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Hot off the presses:

Quote
It's official, mech pilots! The HAWKEN Open Beta is live!

http://www.playhawken.com/download/

Get out there and tear 'em up!

Downloading now.... ;)

About:

Quote
WHAT IS HAWKEN?

HAWKEN is a free-to-play, online, multiplayer, mech-based first-person shooter that puts you in the pilot seat of a giant robotic war machine.

Customize and upgrade your mechs the way you want, then join your friends on the battlefield to rain destruction across HAWKEN's beautiful and immersive alien landscapes. Best of all, HAWKEN is FREE!

"Mech Warrior meets Counter Strike ... what more could you ask for?"

- ShogunGamer.com

BEST OF PC, PAX Prime 2012

Impressions when you have them, please :-)

Will do.  Unfortunately, it looks like there are server problems tonight, so it won't be anytime soon.   :-\

I know he spells his name differently but when I read the title I thought of being a world renowed astro physicist with chain guns bolted to his wheel chair saving the world from aliens when hes assigned to Black Mesa.

Still feels pretty buggy to me.  The tutorial is nerfed.  After going through the basic garage options and launching the tutorial walk-through mission, your mech disappears and you are unable to load the mission due to a "mech synch error."  This is a major bug, but its not exactly a show stopper because there are two free mechs that come with the game and you are able to load and play the walk-through mission with them.  I've run through it once and liked what I saw.  I think a big element that will determine whether this game succeeds or fails will be the maps and the manner in which they are designed.  If they are big, and well thought out, the game has potential to be a lot of fun.

Otherwise, I really need to explore more to get a feel for the game. The mechs seem to be pretty much exactly what you would expect...scouts that are light and fast, mechs that excel at long-range engagement (ie. snipers), medium sized jack of all trades, close in brawlers, heavy rocket platforms (ie. artillery), etc.  These mechs can all be upgraded with weapons, and components which essentially seem to add "perks," if you will.  Everything needs to be purchased with points.  Points can be earned in online matches or bought outright with money.  You'll need to upgrade to be competitive, that much is obvious from the get-go.

Anyway,  I'll post more impressions as they come.  I do love the aesthetic and the graphics are very good, so this will at least hold my interest for awhile... 

Thanks for the impressions, Jarhead.  I've never played any of the mech simulators on PC, but I have played Battletech on the tabletop.  I've always loved the universe and the mechs and I'm itching to get in with a good, dedicated group of guys and raise some hell!  Hawken or Inner Sphere makes no difference .

I'm hoping the bugs get ironed out and then we have enough interested guys here to get something going. I too have never played a PC mech game but I would like to cut my teeth on something like Hawken.

This one caught my eye with some beta previews before, but wasn't there something pretty screwy about it having a nasty Pay-To-Win scheme?

Quote from: MetalDog on December 13, 2012, 07:37:14 PM
Thanks for the impressions, Jarhead.  I've never played any of the mech simulators on PC, but I have played Battletech on the tabletop.  I've always loved the universe and the mechs and I'm itching to get in with a good, dedicated group of guys and raise some hell!  Hawken or Inner Sphere makes no difference .

Quote from: Gusington on December 13, 2012, 09:05:21 PM
I'm hoping the bugs get ironed out and then we have enough interested guys here to get something going. I too have never played a PC mech game but I would like to cut my teeth on something like Hawken.

^  What they said!  Thanks for the feedback Jarhead. 

I played a little more last night, and while it was enjoyable, it did start to feel like an FPS with a hud and cockpit.  Very fast paced. You take damage and explode.  Gear, weapons, systems....nothing ever gets disabled.  You just go from fighting to dead in a heartbeat.  Its pretty much just a run and gun game.  Its going to turn a lot of you guys off. 

Aw.  Yeah, that is disappointing to hear. 

One of my favorite things in BattleTech was seeing my Mech doggedly continue fighting despite missing an arm (from where his PPC/AutoCannon exploded)...and sometimes winning.  ;D 

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 14, 2012, 10:16:37 AM
I played a little more last night, and while it was enjoyable, it did start to feel like an FPS with a hud and cockpit.  Very fast paced. You take damage and explode.  Gear, weapons, systems....nothing ever gets disabled.  You just go from fighting to dead in a heartbeat.  Its pretty much just a run and gun game.  Its going to turn a lot of you guys off.

I finally got a chance to give the game a try last night and I have to concur with the above opinion.  If Hawken was a FPS, it would be Call of Duty.  Now, that does not necessarily have to be a BAD thing.   :D  I played a bunch of games yesterday and had a blast.  If you are looking for a light, mech-based combat game, Hawken is a lot of fun.  Even better, it is F2P so what have you got to lose?

