L4D3 ideas
By bulldog300 1 Comments
Concepts for left 4 dead 3:
Valve's not the 'churn out a new game each year' corporation. Anyone who's ever played a valve game knows they're the ' made a good game with much replayability or astonishingly memorable moments' game. Having said that I know for a fact that the L4D franchise is far from over. They have plenty of ideas still being cooked up and for that matter so do the players. Long story short, here's some things I think would be interesting to see in L4D3 when it comes out.
- Morphine:
It's already censored in Australia so lets go all the way and make it completely banned with drug use. My idea is that morphine could be a usable drug in the pills/adrenaline slot. When used it will make whoever applied it unable to be knocked down for a few moments. That could be a saving grace in tight situations. Likewise, anyone who's near death (ie 'gray') could not be killed for a few moments. Maybe there can also be antibiotics, which would work like med packs but not as potent. They could heal 10% of the damage you've received as opposed to 80% (but does not reset the knockdown counter). Finally for a bit of humor how about assorted bottles of liquor that temporarily increased accuracy (but greatly decreased if its overused)
- (optional) character skills:
Back when L4D1 was in it's hands on stage a various writers mentioned how each survivor would sport a different kind of weapon, so why not step it up a notch and make each survivor proficient in a certain skill. I wouldn't want it to be class based, or mandatory, but something along the lines of 'one character's more accurate with a hunting rifle, and one can carry an extra item because s/he's so strong. Maybe a recovering junkie character can gain better effects from medicines (pills, adrenaline, morphine, ect) that are used while a former nurse character gives slightly more health when s/he heals someone. The reason it works so well in other games is because it's true to real life; different people are more adept at different things. While I love every inch of L4D I found that a former green beret and a college student having the same weapon skills a bit odd.
- Ai set patterns:
Everyone argues that L4D/2's main flaw is that the allied ai is dumb as dirt. They heal way too soon, never use explosives, are uncannily accurate, and will often not follow you into a closet or hall when there's a horde prompt. In addition to making the ai smarter, how about players gain the ability to dictate how an ai controlled ally reacts. Will they favor rifles or shotguns. Will they use explosives or just guns? This is all assuming that the ai doesn't accidentally (and repeatedly) blow you up or burn you in the process. I believe that single player (that is assuming if anyone still entertains the idea of playing single player) would benefit from the player being able to control more of the bots' behaviors.
- Other countries:
I'll admit that seeing the Rockies, Seattle or even the arid Mojave Desert would bring a smile to my face, but it would be interesting to see how other nations held up amidst the zombie apocalypse. I imagine that outside of our borders, the battle for survival would be a bit more… pessimistic, as is generally the case of American horror films versus other horror films (Shaun of the dead excluded). The only problem with the joy of fighting zombies in the lush Latin American rainforests and through the British parliament is that L4D might lose its identity (American or otherwise). The solution is simple, tourists. It's not hard to imagine that after patient zero went awol all air traffic was grounded asap. Four American touristas in a German hostel, a Cuban beach or visiting the holy sites in Israel have to survive.
- Flamethrowers (and other homemade weapons):
Save for the boomer bile, weapons have remained mostly conventional in L4D. The only zombie killing weapon Valve hasn't included is the flamethrower, which I have to admit would be awesome to see in game. Tier 1 firefun would come in the form of a lighter and a spray-can. It would have limited range, ammo and be good only in short bursts. Tier 2 could be something homemade or reasonably legal before the zombie apocalypse, while tier 3 would simply be a military grade flamethrower. Like the grenade launcher, it would be a great anti-zombie weapon, but an ff nightmare.
Throw-able wise I predict zombie repellant sticks (maybe make them applicants like pills), sugar bags for witches (hit a tank and watch the show; similar to bioshock and big daddies) and making gas cans slot-able (they can go on the back anyways).
- new scenarios:
The first one splits the four into teams. Two people (maybe a newly weds on a honeymoon if this is a prequel) are trapped in their hotel room and need help. The other two have to fight their way through zombie hordes to reach them (with the trapped two providing cover up above). Once they regroup it's off to the beach for some sun, sand and zombie killing while you try to get to a makeshift escape in the form of a yacht.
They other stresses a bit more necessity for speed. One (or more) of you team members has been infected with the virus. Your team hears that there's a vaccine in a military base not far from where they are and you have to go obtain a sample to save him or her. The problem is that the team member is slowly succumbing to the infection and needs medications to keep going. You can tell if you're infected because your screen will slowly be encroached by a reddish-orange tint that gets worse as time progresses. If it completely covers the screen then it's bad luck for you.
