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Left 4 Dead Community Playdate Giveaway
You Think You've Got What It Takes?
by Gamervision
Sunday February 15 is rapidly approaching, and with it comes Gamervision's Left 4 Dead Community Playdate. We're all getting geared up for a night of zombies and survival, and hope you're as excited as we are. It's going to be a great night of predators, prey, and teamwork.
When we first announced the contest, we asked you all to let us know your XBL Gamertag so we could add you for the big night. However, in the days that have followed, we've realized that there are a few people out there would love to be a part of this awesome event, but don't have a copy of the game. We've heard you, and we're here to help.
Here's how you can score a copy of 2008's Multiplayer Game of the Year:
Anyone who has played Left 4 Dead can tell you that the only way to achieve success in the game is to work with the other players as a cohesive team. Whether playing as a survivor trying to get to the next safehouse, or as an undead parasite trying to get your daily ration of brains; you won't go far unless you're willing to work as a team. That got us to wondering - what makes a good teammate? Since we couldn't come up with an answer, we decided to put the question to you.
Leave a comment that best answers that very question: What makes you a good teammate? Maybe you're proud of your reliability and dedication to your team's success. It could be that you think your tenacity and ruthlessness make you a superior ally. Or maybe it's that you're a sucker and hand out med-packs like they're free. We want to know what makes you think you'd be the best addition to any team.
We'll be giving a copy of Left 4 Dead to the authors of the three entries we think most capture the essence of teamwork. The contest will run until noon (Eastern) Friday February 6th.
Since we want to make sure the games end up in peoples' hands in time for the Community Playdate, this giveaway is limited to residents of the United States only.
Draw on all that team-building experience you have and tell us why you're the world's best team player. It may just win you a game!
Related Articles:
Announcing Our First Xbox 360 Community Playdate
2008 Multiplayer Game of the Year
Comments
Well,I'd like to think I'm thoughtful. I tend not to shoot my teammates in the face, which is always a positive. I heal others when they're in need. I manually say "reloading" to let others know of my vulnerability. Plus I'm good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me!
When I had to think about an answer for this I only came up with a few points. Whether or not they're good enough is up to you.
I'm a run-and-gun personality when in a team situation. I get people's backs and expect them to do the same. "Treat others how you would like to be treated," right? That's how I roll. I'd rather just get in there with my hands, though and rip a baddy from my partners' back and shove a grenade in their throat. Then again, these are zombies. I like to put the kibosh on my enemies, is all.
Most of the time I'm selfless and would rather take a bullet for anyone I'm running with because that's how it should be. Generally I find myself going into the thick thinking that I'm not making it out alive, because I'd rather "jack up" some baddies on my way to Hell. Clearing rooms as quickly, and efficiently, as possible for my teammates to not have to waste their bullets is [kind of] a past-time for me.
But you bet your ass if I have a health pack I'd rather give it to someone worse off than myself.
"Better to burn out, then to fade away!" (Victor Kruger/The Kurgan, Highlander)
What makes me a good teammate..
Communication - A good teammate has good communication skills. They make sure their teammates are aware of what's happening. Warns them of potential danger. Calls for support when needed. They also don't just talk to hear themselves talk. They only talk to communicate important information.
Leadership - I have lead a couple of teams or Clans. In BF2 my role was the commander. For those unfamiliar with the commander position in BF2, essentially you can bring up a command screen that showed you the entire map. You also could call in scans & uav's to see where the enemy was. As well as drop supply crates & call in arty strikes. My role as commander was to make sure my teammates knew where the enemy was at all times. I also had to call in artillery strikes at key moments & make sure my teammates were not there when they landed. Without a commander a team could sneak behind you & cap your bases.
Sacrifice - A team player will "take one for the team" when asked. Someone that is willing to let others play even though that means they have to sit out of the match. A player that is stuck in a support position that never gets the glory or kills. But someone that accepts this role to help his team. In a game such as Battlefield 2 you needed to defend your base. The BBB aka back base (female dog) never got the glory. But without them we would have lost many matches. A good teammate accepts his or her role & does what is best for the team.
