Hands on with Huxley
by Jennie Lees 
{ May 10th 2006 at 3:58PM }
Webzen's upcoming MMOFPS Huxley, to be released on both Xbox 360 and PC, combines both fast-paced shooter action with massively multiplayer gameplay. It's essentially a FPS with levels and questing added -- the gameplay is very much the fast, in-your-face style seen in Quake 4 and Painkiller. However, it allows for tactical play too, with territorial defence missions.
The game felt more like a standard FPS multiplayer match with a larger number of players than usual than an MMO. It plays like a FPS -- no skill buttons or floating exclamation marks. The game's setting is a fairly standard post-apocalyptic nuclear-mutation scenario. The 360 version will feature a single-player component as well as the massively-multiplayer part, though Webzen are working on the inevitable issue of keyboard-and-mouse versus controller balancing.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jaemz @ May 10th 2006 4:04PM
Did they give any indication if a monthly charge is required for this game?? other than XBLGold
AoE @ May 10th 2006 4:08PM
"though Webzen are working on the inevitable issue of keyboard-and-mouse versus controller balancing."
How much balancing is really required? Personal preferances aside, I know quite a few console FPS players that can rock a controller so hard that none of them (including a couple who play FPS on pc as well) have any worry about PC/Console FPS battles.
This has been brought up in the last couple of Huxley posts here though, just out of interest who's stressing about it? Joystiq, or Webzen? And if it's such a huge issue, why is no one stressing about Live Anywhere?
I'm guessing you're a PC player and can't handle the threat of real gamers. ;)
Jappleng @ May 10th 2006 4:09PM
I got the chance to see the press kit for this game and my gosh... I think I want to play this more than halo 3. *sin* *sin* *sin* I do only because I want to see what this game is all about.
tomato @ May 10th 2006 4:17PM
AoE, console games in general are MUCH slower than PC games. Halo 1/2 feel like you are moving in molasses compared to Counter-strike. There is no way someone with a gamepad would even compare to someone with a keyboard and mouse player, unless the K&M player sucked and the gamepad player was good. K&M players will absolutely destroy XBox360 players unless they add in a degree of autoaim like every other console FPS has. You have also evidently never seen anyone good play Counterstrike with an awp or UT2k4 in Instagib. With a fast moving game as this is supposed to be, there is little chance of a gamepad player being anywhere near the top players.
oz @ May 10th 2006 4:20PM
Duh, can you play this game offline, like by yourself, or do you have to play it only online even in single [one on one]?-if that makes sense. Anybody know??
Chiablo @ May 10th 2006 4:22PM
Online only, oz. This won't be like Phantasy Star where there is an offline mode.
anon102 @ May 10th 2006 4:26PM
Is there any PvE in this game?
jaemz @ May 10th 2006 4:26PM
tomato, I used to play alot of Starwars Battlefront2 on the PC with the X360 controller (before I got the X360) and no one was 'owning' me. In fact, I was often near the top of the list every game.
Call it what you will... maybe all the players I played against sucked, or were on controllers... or both. And once I got into a starfighter, I was almost untouchable...
Personally, I think the whole pc vs console gamer rumor was started by someone on a pc. I look forward to Huxley =)
oz @ May 10th 2006 4:31PM
Thanx, Chiablo, that clears things up! Sure hope they might change it for us offies later tho!
Mark @ May 10th 2006 4:37PM
Holy crap, yes!
@#3: Press kit? What was in it? Please tell! Huxley-Nexus.com really needs info. They'll love you if you give them a scoop!
AoE @ May 10th 2006 4:44PM
Tomato, let's not get mixed up here, Halo and Counter-strike are two very different games from different developers designed from the start to deliver a different gameplay experience. How about we compare Quake 4 with Quake 4 instead? I've played it on both console and PC, and guess what? Same speed *shock, amaze.* I believe you'll find that's true with almost every game to grace both xbox/xbox 360 and PC. Also, I know this will trip a lot of PC gamers out, but believe it or not, console games have options too! Look speed too low? change it!
