puzlThe Old FirmJoin Date: 2003-02-26Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
Valve, more than any other game publisher, really understands the value of goodwill, especially from the hardcore pc gamer. They know that the people who run the TF2 and L4D servers also run blogs, forums and shape communities with their opinions. The saw how far goodwill brought id through the early days of PC gaming. They also took a freaky cool mod on the unreal engine, hired the hawt dev team for their own aims and are now releasing the game on source. It's a massive PR win for valve on many fronts.
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
edited July 2010
<!--quoteo(post=1780565:date=Jul 19 2010, 02:45 AM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TychoCelchuuu @ Jul 19 2010, 02:45 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780565"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Not to mention Alien Swarm is a 4 player coop game with no resource collection or area control or tech tree management.
Frankly all that they have in common is marines and aliens fighting.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> "No RTS mode" Which usually means resource collecting and tech tree management among other things? :P
Yeah in short it could be considered a topdown co_ game with AI/bot aliens
<!--quoteo(post=1780671:date=Jul 19 2010, 05:14 AM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Jul 19 2010, 05:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780671"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i dont understand why this game is free - what's the catch? what would be the benefit of a free game to valve?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Because free is cool and not free is not cool.
I thought about this, and the reason it's free is because it exists as a free mod for unreal tournament and the people that made it, are the same people that work at valve that made this game. That's why it is free (because not every game team needs to charge money for their games).
Also, after watching the video i think i saw some monsters from sven coop lol. Lol blatant skulk rip... apparently skulks are, and were always meant to be, cannon fodder.
What hat on 4 legs though? the Gonarch has four leg, but was menacing enough to make you hide behind stuff or get stomped on (unless power assisted bunyhopping was your thing :P)
The alien thingy that looks like Gonarch in this game, is a tripod though...
<!--quoteo(post=1780751:date=Jul 19 2010, 05:15 PM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Jul 19 2010, 05:15 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780751"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What hat on 4 legs though?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> The first boss from the old ut2k4 mod Alien Swarm.
schkorpioI can mspaintJoin Date: 2003-05-23Member: 16635Members
edited July 2010
just had a quick co-op game with 3 others that also didnt know how to play :) it was really fun !
most of the similar games like alienbreed and spaceseige game had something wrong with them, but since this one uses the hl2 engine it really just "Feels" right :)
its not ns2, but i like it
good atmosphere for a top down game too, with all of the water dripping, and the team chatter
its free and its better than a lot of games you pay for!
<!--quoteo(post=1780836:date=Jul 19 2010, 02:46 PM:name=sherpa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (sherpa @ Jul 19 2010, 02:46 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780836"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->3.4KB/s could take a while!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> For anyone having this problem, try adjusting your download location in steam. Under steam > settings > downloads + cloud. Just keep hopping around and restarting until you find a fast server. Just remember to set it back nearby you when you're done, unless you want to play games with people in Vietnam all the time.
<!--quoteo(post=1780871:date=Jul 19 2010, 07:42 PM:name=BobTheJanitor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BobTheJanitor @ Jul 19 2010, 07:42 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780871"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->For anyone having this problem, try adjusting your download location in steam. Under steam > settings > downloads + cloud. Just keep hopping around and restarting until you find a fast server. Just remember to set it back nearby you when you're done, unless you want to play games with people in Vietnam all the time.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Oh wow, you are the best person. Switched from Washington DC to Chicago and now I'm cruising.
I noticed that one of the achievements for this game (Beat two online coop missions) unlocks a hat in TF2. I find this interesting from a business standpoint. Having cross game achievement unlocks is pretty clever, not only because I think the idea is cool, but it is also a great marketing move. I'm surprised it's something I haven't seen console companies doing (like microsoft). Imagine how many people you could lure into buying cheap arcade games on the 360 if achievements in them unlocked things in more popular games like MW2 or ${otherpopular360game}. It seems like a microsoft thing to do honestly.
Ofcourse this doesn't really apply because alien-swarm is free.
I played a single player practice mission quick. Failed. But it was pretty interesting game play. I could see it being extremely fun if I can find 3 friends up to playing it.
NeonSpyder"Das est NTLDR?"Join Date: 2003-07-03Member: 17913Members
I've been dragging my EVE corp members in to play alien swarm matches and it has been a friggin blast. The levels that are there are quite fun, but I really really can't wait to see some more! The variation in the class/loadouts should make it very interesting when there are more and varied levels added.
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
edited July 2010
Ammo!!! Need a dispenser here :D
Welding or activating stuff is pretty intense while in the midst of a battle, relying on others to defend ya is not really my cup of tea. But it has to be done! <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>The turret is easymode, just sit back and watch the show :P</span>
douchebagatronCustom member titleJoin Date: 2003-12-20Member: 24581Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
Never even heard of it until i saw it on here, so i tried it out and it's really awesome. You can really tell why Valve hired these guys to make Left 4 Dead. Hit me up as a friend on steam and we'll play, click on "D*uchebagatron" in my sig for my steam page.
Fun thing: You can import battle music in the options. To create your own map from preset tiles: sv_cheats 1, asw_tilegen in console. To play Left 4 Aliens: sv_cheats 1, asw_controls 0, firstperson
Kouji_SanSr. Hινε UÏкεεÏεг - EUPT DeputyThe NetherlandsJoin Date: 2003-05-13Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
Hehe over the head first person view, and ammo/medkit drops don't work very well with bots, those guys walk all the way back to the start to deploy it Still a funny mode though :P
The insane difficulty is indeed pretty insane. We beat the campaign on Hard (although we started on Normal with just 3 people and thus got only the "Normal Campaign" achievement) and then decided to start on Insane. And boy we got raped. Looking forward to playing it some more.
