By John Walker on August 4th, 2009 at 6:28 pm.
Some rather big Left 4 Dead news. This September will see the release of some brand new free DLC for the original game. Called Crash Course, it’s designed to link the end of No Mercy to the beginning of Death Toll, primarily intended to be played as a Versus map that will apparently take half an hour to play through. Valve also say the new free content will be set in new locations, feature new dialogue from the cast, and have what they call “an explosive finale”. More details and the new poster below.
The new content will also be playable as Survival maps (maps plural, according to the announcement) and as a Co-op campaign. It is apparently planned to be a “streamlined version of the game’s existing Versus campaigns.” And there’s some new additions to how the game plays, described like this:
“A recharge timer for infected teammates has also been added, and item spawn behavior has changed for more balanced gameplay.”
The announcement continues with Valve boss Gabe Newell adding a few not particularly related thoughts.
“Since the release of Left 4 Dead last November, the design team has been excited about creating new experiences for this world and allowing players to do the same, by releasing much of our internal toolset, like the Survival Pack and Authoring Tools. We’re working with the fans toward the ongoing entertainment value of the product.”
If you look at the poster, you can see a crashed helicopter. This would presumably be the chopper that rescues the four from the roof of Mercy Hospital, and explain how they then end up at a broken bridge in the middle of the woods at the start of Death Toll.
Will this placate the furious masses who are enraged at the forthcoming Left 4 Dead 2 this November? It certainly demonstrates that Valve are continuing to release new content for the original game despite the proximity of the sequel. Hopefully people will be delighted to hear news of brand new free content for the 2008 game. (And not, for instance, conspire that this is created since July to appease angry mobs and other such unlikely theories).
It’s completely free to PC users (while our console brethren are charged $7 for the 360 download). No more details are given at this point, and no more specific release date than “September”. We’ve emailed Valve to see if we can find out more, and will let you know what they say.
04/08/2009 at 18:30 Mashakosha says:
Will it shut up the boycotters? No.
Will it still be good, regardless? Yes.
04/08/2009 at 18:32 MrBejeebus says:
Yay!
04/08/2009 at 18:33 Evolution says:
“Survival maps (maps plural, according to the announcement)”as with all the other campaigns each section of the campaign had its own survival map, so don’t go expecting a brand new, unrelated map to be in survival.
04/08/2009 at 18:33 Flobulon says:
Hell, it’s about time. I have no doubt that this will do nothing to appease the angry internet men tough, and will probably just enrage them further.
Is it free, or…?
04/08/2009 at 18:34 Vinraith says:
“Primarily intended for versus.”
Boo.
04/08/2009 at 18:35 Tworak says:
can’t wait for this. woot
also, it costs money on 360 ololol
04/08/2009 at 18:35 John Walker says:
Evolution – my point is, if it’s a Versus mode that can be completed in 30 minutes, I’m surprised there’s more than one map.
04/08/2009 at 18:35 Tits McControversy says:
Is that a strider? Huh?
04/08/2009 at 18:36 Yargh says:
Will this placate the furious masses who are enraged at the forthcoming Left 4 Dead 2 this November?
Not bloody likely, the AIMs will always find a reason to moan…
04/08/2009 at 18:38 Vinraith says:
I love the pre-emptive boycott hate, it’s always so reliable. I see a lot of angry internet men in this thread, but all of them are anti-boycotters.
04/08/2009 at 18:39 Vinraith says:
@John Walker
Maybe there’s one “travel” map and one “climax” map? But yeah, in versus especially 30 minutes isn’t usually more than one segment of a campaign. Maybe they’re smaller maps, ala Lighthouse.
04/08/2009 at 18:40 cyrenic says:
Shorter versus rounds certainly sound good, but I’m trying to figure out how they’re going to keep things at 30 minutes without some pretty short maps. Maybe it’s only a 3 map campaign.
04/08/2009 at 18:40 Zaij says:
What’s with Zoe’s face? She turned into an ugly man.
04/08/2009 at 18:41 Dood says:
Wait, “a lot of angry internet men”? After 10 comments? Are you actively trying to incite an argument?
04/08/2009 at 18:42 John Walker says:
Woah there. Let’s not start a fight about whether people are starting a fight. Let’s instead all tell each other one thing we respect and admire about the other. On the forum or something.
04/08/2009 at 18:51 j c says:
John Walker, I respect and admire you for your ability to tell us to respect and admire people.
04/08/2009 at 18:54 Fumarole says:
Great news. More L4D is a Good Thing.
04/08/2009 at 18:54 reaper47 says:
This certainly is the
leastmaximum they could do to level all theconcernshappy thoughts regarding L4D2. Thedisappointedgreedy L4Dcustomersangry internet men will stayskepticaldouchy.[post edited according to RPS thinking guidelines]
04/08/2009 at 18:55 Rinox says:
Sweet!!
I’ve been playing a few of the first user-made campaigns with my mates to extend the fun (some are of surprisingly high quality – like the stranded tanker map in Death Aboard), so this is very cool news.
04/08/2009 at 18:55 Meat Circus says:
* Meat Circus likes this
04/08/2009 at 18:59 Meat Circus says:
(Not that this in any way improves LfD2′s standing)
04/08/2009 at 19:02 Flint says:
Wonder if they’ll add similar in-between ‘campaigns’ for the other scenarios.
04/08/2009 at 19:06 abigbat says:
Typically brilliant poster. Cannie wait.
04/08/2009 at 19:08 A'cs says:
Its probably going to be like the “Dam It” map that someone made, an extended map with more sections and climax moments and a finale at the end but without safehouses and takes about 1/2 hour.
04/08/2009 at 19:11 Dr Gonzo says:
Can’t wait for these and I can’t wait for LFD2! I don’t see how this doesn’t completely address all the haters worries about LFD2. I would like someone to explain it reasonably.
04/08/2009 at 19:12 yutt says:
“(And not, for instance, conspire that this is created since July to appease angry mobs and other such unlikely theories).”
