How long is this game?

[Phatal Faze]

I apologize if this topic has come up before, but i'm really interested. This game looks great, and i'm sure there will be a ton of replay value, but I was a little concerned. I just read a preview of the game from this site, and it seems the game was beaten fairly quickly. I love everything about this game, but with so many incredible games coming in the fall, I don't want to spend the money to buy this when I could rent it. Especially since i'm getting it on the 360 where it will likely be 60 dollars.

So anyone know what the estimated length of the game is from beginning to end?

[Puscifer]

The game is not supposed to be finished! its a "choose a map/scenario and play" game like CSS...:P

wouldn't have it any other way:P

[Kydd BlaZe]

Yeah same here. I read through the amazing preview as well, and remember the author stating something along the lines of there being 4 scenarios, with 5 maps. Does this mean 5 maps for each scenario? If so, that would probably equate to about 20 levels or so. Either way, this game should be fantastic.

[Kydd BlaZe]

The game is not supposed to be finished! its a "choose a map/scenario and play" game like CSS...:P

wouldn't have it any other way:P
So it's not a co-op camapign in the traditional sense (ie. Gears of War)?

Quite a bit different than what I was expecting. I'm still anticipating this game feverishly.

[Puscifer]

...

u don't complete to game u play whatever scenario u want...

[Kydd BlaZe]

Oh I see...the goal of each scenario is just to make it out alive. There is no real story to the game at all...just pick a scenario and make it out alive.

[Puscifer]

yup:)

or kill the survivors, however u wanna look at it

[Phatal Faze]

Despite there being no story, there still has to be an average length for the game if you just take the 5 scenarios that come packaged with the game into account.

[Shroom]

the author stating something along the lines of there being 4 scenarios, with 5 maps. Does this mean 5 maps for each scenario? If so, that would probably equate to about 20 levels or so. Either way, this game should be fantastic.

correct

4 scenarios - each with a get from here to here basis
5 maps in each scenario, i assume each time you get to a checkpoint its a loading next map area.

An estimate of the time each map takes was roughly 8 minutes iirc, your looking at 40 minutes roughly for each scenario and thats IF you survive and make it all the way. Theres a 40% chance of survival or something on normal - again iirc.

then remember its a completely modable game and with the ability to create your own maps/scenarios, just build the maps set the checkpoints, finale and a few other things and the Ai director handles spawns.

[Puscifer]

...

im not sure what ur getting at there, but the only story to the game is this:

"Imagine that you live in a major city during a time when a new and highly virulent strain of the rabies virus emerges and begins spreading rapidly among the human population. Those infected become dangerously psychotic and attack all noninfected on sight. You are one of the lucky few who seem to be immune to the virus, but are trapped in a city teeming with thousands of extremely violent infected. Banding together with a few other survivors, you try to escape."

"Left 4 Dead is set contemporary America. Although we've pushed the fiction a bit for the sake of gameplay (such as including the "boss infected"), the basic idea of a catastrophic pandemic and the collapse of civilization makes for great survival horror because it is quite plausible. We wanted our environments to remind you of home--but a horribly changed and tortured version of home.

The initial four campaigns of Left 4 Dead include both urban areas and rural areas, with lots of dense architecture and challenging landscapes. Each campaign also ends with an elaborate "finale" where the survivors must make a stand while waiting for a rescue vehicle to arrive and take them to apparent safety."

and apart from that there will be no cut scenes in the game and no levels just...maps/scenarios:P

so to awnser your question, the game is as long as u want it to be:)

[Phatal Faze]

rrect

4 scenarios - each with a get from here to here basis
5 maps in each scenario, i assume each time you get to a checkpoint its a loading next map area.

An estimate of the time each map takes was roughly 8 minutes iirc, your looking at 40 minutes roughly for each scenario and thats IF you survive and make it all the way. Theres a 40% chance of survival or something on normal - again iirc.

Thanks, that gave me a better idea of what the length of the game would be.

[Stupoider]

It's multiplayer. Replayability ftw.

[Kydd BlaZe]

Damn. I was hoping for a bit more length. I wont have access to all of the mods and such as I will be playing on an Xbox 360.

I'll probably just rent it now. Should still be a great game, nonetheless.

[Shroom]

also to quote Puscifer above, these are the 'initial' campaigns

so theyre will likely be more at some point, maybe with a different goal.

[Puscifer]

I'll probably just rent it now.

:O

[Dead Fish]

Thanks, that gave me a better idea of what the length of the game would be.

