Left 4 Dead 2 level design

This page contains articles relating to Level Design for Left 4 Dead 2.

For  Left 4 Dead level creation articles, see Left 4 Dead Level Creation.

Getting Started Download and Install the Left 4 Dead 2 Authoring Tools L4D Level Design Basics Tutorial L4D2 Level Design Basics Tutorial Level Optimization Your First Map (General Hammer Tutorial) General Level Design documentation Common Mapping Problems L4D Mapping Notes Design Theory The Left 4 Dictionary Left 4 Dead Design Theory Tutorials and Constructing Elements Ladders | Infected-only Ladders Checkpoints and Safe Rooms Elevators | Elevators and Nav Mesh Panic Events Breakable Walls | Visible Cue for Breakable Walls Finales Standard Finale | Gauntlet Finale | Scavenge Finale | Custom Finale | Sacrifice Finale Rescue Closets Cinematic Effects Post Processing (Film Grain, Vignette, Local Contrast) | Color Correction Legacy Assets VMF Instances Weapon, Item, and Melee spawns | Mounted Minigun | Mounted Machinegun Director Queries Wandering Witch | Witch Bride Instructor Hints Tank & Witch Prohibition Hard Rain Storm Foot Lockers Choreographed Scenes | Character Remarks (Dialogue) L4D1 Survivor Bots | L4D1 Survivor Players (survivor_set - Missionfile) | Forcing Survivor Positions Scripting (vscripts)| Example vscripts Entity Manipulation | Custom Panic Events | Custom Finales | Scavenge Finale | Director Scripts | Onslaughts | Official vscripts | Scripting API Extended Mutation System Revisitable maps, as seen in Hard Rain. Gamemodes Versus Survival Scavenge Mutations Multi-Gamemode Support Custom Assets Custom Materials and Textures | Wall Writings and Graffiti | Water Flow Custom Models and Animation Breakable Props | Cinematic Physics | Weapons (Via addoninfo) | Melee Weapons | Intro/Outro Camera Custom Sound and Music Soundscripts | Soundscapes Custom Particle Effects | Editing Particle Effects Detail Props | L4D2 Detail Props Management and Organization Shipping Creating Add-ons (.VPK Files) addoninfo.txt | Example addoninfo.txt (Deadline 1 & 2) Add-on Art Assets addonimage.jpg | Campaign Poster | Map Thumbnail Previews | Outtro Background Mission File Official Map Mission Files | Example Mission Files (Deadline 1 & 2) Packing (into a VPK) Compressing Uploading / Distributing Add-on Notes (L4D2)

Reference Information Authoring Tool Changes List of L4D2 Campaign Music List of L4D2 Cvars List of L4D2 Entities List of L4D2 Instructor Messages List of L4D2 Missions Files List of L4D2 Nav Mesh Attributes List of L4D2 Particles List of L4D2 Script Functions List of L4D2 Game Events List of L4D2 Skyboxes List of L4D2 Soundscapes List of L4D2 Fog Settings Dissection of Official L4D2 Campaigns Dimensions in L4D2 L4D2 Gamemodes File Expert Compile Mode VBSP | VVIS | VRAD Navigation Meshes General Navigation Meshes Navigation Mesh Commands Left 4 Dead Series Basic Nav Editing Generating Selecting Key Binds / Shortcut Keys | nav_mode.cfg Splitting Adding Attributes Deleting Analyzing Ladders | Infected-only Ladders Connecting Drawing Your Own Nav Areas Grid Snapping Nav Blockers Panic Events Rescue Closets Breakable Walls Nav Flow Finale and Escape Vehicle Advanced Nav Editing OBSCURED Attribute | L4D Nav Mesh Attributes Displacements Splicing Merging Raising and Lowering Areas Raising and Lowering Corners Nav GUI Fog Trouble Report Left 4 Dead Infected Populations Sorting out navigation flow References List of L4D2 Navigation Mesh Attributes Other Resources SketchUp Source Tools GCFScape VTFEdit Creating Server Plugins AI Systems of L4D Heat Maps User projects Sites Official Left 4 Dead 2 Website L4D mappers mailing list | Archives (log-in required) L4D2 Custom Campaigns/Maps Forums Deadline Example Campaign - L4D1 example add-on campaign by Valve Deadline 2 Example Campaign - L4D2, a dramatic sequel to Deadline 1 The Left 4 Dead Wiki - Part of the Valve Wiki Network World Of Level Design - Contains several Left 4 Dead 1/2 mapping guides Level Design Video Tutorials - Various video tutorials about mapping.