A “streamlined experience” suddenly appears after complaints and we’re going to pretend this was planned all along? Even though L4D2 doesn’t adhere this design? Or was your comment dry sarcasm? *sigh*
In any case, while I don’t see this as much more than a rushed marketing gimmick; new official levels are good.
04/08/2009 at 19:14 Hermit says:
Like the idea that it’ll fill in some of the gaps in the L4D’s story. Always thought it was a shame they made the links between campaigns very subtle in the final release – hopefully they’ll either do similar with the other breaks, or at least make some more videos to finish off the story.
04/08/2009 at 19:18 bookwormat says:
I never signed any partition, I am not angry in any way, and this is the first time i write my opinion on L4D2,
But I’m also disappointed by the early sequel. Not because I think the old or the new version has not enough content, but because I think early sequels suck. For games that profit from modding and multiplayer communities that is.
04/08/2009 at 19:19 Ansob. says:
They should release a T1 rifle that is a lever-action Winchester (because everyone loves lever-action Winchesters), and then maybe release an additional campaign that actually features the lighthouse (or an entirely new one if the lighthouse is in Crash Course), and then do some work on the balance, and I would be happy to buy L4D2 at release, from a moral standpoint (whether or not my wallet agrees is an other affair entirely).
I’d love if they made backwards-compatibilised the new gore engine into L4D1, though.
04/08/2009 at 19:19 Dr Gonzo says:
They have said that all mods and levels should be compatable with either LFD2 or 1.
And as for this being a rushed marketing gimmick. Did they not say they planned on adding new maps etc from the beggining?
04/08/2009 at 19:21 Yargh says:
Hopefully they’ll do this for all the original campaigns, then we can have mammoth ‘complete L4D Pittsburg in one sitting’ sessions as well as bite sized mini campaigns for lunch breaks.
04/08/2009 at 19:21 amishmonster says:
@McControversy: I thought that at first too, but then I realized it was the rotor blades.
And I’m all for a streamlines experience for versus – the standard “movie” structure works well for other modes, but can drag out versus a bit. Plus if the map’s only half an hour long, fingers crossed for fewer ragequits.
04/08/2009 at 19:22 yutt says:
@Dr Gonzo
I will attempt to explain reasonably, though I fear we inevitably descend toward madness.
This doesn’t really in any way address major concerns. It doesn’t claim to introduce new weapons, characters, or special infected. It doesn’t solve the issue that the community (both players and mod devs) will be split between L4D1 and L4D2.
It is a level or two, not even a full campaign, with marketing gibberish about a faster play experience failing to hide that.
Mind you, I am happy to have this level, have never been a boycotter, but I am extremely upset with how Valve handled all this, and the boycotters hold the moral high-ground entirely.
04/08/2009 at 19:25 jonfitt says:
More official L4D maps. Hooray for this good news!
I played Dam It when the new addon update came out, are there any other good full campaigns people would recommend?
04/08/2009 at 19:30 Meat Circus says:
When are they gonna bless some community maps to OFFICIAL ZOMBIE APPROVED status?
04/08/2009 at 19:31 Rinox says:
@ Jonfitt
http://www.l4dmaps.com/details.php?file=33
Death Aboard is good stuff. The finale is a bit different than you’re used to, but the campaign is wonderful.
04/08/2009 at 19:32 Joe says:
@jonfitt: Death Aboard.
04/08/2009 at 19:32 Jad says:
@Vinraith
Agreed that “primarily intended to be played as a Versus map” = Boo.
But “playable as Survival maps and as a Co-op campaign”? Good, I think.
I’ve grown tired of how intensely competitive standard multiplayer games make me, and other people. I’ve played dozens of hours of co-op and survival and never once heard “Haha, pwned you noob!”, nor ever felt the desire to crow it myself.
04/08/2009 at 19:42 Gundato says:
Sounds fun. I enjoyed L4D, even if I prefer campaign to survival and versus
My big concern is over whether or not this will really be given a chance. It comes out in September, L4D2 comes out two months later. I just have a hard time believing that Valve/Turtlerock will polish up a map that will only ever be played for two months to their usual standards.
Although, someone mentioned that the L4D stuff should be compatible with L4D2. If that is the case, does anyone know if the campaigns and what not will be ported/playable? I have been on the fence for L4D2, but if it will include (or at least, let me use) all of L4D, I will plop down 50 bucks right now.
04/08/2009 at 19:48 jpearl01 says:
I say we all pre-boycott this new L4D material, in support of the future boycott on the as-yet unreleased L4D2, based on the lack of new material for L4D. Also I enjoy infinite loops (refer to the beginning of this post).
04/08/2009 at 19:49 Fumarole says:
I’ve played dozens of hours of co-op and survival and never once heard “Haha, pwned you noob!”
Wouldn’t that be because the AI doesn’t give a fuck?
04/08/2009 at 19:51 DK says:
“(And not, for instance, conspire that this is created since July to appease angry mobs and other such unlikely theories).”
Even though that’s exactly what this “planned” DLC is?
Extra-short DLC announced without any previous hints after massive protest about Valve’s broken L4D1 promises….
No, of course, let’s just pat them on the back. They’re VALVE after all.
04/08/2009 at 19:52 Z says:
Zaij:What’s with Zoe’s face? She turned into an ugly man.
You’re kidding, right? That’s an awesome expression. It’s something between cracking up laughing at the posing and a “Can you believe this $#!+?”.
04/08/2009 at 19:54 frymaster says:
“my point is, if it’s a Versus mode that can be completed in 30 minutes, I’m surprised there’s more than one map”
our rule of thumb is 1/2 an hour for co-op, and up to double that for versus, so i’d imagine it’s 1 or 2 maps and a finale (or have the finale at the end of map 2)
04/08/2009 at 19:55 derFeef says:
Eww, what did they do to Zoes face? Thats not fitting the concept at all. And there is something wrong with Bills too.
04/08/2009 at 19:55 Corion says:
Why did this take them a year?
And it sounds like the campaign is going to be shorter than the others. The fact that it isn’t due until September makes me think that perhaps they only started working on it once they realized fans were pissed at the L4D2 announcement.
