H-Gate London Demo.....Can we talk?

[Destructor]

The NDA has been lifted:

Beta NDA Lifted

The NDA period for the general Beta test is officially over! THANK YOU all for being as good as you have been on this. Feel free to post, email, phone call, and alert your local news station about your play experiences!

And let me say that while I only got to level 8 or so during my beta time (with a few different characters), I'm FAR from impressed with the game. Maybe things improve as you get deeper in, but honestly I don't have much hope for it.

The game is repetitive to the max, the level design is a joke (the 'randomly generated levels' just SCREAM City of Heroes - and that is NOT a good thing), and there's simply not enough enemies to fight.

This game in my experience is FAR from a AAA title that I would expect former Blizzard devs to put out.

And to answer a question a bit up - some enemies have Shields in addition to their usual HP bar (just like you get). Those powers on weapons help punch through that.

[Blackjack]

Thanks. I played City of Heroes for 3 1/2 years, so that part doesn't concern me so much.

I'm finding some info at official forums, but I haven't so far found an ideal FAQ type thread. I'll keep trying.

[Farscry]

there's simply not enough enemies to fight.

This is my only real gameplay complaint, though some areas later on improved in this aspect. I recall gameplay vids from long ago with actual high population groups of mobs to mow through, and I hope that is something that happens as you progress. The first few areas are particularly sparse, unfortunately, but even as it improves later it doesn't reach Diablo 2 population density from what I've seen.

[TheAtomicKid]

fwiw, the Diablo demo was 2 brown, dark, dingy, repetitive (albeit randomizing) dungeons under Tristam. Diablo II's demo and beta were the underwhelming caves and and featureless grassy plains of Act I (and I remember being aghast that it was still basically a 640X480 game that actually seemed to look worse than Diablo I). So I really don't think the former Blizzard North has a reputation for demos that visually blow you away.  Maybe it *should* blow you away, maybe it's more important now that Flagship's whole future relies on this game.

For the record, and getting slightly off-topic here... the reason diablo2 looked worse than the original, is that blizzard used really crappy resolution on the textures for the game, to save space on the discs. Otherwise the game wouldnt have fit on the three cd's it originally came on. Personally, I hated that particular design decision. It's extremely replayable and fun, within the limitations it's set for itself, but I no longer play it, because it looks like utter crap these days, even playing in a window. Everything's fuzzy.

Atomic

[Daehawk]

Been getting NETWORK ERROR disconnects this morning. Game needs more work/testing but it wont get it.

[Destructor]

Thanks. I played City of Heroes for 3 1/2 years, so that part doesn't concern me so much.

Just got my 33 month reward (and still no level 50s), so that's why I made the comment that I did. You can only run through the same looking zone so many times before you go insane.

[Daehawk]

I was playing the Tabula Rosa beta and had to check my account. I see that CoH/CoV is offering me a trench coat

[Calvin]

Utterly unimpressed with the beta so far. Really, completely mediocre so far (admittedly only a few hours in).

[Arclight]

Utterly unimpressed with the beta so far. Really, completely mediocre so far (admittedly only a few hours in).

The "few" hours in means tons. In my way of thinking when the game is not based on depth of character development and progressive story-line...The first few hours in should really grab a hold of you and want you to play more.

[vizionblind]

I don't know what the consensus is here, but the guys at GAF at least are basically calling this a steaming pile of overrated crap-I thought it looked awful all along, but I don't really trust those gaffers-whats the consensus? Overrated? Good stuff?

Hot damn!  NDA finally lifted!

I do think that the game is overrated going off of what most people seemed to think it would be. Me, I expected (and wanted) Diablo 3, only without the Diablo license and in 3d with 3rd-person/fps direct movement controls rather than click-to-move.

That's exactly what I'm getting. Play Diablo 2, then play Hellgate London, and you'll see what I mean. Don't just go off of memories of Diablo 2.

The game is fairly bland at first; everything dies fast, poses little threat, you have very little in the way of abilities, and items don't have much variety or interest to them. Diablo 2 was exactly like this in the initial character levels and areas of Act 1.

