Left 4 Dead Infected Populations

A list of all L4D1 CI. Click to enlarge

A list of all L4D2 CI. Click to enlarge

Infected populations control which kinds of common infected can be spawned in the different sections of your map.

For example, infected populations can cause:

patients, nurses, and surgeons to spawn in a hospital
military personnel to spawn in a military base
rural citizens to spawn on a farm
police officers to spawn on a street filled with police cars

The basics

Each defined population has a name and a list of model names with associated percentages. The percentages within each population add up to 100% and define how frequently each type of infected should be spawned within the area.

For example, the "hospital" population is defined as:

hospital
	{
		common_male01		15
		common_patient_male01 	40
		common_worker_male01	15
		common_female_nurse01	15
		common_surgeon_male01	10
	}

This means that any areas with the name "hospital" would spawn approximately:

15% common_male01
40% common_patient_male01
15% common_worker_male01
15% common_female_nurse01
10% common_surgeon_male01

Additionally, the populations may also allow certain special infected to spawn. This is typically used in conjunction with Info_zombie_spawn. Currently only hunters, boomers, and smokers can be spawned through infected populations.

To specify a default population for the whole map, set "z_population" to the name of the desired population entry.

To specify populations within your map, your nav mesh areas must be given place names corresponding to those defined in population.txt, located within the "scripts" directory of your Left 4 Dead installation.

How To Use Them In a Map

Load your map in Left 4 Dead.
Enable cheats by typing "sv_cheats 1" into the console.
Type "nav_edit 1" in the console to see the nav mesh.
Type "nav_toggle_place_mode" into the console and hit enter (or use "nav_set_place_mode"). You should hear a beep signaling it was turned on. There is a different sound when you disable this.
Type "nav_use_place <place name>" in the console. This is like picking the color of a paintbrush in an image editing program. It decides what place name will be used for all of the place commands. This place name will be referred to as your chosen place name.
Paint your nav areas.
1. Type "nav_place_floodfill" in the console to flood fill, using the chosen place name, all areas that can be reached from the nav area at which your cursor is pointed (as well as the area at which your cursor is pointed). You should use this first to set your map's default spawn type. For instance, if you're making a Hospital map but want to fine-tune a few areas, you want to set the entire map to use "hospital" so that there are no remaining nav areas using "default".
2. You can paint areas individually using "nav_place_set".
3. You can also turn on a special painting mode with "nav_toggle_place_painting". This command will paint every nav area you look at with the chosen place name.
4. You can use "nav_place_pick" as a sort of eyedropper for your chosen place name. It will pick the place name from the area you are looking at at and use it as your new chosen place name.
Type "nav_toggle_place_mode" into the console and hit enter (or use "nav_set_place_mode") to turn place mode off. You'll hear a different sound signifying that it has been turned off.
Save the navigation mesh by typing "nav_save" into the console.
Use "nav_edit 0" to turn off the nav grid display.

List of Useful Commands

z_population: Sets the default population for all nav areas that do not specify a place name.
nav_set_place_mode <0/1>: Sets the editor into or out of place mode. Place mode allows labeling of area with place names.
nav_toggle_place_mode: Toggle the editor into and out of place mode. Place mode allows labeling of area with place names.
nav_toggle_place_painting: Toggles place painting mode. When place painting, pointing at an area will 'paint' it with the chosen place name.
nav_place_list: Lists all place names used in the map.
nav_mark_unnamed: Marks all areas with no place name. Useful for finding stray areas missed while place painting.
nav_use_place <optional: place name>: If used without arguments, all available place names will be listed. If a place name argument is given, it becomes the chosen place name.
nav_place_floodfill: Sets the place name of the area at which your cursor is pointed to the chosen place name, and 'flood-fills' the chosen place name to all areas that can be reached from the area at which your cursor is pointed.
nav_place_pick: Changes the chosen place name to the place of the area under the cursor.
nav_place_replace: Replaces all instances of the first place name with the second place name.
nav_place_set: Sets the place name of all selected areas to the chosen place name.