Respect - A good teammate respects his or her teammates. They play together & have fun. Without respect their is no communication, there is no sacrifice their is no leadership & they will loose. A good teammate will respect someone's opinion even if they do not fully agree with it.
All these traits that I posses. And that is what makes a good teammate.
What makes me a good team player? Well, it all stems back to teamwork games such as Call of duty, Battlefield games and MMOs such as World of Warcraft. When playing in teamwork situations I am always the first one to ask if anyone out there needs my assistance, buffs, heals, med packs, etc. "Ammo? Sure here you go" I would say. "Trade Weapons? Here you are." Even if it wasn't a weapon I was good at, I would use it to help the team toward victory. Team kills are not top on my list in teamwork situations. I am first to clear a room and last one out of the room. Covering my teammates back until the situation was over, or until I played another game called human shield, but that's one of the sacrifices right?
So to answer your question. What makes me a good team player? In a few words: Dependability, Reliability, Friendly, Team player, Human meat shield. Nuff said. :)
To me, a good teammate (or team, even), is one that can complement (not to be mistaken with compliment) your abilities. If you're a real gun-ho kinda guy and charge head-first into battle, your team(mate) will be there lending support, whether that be cover fire or healing you up. If everyone specializes in something in particular and helps everyone out, then everyone forms an unstoppable amalgamate team.
In that sense, I try to employ that same strategy with any game I'm playing. Team has a great offense but is lacking some support? I'll fill that duty. We've got a great defense but need some more offensive push? Yup, I'll help. A little general, but I think you get the picture.
A good team mate is one that will not only take a bullet for you but will know when to forego his own glory for the sake of keeping his team mates alive and most importantly completing the team's goal.
A selfish team mate is a useless one.
There is no "i" in team. If there were it wouldn't make sense. Teami sounds somewhat like Spanish for I love you. Iteam sounds like an Apple street marketing team. Teiam sounds like some foreign country. It doesn't work, see?
Each kind of teammate is necessary for a good, and well balanced winning team, be it you are the powerhouse, the healer, the human shield, or what have you. I make an excellent teammate because I mostly choose to be on the protector/human shield side of things, but if the occasion calls for it, I'll be anything to help support my fellow teammates.
Mostly, for games such as MMORPG's, I tend to be the person with highest defense and also good healing ability, to keep my fellow friends alive, and healthy so that we can achieve our goal. To my buddies back on the MMO "Phantasy Star Online", they called me the Human Shield. I follow the same kind of route for FPS's, where I will go out and scout out the area, so see what's where, or I'll even rush into an open area, with no one in sight, so that hopefully when I fall, one of my teammates can shoot 'em down. Also, in some FPS's like Call of Duty: WW (the only one I'm truly familiar with), I chose to constantly use the ability to help others get back up on their feet, and in TF2, I'm always the Medic.
Even though I may die a lot, I have a ton of fun helping others enjoy their gaming experience, as well as enjoying my own.
Now, sometimes the occasion will call for the powerhouse or whoever has the strongest weapons. If no one is around that can fill that position, I gladly volunteer, and although I'm not the best at it, I'm pretty darn good (if I say so myself XD ).
So whats makes me a good teammate? Being skilled all around and not just in one position, and always willing to take a shot for my fellow comrade. Being dependable, reliable, and also being well versed with what types of guns do what, or what magic to use in an area, makes me an excellent teammate.
Teamwork simply comes as naturally as breathing to me. Growing up an only child, I learned very early that there truly is no "I" in TEAM. However, I did find out that there is an "M" and an "E".
So what makes ME a good teammate? Let's begin with field generalship. I find it vital to keep my teammates aware of their surroundings by constantly running off on my own. Sometimes, you'll find me in the safehouse, healed and reloaded for the next round. Other times, I'll double-back to a place you've already been, get choked by a smoker, and test your knowledge of the terrain as you hustle off to rescue me. Don't take too long!