I've been on both sides of the gaming fence, and I've been a hardcore fps player on both pc and console. Since the advent of the xbox, console is the only way I'll play an fps. I realize a thumbstick isn't QUITE as accurate as mouse for aiming, but once you've got it down it's damned close, combine that with a huge-ass hdtv, and any difference has vanished.
Wait until huxley comes out, and I'll be happy to prove my point again and again. ;)
CPeng @ May 10th 2006 4:45PM
They will add auto-aiming to assist the consolers, otherwise they would stand no chance.
tomato @ May 10th 2006 5:00PM
jaemz, AoE, is this why when people go to CPL or the WCG, they bust out their gamepads for a round of CS or Quake? There is a reason why the top players play K&M. Same goes for fighting games. Everyone who plays at tournaments uses an arcade stick, very few people play with a gamepad. The reason? It is just simply the better controller.
I have a gamepad hooked up to my PC too. I've played HL2 and Serious Sam with it. But there is no way in hell I would play on my favorite ranked CS:S server with a gamepad. Try playing CS:S with a gamepad and then tell me that it's a feasible controller (as long as your oponents are decent, I've seen some pretty crappy K&M players). I enjoy using a gamepad and I used to regularly beat my buddies and strangers (online) in Halo 1/2 by a large margin. Same with Golden-eye. But when you get good with a K&M, I can't help but think why anyone would think a gamepad is the better controller. Maybe more comfortable, but definitely not the better controller.
Here's why. A joystick has a limited turn speed. When you move your joystick, you are telling the game to move in this direction at this rate. And you will always be limited by that rate no matter how high you have the sensitivity. When you move a mouse, it is an absolute movement. I point there and boom, I'm looking there. Anyways, it looks like we won't be changing each others opinions anytime soon, so let's just wait for Huxley to come out :-p.
jaemz @ May 10th 2006 5:13PM
tomato, I agree that the mouse has some benefits. I know using the mouse and the controller together was great, what a perfect setup for picking off everyone from a turret (kind of like having two mice).
I also don't doubt that some of the 1337 CS:S players (k/m) are amazing... and could kick my virtual a$$ no matter what I was using to play them. Who knows, maybe there is some kid out there who is the 1337 with the controller and can pwn everyone else.
With any luck, the CS:S players will stick with CS:S... ;)
AoE @ May 10th 2006 5:23PM
Tomato... Joysticks on consoles are analog these days, the further you push, the faster you turn. Also, please note that I didn't say jack about using a controller on PC, I hate hate HATE that experience myself. Why? There's no such thing (at least, that I've ever found) as a PC game that had controller support put in as more than an after-thought. Controllers on PC suck, I think we can both agree.
bladerunner @ May 10th 2006 5:25PM
What about PvE, is there any in this game?
SuicideNinja @ May 10th 2006 5:42PM
"AoE, console games in general are MUCH slower than PC games. Halo 1/2 feel like you are moving in molasses compared to Counter-strike."
Huh? Counterstrike is on the Xbox you know. I have it for the PC as well, and although it doesn't quite look as good on the Xbox, it plays just as well.
Master Chief in Halo is supposed to move a little slower. His armor actually weighs a ridiculous amount according the story "specs". That doesn't stop Halo 2 from being one intensive game online.
Anyway, I started with Aliens vs Predator with a mouse and keyboard. After getting into console FPS games, I actually now prefer the thumbsticks because you don't have to reposition your whole hand all the time.
K&M supporters really mean that the mouse is an advantage. Realistically, the keyboard is more limiting to movement than the thumbstick is limiting to aiming. Thumbsticks just take more practice. Anyone who uses a PC already knows how to "aim" a mouse.
For me, the bigger advantage for a mouse is "quick turning".
Actually, now that we are on this subject, why don't they just make the 360 support mouse and keyboard? FFXI does, so why not just make an FPS game support both methods?
