Counter-Strike maps

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These are maps and gameplay available for the popular computer game Counter-Strike.

1 Standard map types
2 Custom map types
3 Official Map list
4 See also

[edit] Standard map types

Currently, there are three official types of maps distributed with Counter-Strike:

[edit] Hostage Rescue

Hostage Rescue (cs_) maps are the original map-type, based on a hostage rescue situation. Four or more computer-controlled hostages are strategically located at or nearby the Terrorist spawn. The Counter-Terrorists must lead them from their location to a rescue zone, typically located around the Counter-Terrorists' spawn. If the Counter-Terrorists rescue all of the hostages within the time-limit, they win the round. If a player on either team kills a hostage, accidentally or intentionally, they lose money and may also be kicked off the server (depending on the server's configuration). Killing the entire enemy team also ends the round, but results in less money gained for the next round. Also, in Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, hostages could eventually attempt escape if the terrorists did not continuously point their weapons at them. They would also tip off a Counter-Terrorist if there was a Terrorist nearby.

cs_office - 1.6 versus Source

The most popular hostage maps are:

cs_assault
cs_compound (Counter-Strike: Source only)
cs_havana
cs_italy
cs_militia
cs_office
cs_siege (1.6 Only)
cs_747 (1.6 Only)
cs_backalley (1.6 Only)
cs_estate (1.6 Only)

[edit] Bomb Defuse

Bomb defuse (de_) maps are the most common map type, based on a bomb-planting/defusing scenario. One of the terrorists starts out with a C4 bomb that can only be planted at bomb sites; usually there are two bomb sites on the map, defined by A and B, one of which is sometimes near the counter-terrorist spawn. If the terrorist carrying the bomb is killed, his team members will have to locate it using their radar and can pick it up like a dropped weapon.

Once the bomb has been planted, the counter-terrorists must locate and defuse it in 45 seconds (this is a variable; it can be changed; commonly also set to 35 seconds depending on the server admin(s)) before it explodes. On bomb defuse maps, counter-terrorists can buy a special defuse kit that decreases the time needed to defuse a bomb by 5 seconds. Killing the enemy team ends the round if the bomb has not been planted; if the bomb has been planted, the terrorists will win if they kill the counter-terrorists, but the counter-terrorists must defuse the bomb even if they kill the terrorists. Previously, the round could end with the bomb planted but not yet exploded, resulting in a victory for the counter-terrorists. However, the round timer now becomes void when the bomb is planted, meaning the bomb can be planted even with 1 second left in the round and the round will continue until the bomb is defused, it explodes, or the counter-terrorist team is eliminated. Bomb defuse maps are by far the most commonly seen maps in tournament play.

de_dust2 - CS 1.6

The most popular bomb defuse maps are:

de_dust
de_dust2
de_airstrip
de_aztec
de_inferno
de_nuke
de_port (Counter-Strike: Source only)
de_piranesi
de_prodigy
de_cbble
de_train
de_tides (Counter-Strike: Source and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero only)
de_vegas (1.6 Only)
de_vertigo (1.6 and Counter-Strike: Source)

Defusion maps are usually the only types of maps used in competitive Counter-Strike

CPL uses their own version of competitive maps along with the main 5. These maps are said to be more balanced than the default maps because they were made with competitive play in mind de_cpl_mill de_cpl_fire de_cpl_strike de_cpl_overrun (not yet used in CAL or CPL)

[edit] Assassination

Assassination (as_) maps are based on an assassination scenario. A member of the Counter-Terrorist team spawns as the VIP. While this player is unable to buy weapons or equipment in the entirety of the map, they are given a fully-loaded USP pistol, and an additional 100 armour points (totaling 200). The VIP must survive the journey from a spawn-point to a rescue point (typically a helicopter or APC).

The Counter-Terrorists win if and when the VIP makes it to the rescue point, or all the Terrorists are killed (while the VIP is still alive).
The Terrorists win if the VIP is ever killed or the time-limit is reached before the VIP has made it to the rescue point.

