Well, I don't think Maps & Mods is the place to put this, since it isn't any maps ready for play... I don't know either whether anyone in
TG is a mapper/modder, but maybe this will get around and who knows? Since L4D2 will also support things made in the L4D1 SDK, it won't be too much of an issue of longevity...
I just had a really good idea for a start map of a campaign. The starting setting? The factory line of a gun manufacturer. Now the first two names that come to mind are Hechler and Koch (factory is in Virginia, makers of G36 series of rifles and the HK416 rifle, and of course more) and Colt (factory in Connecticut, makers of the infamous M16 and M4, M16 is in game already too). I'm sure other factories can be found or made up. I think it would be pretty awesome to see someone model some rifles from a real company and have them ingame.
My original idea in it's entirety involved
Heckler & Koch's factory, which is in
Virginia, and at least this first map would be in
daylight. The very starting point would be just outside the factories back entrance (or something like that), and they would walk in to the factory to find it's been taken over by the zombies already. The survivors would have very scarce fighting in the factory, due to the workers being zombified, and the starting weapons
(found in the building, just past the doorway?) would be the HK416 (or G36) rifle, and a G3SG-1 sniper rifle
(I figure H&K manufactures shotguns, but I've always wanted to see how more survivors would do without a shotgun in the group anyway). First things first, they will have to get out of the factory building, and then out of the factory walls
(have some spaces for zombies to hide at, to make for nice little 'one zombie ambushes', but only a few of them). As Virginia is a very woodland/rural area, a long stretch of road
(with a bit of space on each side before a forest area starts) would be the first obstacle to pass. The forest would be thick on both sides of the road, and would not be completely parallel at all times to the road. Perhaps the forest can be blocked on one side of the road with a guardrail at certain points blocking off zombies or even small hills provide a break in the forest, allowing a bit of a relieved stress on the survivors when they make use of these areas.
At some point on this road, the survivors would find a break in the forest on one side, a very large field to pass through, a farm pasture, maybe with some fresh cow corpses, and haybales/farm equipment for a bit of zombie cover as the survivors need to really not get surrounded at this point, so it should be a bit of a fight to put up.
(Sidenote: A single zombie cow near the end of this field would make me giggle to no end if someone made it possible, but it should have a bit more health than the human zombies just to make it more memorable). Through this pasture they would reach the farm, which would be the location of the first safehouse. Perhaps the saferoom would be the cellar of the farm
(the cellar doors would act as the saferoom doors, and downstairs would be stock of some shotguns (only shotguns, and only pump-action) and ammo, as well as perhaps a hefty supply of frag grenades (enough for each survivor), and a single molotov, no pipebomb in this case) Maybe, a panic event would occur in the field, and the cellar saferoom would be the only 'escape' from the attack.
As for zombie concentrations, the factory itself would have a medium amount of zombies. Maybe have an upper level with a supervisor's room
(glass window looking down to factory, only one zombie inside, maybe a window to see outside) and perhaps some tactical ways the survivors can use the building
(IE one or two survivors hold behind on the upper level of the factory and uses the 'sniper rifle' of the campaign to cover the survivors as they move up, then when they secure a point outside of the factory's walls, he joins up to them; Multiple Exits from the building; Etc etc). The road will have scarce but very frequent populations of zombies... Maybe about 5 at a time near the beginning, but maybe at or more than 20(?) near the very end of the road as a bit of a rising action of the level to the field
(being the climax, preferably have like a panic event once survivors are in the field? Since the survivors are in the open, they will be attacked from all sides with zombies using haybales and other farm equipment left in the pasture as both cover and fighting positions etc). The farm building should be mostly scarce, if the survivors actually go in it (only if the map seems too short as is). If the main idea is the survivors to run through the pasture and then get into the cellar door asap, to stop the panic event, then that would be best I think.
To make this map as
I envisioned, a few things would need to be made, but if it goes without some of these changes, I wouldn't mind it horribly... After all, I'm not the one making it.
Preferred To-Do List:
New Characters, both backgrounds/storylines and physical models. Ideas:
(1) A bit of a down-home Southerner as the Bill/Francis style character. He knows his guns, and is at least a little knowledgable about both the area and the fighting. Not necessarily a redneck or hick, but must have the Southerner style. He should also be a bit blunt, due to his southern nature, making him have a bit of Francis' style of humor.
(2) Maybe a nerd, maybe just a scrawny type of guy, as the Louis style character. He's a bit awkward here but isn't necessarily afraid to fight if necessary, even if he might scream like a little girl. Basically a direct copy of Louis' basics in this case, but can of course be added on to (such as being maybe a paintballer or an airsoft player, perhaps)
(3) A single female is a running staple of L4D as we've witnessed. Whether one should be included or not would remain to be decided at this point.
