Updates (Left 4 Dead 2)

The following is a history of updates applied to Left 4 Dead 2. The updates, when on the PC version of Left 4 Dead 2, will be applied automatically when you restart Steam, and on the Xbox 360, you will be prompted to update the game when you start it up. However, this only happens if you have Xbox LIVE. The list goes from the most recent at the top, and the earliest at the bottom. These are only the specific changes made to Left 4 Dead 2 itself. Note that the PC version gets the updates first, and that the Xbox 360 version gets all of the updates to that point in time in a pack. Due to this, it's possible that some of the more recent updates have not yet be released for the console version.

February 24, 2010

 * Fixed a Linux dedicated server crash.

February 19, 2010

 * Fixed all bot teams not leaving the starting area if sb_all_bot_team 1 was set.
 * Fixed a case where survivor bots would fail to rescue a friend from charger attacks.
 * Updated Thai translations.
 * Fixed an issue where servers wouldn't relist after the master server was bounced.
 * Fixed Charger jumping exploit.
 * Fixed Spitter bug where spit could emit from a location several inches from the head, causing the spit to unexpectedly strike nearby objects and fall.

February 5, 2010
Gameplay:
 * Now ghost PZ's can never be staggered.
 * Enabled PZ bots.
 * PZ bots use their more aggressive survival mode behavior in versus and scavenge.
 * Enabled finale manual spawn by default.
 * Fixed human PZ players not getting counted when they were dead, allowing extra PZ bots to spawn.
 * Reduced effectiveness of melee weapons against the Tank ( 5% of max health, from 10% )
 * Fixed a case where a player who dies, then is rescued from a rescue closet, and then is revived from a ledge hang receives the secondary weapon that he lost when he was initially killed.
 * Improved SurvivorBot AI in cases where the bots refused to shoot through their teammates and became non-responsive.
 * Fixed issue with witch sometimes taking on uncommon common properties.
 * Fix for cheaters quitting before the vote to kick them would succeed and avoiding ban on server.
 * VAC banned users can now play L4D2 single-player, commentary mode and credits.

Map Fixes:
 * Dark Carnival Fair Ground: added env_player_blocker to keep special infected from getting stuck.
 * Dark Carnival Fair Ground: added navigation area that was missing.
 * Dark Carnival Fair Ground: Disconnected drops that were blocked by the top of a fence.
 * Swamp Fever Plank Country: Deleted 2 nav areas that connected between tree trunks you can't pass through.
 * Swamp Fever Shanty Town: Redrew ladder thinner so special infected could climb up to the roof.
 * The Parish Waterfront: Fixed various navigation areas.
 * Mall: Tuned spawning for difficulty.

SDK Content:
 * Added missing nature/blend tooltextures.
 * Added missing cs models/textures.
 * Added missing acunit01 model/texture
 * Added missing ammo_can_02 model/texture.
 * Added missing patio_chair model/texture.

January 12, 2010
Gameplay:
 * Fixed where last round of upgraded ammo didn't have upgrade effect.
 * Survivors driven by a Jockey now glows for infected team in all cases.
 * Fixed exploit that allowed Jockey players to get instant recharge of their ability.
 * Fixed Charger ability timer not resetting when killing a survivor with low health on their third strike.
 * Charger now applies a small amount of damage when charging through physic props.

Match Making:
 * Changed how requests are made to master server for group servers.
 * Fixed sorting on group servers UI.
 * Reduced update work on group servers UI.

Miscellaneous:
 * Made the water shader support splitscreen on the PC.
 * Miscellaneous fixes in the subtitles.
 * Updated system tray icon.
 * Fixed Survival timer issue caused when voting for round restart.

