Alien Swarm
Game » consists of 1 releases. Released Jul 19, 2010
A freeware top-down co-operative shooter where a squad of marines must investigate and prevent the spread of a rampant alien infestation. It was originally a total conversion for Unreal Tournament 2004 before its team, hired by Valve for other projects, completed it as a side-project.
Alien Swarm Gets AI Director And Harder Difficulty Level
To be more specific, Valve has added a lone mode that introduces the AI director made so famous in Left 4 Dead. It's called Onslaught, and just like in Left 4 Dead, maps will spawn enemies based on a variety of factors including, for example, a squad's given stress level.
Onslaught will work across all difficulty levels, including the game's new Brutal difficulty. In the press release, Valve makes it rather clear this mode is indeed hard by stating that no one, as of August 23, has cleared a mission on the new difficulty.
A new hardcore friendly fire option has been added as well. When toggled on, this will turn all team-caused damage--including turret fire--into full-on normal damage.
I initially read this press release as something of a challenge. The question "Are you man enough?" kept popping into my head. But Valve isn't exactly throwing down the gauntlet here. Apparently, these two upgrades were the most requested from the player base, and as usual, Valve is delivering on fans' wants and desires.
To be more specific, Valve has added a lone mode that introduces the AI director made so famous in Left 4 Dead. It's called Onslaught, and just like in Left 4 Dead, maps will spawn enemies based on a variety of factors including, for example, a squad's given stress level.
Onslaught will work across all difficulty levels, including the game's new Brutal difficulty. In the press release, Valve makes it rather clear this mode is indeed hard by stating that no one, as of August 23, has cleared a mission on the new difficulty.
A new hardcore friendly fire option has been added as well. When toggled on, this will turn all team-caused damage--including turret fire--into full-on normal damage.
I initially read this press release as something of a challenge. The question "Are you man enough?" kept popping into my head. But Valve isn't exactly throwing down the gauntlet here. Apparently, these two upgrades were the most requested from the player base, and as usual, Valve is delivering on fans' wants and desires.
Great, that game was too easy! I like the friendly fire change, especially. Back in the day a single misplaced shotgun blast could take out your entire squad. Hopefully it will bring back the teamwork of days long past.
I tried the insane or w/e the highest difficulty was and it was way too hard on the biomass level in residential. I can't see how this will improve the gameplay.
i want some community maps already haha. this game is so much better than the other unreal engine top down alien shooter....that i paid for. that thing was terrible.
The addition of the AI director as an actual game mode is a welcome addition, as after playing through the same campaign levels you kind of get bored of the same alien placements, so this should spice things up a bit.
Well, that and new custom campaigns from modders and mappers.
What's that "director AI"? Where could I read more about it?
My knowledge about the AI in games is old and rusty, any information is welcome, the more technical the better.
Beside of that. Is the brutal mode that hard solely on the intelligence of the enemies or other aspects of the game (like the number of enemies or the damage caused to them by weapons) have been modified?
This may not be the best place to ask these questions, but if you knwo of a better place to ask them, that would be a good answer.
Thank you.
Man, AI directors should be in every game. After L4D I was hoping more devs would be inspired by it and implement similar ideas in their own games. Do Valve own the patent or something?
" Friendly fire has always been in the game. It's on by default... Also, an even harder difficulty? No thanks. "Current friendly fire does very little damage. It was so small that I did not mind getting shot in the back if it meant my teammate was getting more aliens killed. This new mode means a single friendly fire could ruin your entire mission.
" A free content update to a free game. Why can't more companies be like Valve? "Valve is the reason I still have confidence in human life.
AI Director has always been in the game, you just had to turn it on in the console. Same with full friendly fire damage.
I wonder if there'll be new Episode Three stuff hidden in this update.
Hmm, I thought the most common requested feature would be more maps?
Insane difficult was managable up until the Residential level if you're playing with a decent team, but then it got super hard. The hard difficulty is not hard at all, even if you're playing with random strangers.
Aww Jesus! I'm already having trouble with this game and now this! It seems that I'll never be a good Alien Swarm player.... :(
" Alien Swarm users like their matches rough and varied, and the next time they boot up the game they'll be able to get it just how they like it."
UUughh. Dude. C'mon. That's some pretty heinous writing. Sort it out.
Another small, but greatly appreciated token from Valve, proving once again that they are among the (if not THE) greatest devs/publishers in the industry.
I wasn't bashing anyone, if that's what you mean. I'll edit it though, just to make sure. Sorry for being annoying.
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