New Gun models. The HK416/G36 model would be the most important, followed by the G3SG-1, as they would be the main guns of this level, due to the gun factory. Basic functioning of the guns would obviously resemble both the M16 and hunting rifle of the game, with different sound if possible, clip size changes (G3SG-1 might hold more than 15 rounds at a time?), and if the HK416 is chosen, perhaps a faster firing rate, but that's not REALLY necessary.
New Frag Grenade Weapon. Now, these will be found in the barn, so it will be likely that they will be part of the second level's starting supplies with the pump shotgun and molotov. The frag grenade would have to be not only made but scripted a bit, as it will need to explode relatively fast to be effective but also would be nice to have a very SMALL bit of attraction from the zombies. Say, all zombies within 5-10 ft of the path of the grenade would follow it in pure zombie curiousity? And it should probably throw a bit of shrapnel, around pipebomb distance or less to avoid too much friendly fire because of it. (pipebombs could very well be in this campaign, just thought at such an early stage it would be better to have a molotov and some old-timey frags?)
Zombie Cow?! Oh, if it was possible, I would be so happy. It wouldn't be too much of a threat. It should probably move at Tank or Boomer speed, maybe even have the boomer's effect! However, it should be a little bit more sturdy than your average zombie or boomer... So that it really gives that kind of 'WTF?!' idea to the player and then if it's a disguised boomer, when he finally thinks it's dead, he realizes that he is now covered in some special cow boomer fluid and that the zombies want to lick it off of his skin.
Tactical Survivor Spots I would really love to see some 'tactical seperation' in this map. Examples: In the weapons factory building, perhaps there would be a strategically placed window (or set of windows) that overlook the factory's grounds and the road outside of it. The road might have a large concentration of zombies, as they would likely gather in spots likely to have food. In this case they might be locked out and the survivors would have to unlock the gate to go out, causing a mini-crescendo where the zombies rush in at the survivor who unlocked the gate. Preferably, the walls would be large/thick enough to stop a survivor from just sniping every single one of the zombies, and the gate wouldn't be see-through. They could, however, help cover the other survivors during the event through the windows, by sniping effectively into the crowd of zombies. Another example would be when the survivors might reach a hill in the road. Since it's daylight, it would be relatively easy to see quite a far bit out. Perhaps some zombies in the road would prove as effective targets for the sniping survivors to pick on before they move up. Yet another is that near the pasture, some type of farm/barn would be tall enough for a sniper. The sniper could get onto that tower, and cover some survivors as they moved up to the cellar door, which would cause the zombies to crowd around the cellar and when the panic event stopped the sniper could make his way down to the group. Things along these lines would allow the sniper to become a useful asset to the survivors during this level, giving them the incentive to take at least one sniper and the assault rifles.
Tactical INFECTED Spots! Now, of course, if this map were to go versus a few nice spots should be open to allow for the best mayhem among survivors. The top of the factory should be fair and reachable game for the hunters and smokers, to allow for some nice pounces and snares during the mini-crescendo. The sniper would have double duty in this case, as he could snipe hunters that are about to hit survivors in the air (if he was lucky enough to do so) and shoot smoker tongues to stop the snares. Preferably, it would be nice if the Special Infected could not make it inside the factory. It's basically the beginning saferoom, so for them to be able to barge in whether the survivors have left or not is a bit of a gameplay issue. As for in the forest area, some of the forested area will be varying in trees/foliage, allowing for some boomer ambushes, or some quick hunter hits. The road should be a very hard place to take down all 4 survivors, but should be good to cause some mayhem. At the field, a few large farm buildings could be SI accessible only, so that a hunter could pounce off of it into the pasture to attempt a drop on a survivor, or a smoker to snare one back. A sniper on the watertower would be a slightly risky move, but with a 'bodyguard' with him, the sniper can cover the 2 moving up, who take advantage of the farm building's wall as relief from being hit from behind, who then station up and ready for the sniper and buddy to move across as well, covering them from SI.
These are my ideas. There are a lot of them, but it's a very open scenario that could lead to a very good campaign. With new characters, I'm sure more than one campaign would be wanted to be made to allow a bit of extra use out of the new models and ideas. If 4 campaigns were made, and they were of good enough quality, I would reckon Valve would take into consideration releasing them as a community pack. Obviously, that would take a while. But it'd be worth it.
Please, respond with your thoughts of my ideas, or if my idea has/will inspire you making your own map. I hope you enjoy, and I hope someone gets something out of this really long post.
