When Counter-Strike was in its beta phase, various patches were released, refining and improving the core gameplay. Eventually, when development ended, the full game was released as version 1.0 on December 9, 2000. When compared to the retail game, these beta versions were tremendously different in terms of environments, graphics, and even gameplay. During this phase, many maps were included and ultimately discarded. The public beta began on June 19th, 1999 with Beta 1.0 and ended with the release of Beta 7.1 on September 13th, 2000.

Despite the fact that Valve has shut down all the WON servers (as of July 31, 2004), these betas are still accesible and some even have their own running servers. 

Contents 1 Beta 1.0 1.1 Weapons 1.1.1 Pistols 1.1.2 Shotguns 1.1.3 Submachine guns 1.1.4 Assault rifles 1.1.5 Sniper rifles 1.1.6 Machine guns 1.2 Maps 2 Beta 1.1 2.1 Map 2.2 Gameplay 3 Beta 1.2 4 Beta 2.0 4.1 Weapons 4.2 Gameplay 5 Beta 2.1 5.1 Weapon 5.2 Map 5.3 Model 5.4 Gameplay 6 Beta 3.0 6.1 Weapon 6.2 Equipment 6.3 System 7 Beta 3.1 7.1 System 7.2 Equipment 8 Beta 4.0 8.1 Weapon 8.2 Equipment 8.3 Map 8.4 System 8.5 Online 9 Beta 4.1 9.1 Weapon 9.2 Equipment 9.3 Gameplay 10 Beta 5.0 10.1 Weapon 10.2 Model 10.3 Map 10.4 System 10.5 Miscellaneous 10.6 Gameplay 10.7 System 11 Beta 5.2 12 Beta 6.0 12.1 Weapon 12.2 Scenario 12.3 Model 12.4 Gameplay 12.5 System 12.6 Map 13 Beta 6.1 13.1 System 13.2 Gameplay 14 Beta 6.5 14.1 System 14.2 Integrate 14.3 Weapons 14.4 Model 14.5 Map 14.6 Update 15 Beta 6.6 15.1 Fix 15.2 Miscellaneous 16 Beta 7.0 16.1 Weapons 16.2 System 16.3 Model 16.4 Map 17 Beta 7.1 17.1 Maps 17.2 System 17.3 Gameplay 17.4 Vehicles

Beta 1.0Edit

June 19, 1999

WeaponsEdit

PistolsEdit

• Glock 18
• USP

ShotgunsEdit

• M3

Submachine gunsEdit

• TMP
• MP5

Assault riflesEdit

• M4A1

Sniper riflesEdit

• AWSM
• G3SG/1

Machine gunsEdit

• M249

MapsEdit

Added Hostage rescue maps:

• Siege
• Mansion
• Wpndepot
• Prison

Beta 1.1Edit

June 27, 1999

MapEdit

Added maps:

• Assault
• Desert

Fix maps:

• Siege
• Wpndepot

GameplayEdit

• Greatly improved server stability, crashes should be eliminated.
• Primary servers will now work with Counter-Strike.
• Fixed the ammunition and armour reset bugs.
• Balanced the economic system a bit.
• Added burst fire mode for the Glock 18.
• Enabled 'mp_friendlyfire' command for server admins.
• Fixed map rotation.

Beta 1.2Edit

July 20, 1999

• Added freeze time before a round starts.
• Kick option added.
• Refined the prices for some of the guns.
• Made the kevlar much more effective (it now covers people's arms).
• Made jumping and shooting MUCH more inaccurate for all the guns.
• Added a $16,000 salary cap.
• Tweaked the bonus money awards.
• Tweaked the flashbangs effectiveness.

Beta 2.0Edit

July 20, 1999

WeaponsEdit

New weapons:

• SG-552
• AK-47
• Desert Eagle

Added silencers to:

• USP
• M4A1

GameplayEdit

• Added a round timer which shows how much time is left in the round.
• Added team scores which shows how many rounds a team has won.
• Added Night Vision Goggles.
• Added new entity for mappers to use (info_hostage_rescue).
• Optimized all the models for lower r_speeds!
• Ability to assign keys to all of the commands from the controls menu.

