Hellgate first impressions?

[apoppin]

Wow! ... End of Act IV ... almost Level 28 Engineer ... the story IS coming together ... kinda hoping for a big Finish
-and it has got more stable ... after 4 straight hours, i just exited
[my heart couldn't take it anymore and i am STARVING]

sure - DOES have it flaws - Server Errors are at the TOP of my list ... after fighting through [over an hour] - *twice* - within sight of my goal it would crash and send me back to the station for another fight thru [usually very easy the third time, and i am sure i am an 'extra' level because of having to start over too many times]


But it is the most addictive game i have played in over a year
--or two ... or three ... years


EDIT: a little update with Level 28 ... you know those Irritating *hints* that keep getting displayed over-and-over> Well, i got a new one:

You really should know what you are doing by now

 

[AlgaeEater]

I'm playing this game and The Witcher at the same time, and they definitely bring different tastes in gaming.

I don't have the time I use to have back in college now that I work full time with a finance, but I still try to let my hold hobbies live on. Hellgate definitely is the "lunch break" and "just home from work" fix game that is enjoyable in really short spurts. There's no real things to remember, not much dialog, and just kill-kill game play with better loot and skills that makes it fun, even if a little dry.

I like it, and I think the reviews are spot on for the game. It's a genre game at the core, meaning you'll either love it or hate it depending if you like other games like it. If you need a in depth story driven fix with character development and kick ass graphics, pick up The Witcher on the side and save that on the weekends when you have time

 

[Lamont Burns]

I was stalking this thread for a while trying to decide if I wanted to try it or not. I ended up picking it up and trying it. I was hooked on D2 back in the day, and play WoW and TF2 atm.

After getting a Guardian to level 19, just entering Act 4, I think a 6/10 is about right. Chat is poor and basically inactive as a result there is little to no grouping outside the last boss(unless you already have links going into the game), inventory needs overhaul, random DCs after several hours, etc.

There are some cool elements tho, if you liked D2 this truly is just an update for it. the way items work, mods, upgrading(horadric cube style). I don't subscribe and don't plan to unless they do make the game worth it. After I defeat it on normal will create an elite character and if it's not a challenge probably stop all together.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: lupi
Wasn't impressed with the Beta. I hope it sinks because of the subscription model scheme they're trying to pull. And you can't even read the damn game forums without buying a copy. Craptastic I tell you.

I would be interested except there's no way Hellgate is worthy of a monthly fee.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: Jaskalas

Originally posted by: lupi
Wasn't impressed with the Beta. I hope it sinks because of the subscription model scheme they're trying to pull. And you can't even read the damn game forums without buying a copy. Craptastic I tell you.

I would be interested except there's no way Hellgate is worthy of a monthly fee.

Just don't pay it and play normal MP. That's what I am doing and it has been well worth the $50 I paid so far even with the current bugs.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: LAMONTBURNS
I was stalking this thread for a while trying to decide if I wanted to try it or not. I ended up picking it up and trying it. I was hooked on D2 back in the day, and play WoW and TF2 atm.

After getting a Guardian to level 19, just entering Act 4, I think a 6/10 is about right. Chat is poor and basically inactive as a result there is little to no grouping outside the last boss(unless you already have links going into the game), inventory needs overhaul, random DCs after several hours, etc.

There are some cool elements tho, if you liked D2 this truly is just an update for it. the way items work, mods, upgrading(horadric cube style). I don't subscribe and don't plan to unless they do make the game worth it. After I defeat it on normal will create an elite character and if it's not a challenge probably stop all together.

i don't believe either elite or hardcore is available to non-subscribers

Most of HGL's faults center around the MP aspect --- when i learned the unstuck ("/stuck") command that frustration ended but the server disconnects ARE damned annoying .... it added about 10% to the length of the game so far [i doubt i would be really Level 28 otherwise] :|

i expect that these issues will be quickly be fixed or else no one in their right mind will subscribe

in the middle of the final 5th Act - an i am hoping the Ending isn't a clunker - i am giving the SP a 8.5/10 and the MP [barely] a '6'.

... so far

 

[Lamont Burns]

Originally posted by: apoppin

i don't believe either elite or hardcore is available to non-subscribers

Dang. I thought I had read Elite would be available to non-subscribers, but Hardcore would not. Ah well. I guess I will decide on subscribing a lot sooner then.

And yea, I am glad I learned the stuck command here... getting stuck is almost laughably easy as a melee class getting in range some times. yikes.

 

[KeithTalent]

I like the game. I don't love it or hate it. I'd say it is probably my 4th favourite game from this year so far.

I do really want to play it some more, but I just cannot deal with the random server errors. I said it before, but it feels as if everytime I am travelling any sort of distance, I get a crash right before I get to a 'save' point. Because of this I have not played in a week, am stuck at level 11 and will probably stay that way until they fix these errors (and hopefully DX10).

KT

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I like the game. I don't love it or hate it. I'd say it is probably my 4th favourite game from this year so far.

