Left 4 Dead

[liPillON]

rimandato un gioco se ne annuncia un'altro, no? mi pare giusto



beh, eccolo qua il progetto di Turtle Rock su cui si vociferava l'anno scorso e di cui tutti, complici il lancio di Portal e TF2, ci eravamo dimenticati.. PC Gamer UK di (dicembre? gennaio?) riporta un'anteprima condita di 11 screenshot e 5 concepts: per favore, se qualcuno dovesse imbattersi nelle scansioni dell'articolo NON le posti

di cosa si tratta in poche parole? di un gioc basato sugli zombie (e già qui mi chiedevo come mai pestassero i piedi a Manke e ai suoi).. MA! è un multiplayer ibrido coop/rts/deathmatch perchè:
- max quattro giocatori "umani" dovranno sopravvivere ad orde di zombies
- zombies di miilllle varietà spawneranno automaticamente e dinamicamente
- un giocatore potrà assumere il ruolo di "regista" del sistema di scripting che governa il respawn degli zombie
- altri giocatori potranno aggiungersi per giocare da non morti in prima persona


per ora questo è quello che si capisce dalle indiscrezioni.. ammetto di aver potuto cannare mezza descrizione

[liPillON]

riporto la descrizione del gioco data dal team leader di Eternal Silence che tre settimane fa è stato ospite di Valve ed ha potuto giocarlo..

Yes, this is the game I played at Valve like 3 weeks ago ans it's so f*cking cool. Great teamwork in it (we were taking out levels Swat style while covering each others' backs).

The levels are freaking huge and it's pretty much a get from point A to point B. Each level is extremely varied and you never go through the same area twice.

Zombies are tricky to play as because they can't be too overpowered and kill players too easily since it's "once you're dead you're dead".

Now, death is handled a bit differently however. Once you reach 0 hp normally, you are considered "Down" and are stuck on the ground, with 300hp this time, can't move and can only fire your pistol. A teammate needs to come over and revive you. In fact, there are lots of moments where you need to be helped by teammates (by holding +use on them).

For example there are areas where you need to jump from a roof into a window to keep moving. If you miss the jump, you can grab onto the ledge, and you need to get a teammate to successfully make the jump, and then pull you over. It's sweet.

I'll write up more later.

*Edit* Oh, this is pretty much like Zombie Master, but instead of a human player controlling the RTS components, it's run by some overlord AI that judges when, how many, what types of zombies to spawn in based on intensity levels of the player. It takes in your health, hits you get, ammo, etc to judge this... So basically it provides the "perfect" and balanced zombies. Plus, you get to play as 4 sweet zombies which is really tight.

[Blood]

visti gli scans... non si capisce una ceppa

[liPillON]

cioè? non si capisce o spiega male come funziona?

[Blood]

No, non son stato a leggere... ho guardato gli screens ma sono abbastanza scuri e non si capisce molto...

[Gordon86]

Mi sembra di vedere lo Zombie mod per CSS

[liPillON]

beh per stessa ammissione loro non sembra essere molto di più di un mod per CSS



press release:

Turtle Rock and Valve Announce Left 4 Dead

Co-operative Multiplayer Action From the Makers of Counter-Strike

November 20, 2006 - Turtle Rock Studios and Valve today announce Left 4
Dead, a co-operative multiplayer action game from the makers of
Counter-Strike.

"By leveraging its industry-leading AI technology and years of
Counter-Strike development experience, Turtle Rock is building upon the
elements that make Counter-Strike successful and applying them to Left 4
Dead," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "What
Counter-Strike did for multiplayer action games, Left 4 Dead will do for
co-op games."

Left 4 Dead is built atop the most advanced version of the Source Engine
and introduces version 2 of Turtle Rock's artificial intelligence (A.I.)
technology.

Left 4 Dead will debut on the PC in 2007. More information is available
upon request.

