Counter-Strike Online

Counter-Strike Online
Developer(s)	Valve Corporation Nexon Corporation
Publisher(s)	Valve Corporation Nexon TianCity[1] Gamania IAHgames Megaxus
Engine	GoldSrc
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	2008
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Counter Strike Online is a Counter-Strike game targeted towards Asia's gaming market. It is developed by Nexon Corporation of South Korea with oversight from license-holder Valve Corporation. It uses a micropayment model that is managed by a custom version of the Steam back-end.^[2] In April 2008, Nexon developed Counter-Strike Online based on Valve Corporation's Counter-Strike game.^[3]

Gameplay

Counter Strike Online features some old game modes from the previous Counter-Strikes and new ones: Original mode, Death Match, Team Death Match, Zombie Mode 2, Zombie United Mode, Zombie Mode 3, Challenge Mode, Zombie Survival Mode and VIP Mode.

The game also features a variety of additions over the International Counter-Strike, such as an introduction to female characters, numerous new weapons and skins for previous weapons. Most of the weapons are "locked" by default, so GASH virtual cash or in-game points are essential to purchase them. Most special weapons, skins, power-ups, etc. can be purchased with GASH points. A variety of other special items can also be bought with in-game points as well.

The new gameplay modes: Zombie Mode 1, 2 and 3 are played between two teams, zombies and humans. In Zombie Mode 2, everyone starts out as a human and gets 20 seconds to buy, hide and/or fortify their position, then a certain random player becomes a zombie, depending on the number of players present. When a zombie attacks a human, they become a zombie, and this keeps going until the time runs out, in which case the humans win or if all the humans become zombies. There are a variety or different kinds of zombies, which are the Normal Zombie, Girl Zombie, Heavy Zombie, Psycho Zombie, Voodoo Zombie. These zombies are only available in Zombie Mode 2 and 3. In Zombie Mode 1 there is only one kind of zombie. The type of zombie that this is varies on where the Counter Strike Online version that you are using is released. for example, the Singapore version has the normal zombie while China has the Psycho Zombie. Each of these has their own abilities. For Zombie Mode 3, it basically holds the same gameplay as its precede, except that a firepower bar for both zombie and human teams are added. After 20 seconds, a random person on the human team will be chosen as a "Hero". The "Hero" will have the strongest unique weaponry (not purchasable) in the entire game. Each kill from his or any other weapon levels up the firepower strength by one level (there are ten levels total). Each level increases damage done by humans 10%. In all the Zombie modes, random players are selected to be the first zombies or "Host" zombies. These zombies have higher health and different models than zombies infected after the Hosts.

Zombie Mode 4 was released on July 4th in South Korea with it released in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan on July 6th. The gameplay is the same as Zombie Mode 3 except that there is a different Hero. The Hero is a female soldier armed with 8 shell Sawn-off that is as powerful as the original hero's weapon. Three new zombies were released as well that day. They are step-mother zombie, bane zombie and chinese zombie. The step mother zombie has the power to suck players towards her then turning them into a zombie when they are close. Bane zombie can put infinite obstacles to block bullets. Chinese zombie has the same power as the psycho one, but is slower and hard to target by humans.

The second new gameplay mode is Zombie Scenario Mod, which pits up to 10 players against increasingly harder waves of AI controlled zombies. You are able to buy extra health and damage if you have enough money. The levels keep getting harder with zombies having more health and abilities. A new zombie is revealed in this mode and called Zombie Boss. He is over twice the size of the normal Heavy Zombie, and holds a weapon that deals more damage than a normal zombie attack. This mode was released December 9, 2009. Nexon Released a new map called "Last Clue" on January 27th. There are only 2 rounds for this map. The first round requires all players to break through obstacles while battling attacking zombies at the same time. Unlike the other Zombie Scenario maps, players can spawn at the nearest checkpoint if they die. Once all the obstacles have been broken, a second round starts. This round presents a difficult Alien Boss with many different attacks. After a set amount of time, normal zombies start appearing, creating an even harder challenge. In May 2011, Nexon released a new map called "Dead Ends." There are five rounds with one BOSS for each round. The bosses are "Pig Boss" "Voodoo Boss" "Devil Boss A" "Devil Boss B" and "Horn Devil Boss." This map was intended for players over level 30 and up. Players under level 30 were denied access to the map in the first week of its release. After a week, players under level 30 had access to the map. On October 18th a new map was released with a sea monster boss.

