knife headshot
Random Observation/Comment #118: I used to be awesome at CS. I still am, but I used to be too.
I remember when I started playing beta 7 about 9 years ago with a dialup modem and trackball mouse. I lagged like crazy with 300+ ping, and I would always get spikes when my mom got a phone call. Whenever I had extra time, I took a trip to Flushing Net Zero internet LAN to play on their private servers. The people that played there were ridiculously good, but at least the equally low ping evened the playing grounds.
Skitz was a force that was feared and well-known (even to a new random classmate from Cooper). I downloaded new skins for the weapons and characters, and took screenshots of top scores. These trophy pictures were sent between friends on AIM, and we scheduled the best times to play on fy_servers. All the maps were memorized after a few rounds and I found almost all of the easter eggs that were left strewn throughout the level by the developers.
I remember all those clans I joined that gained ranking and practiced these extremely nerdy techniques. We used headsets and secret codes for sets of executed plans per map. Simple tactics like “Rush A” and “Hold the bridge while we flank their rushes” were easily seen through. We’d say things like “execute plan B” and “reroute to plan D.” Each command was executed professionally and it really immersed me in that counter terrorist force persona. These didn’t really work exactly as planned every time, but it was fun taking a few things seriously.
The attacking team (Terrorists in DE_ bombing maps and Counter Terrorists in CS_ hostage rescue maps) led every round. The defending team usually just tried to protect the designated zones and run the clock out. The best clans were the ones that followed the rules. Noobs that called the Terrorists waiting at the hostages as “camping” were frustrated for not being able to kill a completely fortified area. You’d be surprised how much a few flash, smoke, and frag grenades could ruin their predictable spots. If you’re asking for deathmatch with no technique and continuous respawn, you would not fit into the clan-battling strategic teamplay, and you should probably play a different first person shooter. Unfortunately, a majority of the servers are filled with trigger happy fools that rush into every situation alone. Rambo does not win in these situations.
I would race home to play tournaments on those password blocked servers, and official rules would commence. Version 1.3 was still one of my favorites because they hadn’t fixed the bunny hopping, continuous jump ducking, or predictable spread when you keep the trigger held down. The game was flawed, but I had fun taking advantage of it on public servers. After a while of playing those strict games, I moved towards the quick skirmishes. I couldn’t spend every day fixed to a schedule playing this time intensive and horribly addicting game. Instead of those organized matches, I began playing different mods like Gungame, Deathmatch, Warcraft, and Superheroes. My attention-span adjusted to a more fast-paced world. Games changed to what they should have always been taken as – just a game. It became a source of stress release instead of a fixation on improvement.
After I went to college and my family got rid of our cable modem, I stopped playing. Many of the servers were blocked from the dorms and I didn’t have the time to get that LCD screen tan. That whole girlfriend thing also became a big part of it. I think human interaction and a social life pulled me out of that phase and into reality. Hmm… sometimes I wish I didn’t take the red pill.
~See Lemons Counter Strikes
jake watching skitz headshot knife
