Dynamic Weapon Pricing in CS

By Tom Bramwell Published 12 October, 2006

Stock market for guns launches.

Valve has updated Counter-Strike: Source with a beta version of the "Dynamic Weapon Pricing" system it outlined recently.

DWP will see the cost of weapons and equipment that you purchase at the beginning of rounds changing depending on the behaviour of the global Counter-Strike community.

In other words, if everybody uses the M4A1 Carbine (Colt) one week, its price will rise and other weapons like the rabadged AK-47 will go down in price.

The prices will be updated based on the DWP algorithm every Monday based on the volume of purchases for the previous week.

Meanwhile, dedicated CS Source players can track the rises and falls in weapon costs through Valve's 'Counter-Strike Weapons Market' website.

As well as projecting prices based on market activity, the website also allows you to view individual spending and purchase totals on each weapon, and even a graph plotting value through recent weeks, allowing you to track weapon price and relative purchase volume in more detail. Loons.

Your version of Counter-Strike: Source should be updated whenever you next launch Steam.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lambtron #1 5 years ago

    That sounds weak.

  • AcidSnake #2 5 years ago

    Also, if you consistently win games your health will be automatically toned down the next week...

  • skillian #3 5 years ago

    I hope I can still afford a Deagle in the pistol round...

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #4 5 years ago

    Surely that's backwards? If everyone uses one type of gun it should go down in price, not up.

  • Ceatlan #5 5 years ago

    Pac-man ate my wife - Thats kind of correct for supply and demand economics, except where demand outstrips supply, then prices can and do go up. Console launch shortages and prices for them on ebay is a good example.

  • jellyhead #6 5 years ago

    This could have the effect of making people experiment with different weapons and therefore styles of play but is that what you want? If you've found a combo that works for you should you be penalised if everyone else likes it too?

    Next stop.
    Paying ACTUAL money at the start of the game to buy the weapons. ;)
    Edited by 1 at 12/10/06 @ 10:42

  • Kikimaru #7 5 years ago

    Soo... looks like everyone is using Assault Suit/M4A1/CV-47/Night Hawks.
    As they're the only things projected to up in price.

    ...
    LOL

  • Dizzy #8 5 years ago

    Phew... I thought the headline said "*real* next gen" real time dynamic weapon switching.

    /gets coat

  • skillian #9 5 years ago

    @ Kikimaru

    If you played CS you'd know that's the case. Very rarely do you see anything other than those guns, apart from an occasional appearance from the MP5 or the AWP, if the server hasn't banned it.
    Edited by 1 at 12/10/06 @ 10:57

  • spongebob #10 5 years ago

    That sounds great!

  • Darkedge #11 5 years ago

    dumbest idea yet Valve..
    well CS is dull as anyway - bloody memorisation not skill

  • #12 5 years ago

    Next week:

    Valve give free bullets to CT's if they use their own boiler suits instead of the expensive full body gear.

  • jack_klugman #13 5 years ago

    Inspired idea. Great to see there's life in the ol' dog yet.

  • coojam #14 5 years ago

    Great, so since not many people use the AWP, it's just gonna get cheaper and cheaper. All this is gonna do is have one week where everyone goes "woohoo, the M4 is cheap" then the following week go "dammit, it's expensive week". It week be like a bi-weekly sale at the Arms Shop.

  • spongebob #15 5 years ago

    I bet the shop has bargains from time to time.

  • lambtron #16 5 years ago

    @Darkedge

    You are implying there is no skill in playing CS?

    0_0

  • coojam #17 5 years ago

    There is skill involved, but half of it is memorising map layouts and points where the enemy meet. There's also a large portion of blind luck involved. The same can be said of many games though to be fair.

  • kangarootoo #18 5 years ago

    I quite like the idea. I don't think realistic representation of market mechanics is really their goal.

    Seems like a simple way to get people applying some variety to their play, which should hopefully avoid stuff like "well CS is dull as anyway - bloody memorisation not skill", which probably doesn't help them attract new players.

  • Azazel #19 5 years ago

    CS... lawl

    ;-)

  • trevd72 #20 5 years ago

    "Surely that's backwards? If everyone uses one type of gun it should go down in price, not up."

    it depends if the economics model is built on the fact that the number of each item available in the market is the same and production is not increased to cope with demand.

    when demand outstrips supply the the price increases....x360 last xmas and ebay is an example.

  • kangarootoo #21 5 years ago

    @trevd72

    This is true, but I would be surprised and disappointed if they limited "stock" of certain items.

    I think the key thing to keep in mind is that this is an exercise in game design, not in market statistics. Best not worry about the reality of it :)
    Edited by 1 at 12/10/06 @ 12:35

  • skillian #22 5 years ago

    This isn't Sim City - it's just a game mechanic to get people to use some different guns.

    It doesn't have to follow real-world economic models.

    edit: yeah, what kanga said.
    Edited by 1 at 12/10/06 @ 12:35

  • Darkedge #23 5 years ago

    there is a little skill - but coojam covers what i mean

  • Sko #24 5 years ago

    So anything that forces players out of the stale routine could be considered a good thing? Like dynamic pricing on weapons?

