Interview Hellgate: London Q&A at GameSpot

[Spazmo]

Tags: Flagship Studios; Hellgate: London

<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/pc">Gamespot PC</a> got <b>Erich Schaefer</b> of Flagship Studios to do an <a href=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/hellgatelondon/preview_6123193.html>interview</a> about them about their upcoming debut game, HellGate: London. Here, he discusses the game's multiplayer options.<blockquote>GS: What can you tell us about your plans for multiplayer? Will multiplayer be mainly focused on individual server-based (or direct-IP-based) co-op play? Any plans for competitive modes?
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ES: Hellgate: London will support many modes of single-player and online play. Most importantly, we will be providing a destination where players can congregate in large or small numbers within the world. Here, they will be able to group up for adventures, trade items, or just hang out and chat. Plans for competitive modes are just being discussed now, but our main emphasis will be on supporting cooperative adventuring.</blockquote>Hopefully, publisher Namco will be ready to provide a solid Battle.net style service or this game won't be worth much attention.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Yeah, I hope that the publisher provides something to the equivilent of Battle.net, or the system that Dungeon Siege used which had character vaults. I hope it's not sucky like Ascaron.net, though. Once you lose your cd key or password (like me and saint did) that's it. No more Sacred. Ugh.

I'm sure I'll enjoy the single player portion, though, but multiplayer coop is definitely necessary if the game expects to have replayability.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Yup, Ascaron can pretty much fuck off due to their super duper CD Key multiplayer single account bullshit. What gets me is that if you buy a used copy, which still has a valid key, you can't play multiplayer because the guy who owned it before you already has an account for multiplayer. What the hell kind of shit is that?

Sacred's a great game post 1.7, but Ascaron has a lot to learn about making a good multiplayer protection scheme that isn't a brutal sledgehammer.

 

[MarFish]

Let's give them free rides, since everyone else rode their free horses to death, I think we can start cheering for how cool this game is gonna be because these buys are really Blizzard, honestly.

Let the free rides start, and while we're at it, let's do some pimping for Guild Wars!

 

[Screaming_life]

GameSpot: Tell us about what Hellgate: London is and what it isn't. Will the game emphasize addictive hack-and-slash gameplay with repeated play-throughs like Diablo, or will the game put more emphasis on story and quests?

Erich Schaefer: The experience of Hellgate: London will be very visceral. Expect plenty of random, slot-machine-style loot and an infinite variety of combat situations. Coupled with randomly generated, respawning levels, this hack-and-slash gameplay will likely encourage repeated play-throughs and hopefully lead to long-term replay value. That said, we plan to more fully incorporate our quest structure into the game experience. The storyline quests will drive the story, not just serving as random chores along the way. We also intend to create randomized missions to provide a little more meaning for the hack-and-slash.


How does adding randomised missions add meaning to hack and slash?

 

[Spazmo]

NPC: "Hero! Please recover my [rnd_item] from the pack of [rnd_monster] out in the [rnd_area]! If you help me, I can offer you [rnd_sexual_favor]!"

PC: "This quest is tinged with many moral grey areas."

 

[Lady Armageddona]

Nah, that would be more Sacred like.

 

[DarkSign]

So its like Guild Wars with a single player mode?

(I hate this as its post-apoc comeptition)

I know the focus will be on SP, but congregating in large groups to go on adventures? Sounds like GW.

I still say GW is an MMO.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I still say GW is an MMO.

Uh oh, you've just alerted the Exitium Squad!

 

[Shagnak]

I still say GW is an MMO.

Uh oh, you've just alerted the Exitium Squad!

BTW, largest group I've multiplayed with is one other person so far!
Heh. Im a loner.

(wonder how large your party is allowed to be? Really must read that manual thngy one day)

 

[Sol Invictus]

So its like Guild Wars with a single player mode?

Nope not at all. Guild Wars is skill based and plays out like a Magic the Gathering game. Hellgate London is a 'fuck shit up' game with lots of weapons and death and destruction at every corner, and it's in first person mode for guns and 3rd person for melee weapons.

I know the focus will be on SP, but congregating in large groups to go on adventures? Sounds like GW.

Yeah, that's entirely possible. I'd like to see that.

I still say GW is an MMO.

Don't even go there.

 

[Sol Invictus]

(wonder how large your party is allowed to be? Really must read that manual thngy one day)

8. In the pre-searing area you can only have a 2 person party. In the early missions it's 4, then 6, then finally 8. You can have less than the max amount, of course.