Liam 'Lamsey' McBrien's DoD:S Guide

Changes, changes...

DoD: Source is based on technology six years newer than the original DoD, so it follows that there are a few changes to get used to, in addition to the tweaks made to the maps and player classes. Here's a quick lowdown on what you can expect to be different.

The Maps

The maps have changed a lot - in fact most of them are nonexistant. At the time of writing, only five 1.3 maps have made it over to Source: Anzio, Avalanche, Donner, Flash and Kalt - and some of these have changed a lot. The general layout of each map is the same but there are tweaks here and there to improve the flow of play or to accommodate changes in the Source engine. There's also the all-new Argentan, Colmar and Jagd maps not previously seen in v1.3. For more info on the maps in Source look here.

The Weapons

The class system has been streamlined in Source so that both Allies and Axis have a similar lineup of available classes, although the distinct properties of each weapon remain largely unchanged. However there are large balance changes; for example the k98 is no longer so excessively powerful and the BAR no longer sports a bipod. In addition, the sidearms for each class have changed, with the distribution of pistols and grenades altered to suit the individual classes better. There are even some all-new sidearms such as the smoke grenades or the Mauser 'broom pistol' carried by Panzerjagers. For more info on the new player classes check out the classes guide.

The Physics

One of the first things you'll notice about Source is that it makes good use of the HL2 physics simulation. Bodies, debris, furniture, you name it - there are a lot of things you can move around in Source, and when the object doing the moving is a grenade or rocket the results are frequently hilarious.

The Environment

Valve have done their best to make the environment as lush and realistic as possible; striking different objects will have different effects depending on their material (which has serious implications for wallshooting), and the ambient sounds have been completely overhauled. No more the constant soundtrack of random battle noise; when you hear a shot being fired in the distance to your right, it's because there really is a shot being fired over there. This means you can get an idea of what's happening on the other side of the map and makes the gameplay feel much more realistic.

The Gameplay

As you might expect, there are a number of changes you're going to have to make to your playing style to adapt to the rigours of Source. Here's a few pointers.

This isn't a 1999 engine. Your framerate may well suck unless you have new, decent-spec hardware. A fast graphics card and CPU are essential and oodles of RAM is a must.
Grenade priming has changed. No more dropping nades then picking them up again - when you pull the pin the grenade is live.
You can deploy MGs on almost any ledge you want. That includes crouching down and perching them on a kerb in the middle of a street. Be inventive. Take the enemy by surprise.
Rifles aren't assault weapons. Go Ramboing with a K98 now and you'd better have very good aim - no pistol or bayo to back you up if you miss. If you want to play assault, take a heavy class.
Stealth is good. Sneak up behind someone and stab them with your knife or spade and your character will do a big swipe which will kill them instantly. BACKSTAB FTW :D
Bazookas are now more useful for weeding out entrenched enemies. There's nothing better than a rocket for discouraging that pesky MG from sitting in that same spot over and over.
After an overrun, the winning team can still use their weapons but the losing team can't. Rushing the last flag on Flash and then meleeing all the confused enemies to death is particularly satisfying.