Post by -Vi2- Arach on Jan 10, 2008 13:33:20 GMT 10
So does anyone here play Hellgate?
I do, been playing it a bit lately as i'm pretty much done with wow except logging in for the occasional raid.
The closest server, like all online games, is not in Australia. Connecting to the USA server tho I get 250ms which isnt bad and it handles it pretty well. Easily playable.
Its fun in a Diablo2 kind of way, in that although it is addictive in its own right, it is a bit repetitive. Well, a lot really but thats what the developers aimed for I guess. EA games, the publisher kinda poked fingers in where they shouldn't have and made them release it a bit sooner than it should have been (same old story, either they wanted their money or pushed for an xmas release, for money, when it wasn't intended to come out until March this year) so it could still use a bit of patching, and more content. Like all games these days they are never complete upon release. (Don't I know, after playing WoW for so long! XD).
Its a half first person, half rpg. For classes with ranged weapons although you do have the looking around and aiming of a fps, targeting is simplified in a 'lock-on' kind of way, you really only need to point in their general direction. This feels good from a FPS perspective, but not so much that it alienates those that don't play FPS's and are looking for a more action RPG experience. So some snot nosed 13 year old that played counterstrike too much doesn't really have an advantage over older gamers with no-brainer twitch headshots =p. Melee characters play in a over-the-head third person view which works well also. The 'hunter' faction of classes, (marksman and engineers) have to aim a little more directly as they are the "closest to fps" type classes, and don't quite get as lax a 'lock on' mechanic.
The whole aiming thing is mainly just to point out what you want to attack. Damage, critical hits etc is still done in RPG flavor and comes from your characters weapon, stats and skills instead of how quickly you can aim at a monsters head. It's done this was as well to make ping and lag less impacting.
As an avid fan of both RPGs and FPSs i think they have done a pretty good job on this front. The game feels very good and me playing on USA servers with a ping of 250-300, it still feels quite good playing as a marksman.
There isnt really full scale pvp, only 'duelling' like diablo2 as well and i haven't touched it either, as classes skills are aimed at pve anyways. More pvp content will be added in future.
Skills and classes and weapons are all pretty interesting in their own ways. A sort of Diablo2/Wow skill tree (big note tho: No respeccing). Unlike diablo2 however, with low-level skills becoming useless at high levels, most skills in HGL improve with your level as well as the skill ranks you invest in them, making a low-level skill you put only one point in still useful when you're a high level! Very good move. Of course if you invest more points it becomes even better than just useful.
The reason why I refer to diablo2 so much when talking about HGL is a lot of the original diablo 2 programmers and developers left blizzard north to make HGL. So it does have a similar flavor.
Weapons and items are good as well. Weapons are more than just a damage range, and things like modification slots (similar to gem slots in d2) and the item's own level count towards its strength. You can spend money or ingredients to upgrade your weapons as well. And instead of having to trek back to town to sell stuff when your inventory is full, you can 'dismantle' items on the spot, being where you get your ingredients for crafting/upgrading from as well.
It took me a few days of playing HGL to warm up to it, I'll admit, bt i think its pretty nice now. I'm hoping a few of you also play it, and maybe we can team up there as well!
Its somewhat 'instanced' like guild wars. Where in towns you can see everyone, but in areas that you fight in, its a separate instance made just for you (and your party). Also loot drops separately for everyone, so no ninja'ing.
Right now, the developers are working to add more of the intended content and more, but the game is easily playable now. Stability is being rectified; a few bugs here and there, sure, but nothing major wrong with it.
You can play it for free online, and that gives you everything the game has to offer off-the-shelf. You will still get stability/etc patches in future.
Or you can subscribe for $10US a month which goes towards further development of content as well as extra perks ingame. A large patch will be coming out soon that offers whole new areas for subscribers only.
Still easily playable if you don't want to subscribe. Subbers and no can still team up and do stuff and all that. Really there probably isn't much point in subbing yet anyway as until the next patch(whenever it comes), you don't get much more than a little extra stash space. Although having a bit of faith in the developers and funding the way to better content for a game which, imo, has great potential is always a good thing. =)
Anyway enough of my mini review. I play in the US server called Shulgoth (the only US server =p).
My characters are:
Arach-mm
Arach-mmelite
Arach-mme
Yes. All marksman. I do play around with other classes a bit, but overall I bought this game looking for a fps rpg, and thats how i'll play. =)
Throw me a whisper if you play as well and we can party up and smush some demons. I'm in a pretty cool guild called Pest Control as well, so might be cool to get you in.
