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==    LEFT 4 DEAD                 ==
==     INFECTED GUIDE                ==
==    VERSION 1.1                ==
==    COPYRIGHT CONOR FARNE SANG (MACHIENZO)    ==
==    CONTACT AT cfarnesang@hotmail.com    ==
==============================================
[XXX]    -    [TABLE OF CONTENTS]
PURPOSE                    [001]
LEGAL INFORMATION            [002]
FAQ UPDATE HISTORY            [003]
GENERAL GAMEPLAY            [004]
TACTICS                    [005]
- AMBUSHING            [006]
- OVERRUNING            [007]
- DRAWING APART            [008]
- LURING            [009]
- TRAPPING            [010]
- TANK PANIC            [011]
PLAYABLE INFECTED            [012]
- HUNTER            [013]
- SMOKER            [014]
- BOOMER            [015]
- TANK                [016]
CONCLUDING TIPS                [017]
SPECIAL THANKS                [018]
DISCLAIMER                [019]
[001]    -    [PURPOSE]
The purpose of this guide is to provide a detailed guide to help those playing
as the Infected in the Versus Mode of Left 4 Dead, on either the XBOX 360
Entertainment System or the PC. This guide will detail useful tactics in
overpowering the Survivors as well as a descriptions on the different playable
Infected and useful tips involving those Infected. Experience however may change
due to online play, and therefore results of these tips cannot be garraunteed.
If you wish to contact me about this FAQ, please don't hesitate to contact me
via NeoPM or via email at cfarnesang@hotmail.com.
[002]    -    [LEGAL INFORMATION]
This FAQ is copyright Conor Farne Sang (A.K.A Machienzo) and should not be
distributed in any way without the author's permission.
[AUTHORISED SITES]
- www.neoseeker.com
[LEFT 4 DEAD COPYRIGHT NOTICE]
© 2009 Valve, the Valve logo, Left 4 Dead, the Left 4 Dead logo, Steam, the
Steam logo, Source, the Source logo, and Valve Source are trademarks and/or
registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the United States and other
countries. Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of
companies and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are
properties of their respective companies.
[003]    -    [FAQ UPDATE HISTORY]
[Version 1.0] (31/03/09)  -  Created Guide
[Version 1.1] (31/03/09)  -  Fixed Spelling Mistakes
[004]    -    [GENERAL GAMEPLAY]
When you are playing as an Infected, your main goal is simply to kill the
Survivors by any means possible. This can be obtained in many ways, but the key
is knowing what to do during crucial moments and being able to react quickly
enough to do so.
[005]    -    [TACTICS]
The tactics below will discuss different methods of either winning a round or
attempting to delay the Survivors as they traverse the level. These tactics will
be detailed by focusing on the team as a whole, and not individually. Therefore,
these tactics will not outline what you as a certain infected will have to do,
but what is expected from the entire team. That is because, these listed tactics
are all dependent on a full team of 4 Infected, otherwise the best that can be
hoped to achieved is severely delaying the Survivors down.
[006]    -    [AMBUSHING]
Ambushing is when as an Infected, you can attack a Survivor when they least
expect it. This can be done in numerous ways, such as closing in from behind,
through walls, around corners, in dark rooms or from high rooftops. The trick is
to be creative. Think of a place to hide where you know the Survivor won't pay
much attention to at first. You also have to time your attacks right too. If you
move too suddenly, you risk giving your position away and getting yourself killed,
again. You know? Cause you're a zombie right?
This tactic, while not a method of actually defeating the Survivors, is just one
of the most common ways to play the game as an Infected. You can find comfort in
the fact that a successful ambush may have just scared the life out of your
victim. For more info, look up  "kid scared left 4 dead".
[007]    -    [OVERUNNING]
Not to be confused with running too much (bad joke right?), Overrunning or to
"Overrun" the Survivors is when you simply give them too much action for them to
handle, and this can usually lead to heavy causalities on the Survivors side.
