Since the release of Left 4 Dead 2 a week ago, we received a few emails asking us if it was going to have any consequences on our I Hate Mountains campaign. I thought it could be good to clear up the situation for everyone at the same time. So here’s our thoughts on the current situation.
- First, there’s still no SDK for Left 4 Dead 2 and something tells us that we might not see it before a long time. So we can’t port our campaign to Left 4 Dead 2 if we wanted to.
- Second, even if we could, we won’t be able to port our campaign to Left 4 Dead 2 because Valve kind of changed their mind about their so-called interoperability between Left 4 Dead 1 and 2. There is no such thing and all the content we used from the first game (textures, models, sounds, etc.) isn’t available in the second for the moment. Let’s hope they’ll remedy this situation later.
- Left 4 Dead 1 is still crippled with bugs and it’s still rather impossible to create a serious campaign using custom everything (models, particles, music, sounds, etc.) that doesn’t rely on dirty and risky hacks. We might finally use these, but we’d really like to avoid it.
- Most people are starting to move on from Left 4 Dead 1 to Left 4 Dead 2 and even us are seeing Left 4 Dead 1 as a serious regression over Left 4 Dead 2. It frighten us a bit because, now that the community is splitted, we don’t really know were our potential players are.
Finally, I guess nothing really changed for the moment. We’re still working on the campaign, but we’ve been quite depressed by the quality and the originality of the new Left 4 Dead 2 campaigns. It’s really hard to focus on your own campaign when you perfectly know you’ll never be able to reach this kind of result, damn you Valve<:em> and your clever ideas! But still… we’re working on it.
Just keep chugging away at it. I don't own L4D2 and likely will not. At least, not for quite some time. Not after reading all the issues people are having and a lackluster demo. I'll wait til it is at least half off. Till then, I'm still playing L4D almost daily and looking for good new campaigns.
People will play it. So, L4D has lost some players. L4D2 is shiny and new. It will get alot of play for awhile then some with switch back and forth. More importantly, alot of those L4D2 owners also own l4D. Meaning, they can play your campaign.
Hey guys. Thanks for your work. Just go on. I didn´t buy L4D2, because all I saw is not more than extra content packet into it´s own game. I expected that as content update, like I still like TF2, cause its still updated with loads of cool stuff.
Don´t worry, I´ll play your campaign when it´s out. As sure as I don´t buy L4D2 ever. greez: st.
You guys are doing a great job. I can imagine how you guys are feeling about the situation, but don't let this things annoy you. Your campaing will receive the sucess that deserves.
Have you guys seen this yet?
http://kotaku.com/5409472/left-4-dead-campaigns-now-unofficially-work-in-left-4-dead-2
At least the quality of left 4 Dead 2 campaigns show that Valve did not only want to make money on players and really wanted to expand the universe with something awesome ;)
That said, I own the two games, and even if I love to play the second game, I still like very much the first. I invested more than 100 hours in Left 4 Dead 1 and its mods, and would still like to play mods set in its universe. And about the SDK, I think that interoperability is not something that will be so difficult to achieve for Valve (see previous comment).
And at the end, I still really look forward to your campaign, set in the Left 4 Dead 1 universe, regardless of interoperability or not.
I havent moved on. left 4dead 2 is rediculous and the only mode i play is scavenge. I am using my brothers copy btw. everything is in daylight… NO THANKS!
ill play ur campain no matter what just keep up the updates so i know you didnt give up.
I don´t understand why the campaigns can´t be ported, since some people have ported
the Original l4d1 campaigns for l4d2 including the new special infecteds.
Well i hope it works anyway.
I also feel sorry for l4d1 maps, since l4d2 really lifted the level.
I hope people could port the maps to l4d2, eventually.
The reasons for some campaigns not being able to be back ported would probably be missing props, for example tables, chairs, cars and god knows what else what that are in L4D1 but not L4D2.
The unofficial hacky method should not be used to play the maps in L4D2 as it would make the game incredibly unstable and glitchy.
As far as the release of this campaign goes. Can't you guys instead of using a VPK, use an Installer to install all the assets such as custom models, materials etc, and then edit the autoexec config file so it rebuilds the sound cache on startup.
This way, its easy for users to install and uninstall if need be.
I think Nicolas was talking about the textures they used from L4D1. They are not in L4D2. I suppose that even if they would want to port their game to L4D2, they would have to redefine all their materials with texture stored in their campaign file.
That's why, to play L4D1 campaigns on L4D2, you have to copy all pak files which contains bsp and also textures.
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Anyway, don't get depressed :) We are still waiting for your campaign! I'm sure it will feature good design and gamplay!
I have invested in L4D2 (even if I did not spend many hours yet) but
I WILL PLAY FOR SURE to I Hate Mountains.