It'd be great to play with you guys again!
I do, been playing it a bit lately as i'm pretty much done with wow except logging in for the occasional raid.
The closest server, like all online games, is not in Australia. Connecting to the USA server tho I get 250ms which isnt bad and it handles it pretty well. Easily playable.
Its fun in a Diablo2 kind of way, in that although it is addictive in its own right, it is a bit repetitive. Well, a lot really but thats what the developers aimed for I guess. EA games, the publisher kinda poked fingers in where they shouldn't have and made them release it a bit sooner than it should have been (same old story, either they wanted their money or pushed for an xmas release, for money, when it wasn't intended to come out until March this year) so it could still use a bit of patching, and more content. Like all games these days they are never complete upon release. (Don't I know, after playing WoW for so long! XD).
Its a half first person, half rpg. For classes with ranged weapons although you do have the looking around and aiming of a fps, targeting is simplified in a 'lock-on' kind of way, you really only need to point in their general direction. This feels good from a FPS perspective, but not so much that it alienates those that don't play FPS's and are looking for a more action RPG experience. So some snot nosed 13 year old that played counterstrike too much doesn't really have an advantage over older gamers with no-brainer twitch headshots =p. Melee characters play in a over-the-head third person view which works well also. The 'hunter' faction of classes, (marksman and engineers) have to aim a little more directly as they are the "closest to fps" type classes, and don't quite get as lax a 'lock on' mechanic.
The whole aiming thing is mainly just to point out what you want to attack. Damage, critical hits etc is still done in RPG flavor and comes from your characters weapon, stats and skills instead of how quickly you can aim at a monsters head. It's done this was as well to make ping and lag less impacting.
As an avid fan of both RPGs and FPSs i think they have done a pretty good job on this front. The game feels very good and me playing on USA servers with a ping of 250-300, it still feels quite good playing as a marksman.
There isnt really full scale pvp, only 'duelling' like diablo2 as well and i haven't touched it either, as classes skills are aimed at pve anyways. More pvp content will be added in future.
Skills and classes and weapons are all pretty interesting in their own ways. A sort of Diablo2/Wow skill tree (big note tho: No respeccing). Unlike diablo2 however, with low-level skills becoming useless at high levels, most skills in HGL improve with your level as well as the skill ranks you invest in them, making a low-level skill you put only one point in still useful when you're a high level! Very good move. Of course if you invest more points it becomes even better than just useful.
The reason why I refer to diablo2 so much when talking about HGL is a lot of the original diablo 2 programmers and developers left blizzard north to make HGL. So it does have a similar flavor.
Weapons and items are good as well. Weapons are more than just a damage range, and things like modification slots (similar to gem slots in d2) and the item's own level count towards its strength. You can spend money or ingredients to upgrade your weapons as well. And instead of having to trek back to town to sell stuff when your inventory is full, you can 'dismantle' items on the spot, being where you get your ingredients for crafting/upgrading from as well.
It took me a few days of playing HGL to warm up to it, I'll admit, bt i think its pretty nice now. I'm hoping a few of you also play it, and maybe we can team up there as well!
Its somewhat 'instanced' like guild wars. Where in towns you can see everyone, but in areas that you fight in, its a separate instance made just for you (and your party). Also loot drops separately for everyone, so no ninja'ing.
Right now, the developers are working to add more of the intended content and more, but the game is easily playable now. Stability is being rectified; a few bugs here and there, sure, but nothing major wrong with it.
You can play it for free online, and that gives you everything the game has to offer off-the-shelf. You will still get stability/etc patches in future.
Or you can subscribe for $10US a month which goes towards further development of content as well as extra perks ingame. A large patch will be coming out soon that offers whole new areas for subscribers only.
Still easily playable if you don't want to subscribe. Subbers and no can still team up and do stuff and all that. Really there probably isn't much point in subbing yet anyway as until the next patch(whenever it comes), you don't get much more than a little extra stash space. Although having a bit of faith in the developers and funding the way to better content for a game which, imo, has great potential is always a good thing. =)
Anyway enough of my mini review. I play in the US server called Shulgoth (the only US server =p).
My characters are:
Arach-mm
Arach-mmelite
Arach-mme
Yes. All marksman. I do play around with other classes a bit, but overall I bought this game looking for a fps rpg, and thats how i'll play. =)
Throw me a whisper if you play as well and we can party up and smush some demons. I'm in a pretty cool guild called Pest Control as well, so might be cool to get you in.
It'd be great to play with you guys again!