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How to Play Killing Floor 2

#1

GasBandit

GasBandit



Killing Floor 2 is a cooperative (or competitive) first person survival horror shooter, similar to Left 4 Dead but with some important differences.

Differences for those who care:
6 player co-op, 12 player VS
Less plot/meaningful dialog, no real story arc
Player classes (called "Perks")
Greater weapon variety
"Merchant" method of gaining weapons instead of finding them along the way
Emphasis on survival/eradication instead of reaching a "safe point."
In-game currency to purchase cosmetic items
Server browser

STORY

The premise of the game is that a de-facto "Zombie Apocalypse" scenario has overtaken europe, but technically the zombies aren't zombies, they are vat-grown genetically altered quasi-human abominations that, for purposes of brevity, are referred to as "Zeds."

A brilliant geneticist named Dr. Kevin Clamely, founder and CEO of Horzine Biotech, was commissioned by the UK government to genetically engineer the "perfect soldier." Long story short, Kevin went insane and used the genetic material of his family, friends, self, and just some unlucky bastards he yanked off the street to create a cloned army of horrific biological killing machines that swarmed out of the lab, destroyed London, ravaged the UK and then moved on to Continental Europe.

Pictured: Kevin Clamely

(Kinda looks like TinWhistler, don't he)

PLAYERS



Players take on the role of members of a squad (of up to 6) being sent into hot zones to eradicate the Zed threat there. There's a dozen or so different "characters" you can choose to play as, but this is entirely cosmetic and has no real effect on gameplay.

However, the game does use a class system, or as it prefers to call classes, "perks." Any character can use any "perk" they want, and you can even switch to another perk between waves during play. Each "perk" is leveled up by doing damage with weapons assigned to the perk in question, or performing other actions that are emphasized by that perk (IE, the Field Medic perk can gain XP by healing teammates, the Support perk can gain XP by welding doors shut, etc).

The perks are:
Berserker - emphasizes melee/short range bladed weapon combat. High survivability. Short range. Grenades confuse enemies into wandering.
Commando - medium range all-around autorifleman that can passively reveal invisible enemies, but lacks a big punch against larger enemies. Grenades are high damage but small radius.
Support - short/medium range shotgun user good at welding and can provide ammo to allies. High damage, but long reload times and ammo is expensive. Grenades are standard effect.
Field Medic - Heals allies the best, duh. Varied weapon choices, but lacking in damage. Grenades DOT enemies and regen allies/self.
Demolitionist - Great AE damage, but many weapons have minimum range (point blank hits won't explode). Long reloads/limited ammo.
Firebug - Good at AE damage over time, best for large groups of weak enemies. Low individual damage, short range, and ammo-thirsty though. Grenades are molotovs.
Gunslinger - Pistol medium range specialist with stun grenades. High damage/rate of fire, but low accuracy and long reload times.
Sharpshooter - Sniper/long range type with freeze grenades. High damage, low rate of fire/long reload time. Best vs boss zeds, but can be overwhelmed by large numbers of weak zeds.
SWAT - medium-short range SMG type with better armor and flashbang grenades. High rate of fire, good crowd control, might struggle with boss zeds.
Survivalist - Jack of all trades, master of none - lets you mix and match weapons and perk advantages. Usually used by endgame players looking to build their own class.

XP for any perk can be gained no matter what perk you are currently using... a Medic using a shotgun or welding doors shut will also gain Support perk XP. Gaining levels in a perk makes that perk's advantages more pronounced (usually higher damage in that perk's weapons, etc), and every 5 levels a special trait can be chosen, such as berserkers gaining permanent health regen, or supports/demos gaining the ability to give bonus ammo/grenades to allies.

More info on Perks here.

Human players will begin the game with a basic weapon suited to their current perk, a 9mm pistol, a knife, a medical hypo, and an electric welder. Zeds will attack the humans in waves, and a wave continues until either all the humans or zeds are killed. Humans will gain money, or "Dosh" in the parlance of the game, for killing Zeds (or assisting in damaging a Zed if someone else kills it). Between waves, Dosh can be used to purchase weapons, ammo, and armor at a Trader Pod.

traderpod.jpg
<--- trader pod

Approximately 60 seconds will be allowed between waves for players to find the pod and make their purchases.

A game can be 4, 7, or 10 waves depending on your settings. When all waves are complete, you fight a boss. Defeating the boss pays off big in XP, as well as personal gratification.

Weapons

Primary (long/large) weapons are accessed by hitting the 1 key (multiple times to cycle through them if you have more than one), secondary weapons and pistols are on key 2, melee weapons are on key 3.

In addition to weaponry, every character has a medical hypo, equipped with key 4. This can be used to heal yourself or your allies for 10 hp a shot, but the shot is on a reuse timer cooldown, and healing yourself makes the cooldown double. Thus, it is much more effective for players to heal each other rather than themselves. The shot also must be done from point blank range - even closer than melee range. Only the medic perk weapons and grenades can heal from range. You can heal yourself quickly however simply by tapping Q, thus not having to switch to the syringe and back if you're in a rush.

And finally, every player also has a welder. The welder is equipped by holding down E when facing a door, and then Mouse button 1 can be used to weld a door shut (even a wood or glass door, oddly enough), and MB2 will "un-weld" the door to open it again. Welded doors cannot be opened by humans or Zeds until the door is destroyed or the door is completely "unwelded." This can be useful in blocking/delaying zeds from getting to your party. However, in an emergency (like fighting a boss), a welded door is a double edged sword - it can prevent you from fleeing out of harm's way in a desperate situation. Welding gains you Support XP, and players using the Support perk weld/unweld doors faster and more effectively.

If you're REALLY in a pinch, you can also hit V to do a "quick melee bash" with the butt of your currently equipped weapon. This is mostly good for if you get grabbed by a clot when your magazine is empty.

You have a flashlight you can turn on and off with "F," with a limited battery life that recharges while the flashlight is off.

Complete list of weapons, organized by perk, here.

