The Passing is out next week

[joe_dirt976]

scratch that, its done

[no00dylan]

asshole

[undertone]

About to check it out.

Just need to poop first.

[Elv02]

Alright, so I just finished playing through The Passing on Single Player...
Pretty decent Campaign, definitely up to par unlike the content they put out for L4D1.

Soooo... My thoughts:

Overall, a really good campaign I think.

The intro with Zoey and Ellis was humorous, but kinda creepy. I really don't like the L4D2 characters most of the time and couldn't care less if they replaced the dead character. The chat throughout the campaign was interactive, but typical.
Example: When you walk up to a tattoo parlor, Nick says:

"Hey Ellis, did you get the name of that girl? I could tattoo it on her ass. Right here."

So, typical campaign with some great design and lots of Neon, giving it it's own distinct feel and character.

It really changed when I got to the finally. I'll start with the gameplay. I thought it played out well enough, a basic refuel as fast as you can, but with the interesting twist of the Left 4 Dead 1 characters covering you. And they do a damn good job to from what I saw and experienced! Then, after refueling the bridge, you make a mad (very short?) dash for the car and you're on your way to Dark Carnival!

The story: BILL'S DEAD! Augh! I couldn't care less if they killed any L4D2 characters, but I knew no matter who it was that it would suck. Oddly though, Bill is in the campaign. Slumped over by a generator holding a rifle with a trail of blood leading from the door... I'm curious of what happened.

The dialogue from the survivors was sparse. Do this, we'll cover you, good luck, we're not coming... I'm sure the more I play it the more I'll hear, but I was a bit disappointed at the lack of story.

Anyway, that's my thoughts for now I guess, have any of you guys played it through yet?

[Jike]

you play toooo fast... I AM STILL DAMN DOWNLOADING...

[Dives]

I find it pretty frustrating that after this update my L4D2 Authoring tools don't work. I keep getting "Game is unavailable" and setting Steam to Offline Mode doesn't help.

[joe_dirt976]

ditto, just after i find out they recorded my lines too.

[dewkl]

I chose to play with AI on normal difficulty first to get the atmosphere/feel of the levels for the first time. I put on normal difficulty since I didn't expect the bots to be very helpful.

I'm impressed with the incredibly awful AI, it must be a landmark in terrible AI programming. I ended up failing 4 times on the last map on normal difficulty because the bots act completely oblivious when you get into trouble. In one of the rounds they managed to shoot and destroy 3 gas cans just before 3 of them were incapped simultaneously to a tank throwing a car on them. The last map took at least 15 minutes because I had to carry all the cans by myself. This was a really shitty experience.

Is there no follow up on Bill? I was hoping he would be the last tank, but it seems like they left him out completely. I don't understand why they couldn't make something more out of this plot, it feels really cheap and rushed.

If I had bought this on 360 I'd be pissed. Shit sucks. Except for the new assets I guess.

[Elv02]

Is there no follow up on Bill? I was hoping he would be the last tank, but it seems like they left him out completely. I don't understand why they couldn't make something more out of this plot, it feels really cheap and rushed.

Well... He was in it... Just... Dead.

[YokaI]

Posted this elsewhere, but interestingly enough

I didn't notice this, but it's very interesting. May be a set up for the next L4D or DLC (Hopefully DLC, not buying another l4d)

[Chopium]

I really enjoyed The Passing. It had high quality gameplay and refined visuals. There's some interesting stuff in the content files. There are a lot of sound files for both the original cast along with the l4d2 cast. I think we have some more stuff to look forward to with these mutations.

"Ellis: DUDE! THIS IS JUST LIKE TEAM FORTRESS 2!!!"

When I looked through the sound files:
There's something with aliens
and something with a prison
and something with a military training base
and something with a train
and something with a movie theater
and something with tf2
and something cold with snow
also something with ghosts

[3Dnj]

The campaign ins't very impressive... the begin of the second map is cool and the final pleasant, m60 is cool like the golf club sound but that's all...


(phew it's free )

[source-maps]

I chose to play with AI on normal difficulty first to get the atmosphere/feel of the levels for the first time. I put on normal difficulty since I didn't expect the bots to be very helpful.

I'm impressed with the incredibly awful AI, it must be a landmark in terrible AI programming. I ended up failing 4 times on the last map on normal difficulty because the bots act completely oblivious when you get into trouble. In one of the rounds they managed to shoot and destroy 3 gas cans just before 3 of them were incapped simultaneously to a tank throwing a car on them. The last map took at least 15 minutes because I had to carry all the cans by myself. This was a really shitty experience.

Is there no follow up on Bill? I was hoping he would be the last tank, but it seems like they left him out completely. I don't understand why they couldn't make something more out of this plot, it feels really cheap and rushed.

If I had bought this on 360 I'd be pissed. Shit sucks. Except for the new assets I guess.

sigh, how can it be rushed if its delayed.. and we all know it the AI bots suck so you are just going to have to accept the fact you have to play this with friends.

and what do you mean with last tank?? all 8 survivors are/were immune
and there is a follow up, you will see/play what happend to him in the commic/l4d1

I for one am a very satisfied customer
sure the servers were fucked tonight, and maybe the l4d Authoring tools might not work tonight.. but it is going to turn back to normal tomorrow

[dewkl]

I don't see how being delayed has anything to do with it not being rushed. It could have a too short deadline which was changed into a slightly less short deadline.

They do indeed suck and it's a shame it's not even playable on normal difficulty. This was linked on steam chat by hollownight.

What I meant about the tank was that the survivors were barely moving when the tank were approaching so they ended up being incapacitated simultaneously to a tank car-punch/throw. It's the general obliviousness and carelessness the bots exhibit. I'm just disappointed by how they didn't do anything else than a few sound clips when they had such an opportunity to make something great.

I appreciate what Valve is doing for the community with this addon, I really do. I'm just saying the premise was wasted on mediocre gameplay and story.

[YokaI]

I don't see how being delayed has anything to do with it not being rushed. It could have a too short deadline which was changed into a slightly less short deadline.

Agreed, time on work =! the quality of the project. Final Fantasy XIII is an example of this. Sometimes, things are just not good because they just didn't make it good. Having said that, the passing isn't awful, but it's more of the same, which is fine with me since they didn't charge me jack.

I appreciate what Valve is doing for the community with this addon, I really do. I'm just saying the premise was wasted on mediocre gameplay and story.

Yeah, but unfortunately interlopers, as I've learned, isn't the place to state things like that about anything made by valve.

I've only played it once, but since it seems like everyone had the same outcome:

Bill is the only one who dies, right?

And to be honest, the game is designed in a way that I really just don't give a shit. Characters die all the time, so what's new?