what have you learned?

tonight i learned that longshot likes to wander off in search of the random grenade or molotov to our team's ultimate demise..
cowboy is NOT using his mic even tho he had a "no wife" night (wasnt on his team but it was obvious)...
kristy has a great voice but bundy (who never speaks) does not... but STILL has the confidence to sing.. go bundy! kudos..
gurtman still sucks at tank (fell down the elevator shaft)...

I've learned that:

• Bloodrocuted aims like a robot, masking his mechanical nature behind a warm friendly human'esque voice
  
• Novalia gets super excited when a plan comes together, and everyone gets boomed
  
• I'm usually the one to call out "hunter!" and then get pounced regardless
  
• Gurtman can play a wicked smoker, and I'll forver be checking my six for fear of getting pulled into a 30+ mob
  
• The director loves to sometimes give one team 3 tanks over 3 boards, while the other team gets 1 tank with no tier two weapons (lol)
  
• Even if Smuggler doesn't talk alot, he's a heck of a player
  
• Swiping with the hunter totally rules when you're in situations where pouncing just wouldnt be worth it
  
• Ocean somehow always has tons of health or at least will find a health pack just in the nick of time
  
• Having a propane tank set off at your feet in a narrow hallway still isnt enough to kill a hunter in a single shot

//EDIT//

• Tonight I learned that although I try to give convenient messages over the mic to the team regarding who got pounced or where the attack is coming from, sometimes I kind of state the obvious. I think I accidentally worked Kristy's nerve under pressure with the "can you nail the smoker choking me?" ... (kristy) "YEAH I'm doing it ALREADY, sheesh!". my bad kris'

i learned a few interesting things last night..
i learned that the AI director ALSO thinks gurtman sucks at tank.. so he took over for him last night.. in the process killing me early on..
which brings me to my list...
last night i specc'd smuggler and learned a few things..
i learned smuggler is a magnet for hunters and smokers and boomers.. he must have been attacked easily 10 to 12 times in the hospital map after i was dead.. one after another the hunters were on top of him..
i learned smuggler has awesome aim.. heads are lopped off in bulk..
i learned smuggler no longer screams like a little girl when attacked.. and a little part of me dies inside...

this morning i learned that lugburz is not excluded from the wrath of kristy.. good job kristy =)
you'll know when you've truly arrive when you hear the phrase "fuck you lugburz!"

Nova wrote:

this morning i learned that lugburz is not excluded from the wrath of kristy.. good job kristy =)
you'll know when you've truly arrive when you hear the phrase "fuck you lugburz!"

Well perhaps for the sake of decency I flowered up my quotes a bit from Kristy but suffice to say, there was the "Fuck you I'm doing it!! BLAH *gun firing madly in the background*" attitude there. Heheh, I always have a blast playing on a team with Kristy. She's always one of the best people to have watching your back since you know she'll go out on a limb to save you if you're in trouble, but the first to say "STFU, I'm handling this - stop with the pointers!"

A fun night as always...

oh that reminds me..
i'm learning the director does not want kristy and me on the same team.

I learned tonight while playing CO-OP on Expert with MAN, Smuggler, and my friend =s!x= Atticus that:

• Smuggler is the nicest fucking dude ever...
  
• .... and I felt horrible when I set off a gas can burning him alive (accident)
  
• MAN will mortally wound someone in order to force them to use a health pack if there's an extra one available
  
• MAN also cracks me up with wacky antics
  
• Smuggler might not say a lot on the mic, but when he does you'd better listen (usually something crucial to teams survival)
  
• The flat rock by the pier in Death Toll is unscalable by tanks (everyone got the Untouchables achievement)
  
• The hunting rifle in co-op OWNS (see reason below)
  

• Everyone else numbered 700 or so common infected killed
  
• I raked in 1700 (go, go hunting rifle!!)
  

This was honestly THE best co-op campaign I've ever run. Thanks so much for a fun evening!

