Hellgate: London Updated Q&A - Random Loot and Vicious Monsters

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muppetts
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Hellgate: London Updated Q&A - Random Loot and Vicious Monsters

Post by muppetts »

This keeps getting better, not too long to wait either.

Back in 1996, computer game players everywhere became hooked on Diablo, a simple action role-playing game in which you played as a fantasy warrior and defeated your diabolical enemies by repeatedly clicking your mouse button to attack. One sequel and countless destroyed computer mice later, the creative forces behind the original Diablo games have reunited as Flagship Studios to create the soon-to-be-released Hellgate: London, a futuristic hack-and-slash game in which you'll fight against a demonic invasion in a postapocalyptic version of London, England. Over the course of the game, your character will amass huge piles of randomly generated loot, much of which can be crafted together to assemble powerful weapons and armor. However, you'll also be hacking your way through many areas that will be randomly generated themselves, and populated with random squads of hellish beasts. We sat down with chief visionary officer David Brevik for more details.

Hellgate: London will have randomized levels that won't be the same area twice.
GameSpot: We understand that randomization will play a key role in adding variety to Hellgate: London's gameplay. For instance, tell us about the role it will play in creating adventure environments for players, with different types of monsters scaling to players' experience levels. How will the game offer a new experience each time without disrupting the experience (such as by having a key enemy spawn inside of a wall, or having the entrance and exit too close to each other)?

David Brevik: The monsters do not scale to the players' experience levels. They are a set level range for that particular section of the game. We just try and track your level with theirs to keep an even difficulty.

That being said, we spent a lot of time designing and implementing random level generation in the game. We have designed it in such a way that we create rules to govern the look. These rules are run in an order to ensure that the level is a size we like. We can run rules a variable amount of times and loop and skip and all sorts of stuff. We can design exits and entrances to be right next to each other or start by placing it at the beginning, and then grow it, then add the exit at the end. It is an extremely flexible system--one that I believe could create any random level you could imagine.

As far as making sure the level is playable, we stick quest set pieces in the level generation, as well as many other layout props and nodes to ensure that things can look OK. Many of those layouts have random levels associated with them as well. There are layers and layers of randomness associated with the way we generate the levels.

GS: We understand that random loot will play a huge role in what should be the addictive pastime of treasure hunting. What kind of item variety should players expect to see in-game? Will it be possible for players to randomly find items that are much more powerful than regular items suited for their current level? How will players avoid looking like motley clowns if they're wearing armor from 12 different sets?

DB: Random items are the bread and butter of our game. The whole game is designed around the addictiveness that the random items systems possess. There are many looks associated with the different armors that you can find; each class has several complete sets of armor.

Even the good old Thames River may take on different forms.
It will always be possible to find random items that will increase your power. That is the most exciting aspect of what you are doing. Trying to find that one magic item that makes you a little overpowered is always a blast.

As for the clown suits, we don't have any. Instead of a particular item having a particular color, each item has a color set associated with it. You can right-click on any item you are wearing and set your suit of armor to use that particular dye. We also have a slot that you can put rare dyes into and have suit colors that are difficult to obtain.

Random Encounters

GS: Tell us about how randomization affects the type of creatures you'll face in the game. How in-depth will the game go in terms of matching enemies to your character? Will the game automatically spawn enemies with ranged attacks if you're playing a templar character who's more likely to get into close combat, for instance?

You can expect to see random monsters appear in different areas, as well.
DB: Many of the monsters in the game are set to appear in specific areas of the game, so it has nothing to do with your class or your character.

As for the randomness, we have "named" rare and legendary monsters in the game. These are more powerful than your normal monster. They have random attributes assigned to them to give them more powers. They can have unusual skills, crazy artificial intelligence behavior, healing, and a variety of other things. When you encounter these random monsters, you will get a much different experience than [with] other monsters of the same type.

GS: Can we expect to see a kind of in-game ecology with respect to how environments relate to monsters? Will there be a species of zombie that favors subway tunnels, or a species of demon that favors graveyards, for instance? If so, how well will players be able to change or adapt their weapon loadouts and strategies if they know they're in for a skirmish against a certain enemy type?

DB: We don't really go as far as "this particular monster type is at this location all the time." The replay value really takes a hit when you go through a level for the 10th time, fighting the same monsters you have always fought there. We like to spice it up a bit more than that. There are monster types in certain sections of the game, but you can have rare spawn types in levels and get a radically different monster grouping.

There will be certain sections of the game that focus on a particular resistance and damage type. You will have to take that into consideration when donning your gear.

GS: How well will different enemies work in unison? Can we expect to see different enemy types working together? How will monsters' abilities and strengths otherwise complement each other on the battlefield?

DB: When laying out which monsters go where, we did try and complement and mix the types of monsters you get. There are monsters that work together in different ways. Some have powers that will wear you down with "curse" abilities, while others will take advantage of that. We often put melee [enemies] with ranged [enemies], and many other combinations.

We also have "monster masters" that work with their minions. For example, there are zombie summoners that heal and "buff" (strengthen) zombies in the area, an imp shaman that can spawn up monsters...and many others.

Lastly, we have monsters like the "orbile," which can pair with any monster and work together. They suck the energy out of dead monsters to buff themselves.

We also have templar non-player characters with AIs that let them work together and run around killing monsters. There are some levels where you will see them wandering around helping out.

GS: Give us an update on the game's ongoing beta. How is the final round of balancing and tweaking coming along? What have players seemed to respond to most?