That's like saying... The lenght of any multiplayer FPS equals one round/match on each of the maps. It's not quit like that. What has been said above probably gives a good idea of how long one average sitting of one campaign (scenario) will last. But on the other hand, that is a totally individuel thing aswell. :)

[Shroom]

Damn. I was hoping for a bit more length. I wont have access to all of the mods and such as I will be playing on an Xbox 360.

thats just the length of playing every scenario once, fact is with the AI director it should have unlimited replayability with everytime you play a map/scenario the way the infected act/appear/grind you into the floor being different.

[Kydd BlaZe]

Quoting: Kydd BlaZe
I'll probably just rent it now.

:O

lol idk, man...idk...

I'm still on the fence...

[Shroom]

As i see it, unless you have xbox live or 4 360 controllers and 3 mates who will come around and play it id just get it for PC :D

it is technically geared for multiplayer co-op

[frogopus]

thats just the length of playing every scenario once, fact is with the AI director it should have unlimited replayability with everytime you play a map/scenario the way the infected act/appear/grind you into the floor being different.
This is true.

The game's new technology focuses so much on replayability that a rental just won't do it. Like Counterstrike, Battlefield series, or UT, these are not single player games (even if they can be played alone with AI). The replay factor of these games comes from the multiplayer experience.

This game goes beyond that. With the addition of AI foes (as well as player controlled foes), the developers needed to devise a way to keep the game fresh with each play. The AI director was born and grants amazing length to the game. We played through the Hospital scenario that you've all seen over and over and I'm still chomping at the bit to run through it again.

I think a rental will just scratch the surface of the game. But, if you are worried at all, definitely rent it and make up your mind.

[Armored_Zombie_Cow]

i dont think he understands the concept of an online multiplayer game....
dude have u heard of counterstrike??? or day of defeat?
i dont think he gets it....
the game doesnt have length...it says campaign...but thats if u play with bots....
the game is meant for playing online only basically, with a single player option....
there is no length, just play forever

[Quotidius]

dont think he understands the concept of an online multiplayer game....
dude have u heard of counterstrike??? or day of defeat?
i dont think he gets it....
the game doesnt have length...it says campaign...but thats if u play with bots....
the game is meant for playing online only basically, with a single player option....
there is no length, just play forever

Uncalled for. It's perfectly natural that some may confuse L4D for something akin to co-op à la Gears of War, considering how ambiguous the game is visually - that is, one might easily mistake it for a linear shooter with a substantial co-op element.
As for you renting the game - each to his own, but if you want to support Turtle Rock, buy the game instead.

[Etheallmighty]

hey frogopus u should e-mail booth asking if they are intergrating a system for the 360 that will allow people to create their maps on the 360 version, then upload it to xboxlive or someting....cause I know for sure i have to get it for xbox, so i'm really hoping something like this happens :).....would make it 13459030958056985203958230 times better

[Teh Swat]

I'd say to successfully complete the game with 4vs4 or solo, on normal, I would say a few days.

Why? When the DEVELOPERS play, they only make it 25% of the time.

Good luck.

[dontleave]

Pfft. Everyone knows within a week players are way better than the developers... Especially the ones that play for 36 hours non-stop (It happened with BF2) You can tell because so often developers are like, "Oh wow, did you see what he did there that was clever!" and stuff like that.

[Shroom]

Pfft. Everyone knows within a week players are way better than the developers... Especially the ones that play for 36 hours non-stop (It happened with BF2) You can tell because so often developers are like, "Oh wow, did you see what he did there that was clever!" and stuff like that.

Lol, i like seeing dice guys in BF, seen a few EA guys in 2142 northern strike beta. Theyre always fun to kill :)

[Dead Fish]

Lol, i like seeing dice guys in BF, seen a few EA guys in 2142 northern strike beta. Theyre always fun to kill :)

The DICE guys do play their game very often. A few weeks ago there was another official "DICE Dog Tag Challenge", where you had to knife as many DICE guys as possible and brag about the humiliation.

Btw, I plan on playing L4D for many, many months (years probably?) There will be no end. :)

[dontleave]

I hope a RE-esqe mod comes out for L4D, that and maybe some sort of RTS-ish mod with zombies, and other mods I guess will increase the longevity of it.

[Gh0sT]

Well if they keep coming out with updates and different mods for this game it should take you a long time before it even starts to get repetitive

[No Shelter]

The AI director will just make it so each time you play it will be different, plus its always fun to blast some zombies. :D

[dontleave]

How long is this game?

Very long...

[Shroom]

The AI director will just make it so each time you play it will be different, plus its always fun to blast some zombies. :D
totally agree, its like stress relif whilst gaming.