Left 4 Dead

Elem

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/left4dead/

Hyping up to be the first decent zombie game in a while. Built on 'Valves' source engine. Haven't been this excited since Resident Evil 2, It brings a whole new dimension to zombie games.

Multiplayer

In the deathmatch "Versus" mode, four additional players can take control of powerful Infected with unique abilities, amongst the other AI-controlled Infected. The playable Infected numbers are limited so players must select their preferred Infected and wait for it to spawn, with the Tank as the exception — it's only playable a few times during each scenario. The Infected have the ability to see survivors through the walls at a certain range if the survivors are running, with the flashlight on, or talking. The Infected can also see in the dark, unlike the Survivors. Infected spawn ahead of the Survivors and can, if they stay still, see a marker for their likely path of advance so they can set up ambushes. Throughout levels, Infected-only ways up buildings are marked with symbols. These can be climbed and used for ambushes, especially with the Infected immunity to falling damage.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead

Zillah

There's some sort of Source mod about zombies if I recal. If this a full version or something else altogether?

Sounds pretty cool either way.

jesus_thats_gre

Something different.

This game is gonna be brilliant. Can't wait for it!!

Tar.Aldarion

Zillah wrote: »

There's some sort of Source mod about zombies if I recal. If this a full version or something else altogether?

Sounds pretty cool either way.

zombiemaster, different.

Elem

Check this out, halfway threw the gametrailer episode they show the first scenes on playing the 'infected'

http://www.gametrailers.com/gametrailerstv_player.php?ep=38&ch=1&sd=1

Cravez

Zillah wrote: »

There's some sort of Source mod about zombies if I recal. If this a full version or something else altogether?

Sounds pretty cool either way.

Theres also Zombie Panic (much better than Zombie Master imo), in how the game is structured it would be closer to Left 4 Dead but again its much different. The mods are well worth a play anyway, at least until Left4Dead comes out. I did an overview on both Zombie Panic/Master here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055304743

Kinetic^

The zombie mods for source are poor tbh. ZOMFG I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!

Galway LAN are having a LAN purely for this game the weekend after it's release! Check my sig for the link!

thelordofcheese

Elem wrote: »

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/left4dead/

Hyping up to be the first decent zombie game in a while. Built on 'Valves' source engine. Haven't been this excited since Resident Evil 2, It brings a whole new dimension to zombie games.

Multiplayer

In the deathmatch "Versus" mode, four additional players can take control of powerful Infected with unique abilities, amongst the other AI-controlled Infected. The playable Infected numbers are limited so players must select their preferred Infected and wait for it to spawn, with the Tank as the exception — it's only playable a few times during each scenario. The Infected have the ability to see survivors through the walls at a certain range if the survivors are running, with the flashlight on, or talking. The Infected can also see in the dark, unlike the Survivors. Infected spawn ahead of the Survivors and can, if they stay still, see a marker for their likely path of advance so they can set up ambushes. Throughout levels, Infected-only ways up buildings are marked with symbols. These can be climbed and used for ambushes, especially with the Infected immunity to falling damage.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_4_Dead

I want this to be good, but i saw some gameplay videos (from either E3 or Pax) and i'm kinda worried that

A] The game is going to be far too long for proper co-op online play. Seeing as the game is meant to be about 45-70Min long. Which means people will drop about halfway through.
B] It's on steam, making LAN games a pain in the hole, which is where this would shine
C] Insta-kills seem to be too frequent. The player was mauled to death at least twice by stuff they didn't see in the video i saw.
I can see that getting frustrating, because you can't respawn until the rest of your team get to a checkpoint.

Elem

thelordofcheese wrote: »

I want this to be good, but i saw some gameplay videos (from either E3 or Pax) and i'm kinda worried that

A] The game is going to be far too long for proper co-op online play. Seeing as the game is meant to be about 45-70Min long. Which means people will drop about halfway through.
B] It's on steam, making LAN games a pain in the hole, which is where this would shine
C] Insta-kills seem to be too frequent. The player was mauled to death at least twice by stuff they didn't see in the video i saw.
I can see that getting frustrating, because you can't respawn until the rest of your team get to a checkpoint.

There will be a few multiplayer modes though, and I can't see a online round lasting that long if the 'infected' can see you threw walls when you have your torch on or when your talking to your team mates. Your so negative all the time lordofcheese

Kinetic! Galway is so far away

thelordofcheese

Elem wrote: »

Your so negative all the time lordofcheese

Theres a very good reason for that. Stops me being disapointed when 99% of games turn out to be rubbish.