[D.B. Bauer]

beh per stessa ammissione loro non sembra essere molto di più di un mod per CSS



press release:

bah io leggo che sarà per i giochi cooperativi la rivoluzione che cs è stata per i giochi d'azione.
dagli screens poi sembra quanto di + lontano a un mod di hl2/css si possa pensare.

vedremo

[liPillON]

hai ragione, andava meglio "total conversion"

[liPillON]

Zombie Types:
- Normal zombie... Mindless, can lunge at you and are all pretty fast. They don't just wobble towards you and it's easy-pickings. These are all AI controlled.
- Hunter: Zombie with a leap attack and can turn invisible unless a flashlight is put on them, or they attack... Can't remember details on it too much though.
- Boomer: A fat zombie that is fairly slow. He explodes when killed and can barf on the survivors which makes any nearby zombies come towards him and they are his only target.
- Tank/Hulk: Big strong guy who can throw concrete... You don't want to mess with him!
- Smoker: A zombie that when he dies emits a huge cloud of smoke where you can't see at all while in it. He also has a long tongue to pull survivors towards him... Useful in seperating the survivors to make them easy pickings for other zombies.


For the weapons for the survivors:
- M4A1
- Uzi
- Sniper
- Frag Grenade
- Molotov Cocktail
- Pistol
- Shotgun

There may be more, but that's all I remember.

The player models are merely cosmetic and voice differences. They don't have any special abilities, advantages, or weapons linked to the models. The models are chosen for you at random at the start of the round.

One cool thing is that each model has it's own voice which makes a huge difference when you hear all 4 players talking because you know which character is which of your teammates. It's a small, but much needed and nice touch.

When's it coming out!?!?!?!?
My guess is probably early next year because the build I played was extremely polished and they are just doing balance/polish issues now from what I could tell.
In order of polish, this is my list form what I saw! Top being most polished.

L4D
TF2 (close second)
Ep2

However, Valve still is mainly working on TF2/Ep2 while leaving L4D development to Turtle Rock with Valve helping with playtesting and making the gameplay fun. Obviously TF2/Ep2 are obviously bigger projects so there is more to polish for them.

altre indiscrezioni dal tizio sopra che ci ha giocato

[Relevart]

è interessante!

[liPillON]

la rivista anglosassone Games For Windows, sempre più sulla cresta dell'onda, ci regala qualche altra informazione su questo gioco:

Random summary of everything they're saying. I'm typing it as they say it so not everything will make sense since I'm trying to keep up.

-Fast movie zombies ala 28 Days later. Run fast at you. Scary/horror vibe.
-4 boss infected zombies (names subject to change) vs. 4 human players (number of real players, not AI). 1-8 players, can be 1 player with all bots.
-Split ammo/resources between the team. Heal one another
-Pacing of CS
-40 possible zombies on screen roughly
-AI smart enough to climb up/around things to get to you
-Taken down, your teammate has to pick you up
-1 zombie boss named Hunter with a 'lung' attack
-Slip on edges and you hang, teammate has to help you up
-Hit 0 health and you're 100% dead, you find closet like things where you can respawn out of if teammates find you
-linear campaign of levels
-Won't see zombies in same spots on replays. Not sure if completely randomized or a set number of variations.
-Can be attacked from behind.
-Several level paths.
-Lower health levels leads to slower movement simulating

-Hunter - Stealth abilities=back against wall and not moving is invisible. Jump between two buildings like in an ally ala mario wall jumps.
-Smoker - Throws out tear gas when you shoot it. 40ft long tongue which can grab you. Teammates have to help if he grabs you. Can choke you if hes hanging you from above.
-Boomer - Huge obese grotesque that projectile vomits like a fire hose. Ala metal slug w/ strafing. Vomit is pheromones that atracks NPC zombies. You get points for NPC's attacking. Explodes after it dies.
-Tank - Comes every now and then. Can pick up cars/environmental items and throw them.

-achievements from points. Debating if there will be rewards (guns, etc)
-up to 30 second wait for respawn sometimes. May be tweaked
-4 difficulty levels for survivors. Infected is more fun on harder levels.
-Hoping for large release ($29.99 as guessed by host) ala CS:S release.
-scenarios likes taking turns for elevator, waiting for helicopter rescue.
-mentions guns such as glocks, chainguns. No idea if they're officially named or the host didn't know what to call them.

podcast scaricabile qua
http://zdmedia.vo.llnwd.net/o1/Podcasts/CGW/121906.mp3

[liPillON]

From the survivors standpoint, Left 4 Dead is a cooperative game in which success is based upon the skills of each member and the team's ability to work together as a unit. As such, the four survivors have the same weaponry available to them and begin with the same skills.
On the infected side, however, the characters available to human players (the boomer, smoker, hunter, and tank) have very specific skills.

