ClovingWestbrook
Banned
When L4D2 will go live:
Tuesday, November 17th, 12:00 AM (midnight) Eastern Standard Time
* Monday, November 16th, 9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time
* Monday, November 16th, 10:00 PM Mountain Standard Time
* Monday, November 16th, 11:00 PM Central Standard Time
* Tuesday, November 17th, 12:00 AM (midnight) Eastern Standard Time
* Tuesday, November 17th, 5:00 AM Greenwich Mean Time
* Tuesday, November 17th, 8:00 AM Moscow Time
* Tuesday, November 17th, 2:00 PM Japan Standard Time
Left 4 Dead 2 is the sequel to Valve's Left 4 Dead Hit Zombie Killer
It will build upon the cooperatively focused gameplay of the original and will be using Valve's proprietary Source engine, the same game engine used in Left 4 Dead. The game made its world premiere at E3 2009 with a trailer during the Microsoft press event.
Features-
* Next generation co-op action gaming from the makers of Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress and Counter-Strike.
* Over 20 new weapons & items headlined by over 10 melee weapons axe, chainsaw, frying pan, baseball bat allow you to get up close with the zombies
* New survivors. New Story. New dialogue.
* Five expansive campaigns for co-operative, Versus and Survival game modes.
* An all new multiplayer mode.
* Uncommon common infected. Each of the five new campaigns contains at least one new uncommon common zombies which are exclusive to that campaign.
* AI Director 2.0: Advanced technology dubbed The AI Director drove L4D's unique gameplay customizing enemy population, effects, and music, based upon the players performance. L4D 2 features The AI Director 2.0 which expands the Directors ability to customize level layout, world objects, weather, and lighting to reflect different times of day.
* Stats, rankings, and awards system drives collaborative play
* Will work with community maps made with the L4D1 SDK.
* A new, more powerful SDK will be included with Left 4 Dead 2. In the new kit, modders will be able to affect the weather, adjust the AIDs behavior, and more.
* Portal level designer Kim Swift is involved in the level design.
* Left 4 Dead 1 content may be included in the DVD, so that Xbox players will not have to switch DVDs to play the old content. This might also be true for PC users.
* Co-op mode, Versus mode, and Survival mode for all maps will be included at launch.
* Melee fatigue will be included, and may affect Campaign mode.
The Survivors =
Coach- (voiced by Chad Coleman), a high-school football coach with a bad knee
A high school defensive coordinator and health teacher with dreams of coaching professional football. During college, Coach was a skilled defensive lineman and intended to go pro until he had a career-ending knee injury. He's from the Savannah, GA area, and is used to dealing with (living) kids and parents. When the zombocalypse broke out, he lamented allowing himself to fall out of shape.
Coach wears a short-sleeved polymer sports polo. Originally, it was yellow and blue, but new gameplay footage shows him wearing purple and gold. He also wears khakis, white wristbands, a chrome whistle, a black belt, black shoes, and black weight-lifting gloves. Coach is overweight, and his rotund model sometimes clips weapon stocks.
Coachs booming voice is brought to you by Chad Coleman, who plays Denise "Cutty" Wise from the TV series "The Wire". His mildly scornful personality and patronizing voice lines seem to be a reflection of the paternal nature of his job, his interest in sports, and his religious leanings.
Rochelle- (voiced by Rochelle Aytes), a news reporter for a local television station
A tough-as-nails northerner from Cleveland. After graduating from Cleveland State with a degree in communications, Rochelle pursued a career as an on-air news personality, but only managed to find work as an associate producer/intern. Two months later, after an outbreak hit Atlanta, Rochelle got her big break and was sent to the evacuation center in Savannah to produce her first big segment. If only shed known that her biggest break would be out to kill her.
Rochelle wears a thin brown over-the-shirt belt and tight blue jeans. In the E3 demo and the teaser trailer, she wore a plain orange shirt, which differed from the rose-colored shirt she wears in the poster art. However, in more recent official screen shots, she can be seen wearing a rose-colored shirt with a Depeche Mode graphic.
