Left 4 Dead... 2.

Overheal

Its not just some troll rumour. @ E3, Valve Officially Announced a November 17 2009 Release for L4D2.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/2552/

Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, L4D2 promises to set a new benchmark for co-operative action games and become one of 2009's marquee titles.

"A large part of how Left 4 Dead became 2008's top-selling new IP on Xbox 360 and the PC was the custom-tailored gameplay made possible by the AI Director," said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. "With the knowledge gained from creating the original, new technology, and a passionate team, L4D2 will set a new benchmark for cooperative action games."

Set for release on November 17, the title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more.

Introducing the AI Director 2.0, L4D's dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players' performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Featuring new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original with more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, and maps for Survival mode available at launch.

Its a slight kick in the gee. They set the Precedent with TF2 that they would continue to milk the game like a cow. Especially considering how agressively they marketed L4D.

Still, reading the Press Release, its obvious that it precedents almost a complete game engine change (not Source, just the Zombie stuff) by Overhauling the AI Director, and changing the Boss Zombies. In addition, this Path generation, is something that seems like nothing but goodness to me: imagine playing No Mercy, and never being sure of which way you would be able to take each time, as the alleyways, apartments, sewers and streets would all change dynamically from play to play.

Clearly they have some big ideas for L4D and yeah, if its as big as it initially sounds, I can see how they justify a complete new Title.

Stephen

Video: http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/e3-left-4-dead-2-extended-teaser?size=hd

I'll be preordering this on steam asap

Stev_o

I don't have a problem with them making new content.expansion and asking 10/15 quid i do however have a problem with them making a new entity and charging 50 quid, it's complete and utter bullsht.

Stephen

Its a complete new game, not just new content. Look here for more details: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/06/01/left-4-dead-2-exclusive-rps-preview/

Overheal

Stephen wrote: »

Video: http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/e3-left-4-dead-2-extended-teaser?size=hd

I'll be preordering this on steam asap

Actually that teaser made me less inclined to buy it.

Stephen

But it has a chainsaw!

Overheal

But the Survivors are Politically Correct, its DAYTIME, and the Zombies look surprisingly less realistic than they did in the original, which admittedly, may be entirely due to the lighting: which is why daylight is crap.

Images from Kotaku:

<---- (indeed?)

Stev_o

Overheal wrote: »

But the Survivors are Politically Correct, its DAYTIME, and the Zombies look surprisingly less realistic than they did in the original, which admittedly, may be entirely due to the lighting: which is why daylight is crap.

It really exposes the cell shaded nature of the game makes it look way to cartoony thus eliminating any slight scare factor and adding in comedy instead.

L31mr0d

let me be the first to say it:

that looks like and this is a heap of sh!t

whatever community was building behind L4D has effectively been kicked in the teeth with this.

That being said, like the Valve whore I am I'll be buying it

ProjectColossus

Not impressed. That last Kotaku image looks particularly terrible. Would it have been so hard to patch this stuff into the existing L4D content? I won't be paying more than €20 for this, if I even bother. The new survivors are annoying me already.

pixelburp

I think it's a pretty poor move by Valve; there's nothing in that trailer, or indeed in the press summary, that suggests any buyer would be gaining any significant updates over the original game (bar the obvious new weapons & missions), and certainly nothing that couldn't be released as an exapnsion pack. Maybe it will yet be released as one, but the '2' in the name doesn't suggest that. It's a doubly odd move considering they only recently released the mod SDK, so given time there could be some serious contenders for players' attention in the mods for L4D1 alone.

I suppose they're gonna hope that the appeal of new missions & a chainsaw will persuade the masses. Which judging by the usual "omg, pre-order" attitude here and elsewhere, it seems to work. To be honest, I don't have the money these days to just throw it away on a developers whim; I'm disappointed gamers continue to show such lack of financial restraint & as much buyer intelligence as the L4D zombies

Graphically yes, it doesn't work as well in daylight as it did in darkness, but I suppose if there's one saving grace, it's that Valve tend to have no trouble going back to the well & re-developing the game if it doesn't test well. So I imagine things will change in the interim.

The characters don't seem as interesting & diverse a bunch as the last group of four

robby^5

Odd move by Valve I must say, but it is Valve so it's a instant buy for me. Unlike the multitude of other developers out there, they have yet to let me down with any of their releases. Hopefully though the price tag will be lower than a full game since so far it's not offering a whole lot in the way of new features to warrant a sequel other than upgrading the engine and adding melee weapons... everything else could have been added to the original by way of an expansion or dlc.

It would also be nice if this game included a hefty upgrade for the original L4D too.

K.O.Kiki

Man, I remember the days when a new game was announced, and we DIDN'T complain that it's "too soon". :rolleyes:

Overheal

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Man, I remember the days when a new game was announced, and we DIDN'T complain that it's "too soon". :rolleyes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Championship_Manager_series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madden_NFL

I could go on... the fact is its being release 1 day less than a full year since the release of L4D and, given all factors, that just smells fishy. Like rotting zombie flesh.

Maybe Valve is getting hit worse in the recession?

Antar Bolaeisk

This is a lie, there is no way that Valve of all people are releasing a sequel ALREADY!

Honestly, looking at my play time on the current left for dead for the last two weeks alone, even if this has a price tag of about €40 then it'll still be worth it for me.

Besides, it's still ages away yet, I'm sure the current campaigns will be growing very thin by then.

pixelburp

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Man, I remember the days when a new game was announced, and we DIDN'T complain that it's "too soon". :rolleyes:

No we didn't, not unless you're the type who keeps buying FIFA 07/08/09/10 and so on. A multiplayer shooter getting a sequel so soon just smacks of money-grubbing.

