The Huxley watch thread

[Sedako]

Well, after the failure that is Hellgate: London, I've been browsing around to hopefully find something worthy enough of being my next big MMO. I recalled a game I had heard about last year called Huxley. After digging up some updated info, I've determined that Huxley may just be the game I'm looking for. The exclusive Korean beta test began on September 16th, and on November 5th, a small group of testers living in or around the LA area will be testing as well. Nothing has been solidified as far as a release date, but Developer Webzen has stated that it would like to release sometime before 2008.

Gamespot has a nice article from May on it, so some details may have changed:

We recently had a chance to take an updated look at the PC version of Huxley, the sci-fi massively multiplayer shooter from developer Webzen. The game will take place on a futuristic Earth split between two factions, the sapiens (the futuristic version of humans) and the alternatives, both of which face threats from hybrids (monstrous crossbreeds between the two races). You'll play as a futuristic soldier belonging to either the sapiens or alternatives factions and will win victories for your nation in real-time first-person shooter battles.

In the game, you'll play as one of three character types, or "battle styles": the enforcer, the game's heavily armored, close-range profession; the avenger, the game's medium-armor assault class; or the phantom, the lightly armored sniper-and-scout class. These professions will determine which types of armor and weapons you can use from Huxley's nine different weapon classes, which will include machine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, and rocket launchers, as well as more esoteric weapon classes like the ballistic "flinger" and the energy-based optical rifle. Producer Kijong Kim suggests that the action in the game will be a bit closer to the arcade-style action of the Quake series than the methodical pacing of the team-based Counter-Strike, though Huxley will have elements of both games.

To go with all those weapons and armor pieces, Huxley will use a paper-doll inventory system that shows which piece of armor is equipped on which body part on your character. In addition, each armor piece your character finds or buys can be slotted with an upgrade that grants an additional skill to your character. The game will apparently have more than 100 skills at launch; these skills represent the kind of powerful advantages you'd expect to pick up as a bonus item in a competitive first-person shooter, such as the ability to sprint quickly, to cloak yourself by turning invisible, to double-jump, to tackle enemies with a melee attack, and some unusual skills, such as becoming immune to headshots (highly damaging, direct weapon hits to your character's noggin) and automatically detonating your corpse as a blinding flash grenade when you fall in battle. Therefore, the game will have a strategic element as you swap different skill-infused armor slots into your character's inventory to prepare for different battles in which, depending on the situation, you may need to be stronger, faster, or sneakier than your adversaries.

While you'll likely start your life in a safe city, which is also where the game's weapon and item crafting will take place, you'll eventually find yourself on a battlefield, duking it out against computer-controlled hybrid monsters or players from the opposing faction. Currently, the game is planned to launch with two major cities (one for each faction) and eight smaller cities, along with about 80 battlefields, each of which can house up to 200 players at once. We were shown numerous concept-art images that depict battlefields based on ruined real-world locations, such as waterlogged harbors and half-destroyed skyscraper complexes. We also had a chance to see a prototype battlefield in action, which resembled a craggy series of foothills at night, crawling with sharp-toothed, multi-eyed hybrids.

For much of the game, you'll spend your time either fighting actively in competitive battles or performing the game's many quests, which will take the form of story-based tasks, field quests, and large-scale "raid" quests with large groups of other players. The developers at Webzen plan to encourage players to play together by letting them form small squads of up to four players each, larger platoons with five squads each, and finally, companies, which include five platoons (with a total of up to 100 players in each).

Groups will also be able to fight battles on the game's battlefields, either in traditional shooter modes such as freeform deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag, as well as the game's radar domination and part pickup modes. Radar domination requires two opposing teams to try to capture and hold various radar towers throughout the map by holding the area nearby, similar to the Battlefield series' conquest mode. Part pickup requires teams to scavenge various robot parts on the battlefield in a competitive race to see which team can assemble a gigantic mech first. When you pick up and carry a part, you'll act much like the flag carrier in a CTF game--if you're taken down, you'll drop the part and give the enemy a chance to recover it.

Apparently, battlefields where players fight against the monstrous hybrids will allow up to 64 players at once, while competitive battlefields will allow up to 200. Certain battlefields will allow only player-versus-monsters battles, while some may allow monster hunting and competitive play at once. Both quests and multiplayer battles may take place in battlefields with various multiperson vehicles--these vehicles will spawn in and out of the game, similar to the vehicles in the Battlefield series, though opposing teams can hack one another's vehicles to steal them away.

Though the game still has many months to go before launch, it already looks quite impressive thanks to the powerful Unreal 3 technology under its hood. The early prebeta version of the game we saw in action featured expansive outdoor areas for cities with highly detailed character models for players wearing bulky power armor and carrying futuristic guns. The battlefield environments we saw were also quite huge and had varied layouts, such as the quest area we saw that lay just below the ruins of a massive city, split by a river that could be forded only by blasting a ruined train car from above to collapse down into the water to form a bridge. Huxley looks very promising and highly distinctive, and the game should launch sometime later this year for the PC and Xbox 360.