Tar.Aldarion

Elem wrote: »

Kinetic! Galway is so far away

2 and a half hours, nowhere is far away in ireland!

Maximilian

thelordofcheese wrote: »

Theres a very good reason for that. Stops me being disapointed when 99% of games turn out to be rubbish.

99% are rubbish? You sir, are a difficult man to please

I really like how this game is shaping up. I have a feeling it's going to be a hit purely because co-op play has been strangely ignored over the years for FPS's.

A couple of games have had great co-op but they weren't specially made for it. I'm hoping it another Valve classic. They haven't made a bad game yet, so that's reason for optimism (that means you lordofcheese)

thelordofcheese

Maximilian wrote: »

99% are rubbish? You sir, are a difficult man to please

Meh, on the plus side it means i don't spend an absolute fortune on games

Maximilian wrote: »

I really like how this game is shaping up. I have a feeling it's going to be a hit purely because co-op play has been strangely ignored over the years for FPS's.

A couple of games have had great co-op but they weren't specially made for it. I'm hoping it another Valve classic. They haven't made a bad game yet, so that's reason for optimism (that means you lordofcheese)

This isn't being made by valve though, it's turtle rock studios. Granted i know they were bought by valve and they (valve) have a pretty heavy hand in it since then.
And anyway valve's track record hasn't been *that* great (HL2 is very over rated, and portal isn't as good as everyone pretends it is), cautious optimism is probably the best i can manage, or we'll have another Spore thread on our hands.
Except our positions will be reversed.

Elem

Your expectations are so high, you where born to early.. maybe another century would make you happier? Come on lordofcheese! You are a lil impressed by it

thelordofcheese

Elem wrote: »

Come on lordofcheese! You are a lil impressed by it

I want it to be good, i really do, Co-Op gaming is one of my favourite things ever, SWAT4 and Mario Kart Double Dash are my favourite games ever for this reason. Hell it even makes Halo tolerable, that's how good an idea co-op gaming is.

But I still have some doubts, so either i'm wrong and this is amazing - which works out fine for me or I'm right - In which case at least i was right.

Elem wrote: »

Your expectations are so high, you where born to early.. maybe another century would make you happier?

I'd rather have been born ten to twenty years earlier so i could have been part of the bedroom coder era. Shove your HD-this and BumpMapped-the other, *that'd* have been awesome.

Kiith

thelordofcheese wrote: »

And anyway valve's track record hasn't been *that* great (HL2 is very over rated, and portal isn't as good as everyone pretends it is), cautious optimism is probably the best i can manage, or we'll have another Spore thread on our hands.

Valve dont have that great a track record?? Eh, what? They consistently release brilliant games. There is no other company that i trust more to deliver a quality product then Valve. Your a crazy crazy man.

thelordofcheese

Kiith wrote: »

Valve dont have that great a track record?? Eh, what? They consistently release brilliant games. There is no other company that i trust more to deliver a quality product then Valve. Your a crazy crazy man.

This just in "Extensive studies have shown that not everybody likes the same things you do". More at 11.

Edit:
I said their track record hasn't been that great, not that they don't have a great track record. While similar sounding they mean very different things.

Maximilian

thelordofcheese wrote: »

And anyway valve's track record hasn't been *that* great (HL2 is very over rated, and portal isn't as good as everyone pretends it is),

Ok I'm calling it:

Obvious Troll is Obvious :pac:

thelordofcheese

Maximilian wrote: »

Ok I'm calling it:

Obvious Troll is Obvious :pac:

I'm deadly serious.

johnny_ultimate

Looks like a very different online game, which should be a pleasing change from standard death match fare.

Wouldn't say 45 minute + games is a worry. True, playing with randomers may be problematic, but get a good group together and I'd say it will be a fantastic and dynamic experience, as long as peoples connections don't drop and so on.

thelordofcheese

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Looks like a very different online game, which should be a pleasing change from standard death match fare.

Wouldn't say 45 minute + games is a worry. True, playing with randomers may be problematic, but get a good group together and I'd say it will be a fantastic and dynamic experience, as long as peoples connections don't drop and so on.

YAY! Back on topic!

