Left 4 Dead 2 Demo Now Open to All

Post by Steve Farrelly @ 12:46pm 04/11/09 | 38 Comments

After a week of being exclusively available to pre-order customers, Left 4 Dead 2 is now available in demo form for any and all on both Steam and Xbox 360 (though the 360 version is only up for Gold members).

As we've pointed out previously though, the demo offered up for Aussies features the game's modifications in all their disappearing, grotesque glory. Maybe if it was pitched that the zombies were immediately turning into ghosts when they die - ascending to a better resting place, the vanishing act they pull could have been swallowed with a bit more ease (probably not though).

So if you're looking for a way to ruin your week, grab the modified demo now.

left 4 dead 2 left 4 dead valve steam modified demo

Latest Comments

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ViscoS
Posted 01:05pm 04/11/09

Hooray?

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CHris
Posted 01:23pm 04/11/09

Not gona bother even getting the demo given the large amount of censoring.

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CHUB
Posted 01:34pm 04/11/09

Bring on the full game already.

So pumped for VS., it's going to be absolute chaos with the new special infected.

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ctd
Posted 01:46pm 04/11/09

I reckon that new mode scavenge or whatever looks a lot more fun for competitive play.

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AussieBattler
Posted 02:18pm 04/11/09

Anyone worked out how to get gore back yet?

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Khel
Posted 02:31pm 04/11/09

Yeah, buy the US version.

Theres some hacks and console variables and stuff you can change that turn the gore on, but nothing that'll let you play online.

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ctd
Posted 02:35pm 04/11/09

There are quite a few threads on this forum already showing how to easily buy the gore version from AUS or how to enable gore on the aussie version.

http://qgl.ausforums.com/index.php/439207/?agn=thread&id=2801790
http://qgl.ausforums.com/index.php/439207/?agn=thread&id=2804410
http://qgl.ausforums.com/index.php/439207/?agn=thread&id=2804845

or ausgamers versions
http://www.ausgamers.com/forums/general/thread.php/2804845
http://www.ausgamers.com/forums/general/thread.php/2804410
http://www.ausgamers.com/forums/general/thread.php/2801790
Try those.

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AussieBattler
Posted 02:55pm 04/11/09

Thanks, I have a read when I get home from work!

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E.T.
Posted 03:57pm 04/11/09

Well, it looks like valve has been working overtime on this. You now cant run the demo unless it is run from within steam. This borks the region work around.

Sad face

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TiT
Posted 04:07pm 04/11/09

yep, i got my money back and bought the US version... Cant wait for this game its so much fun!!! the demo is real small and i have still managed to play for over 3 hours

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ctd
Posted 04:08pm 04/11/09

[-]November 3, 2009 - Steam client update released

- Fixed possible issues when launching the Left 4 Dead 2 Demo

lulz.

Everyone with the censored version should get a refund already. VPN, Gift, or buy from an O/S online retailer.

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qmass
Posted 04:30pm 04/11/09

Theres some hacks and console variables and stuff you can change that turn the gore on, but nothing that'll let you play online.

This is bulls***. The fix works online - and with the newly released demo - I just tried it, was playing on a node server.

Here's a fix for the censored versions of the demo.
Just requires editing of two text files.

and

you have to run left4dead2.exe in the game folder, not from the steam list.

last edited by qmass at 16:30:41 04/Nov/09

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E.T.
Posted 04:42pm 04/11/09

Yea, I know about that one Qmass, but its not working for me. When I try and run the game from its own folder, it crashes with an error "Steam is not running. You must start steam in order to play this game"

As you will see by this screenshot (450K), Steam is running
http://mongie.com/viewer.php?id=arx1257313168c.jpg

Are you running Win7 Qmass? I think there may be related problem for me because I am.

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qmass
Posted 06:35pm 04/11/09

Using vista.

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parabol
Posted 06:45pm 04/11/09

^ does this page help in any way for launching custom apps?

http://supportwiki.steampowered.com/wiki/Setting_Steam_Launch_Options

Seems this page only lists the main ones?

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Steam_Application_IDs

last edited by parabol at 18:45:57 04/Nov/09

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AussieBattler
Posted 07:54pm 04/11/09

Damn... just got the demo, the hack doesn't seem to work anymore :(

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E.T.
Posted 08:03pm 04/11/09

I got mine to work battler. You have to make sure you run the demo in its normal state 1st. Then, edit those two files. In Win7, I'm finding I have to right click on the exe and run as admin to get it to work.