The campaigns are a connected and evolving set of maps. Like CS, the design goal is to create interesting areas that will allow for extended replay value. Unlike CS, the maps in each campaign are connected and lead to an eventual finale that the survivors are challenged to reach and complete. And along the way, player stats are collected and displayed at given intervals.

Left 4 Dead is built upon Turtle Rock Studios' next-generation AI technology. This lets us create a scalable game experience whether you play alone with AI-controlled survivors and infected, or online with and against human players.
The game is designed to allow human players to drop in and out without adversely affecting the experience or requiring the scenario to restart. We have also taken steps to maintain the survivor's game experience even with the presence of human-controlled infected. Although the infected can "win" by killing all of the survivors before they reach the finale and escape, it doesn't feel like a traditional competitive game--it still feels very cooperative from the survivor side.

sembra promettere bene, un misto tra css, resident evil, quake wars..


intervista/preview!
http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/action/lef...&mode=previews



teaser trailer!!1!
http://download.gametrailers.com/gt_...4dead_h264.wmv

[liPillON]

volevo solo precisare che il teaser, nonostante quanto riportato da alcune news, non è in CG ma (credo si noti abbastanza chiaramente) gira sull'engine del gioco, così come i trailer di DoD:S e TF2 prima di questo

[Nemesis88]

volevo solo precisare che il teaser, nonostante quanto riportato da alcune news, non è in CG ma (credo si noti abbastanza chiaramente) gira sull'engine del gioco, così come i trailer di DoD:S e TF2 prima di questo

Si, si nota benissimo il fatto che sia con la grafica del gioco, devo dire che sono piacevolmente sorpreso dalle animazioni e dal dettaglio grafico

[liPillON]

mini preview + screen
http://computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=154425

[liPillON]

altra preview
http://pc.ign.com/articles/760/760290p2.html


si fanno via via più frequenti... che si stia avvicinando la data d'uscita?

[liPillON]

ogni 2/3 settimane esce un articoletto, a quanto sembra...



http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3157481




preview completamente inutile, per quanto mi riguarda... non fosse per quel "release date: 20/04/2007"

[liPillON]

come volevasi dimostrare, poco più di una settimana dopo...
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=73583


anche questa preview non dice molto di nuovo, tranne che:

playing with friends, or at least strangers found through the bespoke matchmaking system it's working on

ovvero che il lungamente rimandato sistema per organizzare partite tra clan, amici o giocatori di pari skill debutterà forse proprio con L4D


e rivela anche un quinto "boss-zombie" di cui finora non mi pareva di aver letto niente in giro:

it's made it very difficult to survive if you split off from the group. This is partly down to the sheer numbers of regular infected, but also the designs of the five ‘boss' mutants. The Hunter is a stealth striker capable of huge jumps, that can pin survivors down and needs to be shot off by a team-mate. The Boomer is an explosive walking methane sack that needs to be disposed of clear of any of your friends, and whose projectile vomit attracts huge crowds of lesser infected. The Tank is a straightforward brute, while the Smoker can split team-mates up with smokescreens and lynch them from above with its prehensile tongue. Finally, the terrifying Witch (who only appears on Normal difficulty and above - note that Valve testers currently only survive Normal 20 per cent of the time, and there are two higher difficulty levels) is extremely sensitive to light and sound and best avoided altogether.

eurogamer lo da' in uscita per l'estate 2007

[liPillON]

e passate le solite due settimane...
http://www.firingsquad.com/games/left_4_dead_interview/

In Left 4 Dead, players may assume the role of any of the four Survivors or one of four "Boss Infected." Our AI technology allows games of 1 to 8 players - bots will assume the remaining Survivor and Boss Infected roles when human players are not available.

As one of the first titles developed expressly as a co-operative experience, we've included several subtle gameplay elements unique to L4D that we've found to be very successful with players. These include the ability to revive a fellow survivor, helping someone hanging from a ledge, shooting off the tongue of a Smoker attempting to asphyxiate one of your friends, knocking a Hunter off of a friend who he has pinned to the ground and is shredding to bits, and sharing items with teammates. Other cooperative systems include an integrated voting system, and a context-sensitive vocalization system that enhances communications between Survivors.