Rochelle is voiced by Rochelle Aytes, an actress whose repertoire includes "White Chicks" and "Madeas Family Reunion". She appears to be strong-willed and can be somewhat indignant.
Ellis- (voiced by Eric Ladin), a mechanic
A smart, fun-loving, beer-loving, goofiness-loving mechanic with Southern flare. After finishing high school in his hometown of Savannah, he spurned thoughts of college, choosing instead to pursue his passion of working on cars. Ellis youthful exuberance and carefree nature allow him to remain upbeat even in the direst of situations.
Ellis wears a gray-and-white work shirt. Two crossed black-and-white checkered flags and the words "J.B.s Auto Service" are printed on the back. Ellis also wears a matching gray-and-white baseball cap with webbing in back, work boots, and a tan jumpsuit with the top half gathered around his waist.
Ellis voice actor is Eric Ladin from "Generation Kill", who voices the role with a moderate Southern accent. Ellis is the most helpful and good-natured of the group, and even his most aggressive lines only reach the point of humorous indignation. At the end of The Parish, Ellis utters the line every player has yelled into the mic at end of No Mercy at one point or another. You know which one.
A line weve heard Ellis say is that he loves horses. This makes us wonder if hes the anti-Francis, dialogue-wise.
Nick- (voiced by Hugh Dillon), a gambler and conman
A gambler, petty conman, and consummate picaresque in a purportedly expensive white suit. Nick hails from the Midwest, but hes a vagabond by nature, moving from place to place without settling down. Hes the most cynical and bitter of the Survivors, and is still trying to figure out the best angle on the recent upturn in the brain-eating market. Over time, he begins to trust and value his new compatriots.
Nick is voiced by Hugh Dillon, an actor from "Flashpoint" on CBS. As mentioned earlier, hes the most cynical and distant of the Survivors. One of the lines Nick can be heard saying is "Youre going to shoot the guy in the $10,000 suit? Come on!" This is likely an allusion to Arrested Development, where Gob has an obsession with the ever-varying price of his suits. There may be multiple unique variations of this line, each with a different price degree of emphasis. The prices weve heard so far are $2000, $3000, $6000, and $10000.
Campaigns
Left 4 Dead 2 will contain five campaigns. Statements from Valve indicate that each of the campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2 will be longer than those of the original.
1: Dead Center (DCR)
This is the only campaign that lacks gameplay footage and previews; as such, we know the least about it. The campaign has four chapters (like Swamp Fever) and takes place in Savannah, Georgia. Its the first campaign, chronologically. Based on the map filenames, the chapter names are The Hotel, The Streets, The Mall, and Atrium Finale. (Listen to soundtrack.)
The finale, which takes place in the atrium of a mall, centers on a blue Plymouth Superbird with white racing stripes and the number 22 imprinted on it. The Superbird is the escape vehicle for this campaign, and appears at the beginning of Dark Carnival, parked on the freeway.
Our guess is that the finale of Dead Center will be similar to the Scavenge game type. Survivors may have to find fuel or parts to get the Superbird running.
The finale, which takes place in the atrium of a mall, centers on a blue Plymouth Superbird with white racing stripes and the number 22 imprinted on it. The Superbird is the escape vehicle for this campaign, and appears at the beginning of Dark Carnival, parked on the freeway.
Our guess is that the finale of Dead Center will be similar to the Scavenge game type. Survivors may have to find fuel or parts to get the Superbird running.
2: Dark Carnival (DC)
Dark Carnival (see art) was first playable at PAX 09 in Seattle. After fleeing Savannah in the first campaign, Survivors hit a traffic jam and are forced to leave the highway. They reach a two-story motel, then make their way to the Whispering Oaks amusement park, where nefarious thrills await. (Listen to soundtrack.)
