Left 4 Dead 2 has new 'Versus' game mode.

Last night Valve unveiled a new Versus mode called 'Scavenge' which will be included in the upcoming Left 4 Dead 2. The new mode has been designed to provide "quicker, even more frantic game play" than Left 4 Dead's current vanilla Versus mode according to Valve.

The new mode still pits a team of survivors against a team of infected, but in this mode the survivors need to acquire 16 cans of gasoline which are dotted around the maps to power up a generator. The opposing team of infected have to stop the survivors and/or destroy the cans of gasoline.


The game mode lasts for 3 rounds and the winners are the team who collected the most cans of gasoline. In the event of a tie, the winner is the team which acquired the cans in the quickest time. Each round is timed and collecting a gasoline can adds 20 seconds onto the clock.

Dispensing a can of gasoline into a generator takes about the same amount of time that it takes to heal a team mate and early reports indicate that generators camping by the infected team is a sound (perhaps frustrating?) tactic. The new Spitter infected is also highly valuable on this map as he can make gasoline cans explode in a Survivors arms with a well timed shot.



Survivors can also shoot gas cans but this isn't a total disaster as they do respawn if destroyed.

So far the mode seems to offer extremely quick and frantic game play which requires quite a different kind of strategy to the current Versus offering and I'm very much looking forward to trying this mode come November.

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Left 4 Dead modder to fly Gabe to Australia?

Further to yesterday’s news about Valve flying two Left 4 Dead 2 boycotters to their offices in Seattle, it’s nice to see some fun amongst the chaos!

A modder working on a campaign for the original Left 4 Dead sent Gabe an email asking why he hadn’t been invited to Valve so that they could preview his work. Gabe’s reply?

“We are boycotting your campaign.”


The modder in question then asks if he has to fly Gabe to where he lives in Australia to which Gabe replies “me and Erik”.

Good to see despite all the lunacy Gabe has to endure; he still retains his sharp sense of humour!

It doesn’t end there though. Following Gabe’s reply, the modder Joe has now started a fund in an effort to bring Gabe to his house to check out the campaign. You can find the details here.

The fund currently stands at $469.73 with $100 of that total having been donated by Valve’s very own Robin Walker who left the following message:

This is Robin Walker, from Valve. The rest of us at Valve would sure appreciate a couple of days without Erik around, so thanks for organising this!

Quick question though: if I donated more, would you buy a one-way ticket for him?

Robin.

I think I may just love Valve again! Anyone with such thick skin and such a great sense of humour deserves your support; roll on November!

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Valve rewards childish boycotters.

As a keen Steam user and Left 4 Dead player, I have to say the latest actions undertaken by Valve have really ticked me off.

Most of you will be aware of the ridiculous uproar from certain members of the Steam community when Valve released news that they were working on Left 4 Dead 2.

Accusations of abandoning the original game and ripping people off flew around from the more childish members of the community (despite the fact most L4D players have clocked up 100’s of hours in a truly great game) and a boycott group was formed.

Valves response? Fly two of the group out to their offices, all expenses paid, to play Left 4 Dead 2.


Here we have a group of people who have spent their time slamming Valve on what is for most gamers a non-issue; and Valve rewards their moronic behaviour with what for many gamers would be the trip of a lifetime.

Nice one Valve. Most of your true fans appreciate the great game that Left 4 Dead is; have never been unhappy with the hundreds of hour's entertainment it’s provided because that is superb value for money. Most are happy we are getting a sequel to a great game sooner rather than (Episode 3) later.

So why does it now feel like you’ve just kicked all your loyal fans right where it hurts?

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Left 4 Dead 2: Baseball bat pre-order 'bonus'.

The rather annoying in-game pre-order bonus fashion continues, this time courtesy of Valve.

Pre-order Left 4 Dead 2 on either PC or Xbox 360 and you'll get the exclusive melee weapon the Baseball Bat available in your game. It's not just a re-skin of another weapon either; the baseball bat will have its own handling and damage characteristics.

Interestingly if you don't have the bat but join a game with someone who does, the weapon will be available to you for the duration of the game. How thoughtful!


I've already posted about how I don't like this new in-game bonus trend and I have to say I'm rather disappointed in Valve for jumping on this bandwagon of bullshit.

As a big fan of Valve and Left 4 Dead this news certainly won't stop me buying the game; I just thought they were above this kind of stunt. Guess we all better pre-order Half Life 2: Episode 3 if we want the crowbar eh?

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Concept Art: Left 4 Dead 2.

Kotaku have posted up some great Left 4 Dead 2 concept artwork they have acquired from Valve.

There are 11 images in total; 5 covering the new characters and 6 covering the proposed locations from the game (these are definitely the pick of the bunch).

If you hit the full size option, you'll be treated to the images in all their massive glory (and they really are HUGE), ideal for your desktop or for framing.

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