Help Getting started with CS:S - version 2

[subucni]

Hi guys,

I built a friend of mine a new pc a few weeks back and since then we've been tempted to get into CS:S (keep in mind that neither of us have ever played it, just considering it on reputation), but i have a few questions.

Firstly is the fact that are our gfx cards going to be able to cope, My card can be found in my spec on the left, his can be found here (his was built with upgrading gfx at some point in mind) and another friend of ours who may join in too has an nvidia 5500 iirc. How are these likely to cope? I had a quick scan around the clan forum and the minimum i've seen being used was a 9800xt, hence why i was a little concerned.

Is there a demo available for it of any kind where we can try it out to make sure we don't have gfx probs? given the type of game it is and what i've read, i doubt it.

Here's where we get the questions that prove we have no idea about the game apart from what i've read whilst trying to look into it.

What's all this stuff about a steam account about? is it just a way of proving you paid for the game and it gives you access to servers etc...? It's not like WoW is it with a monthly subscription, doesn't sound like it from what i've read but just want to make sure.

Also i noticed it was £14.99 from play or $19.95 (closer to £10) from the official website. Anyone bought it from the website, is it just a case of paying up, downloading the game, burning to disc and installing. i tried looking into it by going through the ordering process but it wanted me to install steam, which i was unsure about doing due to the above reason.

Are there any offline elements to the game other than a lan game? (The official website seems to give very little detail away about what there is to the game, like they assume everyone will already know it's ins and outs) Any 1 player stuff at all (as a way of getting some practice in) or is it all player vs player? (not that that's a bad thing)

And lastly, kind of on the same subject, how hard is it to set up a lan game, or a dedicated server for ourselves so that we can get some practice in just playing against each other?


I think that's just about covered everything i/we were unsure about with it.


Cheers guys for any help, and hopefully we'll be getting our asses hand to us on a plate by you guys soon.


Bres

[ajbrun]

I'm think your card should work, although you'd have to reduce the settings quite a lot though. Could someone just verify that for me as hardware isn't my speciality .

You're right with the steam account. It's designed to stop piracy. Each game you buy is then registered to your steam account forever. The reason it's £5 cheaper to download compared with from a shop is that no disks are involved. You'd download it and install it just like a demo - you don't even need to burn it to disk yourself .

I'm pretty certain that there's no demo for CS:S, although valve sometimes do free weekends for DOD:S, which has similar graphics. One of these has just been and gone unfortunatly, so you'll probably have some time to wait for another.

There's no offline elements to CS:S, although HL2 is a very good game and I recommend you get that also.

I've never set up a LAN before, but I wouldn't think it would be that difficult. CS:S isn't a game designed to be played with just a few people however, so although you'd be able to learn the maps when just you and a friend are playing, I don't think it would actually help you improve at the game generally. I think the best idea is to just hop onto a public server (HEXUS have one ), and learn the game.

Since you obviously don't know much about the game, I'll go through the basic idea. Depending on the map (bomb or hostage), a certain objective must be carried out by each team (counter terrorists/terrorists). On the bomb maps, the Ts must plant the bomb and defend it until it explodes and the CTs must do their best to defuse it. On hostage maps, the CTs must try and rescue a group of hostages by taking them to a point in the map (usually CT start), and the Ts must try and hold the hostages until the end of the round. Both scenarios can be won by killing the opposition.

Hope that helps .

[rainbow]

right for the hardware side

those cards will run the game i had a freind who played with 5200 by all means aa shocking card but yes they will work, as ajbrun said the steam thing is so user freindly its just a program that stops piracy and allows you to find servers and your mates ion the game and stuff i think its great.

also i have purchased all of my games from valve them selves because its cheaper and easier, no buring of discs just purchase it then it starts downloading when its done it finished and you can play that simple. better than buying a bloody scrathable disc anyday imo.

it isnt that hard to set up your own server but it wont help you improve the best way is to go to a public server (which has people in it cough hexus always empty) and have a go. great game when you get ok at it ,but dont give up people will seem like gods to you when you start but that level is attainable by playing and not giving up. i have been playing since realase now and im still hooked on it, if i coyuld i would actually move out of my house and live in dust 2

[ajbrun]

Originally Posted by rainbow

cough hexus always empty

Which is why I keep saying we need more people about in our IRC channel, so that if someone wants a game, then a few of us can go on together. No one ever joins an empty server, which is why it need to a few people to start it off .

IRC details are in my sig if you feel like giving it a go .

[XA04]

I can play the game (resolution 1280x960, everything on full, apart from AA which is at 4x iirc) with my 9800 pro. Even at stock clock speeds. So if your card does have any trouble you could overclock it a bit to help it out.


I could play CS:S (albeit slow, and on the lowest settings) with my old MX420. Although that was when it was in beta, so the source engine has probably been optimized since then.


Anyway... yes I think it will work with your system. Not sure about the 5500, probably better than a MX420 so I'd say yes, with low settings.

[rainbow]

a mate plays with a 5200 so anything better will be fine end of story

[pands@scan]

handbags

[subucni]

cheers guys, my mates and i have pretty much decided we're going to give it a go. Installed steam earlier to buy it. Was just about to when i clicked on the link for "The Ship", had a little read and it sounds like a great idea for a game. So going to put it passed the guys first before buying see what they think, not sure if they could afford both at the moment.


Another quick question, what are the controls like for cs:s? Are there quite a lot, or would i be able to get away with my ps2 controller through my usb adapter thing from play?

Bres

[pands@scan]

u'd never be able to play cs half decent with a pad

KB wise, its a case of up down left right jump crouch and shoot...u can add keybinds for guns etc at a later date when you get comfortable with the game

As for 'The Ship' i have no idea, havnt played and tbh dont really want to, but havnt read any reviews etc for it yet so i really have no idea how good it is or is supposed to be

[ifyouknowme]

it will be fine i played cs:s on a 5200ti with 1024by1280 on full settings and got about 20fps

im not sure sbout ship ive never played it am quite tempted to get it