List of Left 4 Dead Population Names

Urban

defaulturban

30% common_male01
25% common_female01
15% common_male_suit
10% common_police_male01
10% common_military_male01
10% common_worker_male01

police

50% common_police_male01
20% common_male01
20% common_female01
10% common_military_male01

maintenance

35% common_worker_male01
25% common_male01
20% common_female01
20% common_military_male01

hospitalgrounds

20% common_male01
20% common_female01
15% common_police_male01
15% common_military_male01
15% common_worker_male01
15% common_male_suit

hospital

40% common_patient_male01
15% common_male01
15% common_worker_male01
15% common_female_nurse01
10% common_surgeon_male01

hospitalconstruction

30% common_worker_male01
20% common_patient_male01
20% common_female_nurse01
20% common_male01
10% common_surgeon_male01

airport

20% common_female01
20% common_male_suit
15% common_worker_male01
15% common_male_baggagehandler_01
15% common_tsaagent_male01
15% common_male_pilot

airportfinale

30% common_male_baggagehandler_01
20% common_tsaagent_male01
20% common_male_pilot
10% common_female01
10% common_male_suit
10% common_worker_male01

Rural

defaultrural

50% common_male_rural01
20% common_female_rural01
10% common_police_male01
10% common_military_male01
10% common_worker_male01

Special

church

Note: This is used with the Info_zombie_spawn located inside of the safe room in the church of Death Toll 3 to spawn a random special infected once the crescendo event is finished.

50% boomer
25% hunter
25% smoker

Default and Others

default

30% common_male01
25% common_female01
15% common_police_male01
10% common_military_male01
10% common_worker_male01
10% common_male_suit

test_common_male_suit

100% common_male_suit

zoo

20% common_male01
10% common_female01
10% common_male_rural01
10% common_male_suit
5% common_female_rural01
5% common_female_nurse01
5% common_male_baggagehandler_01
5% common_male_pilot
5% common_military_male01
5% common_patient_male01
5% common_police_male01
5% common_surgeon_male01
5% common_TSAAgent_male01
5% common_worker_male01

List of Left 4 Dead 2 Population Names

Defaults

default

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
20% common_male_tankTop_jeans
15% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
15% common_female_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tshirt_skirt

defaultcemetery

55% common_male_tankTop_jeans
45% common_female_tankTop_jeans

Dead Center

c1streets

20% common_male_tshirt_cargos
25% common_male_tankTop_jeans
10% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
20% common_female_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tshirt_skirt
5% common_male_ceda

The Passing

riverbank

35% common_male_tshirt_cargos
45% common_male_tankTop_jeans
20% common_male_fallen_survivor (1 at a time max, this makes it more likely to happen quick)

riverbank_police

5% common_male_riot
40% common_female_tshirt_skirt
55% common_male_tankTop_jeans

riverbank_wedding

40% common_male_formal
50% common_female_formal
10% common_male_dressShirt_jeans

redlight

32% common_female_tankTop_jeans
24% common_male_tankTop_jeans
24% common_male_biker
20% common_male_fallen_survivor (1 at a time max, to make it more likely to happen quick)

redlight_bikers

100% common_male_biker

port

45% common_female_tshirt_skirt
45% common_male_tankTop_jeans
10% common_male_dressShirt_jeans

Dark Carnival

whisperingoaks

20% common_male_tshirt_cargos
45% common_female_tankTop_jeans
8% common_male_polo_jeans
25% common_male_tanktop_jeans
2% common_male_clown

Swamp Fever

defaultswamp

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
30% common_male_tankTop_overalls
30% common_female_tankTop_jeans
10% common_female_tshirt_skirt

deepswamp

25% common_male_tshirt_cargos_swamp
40% common_male_tankTop_overalls_swamp
25% common_female_tshirt_skirt_swamp
10% common_male_mud

gatorpark

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
30% common_male_tankTop_jeans
40% common_female_tshirt_skirt

