(Hellgate: London) Who's in?

[Lockdown]

...then a second time (the splash screen seems to check all the game files and then exit the game), and then the third time multiplayer starts up as its supposed to (and has been, fwiw, rock solid reliable). But man, what a bunch of ridiculousness just to get online.

I'm reasonably sure this is how they "display" the patch process.  The game has gotten a couple mini patches the past two days.

[Lockdown]

The good news is, from what I've read (secondhand), Roper is aware that the chat interface sucks, and it will eventually be addressed.  How exactly it is addressed, I haven't a clue.

How is that good news when he put out a game where the interface, a fairly important feature I might add, was known to suck by the team?

I meant it is good they are aware it sucks and are going to fix it.  Obviously not good that it was released that way.

[Hotfreak]

A little late to the party due to busy-ness, but would love a guild invite.  My blademaster is 27 now but I have a level 10 engineer as well.  BM's name is Xflagger; Engineer is Shikasta.

[Lockdown]

Hotfreak - What level was your blademaster when you finished the game the first time through? (assuming you did of course).

I'm trying to get a feel for how "big" the game actually is in terms of content.

[Blackjack]

I think it's some sort of patch process too (or else a "verification" process to ensure the multiplayer client and files haven't been altered), but shouldn't the game then start up instead of exiting? 

Does anyone know what these player storage lockers in stations look like? (maybe it's subscriber-only?). I haven't been able to find any. If someone has, maybe they could post a little screenshot to help me know what to look for.

The inventory is seriously tiny, relatively speaking, and I have to portal back to stations like crazy.

[Hiccup]

Hotfreak - What level was your blademaster when you finished the game the first time through? (assuming you did of course).

I'm trying to get a feel for how "big" the game actually is in terms of content.

FWIW My level 26 Marksman just finished Act 4.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Hotfreak - What level was your blademaster when you finished the game the first time through? (assuming you did of course).

I'm trying to get a feel for how "big" the game actually is in terms of content.

FWIW My level 26 Marksman just finished Act 4.

There are a total of 5 acts.  Go go L9 Engineer.    I got a rifle from a friend that does ~150 points of damage + Splash.  It is a bit of overkill for my level. 

[Hotfreak]

Hotfreak - What level was your blademaster when you finished the game the first time through? (assuming you did of course).

I'm trying to get a feel for how "big" the game actually is in terms of content.

I haven't finished it yet.  I was level 26 when I finished act IV which felt significantly longer than the previous acts.  Been trying to do all the quests, but some are next to impossible to complete due to bugs.  Level progression definitely slows, but the protraction feels smooth, linear, rather than precipitous.

Acts IV and V appear to use some new tilesets and have a few quests that are a little different than the standard "Explore X", "Kill Y", "Kill Z # of Ws", "Collect P drops", "Click on Q # of Ms".  Nothing really exciting but the difficulty ramps up significantly.  I think if I had chosen a different class, it would have been a lot easier.

The bugs have been really annoying but no showstoppers for me yet.  Haven't had any memory issues.  I've gotten stuck on seemingly innocuous terrain numerous times.  But at least they have implemented a "/stuck" command that teleports you to the beginning of the level.

[Hotfreak]

Does anyone know what these player storage lockers in stations look like? (maybe it's subscriber-only?). I haven't been able to find any. If someone has, maybe they could post a little screenshot to help me know what to look for.

Storage lockers look like a rack of electronic containers.  There is almost always one right next to the Merchant in any station.  Just go to the merchant, look around, and you should see them, or at least see your cursor turn into a hand.

Played through the beta for some time before I realized they even existed.

Also, learn to scrap your drops for parts and check the crafter guy/gal (like the merchant, has the british pound sign over head) every time you zone to the station.  Not only does this free up inventory space, but some of the best items I possess came from the crafter.

[CeeKay]

Does anyone know what these player storage lockers in stations look like? (maybe it's subscriber-only?). I haven't been able to find any. If someone has, maybe they could post a little screenshot to help me know what to look for..

Don't have a screenshot here at work, but they are on the station wall and look like a bank of 9 or 12 square doors (kinda like a fancier version modern day lockers).  it shouldn't be subscriber only as one of the sub perks is a bigger storage locker.

[EngineNo9]

An interview with Bill Roper that partially addresses some of the concerns/problems people have with the game.   Or talks around them, at least.

[CeeKay]

the new area sounds kind of neat.

[depward]

Yeah it does sound pretty neat.  Though, I will say, unlike this Guy Fawkes event, I hope it's more accessible for players who aren't able to dedicate the time to get to a high'ish level.  For me, I'm level 10 and I can't access whateverhisnameis for the Guy Fawkes event because I haven't gotten that far yet (middle of Act 2).