Beta 2.1Edit

August 17, 1999

WeaponEdit

• Changed AK-47 price.

MapEdit

• New vesion of Assault. (compatible w/ hlserver.exe)
• Added assault's proper sky.
• Fixed telefragging (Alley will no longer telefrag)

ModelEdit

• Added scientist model for hlserver.exe.

GameplayEdit

• Fixed dropweapon.
• Fixed those spurious 'player joined' messages.

Beta 3.0Edit

September 14, 1999

WeaponEdit

• Added knife.
• Added P90.
• Modified M3.

EquipmentEdit

• Added kevlar+helmet combination.
• Added Flashbang grenade.
• Added radio system.

SystemEdit

• GREATLY improved hostage path AI.
• Modified the scoreboard.

Beta 3.1Edit

September 16, 1999

SystemEdit

• Bullet penetration bug fixed.
• Radio .wav's now have lower volume.
• Removed automatic .wav's (death, flashbang).
• Fixed MRAD_ENEMYSPOTTED error.
• Disorientation system changed.
• Added "ignoreradio" command to only ignore .wav's.

EquipmentEdit

• Flashbang Shrapnel altered.

Beta 4.0Edit

November 5, 1999

WeaponEdit

• Add P228 and Scout.
• Re-add flashbang sound when explode.
• Add category for primary and secondary weapons.

EquipmentEdit

• Add HE Grenade

MapEdit

Added Hostage rescue map:

• Station

Create closer hostage rescue zone for map:

• Ship
• Siege
• Tire

Modify maps:

• Docks
• Facility

Add new bomb defusal maps:

• Nuke
• Dust
• Prodigy

SystemEdit

• Tweaked firing system for all weapons.
• Modified hostage rescue scenario. (rescuing 50% of the hostages will result in a CT win)
• Loose guns are removed at the start of a round. (no more gun running)
• Loser bonuses are increased to allow the losing team to stand a fighting chance.
• Alter money bonuses for rescuing hostages.
• New ammunition system.

OnlineEdit

• Modified kick vote system (only 65% of a team is needed to kick vote someone off).

Beta 4.1Edit

December, 1999

Server side only release

WeaponEdit

• Tone down P228.

EquipmentEdit

• Fix C-4 and Defusal kit icons.

GameplayEdit

• Add team chat after death.
• Decrease the money earn of the lose team.
• Allow the Terrorists to pick up the C4 if it is not planted in the proper spot (crouch).
• Set C-4 timer to 35 seconds.
• Prevent players from buying stuff when they are dead by using aliases.
• Accuracies tweaked.

Beta 5.0Edit

December 23, 1999

WeaponEdit

• Add M1014

ModelEdit

• Add new hostage model and two new skins.
• Add SAS.

MapEdit

Update maps:

• Station
• Nuke
• Dust
• Prodigy

Add maps:

• Backalley
• Train

SystemEdit

Add new icons for HUD:

• Money
• Weapons
• Kevlar
• Timer
• C4
• Defusal kit
• scoreboard
• Buy zones
• Reload zones
• Hostage rescue zone
• Bomb site

MiscellaneousEdit

• An extensive help manual located at \half-life\cstrike\manual\index.htm.
• Verbose Auto-help
• Added auto-id

GameplayEdit

• C4 is now an equipment item in slot 5 (to plant, select then hold down fire)
• C4 can only be planted in bombsites.
• To defuse a bomb, Counter-Terrorists must target C4, press and hold the use key.
• CTs can defuse C4 without a defusal kit in 10 seconds.
• CTs can defuse C4 with a defuse kit in 5 seconds.
• A progress meter is added showing CTs their progress defusing a bomb.
• A progress meter is added showing Ts their progress planting a bomb. (this takes 3 seconds)
• Defuse kit now an item which can be purchased - Nobody starts with a defuse kit.
• Defusing bomb wins round for Counter-Terrorists.
• C4 can be dropped for other teammates.
• Hostages are automatically rescued at hostage rescue zones.
• Counter-Terrorist and Terrorist teams are now labeled.
• Individual frags can be toggled on or off.

