Between 1.6, Supply, CSGO, and Counter-Strike 2, the PC’s favourite multiplayer shooter has been by way of innumerate modifications within the final 25 years. Initially a mod for Valve’s Half-Life, Counter-Strike has grown into the most well-liked recreation on Steam. However regardless of its myriad evolutions, there was one fixed: from its earliest days to its fashionable mega stardom, in CS, probably the most controversial weapon has at all times been the AWP. A bolt-action sniper rifle that offers critical injury, the AWP is Counter-Strike’s high-risk, high-reward gambit gun. To some, it’s a ballistic instrument that takes mastery and ability. To others, it’s an overpowered menace used solely by the lowliest gamers. Now, Counter-Strike’s co-creator weighs in.
Minh Le, maybe higher recognized to the Counter-Strike religious as ‘Gooseman,’ constructed the unique model of the FPS recreation alongside Jess Cliffe. A mod for Half-Life, it was additionally impressed by a former Quake 2 mod, Motion Quake, which included a aggressive mode the place respawn was disabled. After Counter-Strike was purchased by Valve, Le labored on the Half-Life 2 and Portal creator earlier than shifting to Facepunch to develop Rust, after which to Pearl Abyss, the studio behind Black Desert On-line. In a latest interview with Norwegian publication Spillhistorie, Le discusses among the early responses to Counter-Strike.
“Initially we had groups of 12 vs 12,” Le says, “and finally the scale of the groups grew to become smaller. I assume it was as a result of gamers didn’t just like the chaos of getting so many gamers on a small map. Siege and Facility had been a few of my favorite maps. I additionally actually needed to like 747, however I believe having linear maps was actually dangerous for gameplay.
“de_dust took all of us without warning. We by no means thought it was that particular once we first playtested it, however we had been pleasantly shocked to see it turn into the usual Counter-Strike map. The mapper who made de_dust was extraordinarily clever and spent a number of time tweaking the design to make it enjoyable and balanced.”
Le additionally says he’s “pleased with how issues turned out with Valve,” and that the corporate has accomplished a “nice job” of sustaining Counter-Strike’s legacy. On the AWP, nevertheless, the developer has some regrets.
“I spotted round beta 3 that Counter-Strike had grown to a degree that I used to be not anticipating,” Le explains, “That’s after I realized the massive potential to make Counter-Strike the very best multiplayer FPS of the time. I remorse not balancing among the weapons, such because the AWP. I believe it will get overused and has turn into a little bit of a meta gun.”
Stability in Counter-Strike is extraordinarily delicate – only in the near past, a slight change to the position of some wood crates in CS2’s personal Mud 2 has doubtlessly modified the rhythm and momentum of all the map. Ought to the AWP have been much less highly effective? Personally, I believe it’s value sacrificing minute factors of gameplay if it provides a shooter some identification. You may make a ‘fairer’ AWP, however then Counter-Strike would lose one in every of its largest icons, and with it, a part of its legacy.
Take a look at among the different greatest multiplayer video games ever made to see what ranks alongside Counter-Strike. In the event you’re nonetheless rampaging by way of Valve’s shooter, we’d additionally suggest the very best CS2 crosshairs.
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