[CeeKay]

Yeah it does sound pretty neat.  Though, I will say, unlike this Guy Fawkes event, I hope it's more accessible for players who aren't able to dedicate the time to get to a high'ish level.  For me, I'm level 10 and I can't access whateverhisnameis for the Guy Fawkes event because I haven't gotten that far yet (middle of Act 2).

I was wondering where the guy was for that.  yeah, they need to make the paid content accessible for everyone who pays, not just people who pay and are farther into the game.  Maybe they should make a special area for the special events that only subscibers will have access to whenever they want to go there.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Yeah it does sound pretty neat.  Though, I will say, unlike this Guy Fawkes event, I hope it's more accessible for players who aren't able to dedicate the time to get to a high'ish level.  For me, I'm level 10 and I can't access whateverhisnameis for the Guy Fawkes event because I haven't gotten that far yet (middle of Act 2).

You'll be there shortly.   

[Destructor]

Hotfreak - What level was your blademaster when you finished the game the first time through? (assuming you did of course).

I'm trying to get a feel for how "big" the game actually is in terms of content.

FWIW My level 26 Marksman just finished Act 4.

There are a total of 5 acts.  Go go L9 Engineer.    I got a rifle from a friend that does ~150 points of damage + Splash.  It is a bit of overkill for my level. 

You lucky punk. My best machine gun rifle thing is only in the ~130 range and I'm 14. Modded up the wazoo, too.

[CeeKay]

Hotfreak - What level was your blademaster when you finished the game the first time through? (assuming you did of course).

I'm trying to get a feel for how "big" the game actually is in terms of content.

FWIW My level 26 Marksman just finished Act 4.

There are a total of 5 acts.  Go go L9 Engineer.    I got a rifle from a friend that does ~150 points of damage + Splash.  It is a bit of overkill for my level. 

You lucky twink. My best machine gun rifle thing is only in the ~130 range and I'm 14. Modded up the wazoo, too.

fixed that for ya 

[Blackjack]

I really like the F1-F2-F3 "quick change" weapons and right/left mouse button "on the fly" loadouts feature. At level 8-9 I ran into some areas where my engy needed to pull back and use his sniper rifle, and I was switching between that and my preferred Electro Rifle frequently.  I'm using rocket launchers (trying a couple variants) in the third slot. There's so much variety in the mods, I have some difficulty deciding what's best overall in terms of boosting. I noticed the accuracy improving ones seem a lot more expensive. Most of my weapons seem in the 67-90 range, and then +modifier stuff.

[unbreakable]

Wow, now that the game is on the way, I'm kind of looking forward to playing.

Is there anything I should know/look at before I start?  Is there a good character builder utility around?  I guess that leads me to another question: can you respec?

[Blackjack]

I think there are probably some user-created FAQs at the Hellgate Forums so once you've got your copy and registered an account (for online play, and access to the forums), you'll probably want to check there.

I'm still pretty much a rookie but a few quick tips:
-As others here reminded me, the tilde (`) key will pull up the not-terribly-polished chat menu. There's a command line for switching to guild chat, which I constantly forget, so I'm usually the Bozo mistakenly talking in a local channel somewhere. 

-If you hold down the ALT key, this will let you move your cursor around the HUD interface to click stuff, highlight chat window and tabs, etc.
-If you use dual pistols, you'll probably want to set the left mouse button action to fire "both weapons" (unless you really want to click both mouse buttons at once as I was doing for a while  ).
-On your inventory screen, the 3 little circles let you set up different weapons loadouts (quickly accessed with F1-F2-F3), and also different left and right mouse button actions. I needed some time to make sense of all that, but it's invaluable to be able to swap quickly amongst different loadouts for different situations, esp. as the game gets tougher.
-I am curious about "respec-ing" too. I've not seen an NPC that enables that, but maybe someone else knows? Various gizmos let you remove mods from weapons for what seems a modest fee.

[Knightshade Dragon]

I think there are probably some user-created FAQs at the Hellgate Forums so once you've got your copy and registered an account (for online play, and access to the forums), you'll probably want to check there.

I'm still pretty much a rookie but a few quick tips:
-As others here reminded me, the tilde (`) key will pull up the not-terribly-polished chat menu. There's a command line for switching to guild chat, which I constantly forget, so I'm usually the Bozo mistakenly talking in a local channel somewhere. 

-If you hold down the ALT key, this will let you move your cursor around the HUD interface to click stuff, highlight chat window and tabs, etc.
-If you use dual pistols, you'll probably want to set the left mouse button action to fire "both weapons" (unless you really want to click both mouse buttons at once as I was doing for a while  ).
-On your inventory screen, the 3 little circles let you set up different weapons loadouts (quickly accessed with F1-F2-F3), and also different left and right mouse button actions. I needed some time to make sense of all that, but it's invaluable to be able to swap quickly amongst different loadouts for different situations, esp. as the game gets tougher.
-I am curious about "respec-ing" too. I've not seen an NPC that enables that, but maybe someone else knows? Various gizmos let you remove mods from weapons for what seems a modest fee.

