I got CS a few days ago and tried it out. so I decided to do a comparison.
for certain aspects, there will be an advantage to one game, and the number of advantages is totaled for the final verdict. I"m making this up as I go, so don't shoot me if I end up favoring CS.
1. movement
advantage: TC:E
TC:E gets this one easy. the players start/stop on a dime, like in real life, however, in CS, there is a gradual acceleration, which is VERY annoying. if you've played HL1/2, and know what the places where the slime/ice affects your movement, if you tone it down just a touch, you get CS. also, there is no lean or prone, and crouch is not toggle.
2. weapons (variety/balance):
advantage: CS.
more of 'em, and they're balanced for the most part.
3. weapons (availability)
advantage: tie
some factors at play here. the CS money system is nice, as it gives you cash for finding hostages, kills and rounds won/lost, along with appropriate penalties, but it takes just too damn long to get that SMG or AR. being highest fragger/point man on my tesm it usually takes 2-3 rounds to amass enough for your armour, weapons and grenades.
however, the TC:E system seems to be very sensitive, often making you lose that great gun because you missed your target and got killed. also, if you get a high-end weapon and don't change your choice to a lower one, you still get it 90% of the time.
4. maps
advantage: TC:E.
in TC:E you have multiple gametypes available on the smae map. in CS, you're limited to hostage rescue (CS_<mapname>) or demolition (de_<mapname>) and they're not interchangeable. also, many maps have drastic changes in lighting, making playing with the required HDR near impossible in parts. though both of them have nice sizes, the TC:E maps offer more cover, and though not 100% realistic in some sorts, it's very nice to stay alive that little bit longer.
5. gameplay (community)
advantage: TC:E
so I Really have to say much? the CS community has a REALLY bad reputation, and mature players are hard to find. though there may be some good clan servers, they're more than likely pass. protected. TC:E's playerbase, from what I know, ranges from young teens to grizzled war vetrans, and they seem to get along well.
6. gameplay (cheating)
advantage TC:E
yes, I"m pulling a few cheap shots, but these are important to many people. though TC:E does have it's share of hacks, it's NOTHING compared to CS.
7. gameplay (offline)
advantage: CS.
CS has bots with full support, and custom tags (I have mine set to <]TAH[>Pvt_<name> because I"m evil) and they're fun to play against. though sometimes they'll go like they have aimbots, and sometimes stare at you as you gun them down as they wait to attack (dependant on difficulty) and you can even limit thier weapons.
8. gameplay (realism)
advantage: TC:E
a few things to note,
1. ironsights. TC:E has them, CS doesn't. I hit the right mouse button a lot because of it. it's annoying at times, ESPECIALLY when you're using a not-so accurate weapon, and you know if you had sights you'd be blowing heads off.
2. AA system. yes, CS's is more fun, but it's not realistic. you have to BUY your stuff. IRL, most soldiers get their equipment paid for by the government. also, grenades are free in TC:E, not in CS. good players will use them well, bad ones will suck.
3. reloads/switching little detail, bu it pisses me off. though CS has dry/tactical reloads right for the most part (same actual reload animation, but handgins, for instance, are racked before the reload is done, then the slide released afterward.) you cock your weapons EVERY TIME YOU TAKE THEM OUT!!! AAAAGGGGHHH!!! this annoys the hell out of me. in halo, it's the only reason I don't use the pistol. not only is it unnecessary, it takes valuable time. I DON'T want to see you spin your .50 handgun as you pull it out. I want you to SHOOT THE GUY!
9. damage system
advantage: TC:E
the multi-tier damage system rocks. having separate points (legs, body, head) is nice. having a big pool is not. in TC:E, you get shot in the head, then in the chest, then the leg, you'll live most of the times (dependant of the weapon) and in CS, you won't. period. it's annoying as hell.
10. ease of installation/setup
advantage: TC:E
though you need to install two programs for TC:E, it beats the CS system of having to get steam, make an account, buy/install CS, and then some. if you're an ET player, you'll get TC:E set up in no time. if you play HL2, you have at LEAST 1 hour to update, set up your username, and all that crap.
overall winner: TC:E.
proper movement, damage, and ironsights lead to this game winning. though CS is fun to play offline (and if you're getting half-life 2, it's worth installing it anyway, like I did) it's not all that good for lower-end sstems, and all that jazz.
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