I imagine this could be a co op versus mode as well as a single player mission. In co op it would be eight survivors (two or more infected at first) and when someone dies they join the special infected. To make things fair they'd have to up the difficulty a bit. It could shake up things.
Another idea I have called trainwreck. The group of survivors has to fight their way to a trainyard where they are shuttling people to one of the last few safehouses left. For added adrenaline the last stand of the episode is four survivors holding out against hordes of zombies raining on their zooming train while its slowly going off rails and needs the e-break applied.
The swelter is similar to the infection scenario, but instead of infection your group faces dehydration. Your team is in the Mojave desert, under the impression that zombies couldn't tolerate the heat. As it turns out zombies are more resilient than humanity thought. In a rural town four survivors fight through the blistering sun. This mode demands survivors duck into buildings and under tents to get out of the sun.
Finally we come to one that's probably a bad idea for many reasons, a scenario where the zombies have caused a nuclear meltdown at a power plant. You and three survivors won't be facing super zombies or anything like that (other than special infected of course), but dangers lurking around a radioactive spill warrant keeping an eye on a Geiger counter. Zombies don't mind radiation, but this gives a distinct new element to factor. I can just picture the intro poster saying something like 'and you thought the zombies were bad'.
- Special infected:
So we have a general group of special infected, most of which resemble socially intolerable people like crazy ex girlfriends and thugs that like to 'jump' people. In an effort to make more special infected one has to think about the habits (or appearances) of others that generally makes them uncomfortable and personify them into monsters.
The lurker behaves in a manner similar to hunters, but it's much harder to see in night levels. The lurker is first noticed by its snake-like hiss, it's almost naked, appearing to be bitten in it's sleep, and can barely be seen until it pounces. It's very bony and dark, but like the witch it shouldn't be underestimated.
The shrieker does, what else, shriek. Its cry is good for knocking back humans similar to what a boomer's explosion will do, but without the bile. These precious seconds give an infected team the time it needs to make a move at the humans. Shriekers are small, female in appearance and have glowing yellow eyes like the witch. I know special infected already 'push the realm of believability' as one of the designers put it, but I don't think the shrieker should cause damage with her cry. Human lungs don't have that capacity.
The imp isn't dangerous in the least. It's a small, childlike zombie that can't pounce and has a weak attack. Its primary focus isn't to attack though. The imp is a greedy little creature that can steal anything a player isn't holding. A former child, it's curious nature carried with it into undeath. Now that might not seem like a big deal, but when you're injured and distracted losing your first aid kit can turn the tide of a battle on the players. This one is for all the times people in versus have said 'crap, he's gotta …'.
Finally there's the leech. The leech is a translucent abomination that spits tiny parasites at players to slowly drain their health. It looks like a pregnant woman at first glance, with a giant stomach holding life. Unfortunately this life is a disgusting parasite that can drain minor to considerable health if left unchecked. The parasites don't stun the player, but they require someone else to rifle-butt them off. Good for softening up players before an attack or being a distraction.
As for uncommon infected, the possibilities are endless. I have to admit that the thought of baby zombies has crossed my mind. You have to keep a look out for your ankles or be dropped. Pregnant infected (yes I have been watching dawn of the dead) that spawn the aforementioned baby infected upon death is also an idea.
Then we have infected with explosives strapped to them, so shooting them is ill advised. Infected that have been covered by oil (either through an accident or by the players) is also a combustible possibility and a good reason to not go crazy with the flamethrower. These two have the same function as the canisters that players come across, but they are much more dangerous.
The introduction of the powerplant breeds two different uncommon infected. In addition to the hazmat suits making a return, there are also radioactive zombies. They don't glow in the dark or have superpowers, but they're contaminated flesh causes damage like spitter goo or fire would. Zombies with tumors would also show up, but I can't imagine that being anymore than cosmetic.
- New modes:
In addition to a versus mode where teams of two (or four if valve decides to increase the player cap) have to regroup at the middle of a map and make their way to the end, I believe a new mode is in order. Extermination is straight forward; kill every last zombie on the map before the timer runs out. Instead of surviving one has to secure a location for survivors. The end has the group defending a location until others can make it through.
In addition I think they should make a competitive survival mode. Like versus, two teams swap between survivors and infected, but in this case it's for survival. The team that lasts the longest wins. I suppose this is just a variation of scavenger mode, but everything needs a twist.
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