No respec. 

[Farscry]

Aw, man, I tell ya, kids these days, they give me no respec!

[depward]

Aw, man, I tell ya, kids these days, they give me no respec!

R-E-S-P-E-C...., Hellgate won't let me find out what it means to me...

[Blackjack]

Respec I'm sure is #666 on Flagship's To Do list (heck, even the wacky, clumsy French Diablo-clone Silverfall let you respec), right behind "Make chat system feel less like a hammer, chisel and stone tablet."  C'mon, Bill Roper, at least bump it up into the top 100 Things To Do. 

I changed my avatar to my current Hellgate visage. Gotta love a helmet that looks like... the Creature from the Black Lagoon?... a Praying Mantis?.... an unused goofball enemy from Medal of Honor: Airborne?  I love it though, I have disdained better-stats helmets to keep that one on.

[Knightshade Dragon]

Respec I'm sure is #666 on Flagship's To Do list (heck, even the wacky, clumsy French Diablo-clone Silverfall let you respec), right behind "Make chat system feel less like a hammer, chisel and stone tablet."  C'mon, Bill Roper, at least bump it up into the top 100 Things To Do. 

I changed my avatar to my current Hellgate visage. Gotta love a helmet that looks like... the Creature from the Black Lagoon?... a Praying Mantis?.... an unused goofball enemy from Medal of Honor: Airborne?  I love it though, I have disdained better-stats helmets to keep that one on.

Actually, I thought it looked like the dude with balls for a chin from Star Wars cantina scene.  "No, I don't like you either!"  *bssszzzzttt* *Aiiieee!!*

....

I mean, "Love the new helmet!"   

[Arkon]

I just hit act 4 and lvl 19 with my Guardian... let me just say I hate shock troopers and gargantua's I think they are called.  It is a freaking stun fest/no skill usage fest.  I entered a map and was greeted by 4 gargantua's (they shoot exploding spiked balls at you and are about 30 feet tall) and 15 shock troops... had to be real creative to get through that one.

[Lockdown]

... had to be real creative to get through that one.

So you let your wife do that part for you then?

 

[Destructor]

How do you find what 'act' you're on, anyway? Does the game bluntly tell you you've 'moved on'? I'm level 14, and I know I haven't seen any giant notices that I've changed acts and such on my screen.

[Zarkon]

The movies are the breaks between acts, I think.

up to the British Museum is Act 1.

[Blackjack]

How do you find what 'act' you're on, anyway? Does the game bluntly tell you you've 'moved on'? I'm level 14, and I know I haven't seen any giant notices that I've changed acts and such on my screen.

I think around L8 or so, when I completed a quest and turned it in at a rail station (I forget which one -- if you've seen one run down London subway station in this, you've seen them all  -- the contact was near the merchant), I got a modest size message on screen that said "Act 1 Completed" or something like that. I was expecting fireworks, maybe some dancing showgirls and confetti and Bill Roper doing the Macarena while wearing a toga, not just a few white letters on screen.    Later after one of the tougher quests in Hell, I think I saw the movie with "The Book." I haven't really gotten a grasp of the order of things.

[Hotfreak]

How do you find what 'act' you're on, anyway? Does the game bluntly tell you you've 'moved on'? I'm level 14, and I know I haven't seen any giant notices that I've changed acts and such on my screen.

I think around L8 or so, when I completed a quest and turned it in at a rail station (I forget which one -- if you've seen one run down London subway station in this, you've seen them all  -- the contact was near the merchant), I got a modest size message on screen that said "Act 1 Completed" or something like that. I was expecting fireworks, maybe some dancing showgirls and confetti and Bill Roper doing the Macarena while wearing a toga, not just a few white letters on screen.    Later after one of the tougher quests in Hell, I think I saw the movie with "The Book." I haven't really gotten a grasp of the order of things.

Yeah, the Act cadenzas are pretty underwhelming.  There is a cutscene and an on-screen message.

You can always tell the close of an act because it involves killing a boss and then a magical portal appearing near the drops.

[Blackjack]

My construction drone can finally carry a pistol (or shield if you want to make it hardier), via skill at L10:


*sniff* My little baby's growing up in the world.  I was a bit peeved it can't use rifles. And it seems like you lose the pistol when it croaks or you head back to the station. Er, or maybe not, I have to go install COD4, so I'm not sure if it retained the pistol when resummoned. 

[Destructor]

I was a bit peeved it can't use rifles. And it seems like you lose the pistol when it croaks or you head back to the station. Er, or maybe not, I have to go install COD4, so I'm not sure if it retained the pistol when resummoned. 