ENEMIES

Zeds come in various sizes and strengths. In almost all circumstances, you'd best aim for the head for the best result. A zed can sometimes keep fighting for a few seconds after it loses its head, so do step back a bit from them, but once the head is gone, it will die momentarily with no further shooting needed.

Weak/small zeds:

clots.jpg

Cyst/Clot/Slasher - these guys are the weak cannon fodder that try to overwhelm you with numbers. They look like skinny naked guys. Usually one headshot will pop the dome, and then you can move on to the next. But be careful one doesn't sneak up on you, they can grab you and hold you immobile, letting other zeds close in and do real damage to you. Pop him in the head to end it, or if your gun is empty (which happens curiously often in this situation), tap "V" to bash him in the face and get free.

Crawlers - these are little black spidery looking guys that scuttle along the floor or leap through the air. They're even weaker than the Clot types, but their speed and erratic movements can make them harder to hit. They also have a nasty habit of sneaking out of air vents in the walls and ceilings behind you to take you unawares.


Stalkers - These nasty ladies are almost completely invisible except when attacking. They can get up close and personal without you knowing until suddenly they're ripping your face off. But if you have a commando in your group, you can see them coming. Either way, they don't take much damage to dispatch - but they tend to swarm and can take advantage of you if you're focused on something else.


Gorefasts - These skinless guys are noticeably tougher than all the ones above and do more damage. They have blades protruding from their arms, and will run up to you to stick them through your neck. Shotguns are particularly effective against them. Look out for the dark gray ones, though, they're even tougher, faster, and deal even more damage.

Medium/strong Zeds:


Bloats - These big guys are basically the boomers from L4D - they vomit toxic sludge that will blind you and deal damage over time. Additionally, they can hack at you with their meat cleavers. When killed, they can break open and spill toxic sludge all over, which then hurts those who walk on it. These guys are also bullet sponges - they can soak up a fair amount of damage, and take multiple headshots to decapitate. It's still best to go for the head - dying from loss of cranium prevents them from exploding on death.


Husks - Husks prefer to stay back from a distance and launch flaming blasts at you from afar. They are resistant to fire damage themselves, but if you can hit the gas tanks on their backs, they will explode, killing themselves and dealing huge damage to any zeds around them. While not the most difficult enemy to deal with, if you're occupied dealing with other things, they can burn you down before you realize it.


Sirens - don't let the name fool you, these gals aren't enticing to see OR hear. Sirens are slow moving and short range, but their sonic attack deals worrisome damage and also instantly defuses/destroys any grenades in the area. They also take a lot of punishment to kill, given their steel-reinforced frame. Sirens are definitely a high-priority target in any situation. HEADSHOTS.

Large/DANGEROUS Zeds -


Scrakes - Big meaty guy with a chainsaw. Usually slow, they can break into a sprint when enraged and hack you to a pulp in fairly short order. In my experience, Scrakes are usually to blame for most player deaths.


Fleshpounds - Bigger, meaner, tougher, and noisier than a Scrake. When a Fleshpound shows up, EVERYBODY needs to focus fire on it immediately. Imagine if the Incredible Hulk had blenders for fists, and you've got a fleshpound. They can soak tons of damage, deal it out fiercely, and quickly become enraged to chase you down and squish you. Vaya con dios.

Boss Zeds - When you finish all the waves, you will randomly get one of the following boss fights-

KING FLESHPOUND


The King Fleshpound is much like the regular kind, only bigger, more damaging, and has a laser in his chest for long range attacks. Also, when he gets low on health, a shield will raise around him that you'll have to destroy before you can continue damaging him. Other fleshpounds will come to his defense over the course of the fight. All that being said, he's probably the easier of the three choices to beat.

HANS VOLTER

Hans is literally a Nazi, and arguably a Nazi Zombie. Horzine's tech has given him a new body to use in pursuit of his immoral "research" on living beings. Volter likes to throw grenades in large numbers and can also dual wield StG-44 machine guns. In case his syringe-fingers weren't a big enough clue, it's best to keep your distance from him, preferably shooting at him from around corners and running away. When he gets low on health, a shield will envelop him and he will try to close to melee range to grab a human player to heal himself by draining them. Either heal who he is draining and wait for it to stop, or shoot his shield until it drops (which will interrupt the feeding). Hans can be dealt with pretty reliably as long as you're smart and know what to do, though bad luck causing you to be caught out in the open/in a corner when the guns and grenades come your way can put you out of action instantly.

THE PATRIARCH
"I'm back, and I've got some new tricks." - The Patriarch


Kevin, what have you done? Dr. Clamely not only grew mutant clones of his family and turned them into hellish nightmare soldiers, he also re-engineered himself into a horrific giant fusion of meat and machine. He's 10 feet tall, with claws, tentacles, a chaingun, a rocket launcher, and a personal cloaking device. If you want to stand a chance against the Patriarch, you need to find cover, fast. He can kill you in seconds. Your best bet is to attack him when he's going after a teammate, or hide/run when he's going after you and shoot back from cover when he's reloading/moving. When his health gets low, he will go invisible and run away to heal 3 times. By far the hardest boss in most cases.

CONCLUSION

That's pretty much all you need to know to play. Grab 5 of your closest friends and have some co-op fun, or split into teams and play VS - humans vs zeds. Also, watch for daily and weekly challenges that will reward you with in-game cosmetic loot for performing certain tasks or beating specialized missions.

I'm setting up a dedicated Halforums KF2 server, and will post information on how to use it as soon as I've finished configuring it.

Edit: Server is configured. If you want to use it, info is here. If you want a certain custom map added, let me know in this thread.


#2

Terrik

Terrik

Did you mention mines? I think you should mention something about mines.


#3

GasBandit

GasBandit

Did you mention mines? I think you should mention something about mines.
Mines rarely seem to be a factor outside of VS play :p


#4

PatrThom

PatrThom

Pictured: Kevin Clamely

(Kinda looks like TinWhistler, don't he)
Reminds me more of Archie Hahn:

harveyp.gif


--Patrick


#5

GasBandit

GasBandit

Ok, I've got the server set up. In addition to all the regular maps it's got about 15 custom maps as well.

