Chapter 5: One Step at a Time

I was just going on my merry way to Millennium Battle when I suddenly realized, after trying to find the tube to the next area, that as far as the music goes for this game, it doesn't actually "go" any where. For one, I've heard maybe, what, four or five different tracks? And it's not like an act has its specific tracks. What I find more interesting is the "random" appeal to how frequently a track may play, and, more so, what sort of track would play.

I had some lovely ooshin'-dooshin' techno boss soundtrack blaring into my headphones suddenly when all I was doing was taking a nice, quiet stroll.

Of course, what even makes me shake my head even more is that with the numerous complaints that people did make in alpha/beta, the music was one of the few in which a developer actually responded like a human being to. "Yeah, we plan on getting a lot more music to you guys." So when do you guys plan on doing that? 2009? 2010? Next expansion?

But rather remain dreary of the same old random music, I decided to turn it off and make the best of it. So I alt + tab'ed and tried to imagine music that would fit into the genre that is Hellgate. Of course, the Quake 2 soundtrack was the first thing that came to mind, and it certainly fit in perfectly well. So that's the music I'm now listening to when I play the game. Not only does it fit in better then what the game has to offer, but it's also a constant play through of music that will get your adrenaline pumping.

Speaking of things developers touch-based on in changing in games happened to be some of the quest objective items that were given to you with side quests in which you had to activate items in an area. I'll just dig up an old alpha photo to show you what I mean:


Of course, people figured this sort of stuff would've disappeared in the finished content. I mean, items like this would have a more convenient and sensible location, right? Wrong.

Hmm...Two random computer terminal stations in the middle of a ravaged world, and yet they remained untouched. Of course, there's still the question of how in the hell did those things get there in the first place, but asking such a question would require a train of thought--something we're none too keen on in Hellgate.

All I ask is: Why? I mean, why in the hell would you just bend over, let what ever comes out from your bum plop right down, and then use that in the game as "finished content?" I'm still more befuddled at how Flagship Studios has tried to remain oblivious to what has transpired with their game. I mean, sure, if they publicly admit how unfinished their game is subscribers would drop like flies, but at least you would have some dignity. Instead they seem to be much more adept to breaking promises.

Speaking of which, let's go back to the basics, shall we? I can remember quite fondly of how enemies always had the knack to clip through solid objects, alive or dead, and can also remember the many pleas of defense of, "It's only alpha/beta." Then again, I guess I really shouldn't be all that surprised when I come across the same experience three months later.

Contrary to popular belief, the laws of gravity do not apply in the Hellgate world. Ever.

So I just shrugged and went on my merry way, as I've always been trying to do so far in this game without saying, "I quit." Nope, I'm not going to let continuous buggy and shoddy content turn me away from finishing this game, because I'd rather have mounting field work explain first hand of what the many complaints in this game actually look like first-hand. So I just completed the quest I needed to do out there and, lo and behold, some luck came across to me with some very nice pants. So I recall myself back to the station and identify the pants, only to find that they are infinitely better then the ones I'm wearing now, but the only problem is that they require my character level to be one level higher. No biggie. I'll just drop the item in my stash and wait it out in the grind. Of course there's nothing more frustrating then trying to look at yourself at your stash/at the shop merchant when there's a throng of people in the way. Oh well, hopefully it's not as crowded in the later levels.

Mmf! Rrf! Oof! Hey, no shovin'! Oi, what's that feelin' against me leg!?