Valve took the wraps off Left 4 Dead 2's brand-new competitive multiplayer game type, "Scavenge," at a press event in San Francisco this evening. According to the developer, this mode is built purely for "quick, more frantic gameplay." (Yes, L4D actually can be more frantic).
Scavenge has the four survivor characters scrambling to collect gas cans from various spots in a confined location -- in this case a motel, pictured -- in order to fuel up a generator before a two-minute timer expires. There are 16 cans total and 20 seconds are added to the clock for each one that's successfully retrieved.
Four other players, controlling Special Infected, must do their best to stop the cans from reaching the goal. The two new Special Infected, Spitters and Jockeys, really excel in this mode. The former can set dropped cans on fire, while the latter can leap onto the shoulders of a survivor, "steering" them away from their goal.
These best two-out-of-three matches are broken up into three rounds, during the "half time" of which players switch sides. Valve confirmed that each of L4D2's campaigns has a unique Scavenge map, for a total of six shipping with the game on November 17.
Reader Comments (50)
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 5:54AM Istari Spartan said
Vavle need to stop making this game better.
They've already made me their b*tch in so many, many ways.
Reply
They've already made me their b*tch in so many, many ways.
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 6:29AM xGeneral DEATHxDEETH82 said
Sounds kind of bland, but I'll probably be [happily] singing a different tune in November. :)
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:03AM ScoobyMaroon said
That sounds pretty neat. I'd very much like to try it!
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:06AM (Unverified) said
Ah crap, now I have to pre order it for sure.... I'm going to have no money by the time chirstmas hits.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:18AM thesillyoldbear said
I gotta find me a UK retailer who will ship a pre-order to Australia on or before release date.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:34AM einhanderkiller said
Reminds me of the Zombie Master map where you had to collect items to start up a truck. Great mod. Too bad development on it stopped.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:39AM The Monarch said
There are SIX campaigns?!?!
Seriously guys, if Valve were to release this as DLC it would cost $42 for 360 owners just to get the maps, never mind the new special infected, special-normal infected (like the clown), new game mode, new characters, gameplay tweaks (no unlimited pistol ammo, etc), melee weapons, noticeably improved graphics, and more varied horde events.
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Seriously guys, if Valve were to release this as DLC it would cost $42 for 360 owners just to get the maps, never mind the new special infected, special-normal infected (like the clown), new game mode, new characters, gameplay tweaks (no unlimited pistol ammo, etc), melee weapons, noticeably improved graphics, and more varied horde events.
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:54AM TheyDidItFirst said
this article only says that there are six scavenge maps. i can see how that could be interpreted, but I'm pretty sure there are only 5 campaigns, 3 of which have been announced
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Posted: Oct 10th 2009 12:55PM DevilSei said
stairs...
"Valve confirmed that each of L4D2's campaigns has a unique Scavenge map, for a total of six shipping with the game on November 17."
Taken right from the article. So either the number campaign maps are wrong, or the number of scavenger maps is wrong.
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"Valve confirmed that each of L4D2's campaigns has a unique Scavenge map, for a total of six shipping with the game on November 17."
Taken right from the article. So either the number campaign maps are wrong, or the number of scavenger maps is wrong.
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:56AM darkinchworm said
Get all the women at the LAN party, and get all those women in the sack. Coffey is a true playa.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:43AM (Unverified) said
Ok, so, you guys are east coast right? How late do you work? The only reason I'm up this late is 'cause I don't work 4 pm.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:47AM TheyDidItFirst said
If you click on Randy's name you would see that he lives in the San Francisco Bay area, so he posted this at 11 local time.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 3:37AM The Blank Mage Returns said
I post in a dark room in the dead of night, because it makes me feel like The Bat.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:51AM TheyDidItFirst said
Ugh, I don't liked the timed aspect at all. I would much rather the point of the game be to collect as many gas cans as possible until the group of survivors dies. I know that you would have to move fast anyways because the zombies have infinite respawns, but it would allow for a more deliberately paced and played game. I'm not sure I like Valve's new focus on everything being fast and furious
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 7:29AM (Unverified) said
As a left 4 dead fanatic, I LOVE that valve is making left 4 dead more fast and furious! That's the fun part of the game!!!!