Now, because there's no "connect to server by IP" button in the server browser, FINDING the server is a little tricky the first time.

Go into the server browser, change your filters to:

ALLOW locked servers
ANY map
HARD difficulty
SHORT number of waves.

Search on those parameters, and you should see a server in the list somewhere called "Halforums KF2," it helps to click the "server name" header to organize them alphabetically.

Once you see the server, click on it once, then click "SERVER INFO" on the bottom of the window. Another window will pop up with basic server info and a big "star" on the right. Click that star so that it turns yellow. That will add the server to your "favorites."

From then on, you should be able to instantly find the server and join it from the "favorites" tab in the server browser.

The password to get in is "gasbandit" and it can support up to 6 players. Server's in Dallas so it should have good ping times to most of the US.

Alternatively you can join the server manually by hitting F3 from the main menu and entering the command "open 173.234.31.114:24471". It should ask you for the password then let you in.


#6

Dei

Dei

Ok, I've got the server set up. In addition to all the regular maps it's got about 15 custom maps as well.

Now, because there's no "connect to server by IP" button in the server browser, FINDING the server is a little tricky the first time.

Go into the server browser, change your filters to:

ALLOW locked servers
ANY map
HARD difficulty
SHORT number of waves.

Search on those parameters, and you should see a server in the list somewhere called "Halforums KF2," it helps to click the "server name" header to organize them alphabetically.

Once you see the server, click on it once, then click "SERVER INFO" on the bottom of the window. Another window will pop up with basic server info and a big "star" on the right. Click that star so that it turns yellow. That will add the server to your "favorites."

From then on, you should be able to instantly find the server and join it from the "favorites" tab in the server browser.

The password to get in is "gasbandit" and it can support up to 6 players. Server's in Dallas so it should have good ping times to most of the US.
So I tried to do this, and it didn't show up. I don't know if it doesn't run all the time or what, but *shrug*


#7

GasBandit

GasBandit

So I tried to do this, and it didn't show up. I don't know if it doesn't run all the time or what, but *shrug*
Hrmm, there may be another way, gimme a second.[DOUBLEPOST=1510278116,1510277838][/DOUBLEPOST]That's odd, somehow the server's game type got changed to Versus...


#8

Terrik

Terrik

Hrmm, there may be another way, gimme a second.[DOUBLEPOST=1510278116,1510277838][/DOUBLEPOST]That's odd, somehow the server's game type got changed to Versus...

Well it wasn't me.


#9

GasBandit

GasBandit

Ok, you should now also be able to join the server manually by hitting F3 from the main menu and entering the command "open 173.234.31.114:24471". It should ask you for the password then let you in.


#10

GasBandit

GasBandit

I've added two more maps to the server, Blockfort and Kokiri Forest.


#11

GasBandit

GasBandit

I just turned in 5 more halloween tickets and got this sweet medic syringe skin. I fuckin love it.

20171119155708_1.jpg


#12

PatrThom

PatrThom

Now you just need the matching shoes.

--Patrick



#14

Officer_Charon

Officer_Charon

YAAAASSSS!

When I get home, I might have to Steam Workshop the fuck out of this game, now.


#15

GasBandit

GasBandit

I've added eight more maps to the server rotation.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1102122008 KF-ZedsDiner - well designed map at a 50's theme diner/drive thru threater
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1130264785 kf-deepingwall - LOTR battle of helm's deep, but with zeds.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=763037784 KF-L4D2_DC_C4 - Killing Floor 2, Dark Carnival, chapter 4 (Sorry Terrik, no tunnel of love)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=817090036 KF-Sahara - absolutely huge map with vast, rolling dunes. Sharpshooter's paradise.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=644445723 KF-Antarctic-09b - Lots of fun, scripted events (generators, lights, etc). Reminds me of The Thing
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1163363805 KF-Sahara2 - Not as vast and open, but still a fun outdoor map in a slightly more vegetated area of the desert.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131731331 KF-SynthwaveThing - THIS IS SO AWESOME. Shoot the DJ Zed head near the trader in the face to start/stop custom soundtrack.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1119673300 KF-Roof11-classic - Don't fall off.

Also tried and decided NOT to add one more map to the server, despite it being fun and different, because it's SO not safe for children/spouses/anyone you don't want to think you're not pathetic. But if you want to subscribe to it and give it a try after the kids are asleep, here it is:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=709416238 KF-Furrediz_Pad_BETA - A weeaboo's dream bachelor pad apartment. Hits a little too close to home. Be sure to go into the bedroom and turn on the TV. Some texture glitches.


#16

GasBandit

GasBandit

Oh, and bee tee dubs, you don't have to SUBSCRIBE to those workshop maps to play them on the server, but if you do, you'll have them already downloaded so you won't have to do so when it comes up in rotation.

Also you can then play them in solo mode.


#17

Dei

Dei

I'm getting really frustrated with KF2, I've been trying to play multiplayer on normal mode with my husband all week since he's more or less lvl 0 and we can never find an available server. We've only just gotten to the point where we can sort of play on hard because his level is higher, so we can use Gas's server. I really don't want to have to make my own whisper server just to play what is essentially LAN. Terrible design imo. :/


#18

GasBandit

GasBandit

I'm getting really frustrated with KF2, I've been trying to play multiplayer on normal mode with my husband all week since he's more or less lvl 0 and we can never find an available server. We've only just gotten to the point where we can sort of play on hard because his level is higher, so we can use Gas's server. I really don't want to have to make my own whisper server just to play what is essentially LAN. Terrible design imo. :/
I'm... not sure I understand how a whisper server would affect this...

But if you want I can give you access to the server's web admin so you can change the difficulty on the server whenever you want.


#19

Dei

Dei

I'm... not sure I understand how a whisper server would affect this...

