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.

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_gamemode can 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

1. Legacy Assets
2. VMF Instances
3. Weapon and Item Spawning
4. Director Queries
5. Multi-Gamemode Support
6. Scavenge Maps
7. Wandering Witch
8. Instructor Hints
9. Add-on Notes
10. Tank & Witch Prohibition
11. Foot Lockers
12. Hard Rain
13. Scavenge Finale
14. Gauntlet Finale
15. Custom Finale

See also

• L4D Level Design Basics Tutorial
• Left 4 Dead Level Creation

• Left 4 Dead 2 Level Creation
• L4D2 Campaign Add-on Tutorial
• Dissection of Official L4D2 Campaigns

---