Hellgate London Beta - Sept 17

mek · 09-06-2007, 12:16 AM

Well, after the LOLery that was the $225 weta figurines which included beta passes, it now appears that Gamestop/EB are doing a beta promotion - all you have to do is pre-order a copy online, and beta access is included. Open beta has been rumoured, but it'll probably be a weekend-only stress event if anything. All of beta appears to be a short stress test/tweaking, given that it only has a month to run. The game is releasing on October 31st.

While it's clearly a Diablo clone (its by the Diablo devs for chrissakes), this game is shaping up to look like an MMO in all but name - it resembles most a Guild Wars or DDO, no "shared world" but lots of MMO features like an auction system, guilds, much heavier quest focus than Diablo, etc... partying is also much more important, though the game does still offer offline play. Complete with $10/mo fee, though you can let your subscription lapse and can still play the game, without access to all the frills and such. There's a ton of detail on this wiki.

There's quite a cloud of uncertainty surrounding this game, but I think it'll do very, very well, esp. since theres a bit of an MMO slump right when they're releasing. (wtb ZA & sunwell)

edit: well they've gone and redacted everything with a 17th date on it, looks like it'll be delayed a week...

Zehn - Vhex · 09-06-2007, 12:27 AM

I think this is one of those games that has the potential to be something you pick back up every few weeks, waste a few hours in, and then go back to playing another MMO.

Plenty of great concepts but I don't think it's going to have the depth required to compete with the fantasy based MMO's. Mainly because from the looks of things it's going to be Diablo with guns and a zone instead of BNet. Which isn't a bad thing really.

Agraza · 09-06-2007, 12:30 AM

I'm in a gun phase right now. I'm definitely going to buy it, but I don't know if I'll subscribe.

Jabberwhacky · 09-06-2007, 12:34 AM

Fuck the guns, I'm all about a cyber-samurai dual-wielding futureswords of death.

After clicking the link, I see that they a "Gamespot in-game item" of a Lava Dye Kit. This seems to imply that there are other stores' with other in-game items...anyone got info on that?

mek · 09-06-2007, 12:43 AM

I just think they mean it's a free item available exclusively from Gamestop, similar to the pet available with the CE.

The "dye kits" are permanent and reusable, it's their way of fixing the "clown suit" problem.

FSS is also releasing Mythos (for free!) soon, it's an honest-to-god D2 clone they built when developing the framework for HG:L, apparently.

Jabberwhacky · 09-06-2007, 12:52 AM

I was thinking more along the lines of a different item for a different store. Sword of the New World did this (a different UPC depending on where you buy) and Guild Wars did it (different weapons depending on Amazon, EBGames, etc). It's not a big deal, just something that will be annoying if it turns out that a different store has a cooler item.

Kodylan · 09-06-2007, 01:32 AM

From talking with them, Hellgate wasn't designed to be a Diablo clone at all(though the story is very similar). Mythos is what they've touted as essentially a Diablo clone.

Ikia · 09-06-2007, 02:05 AM

Thanks for the heads up! I've been wanting to get in to check this out for a while now, I'm interested to see if it's worth paying for that premium package they're touting.

bubblegumbo · 09-06-2007, 02:20 AM

10$ a month for a pseudo-mmo??? wtf happened to the free online play?
Very disappointing

Azrayne · 09-06-2007, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubblegumbo

10$ a month for a pseudo-mmo??? wtf happened to the free online play?
Very disappointing

The $10 will go towards providing a more stable, cheat free environment and working on new content for the game. Jesus, it's not like it's much money, you can spend $10 on a burger/fries/coke at McDonalds, once a month is basically nothing.

mek · 09-06-2007, 02:57 AM

Online play is available without paying the monthly fee. More info on "elite" vs normal accounts.

Kolle · 09-06-2007, 03:04 AM

yeah but is this a game that you can actually spend lots of time playing? if you can burn through all the content in little time why keep playing and paying for tiny updates that you'll beat in a day?

would like some info on how much gameplay is involved compared to a large mmo

Azrayne · 09-06-2007, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolle

yeah but is this a game that you can actually spend lots of time playing? if you can burn through all the content in little time why keep playing and paying for tiny updates that you'll beat in a day?

would like some info on how much gameplay is involved compared to a large mmo

So subscribe for one month, play through the content, and unsubscribe for a couple months until they add more.

Bizanich · 09-06-2007, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azrayne

So subscribe for one month, play through the content, and unsubscribe for a couple months until they add more.

I hate that mindset, I really do. It just strikes me as a horrible business model since it assumes people will even care about the game in a few months and it seems to be the antithesis of what I think an MMO should be (continuous evolving world with a ton of other players beside you).