The first chapter begins on the highway and encompasses the motel and the path to the fairgrounds. Survivors begin right on the highway, where a huge traffic jam has thwarted their escape. They appear to have traveled in a police cruiser taken from a local sheriffs department.
The second chapter, aptly titled "The Fairgrounds", begins in a small shed outside the main entrance. The early areas of the fairgrounds include concessions like hot dogs and other food stands. Later on, Survivors will make their way through a number of courtyards, and then slide down from the top of a giant slide.
Later, Survivors will encounter a carousel, where the second chapters crescendo occurs. Survivors must activate a switch that turns on the carousel and opens a gate on the far side of the carousel. They must then fight through the ocean of undead to turn off the merry-go-round and stop the onslaught. From there, Survivors must travel a short distance to a lovers lane, where the saferoom awaits.
The finale will take place at a large concert stadium at (or near) the amusement park, where a famous rock band had been planning a concert. The Survivors must use the fireworks, lights, and speakers to signal a nearby helicopter. Apparently, stepping up to the microphone will amplify whatever the Survivors say.
There is also an optional scavenger and crescendo event. There's a guy locked up in a gun store in The Streets in Savannah, similar to Church Guy in Death Toll, and he won't let you in unless you bring him some cola. So you can go to a gas station (which will set off an alarm for a crescendo event) and everybody can grab a 6-pack of bottles and carry them back to the gun shop. But while you're carrying the bottles, you can't use any weapons or items. You bring him enough, he'll let you in... and inside the gun shop are ammo and every gun in the game.
The first chapter begins on the highway and encompasses the motel and the path to the fairgrounds. Survivors begin right on the highway, where a huge traffic jam has thwarted their escape. They appear to have traveled in a police cruiser taken from a local sheriffs department.
The second chapter, aptly titled "The Fairgrounds", begins in a small shed outside the main entrance. The early areas of the fairgrounds include concessions like hot dogs and other food stands. Later on, Survivors will make their way through a number of courtyards, and then slide down from the top of a giant slide.
Later, Survivors will encounter a carousel, where the second chapters crescendo occurs. Survivors must activate a switch that turns on the carousel and opens a gate on the far side of the carousel. They must then fight through the ocean of undead to turn off the merry-go-round and stop the onslaught. From there, Survivors must travel a short distance to a lovers lane, where the saferoom awaits.
The finale will take place at a large concert stadium at (or near) the amusement park, where a famous rock band had been planning a concert. The Survivors must use the fireworks, lights, and speakers to signal a nearby helicopter. Apparently, stepping up to the microphone will amplify whatever the Survivors say.
There is also an optional scavenger and crescendo event. There's a guy locked up in a gun store in The Streets in Savannah, similar to Church Guy in Death Toll, and he won't let you in unless you bring him some cola. So you can go to a gas station (which will set off an alarm for a crescendo event) and everybody can grab a 6-pack of bottles and carry them back to the gun shop. But while you're carrying the bottles, you can't use any weapons or items. You bring him enough, he'll let you in... and inside the gun shop are ammo and every gun in the game.
3: Swamp Fever (SF)
The third campaign will be a nighttime mission that takes place in a muddy bayou somewhere between Savannah and New Orleans. A train wreck forces the Survivors to travel through a bayoua patchwork of marshes and small rivers. Swamp Fever only has four chapters, but Valve has said that playtesting shows that it takes roughly the same amount of time as a full-sized campaign. The first chapter will be the first starting chapter with a crescendo.
The terrain varies between solid ground and wet marshland with human settlements intertwixed amidst the natural scenery. Muddy swamps dominate the landscape, appearing almost everywhere. The mire is less vegetated, making it easier to spot some Infected, but some other Infected (namely, Mud Men) may be harder to spot. Moving through the mud also slows Survivors and Infected slightly.
The area includes a crescendo which begins by lowering a ramp. The walls of the shanty buildings can be broken, creating dangerous Smoker pulls. OXM had previously suggested that players might meet NPC survivors in this shanty town, but the gameplay videos and a new preview by IGN seem to discredit this notion.
