Post by Ichigo Kurosaki on Aug 19, 2005 1:51:27 GMT
The proper unveiling of .hack//G.U. earlier this month brought with it news of another .hack game to be released prior to the first G.U. installment. The latest issue of Famitsu provides the first details on that game, .hack/fragment.
The .hack series takes place in a virtual Online world -- that is to say, they're Offline games whose story has Online themes. With .hack//fragment, Bandai and co-developers Cyber Connect 2 and Artdink are taking the series into the realm of true Online gameplay for the first time. Using a standard network adapter (no need for a hard disk) you'll have the option of adventuring alongside players throughout Japan (this is the Japanese version we're talking about -- the US version should allow for play against US-based gamers).
When playing Online, you first create your own character. You can give your character a name, profession and gender, and even modify its physical appearance. Once you have a character, you enter a lobby and search for two other players to join you on an adventure. Gameplay in .hack//fragment takes place in groups of three.
During offline play, you play along side two computer controlled characters. Bandai is pulling characters from the entire .hack series, including comics, anime and games, to appear as support characters. You'll be able to raise your own characters Offline and take them Online (let's hope Bandai has some security protocols in place to keep cheaters away).
Specifics on gameplay have yet to be revealed. The game is listed as a pure RPG, so we're not expecting the action-oriented gameplay of Phantasy Star Online. Online play is said to be similar to Offline play, except the characters that you adventure with are controlled by people.
Using Artdink's expertise in Online game's development, Bandai is promising a full-fledged Online experience. The game includes an Online interface that lets players chat, send e-mail and read news. You can even create guilds, which seem to be chat rooms exclusively for your friends.
Bandai will not be charging a monthly fee for playing, but there's a catch. While Bandai is setting up a matching server, actual gameplay takes place on an "area server," which runs on your own PC. Specific details on how the PC and PS2 will connect should follow in a future update.
Bandai is actually making this strange Online system into part of the game. Your PC represents a section of the .hack world, and using dungeon creation tools, you can create your own dungeons and areas. This is, of course, in addition to adventuring through the worlds that Bandai has created.
There are a great deal of questions remaining regarding gameplay, security and hooking up to a PC, but if all goes well, .hack's first attempt at real Online gaming should be something to watch, especially for fans of the series. The game will hit Japan some time this year.
Until the official unveiling of .hack//G.U. at E3 in May, the .hack series lied dormant since the release of the last game in the original four-part series, .hack//Quarantine, in early 2004. The aforementioned announcement of .hack//G.U. breathed new life into the series, and news that another new title in the series, to be released before the first title in the newly announced .hack//G.U. series, rose up shortly after. Details on this new title were nonexistent until this week's edition of Famitsu Weekly was released, where the game was given its official unveiling, along with the game's first concrete details.
For those who are unfamiliar with the .hack series, its most prominent claim to fame is that they are offline titles which take place in an artificial MMORPG setting. This new title for both the PC and PlayStation 2, titled .hack//Fragment, will mark the series' first venture into actual online play. An offline mode will be featured as well.
Not many details have been released regarding character creation, but it looks as if players will be able to choose between six different classes, and will be able to customize their character's physical appearance. New design variations on the female samurai, female warrior, and male heavy-sword user classes will be included. Once a character is created, you are tossed into a lobby where you can search for other players to create a full three-person group.
Online play also touts other typical MMORPG features, such as the ability to chat, send email, browse a BBS, or create guilds. One not-so-typical feature is that players will not be subjected to a monthly fee for access to the online portion of the game. This will not come without a price; Bandai is setting up a matching server, but actual online gameplay will take place on an "area server," which runs on your PC. Your PC will represent a section of the .hack world, and you will be able to create your own dungeons and areas to adventure through along with areas that Bandai has created.
As for the offline aspect of the game, players will be given the option of following a story adventure more akin to the previous titles in the series. You will play alongside two computer controlled characters, who will consist of major characters from every title in the previous games, as well as the various .hack manga and anime releases. Players will be able to groom their characters offline and play with them in the online portion of the game.
.hack//Fragment is 75% complete and will be released in Japan some time this year. North America has yet to receive word of a western localization.
Here are some pics
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Some Scans
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