Archiving some things I wrote before. Just for fun. The Chinese localization of Seraphic Blue hasn't been done recently; I still want to slack off during the holidays... I'll take my time once school starts. There are many mistakes in this article, so please watch carefully.
I'm sure everyone knows about the Counter-Strike series. When it comes to FPS competitive games, it's impossible not to mention it. But have you ever thought about what changes would occur if this 3D game were compressed into 2D? Back in 2002, a German guy planned to do just that. His name is Peter Schauss, and we will refer to him as DC. Although the history of CS2D is long, most people learned about this game when it was discovered on the Steam Greenlight page in 2017. That was also when I got into it.
So, what are the differences between the 2D version of CS and the 3D version? The first difference is, of course, the change in perspective. In the 3D era, we could only see our hands and other players, but now we can see our heads and bodies! At the same time, the map no longer has the concept of height; instead, there are half-bricks that players cannot pass through, but bullets can. Meanwhile, bricks no longer have thickness, but there are still "penetration" mechanics in the game, which we will discuss later. For maps like Vertigo and Mirage, which cannot be resolved simply by "compression," those extra areas are directly solved through teleportation. Although it's quite crude, it is indeed an effective method.
In 3D CS, all guns are hitscan types, which simply means a laser line; as long as you can see it, you can hit it. For example, the sniper duel at mid doors in dust2. In CS2D, however, all weapons now have a range attribute, so even the powerful AWP has a limited distance. But this distance is just enough for a mid-door sniper duel. Besides the weapon range, the distance you can see is also not infinite. Taking mid doors as an example, in 3D, you can see the T sniping you from the other side, but in CS2D, you cannot see that far. Interestingly, the range of most weapons far exceeds the visibility range. This makes gunfights extremely interesting. In 3D, generally, you need to see the person to deal damage, but in CS2D, most of the time, neither side can see each other's position and can only judge the opponent's location based on bullet trajectories and map understanding. This is also known as "penetration." With the game's sound effects, a qualified player can completely kill the opponent without "seeing" them. This leads many new players to mistakenly think they have encountered a hacker.
In addition, there is no concept of headshots in CS2D. Although it's unfortunate, this has rendered many weapons useless. Most submachine guns are less useful than the 57, and the M249 is a completely ridiculous weapon. The Galil and FAMAS rifles have become useless because their damage is far inferior to the M4 and AK. As for the auto-snipers, although they have high damage and long range, the unique sniper settings in 2D make using these weapons very awkward. So, what weapons do we have left? Among the pistols, the USP and Glock each have their advantages: the USP has long range and high damage, and its silencer can hide bullet trajectories, while the Glock has a larger magazine capacity and is suitable for fire coverage and close combat with its spread mode. This aligns well with the roles of CT and T: CT needs to defend from a distance, while T needs to strike quickly and break through defenses. The star pistol, the Deagle, is of course a hot topic in CS2D, with a damage of 34, a slow rate of fire, and a meager magazine capacity of 7 rounds, indicating that it is a high-risk, high-reward weapon. As for the P228 and Elite—sorry, really no one uses them. The reason is the next gun: the 57. The 57 has a rate of fire far exceeding all pistols and a 20-round magazine. Although its damage is slightly lower and its reload speed is slow, its continuous and sustained fire makes it a force to be reckoned with in pistol duels. This is because, although the game has dynamic accuracy settings, no one uses them. This means that all guns have the same accuracy whether standing or running. The 57 has gained popularity precisely because of this.
Among shotguns, only the M3 is worth considering, as it has extremely high damage at close range and can instantly evaporate a player with full health and armor. On maps with narrow corners, you need to be wary of those secretly holding M3s, ready to assassinate. As for the XM1014, it has been abandoned due to its damage. For a gun designed for extremely close range, having sustained fire doesn't help much, as the first shot is the most unpredictable. If the attacker cannot secure a kill with the first shot, the opponent and their teammates will quickly deal with the situation. The awkward range of shotguns means players basically lose the ability to fight against long-range firearms, and huddling in a corner makes it easy to be controlled by grenades.
