Topic: Server Babble - Left 4 Dead

[mentok1982]

New stuff coming soon for Left 4 Dead:
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/56541

Though details are light, Faliszek confirmed that the upcoming download will bring new scenarios, as "what we want to do is just deliver more content you can play at this point." These new scenarios will be released on the "[Xbox] 360 at the same time as the PC," instead of receiving a later Xbox 360 release a la Valve's Team Fortress 2.

Along with the "new stuff," the download will bring Versus support to the Dead Air and Death Toll campaigns, a move that will finally allow players to experience all four of the game's campaigns in the competitive mode.

"New stuff" + Dead Air and Death Toll VS = WIN!

[nanaki254]

maybe we can play as a normal zombie while we wait for spawn x]

[kerchief]

They already said no to that, Red, because they don't want regular infected doing smart things.

[nanaki254]

aww..maybe a third starting weapon?

[ORANGEKID]

This "new stuff" intrigues me quite a bit, besides having the rest of the maps included in vs, there are a lot of possibilities for the game.

Don't know why I feel like bringing this up but I found I video from the Demo days of Left 4 Dead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juxAL3D2EqE

If you ever used the "exploit" that allowed you to play as the infected during the demo, apparently Hunters had a "non-pounce" long jump that gave them some extra mobility. You can see the same thing in this video when it still worked in the demo. Not that I believe the most badass zombie class needs an even greater advantage, but it's damn annoying to have to charge up a pounce just to reach a slightly higher ledge that you can't climb up to. But it seems the AI Hunter still has ability to long jump without pouncing.
Valve made so many changes when playing the Hunter, the Hunter used to have the long jump, an invisibility ability, regeneration of health, and a pounce that was more of an arc.

Smoker's had the ability to poison a survivor's health, the amount of poisoning depending on how long the person has been grabbed. But I guess this concept was dropped.

Wait....where am I going with this?

[mentok1982]

I can has Left 4 Dead fun time with you tonight? 

[ORANGEKID]

A very large patch has been added to Left 4 Dead, the changes are as listed.

General

    * Fixed Survivors being able to climb surfaces marked for versus infected only
    * Fixed a class of SurvivorBot bugs dealing with rescuing downed players
    * Players can no longer grab ladders while flying through the air after a Tank punch
    * Shooting near a car with an alarm that has already fired the alarm will no longer make chirping noises
    * Improved loading time
    * Fixed mini-gun physics exploit
    * Fixed propane tanks (and other physics objects) causing players to fall through elevators
    * Fixed rare achievement bug issues
    * Fixed several map exploits
    * Fixed various match making issues
    * Fixed NAT traversal issues


Versus Changes

    * Added HUD elements to show status of other infected players
    * Changed color of infected player name in chat to red
    * Fixed exploit where players could spawn infected bots
    * Fixed instance where a Survivor changing to the infected team would be attacked by infected bots
    * Normalized special infected melee damage
    * Made the following client commands cheat protected: "Kill" and "explode"
    * Fixed exploit where infected players could run away and teleport back to gain health
    * Players can only change teams once per map
    * Players can't change teams while other players are still loading
    * Tank spawns at the same % through the map for both teams in versus mode
    * Made the Tank and Witch spawn directly on the escape route
    * Increased chance of getting the Tank or Witch
    * Fixed team swap issue


Hunter

    * Easier to pounce a Survivor who is meleeing
    * Increased Minimum damage a Hunter pounce does


Smoker

    * Fixed Smoker tongue tolerance
    * Smoker now has to be killed or the tongue destroyed for the tongue to break
    * Survivors cannot bash someone off the tongue until the Survivor being pulled is paralyzed or hanging
    * Tongue attacks that fail to paralyze or hang a Survivor will use the shorter ability delay timer
    * Fixed cases where the ability timer was not using the correct time
    * Fixed case where you could point at a Survivor but not register a tongue hit
    * Fixed Smoker tongue not targeting and landing properly through PZ ghosts
    * Smoker tongue does damage every second while dragging paralyzed Survivors


