Valve bans Snap Tap keyboard automaton from Counter-Strike 2 because 'we have decided to draw a line'

Valve's latest update for Counter-Strike 2 is a bold move that represents a change in attitude. In a client update, Valve announced that certain scripting techniques popular in Counter-Strike would be detected and banned. This will essentially put an end to the automated inputs used by some players for actions like jump-throws and counter-strafing. Yes, sir, those tears are delicious.

Many Counter-Striker players don't know that keyboard macros are available. They have been in the game for years. Valve used to allow them. Modern hardware is increasingly allowing what are called Simultaneous Cardinal Direction (SOCD). The feature has been so popular that Razer has named it "Snap Tap", a major controversy in all competitive games.

Here's a complete explanation of how SOCD/Snap Tap works, especially how it relates with counter-strafing and competitive Counter-Strike. Also, why this might be a concern. The short version is that it makes one of the core skills in Counter-Strike (stopping and shooting accurately while moving) trivially simple to execute.

Valve has said that this shite is not going to fly anymore. I play the game regularly, and I'm in favor of banning automated assists. The top-voted comment at the CS2 subreddit also goes along the same lines. TheZeroStone says that Valve has taken a position. "The end of the tool assisted gameplay is a relief for someone who has relied on their natural inconsistencies and doesn't use keybinds."

Valve has confirmed that certain types of movement/shooting automation, such as hardware-assisted anti strafing, will now be detected by Valve's official servers and result in a match being kicked. The article goes on to list input binds which will be ignored by default and, for good measure, adds that "the grunt you make when you jump or throw can now be heard by players nearby."

The grenade throwings that are being discussed here are of a high level. You can throw a smoke bomb from the Terrorist spawn in Mirage into the window of the mid, which is usually occupied by the Counter-Terrorist. This will completely obscure their vision, allowing the T-side to push at the round start. You can still throw that grenade. It's hard, and you won't be able do it without practice.

You now understand this meme

Window players after the new update will be like r/cs2

Valve also published a blog post that goes beyond the notes in-game about the change.

Valve writes, "Counter-Strike is always evolving." Valve writes: "The Counter-Strike community shapes the game in many ways, from art to maps to inventive plays and even player input.

"Scripting has always been controversial, but some forms of scripting, such as jump-throws, have gained acceptance over the years, allowing for plays that would not otherwise be possible. Jump-throws have become so important to the game that we have worked hard to make them reliable, without any scripting or bindings.

"Developing coordination and reaction times has always been a key to mastering Counter-Strike. Some hardware features have blurred recently the line between manual and automated input, so we decided to draw a line on what's acceptable or not in Counter-Strike.

"We are no longer going to allow automation (via scripting or hardware) that circumvent these core skills and, moving forward, (and initially--exclusively on Valve Official Servers) players suspected of automating multiple player actions from a single game input may be kicked from their match."

It also says that if your keyboard has "Snap-Tap" functionality, you should disable it before playing Counter-Strike 2 or else Gabe will bring the lawnmower. You may not have heard those exact words but you get what I mean.

Valve concludes by briefly addressing cheating, the number one complaint in every Counter-Strike forum. This is a tricky subject because Valve, through Valve Anti-Cheat, is constantly battling and banning cheaters. However, some players believe that Valve doesn't care or doesn't do anything.

Valve is fighting an unending war, one that it cannot talk about. It can only describe its efforts to combat cheaters in broad and vague terms. Any more information would be a gift to cheaters. Prepare yourself for these magic words:

"Initial testing for VacNet 3.0 on a limited number of matches has begun."

VAC 3.0 has arrived and is currently being tested before being rolled out to the community. What makes this version of VAC so special? I doubt anyone outside a certain Seattle office will ever know. But what we do know is that VAC 3.0 can respond in realtime to complaints from players, and make near-instantaneous decision about kicking out players and canceling matches.

It remains to be seen if it will make a significant dent in the cheating armies, but hey. You can be sure that Snap Tap is not the culprit when someone outshoots your aim.