bit-tech.net | Left 4 Dead 2 Interview: A Chat with Chet

crompers 6th July 2009, 11:32

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Like David Sawyer, who’s a level designer who worked on Half-Life and Half-Life 2. He was working on this one project and after playtesting for ages he said he really wanted to switch and work on Left 4 Dead 2 and he did. We saw a lot of that kind of stuff and it’s why we’re able to work so quickly.

working on half life 3 perhaps? took him off to work on L4D2? ooohh they're just leaving themselves open for another petition there

capnPedro 6th July 2009, 12:00

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Originally Posted by TFA
handed out by waitresses dressed as zombies

And nobody managed to snap a quick picture!?

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Originally Posted by TFA
is it supposed to be the CDC?

Crudely drawn cock?

It looks like there's going to be some cool features in L4D2, I don't think I'd want to pay more than ~£20 for it though, seeing as it's basically just an expansion.

smc8788 6th July 2009, 12:06

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Originally Posted by capnPedro
It looks like there's going to be some cool features in L4D2, I don't think I'd want to pay more than ~£20 for it though, seeing as it's basically just an expansion.

Yeah, it looks good, but I don't mind paying for it. What I do mind is calling it a fully-fledged sequel, which I really don't think it is. If it was L4D:EP1 or some variant, then I'd be happy :D

Yemerich 6th July 2009, 12:07

Yeah another petition: "Please Stop the HL franchie.. it is worn out now"... Never really liked HL series. Anyways...

I am excited with the next L4D. The daylight idea is really nice, but surely nighttime is much more spooky - nice thing its just one level in daylight. I would like to see some high caliber pistol like a desert eagle in the game... a VERY NOISY one!

CardJoe 6th July 2009, 12:20

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CDC

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnPedro

Crudely drawn cock?

Center of Disease Control.

There are a bunch of new weapons and different types. There's not just UZI and M16, for example, but a whole punch of different SMGs with slightly different feels and stats.

They daylight setting works suprisingly well too. Being blinded by HDR is just as good as squinting in shadows and helps to give the game a sense of realism and character to the series.

V3ctor 6th July 2009, 12:34

It still looks like an expansion to me... I won't buy the game if it's full price, I already own L4D, this is just new maps that eventually will appear as mods in L4D, I already have friends playing with incendiary ammo in L4D... So, I just hope L4D 2 will be an expansion.

Floyd 6th July 2009, 12:58

I cant wait for this game. I love LFD1 and im going to play the piss out out LFD2!

MajorTom 6th July 2009, 13:00

This only feels like a sequel if you own a console and are used to your game being patched and released as a sequel every year. Apparent restraints on 360 releases is the reason behind this not being an expansion. Such a sadness. Valves choice to get stuck into the console market has changed their business model for the worse. I believe they are taking notice of all the fuss though. "Maybe we will decide we don't like working like this"

impar 6th July 2009, 13:04

Greetings!

Question not asked:

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Dont you feel that releasing another L4D game so soon after the first one divides the L4D community in two groups?

Would really like to know how Valve spins that one.

docodine 6th July 2009, 13:11

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Originally Posted by impar
Quote:
Dont you feel that releasing another L4D game so soon after the first one divides the L4D community in two groups?

This.

And Valve should totally be more realistic with the daytime level. IRL there wouldn't be zombies because they hate sunlight. :o

flibblesan 6th July 2009, 13:19

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Originally Posted by docodine
Quote:
Originally Posted by impar
Quote:
Dont you feel that releasing another L4D game so soon after the first one divides the L4D community in two groups?

This.

And Valve should totally be more realistic with the daytime level. IRL there wouldn't be zombies because they hate sunlight. :o

They are not zombies, they are infected. Think of '28 Days Later'.

CardJoe 6th July 2009, 13:23

Quote:

And Valve should totally be more realistic with the daytime level. IRL there wouldn't be zombies because they hate sunlight. :o

Ah, but they aren't 'zombies' in the game fiction, not really. They are 'infected'. They are normal humans with a disease and a few mutations, which is why you don't need to shoot them in the head to kill them - whatever would kill a normal human will kill them. Also, that's why the survivors don't become zombies just because they've been bitten once - they are the 1% of humanity that is immune to the disease. It's laid out in the L4D opening scene and the No Mercy campaign.

Thus, the 'zombies' are actually better at day time. They see you from further, move faster and attack better. The Witch is more active too, not just hunkering down but getting up and roaming through the level.

steveo_mcg 6th July 2009, 13:54

It does sound really good and how he explained it being a different "story" adds weight to the sequel, i'm still conflicted. Not all that fussy about different weapons but the linearish progression through the adventure sounds interesting, oh and fire axe, "How crazy must one be to fight fire with a bladed weapon". Slight paraphrase.

