IRC Interview With Flagship Studios
Hellgate Guru live IRC interview with Ivan Sulic and Pat Harris
[Sol Invictus] Welcome to Hellgate Guru’s chat with Flagship Studios Community Manager for Hellgate: London, Ivan Sulic.
[Sol Invictus] Over the course of the next 30 or so minutes we will be hosting a question and answer interview with Ivan.
[Sol Invictus] To submit a question, message QBot with “!question Your question here”
[Sol Invictus] e.g. /msg QBot !question Are there dragons in Hellgate London?
[chakl] although i wouldnt submit that particular question
[Sol Invictus] You’re a bastard chakl. It’d be funny if he responded to that one.
[Sol Invictus] Ivan, please introduce yourself and tell us what you do for Flagship Studios.
[Ivan-Flagship] There are no dragons in Hellgate London. But to screw with people, I’ll insist several monsters be called Dragons.
[Ivan-Flagship] My name is Ivan
[Ivan-Flagship] Of the House Sulic.
[Ivan-Flagship] I’m Croatian.
[Ivan-Flagship] Which basically means I get red in the face and have a slight drinking / gambling problem.
[Ivan-Flagship] For FSS I…
[Ivan-Flagship] Write the story
[Ivan-Flagship] Do some real minor quest design under Brevik
[Ivan-Flagship] Write the dialog for the story
[Ivan-Flagship] Manage our community
[Ivan-Flagship] Manage our websites
[Ivan-Flagship] Do PR and Marketing work under Tricia Gray
[Ivan-Flagship] Do video production
[Ivan-Flagship] Handle our bonus DVD
[Ivan-Flagship] And I attend an amazing amount of meetings
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Sol Invictus] That’s a handful.
[Sol Invictus] Looks like we’re ready to start asking some questions!
[Question Bot] Question #1 [Deathkill] Will players be effected by splash damage?
[Sol Invictus] Go ahead and post one, Jason.
[Pyke] Figured we’d give you an easy one:P
[Ivan-Flagship] As in players in your party or a player who deals out the splash damage?
[Ivan-Flagship] Players cannot hurt themselves.
[Ivan-Flagship] If you’re playing PVP, you can obviously hurt others.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #2 [nabeel] What other games are you drawing inspiration from, other than Diablo and Deus Ex? Do you think Hellgate: London combines its basic gameplay ingredients (RPG, FPS, MMO) succesfully enough to make a unique new kind of single game genre?
[Ivan-Flagship] Other than Diablo, we draw inspiration from EVERYTHING. First-person shooters of all types, horror games, popular fiction… But honestly, it’s all about our past. And our past is all about Diablo. The game is an action-RPG. Mechanically, it’s Diablo with lots more stuff. Thematically, it’s medieval sci-fi, if that makes any sense.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Ivan-Flagship] Oh
[Ivan-Flagship] Not done
[Sol Invictus] Ooh, do elaborate.
[Ivan-Flagship] Whether it’s successful or not will be determined by whether you buy it or not. We sure think it’s successful.
[Ivan-Flagship] Okay
[Ivan-Flagship] Now I’m done.
[Question Bot] Question #3 [Lazbro] Is the current discourse of ‘10 shared skills per faction, 10 skills per class’ founded in truth or is it just a rumour?
[Ivan-Flagship] I think RIGHT NOW there are actually something like 48 skills per faction… Something like… Yeah, that’s the number I heard. But, the total amount is still TBD for sure. And while the total number is TBD, they will be equally distributed per class and each class will have more than 10 skills.
[Ivan-Flagship] More than ten specific skills.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #4 [Emp] How will you balance out the FPS aspect of the Hunter vs the other two classes?
[Ivan-Flagship] 1) Balance can be achieved on a per weapon and per skill basis since weapons and skills are specific to factions/classes.
[Ivan-Flagship] 2) We are considering new ways to balance the Hunter, such as implementing weapon cool down. That’s just one of a few things we are considering. Other considerations may include weapon degradation and — I don’t know — bananas.