The infected recharge timer display was suggested many, many months ago in the forums. There are 100 equally useful suggestions just like it. I find it strange that they’re publicizing FINALLY getting it into the game.
Nevertheless, I am excited to get new content and I’m hoping my reservations and fears will subside and that the campaign will be a well-developed full-length campaign.
Now if only we could get a real (read: special infected) solution to corner camping strategies like the Charger will be for L4D2.
The decision to only charge for the Xbox360 version sounds like a very bad one and will only serve to outrage 360 owners… But it’s probably because they can’t have achievements that award points unless the DLC costs money.
04/08/2009 at 19:55 jonfitt says:
Death Aboard looks cool. Perhaps it could have been called Pain Sailing.
Waiting for L4D3 when all this integration stuff has been worked out.
04/08/2009 at 19:57 PleasingFungus says:
Was quite pleased to hear the news. (Though also, like Mssr. McControversy, was initially confused by the resemblance between the wrecked helicopter’s rotor-blades and a similarly wrecked strider.) For no good reason, went to the forums.
Valve: “Hey, we’re releasing a new Left 4 Dead campaign, free to PC players! ”
Steam Forums: “Only one campaign? What about all the new weapons and content we were promised? Valve disappoints yet again.”
(That last bit’s an actual quote.)
There are no words.
But anyway, hooray for new L4D stuff! My only regret is that there isn’t an actual Strider present. Someone (more patient with Hammer than I) should make that. Headcrab zombies vs. infected: hilarity!
04/08/2009 at 20:02 RobF says:
Excellent. A reasonably quick fire versus map is just what the doctor ordered.
And another yay to the Death Aboard is lovely camp. It is indeed, providing you can overlook the odd “no health packs at spawn” bug here and there. A really well designed campaign.
04/08/2009 at 20:02 Psychopomp says:
I am going to hunt down, and punch the next person *on either side,* to bring up the boycott/drooling fanboys/AIM’s
Wait.
Fuck.
*punches self*
04/08/2009 at 20:21 Vandelay says:
Corion said: “Why did this take them a year?”
It hasn’t. We already have had a very substantial update in April, less then 4 months ago. Sounds like a reasonable quick update, considering they are working on a sequel as well.
A little confused by the length like others. I expect it will be a slightly shorter campaign, although I don’t think it will be only one map. I would guess it will be 2 (quite long) or 3, possibly one of those being a finale.
Hopefully, this will be a pattern they will be replicating with some more updates, so 2 more. I think an additional 3 campaigns, even if they are curtailed, along with the few extra survivor maps that this will bring too is plenty of extra DLC before a full on sequel.
04/08/2009 at 20:23 Vinraith says:
@Flint
I certainly hope they DO make “in between” campaigns for each “gap.” I don’t think it’s likely, and I can’t speak for anyone else, but that’d certainly be sufficient to convince ME that Valve was still Valve.
04/08/2009 at 20:25 jalf says:
@PleasingFungus: I’d probably have put it differently, but whoever you quoted is technically correct. This still isn’t what Valve promised. They’re not off the hook just because they’ve now delivered 10% of what they said they’d deliver. ;)
But hey, it’s more L4D content, that’s a hell of a lot better than not getting more L4D content. :p
I for one, am looking forward to playing it.
04/08/2009 at 20:45 Zoey says:
Why do you bother posting when all of your readers are worthless idiots =[
04/08/2009 at 20:49 Duoae says:
Heh, maybe i’m overly cynical but didn’t they remove the bridging sections of the campaign missions before the release of L4D? It seems to me that this is just polishing up and releasing those sections finally…. it’s like getting a directors cut of a movie, complete with deleted scenes.
04/08/2009 at 20:53 Chris R says:
Sweet, more L4D is always good.
On a side note… Gogamer.com is selling L4D2 for 20% off if you pre-order now for the next day or so… so it’s only $40 in the US. Are any other places doing this? Do you think Valve will have a better deal than that?
04/08/2009 at 20:58 IcyBee says:
Meh. I’m bored with L4D.
Where’s HL2 Episode III?
04/08/2009 at 20:59 Lobotomist says:
I so much love Valve. I can not wait to buy L4D2. And I am totally not payed to post this. I am just mindless fanboy that would defend anything that is advertised good enough.
04/08/2009 at 21:00 Baka says:
@ Duoae: iirc they wanted to use long cutscenes as an intro to each level to connect the campaigns to a whole storyline.
There should be some lines about that in the ingame commentary.
04/08/2009 at 21:00 Vinraith says:
@Duoae
It was my understanding that they’d originally intended to connect the campaigns, but hadn’t ever actually designed the interstitial material that would do so. I think these ARE original work, or at worst work cleaned up from an alpha state, though I may of course be wrong.
04/08/2009 at 21:03 Heliocentric says:
Don’t startle the boycotters!
This streamlining sounds interesting, a mini campaign in one map? Will have to wait i guess.
04/08/2009 at 21:05 Mr Lizard says:
How dare Valve release a free expansion for a game that everybody likes? Capitalist bastards.
04/08/2009 at 21:17 Eli Just says:
This was created since July to appease angry mobs!!!
04/08/2009 at 21:17 Metal_Circus says:
Well colour me impressed. Good news, this. But unfair that they’re charging 7 quid to console users though, isn’t it? I guess this is some kind of microsoft thing that they can’t get round.
04/08/2009 at 21:24 Thrawny says:
Hooray, more free stuff, the angry internet men sound more like spoiled little brats really.
“we expect everything to be free, valve must work for no profit to appease us”
04/08/2009 at 21:24 Vinraith says:
So much hostility, so much trolling, and almost entirely from the side that claims NOT to be angry. It’s fascinating, really.
04/08/2009 at 21:29 airtekh says:
@Heliocentric
“Don’t startle the boycotters!”
ROFL ;)
04/08/2009 at 21:38 Funky Badger says:
Why, Vinraith, how passive-aggressive of you… ;)
According to the commentaries, They’d originally planned cut-scenes/intro-movies before each campaign, but realised they’d slow things down to much so junked them.