<!--quoteo(post=1780208:date=Jul 17 2010, 11:09 PM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Jul 17 2010, 11:09 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780208"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm surprised, Gem. That's kind of like upending the parcheesi board because you wanted the blue pieces, isn't it? Bit juvenile.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Juvenlie isn't juvenile if it works.
Downloading now, liked shadowgrounds, looks similar, will try, hope good.
<!--quoteo(post=1780330:date=Jul 18 2010, 10:27 AM:name=Sonic)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sonic @ Jul 18 2010, 10:27 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780330"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just think, someone could make a Warhammer 40k Space Hulk mod. It would be *amazing*<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Download the dawn of war 2 sountrack (also free) for BGM, and just imagine you're using bolters.
For added verisimilitude try yelling dedications to the emperor into the microphone.
<!--quoteo(post=1780671:date=Jul 19 2010, 09:14 AM:name=schkorpio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (schkorpio @ Jul 19 2010, 09:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780671"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i dont understand why this game is free - what's the catch? what would be the benefit of a free game to valve?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Apparently they used it as a testbed for new Source tech such as new particle effects and so on.
It will also have been a good primer for a multiplayer team to get stuck into since there isn't a lot of multiplayer stuff to be working on right now.
It has configs for both PC controller and 360 controller, so likely to be released on XBLA after we provide free testing and stats.
It's also a stop-gap to keep fans occupied while they wait for Half-Life 2 and considering (I'd wager) TF2 player numbers are dwindling.
Comments
Frankly all that they have in common is marines and aliens fighting.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
"No RTS mode" Which usually means resource collecting and tech tree management among other things? :P
Yeah in short it could be considered a topdown co_ game with AI/bot aliens
Because free is cool and not free is not cool.
I thought about this, and the reason it's free is because it exists as a free mod for unreal tournament and the people that made it, are the same people that work at valve that made this game. That's why it is free (because not every game team needs to charge money for their games).
Also, after watching the video i think i saw some monsters from sven coop lol. Lol blatant skulk rip... apparently skulks are, and were always meant to be, cannon fodder.
<img src="http://www.lancevance.org/wp-content/gonarch.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
What hat on 4 legs though? the Gonarch has four leg, but was menacing enough to make you hide behind stuff or get stomped on (unless power assisted bunyhopping was your thing :P)
The alien thingy that looks like Gonarch in this game, is a tripod though...
Stupid game has been in the "This game will unlock in 2 hours" phase for 5 hours :(
The first boss from the old ut2k4 mod Alien Swarm.
EDIT: Game is out on Steam, go download!
...downloading as soon as the steam servers stop being overwhelmed...
most of the similar games like alienbreed and spaceseige game had something wrong with them, but since this one uses the hl2 engine it really just "Feels" right :)
its not ns2, but i like it
good atmosphere for a top down game too, with all of the water dripping, and the team chatter
its free and its better than a lot of games you pay for!
(about 850meg download)
For anyone having this problem, try adjusting your download location in steam. Under steam > settings > downloads + cloud. Just keep hopping around and restarting until you find a fast server. Just remember to set it back nearby you when you're done, unless you want to play games with people in Vietnam all the time.
Oh wow, you are the best person. Switched from Washington DC to Chicago and now I'm cruising.
I noticed that one of the achievements for this game (Beat two online coop missions) unlocks a hat in TF2. I find this interesting from a business standpoint. Having cross game achievement unlocks is pretty clever, not only because I think the idea is cool, but it is also a great marketing move. I'm surprised it's something I haven't seen console companies doing (like microsoft). Imagine how many people you could lure into buying cheap arcade games on the 360 if achievements in them unlocked things in more popular games like MW2 or ${otherpopular360game}. It seems like a microsoft thing to do honestly.
Ofcourse this doesn't really apply because alien-swarm is free.
Everyone: DO WANT!
Steam: OH GAWD!
Welding or activating stuff is pretty intense while in the midst of a battle, relying on others to defend ya is not really my cup of tea. But it has to be done! <span style='color:#000000;background:#000000'>The turret is easymode, just sit back and watch the show :P</span>
Hot damn! It's awesome fun. I don't think I've played a coop-oriented game entertaining since Sven-Coop. It's pity its only one campaign though!
I didn't realise it was the Source engine either. Insane use of the engine.
Lvl24 and just did a run-through on Hard. Insane next! :D
To create your own map from preset tiles: sv_cheats 1, asw_tilegen in console.
To play Left 4 Aliens: sv_cheats 1, asw_controls 0, firstperson
Juvenlie isn't juvenile if it works.
Downloading now, liked shadowgrounds, looks similar, will try, hope good.
<!--quoteo(post=1780330:date=Jul 18 2010, 10:27 AM:name=Sonic)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sonic @ Jul 18 2010, 10:27 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1780330"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just think, someone could make a Warhammer 40k Space Hulk mod. It would be *amazing*<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Download the dawn of war 2 sountrack (also free) for BGM, and just imagine you're using bolters.
For added verisimilitude try yelling dedications to the emperor into the microphone.
Or blood for the blood god, whichever you prefer.
It will also have been a good primer for a multiplayer team to get stuck into since there isn't a lot of multiplayer stuff to be working on right now.
It has configs for both PC controller and 360 controller, so likely to be released on XBLA after we provide free testing and stats.
It's also a stop-gap to keep fans occupied while they wait for Half-Life 2 and considering (I'd wager) TF2 player numbers are dwindling.