The best way to cause the Survivors to become Overrun is by managing to have a
Boomer get their bile on all of the Survivors. This will cause a lot of panic
within the team and they will start to lose track of other player. During that
time, it's best to go all out crazy and attack them as fast as possible. If
you're lucky, you may just incapacitate one or even kill one.
[008]    -    [DRAWING APART]
Drawing Apart Survivors is when you manage to get one or maybe two Survivors
to split up from the rest of the team. This can be done through methods such as
making yourself known to that player and allowing them to try to follow you and
attempt to kill you. Usually, they'll end up moving so far away from their team
that they're an easy target for Hunters and Smokers.
[009]    -    [LURING]
Luring is much like the Drawing Apart method above, except it incorporates the
Ambush tactic a little more and relies on the reliability of other team members
and Survivors. In a way, the successfulness of this method is to encourage the
Survivors to rescue an incapacitated or pinned down survivor, using the very same
lure method. Quite simply, catching one Survivor off guard and forcing their team
to try to rescue them. When that Survivor is about to do so, that is when you
attack them. They'll be so focused on saving their teammate that they'll be
completely oblivious to what's going on around them. If this is done successfully,
you can usually end up with 3 Survivors trapped by Smokers and Hunters and the
remaining Survivor occupied with a Horde of Infected (using the Boomer).
[010]    -    [TRAPPING]
Trapping is done mainly using the Smoker, and to some extent, the Hunter.
Trapping is usually done where you can get a Survivor pinned down or caught near
a crucial location within a level. This location has to be an area of high risk
to the Survivors, such as a car alarm, Witch or Tank. The best way to trap a
Survivor is to have a Smoker try to pull that Survivor towards the Car Alarm,
Witch or Tank. Alternatively, a Hunter can do almost the same, but this requires
precise timing and accuracy. You can successfully attempt this tactic if you can
(as a Hunter) manage to pin down a Survivor right next to a Car Alarm or Witch.
For a Tank, it is best to catch the Survivor within eye-contact of the Tank.
Using the method as both types of Infected, you end up putting that Survivor in
a really difficult spot, which cause a big problem for rescuing Survivors. If
any attempt to shoot off any Smokers or Hunters, they have to take the risk of
possibly hitting the car of Witch. Conversely, they end up running towards a Tank
in order to save their team member too.
[011]    -    [TANK PANIC]
Note: This method can only be performed during the presence of a Human-Controlled
Tank.
Tank Panic is really quite simple, and is probably already done instinctively
during a Versus Match. Nonetheless, it won't hurt anyone if I list it here (well,
not for the Survivors that is). A Tank Panic tactic is when the Tank is used as a
distraction, becoming the main focus the Survivors attention. This means
making them forget all about the other Infected players. Just as you would do if
you were a Survivor, you'd be focusing you're attention on the Tank and nothing
else, as the Tank can mean the difference between Life and Death in a Versus
match, particularly if they are being controlled by a somewhat experienced gamer.
Now, while using the Tank, try to get Survivors to split up and go their separate
ways. By doing this, you allow Smokers and Hunters the chance to catch these lone
Survivors for an easy kill. It is also hard for other Survivors to rescue these
people as they will be paying more attention to avoiding the Tank then risking
their neck for their teammate.
[012]    -    [PLAYABLE INFECTED]
This will list the different types of playable Infected, as well as tips on how
to use them to the best of their abilities. Remember that there can be no more
than 2 Hunters, a Smoker and a Boomer in the same map at one time. If a Tank
happens to be available, one of the Hunters is usually substituted for them.
[013]    -    [HUNTER]
The Hunter is one of the most fun, and fastest Infected within the game. Their
ability to leap and bound across several hundred feet is amazing. Their melee
attack is also one of the strongest melee attacks out of all the Playable
Infected, and is capable of ripping apart doors in mere seconds. Remember, when
playing as a Hunter, make sure to keep out of eye-contact from Survivors,
otherwise you end up giving you position away since the Hunter emits a loud
screech upon spotting Survivors.
