Left 4 Dead 2 Catch All

DonD wrote:

My biggest frustration with the charger is lining up a good long run, grabbing the survivor and then stopping after 5 feet. It is rare that I carry one a long way, despite my best efforts.

I did finally knock down 4 at once last night, however. That was satisfying.

The key, as has probably been mentioned already, is to line it up so your charge is as short as possible before you hit with a long carry afterwards.

Yeah, survivor bowling is incredi-fun. Especially when you use the alley that is the ramp up to the sugar mill.

I was highly successful at killing chargers last night. I was able to sidestep and kill 4-6 chargers before they made it more than a foot after me or before they would even have hit me. It felt good.

Also, Fxeni, that was a great kill that you got with the charger.

I love me the charger. Aside from the sheer power, the instant kills, and the satisfaction of smacking people out of the way, it's awesome when you can get a nice long run. At that point it's less of a, "I'm going to scatter your team and smash this guy," and more of a, "I'm going to steal this guy for a minute, see you later, YOINK!"

It's also fun to watch the charger react to ceilings and walls. Sometimes he'll mix up the SMASH-YOU-INTO-FLOOR! move by slamming the survivor into the ceiling or ramming them head-first into the wall.

pignoli wrote:
DonD wrote:

My biggest frustration with the charger is lining up a good long run, grabbing the survivor and then stopping after 5 feet. It is rare that I carry one a long way, despite my best efforts.

I did finally knock down 4 at once last night, however. That was satisfying.

The key, as has probably been mentioned already, is to line it up so your charge is as short as possible before you hit with a long carry afterwards.

Yeah, survivor bowling is incredi-fun. Especially when you use the alley that is the ramp up to the sugar mill.

I think the bigger issue is lining up a charge that doesn't run into some random object that ends the charge too early. We even had a round a couple of days ago when two of us had charges that stopped as soon as they picked up a surviver. Even though there was nothing in front of the charge.

The most fun part about the charger is when you're on a decent survivor team and he comes barreling through all four of you and everyone sidesteps perfectly at the exact same time. It looks so funny.

For some reason I'm very effective with the Charger in Scavenge. In VS I've only been successful in narrow spaces. The ledge on Dead Center 1 is my favorite Charger spot so far.

The swamp fever Scavenge map is ridiculous for the survivors, a charger can easily hide inches from a survivor in the brush and come flying out of nowhere.

Bill_Lewis wrote:

I think the bigger issue is lining up a charge that doesn't run into some random object that ends the charge too early. We even had a round a couple of days ago when two of us had charges that stopped as soon as they picked up a surviver. Even though there was nothing in front of the charge.

Yeah, the collision detection on the charger is a bit iffy. Sometimes he slides off people like a hunter. Sometimes he stubs his toe on the first step of a flight of stairs. Sometimes he slams into a 2" board on the ground as if it were a brick wall. I guess the biggest problem with the charger is that you can never really be sure what he's going to hit and what he's going to slide on by. It's kind of like pulling someone as a smoker. Sometimes you drag them a long, long way. Sometimes they get stuck on a splinter on the wall. Just the charger gets penalized much more heavily for stopping unexpectedly.

I still think he should comically barrel forward with his arm flailing if he "trips" over something.

I had a fun charge yesterday in Hard Rain. The survivors were moving through a house and they were split a little bit when I charged from behind. The last survivor was just jumping through the window when I grabbed him in mid air. If he had been a tenth of a second quicker he would have been safely on the other side of the wall.

I have to say, I really hate being the jockey in VS. It feels so useless, and I always just wish I was one of the other infected. The Charger and Spitter I can get behind, but I'd like a world where the jockey was never invented.

Dysplastic wrote:

I have to say, I really hate being the jockey in VS. It feels so useless, and I always just wish I was one of the other infected. The Charger and Spitter I can get behind, but I'd like a world where the jockey was never invented.

I often agree with that, but there are certain places where I just love the jockey. Like that first map of Hard Rain, or the ledges on Dead Center.

Otherwise, when I get the jockey I mainly just try to wait around until a good hit by one of the other specials gets the team all distracted.

I'm not a fan of the jockey either. People say that in the right circumstances it can be extremely effective, but I'll point out that in those same circumstances, ANY special could be extremely effective. Jockeys are good for walking survivors off ledges or into fire/acid. Otherwise, might as well have a hunter. Yet ironically the game seems to make me a jockey MORE than it makes me a hunter.

