Identification

• Counter Strike: Source is a multiplayer FPS (first-person shooter) computer game that is played over an online games service called Steam. The game focuses on fictional situations involving terrorists and counter-terrorists, and timed rounds are played with a variety of objectives for each side. It utilizes a graphics engine (Source) that incorporates advanced physics into gameplay.
  
  

History

• The original Counter Strike was released in 1999 as "mod" for Half-Life, another FPS computer game. It was updated for Half-Life 2 and the new Source engine in 2004, according to Steam's website. The latest version was updated and released on January 29th, 2009.
  
  

Requirements

• The minimum personal computer requirements for Counter Strike: Source, according to Valve's website, are: "1.2 GHz Processor, 256MB RAM, DirectX 7 level graphics card, Windows 2000/XP, Mouse, Keyboard, Internet Connection."
  
  

Steam

• Steam is Valve's online gaming service, and it is this service that connects Counter Strike players for matches all over the world. Steam also allows users to purchase games, chat and host their own servers. The network has been so successful that it has moved beyond Valve's products and now offers a wide variety of games from other companies.
  
  

Potential

• Counter Strike and Steam are an integral part of the massive popularity of online gaming, with Steam hosting thousands of servers itself. Steam has an integrated server browser within the software, allowing users to search the thousands of games hosted upon the service without extra software.