Why do people rush through Left 4 Dead, instead of enjoying it "properly"?

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Danish_4116

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I was just wondering why people insist on rushing through all of Left 4 Dead, even in campaign mode. Fair enough if a team rushes through a versus mode match in order to beat the other team's score, however, I see little reason why teams should rush through campaign maps, auto shotguns blazing, ignoring most of the map.

Personally, the most fun I've had on campaign mode on Left 4 Dead was during the 'Heaven can Wait' campaign. For those who don't know, it is a custom campaign, where you start the campaign with no medkits, no shotgun or Uzi, just your pistol. This encouraged my team to avoid confrontation with common infected while lightly armed, and try to sneak past large groups of them (as I imagine would happen in real life), this created an incredibly tense and exciting atmosphere as the team weaved through the maze of cars, flashlights off, dreading the sound of a horde and only shooting the infected that attacked first(they don't always attack, if you crouch walk, flashlights off and keeping your distance, they just bum around). In my opinion, this creates a much more enjoyable experience, rather than just grabbing an automatic shotgun and rushing through the level blasting EVERYTHING, then crouching under some pipes where the hordes are virtually powerless, before rushing onwards. I understand it is partly to do with the level design and the limited number of available campaigns, but still, in my opinion, Left 4 Dead is more enjoyable when one allows oneself to be taken in by the B-Grade horror movie atmosphere.

Also, not entirely related to the topic; why do people insist on using such exploits (pipes in mercy hospital subway crescendo, the rock in Death Toll finale, the runway in Dead Air finale, etc) where you just sit there and melee away the zombies, it detracts from the experience. Games are meant to be a challenge, not 'sit in a corner repeatedly mashing right mouse button' until zombies die" (again).

Bit of a rant, I know.

What are your opinions/experiences/thoughts etc?



EDIT: D'oh! I posted it in the wrong forum category. FORGIVE ME MODERATORS!
 

Iskenator67

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I have no clue. My friend does the same thing. He runs through the levels at 100 MPH and doesn't stop to enjoy them. More then ounce I've been hunted and his dumb ass is to far ahead to even pay notice and on the rare occasion when his brain does work and he turns the fuck around, He's so far ahead I usually die by time he gets there. I'm ranting too, Time to cool off for a while.
 

Joa_Belgium

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Out of my own sadistic little urges, I once shot the car in the first level of No Mercy. I ran to the safe room and locked the door while my teammates were still far behind. I once did the same when a Tank appeared. Just ran for the safe room door and locked it behind me while my party got slaughtered.

Those are some of the most cowardly and, at the same time, sadistic moments I ever had in a game.
 

Diablini

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Well, being a snail and looking at every detail is not the object of the game. That is not what Valve want, and so if you stand too much, you get rushed by zombies. Also being a "Speedy Gonzales" (or "Rapid Dave", cookie if you get it) is also stupid because you can miss weapons, ammo and "peelz" and also ditch your friends.

Pararaptor said:
Dude, that sounds boring. I want crazy dual-wielding pistol shotgun-headshot action, not sneaking around.

Addendadillium: Did anyone else enjoy shoving zombies of the Mercy hospital's roof?
Yep. I loves watching 'em squirm!
 

Elesar

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Because there are hordes of zombies all about you and if you brush up against a car they all come at you like it's 28 Days Later.
In all seriousness, stopping to admire the scenery or even just to look about inside a safehouse breaks the experience for me. I'm supposed to be running for my life from hordes of the undead, I'm not going to stop and comment about how pretty a tree is.
 

Symp4thy

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Well first of all, you example is of a custom campaign, which most people probably don't even have. (Especially us 360 players) And second, it's probably because there are only 4 campaigns. You can only play them so many times before there isn't much atmosphere to be taken in by.