If, however, you insist on more depth, then I also can recommend Mechwarrior Online.  After enjoying my time with Hawken, I decided to give this F2P game a go too and have also had a lot of fun.  However, MWO is tough!  Unlike the simplistic customization options in Hawken, MWO allows you to customize your mech with a degree of latitude that is similar to what you find in games like Eve Online.  The combat is also much more challenging as, unlike Hawken, you only get one mech per battle.  Lose that, and you are out.  Battles are also less run and gun and much more tactical with careful maneuvering and team play being essential. 

All in all, I can see myself playing both games as they both have their charms, but I am leaning towards MWO because it is striking me as far more immersive with all the customization options and potential tactics on big battlefields.

I wish someone would give us a SP mech game next.  :(  But in the mean time, both these two titles are quite nice - and they are only in beta at the moment.  Things are only going to get better.  I can even see myself dropping some real money on MWO once it goes v1.0.

Good too hear about MWO.  Seriously thinking about getting involved in that.

Quote from: MetalDog on December 31, 2012, 06:06:12 PM
Good too hear about MWO.  Seriously thinking about getting involved in that.

It's also F2P, so I would recommend giving it a try.  It has a steep learning curve, though, so be prepared.   :)  And all the issues of a real beta are present, such as bugs, balancing issues galore, and limited maps/game modes.

The last few days I've been swinging back and forth between both Hawken and MWO.  I really like both equally - again, that Call of Duty & Battlefield comparison is appropriate in that both are fun games that just approach the same genre differently.  Contrary to what I said earlier, I think I will probably wind up spending money on both once they go V1.0 (seeing all the possible changes coming down the pike, I don't recommend investing in either game just yet  - well, not beyond merely cosmetic stuff).  When it comes to F2P games, the only title I ever dropped money on was Blacklight: Retribution, so saying I will spend money on these two titles is quite the milestone.   :D

Getting back to Hawken, I am looking for this web series to kick off in 2013:

http://youtu.be/tFQ7Pg07edc (http://youtu.be/tFQ7Pg07edc)

I would love to see HBO tackle a big budget sci-fi series like that some day.  So much sci-fi out there awaiting its chance, but all we get are Star Wars / Star Trek / Battlestar Galactica rip-offs.   ::)

A new patch has been released:

http://community.playhawken.com/news/_/game-info/open-beta-patch-notes-010313

QuoteOPEN BETA PATCH NOTES: 1/3/13

OVERVIEW

Happy new year, mech pilots! This small update addresses some interface issues and improves map rotation.

GAMEPLAY

    Maps cycle more evenly, appearing once every rotation.
    Deathmatch mode limited to a maximum of 10 players.

INTERFACE

    Test Drive mechs now clearly display the expiration date in the description.
    Expired Test Drive mech icons now display a red background and ribbon.
    FR0S-T1000 Repair Drone and Flurry Fury Thruster can now be previewed.
    FR0S-T1000 Repair Drone and Flurry Fury Thruster banner text changed to "Rent" to clearly denote that they are rental items.

BUGS FIXED

    FR0ST-T1000 ice trail and snowball effect tweaked.
    Heat Cannon snow burst effect tweaked.

Nothing major, but any step towards full release is a good step.   :D  I think Hawken is going to be hugely popular when it gets out of beta.

Hawken is a beautiful game.  Graphics are nice.   Gameplay is just like an FPS for me.  To me all the Mechs are similar in speed, weaponry etc.   They all dodge around and zip about the battlefield.   Some differentiation would be nicel.  Also after playing for about an hour it just loses my interest. 

Quote from: Achilles on January 05, 2013, 11:09:13 AM
Hawken is a beautiful game.  Graphics are nice.   Gameplay is just like an FPS for me.  To me all the Mechs are similar in speed, weaponry etc.   They all dodge around and zip about the battlefield.   Some differentiation would be nicel.  Also after playing for about an hour it just loses my interest.

I completely agree.  One of the big demands on the official forums is for a lot more differentiation and customization of the mechs.  Interestingly, when the game was in alpha, there WAS a lot more of this:

http://youtu.be/lWRj4VnMm-E

What happened to this?!?

Hawken forumites are hoping that this stuff was pulled out to simplify the beta process.  I hope they are correct because the game needs a lot more customization and differentiation to make it interesting for the long haul.  Still, in small bites, its current form remains addictive as a quick time killer, like CoD. 

