Talk:Left 4 Dead

Zombie Body Fades

I was wondering, because I'm going to help this modder do a zombie mod, in which endless zombies come to get you, but i have one problem. Their ragdolls, when they begin to number in the thirties, become too expensive for a multiplayer game. does anyone know to code something similar to l4d's body fade-off? --SupaNinjaMan--

Don't Monstermakers do that already? and don't npc_ entities have a flag for fade on death? --JeffMOD 14:04, 1 Dec 2008 (PST)

I've tried that, but with each one, there's generally a problem or two, still causing it too be a wee bit expensive. --SupaNinjaMan 00:42, 6 Dec 2008 (CST)

There's always the g_ragdoll_maxcount convar. --TomEdwards 04:33, 6 Dec 2008 (PST)

That could also work thank you. Wait, could I modify some coding to have the ar2's alt-fire kill effect on any kind of kill? --SupaNinjaMan 2:28, 6 Dec 2008 (CST)

If you're shipping your own code you can do absolutely anything you want! --TomEdwards 13:39, 6 Dec 2008 (PST)

Dynamic Shadows

I was just watching the 5 minute opening cinimatic for Left 4 Dead, and I noticed multiple dynamic shadows. Actually, it seems like the entire lighting system has been advanced... Can't wait. --CorporalAris 7:58, 1 Nov 2008 (GMT -6)

The trailer is all pre-rendered sadly. As of all the "Meet The Team" videos too. However L4d can cast more shadows based on the flashlights, thats as far as has been seen.--Gear 19:40, 1 Nov 2008 (PDT)

No, none of them are pre-rendered. They use more advanced animations, but they are filmed from the engine. --CorporalAris 10:21, 4 Nov 2008 (GMT -6)

No sir, I know for a fact that they are, using a secondary tool in Source.--Gear 18:38, 12 Nov 2008 (PST)

The whole game does use dunamic shadows, as seen in the demo :) --Craziestdan 07:15, 12 Nov 2008 (PST)

The game uses Single directional shadows. Each light's radius modifies the shadow angles with the shadow_control entity. There are flags that are used to enable them back and forth. Sadly no dynamic shadows, but close to it.--Gear 18:38, 12 Nov 2008 (PST)

Now that confuses me. On shadow_control it says it controls the Dynamic Shadows...

It's fairly simple one you get your hands on it.--Gear 09:25, 13 Nov 2008 (PST)

The shadow_control dynamic shadows aren't real dynamic shadows, they are render-to-texture. This means they only get rendered onto brush geometry faces by putting the shadow on top of the texture. In contrast, the flashlight shadows get rendered into the world through projection, including world models, self-shadowing etc. Originally they planned to include fully dynamic shadows for all flashlights but this is not in the demo. I figure that the performance hit for mid-range machines would have been to heavy and they didn't want to alienate those gamers. The new solution of having variable single shadow direction still looks OK though. I think that some of the car headlights in the first map give projected textures as shadows (there is a separate class for car headlights based on the flashlight). Yatar 12:28, 13 Nov 2008 (PST)

Doesn't really matter if they're called dynamic shadows or not. Bottom line is they look exactly like a dynamic shadow, so what's the fuss?? --Craziestdan 12:36, 13 Nov 2008 (PST)

That's like saying that mat_fullbright looks exactly like light, so what's the fuss? I would expect a dynamic shadow to be seen on models and not only brushes. It just looks a bit odd to see a shadow on the floor when there's some big object between the shadow caster and the floor. Especially considering that the Source engine can actually create real dynamic shadows, but at high cost.

full bright-normal light isn't exactly the best way to put it lol. Ima saying, it's pretty decent shadows, and IS dynamic. Just not dynamic on models. /end. --Craziestdan 16:44, 13 Nov 2008 (PST)

They had dynamic lighting in Episode 2, didn't they? JRod 17:21, 13 Nov 2008 (PST)

Lol grow up. You don't even know what dynamic means. Dynamic is MOVING, L4D has MOVING SHADOWS, so it's DYNAMIC/MOVING. You think because it's model shadows and not brushes, it means it's not called dynamic?? Go away till you know the difference between static 'n dynamic! --Craziestdan 18:35, 13 Nov 2008 (PST)

Amen my friend.--Gear 17:08, 19 Nov 2008 (PST)

Directed at Gear: Yes, they record them, but they are not CG, is what I was trying to say. They are filmed in the Source engine, albeit a modified one. --CorporalAris 23:34, 23 Nov 2008 (GMT -6)

Release Dates

I think it might be a good idea to leave demo and game the release date information in the main article, at least through November. It might help prevent questions being added here and to the forums, maybe even save Valve a few emails as well. --brandished 22:43, 11 Nov 2008 (PST)

Sure thing. --Craziestdan 07:14, 12 Nov 2008 (PST)

Original name

Craziestdan, where did you see that Left 4 Dead was originally called Terror Strike. My investigations have found it was only called Terror. -octavio

It's in the commentary. Near the entrance to the subway in the first map as I recall. --TomEdwards 06:50, 1 Dec 2008 (PST)

Yup, it's were Tom said. In one of Mike Booth's commentary sounds. --Craziestdan 11:17, 1 Dec 2008 (PST)

Oh right, I was basing my assumptions on some script files. -octavio