Use the TLS Double Tank Theme in all fights against Double Tanks

[JuggerLeft]

https://github.com/Tsuey/L4D2-Community-Update/assets/144526082/e1929c7e-1e45-417d-bc80-7b401f264c4c

Suggestion

We all know the importance of audio in the game because of the many audio cues that keeps the player aware of what's happening(Horde coming, SI spawning, Tanks, etc), right? Ok, so The Last Stand introduced a alternative version of the Tank Theme that's used when the Two Tanks are in action. That tells the player that something different is about to happen and, when you see the 2 Tanks coming, you can instantly relate that Music to such event! However it's only used for that fight even though we also have Double Tanks in The Passing and Swamp Fever Campaigns...

Taking all that into consideration i think that this alternative version of the Tank Theme should always be used for Double Tank Fights, this way the players can be better prepared for what's coming and also because it's a much fitting theme for such a intense ocurrence!

I recently made a mod that does that for The Passing by modifying the c6m3_port_finale file so you can test out and see how diferent it feels and how much it affects your expectations for such event!

I also made two videos for demonstration purposes!

This one that shows a entire finale being played and this one that it's only a fight against Two Tanks

The implementation is surprisingly simple! All that needs to be changed is the c6m3_port_finale.nuc file by adding A_CustomFinaleMusic14 = "Event.TankMidpoint_Metal" below A_CustomFinaleValue14 = 2 and then A_CustomFinaleMusic32 = "Event.TankMidpoint_Metal" below A_CustomFinaleValue32 = 2

After that it's needed to make sure that it doesn't play during a Versus match since there won't be Double Tanks! That can be achieved by simply adding DirectorOptions.rawdelete("A_CustomFinaleMusic14"); and DirectorOptions.rawdelete("A_CustomFinaleMusic32"); on if ( Director.GetGameModeBase() == "versus" )

For the Swamp Fever Finale(c3m4_plantation_finale.nuc) it's the exact same logic

[alexiscoutinho]

I think this is great for a mod, but not sure for the base game. One could argue that it's cool that this music is unique to The Last Stand finale. Besides, the other finales were always known to play the standard music since day 1.

[JuggerLeft]

I think this is great for a mod, but not sure for the base game. One could argue that it's cool that this music is unique to The Last Stand finale. Besides, the other finales were always known to play the standard music since day 1.

Like i said in the description this is to avoid player confusion and help for preparation! Audio cues are a important part of L4D design and having one for Double Tanks in specific would be really helpful since in The Passing for example, it's not always Double Tank... It cycles between Single and Double Tanks which might lead to confusion

[JuggerLeft]

Here a video showing the entire Finale with the change action so you can see how easy it makes to differentiate the occasion and help with the overall understanding of what's happening! If you see a single tank you will expect that what will appear next is another Tank alone and after you see the Double Tank in the second wave the player can be confused because they won't know what to expect! The music differentiation helps with that: https://youtu.be/DKHo2MtVEzs?si=Y5gPuHgmCHykEgYl

[alexiscoutinho]

Yeah. I'm split now. Cus there are other unique things in Last Stand still.

[JuggerLeft]

Yeah. I'm split now. Cus there are other unique things in Last Stand still.

I decided experimenting with the music because when playing with some friends that don't play this Campaign oftenly they were really confused about the Double Tanks(I didn't tell them lmao), but when i played with others, but enabling the mod this time, they instantly recognized the music and where prepared! I really think it would help everyone since there's a big difference between fighting a single Tank and fighting two.

Getting surprised by a second Tank that you didn't knew about can be quite frustrating

[Shadowysn]

What about the co-op exclusive three extra bot survivors holding out around the main generator to provide you enough firepower to handle the double tanks? Though I can see the music fitting if the survivors are far away from their assistance.

[JuggerLeft]

What about the co-op exclusive three extra bot survivors holding out around the main generator to provide you enough firepower to handle the double tanks? Though I can see the music fitting if the survivors are far away from their assistance.

What does that have anything to do with what i'm suggesting? The suggestion is to help indicate that there's a Double Tank fight incoming, it doesn't have anything to do with what else you have to support you during the fight

Like mentioned in the suggestion it's also possible to disable it on Versus since there's no Double Tanks on Versus, the Metal Theme would be used to help the players differentiate when there's a Single Tank or Double Tanks which would be a great audio cue which is a important aspect of L4D design.

Some comments above i did send a video showing the entire Finale being played with the changes suggested

[Shadowysn]

I was thinking about the difficulty of the double tank fight being lessened by the assisting bot survivors, though now that I think about it more, survivors are mostly going to be all around the place trying to get gas cans and they have to retreat back to the main generator to get the assisting help, so I think my point is moot.

[JuggerLeft]

I was thinking about the difficulty of the double tank fight being lessened by the assisting bot survivors, though now that I think about it more, survivors are mostly going to be all around the place trying to get gas cans and they have to retreat back to the main generator to get the assisting help, so I think my point is moot.

Like i said before, it's not about what you have to support you but about keeping the player aware of what's about to happen... The Passing specially doesn't always spawn Double Tanks, it cycles between Single and Doubles and that could be confusing for some players! The different theme being played keeps them aware that something different is about to happen, in this case a Double Tank!

Here's the video that i mentioned btw: https://youtu.be/DKHo2MtVEzs?si=w44DdT7cJY8CnQSK

[JuggerLeft]

Also you might not always be near the L4D1 Survivors, you might be far away collecting Gas Cans and then decide to handle the Tank where you are! The way how you decide to handle it might depend on how many Tanks are coming.

If it's only one you might prefer to stay where you are but a Double puts much more pressure in the Team so you might prefer to go back to L4D1 Survivors for extra support, the audio feedback would help aiding that decision sinxe you'd know exactly what is coming at all times! How you handle a Tank Fight will depend on how many are coming to fight you and that's why i think that this change would be important for the Double Tank fights we have in the game(The Passing and Swamp Fever)