Gaming Left 4 Dead 2 Interview: A Chat with Chet

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/2009/07/06/left-4-dead-2-interview-a-chat-with-chet/1

We sit down with Valve's Chet Faliszek and have a good ol' natter about Left 4 Dead 2, what Valve thinks about the recent Steam boycotts, how to tell a good story in a multiplayer game, and why Doug Lombardi can't be trusted with grenades.

 

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

 

And nobody managed to snap a quick picture!?

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.

 

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

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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"

 

Greetings!

Question not asked:

Would really like to know how Valve spins that one.

 

This.

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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?

 

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

 

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

 

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?