Next, let's look at the last remaining and most commonly used weapon type: rifles. Unlike 3D CS, in CS2D, the AK and M4 have the same damage, with the only difference being the accuracy of the guns themselves. The M4 has lower accuracy compared to the AK, which means it has an advantage in long-range penetration. The AK's lower accuracy seems like a disadvantage, but it also means it has a larger coverage area, which is an advantage when providing fire support. Although most of the time, when people see an M4, they immediately throw away their AK. The SG552 and AUG have perfectly accurate shots, and their damage and range are higher than the AK and M4. However, without aiming down sights, these two guns actually deal less damage than the former. Now, it's time to talk about aiming in CS2D. Unlike in 3D, where aiming allows you to see further, here, aiming reduces your field of view while increasing damage. This may sound silly at first, but when combined with the previous characteristics, you'll find that it's actually a good compromise. Although our field of view is limited when aiming, this does not affect penetration. Meanwhile, if we know the opponent's movements, we can pre-aim at that spot and then aim down sights to engage. With increased damage, these two weapons have the highest DPS, of course excluding the sniper rifles and the M3's instant kill. As for the Scout and AWP, the former cannot secure a kill with one shot, but its flexibility is its advantage; the latter is heavy but has the strongest damage in the game. In CS2D, the Scout is actually superior to the AWP; due to the freedom of movement, battles in the game are usually very dynamic, and a heavy AWP, if it misses once, often faces terrible consequences.
In matches, besides the guns in hand, various grenades in the backpack also influence the course of the battle. The grenades in CS2D lack one dimension, so they are not as flexible as in 3D. Although the importance of grenades has increased compared to a few years ago, not many people study various spots on the map, so we can say that grenades in CS2D are still in a developing stage; aside from the initial layout, there are only a few spots and improvisations. The distance of grenades in CS2D is controllable, and their bounces are strictly handled according to mirror reflection. This means they can be used more flexibly.
In standard bomb defusal mode, we can buy HE grenades, flashbangs, smoke grenades, and decoys. Among them, the decoy is a very important and unique grenade in 2D. As the name suggests, the decoy can eliminate the fog of war in a 3x3 area and lasts for up to 1 minute, considering that the match only lasts 2 minutes. CTs can use it to delay the attack by a minute, while Ts can use it to block CTs' counterattacks. Although the decoy is very powerful, it doesn't mean it is omnipotent. First, not everyone will look after throwing a decoy, and a decoy with no one around is ineffective; in such cases, we can pass through. However, this tactic can also be used in reverse: because the opponent cannot confirm whether the decoy is being watched before observing (assuming they do not show any audio cues), this puts them in a superposition state of existence and non-existence. Most of the time, throwing a decoy to guard other areas is actually completely feasible. Secondly, just because a spot is guarded by a decoy doesn't mean it can't be breached. We can still use other grenades to force the opponent back to gain an advantage or use a numerical advantage to rush with grenades, although this is risky. Finally, the 3x3 area sometimes cannot completely protect a passage; the opponent may also make a mistake while throwing the decoy, resulting in that passage not being completely sealed. This leaves us an opportunity to slip in.
Smoke grenades and decoys have completely opposite functions, but both can confuse opponents. However, compared to the longer-lasting decoy, smoke grenades are more suitable for offensive maneuvers. Smoke grenades can make the opponent feel like "neither defending nor not defending," which usually leads them to start spraying. Once you understand the opponent's intentions, you can take corresponding countermeasures. Smoke grenades can also be used to block those who peek recklessly; if a spot can be peeked from two places, one smoke grenade is enough to throw the opponent into a panic. Coupled with the visibility limitation of smoke grenades, group rushes become much harder to predict and deal with. Currently, the importance of smoke grenades in CS2D is not very high, but as time goes on, more and more people should notice their potential.
HE grenades, as the only throwable that can deal damage, can inflict heavy damage on the enemy if used properly. In this world without headshots, the advantage of health is extremely obvious. Therefore, HE grenades play a very powerful supporting role. Although the distance of grenades can be controlled, the delay time for HE and flashbangs is still fixed. This means that using HE grenades must consider the enemy's movements. We can only carry one HE grenade, and compared to flashbangs, the conditions for using HE are stricter, but if HE can be effective, subsequent gunfights can gain an advantage. HE grenades also perform quite well in counter-rush situations, especially when one person is defending against multiple rushers; a single HE can deal some damage to the opponent while ensuring a safe escape to wait for teammates' support.
