Questions & Answers on HardA game design

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

In this Q&A I shall explain part of the logic behind HardA's game design and I shall also outline a few of its golden rules that members should be mindful of when playing our games.

1. Why is Hardcore 4 mostly exclusive?
   
2. Why is teamwork so important in HardA games?
   
3. Why are HardA games more difficult to play with survivor bots?
   
4. Why is rapid-revival of incapacitated players really important?
   
5. What are the best healing practices?
   
6. Why is pill top-up consumption important?
   
7. Why do you have Tank duos?
   
8. What if the WTF bomb gets used to grief team mates?
   
9. Why are sticky-bombs so powerful?
   
10. Do I need to carry two primary weapons?
    
11. Why do players get to keep their tier-2 weapon?
    
12. How is game difficulty different in HardA games?
    
13. How do HardA bots compare to the bots in the vanilla game?
    
14. What are the HardA member perks and privileges?
    
15. Why are there no statistics in HardA games anymore?

[edit: Q&A 14 updated]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why is Hardcore 4 mostly exclusive?

To ensure a conducive gaming environment for our players, the server is kept mostly exclusive for members. This decision is rooted in the fact that our games demand intense concentration, quick reflexes, and strategic thinking. Such requirements might prove challenging for casual players accustomed to more relaxed and forgiving gameplay. Consequently, these players often find it difficult to adapt and eventually choose to leave our games. Moreover, the combination of highly skilled players with casual ones rarely produces favourable outcomes. Invariably, it is best to have members on the server who can resonate with the playstyle of other like-minded players.

However, when the server is empty and free to play, public players are allowed to play on it. On such occasions, this can allow new players to discover whether they enjoy our games or not, and just occasionally, members may encounter a public player who excels at our hardcore games, demonstrating superb playing skills and a strong team-oriented mindset. For players of that calibre, we extend an invitation to join Hardcore 4. Moreover, membership grants them certain perks and privileges to access hidden gameplay features which provides more opportunities to participate in other fun aspects of our games with other community members.

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why is teamwork so important in HardA games?

Originally posted by an elder member:

"There are HardA players and then there are seasoned HardA players - the latter will always apply Shadowplay into their games"

HardA expert games offer an intense challenge that necessitates tight teamwork to stay alive. The Specials spawn in very large numbers and can pose a significant threat to any lone player who wanders away from the rest of the team. Therefore, all players need to stay close together at all times.

While it's inevitable that the team will sometimes get split apart during attacks, players should try at least to pair up until the whole team can reform again. Good situational awareness and effective use of the HardA ShadowPlay rule can help the team work closely together to reach endgame more successfully.

HardA does not use in-game statistics or third-party stat charts like HLStatsX. This allows our players to concentrate on teamwork alone, and this stops players from focusing on individual point scoring and instead encourages them to prioritize better protecting and caring for their teammates.

By prioritizing teamwork and mutual support, we create a cohesive and effective team. This includes actions like giving pills to injured teammates and quickly reviving incapacitated teammates. At Hardcore 4, we value cooperative play, and our motto is: ‘All for one and one for all’.

UPDATE: From June 2019 the Outro and chapter statistics were disabled on the server. This was done to effectively reinforce a more team-focused play style.

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why are HardA games more difficult to play with survivor bots?

Playing HardA games with survivor bots can be especially challenging, as they will never be as proficient as skilled human players. When relying on two or more bots as part of a team, the difficulty is compounded when attempting to play on the highest difficulty level with fewer than two players. The HardA server was designed specifically to be played with a group of four hardcore players (known as the Hardcore 4), which is invariably needed to complete any campaign.

If you're playing a game alone with our survivor bots, it's important to keep them alive at all times. This will ensure that the team remains strong and better able to withstand attacks from the Infected. Remember that the bots will follow you closely (Shadowplay). However, be prepared for the bots to break from this formation if one of their own is attacked, as they will then go to the aid of the bot in trouble. When you're leading the charge, it's important to be aware of the bots' positions and make sure they are following you closely. Always be ready to aid and protect the survivor bots whenever needed.

It's worth noting that some exceptionally skilled players have successfully completed chapters on the highest difficulty level (Extreme-Expert) using only the survivor bots. This is no small feat, given the inherent difficulty of HardA games.