Hard Rain

defaultmilltown

69% common_male_tankTop_jeans
30% common_female_tankTop_jeans
1% common_male_roadcrew

defaultmilltown_mob

70% common_male_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tankTop_jeans
10% common_male_roadcrew

defaultsugarmill

89% common_male_tankTop_overalls
8% common_female_tankTop_jeans
3% common_male_roadcrew

defaultsugarmill_mob

80% common_male_tankTop_overalls
20% common_male_roadcrew

defaultmilltown_rain

69% common_male_tankTop_jeans_rain
30% common_female_tankTop_jeans_rain
1% common_male_roadcrew_rain

defaultmilltown_rain_mob

70% common_male_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tankTop_jeans
7% common_male_roadcrew
3% common_male_mud

defaultsugarmill_rain

89% common_male_tankTop_overalls_rain
8% common_female_tankTop_jeans_rain
3% common_male_roadcrew_rain

defaultsugarmill_rain_mob

80% common_male_tankTop_overalls_rain
15% common_male_roadcrew_rain
5% common_male_mud

The Parish

crescentcity

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
20% common_male_tankTop_jeans
13% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
15% common_female_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tshirt_skirt
2% common_male_riot

busstation

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
20% common_male_tankTop_jeans
10% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
15% common_female_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tshirt_skirt
5% common_male_riot

frenchquarter

58% common_male_tankTop_jeans
40% common_female_tshirt_skirt
2% common_male_riot

ceda

55% common_male_tankTop_jeans
40% common_female_tshirt_skirt
5% common_male_riot

The Sacrifice

river

35% common_male_tshirt_cargos
35% common_male_tankTop_jeans
30% common_female_tankTop_jeans

river_docks_trap

100% tank

riverintro

15% common_male_tankTop_jeans
10% common_female_tankTop_jeans
75% common_male_ceda

riverarena

20% common_male_tshirt_cargos
20% common_male_tankTop_jeans
10% common_female_tankTop_jeans
50% common_male_ceda

riveratrium

30% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
20% common_male_tshirt_cargos
15% common_male_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tankTop_jeans
15% common_male_ceda

riverfreighter

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
30% common_male_tankTop_jeans
20% common_female_tankTop_jeans
20% common_male_roadcrew

riverport

20% common_female_tshirt_skirt
20% common_female_tankTop_jeans
10% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
20% common_male_tanktop_jeans
20% common_male_tshirt_cargos
10% common_male_ceda

No Mercy (L4D2 Version)

hospital

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
20% common_male_tankTop_jeans
15% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
10% common_female_tankTop_jeans
15% common_female_tshirt_skirt
35% common_patient_male01_l4d2

hospital_test

100% common_patient_male01_l4d2

Dead Air (L4D2 Version)

airport

30% common_male_tshirt_cargos
20% common_male_tankTop_jeans
20% common_male_dressShirt_jeans
10% common_female_tankTop_jeans
15% common_female_tshirt_skirt
10% common_male_roadcrew

airportfinale

SAME AS AIRPORT

List of Population-Supported Infected Types

Common Infected

Here are all names you could use in a population without encountering unwanted bugs. More models exist, but those are unfinished or just buggy.