Last night I learned that Lugburz is deadly with the hunting rifle. There's a reason he had 1000 more kills than anyone else.

Playing on expert with 3 other people who know how to cover angles, watch the 6 and can communicate well over the mic makes playing fun. Man, Lug and Atticus are great teammates, even if they light you on fire occasionally.

I've now learned that regardless of how much I make fun of Nova for shooting the car, I seem to do it EVERY goddamn time. And I've also learned that the car alarm horde is probably the most deadly horde out there.
I've also learned that the Smoker is the hardest Infected to play well, and is probably the weakest one, but it the most rewarding when making the wicked pull. And that sometimes, it appears as if the tongue is indestructable with the proper pull (me being the one being pulled, and the tongue being shot by Ocean, meleed by Nova, and I'm still getting fucked over).

After playing some co-op expert I've learned a couple of things.

1. Never run in front of someone while they're shooting.
2. Tanks are evil, also AI director.
3. Limping around with 1hp being black and white while a tank spawns is not cool.
4. You never know true desperation until you've played expert.
5. Expert separates the boys and the men.
6. Like Lug, I'm now addicted to conquering expert campaign.

Nova wrote:

oh that reminds me..
i'm learning the director does not want kristy and me on the same team.

yes this saddens me so! we never are on the same team! fucking hell!

anyways, i have learned a little more about this "director". if ocean is on your team as survivor, the director will throw at you:

*hordes in the severe dozens, constantly
*early tanks
*several tanks
*witches right in your path
*complete lack of healing supplies, ammo and explosives.

however, the director will give the opposing team:

*tiny 6-zombie hordes, and they will be few and far between
*no witches, or the witch will be out in the back nine and not even affect them
*no tanks
*or will make someone like kristy the tank who doesn't even hurt people
*mass amounts of healing supplies, rooms filled with molotovs and pipebombs, pills around every corner, and the best ammo and weapons that one could possibly find.

also, the other night, every round i was auto-switched from one team to the other, i really got to see, first-hand, what the "director" chooses. One team, every map, was completely raped with huge hordes and tons of tanks with no supplies, and the other team was blessed with nearly zero hordes, no tanks, and lots of supplies. it was interesting to go back and forth and play on each team, and the lucky team had it so easy. (they probably didn't have ocean, that's why. he is cursed!!!)

I also learned that team shuffling absolutely SUCKS when the teams start out fair (which is not too frequent).
I'm starting to think when we start games, rather than going random, we elect 2 team captains and pick teams Street Ball style (we used to do this for games of Weapons Factory...a Quake3 Mod) and it works very well if people swallow their egos and don't get all pissy if they get picked last. Of course, you can't have the team captains duel for first pick...which kind of sucks.
Of course, random works too because as long as the people playing know how to play, it doesn't matter how good they are. Versus only sucks for me when I'm on a team where either people don't know what they are doing, or don't have mics...which REALLY sucks. Sometimes I like being on the team being steamrolled because hilarity often ensues.

Faith-away wrote:

...
Of course, random works too because as long as the people playing know how to play, it doesn't matter how good they are. Versus only sucks for me when I'm on a team where either people don't know what they are doing, or don't have mics...which REALLY sucks. Sometimes I like being on the team being steamrolled because hilarity often ensues.

I will second that.

that is an interesting idea faith. how are team captains picked? like is it a rotation, or alphbetical and once we get through the list we start again, or just some random nightly thing. i think its worth a try. and i am willing to suck it up cause i know i will be packed last i just hope that by the good graces of the team captains, they will put me and nova on the same team every now and then because we never are. or put me on a team with gurtman because he is just damn fun to play with!

Kristy wrote:

...or put me on a team with gurtman because he is just damn fun to play with!

Awww....thanks! *smooches*

Kristy wrote:

...they will put me and nova on the same team every now and then because we never are...

Are you kidding me?

You were on the same team like four nights in a row!

