Counter-Strike: Source Tips and Tutorials

Quick Tip: Run Counter-Strike: Source in a Window

2011-03-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

There are two ways to run Counter-Strike: Source in a window.

1. Start Counter-Strike: Source and in the menu screen of the game go to "Options". In the "Options" window click on the "Video" tab. Below the "Display Mode" text there will be a drop down bar. Click on it and select "Run in a window". Click "OK".

2. While in steam go to your "Library", right click on Counter-Strike: Source and go to "Properties". In the "Properties" window click on "Set Launch Options" (it's located in the "General" tab). In the "Launch Options" window type in "-sw" (without the quotes). Click "OK".

Happy fragging.

How to Install Custom Sprays in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-23T10:26:00.000-08:00

Counter-Strike: Source allows players to import custom sprays into the game but there are some restrictions. The maximum dimension of the picture is 256 pixel width and 256 pixel height (anything bigger than that will get shrunk down and lose quality) and the file must be under 120kb. Also there are only four file types that are acceptable: .jpg, .bmp, .tga, .vtf.

For the first three file type (.jpg, .bmp, .tga) all you need to do is start Counter-Strike: Source and in the menu screen go to "Options". In the "Options" window click on the "Multiplayer" tab and next to the actual spray there will be a "Import Spray" button. Click on it and a search screen will appear. There, just locate the picture you want to use and click "Open". Now select it from the list of sprays and you're done.

When you do import a spray the game will copy that file, convert it into two files (.vtf and .vmt) and store them in the steam\steamapps\accountname\counter-strike source\cstrike\materials\vgui\logos folder. That means that you can erase the original picture or move it without worrying that your spray will be gone.

Now for the ".vtf" files, it has to be a pair with a ".vmt" file and you have to store them both in the steam\steamapps\accountname\counter-strike source\cstrike\materials\vgui\logos folder yourself (NOT while running the game). If you know how to open a folder and use the copy/cut option this should be easy. After you stored the files in the correct folder, start your game and the spray will be located with all the other sprays.

If, when you go to the "cstrike" folder, you can't find the "materials" folder or any other, just create a "New Folder" and rename it appropriately.

That is how everything should be working and if it does for you, great! But to my knowledge the "Import Spray" function is broken. After some tests I found out that it completely does not accept ".jpg" files. For ".bmp" file types, only 24-bit files are working (16-bit, 32-bit and 256 Color files don't work) and for ".tga", it's only 24-bit or 32-bit (no 16-bit). Only the ".vtf" + ".vmt" file combo seems to be working correctly.

Happy fragging.

Quick Tip: Taking Screenshots in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:47:00.003-08:00

To take a screenshot in Counter-Strike: Source all you have to do is press "F5" on the keyboard. The screenshot will be saved as a JPEG (.jpg) file, named "<map name><screenshot number>" (e.g. "de_dust0003") in the steam\steamapps\accountname\counter-strike source\cstrike\screenshots folder.

Happy fragging.

How to Record/Play a Demo in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:47:00.001-08:00

To record a demo in Counter-Strike: Source you have to be in-game. When in game open your console by pressing the "~" key and type in this command:

record <demoname>

Example:

record firstgame

To stop the recording of the demo just type "stop" (without the quotes) in the console. The demo will be completed and saved in the steam\steamapps\accountname\counter-strike source\cstrike folder, named "<demoname>.dem".

Also the demo name CAN NOT have spaces between the words. For example if you type in "record first game" in the console, the demo will actually get saved as "first.dem". Everything you typed after the space will be gone.

To playback your demo (the demo has to be in the cstrike folder) type this command in the console:

playdemo <demoname>

Example:

playdemo firstgame

Happy fragging.

How to Set a Clan Tag in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:46:00.004-08:00

Since the addition of achievements in Counter-Strike: Source, it is now possible to set your clan tag, which will not be tied to your username. It is really easy and I'm about to show you how to do it.

First of all, you have to be a member of any steam group. There are hundreds of public groups that you can join. If you're not a member of any group out there, join one or create a new group yourself. To browse through groups or create your own, start your steam and go to Community>Groups. There you will find "Create a new group" and "Browse groups".

