It seems as though those in charge of the Left 4 Dead Blog opted to release a real update today. Today's update focuses on news of the upcoming SDK and a few changes that are in store for the Left 4 Dead matchmaking system.
Once again, the Survival Pack DLC will be released, for free, on both the Xbox 360 and the PC on April 21. This simultaneous release was confirmed by Valve's own Chet Faliszek to CS-Nation.
To support the SDK, we are extending the matchmaking system to allow for third party campaigns. We will be adding extra features so players will be able to find dedicated servers running the campaigns they have installed. They will also be able to see friends playing third party campaigns, and be directed to download them as necessary. Another major feature we are planning to add to the matchmaking system at a future date is team-based Versus matching. This will allow two teams of four to locate each other and compete in a Versus match.
We are also revamping our player matching based on skill level. Currently the system tries to match people with the same skill level and best pings together. We will be revisiting this system to tweak it based on data we have collected.
The blog mentions that the Left 4 Dead SDK is currently in a closed beta and will be released shortly after the release of the Survival Pack! The team says that next week's blog entry will focus on how the box art was created.We are also revamping our player matching based on skill level. Currently the system tries to match people with the same skill level and best pings together. We will be revisiting this system to tweak it based on data we have collected.
Once again, the Survival Pack DLC will be released, for free, on both the Xbox 360 and the PC on April 21. This simultaneous release was confirmed by Valve's own Chet Faliszek to CS-Nation.