Massive CS2 update rolls out – still no left hand mode

With over 3GB of changes, Valve still missing a key feature 10s of us care about

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The ever-updated game has gotten another huge patch. With over 3GB of data being downloaded, I was expecting more. In particular, I was ever hopeful that the massive CS2 update roll out would add left hand mode.

Sure, it might not be the biggest issue with the game right now, as it came out that plenty of users had issues with stuttering or bad performance. Requiring the best settings to try and improve it even with the best GPU for CS2. Even now there are complaints about the CS2 net code and how unfair some deaths feel, but the new patch from the 25th of October 2023, doesn’t address any of these. Instead, it’s plenty of map changes.

Why is there no left hand mode in CS2?

There are a couple of theories as to why Valve has not added left handed mode yet. Hamsterpeek over at the CS2 community page explains why the command came about in the first place. Supposedly the original Coutner Strike dev was left-handed. That is why it was coded as left handed but to appease the majority of the population since most are right handed, they added cl_righthand to be able to change it. The reason is that the command stayed the same across the different versions.

Some players in the same thread suggest that the new models, foot view, and real-time shadows complicate things. With so many changes to the functioning of player models, it might be difficult to consider the swapping of your dominant hand. Especially with shadows becoming such a useful tool for knowing the location of your enemy, the gun on the other hand might throw some people off and create an unfair advantage.

With that in mind, it might just not be a priority for Valve in developing the game. With so many other issues like the change in CS2 smokes, and lack of game modes from CSGO at the CS2 release, it might just not be that high on the list if it’s even there.

CS2 patch notes for 10/25/2023

If you’re wondering what changes were brought to the 25th October update, here are the patch notes:

[ MAPS ] Numerous improvements and adjustments have been made across various maps:

Inferno:

• Enhanced visibility of the bomb when planted in the fountain on bombsite B.
• Improved predictability of grenade bounce behavior on roof and stone models.
• Removed a portion of the balcony railing.
• Refined the garage door on bombsite A for better player visibility and clipping.
• Resolved a lighting bug on the Inferno workshop map.
• Fixed various small gaps and polished clipping and movement.

Overpass:

• Adjusted models and textures to enhance player readability.
• Refined lighting in specific areas for improved visibility.
• Tweaked grenade clipping in various locations.

Nuke:

• Prevented erroneous grenade bounces by fixing clipping on ramp room doorway tread plates.
• Improved accuracy of collision on doorways from ramp to bombsite B.
• Enhanced player visibility against the container on bombsite B.
• Corrected issues where players could clip through the garage door at the lobby.
• Eliminated dynamic light at squeaky to prevent shadows from revealing player positions through the doorway.
• Addressed various holes in the world and conducted overall clipping and movement refinements.

Dust2:

• Fixed micro-cracks in crate models.

Anubis:

• Adjusted grenade clipping in and around bombsite B to prevent grenades from getting stuck in tight spots.
• Resolved multiple instances of dropped weapons clipping through world geometry.
• Fixed numerous holes and cracks in the world.
• Corrected missing collision on geometry where C4 could be thrown out of the map.
• Eliminated areas where players could unfairly stack, providing an advantage.
• Addressed lightmap issues around CT spawn water.
• Improved player visibility in mid.
• Enhanced the CT team intro position.
• Conducted overall clipping and movement refinements.

Office:

• Improved player visibility at CT spawn around the swat van.
• Fixed gaps in some cubemaps that were causing lighting issues.
• Addressed lighting artifacts on crates at low settings.
• Disabled motion on the vending machine.
• Conducted overall clipping and movement refinements.

Vertigo:

• Fixed ladder collision, which was blocking bullets and grenades.
• Corrected steel beams with incorrect surface properties.
• Conducted overall clipping and movement refinements.

Mirage:

• Fixed various issues related to bullet penetration.
• Conducted overall clipping and movement refinements.

Ancient:

• Adjusted fog to improve player visibility.
• Fixed micro-cracks in crate models.
• Addressed multiple holes and cracks in the world.
• Made visibility adjustments to the donut area.
• Resolved bullet penetration issues through wood panels near bombsite B.
• Corrected material properties on some tarp models.
• Conducted overall clipping and movement refinements.

[ MISC ] In addition to map changes, various miscellaneous fixes and improvements have been implemented:

• Fixed instances where weapons could fall out of the game world.
• Corrected a bug where Molotov self-damage could be incorrectly penalized as team damage.
• Improved the performance of muzzle flashes and HE grenade effects.
• Made various bug fixes and tweaks to weapon finishes and stickers.
• Added code to address out-of-order packet arrivals in quick succession, preventing them from being registered as network losses.
• Fixed a bug related to SDR routing, ensuring a more efficient and accurate route selection when connecting to servers.