Flashbangs are definitely the most interesting throwable. In CS2D, there is no concept of back-flashing, so the conditions for using flashbangs are even stricter. Generally, it is difficult to find spots on the map where you can safely engage before the flashbang explodes, so most of the time, the use of flashbangs is limited to the few seconds after the explosion; however, this is enough. Although flashbangs do not deal any damage, they are indeed the deadliest throwable. Surviving an HE explosion is easy, but who knows what will happen in those few seconds of being blinded?
Having discussed guns and grenades, the next important factor is the map. As mentioned earlier, the maps in CS2D are based on the original 3D maps and are restored as much as possible. In the current domestic bomb defusal mode servers, we can play many maps, but most of them still come from the original game. Although there are height deficiencies and visibility limitations, these maps mostly feel similar to the original version. De_aztec and de_dust are still CT maps, while cs_assault remains a T map. We will mainly look at the specialty maps.
Speaking of CS2D's specialties, we must mention a notorious map: de_cs2d. This map is just like its name suggests, full of CS2D characteristics. First, we can see at a glance that this is a completely T-sided map; the T only needs to grab the bomb and rush in to plant it to basically win. Coupled with the use of decoys, CTs really need very strong cooperation to break in. The lower part of the map has a passage only one unit wide, which is also where many M3 players compete. Meanwhile, the long upper passage has allowed snipers to enjoy themselves, to the point where servers need to limit the number of sniper rifles each team can buy. De_cs2d, like this game, should not be a game that emphasizes competitiveness like CSGO; it is just a game for everyone to have fun. However, players on the CT side may not think so... This map was eventually removed from domestic ranked servers amid strong calls, which should be a good thing for every player.
Just as we sent off de_cs2d, another map, de_desert, came along. It shares a similar trait with de_cs2d, in that the B site is almost completely unholdable by CTs at the start. Fortunately, this area is relatively open, and CTs can enter from two places, but in a chaotic battle, achieving all this before the C4 explodes is not easy. The situation at the A site is slightly more optimistic; at least CTs can attack B from here.
After looking at two T maps, let's take a look at a CT map. De_exort's two sites can be easily held at the start, while the T's attack direction is through narrow and long passages. Just a glance, and you can understand how big the problem with this map is.
Is there really no balanced map among the original maps? Don't worry, let's welcome de_takedown. This is also a fast-paced small map that many people really like. The A site on this map is almost useless; most of the fighting occurs at the B site, which may be why it is called takedown—because you take it down. Although CTs can rush in and spray to the lower right corner at the start, Ts can also quickly counterattack. The narrow passages in the middle create conditions for M3s. As for the area in the lower right corner, while it can be used for safe relocation, most of the time, people just crouch there to survive. Given that the difficulty of both sides taking the B site is roughly the same, I think we can consider this a relatively balanced map.
The most interesting aspect of the map De_vantage is that it has three bomb sites, but the easiest site is the one in the upper right corner. Planting the bomb there is very simple, but holding it is quite troublesome because CTs can counterattack from multiple angles. The remaining two sites are the opposite.
De_void is a very interesting map; both A and B sites are easy to hold but difficult to retake, mainly because of the passage connecting A and B. As long as the Ts can take one site, the CTs can basically only rely on this passage to retake, and this area is very easy to hold. Although taking A and B has certain difficulties, both sites have some operational space and won't be like the previous CT maps that can only be forced.
As for the remaining maps, they all have their own characteristics, but I really can't write anymore. In short, most specialty maps are quite fun to play. Among them, there are some excellent maps, such as sf_mill and sf_thorpod, which are two maps I really like.
After discussing so much theoretical knowledge, we still cannot avoid the most basic topic: gunfights. Gunfights are the most fundamental aspect and also the hardest to articulate. The previous article has briefly mentioned that gunfights in CS2D are mostly not face-to-face but rather long-distance games between both sides. This leads the game to place great importance on the use of cover and the skills of peeking and penetration. Each map has many penetration points, and mastering these points is an important standard for measuring skill. This is also a crucial part of map understanding in CS2D. When discussing penetration, we (at least what I can think of) will consider the following aspects: positioning, trajectory, movement, and prediction.