But if you want I can give you access to the server's web admin so you can change the difficulty on the server whenever you want.
The issue is the lack of ability to just local host, which is causing my (incredibly annoying) problems, but feel free to give me web admin access, so that I can at least have the ability to play on normal in multiplayer.


#20

GasBandit

GasBandit

The issue is the lack of ability to just local host, which is causing my (incredibly annoying) problems, but feel free to give me web admin access, so that I can at least have the ability to play on normal in multiplayer.
Yeah, that's one of the design decisions with 2 that I didn't care for (1 let you LAN game, 2 requires you to matchmake until you find a server compatible with your requested settings).

Anyway, I'll PM you the webadmin stuff.


#21

Officer_Charon

Officer_Charon

L-lewd! Just... sharing admin privileges like that!


#22

GasBandit

GasBandit

L-lewd! Just... sharing admin privileges like that!


#23

Officer_Charon

Officer_Charon

I would never!

More than once... twice....


#24

PatrThom

PatrThom

I would never!

More than once... twice....
...three tiiiiimes a laydaaaaaaayyy!

—Patrick


#25

Dei

Dei

Here's a map for you to add @GasBandit



#26

GasBandit

GasBandit

Here's a map for you to add @GasBandit

Done and Done.

Heh, makes me chuckle that the high level demolitionist in the video still uses an AA-12.


#27

GasBandit

GasBandit

Oh my god.

You can crouch to dodge the King Fleshpound chest laser.

/headdesk


#28

GasBandit

GasBandit

Also in the "Durr I'm a dumbass" file, classes that have Night Vision goggles (Berserker, Commando), you HOLD F instead of tap to turn it on. It drains battery same rate as the flashlight.


#29

GasBandit

GasBandit

This week's weekly challenge gimmick is pretty easy. It just makes enemies *shrink* as they take damage. Which makes for pretty funny boss fights. "Help, I'm being chased by an eensy weensy king fleshpound!"

Other than the fact that it's on suicidal difficulty, I don't think anybody will have problems with it. I left the server on weekly mode.


#30

GasBandit

GasBandit

The Christmas Event for the year is live.

[DOUBLEPOST=1513111295,1513111253][/DOUBLEPOST]Staying true to Tripwire Interactive’s continued commitment to support the KILLING FLOOR 2 community with free updates and events post-launch, the Krampus Christmas Seasonal Update comes stacked with new treats to discover and threats to destroy. Highlights include:

NEW MAP “KRAMPUS LAIR” & ACHIEVEMENTS
  • Pay Krampus’ cozy lair a visit in this new Holdout map and collect five new achievements.
NEW BOSS & ZED APPEARANCES
  • Meet Krampus himself and his merry gang of elves and monsters. Previously teased in a developer update, Krampus will return as a new and permanent addition to KILLING FLOOR 2’s growing zed army – and will be known as the “Abomination.”
NEW WEAPONS
  • Freeze Thrower: Available for the first time following its timed-exclusive for Xbox One players, the Freeze Thrower brings even the most hot-blooded zed to a standstill.
  • UMP SMG: Delivering the latest in dead-zed technology, this new submachine gun will help keep the hordes at bay.
NEW EVENT OBJECTIVES
  • Complete new event objectives and win prizes available for a limited time.
NEW SEASONAL COSMETICS & UNIFORM
  • Collect new Christmas-themed cosmetics and a new character uniform.
NEW DOSH VAULT ITEMS
  • The Vault has been stocked with additional cosmetics, character skins and weapon skins.
NEW CHARACTER UNIFORMS & COSMETICS
  • The Wasteland Uniform is now available, as well as a brand new set of Pajamas and cosmetics.


#31

Dei

Dei

I can be around at a semi reasonable time tonight because my daughter has a choir concert so I have to skip archery. :'(


#32

GasBandit

GasBandit

I wonder why KF never put in an archer class... could start with a simple short bow, move up to recurve/compound bows and flaming/exploding/acid arrows and stuff...[DOUBLEPOST=1513112552,1513111960][/DOUBLEPOST]Apparently there's more to the patch than just the xmas stuff, too. @Snuffleupagus's M16 got a big buff, too, for example.

http://sihmar.com/killing-floor-2-update-christmas-event/[DOUBLEPOST=1513113070][/DOUBLEPOST]
I'll can be around at a semi reasonable time tonight because my daughter has a choir concert so I have to skip archery. :'(
I get the feeling it's gonna take me a hot minute to figure out how to get the christmas event working on the server.


#33

GasBandit

GasBandit

Ok, the server is all patched up and good to go for the christmas event. The map is interesting in that there are multiple objectives to finish on it for vault dosh. It might actually be worth doing 7 round games so that we can hunt down all the stuff. I've only found 7 of the 10 snow globes, but I've finished a few other objectives already.

The Krampus/Abomination is basically "King Bloat." He's stupid easy.


#34

Dei

Dei

I *think* I can be on around 8:30 my time.


#35

GasBandit

GasBandit

The latest patch made crawlers 10% smaller. The perk classes react...

[DOUBLEPOST=1513391911,1513391474][/DOUBLEPOST]How to bash a Scrake to death with the butt of a 9mm.



(He's abusing animation cancelling by hitting V-R-V-R-V-R-V to interrupt the bash animation after it hits with a reload, then immediately interrupting the reload animation with another bash.


#36

PatrThom

PatrThom

(He's abusing animation cancelling by hitting V-R-V-R-V-R-V to interrupt the bash animation after it hits with a reload, then immediately interrupting the reload animation with another bash.
Is that cheating? Or is this one of those, "The game lets you do it so therefore it must be OK" things?

--Patrick


#37

GasBandit

GasBandit

Is that cheating? Or is this one of those, "The game lets you do it so therefore it must be OK" things?