Another area features groves of trees on damp ground mixed with some deeper swampland. In these areas, special rewards can be found by looking for landmarks. For instance, a pilot dangling from a tree by his parachute could mean that supplies can be found below.
Elsewhere, players will encounter a crashed plane. The right-side overwing exit door must be opened to pass it. Opening the door triggers a traditional crescendo event.
Along the way, players will encounter a crashed plane. The right-side overwing exit door must be opened to pass it. Opening the door triggers a traditional crescendo event.
The finale, done in the style of the original, takes place at a giant plantation house, where Survivors await rescue by a fishing boat. The first floor balcony of the plantation house will feature a new kind of mounted gun that does not overheat, but has limited ammunition. We dont know if this gun is distinct from the M2HB found near the end of The Parish.
The AI Director will have a big role in this area. Many paths will be randomized (or at least procedurally controlled) instead of being predetermined. Also, the area will have dynamic weather conditions controlled by the AI Director. Chet has mentioned in a number of interviews that the AID can suddenly create heavy rain conditions, limiting visibility, similar to the cornfields of BH5. Survivors will not be able to see each others outlines in the rain.
The terrain varies between solid ground and wet marshland with human settlements intertwixed amidst the natural scenery. Muddy swamps dominate the landscape, appearing almost everywhere. The mire is less vegetated, making it easier to spot some Infected, but some other Infected (namely, Mud Men) may be harder to spot. Moving through the mud also slows Survivors and Infected slightly.
The area includes a crescendo which begins by lowering a ramp. The walls of the shanty buildings can be broken, creating dangerous Smoker pulls. OXM had previously suggested that players might meet NPC survivors in this shanty town, but the gameplay videos and a new preview by IGN seem to discredit this notion.
Another area features groves of trees on damp ground mixed with some deeper swampland. In these areas, special rewards can be found by looking for landmarks. For instance, a pilot dangling from a tree by his parachute could mean that supplies can be found below.
Elsewhere, players will encounter a crashed plane. The right-side overwing exit door must be opened to pass it. Opening the door triggers a traditional crescendo event.
Along the way, players will encounter a crashed plane. The right-side overwing exit door must be opened to pass it. Opening the door triggers a traditional crescendo event.
The finale, done in the style of the original, takes place at a giant plantation house, where Survivors await rescue by a fishing boat. The first floor balcony of the plantation house will feature a new kind of mounted gun that does not overheat, but has limited ammunition. We dont know if this gun is distinct from the M2HB found near the end of The Parish.
The AI Director will have a big role in this area. Many paths will be randomized (or at least procedurally controlled) instead of being predetermined. Also, the area will have dynamic weather conditions controlled by the AI Director. Chet has mentioned in a number of interviews that the AID can suddenly create heavy rain conditions, limiting visibility, similar to the cornfields of BH5. Survivors will not be able to see each others outlines in the rain.
4: Hard Rain (HR)
This campaign, along with Dead Center, was one of the last to be released. Hard Rain, which occurs between the events of Swamp Fever and The Parish, takes place in a small town on the Mississippi River. The fishing boat that the Survivors encounted at the end of Swamp Fever has run low on fuel, and the Survivors must go inland to find more before they can continue with their journey to New Orleans.
Like Swamp Fever, this campaign should have procedural weather effects controlled by the AI Director. As Survivors make their way inland, the amount of rain they encounter is related to how well they are doing as a team. When Survivors are doing poorly, the rain may be a mere annoyance, but when Survivors are excelling, the downpour can be torrential. At certain points, the AID can trigger a series of hordes whose appearance coincides with a nasty flash rainstorm, testing the Survivors ability to cohere amidst the stormy chaos.
Survivors must first make their way through the town, then further inland through a sugar mill which has attracted a large concentration of Witches. After passing through a Blood Harvest-esque field, they reach the gas station, and then have to trek back through the same terrain, but this time, in a torrential rainstorm.
