The future of gaming is here, the level of detail and features that Valve has introduced in the Counter-Strike 2 is beyond our wildest imagination. For certain people, Counter-Strike 2 will launch today. A limited test for CS2 is beginning today, according to a tweet from Valve, which characterizes it as an “overhaul to every system, every piece of content, and every part of the C-S experience.” According to the game’s website, the most significant technical leap forward in Counter Strike’s history promises years of upgrades and new features.
For a small group of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players, a test is now playable. Moreover, Valve released a FAQ on how to enter the CS2 limited test. If you wanna know how to get your hands on Counter Strike 2 just click on the article.
The upcoming Counter-Strike game will be powered by Valve’s Source 2 engine. Which, according to the company is “the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike’s history.” Thanks to the powerful engine, the servers are aware of the precise moment when movement occurs, a shot is fired, or a ‘nade is thrown.
In addition, the game will include updated maps, improved graphics, UI improvements, updated audio, and more. And the “more” we are talking about here, is way more than we have expected. The physics of the game is absolutely insane and it’s just the beginning. The game is yet to be launched globally, but clips of the testing are enough for us to be in absolute excitement.
Three gameplay videos of Counter-Strike 2 are included with the announcement, demonstrating the game’s freshly upgraded maps, dynamic smoke grenades, and “sub-tick updates,” which Valve claims offer more precise server updates. The videos are posted on the official Valve’s official YouTube channel.
So let’s break down those videos and jump into the details.
In a video titled “Leveling Up The World,” Valve explains that while the maps in CS2 will have a new design, skilled players’ abilities should remain the same. The three “tiers” of gaming maps are another topic covered by the organization. Certain “touchstone” levels, like Dust II, have slight visual changes but otherwise remain unchanged. These levels should allow players to acquire a sense of the new gameplay in a recognizable environment. There are other maps that have been improved or reworked, either by adding Source 2 features or by completely rebuilding them.
In Counter-Strike 2, smoke grenades are also getting a significant update. This is one of my favorite aspects of the game. Furthermore, not only me but the whole gaming community is appreciating this feature. According to Valve, smoke grenade plumes are now dynamic volumetric objects that interact with their surroundings and respond to explosions, shooting, and illumination. In actuality, this means that players will be able to blow away smoke grenades using frag grenade explosions and even make “holes” in them. That’s too much physics in a game.
Last but not least, Valve promises to surpass the 128-tick rate in other online multiplayer games. The new technology is referred to by Valve as “sub-tick updates” and is referred to be “the core of Counter-Strike 2.”
Originally, the server merely assessed the world every finite amount of time (referred to as a tick), according to Valve. “Sub-tick update architecture in Counter-Strike 2 allows servers to pinpoint the precise moment when motion begins, a shot is fired, or a ‘nade is thrown. As a consequence, regardless of tick rate, you will be able to move and shoot quickly, and your grenades will always land in the same spot.
Further information on CS2’s sub-tick and other updates are provided in the videos above.
“The game’s full range of new features will be announced at launch, but during the limited testing period we’ll be evaluating a subset of those features to get it ready for the worldwide release,” writes Valve spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle. The fact that Valve says there’s “much more to come” and that it will reveal all of the details of Counter-Strike 2″ in only “a few months” indicates that the company has big additions in store for the game as well.
The fourth significant installment of Valve’s first-person shooter franchise will be Counter-Strike 2. The first version of the game, which came out in 2000, was based on a mod for Valve’s Half-Life. Then, in 2004 and 2012, Valve released Counter-Strike: Source and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, respectively. CS: GO is still quite popular more than ten years after its first release; the free-to-play game is frequently the most popular one on Steam. With 1.4 million concurrent gamers on Steam earlier this month, CS: GO set a new milestone.
So do share your thoughts about the legendary game in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out our other articles to get tips, tricks, and insights about other games.