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NykO18

Administrator

From: Montréal, QC

Registered: 2010-05-13

Website

Just played Death Aboard, my thoughts

CosmicD

Member

Registered: 2010-05-23

Re: Just played Death Aboard, my thoughts

I generally liked dead aboard but not as much as I hate mountains. Sometimes there was too much sandbox area in dead aboard that you could get easily lost in a pretty small area.

I think if people want to map a bit of multipath in a left 4 dead addon they have to always make sure that you can discriminate the little explorable area from the main path. A great and easy example of that is the first no mercy map.

You can go on the main streets but also inside the apartments but you have visual oversight on the fact that you actually crossed this part and you dont have to go back on the streets.

The scripted area with the car should isn't so bad, but they should make more audio and visual warnings in advance, if the objective is to scare the player away and set him up for the fact that they can be harmed by it, it needs more warning.

About the events.. Hmm, I have to think about the feedback we got on dbd, it seems like what alot of people like is to push a button, camp the crecendo and move on. If there's visual splendor allong the way it seems more great than the threats we wanted to create in dbd map 4:

Granted, we had to seriously optimize these events but I think we did and it's now what we want them, gives people a break and visual confirmation on what's happening. And isn't it mighty fun to battle both a zombie horde and a certain threat? (which you can see coming from seven days till sunday in our new version, don't worry)

I don't think in a zombie apocalypse, there should be only run, camp push a button but some real mild and avoidable danger.

In a mario game when you jump and you don't reach the other platform you fall and you die. Why is that so hard for left 4 dead fans to accept this?

I say this because on one hand, people want to jump out the window in ihm2 and on the other side, they don't like to get lost in the woods.. hmmmm

Bindal

Member

Registered: 2010-06-10

Re: Just played Death Aboard, my thoughts

I also played Death Aboard and it was one of my first custom campaigns I played (no surprise, because it was one of the first released campaigns). The levels were huge, that's for sure and made them at some points even boring to play. Same goes for the vents. Two are simply "turn power on" with that old and overused powerbox. The second one got a bit spiced up by adding a second trigger in the sewers (for Nyk018: The electrics of the door are going down from the powerbox - right at the broken cable), but still. And except one event, all are just "wait until the way opened" and only once, we have a "start and hold out or run away". The car-event on Map 4 was kinda interessting to trigger, and as long as you know that you need to dodge, it's really easy (you don't even need to climb up the whole ladder - as soon as the container breaks, get down again). However, if you don't... not that fair, that's true.

Also, the first two maps looked really boring and too simple, the third was okay but still kinda bad - but hey, it's the oldest campaign out there, so it think, it's okay. Some areas looked similar, espically on the early maps, but it's still very liniar when you know from where you came.

The finale is something most people do wrong the first time because they don't know better (even in the newest version, there is a sign, which tells them they need to go elsewhere). I need to admit: I defended the top the first time, too (but didn't got punched down by a Tank) - but when I saw where the rescue was landing and got killed on the way down, I quickly changed my plan to something, what works perfectly fine: Hit the button and dash down to the docks. It works and you don't need to fear anything anymore.

Overall, I would say, with a lot of visual improvement and some overwork at the events, it would be a great campaign almost at Valve-standards (but still below). Currently, it sure is a must-play, but nothing you should play every day.

NykO18

Administrator

From: Montréal, QC

Registered: 2010-05-13

Website

Re: Just played Death Aboard, my thoughts

Agreed, and damn... I still don't understand how this boat level was made.
I'm gonna ask him at some point.