Upon reaching the coast, the Survivors must light a neon sign at a local Burger Tank to signal for rescue.
Like Swamp Fever, this campaign should have procedural weather effects controlled by the AI Director. As Survivors make their way inland, the amount of rain they encounter is related to how well they are doing as a team. When Survivors are doing poorly, the rain may be a mere annoyance, but when Survivors are excelling, the downpour can be torrential. At certain points, the AID can trigger a series of hordes whose appearance coincides with a nasty flash rainstorm, testing the Survivors ability to cohere amidst the stormy chaos.
Survivors must first make their way through the town, then further inland through a sugar mill which has attracted a large concentration of Witches. After passing through a Blood Harvest-esque field, they reach the gas station, and then have to trek back through the same terrain, but this time, in a torrential rainstorm.
Upon reaching the coast, the Survivors must light a neon sign at a local Burger Tank to signal for rescue.
5: The Parish (TP)
The final campaign in the main story sequence. Set in New Orleans, LA, it features daytime gameplay and a primarily urban setting. The goal of the map is to battle through various parts of the city to reach a military outpost. Gameplay footage reveals building-to-building fighting amongst narrow streets and other urban locations.
Chapter I: The Waterfront
This short chapter starts on a dock on the Mississippi River and moves inland to a safe room in a nearby house after passing through some streets.
Chapter II: The Park
The second chapter starts on Decatur Street. The Survivors battle into Jackson Square, then move into a CEDA quarantine with a maze of chain-link fences. This is a rolling crescendo where Survivors must reach a security tower in the middle. After deactivating the alarm, they go through a bus station, then move into the safe room.
Chapter III: The Cemetery
In another chapter, players will encounter a cemetery. This may or may not be part of a crescendo. The placement of the above-ground crypts can be changed by the AI Director.
Chapter V: Bridge Finale
In this finale, Survivors must cross a double-decker truss bridge to get to a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter waiting on the other side. The bridge is about to be bombed by the military, but the Survivors convince them to wait. This bridge has a vertical lift span in the middle (like a drawbridge for boats) that must be lowered to allow the Survivors to pass. To reach the other side, the Survivors must battle through and over abandoned vehicles, avoiding falling off the edge and into large holes that pock the deck. As they move along, the military will bomb parts of the bridge behind them, so that there is no going back.
Chapter I: The Waterfront
This short chapter starts on a dock on the Mississippi River and moves inland to a safe room in a nearby house after passing through some streets.
Chapter II: The Park
The second chapter starts on Decatur Street. The Survivors battle into Jackson Square, then move into a CEDA quarantine with a maze of chain-link fences. This is a rolling crescendo where Survivors must reach a security tower in the middle. After deactivating the alarm, they go through a bus station, then move into the safe room.
Chapter III: The Cemetery
In another chapter, players will encounter a cemetery. This may or may not be part of a crescendo. The placement of the above-ground crypts can be changed by the AI Director.
Chapter V: Bridge Finale
In this finale, Survivors must cross a double-decker truss bridge to get to a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter waiting on the other side. The bridge is about to be bombed by the military, but the Survivors convince them to wait. This bridge has a vertical lift span in the middle (like a drawbridge for boats) that must be lowered to allow the Survivors to pass. To reach the other side, the Survivors must battle through and over abandoned vehicles, avoiding falling off the edge and into large holes that pock the deck. As they move along, the military will bomb parts of the bridge behind them, so that there is no going back.
Unknown Chapters
After going through a residential area, they take a sewer and, upon exiting, they reach a car impound lot where all the cars have alarms. This lot is underneath a raised expressway.
Another time, the Survivors reach a housing area with a parade float. To reach the safe room, which is in a second-story apartment, they must activate the float to bring a raised platform over. This appears to be a normal crescendo.
Other Campaigns
Very few details are available about other campaigns right now, but there are five, total.