Besides, I would much rather Valve got around to finishing the Half Life 2 Episode trilogy. That has been left on a helluva cliffhanger.

I don't care if Valve are packaging this with free hookers & cake, I can't afford just to pick up every flippin sequel that crops up because developers' overheads are still sky-high(that includes stuff like Modern Warfare 2), so unless it's in the bargain bin I'll stick with what I have.

koneko

My god, people are so ****ing whingy. I'll be buying it day 1.

Antar Bolaeisk

There's a thread on the Steam Fourms, if you dare to venture in, sumarising the known facts so far.

Eg. ~ $60 for the xBox!

Hopefully it'll be a bit cheaper for the PC, first one wasn't even that much on release was it?

Mantel

Can't be arse paying full price for this until I get a hold of a demo or a free weekend.

50 for chainsaws and frying pans? I could get some horse armour cheaper...

death1234567

Am I the only one who got sick of L4D after a week? Its always either too hard or too easy depending on the group you are with/difficulty level and its so repetitive. Thank god I only paid £14 for it.

5uspect

According to the L4D blog its a much larger game.
http://www.l4d.com/home.php
Perhaps there'll be a story driven single player.
Maybe they want to move on from the HL2 franchise.

EDIT: Also remember this is Valve, the November ship date will slip.

Antar Bolaeisk

We've been using some custom configs which some guys over at another forum set up, basically it makes the entire game much more challenging and a lot more fun.

Retr0gamer

koneko wrote: »

My god, people are so ****ing whingy. I'll be buying it day 1.

True, I'm surprised at the backlash the announcement of a sequel to a lot of peoples favourite game last year.

ragg

Having watched the trailer, the graphics are incredible and the entire game looks like its going to me more story based & longer.

It seems they're trying to build a brand this time - with better stories, graphics etc.

I'll buy it

L31mr0d

Retr0gamer wrote: »

True, I'm surprised at the backlash the announcement of a sequel to a lot of peoples favourite game last year.

because it stinks of pulling a Sega. Community is to Valve what game developers where to Sega. If you release something community orientated, then make it redundant less than a year later, where's the gusto to continue developing campaigns for Valve?

There is no reason to make this a monolithic release, a modular release in the form of an expansion would appease the community while introducing new content.

It feels like pandering to the console market, which lives on monolithic releases, but I can't help but feel it's a slap in the face to the current community using the SDK and developing maps and campaigns to help Valves current L4D.

Maximilian

Hmmm... L4D2 they are calling it? Some kind of Star Wars Droid Zombie cross over game?

INTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER -- COCKPIT.

Luke looks back anxiously at little Elfor.

LUKE: Elfor, try and increase the power! We can take the subway tunnels to the hospital. There's a red line station not far from here.

L4D2: Beep, whirr, bleep, call zombie bull****.

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

Elfor-Detoo turns his head from side to side, beeping in

anticipation. A strange wailing can be heard.

LUKE: Almost there..... Lights off Elfor

EXTERIOR: LUKE'S X-WING FIGHTER.

L4D2 has startled the Witch

BIGGS: (over headset) Pills here!

LUKE: I've lost Elfor!

BEN'S VOICE: Use the Glitch, Luke

BASE VOICE: (over speaker) His computer's off. Luke, you switched off

your targeting computer. You're flying in circles under a pipe near a corner. For quite some time. With Biggs. What's wrong?

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

Luke's ship streaks ever close to the safe room.

VADER: I have you now.

EXTERIOR: SURFACE OF THE DEATH STAR.

[IE]Mr. Pickles pounced [TE]Vαﻞer'ﮚ Wingmaתּ for 23 damage

VADER: What? FFS noob team.

EXTERIOR: SPACE AROUND THE DEATH STAR.

Vader's ship spins out of control with a bent solar fin,

heading for deep space.

[DS]Vader has disconnected

LUKE: Rage.

BIGGS: LOL rage. Get to the Elevator.

HAN: I hate trenches. Yee Ha.




ETC ETC

Stev_o

Half of the stuff they are introducing could easily be done by modders. A wandering witch? Come on Valve that isn't complicated! The Charger is a idea put forward to the community and in a way it could sum up this game, if you suggest a way to improve one of Valves games they will take up the idea if it's good but you'll have to pay them to get your hands on it.

Everything about this just wrecks of foul play, considering it's out November it's obvious that they immediately neglected L4D in order to concentrate on this new one and considering that the game is still ravaged by gameplay flaws, bugs, glitches and the worst in game browser since......well ever. They are basically saying that we all bought a pilot game for full price just to see how it would get on. BS.

CombatCow

Too soon and the screenshots it looks crap.

CC

5uspect

What if L4D2 was backwards compatible with L4D?
Any mods etc that work on L4D1 will work on L4D2.
But you need to pay for L4D2 for the new features.

Valve aren't a charity. If L4D2 is good I'll buy it!

Stev_o

5uspect wrote: »

What if L4D2 was backwards compatible with L4D?
Any mods etc that work on L4D1 will work on L4D2.
But you need to pay for L4D2 for the new features.

Valve aren't a charity. If L4D2 is good I'll buy it!

How would you feel if Valve had done this with other products ie sold CSS with maps then realeased CSS 2 with 5 extra maps, what if you had to pay a tenner for each TF2 update.

Antar Bolaeisk

Valve haven't let us down before and I doubt they will do so now. There's absolutely no point complaining about a game we know very little about yet. I agree it is a bit of a shock but I'd imagine Valve are currently watching the feedback to this announcement very carefully in order to see how best to implement this new game.