OPERATION VANGUARD

Operation Vanguard has come to a close.

MAP GROUPS

Train has been added to the Active Duty map pool.
Nuke has been moved to the Reserve map pool.

GAMEPLAY

Smoke grenades are now more reliably kept track of on the client to prevent mismatches between smoke particle visuals and screen overlay visuals.
Fixed players being able to double stack inside a smoke to peek out of the top (and be really hard to see from outside the smoke).
Updated expiration of the smoke screen overlay to match more closely to the visuals of when the third person particles expire and vice versa.
Updated the vertical position slightly of the smoke particles to reduce seeing though edges of the smoke (particularly at the bottom).
Fixed spectator sometimes not getting the smoke overlay for the player they are spectating when that alive player is inside smoke.
Improved spawnpoint selection code to not spawn at occupied spawn points or spawn points of a different team.
Tagging values have been tweaked slightly to increase tagging on higher mobility weapons, and updated values for tagging on multiple hits to make it more effective

Increased price of the M4A1-Silencer from 3100 to 3200 to align the weapon’s price with its utility.
Increased Tec-9’s damage fall-off to reward players that close engagement distance.
Lowered Tec-9’s magazine size to 24 to reward more discriminate firing.
Lowered scoped movement values for AWP and Autosnipers.
The accuracy of the MP9, MP7, and Mac-10 have been improved.

STATRAK

Trade up contracts work on StatTrak weapons.
There is now a StatTrak swap tool available for purchase. It swaps the StatTrak value between two of the same weapon.

SERVER BROWSER

Fixed the server browser showing the map workshop path in the “Map” column.
Added a sortable column to the server browser to display whether a server is running a map from the workshop or not.
Added a sortable column to the server broswer that displays icons for popular game mods running on that server.
Server browser will save the layout changes made between game sessions.
Updated the first time server browser pop up message.

UI

Fixed scoreboard hiding at match end when you bring up a player’s Steam profile.
Added a game option in team options section to control whether lobbies get created with public access or private requiring invites for friends.
Added Flavor Text to the Bank collection.

MISC

Add surround sound support (quad/5.1) on Linux.
Marked nav commands as a cheat to protect against potential server exploits.
Chicken kills are now logged in CS event logs on game servers including attacker and weapon information.
HE grenade detonations are now logged in CS event logs prior to logging player deaths from corresponding HE grenade explosion.
Added sv_reliableavatardata 2 game server setting for LAN tournaments production. In this mode the game server will load player avatars from corresponding csgo/avatars/76512345678-.rgb files (or csgo/avatars/default.rgb if the corresponding SteamID avatar is missing), and avatars will be recorded in GOTV demos. To produce avatars rgb files tournament operators can place 64×64 png player avatars as csgo/avatars/76512345678-.png and run the client-side command cl_avatar_convert_rgb to convert all 64×64 png files into rgb format.
Optimized the process of logging in players to matchmaking backend during game updates.

MAPS
Dust2

Opened up skybox around Long A double doors, Catwalk and Short
Improved visibility around blue car in Long A
Fixed render distance on a crate in CT spawn

Mirage

Opened up skybox around back of apartments
Simplified sides of CT sniper window in mid
Raised cover slightly in upper mid
Fixed visibility through a crate in Bombsite A

Overpass

Opened up and simplified Bombsite A
Added back stairs to pit near Bombsite A
Opened up semi-open door in bathrooms, fountain side

Cobblestone

Smoothed out movement in Bombsite B
Removed corner on left side of T tunnel into Bombsite B
Haystack near Long A now requires a jump to get on top

Train (Thanks c0tton and adreN!)

Various optimizations
Removed collision at top of ladders
Pushed Bombsite A further back towards CT side
Added a third train car to A site to reduce amount of long sightlines
Added a peek-position inside T main
Opened up area on the left side of T main exit
Moved dumpsters in Ivy
Raised crane in Bombsite A
Blocked extremely tight angle from lower CT ramp towards T ramp in Bombsite B
Prioritized CT spawn positions

Cache

Fixed an exploit boost at A
Added a decal indicating the boundaries of the A bombsite’s plantzone
Made white tarps on crates more spammable (Thanks Mod645!)
Fixed shadows casting into A main shed from boost spot
Improved readability from middle to A site container

Shorttrain

Added back to map rotation

Tec-9

RangeModifier 0.831 -> 0.79

clip_size 32 -> 24
Analysis: While these changes are welcome (the increase in damage drop off means that the one hit kill to the helmet range is now 379 units instead of 483 units), they really don't address the biggest issue with the Tec-9 being it's extremely low InaccuracyMove. Because of this, players rarely need to stop and shoot unless they are engaging enemies at the longest of distances. While the other pistols can still run and gun with some effect, none of them even come close to the Tec-9. It's a gimmicky mechanic that still needs to go. I predict the Tec-9 will still be the pistol of choice for most players.

Mac-10

Spread 1.00 -> 0.60

InaccuracyFire 2.76 -> 4.76

InaccuracyMove 24.99 -> 13.99

Analysis: The change list notes barely go into detail about these changes. First shot accuracy was increased barely (13.90 vs the old 14.30). InaccuracyFire was increased greatly meaning spraying with the Mac-10 is going to be far worse than it was before. InaccuracyMove was decreased allowing for more run and gun and ADAD. This seems like a huge mistake to me as the changes are actually discouraging players to stay put and spray and rather move and shoot. These changes make the Mac-10 much more effective at run and gun. If you are close quarters, don't stop moving.

MP9

RangeModifier 0.83 -> 0.87

Spread 0.75 -> 0.60

InaccuracyCrouch 10.50 -> 5.50

InaccuracyStand 14.00 -> 9.00

InaccuracyMove 19.04 -> 29.04

Analysis: Standing and crouching accuracy was increased greatly. Players can actually spray or tap shoot with great affect now. Inaccuracy when moving was decreased. Damage falls off less with distance. I think these were the wrong changes to make to this gun. The MP9 was all about mobility in that it lost very little accuracy when moving and jumping. The change to RangeModifier was also completely unneeded. The increase in standing and crouching accuracy is very big and will probably result in this gun seeing much more use. The loss in mobility will most likely make this gun play very differently than it was previously played.

MP7

Spread 0.77 -> 0.60

InaccuracyCrouch 8.92 -> 5.92

InaccuracyStand 11.87 -> 10.00

InaccuracyMove 39.86 -> 19.86

Analysis: Standing and crouching accuracy were increased a good deal as well as moving accuracy. This is a straight buff for the MP7. Yet again, I can't help but feel they've made the wrong choice with this gun. The MP7's accuracy and recoil were the best in the SMGs, though its mobility was the worst. It's now a very accurate and mobile gun that encourages run and gun.

M4A1-S

WeaponPrice 3100 -> 3200

Analysis: Self explanatory. M4A1-S was getting much more use than the M4A4 so the price was increased.

AWP

MaxPlayerSpeed 150 -> 100

Analysis: Horrible horrible HORRIBLE change. This was completely unneeded and now players are extremely immobile when scoped. The AWP as it was was not overpowered and this change was completely unneeded. The low speed also means the acceleration is even worse. It's similar to how long it takes to reach full speed when walking or crouching.

G3SG1

MaxPlayerSpeed 150 -> 120

Analysis: See the AWP section. While the decrease isn't nearly as bad, it is still completely unneeded, especially on a gun as underused as the G3SG1.

SCAR-20

MaxPlayerSpeed 150 -> 120

Analsysis: See the AWP section. The decrease isn't as bad, but it still hurts the gun. Completely unneeded.