To help players better cope with the many challenges presented by the Infected, the survivor bots have been enhanced with additional capabilities. For example, there is a noticeable improvement in the bots' killing power when fighting all types of Infected, including during shootouts in areas of high infestation.

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why is rapid rivival of incapacitated players really important?

In HardA games, the rapid revival of incapacitated teammates is paramount since the Special Infected consistently prioritize their attacks on any remaining able-bodied survivors when any of the other survivors have fallen. In the vanilla game, it takes 5 seconds to revive a fallen teammate, whereas HardA games reduce the revival time to a mere 2 seconds. This accelerated revival process enables the revived player to swiftly re-engage with the unrelenting attacks from the Infected and immediately reinforce the team's resilience to survive further attacks.

If rapid revival is not immediately possible, able-bodied survivors should at least create a temporary human shield by kneeling over the incapacitated teammate by using melee shove to deflect incoming attacks. This can be done of course even while shooting at the Infected*. Alternatively, throwing a pipe bomb or Molotov can help distract or disrupt the Infected, thereby offering other ways to revive an incapacitated teammate rapidly.

In outdoor environments, incapacitated survivors should crawl to some safer position, such as towards an able-bodied teammate, or else try to crawl away into a room to help minimize exposure to an attack from any Special-Infected. To better protect against attacks from the rear, all survivors (incapacitated or able-bodied) should preferably try to stay together in a room and use a corner or any wall or other objects for extra cover. Avoid exposed positions where the infected have a direct line-of-sight to attack the team. Consequently, choosing a safe location that offers better protection for the incapacitated survivors helps to facilitate quicker revival for them.

FOOTNOTE:

* When shooting over an incapacitated survivor, try leaving a couple of bullets in the gun chamber as a backup for a possible quick kill before starting a full reload. That way, if you're suddenly attacked, you'll be ready to shoot with those few spare bullets during the crucial reloading moment. And to reload your gun safely, find a safe spot that will obscure any possible attacks. For example, don't reload in a doorway - instead, move to the side of it using the wall or even some other object as cover. This will reduce your exposure to the Infected should they attack.

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

What are the best healing practices?

NOTE: TLDR version is shown at the end of this post.

When healing with the medkit, it's better for a player to heal fellow survivors instead of letting them use their own medkits to heal themselves, because altruistic assisted healing increases the chance of the server randomly spawning an additional medkit.

Things to consider when using pills and medkits:

• Pills are more readily available via kill rewards, so when patch-healing, survivors with moderate injuries should always use pills and avoid using the medkit. Medkits should never be used for patch-healing, and should only be used for severe injuries when a survivor is on the brink of coma-death (a player's vision becomes monochrome when verging on this near-death state).
  
  
• If a living survivor has no medkit, but acquires a dead survivor's medkit, then that player should kindly return it to its proper owner at the next rescue respawn point.
  
  
• If your character is severely injured (crippled) or on the brink of coma-death and does not have a medkit, you may need to request permission from another player (whose character has already died) to use their medkit if it is at hand. The owner of the medkit must give their consent before you can use it on yourself.
  
  
• In return for a player using their medkit to heal your character, be considerate and reciprocate that player's kindness by either giving them your medkit in return or offering to later heal them with yours - if you still possess one.

In August 2020, another new feature was introduced to help public players use medkits more wisely. More information on this can be found at this link.

Players can also use a medkit for resuscitation - CPR:

• In HardA games, when a survivor is mortally wounded, they don't die immediately. Instead, they'll enter a comatose state and remain unconscious for 90 seconds. This is the grace period during which time CPR can be performed. A player (reviver) can attempt to resuscitate their teammate by performing CPR using a medkit. The process takes 10 seconds and consumes one medkit upon completion. If the survivor is not successfully resuscitated during the grace period, CPR cannot be performed anymore, and the survivor dies. The player must then wait for their dead character to respawn at the next rescue closet. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2915910447 To perform CPR, a player must crouch next to the green orb of light, shown blinking just above the unconscious survivor. While crouched, hold a medkit over the comatose body, then press and hold the "USE" button for 10 seconds. After successfully performing CPR, the revived player can rejoin the game.
  

