Left 4 Dead mod tools released

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 18th May 2009

The official Left 4 Dead modding tools have now gone into open beta, letting users create new content for the game.

Valve has today announced that the official Left 4 Dead modding tools have been unlocked for open beta, with all PC users able to download the software development kit by heading to the 'Tools' tab in Steam.

The tools themselves are apparently a modified version of the same kit used at Valve to create props and levels for the game and comprise a full SDK for Left 4 Dead.

Using the toolset provided Valve hopes that players will soon get started on making more new skins, maps and campaigns for the game as, although there are already a few out there, the modding community is perhaps not as big as it could be. Valve promises that the new tools should allow players to create anything from new sounds to entire campaigns though.

Regarding how player content is going to be integrated into the full game, Valve has also promised that it is currently working on tweaks to the matchmaking and server browsing system. A new update for the game should be coming in a few weeks that will let non-modding players have quick and easy access to the content created by their more industrious brethren.

So, all well and good - and it surely can't be long now until the much-anticipated Dead Before Dawn mod finally sees a release.

If you've yet to play Left 4 Dead then you can pick it up on Steam or for the Xbox 360 now, though the modding content will probably only be available on the PC platform. You can check out out full Left 4 Dead review for more information. If you're already familiar with the game then there's also out Complete Guide to Left 4 Dead too, which offers a breakdown of some of the better player strategies.

Is there anything in particular you'd like to see in a Left 4 Dead mod? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.