Also, I don't see a problem with people using exploits, especially the ones you mentioned. If you are in a hypothetical zombie infestation and a horde is coming at you, are you going to stand out in the open so they can get to you from all sides or would you hide behind some pipes giving them only one direction to attack from? Same goes for the rock in Death Toll finale. If this was real life, why would you stand on the ground when you can stand on a rock out of reach of the zombies?
Diablini said:
Well, being a snail and looking at every detail is not the object of the game. That is not what Valve want, and so if you stand too much, you get rushed by zombies. Also being a "Speedy Gonzales" (or "Rapid Dave", cookie if you get it) is also stupid because you can miss weapons, ammo and "peelz" and also ditch your friends.
Also, this.
 

Agema

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My perception of L4D is that the aim is to get to the safe room with the maximum health possible. How you choose to do that is up to you.

And if you're playing on expert where even common infected hit you for 10+ damage, you want to use every advantage you can - if that means hiding in a one-door room blasting a horde in total safety, you do it.
 

Avaholic03

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I think it's a testiment to the level design that you can play both ways. No wonder the game is so popular. If you can get enough people to agree to the stealthy, horror-based gameplay then more power to you. But if you're playing online with some 12-year-old, chances are they'll run off trying to be the first one to the safe room. You know how it is when you're that age: everything is a race.
 

ioxles

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I didn't even know there was a secondary route by the crashed truck in the first part of no mercy until I slowed down and looked around for it, like after a billion hours of playing.

I know what you're getting at.
 

Galletea

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I didn't see much of a game to actually enjoy, it seems fairly simple and short lived. Typical Valve really, half a game. Campaign is nothing to write home about and the story, well at least what there is makes an iota of sense.
 

CastIronWin

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during a single player campaign i can see what you mean - there really isnt much point doing a balls to the wall sprint for the finish. i personally like to make sure every single last thing that isnt holding some light artillary has been reduced to a pool or red on the pavement.
that being said the idea of creeping past zombies when armed to the teeth seems a bit odd to me. there is a time and place for stealth and L4D is not really one of them.

but during versus mode i expect my team to gun it for the finish line and i also expect stragglers to do the decent thing and die - if you aint gonna go for gold then you might as well just let the zombies get ya. same goes for me, if im at the back and a hunter pounces me i scream down the headset to be left behind.
 

Dancingman

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I dunno, frankly I don't think L4D attracts the kind of people who like to take their time, FPSers aren't that kind of gamer, and frankly, I find it to be sad.
 

Flushfacker

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I get what you are saying OP however I have this on 360-like many others- and therefore dont get the modded maps from the community and consequently have been bored of this game for many months. The map you described does sound cool though, I like the idea of having to avoid confrontation while you are outgunned as it were.

Oh yea and the exploits suck, they totally ruined the game for me, especially in survival. No area should be untouchable.
 

Quick Ben

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Just play campaigns on expert. Then you can't rush, because then you'll be screwed if you make even one little mistake. But you can't be too slow either, because then the AI Director starts looking at his big red buttons...
And in fact: It's smart to sneak past large groups of infected. If they're behind you, and alive, they count towards the infected limit, which means less infected are getting spawned in front of you.

So, in my opinion expert makes for the best overall experience.
 

beddo

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Danish_4116 said:
Games are meant to be a challenge...
Actually games are supposed to be fun, the level of challenge is largely arbitrary and should be designed so that the game caters for many different users and the ways they play.
 

Sick boy

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It is a lot easier if you just rush through the levels and people realize this so they do it. It's pretty simple. These days people don't really want to appreciate the graphics and all that junk, they want to have a fast paced action game.
 

KissofKetchup

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Danish_4116 said:
What are your opinions/experiences/thoughts etc?
I totally agree with you!
I usually play single player though because I don't have any friends that have the game. :( But when I do play multiplayer that always bugs me.

beddo said:
Danish_4116 said:
Games are meant to be a challenge...
Actually games are supposed to be fun, the level of challenge is largely arbitrary and should be designed so that the game caters for many different users and the ways they play.
Both of you are wrong. Some games are designed to be sheer fun, while others are meant to be challanging. And most are both. That's why there's a difficulty setting on most video games out there. EDIT: Which I realize you just said pretty much in your last sentence beddo.