CPR or rescue closet - which one should be used first?

• If only one survivor is in a comatose state, it is always best (if possible) to perform CPR instead of using a rescue closet. However, In situations where there are multiple comatose or deceased survivors, it makes more practical sense to use one rescue closet instead of wasting several medkits.
  
  
• CPR should be avoided when the team is nearing a critical juncture in the game, like descending through a manhole that will prevent back-tracking. Instead, it’s better to release dead survivor/s from the nearest respawn closet before the point-of-no-return is passed.
  
  
• If there's a respawn closet that offers unlimited respawns, such as the one at the 'construction site' on map 3 in the Dead Air Campaign, then administering CPR to a comatose survivor becomes unnecessary. In such cases, saving the medkit for later use at another location is more prudent.

TLDR Version

(1) Pills should be used for moderate injuries and medkits for impending near-death or coma states. (2) If a living survivor finds a dead survivor's medkit, they should return it to its owner. (3) A player (whose character is severely injured), must request permission to use the medkit of another player (whose character is already dead). (4) If another player uses their medkit to heal you, consider reciprocating the act later. (5) Medkits can only be used for CPR within a 90-second grace period. (6) With multiple comatose or deceased survivors, using one rescue closet is more cost-effective than using multiple medkits. (7) Don't do CPR at a location where the team is about to pass a point-of-no-return, it is better instead to release comatose survivor/s from a respawn closet that's prior to the point-of-no-return.

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why is pill top-up consumption important?

To stay on form in HardA games, a player's character must remain agile to endure the large number of Infected they will encounter. Therefore, It is best to keep using pills, whenever they are available of course (these are mostly found through random loot drops from the killed Specail-Infected), survivors can then maintain their agility and strength and avoid crippling injuries. By repeatedly boosting one's health, each survivor is much better at protecting the whole team. Moreover. consuming pills to patch-heal regularly also helps survivors reduce the risk of falling into a near-death coma state, reducing the need to rely on medkits for healing.

Originally posted by an elder member:

" a slow-paced team playing a fast-paced HardA game won't survive for very long! "

Please note that the survivor health points (HP) system is treated differently on the HardA server compared to the vanilla game. For example, in the vanilla game, if a survivor’s health consists of both full-health and temp-health, the full-health will diminish first, followed by the temp-health points. However, on the HardA server, this order is reversed, with temp-HP being depleted before full-HP - as explained in the screenshot below:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2558671030

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why do you have Tank duos?

In HardA games, the inclusion of the Tank duo (Hank & Frank) serves to increase the excitement and challenge of the gameplay experience. Rather than having a single Tank with a very high number of hitpoints, our HardA Tanks have lower hitpoints (8800 each) but, as a pair, they have a combined hitpoint total of 17600. This dramatically intensifies battles, and when facing two Tanks at once, players will need to also anticipate their potential flank tactics, which can add greater variety to the way combat is executed and requires the team to move around in a more dynamic way.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2213073932
In addition to the Tank duo, we also have Hank & Frank & Friends, these four Tanks together have a combined hitpoint total of 35200, And they can either spawn separately or in groups of two, three or four. These HardA Tanks appear through specially timed events, and since November 2019, they can also spawn on all chapter one campaign maps. This adds even more variety to the gameplay experience and presents even more challenges for our seasoned veterans.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1230968955
UPDATE as of June 2022: There are times when the game might produce “Surprise Tanks”. Their emergence is unpredictable and is not assured, and players will never know when they will come. However, they typically appear at some arbitrary point in the game anytime after killing the first four Tanks.

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

What if the WTF bomb gets used to grief teammates?

It is expected that our members will conduct themselves with integrity and refrain from employing the WTF bomb in a manner that would kill the team.

However, should a public player misuse the WTF bomb to eliminate teammates, our members are obliged to rectify the situation in-game using the DCM key 4 vote-kicking mechanism, imposing a temporary 3-hour ban on the transgressor. Furthermore, members are expected to report the incident to the admins post-game, to apply a permanent ban to the offending player too.

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why are sticky-bombs so powerful?

