Left 4 Dead 2 Demo

[Firenz]

As a keen fan of L4D:2 I prepurchased it about a month ago on steam and yesterday, after much waiting, the "early release" of the demo was made availible to me and the god-knows how many others like me.

At 3.5GB I thought it might be one campaign with the AI Director's much touted ability to change the route you take etc but, unfortunately, I was to be disappointed. You get a measly two sections of a campaign and only in the co-op campaign mode.

Don't get me wrong, I think the gameplay is great (a touch laggy on all the games I've played so far but still great). The melee weapons are awesome while the new special infected, pickups, weapons and the selective dismemberment all come together really, really well.

I think that's the trouble, it's awesome; so why release only the most trifling ammount as a demo?? It barely fills 30mins and I could probably speed run it in 15 or so.

For all the hype that this game is recieving I would have liked to have seen a slightly less flaccid demo.

Even though while writing this I have all the reasons why they would do this lining up in my head I would appreciate others thoughts on the game and the massive behemoth of a success that it has already become.

 

[Sneaklemming]

For what I expect will be a very short game anyway- I'm surprised they released anything at all- but they did the same last year if I remember correctly... and the demo was removed after the game released...

 

[rossatdi]

Because its a demo?

Also, its exactly the same length as the firt demo which was one and a half sections of No Mercy, running to about 30 minutes if you take your time and really savour it.

 

[The_Healer]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

 

[Agayek]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

 

[The_Healer]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

Well I'll admit I haven't played that one.
I was just speaking from personal experience.

 

[Chrissyluky]

demo stands for DEMONSTRATION meaning its a demonstration of whats to come. it comes out in 17 days keep your pants on.(and i can clearly tell you werent here for the l4d1 early access because we only got 1 and a half maps so feel lucky they gave us 2 this time.) Also to lengthen it and make it less of a cake walk put it on expert difficulty youl retry alot and you wont breeze through as easily.

 

[Chrissyluky]

For what I expect will be a very short game anyway- I'm surprised they released anything at all- but they did the same last year if I remember correctly... and the demo was removed after the game released...

the only valve games that are long are their ones that are dedicated solely to single player. the rest are dedicated to multiplayer and thrive on replay ability(css tf2 etc etc) so of course its a short game

 

[Sneaklemming]

For what I expect will be a very short game anyway- I'm surprised they released anything at all- but they did the same last year if I remember correctly... and the demo was removed after the game released...

the only valve games that are long are their ones that are dedicated solely to single player. the rest are dedicated to multiplayer and thrive on replay ability(css tf2 etc etc) so of course its a short game

Hey, theres no need to tell the counterstrike fanboy that!

 

[Abedeus]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

But the game itself was 4-5 hours long anyway. L4D2 is a multiplayer game, different with every team and every play-through.

 

[Woodsey]

BECAUSE ITS A DEMO.

God, what is it with people and this bloody L4D2 demo. First the whining because they have to wait a bit longer than expected, despite the fact they still get it early, now its too short.

Demo's barely hit 15 minutes these days. Its not abnormal, its a taster. You've clearly pre-ordered the game, so what does it matter?!

Its not like you've payed for the demo, and I highly doubt you pre-ordered the game just so you could play the demo a few days earlier.

 

[Woodsey]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

But the game itself was 4-5 hours long anyway. L4D2 is a multiplayer game, different with every team and every play-through.

There is no way in hell that you can complete Crysis in 4-5 hours on a regular playthrough (i.e. not a speed run).

 

[Superior Mind]

I think that's the trouble, it's awesome; so why release only the most trifling ammount as a demo?? It barely fills 30mins and I could probably speed run it in 15 or so.

Um... 'cause it's a demo.

Considering that the demo is two maps out of a possible 25, (presuming five maps per campaign,) means that the demo showcases roughly 8% of the game, (minus different modes etc.) Given the fact that L4D is made for replayability rather than one-run-through storytelling I think it's a perfectly reasonable amount for it.