More stuff good. Costing monies on XBox, bad :(
04/08/2009 at 21:44 Markoff Chaney says:
To those who said that whining would accomplish nothing – at least we got a little more of what was promised to us by Gabe pre-launch.
I think the most fun I’ve had with L4D (which I still play every week, even if only for a few hours) is all these new user created campaigns. The aforementioned Death Aboard is easily the best of them (on rev 6.1 if I’m not mistaken) and Dam It! is quite enjoyable as well, even if just one big map. There are a few more that are almost ready for prime time (standouts being the brutal Powerstation, the quite enjoyable newly released Heaven can Wait, the darkened simplistic Mortuary, the moonjumping of Jungle Crisis) and some others that are still WIP but have great ideas (Zelda, NightTerror, and quite a few Resident Evil takeoffs just to name a few). I’ve seen more thought and innovation in these user created levels than were in most of the campaigns that we got from Valve and that’s a WONDERFUL thing.
I’m still miffed I was lied to but, as usual with Valve, the community takes up the slack admirably and produces content quicker and sometimes better than Valve themselves can. /rhetorical Does that make up for the unfulfilled promises? /rhetorical I’m still having fun with my purchase, and more fun with their content, so let the good times roll for L4D while they do. Even if I only play with the 3 of my friends that have it, that’s good enough for me.
I might not be as trusting as I used to be and Valve’s brand name is absolutely tarnished in my eyes but, as life seems to do often, I can turn to the Simpsons for clarity. Homer has an idea stolen by Moe the bartender and Moe is making a mint off of his “Flaming Moe” drinks, earlier known as the “Flaming Homer”. His bar/pub is packed whereas before it was only a few drunkards that spent their time and money with him, even if they were there every day and supported him through the hard times. Homer is attempting to express his displeasure by telling Moe he just lost a customer, but Moe can’t hear him over the sound of the constantly ringing cash register and mutlitude of other customers at his now happening joint. Cut to a dejected man alone outside while everyone else is having a great time inside. FIN
04/08/2009 at 21:51 Vinraith says:
@Funky Badger – Sadly I can only be baited for so long before I crack. It’s a character flaw.
@Markoff – The fan boys will never give credit to the boycott for motivating anything. They’ll claim, regardless of circumstances or evidence, that Valve (kind and loving gods that they are) would have done everything they’ll do between now and L4D2′s launch with or without the criticism.
Regardless, this isn’t going to change any minds. The boycotters feel they were promised significantly more than this, the fan boys feel that no one was really promised anything and will buy whatever Valve puts in a box regardless of how they’re treated.
04/08/2009 at 21:54 Vinraith says:
Oh, and that Flaming Moe analogy is spot on for how I feel as well, I’ll have to remember that.
04/08/2009 at 21:58 Satchel Jones says:
Pills here!!!
04/08/2009 at 22:03 lilgamefreek says:
@Duoae:
Like people said, they originally intended for cut scenes to connect the campaigns together, playing an intro before each one (like the opening cinematic all ready in the game). This was cut because this forced people to sit through the intro and veteran players quickly got tired of it.
04/08/2009 at 22:26 Mad Doc MacRae says:
I wish I had gotten to this thread first so I could’ve done something cool like posting “how dare Valve charge for this!”. Oh well, I’ll still get to enjoy new content.
04/08/2009 at 22:26 invisiblejesus says:
Vinraith may not be the most diplomatic guy, but he’s no more antagonistic than the people he’s responding to. And he’s right, the only reason the boycott even came up was that people started complaining about it. Knowing that there are regulars here who are boycotting. That’s a far sight more trollish than anything Vinraith’s done here.
Anyway, awesome news, I like new stuff. I also think it’s worth rereading the exact wording of Valve’s announcement; they say the update contains a co-op campaign and survival maps, but that it’s primary goal is to deliver a 30 minute versus experience. At no point did they say that was all going to be done using the exact same maps. Given Valve’s penchant for vague press releases, I wouldn’t make any assumptions just yet as to how much or how little content this is going to contain. It might be more than we think, it might not.
It’s also interesting that it’s going to be free on the PC but cost money on the 360; I’m in no way particularly fond of sticking it to the console players, but it does show that Valve is willing to use a different pricing model for the two platforms. That raises interesting possibilities regarding the pricing of L4D2.
04/08/2009 at 22:35 The Colonel says:
Good news, but shouldn’t they really be concentrating on the sequel? There was a hilarious AIM at the Thinkposium last year who kept on yelling stuff about Eve Online. Maybe we should air them in public a bit more?
04/08/2009 at 22:36 The Colonel says:
Also the tagline “Crashing will be easiest thing they do today” is unbelievably bad. Change it, please!
04/08/2009 at 22:44 jonfitt says:
I like killing zombies. Who else likes killing zombies?
04/08/2009 at 22:46 Vinraith says:
@jonfitt
Too right. Zombie killing is a good thing, new content is a good thing, I’m sure everyone can agree on that much.
04/08/2009 at 22:46 John Walker says:
Everyone, give it a rest. Any more posts discussing a fight that people aren’t even having will get deleted. Stop provoking each other.
04/08/2009 at 22:49 Scandalon says:
New content: Yay.
Wishing I actually had some people to play L4D with. I played it like three times (single-player) after buying it on sale, haven’t touched it since.
04/08/2009 at 22:53 Scandalon says:
The Colonel – Hear hear! We won’t stand for cheesy taglines in a game, modeled after (oftentimes cheesy) zombie movies, that itself is knowingly cheesy and doesn’t take itself too seriously. ;)
04/08/2009 at 22:55 Vinraith says:
@invisiblejesus
My understanding is that Microsoft pretty much requires DLC on their console to carry a price. Somehow Valve managed to work around that with the Survival Pack, but presumably they’ve been unable to perform the same magic with this (or possibly that deal was contingent on future DLC carrying a price tag, who knows?).