Left 4 Dead

Female

common_female01
common_female_nurse01
common_female_rural01

Male

common_male01
common_male_baggagehandler_01
common_male_pilot
common_male_rural01
common_male_suit
common_military_male01
common_patient_male01_l4d2
common_police_male01
common_surgeon_male01
common_tsaagent_male01
common_worker_male01

Left 4 Dead 2

Female

common_female_formal
common_female_tanktop_jeans
common_female_tanktop_jeans_rain
common_female_tshirt_skirt
common_female_tshirt_skirt_swamp

Male

common_male_biker
common_male_dressshirt_jeans
common_male_formal
common_male_polo_jeans
common_male_tanktop_jeans
common_male_tanktop_jeans_rain
common_male_tanktop_jeans_swamp
common_male_tanktop_overalls
common_male_tanktop_overalls_rain
common_male_tanktop_overalls_swamp
common_male_tshirt_cargos
common_male_tshirt_cargos_swamp

Uncommon Infected

common_male_ceda (hazmat suit)
common_male_clown (clown)
common_male_fallen_survivor (infected Survivor)
common_male_jimmy (Jimmy Gibbs, Jr.)
common_male_mud (mudman)
common_male_riot (police with riot gear and armor)
common_male_roadcrew (worker with helmet)
common_male_roadcrew_rain (worker with helmet, wet)

Special Infected

boomer
hunter
smoker
jockey (Left 4 Dead 2 only)
charger (Left 4 Dead 2 only)
spitter (Left 4 Dead 2 only)
witch_bride (Left 4 Dead 2 only)

Warning: Attempting to use "witch" or "tank" in a population will result in a common infected with the witch or tank model and animations unless it is used in Left 4 Dead 2.

Warning: Use "witch_bride" in a population will result in game crash due to no precached bride witch model. To avoid it you either need to spawn one bride witch model using prop_dynamic entity at some unreachable part of the map plus giving the entity a name, seconds later have the bride witch spawned using info_zombie_spawn entity with witch_bride population and make the logic_auto remove the entity. Another way is to add the following lines to your "reslists\mapname.lst if you think about using Content Streaming, only works for official games. Also removing the need of placing a prop_dynamic entity with the Witch Bride model.

"left4dead2_dlc1\models\infected\witch_bride.ani"
"left4dead2_dlc1\models\infected\witch_bride.dx90.vtx"
"left4dead2_dlc1\models\infected\witch_bride.mdl"
"left4dead2_dlc1\models\infected\witch_bride.phy"
"left4dead2_dlc1\models\infected\witch_bride.vvd"
"left4dead2_dlc1\materials\models\infected\witch\witch_bride_dress.vmt"
"left4dead2_dlc1\materials\models\infected\witch\witch_bride_dress.vtf"
"left4dead2_dlc1\materials\models\infected\witch\witch_bride_veil.vmt" 
"left4dead2_dlc1\materials\models\infected\witch\witch_bride_veil.vtf"

Creating a User-Defined Population

In order to create a custom population, you need to edit the population.txt file, and place it in an addon VPK to override the original file. When creating populations for a custom campaign, placing the population file in the same addon VPK as the campaigns mission file will make it only load it for the specific campaign.

Note: For L4D2, modify the population.txt found in "Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\update\pak01_dir.vpk. It contains the populations of the L4D1 maps as well.

If you read the site you will understand how the population file works, and how you can use a specific population on a map. All you have to do now is to open the correct population.txt in a text editor, scroll to the very bottom and add this after the last population entry, and before the final closing curly bracket:

	custom_population_1
	{
		common_male_tankTop_jeans	55
		common_male_riot 45
	}

You can use as many model names as you want.

The nav mesh nav_use_place command will only allow using the populations from the currently loaded population file. To enable custom populations to be placed into the nav mesh, temporarily pack the custom population file into an addon VPK and make sure it is enabled in-game before editing the nav mesh.

Left 4 Dead Infected Populations

Contents

The basics

How To Use Them In a Map

List of Useful Commands

List of Left 4 Dead Population Names

Urban

Rural

Special

Default and Others

List of Left 4 Dead 2 Population Names

Defaults

Dead Center

The Passing

Dark Carnival

Swamp Fever

Hard Rain

The Parish

The Sacrifice

No Mercy (L4D2 Version)

Dead Air (L4D2 Version)

List of Population-Supported Infected Types

Common Infected

Special Infected

Creating a User-Defined Population

See also

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