I have learned that a microphone is a requirement for a successful team. So many times playing VS I've had teammates killed because no one knew they got jumped when a boomer sprayed everyone.

Team captains are purely based on skill. It makes sense to either have 2 fairly skilled people be captains or 2 fairly not skilled be captains. That will create even teams. If you go alphabetically, you risk getting one really good person and 1 really not so good person as captains, thereby unbalancing the teams immediately.
But I want to stress, this only works if people don't get mad that they picked last all the time....otherwise it no longer becomes fun and everyone gets all pissy.
To tell you the truth, I'm fine with random as long as people realize the teams are really unfair and we vote to go in the lobby like what happened earlier tonight.

That sounds good faith. I hope I get picked last everytime cause as long as I play I don't give a shit. LOL

i learned dont be the last guy down the manhole..

- A 4 person team of auto-shotties will take down a tank in seconds on a VS map. It keeps everyone together so they can't get picked off by hunters and smokers. No more scattering and hoping someone lights the tank. Thanks to 58 Fury for that tip.

- Playing VS/Expert with this group is infinitely better than the general public. Even when taking a beating, everyone plays as a team. No one tries to go Rambo and play for themselves.

- Kristy's post about the director is an 100% correct. Playing with her, Monkey and Gurt we watched the other team find multiple medpacks, rooms with 5 or 6 pipes/molotovs. When we would play, we'd get a tank, witch and boomer all at the same time.

- Don't immediately blow up the gas station on No Mercy Sewers, there may be a witch under there.

- Slashing as a hunter instead of pouncing can be devastating. If the survivors are getting a horde and are just melee spamming but not backed into a corner, slash the hell out of their backs. They think it's just regular zombies and don't call out.
Case in point from last night:
-------------------------
Player: Smuggler - Damage Given
Damage Given to "Faith-away" - 63 in 5 hits
Damage Given to "Ocean_NB" - 10 in 1 hit
Damage Given to "fati" - 10 in 1 hit
Damage Given to "MAN" - 10 in 1 hit

If one of them is red, a slash can incap them, leaving you free to pounce their rescuer. I annoyed some people on my team last night when I said this about 10 times in a span of 2 minutes.

Yes, Smuggler speaks the truth as I sat there wondering why my health was dropping like a rock. And it's worse when it's happening to you in the dark because your flashlight is all wonky and in the air when you melee and you can't see shit.
And yes, the director was pretty mean for some of that game (I was on the other side)...we did manage to find a ton of med packs, and I think in one room, I ended up tossing 3 pipe bombs just because we had so many. Sadly, I think I tossed one too many as I was without one later when we got raped in the sewers.
And I've learned that you should always clear out a Smoker before doing stuff like going down manholes, crossing the lift rooftop...because you'll end up like Nova with me munching on your tasty bits.

I learned tonight that it is possible to get your ass raped on the finale of No Mercy before you even get to the radio.
And I also learned that getting the play the Tank everytime (I think it was 4 times) gets tiresome.

-I take care of my teammates only to be left behind to a horde....

-I'll will never fail as tank because i have played tank three times and all those went well. since then i have seen 28 tanks on my team, no of them me.

-lug HATES common infected.

I've learned to censor my opinions when under the spot light

It's not the skill of the player, but the heart of the team that counts!

Don't leave a downed man/woman behind if you can! The courage it takes to run out into certain death is always that much more rewarding when you can revive a fallen teammate who'd of been easier to let die. When you can overcome those crazy odds and live, THAT is fucking fun!

I don't have a favorite player...

Tonight I've learned that MAN is made of soap and immune to hunter pounces.

Also Ocean might be cursed because the director really hates the team he's on.

Synthus always leaves the group and runs at least 15 feet ahead of EVERYONE.

Pounce him!


Lessons learned after a 2nd co-op expert campaign with Fati, Frank, Smuggler:

• Frank-is-game and I always like to take point, which often results in one or both of us shooting terrifyingly close to one another or the same target, thus resulting in incaps
  
  
• Fati does a great job of calling out which side of the room he's sweeping first when going through a doorway so the rest of the team knows to watch out for crossfire.
  
