Left 4 Dead Survival Pack Unveiled

[CockroachMan]

The long-talked-about, much-anticipated Left 4 Dead expansion pack, first mentioned on Kotaku, hits the PC and Xbox 360 this spring.

The L4D Survival Pack introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode, Valve announced today. They also say that a Critic's Choice Edition of the game is heading to retail stores this spring, and will include access to all the content introduced in the L4D: Survival Pack.

In addition, PC gamers will be able to get their hands on the first Left 4 Dead release for the Source Software Development Kit which will allow the creation of custom Left 4 Dead campaigns that will be discoverable via L4D's matchmaking system. The SDK update is also due for release this spring, and is free of charge to all owners of L4D on the PC.

"Since Half-Life launched in 1998, Valve has made continuous efforts to expand the offering of its products beyond what's included on the day of launch," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "With Half-Life and Counter-Strike, and more recently Team Fortress 2, we've learned that we're no longer making stand-alone games but creating entertainment services. With Left 4 Dead we're extending that tradition by creating additional gameplay and releasing our internal tools to aspiring developers so they may also create and distribute new Left 4 Dead experiences."

Support for custom campaigns = EPIC WIN! I need to change pants now..

source: http://kotaku.com/5147229/left-4-dead-survival-pack-unveiled

 

[Prime]

So the 360 is getting the DLC and it's getting it at the same time as the PC?

wow valve you surprise me.

 

[Hadrian]

*does a little dance*

The reason Valve rule.

Best game of 2008 for me, played about half of it at a friends and I only just finished it when I got my new PC few days ago.

 

[CockroachMan]

So the 360 is getting the DLC and it's getting it at the same time as the PC?

wow valve you surprise me.

Yes.. but the PC one is for free and has a campaign editor included.

I wish we had a :yaypc:

 

[Maz7006]

Wow i cant wait for this, thanks for the heads up.

 

[WildWon]

And further proof that i will be required to buy L4D PC as soon as i can.

Stoopid companies being cool, and all.

:kicks@dirt:

 

[Trolly]

Hurrah! This will breathe life back into the corpse of my copy of Left 4 Dead. Great game, but it was so shortlived. Can't wait for custom campaigns! The slaying has only just started

.

 

[Gaisuto]

People have already been making their own campaigns for PC Left 4 Dead, it's just now they can do them officially and much much easier. I want to know what the Survival mode is.

 

[War]

So we're just getting a survival mode and the other 2 stages for Versus? (Which should have been available from the start)

 

[WildWon]

People have already been making their own campaigns for PC Left 4 Dead, it's just now they can do them officially and much much easier. I want to know what the Survival mode is.

I'm making a full assumption with it, but i'd figger this would be a never ending hoard of the undead. Kinda a time-based "win." Probably in waves.

Still, very curious to see

 

[Gaisuto]

So we're just getting a survival mode and the other 2 stages for Versus? (Which should have been available from the start)

They weren't included at the start because they were extremely unbalanced, and in some cases incomplete. They couldn't really afford to have it miss the holiday rush.

I've played hacked versions of those two campaigns on Versus and it's pretty apparent why they were left out. All but two of the Infected "You can climb here!" things were missing, the roofs in Death Toll weren't solid so you couldn't walk on them to pounce, there were several spots where if a smoker grabbed you, you were just dead with no hope of recovery. They clearly weren't ready.

@WildWon: Similar to Gears of War 2's Horde mode? I can see that...

 

[jumpman17]

So we're just getting a survival mode and the other 2 stages for Versus? (Which should have been available from the start)

Thank you, that's what I said.
If they were not ready for the launch date, then they should be offered for free later. Not make us pay for what should have been in the game before.

This still isn't as bad as EA wanting $10 for the new 100 KB add-on for Burnout Paradise that allows you to swap the controller around and see who gets the most points.
At this price, you can buy a floppy disk for only $120. What a deal.

 

[Sonicslasher]

So wait, no new campaign maps?

 

[Gaisuto]

It's been revealed that Gametrailers TV on SpikeTV tomorrow night at 1am will air the contents of the DLC. And I'm going to say it again - The PC version gets the DLC for free. Microsoft is forcing Valve to make it cost something on the 360, it is not something they can control.

No one should be surprised that it's working this way. Valve has already gone on the record of saying the exact same scenario for Team Fortress 2 on the 360, I have no idea why people thought Left 4 Dead would be any different. This is the one of the key reasons why I got rid of the 360 version and held on to the PC version. Blame Microsoft, not Valve.

So wait, no new campaign maps?

They've said they wanted to get Death Toll/Dead Air VS out the door first before the next true new campaign. But they are coming.


****EDIT: And the show aired. The Versus Campaigns are indeed Death Toll and Dead Air, and the Survival Mode is essentially Gears of War 2's Horde Mode.