The first campaign is set in Savannah, GA. The Survivors will meet for the first time at the beginning of the campaign (possibly during the cinematic) in front of a mall. This will lead into the first chapter. At least at the very beginning of this campaign, the city is mostly uninfected.
A concept image from OXM shows zombies walking around a dilapidated trailer park.
Trailers-
E3- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSfsMJgypdw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsgV5Qlqd-s
Melee Weapons- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qyw_lQCWRo
Realism Mode Interview-http://g4tv.com/videos/42297/Left-4-Dead-2-Realism-Mode-Interview/
Demo gameplay- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJmvAB9VTno
Hard Rain gameplay-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljfhcbycako&feature=player_embedded
TV Spot-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u39KZJIJ7VA&feature=player_embedded
TV Spot 2-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt2rGmUmm2A
More gameplay and media can be found here
The infected in Left 4 Dead 2 are largely unchanged from Left 4 Dead. While referred to as zombies, the infected are humans mutated by a virus of unknown origin. The most numerous infected encountered by the survivors are the "common infected", individually weak, but can swarm and overwhelm the survivors with large numbers. In Left 4 Dead 2, damage dealt to the infected will be portrayed more realistically, with bullets tearing off bits of flesh and in some cases, limbs
New Special Infected:
The Charger: Similar to the Tank, but does less damage and has less health. Charges towards individual Survivors and knocks them down. If he grabs one in his massive arm, he can pummel the Survivor repeatedly unless another player stops it.
The Jockey: A small Infected who can leap short distances. He can jump onto a Survivor's back and guide them around; the player can only try to slow it down by moving in the opposite direction, while other players knock it off. Small and crawls on the ground, can be identified by its constantly cackling laugh.
The Spitter: A tall female Infected with an extended neck and corroded mouth. Spits corrosive "Spitter goo" for long distances, which will cause large patches of ground to be damaging to players. Watch out when getting in close; killing the Spitter will drop a puddle of harmful goo on the ground.
The old Special Infected are changing too. The Hunter's sweatsuit is now more torn up; the Smoker's face tumor has overtaken his chest, and another "tongue" now protrudes from the back of his neck; both male and female Boomers can now be encountered; oddly enough, the Tank is less powerful than before; and the most dangerous change of all, The Wandering Witch. In daylight stages, the Witch is not stationary. She will wander around the level upright, and a new singing cue will indicate her presence.
There are also now Uncommon Infected. Similar to Common Infected, they're relatively weak and have no special "abilities;" however, they're wearing clothing that will affect how you deal with them.
Riot Infected: Rent-a-riot-cops that were meant to maintain order and quarantine zones when the Infection hit. Their bulletproof armor means that you must knock them back and shoot them from behind. They drop nightsticks.
Hazmat Infected: Scientists who were trying to study the Infected. Guess the suits didn't work. Their suits are fireproof, making them immune to all fire damage. They drop Boomer Bile jars when killed.
Mudmen: Zombies covered in mud from the swamps. Their movement unhampered by mud or water (making them a threat in areas where Survivors are slowed down), they can crawl on all fours and cover up players' screens with mud when they attack.
Clown Infected: What's so dangerous about a clown? Well, their shoes squeak loud when they run towards players. And Infected are attracted to noise. You've got to be kidding.
Worker Infected: Construction workers wearing hardhats and ear protection. Likely to be more difficult to headshot, their earphones actually prevent them from being attracted to the noise of pipe bombs and certain crescendo events. More health than normal infected.
The Director-
As in the first game an artificial intelligence system called the A.I. Director drives gameplay by procedurally spawning enemies, weapons and items based on the players' performance. In Left 4 Dead 2, the Director has been improved to encourage more participation by players, forcing players through difficult gauntlets to reach the extraction point. It will also have the ability to alter elements of the level such as placement of walls, level layout, lighting, and weather conditions, making each play session unique. The Director will now reward players for taking longer or more difficult paths through each episode by providing more useful equipment, such as incendiary ammo, along these riskier paths.