[GRABBING SMOKERS VICTIMS]
This is where you simply pounce and pin down a victim caught by a Smoker. Just
aim at the victim and jump. Although you may get a bit of negative feedback from
the Smoker, you should realise that you've actually done them a favour. You've
gone and kept the Survivor down while allowing the Smoker another chance at
another Survivor. This should however be used cautiously and when there is a fair
distance between the victim and the rest of their team. Otherwise, you end up
making yourself a big target and the Smoker defenceless while they regain their
tongue ability back.
[ASSISTING SMOKERS]
If you happen to find a helpless victim in the grasp of a Smoker, don't be afraid
to rush in and add your own attacks to the Survivor. Be sure to be directly in
front facing the Survivor and not too close to the Smoker, otherwise you'll end
up killing the Smoker. Seeing as the Hunter has the second strongest melee attack
of any playable infected to that of the Tank, this is a really effective way of
killing a Survivor.
[LEAPING FROM FURTHER DISTANCE]
The further you leap, the higher the damage. This should be common knowledge to
all Left 4 Dead players. As a Hunter, you should practice leaping long distances
and get a feel for the physics of the game. Remember however that damage is
determined by distance and not high, so you don't do more damage the higher you
leap.
[MELEE RUSHING]
Melee rushing is a bit risky, but just as effective as any other tip listed. You
do however have to sacrifice the joy of leaping onto your victims. This method is
where instead of leaping, you rush towards them and melee them, before fleeing
back to a safe location to avoid being killed. This is best done during
situations where the Survivor is currently overwhelmed with a horde of zombie.
This also means that you don't leave yourself as an open target as if you were to
pounce them instead. Also, as has been stated before, this is a neat tactic since
the Hunter has a particularly strong melee attack.
[WALL JUMPING]
Wall Jumping is one of great ways to climb to the top of high buildings or hard
to reach places. This can be done by leaping directly towards a wall and then by
quickly turn 180 degrees (while still holding down the crouch button) and leaping
off the wall again. You end up traversing a fair distance from the resulting leap
and can even use this tactic to climb unclimbable walls.
[014]    -    [SMOKER]
The Smoker is one of the most tactically effective Infected in Left 4 Dead. Their
main purpose serves to split up the Survivors close team and make them easier to
kill by other Infected. They have the ability to grab a Survivor with their long
tongue and pull them back towards them. They also have a regular melee attack.
[PICKING OFF LAGGERS]
These people are not to be mistaken with "Laggers" who have slow internet
connections. Laggers in this guide refer to those who are generally slow people
and tend to be left behind a lot during the chaos of the game. Smokers should
focus their attention on these people as they are usually overlooked by the rest
of their team, and if caught, end up making it an annoying task of being rescued
by the other Survivors.
[PULLING OFF LEDGES]
This is best used in areas such as the Hospital or Rooftop Finale of the No Mercy
Campaign. When there is a gap between you and a Survivor, you should grab that
Survivor immediately and attempt to pull them to the edge of whatever they are
standing on. This causes them to dangle of the edge, and if left long enough
there, fall down to their death. This is always best used in busy situations,
such as during a horde attack or immediately after a Boomer has soaked the
Survivors in Bile.
[CATCHING SURVIVORS]
This is the ultimate tactic in ensure a kill on one of the Survivors.
Remember areas such as the hole that the Survivors have to jump down through in
the Apartments level? Or the jump into the Sewers in the Sewers level? Or even
the rooftop of the Rooftop Finale, just after climbing the ladder? In these areas,
a Smoker is always best to be around in. If you can time your attack precisely,
you can end up grabbing a Survivor just as the rest of the Survivors jump down.
This is a sure way of killing that caught Survivor, as you prevent the other
Survivors from rescuing that Survivor for the rest of the game, making an
extraordinarily easy kill.
