How to Surf in Counter Strike Source

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 8, 2020

So you've stumbled into a CS:S surf server and have no clue what to do? You want to become elite and enjoy the same glory that expert surfers receive for their amazing gravity-defying feats? You can load up a surf map on a private server to practice your surfing skills before taking on other players in public servers.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Setting Up a Practice Map

1
Download a Surf map. You can join any Surf server to play, but setting up a practice map will make it easy to get used to surfing without any other players looking. You can find Surf maps online by searching for "cs source surf maps."
- Make sure you download Surf maps for CS: Source. Maps for other versions of Counter-Strike will not work.
- Look for maps designed for beginners or practice, as these will have more forgiving ramps and easier routes so that you can get the hang of the surfing mechanics.
2
Copy the downloaded map file to the correct location. Open your file explorer and navigate to the following directory. Place the BSP file into the folder to add it to your list of available Source maps:
- Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Source\cstrike\maps
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3
Start a LAN game in Counter-Strike: Source. Once you've copied the map to the correct location, start up CS:Source and select "Create a Server."
4
Select "LAN" from the "Network" menu. This will limit the game to local players only, which will prevent random people from joining and messing with you while you practice.
5
Select your new Surf map from the "Map" menu. You should see your new Surf map listed here. It will have "Surf_" before the map name. If you don't see the new map, make sure that you've placed it in the correct location.
6
Start your private server. Click "Start Server" to load the game and your Surf map. It may take a few moments to load.
7
Press .~ to open your console. You'll need to adjust a few settings in order to surf properly. These are the same settings that community Surf servers use, so you'll be able to practice under normal conditions.
- If the console doesn't appear, open the Options menu on the Main Menu, select "Advanced," and then toggle "Enable Developer Console" on.
8
Enter the following commands. Enter the commands below to adjust the server physics to allow surfing:^{[1]
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- sv_accelerate 10
- sv_airaccelerate 800

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Learning to Surf

1
Understand the basics. Surfing in Counter-Strike is accomplished by sliding down angled surfaces, using gravity to maintain your speed. You'll be required to jump from surface to surface to navigate the map. You'll be using the A and D buttons to stay on the angle, and the mouse to steer.
2
Hold .A or D while on the angle towards the apex. Every time you're surfing an angle, you should be hold either A or D, whichever key is the opposite of the slope. For example, if you're on an angle where the upper edge is on your right, and the lower edge is on your left, press and hold D to push yourself towards the apex. This will keep you on the surface so that you don't fall off.^{[2]
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- This is the essential motion for surfing. You always want to be pushing the opposite direction of the angle you're on to counter gravity.
- A basic way to remember this is to use this simple diagram: D/\A
3
Aim your mouse towards the bottom corner of the angled surface. This will increase your speed, allowing gravity to work in your favor.
4
Move back towards the upper corner before jumping. After moving towards the bottom of the ramp, quickly aim towards the upper corner and climb back up before jumping to the next surface. You are essentially making a wave motion for each surface you hit (start high, move low, and then move back up high before jumping).
5
Press .Space to jump to the next surface. When you reach the end of a surfing surface, press Space to jump and move to the next angled surface. Try to jump at the last possible second to maintain your speed.
6
Hold .A or D while in the air, depending on your direction. Hold the key that matches the direction you're going in mid-air
7
Never press .W while surfing. While it might be tempting to press W to "move forward," this will actually slow you down. You'll get all the speed you need by moving along the angled ramps.^{[3]
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- If you need to stop mid-air, or slow down on a ramp for some reason, press S. Otherwise, avoid this key was well.
8
Try to hit the next ramp in the upper corner nearest to you. This will give you the most space to surf downwards to the bottom corner of the far end of the ramp. Hitting the right entry spot for the ramp can be essential for maintaining a high speed.
- Be careful when lining up your approach, as hitting the edge of the ramp will likely kill you from fall damage.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Advanced Techniques

1
Adjust your game settings. The settings you entered above are great for practice, but pro surfing servers will use much less forgive settings. Once you're familiar with how surfing works, change the sv_airaccelerate 800 value to sv_airaccelerate 100. You can decrease it in increments until you reach 100 so that you can get used to the slower air acceleration speed.
2
Avoid big air. Big jumps may look cool, but they'll kill your forward momentum. If you're trying to get the best times, you'll want to stick to low jumps to clear the space you need while maintaining your speed.
- The longer you hold Space, the higher you'll jump. Try to just tap it to clear the gaps you need to get over.
3
Look for shortcuts and corners you can skip. The one time big air can come in useful is if you've found a shortcut you can use or a part fo the map you can skip. This almost always requires a very high speed so that you can make the jump. Not all maps have skippable sections.
4
Use shotguns if you want to attack other players. The M3 shotgun is one of the best weapons to use while surfing, as it stays accurate even while moving quickly. It's meant for close range, so try to use it on players using the same surfing ramp as you.
- Not all servers allow you to use guns and attack other surfers.
- Try to avoid automatic weapons, as the accuracy will be terrible. The same goes for single shot snipers, as you'll never get an accurate shot while moving.
5
Block other players by stopping in front of them. You'll lose all of your momentum as well, but this can be a good tactic if you've already messed up your jump. Be aware that not all servers look kindly on blockers, so you may get kicked if it's against the rules.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I make my character fly off the ramp?

Community Answer

You need to build momentum in order to fly off the ramp. Aim to be at the top of the starting ramp, then arc down to the bottom, and then back up again right at the end to build up momentum. You should be able to fly straight off.
Question

How do I surf on Counter Strike Go?

Community Answer

Surfing in CSGO is the same as surfing in Source, so you can use this guide to help you surf.
Question

I can't move forward when I am surfing in CSGO; I just fall off the map. What am I doing wrong?

Community Answer

If you're falling off the ramp, you might be holding down the W key. Hop on the ramp and pull your finger off the W key -- your problem should be solved.