So preloading of the Left 4 Dead 2 demo was enabled today. Those of youse who've pre-ordered the full game, mark your calendars: October 27, it's zombie-killing time.

Wait, what? Do you mean they posted the demo on Steam?

(If so, why the fuck ain't it on XBLA?)

Steam allows you to preload software that hasn't been released yet, then on release day sprinkles magic fairy dust on those files to let you play them.

So technically the demo has been posted on Steam, but it is unusable to all until, at the earliest, the 27th.

I am unaware if the pre-order offer applies to XBLA. For some reason I doubt it, but I really don't know if XBLA has the same mechanisms.

Ah, I knew that - but for some reason never heard the term "preload" which threw me off entirely.

If I remember correctly, L4D was a demo on XBLA for a limited amount of time. It was pulled once the game was released?

Gamestop, and maybe other places too, provide a preorder code that will give early access to the L4D2 demo on XBLA.

I'm thinking of preordering this at Best Buy while I'm there tomorrow for their B2G1 free sale. Their preorder boxes contain a $10 off coupon for the game.

The demo was pulled on both PC and 360 when the game came out; I think they said it was because they were using the same servers or something.

Apparently Gamestops have actual code cards for this that stores got this week, when you pre-order they give you the actual card with the early access code. I'm curious if Best Buy is doing it or not, I could only find mention anywhere of Gamestop doing it for the 360 version.

Hihi, I normally don't post here, but I thought I'd share some upcoming maps that I think looks very promising. I didn't bother looking through all 24 pages though to see it any of these has already been mentioned.

Star has already mentioned Cold Case which is coming on Halloween. I like the idea of zombies getting tougher and faster the further you go un the campaign.

Another one that's very early but shows lots of promise is Mushroom Massacre, a 5-map campaign set in the world of Mario 64. I've played through the first map so far and liked the dead Goombas and Peach hanging from her castle. It's very early so there's no news yet for its release.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...bbb_101309.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...lf/mushmap.jpg

Next up is Yama, a 5-map campaign centered on Japan. The survivors have to navigate through Tokyo which has been overrun, to mountains, a mine, temples, forests, etc. Can't really judge the campaign yet but the environments look fantastic. See the link for lots of other great shots. The creator is hoping to have it released sometime later this year.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...way0024hf4.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...yama3b0033.jpg

Next on the list is The Progenitor Project, which is an exact (and I mean exact) replication of the mansion you navigate through in Resident Evil. No telling how it's going to work in game though. No news yet on a release date.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...ct_screen1.jpg

Last on the list is of course one of those awaited campaigns, Dead Before Dawn is a 5-map campaign based on the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. All locations were taken from the movie, including the Crossroads Mall. Go to the website to see some fantastic screenshots, especially the mall. Just showing two pictures here won't be doing it any justice. Luckily it's scheduled for a Halloween release.

So with Dead Before Dawn and Cold Case being released on the same day, there's going to be lots of zombie killing next week.

Dick move, Valve. Dick move.

(I should note that the PC demo STILL isn't unlocked.)

That wasn't posted until after 8pm last night, so I wouldn't expect the PC demo to be up until 5-8pm tonight. I don't know which coast Valve is on.

They're on the West Coast, IIRC.

That's like complaining that Microsoft doesn't do Windows 95 updates anymore. PC gaming is (sadly) dead as it can be outside the realm of RTS and MMO stuff.

I dunno, I think Valve is still pretty centered around PC gaming. I mean, look at who got priority for all of their TF2 updates.

Also, I like how on the front page of Steam there was an ad with L4D being $30. WHAT A DEAL.

We expected it at 11PM PST last night as they announced.
Then we expected it at 3AM PST this morning as they announced.
Then we expected it at 1PM PST today as they announced.
Then we expected it at 3PM PST today as they announced.

As of right now its just.......not there.

the announcement of the delay

has itself

been delayed

Just played a few rounds of the demo. Feels a lot more polished than the original - which itself was pretty damned slick. Curiously, it actually runs better than the first game on my laptop.

Game itself is fun as hell. The only melee weapons I've seen in the demo are the frying pan, machete, truncheon and guitar, all of which are a joy to use. There's a bloody plethora of guns, too; while I seem to recall the first game having something like seven weapons total, I've counted at least ten so far. The new recovery and throwing items are fresh, too.

Glad I preordered. The seventeenth cannot come soon enough.

Not sure if we need to start an L4D2 thread to avoid muddying the waters here (so to speak), but I'm guessing most people who picked up L4D1 might have gone and grabbed the sequel, especially since it's ace.

Anyways, any of the 360 crew down for doing some Versus or Scavenge mode stuff today (afternoon/evening for US folk, evening/night for Europe - sort of times)?

You know I'm up for some hot zombie action. It would be nice if we could get a full GFF group together so we don't have to sit around for half an hour waiting for the matchmaking to work.

You're right, only 15 minutes instead of 30, hell yeah xbox live you are THE BEST

I've yet to try scavenger mode at all due to the fact that I've been loving the shit out of the campaign and realism mode...but honest to god, if you only play with people that just want to shoot the shit out of everything, realism mode will turn your night into an un-fun curse fest.

You would never think that not seeing an outline of a partner that was pounced, or charged would be such a big deal, but god damn...sometimes it's impossible to find the fucks.

For those folks overseas or unfortunate enough to be Canadian, us Yanks are having Thanksgiving this week which means that we'll probably be trying to avoid inlaws, children and nagging aunts away from the dinner table. Hopefully, the long weekend will allow us to jump on XBL a little more.

If you see me on, I'm generally down for L4D2 whenever. However, I'd like to get the damn Garden Gnome achievement if anyone is up for it.

Haven't had a good GFF game of L4D in ages. Since I see the majority has L4D2, I'd be down for a game this weekend. That would be awesome.

For 360 players, apparently dedicated servers should be working (I'd be willing to give this a go at some point tonight):

[ source ]

For the next 20 hours (That's until 11 AM EST tomorrow), Left 4 Dead 2 is on sale as part of Valve's thanksgiving weekend deals. A copy will run you $37.49, that's as much as a normal 4-pack priced copy. If you manage to find three other bros to chip in today, you can get a 4-pack for just over $28 per person (That's $112.49 for the pack).

Alternatively, you can get the Valve pack for $100 if you've been living under a rock. It has pretty much all of their released games to date, including L4D2. A great price if you've missed out on some of the best PC FPS titles.

Dedicated servers that actually work and don't have us playing Chip's Challenge 2: Zombie Time? Miraculous!