Released already in the summer with Source Engine 2

Valve caused a stir early in the evening with three videos of Counter-Strike 2. Counter-Strike 2 is said to be the “biggest technical leap in Counter-Strike history,” as it came out as early as summer 2023 and is even available for some CS:GO players are in a limited testing phase starting today.

CS2 as a free update to CS:GO

Counter-Strike 2 (“CS”) should be understood as a free upgrade for CS:GO and intended to herald the beginning of a “new era of Counter-Strike” on Valve’s Source 2 engine. It is not yet ready to announce all the new features of the game, But specific testers can test at least some of the features.

Maps have been deprecated and revamped, dynamic “game-changing” smoke grenades, hash rate indie play, new visual and sound effects, and all CS:GO elements carried over from a player in Counter-Strike 2.

To match the innovations, there are three videos that deal with maps, smoke bombs, and the topic of hash rate. In Counter-Strike 2, the maps get a fresh coat of paint, but we don’t want players to lose countless hours honing their strategy and exploring every nook and cranny. Valve has improved the maps in three ways.

CS2: Maps

In the “Updated Maps” there are classic maps where only the lighting and character readability have been improved. “Remastered Maps” uses Source 2’s new lighting system, including a physics-based rendering system designed to produce realistic textures, lighting, and reflections. Finally, there are “refurbished cards”, which are the oldest cards that were built “from the ground up” to take full advantage of Source 2, including rendering capabilities.

With the new Counter-Strike 2 engine, Valve has also upgraded smoke and made it dynamic. Smoke bombs now create 3D objects that “fill the void” and form part of the environment. All players see the same cloud of smoke, regardless of their location, and the smoke interacts with its surroundings. For example, it interacts with light sources and diffuses realistically. The shape of the smoke cloud changes and changes with bullets and grenades. In Counter-Strike 2, smoke grenades should provide more tactical possibilities.

for along way

the lower tunnel

CS2: ticks

This leaves the topic of ticks. Previously, the game would only capture motion and shoot at discrete intervals, or ticks. Sometimes there were milliseconds between the click and the mark, making the difference between a hit and a miss. In Counter-Strike 2 there should be “real time” game events. According to Valve, the hash rate “no longer makes any sense to move and shoot”. The server must now know the “exact moment” to fire a shot, initiate a jump, or use the scope. The server must calculate all actions between tags.

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