Just like Diablo 2, the game gets good as you level up, start diversifying your skills, find more interesting and varied equipment, face more varied and powerful enemies, and just generally start hitting the more varied randomization the game has available.

I love the controls. Love them! You can do just like in Diablo 2: either sit there and button-mash while chugging potions or use guerilla tactics and stick and move, be very active. When I started playing Diablo 2, I just ran in and clicked. After a long time I eventually learned to be much more active and use movement to my advantage. Same seems to work in Hellgate so far.

Performance in hubs (stations) is abysmal with all the players running around. I don't know if it's my pc/client, or if it's netcode. Probably the former. But it really sucks. Out in the rest of the game, performance is stellar and it looks great. Enemies have a fair bit of rubberbanding at times, which also has always been a problem for me on Battlenet with Diablo 2. I don't think this will be an issue in single player.

I love the item options; being able to break down gear for parts, and use those parts to "level up" items and keep them useful makes a world of difference. In Diablo 2, there were a lot of cool low-level items that either were quickly replaced by better ones (with less personality) or were rare enough that by the time one dropped, it was usually outdated. In Hellgate, I can take those items I really like, level them up, and make them appropriately powerful for my character level. That alone is a massive, massive change for me.

I really love what I've played, roughly 10 hours in the beta with several characters up to around level 7-9. The game is exactly what I wanted (slightly more, no less) with a few cool additions I hadn't thought of, and will entertain me for a very long time. I do think it's overhyped, being made out to be more than what it is, and that is setting false expectations for a lot of people.

My one big complaint is that the npc's are too satirical and goofy compared to the atmosphere that's been built up around the game. Having a couple of looney npc's who've gone mad due to the apocalypse would make sense. Having every station populated by raving lunatics, babbling idiots, and neurotic people is too silly to make me take the game seriously at all. It really breaks the immersion and atmosphere of the game for me.

no lag or performance issues in the HUBS here

[Calvin]

Utterly unimpressed with the beta so far. Really, completely mediocre so far (admittedly only a few hours in).

The "few" hours in means tons. In my way of thinking when the game is not based on depth of character development and progressive story-line...The first few hours in should really grab a hold of you and want you to play more.

Well the tutorial is incredibly boring and bland, the first couple quests out of the tunnel hub are equally uninteresting, and running around 2004 era graphics in a poorly conceived post-apoc London to shoot the 5-6 incomptent undead slithering around with my incredibly boring weapon just did little for me. Played a bit more today and then uninstalled the beta. Absolutely not for me. I will just play TQ again or something like that if I get in the mood.

[drifter]

So far I have played as 3 classes.

First character i made was the marksman -  Having fun with this guy and range is definitely his specialty.  I have put all but one point in the stance and you do a lot of damage when in it and it extends your range.  I have one point in grenade which lets me toss out a grenade does decent damage and is nice for pulling something from around a corner or pillar.

Second Engineer - This guy is a blast.  The basic bot slows the enemy and I have points in the attack bot; he lasts a decent time.  Bots will range around you and just go after anything they see. I have a rocket launcher that holds 5 mods with 4 in it so far and I do a TON of damage; this guy has lots of health.

Created an evoker - got to level 3 and deleted him

Created a blademaster - have not logged him in yet.

[leo8877]

Utterly unimpressed with the beta so far. Really, completely mediocre so far (admittedly only a few hours in).

The "few" hours in means tons. In my way of thinking when the game is not based on depth of character development and progressive story-line...The first few hours in should really grab a hold of you and want you to play more.

Well the tutorial is incredibly boring and bland, the first couple quests out of the tunnel hub are equally uninteresting, and running around 2004 era graphics in a poorly conceived post-apoc London to shoot the 5-6 incomptent undead slithering around with my incredibly boring weapon just did little for me. Played a bit more today and then uninstalled the beta. Absolutely not for me. I will just play TQ again or something like that if I get in the mood.

+1 that's exactly how I felt when playing the demo.

[Atragon]

So far I have played as 3 classes.

First character i made was the marksman -  Having fun with this guy and range is definitely his specialty.  I have put all but one point in the stance and you do a lot of damage when in it and it extends your range.  I have one point in grenade which lets me toss out a grenade does decent damage and is nice for pulling something from around a corner or pillar.

