Zombicidal

Here comes the best Christmas present of all! According to the Left 4 Dead official blog, the authoring tools (SDK) for Left 4 Dead 2 have been released! In addition, the developers have also released an addon support package for players who just want to use custom content.

Players who are only looking to play custom content (including custom maps for L4D1) only need to download the support package. In Steam, open your Tools tab and look for the entry called “Left 4 Dead 2 – Add-on Support”. Click it and install it. After installing it, you don’t need to run anything. Your game client will automatically be able to play custom content thereafter.

Custom content designers should download the aforementioned file and the “Left 4 Dead 2 – Authoring Tools”. This download adds applications, utilities, and example files.
The new authoring tools are similar to Left 4 Dead’s authoring tools, but there are a number of new additions:

Gamemode Logic: Designers can now make a single map that can behave differently depending on the gamemode in which it is being played. This can dramatically reduce the file size of Campaign add-ons, as the same map can be used for Co-op, Versus, Scavenge, and Survival.

Director Logic: Maps can now alter their layout and behavior depending on how “angry” the A.I. director is. The better the Survivors are doing, the angrier the AI Director seems to get. This allows you to base variable paths and other events on the player’s skill and current conditions.

Scavenge Mode Support! All the elements map authors need to support Scavenge in their maps. This includes game props as well as a full example in the form of Deadline 2, an updated tutorial campaign.

Left 4 Dead 1 map designers are encouraged to compile L4D2-specific versions of their maps in the new tool.

Elunah Developer, Left 4 Dead 2, Patch community, maps, SDK

I ever tell you about the time my buddy Keith replaced Rochelle? You wouldn’t think it could happen cause Rochelle’s a girl and all, but some folks down at Facepunch right done gone and made their own Keith that you can put right in here to be my buddy. Sure, he ain’t got no lady parts to look at, but he sure does do a good impression of Rochelle.

I ever tell you about the time my buddy Keith got rolled by a ‘gator in a swamp? Man he didn’t agonize it or nothin’, we were just tryin’ to grab two so we could piss ‘em off and get ‘em into a fight. Well anyway, the third time Keith started yellin’ “Gentlemen, I need some help!” and “Girl, you shoulda stayed at home…”–

Elunah Developer, Hacks & Mods, Left 4 Dead 2

Some folks down at FPSBanana have come up with a way for modders to create custom melee weapons for Left 4 Dead 2! The new weapons can use custom models, though the author notes that there are some caveats involved.

The melee weapons have no effect on normal online play, but they might be an interesting addition to your next locally hosted or offline game.

Elunah Developer, Hacks & Mods, Left 4 Dead 2 custom, melee, weapon

According to some folks in the L4DMods forums, some community developers have found a way to port the Left 4 Dead 1 campaigns (including Crash Course) to L4D2! Including the maps (and perhaps Survivors) from Left 4 Dead 1 was one of the possibilities that players were most excited to hear from Valve, but so far, we haven’t heard anything official about this possibility since about a week after E3.

For those who are excited at the possibility of integration between the two games, this is as good as you’re going to get for now. The modification allows you to play as the new Survivors in the old maps, with the new Infected. However, there are still a number of bugs. For instance, the baseball bat is the only new weapon that can spawn, though the tonfa and Bile bomb are dropped by UCI. Also, players have been complaining about a lot of lag and crashes, especially in crescendos and finales. Most of the finales will crash before completion.

In order to use this mod legally, you have to own both L4D and L4D2 on the PC. You should also have some experience modding your game files, and should create a full backup before proceeding. Otherwise, enjoy!

Elunah Developer, Left 4 Dead 1, Left 4 Dead 2 campaign, community, gameplay, melee, PC

According to an interview with Valve developer Yasser Mailaka, Valve is looking into ways to bring custom content to Xbox 360 players. The custom content, which is crafted in Left 4 Dead’s SDK, is currently only available for PC players.

Mailaka identified integration with Microsoft’s distribution system and finding a way to filter out copyrighted content to be primary hurdles in the way of the potential offering.

Elunah Developer, Left 4 Dead 1 community, DLC, SDK, Xbox 360

Yesterday, the Left 4 Dead team released a beta version of the long-awaited SDK!

Today we are opening the beta of the Left 4 Dead Authoring Tools to the public. It is available as a free download for all owners of the PC version of Left 4 Dead, and can be found under the “Tools” tab in Steam.

The L4D Authoring Tools include modified versions of the same tools we used to produce Left 4 Dead.

Using the L4D Authoring Tools, you may create your own campaign maps, character skins, 3D models, sound effects, and music and load them into the game.

Here’s what’s included:

• Updated version of Hammer, the source level editor
• Updated suite of command line compiling utilities
• Updated Particle editor
• Updated Faceposer
• Example maps, common infected, props, and explosives

This release also introduces a pair of plug-ins for SketchUp, a 3D modeling program you may download for free. You may use these plug-ins to create building blocks and props that can be imported into Hammer for use in game levels.

This should greatly increase the number of custom skins, maps, and mods in the coming months. Get yours here: http://l4d.com/blog/post.php?id=2510

Elunah Developer authoring, community, maps, SDK, tools