I find that firing my weapons blindly behind you (as well as the clumsily thrown molotov) keeps you on your toes for when the horde comes. One can't take a nap on the journey to Mercy Hospital, so if you're dodging my "practice rounds", you'll be ready for anything.
I tend to keep all health packs and pain pills to myself, as having me alive and healthy might inspire you to not be so damn reckless out there.
I believe that listening to our own instincts is more valuable than listening to anyone else. Headset - off. May the force be with you.
As soon as I see a witch, I take a pot-shot at her and try to lead her into the rest of the team. That way we learn to work together in the face of adversity.
When the Tank is around, I'll keep a look out for other dangers, while you and the rest of team quickly take care of the problem. I don't want to see any of those zombies that slump against the wall becoming agitated and stumbling over to sneak attack you, so I'll be there watching for them.
Boomer vomit is good luck. Don't look to me kill them. If you want to jinx the team, then, by all means, have at it.
When we get to our final checkpoint, I'll just go ahead and call in the rescue before you even get there. That way, I'm not wasting time waiting for you and we can get our asses to safety even sooner. You can thank me later.
While my appreciation for video games has always been vast, my video game skill has not. I spent most of my childhood playing team games so that superior gamers could carry me, and teach me how to be a strong healer/ support player. With my brother, and later, with my fiance, we would play RPG's together. I always enjoyed the critical thinking parts of the games while my respective teammates were more in need of the hands on feeling of beating the game. I have always felt my role in life is to be a part of team, even if it comes down to something as simple as turning an RPG into a team oriented game so that there is someone to share it with.
The greatest part of being part of a team is the camaraderie. To know that because of the assistance of others you are able to persevere through adversity can be inspiring, especially when playing mutli-player games in XBL. When playing online you have the opportunity to share in that experience with brand new people all the time, and create new friendships as well.
I am always eager to try harder, not for myself, but for the sake of my team. With that eagerness to try, also comes a willingness to do everything that my leader tells me to, to ensure a team victory. I try to chime in with creative solutions to difficult situations when needed as well. I am not the type to run out and take glory for myself, I prefer to share the victory. I will generally act as the sacrificing bait to ensure team success or I can be very dependable to have a handy med-pack or have white mage training to keep my teammates who are willing to act as human shields to further team progress, healthy, or at least patched up along the way.
One of the best parts about being a team for me is also taking my average skills and working together with others that have a similar skill set to advance past parts of the game that I, alone, would not be able to pass. Such is true in life as well. I have found in games and life I take on the role of the cheerleader. A positive environment always helps to further a cause along, be it in real life as a friend is going through a tough time, or cheering along while my teammate tackles a really rough boss battle.
Overall, I think I am a good teammate because I am: a good listener, dependable, willing to sacrifice myself for the greater good, cheer on my teammates, act as a support character, willing to try my best, and I will be sure not to stand in front of my teammates bullets!
A good team is not filled with a bunch of chumps who think they have extraordinary leadership skills or players who suck but are willing to sack themselves for the team. What you need in a teammate is a cool cat killer, and a damn good one, too. Thats me. Im modest; Ill take out a tank alone and not even stop to brag about it. Seriously, how can you fight when one of your teammates is screaming like a 12 year old how awesome the kill he just did was?
I wont tell you to follow me or help me out; Ill just get the job done promptly and discretely. Have me on your team and you might start thinking the game is glitching because of the sudden decrease in zombies coming your way, but thats no glitch, thats me.
It also helps that I have a fiber optic internet connection (100mb/s) so youll never have to worry about my connection failing. What good is a skilled teammate with a crappy connection?
Have all your leaders and people who suck but are willing to sacrifice for the team: but my fellow gamers, if you want to WIN, then youre going to need low-maintenance, skilled players like me.
Teamwork is not being a burdon to your other players. Before you can be a good teammate, you got to be a good player. Good communication, willing to help each other out are not special attributes that make you a better teammate, rather basic rules of how a team operates (so having those qualities is nothing to brag about).
I shoot anything that moves without discrimination. Got a hunter on you? A quick shotgun blast to the face makes sure that you die by human hands. My hands.
