Biotics Lab

From Killing Floor Wiki

Biotics Lab
Author: Tripwire Interactive Trader: 3 locations Related achievements: – Lab Cleaner – Lab Assistant – Lab Professor

Biotics Lab is a level set inside the labs deep within the Horzine headquarters. Its first incarnation, created by Alex Quick, featured on the original Killing Floor mod and was remade for the retail version of Killing Floor by Tripwire Interactive. The players take control of the team in front of a destroyed elevator, their assumed entry point, and are faced with a T-junction in the corridor directly in front of them. Each direction eventually loops round on itself to the other passageways and there are no significant dead ends for the players to get trapped in, but that isn't to say it's not possible for you to get cornered or otherwise surrounded.

The corridors themselves are relatively compact, offering reasonable movement for evasion around small numbers of specimens. All rooms have weldable doors on the entrances as do some corridor intersections, which can make it easier to channel their numbers to the several defensive positions, or to block off your own escape if you're particularly unlucky. The majority of ammo and weapon drops are in corners, in alcoves, and hidden behind various scenery objects which can sometimes put you at a tactical disadvantage if sought during the waves and in the worst case scenario get you trapped by specimens, the chances of this happening, however, are fairly slim if you're observant enough of your surroundings.

Contents 1 Map layout 1.1 Trader locations 1.2 Historic data 2 Defensive positions 3 Tactics 4 Gallery 4.1 Cartography 4.2 Screenshots

Map layout

The map is separated into three floors. The top floor, which the players spawn in on, is the largest of the three and contains the majority of the rooms, corridors, and item spawns. The middle floor, sometimes referred to as the second floor, is considerably smaller than the top floor, containing only 4 accessible rooms, 3 of which are interconnected in a 'U' shape off the corridor. The bottom floor is the smallest of them all, with only one room that is accessible at all times.

Trader locations

There is a Trader on each of the three floors. The top floor trader is found on a direct route from the spawn point, with no doors between the two points. The middle floor trader is inside one of the main defensive positions on the map; in the larger of the three rooms which loop around from the corridor in a 'U' shape, you can also find partially dissected Clots in this room. The trader on the lowest floor is one of only two rooms on that floor, directly across from a barricaded corridor; a spawn point for the specimens.

Historic data

Biotics Lab, as it appeared in the original Killing Floor mod, was largely identical to it's final form in the retail version. The main difference being the improved graphics and additional traders; the original featured one trader found on the bottom floor. The top floor trader was originally the 'money room', a room with a powerful door weld blocking it's access which the players can unweld to reach the respawning riches inside. The room that the middle floors trader appears in was a new addition on the retail version. Another large difference was the lack of any visible blockades in front of the blocked sections of path which the specimens spawn in; with only invisible walls stopping the squads movement down them, the absence of the sections of ventilation system in which Crawlers spawn, and the absence of several ammo and weapon drops; others were only moved to accommodate the blockades.

Defensive positions

• A major defensive position on the level can be found on the middle floor; the three rooms large rooms which loop around in a 'U' shape. It's at it's most effective when the door closest to the trader is welded shut. It is ill-advised to stay in the room with the welded door as it attracts the specimens to it. The tactic taken from this point onwards depends on the number of people in the party:
  • If there are only small numbers in the party it is advised to stand just outside the open door in the cross section of the corridors and use the room itself as a fall-back point.
  • If the party is nearly full (4-6 players) it can get too crowded to do the above tactic, in this situation if players split up into three groups, one in the intersection with the three stairwells, one down the other corridor; in the room just at the top of the stairs. The third group only needs to consist of one good Sharpshooter or Demolitions class player to make sure that the other two groups don't get surrounded from the rear and to cover their retreat if they get overwhelmed.
    • This second strategy, while it can work a lot better than the first, requires a large amount more co-operation and communication between the players to make sure it work, otherwise it will likely fall apart at the seams. Regardless of which of the two tactics used for this location, Demolitions characters should endeavour to line the two corridors with Pipe bombs between waves.
    • In the most north-eastern room in this section (refer to the middle floor map, below), there is an open duct where stalkers and crawlers spawn. It is marked by a flashing light.
• The corridor directly left of the spawn point, providing the door at one end is welded, can be used as a quick defensive set up for the first wave.
• In the first room on the left down the corridor, which you will find filled with several beds, you can barricade yourself off by welding shut both of the doors, and use the inaccessible window to fire upon incoming specimens, in the corridor outside the door. Providing there is a second person to watch the second door at the rear of the room, ideally a Support specialist, to help prevent you from getting overrun from the rear. A pipe bomb or two can also play the same role on solo.
• On the lowest floor, next to the trader there is a small room with one door which can be successfully held up in. It does however, have a hole in the ceiling where Crawlers and Stalkers spawn in at. There is also nowhere to fall back to if you get overwhelmed, and once the glass window is destroyed the specimens can swarm in.

Tactics

• The portholes on the doors can be fired through; this can be used to your advantage when defending a specific door or a particular route from attack. Be careful however, if you try to throw grenades through the holes; if you miss you are liable to destroy the door and possibly kill yourself in the blast.
• Getting caught on the way back from, or to, the Trader after downtime can be a hazard. There are many locations around the map that can be dangerous if caught alone in, but there is usually a second way to your chosen camping spot so you should not be afraid to run for it.
• For the most part there is no tactical advantage in welding doors found next to the large breakable windows; specimens will ignore the glass entirely and smash though it, although they do occasionally get distracted by the doors.

Gallery

Cartography

Map of the top floor.

Map of the middle floor.

Map of the bottom floor.

Legend. visible on the individual pages

Screenshots

From the bottom floor.

In the second floor.

In the second floor.

Official maps
Biotics Lab • Farm • Manor • Offices • West London • Foundry • Wyre • Bedlam • Waterworks • Icebreaker • Crash • Filths Cross • Departed