There is also a great interview of Huxley executive producer Kijong Kang by Gamemeca (translated from Korean, so some parts may be hard to understand):

Gamemeca: First wave of beta test is getting closer; how do you feel now?
KJ Kang: Right now I'm very much pleased, but also nervous as Huxley is finally open to public for the first time.

GM: What is the meaning of first closed beta test of Huxley?
KJK: This beta test is literally a test; We've been developing Huxley for years and this time we will get some feedbacks from the test to apply important ones.

GM: How was the reaction of FGT testers?
(FGT is an abbreviation of Focus Group Test, which was conducted internally with selected hardcore gamers.)
KJK: FGT build of the game was pretty much different from closed beta build. Thorough analysis and criticism of FGT testers helped us polishing closed beta build very much.


GM: While Korean FPSs are mainly consisted of CS-style games, Huxley plays somewhat different from them, so some people thinks that learning curve of Huxley could be a bit steep; What do you think about it?
KJK: Many of FGT testers concluded that Huxley was 'unexpectedly easy'. To quote from one of them, "You can learn the basic of the game in just a few minutes so learning curve is pretty much gentle. Gameplay is fast-paced so the battle offers bunch of fun." And all of this was before the closed beta; so Huxley would be easy to play for most of gamers.

GM: What is the object of the game?
KJ: Unlike other multiplayer FPS games, as a member of their own race, characters will live in the virtual world of Huxley and players will participate in the battle against enemy forces occurring on battle zone.

GM: Which kind of battle does Huxley focuses on, run-and-gun or tactical?
KJ: Newcomers are going to play deathmatch or Capture the Radar game, while veterans will usually play clan-based battle. Also, siege battle between clans will be supported for veterans. Siege takes place in certain areas, and winners are going to get a kind of mineral called "Lunarites". Lunarites can also be sold in a shop. There are no racial limit in clan battle and clan house will also be supported, which won't be represented in the first closed beta test.

GM: 100 vs 100 battle in Huxley is similar to race battle in many MMORPGs. How was the problem of unbalanced population in MMORPGs solved?
KJ: We think that 6(Sapiens):4(Alternative) is appropriate population ratio, but until now we could not find out which one was preferred. So we are going to balance population by taking advantage of racial features and extensive analysis which will be continued to opened beta test.

GM: Can Sapiens faction and Alternative faction encounter each other?
KJ: During the quest they can meet each other. It's like in World of Warcraft, Alliances were already there when Hordes arrived in an instant dungeon. If this happens in a quest zone, they can kill each other, but they can also have a peaceful solution; it depends on players' choice. Of course, two factions can't talk with each other.

GM: How long does it take to reach the max level?
KJ: Max level is 50. When you play the game for about 4~5 hours every day, you can reach it in about 3 months.

GM: Is there a stats like Strength or Dexterity?
KJ: There are no stats in Huxley.

GM: Then what is the difference of each faction and race?
KJ: There are Sapiens and Alternative faction, and each faction has 4 races. For example, 'One' race in Sapiens faction has 100HP while 'Alteraver' race in Alternative faction has 120HP. Likewise, every faction and every race has different HP, shield and movement speed.

GM: When squads gathered too much it gives a penalty like debuffing. If squads are scattered because of this, the whole 100 vs 100 battle concept would be meaningless.
KJ: 100 vs 100 battle in Huxley does not take place in completely opened world, and it's tactical. Now let's take a look at Huxley's squad system. 4 players form a squad; 5 squads form a platoon(20 players); 5 platoon form a company. Platoon leader commands 20 men(it is 50 in the original article but as it doesn't make sense I fixed it), and company leader commands 100 men. Debuff effect will be different by a number of squad gathered around. It can make the whole battle harder, but by gathering, scattering and charging by the situation you can make enemies to gather and debuffed. Because of this, complicated strategy of company leader is a key to victory. And the last thing: Voice chat will be supported too; Imagine 100 players talking at the same time!

GM: Does items in Huxley has additional bonus?
KJ: There will be about 1,000 weapons in Huxley. This number includes items crafted by players and weapons with different bonuses. There are 9 types of weapons and each type has about 100 weapons. There will be a level limit in items and bonuses will be varied, for example, additional weapons, faster shooting speed, faster moving speed, poison immunity, slow enemy, etc.
There are secondary weapons but grenades and knives are not included because it didn't fit into the game. Instead there are 9 melee weapons that actually fit into the game.