Duh.
AC @ May 10th 2006 6:45PM
It depends on the players, PLEASE OH GOD PLEASE DONT LET THERE BE K+M FANBOY FACTIONS STARTING OR GAMEPAD FANBOY FACTIONS STARTING EITHER, like i was saying it truly depends on the player im good with K+M but I love the feeling of a controller it seems easier to remember the controls :-)
DaveKap @ May 10th 2006 6:48PM
Yes there is PvE in this game and yes you can solo through it. At least, that's how it's been explained by Webzen before. PvE offers vertical character progression (levels/credits) while PvP offers horizontal character progression (social power/something else?). So in the end, you want to be good on both sides, but that doesn't mean you can't simply concentrate on one over the other to be min/maxed for play style.
But remember, the game is still undergoing balance issues and whatnot. I'm very eagerly awaiting the PC beta test. :)
roflcopter @ May 10th 2006 9:59PM
you are all in denial if you think a gamepad has any any ANY chance of competing with k&m.
seriously. type away all day until your fingers go numb. it isn't up for discussion. in fact... type up your responses on a gamepad.
unless you are just completely retarded, and can't use a mouse (in which case a gamepad wouldn't be an option either), then you're just lying to yourself and clinging to some shread of 'i was good at halo, so i can win'.
it's over. just stop it.
neale @ May 11th 2006 1:48AM
if its 100 vs 100, i doubt its going to be strictly 100 km vs 100 360's. its gonna be mixed teams, even (apart from those who for some reason will go 100 km vs 360's.)
give the 360 version auto-aim the equivelant of PDZ, maybe a little more. but when we start killing, you lot cant whinge "you have autoaim lada dadl adada..."
DBA @ May 11th 2006 3:44AM
Balancing between the KB/M is infact an issue. It's not up for debate on who's better than the other, rather it's more about the KB/M having more precision/accuracty over an analog stick. The reason for balance between the two is quite simple however, the simple reason is that analog sticks have force feedback.
The stick will always go back to the center to replace itself when one lets go of it (force feed back) as compared to the mouse it will stay where ever you put it when you let go, even if it's an 1/8th of an inch move depending on your sensitivity.
This may not seem like a big issue but if you consider gameplay a split second means a lot in an FPS and the mouse will beat an analog stick in a split second reaction due to arm and wrist movement verses a thumb.
That's the gist of it really. I play on both platforms and have played competitively on the PC a lot in leagues and a little LAN tournaments. This arguement always boils down to "who is better" instead of people talking about statistics and facts.
As for who would win. With my experience it's usually the player that's on his respective platform that wins. Console guy vs. a PC guy ON A CONSOLE = console guy usually wins. PC guy vs. a console guy = PC guy usually wins. Now I am not saying it can go the other way, a good gamer is a good gamer regardless. Though in the "competitive" arena this is usually how it goes down.
I look forward to playing with Xbox players in Huxley simply because it makes the online community bigger and a lot more people to enjoy the fragging experience with. That is if Webzen does it right.
MacD @ Jun 8th 2006 12:45AM
Let's get this straight: those who say there are no differences in speed between an FPS on a console and on a PC are wrong. Consoles need to adjust certain settings to get players to be able to hit targets, be it auto-aiming, player speed adjustments or NPC speed adjustments, cursorspeed adjustments (looking around/aiming), acuracy adjustments (PC FPS' have more spread in the bullet pattern from a burst), enemy accuracy adjustments etc etc etc or any combination of levels of the above. Ask any programmer who's worked on UI/gameplay for a console and a pc FPS.
To the guy talking about battlefront2; play the games next to each other; there are many differences yoo'll see, and many which are too subtle to notice if you don't know what you're looking for.
An interesting place to start is with ports of games which are on PC/console. Sometimes careless porting leaves interesting info about the xbox controll settings in the .ini's you can open on the pc.