--Patrick
Pretty much the whole world has accepted animation cancelling as a "feature." I think it's kinda cheesy, especially in fighting games (it plays a large part in the later street fighters, some MOBAs, etc), but I have to admit I abuse it a little myself by bashing out of a reload animation - though not to bash faster, but rather to be able to start shooting again, because sometimes there's a good half-second of "animation" left over after the gun thinks it is reloaded and the ammo count resets.


#38

PatrThom

PatrThom

I don't think I ever paid much attention to animation cancellation until it became a Big Thing with Roadhog.

--Patrick


#39

GasBandit

GasBandit

I don't think I ever paid much attention to animation cancellation until it became a Big Thing with Roadhog.

--Patrick
Roadhog my ass, it's basically required for all the genji melee combo'ers.


#40

PatrThom

PatrThom

I’ll have to try that the next time I’m stuck as Genji in randos.

—Patrick


#41

GasBandit

GasBandit

I’ll have to try that the next time I’m stuck as Genji in randos.

—Patrick

It was even more ridiculous before they made it so that swift strike doesn't animation cancel melee attack anymore. Before then, every genji would do 150 damage instantly by right clicking, interrupting it with a melee hit, and interrupting THAT with swift strike.


#42

PatrThom

PatrThom

Right. Now I’ll also just have to get the other team to hold still like that for me and I will be UNSTOPPABLE!

—Patrick


#43

GasBandit

GasBandit

Right. Now I’ll also just have to get the other team to hold still like that for me and I will be UNSTOPPABLE!

—Patrick
The point is, it's instant, so it should work on a moving target, too. It combines multiple attacks into one. There's more, too, read the whole reddit post (it doesn't embed the author's text, just his first picture).


#44

PatrThom

PatrThom

I’d be concerned all three shuriken wouldn’t hit before the melee strike, though I assume reading through the posts may answer that question. Hey I’m just now finally starting to get the hang of Lúcio’s wall ride. It requires mashing the space bar more often than I thought.

EDIT: huh, it’s been removed already? I’m sure I’ll find someone else talking about it, though.

—Patrick


#45

GasBandit

GasBandit

I’d be concerned all three shuriken wouldn’t hit before the melee strike, though I assume reading through the posts may answer that question. Hey I’m just now finally starting to get the hang of Lúcio’s wall ride. It requires mashing the space bar more often than I thought.

EDIT: huh, it’s been removed already? I’m sure I’ll find someone else talking about it, though.

—Patrick
Click the title of the embed.


#46

GasBandit

GasBandit

The christmas music in high quality, unobscured by gunfire and splattering.



#47

PatrThom

PatrThom

Click the title of the embed.
“Page not found! Go to front page.”

Granted, I’m on tablet atm so that may be why.

—Patrick


#48

GasBandit

GasBandit

“Page not found! Go to front page.”

Granted, I’m on tablet atm so that may be why.

—Patrick
Alright then, try this one.


#49

PatrThom

PatrThom

That worked.

—Patrick


#50

GasBandit

GasBandit

I think I figured out how to turn off forced VS balance, so Terrik can finally go 1vAll against us if he's so inclined.

Snuffles, Terrik, and I tries VS again last night. It's a bit better at level 20, but those Scrakes are still eight bitches on a bitch boat. I think it might be a good idea to do VS in 7 rounds instead of 4 so the ramp is more gradual. Also, a lot of custom maps seem to have problems spawning player zeds (Particularly blockfort and synthwavething)


#51

Dei

Dei

I still don't really like KF2 vs. There's no clever use of tactics that allow you to just avoid the big guys like we can do in L4D.


#52

GasBandit

GasBandit

I still don't really like KF2 vs. There's no clever use of tactics that allow you to just avoid the big guys like we can do in L4D.
Eh, 9 times out of 10 a tank is still a match ender in L4D versus.


#53

GasBandit

GasBandit

For completing this week's challenge, Snuffles, Dei, and I got Gold Helmets to go with our gold armor and gold backpacks.

20171218232206_1.jpg


#54

GasBandit

GasBandit



#55

GasBandit

GasBandit

A look at Killing Floor through the ages, from 2005, when it was just a mod/conversion for Unreal Tournament 2004, thru KF2's release in 2015.



Man, member when every game was pitch black with pulsing neon colored lighting?


#56

PatrThom

PatrThom

Man, member when every game was pitch black with pulsing neon colored lighting?
Yechhss.

--Patrick


#57

figmentPez

figmentPez

Any suggestions for my noob ass? The first Killing Floor didn't really click with me (I'm also not very good at Mann vs Machine in TF2.) Something about buying equipment between rounds is not something that comes easily.


#58

GasBandit

GasBandit

Any suggestions for my noob ass? The first Killing Floor didn't really click with me (I'm also not very good at Mann vs Machine in TF2.) Something about buying equipment between rounds is not something that comes easily.
You can go to the trader and hold down "E" instead of tapping it to just have the trader automatically sell you what it thinks would be in your best interest.

I've changed the server back to Survival-Hard. It'll be a little challenging, but you'll gain exp really fast. I recommend berzerker or support for your first class to level. Tomorrow after work I can help shepherd you through it some, if you want.


#59

Dei

Dei

[/
You can go to the trader and hold down "E" instead of tapping it to just have the trader automatically sell you what it thinks would be in your best interest.

I've changed the server back to Survival-Hard. It'll be a little challenging, but you'll gain exp really fast. I recommend berzerker or support for your first class to level. Tomorrow after work I can help shepherd you through it some, if you want.
Alternatively, if playing on your own, solo normal and play something like SWAT.

Also, autobuying usually sucks. :/


#60

GasBandit

GasBandit

Just bumping this thread because I still have a killing floor 2 server, and I've decided I'm gonna keep it separate for right now from the empyrion server. It's still out there, but randos are using it mostly. heh


#61

GasBandit

GasBandit

Ok, I've got the "New Halforums KF2 Server" running on the same box as my empyrion server now, and I've cancelled my subscription to the hosted one on Bluefang. The old Halforums KF2 server should vanish in early November. I've got all the maps copied over and working both from the webadmin and the in-game mapvote menu.