I do really want to play it some more, but I just cannot deal with the random server errors. I said it before, but it feels as if everytime I am travelling any sort of distance, I get a crash right before I get to a 'save' point. Because of this I have not played in a week, am stuck at level 11 and will probably stay that way until they fix these errors (and hopefully DX10).

KT

the crashes are getting less frequent ... i actually shut it down yesterday evening after playing 5 continuous frantic hours ... just when you think the NPC enemies couldn't get thicker or come at you faster - they do!

i am just sorry i did not play it offline ... bugs ruin any game
[8.5 SP + 6 MP = 7.0] ... the game is awesome otherwise

i know for sure 'Hardcore' is not available to the non-subscribers .... i am not sure about 'Elite'

 

[pontifex]

Since getting CoD4, HGL has taken the back seat. With SoF: Payback coming out next week, HGL might even be outside the car!

 

[HopJokey]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I like the game. I don't love it or hate it. I'd say it is probably my 4th favourite game from this year so far.

I do really want to play it some more, but I just cannot deal with the random server errors. I said it before, but it feels as if everytime I am travelling any sort of distance, I get a crash right before I get to a 'save' point. Because of this I have not played in a week, am stuck at level 11 and will probably stay that way until they fix these errors (and hopefully DX10).

KT

the crashes are getting less frequent ... i actually shut it down yesterday evening after playing 5 continuous frantic hours ... just when you think the NPC enemies couldn't get thicker or come at you faster - they do!

i am just sorry i did not play it offline ... bugs ruin any game
[8.5 SP + 6 MP = 7.0] ... the game is awesome otherwise

i know for sure 'Hardcore' is not available to the non-subscribers .... i am not sure about 'Elite'

Elite is available for everyone; hardcore is only for subbies.

I think the Multiplayer can only get better; I would love a chance to play Hardcore Elite mode.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: HopJokey

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I like the game. I don't love it or hate it. I'd say it is probably my 4th favourite game from this year so far.

I do really want to play it some more, but I just cannot deal with the random server errors. I said it before, but it feels as if everytime I am travelling any sort of distance, I get a crash right before I get to a 'save' point. Because of this I have not played in a week, am stuck at level 11 and will probably stay that way until they fix these errors (and hopefully DX10).

KT

the crashes are getting less frequent ... i actually shut it down yesterday evening after playing 5 continuous frantic hours ... just when you think the NPC enemies couldn't get thicker or come at you faster - they do!

i am just sorry i did not play it offline ... bugs ruin any game
[8.5 SP + 6 MP = 7.0] ... the game is awesome otherwise

i know for sure 'Hardcore' is not available to the non-subscribers .... i am not sure about 'Elite'

Elite is available for everyone; hardcore is only for subbies.

I think the Multiplayer can only get better; I would love a chance to play Hardcore Elite mode.

i believe you're right

--so if you die on Hardcore, your Char is retired?


i am not so sure
--after i finish .. or nearly so, i will attempt MP ... this weekend

 

[Lamont Burns]

Yep, once you die, that's it. I remember I lost a 77 Druid and 83 sorc in Hell Hardcore in D2. Oops.

Lots of Paladins in Hardcore back in the day... I imagine a lot of Hardcore Guardians will be in HGL. Mine in Normal is stupid easy compared to some classes.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: LAMONTBURNS
Yep, once you die, that's it. I remember I lost a 77 Druid and 83 sorc in Hell Hardcore in D2. Oops.

Lots of Paladins in Hardcore back in the day... I imagine a lot of Hardcore Guardians will be in HGL. Mine in Normal is stupid easy compared to some classes.

"stupid easy" - How?
:confused

interesting ... i have 2 Characters ...

i see PvP is Sub only ... how is it in HGL?

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: LAMONTBURNS

Originally posted by: apoppin

i don't believe either elite or hardcore is available to non-subscribers

Dang. I thought I had read Elite would be available to non-subscribers, but Hardcore would not. Ah well. I guess I will decide on subscribing a lot sooner then.

And yea, I am glad I learned the stuck command here... getting stuck is almost laughably easy as a melee class getting in range some times. yikes.

This is not true. Elite is available to non-subscribers and hardcore is not. That was a recent change they made. However, you do need to complete the game once in order to unlock Elite mode. From what I understand, you cannot unlock elite mode for MP if you only complete the game in SP so you will have to make and play a MP character in normal mode all the way through before you can create a new character in Elite mode. Also, you will never be able to use your Normal mode character that you used to beat the game with in Elite mode. I am hoping they change that though.

 

[pontifex]

What exactly is the appeal of the Hardcore mode? All that work and one mistake its gone...

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: pontifex
What exactly is the appeal of the Hardcore mode? All that work and one mistake its gone...

I was wondering the exact same thing...

KT

 

[ayabe]

I play almost 4 hours every night and have never had the game crash or server problems FWIW.

I did have a memory leak problem in beta where after 3 hours or so my machine would choke.

