell out of those games, CSGO will be hitting the internet.
First thing, CS is not 11 years old, it's 12 and 1.6 was not the first Counter-Strike. Way to go Toms. Miss those WON days
I think it's awesome they are taking extreme lengths from the community for ideas with CS:GO. But, from what I have heard, it's doesn't feel like 1.6 nor Source, so I don't see it going over extremely well with he hardcore players. Plus, the fact that you can't choose "keyboard only" servers, PC and console players are mashed together. I just hope there are enough cries from the community for this not the be a reality. UT3 for PS3 had the option for M/KB or M/KB and Controller (and could be wrong, but think there was an option for only controller as well. Been too many years since I played it) Migrated away from PC only gaming in 2007 with my PS3.
But, i did used to be "that CS guy", but played the BF series, Quake, etc. I would NEVER play an FPS with a controller, but the PS3 made me see otherwise. Once you get used to it, it's just as fun as with a mouse and keyboard. But yes, there is more CONTROL with a mouse. Also, you would be surprised how fun it is to play UT3 on the PS3 with M/KB and Controller players together, but it is still unbalanced and not a competitive environment.
I will just hold all my judgements till CS:GO is released and I have a chance to play it. From the videos I have seen, it does have most of the audio from Counter-Strike, so there is still that CS "feel", but it doesn't look it plays the same.
Until the Beta is released, I think we all should hold out judgements. I just hope it's not too console-ized.
...but it doesn't look like it plays the same.*
Damn no edit button
Actually, also wanted to add that I migrated somewhat away from 1.6 with Condition Zero. It played the exact same as 1.6, but had updated textures and maps. It did "feel" a little different, but was CS none the less.
Also, the riot shield was the worst iteration to the game ever
Other games have also tried this, a controller won't win over a mouse and keyboard.
Except for the fact that CS:GO will allow KB/M controls on consoles, so that wont really be a factor.
Hope they do cross platform, would love to smash some console players.
I just hope its better than Battlefield Play4Free. (The graphics are TERRIBLE even on high settings)
Just make the same maps, characters, weapons in one game. Add a turn on/off feature for using old and new graphics. I bet 3/4 of the players will download the new game, of course 1/4 didn't upgrade their x486 yet
"There's no way you can completely migrate all of your players over to a new game like that after so long.
Look at StarCraft, still played by millions and used in tournaments around the world."
I agree with this statement, 1.6 will still be played for a long time yet. LONG LIVE 1.6!!!
This is preatty much like starcraft 2 over broodwar. Some people just wont play something they belive "is worse".
In my books, the unification of a shooter is a bit easier than an RTS transition, but i still think some people jsut wont be interested.
... it's like you wanna kill pacman and/or tetris... CS 1.6 is classic... works on a age old PC... leave it be...
Valve? SHUT UP!
If it doesn't start with "Half Life x will bee released..." I don't want to hear it!
Yeah, I never saw the appeal of Counter-Strike. Half-Life is where it's at for me. Portal was an interesting aside. Would be good to combine those two. Counter-strike ... just dunno. I must be anti-social.
Cross-platform? Didn't Microsoft do a study on this to see if games could be cross platform between Xbox and PC? If my memory served right they asked the best Xbox players to participate and they got raped by average PC gamers.
Also pulling away from 1.6 won't happen unless it has the same gameplay. CS:S was dumbed down to spray and pray and lacked core things like shooting through walls (depending on the gun's fire power).
I love Counter Strike, but haven't played in years and really miss the game I'll definitely check out CS:GO, but I hope it's not like Call of Duty's multi-player which is filled with foul mouthed racist 10 year olds. That's a deal killer for me.
Hope they do cross platform, would love to smash some console players.
Wow seriously they will have the short end of the stick. This is CS, the most skilled and twitchiest players on the planet are on it... Poor noobs will be slaughtered.
Imagine a 10+years CS veteran vs A CoD kid.
i hope they get rid of the cheats and exploits...that's what killed the game for me
"Hey you just bought a new Mac? Awesome, so can it play Crys...i mean Counter Strike?"
Imagine the fun
A happy ending for all?
CS 1.6 was, and still is, where it's at out of the CS games. You WILL have a hard time pulling players from 1.6, and GO will honestly have to be better than BF3 for you to get me off of 1.6.
I can still remember the countless school hours wasted (let's face it, wisely spent)on 1.6, and the laughs we had when the bots' aimbot absolutely destroyed us. I love 1.6 too much to get off it.
CS 1.6 was, and still is, where it's at out of the CS games. You WILL have a hard time pulling players from 1.6, and GO will honestly have to be better than BF3 for you to get me off of 1.6. I can still remember the countless school hours wasted (let's face it, wisely spent)on 1.6, and the laughs we had when the bots' aimbot absolutely destroyed us. I love 1.6 too much to get off it.
CS is absolute proof that better graphics do not equal better gameplay
I look forward to the built-in scrim finder, no more mIRC!
+1 I have yet to find a game with the balance and replay value of 1.6. I still play it (pubs) today.
The only other game I have had as much replay out of, especially at LAN parties, is UT04, I have been rinsing that game for 7 years and it never gets boring.
I still like to play the original Unreal Tournament. It's an oldie but a goodie. All of the funny mods like crotchshot make it even more fun and you can play it on a crappy computer with no lag.
... Poor noobs will be slaughtered. Imagine a 10+years CS veteran vs A CoD kid.
You said it yourself, they will be slaughtered and it will be hilarious.
What I'm really looking forward to is seeing the console GB TRYHARD CoD kiddies get stomped by mediocre pc players, because those are usually the ignorant ones that think a controller is better than a mouse+kb.
There reasoning is wrong. If people didn't switch to CS:S because it changed in the wrong direction for them, there is no way they would go for more change in that same direction. They might get some people over, but CS:GO is still going to be multi-platform. Its going to be an easier game to play and require less skill. Its going to require a higher $$ investment, and a better computer.