I'd like to add more maps, but the latest version has introduced a bug that is preventing the dedicated server software from downloading from the workshop, so that'll have to wait.


#62

GasBandit

GasBandit

I've incorporated a mod into the server, it can now handle up to 32 max players. So, I'd be surprised if it is ever too full for anybody who wants to play :p It still will say X/6 on the server list, but will keep accepting players past 6 up to 32.


#63

GasBandit

GasBandit

Oh, and you should be able to join the server without having to search for it in the server list by hitting F3, then typing open halforums-empyrion.com


#64

GasBandit

GasBandit

Alright, I've manually rebuilt the server cache, so hopefully last night's "version mismatch" errors on some of the maps should be gone now. I've also added a new map that looks pretty cool called KF-Subduction.

The server is still not automatically updating/downloading steam workshop items, so everything that gets put there, I have to do manually... which is a real pain in the ass. I hope it's fixed now. I'll need the help of someone who isn't subscribed to the maps to help me check it, though.


#65

PatrThom

PatrThom

FYI it looks like the multitwitch issues weren’t so much which browser you’re using as a conflict with either Ublock Origin or Disconnect, you Opera-hater, you.

—Patrick


#66

GasBandit

GasBandit

FYI it looks like the multitwitch issues weren’t so much which browser you’re using as a conflict with either Ublock Origin or Disconnect, you Opera-hater, you.

—Patrick
I use ublock origin and had zero issues on both chrome and firefox.


#67

PatrThom

PatrThom

I use ublock origin and had zero issues on both chrome and firefox.
Probably Disconnect, then. The only two plugins I have installed are UO and DC. No Flash.

—Patrick


#68

GasBandit

GasBandit

Until such time as the server workshop updates are functioning again, I have removed the known trouble maps (including SynthwaveThing ;_; ) out of the map rotation.


#69

GasBandit

GasBandit

Gas Bandit's Guide to Berserking -

You're gonna find a lot of Berserker guides out there that'll tell you that Berserkers are gods, and others will tell you they're borderline at best. I'm here to tell you they're good, but situational. They are unparalleled soloers, and great at chewing through hordes of trash mobs, but at higher difficulties and in certain "flavor" rounds (Boom!, Up Up and Decay) they are at a major disadvantage.

It's tempting to go off and do your own thing, even when playing on a server with other people, but if you're not supporting your group they might die, and what they leave behind might be something you can't do by yourself. So it's best, I find, to use your 'zerker in a protective capacity. Try to watch your buddies' flanks and deal with anything that comes up on them, and help them take down the big guys when they show up. In certain situations, you can also bodily block a chokepoint so your friends can shoot past/over you with impunity, though at later stages and higher difficulties, you might need a lot of healer support to do this.

What weapons to buy and when

My preferred upgrade path goes like this -
If you're playing with me, or if you own Road Redemption, you can buy the Road Redeemer club. This club is basically a blunt version reskin of the Katana. If you can afford a Katana or Road Redeemer at the end of the first round on short (or second round on normal, or third round on long), then get it. I like the RR better than the Katana because, although it is slightly slower, it also has greater stumbling power, which means you can use it to bat around large groups of trash mobs and keep them from attacking or getting past you. Also, Fleshpounds are resistant to slashing damage, which makes the RR do more damage to them than the Katana. But if you can't get the RR, the Katana is still an excellent weapon. The katana's "bash" attack (default key V) is actually a forward stab, not a bash, and is stupidly strong.

However, by the boss wave (5 on short or on endless), you need to have the Eviscerator. If you aren't making money like you think you should be, stick to the crovel until you can afford the eviscerator. The crovel is actually a really good weapon, probably the best "starter" class weapon of any perk. It can one-shot a lot of weaker enemies, especially if you get headshots with it (and indeed, some people swear by spending the money to upgrade the crovel instead of buying a Katana). So, it's entirely within the realm of feasibility to stick with the crovel until you have your eviscerator. The Eviscerator's M1 attack fires sawblades that can ricochet and can be retrieved when they finally stop, and the M2 attack uses gasoline to rev up the sawblade and do lots of melee damage fast. When you run out of gasoline, M2 will do the eviscerator's bash attack, which isn't as good (but better than nothing)... so usually, when I run out of gas, I switch back to my RR/Katana for melee, only taking the Eviscerator back out if I need ranged damage against Scrakes/Fleshpounds/Bosses. Or I go find more ammo boxes, as each one will also refill 50 gasoline.

Other weapons - forget the knife, you should at least always have a crovel to use in melee. The nailgun is nearly useless, only really good if you are in a boom round, and even then, you don't know it's coming until it's too late to buy anything. The zweihander and the Pulverizer are decent alternative options if you prefer to stick and move with heavy attacks instead of wading in with fast attacks. The bone crusher and static strikers are excellent soloing weapons, but their weight means you can't have an eviscerator along with them, which means I almost never get them - the eviscerator is too useful.

Grenades - the EMP grenades do almost no damage, but they de-rage, confuse, and silence mobs. If your group is getting swarmed, an EMP grenade can save the day by breaking up the pack and letting your friends escape. Sirens can't scream, husks can't flame, bloats can't puke, and Scrakes and FPs can't rage while under the effect of the EMP grenade, and although they can still melee attack, they also tend to wander in random directions. This is a huge tactical get-out-of-jail-free card, so don't be shy about tossing one when things start getting thick.

Now let's talk perk configuration.