[Ivan-Flagship] Also, back to the last question for a second… There may also be skill bleed through between classes. Keep that in mind. Nothing is totally set in stone there.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #5 Can you tell us a little bit about the new weapons of the new class Hunter? Any new weapon you can tell us?
[Jason] Bootch!
[Sol Invictus] Ignore that question, eh?
[Question Bot] Question #6 [DemolishMan] Can you tell us a little bit about the new weapons of the new class Hunter? Any new weapon you can tell us?
[Sol Invictus] Oh yeah, looks like Pat Harris of Flagship is here too.
[Pyke] Ninja Pat.
[Jason] Go ahead and answer “Question #6″
[Pat-Flagship]; =)
[Ivan-Flagship] Ugh… I hate this question because I have a terrible memory and because the weapons keep changing names. That being said, there’s this grenade launcher thing, this machinegun thing, this crouching shot maneuver, this rapid fire panic maneuver… there’s also a turret skill. Then we have some stealth skills. I don’t know, man. We have over 100 weapons in the game. I don’t have a list pulsating in my head.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #7 [Dynotaku] Now that DX10 cards are available and Vista launch is imminent, when will we see the DX10 version of the engine? Are you guys going to just go “Hey lookee” one day, or are you waiting for an event or Magazine cover to debut it?
[chakl] If pat wants to say something, we surely wont penalize him 
[Ivan-Flagship] We showed a little DX10 at an NVIDIA event not too long ago. DX10 proper will come ’round at about GDC, I believe.
[Ivan-Flagship] If pat says anything, you stab him to death.
[Pyke] you don’t know what the boa is going to do Ivan.
[Pat-Flagship]; Problem I’m having right now is that *everything* is old to me. I have to check with Ivan to see what you guys know about and don’t know about. Also, I need to kick his ass.
[Ivan-Flagship] His mouth is not to be opened in the same way a cursed Mummy’s tomb is not to be opened.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Sol Invictus] You guys should record a bumfights video.
[Question Bot] Question #8 [Pyke] After choosing a class within a faction are you locked to a specific skill tree or do you get specific skills? What seperates the newly announced classes from one another from within a faction?
[Pyke] ohh op question *plug*
[chakl] i thought inter-office romance was against company policy
[Ivan-Flagship] Inter-office romance is. Inter-office killin’ is totally fine.
[Pat-Flagship]; I hear Ivan typing furiously…
[Ivan-Flagship] When you subscribe to a class, you get skills specific to that class in addition to the faction’s major skills. Then there may also be extras bleeding into your class dependent on factional quests. MAY BE, anyway.\
[Ivan-Flagship] Why the hell can’t someone invent IRC voice?
[Sol Invictus] There’s programs, but they’re pretty damn faulty.
[Ivan-Flagship] And how can an ape like Harris pass as sentient?
[Pyke] Oh there is, its called Vent *talks behind Ivan’s back*
[Ivan-Flagship] How?
[Ivan-Flagship] Why?
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #9 [Notomgreen] After leveling up a character all the way, what kinds of things will we be able to do besides hunting for new items and PVPing?
[Pat-Flagship]; “All the way”? We don’t know what that means right now, if it will ever mean anything.
[Ivan-Flagship] You’ll be able to enjoy ongoing content. We’re not slacking on that this time. There will not be Hellgate…one year…Hellgate expansion. There will be lots of ongoing content.
[Sol Invictus] Are you implying that there might not be a level cap?
[chakl] O.o
[Ivan-Flagship] He’s a fool if he’s implying that. Brevik will kill him.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Pat-Flagship]; We don’t really have a cap right now. We’ve talked about it some, but we there are many ideas on that.
[Question Bot] Question #10 [Emp] A hunter is able to create (4?) types of drones…How does this work? Does the player have a skill for each type, or do the types require specific item(collection)s?
[Pat-Flagship]; Answer them, monkey!
[Ivan-Flagship] There are different skills for different drone creation. And you can put points into different types of drones independently.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Ivan-Flagship] You’re going to die.
[Question Bot] Question #11 [streitmonolog] What happened to dying kits (like choosing your armors colors from a palette)? Are they still in consideration?
