Expanded Mutation System Released for Left 4 Dead 2 Beta Participants

[Shawn Zipay]

Valve has just released the Expanded Mutation System for the Left 4 Dead 2 beta program. EMS is a "vastly improved" scripting system that will allow script makers to write custom script logic, spawn and control entities, and "much much more."

Mod authors will now be able to create deep custom experiences that can be played on any map or tailor create something for new or existing maps.

We have included numerous examples including a new survival mode called Holdout, other all new game modes, and numerous other examples to help show mod authors how to use the new tools.

There is no current ETA on when this will leave beta. The team wants to accomplish a few goals before taking it out of beta. This includes determining what new tools people use, how well they work, what the most important missing features they can add are, and fixing as many bugs as possible.

There's also a Wiki set up detailing some of the more basic samples of what can be done with the EMS.

[K-16]

So basically we can finally have our tank rush mode that is easy to setup and run for everyone on vanilla copies without having data mismatch issues. Probably gives even more variety to the LOTR map (as if it wasn't fun enough already). Sweet.