Though if its released at expansion point price i'll probably get it at release if not i'll wait till it falls to the £15-£20 range given the original was only about £20 from Amazon that's probably not an unreasonable starting price. Which just leaves the worry about the fragmented community.

gibber 6th July 2009, 14:24

Zombies dont like daylight? I thought it was just vampires and aliens that mostly come at night.

Anyways, really looking forward to this, expansion or not. I paid £20 for L4D1 which is a bargin conisdering the amount of time I've played it. Quite happy to pay that again for a sequal - considering the quality of Valves stuff.

impar 6th July 2009, 14:25

Greetings!

There is also the problem on whether there will be a retail version ot not.
There is no way I will buy this through Stam.

CardJoe 6th July 2009, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by impar
Greetings!

There is also the problem on whether there will be a retail version ot not.
There is no way I will buy this through St€am.

Why not?

steveo_mcg 6th July 2009, 14:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by gibber
Zombies dont like daylight? I thought it was just vampires and aliens that mostly come at night.

Was that not in the graffiti on one the walls in No Mercy?

Paradigm Shifter 6th July 2009, 14:58

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Originally Posted by CardJoe
Why not?

Probably because of Valve's EU pricing. Buying Steam games retail is a better option... if you absolutely have to have the game. :)

Hamish 6th July 2009, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoe
Why not?

pricing i'd guess, L4D1 was terribly overpriced on steam aswell
considering you could get it from amazon for about £20 and it was £35 or so on steam at release?

naokaji 6th July 2009, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by impar
Greetings!

There is also the problem on whether there will be a retail version ot not.
There is no way I will buy this through Stam.

You will need to activate over Steam anyway, so won't make a difference.

Splitting the community apart between L4D1 and 2 will be a problem indee,d but lets face it, there is no way they would have answered question about it.

DarkLord7854 6th July 2009, 15:27

Ok.. L4D2 and the way they talk about it makes it seem more and more like it's what they [b]should[b] have released with L4D1.. Meh.

I'll wait for the demo, I hope they release it publically from the get-go though. And here's hoping they actually live up to their word for once since L4D1 released and get more content out before November.

And I swear to god those Alienware ads are annoying as f*ck. They keep bloody opening! I had 7 dell alienware tabs by the end of the interview and I didn't even click outside the article column wtf?

Mentai 6th July 2009, 15:29

I was thinking earlier today about how it would make sense for Valve to support two L4D games at once. What if they decided to release a campaign from L4D2 once every 3 months for free, and continue to make a new L4D game every year? This way they uphold their promises of service, and maintain the income required for the extra staff they hired to pump out this much content. The console/casual gamer is happy because they get their Christmas blockbuster and campaigns ahead of everyone else, and the hardcore is happy because they get their content at what would be a higher rate than TF2 ever did, with the benefit of the maps being vetted for a few months so the unbalances are already ironed out.
This way the L4D brand would reach a colossal point of saturation. Imagine how attractive L4D4 would be, with 16 campaigns in vs, coop, survival, whatever else they add and selected community content, with a promise of an additional 4 in a years time. The tripe that Activision etc put out would just look like a rip off even to the most average of consumers.
While all this is obviously speculation on my part, I really hope the reality is something close to this.

DarkLord7854 6th July 2009, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mentai
I was thinking earlier today about how it would make sense for Valve to support two L4D games at once. What if they decided to release a campaign from L4D2 once every 3 months for free, and continue to make a new L4D game every year? This way they uphold their promises of service, and maintain the income required for the extra staff they hired to pump out this much content. The console/casual gamer is happy because they get their Christmas blockbuster and campaigns ahead of everyone else, and the hardcore is happy because they get their content at what would be a higher rate than TF2 ever did, with the benefit of the maps being vetted for a few months so the unbalances are already ironed out.
This way the L4D brand would reach a colossal point of saturation. Imagine how attractive L4D4 would be, with 16 campaigns in vs, coop, survival, whatever else they add and selected community content, with a promise of an additional 4 in a years time. The tripe that Activision etc put out would just look like a rip off even to the most average of consumers.
While all this is obviously speculation on my part, I really hope the reality is something close to this.

They said campaigns from L4D1 will work in L4D2. Porting them from 2 to 1 would effectively kill the point of getting L4D2.

Mentai 6th July 2009, 15:41

Not for 360 owners and not for those that don't want a staggered release. I still think it'd sell pretty well.

impar 6th July 2009, 16:26

Greetings!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoe
Why not?

Buying this expansion-esque game through Steam will probably cost 49,99€, ordering a retail copy will probably cost 35€.
Arent you aware of the Steam € prices screw-up?

Quote:

Originally Posted by naokaji
You will need to activate over Steam anyway, so won't make a

The problem I have with Steam is not because of the DRM, its the way it has turned into a rip-off store.

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Left 4 Dead 2 Interview: A Chat with Chet

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