I agree that while I have no use for FPS’s on consoles it doesn’t seem reasonable that console players should get stuck with a $7 bill for something that’s free for us. They’re already getting hosed/hosing themselves by not having access to community made content.
Oh, and thanks for the support, I’ll be the first to admit I irritate far too easily when I’m being actively baited. I’ll endeavor to keep it in better check.
04/08/2009 at 23:00 Vinraith says:
@Scandalon
One thing I’d really love to see, either retconned into L4D1 or failing that in L4D2 (hell, this is something that’d gurantee I’d buy L4D2, everything else be damned) is better allied AI that’s capable of taking basic orders. Frequently I can only find 2 friends online to play with, and we find ourselves either having to carry an AI or a random stranger. None of us is overwhelmed by either option, but the friendly AI will systematically ruin any strategy one takes because it simply will not stay where you want it to. Something as simple as a “stay here” order would be invaluable, for all that more sophisticated options would be nice.
04/08/2009 at 23:01 Paul Moloney says:
It jumped back into L4D after a long time away, and I admit it’s a bit annoying how many of the maps have known exploits. And unless you play the game with friends, you either have to go looking for a game where they’re aren’t using exploits or tag along.
04/08/2009 at 23:17 invisiblejesus says:
@Vinraith: I’m aware of how 360 DLC works, I wasn’t supporting putting the screws to XBoxers. Beyond that I don’t wanna get into it and add to the boycotters vs. non-boycotters flames.
04/08/2009 at 23:19 Heliocentric says:
Got deleted being moderate. Eh… I also said something like, “i am excited for this content” so i guess that’ll do.
As an aside, who expects l4d learning in episode 3? Picture it a rush of antlions or something beautifully animating over rough terrain and thus the game can have non linear\wide open maps because the pace generated by the enemies keeps up.
04/08/2009 at 23:20 invisiblejesus says:
By the way, anyone have any idea what they mean by a “recharge timer for infected teammates”? I don’t follow.
04/08/2009 at 23:23 Starky says:
You know, I’d love Valve even more if one of them just came out and flat out said
“You know what, enough of this crap, no more free updates, you buy the game that is what you get, we might do paid DLC – some may think that we’re biting the hand that feeds us, but you know what, I think we’ve been feeding you just as much and you’ve bitten us plenty.
Also, you know what? We know you’ll still buy our games, you know you’ll still buy our games, and we both know why – Because we make good, if not great games – You get more value out of our games than almost anything else on the market, and we still gave you more, and you still complained. So no more.
Think left for dead 2 is too short? Don’t but it – A quick look at our left for dead stats shows the average player got more than 50 hours gameplay out of it [or whatever]… plenty value.”
Or you know, something along those lines.
Then again maybe it’s just me that wishes Devs and community managers would get a bit more blunt and less apologetic with complainers.
As Yahtzee so eloquently puts it, “Fans are clingy complaining dipshits who will never be grateful for any concession you make. The moment you shut out their shrill tremulous voices the happier you’ll be for it.”
04/08/2009 at 23:26 CMaster says:
Yay, more L4D content. Especially drop in versus – might fill the hole that survival aimed for, yet completely failed to satisfy.
Here’s hoping they do a “community maps” styles thing with it too, like they did with TF2.
I don’t think its at all implausible to suggest that this is Valve trying to placate their fanbase after being caught aback (much like game journo types were) by the reaction to the L4D2 announcement. I also don’t think if true this is in any way a bad thing. It shows that Valve do understand and care that their reputation helps them sell games and that they have to put work in to maintain that repuation.
04/08/2009 at 23:35 Corbeau says:
Well, if this is any good, then it’ll shut up THIS boycott member. My complaint all along is that they went back on their promise of new campaigns as L4D DLC, so if they fulfill their promise then I can’t really complain can I?
04/08/2009 at 23:41 Y3k-Bug says:
I’ll play this, and in likelihood enjoy it, but it being about half the length of a regular campaign does make me think it was made solely as a response to the sequel backlash.
04/08/2009 at 23:42 Gutter says:
What? The L4D episodes are supposed to have a logical story behind them?
I though they were just made like action movies independent from each other, I never realized that it was a continuity.
Thats weird.
Also, 30 minutes to finish the new map? It will be only 1 map, not an 5 map episode? I wont spend 7$ for 30 minutes…
04/08/2009 at 23:50 JKjoker says:
this sounds like a thing they put together in 5 minutes with l4d2 left overs in the hope of shutting ppl screaming about the lack of content up
04/08/2009 at 23:56 Danzeru says:
Yay, yay and more yayness! To be honest a versus game that lasts half an hour will fill a niche that L4D needs to fill in its options for the player, gearing itself to a more pick up and play mindset. Cool.
05/08/2009 at 00:03 Bobic says:
If it’s valve news, it’s good news
05/08/2009 at 00:07 yutt says:
CMaster you make a good point. A less cynical version of my own opinion, I suppose.
I would like to voice my dislike that at the same time Valve has been taking groups of journalists to private screenings of the game, buttering them up for positive PR. I also dislike that game journalists seem to either be complicit or oblivious to this apparent conflict of interests.
If I were invited to Valve’s offices and got to hang out for a few days with the hardworking, friendly, passionate folks designing these games, I certainly would have a more difficult time being vocally critical.
That doesn’t mean we don’t need independent, tenacious, heartless critics. We need them more than ever. I think that is why Yahztee is so popular. He provides a carthartic release for consumers who have had to deal with paying $60 for mediocre and terrible games they were recommended by gutless, merciful reviewers.
I want to know how *terrible* a game is, and why I should spend my hard earned money on it anyway despite its many obvious flaws.
Sorry… tangential rant. :\
05/08/2009 at 00:12 jalf says:
I think they mentioned in the developer commentary that they originally planned on having the continuity between the movies, but they dropped the idea because it discouraged testers. (“Yaaay, rescue is here, bam, chopper gets shot down, and you start on the next episode”)
It’s been a while since I played through the commentary, but I’m pretty sure they even mentioned they had the cutscene and everything for when you finished No Mercy (iirc, it originally ended with the pilot turning out to be infected)
They preferred to end the campaign on a happy note, with the survivors actually getting rescued.
