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Counter-Strike
Versions
CS or spelled out Counter-Strike was originally a mod for Half-Life. Today there are a lot of variations of it, as the game has been developed further and further. The (most) played ones are CS 1.6, CS: Source (CSS) and CS Global Offensive (CS:GO).
| Version | Release Date | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 and earlier | 12. Juni 2002 | This is the original mod version of CS. Up to this version, the game was actually a mod for Half-Life, but was also available as stand-alone version, to so-called retail version (at least since version 1.0). Counter-Strike can be played without Steam only up to this version. This is why many players distinguish this version from its successor, 1.6. |
| 1.6 | 15. September 2003 | This is the first version only available via Steam. This is one point of critics from many hard-core players from that time, that the game was not that free as it used to be as a mod. From a game play point of view it is not all to different from 1.5 |
| Xbox-Version | 5. Dezember 2003 | |
| Condition Zero (CS:CZ) | 23. März 2004 | Another incarnation of CS based on the HL 1 engine. |
| Source (CSS) | 7. Oktober 2004 | This version is based on the Half-Life 2 engine, changing the movement and graphics/physics capabilities of the game a lot. |
| Global Offensive (CS:GO) | 21. August 2012 | This is the latest variation of CS and the gold standard of CS gaming. Although there are still ladders for the other versions since 1.6, this is usually what games today mean, when they say, they are going to play CS. |
Between the 1.X versions there are bigger and smaller differences (e.g. Aiming, Movement and Graphics). You can only find out which one you like best by trying it out. There are bigger differences of the movement between CS 1.X, CSS and CS:GO. CSS is perceived a bit slower paced than 1.X and CS:GO. The newer versions are characterized by all kinds of additional game modes, or new graphics and maps. But classic Counter-Strike is at the core always the same game.
Kaufen
CS gibt es in allen Variationen ab 1.6 über Steam. Als Half-Life mod ist es nur bis einschließlich Version 1.5 verfügbar. CS-Keys der Version 1.5 und früher sind zwar via Steam benutzbar (es sind eigentlich Half-Life CD Keys), werden dann aber mit automatischen Updates zu Version 1.6 gepatcht. Half-Life gibt es auch via Steam. Allerdings rentiert es sich ggf., gleich zur Anthology zu greifen, die dann noch Half-Life: Blueshift und Half-Life: Opposing Force enthält. Das kostet dann nur 5 € mehr. Bei Verkäufen von Privat sollte man vorsichtig sein, denn das wichtigste an der ganzen Geschichte sind valide CD-Keys. Ist so einer schon mit einem Steam-Account verbunden, ist er (zumindest für Steam) praktisch wertlos geworden. Das sieht man dem Key aber beim Kauf nicht an. Also wenn, dann nur vom Händler oder wenn man sich wirklich 100%ig sicher ist, dass der Verkäufer einen nicht über den sprichwörtlichen Tisch ziehen wird.
Mit dem CD-Key von CS:CZ kann man CS 1.6 installieren und spielen.