Here's an interesting bit from the recent PC Zone preview:

As you might know, four scenarios will be released at launch, two being urban maps (one of which we've seen the most of, Hospital) and two rural. Having played both types, Blyth writes about the differences:

The new rural level has an extra layer of creepiness over the urban; it feels more open, and the brick of a city is always going to feel safer than a fading, endless forest. This is particularly true of a forest that generates zombies.

Whereas the city level has a great line in claustrophobia, and keeps you on your toes with vertical combat, the cornfields level is that more fundamentally terrifying thing - a level where there is no safety, nothing to put your back against. It's especially true in the final dash through the cornfield, running nearly blind and just hoping that the zombies won't arrive before you get the doors closed.

Co-op games often let you get away with letting you not play co-operatively. Larger group games all allow solo tacticians to profit from their lone heroics. Left 4 Dead encourages you to work together in the most sensible way possible: by killing anyone stupid enough to get stranded.

Zombies can appear at every available entrance, necessitating someone to cover your back. The Smoker and Hunter have incapacitating attacks, forcing teammates to rescue their friends by getting close and slapping them off.

You can revive fallen mates during their bleed-out time, but doing so incapacitates you for a short while: so should you? That depends: is the area clear? Are you sure? Are you covered by your other two friends? And most importantly, has the clumsy prick been shooting you in the legs?

 Gah I need this game!

What they should do is release a single-campaign public beta in May or June. Not the Hospital or Cornfield levels--those need to be saved for the final release. One of the other two levels should be released early, with no frills. No friends lists, no matchmaking, no 'awards' or whatever they're called, just simple servers whose settings can be altered only minimally. I think that would be fair, satisfy the raving hordes like Ben and I, and keep general interest high.

Also, they should add 1 extra campaign to the final game



BTW, did anyone else notice that we hear about this within a day of hearing that Valve bought Turtle Rock?

I need to change of ISP for this game, me wants...

naznatips said:

 QFT, Vader seems full of wisdom today...coincidense?  I think not.

I think we just found out why Valve bought Turtle Rock.

I can practically taste Obi-wan's bitter tears .....

naznatips said:

AGH!! This site doesn't want to load at my work...so I had to wait til now to post this: http://darthno.ytmnd.com/

And I see you've beaten me to the idea!

On-Topic: Yeah, it sucks, but this is merely Turtle Rock adjusting their clocks to Valve Time.  There's a reason Valve Time gets joked about a lot...it's true.

Instead of getting a good product in a month or so, we'll get a top-notch Valve product in a half year. I suppose in the long run, it's better that we wait.

Nobody give Nintendo any slack though, SSBB is freaking due.

Yeah, this is easily one of my most anticipated games of 2008. I really hate that it was delayed, but I know it will be awesome when it arrives.

well since its now valve's property,gotta be top notch right?