CS:GO Danger Zone 101

EricBall · December 10, 2018

Valve decided to make CS:GO free to play and at the same time add a battle royale mode "Danger Zone". This is great for me as I was looking for a way to scratch my PUBG itch on my 27" iMac.

As a PUBG player, there are a bunch of differences worth noting. (Although they may be "normal" for CS:GO players.)

First, there's only 16 players on a small island "Blacksite". I haven't found any online loot maps etc. There are a variety of buildings, underground passages, and terrain to work around. No vehicles, but that's not an issue as the map is small. This also means the games are relatively quick - although how long depends whether you avoid or seek conflict. Second, the safe zone and damage zone aren't simple circles and the new safe zone isn't always in the old safe zone. (There's a tablet upgrade which shows the zones.) A random hex is also bombed, a-la a the PUBG red zone.

Once you get matched with 15 other players (note: it seems like if one player doesn't accept the match everyone gets tossed back into the matchmaker) you get placed on the island in "waiting room mode". You're automatically given a Glock-18 with full ammo (enjoy it while it lasts) and dropped in a random location. There's no loot to pick up and it's more of a deathmatch mode - if you're killed you'll respawn in a random location until all the players have joined the server. (Fortunately if a player disconnects at this point the game will still go on.)

However, before you go hunting, press the B key to bring up the Buy menu on your tablet. Yes, you will have the opportunity to buy weapons etc if don't find them while looting and have the cash. You can't buy anything while in the waiting room, but note the prices of the weapons listed (especially the middle SMG, usually $1750) and which weapons you can buy (as this is different each game). Also note that armor will cost you $500, which is how much cash you start with.

Next press the Tab key to initialize your tablet and bring up the map. Yellow hexes contain players (including yourself). While this obviously makes it easier to hunt the other players, it also makes it easier for them to hunt you. Note: it is possible for a single player on a hex boundary to light up both hexes. Also the map doesn't work underground (not sure whether that also hides you from other players).

Press Tab again, or Q or 2 to get back to your pistol. Click the right mouse button to change to burst mode and go hunting. Keys are fairly standard - WASD to move, R to reload, E to use (open doors, pick up / swap weapon). Space is jump, but you don't automatically vault to go through windows. Instead you also need to press Ctrl to crouch while you're jumping (just like in Half-Life). Crouching is also necessary to crawl into places with low ceilings. 1 will select your primary weapon (if you find one), 2 will select your pistol (once you've found one), 3 will select your melee weapon or fists, and 4 and above will select explosives and other items. X selects your health kit / boost. The game will prompt you to use it - note you need to click the left mouse button to use. Note: there are no lean buttons, nor the ability to go prone.

Eventually you'll be given a count-down and the actual game will begin and you'll be presented with a labelled map and you will get to chose your drop point. Each player starts in a separate hex and there is also an invisible sub-grid which restricts where you can choose. Where other players have chosen is also shown on the map, so you can either race to select your preferred location or wait and select a location based on where the other players have chosen. There's a timer and the game will select a random location when it runs out. As you fast-rope out of the helicopter you can shift your landing point somewhat - the rope often seems to have a mind of its own. You can also try to spot crates and other loot as you descend.

Once you're on the ground, you need to start looting. While some loot is out in the open, a lot will be in crates which you will need to break open first. The smallest crates you can punch open with your fists (although hitting it with a melee weapon is faster). The medium sized crates need weapon damage to open (melee weapon strongly recommended to preserve ammo). The biggest crates require C4 explosives. The color of the crates gives a hint to what's inside - red for weapons, blue for armor / melee, orange for explosives. There's also cash, ammo, tablet upgrades and briefcases containing special missions laying around. Later in the game, supply crates drop on to the map (shown on your tablet) containing better weapons. They beep when you're near them to help you find them.

Cash is used to buy weapons and other items. These are delivered to you by drone - although it is possible for another player to shoot down your drone and steal your stuff (or you can do the same). You can watch the drone progress on your tablet map. Make sure the drone can get to you - I've had it drop my stuff on the roof above me. Cash is obtained either as loot (stacks or duffle bags), from killed or disconnected players, and by surviving. As previously stated, you start with enough cash to buy armor - which I think would be a very good idea if you don't find anything during your initial looting.

In Danger Zone ammo is precious. Guns often don't spawn with full clips. And while ammo boxes are universal, you can't swap ammo between guns - even if they are the same caliber (in game or real life). So it might be preferable to keep a fully loaded SMG than to swap it out for an AR with only 10 bullets. And don't forget to select the gun you want to load before you start taking bullets from the ammo box. There's even some logic to leaving an ammo box untouched if you haven't found anything better than a pistol. If you're really desperate, you can buy ammo using your tablet.

Other notes:

There are automated turrets - avoid or attack with a melee weapon to get access to the ammo box they are guarding.
There are also hostages which you can carry to a location on the map for $500. From a distance they look like players as they also in yellow-orange jump suits, but they are on their knees.
While you do get some player sounds (especially with headphones), I've been snuck up on several times.
Unlike PUBG, you can only carry one primary weapon (and one pistol). And there are a lot of different weapons; which is "best" is difficult to say - although the one with ammo is a good starting spot
Some weapons (like the Glock 18) have different firing modes. Test it out when you get the weapon - before you get into a firefight and realize your AUG is on single shot...
CS:GO also has some practice modes so you can improve your game mechanics.
When you die, you're shown the last few seconds of play from your killer's perspective then flip into a spectating mode while you wait for the matchmaking.
I've had the game crash on me at various points - never in game, but sometimes during the matchmaking and in the waiting room.

My current strategy is to drop at the edge of the map, looting while working my way around the shoreline and avoid confrontation as long as possible. Ideally I want to find a weapon which I can use at range, which typically means getting enough cash to buy one or raiding a supply drop.

EricBall · December 26, 2018

Updates and corrections:

A loot heat map has been generated: https://www.reddit.com/r/csgo/comments/a5g6ji/i_made_a_heatmap_of_danger_zone_weapon_drop/ While the loot locations are set, the loot at each location is an independent RNG which determines whether there is nothing or any of the other possible items.

For duos and trios, there are 18 players on the map - and map is apparently ~400m x ~400m (versus PUBG Erangel which is 8000m x 8000m; for comparison, the fifth circle is 370m in diameter).

The matchmaker has been tweaked so the waiting room deathmatch starts once 14 players have accepted.

Other than the expensive radar jammer, there is no way to not show up on other player's tablets (e.g. being underground or dropping your tablet).

There are no crates which require explosives to open - only pre-wired safes containing cash. These are armed like C4 and have a significant blast radius.

Cash isn't given for surviving, but for exploring each hex.

Walking (via the shift key) generates no noise. I recommend going into settings and setting it to toggle. However, you still generate noise when changing weapons etc.

The AUG is a single shot weapon, the second fire mode uses the scope.