Operation Payback

[TurtleFrenzy 2612]

http://blog.counter-strike.net/operationpayback/

Pay 2.99$ (normally 5.99$) to play on Valve's dedicated servers that now run the top 7 community casual maps. +A coin by your name showing you've bought it.

Thoughts?

[Avery 794]

These maps look fuckingbadass, i might consider this.

[ElectronicDrug 7496]

Museum and seaside are good, haven't played the rest.

Note: you don't need to buy this just to play those maps. It looks like the proceeds go to the mapmakers, which is really cool.

[Sketchmaticx 3170]

actually pretty good looking. pretty cool as well. wonder when CS GO will go f2p l0l

[thorgot 2420]

I like this. This is neat, I think I'll buy it just to support the map makers though I'll probably only play the maps a few times to try them out.

[TurtleFrenzy 2612]

Yeah, forgot to mention that. All the maps they're offering are available for download on Steam Workshop. Steam's just saying that they will put servers up that will run these maps similar to competitive server fashion, but in casual.

It's interesting for sure, though don't know if it's worth spending money over when you can play the maps are on other servers that run them if you REALLY wanted to play the maps; but I see where Steam is going with it.

[SexyBatman 705]

Yeah, forgot to mention that. All the maps they're offering are available for download on Steam Workshop. Steam's just saying that they will put servers up that will run these maps similar to competitive server fashion, but in casual.

It's interesting for sure, though don't know if it's worth spending money over when you can play the maps are on other servers that run them if you REALLY wanted to play the maps; but I see where Steam is going with it.

It's not really a question of value, it's more for giving back to the map creators that work so hard on that maps we enjoy.

[MisterTurkes 544]

i dont think its worth it because you cant play it in competative (even tho many of those maps would suck in comp) but i dont find casual that fun :/

[HurFFiNatEr010 460]

personally i think they all worked hard enough for my 3 dollars

[DogsGoMeow 1606]

i dont think its worth it because you cant play it in competative (even tho many of those maps would suck in comp) but i dont find casual that fun :/

It's not about the value as batman said, and $3 (price of a bar of chocolate)is nothing. if you're enjoyed these maps then supporting the devs like this is a great thing.

[TheDentist 235]

bought.

[Arrkham 291]

Bought this, pretty cool. Maps are well made and very inspiring.

[thorgot 2420]

Also bought.

[splewis 283]

It's my understanding "library" is a crime against mankind.

[TheDentist 235]

My initial impressions (one round of each):

Firstly, almost all of these maps are made for classic casual in that there is almost no way they'd become competitive maps. They're too massive, so many entry points and back entrances and secret passages. Not optimized for fast gameplay, lots of prettiness that would distract from seeing around corners and stuff, tons of cheap places to hide and camp, etc etc. Kind of like jb_jungle, haha

Museum - Absolutely gorgeous map, and huge. I spent a lot of time trying to get on top of the T-rex in the entry room rather than rescuing hosties, but w/e. I think it could be a cool DE map considering it's theme, but it's alright. Two main entrances with alternate routes. I was most impressed with the aesthetics of this map, especially all the work that went into the 3d skybox and background.

Library - Fucking stupid and terrible map. Each team starts at one end of the library, the library itself is just a maze of bookshelves and tables. Extremely cramped and the bombsite is the entire library room. So essentially Ts can immediately plant and hold the corner they plant in, or run around in the maze, plant, and see if the CTs can find it in time. Imagine the gg_baggage map with ONLY the upper room (no side rooms or basement), add a bunch of books and make the whole damn thing a bombsite, and you have library.

Favela - DE map with tons of streets, though it's one of those DE maps where the CTs spawn in one of the sites (think de_dust, ~de_aztec), which I think would make most Ts and CTs play "race to A site" like in de_dust. Complaints I heard from people on the server who had played it before is it is sniper heavy with lots of long streets to snipe down and control sectors of the map. Aesthics of a dirty jungle/S. American shantytown, why the fuck are CTs defending sites in this place? Maybe hostages would make more sense

Thunder - James Bond's famous dam map in goldeneye comes to mind. Really cool idea, fucking MASSIVE map with probably 20 different stairwells to get lost in. EVerything connects to everything and there are probably 30 ways to get to the hostages. They even have a vent system. The map could probably lose the entire outside portion (top edge of the dam) to play more evenly, but that's the 'coolest' part. Outside quickly becomes sniper vs sniper, while everyone else funnels into the bowels of the dam into the turbine room and control rooms to compete for hostages in closer quarters. The hostage room itself is a massive (like 4 story) control room with lots of boxes, vents, and shit to hide behind. Good luck CTs if the Ts decide to camp that room. Another issue is timing. Considering how massive the map actually is, it might be hard to run back with a hostage in under a minute if you had to. I did have a 6K ace with a 4K clutch on this map though, so I'm biased because I'm so awesome.

Seaside - Probably my favorite and the most balanced map on the rotation. One glaring problem though is the cutthrough on mid. CTs spawn closer to the mid corridor than the Ts and once a CT gets an awp it's easy pickings. The Ts must cross the mid door to get to Site A, so they're either wasting smoke at the very beginning of the round or trying to avoid getting picked off. If the map maker moved the door or put something in the direct sight line this map could actually make it in a competitive rotation I think. Lots of cool cut-throughs from different sites, balconies and camp spots. Each bomb site has 3-4 entrances for retakes, lots of places to be looking. It's also one of the smaller maps in the rotation which would allow a 5v5 to be more manageable.

Motel - Cool idea, 70s era motel. So many doors, and all the rooms are enterable from the back door and the front door. Hostages spawned in the motel while the Ts were behind and the CTs were in front, which meant you had to race to the hostages to get ready as a T. Unlike most hostage maps where you spawn nearby the hostages and can wait for the CTs, this creates an advantage for CTs since you aren't set yet. Close quarters in the back alleys and stairwells, while the front parking lot is wide open for someone who gets their hands on an AWP. Map would play different based on where the hosties spawn (rooms closer to Ts or further from Ts spawn), but I only saw one spawn so I'm not sure what the other options are.

Downtown - Only got to play half a round on this map but I liked it. Two major choke points, the main entrance to the skyscraper and a side loading dock entrance. There is also a ladder from the loading dock that takes CTs to the second floor emergency exit. That was the most frequent point of entry. The main door is huge and all glass in a large atrium, exceedingly dangerous to try to enter that way. This is probably the #2 map for balance and potential comp play IMO.

[Knox 1470]

free to play model coming soon