Hellgate: London

[Melbosa]

So has anyone tried this one out yet?

Played an hour last night, looks like it could be a lot of fun.  Didn't pay much attention to the story as I was just checking it out, but I think there might be some potential to this game.

Anyone else tried it?

[Mr. Analog]

I heard the controls suck ass, how'd you find 'em?

[Melbosa]

Seemed to be very easy to me... don't know about every class, as I tried the Guardian.  But as a hack/slash class it wasn't that bad at all... infact very normal key setup for anyone who has ever played an FPS and MMO before.

[Mags]

The reviews have been terrible so far. Very Very repetitive once you play for a bit.

The Witcher looks interesting though: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/thewitcher/review.html?sid=6182328

[Melbosa]

Resurrection!

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/hellgate-london/923551p1.html

Namco Bandai has issued a press release today which states that Hellgate: London will remain playable until the end of January 2009. The developer Flagship Studios was closed down back in August of this year, but Namco Bandai stated that it will keep the game's servers live a little longer. As a bittersweet bonus, players will no longer be required to pay a monthly fee to access the online game.

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced that they will continue to support customers of PC game Hellgate?: London with online server support and play through January 31, 2009 despite the closure of Flagship Studios. In a further gesture of support, Namco Bandai Games will provide this server support free of charge to all fans and players of the game up until the shut down date.

NAMCO BANDAI Games appreciates the enthusiasm of all the Hellgate: London players and looks forward to providing them with future entertainment products.

At the time of its closure Flagship Studios was working on another project, the MMORPG Mythos, which shared the same core engine as Hellgate: London.

1 year plus a couple of months, and your game is no longer playable with friends!

[Mr. Analog]

Ooh snap!

[Mags]

I think you mean just a couple months. They haven't been charging subscribers for awhile though, so they can't complain too loudly.

[Melbosa]

I think you mean just a couple months.

Oh I was referring to how long you have been able to play online with your friends in total, not how much is left.  My bad.

[Mags]

I think you mean just a couple months.

Oh I was referring to how long you have been able to play online with your friends in total, not how much is left.  My bad.

Ah I see, gotcha.

[Melbosa]

And the letter most subscribes got recently:

Dear $Account{AccountName},

Please be advised that NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. will continue to support customers of Hellgate: London with online server support and play through January 31, 2009. In a further gesture of support, we will provide this server support free of charge to all fans and players of the game up until the shut down date.

All of us at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. appreciate your enthusiasm for Hellgate: London and look forward to providing you with future entertainment products.

Thanks you,
Namco Bandai Games America Inc.

How nice for the people who paid $150 US for the lifetime subscription option.  Hopefully someone (even Namco) releases a patch to play this one on the LAN.

[Mr. Analog]

I think the likelihood of Japanese company giving away server code is low at best.

I expect if there is enough interest someone will find a way to hack the server code, but otherwise it will just disappear of the map over time and fade into memory, like so many farts in the wind...

[Mags]

And the letter most subscribes got recently:

Dear $Account{AccountName},

Please be advised that NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. will continue to support customers of Hellgate: London with online server support and play through January 31, 2009. In a further gesture of support, we will provide this server support free of charge to all fans and players of the game up until the shut down date.

All of us at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. appreciate your enthusiasm for Hellgate: London and look forward to providing you with future entertainment products.

Thanks you,
Namco Bandai Games America Inc.

How nice for the people who paid $150 US for the lifetime subscription option.  Hopefully someone (even Namco) releases a patch to play this one on the LAN.

I really wish companies did this. I would love to play with friends on a personal server games like AC2, Horizons, etc. I assume companies are trying to protect their intellectual rights, but you would think you would make more releasing the server code and a big-as-@%&# eula and then sue the @%&# out of anyone who steals from you, rather then the code collecting dust somewhere.