I thought the devs said that they (finally) fixed the longstanding bug with you losing whatever weapon was on your bot when you quit/crashed. I don't have an Engineer high enough to check, though.

And I was playing with Ron earlier, and he had a Sniper Rifle on his bot. Talk about overkill in the support role.

[Knightshade Dragon]

I was a bit peeved it can't use rifles. And it seems like you lose the pistol when it croaks or you head back to the station. Er, or maybe not, I have to go install COD4, so I'm not sure if it retained the pistol when resummoned. 

I thought the devs said that they (finally) fixed the longstanding bug with you losing whatever weapon was on your bot when you quit/crashed. I don't have an Engineer high enough to check, though.

And I was playing with Ron earlier, and he had a Sniper Rifle on his bot. Talk about overkill in the support role.

Hell yea!  I couldn't even get close enough to attack half the time.  Sniper Bot FTW.   Don't settle for wimpy pistols.

[CeeKay]

man, you're making me want to play an Engineer.  I really wish they'd mix up the starting portion some though- it's already starting to get old.

[Blackjack]

Finally got to do a little co-op, with Arduos (who served as our "pathfinder" cause I get lost ). Couple glimpses:



It's certainly more Diablo than MMO in co-op, sort of just destroy everything in sight and try to stick together a bit.

[Blackjack]

Blue's mentioned this tonight (hopefully I'm not repeating something from another thread here), forum post by Flagship about continuing fixes/improvements:

Dear Customers,

We realize many of you are experiencing a variety of problems. We at Flagship and Ping0 are working hard to address these issues.

Our current top priorities are:

* Resolving any remaining problems related to billing and subscriptions.
* Fixing two known bugs which cause players to sometimes lose items (one related to dual focus/dual melee, and one related to loading issues).
* Making improvements to memory usage in order to reduce "Memory Exhausted" crashes.
* Fixing a known issue with the user interface which causes the application to lock up intermittently.* An issue which occasionally prevents characters from being able to load or switch instances.
* General chat interface improvements. (Many improvements are in the works).
* Random disconnects and lag.
* Allowing higher resolution textures and models for other players.
* Various known problems with being able to continue interrupted side quests.
* Remnant quest items not getting destroyed and "clogging" up inventory.
* Continued problems with saving / loading Engineer Drone items.
* Invisible party members.
* The nanoforge not correctly improving rare and better armors.
* Getting stuck on collision.

Some of these are issues which will be fixed as soon as possible and go live in upcoming patches, some will be in our upcoming content patch, and others are issues on which we will make gradual improvements to on a continuous basis.

Of course we also have a more extensive bug list as well as lot of general improvements and new content in the works. Everyone here is
working full-time to support Hellgate. We appreciate your patience.

-The Hellgate: London team

Dear Flagship, You're supposed to do all this stuff *before* you release your game!  In spite of it, I'm hooked and the server seems quite crowded.

[Farscry]

Dear Flagship, You're supposed to do all this stuff *before* you release your game!  In spite of it, I'm hooked and the server seems quite crowded.

Ditto on all counts.

[CeeKay]

so, I was getting to the British Museum last night, cleared Bloomsbury and teleported back to town to clear out my loot, and 'blammo', CTD, video driver not working.  I see nVidia just released some new WHQL drivers- has anyone tried them out yet with HG?  I'm tempted, but I haven't had any issues with my other games (yet) so I'm kind of hesitant.

I also bought a nice little Wasp Hive gun that gives my summoner '1 to Carnagor'.  I haven't spent any points in it yet, but wow, a level 1 Carnagor with 4 Fire Elementals is pretty effective.  it was worth it to lose the extra shot speed and few points of damage from my previous gun.

[Destructor]

so, I was getting to the British Museum last night, cleared Bloomsbury and teleported back to town to clear out my loot, and 'blammo', CTD, video driver not working.  I see nVidia just released some new WHQL drivers- has anyone tried them out yet with HG?  I'm tempted, but I haven't had any issues with my other games (yet) so I'm kind of hesitant.

I also bought a nice little Wasp Hive gun that gives my summoner '1 to Carnagor'.  I haven't spent any points in it yet, but wow, a level 1 Carnagor with 4 Fire Elementals is pretty effective.  it was worth it to lose the extra shot speed and few points of damage from my previous gun.

I've tried the non-official 193.04 (I think) drivers, and I've tried the latest official drivers - both CTD me after about an hour and change of playing as the game crashes right into the upper memory limit imposed by a poorly designed game and Vista's shitty management of memory. Or it was just some other CTD bug/error/crash whatever this game has. After beating CoD4 in one playthrough without ANY problems, HL really is starting to annoy me.

And can't you just summon your Carnagor via your item and then change guns? If so, that would be a nice way to increase your fighting force without killing your DPS.