One of the things that Left 4 Dead has that Team Fortress 2 does not is non-static objects with encoded physics. Boxes that can be knocked around, zombies limbs and crates all have physics that allow you to do things with them in a way that Team Fortress 2 lacks. However, in the words of Yahtzee, “If you give [players] any kind of freedom, their first instinct will be to abuse it”, and Left 4 Dead is no exception. However, the way that people abuse it is very clever.
You’ve probably heard of glitches like smashing down the door in No Mercy 3, launching yourself with the Gatling, or causing someone to drop through the elevator by throwing a pipebomb through them (all patched), but this is different in that it’s not so much a glitch as a clever use of principles.
First, they use the principle that meleeing a box breaks it, but throwing gas cans or propane tanks doesn’t, and nor does a pipe bomb. Then, they use the force of the pipe bomb to create the effect they want. It’s an ingenious find, and kudos to the first one to pick it up. It’s not the only one out there, either. So find your own clever way to bend physics to your advantage and congratulations- you may have a bright future as a scientist.