SDK/L4D2-LD/Hammer changes:
 * When browsing for a func_instance filename, the proper path relative to the current bsp will be returned. This allows level designers to use instances from the base game in dlc maps without having to manually fix up the filename.
 * Changed base.fgd default skybox to one that exists in L4D2.
 * Added env_instructor_hint to fgd, as well as content/game icon images.
 * Deadline URL fix.
 * Added missing vmt for env_instructor_hint.
 * L4D Addon Support - restored missing delivery van modified VMT.
 * L4D Addon Support - restored missing shelves metal 3.
 * L4D Addon Support - restored floodlight generator switch.
 * L4D Addon Support - restored missing airliner content.
 * Updated vbsp to correctly handle instances within instances.
 * Fixed the fullscreen engine changing the Hammer views, requiring a restart of Hammer.

December 18, 2009

 * Reduced Dedicated Server max search ping to 150 ms.
 * Teams that prefer listen servers will no longer be matched with teams that prefer dedicated servers.
 * Official dedicated servers are now preferred when searching for team matches.
 * More populous lobbies are now preferred over less populous ones when searching for games.
 * Players who crash or have failed to load are no longer banned if they have been kicked.
 * Update Russian subtitles.
 * Fixed not being able to interlink teams in team-on-team mode.
 * Fixed not being able to properly migrate team lobby after team leader would leave the lobby.
 * Fixed not being able to invite friends if player was not team leader in a team-on-team game.

December 12, 2009

 * Fixed players getting a bad spawn position after a level transition.

December 9, 2009

 * Changed rules for ghost placement in Scavenge Mode.
 * Player controlled Special Infected are no longer forced to un-crouch and lock strafe when they crouch attack.
 * Spitter spit that damages players on a moving elevator will now fizzle quickly.
 * Allowed the survivor and infected to rotate the camera view while being attacked by a Charger or Smoker.
 * Smoker that has dragged a survivor to the end now gets the same cinematic flashlight as the Hunter and Charger.
 * Fixed a crash in physics.
 * Updated the Charger's hit boxes.
 * Updated the Jockey's hit boxes.
 * Updated the Spitter's hit boxes.
 * Fixed player health on being revived after a Charger slam over a high ledge.
 * Fixed versus scores not resetting after a vote to change campaigns.
 * Fixed being able to use defibrillator on dead players who were far above or below you.
 * Fixed pink glow on dead survivors.
 * Fixed being able to hold crouch while incapped to get better weapon accuracy.
 * Fixed players pushing against some props causing them to accumulate downward velocity and then take falling damage when they let go of the forward key.
 * Fixed a case where an incapped survivor inside a rescue vehicle would trigger both the escape sequence and a round restart.
 * Fixed the helping hand from getting stuck when extended.

December 4, 2009

 * Fixed crash on startup when using FAT32 file system.
 * Fixed in-game chat input where the local encoding differs from the input language's.
 * Fixed bug where Survivor Bots would sometimes become unresponsive in Scavenge games.
 * Updated subtitle localization files for Hungarian, Portuguese, Romanian and Russian.
 * Fixed exploit that allowed players on the Infected team to spawn directly next to the Survivors.

December 1, 2009

 * Fixed case where game failed to launch in certain machine configurations.
 * Fixed bug where a burning witch could get into a state where she's invincible.
 * Fixed bug where bots would not shoot at Jockeys and Chargers while approaching to save a teammate.

November 27, 2009

 * Updated stats collection and related steam pages.
 * Fixed issue where players could be stuck if caught in charger pound.
 * Updated CPU detection.

November 21, 2009

 * Fixed performance problem when rendering lots of decals, notably when fighting tanks with shotguns.
 * Fixed rcon response not working on Linux dedicated servers.
 * Fixed matchmaking problem matching into Advanced and Expert games.
 * Fix bug that would cause other specials to try to pummel a player a Charger disconnects or reconnects.
 * Fixed versus mode results panel being cut off in transition stats screen in non-english.
 * Found games: fixed non-player entries drawing the wrong type of icon in the selected item name label.
 * Game mode selector on main menu now takes keyboard input.

November 17, 2009

 * Fixed stability problem during level transition experienced by some users.