Level 5 - Dreadnaught vs Skirmisher -
Go Skirmisher for the HP regen and speed boost. No contest. That regen is what will keep you alive and tanking, and the speed boost is important for kiting when things go to shit.
Level 10 - Vampire vs Butcher -
Vampire can seem tempting, but it's only 4hp per kill.... which means killing that fleshpound still only gets you 4hp, same as killing a clot. Basically, this means you get heals when you don't need them and don't when you do. Go Butcher instead. 20% bonus damage and 25% bonus attack speed is huge.
Level 15 - Resistance vs Parry -
A lot of people pooh-pooh resistance as being only for noobs, but if you're protecting a group with your body, it really helps to have that bonus sonic and poison resist so you can deal with the bloats and ESPECIALLY the sirens without backup. A puked teammate is largely a useless teammate, and Resistance also removes the "can't see shit" factor of getting puked on. A couple sirens can end your whole group since they like to hide behind other zeds and don't need line of sight to do their dirty work - AND they ignore armor. Dealing with Sirens fast is definitely a priority for me, and Resistance really lets me get in there and do that without fear. That said, if you are REALLY good at parrying, Parry can extend your lifespan, especially against Scrakes and FPs. But I usually go resistance.
Level 20 - Smash vs Massacre -
This depends on your playstyle and your role. Massacre will help you deal with huge amounts of trashmobs quickly, which can help you keep the area clear so you and your team can move about freely - and 9 times out of 10, whenever I've experienced a wipe, it's been because we got boxed in by too many bodies. Smash, however, is much more useful for dealing with big enemies - especially since it applies to the launched sawblades from your eviscerator. So, it's up to you - Massacre will let you take that RR/Katana out and clear a room fast as hell (I swing 3 to 4 times per second with massacre, and two headshots kills a siren that way, and the first one stops her scream to begin with), so I think a lot of people make a mistake to dismiss it in favor of smash. Consider what you usually find yourself doing in your role, and pick accordingly. Bear in mind if you use the Pulverizer hammer, the Smash bonus only applies to the blunt damage, not the explosive.
Level 25 - Rage vs Spartan -
No contest. Spartan. Being able to move and attack at normal speed during a slow-mo is a god-tier ability.

Finally, let's cover some Techniques You Should Know And Use:

1) Directional attacks.
The direction of your melee swing depends upon the direction you are moving when you attack. Moving forward means you will swing overhead, which gives you the best chance to hit the head. Moving side to side will make you swing the same direction as you are moving, which is good for stumbling and if you are lucky, get multiple headshots at once on mobs of similar height. Attacking while moving backwards will swing upwards from low, which has a good chance to cause a stumble, letting you get away from whatever you're backing away from. However, in most situations, I'm holding W while swinging, because those melee headshots are TO DIE FOR. You will one shot most trash mobs, silence and stumble most intermediate zeds, and often also stumble the big guys, giving you a second or so to get 2 or 3 more hits in before you have to dodge his counterattack. Make the most of your tactical options.

2) Parrying
Using middle mouse button with any melee weapon will attempt to "parry" with it. If you hit parry within a half second before the enemy's attack lands, you will stagger them backwards and reduce the amount of damage you take by a lot depending on perk config and weapon being used (up to 70% with the eviscerator). This is especially useful for de-raging scrakes and fleshpounds (and ESPECIALLY King Fleshpound) because the parry will still count as a "hit" and they will come back down out of rage mode despite having done very little damage. Parrying is key to controlling the flow of combat and surviving against the big boys, so it is worth taking the time and effort to get good at doing it.

3) Animation Cancelling
There are a lot of animations that can be cancelled early so you can chain into other attacks fast. My favorite one is, using the Eviscerator, when you have to reload the blades, as soon as the mag is "clanked" onto the gun, right click to start buzzsawing. This will cancel the reload animation almost a full second early, but after you've already gotten "credit" for the reload. This means you can start doing damage and protecting yourself and your friends much faster. You can also use "reload" (r) on a melee weapon after a heavy attack (right click) to cancel the animation and then immediately heavy attack again (cancelling the bash animation) to get a two-for-one heavy headshot if you're moving forward while you do it.

4) The Eviscerator combo attack
Even though the eviscerator's right click attack is a quick succession of small hits, it can also stumble the big guys. This comes in handy against scrakes epecially, as I find them hard to parry because their attack timing isn't telegraphed as clearly as the fleshpounds. A scrake will often die to just two eviscerator blade shots to the head, but the first one will send him into a rage, meaning the second blade will miss as often as not as he flails around. Instead, what I like to do is line up that first headshot and fire, then immediately charge in with the right click to buzzsaw him, staggering him out of his rage, and then when he recovers, fire another blade as the denouement right into him at point blank range, then start backing up. If he survives that, one more blade will usually finish him off, and you've just killed a scrake while taking no damage.

Boss Strategies:

In all boss fights, you want to be the one holding the boss' attention because you can take hits and regen better than any of your comrades. But that doesn't always mean staying in melee range. Here's some specifics:

Hans Volter:
His melee attacks CANNOT BE PARRIED, and the metal on his body makes buzzsawing/slashing attacks less effective than normal. The blade shots will be your primary damage here, but if he turns away from you and you've used up all the blades in your magazine, it may be better to buzzsaw him anyway just to get his attention back on you instead of letting him focus your friend while you reload. Soon as he turns back to you, then you can reload. Try not to stand in the grenades when he starts throwing them - the gas grenades aren't much to worry about if you have Resistance, but the explosive ones can end you quick.

The Patriarch:
Sorry, you're a ranged class now. Eviscerator blades only, preferably from behind cover. The patriarch deals too much damage for you to try to facetank him, or even be caught out in the open - his minigun will shred you bad, and his rockets can end you instantly. Keep running around corners every time he stops to fire, then shoot him in the head with your sawblades. If you run out of blades, go find more instead of switching to melee.

King Fleshpound:
It's your time to shine. KFP telegraphs all his attacks like western union, so parrying him is a breeze. Keep shooting him in the glowing chest module and walking backwards to kite him. When he goes into a rage, get him to attack you and then parry the hit, then go back to shooting him in the chest. If he fires his laser, stop moving and hit C to crouch - the laser will go right over your head, doing nothing. It's easy as hell to keep him focused on you like this, which gives your friends free reign to either shoot him from the back, or deal with the quarterpounds he summons. If you run out of blades, keep doing the same with the buzzsaw melee attack. If you run out of gas, go ahead and switch to your RR/Katana and keep his attention. Keep parrying those enraged attacks and ducking the lasers, and you'll be fine.

