"new weapons, levels, and even boss zombies"

AzH · August 20th, 2008, 08:01 PM

Left 4 Dead will see lots of extra goodies long after it comes out. Expect to see new weapons, levels, and even boss zombies in the months after Left 4 Dead ships.

So says Gabe Newell who talked about the future of Left 4 dead and Valve at the German Games Convention, "He told us that the company no longer views games as a boxed item that is done when you ship it. Valve now sees games as a service, with the expectation of a ton of post release content. Just like we've seen with Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead will see lots of extra goodies long after it comes out. Expect to see new weapons, levels, and even boss zombies in the months after Left 4 Dead ships."

New levels. Great. New weapons. Sweet. New Boss Zombies?? Awesome...

Here is the item in full:

US, August 20, 2008 - Gabe Newell, president of Valve, was on hand at the German Games Convention to give the press demos of the company's next release. Though we've seen the game plenty of times in the past, we dropped by to see if we could glean any new bits of info from the house that brought us Half-Life Team Fortress.

Left 4 Dead is Valve's attempt at making a game that combines the success it has had in single and multiplayer only games. The game puts you and several friends in a quest for survival. The world has been overrun by zombies, some nastier than others, and your guns and each other are all you have. In its most basic essence, Left 4 Dead is a survival horror game with a co-op bent, but that is leaving out all of the juicy bits.

The game has an AI overlord that Valve calls the "director." This entity watches how well you're doing and then scripts future encounters based on the info it gathers. If you're doing swimmingly against the hordes of mindless and slow moving basic zombie, it might throw a Boomer at you. These guys puke on your face, the stench of which then attracts tons of other zombies. Or you might be faces with a Hunter, a fast moving beast that can pin you down and rip at your flesh. No matter what boss is sent your way, you can bet you're going to need your friend's help. If you see one being attacked, it's definitely in your best interest to go help him or her out.

Teamwork is key in this bloodbath, made particularly so by the way that you get revived if you're taken out. One of your friends will have to search for a closet farther along in the level to free you. In the demo we watched, a witch took out Gabe Newell and he had to sit and watch while another player looked for him. With the numbers down and the zombies still coming full steam, things got a little too close for comfort for a while.

Of course, you don't have to play as a team. Valve has made a new matchmaking system for the co-op game, but you can also play a versus game where some take the role of boss zombies and hunt humans. Newell also spoke about how the game will support split-screen gaming and have a script to allow AI to take over for players when they walk away from the game.

Though we didn't see any new areas, Gabe Newell did talk a bit about the future of both this game and Valve as a whole. He told us that the company no longer views games as a boxed item that is done when you ship it. Valve now sees games as a service, with the expectation of a ton of post release content. Just like we've seen with Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead will see lots of extra goodies long after it comes out. Expect to see new weapons, levels, and even boss zombies in the months after Left 4 Dead ships.

Left 4 Dead releases this November on Xbox 360 and PC and will have playable demos available on both platforms so that you can try before you buy.

Source

Dangar^ · August 21st, 2008, 06:35 AM

This is awesome!

MyNameDidntFit · August 21st, 2008, 03:26 PM

Pure brilliance!

I was waiting for them to confirm post-release additions and now they have; yay!

Leroy · August 21st, 2008, 08:47 PM

I remember before that they said they will add new maps in the future. when it's released.

Karnage · August 22nd, 2008, 02:25 AM

I reckon they need to add a few more dusk type maps, where it's still light. Needs some variation other than the cornfield map.

freebeez · August 22nd, 2008, 06:50 AM

Yeah more dusk type maps and open feild maps like the one in the wheat feilds on that farm. So you have to use rifles more than SMG's!

Karnage · August 22nd, 2008, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by freebeez

Yeah more dusk type maps and open feild maps like the one in the wheat feilds on that farm. So you have to use rifles more than SMG's!

I concur about the rifles part.

I think they need to add a slightly bigger amroury as well, not overly big so there's every variation of the MP5 but a new pistol or sniper rifle here or there.

MyNameDidntFit · August 22nd, 2008, 09:47 AM

New weapons aren't really needed. They cover every weapon class that is reasonable (I know there aren't flamethrowers and RPGs or .50 snipers...) so I don't think there are any more weapons needed.

As for needing more places to use the rifle... I think I'll be using the hunting rifle no matter where I am. I find that in most games long range weapons can be adapted to close combat with a little skill.

AzH · August 22nd, 2008, 10:04 AM

And lucky for MNDF, he has little skill.

Karnage · August 22nd, 2008, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by MyNameDidntFit

New weapons aren't really needed. They cover every weapon class that is reasonable (I know there aren't flamethrowers and RPGs or .50 snipers...) so I don't think there are any more weapons needed.

As for needing more places to use the rifle... I think I'll be using the hunting rifle no matter where I am. I find that in most games long range weapons can be adapted to close combat with a little skill.

I guess so, now that I really think about it. They have SMG covered, shotgun, automatic rifle, pistol, rifle...

Originally Posted by Alan

And lucky for MNDF, he has little skill.

Haha.

MyNameDidntFit · August 22nd, 2008, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Alan

And lucky for MNDF, he has little skill.

-_-

MasterOfS0lder · August 23rd, 2008, 11:51 AM

The wait has worth it!

Sierra Oscar · August 23rd, 2008, 08:57 PM

Not surprising, Valve have become expert with post release content addition - TF2 is a prime example.

MyNameDidntFit · August 24th, 2008, 09:58 AM

The example, really

Sierra Oscar · August 24th, 2008, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by MyNameDidntFit

The example, really

I guess you are right.

freebeez · August 25th, 2008, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by MyNameDidntFit

As for needing more places to use the rifle... I think I'll be using the hunting rifle no matter where I am. I find that in most games long range weapons can be adapted to close combat with a little skill.

I would use rifles more but they normally have a poor reload rate

MyNameDidntFit · August 25th, 2008, 09:09 AM

And that is the perfect reason for having three other people with you

freebeez · August 26th, 2008, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by MyNameDidntFit

And that is the perfect reason for having three other people with you

Yeah thats if they are not being total dickheads!
That would really annoy me.

Underdog · August 26th, 2008, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by freebeez

Yeah thats if they are not being total dickheads!
That would really annoy me.

I have a feeling that even though this game will rock, there will be people less willing to protect you and wait for you to reload and will more than likely leave you behind =(.