Assassination maps are far less popular than hostage rescue and bomb defuse maps. Currently, this gametype is not supported in Counter-Strike: Source and "Counter-Strike: Condition Zero". However, there is an unofficial modification in development that will allow assassination maps to be played for Counter-Strike: Source.

The only official assassination map is:

as_oilrig

[edit] Escape

The now defunct escape (es_) map scenario required the terrorist team to reach a map-specific exit point within the round time allowed, while the counter-terrorist team would do their best to stop them. Escape maps usually started the terrorist team without a buy zone, and weapons would have to be either found, or scavenged from the dead bodies of other players. Due to a rather obvious bias towards the counter-terrorist team, escape maps were removed from Counter-Strike in August 2000, in the Beta 7.0 update. However, it is still possible to play escape maps on 1.6 if you download the old ones or make your own new ones. There are no escape maps in Counter-Strike: Source.

The most popular escape maps were:

es_frantic (removed in Beta 6.5)
es_jail (removed in Beta 6.5)
es_trinity (removed)

[edit] Custom map types

In addition to the maps included with Counter-Strike, there are many custom maps available created by map-making programs. Typically, these maps are named using an unofficial scheme, consisting of the prefixes following:

zm_, zh_ For Zombie Mod-maps.
- Zombie Mod involves a single "dead" player only given a knife, and has to successfully kill each player with a knife. While the Zombie respawns, any opponents killed by the Zombie also become Zombie. This concept is similar to the "Last Man Standing" style of gameplay.
cs_ for hostage maps, but because of the unpopularity of those maps cs_ can also mean a map larger than an fy_ map, also with no objectives.
gg_ for the GunGame Mod.
- GunGame involves each player starting at a specific weapon, then stronger (or weaker, depending on server configuration) weapons are procured by killing opponents with their current weapon, thus "leveling up." Knifing an opponent will result in stealing one level from the dead enemy.
ka_ for Knife Arena
- Fairly self-explanatory; In Knife Arena, players are only availed of a single knife to use to defeat the opposing teams.
ii_, these are clan maps, made by the clan, www.quasars.org/ii
fy_, commonly referred to as "Fun Yard" or "Fight Yard."
- These maps are deathmatch-style levels where players are able to pick up weapons placed on the map. Occasionally, some fy_ maps (such as _iceworld and _pool_day) have bomb zones placed for the Terrorist team.
awp_ for AWP Arena maps.
- Also self-explanatory, the AWP Arena maps only give players the AWP sniper rifle and a knife.
surf_ maps.
- These maps are derived from the modern surfing sport, involving players "surfing" down "waves" made in the map. These waves are created through a precise angle of walls which, through the game engine's physics, negate friction.
aim_ maps.
- These maps are most commonly used for teaching and maintaining proficiency in specific weapons. A particular aim_ map will only consist of one or two varieties of weapons, commonly displayed in the map's name; For example, aim_ak_colt is a popular map featuring both the AK-47 and M4.
he_ maps.
- Named for the initialism of High Explosives, these maps only give players fragmentation grenades and a knife.
kz_ maps.
- These maps utilize steps and ledges that a player can jump on in order to reach a higher height. The entire map usually consists of these ledges, testing the player's ability to jump and climb.
"Glass Maps" are less common in CS 1.6 but popular in CS:S. The levels are constructed of solely glass, allowing players to shoot enemies off of their platforms.
- These maps are named as such because of the use of a large amount of glass paneling in the map, typically the floor. In these maps, you are able to shoot (or use any weapon on) the glass panels on the floor, and make your opponents or yourself fall to the level below, or to the normal ground at the bottom (and usually die from the height), and adds an extra level of challenge from other types of map environments. It is also common for glass_ maps to be incorporated into maps of other variations, such as surf_, he_, and aim_ , so that you have a special set of weapons (or whatever else the other type of map incorporated into it has to offer), with the environment being glass floors instead of the standard map usually used with the various types of maps.

[edit] Official Map list

The following are official Counter-Strike maps, from Counter-Strike Beta 1 to current Counter-Strike: Source, past and present. Most of these maps are no longer packaged with the mod, and may not work anymore.