For my money the demo is good. I mean the Source engine is looking incredibly pretty given that it's what, five years old now? Hell even not considering that it's five years old it looks good. The new infected seem to add a lot to gameplay and I have noticed a bit of AI Director messing-with-the-scenery thing... I mean it doesn't make a huge difference but it is quite neat and I'm sure there will be a few instances where it really comes into it's own.

But the Demo is to showcase and showcase it does. It shows us the new characters, the new special infected, (including the Witch's new penchant for going walkabout,) "uncommon" infected, (although strangely I only saw those in single player, none in multiplayer,) daytime maps, "gauntlet" crescendos, (which I enjoyed,) new weapons, the new AI Director gimmicks, melee weapons, new "health" mechanics, (defibs, adrenalin,) and of course the upgrades to the engine including eye candy and pretty awesome gore effects, (condolences to my Australian brothers and sisters.)

So it's a pretty good demo for what it is... which is a demo.

 

[Chrissyluky]

BECAUSE ITS A DEMO.

God, what is it with people and this bloody L4D2 demo. First the whining because they have to wait a bit longer than expected, despite the fact they still get it early, now its too short.

Demo's barely hit 15 minutes these days. Its not abnormal, its a taster. You've clearly pre-ordered the game, so what does it matter?!

Its not like you've payed for the demo, and I highly doubt you pre-ordered the game just so you could play the demo a few days earlier.

actaully we didnt get it early pc users got it quite a bit later than the xbox crowd.

 

[Abedeus]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

But the game itself was 4-5 hours long anyway. L4D2 is a multiplayer game, different with every team and every play-through.

There is no way in hell that you can complete Crysis in 4-5 hours on a regular playthrough (i.e. not a speed run).

Okay, I exaggerated a bit. But Crysis IS short. Not as short as Portal, but short. Especially when you play it the second or third time, you remember where are the enemies and how they will react.

Still, L4D2's demo is short, because each map is relatively short. That's still more than Batman: Arkham Asylum's demo, which was good, I admit it convinced me into buying the game, but it was also less than 40 minutes. And it wasn't fun every time you played it, L4D2's demo is.

 

[Woodsey]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

But the game itself was 4-5 hours long anyway. L4D2 is a multiplayer game, different with every team and every play-through.

There is no way in hell that you can complete Crysis in 4-5 hours on a regular playthrough (i.e. not a speed run).

Okay, I exaggerated a bit. But Crysis IS short. Not as short as Portal, but short. Especially when you play it the second or third time, you remember where are the enemies and how they will react.

Still, L4D2's demo is short, because each map is relatively short. That's still more than Batman: Arkham Asylum's demo, which was good, I admit it convinced me into buying the game, but it was also less than 40 minutes. And it wasn't fun every time you played it, L4D2's demo is.

Hmmm. Well I've played Crysis plenty and it lasts a fair bit longer than a lot of games.

And Arkham Asylum's demo was about 20 minutes, including cutscenes and pauses to talk to Oracle. All demo's these days are short, I'd prefer them to be like that though. In fact, I'd prefer them to make a specific level exclusive for demo's so that none of the game would be ruined. That idea has some obvious problems but still.

 

[Firenz]

So it's a pretty good demo for what it is... which is a demo.

I fully understand the concept of a demo, and the desire to not give it all away on the metaphorical first date. My major problem with the demo (and, I'd like to stress this, between starting this thread and replying here I've just had another great play through of it) is that it could very easily be a mini adventure if it included merely 1 of the static onslaught pieces do give it an ending.

actaully we didnt get it early pc users got it quite a bit later than the xbox crowd.

quite a bit later? My understanding was a day including the 7 hour lag of "Steam Time".

Apart from all that I'm quite surprised at the number of people who feel the need to start their post by spelling out in large and easy to understand letters(if it was in writing it would be a nice brightly coloured crayon)what a demo is. Surely we can all respect each other's intelligence a bit more than that?

