Left 4 Dead 2 Modding Tools Released
Here's exciting news for gamers who've already aced all of Left 4 Dead 2's campaigns on Expert/Realism and exhausted the possibilities for multiplayer with the included maps. (Is there actually anyone who has done these things?!) Your woes and lamentations from only having the five vanilla maps to choose from, with those same four gametypes to go through them, will soon be alleviated thanks to the generosity and united voice of the Modding Community! Valve has just announced that the Left 4 Dead 2 Software Development Kit is available on Steam!
In addition to the normal, everyday fun of making players run a gauntlet of witches with no ammo, there are some spiffy, new features in the latest SDK. By making a few tweaks in a level's logic, modders can easily turn one map into a playground for all four gametypes, which will help cut down on download sizes. It likely won't be long before we see the fab four fighting off infected in the new Scavenge mode on any of the old campaign maps.
The other new adjustment should allow the most variance and chaos in a modded level: designers can now adjust how the level alters itself based on how "angry" the AI Director gets, which in turn is based on how well the player team is faring. So, for example, just when you think you've mastered the best route through that new level, suddenly it turns on its head by forcing you down a more dangerous path or leaving no melee weapons lying around with which to defend yourself. Given that the most fun to be had with any Left 4 Dead experience is in its surprises, this definitely looks to be the most interesting avenue for modders making unique maps.
In Valve's post on the subject, they mention an email support list and extensive tutorials for budding designers, and also give out a hopeful, "What we want for New Years is to get to play your custom maps in Left 4 Dead 2." Awww! So don't disappoint Valve - get crafting those beautiful maps!
faePuck
Posted to Video Games on 24 December 2009
Other stuff like this: left 4 dead 2, modding, pc, valve
