Split-Screen :: The Game-Geek’s Daily Read

by Sumedh

Loading is a Weekly article on the Most Popular Online FPS (First Person Shooter) game ever: COUNTER-STRIKE. There are so many things that fascinate me about CS from how it has been running for so many years to the Professional leagues and the Big Money Pay Systems in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. The Intensity of Clan matches, the Fun of Pubbing, the Slang used. It’s a whole different world.

Level 1 - Introduction

So let’s start with a little history lesson. In the year 2000, THE most succesful multiplayer game till date was launched. Counter-Strike, which originally started off as a Mod (Modification) to the game Half-Life. The First person shooter remains on the list of top Multiplayer games till date. LAN Cafes and Cyber Game Tournaments started Becoming Popular because of games like Counter-Strike.

With different versions coming and going, the most popular version which remains active to date is Counter Strike 1.6, which was said to have died after the launch of source though source with its graphic heavy gameplay makes most of the big deals out of the country the 1.6 community in India is large and united. People still fear 1.6 to die in the coming years, but that debate we shall leave for another day.

Now again back to history. Let me tell you about the first time I tried the game a little over 3 years back. Some of you maybe able to relate to it. I went home after a grueling test which I was pretty sure I had flunked as usual when I got a call from my friend saying our soccer match was cancelled. We both thought we would head to a Reliance Webworld. If the games sucked at least we could check our gmail.

It was unlike any Internet café I had ever seen. People screaming their lungs out. I could see one of the “aunties” cringing at the thought of a 10-year-old screaming, “Give me a GUN !!!!” and another boy, approximately 14 years old, saying “I’ll be a terrorist!” The atmosphere was electric. These kids were having fun. Oops! Did I just say kids there were a few ‘young adults’ in the group as well and it was amusing as well as intriguing.

I stepped up to the plate and sat down at the corner most PC and made a new account and asked the web guide, “What is this game these guys are playing?”

“Counter-Strike,” he replied. I had played games before but had never cheered when I won. Never had I gone home sulking when we lost a close match. This was it not a Game. It was an E-Sport.

I asked him to start the game for me. Within the next few hours I had been literally manhandled by the opposition. New curses flew my way from my teammates curses I hadn’t even herd of before “NOOOOOOOOB!”

I was demoralised. Suddenly I saw an enemy walking past me. He had forgotten to check the corner where I lay CAMPING (hiding). I sprayed him with my M4 with all my might and watched his body fall to the ground and then I pressed TAB and the Scoreboard finally read 1-18 I was ecstatic yes I had done it!! Again a new Curse flew my way from the opposition this time “Camper” I didn’t care I had done it I had actually Killed someone.

The ‘game’ went on. At least while my game time lasted. When I finally was logged off by the PC, the scoreboard read 6-34.

Yes, not impressive to say the least, but I was happy with my 6 kills, sure I had been knifed some 10-15 times but those 6 kills were so precious to me. Those were my Frags. I had ‘Fragged’ my opposition. It just sounds so God damn cool!

I know nothing would ever be cool in game where nerds fight the geeks but it was something one can’t explain. Like your first wicket in cricket or your first goal in soccer.

Next week after another test I headed of to the same Webworld despite my friend saying our soccer match was on. I made an excuse of not feeling well and went off to play the REAL match. I was determined not to be a NOOB anymore. I wanted to be called a PRO!

The game is addictive no matter how badly you get beaten. You will comeback and play it day after day, week after week, just so you can become better. You can’t ever win in CS.

You can win matches yes but once you win against team A, Team B will challenge you and then Team C. That’s why I called it an E-Sport.

You may laugh at me saying I treat CS like a ‘competitive sport’ but that’s the reality of it. The holy grail in CS is to beat the best and in turn be The best.

In the coming weeks I’ll be telling you more about why CS is considered a sport and why there is so much of fan following. About the debate between Counter-Strike 1.6 and Counter-Strike Source. Is it possible to go PRO in India? And a few of my memories of past and current events that I am taking part in. News, information, tactics, gear everything and anything to do with Counter-Strike.

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