Dysplastic wrote:

I have to say, I really hate being the jockey in VS. It feels so useless, and I always just wish I was one of the other infected. The Charger and Spitter I can get behind, but I'd like a world where the jockey was never invented.

I am ok with the jockey, he is quite good at being able to target a single person. The other infected (with the possible exception of the charger) are all much more likely to miss their target or have another survivor get in the way. For example if 2 or three of the survivors are boomed the jockey can usually weave his way to the clean ones relatively unscathed. Also in a good organized hit the jockey can usually get his victim pretty far away in the confusion, sometimes getting them into a lot of trouble.

The jockey is definitely the most expendable infected. That, along with his small size and speed, means that he can be a very useful distraction. For example the 4th map on Hard Rain can be a very quick one if the survivors get their momentum up, yesterday I thought that I got a decent use out of the jockeys life just by shadowing them. By hopping around and lunging behind cars I was able to stay alive pretty close behind them, and unlike the other infected the jockey can close the distance fast enough that it's more dangerous to say "just ignore him and let him chase us." Activity like that can help the boomer get more of the survivors as well.

LobsterMobster wrote:

I'm not a fan of the jockey either. People say that in the right circumstances it can be extremely effective, but I'll point out that in those same circumstances, ANY special could be extremely effective. Jockeys are good for walking survivors off ledges or into fire/acid. Otherwise, might as well have a hunter. Yet ironically the game seems to make me a jockey MORE than it makes me a hunter.

Not quite true. I had a case once in the 3rd map of The Parish as the survivors were about to cross the bus that blocks the path towards the beginning and a survivor stood by himself near the edge while his buddies were around the corner. Any other infected would have been able to get a couple hits off before the other survivors reacted. But as a jockey I was able to get the survivor of the ledge so he couldn't be shot and then walked him over to the witch.

It's rare that the jockey can really shine, but when he does it can be quite amazing and hilarious.

---------

So last night we had a great game on The Parish, but had a very very interesting start to it. My team started as infected and we had managed to kill one of the survivors right before the room with the jukebox. On to our turn as survivors, we're feeling confident and telling ourselves that we should be able to do better than other team. We walk up the ramp off the dock. One of the survivors is slightly in front of me when we hear a charger. I immediately realize that I'm not going to be able to get out of the way so I'm just going to have to take it. Sure enough the guy in front of me gets charged and the charge continues right into me. Only I didn't just get knocked out of the way. I got knocked up and over the railing into the water. I hadn't even made out of the "safe room". We ended up losing that round by 9 points.

I'm a fan of the jockey but he definitely needs that very precise moment to be really effective. Like the ledges in the building on hard rain - I've seen two survivors pulled to the ledge by a single jockey.

I'm all about the Smoker and Jockey. Hiding in the shadows waiting for the right moment to strike a straggler or a distracted team. It's very TF2 Spy-like.

Also, Nuean, TF2 update is out today, get yourself a new psu asap.

Jockeys on the bridge finale of Parish are tasty death on a stick.

MyBrainHz wrote:

Jockeys on the bridge finale of Parish are tasty death on a stick.

I've never actually seen a jockey outright kill anyone there. I've seen them walk people off the edge or into holes so they're hanging on, but little a smoker couldn't have done. The only insta-kills I've seen there have been due to chargers or tanks. It is pretty funny to see a charger grab someone and leap off the bridge. Kind of reminds me of playing Donkey Kong in Super Smash Bros.

LobsterMobster wrote:

I've never actually seen a jockey outright kill anyone there.

I have. More than once.

Sometimes it seems like the best thing to do with the jockey is just follow the survivors around keeping out of sight. People get really paranoid when they hear that laugh.

mrwynd wrote:

I'm a fan of the jockey but he definitely needs that very precise moment to be really effective. Like the ledges in the building on hard rain - I've seen two survivors pulled to the ledge by a single jockey.

I've run three off of there in a game.

Andor wrote:

The jockey is utterly amazing when the other survivors are boomer'd. If they can't see you, they can't help you. A good lunge will let you pull that dude anywhere. Sure, a smoker could do it, but he could get the survivor caught on something, and it wouldn't be as effective. Running a guy far behind or into a corner somewhere is a real setback.

That's also why I frown so deeply when I see infected going after the ones who don't have bile on their faces. It's such a huge advantage.

I won't disagree that it's a very situational class, though.