My problem with the 45 minutes is, like you said, playing with randomers will be problematic. It's an age old internet problem really and it's at it's worst when a game tries to force a group of people who don't know eachother to work together. Go onto any public TF2 server or a BF2 server a few years back. It's an ugly clusterfuck as a group of 12 selfish players try to complete a team based game

Now, the problem with the "find some friends and it's all good" is that when i can play the game without having to deal with a high probablity of teamwork shy goombahs is pretty much down to when my friends and I can get together to play.

And if this game is as good as most people hope it will be, then i'd hate for my enjoyment of it to be limited to when i can organise to get people together. It's not a WoW raid, it's a FPS game, i shouldn't have to deal with that kind of logistics just to shoot some zombies.

It's not really Turtle rocks fault, of course, you can't make people not act like dickheads, but i think making the game 45+min long is just going to amplify the problem of online gaming with randomers.
Maybe if they included a shorter version of the game that might make things more tolerable. Like how some MMO's have five and twenty man instances of certain dungeons. I'd be less pissed if i ended up in a game with a griefing toolbox if i knew it was a short game and it wouldn't be too much of a waste of time.

johnny_ultimate

I won't deny that it could be an issue, but it is easily solvable. Do something like the Super Smash Bros Brawl method - let the AI take over when someone leaves. Not quite as fun, but partially deals with the issue of randomness.

Also, use boards to find people to play against. Have had many fine Call of Duty / GTA matches against boardsies in the past: goes someway towards minimising the problem of anonymous online opponents.

I don't think the developers should compromises to their game based on the fact that many online gamers have ADD (you do wonder where they are off to sometimes) / unhealthy obsessions with kill counts / winning / ethnic minorities. I really think this will be a great online experience, and we can just hope the Left 4 Dead community turns out to be a sensible one.

Elem

Make love not warcraft.

thelordofcheese

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I won't deny that it could be an issue, but it is easily solvable. Do something like the Super Smash Bros Brawl method - let the AI take over when someone leaves. Not quite as fun, but partially deals with the issue of randomness.

dropping i don't mind, that's not really anyones fault in a game like this. I meant more the kind of players who seem to be hardwired to think "HURRR DURRR, SHOOTING MY TEAM MATES IN THE BACK IZ FUN!"
Because as far as i have read, Friendly fire is always on in left for dead.

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I don't think the developers should compromises to their game based on the fact that many online gamers have ADD (you do wonder where they are off to sometimes) / unhealthy obsessions with kill counts / winning / ethnic minorities. I really think this will be a great online experience, and we can just hope the Left 4 Dead community turns out to be a sensible one.

I disagree with you there, to a degree. While i don't think developers should compromise on their vision, they can't be blind to the level of utter retards who exist on the internet, especially when making an online co-op game.
I think that in this case they really should (and hopefully are) looking at how the game mechanics can be implemented so that people who aren't team killing spazzmonkies don't have spend forever trying to dodge those that are.

If this game is as good as people hope I really don't want to have it go the same way as TF2/BF2/CS where the community make me loath the game because they all seem to be brain damaged.

Jack Sheehan

Tara Le d'Arion wrote: »

zombiemaster, different.

Hehe, the file comes up on my computer as Zombiemasterbeta.exe

What I'm concerned about is those of us who don't have live. I'm almost hardwired to buy anything valve releases, it's a serious compulsion but will I get anything out of the game on my tod? I've heard that the AI is fantastic but is it THAT fantastic?

Stev_o

Jack Sheehan wrote: »

Hehe, the file comes up on my computer as Zombiemasterbeta.exe

What I'm concerned about is those of us who don't have live. I'm almost hardwired to buy anything valve releases, it's a serious compulsion but will I get anything out of the game on my tod? I've heard that the AI is fantastic but is it THAT fantastic?

Dude they are ****ing zombies do you want them to pause and discuss the finer points on whether the LHC is a death trap waiting to happen :P

Jack Sheehan

Stev_o wrote: »

Dude they are ****ing zombies do you want them to pause and discuss the finer points on whether the LHC is a death trap waiting to happen :P

I mean the AI on your team mates, which is important if you don't have live.

Zeouterlimits

thelordofcheese wrote: »

I'm deadly serious.

Interesting. You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but that's something I rarely hear. If you don't mind me asking: What are some of your 'favorite games'? Do you play many FPSs.

Back on topic: I may be stuck playing this locally, damn campus accomodation interwebs :mad:

Zillah

thelordofcheese wrote: »

portal isn't as good as everyone pretends it is

You take that back you God damn liar!