Sounds like the Hawken devs have some really good ideas in the works:

Hawken devs 'exploring' melee weapons, decals and spectator system (http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/21/hawken-devs-exploring-melee-weapons-decals-and-spectator-system/)

Sounds great! Even though I also greatly enjoy the more tactical nature of MechWarrior Online, I find the quicker shooter pace and "beer and pretzels" nature of Hawken to be a more addictive formula. Right now the game is a bit too thin on content to keep me playing it for more than a few rounds a night, but the above changes will go a long way in changing that.

The first big patch is also due out soon:

The Reaper Update: Patch Notes (http://community.playhawken.com/news/_/game-info/the-reaper-update-patch-notes)


The Reaper looks cool:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi226.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd70%2FCrusaderScott%2FMech%2520Warfare%2Ff5418f74a4c55f2f4d30a5525f6abe12_zpsc620ab55.jpg&hash=7de76e0204ce40cce05efafc63dcd2b5707eac80)

Thanks for the update RB.  I'll admit it makes me squee a little.  :) 

I said I wasn't going to do it until Hawken was out of beta, but I finally did fork over some cash. Not a lot, just $10 to customize my starter mech, but I feel that I have gotten at least $10 worth of play time out of this game. Even though Hawken very much remains in a beta condition (particularly the UI), the game is already a lot of fun.

Here is my mech after I tricked it out with some customized body parts and a paint job:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi226.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd70%2FCrusaderScott%2FHawken%2FHawkenGame-Win32-Shipping2013-05-1523-29-43-96_zpsb51e6f92.png&hash=8df1af3c9fceead460b2a240e383a85706604f76)

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi226.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd70%2FCrusaderScott%2FHawken%2FHawkenGame-Win32-Shipping2013-05-1523-29-16-49_zpsb888cfd1.png&hash=dec8f75da812419480948b4599ad5bf89241193c)

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi226.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd70%2FCrusaderScott%2FHawken%2FHawkenGame-Win32-Shipping2013-05-1601-20-01-66_zps3eeada52.png&hash=f63bf39bc6e48d106a361919686841f30c9dc527)

Snazzy.

Much better than the standard "TV Head" mech that the devs deviously contrived to be as ugly as possible.  :P

Now I saved up enough credits to buy a second mech.  Haven't decided which to go with, though.  I think I want to try a more missile-armed mech for my second beast.


BTW: I also enjoy MechWarrior Online. Both are good games, so I encourage everyone to not heed the internet chatter of the two fan groups that one is better than the other. Hawken is to MechWarrior Online what Call of Duty is to Battlefield: both are good games that approach the same genre from a very different perspective.   Personally, I give Hawken a bit of an edge because it is much easier to jump into and play.  Plus, I think the artistic direction of Hawken is much more interesting that the rather bland terrain in MWO.  But both are good.   :)

Thanks for the feedback RB!  I've continued to keep my eye on both games, although have yet to jump into either (too many other games to play in the meantime!).  I still wish MWO would add an actual campaign, as I feel the game-world's lore gives it a one-up on similar titles. 

Quote from: RooksBailey on May 16, 2013, 03:15:30 PM
Hawken is to MechWarrior Online what Call of Duty is to Battlefield: both are good games that approach the same genre from a very different perspective.   

For those of us who are almost wholly unfamiliar with the shooter genre, what does this translate as? 

Quote from: Martok on May 20, 2013, 09:11:32 PM
Thanks for the feedback RB!  I've continued to keep my eye on both games, although have yet to jump into either (too many other games to play in the meantime!).  I still wish MWO would add an actual campaign, as I feel the game-world's lore gives it a one-up on similar titles. 

Well, I hear the devs are planning on a Planetside meta-campaign where every battle impacts the larger war, so that could be interesting.  If MWO does actually get such a thing going, that is when I suspect MWO is going to overtake Hawken in popularity.  Right now Hawken has the edge because, being a vastly simpler game, the devs are much further along the development curve. 

Quote from: Martok on May 20, 2013, 09:11:32 PM

Quote from: RooksBailey on May 16, 2013, 03:15:30 PM
Hawken is to MechWarrior Online what Call of Duty is to Battlefield: both are good games that approach the same genre from a very different perspective.   

For those of us who are almost wholly unfamiliar with the shooter genre, what does this translate as?

Sorry about that.   :D  What that means is Hawken is much more of a "run and gun".  That is, like Call of Duty, Hawken is all about fast and furious battles where the name of the game is to wrack up the most kills for your team (in team deathmatch - there are other modes, though).  And like in CoD, when you get killed you respawn after a few seconds and are off and running again.  Teamwork is a factor in Hawken, especially since they started adding support mechs, but you can still lone wolf it if you see fit.