Don’t know why they changed their minds. (The cynical part of me suggests that perhaps they just needed a quick fix to appease angry L4D customers — and picked up one of the almost-completed ideas they were bouncing around before release.)
You mean like… my dad can beat up your dad?
05/08/2009 at 00:17 John Walker says:
yutt – all developers show their games pre-release to journalists in private. Valve just sits you in front of the game until you’re done.
However, unlike many companies, Valve has allowed the public to play the same content at both E3 and ComicCon.
The reason the coverage has been positive is because the game is very good. There is no conspiracy.
05/08/2009 at 00:27 DarkNoghri says:
New content, yay!
On the other hand, I almost don’t care at this point. All I want from Valve is a ginormous patch full of bugfixes. I’m sick and tired of vomiting/exploding on people and not having it connect. Of pouncing through people. The list goes on. Please fix the bugs. Gah.
On the other other hand, I saw this brought up at Shacknews, but not here in my quick scan of the comments: Are those MP5s that Louis and Bill are holding?
05/08/2009 at 00:52 Tei says:
I want to make a comeback to L4D, hope this make it :-)
05/08/2009 at 00:53 Kieron Gillen says:
Also: I’ve had sex with John’s mum, and I don’t feel bad about saying she was terrible in bed. We’re hard, us.
EDIT: Except when John’s mum, as she’s so bad. But not as bad as John is a healer.
KG
05/08/2009 at 00:56 Larington says:
Hate to say it but its become somewhat unlikely that I’ll be buying the sequel, purely because with the original I’ve already ‘had my fill’ and I’m ready to move onto other things. This is really the fault of either of the games of course, just that regardless of how polished the experience might be, I’m not going to be in the mood for another zombie shooter for a while.
I suppose that puts me in the “wheres HL2, Ep3 plskthx?” camp.
05/08/2009 at 00:57 Larington says:
Doh, I meant to say This isn’t really the fault of either of the games. Proof reading defeats me once more.
05/08/2009 at 01:00 Gabanski83 says:
Scandalon: I shall play L4D with you! Add me on Steam: banski83
05/08/2009 at 01:35 Leeks! says:
Hooray! If these rumors about L4D2 acting as a platform for all L4D content are true, that makes me feel like releasing an oh-so-similar sequel so soon after the first game is a much less cynical move on Valve’s part. For some reason.
05/08/2009 at 01:58 Vinraith says:
@invisiblejesus
I think my post must have conveyed a tone that wasn’t intended. I certainly wasn’t under the illusion that you approved of MS shafting it’s console base, and indeed thought I was agreeing with and elaborating on your post.
05/08/2009 at 02:02 Oak says:
“Episode Three Canceled; Ricochet: Source Due Q1 2010″
05/08/2009 at 02:25 Gorgeras says:
Calling the attendees at E3 and Comic-Con *in America* ‘the public’ is a tad disingenuous. They are not the public: they are the biggest fans, except they are not the biggest fans. They are the most optimistic and deluded fans, plus journalists. They can’t be trusted to eviscerate a bad game unless it looks really ugly.
So when will the RPS/PCG team start actually being critical? The evidence that Valve are not actually going to keep to their word, that this new ‘campaign’ is tiny and irrelevant and Tom Francis has spent the last 2 and a half years basically writing the longest job application in the world with his unbroken chain of praise for a company that is not what it once was is all so painfully obvious to anyone with a bit of a consumer conscience.
And yes I would love Valve to say “screw you” and cease with the charade that they are The Best developer and admit they are no longer as different from EA and Ubisoft as they used to be. Let them set to flame what good-will they still get from the useful idiots that claim black is white, up is down and Valve gave us a good deal with Left4Dead; half a game, saturated with balance issues, bugs and exploits sold as a full price game, justified on the basis of real future content updates.
05/08/2009 at 02:40 invisiblejesus says:
@Vinraith: No worries, I was probably being overly prickly anyway. I should likely just stop reading L4D-related comment threads, they’re a waste of time.
05/08/2009 at 02:41 Elman says:
Sequel? Are you guys talking about the expansion? (It’ll better come with HL2 Ep3 if they want my money)
Aaaanyway, it’s nice to hear this. And about time, too. I was thinking of playing some of those user-made campaigns this summer, so this should be good.
05/08/2009 at 03:00 Psychopomp says:
@Kieron
Excuse me, what?
05/08/2009 at 03:02 Vinraith says:
@invisiblejesus
I know how you feel. Honestly I’d probably be better off if I did the same.
05/08/2009 at 03:49 Hybrid says:
More L4D? YES PLEASE!
05/08/2009 at 05:30 Wooly says:
Gorgeras says: “And yes I would love Valve to say “screw you” and cease with the charade that they are The Best developer and admit they are no longer as different from EA and Ubisoft as they used to be. Let them set to flame what good-will they still get from the useful idiots that claim black is white, up is down and Valve gave us a good deal with Left4Dead; half a game, saturated with balance issues, bugs and exploits sold as a full price game, justified on the basis of real future content updates.”
LOL. Angry Internet Men, indeed!
On another note, will this DLC include Gabe’s Gibs? :D
05/08/2009 at 05:33 Girlcott says:
Love Zoey’s cynical looking little smirk in the poster.
05/08/2009 at 06:31 Lobotomist says:
Bit to late for this. Valve should have announced new L4D DLC. And than down the line announce L4D2.
But they botched it. Shown that company has evolved into poor decision making and overly greedy corporation.
But that happens when companies grow.
Its not any more a question of boycotting L4D2. You really must be somehow addicted, and dumb to buy that “Same game spin of same game” when you already have the same game installed
05/08/2009 at 07:09 tapanister says:
Man, first they make Francis look like Chuck Liddell, and now Louis looks a bit like Anderson Silva in that poster. Coincidence?
05/08/2009 at 07:28 sigma83 says:
Cheesiness has been a hallmark of all the L4D posters. I love it!