GM: How can items be crafted?
KJ: You need a recipe to craft an item. It's a list of material required to make an item. Recipes can be bought in the shop but you can also get them by solving a quest. You can also mix or assemble weapons or armors that are in use with recipes.

GM: Is there a scoreboard like other FPS?
KJ: Sure. We are now thinking of many kinds of scoreboards with different standard like the number of kill inflicted by certain weapon or the number of death, so everyone can be ranked to the scoreboard.

GM: Does Huxley support 3rd person view?
KJ: It wasn't considered because we didn't think that it was necessary for FPS, but if players request, we will think about it.

GM: Will saved film feature be supported?
KJ: There is a spectator mode, but saved film is not supported.

GM: How can we enter the battle zone?
KJ: You can enter the battle zone via letterbox-like thing located in outskirts of each city. Zones are opened to certain level of characters so players can enter the battle zone that meets their condition and level. Before entering the battle zone you will ride a train, which is similar to lobby in other FPS games.

GM: Is there a level limit to battle zones and quests?
KJ: Yes.

GM: What kind special licences are included?
KJ: There are 4 types of licenses; weapon, driving, commanding and special. To explain special type which would be a bit hard to imagine, it's about hacking, laying mines and engineering. You can hijack enemy vehicles with hacking, and you can fix burning vehicles with engineering. License can be obtained by license points and also quests.

GM: How is the future beta test plan?
KJ: It will be determined after the first closed beta ends.

The following video is in no way an indication of the final game, as it is from E3 2006 (Over a year and a half ago). Unfortunately there aren't many game play videos floating around.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/10926.html

 

[PriNcE oF SpAcE]

it's gonna be shit...

 

[Gorgon]

it's gonna be shit...

The idea behind it is super COOL. I need to play the demo first before I SAY its shit.

 

[Ennui]

This has about 9/10 chance of being utter crap but that 10% keeps me hanging around, because potentially this could be awesome.

 

[Pesmerga]

it's gonna be shit...

Quoted for emphasis. If that video is an accurate representation of the average respawn, no one is going to play it on a regular basis. This just screams poor game design. The levels look empty and uninspired, the combat looks like a bunch of shitty 2v1 random encounters, and the weapons are dull and unimaginative.

This is just another lame attempt to create "an open world" where "anything can happen". Guess what? Your maps are too big, your ambitions too high, and the developers of Huxley are too stupid to realize it.

"Leveling up" in an FPS game is hilarious, especially since there aren't stats. There's already a huge distinction between skilled and unskilled players in UT arena type battles without the added difference between levels (and, presumably, better armor and weaponry that veterans can use), this is just going to thin the median apart.

People would much rather just play WoW or GW. This isn't a first person shooter, it's a first person role playing game- the winner is determined by how well you can shoot a rocket launcher coupled with how long you play the game. The ideas aren't even that "cool".

Apparently, battlefields where players fight against the monstrous hybrids will allow up to 64 players at once, while competitive battlefields will allow up to 200.

Despite these amounts rarely coming together at once (think 40 man raid in WoW), those numbers aren't even impressive, especially on maps as huge as the ones we've been shown. This isn't "war" like most of its following has been led to believe, it's CS matches over and over and over again. It's a shitty attempt to combine genres, and I won't be paying ten minutes more worth of attention to it.

Really pathetic. Also, expect to see in-game advertisements everywhere.

 

[Sedako]

Say what you will, but I'm going to reserve my opinions until better videos or possibly a demo are released. Drawing conclusions from a very short year and a half old video is kind of pointless. There isn't a lot of footage available, so my video choices were limited.

I don't know why people are always so quick to judge games with limited information, and I also don't understand why people want some games to fail. Until you actually play it, it's pointless to criticize. You may be overlooking something that offers a lot of fun, and you'll be the only one missing out. If it's a good game, people will play it and enjoy it. If not, then the developers will feel the repercussions.

 

[Qonfused]

This has about 9/10 chance of being utter crap but that 10% keeps me hanging around, because potentially this could be awesome.

.

5cha

 

[Eejit]

Hmmmm. That just gave me the thought that a System-Shock MMO would have good potential.

 

[Ravioli]

is hellgate really that bad?

 

[Agent.M]

I really hate it when people call a game crap before anyone has even played it. But I must admit this game just looks like its destined to fail. Even the name is subliminal for the word failure.

 

[Sedako]

is hellgate really that bad?

I played from early alpha until right before beta ended and was a huge fan of the Diablo series.. but Hellgate is not something I'm going to spend my money on. When game breaking bugs from the alpha are still present in the release, it's a good indication that it won't have a bright future.

 

[Nitre]

If they could pull it off it may have a small chance. Highly unlikely though. From that video (although a lot may have changed) it seems that there is very little fighting and a lot of running.