The Abomination:
Not as bad as the patriarch, but still pretty dangerous. You're gonna have to keep out of melee range because you don't want to get sucked in and eaten. His poison bombs are enough to even worry a resistance berserker, so try not to take too much of that, but often you can save a teammate by throwing yourself in front of a charging snotling so it detonates on you instead of them - you can soak the hit and keep fighting - it will incapacitate a non-berskerer with blindness and hurt them grievously. Get as many headshots on him as you can with your eviscerator's sawblades, and his head armor should melt really fast. Keep hitting him where his armor is not, and he'll go down pretty fast.


#70

GasBandit

GasBandit



#71

GasBandit

GasBandit

A decent rundown of what perks are useful (hint, everything but Survivalist)



#72

PatrThom

PatrThom

Is it that Survivalist is not useful, or just that people who play Survivalist tend to go wide instead of deep in the tech tree, leaving them underpowered?

—Patrick


#73

Dei

Dei

Is it that Survivalist is not useful, or just that people who play Survivalist tend to go wide instead of deep in the tech tree, leaving them underpowered?

—Patrick
It's that Survivalist was specifically added to make the game harder for people who already mastered all the other perks.


#74

GasBandit

GasBandit

Is it that Survivalist is not useful, or just that people who play Survivalist tend to go wide instead of deep in the tech tree, leaving them underpowered?

—Patrick
What Dei said. That, and the Survivalist's jack-of-all-trades design means there's no task it is particularly good at, so basically what happens is it utterly fails to fulfill whatever role is lacking in the group it joins.


#75

GasBandit

GasBandit

There's a tweak tool now for KF2 that lets you configure settings more easily to make it run better (and fucking load faster) on both low and high spec PCs.



#76

GasBandit

GasBandit

A decent rundown of the game



#77

GasBandit

GasBandit

Tonight I snagged and played a few new custom maps, here's some "Hell on Earth" difficulty highlights and descriptions of each:

KF-Milltown-Burgerking



That should be Burger TANK. This is an adaptation of the final showdown in the "Hard Rain" campaign for Killing floor 2. It's a medium-small map with lots of clutter to get caught up in if you aren't careful, but if you know the map well, you can use it to your advantage.

KF-playboy_clean_edition



A map consisting of a long, straight causeway with no cover other than other zeds. I discovered partway into it there's a button to play a custom meme-tastic soundtrack at EXCRUCIATINGLY LOUD LEVELS so some of this highlight got muted for copyright.

KF-outrun



Well, it ain't KF-SynthwaveThing, but it's got the aesthetic. What it really is is a TINY map with lots of scenery consisting of a single short length of street with practically no cover (unless you count hiding behind a street light cover). Very challenging.

KF-TankaichiBudokai



Yyyyep, it's a Dragonball Z themed level. Quite large and expansive, with lots of cover to hide behind. Also it has the "cars zooming down the street" gag from the Gas Station Arcade level that kills most anything it hits, so be careful crossing the street (and if you're clever you can get zeds to die getting run over). Really, this level largely trivializes the game's difficulty, even on Hell On Earth. Purely a gimmick level.

KF-UT-FacingWorlds-Classic-2004_Gravity



An excellently done port of the best level from Unreal Tournament, Facing Worlds. There are two versions, a normal one and this one, which features the most popular UT mutator to use on this level, low gravity. The low gravity, admittedly, does make it a lot easier to escape the zeds, but it also makes it much more dangerous to get hit by something that knocks back because it can easily send you flying off the edge for an instant death. A great trip down memory lane for old school FPS gamers.


#78

PatrThom

PatrThom

AAAAAHHHHHH

Ok, so just how much of this nickel-and-dime DLC do I actually need in order to play? And I say this as someone who has the DDlxEd.

--Patrick


#79

GasBandit

GasBandit

... none. All the paid DLC is strictly cosmetic. I didn't buy any of it.


#80

GasBandit

GasBandit

Spent 5 hours playing with the folks from Ember (about 13 or so of them) in KF2 last night. We drank, we killed, it was fun.



The new medic/berserker hybrid weapon, the Hemoclobber, is great.


#81

PatrThom

PatrThom

... none. All the paid DLC is strictly cosmetic. I didn't buy any of it.
...and yet Steam shows you as owning all of it, hence my question.

--Patrick


#82

GasBandit

GasBandit

...and yet Steam shows you as owning all of it, hence my question.

--Patrick
Ah, maybe I bought the deluxe edition or something, which came with all the cosmetic DLC *up to that point.* but I haven't bought any more.


#83

GasBandit

GasBandit

Wait, I see the issue. The KF2 page is also showing KF1 DLC (as part of their franchise combos), which yes, I bought the deluxe edition and got all the DLC for.

I don't have any DLC for KF2.


#84

GasBandit

GasBandit

I know this probably doesn't interest anybody but me :p but two things:

1) The KF2 halloween event is underway, with a new map (and it's a pretty good map), new challenges, and a new reward skin for the Kriss SMG.

2) Someone has come up with a super easy program to run your own KF2 server if you want. Seriously, I wish I'd had this years ago, it literally makes setting up and running a KF2 server near-effortless. (My KF2 Server is still up and accessible, and has the 32 player mod, but I felt like people should know about this).


#85

PatrThom

PatrThom

I just wish the game were more fun. It's just Daleks, but with guns.

--Patrick


#86

GasBandit

GasBandit

I just wish the game were more fun. It's just Daleks, but with guns.

--Patrick
Oh, I think the co-op is awesome.

I just wish the *versus* mode was better/more balanced.

It's hard to beat KF2 for mod/community map support, though.


#87

GasBandit

GasBandit

After much struggling, I got the in-game redirect download working on my server!

That means that my favorite (and discontinued by the author) map can live again! Synthwavething is on my server again, and it should work from now on! Yay!


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