SystemEdit

• Ghosts can be made visible to other ghosts. (client defined)
• Pre-Round grace timer standard setting 6 seconds. (server defined)
• Three observer modes: classic ghost, locked chasecam and freelook chasecam ( press jump to toggle)
• Auto-find teammate in observer mode. (primary fire)
• New radio messages and organization of radio keys. (standard, group and report messages)
• Can hear other players reloading.
• Mission briefing added to maps. (can also be invoked during round)

Beta 5.2Edit

• Fixed crashing bugs.
• Implemented a new lower bandwidth chasecam.
• Prevented players from changing name when they're dead.
• Fixed scoreboard not showing 20 players.
• Show scoreboard at the end of the map rotation.

Beta 6.0Edit

March 10, 2000

WeaponEdit

Add:

• MAC-10
• AUG

Redone:

• MP5 model and animations.

ScenarioEdit

Add:

• Assassination
• Escape

ModelEdit

Add:

• Arctic Avengers
• GIGN

GameplayEdit

Add:

• Right-handed weapons.
• Radar.
• New radio commands.

Re-add:

• Night Vision Goggles

SystemEdit

• Tweaked player speeds / acceleration.

MapEdit

Add maps:

• de_fang
• es_jail
• es_frantic
• as_oilrig
• as_riverside
• cs_747

Update previous maps.

Beta 6.1Edit

March 24, 2000

Server side only

SystemEdit

• Off center shooting fixed.
• Prisoners are notified when someone escapes.
• Draw games eliminated, now scenario specific.
• New Team Killer 1 round "time-out" penalty.

GameplayEdit

• Greatly improved nightvision.
• Can buy nightvision using the 'buyequip' command.
• Ammunition bugs fixed.
• 120 round limit for 9mm ammo.

Beta 6.5Edit

June 8, 2000

SystemEdit

Add:

• More realistic smoke f/x, and shell ejection.
• Valve's Chasecam modes (roam, free, and locked)
• Map voting system.

IntegrateEdit

• Valve's rewrite of the Half-Life networking system.

WeaponsEdit

Add:

• Smoke grenade

Redone:

• USP
• M3
• SG-552
• M4A1

Intergrate:

• Desert Eagle's Model Bounds Checker algorithm.

ModelEdit

Add:

• Guerrilla Warfare

MapEdit

Add:

• as_forest
• Cbble
• Aztec
• as_tundra
• Italy
• es_trinity
• Estate

UpdateEdit

• Previous maps.

Beta 6.6Edit

June 22, 2000

FixEdit

• Stalled connection bug.
• "laggy rifle firing"
• Many cheats.

MiscellaneousEdit

• Add new command 'timeleft'
• New sniper crosshair.
• Updated Estate.

Beta 7.0Edit

August 26, 2000

WeaponsEdit

Add:

• Beretta 96
• Secondary attack mode for knife.
• Give VIP a USP.

Redone:

• Knife model.

SystemEdit

Fix:

• Locked chasecam.
• Many bugs & exploits.

Implement:

• Fully implement VGUI.

Add:

• Driveable vehicle support.
• Driveable vehicle test map de_jeepathon2k

ModelEdit

Add:

• SEAL Team 6
• Several new player animations.

MapEdit

Add:

• Office
• as_highrise
• cs_arabstreets
• de_foption
• Vegas

Beta 7.1Edit

September 13, 2000

MapsEdit

• Include missing skies (for cs_arabstreets, de_train)
• Fix Vegas crashing.

SystemEdit

• Fix mp_timelimit bug.
• Tweak burst fire accuracy system.
• New server variable, "mp_maxrounds X" {X = maximum number of rounds to be played on a map, if X = 0, then maps will rotate based on mp_timelimit}
• Include new death icon for headshots.

GameplayEdit

Fix:

• Crosshairs {They now expand regardless of lag}
• Player heights {Player's POV is now representative of the third person player model}
• Shotgun not showing up in VGUI menus in as_ maps for CTs.

VehiclesEdit

• Add APC to cs_siege.
• Slightly improved vehicle code.

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