Comments on: Left 4 De-

By: Jason L

Jason L — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:39:35 +0000

My Left4Dead story so far:
1. Downloaded demo. Didn't have time to play it that week. Demo turned into 'preload', should I decide to buy the game.
2. Waited with gigs of demo on my drive for Valve to open up the demo again or something.
3. Steam firesale comes along. USD35 is a bitable price for Left4Dead. I buy it! (Please Valve, may I have some more...)
4. Surely I'll have it in minutes, given that I've had gigabytes of Infected sitting around on my drive for a month. But no! The game starts downloading alongside its dead demo. 'Preload complete', says the demo cheerily. Great integration, guys.
5. Another day's downloading later I have it and it runs, the end.

By: Jason L

Jason L — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:31:46 +0000

Is it just me perceiving something different about Valve's handling of Left 4 Dead as a whole? This weird demo selection, the bizarre decision to stop offering the demo on release day, and trying to strongarm the hardcore Valve faithful into using a nutless beta parody of console matchmaking systems...this is not the iterative approach they've made famous. Are any of those things not boneheaded, and I just don't see it? What's going on?

By: Jason L

Jason L — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:57:26 +0000

Well, they did indeed lock out the demo a day or two before I'd have had time to play it. Thanks Valve! Guess this is one buying decision that's gonna get bumped to next year then.

By: DoctorDisaster

DoctorDisaster — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:17:20 +0000

I wasn't much bothered by where the demo ended, but I would really, really like an option to carry more medpacks in exchange for reduced firepower. I am sooooooo much better at reviving teammates than I am at shooting zombies.

Of course, I'm best of all at shooting teammates.

Actually, the worst effect of my long stint as a TF2 medic is my instinct to dance around like a toddler who needs a wee any time I perceive the slightest threat. I can't tell you the number of times a buddy of mine has shot me in the back of the head because I spotted some movement and got spooked. Invariably it turns out to be a bit of dust or a small biting fly, of course.

By: Rei Onryou

Rei Onryou — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:01:40 +0000

I just completed the demo on Expert. That included the Tank and the Witch. From that experience, I don't see how you'd be able to complete a full campaign on Expert with random people (this completion was on Expert). But I'd love to try still =D

I've only had a couple of complaints so far:

1) It'd be nice if the game would tell you who killed the Tank or Witch, although since it should be a team effort, I can see why it doesn't pop up.
2) If you reload while being revived, it can be interrupted because you immediately change to the primary weapon. Very minor, but in a horde situation, you can understand how precious time is.

Can't wait for the full thing...

By: Enjay

Enjay — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:28:57 +0000

Eh. I was disapointed by the witch.

So far I've had 3 encounters with the witch, where she was spooked.

First encounter was my first time playing, playing with some friends. Nobody really got injured that bad, and we went along as normal. Second time was on Advanced with a few more friends. Witch waited in front of the switch you needed to use to open the final door. Managed to kill her practically where she laid.

Third encounter was the most intriguing. We were in the subway cars, my friend spooked her through the window. The roars, runs to the window, then turns around and runs down the escaltors. We decided to chase her down for the fun of it. We took different stairway routes, attempting to sandwich her, but to no avail. The witch ran away never to be found again.

The tank is also nigh indestructable on expert.

By: Sheepye

Sheepye — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:19:51 +0000

I feel left for dead as steam for some annoying reason lacks settings to config it to connect through HTTPS and all my favourite blog sites are enjoying times of unmitigated gaming joy. Bastards. And I dont mean orphans.

By: J-Man

J-Man — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:49:30 +0000

Just downloaded FRAPS, but refuses to assign itself to my side mouse button.

By: Killa-Ewok

Killa-Ewok — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:24:57 +0000

98%. Don't let me down, demo dear.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:48:31 +0000

I don't know if the software you blog with allows for editing, but if it does, just give the image alt-text clarifying.

By: Pentadact

Pentadact — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:27:56 +0000

Heh, sorry. I made it too realistic. I should have had the post-background colour fill the gap. It even bothers me a little, now.

By: Bobic

Bobic — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:51:20 +0000

J-man and roadrunner, they're lovers....
I kid

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:41:16 +0000

Dammit Tom. I just realized the picture was supposed to be that way. I've been refreshing it for 10 minutes.

By: Lack_26

Lack_26 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:53:23 +0000

One thing I've noticed about the matchmaking system is that... I never end up playing with native English speakers. Sure, I've met a lot of people from other countries (Spain, for example), and they're great people and we manage with what we know of each others languages (they mostly know a fair bit of English, though). It just made me wonder how the system works.

By: Pentadact

Pentadact — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:53:12 +0000

I use FRAPS for everything, bound to a mouse button, saving as BMP, starting with Windows and on at all times. Turn off the frame rate indicator, obviously. It's fast enough that I can hammer the button without noticing any stuttering, whereas built-in grabbers tend to freeze the game for like a second.

By: J-Man

J-Man — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:03:56 +0000

I basically want a general screenie taking app, preferably something that doesn't use too much CPU power and can run in the background.

By: The_B

The_B — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:59:12 +0000

J-Man: Mainly they use whatever is to hand. FRAPS usually, but for games that have their own dedicated screenshot function they may just use that. They're not forced into using any particular program, so most of the time it's just whatever works.

By: J-Man

J-Man — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:43:33 +0000

I concur with Roadrunner.

Unrelated question for Pentadact: What do you PCG reviewers use to take screenshots?

By: Jason L

Jason L — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:33:02 +0000

No kidding? Sample size 1: If you guys invent a cure for cancer, and I actually have cancer, etc.

By: peterd102

peterd102 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:11:38 +0000

Now thats an Idea, im desperate for veiws (dunno why) to my blog, so much that I have a habit of leeching off other, more popular blogs.