Simply because I was so please by Portal Prelude I DO WANT to see and try Hate Mountains.
And also because L4D or L4D2 looks like the same game, so no big deal to "downgrade" :)
Have faith Dudes you are doing an amazing work!
As long as We can Have good campaign for the first opus, we'll keep on playing these campaigns.
We have switch to L4D-2, just because, we have no more good stuff for thr first, and that we succed buying the second at 22€.
So we are still waiting for U Nicolas.
Don't worry, because in a few month, people will get bored of the second L4D, and they will turn back to the large community of custom campaigns, that exists, fir the first Left 4 Dead.
So we have faith in your work.
Alors continuez de bosser, nous sommes toujours aussi impatient.
(this my new contribution ;) )
"It's really hard to focus on your own campaign when you perfectly know you'll never be able to reach this kind of result."
WTF!? YOU showed us with Portal: Prelude that you can OWN Valve. Don't be intimidated or pressurized Valve or other people.
Have confidence in yourself. You proved that you can make great things.
I wait for GameOne videos to translate and upload them. ;)
It's serious :) We have a good challenge! Their work on the new Left 4 Dead is just awesome! The Demo is far behind the game itself.
But don't worry, you'll have a quality campain!!
L4D2 is quite impressive but don't worry, we're still at work. I Hate Mountains won't desappoint you.
Im sorry, but im going to play more L4D2 then L4D. Theres no point playing L4D1, now L4D2 is out L4D is very boring with no melee, SI ect. Its just a sequel like and sequel. HOWEVER – I recentley found some very fun l4D1 Campgains – and I will play all awsome L4D1 campgains including I Hate Mountains.
Rock on IHM Team :3
I got l4d and l4d2, and I must say I still play l4d just as much as I play l4d2. They're both great games, and I think because of the mods for l4d it makes it much more playable at times than l4d2. Keep doin what you're doing. We all appreciate it and are excited to see what you do
No matter what happens with L4D2, I have been waiting for what seems like ages to play I Hate Mountains and they could honestly add a rocket launcher to Rochelle's tits and I still wouldn't want to play that over your guys' map. Keep up the good work and don't pet the sweaty things.
Just to clarify what i said before, so that no ill intended person could distort it to create discord.
When i said "I also feel sorry for l4d1 maps, since l4d2 really lifted the level.",
i was talking about the l4d1 maps don´t having access to the new weapons, adrenaline, weapons upgrades, special ammunitions, meele weapons and new special infected.
These new itens gives more variety to l4d.
About l4d2 maps, yes, they are good, but they aren´t that superior to some of the excellent l4d1 maps, if even.
Having to stop an alarm in point B from a starting point A is not that much original, i must say.
So i don´t see any problems with the maps created for l4d1 other than not having access to the new itens available for l4d2.
And I think that was near what Nicolas was trying to say in his original post.
I have buy L4D2, because i find it for 35€. Result : i play on L4D1!!! :p
Toooooooooo many bugs on L4d2!!! (for example immobilize surv after the Charger).
Yes, boycotters were right all the time…
Valve suck a lot a take us for money bags!!!
I hope that I Hate Mountains will coming soon for l4d1. It's one of reason why keep playing this game.
bon courage à l'équipe de développement!!!
Après avoir touché à L4D2, il m'est difficile de revenir sur le premier opus.
Au delà du sale coup commercial que Valve nous a joué, cette suite est une vrai perle pour les fans de L4D.
Au choix, je préfèrerais voir ihatemountains sur L4D2, mais il est certain que j'y jouerais même s'il doit sortir sur L4D.
Ne perdez pas espoir ;)
Glad you guys are still chugging away on it. Keep the faith!
I played only the demo of l4d2 but apart from the new abilities and content i don't like it. I'll still stick with l4d. Waiting and fully supporting this campaign. By the way might a petition help for bringing more modding possibilities in l4d? Leave a answer on sergiuung@msn.com
still haven't bought L4D2. haven't even played demo. not even excited.
custom campaigns for L4D ftw!
Pour moi, votre campagne devrait plutôt sortir sur le premier opus. Elle s'illustre parfaitement aux côtés des autres campagnes du jeu, et colle plutôt bien à l'ambiance du titre – du moins pour le peu que j'en ai vu.
Et il y a toujours pas mal de monde sur le premier opus; de toute manière, la seule façon de le faire vivre c'est bien de le supporter d'une façon ou d'une autre.
J'ai les deux jeux, et je joue régulièrement au premier parce que je le trouve meilleur en terme d'ambiance.
Dans tous les cas, quelque soit le jeu sur lequel la campagne sera développée, j'y jouerai.