In addition to the new stats and ranking features, we're also working with Valve to include support for multi-core processors. We've added physics-based animation to Source for things such as the Boomer's jiggly belly full of blood, flexible hair that moves naturally, and floppy bits of clothing. We're also leveraging the new particle system coming to Source for enhanced effects. That's just some of what's coming in the first release.

We already have ideas for additional missions, features, and content that we hope to ship in future releases/updates to Left 4 Dead. In addition, an L4D-specific update will be made to the Source SDK so members of the community can make their own missions, characters, and L4D MOD content.

[Robin]

A me interessa moltissimo. Spero sia bello.
Il coop è una delle cose che più mi piace fare, anche perchè per divertirsi non serve avere la skill che serve dei deathmatch/team deathmatch (che avendo pochissimo tempo per giocare per forza di cose non ho).

Io e i miei compari siamo così affamati di coop vs zombie horde che giochiamo online pure l'orripilante "Land of the dead road to fiddler's green". X(

[Robin]

Oramai sono in febbrile attesa di questo titolo ma sembra che invece di uscire questo mese, come si ventilava inizialmente, ora l'uscita sia stata posticipata a estate inoltrata

Coop+Zombies surviving =

[liPillON]

quindi, o a) si pestano i piedi con la black box; o b) quest'ultima viene ulteriormente posticipata

speriamo ci ripensino







riguardo al multiplayer zombesco: mai provato una delle varie mod per cs/css?

[Robin]

Avevo provato quella per css ma imho non era un gran che, troppo abbozzato e approssimativo.
Devo anche ammettere che provai le solo prime versioni, non so se ora sia migliorato.
Se mi dici che le cose son cambiate non perdo tempo a dargli nuovamente una possibilità.

[liPillON]

toh... un'altro paio di settimane....
http://www.shacknews.com/extras/2007...ft4dead_qa_1.x

What different types of Boss Infected are available?
The Boomer is a large bouncy fella who is filled with methane gas. So, Survivors need to keep their distance when engaging him, since he explodes when he is shot. He also has a belly full of vomit, which he can projectile onto you, which in turn attracts hordes of common Infected to attack you--another reason to keep your distance when battling a Boomer. For all the Survivors, using secondary fire allows you to whack your attacker with the handle end of your weapon--a "shove" attack. This will throw the attacker(s) back a few steps. Mastering this move in concert with quick shooting is the best way to approach the Boomer. The Boomer's grotesque groaning also gives the Survivors valuable warning when he is lurking nearby.
The Smoker has a 50-foot-long tongue that allows him to pull a Survivor away from his/her group. These "tongue" attacks during an already intense battle can be deadly, particularly if the Smoker is on a rooftop from which he can string his victims up like a hangman's noose. Keeping an eye on your teammates is the best defense against him, along with listening for his constant coughing and hacking.
The Hunter is the most agile of the Boss infected. He can lunge from many feet away and pounce upon his prey. Not only do Hunters move silently, but they also have the ability to cloak, so players must beware of a stealth attack in addition to minding the space overhead.
The Tank, as his name implies, is just a big badass. He has the ability to throw vehicles, rip up concrete sidewalks and hurl the pieces at you, bust through brick walls, and toss Survivors around like toys. The best approach against a Tank is to unload your weapon into him, reload, and repeat. Having the full team concentrate their attack upon him at once will deliver the best result.
The Witch basically wants to be left alone. If players encounter her with their flashlights switched off while moving quietly, she may do nothing at all. If, however, she is disturbed in the slightest she has the ability to scratch the entire team of Survivors to little bits on the floor.

Can players assume the role of any Boss Infected?
Yes. Players can assume the role of The Tank, The Hunter, The Smoker, and The Boomer. Every so often the AI Director will decide it is time for a big boss battle, and will ask one of the Infected players if they would like to spawn as a Tank. If they decline, the Director asks the next Infected player, and so on. Each Infected player will get a chance at being a Tank at some point during a mission. The Witch and the common Infected are strictly AI controlled to ensure behavior consistent with their character.