  • valaris #25 5 years ago

    Alternatively, if the guns themselves were better balanced, this 'dynamic weapon pricing' rubbish wouldn't be necessary. Give me situations where each gun is better suited than the others and I will use them.

  • jack_klugman #26 5 years ago

    There's going to be a weapons rebalance in the future isn't there?

  • skillian #27 5 years ago

    Alternatively, if the guns themselves were better balanced, this 'dynamic weapon pricing' rubbish wouldn't be necessary.

    Some guns are supposed to be better than others - that's the whole point of having to buy weapons rather than just picking them at the beginning of the round.

  • regmund #28 5 years ago

    wouldn't it be better if players could trade in the weapons themselves too? i can just imagine... CS:Arms Dealer!

  • matt__jon #29 5 years ago

    fuckin realism ruining games. Glad I don't play it anymore, it sucked enough when they switched up all the characters so you couldn't tell who was on your side.
    Edited by 1 at 12/10/06 @ 14:44

  • dudefella #30 5 years ago

    Pretty silly. I don't see how this improves the game at all. There's a reason only a select few guns are commonly used... they're the best ones (all-round)

  • Tiger_Walts #31 5 years ago

    I can see every so often there being a SAW week when it's price drops enough to be bought by 50% of people in the second round.

  • smoison #32 5 years ago

    is GREAT for people like me who love using guns like the P90, Mac 10, or the shotgun.

    Its AWESOME seeing valve take care of CS:S

  • YourMessageHere #33 5 years ago

    People claiming that the M4 and AK and DE are the only good guns are, frankly, not giving the others a chance. I don't understand why anyone buys the same gun every time, half the fun for me is deciding what approach to take and fitting the tools to the job.

    The M4 is unbalanced, to me; it's easier to use than any other weapon. Personally I find the SG552 or AUG more fun to use when I can afford them, and I always take the P228 as my preferred pistol. ALL the weapons are good in their intended roles, but the M4/AK plus DE combo is simply the most versatile combination.

    By my reckoning this is probably the best thing to do about balancing the M4, when the alternative is changing the gun's behaviour ingame and having 90% of the CS, er, "Community" spontaneously combust.

  • Balfa #34 5 years ago

    dudefella: There's a reason only a select few guns are commonly used... they're the best ones (all-round)

    No, the reason a select few guns are commonly used is because they're the best VALUE, not the best overall. Granted, they may well be the best overall as well as the best value. In that case, lots of people buy them, the price goes up, and they become worse and worse value until something else is finally better value. Even though most people reckon the M4's better, I'd rather take an AUG if it's half the price. And that's the whole point. It's genius by valve, and as long as they have checks and balances in the system to stop wild swinging of prices, it's great for the game.

    Think about it, most people would probably rather have an M4 than a PARA even if money isn't an issue. Throw in the fact that the PARA is two grand more than the M4 and you'd be mad to buy one! I only buy them when I'm having a laugh, but if it was a lot cheaper than the M4, then it wouldn't be an obvious choice... I'd have to think and make a comprimose, and choosing your own path is what makes games fun.
    Edited by 2 at 12/10/06 @ 18:11

  • kangarootoo #35 5 years ago

    @matt__jon

    "fuckin realism ruining games"

    But its not being done for realism. Did you actually read this thread?

  • dudefella #36 5 years ago

    "Even though most people reckon the M4's better, I'd rather take an AUG if it's half the price."

    This may hold true when you're still low on cash, but when you've won a couple rounds and you can afford it, you'll still go for the M4... I don't know, I haven't played CSS yet since this update, but I'm not wholly enthusiastic about it. I might yet change my tune though. In fact, I'll go play some right now! Cheers =)

  • Tomo #37 5 years ago

    Sounds like a great idea to me. Shame the game itself is slower than a one legged millipede.

  • Balfa #38 5 years ago

    dudefella: "when you've won a couple rounds and you can afford it, you'll still go for the M4"

    Hm. This raises another issue, opposing the new system...

    If what you say is true of players who are winning, then the M4 will just keep going up and up until it maxes out around $16,000 and will only be affordable by those who are good enough to never die. Noobs will never be able to use the M4!

    However, I don't think that'll be the case. If you're looking at a 9 grand M4 versus a 2 grand AUG, I think even the players who can afford it are going to go with the AUG.

  • The-Bodybuilder #39 5 years ago

    shouldn't that be..

    "real-time weapon pricing"?

    Edit: Damn you, dizzy.
    Edited by 1 at 13/10/06 @ 12:21

  • bicky316 #40 5 years ago

    Mac10 FTW!

  • Collie #41 5 years ago

    Any gun other than the TMP, Mac10 or Dual Elites are a waste of time in CSS. Fun guns that prove you're not a sad team hopping score obsessed nob.

    Did they get rid of that new radar system yet?