I love Gamervision just for this reason. Not because you give away free swag (I'm naming my first born "swag" by the way), but because you create these articles that get me writing again.
So what makes me a good teammate? There are 5 principals that I live by as part of a team, which I feel are essential to being a member of a productive team. These are also principals that I believe make a good teammate in general, and to an extent they are principals for living life.
1. If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. -Sun Tzu
-You can't be good on a team if you're not already good by yourself. I realize that a team atmosphere is a good way to ease into a new game or to train a friend, but to have any hopes of playing competitively, you've got to have at least a little personal skill in the game you're playing. If you're trying to play without experience, pick a place for yourself where you can be of more use than hindrance. Case in point: the engineer in Team Fortress. You're going to get some kills and support the team, but you're not always in a position to get yourself shot.
2. "That's it man. Game over man, game over. What the fuck are we supposed to do, now huh? What are we gonna to do?" -Hudson from Aliens
-DON'T FLIP OUT! You're playing with other people here (friends if you're lucky), so please respect them. I have a friend that I play Gears of War with all the time, and he's pretty good. The downside is, he'll have ten or so kills in a row, and then rush into a room full of guys, die, and flip out like it's unbelievable. All of the sudden the game decided to grow alien sentience from the planet whatsitsface and strike holy hell down upon him, and now it's the end of the world. The game glitched, or there was lag, or my favorite "this never happens when I play with anybody else". Shut up and play the god damn game, and stop screaming in the ear of the person who is supposed to be helping you.
3. "You are a leader of men. I am a leader of leaders." -Oda Nobunaga
-If someone must lead the team, make it the person who knows everyone else' skills, and who can delegate them the best for the given situation. I generally suck with the sniper, so I let my buddies who are better with it take it and provide cover. I'm always good with ballistics (I pegged my friend in the head with a sticky grenade from one base to the other in Blood Gulch in Halo 2) so I stick with that and they know this. If you do have to have one definitive leader in your party, make sure you respect him, and are comfortable that he or she is your leader. Plus, it sucks when people run in four different directions in Left 4 Dead.
4. "The best offense is a good defense" -not a quote, but a common phrase...........so I'm taking credit for it....-Jozzy V1
-Someone has to play defense. Sorry kids, I know there's glory to be had, but someone has to play D. This is one of the major components that I feel makes me a good teammate. I'm the guy sitting in the corner of my own base with the RPG pointed at my own flag. I'm the guy shooting the Locust' running for the meatflag and NOT the meatflag. Keeping the other guys from scoring is just as important as scoring yourself (not a life lesson-E.D.). Sure you may not get all the glory, but a kill is a kill, and a win is a win. For the people not playing defense, please throw the guy holding down the fort a little love by backing him up and giving him the call when you need backup.
5. I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. -Michael Jordan
-Don't quit in the middle of a game.................ever. Your part of a team and you need to remember that. Everyone else' experience with the game is tied directly to you and your performance, even if you suck like a Red Ring of Death during your match. I know it sucks to be on the losing end of a flak cannon as much as anybody, but I'm sure your friends would rather be playing with you getting shot all the time than not enjoying your company. And at least you can be the butt of the jokes for a little while and keep morale up.
Those are my five main principals that make me a good teammate, and that I feel are vital to anybody even considering playing with other human beings. Theres other important stuff to, like not being the suxor and not shooting your buddies in the face and/or grundel, but you get the gist.
Donny D you are my hero for pic AND comment
I like what Johpin said!
Honestly? The thing that makes me a good teammate is I'm the guy who will always have an extra med-kit. Always watch my health and the health of others. And, if I'm the lowest on health, I'll still share my kit with others cause I can back my own self up. I'm also surgical with shotty and (more importantly) snipers, lol. I've played this at a friends house before, and I made sure we ALL made it to the safe house!
"Oh, did I mention the tank is a tank?"
I'm so proudz of Gamervisionz.
It was awesome seeing the name on my dashboard "Gamervision Left 4 Dead Event..."
I teared.