Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Set up a practice map
• Method 2 of 3: Learn to surf
• Method 3 of 3: Using advanced techniques
• Tips

So you've come across a CS: S surf server and have no idea what to do? You want to be among the elite and enjoy the same glory that expert surfers receive for their amazing gravity-defying performance? You can load a surf card on a private server to practice your surfing skills before competing with other players on public servers.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Set up a practice map

1. Download a Surf map. You can participate on any Surf server, but by setting up a practice card you can surf without other players watching. You can find Surf Maps online by searching for "cs source surf maps".
   • Make sure to download Surf maps for CS: Source. Maps for other versions of Counter-Strike will not work.
   • Look for maps designed for beginners or for practice, as those slopes and routes are easier so you can master the technique of surfing.
2. Copy the downloaded map to the correct location. Open your file explorer and go to the next directory. Place the BSP file in the folder to add to your list of available "Source" maps:
   • Steam steamapps common Counter-Strike Source cstrike maps
3. Start a LAN game in Counter-Strike: Source. Once you have copied the map to the correct location, run CS: Source and select "Create a server."
4. Select "LAN" from the network menu. This limits the game to local players, which prevents random people from joining and becoming annoying when you practice.
5. Select your new Surf map from the "Map" menu. Here you should see the new Surf card. It says "Surf_" before the name of the card. If you don't see the new card, check that you have placed it in the right place.
6. Start your private server. Click on "Start Server" to load the game and your Surf card. It may take a while for everything to load.
7. Press .~to open your console. You have to adjust a few settings to be able to surf properly. These are the same settings that public Surf servers use, so you can practice under the usual circumstances.
   • If the console does not appear, open the Options menu in the main menu, select "Advanced" and enable "Developer Console".
8. Enter the following commands. Enter the commands below to adjust the physics of the server and enable surfing:
   • sv_accelerate 10
   • sv_airaccelerate 800

Method 2 of 3: Learn to surf

1. Understand the basics. Surfing in Counter-Strike is accomplished by sliding down slopes, using gravity to gain speed. You will have to jump from surface to surface to move around the map. You use the keys a and D. to stay on the slope and to steer your mouse.
2. Hold the keys.aorD.while angling towards the top. Anytime you surf into a corner, you hold either a or D. depending on the direction of the slope. For example, if the top of the slope is on your left and the low side is on your left, hold D. to steer yourself towards the highest point. This will keep you on the surface so you don't fall off.
   • This is the essential movement of surfing. You always move in the opposite direction of the angle of the slope to counteract gravity.
   • An easy way to remember this is the following simple diagram: D./a
3. Point your mouse at the bottom corner of the inclined plane. This increases your speed at which you use gravity to your advantage.
4. Return to the top corner before attempting the jump. After getting to the bottom of the ramp, quickly aim for the top corner and climb back before jumping to the next surface. You basically make a wave motion for each surface you hit (start high, move down, then climb back up before jumping).
5. Press .Spaceto jump to the next surface. When you reach the end of a surface, press Space to jump to the next slope. Try to jump at the last minute to maintain speed.
6. Keep.aorD.while in the air depending on your direction. Hold down the button that corresponds to the direction you are moving in full flight.
7. Never press.W.while surfing. Although it can be tempting to press W. pressing to "move forward" will actually slow you down. You get all the speed you need by moving along the inclined planes.
   • If you need to stop in flight, or slow down on a slope for some reason, press S.. In other cases, it is best to avoid this test as well.
8. Try to reach the top corner of the next slope closest to you. This will give you the most distance you can surf to the bottom corner of that slope. You can keep your speed high by hitting the correct starting point on a slope.
   • Be careful during the jump, because if you hit the edge of a slope, your character will likely die from the damage from the fall.

Method 3 of 3: Using advanced techniques

1. Adjust the game settings. The settings you entered above are suitable for practice, but good players will want to use less convenient settings. Once you know how surfing works, change the value sv_airaccelerate 800 than in sv_airaccelerate 100. You can gradually decrease this until you reach 100 so that you can get used to the lower gear in the air.
2. Avoid big jumps. Big jumps may look cool, but they are bad for your forward momentum.To get the best of times, stick to low jumps to bridge an open space, while maintaining your speed.
   • The longer you keep the Spacebar the higher you will jump. Just try to tap it to bridge the space between the slopes.
3. Look for fast roads and corners that you can skip. The only time a big jump can be useful is when you've found a shortcut that you can use, or some part of the map that you can skip. This almost always requires a very high speed to make the jump. Not all maps have sections that can be skipped like this.
4. Use guns if you want to attack other players. The M3 is one of the best weapons to use while surfing because it remains accurate even when moving quickly. It's meant for short range, so use it against players on the same slope as you.
   • Not all servers allow to use weapons and attack other players.
   • Do not use automatic weapons, because you can hardly aim with them. The same goes for sniper rifles as you will never be able to aim properly while moving.
5. Block other players by stopping right in front of them. You also lose all your momentum, but this can be a good tactic if you have already messed up a jump. Keep in mind that not all servers approve of this practice, so you could be kicked off the server if against the rules.

Tips

• If you are stuck, let your character die by typing "kill" into the console.
• Keep in mind that the only force acting on your character is gravity.
• Many surf servers now use an EventScript called NoBlock, so you can move through other players. If you are tired of being stopped by other players, try to find one of these servers.
• If possible, skip as many slopes as possible by flying over or around them. This helps build momentum and speed.
• The direction of your reticle is not necessarily the direction you are moving.
• A good mouse helps a lot. Preferably use a laser mouse, because they move smoother and are more sensitive.
• To keep your speed from slope to slope high, it is best to get as parallel to the slope as possible. If you come into a corner, your speed will decrease.