After you become a member, start Counter-Strike: Source. In the menu screen of the game go to "Options". In the "Options" window click on the "Multiplayer" tab and go to "Advanced" (it's located in the bottom left of the Multiplayer tab). There you will find the "Clan Tag" drop down bar. From there you can set any clan tag to any group you are a member of.

Happy fragging.

How to Bind Commands in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:46:00.002-08:00

Binding keys to certain commands can save you valuable seconds that may lead to more kills. You can bind keys to buy certain weapons and equipment or to say a catch phrase to taunt somebody after a kill by pressing only one key.

Firstly here are all the buy binds:

Pistols:

Shotguns:

SMG's:

Rifles:

Machine Guns:

Equipment:

Those are all the weapons and equipment available in the game. To bind them simply go to the console and type in this command:

bind <key> "buy <weapon>"

For example if you want to buy Magnum Sniper Rifle by pushing "N" type this command in the console:

bind n "buy awp"

You can also bind multiple buys onto one key This is the command:

bind <key> "buy <weapon>; buy <weapon>; buy <weapon>"

For example if you want to buy a Night Hawk .50C, Kevlar+Helmet and a HE Grenade by pressing "M" you would have to type this command in the console:

bind m "buy deagle; buy vesthelm; buy hegrenade"

Binding to the numpad.

All the keys on the numpad are not what you think they would be. Here is the list in how each button has to be written for the bind to work:

Enter = KP_ENTER

0 = KP_INS

1 = KP_END

2 = KP_DOWNARROW

3 = KP_PGDN

4 = KP_LEFTARROW

5 = KP_5

6 = KP_RIGHTARROW

7 = KP_HOME

8 = KP_UPARROW

9 = KP_PGUP

. = KP_DEL

+ = KP_PLUS

- = KP_MINUS

* = *

For example if you want to buy a flashbang by pressing "+" on the numpad this is what you need to type in the console:

buy kp_plus "buy flash"

If you need to remember a certain name of the gun type "buy" (without the quotes) in the console. It will show you the full list of bind names of all the weapons and equipment in the game.

To bind a quote to one of the keys simply type this command in the console:

bind <key> "say <your text here>"

For example:

bind f "say OWNED!!!"

If you made any mistakes you can easily unbind any key by typing this in the console:

unbind <key>

Example:

unbind f

Happy fragging.

How to Enable The Console in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

If for some reason the console doesn't pop out when you push the "~" key on your keyboard, there are two easy ways to enable it.

1. Start Counter-Strike: Source. In the menu screen of the game go to "Options". There, click on the "Keyboard" tab and go to "Advanced" (it's located at the middle bottom of the Keyboard tab). In the "Advanced" window mark the "Enable developer console (~)". Click "OK" and then click "OK" on the "Options" window one more time.

2. While in steam go to your Library>Games, right click on Counter-Strike: Source and go to "Properties". In the "Properties" window click on "Set Launch Options" (it's located in the "General" tab). In the "Launch Options" window type in "-console" (without the quotes). Click "OK".

Happy fragging.

Quick Tip: Crosshair Size Options in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:44:00.002-08:00

If you're like me you don't like the new way of setting your crosshair size in Counter-Strike: Source. To get the old cl_crosshairscale command to work again just type cl_legacy_crosshairscale 1 in the console.

Otherwise, if cl_legacy_crosshairscale is set to 0, the crosshair size is set with these two commands:

cl_crosshairsize <-- specifies the size of the crosshair
cl_crosshairthickness <-- specifies the thickness of the crosshair

Happy fragging.

How to Change The Crosshair Color in Counter-Strike: Source

2011-02-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

In the past if you wanted a white (or any other color) crosshair in Counter-Strike: Source you had to download it from somewhere and install it. Well now you can easily have any color crosshair. Just open your console and type these four commands:

cl_crosshaircolor 5 <-- allows you to customize colors

cl_crosshaircolor_r 255

cl_crosshaircolor_g 255

cl_crosshaircolor_b 255

For the example I used 255 for the RGB commands. This way you would get a white crosshair. If you want to know what numbers you have to enter for a specific color go to COLOR CODES. Remember that you have to enter the DECIMAL (R;G;B Dec) parameters and NOT the hexadecimal.

Happy fragging.