L4D2 Level Design
From Valve Developer Community
This page summarizes new editing features in L4D2.
If you're new to creating levels for the Left 4 Dead series, be sure to check out the L4D Level Design Basics Tutorial. The basics of authoring levels are pretty similar between L4D1 and L4D2, and this section focuses on Left 4 Dead 2-specific features.
For those of you who have existing maps and are looking to update and recompile, you've come to the right place. Your maps will likely need a little bit of tweaking to get running properly, and there are several useful additions to L4D2 mapping that you'll likely want to take advantage of.
Once familiar with these articles, you may wish to visit Left 4 Dead 2 Level Creation for a broad overview of L4D2 level design.New features overview
- External VMF reference/instance capability allows you to organize your map as multiple VMF files.
- Additional entities, such as for spawning weapons, items, and upgrades with or without A.I. Director control.
- Director querying allows your map to do better adapt to your players. You can change paths, change appearance, create a rainstorm, etc., all based on how well players are doing and therefore how "angry" the director is.
- A new
info_gamemodecan be used to more easily create a single .BSP map that can change appearance, arrangement, item placement, etc., depending on the game mode being played. - VScripts provide fine control over the director and simplifies implementation of complex tasks.
To do: There are other new features that should be added here.
Tutorials
- Legacy Assets
- VMF Instances
- Weapon and Item Spawning
- Director Queries
- Multi-Gamemode Support
- Scavenge Maps
- Wandering Witch
- Instructor Hints
- Add-on Notes
- Tank & Witch Prohibition
- Foot Lockers
- Hard Rain
- Scavenge Finale
- Gauntlet Finale
- Custom Finale
