Train returns to Counter-Strike

In a massive update earlier today, de_train returns to the game with an overhaul. Taking full advantage of the Source 2 engine, the map looks stunning with an overcast setting. The rain effects steal the day, adding to the beauty of the map. The visually stunning map has also received certain gameplay changes.

The big yellow train in the middle of B-site is now gone, making the site feel more open and spacious. With the site feeling more spacious, the angle from CT-ramp to heaven has been blocked off but the structure opens up more rat positions for the CTs.

Following suite, the A-site also sees big changes, practically getting rid of the "Olof" position. Heaven is blocked off but the ladder remains as piece of map-lore. The lanes behind A-site have been merged to allow long range engagements towards A-main but it comes at the risk of being exposed to ivy. The T-spawn is now an actual train station where the rain effect is on full display.

Alongside Train, several community maps have been added to the game. Basalt returns to the game alongside new maps Palais, Edin and Whistle. Overpass receives a long list of changes catering to visibility, visuals, performance, gameplay and geometry.

The update also comes with several huge gameplay changes to make Counter-Strike 2 feel more reactive and sharpen the combat mechanics. The new damage prediction mechanism will trigger audio visual damage-inflicting effects on the client side without waiting for the server to confirm the hit. The feature is turned off for high ping.

Third person flashbang animations are now more accurate, making the players raise their hand to cover their eyes only if they are fully blind. Alongside several performance optimizations, grenade lineup reticle gets new axis markers and the nade preview in practice mode can now show jump throws in the preview window.

The new map guide feature has been one of the most talked points of the update. The feature allows players to load into a map offline and the map contains markers and instructions for basic utility to help players wrap their head around the meta. Custom markers and annotations can be created and saved as standalone custom map guides. As of now, Train is the only map with an official map guide.

Here are Valve's release notes for the update:

DAMAGE PREDICTION

• Added damage prediction settings. Damage prediction allows clients to immediately play the audio/visual effects of inflicting damage without waiting for confirmation from the server. Damage prediction can make shooting feel significantly more responsive, but comes with the risk of occasionally being wrong (e.g. due to aim punch, tagging, or a death that your client isn't yet aware of).

• Predicted body shot effects (disabled by default), head shot effects (disabled by default), and kill ragdolls (enabled by default) can each be toggled separately.

• Damage prediction is not active when you have high ping.

ANIMATION

• Updated the third-person animation that plays when a player is blinded by a flashbang. The animation now accurately represents the player's visibility level, and the pose will only show the player's arm covering their eyes when they are completely blinded.

• Fixed a case where legs weren't animating correctly while taking damage.

GRAPHICS

• Added ambient occlusion for first person legs to better ground them in the environment.

• Performance optimizations for molotov and incendiary effects.

GRENADES

• Added axis labels to the grenade line-up reticle tick marks.

• The grenade preview camera now shows the result of a jump throw while the jump button is held.

MAP GUIDES

• Added a map guide for Train, which demonstrates four simple Terrorist grenade line-ups. To load a map guide, go to Play→Practice and toggle "Load Map Guides" on.

• Added concommands annotation_* which enable the creation, saving, and loading of map guide nodes and files, which are stored in /annotations/.

MISC

• New game settings for radar map blending and background opacity.

• Fixed a case where progress from a previously completed Armory Pass would show during activation of a new pass.

• Fixed a regression with Chinese input via the Microsoft Input Methods.

• CSTV now allows setting tv_delay and tv_delay1 to a value smaller than 6 seconds.

• Charm Template number is now available in Charm descriptions.

MAPS

• Train

• • Added Train to Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch modes.

• Community Maps

• • Added Basalt and Edin to Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch modes.

• • Added Palais and Whistle to Wingman mode.

• • Removed Thera, Mills, Assembly, and Memento from all game modes.

• Ancient

• • Fixed some lighting errors.

• • Fixed some collision gaps.

• • Fixed some bad wall bang spots.

• • Fixed a stuck spot.

• Italy

• • Fixed some bad boost spots.

• Mirage

• • Fixed a pixel peek.

• Overpass

• • Visual updates to canals area and B-site.

• • Rework of heaven drop down mechanics.

• • Performance improvements, particularly in canals area and B-site.

• • Added a sign that blocks a bad line of sight from long boost to CT spawn.

• • Removed small fence at the edge of party/picnic that interfered with visibility to train station.

• • Removed some geometry under wrecked truck that looked like player legs.

• • Replaced some windows with opaque surfaces in train station to remove bad lines of sight.

• • Deleted a tree that interfered with a line of sight.

• • Moved one of the crate lids on A-site to block a bad line of sight.

• • Removed some lamps that could look like player heads at A-site.

• • Removed some trees and objects around park and train station that prevented players from backing into certain useful spaces.

• • Removed a chain link fence in alley that made players hard to see.

• • Adjustments to fog and decreased the distance at which character models get an increased visibility effect.

• • Made shelf in heaven look less like a player.

• • Adjusted props and lights in heaven to reduce noise and make players brighter.

• • Removed handcart behind barrels at B-site so players can back into the corner.

• • Adjusted collision around barrels for better player movement.

• • Added light behind barrels for better player visibility.

• • Fixed weird collision on barrel that made for inconsistent wall bangs.

• • Fixed bad graffiti rendering at B-site.

• • Removed concrete block behind the cement bags at B-site for less awkward player movement.

• • Set many smaller props to exclude player movement and grenade bounces.

• • Fixed some pixel peeks.

• • Small visual updates throughout the map.

• Shoots

• • Performance improvements in some areas.