Second Engineer - This guy is a blast.  The basic bot slows the enemy and I have points in the attack bot; he lasts a decent time.  Bots will range around you and just go after anything they see. I have a rocket launcher that holds 5 mods with 4 in it so far and I do a TON of damage; this guy has lots of health.

Created an evoker - got to level 3 and deleted him

Created a blademaster - have not logged him in yet.

I found evoker gets better once you hit level 5, but that's just me...

[TheAtomicKid]

This was definitely an annoying read...

http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=17938

Just because they put it in the EULA doesnt make it right... legal, maybe, but still offensive.

Heck, I remember a long time back, when the EULA for Juno (free mail service)got updated to include the ability for them to use your spare cpu cycles, by requiring you to allow your machine to access the net, and to leave it on, even when you weren't using it. I believe that was the day I swapped my mom over to Netzero, iirc.

In any case, this is definitely disheartening to see. I don't mind the idea of in-game ads, but this is ridiculous. What's next, we reserve the right to scan your emails so we can target our advertisements better? When does it end?

Atomic

PS: If I'm paying for an elite account, do I still have to put up with the in-game ads? Do you still scan my system? Etc.

EXTREMELY annoyed. May be a deal-breaker for me.

[leo8877]

This was definitely an annoying read...

http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=17938

Just because they put it in the EULA doesnt make it right... legal, maybe, but still offensive.

Heck, I remember a long time back, when the EULA for Juno (free mail service)got updated to include the ability for them to use your spare cpu cycles, by requiring you to allow your machine to access the net, and to leave it on, even when you weren't using it. I believe that was the day I swapped my mom over to Netzero, iirc.

In any case, this is definitely disheartening to see. I don't mind the idea of in-game ads, but this is ridiculous. What's next, we reserve the right to scan your emails so we can target our advertisements better? When does it end?

Atomic

PS: If I'm paying for an elite account, do I still have to put up with the in-game ads? Do you still scan my system? Etc.

EXTREMELY annoyed. May be a deal-breaker for me.

Yikes that's pretty freaky!

[hitbyambulance]

i'm going to have to force myself to get further into the game - the first five minutes of the demo were preeetty dull.

[KiloOhm]

i'm going to have to force myself to get further into the game - the first five minutes of the demo were preeetty dull.

The next 15 hours aren't much better.....

I keep moving forward, hoping to get to an area / quest / mission that has me go "now this is what I want this game for". Haven't see that yet...

[Knightshade Dragon]

This was definitely an annoying read...

http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=17938

Just because they put it in the EULA doesnt make it right... legal, maybe, but still offensive.

Heck, I remember a long time back, when the EULA for Juno (free mail service)got updated to include the ability for them to use your spare cpu cycles, by requiring you to allow your machine to access the net, and to leave it on, even when you weren't using it. I believe that was the day I swapped my mom over to Netzero, iirc.

In any case, this is definitely disheartening to see. I don't mind the idea of in-game ads, but this is ridiculous. What's next, we reserve the right to scan your emails so we can target our advertisements better? When does it end?

Atomic

PS: If I'm paying for an elite account, do I still have to put up with the in-game ads? Do you still scan my system? Etc.

EXTREMELY annoyed. May be a deal-breaker for me.

Depending on how the files get to your PC I'll post how to block them completely and permanently using your host file.  Just say no to frivilous advertising nonsense.

[Destructor]

Depending on how the files get to your PC I'll post how to block them completely and permanently using your host file.  Just say no to frivilous advertising nonsense.

I look forward to seeing that, as this game is an intended gift for me that I'll be putting some time into hopefully.

[Farscry]

Depending on how the files get to your PC I'll post how to block them completely and permanently using your host file.  Just say no to frivilous advertising nonsense.

I look forward to seeing that.

Ditto. 

[CeeKay]

Depending on how the files get to your PC I'll post how to block them completely and permanently using your host file.  Just say no to frivilous advertising nonsense.

I look forward to seeing that.

