de_survivor — Q&A with 3D_Mike

 

# de_survivor — Q&A with 3D_Mike

## Introduction

Hi 3D_Mike,

My name is Michael, although I’ve gone by **Slade** in the Counter-Strike community for many years. I’m the founder of a Counter-Strike 1.6 community called **GSU (Gamers Stand United)**, and I’ve been playing Counter-Strike for a very long time.

I’m currently working on a video about **de_survivor**, and since you were the person who created the map, I wanted to reach out and see if you’d be willing to share some of the story behind it.

I’ve played de_survivor for many years, and it’s always been one of those maps that stood out to me. There are a lot of little details throughout it that make it feel like more than just a traditional Counter-Strike map, so I’ve always been curious about what went into creating it.

I had a few questions I was hoping you might be able to answer.

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## 1. What originally gave you the idea for de_survivor?

Was there a particular place, movie, game, image, or real-world location that inspired the map?

**3D_Mike:**

I did a ton of custom maps at the time and really wanted to get a map of mine included in an official release, so I did some research on what was missing from official maps.

And As_Tundra and Cs_office were the only snow-themed maps.

I also wanted to do outdoor badly because with 700 polygons on screen it’s damn hard to do outdoor. 🙂

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## 2. What made you decide on a snowy setting?

At the time, many Counter-Strike maps were centered around houses, warehouses, industrial areas, or more traditional environments. What appealed to you about creating a map built around snow and a more isolated wilderness setting?

**3D_Mike:**

See above!

—

## 3. How did you approach designing the layout?

Did you start with the gameplay and build the environment around it, or did you have the environment in mind first and then figure out how players would move through it?

**3D_Mike:**

I always aim the choke points to be in open, hard-to-take-cover areas so you get fast shootouts.

If you start running from both spawn points, you will meet in the middle of the canyon or the middle of the field.

But tbh, I think the map was never balanced properly. I have many more custom maps with better gameplay.

I recommend cs_greenhouse or de_deadlock, or especially cs_bikini. That map has the best gameplay and it comes with a nice, sunny, feel-good vibe.

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## 4. Was creating a particular atmosphere important to you?

The snow, isolated buildings, crashed airplane, vehicles, and open areas give de_survivor a very distinctive feeling. Was that something you were deliberately trying to create?

**3D_Mike:**

Yes, wanted to break the seriousness of it all.

—

## 5. One thing I’ve always loved about de_survivor is the humor hidden throughout the map.

There’s the airplane marked **”Oops Air”** with the slogan **”No Guarantees,”** the **A-Team van**, and even the crate labeled **”The Only Crate In The Map!”**

Were these jokes and references planned from the beginning, or did you simply add things that amused you while you were working on the map?

**3D_Mike:**

Some were there from the beginning, some just grew naturally.

We had a clan called **”OOPS”**, so that joke was there from the start.

The one crate is a poke at other mappers relying on simple map layout.

—

## 6. Are there any details, references, or Easter eggs in de_survivor that you think players never really noticed?

**3D_Mike:**

I hope they did! 🙂

Although some jokes were really in crowd, like the names of OOPS clan members on the boxes in the truck with inflatable LAN party friends.

—

## 7. What was the actual development of de_survivor like?

Do you remember roughly how long you worked on it, what tools you were using, and whether the map went through any major changes before the version players eventually saw?

**3D_Mike:**

2 months, I knew what I was going to do.

We had a lot of servers beta testing it, yes.

—

## 8. How much playtesting went into the map?

Did playing it with other people lead to any changes or ideas that you hadn’t originally expected?

**3D_Mike:**

No but tbh I already moved on to another custom map.

—

## 9. Do you remember what the reaction to de_survivor was when people first started playing it?

Was the response what you expected?

**3D_Mike:**

Mixed bag tbh.

There were some unusual things in there players found annoying, like the breaking bridge. Although I made sure a player wouldn’t die from falling down.

I think a lot of people also missed things, like sound effects.

I use a lot of sound effects to tell a story or influence gameplay.

For instance, the eagle spots a player when he is in the canyon. Drop a grenade and voila.

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## 10. When you look back at de_survivor today, is there anything about the map that you’re particularly proud of, or anything you wish you had done differently?

**3D_Mike:**

I’d make it 1/3 smaller.

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## After all these years, what do you personally remember most about making de_survivor?

**3D_Mike:**

That my ex wife and kid are featured on an insanely big Easter egg texture. 😉

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## Permission to Use the Interview

You certainly don’t have to answer every question. Even a few memories or stories would be greatly appreciated. I’m especially interested in hearing about the things that wouldn’t necessarily be found in old documentation or interviews, just the personal story of how the map came together.

If you’re comfortable with it, I’d also like to include some of your answers in the video and make sure you’re properly credited as the original creator.

**3D_Mike:**

ofc man, face fun with it!

—

## Closing

I’ve been playing Counter-Strike for many years, and it’s pretty fascinating to be able to go back and learn more about the people who actually created the maps that so many of us spent countless hours playing.

Thank you for your time, and more importantly, thank you for creating de_survivor.

Best regards,

**Slade**

**3D_Mike:**

Thanks to you too!

**Mike**