I know content runs out in every game, it's inevitable, but one month injections seem irritating.

Itzena · 09-06-2007, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mek

Online play is available without paying the monthly fee. More info on "elite" vs normal accounts.

Alternate explanation:

09-06-2007, 12:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
mek homosexual Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 1,922 -29 Internets	Hellgate London Beta - Sept 24? Well, after the LOLery that was the $225 weta figurines which included beta passes, it now appears that Gamestop/EB are doing a beta promotion - all you have to do is pre-order a copy online, and beta access is included. Open beta has been rumoured, but it'll probably be a weekend-only stress event if anything. All of beta appears to be a short stress test/tweaking, given that it only has a month to run. The game is releasing on October 31st. While it's clearly a Diablo clone (its by the Diablo devs for chrissakes), this game is shaping up to look like an MMO in all but name - it resembles most a Guild Wars or DDO, no "shared world" but lots of MMO features like an auction system, guilds, much heavier quest focus than Diablo, etc... partying is also much more important, though the game does still offer offline play. Complete with $10/mo fee, though you can let your subscription lapse and can still play the game, without access to all the frills and such. There's a ton of detail on this wiki. There's quite a cloud of uncertainty surrounding this game, but I think it'll do very, very well, esp. since theres a bit of an MMO slump right when they're releasing. (wtb ZA & sunwell) edit: well they've gone and redacted everything with a 17th date on it, looks like it'll be delayed a week... Last edited by mek; 09-13-2007 at 07:18 PM..

09-06-2007, 12:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
Agraza Issh good, no? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 2,038	I'm in a gun phase right now. I'm definitely going to buy it, but I don't know if I'll subscribe. __________________ Theel Maas, eJapan::Join us

09-06-2007, 12:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
Jabberwhacky Walker told me I have AIDS Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Busan Posts: 3,333	Fuck the guns, I'm all about a cyber-samurai dual-wielding futureswords of death. After clicking the link, I see that they a "Gamespot in-game item" of a Lava Dye Kit. This seems to imply that there are other stores' with other in-game items...anyone got info on that? Last edited by Jabberwhacky; 09-06-2007 at 12:36 AM..

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09-06-2007, 12:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
Zehn - Vhex Lord of the Dance Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 8,794 +166 Internets	I think this is one of those games that has the potential to be something you pick back up every few weeks, waste a few hours in, and then go back to playing another MMO. Plenty of great concepts but I don't think it's going to have the depth required to compete with the fantasy based MMO's. Mainly because from the looks of things it's going to be Diablo with guns and a zone instead of BNet. Which isn't a bad thing really.

09-06-2007, 12:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
mek homosexual Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 1,922 -29 Internets	I just think they mean it's a free item available exclusively from Gamestop, similar to the pet available with the CE. The "dye kits" are permanent and reusable, it's their way of fixing the "clown suit" problem. FSS is also releasing Mythos (for free!) soon, it's an honest-to-god D2 clone they built when developing the framework for HG:L, apparently.

09-06-2007, 12:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jabberwhacky Walker told me I have AIDS Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Busan Posts: 3,333	I was thinking more along the lines of a different item for a different store. Sword of the New World did this (a different UPC depending on where you buy) and Guild Wars did it (different weapons depending on Amazon, EBGames, etc). It's not a big deal, just something that will be annoying if it turns out that a different store has a cooler item.

09-06-2007, 01:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
Kodylan Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 2,261 -1 Internets	From talking with them, Hellgate wasn't designed to be a Diablo clone at all(though the story is very similar). Mythos is what they've touted as essentially a Diablo clone.

09-06-2007, 02:05 AM	#8 (permalink)
Ikia Perpetually bored. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 55 +0 Internets	Thanks for the heads up! I've been wanting to get in to check this out for a while now, I'm interested to see if it's worth paying for that premium package they're touting.

09-06-2007, 02:20 AM	#9 (permalink)
bubblegumbo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 315 -15 Internets	10$ a month for a pseudo-mmo??? wtf happened to the free online play? Very disappointing

09-06-2007, 02:57 AM	#11 (permalink)
mek homosexual Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 1,922 -29 Internets	Online play is available without paying the monthly fee. More info on "elite" vs normal accounts.

09-06-2007, 03:04 AM	#12 (permalink)
Kolle Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 4,879 -25 Internets	yeah but is this a game that you can actually spend lots of time playing? if you can burn through all the content in little time why keep playing and paying for tiny updates that you'll beat in a day? would like some info on how much gameplay is involved compared to a large mmo