Ditto. 

always looking for a way to stick it to the man 

[Soulchilde]

Utterly unimpressed with the beta so far. Really, completely mediocre so far (admittedly only a few hours in).

+1   I am not impressed

[CeeKay]

I got into the beta today.  Here's hoping Calvins smoking crack 

[ROTC1983]

I got into the beta today.  Here's hoping Calvins smoking crack 

He is just on speed

[Atragon]

I found the demo boring as @#(!%&, the beta is better IMO.

[EddieA]

I just got into the beta today.  Hopefully, I'll have it downloaded by the time the game comes out

[CeeKay]

the beta is better than the demo (talk about a massive disparity between the 2), but holy crash-a-licious Batman!  the game does not like me when I try to level up for some reason.

[Lockdown]

Everytime I attempt to download the demo (1.45gig) - it just flat stops at 1.20 gigs.  That is just.... bizarre.

Question:  Can you "pull out" the camera on your guy if you are playing in that 3rd person view?  You know how in games like WoW and Guild Wars, you can pull the camera back a bit to get a better view?  Can you do that in Hellgate London?

[Knightshade Dragon]

Everytime I attempt to download the demo (1.45gig) - it just flat stops at 1.20 gigs.  That is just.... bizarre.

Question:  Can you "pull out" the camera on your guy if you are playing in that 3rd person view?  You know how in games like WoW and Guild Wars, you can pull the camera back a bit to get a better view?  Can you do that in Hellgate London?

Yep, pulling back the camera is simply rolling the scroll wheel out. 

[Lockdown]

I didn't realize this.  I really want to try this game, darn it.

[CeeKay]

I went to hell for the first time last night to find someone, and got into a fight with what I'm assuming to be the first major boss.  It mainly consisted of me backpedaling while firing and running away when it got to close.  are the other boss fights more complicated than that?

I'm having a blast playing the Engineer but the bots seem to be making the game a bit too easy as it seems like I'm easily dispatching guys I had trouble with in the demo- like the demon who had the fake leg- he went down like he had a glass jaw.

[Lockdown]

Out of curiosity, what level is/was your engineer when defeating things easily, CK?

[CeeKay]

Out of curiosity, what level is/was your engineer when defeating things easily, CK?

he was level 2 when I did the missing leg quest, the same as my characters in the demo.  The demo is basically the first few levels of the beta, but the beta obviously has a bit more variety in it.

[drifter]

Created a summoner today and tried it out; talk about easy mode.  I have up to four fire elementals runnng around at one time now with the hive gun I picked up nothing lasts long.

[CeeKay]

so, apparently the beta will end this Friday at 10pm PST and there will be a complete data wipe, but the beta will re-open at some later point for about a week before the games official launch, and then those characters can be transferred to the full game.

[Daehawk]

Had my first ever RTS style play in HGL tonight. I led a squad of 4 Templars through a small map using the overhead view from a terminal in a building I could'nt exit. Took me 2 tries.

Also got stuck on a little pebble or something for the ^&*(% time tonight, got mad and quit out. Maybe tomorrow ill feel like playing some more. Tempted to delete it. I can see it is fun but its not holding my interest very well and the bugs are making me think to wait a couple months anyways.

I took some screenshots with the print screen key. My game lagged as if it was saving the pics each time but I cant find where any were saved

[CeeKay]

Created a summoner today and tried it out; talk about easy mode.  I have up to four fire elementals runnng around at one time now with the hive gun I picked up nothing lasts long.

yeah, tonight I tried a summoner as well.  I think I see some nerfs coming done the line....

[EngineNo9]

I took some screenshots with the print screen key. My game lagged as if it was saving the pics each time but I cant find where any were saved

I'm not at home so I can't check, but did you look in your "My Documents" folder?  I'm guessing that may be part of adhering to the Games for Windows platform. 

[Destructor]

I took some screenshots with the print screen key. My game lagged as if it was saving the pics each time but I cant find where any were saved

I'm not at home so I can't check, but did you look in your "My Documents" folder?  I'm guessing that may be part of adhering to the Games for Windows platform. 

Adhering to the GfW platform = Windows putting stuff God knows where, and generally in no place you can usually find it.