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IncrEdible_vEgetable
Posted 10:53pm 04/11/09

I heard that if you are playing the Australian version and you try to join a US server (or any non censored country) you will cause the server to end the game due to compatibility issues with the censored version (don't ask me how). So Aussie player will more than likely be kicked from servers outside Australia straight away to avoid f*****g up the game.

I think this refers to the XBox 360 version, probably not an issue with the PC.

Can anyone confirm?

last edited by IncrEdible_vEgetable at 22:53:11 04/Nov/09

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ravn0s
Posted 12:30am 05/11/09

all I know is that the security guard zombie is removed for everyone. was funny reading all the threads on the steam forum of people saying they are gona set up s*** to auto kick all Aussie and German ips from their servers

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Khel
Posted 12:37am 05/11/09

I heard that if you are playing the Australian version and you try to join a US server (or any non censored country) you will cause the server to end the game due to compatibility issues with the censored version (don't ask me how). So Aussie player will more than likely be kicked from servers outside Australia straight away to avoid f*****g up the game.

I dunno if thats true but I could imagine aussie players being kicked anyway, because their presence would remove stuff like riot cops and chainsaws from everyone elses game.

last edited by Khel at 00:37:01 05/Nov/09

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Midda
Posted 01:06am 05/11/09

I don't get why changing the appID for the game makes a difference, because it says 590 in mine as well, and I've got the uncut version.

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ravn0s
Posted 08:41am 05/11/09

since when was chainsaws removed khel?

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Khel
Posted 01:07pm 05/11/09

I dunno, someone in a server I was on a few days ago was saying chainsaws were going to be censored out of the full german version. Could just be bulls*** and rumours, but considering what they've done so far, I didn't find it hard to believe.

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koopz
Posted 11:21pm 05/11/09

apparently there's a hack to play as special infected in the demo

prolly worth a look

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synsic
Posted 07:20pm 30/12/09

man i cant put up with the australian censored version its so horrid. dose anyone know how to turn the gore on for xbox 360 not pc?

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greazy
Posted 10:53pm 30/12/09

pretty sure some nerds talk about it in this thread
http://www.ausgamers.com/forums/general/thread.php/2814172

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FraktuRe
Posted 10:55pm 30/12/09

He said for 360 moron, and no there's not.

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greazy
Posted 11:45pm 30/12/09

hah i didnt even pay attention i thought everyone knew it was impossible to alter console games without a mods.

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MatchFixa
Posted 02:48pm 31/12/09

I've sorta been living under a rock when it comes to L4D2 but why is the german version censored? don't they have an 18+ classification either?

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greazy
Posted 03:27pm 31/12/09

germans are nazi's when it comes censorship. worse than australia.

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fpot
Posted 03:40pm 31/12/09

Germans are Nazis in general.

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eightyeight
Posted 04:05am 01/1/10

wow i bought the full version yesterday, this game sucks. i have never wasted money like this in my life. nothing but drama trying to play online, constant connection errors(ive joined 2 games so far out of about 30 that haven't f***ed up) , PITA to find a decent game to join & the whole censorship thing is just f*****g gay.

L4D1 was better and pretty much the same but with different s***. Not worth paying money for, hell i would go as low to say if you can get this game without paying for it go for it.

I am completely unhappy with my purchase of this game. The only good thing i can see going for it is LAN games.

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ravn0s
Posted 10:58am 01/1/10

join gamearena, 3fl etc steam groups and you'll have no problems joining games.

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Jim
Posted 11:14am 01/1/10

never had the issues you're describing (2 out of 30 succesful connection attempts, that's just crazy) but the lobby and matchmaking is completely and utterly s*** and always has been - whether you join steam groups or not

this helps a lot though: http://play4dead.com/

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koopz
Posted 08:55pm 01/1/10

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Plasma
Posted 03:27pm 03/1/10

Just updated www.play4dead.com again to track each player's map completion rate.

This is a sort of 'rage quit' detector.

See http://www.play4dead.com/?players=1 for more info.

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ctd
Posted 03:44pm 03/1/10

Cool dude, I just started using this more because my community list never shows all the servers (wtf). Sometimes I had like 500+ servers but now I'm getting 150-200.

Would you say it is better to alt+tab to use it or use the in-game browser? Seems to auto alt tab when I use the in-game.

Anyway awesome work dude. Tell valve this is how you do it.

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Plasma
Posted 03:48pm 03/1/10

Either works fine in my experience.

I find its far easier to use though to just put L4D in Window mode (borderless).

I can then use the site on my second screen (or just alt-tab if you play at full res).

Make sure your using Window borderless mode though; its exactly like full screen, just without the delay of alt-tab'ing.

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