A Survivor’s Guide to Etiquette, Part I

If Miss Manners became an Infected in Left 4 Dead, she would no doubt teach you some etiquette before gnawing your face off. Every online game has basic behavioral guidelines to ensure a fun, fair experience for everyone. However, Left 4 Dead has a few more nuances due to its close-knit, team-based gameplay. Here are ten essential rules (no particular order of importance) that every Survivor should keep in mind the next time he or she goes zombie hunting with their posse.

1. Sit Reps: Frequently tell your team what your status is. Are you lagging behind with common Infected slowing you down? Your team should know so they can slow down and lend a hand. Getting Smoked or Pounced during a Boomer-induced horde may not be evident to your blinded teammates, so speak up.

2. Don’t Go it Alone: Whether you’re looking for goodies or just sprinting ahead, do not go anywhere without at least one other Survivor. You can bet that your teammates will be pissed when you get attacked when you’re all alone and it takes them a minute to get to you.

3. All at Once unto the Breach: Changes in landscape like ledges, holes, and ladders should always be traversed by everyone at the same time. The last person to jump down may get incapacitated, and the team will be helpless to save him or her.

4. Fire in the Hole: Coordinate with your team who has what type of grenade and when they should use it. Always declare your intent to use the weapon before throwing it: this prevents two grenades going out at the same time.

5. Unfriendly Fire: Practice begets discipline. Discipline begets accuracy. Accuracy begets not grazing your teammates with buckshot. Friendly fire will happen, but you can reduce it by making every shot count. Pay and spray only works in particularly heavy hordes and if there’s a Boss Infected right in front of you.

If you get into a heavy horde firefight, get you back up against a wall and move as little as possible. Wandering around in front of your teammates is likely to get you shot. In real life, you don’t dash in front of someone with a loaded gun and finger on the trigger. Keep your lines of fire open and your teammates in good health.