Blademasters are not underpowered they are the highest damage dealers in the game by a large margin and thus rely on that to help them survive. But you need to micromanage then a lot more than say an Eng. Evokers are kind of the same way except instead of spamming heal kits you are spamming power kits. Though I've heard that at around level 20 or so Evokers become almost unkillable. I played one in beta to around level 12 or so and liked after a rough start, so that will be my next char.

I'm really liking my Engineer just invested some points and got my Haste bot, handing out some serious ownage at level 22.

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: pontifex
What exactly is the appeal of the Hardcore mode? All that work and one mistake its gone...

E-peen and that's about it.

 

[Lamont Burns]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: LAMONTBURNS
Yep, once you die, that's it. I remember I lost a 77 Druid and 83 sorc in Hell Hardcore in D2. Oops.

Lots of Paladins in Hardcore back in the day... I imagine a lot of Hardcore Guardians will be in HGL. Mine in Normal is stupid easy compared to some classes.

"stupid easy" - How?
:confused

Guardians have crazy defensive skills/auras coupled with very nice AoE damage from some other skills as well as stacking splash damage on your main weapon. At Lvl 19 I have about 78% damage reduction and am currently mowing down lvl 22s, including rares/epics/bosses with basically next to no stopping. I just round them up, shield turn, spam my main DPS skill and they all die extremely fast. About 12 or more at a time.

Perhaps all classes are like that, but my 15 evoker seems a lot slower in comparison.

 

[Czar]

and remember, if its anything like diablo all your uber characters will be useless with the next patch

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: LAMONTBURNS

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: LAMONTBURNS
Yep, once you die, that's it. I remember I lost a 77 Druid and 83 sorc in Hell Hardcore in D2. Oops.

Lots of Paladins in Hardcore back in the day... I imagine a lot of Hardcore Guardians will be in HGL. Mine in Normal is stupid easy compared to some classes.

"stupid easy" - How?
:confused

Guardians have crazy defensive skills/auras coupled with very nice AoE damage from some other skills as well as stacking splash damage on your main weapon. At Lvl 19 I have about 78% damage reduction and am currently mowing down lvl 22s, including rares/epics/bosses with basically next to no stopping. I just round them up, shield turn, spam my main DPS skill and they all die extremely fast. About 12 or more at a time.

Perhaps all classes are like that, but my 15 evoker seems a lot slower in comparison.

all classes ARE like that ... and you experience [intentionally by the devs] frustration from time-to-time unless you are leveling up "perfectly"

i played to Level 10 as a Guardian ... they are built to absorb damage and deal it out; but nothing matches the firepower of the Blademaster who i *easily* got to Level 20 and as far as the Beta would let me before the Wipe.

the Engineer is different .. you can also "tank" him so that he takes a LOT of damage [i am like crazy for "accuracy" and just keep everything barely updated enough to wear the strongest armor and use the latest and best weapons which i upgrade every other level]; but your best bet is to strengthen your drone - together your character and the drone are an awesome "team" of amazing fire power [especially concentrated on a single enemy NPC at a time]
- Bosses topple easily after i pick off all of their support and especially after i soften them up with a 9 second on-going concussive strike.
:Q

==============

Originally posted by: ayabe
I play almost 4 hours every night and have never had the game crash or server problems FWIW.

I did have a memory leak problem in beta where after 3 hours or so my machine would choke.

Blademasters are not underpowered they are the highest damage dealers in the game by a large margin and thus rely on that to help them survive. But you need to micromanage then a lot more than say an Eng. Evokers are kind of the same way except instead of spamming heal kits you are spamming power kits. Though I've heard that at around level 20 or so Evokers become almost unkillable. I played one in beta to around level 12 or so and liked after a rough start, so that will be my next char.

I'm really liking my Engineer just invested some points and got my Haste bot, handing out some serious ownage at level 22.

Damn ! Lucky you! ... i think my "HS internet" may also be partly to blame for my server errors
... at least i don't see the "out of memory" message anymore amd i play for 5 hours at a time [or more ]

My Engineer is really micro-managed to death
-and i am LOVING it
:heart:
... Level 28 and heading for a conclusion
[i think i can see it from a mile away and i hope that it "ties" in with the intro]


Summoner is next

 

[KeithTalent]

Is there a max level for this game? Is there anything additional to do once you beat the final boss, or do you just create a new character and start over?

KT

 

[stuicidal]

I am loving this game!
It is challenging, the online is fun!
The only problem with it are the graphics. The movie clips you get are awesome, but the in-game graphics suck more than hilary clinton

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Is there a max level for this game? Is there anything additional to do once you beat the final boss, or do you just create a new character and start over?

KT

capped at level 50 for the non-subs afaik
as to part two of your question, i'll let you know

soon

The only problem with it are the graphics. The movie clips you get are awesome, but the in-game graphics suck . . .

are you kidding?
--they look very good ... as good as any other DX9 game with everything maxed out. What rig are you running and what detail level?

damn ... how many move clips? i only saw the intro ... you don't get *any* cutscenes playing it online
maybe i should play the Summoner offline