De_rats

Cover
Pantry 2
Table
Pantry 1
Fire
Sink
Complete
Fridge

Inspiration

De_Rats is born from nostalgia and admiration for one of the most iconic maps in competitive gaming history: de_rats from Counter-Strike. This legendary map has been the stage for countless memorable matches and esports moments. We decided to reimagine this classic, bringing its essence and brilliant design to a modern multiplayer shooter experience, while preserving the adrenaline, strategy, and intense gameplay that made it unforgettable.

What it does

De_Rats is a competitive multiplayer shooter that captures the essence of Counter-Strike's iconic map.

Tactical gameplay - Objective-based and team strategy focused

Faithful map design - Recreates the legendary de_rats with its emblematic zones including the rat house, tunnels, and defensive areas

Smooth combat mechanics - Balanced weapon system and agile movement

Multiplayer experience - Real-time matches with competitive teams

Timer Trial mode - Solo challenge mode where players race against the clock to complete objectives and reach performance benchmarks

Progression system - Player statistics and progressive unlockables

How we built it

We developed De_Rats using modern game technology architecture. Game engine: Implemented in [specify your engine: Unreal Engine / Unity / Godot] for optimal performance. Multiplayer architecture: Client-server system with real-time synchronization. Level design: Detailed modeling of the original map with optimizations for competitive gameplay. Weapon system: Implementation of balanced combat mechanics and recoil. Networking and sync: Client-server code to ensure smooth and fair gameplay.

Challenges we ran into

Network synchronization - Maintaining consistency across all players without lag was complex, especially during high-conflict moments

Weapon balancing - Finding the perfect equilibrium between different weapons to avoid a dominant meta

Performance optimization - Reducing latency and ensuring the game runs smoothly at 60+ FPS

Map fidelity - Faithfully recreating de_rats while maintaining competitive playability and avoiding geometry bugs

Team management - Implementing matchmaking systems and fair skill distribution

Accomplishments that we're proud of

An authentic and playable recreation of the legendary de_rats map. A functional netcode system that supports competitive play with minimal lag. Precise combat mechanics that reward skill and strategy. A stable multiplayer experience that passed successful internal testing. A balancing system that keeps different weapons competitively viable. Ability to support full gaming sessions without disconnections.

What we learned

The importance of game feel in competitive shooters - every millisecond counts. How to implement complex networking systems under time pressure. Best practices in competitive map design and how geometry impacts gameplay. The necessity of iterative playtesting to achieve fair balance. That recreating a classic requires deep understanding of the original game, not just visual copying.