Some players have raised concerns about the power of sticky pipe-bombs, which they say can sometimes incapacitate or kill the player who uses them. These bombs are designed to be powerful in order to inflict significant damage on Specials, especially Tanks. For example, a single sticky bomb can easily remove 40% of a Tank's health. It just takes practice to use these bombs effectively without harming yourself.

There will always be some risk involved in using these bombs, so if you find yourself caught in the explosion zone, you should be prepared to face the consequences of your actions. If you find sticky bombs just too dangerous and difficult to use, it may be best to avoid using them altogether. However, if you want to improve your bomb kill skills, you can check out our special gameplay instructions for tips on how to use them effectively.

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Do I need to carry two primary weapons?

Carrying a second primary weapon is optional, but it's beneficial to carry the extra one. In most official campaigns, it is possible to play with just one primary weapon, as there are typically enough ammo spawn points to restock your one weapon on well-known maps. However, this may not always be the case for custom campaigns, particularly on unfamiliar maps that cover larger areas, where it may be harder to locate ammo and weapon spawn points.

Furthermore, in HardA games, where the number of Infected can be substantial, the inclusion of an additional weapon with extra ammunition becomes invaluable during encounters with extremely large hordes. Moreover, the extra firearm allows players to select from various weapon types to suit different combat scenarios. For instance, a player might choose a shotgun for close-quarters combat or a scoped rifle for longer-range engagements. This feature, absent in the classic L4D game, is a highly valued perk and a refreshing addition to HardA games.

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why do players get to keep their tier-2 weapon?

In HardA games, players will eventually get to retain their tier-2 weapons in order to effectively defeat the many Infected. While tier-1 firearms can be used to some extent, the weaker firepower of these weapons is just not sufficient enough for effectively defeating the large infestations encountered in HardA games.

Players have the opportunity to earn tier-2 firearms as a kill reward (loot drop) early in the game and can retain them for the duration of the game, including having them respawn at rescue closets and starting each new map. Retaining tier-2 weapons is essential for helping players reach the endgame.

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

How is game difficulty different in HardA games?

NOTE: The TLDR version is shown at the end of this post.

The HardA server offers four special difficulty levels: Advanced, Expert, Extreme-Expert, & Public-Expert. Easy and Normal difficulties are not part of HardA games. The default difficulty is always set to Public-Expert and is controlled by the server when a game is first started. This is done so that public players are introduced to an easier expert gameplay experience. However, HardA members can override this default public difficulty anytime using the DCM interface.

The Extreme-Expert mode (EEM) is unique to the HardA server and offers an even greater challenge. It significantly increases the Special-Infected count, making the game much tougher for our most seasoned HardA players.

Originally posted by an elder member:

"Extreme-Expert games are purposefully designed to test the mettle of any person that dare consider themselves an elite player."

Each difficulty level is distinct because the number and frequency of the Infected spawning vary with each mode. For comparison, here are the spawning percentage differences when compared to the highest difficulty Extreme-Expert:

* Extreme-Expert Mode (EEM) - Infected spawn at the highest number and fastest rate.
* Standard-Expert Mode - Spawning of the Infected is 15% lower than EEM.
* Advanced Mode - Spawning is 20% lower than EEM.
* Public-Expert Mode - Spawning is 35% lower than EEM.

The 'Public-Expert' mode offers a softer-core gaming experience with the lowest spawns, and when combined with our Survivor-Helper-Bots, the game difficulty is further mitigated. Ironically, it's easier than our DCM's 'advanced' mode, with spawns 15% lower, which might seem counterintuitive to members, but it won't appear that way to public players because they can't access the other difficulty modes to make a comparison.

Regarding each difficulty's health and hitpoints damage system, the damage values for survivors and the Infected mostly follow the vanilla game's ruleset. However, HardA games have some exceptions to these rules in order to support specific gameplay mechanics for each difficulty. The exceptions to the rules are listed below:

• The HardA pistol offers greater accuracy over longer distances and boasts a bullet damage rating akin to that of the magnum pistol in the L4D2 sequel game. Furthermore, players have no handicap (unlike in the vanilla game) when wielding the pistol while incapacitated, enabling them to shoot more accurately and provide better protection for teammates who may be in trouble.
  