05/08/2009 at 09:23 pignoli says:
This will only encourage me and the folks I regularly play with to play NM back to back with DT and this in between them. I can’t decide if this is a good thing or a bad one, either way, I see a lot of late nights coming in September…
05/08/2009 at 09:26 Stupoider says:
“You really must be somehow addicted, and dumb to buy that “Same game spin of same game” when you already have the same game installed”
Or you trust Valve. Which many people do. Valve make great games. :> I certainly haven’t been disappointed yet.
05/08/2009 at 09:32 [21CW] 2000AD says:
As someone who has friends on both the “woot L4D2!” and “OMG Boycott!!” sides I feel I’ll be getting the best of both worlds when L4D4 comes out.
I’ll be having fun and making new friends in L4D2 while going old school in L4D1 with the some of the same guys that made the game fun for me.
On top of that it looks like Valve is keeping up with their numerous statements of keeping on updating L4D1, even after L4D2 comes out, so 2 well supported games to play, both with at least a decent community.
05/08/2009 at 09:34 [21CW] 2000AD says:
^^I meant L4D2, not L4D4, dang numbers for words thing^^
05/08/2009 at 09:36 Archonsod says:
I’m boycotting L4D2 for two reasons. First, the original game got boring after around two hours and secondly, the abbreviation sounds like a Star Wars droid.
05/08/2009 at 09:51 jRides says:
@ Psychopomp
My thoughts exactly. Although I would have added more ?’s, but then I’m a sucker for plentiful ?’s.
05/08/2009 at 10:19 Major Disaster says:
invisiblejesus
Can see anyone answered on the Recharge Timer question, I understand this will be a timer shown to the infected team so they can see how long till the Boomer can “reboom” and the smoker “resmoke”.
05/08/2009 at 12:05 JKjoker says:
@yutt: i agree with you 100%, cocksucking reviews are useless no matter how good the game is, i want to hear the flaws, i want to hear how it works with the minimum system reqs and the recommended ones, i want to hear how many bugs they count in 30 minutes, etc
in Valve’s case is even worse since “journalists” seem predisposed to ask them to have their baby (i dont understand why, maybe they give really good coffee…)
we are playing roulette with our money here and nobody gives us any good info (officially) to make an informed decision, gaming blogs sometimes help, but sadly youll to see the same trend with Valve as with “journalists” (again, the coffee must be awesome)
05/08/2009 at 13:11 MonkeyMonster says:
Sorry, too busy still chuckling at KG’s post to put more wood on the fire.
05/08/2009 at 14:08 Psychopomp says:
“You really must be somehow addicted, and dumb to buy that “Same game spin of same game” when you already have the same game installed”
SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH ME, THEY MUST BE A MORON.
Get off it, asshole.
05/08/2009 at 14:52 yutt says:
@John Walker
I think you misunderstand me. And realize I am an RTS reader because I feel you folks are less likely to succumb to these influences.
I don’t think there is a conspiracy. Certainly there isn’t, we all know how this works. Journalists get taken on free vacations, get to play pre-released games, listen to the idealistic design goals direct from the creators, hang out with them and play LAN games with them for a few days, get beta access, trinkets, free food and booze – and then come back and tell the reader, “Oh no Sir! Certainly none of that affected my perception of the game!”
And then they give Fallout 3 100% rating while many people are *still* not even able to play the game due to crippling bugs.
It just frustrates me to no end. I understand being games journalists you have a stake in defending this system, but it is obvious to a consumer that it is shady and designed to turn objective journalists into giddy PR machines.
05/08/2009 at 14:54 Gorgeras says:
When someone doesn’t assume a position and simply considers them, then anyone that disagrees with them IS a moron: there’s nothing to disagree with.
Attempts to actually find out what made Valve and the anti-boycotters think the sequel was a good idea have been fruitless and the boycott exists largely because of the absence of answers. The boycott has made clear exactly what it would take to change their mind; can’t say Valve nor the Malignant Militia have done the same.
05/08/2009 at 14:58 TCM says:
Boycotters and Anti-Boycotters all sound the same to me: “BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW”
05/08/2009 at 15:12 yutt says:
RPS* Yikes.
05/08/2009 at 15:16 Psychopomp says:
@Gorge
We’ve said time and time again why we’re okay with the sequel, and all we get from folks like you is “lol ur dum,” with better spelling and grammar.
Like I said, get off it, asshole.
I don’t mind people not buying the game, I do mind people insulting the intelligence of the other side *just because the disagree.*
05/08/2009 at 16:29 Kieron Gillen says:
Gorgeas: San Diego comicon is just a big mass media event. It’s a straight cross-section of mainstream geek culture. Moreso: you didn’t even have to have a ticket to play the L4Dead2 stuff, as EA’s stand was outside the hall. Anyone could walk up and play who fancied it.
Yutt: Yet somehow Fallout 3 still managed to win all these game of year awards from readers everywhere.
(The question I’d want to ask Valve is *why* they made those comments in interviews. That’s the interesting thing to me. They’re so off-the-cuff rather than STATEMENTS! that I want to know what was ticking inside ‘em)
KG
05/08/2009 at 16:41 Psychopomp says:
You know what else is buggy?
Fallout and Fallout 2.
05/08/2009 at 16:50 TCM says:
Fallout 2 especially.
05/08/2009 at 17:50 Tien Hock Loh says:
WooHoo… Free for PC, paid for 360, that’s what makes me proud to be a PC gamer instead of a console gamer!!! :)
05/08/2009 at 20:33 A-Scale says:
I hope it’s a bit bigger/more diverse than the last DLC pack. That one only got me to play for an additional day or so.
06/08/2009 at 10:52 Malibu Stacey says:
I want the moon on a stick.
06/08/2009 at 12:08 Gorgeras says:
Kieron; well I knew that, it doesn’t touch on my point that those attending are among the least likely to be critical of something that really needs criticising unless it looks absolutely awful.
Could go some way to explaining why early hi-res images of games also seem to have a way higher poly-count and look better than the finished product(Neverwinter Nights, Prototype).