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 8:07AM (Unverified) said
You say that now, but wait until you play as the infected, then it doesn't seem that frustrating anymore.
But seriously I understand your position, No one really likes to play the survivors in any versus, it's the infected that's more popular. Personally I honestly trust valve to turn something that's awesome yet frustrating into something equally intense for both teams.
Even then if Valve does screw up the mode, then simply don't play it, there is plenty of other stuff in the game to enjoy, like chainsawing a boomer.
GOOD TIMES!!!
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But seriously I understand your position, No one really likes to play the survivors in any versus, it's the infected that's more popular. Personally I honestly trust valve to turn something that's awesome yet frustrating into something equally intense for both teams.
Even then if Valve does screw up the mode, then simply don't play it, there is plenty of other stuff in the game to enjoy, like chainsawing a boomer.
GOOD TIMES!!!
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 8:10AM (Unverified) said
My comment was ifalldownstairs, not Dark Virus.
Sorry about that DV, we cool G? *Gives Fist bump* All right....
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Sorry about that DV, we cool G? *Gives Fist bump* All right....
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 3:32AM The Blank Mage Returns said
Oh, it can't use THAT much. If it did, none of the Evil Dead movies would make any sense.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 3:36AM The Blank Mage Returns said
I love this with a mad passion, but I'm worried about the balance. Depending on how far away the cans are, Survivors could probably rush to all locations and back with relative ease. And with only 20 seconds per can, it's probably no more than a 100 yards away. (Any further and the time addition would cease to matter.)
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 6:02AM Istari Spartan said
Bearing in mind you stop running when an ordinary infected hit you, even 50 yards is gona be a struggle. Add a Boomer to the mix, n your not going anywhere for a few precious seconds. Then add special infected and that hundred yards may as wel be a hundred miles.
Plus you can probably shoot the cans on accident.
Heaven would be playing this as special infected permanently.
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Plus you can probably shoot the cans on accident.
Heaven would be playing this as special infected permanently.
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 8:16AM Istari Spartan said
It's the zombie apocalypse.
Are you REALLY hung up on the chances
of finding many gas cans at a motel?
Honestly?
Reply
Are you REALLY hung up on the chances
of finding many gas cans at a motel?
Honestly?
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 11:42AM CyberKnight said
You find assault weapons and piles of ammo for every gun imaginable just laying around, you can get a health boost by swallowing entire bottles of pills, you can have your innards ripped out by a clawing athlete in a hoodie and heal the damage by wrapping yourself in gauze...
...and you're worried about the "realism" of finding a few gas cans in a hotel? Seriously?
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...and you're worried about the "realism" of finding a few gas cans in a hotel? Seriously?
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:00PM (Unverified) said
Makes more sense than all of the guns you find lying around the *airport* in L4D.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 9:21AM Uncle Jesse said
I like the survivor mode. It's a good, quick addition to the campaign and versus modes. Some of the maps aren't really that fun, but there are a couple that can have you and your friends screaming at one another with chaos all around on the screen... and then you look up and see you haven't even hit 5 minutes yet.
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Posted: Oct 8th 2009 2:54PM (Unverified) said
Just because it's the zombie apocalypse, doesn't mean that the survivors shouldn't be looking for alternative energy solutions...instead of searching for gas, why not search for solar panels to power that generator!
Al Gore AWAY! *swoosh*
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Al Gore AWAY! *swoosh*
Posted: Oct 8th 2009 3:33PM (Unverified) said
I was hoping for a mode where you could prepare defenses and upgrade weapons based on how many zombies you killed ala COD5 Zombie Mode. This is a let down, to say the least.
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Posted: Oct 11th 2009 2:12PM (Unverified) said
@John
According to the article this is only one of many modes. There are still some that haven't been released yet.
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According to the article this is only one of many modes. There are still some that haven't been released yet.
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