  
• Unlike the firepower of the HardA pistol, the firepower of tier 1 and 2 weapons remains unchanged, but these primary weapons have a much larger ammo capacity. This is necessary due to the heavy infestations typically encountered in HardA games.
  
  
• Friendly fire damage uses the same hitpoint damage values as in the vanilla game for each difficulty level. However, the HardA server mirrors these values; causing the culprit-shooter to be harmed instead of the innocent player caught in the line of fire. Note: The mirror rule no longer applies to NPC survivor bots. The plugin code has been updated so bots take friendly-fire gunshot damage instead of the player.
  
  
• Tank health is set at 8800 hitpoints across all game difficulties.
  
  
• Hunter hitpoints are slightly lower in HardA compared to the vanilla game. This is because Hunters spawn more often and in greater numbers on the server, and the reduced hitpoints significantly quicken their kill time, enabling even more Hunters to spawn faster.

UPDATE; In April 2023 the server introduced another expert difficulty for public players known as 'Public Expert' mode. This has now become the default difficulty when new players join a game if the server is empty. This new gameplay mode offers non-members the opportunity to experience the server in a more game-friendly environment, allowing them to assess whether they enjoy Harda games before venturing into playing the more challenging DCM difficulties with our members.

TL;DR version:

HardA games have Advanced, Expert, Extreme-Expert and Public-Expert difficulties. Easy and Normal difficulty is not part of HardA games. The default difficulty is Public-Expert (this was added in April 2023). Only the Direct Control Menu (DCM) can control difficulty levels. Extreme-Expert mode is unique and is available to veteran members only. The health-points and hit-point damage system for survivors and the Infected mostly follow the vanilla game ruleset, but there are some exceptions with HardA games, and these cover: pistol accuracy and its damage values, the ammo capacity of primary weapons, friendly fire damage, and Tank & Hunter health/hitpoints. 

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

How do HardA bots compare to the bots in the vanilla game?

NPC survivor bots often don’t perform well on modded servers, as they were designed to work best in the vanilla version of Left 4 Dead. To enhance their capabilities further, the HardA server uses a bespoke bots plugin, which changes the vanilla bot behaviour patterns to be more responsive to HardA’s intense gameplay mechanics. This allows the HardA survivor bots to perform much better than the original game bots. Further information about how this works in detail can be found at this link.

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

What are the HardA member perks and privileges?

HardA members get certain perks and privileges when playing on our server, and these are as follows:

• Members can use special console chat commands and unique menu system that controls certain aspects of the gameplay (non-members cannot access these commands).
  
  
• Setting the difficulty level for non-members.
  
  
• The default helper bots on round start can be removed or even added back into a game at any time by using the DCM interface.
  
  
• Unlocking the in-game voting system so that all players can change the map, restart the map, return to the lobby, or kick non-members from the server (public players are not allowed to access voting unless our members wish them to vote).
  
  
• Removing non-members from the server. (Members are given priority to play the server. So if a member wishes to play with a friend or another member, they can make room by removing the public player/s).
  
  
• Controlling medkit healing permissions (this is to ensure public players use pills rather than misuse medkits for patch-healing).
  
  
• Controlling the maps playlist menu for changing campaign maps in-game. Only members have permission to access the map list in-game, thereby preventing public players from changing maps without a member's consent.
  
  
• Controlling the locking and unlocking of a rescue closet door (By locking a door, public players are prevented from inadvertently or intentionally opening it, this can allow a member to perform CPR on a comatose survivor without the resuscitation process being disrupted).

[edit: DPR-OAI-CGPT]

[ViolentStreak ✶HardA✶]

Why are there no statistics in HardA games anymore?

HardA games have discontinued using in-game statistics or third-party stat charts such as HLStatsX. Our focus has shifted towards promoting teamwork rather than individual scoring. In June 2019, we decided to remove the statistics screens from HardA games, because some players were prioritizing point accumulation over the safety of the team. This change has led to a noticeable shift from individual point scoring to a focus on team achievements, thereby enhancing the overall gameplay experience through improved team cooperation.

If you’re interested in understanding more about why we made this decision, there’s a blog post on the topic that you can read at this link.