[015]    -    [BOOMER]
The Boomer is the bloated fatman who explodes when killed and releases a
noxious liquid through vomiting or exploding. This 'Bile' attracts common
Infected to whomever has been soaked in it, and can create havoc in small narrow
places or out in the open.
While there are not that many tactics that will ensure a Survivor will be killed,
there are some generally tips on ensuring your time as a Boomer is not wasted.
[KEEP OUT OF SIGHT]
Seeing as the Boomer will explode with very few bullets, it is always best to
keep out of sight at all times until the very last second. Also remember that
walls and doors are not strong enough to stop bullets from passing through, so
don't get too comfy from retreating behind a corner or closed door. You can
still be shot at and killed from the other side.
[JUMP OUT AT THE LAST SECOND]
If you plan on ambushing the Survivors, make sure to jump in at them at the last
second. If you are too early, you give Survivors enough time to identify you
and quickly melee you back to a safe distance before destroying you. Also, by
jumping out at the last second, you can end up startling the Survivors into
killing you prematurely and end up soaking themselves in you entrails, attracting
a horde of Infected towards them.
[TAKE A CHANCE]
Whenever you are in a tough spot, assess the situation and determine whether or
not you have chance at catching at least one Survivor in bile. If that is the case,
go for it. There's no harm in giving things a try. If you happen to spot all 4
Survivors extremely close together, rush in towards them. Hopefully you'll be
close enough to get them all with bile, making the Common Infected go crazy
around them.
[016]    -    [TANK]
The Tank is what makes Survivors tremble. The Tank can manage to smack foes
several feet in the air and incapacitate Survivors in very few swipes. They
also have the ability to grab a chunk of concrete and throw it several feet in
the air. They can also destroy parts of the environment such as walls and pillars,
and throw large objects like logs and cars. Remember that when playing as a Tank,
always keep your cool. You have a 'patience' meter, and this will decrease over
time the longer you don't keep Survivors within eye-contact.
A crucial thing to remember is avoiding fire. If you here a Survivor yell out
that they're throwing a Moltov, quickly retreat. A flaming Tank is a slow Tank,
and a slow Tank is a useless Tank.
[DISTRACTING PLAYERS]
The Tank serves the best purpose of distracting Survivors. Seeing as the Tank is
one of the biggest threats to the Survivors throughout the entire game, it is
always important that Survivors pay particular attention to the whereabouts of
the Tank. This can be used to the Infected team’s advantage. The Tank helps split
up Survivors and makes the entire situation chaotic. This can lead to Survivors
losing focus and becoming very easy targets for Hunters and Smokers.
[INCAPACITATING SURVIVORS]
As a Tank, you should focus on incapacitating Survivors rather than killing them.
Although this may sound a bit like an arbitrary decision, it is important to
remember that you do end up leaving yourself as a target if you stay in one place
for too long, focusing on killing a Survivor after they've been incapacitated.
The main focus as a Tank is to keep the Survivors on their toes and constantly
confused and on the move. Once you've knocked a Survivor onto the ground
(incapacitated), move on to the next closest Survivor.
[017]    -    [CONCLUDING TIPS]
Just like the concept of the Survivors, the Infected all have to work as a team
to ensure success. Make sure that you exploit your teammates and their skills as
their particular Infected and try not to go against the Survivors alone. Remember
that communication between your team is also a key essential to success. The use
of a Microphone is recommended for all games online.
[018]     -    [SPECIAL THANKS]
Special thanks to Twin_Master for introducing me to this awesome game.
Special thanks to Valve for creating this game!
Honourable Mention to PRIMA Games for proving useful information regarding the
game mechanics and certain small survival tips.
[019]    -    DISCLAIMER
This guide is copyright 2009 by Conor Farne Sang (Machienzo). You may print
this guide for personal use only. Only sites authorized by me can publish this
document. If you see this published on a site other than those in the list below
please contact me at cfarnesang@hotmail.com.