On the night of June 26th, a major update for CS2 was released, adding the Pool Day map to the game. It is almost identical to fy_pool_day from CS 1.6, but there are important nuances. In this article, we will explain how Valve destroyed the romance of this legendary map.
The Fastest Map in CS
Fy_pool_day was popular back when most people didn't have good internet at home. At that time, CS was mainly played in computer clubs. There was no matchmaking or 5vs5 games—public servers for 20-32 people were packed, and players simply enjoyed the shootouts.
On popular maps like de_dust2, de_inferno, or even cs_assault and cs_militia, a round could last up to five minutes. Server administrators usually set round durations long enough for one side to find and eliminate all enemies. Players who died early in the round were forced to sit and wait for the others to finish. This meant that most of the time was spent not playing but watching others' actions in first-person view. Fy_pool_day was one of those maps where a round typically lasted no more than a minute.
Its second advantage was the variety of weapons. Quick matches could be played on many aim maps, but they often offered only certain rifles or even just pistols. On fy_pool_day, almost all CS weaponry was available. Many types of weapons considered useless on classic maps showed their best sides here.
Shotgun More Useful Than AWP
Some players in CS 1.6 may not know that fy_pool_day has a purchase zone: equipment can be bought at the end of the pool bridge. But almost no one used it, as weapons were usually picked up from the ground at the start of the round.
Let's categorize weapons on fy_pool_day into three levels of effectiveness. Starting with the useless ones. At the top of this list, without a doubt, is the Scout. This rifle kills with one headshot and requires cocking after each shot. In the fast-paced gameplay of fy_pool_day, every second counts, and at the start of the round, you'll barely have time to make one or two shots with the Scout — you'll either be shot by more effective weapons or rushed while hiding around the corner. Submachine guns, except for the P90 and MP5, and the M-60 machine gun also perform poorly. Low accuracy at any distance and insufficient damage put their owners at a disadvantage against better-armed opponents.
Medium effectiveness weapons have their pros and cons in different situations. For example, the AWP can be useful in some corners and positions, but the fast gameplay on fy_pool_day doesn't allow for cocking without risking being killed by a rusher with a shotgun. This also applies to the M3 shotgun, which is effective only at very short distances. The P90 and MP5, although they have medium damage, are accurate at medium and short distances.
The best weapons on fy_pool_day include all four assault rifles: AK-47, M4A1, Krieg, and AUG. They are accurate at any distance and deal a lot of damage. But the real kings of fy_pool_day are the Leone shotgun, known as the "Crocodile," and the fast-firing AU-1 sniper rifle. Leone is conveniently located for both sides and is perfect for rushing flanks. It can only be countered by a precise headshot or catching the opponent reloading. Otherwise, it destroys anyone in seconds, regardless of accuracy. Leone is also accurate on the move and allows quickly closing the distance while firing. The AU-1 is versatile: at close ranges, you can shoot without zooming, and at long ranges, the optical sight helps.
Correct Respawn is the Key to Success
At first glance, gameplay on fy_pool_day seems like a merciless and chaotic meat grinder where everyone just runs forward and kills each other. But after hundreds of rounds, each player starts noticing details that allow them to achieve maximum efficiency in various situations, whether at the beginning, middle, or end of the round.
First and foremost, success in a round heavily depends on the initial respawn. It accounts for 50% of success, and here you have to rely on luck: ideally, you need to spawn near a good weapon before an ally grabs it. For example, terrorists have a respawn near the right mirror, where you can find a P90, M3 shotgun, and M60 machine gun. To get to the best weapon, you need to go through a passage already being watched by a player with an AK-47 or AU-1. Another bad respawn is slightly behind. The nearest good weapon there is the fast-shooter, which another player quickly grabs. There are also respawns near the Krieg and AK, which will likely be taken quickly too. As a result, only bad or medium weapons are available.
The best respawns are those where you can immediately pick up the "Crocodile" and rush. These spots are on the flanks, and the first encounter with the enemy will be at a convenient distance for the shotgun. This is especially relevant for terrorists: the counter-terrorists have a bad respawn near the small pool, where the player appears a few meters from the nearest weapon and can be quickly killed if they rush with a pistol.
Winning a round on fy_pool_day means a lot. Surviving players keep their weapons, and with quick reactions (or freeze time), you can catch the enemy at their respawn. At the bottom of the pool, you can pick up grenades to throw at the enemy's respawn at the start of the next round. Although they can be picked up during the round, it's risky: you need to go to the center of the map, becoming an easy target. If diving with a shotgun, remember that it doesn't fire underwater. After winning the round, you can buy items on the bridge, like armor or flashbangs. Flashbangs often caused conflicts in clubs: in such chaos, it's hard to use them correctly, they blind not only enemies but also teammates, which irritated especially nervous players.
By the way, you can plant the bomb on the bridge, but this is the most useless option on fy_pool_day. Going to the center of the map, starting to plant the bomb, hoping to survive for three seconds, and then hiding is a doomed idea.
Developers Completely Destroyed the Spirit and Philosophy of fy_pool_day
When you see the news headline "Valve added fy_pool_day to CS2," it seems true. Players who remember CS 1.6 first won't believe their eyes, then will rejoice at the chance to have fun shootouts around the pool, recalling flank breakthroughs and hide-and-seek in the toilets. However, the nostalgia will instantly disappear when they read in the patch notes that the Pool Day map is only available in the "Arms Race" mode.
At first glance, nothing terrible happened, as Pool Day fits well for "Arms Race": its compact size, design allowing for shootouts at various distances, and even with a knife, you can easily find a moment to stab an opponent and win the match. But for old-school players, fy_pool_day is not "Arms Race" or "Deathmatch." It's a map where even the most inexperienced player can defeat avid gamers who terrorize the entire server. So, regardless of skill level, experience, and ambitions, almost everyone loved fy_pool_day.
Is the Legendary fy_pool_day Officially Dead in CS2?
On the one hand, Valve's decision is understandable. Developers and fans really wanted to bring Pool Day back into the game. But where else could it be added, besides "Arms Race"? In regular or competitive matchmaking? On the other hand, fy_pool_day became legendary not only because of its map design but also due to other aspects described in this article. Now they simply don't exist, just as there is no specific solution to bring all this back into Valve's official matchmaking.
Even if Pool Day is launched in another mode, not in "Arms Race," there won't be weapons on the floor or grenades in the pool. The purchase zone on the bridge is left by the developers, but it doesn't change much—almost no one used it anyway. However, in the Workshop, you can find the Pool Day (Classic) map where all attributes of the legendary fy_pool_day are preserved. You just need to find a community server running it, and you can enjoy the game! Yes, walls are no longer penetrable as they were in 1.6, and there are some bugs with the new engine—for example, due to Source 2 water features, it's impossible to surface from the bottom of the pool. But the remake's author provided ladders for exiting. He also considered the important aspect of weapon respawns—you can't move weapons with grenades or shots until they are picked up.
But the question remains: do modern Counter-Strike fans need this? Or is it just nostalgia, and the old fy_pool_day will forever remain in 1.6, and attempts to bring it back, even with new graphics and a new engine, will never bring back the old feeling?
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