Detailing the Gameplay in Killing Floor
Before we get into the mechanics, we have to share a bit of background on the game so you can understand why you are taking down the zeds. Killing Floor is all about a lab experiment gone wrong that results in the release of mutated creatures into the world, which are the zeds. Your job, as a survivor, is to get rid of these creatures. KF 3 takes on a different approach by posing these zeds as a bio army that is much more intelligent than the failed versions in the previous 2 games. But either way, the zeds are the enemies, and they will stop at nothing to get you, which is why you must also do your best to stay alive and rid the world of them.
That said, how does the game go down?
Match Configuration
While it is possible to play KF entirely alone, that is not as fun as playing in a group. Plus, when it comes to the harder levels, it is almost impossible to kill the zeds without backup. For that reason, we will explain the matches and waves from a group context, which you can adapt based on the number of people in your team.
Groups in KF can have as many as six players on the team. The good thing is that you don’t actually need to know anyone and can join any of the public games to be part of a team. Alternatively, you can host your own private game and invite other players.
Before the start of each match, the host gets to decide the length and difficulty of the game. Here, you have the following options:
- Short - these games feature four waves, and the goal here is to work fast to get access to the best weapons and take out the zeds before time runs out.
- Medium - such games have up to 7 waves. They are perfect for players who want to level up their perks without spending too much money on weapons and more.
- Long - with 10 waves to go, these are the hardest games because they include the late waves (7 to 10), where players face the biggest and meanest zeds.
The shorter the waves, the easier the game feels. As endurance lovers, we prefer the long waves when we are going all in, but also often play the medium waves when we are practicing.
The Wave Breakdowns
What exactly do we mean when we refer to waves? Now, this is where the game gets interesting. In most games, players work against time. But with KF, each wave comprises a given number of zeds, which you must eliminate in order to qualify for the next one.
The number of zeds depends on the number of people in your team, the wave number, and the difficulty setting, such that it increases in relation to these factors. For example, 6 people playing Hell on Earth on Wave 10 might have 300 zeds to kill, which amounts to 50 or so per person if you were to average it out!
Luckily, the zeds do not come at you at once because the game features a cap on the number of creatures that can be on the map at the same time. Usually, this ranges from 16 to 32, which allows you to focus your energy on the zeds around you. However, each time you kill a zed, another one is spawned nearby, which makes it feel like you are plugging a leaking bucket only for water to come out of another hole. And if you move to another location, the spawning spots also change to ensure that zeds are still appearing around you.
As you progress through the waves, the game becomes more intense. You see, during the first waves, you come across the smaller zeds that cause standard damage, such as the clots and crawlers. These are relatively easy to beat, but that comes with the downside of depleting your ammo. Then, as you get to the middle and late waves, the zeds get bigger, forcing you and your teammates to change your target from clearing the area to taking out these bigger creatures before they get to you. So, the strategy that works for you in wave 1 will not exactly be the perfect blueprint for a later wave.
The Trading Breaks
Every time you complete a wave, you get a 60 to 90-second window during which you can visit a Trader. Here, you can buy weapons, load up your ammo, and even upgrade your arsenal, giving you a better fighting chance in the next wave. It seems like such a reprieve in the middle of all the combat, doesn’t it? However, accessing these points is not as simple as it seems on paper.
The thing is that you must find a trader pod near you in order to make your way to these traders. But these pods are not permanent on the map, and they change from one wave to the next as a way to ensure that you do not stay in the same spot for the entire game. So, while you are fighting the zeds off, you have to pay attention to the pod locations while also ensuring that you do not desert your team.
On top of accessing these pods, players also have to decide how best to spend their limited time. After all, should you stay on the field and pick up the free ammo boxes, or should you head to the trader to get more weapons? These are literally split-second decisions because the trader pods can slam shut at any time. So, even if you are a foot away and have not made your purchase, once the doors close, you enter the next wave with whatever you have.
Meeting the Boss
During the subsequent waves, you face zeds of increasing sizes and abilities. And if you make it to the final one and make it through, you get to meet the boss. And no, this is not the part of the game where you get a pat on the back for all your hard work. Instead, it’s the part that tests your team to its very limits and requires you to be at your best.
So, who is the boss? The answer depends on the game you are playing. But whether you are meeting King Scrake or any of the other larger zeds, all you have to know is that you are about to battle a huge zed with incredible abilities that also include disappearing to heal and coming back stronger. Formidable is the word we would use here.
But that’s not all that makes this part of the game exciting. You see, unlike the previous waves, which have caps on the number of zeds you must face, this wave has an infinite number of smaller zeds. This means that as you are busy trying to kill the boss, you will get constantly attacked by clots, stalkers, and more zeds who will want to keep this from happening. Each time you kill one, another will appear in its place!
The only way out of this wave is to kill the boss by the end of the match. If the converse happens, such that the boss kills your entire team, then you lose the entire match even if you had completed all the other waves and won. So, when we say that the stakes are high when it comes to this match, we mean it.
What Happens If You Fail?
During any of the waves, it is possible for the zeds to kill you and your teammates. But the way that this affects you depends on the number of people who have died. How so?
If you die during a wave, then you are automatically out of that specific wave. You drop your main weapon on the ground, which your teammates can pick up and use; failure to which, it de-spawns. For the remainder of the match, you just watch as your teammates play. The good thing is that if your team makes it out of the wave, then everyone who died gets to come back during the trader phase. However, the downside is that you come back with your starting gear and some money to help you buy some weapons. But even with these basics, you take quite a hit that makes it harder for you to survive the next waves, though your team can cover you.
But what happens if you all die? Well, the match ends, and you have to start again!
How Teamwork Makes the Dream Work in KF
In many ways, playing KF is like being part of an orchestra, such that everybody serves a specific role that ties into the success of the entire project. If one person drops the ball, then the music just does not sound right. KF works the same way, such that you all need each other if you are to succeed. Here is how the pro teams manage to make it through one wave after the other, and what other teams can borrow from them.
They Are Strategic
Good teamwork is all about capitalizing on each other’s strengths while covering individual weaknesses. The best teams do this by having the players with the best reflexes take point on the headshots so as to slow down time with the zed time. This way, all other players are able to use this time to position themselves to take down the big threats. Additionally, while they have a clear plan on how to take down the zeds, they are open to adapting it if something changes along the way. This flexibility ensures that no matter what the waves throw at them, they are on the same page.
They Talk to Each Other
Communication is another huge aspect of teamwork. Not only must players alert each other to threats, but they must also avoid making decisions that can affect the others without consulting them. For example, shooting down a large zed without communicating with other players can enrage the zed before all players are ready to counter, which can leave them exposed to an attack that they cannot handle.
They Specialize
KF allows players to choose roles in which they can level up as the waves progress. The best way to do this is by choosing a role that addresses tactical gaps within the team to ensure there is balance between the healing, tanking, clearing, and killing aspects. But this specialization does not only take place at the start of the game. For every 5 levels, players get to choose additional skills that define what they can do, and the choices here determine the strength of the team, which is why communication matters a lot, as it prevents unnecessary overlap.
They Share
Not only does KF limit how much ammo players can carry, but it also limits the resources available to teams. Players must learn to prioritize what is important for the team rather than what they want, and this involves taking on tasks such as tossing money to vulnerable players, agreeing to fund the roles that have the biggest impact on the team, and using resources wisely per the agreed plan.