Left 4 Dead 2 DLC 1: The Passing

[FadedOasis]

(Liverpool 3.)

store.steampowered.com/news/3237/

This seems like it's just to please all the butthurt fanboys of Francis, Bill, and Louis. There is no possible way the L4D1 guys would come all the way down to Georgia, see all the new infected, and then head back North and travel back in time to when the infected hadn't mutated as far. And it can't happen after the events of L4D1, as the friggin' Army saved them at the end of Blood Harvest.

Still, it's more content that will most likely be free, so I really shouldn't be complaining about it. I'll just have to live with my soul being shattered into a million pieces. (Plot holes inconsistencies or impossibilities really get on my nerve.)

Your thoughts?

[brianblack]

Plot holes get on your nerves? The entirety of L4D1 was plot holes.

[FadedOasis]

That should say "Plot inconsistencies or impossibilities", I guess.

Edited to reflect true feeling.

[scrambles]

I AM SO EXCITED IT CAN ONLY BE EXPRESSED IN CAPS, IN FACT FROM NOW ON ALL POSTS IN THIS THREAD SHOULD BE CAPS OR YOU ARE A COMMUNIST!

[strata]

I CANNOT WAIT FOR TO PLAY AS LOUIS AGAIN

[rhench]

PERHAPS THE L4D1 SURVIVORS HAVE BECOME AGENTS OF CEDA OR THE MILITARY AFTER THEIR ENCOUNTERS WITH THE INFECTED, THUS ESTABLISHING WHY THE L4D2 SURVIVORS INFREQUENTLY USE THE UNUSUAL NAMES FOR SPECIALS (LEAPER, HOODIE, FAT GUY, ETC.) STARTING WITH DARK CARNIVAL (JUST AFTER THIS EVENT IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE). THE ORIGINAL SURVIVORS COULD EXPLAIN SOME THINGS TO THEM, AND I WOULDN'T PUT IT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THEM DIES, AS IT DOESN'T INDICATE THAT YOU EVER GET TO PLAY THE OLD SURVIVORS.

I HOPE THERE IS AT LEAST ONE NEW THING THAT FRANCIS HATES.

[pneuma08]

VALVE PRESS RELEASE said:

"The Passing" will include new arenas for Survival, Versus and Scavenge mode and introduce a new co-operative challenge mode of play. The Passing will also include a new "uncommon common" zombie class, melee weapon, and firearm.

NOTE, "NEW CO-OPERATIVE CHALLENGE MODE OF PLAY."

FURTHERMORE THE FIRST L4D DOESN'T HAVE AN ESTABLISHED SETTING; IT COULD BE THAT THE FIRST SURVIVORS WERE NOT IN THE NORTH AT ALL. AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE ARMY-RECRUITMENT IDEA IS THAT AFTERWARDS THE L4D2 SURVIVORS AREN'T RESCUED AND MOST LIKELY SPLIT WAYS.

Aw, screw it. Anyhow, I'm hoping the new co-operative mode of play is two groups of four people working separately to accomplish a larger task, because that would be awesome. Even if they're competing in some way like, who can fill up the rescue vehicle the fastest/most, that could be interesting. Or something MW2-esque with one group overhead providing cover for the other on the ground.

Oh, and I've also heard that L4D2 shipped with character portraits of the original survivors, so there's also a possibility you could swap out for the originals. Which could be multiplicably awesome if there's banter for each individual combination.

[Jeziah]

PNEUMA'S A COMMUNIST !

[rhench]

I agree, screw it. Everyone knows I'm a fascist anyway.

Dec 15, 2009 4:50:40 GMT -5 pneuma08 said:

THE PROBLEM WITH THE ARMY-RECRUITMENT IDEA IS THAT AFTERWARDS THE L4D2 SURVIVORS AREN'T RESCUED AND MOST LIKELY SPLIT WAYS.

This could relate to several things happening. The L4D2 survivors ('newbies') could meet the L4D1 survivors ('veterans') at some point between the escape from the mall and the decision to stop at the beginning of Dark Carnival. The veterans could be near death, overrun by the new infected they had never seen before, and pass on some information before expiring. OR! Perhaps the new infected were the result of a different strain of infection that the veterans weren't immune to, and thus each new infected is directly related to the old survivors, and we get a memoir or journal explaining this (which players see as a cutscene). Louis the Jockey, Francis the Charger, Zoey the Spitter, and Bill... well, Francis shoots Bill's beard when he starts to change, as requested.

Anyway, I seriously don't expect that latter one. I'm just saying, there's not a guarantee of a plot hole here. I'm not the best writer in the world, and I just came up with a way it could be correct to all the in-universe information we have. And while Valve aren't the BEST writers either, they have come up with some clever stuff thus far. Let's wait until they do it before we condemn the story.

And the suggestion of mix'n'match survivor groups... I'd bet against that myself, partially because there were rumors that Bill's voice actor wasn't working with Valve anymore (maybe I started those, I forget) and partially because there's tons of logistical problems with it. I suppose it wouldn't be the first time Valve did something that didn't make sense to please fans, though (See also: removing stunning ubers from Sandman).

[nippz]

Dec 15, 2009 4:50:40 GMT -5 pneuma08 said:

FURTHERMORE THE FIRST L4D DOESN'T HAVE AN ESTABLISHED SETTING; IT COULD BE THAT THE FIRST SURVIVORS WERE NOT IN THE NORTH AT ALL.

Blood Harvest was most definitely set in Allegheny Pennsylvania.

[strata]

L4D: 2 weeks

L4D2: 3 weeks

If you subtract 2 from 3 you get something around 1.

There are planes around. The military has planes, and planes can travel all the way around the world in less than a week.

Just saying.

[pneuma08]

Dec 16, 2009 21:48:40 GMT -5 nippz said:

Dec 15, 2009 4:50:40 GMT -5 pneuma08 said:

FURTHERMORE THE FIRST L4D DOESN'T HAVE AN ESTABLISHED SETTING; IT COULD BE THAT THE FIRST SURVIVORS WERE NOT IN THE NORTH AT ALL.

Blood Harvest was most definitely set in Allegheny Pennsylvania.

Interesting, apparently the first game was most likely set in Pennsylvania.

So yeah, it's probably well after the first game, then. Or maybe well before, I dunno.

[FadedOasis]

The first set of survivors traveled through several states, ending in PA. Check the maps in some of the safe rooms.

[pneuma08]

left4dead.wikia.com/wiki/Locations

If you have other info that would be great too.