DB: The beta is going incredibly well! We have had over 150,000 people sign up on our Web site. There is a lot of interest in the game. We are still making some significant but controlled changes to the balance. People seem to be having a really good time playing and we have a fantastic group helping us out! We are incredibly lucky that we have such passionate players.

The randomized levels and monsters will hopefully keep you coming back for more.
GS: Finally, is there anything else you'd like to add about randomization, environments, loot, or monsters in Hellgate: London?

DB: I think that randomization is the soul of Hellgate. It really makes such an incredible difference in the gameplay. Not knowing where to go, what beasts are coming next, or what magic items are going to drop for you--it adds a level of excitement and addiction that lasts a long time. It has always been a major part of what makes our games fun and unique.

GS: Thank you.

-GameSpot
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pjknibbs
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Post by pjknibbs »

Bit puzzling how they can have a game set in London with random levels, but I suppose they can always offer the excuse that the layout of the city may have changed by whatever time period the game is set in. :-)
muppetts
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Post by muppetts »

Demons, can't trust em, one minute your in Crystal Palace the next min a hell infested pit....hmm hang on thats not going to work....
Last edited by muppetts on Fri, 12. Oct 07, 22:28, edited 1 time in total.
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aronlsearle
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Post by aronlsearle »

I have a question

So can you name me one single thing that is innovative or original to this game?

Not saying I wont probably enjoy this, for what it is, but id like to see how the “chief visionary officer” works for his food, when every element of the game in this particular article is just a rehash of diablo or some element from another game (opps thats the gaming industry over the last 10 years or so).

Ill shut up ranting now.
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Post by BeerGoblin »

So this is diablo in a modern era london?

Beer
BDStyle
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Post by BDStyle »

I'm looking forward to this game, have been tracking it for 2 years hehe.

As for is it the new D2? Not technically but its got the same dev's from blizzard fronting the game design.

As far as I can tell the same philosophy is behind the game and for me that's only a good thing :)
aronlsearle
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Post by aronlsearle »

Yea, i'm looking forward to it, but....

They could at least "try" to do something new or surprising in it.

Its not like Diablo was simply perfect and cannot be improved upon.

Maybe i just expect to much.
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Arsaneus
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Post by Arsaneus »

I love this game. I joined beta some weeks ago. I can't talk about teh content because of the NDA but it didn't disappoint me...

Definately a title to look forward to!
muppetts
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Post by muppetts »

aronlsearle wrote:I have a question

So can you name me one single thing that is innovative or original to this game?

Not saying I wont probably enjoy this, for what it is, but id like to see how the “chief visionary officer” works for his food, when every element of the game in this particular article is just a rehash of diablo or some element from another game (opps thats the gaming industry over the last 10 years or so).

Ill shut up ranting now.
Just because someone else has used the concept before it does not mean they have done it well.
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BDStyle
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Post by BDStyle »

aronlsearle wrote:Yea, i'm looking forward to it, but....

They could at least "try" to do something new or surprising in it.

Its not like Diablo was simply perfect and cannot be improved upon.

Maybe i just expect to much.
I'm Looking forward to it and yet I totally agree with you mate.

It feels new yet comfy all at the same time and I'm fine with that.
I love this game. I joined beta some weeks ago. I can't talk about teh content because of the NDA but it didn't disappoint me...

Definately a title to look forward to!
I don't have time for the beta but its ok, maybe I can catch you in game on release?[/quote]
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gunman127
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Post by gunman127 »

Heck, I've been playing Space Cowboy Online for free for ages, and all that is is Diablo in jet planes...

I love the look of HGL, but am too skint to get it till after Xmas... bugger.
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Post by Tsar_of_Cows »

Well I was looking forward until they started talking about randomly generated content.

TBH to me that screams "we have no creativity, and too few level designers".

Not only that, but anyone who has played Dark Cloud or Dark Chronical can tell you that randomly generated levels really suck.

They're incredibly boring to look at and incredibly repetative as everything is a set width, height and length so that it can fit onto the generated grid. Not only that, but because they're randomly generated, they have no logical layout to them; paths go for miles in one direction then double back on themselves because they hit the side of the grid, corridors go round in circles and lead into themselves, sometimes you even end up with the level transition about 5 feet away from the level start. Not exactly conductive of an enjoyable gameplay experience when every time you look at the map it's blindingly obvious that a computer algorythm chugged through while the level was loading and spat out something even less rational than Spaghetti Junction.

Also, IMHO mobs with randomly generated stats are pretty much as bad as WoW's moving boxes of XP with nothing to differentiate them. If the stats are generated randomly, your best bet will just be to approach every mob the same way and hope you kill them.

Randomly generated loot is the only thing I don't object to. I still chuckle whenever I remember finding the "Optimistic Legbreaker of Seasons" in Dungeon Seige, and a few levels later, "The Optimistic Chainmail of Sorrow".
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Post by pjknibbs »

But on the other hand, anyone who's played Diablo 2 will tell you that randomly generated works well for this kind of game. Games like Titan Quest, which essentially take the same gameplay and put it in a fixed path, inevitably have less replay value because you've seen everything before, and part of the fun of a game like this is trying out how various different character "builds" play.
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Post by BDStyle »

Can't agree more pjknibbs.

Guess there is pro's and con's to everything, only difference in this case would be 'is the glass half full or half empty?'
BeerGoblin
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Post by BeerGoblin »

I've heard this might be a pay-per-play or pay-for-content game?

Any truth to this?

Beer
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Post by Pandion »

It's both they give you the option of playing for free or doing or paying monthly

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