Psychochomp is aware that all anyone has to is link to the Boycott front page here http://steamcommunity.com/groups/L4D2boycott to show someone what the broad view of most Boycotters is and what would change their minds. There is no such thing for the anti-boycotters and simply stating that they in fact have explained what would change their minds doesn’t do a damn thing to demonstrate that it’s true.
06/08/2009 at 12:20 Kieron Gillen says:
Gorgeras: You’re backpeddling. You said calling the public at Comicon the public is disingenuous. It’s not. They’re just the public. The public is simply more forgiving than you are, which is shown in things like the surveys showing L4Dead is the new-franchise game where people say they’re most likely to buy the sequel.
That’s not to dismiss the opinions – and variety of opinions – of people who do have problems with this. But the idea that they’re the not-so-silent majority is simply wrong.
KG
06/08/2009 at 12:27 DK says:
“You said calling the public at Comicon the public is disingenuous. It’s not. They’re just the public. The public is simply more forgiving than you are, which is shown in things like the surveys showing L4Dead is the new-franchise game where people say they’re most likely to buy the sequel.”
They’re hardly a good representation of the public.
It’s a US event, which not only gives it a strong console slant but also by defintion means it’s a small subsection of the general playerbase.
06/08/2009 at 12:28 CMaster says:
@gutter, @Jalf:
The sound files for the cutscene between No Mercy and Death Toll are in the L4D paks, you can listen to it if you like. Personally however, I prefer to think of the 4 different campaigns as 4 different “what if”s – depending on where the survivors lived. The idea of being rescued then dropped back in, then rescued, then dropped back in and having to start over and over again (in terms of difficulty and armament) just seems pretty damn silly.
Then again, I also think “boycotting” L4D2 is pretty silly. While I am a little dissapointed in Valve, I’ll choose whether or not to buy L4D2 on it’s own merits (and on my opinion of how well it will be supported) at the time. It also depends of course on if friends get it – and to be honest, already having L4D, Borderlands looks like something we are far more likley to all go out and buy. Assuming it’s actually fun to play that is.
06/08/2009 at 12:41 Noc says:
@DK: I’m not sure how the point that a given sample of the public has a “strong console slant” is supposed to invalidate a favorable impression of a PC game.
I mean, if we were talking about, say, why a nice PC strategy title didn’t show too well at Comiccon? That’d make sense, because it’d be catering to a market that wasn’t necessarily in attendance.
But the argument that “Well of COURSE people liked the game at Comiccon, it’s in a country where . . . people . . . like . . . games” doesn’t make a terrible amount of sense.
06/08/2009 at 12:45 Noc says:
Also, I assume SD Comiccon has a pretty wide international audience, as well. Since it’s by no means a small event, and it’s not like half of the Americans going to it don’t have to fly in from the East coast.
I’m trying to find numbers on international attendance at the moment, but a cursory Google isn’t coming up with anything useful.
06/08/2009 at 12:47 Noc says:
[Ack, I meant "NICHE PC strategy title." Which makes a little more sense.]
06/08/2009 at 15:47 Gorgeras says:
Again Kieron, you’ve neither pointed out something inaccurate in what I said nor managed to explain how your description of Comic-Con in terms that imply I don’t know what it is means those who attend are in fact representative of the public.
If Valve want to do EA-esque franchise games and cater to the kind of masochists fighting against their own interests as consumers on the Steam forums right now, they are welcome. They should at least stop pretending they are something better though and games journalists should too and actually start showing some teeth. Yahtzee seems to be on his own.
06/08/2009 at 17:20 Kieron Gillen says:
Gorgeas: When you can explain how the public isn’t the public, feel free to come back and lecture me.
KG
06/08/2009 at 23:26 Gorgeras says:
I believe my ‘lecture’ started in response to John Walker’s claim that ‘the public’ has had access to the same content as journalists do in private and that nice things are being said about it because it is really good.
I’m fairly sure that if I played a new game at a large gathering with noise, pretty stage management, huddled masses and mini-celebrities(and major-celebrities), I would have a very distorted view of what I experience compared to a sober saturday morning at home with my pyjamas still on.
Maybe it was a mistake to suggest the public at events are not the same as the public in general, but I’ll stand by it for now because there are people that like their happy natural highs too much and viewing everything through the rainbow prism of big shows means they will not be representative.
Left4Dead was Valve’s weakest game, coincidently their best commercial success on consoles and I expect the sequel will be very much the same. A not-small number of people that were anticipating the release expressed such disappointment. I doubt show-goers would do the same and in that show environment even fairly pessimistic players like myself would not have noticed the issues.
I’m at the Great Yorkshire Show every year. I have no interest in agriculture and only go for the bargains on clothes, cakes and caramel shortcake. But they sure know how to get you as excited about agriculture as the non-representative ‘public’ that are like that most of the time.
06/08/2009 at 23:43 Kieron Gillen says:
What you mean “it wasn’t shown to an audience of people who are just like me in some manner of play-at-home beta”. You should have said that, man, and I’d have never had jumped you.
The idea that bad games don’t get stomped on a show floor is ludicrous. If your argument held any water whatsoever, all anyone would hear from any show where games are shown is that all games are, in fact, awesome. Considering the amount of XYZ looks like shit you *do* get, we can assume it’s not true.
You have made me hungry for Caramel Shortcake.
KG
06/08/2009 at 23:54 Psychopomp says:
@Kieron
THEY MAKE THAT?
07/08/2009 at 00:12 Gorgeras says:
I never said that bad games don’t get ‘stomped’ on a show floor; I qualified this statement with “unless they look awful” and I’m going to go out on a limb and say those that are receive criticism at shows mostly do so based on aesthetics rather than content. The situation changes when a person plays something on their own in a hum-drum location.
07/08/2009 at 16:26 Guido says:
You might be interested to see that the prediction you made about people being pissed about getting free stuff for free came true:
http://fidgit.com/archives/2009/08/left_4_dead_loses_its_touch_fo.php
That guy is pissed about the campaign’s name and will sign Valve boycotts because of that.
I don’t have words :P