  
• There is a wacky glitch with the mini-gun on top of the No Mercy finale building (melee the gun enough and then jump on, it will launch you forwards!?)
  
  
• Hiding under the FIRST set of stairs at the start of the third chapter in No Mercy makes it so the tank can't hit you with its fists or the rock (***BROKEN IDEA - Don't use in versus, its fucking lame... saved us in expert though***)
  
  
• My voice belies my baby face
  
  
• Fati and Smuggler were super nice guys for skydiving off the building during the finale so Frank and I could net the credit for doing No Mercy on expert.
  
  
• I value the conversations and in-game shenanigans of my teammates quite a bit, you've all been super fun to play along side!
  
  
• Playing VS (before we did the expert co-op), I got team switched and paired with Synthus, Bundy, and Lay Low (???). Our team did GREAT but it was a bit awkward as nobody was communicating over the mic. Our own individual strategies worked well towards our team effort, but the lack of communication was a bit frustrating. I've found more often that using a mic can make or break a good team. Calling out where you're going to clear a room and what side (stated above), or where the most dangerous threats are coming from, or reminding someone to use pills in the middle of a horde; all of it requires communication.
  
  
• There were a couple times where people on our expert co-op campaign had forgotten to pop their pills during a mob while their health was in the red. Calling over the mic, "Don't forget the pills!" definitely saved a couple people.

I've learned that Nova is old enough to die of natural causes while hiding, all by himself, in a bathroom. ( went out like Elvis )

I've learned that after an extended run of only playing VS, expert co-op is a nice change of pace that requires some serious reevaluation and tweaking of your play-style.

I've learned that Lugz plays WAY too much co-op and has the game memorized to the point where he can predict where and what is going to happen, as well as provide alternate scenarios if the first prediction doesn't come to fruition. (He's like an interactive Game Trainer )

I've learned that standing on a unreachable rock, on the final map of Death Toll, robs me of any sense of accomplishment. (To a lesser extent, so does hiding in a closet on Mersey)

I've learned that L4D is turning me into a whinny bitch that complains and laments about every little thing, and by extension, someone that is not enjoyable to play with. (and i guarantee, knowing is NOT half the battle, as I've known for some time, and don't seem to be recovering)

Look forward to doing it again, if I haven't alienated myself to the point where people don't want to play w/ me.

I had a great time this afternoon! I'd love to do it again, preferably on Dead Air, a map that doesn't see any versus action.

• I also learned today that Nova, Ocean, and myself all team wounded into the middle to low teens where as Gurtman kept it at a minimum of 4.
  

Note to those reading this: Always get Gurtman on your team, never myself, Nova, or Ocean (at least stand behind us, otherwise you'll regret it)

Ocean_NB wrote:

I've learned that L4D is turning me into a whinny bitch that complains and laments about every little thing, and by extension, someone that is not enjoyable to play with. (and i guarantee, knowing is NOT half the battle, as I've known for some time, and don't seem to be recovering)

Look forward to doing it again, if I haven't alienated myself to the point where people don't want to play w/ me.

Easy there, Ryuhi... =)

Ocean_NB wrote:

I've learned that L4D is turning me into a whinny bitch that complains and laments about every little thing, and by extension, someone that is not enjoyable to play with. (and i guarantee, knowing is NOT half the battle, as I've known for some time, and don't seem to be recovering)

Look forward to doing it again, if I haven't alienated myself to the point where people don't want to play w/ me.

i've not experienced this..
makes me want to play with you more..
schadenfreude...


today i learned i hate the bathrooms in l4d..
you can take a tank down with pistols alone..
ocean likes to secretly shoot gas tanks right next to me.
lugz might talk more than i do.

Nova wrote:

ocean likes to secretly shoot gas tanks right next to me make the game kill me while I'm sitting on the toilet.