[Ivan-Flagship] I can’t believe you managed to get your paws to form words out of all these fangled keys.
[Pyke] I want my plum crazy suite of electro armor:(
[Ivan-Flagship] Sort of. Right now the color system is like this: Every piece of armor comes with a color. You can opt to apply that color scheme to your entire suit at any time.
[Ivan-Flagship] There is not an easel or anything though.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Pat-Flagship]; But your entire suit gets that scheme. We don’t want clown suits
[Question Bot] Question #12 [Lazbro] You said ‘There will not be Hellgate…one year…Hellgate expansion’, am I correct when I assume this means nay to the GW model and yea to monthly fees and/or micropayments?
[Pat-Flagship]; No
[Ivan-Flagship] You can’t assume anything. Multiplayer specifics will depend on region. But we do plan to offer more content than the typical six month to one-year retail cycle.
[Ivan-Flagship] I unfortunately can’t say much more right now.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #13 [chakl] What Is Hellgate like in 5 words or less?
[Ivan-Flagship] Action RPG like Diablo.
[Pat-Flagship]; Kill a shitload of demons.
[Ivan-Flagship] Game with exploding monsters
[Pat-Flagship]; I wish Ivan would die.
[Ivan-Flagship] Single/multiplayer hack ‘n slash
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #14 [HerrStoy] How will the region thing work? Is it gonna be a pain in the ass like WoW where euro had to borrow credit card numbers from americans to play with their friends?
[Pat-Flagship]; Time
[Sol Invictus] Yep, we’re almost done.
[chakl] aww, Last one? for the road?
[Pat-Flagship]; Answer them, monkey
[Ivan-Flagship] I don’t believe we have international lockouts planned natively. That being said, there may be regional reasons that prohibit international play. But no, it shouldn’t be a pain in the ass, by and large.
[Ivan-Flagship] One more
[Ivan-Flagship] Two more tops
[Ivan-Flagship] I have another…*meeting*
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Question Bot] Question #15 [streitmonolog] The CGW shows a screenshot of the Inventory screen where you can see a char equipped with breast- and leg armor. Still theres an empty slot with an t-shirt icon, and one with a trousers-icon. What’s that for?
[Pat-Flagship]; Yes, and Mr. Bond shouldn’t be kept waiting.
[Pat-Flagship]; Non-stat clothing
[Ivan-Flagship] We are going to have clothes. They don’t have stats, but there will be clothes that go under armor. So any armor with naked skin showing would be covered by clothes placed in those slots.
[Ivan-Flagship] Just additional player customization.
[Ivan-Flagship] Done
[Sol Invictus] Okay, last and final question - and this one’s from me. What’s the word on the Hellgate: London BETA? How are you planning to handle it?
[Ivan-Flagship] Last one.
[Ivan-Flagship] I have no clue. We’re doing some kind of test this year. After that, there will be a huge ramp up next year. Our client should be hosted by a third-party for download. That’s all I know.
[Ivan-Flagship] Okay.
[Ivan-Flagship] I got to run.
[Ivan-Flagship] Cool?
[Sol Invictus] Thanks dude.
[Yangstuh] Thanks Ivan.
[Pyke] Have fun in the hell meeting:)
[chakl] thanks alot man
[Sol Invictus] We’d love to thank you both for your time.
[Ivan-Flagship] Yeah.
[northrop] thanks Ivan!
[Ivan-Flagship] Thank me.
[chakl] Cant be late to see casino Royal
[Ivan-Flagship] never thank Pat.
[Ivan-Flagship] For anything.
[Yangstuh] haha
[Ivan-Flagship] Ever
[Ivan-Flagship] See you all!
[Sol Invictus] And we wanna thank everyone who visited us for the chat.
[Jason] Just so you guys know, there was over 80 questions posted!
[chakl] Thank you pat
[Pat-Flagship]; Thanks me for his beatings.
[Yangstuh] Bye pat and thanks 
[Sol Invictus] We hope you enjoyed it (short though it was) as much as we did. Glad we got to answer some very pertinent questions.