First, let's talk about positioning, which refers to where you stand and where the enemy stands. Usually, we want our position to be open while the enemy's position is closed, creating an information asymmetry. Even if we can't create that, we should try not to engage in a gunfight in the opposite situation. The more open our position is, the lower the probability that the opponent will hit the jackpot. Next is trajectory. The trajectory refers to the line that the gun fires. Through this line, we can directly trace back to the opponent's position. Under the premise of the former positioning, if the enemy's position is more closed, the likelihood of hitting them increases. Then there's movement. When we are in an open environment, we can move rather than being limited to a single point for peeking. This is particularly important in gunfights, as it is similar to face-to-face gunfights. Finally, there's prediction. Prediction is a more abstract concept; it refers to inferring the opponent's movements based on the various information collected earlier and then predicting their gunfight. This may sound absurd, but it is indeed possible, although it often doesn't work.
The above points are limited to 1v1 gunfights. In actual combat, we certainly won't only encounter one enemy but several. Even if your shooting is as precise as a lock, it is still difficult to face off against two people directly. Therefore, we should try to avoid direct confrontations unless necessary. Direct confrontations yield the worst returns; if possible, we should do our best to avoid them. Of course, the opponents are not fools; they won't just pull out their guns without preparation, so often both sides are stuck in a back-and-forth game at two locations. There are many ways to break this deadlock. Grenades can control the opponent's movements or even heavily damage them, and sometimes changing positions is also a good solution.
Besides yourself, your teammates are also an important part of the match. Although battles in ranked servers are randomly selected friends, 3v3 battles in competitions require a lot of cooperation. Although CS is supposed to be a 5v5 game, due to a lack of players, current matches are all 3v3 battles. The reduction in numbers means that each person's responsibility is greater; losing one person represents a loss of combat power. However, from the opposite perspective, this also means that the endgame becomes more possible. When on the CT side, most of the time, three people can only defend in a 1-2 or 1-1-1 formation, which means that without the assistance of grenades, defending against a T rush becomes very difficult. When the opponent plays slowly, fake plays become harder to grasp, and proactive flanking can easily be caught and broken by the opponent. For the T side, although rushing one person seems easy on paper, in actual matches, not to mention various openings being covered by decoys, the penetration mechanism also makes it easy to get shot while sneaking.
In addition to cooperation in matches, the confrontations in ranked servers are even more chaotic. Not only can you not interact with your teammates, but the enemy's movements are also extremely difficult to predict. Under conditions of extreme numbers, many tactics become meaningless. Most of the time, we can only perform basic defenses and wait for things to happen. Coupled with the difficulty of reaching a consensus, T's attacks become even more challenging, leading to battles usually favoring the CT side. In fact, I believe that if the map or skill does not provide a significant advantage to the T side, CT is generally the better choice.
Just like life has poetry and distant places, CS2D has many fun things beyond just bomb defusal. One of the most popular modes in the past was prison. In prison, Ts are initially locked up, while CTs need to manage them. Although the entire game still follows the bomb defusal template, the additional rules and clever map design make it uniquely enjoyable. However, I personally do not like it very much.
Before the prison server, there was another mode I really liked: Multigame. Multigame is a combination of a bunch of small rooms and different gameplay, much like WarioWare. Besides playing games, you can also use points to buy various hats. Most choices are actually just different weapons paired with different terrains, but there are also some more fun options. I personally think this mode is great for learning various weapons, but now people don't seem to like it much.
Aside from these two, there have been various gameplay modes in the past: like the current assassin mode, the zombie mode that CS2D promoted but no one played, modes with RPG elements, one-hit-kill AWP modes, and modes for freely wandering around the map, etc. In the past, I even played a hide-and-seek mode on a local server run by a Korean, and I played "bunny hop" maps and Deathrun with some old players in China. However, as the game's popularity has significantly declined, these modes have been forgotten by everyone.
Unlike many online games today, CS2D learned from the tradition of the Source series games: supporting player-created servers. In addition to this, the various game modes mentioned above are also thanks to the game's support for Lua scripts. All of this indicates one thing: the importance of the community. From the early custom maps in war3, we can see many examples of communities supporting a game. Even if CS2D has only a few dozen players daily, the game can still be very enjoyable (if you like bomb defusal).
After looking at so many aspects, we can say that CS2D is another possibility of the original CS (Counter Strike but…). In many ways, it is very similar to the original CS, but at the same time, the change in dimension leads to completely different performances in many subtle aspects. After wasting 800 hours of my life, I still feel that the experiences these hours brought me are positive.