Valve begins preloading CS: Source
But only to cyber cafés. Condition Zero owners will have to wait a bit longer.
Valve has begun preloading the beta version of Counter-Strike: Source to various cyber cafés this week, and plans to launch the first phase of the test for folks in these venues on Wednesday, August 11th - i.e. tomorrow.
Of more interest to most of you will be news that the beta test will be extended to owners of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and ATI Fulfillment Coupon holders later in August, although the exact date is still to be determined.
Valve is describing the beta as a "compatibility test" for the Source engine as CS: Source and indeed Half-Life 2 near completion, but it is also obviously exciting for CS fans who have been playing with the same degree of tech for several years.
Overnight, CS man Cliffe also popped up to tell forum-goers at the official Steam website that "de_dust will support 20 vs 20, for a maxplayers of 40," although it's not yet clear whether that's typical or how many other maps will be loaded in with the beta. We should start hearing tomorrow, presumably.
Expect more details on CS: Source, including the dates for the wider release, later on this month.