Human Campaign is a player and bot fight. Bots are of a secret military that have come to clean up the infection with leaving no loose ends. Players are up against four kinds of enemies; Scout, Paladin, Artillery and Heavy. Enemy weapons can not be picked up while fighting. There is an ability to place gun stands anywhere and call in airstrikes. In the last round, players have to defeat a new kind of Boss which is easy to avoid, but is smarter. The Boss is a helicopter that fires missiles and sniper bullets. In the 4th map made, instead of a chopper as the boss, there is a plane similar to the Avatar movie helicopter.

The Challenge Mode is a race between players, in two different kinds of maps. Players cannot attack each other, instead they aim for achieving the best time. There are jumping maps, with both stable and moving platforms, and running maps, with many walls and thin platforms to run on. In some places on the map, checkpoints are placed, respawning someone there if they die, and telling them how faster/slower they are versus the leader.

On March 24th Nexon released a new mode from the original Counter-Strike called VIP Mode. The Counter-Terrorists try to escort the VIP safely to a designated safety area or eliminate all Terrorist forces in the map. The Terrorists are to assassinate the VIP before he gets to the chopper or wait until time runs out. The map “Oil rig” was the first of many new VIP maps to be released. The VIP carries double armor and only a USP with 24 bullets.

On May 25th, Nexon released a new game mode called World Cup 2010 in conjunction with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Includes 2 new soccer maps, 2 football types and new character skins. The main objective is basically to score points by kicking the ball into the oppositions goal. Players are allowed to purchase items and stab enemies during the gameplay.

In Counter-Strike Online, the game itself is free, but some weapons are bought using points purchased with real money. These weapons usually expire after a certain amount of time but sometimes can be purchased permanently during a promotion. Certain weapons and items can be purchased with points that are gained by getting kills, completing objectives, etc.

See also

• Counter-Strike

References

1. ^ Tiancheng agent confirmed century epic FPS-class online games giant for "Counter Strike Online"
2. ^ "Q&A: Valve Explains Why PC Gaming's Gaining Steam". Gamasutra. 2008-03-06. http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17744. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
3. ^ "Counter-Strike Online part 1". Nexon Korea Corporation. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zm8U7EJz. Retrieved June 28, 2011. 

   "Counter-Strike Online part 2". Nexon Korea Corporation. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5zm8iAfTO. Retrieved June 28, 2011. 

• Cheben, Mark (2007-07-27). "Leading International Studios Join Forces to Extend the World's #1 First Person Multiplayer Game". GotFrag. http://www.gotfrag.com/cs/story/38917/. Retrieved 2007-10-12. 
• "Game Watch (Translated)". http://72.14.203.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=ja%7Cen&u=http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20071227/korea_18.htm%3Fref%3Drss.  (This game is not suitable for children under the ages of 13. Contains graphic violence.)
• "Nexon Finding ways to expand cso business in Indonesia, India & other area.(31-12-2010)". http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-12-31/nexon-to-offer-apple-ipad-games-more-titles-outside-south-korea.html.  (CSO is available in Indonesia & coming soon in India till end of 2011.)

External links

• (English)Official site of Singapore/Malaysia
• (Indonesian)Official site of Indonesia
• (traditional Chinese)Official site of Taiwan
• (traditional Chinese)Official site of Hong Kong
• (simplified Chinese)Official site of China
• (Korean)Official site of South Korea
• (Japanese)Official site of Japan