Zelaron Gaming Forum - CounterStrike for Xbox

Well, when I got my new GameInformer magazine, I saw that Halo 2 would be delayed to next year. However, a new and improved Counter Strike would be coming to the Xbox! Some of the new features are:

New enemies also sport new kinds of weapons. These guys will suddenly emerge behind objects.

The single-player game will feature vehicles which you can ride and sometimes shoot from.

The terrorists accurately represent the area you're playing in.

In a standoff, directing your allies to strategically take out enemies is required.

The environments are quite varied - from snow to jungle to high rises.

Enemies have a customized Al routines to put up a challenge.

The enemies will miss the first few shots, but will quickly zero on your position.

The counter-terrorists are varied in single-player. Hopefully, you can use them in multiplayer, too.

Ritual is also kicking around the idea of making bosses, like the drug lord, available online.

Not having a specific identity at least opens the door for variety.

Coordinating attacks will be made easier, thanks to a standardized headset.

480 P for HDTV's will be offered in the Xbox version as well as Dobly 5.1.

The Xbox version will have improved lighting effects.

The character models and environments benefit from more polygons

Since everyone possesses the same hardware and use a broadband connection, nobody can complain about an unfair advantage.

All will play on the same closed network, which will eliminate hacking (THANK GOD!)

Weapons: (some are new some are old) Blowtorch, M3 Super 90, Galil, Famas, P90, G3-SG1, Deagle, Law, M4, SIG550 Sniper, USP, SG552 Rend

Counter-Strike has clearly proven itself on PC, but the question remains: Will the Xbox version be able to duplicate that magic? At first, most of us would guess that Microsoft is silly if it thinks CS will garner similar attention. These critics would claim that Xbox lacks the versatility of the PC. That is true in some way, but Valve, Microsoft, and Ritual (The developers of the new Xbox and PC versions) are emphatically dedicated to keeping CS a title for the hardcore fan, giving it flexibility that's unprecedented in online console gaming. Tools for standard PCs will be available to the public to create and and design mods and maps. Once you complete a project, you submit it to Valve, who will ensure its legitimacy (meaing it isn't a cheat) and quality. If your creation passes the test, Valve will post it as an available download for any Xbox user.

Valve and Ritual also want to extend the software to include the ability for online teams (known as clans) to create their own symbol. During matches, each player can spray-paint his or her team's symbol on anything in the environment. It's noting particularly pertinent to gameplay, but it certainly heightens the sense of camaraderie felt within communities.

Unfortunately, Counter-Strike's community will be hindered on Microsoft's end. The networking component will be limited to Xbox Live's current features, which means that networking between teams and other clans will prove cumbersome for players, but only for a short while. Representatives from Microsoft revealed that it didn't design Live as a static energy. Rather, it too will be enhanced.

Although, they couldn't officially elaborate, they shot us a sly smile when questions regarding the possibility of chat rooms arose, like the PC's IRC. An IRC program (complete with headset capabilities) would empower console gamers with the final tool they require to establish the online gaming community that PC owners have enjoyed for years.