Why FA:S Will Be Great!

FA:S is poised to be one of the greatest FPS of all time. This is not just temporary fanaticism, or some other fleeting idea, but cold hard facts. FA:S combines the best features of some of the most popular games today into one complete package. The most notable two it combines are that of Counter-Strike: Source and Call of Duty 4. While FA:S predates CoD4, and is equal to age of CS:S, it is easy to show newer players the potential of FA:S using these two games.

CS:S is CS, but on the HL2 - soon to be Orange Box - engine. For a moment, lets see what makes CS and CS:S popular. Semi-realistic weapons. CSS offers players to use some of the worlds most popular weapons in the world: M4, AUG, AK47, MP5, P90, Desert Eagle, M249, ext. Second, it presents the weapons in a fun, engaging environment. You can use the weapons as a good guy, or a bad guy. You can use them in semi-realistic environments from the middle east, to an office complex. The two sides, terrorist and counter-terrorist, mimic real world forces. Lastly, the game rewards skill; better players get more money, and thus, more options in weapons.

Now lets look at the downsides of the game. Weapons are linked to what side you play. Terrorist can't buy an M4, counter-terrorist can't buy a G3. This makes little since, as you'd think terrorist to a black market could buy any weapon they want, and counter-terrorist could buy them legally. Poor players, or players just starting out, are limited in what options they have. New players who die every round will not have easy access to some of the flashier weapons. The games default system is round based, so players who die early on often have nothing to do but watch others play a game. The games accuracy system has a high skill ceiling, in that a new player with no knowledge of CSS can use efficiently. Lastly, the game offers only two options of play outside third party mods: hostage rescue, which in most public play no one tries, and defusal maps, which often boil down to pure death match.

So why is FA:S, better than CS:S. Lets see what CS:S dose good. Semi-realistic weapons? FA:S has semi-realistic weapons and more of them. CSS offers a fun, engaging environment? So dose FA:S, but again, takes it to another level. The basis of FA:S is "guns, and lots of them" meaning more options for maps and environments. FA:S offers search and destroy maps, similar to CSS's defusal, but both teams have the option to attack or defend; there is also push, similar to DoDS, and territorial control, similar to TF2s CP system, but less linear. CSS offers you to play as terrorist or counter-terrorist. FA:S offers you Red or Blue. The advantage of FA:S is that Red or Blue is what you want them to be. Your side doesn't determine your play style. That being said, Red and Blue are two distinct sides. As TF2 Red and Blue are separate, so they are in FA:S. CSS rewards skill via money for new weapons? FA:S rewards skill via new skills. Players who excell in the game can round out their skills with marksmanship, artillery, medical, and stealth. New players who struggle to get by have to make due with their one or two skills.

Now taking CSS's downsides, lets see how FA:S address them. CS:S has weapon limitations. FA:S's weapons are not linked to sides. Red isn't limited to the AK47 and Blue isn't limited to the M4. If you want to be Red, and use all US weapons, you can! There is no arability weapon limitations placed on either side. In CSS, skilled players can rake in the cash, increasing the options they have for options. FA:S, everyone is given every option in terms of weapon choice. The first round of the game, and every round after, everyone can chose any weapon they want. Additionally, there is no limit to weapons. You are not restricted to one pistol, and one main weapon. If you wish to use all pistols, or two Assault Rifles, you can. FA:S gives the player the option to chose. CSS by default is round based, leaving new players hung and dry when they die early on. FA:S has no rounds, and players can jump back in almost instantly. That being said, FA:S reinforcement system doesn't cater to those who die often. CSS has a high skill ceiling for accuracy. FA:S, accuracy is only effected by your stance. Weapons in FA:S have little recoil. The person who is the better shot wins, not the player who gets a random head shot. Finally, CSS offers only two game types by default, hostage rescue, and defausal. FA:S offers a minimum of four: SD, PS, TC, and TP (though no official TP maps are mentioned at time of publication). In essence, FA:S can accomplish any style of game play, from TF2's capture the flag, to CSS's defusal maps.

FAS trumps CSS in terms of options. However, how dose it compare to to CoD4, the other semi-realistic shooter?

CoD offers players the option to upgrade weapons. They can slap on a M203 to their M16, or maybe an aim point. In short, weapons are customizable. CoD4 also offers players skills the higher rank they get. Some skills improve accuracy, or bullet penetration of weapons. CoD4 also greatly rewards those who are skilled in the game. Weapon and skill upgrades only come from playing the game and mastering it, allowing you to have more options and advantages than a player just starting out.

So whats the downside of CoD4? The same benefit of rewarding skilled players hurts new players. A skilled player who has played almost a year will have almost every weapon and skilled option unlocked. New players facing off older players, regardless of skill of the two party's, is at a disadvantage to the older player, even if the old player has less skill. This permeates to every aspect of CoD4. Not only do older players have the option to more weapon choices, but also to more skill choices. Anyone who has played CoD4 at any length will cringe at the notion regaining all their skills. In essence, the game becomes a chore. You can't play on equal ground until you invest a lot of time unlocking every option to be on equal footing as everyone else.

Now lets go back to FAS. FAS offers weapon upgrades the same as CoD4. The difference is FAS gives you the upgrades immediately. There is no need to kill 100 enemies with the 93FS to unlock the suppressor. You have it. You'll always have it. New players have it, old players have it. It's a part of the weapon. FAS also offers skills similar to CoD4. However, FAS's skills are not as game altering as CoD4's. There is no "Martyr" or "Last Stand" skill. There is no skill that gives you a quantifiable advantage over another player. Players who pick Marksmanship and players who pick Battle Field Agility both have their own benefits and draw backs.

So how dose FAS improve on CoD4? The most notable one is the skill system. In CoD4, skills and weapon unlocks are kept with you from server to server. In FAS, they last only as long as the map dose. When you join a map, late it its game play, some players may have every skill. Even if you are great at FPS, you are at a disadvantage because they have every option available to them. Once the map changes though, all the skills they have are washed away, and you are on equal footing. This is the most notable feature of FAS: skills only last as long as the map. New and old players are put on equal footing as soon as the map changes. This allows new players some time to acquaint themselves with the mechanics before the gap between the skilled and novice wides. It also allows new players who are new to FAS, but FPS veterans, stand out by their quick climb up the skill system. This is in sharp contrast to CoD4 where the skilled just become more skilled, and new players struggle to keep up. In essence FAS is a fairer game than CoD4. FAS weapons upgrades are available to every player, and the skills, while they reward better players, are reset every new map, allowing newer players a chance to climb to the top.

FA:S is poised to be one of the greatest FPS of all time. This is not just temporary fanaticism, or some other fleeting idea, but cold hard facts. FA:S combines the best features of some of the most popular games today into one complete package. The most notable two it combines are that of Counter-Strike: Source and Call of Duty 4. While FA:S predates CoD4, and is equal to age of CS:S, it is easy to show newer players the potential of FA:S using these two games. FAS takes all the good out of CSS and CoD4: semi-realistic weapons, real world environments, semi-realistic sides, fun game play. FA:S also takes out all the bad of the two games: limited weapon selection based on team, round based game play, high skill ceiling, over compensation for skilled players and intimidation to new players to unlock everything.

Thank you for playing Firearms: Source!