I always try to get the non-biled ones. There blind brethren are less able to rescue them. In my experience while it may be easier to hit the blind ones, you won't get nearly as long with them. (Although I have had some luck pouncing boomed survivors and getting cover from the mob of commons.)

muttonchop wrote:

Sometimes it seems like the best thing to do with the jockey is just follow the survivors around keeping out of sight. People get really paranoid when they hear that laugh.

Meh. Just another reason I hate the jockey. That laugh seems so much more "aware" than any of the other infected.

Andor, people go after the unboomed survivors because the boomed ones are less able to help them. If you have three boomed survivors and you attack the remaining unboomed one, he's in trouble. He can just see the trouble more clearly. Also a horde of zombies can always stop a survivor dead in their tracks, even if they have a jockey humping them.

Yeah, see, I'm silly, see? And tired. I meant to say the ones who *do* have bile on their faces. I'm just silly. And tired.

Edit: God dammit. I added some clarification to my other post.

The jockey is utterly amazing when the other survivors are boomer'd, it leaves the ones who aren't pretty much up for grabs. If the others can't see you, they can't help you. A good lunge will let you pull that dude anywhere. Sure, a smoker could do it, but he could get the survivor caught on something, and it wouldn't be as effective. Running a guy far behind or into a corner somewhere is a real setback.

That's also why I frown so deeply when I see infected going after the ones who have bile on their faces. It's such a huge advantage.

I won't disagree that it's a very situational class, though.

Edit: -don't

I've been having problems with people dropping (crash of some sort) while playing on the "Show Me Your Boomer" server and not being able to rejoin. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Anyone else with these problems?

Dysplastic wrote:

I have to say, I really hate being the jockey in VS. It feels so useless, and I always just wish I was one of the other infected. The Charger and Spitter I can get behind, but I'd like a world where the jockey was never invented.

The Jockey on Map 3 of Hard Rain at the top of the elevator. Saw someone (with help) get 3 people off that ledge. I love that little bugger!

ukickmydog wrote:

I'm all about the Smoker and Jockey. Hiding in the shadows waiting for the right moment to strike a straggler or a distracted team. It's very TF2 Spy-like.

You would have loved the smoker in L4D1, he was much more effective.

Lobster wrote:

Meh. Just another reason I hate the jockey. That laugh seems so much more "aware" than any of the other infected.

I completely agree.

I LOVE Jockeys, though. They are really great when you snag someone and walk them back 300 yards and no one can get to him or when you snag someone and walk them off a ledge and no one can get to him or when three people are incapped and you jockey the last dude and no when can get to him. Too bad all of the preceding stuff happens only 2 or 3% of the time...maybe.

Jockey is the worst because:

  • Bad recharge time
  • Loud as all Hell
  • Is also a Jockey in the sense that he jumps OVER people
  • Control when Jockeying is God-awful
  • [Insert your reason here and I'll agree with it.]
PandaEskimo wrote:

I've been having problems with people dropping (crash of some sort) while playing on the "Show Me Your Boomer" server and not being able to rejoin. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Anyone else with these problems?

This happens often and I have found that it can be any server. I usually back out of the game and restart Steam. I don't know if that's actually doing anything, but it seems to work.

I enjoy the Jockey. Definitely not useful in all situations, but there is something delightfully evil about it laughing while you run away with someone.

PandaEskimo wrote:

You would have loved the smoker in L4D1, he was much more effective.

I don't remember the all the differences, but didn't he have a much longer range?

camnipotent wrote:

Bad recharge time

I think it instantly recharges if you incap a survivor while riding him. Soooo maybe you just need to be better?

I personally have been loving the jockey. At first I had similar feelings as most here, but now he is one of my favorites. Jockey is much like a the smoker, he needs to wait for chaos to start and he goes for the guy who is most likely to not get help. Like Andor said, after a boom that hits two or three people, after a good pounce or smoker pull, you go find the guy who is off by himself or nobody is looking at and jockey him behind something and try to keep him away from the survivors. Too often I see people run in and jump on a guy when there are three survivors right their to punch him off. Patience is key.

Andor wrote:
PandaEskimo wrote:

You would have loved the smoker in L4D1, he was much more effective.

I don't remember the all the differences, but didn't he have a much longer range?

camnipotent wrote:

Bad recharge time

I think it instantly recharges if you incap a survivor while riding him. Soooo maybe you just need to be better?

In my experience the recharge is longest when you've incapped a survivor and short if you've walked a survivor off a ledge or been melee'd off.