There, fixed that for ya

Big_Monkey_Brother wrote:

I learned that Bundy likes to separate from the team - often. And half the time I go out to save him I get pounced (thanks Bundy). Regardless you're still a good player Bundy, no matter what Ocean says about you.

I have a bad habit of running ahead to scout for items. My past team mates have likened me to a junkie item sniffing dog. I should take it down a notch and maybe lay off the coke. Thanks for being a good sport Monkey, it's fun playing with ya.

Lug, I'm not sure if Syncthus has a mic but I'm pretty sure I was strategizing with you when we played. You should of seen it before you got switched over. "Sure is quiet around here" was met with silence. That's what I call "Serious business."

As for Ocean's complaint, I'm sorry I couldn't save you as Monkey and Ballsac was being mobbed and pounced in the small room. Also didn't help that I was blind the entire time. I do try to save everyone I can. Hope there's no hard feelings. Jumping off buildings is the new ragequit.

I didn't mind the silence Bundy, but your verbal interjections were very few (great play style but silent as a grave!). Trust me, no where near hard feelings. I'm so used to being a blabber mouth that I nearly expect everyone else to be the same

Apparently, nova is also a self admitted chatty kathy.

last night i learned some info about the scoring at the end of the round.. +25 for each healthpack.. +25% of your remaining health... so stop using the healthpacks before you close the door...
last night i learned there are some people not familiar with the hunter melee.. which alows you to hunter melee them until they go down.

Big_Monkey_Brother wrote:

Last night I learned that the LFD director HATES Ocean and if I'm stuck on his team I should break out an apple and stick it in my mouth because our team will be RAPED.

Raped = llittle to no healthpacks, pills, pipebombs, molotovs and the hordes will be lame as all hell. Oh yeah, Tanks will spawn in front of machine guns or on the other side of the map on a different floor, already on fire!

I don't know what you did to the director Ocean but please, please apologize!

Fuck the Director, he was a nerd in school who couldn't hang on to his milk money, and now he's just and empowered dick who holds a grudge. You're not too fucking big for another swirly, Director, keep that in mind!

today i learned monkey shoots teammates by accident..
and man shoots teammates on purpose..

tonight i learned we CAN have two close games in one night..

I learned that splitting up the Survivor team where 2 are on a speed run to the house in Blood Harvest, while good for chuckles, may be a very bad strategy.
And hitting the radio before the other 2 catch up and stealing all their health packs...also very bad!

I learned that when it is late during the week and you are sucking balls its best to cut off the lights and call it a night! I thought we started off good then it all went down hill. I was really off plus you guys coordinated way better than us. I think at one point in the game I just wanted to pounce man or smuggler just because it is so hard to do. Anyway another day another game it always changes!

I learned I need to play a lot more and with some better teammates so I can get my skill level up. When you guys have a full game or aren't on, I go pub and when matched play with some horrible ppl. When I'm generally the best or 2nd best, it can't be good

A know, reviving another old thread, but something I learned on a pub server that seems to work really well. I used this elsewhere and then again last night, and it has to do with the boomer on the map just where you come out of the sewers. All you need to do is wait for one survivor to start climbing the ladder, and boom them just as they get near the top (just not letting them get too far out). The horde completely fills that hole up and makes it hard for anyone to go anywhere but back down, giving other members on the team more time to spawn and attack. Rinse and repeat as much as you can, and slow the survivors down just before the safe house (which is the general idea to give the infected better chances of stopping them or taking down their health). Not usually a place people think to use a molotov, although I have a feeling more will be ready for this now!

Keeping this thread alive...

I have learned that I cannot function well in this game if I am sober. I also cannot function well if I'm the only one on my team who is (let's say, for the sake of brevity) "out of it"...
I've learned that there is a direct correlation between the number of "cool kids" on my team and the number of successes in this game. That is, more toots equals better chance of success.
I've learned that I still suck horribly at being the tank.