 

[Abedeus]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

But the game itself was 4-5 hours long anyway. L4D2 is a multiplayer game, different with every team and every play-through.

There is no way in hell that you can complete Crysis in 4-5 hours on a regular playthrough (i.e. not a speed run).

Okay, I exaggerated a bit. But Crysis IS short. Not as short as Portal, but short. Especially when you play it the second or third time, you remember where are the enemies and how they will react.

Still, L4D2's demo is short, because each map is relatively short. That's still more than Batman: Arkham Asylum's demo, which was good, I admit it convinced me into buying the game, but it was also less than 40 minutes. And it wasn't fun every time you played it, L4D2's demo is.

Hmmm. Well I've played Crysis plenty and it lasts a fair bit longer than a lot of games.

And Arkham Asylum's demo was about 20 minutes, including cutscenes and pauses to talk to Oracle. All demo's these days are short, I'd prefer them to be like that though. In fact, I'd prefer them to make a specific level exclusive for demo's so that none of the game would be ruined. That idea has some obvious problems but still.

Hmm... What about Demigod demo? Fun, one map lasting about 20-30 minutes tops, 4 generals to choose from... But it did give me the impression that I like Warhammer 40k 2 more. Not that I bought it - I played the Steam demo too, and was crashing too often to enjoy it.

 

[Woodsey]

BECAUSE ITS A DEMO.

God, what is it with people and this bloody L4D2 demo. First the whining because they have to wait a bit longer than expected, despite the fact they still get it early, now its too short.

Demo's barely hit 15 minutes these days. Its not abnormal, its a taster. You've clearly pre-ordered the game, so what does it matter?!

Its not like you've payed for the demo, and I highly doubt you pre-ordered the game just so you could play the demo a few days earlier.

actaully we didnt get it early pc users got it quite a bit later than the xbox crowd.

I meant you've got it days before the rest of us who didn't pre-order. And as its just a demo it doesn't matter.

There've been plenty of games this year that have been delayed by a year that have caused less fuss then the slight delay on the PC version. Besides, being PC players we should be used to slight delays over the consoles.

I doubt Valve did it to spite everyone. They're not Lucas Arts (i.e. they don't just ditch the platform that made them everything, then go on to make totally shite games anyway).

 

[Woodsey]

When did you last see a demo that took more than 30 minutes?

I don't think you can really complain about it.

The Crysis demo, if memory serves, was 40-60 minutes of playtime depending on if you did the optional objectives and how you went through it.

But the game itself was 4-5 hours long anyway. L4D2 is a multiplayer game, different with every team and every play-through.

There is no way in hell that you can complete Crysis in 4-5 hours on a regular playthrough (i.e. not a speed run).

Okay, I exaggerated a bit. But Crysis IS short. Not as short as Portal, but short. Especially when you play it the second or third time, you remember where are the enemies and how they will react.

Still, L4D2's demo is short, because each map is relatively short. That's still more than Batman: Arkham Asylum's demo, which was good, I admit it convinced me into buying the game, but it was also less than 40 minutes. And it wasn't fun every time you played it, L4D2's demo is.

Hmmm. Well I've played Crysis plenty and it lasts a fair bit longer than a lot of games.

And Arkham Asylum's demo was about 20 minutes, including cutscenes and pauses to talk to Oracle. All demo's these days are short, I'd prefer them to be like that though. In fact, I'd prefer them to make a specific level exclusive for demo's so that none of the game would be ruined. That idea has some obvious problems but still.

Hmm... What about Demigod demo? Fun, one map lasting about 20-30 minutes tops, 4 generals to choose from... But it did give me the impression that I like Warhammer 40k 2 more. Not that I bought it - I played the Steam demo too, and was crashing too often to enjoy it.

Dunno about that one, never interested me.

The best demo I've ever played was for Just Cause. Gave you a good idea of the missions in the game, let you played around (for a limited time, so you don't go over the whole island) and was created specifically so you didn't replay anything if you bought the game.