 

[TwwIX]

I really hate it when people call a game crap before anyone has even played it. But I must admit this game just looks like its destined to fail. Even the name is subliminal for the word failure.

It's being developed by Koreans.
Of course it's going to be crap.
If this were developed by the Planetside guys,i would actually be intrigued.


Yes,Hellgate is very disappointing.
It's a buggy mess.Memory leaks and lock ups all over the place.
The servers can't handle shit and it tends to be very laggy.
It's mislabeled as MMO game even though it isn't.
The game will fail mainly because of it's subscription based system and the so called advantages it offers to it's "elite" members.
I don't see Guild Wars charging monthly fees even though it has the same gameplay mechanics.There's no difference between the singleplayer and multiplayer modes.In MP you get a chat capability and lots of lag.
The game can be soloed.Afterall sp and mp are the same shit.
It offers no replayability whatsoever besides the few different classes.
It's very linear for a "MMO".

 

[Agent.M]

If this were developed by the Planetside guys,i would actually be intrigued.

Most definitely Planetside though it had its problems was still a fun game for the first fpsmmo. I can remember those huge battles man were they savage!

 

[Pesmerga]

Until you actually play it, it's pointless to criticize.

Would you buy a new car without test driving it? I'm not going to shell out $60 and a subscription cost for a game that "might have potential".

I'm really irritated by the fact that no one seems to be able to make a proper ****ing MMOFPS. Jesus cunnilingus Christ.

 

[Lucid]

It's being developed by Koreans.
Of course it's going to be crap.
If this were developed by the Planetside guys,i would actually be intrigued.


Yes,Hellgate is very disappointing.
It's a buggy mess.Memory leaks and lock ups all over the place.
The servers can't handle shit and it tends to be very laggy.
It's mislabeled as MMO game even though it isn't.
The game will fail mainly because of it's subscription based system and the so called advantages it offers to it's "elite" members.
I don't see Guild Wars charging monthly fees even though it has the same gameplay mechanics.There's no difference between the singleplayer and multiplayer modes.In MP you get a chat capability and lots of lag.
The game can be soloed.Afterall sp and mp are the same shit.
It offers no replayability whatsoever besides the few different classes.
It's very linear for a "MMO".

Wow, so they did the same shit as Diablo and Diablo 2 for MP?
Just SP with chat tagged on, although I lost countless hours of time playing Diablo 2 online with friends.

 

[TwwIX]

Wow, so they did the same shit as Diablo and Diablo 2 for MP?
Just SP with chat tagged on, although I lost countless hours of time playing Diablo 2 online with friends.

sarcasm won't save the game

 

[Sedako]

Would you buy a new car without test driving it? I'm not going to shell out $60 and a subscription cost for a game that "might have potential".

D E M O. Even if there isn't one, you can still get a good idea of it from reviews, people who have played it, and videos showcasing the finished product. They may even offer a trial membership.

 

[Lucid]

sarcasm won't save the game

I wasn't being sarcastic.

Diablo 2 online is good fun.

 

[Sedako]

I wasn't being sarcastic.

Diablo 2 online is good fun.

HG:L is just not the same. Shitty skill system, too heavy an emphasis on weapons, hubs all look the same, bugs that don't seem to ever get fixed... I made it all the way to level 30 without using any skill or stat points, then gave up because it was so boring. Flagship was trying to ride on the success of Diablo too much.

 

[Kyorisu]

D E M O. Even if there isn't one, you can still get a good idea of it from reviews, people who have played it, and videos showcasing the finished product. They may even offer a trial membership.

Who needs to see the finished product? Unless they totally and completely change the game design right now it's doomed to failure. What part of that video didn't look boring as all hell to you?

 

[Sedako]

Who needs to see the finished product? Unless they totally and completely change the game design right now it's doomed to failure. What part of that video didn't look boring as all hell to you?

As I said before, the video is over a year and a half old with only a small amount of people actually playing it. There aren't really any other decent videos for the game and I just decided to use this one. If I find a better video I'll put it up instead.

Feel free to bash it all you want, but I am still hopeful that it will turn out to be fun. If it doesn't, no harm done to any of us. I've been waiting too long for a decent MMO since WoW got boring a while back.

 

[Kyorisu]

I really don't see it working and I'm not basing that completely on a dated video either. Reading that Q/A it just seems silly to have an MMO where the only character progression is bigger armor and weapons. The combat meanwhile is essentially death match and you join the combat from a lobby system. A free form world that is actually connected is a requirement all MMOs have to meet in my book. How is Huxley different to any other TDM game? apart from having to deal with laggy international servers. Hey this is an FPS I'd like to see how they plan on pulling lag compensation off because otherwise only a select portion of gamers will be able to play without their characters choding around. I've tried various MMO/FPS hybrids before and simply cannot get into them due to the barrier of a 200-300ms transfer time.