Tank

    * Bashable objects now appear with a red glow
    * Tanks hitting a car with an alarm disables the alarm permanently
    * Tank frustration timer is only reset by hitting Survivors with rocks or fists
    * Reduced autoshotgun damage against Tanks


Witch

    * Witch spawns at the same % through the map for both teams
    * Avoids spawning within a certain % of the tank
    * Fixed an exploit where the Witch could be woken up and tricked into attacking Survivors

[bad easy]

I can has Left 4 Dead fun time with you tonight? 

tried, but you were all up with the CP folks and some other dudes.  full versus server makes BE a sad panda.

i'll be holing up in my apartment tonight, eager to try out the new update.

[mentok1982]

tried, but you were all up with the CP folks and some other dudes.  full versus server makes BE a sad panda.

i'll be holing up in my apartment tonight, eager to try out the new update.

Yeah I know. We are getting ready for the podcast. We are recording on the 24th.
I will make a point to get you in the game the next time we play.

[bad easy]

Yeah I know. We are getting ready for the podcast. We are recording on the 24th.
I will make a point to get you in the game the next time we play.

why thank you.  i really expected to play last night, but Dave and Caluub sucked me into seeding the TF2 server as soon as i got home from work.

[ORANGEKID]

Left 4 Dead

    * Fixed an exploit with melee where swapping weapons ignored the intended delay between swings.
    * In Versus mode, the Tanks' health now reflects the damage he takes from burning.
    * Fixed an exploit related to the "joinclass" command

[nanaki254]

Left 4 Dead

    * Fixed an exploit with melee where swapping weapons ignored the intended delay between swings.
    * In Versus mode, the Tanks' health now reflects the damage he takes from burning.
    * Fixed an exploit related to the "joinclass" command

didn't they show the Tank's health when he was burning in the previous patch?

[ORANGEKID]

Left 4 Dead Critic's Choice Edition, DLC and SDK Details Revealed
February 5, 2009, 10:47 am - Alden Kroll - Press Release

Valve's Zombie Thriller Expanding In 2009

February 5, 2008 — Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress, and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced a series of content and development releases for its latest title, 2008's best-selling new game property for the PC and Xbox 360, Left 4 Dead (L4D).

The first L4D DLC — dubbed the L4D Survival Pack -- is due for release this spring and introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode . A Critic's Choice Edition of the game will be heading to retail stores this spring, and will include access to all the content introduced in the L4D: Survival Pack.

In addition, for PC gamers and aspiring developers, the first Left 4 Dead release for the Source Software Development Kit (Source SDK) will allow the creation of custom Left 4 Dead campaigns that will be discoverable via L4D's matchmaking system. The SDK update is also due for release this spring, and is free of charge to all owners of L4D on the PC.

"Since Half-Life launched in 1998, Valve has made continuous efforts to expand the offering of its products beyond what's included on the day of launch," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "With Half-Life and Counter-Strike, and more recently Team Fortress 2, we've learned that we're no longer making stand-alone games but creating entertainment services. With Left 4 Dead we're extending that tradition by creating additional gameplay and releasing our internal tools to aspiring developers so they may also create and distribute new Left 4 Dead experiences."

Left 4 Dead is a survival action game from Valve that blends the social entertainment experience of multiplayer games such as Counter-Strike and Team Fortress with the dramatic, narrative experience made popular in single player action game classics such as the Half-Life series of games. Released in November of 2008, L4D has earned over 25 industry awards from outlets around the world.

For more information, please visit www.l4d.com

[nanaki254]

how much is the DLC or is it free?

Nvm, Found out the PC one is free .. i think

[ORANGEKID]

There was some question when we earlier announced the first downloadable content for Left 4 Dead on whether or not it would remain free as per Valve's tradition with content downloads (specifically Team Fortress 2). Valve confirmed yesterday that all content will be free.

The new downloadable content, dubbed the "Survival Pack," features a new gameplay mode ("Survival") as well as Versus Mode support for Dead Air and Death Toll. The pack is due out this Spring and a new retail edition will be shipped to stores ("Critics Choice") that includes the new content and all updates released since November.