MechWarrior Online is more like Battlefield (really, World in Tanks would be a better analogy) in that it is not about running and gunning as a lone wolf, but about careful maneuvering and close team tactics.  And unlike Hawken,  when you lose your mech in MWO, you are out of the round for good.  This alone makes players much more cautious and "tactically-minded". 

As I wrote above, right now Hawken feels like a more complete game, so that is why I've been enjoying it more (I estimate Hawken to be 60% complete to MWO's 40%).  But I think once MWO is further along the development cycle, it could easily overtake Hawken as the mech game of choice because there is planned to be a lot of depth to this title. 

Hope this helps!

EDIT:

Here is an example of Hawken's gameplay:




And MWOs:

Thanks again, man.  I appreciate the compare-and-contrast between the two.  :) 


<Goes to watch the gameplay videos>

Big changes coming to my favorite mech game!

Hawken update coming 'later this month,' tunes mechs, adds new map (http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/hawken-update-coming-later-this-month-tunes-mechs-adds-new-m/)

QuoteHawken, the free-to-play mech-based shooter from Adhesive Games, is still in open beta. It's been in open beta since December and, while Adhesive Games' Jason Hughes says the developer hopes to launch the game "sometime this year," and a new update coming "later this month" promises to radically alter the current state of the game.

• "This new version of Hawken will retire the current Optimization system, replacing it with a new Tuning system - a more nuanced set of variables attached to each subclass of mech."
• "On top of that, a new item slot system will limit what players can equip on their mechs."
• "Finally, this new update institutes some much-requested community features like a party system that will allow friends to group up before jumping into a match.  ...  There is also a new co-op bot training mode, in case you and your pals don't feel like taking on humans, and an offline team deathmatch mode to help new players ease into the experience on their own."

And a new jungle map!   8)

Sigh, between this and WoT, I have become such a motorhead.

Damn.  This game needs to come out so I can play it! 

The next patch for Hawken adds a lot of great ideas!



This makes me more confident than ever that Hawken will be the mech game to beat...until Titanfall comes out, anyway. 

Thanks for the update, RB.  The new changes do sound pretty cool. 

Predator is coming to Hawken.... :D



Have to get back into this game.  The new changes that came with the last mega patch really threw me for a loop since the game changed so much.   Sort of turned me off after getting comfortable with the original version.  But it is still a good game.

Heh.  I just watched that video maybe half an hour ago.  The Wilhelm Scream cracked me up.  :P 

Quote from: RooksBailey on October 10, 2013, 07:49:21 PM
Have to get back into this game.  The new changes that came with the last mega patch really threw me for a loop since the game changed so much.   Sort of turned me off after getting comfortable with the original version.  But it is still a good game.

Is the aforementioned mega-patch that Ascension update you posted about back in August? 

Quote from: Martok on October 11, 2013, 03:55:45 AM
Heh.  I just watched that video maybe half an hour ago.  The Wilhelm Scream cracked me up.  :P 

Yeah, I heard it too.  :D

QuoteIs the aforementioned mega-patch that Ascension update you posted about back in August?

Yeah, that one.  It is a good patch, but it changed things up quite a bit.  I felt like I had to learn the game all over again, so I got a bit frustrated.  It's me, not the game.  :)

Hurray! Hawken is back! By that I mean that the last major update was something of a step backwards for me as big parts of the game were changed, especially the UI, and all of it seemed shabby and WIP. Well, I guess I was correct because today's Predator update vastly improved the UI, as well as some of the other mechanics, to make the game feel much more polished and complete. We are now at v.0.9.6, so I don't think Hawken will be in beta much longer!

New vid:

Yep, I watched that video yesterday.  So has everyone suddenly started fielding Predator mechs already?  :P 

Quote from: Martok on October 31, 2013, 08:56:26 AM
Yep, I watched that video yesterday.  So has everyone suddenly started fielding Predator mechs already?  :P

Not me.  I've been too busy with the Halloween Party over at Team Fortress 2.   ;)

Looks like the main content for the new update is the addition of the new "Wreckage" map. 

Also, you can deckout your Mech in holiday-appropriate themes.  Check out the "Frosty the Snowman" repair-bot!  :P 

Just wish there was a single player game like this...with a campaign

You and me both, man.  That was why I was so let down when I found out the new Mechwarrior title was (likewise) going to be an MMO only. 

Hawken in coming to Steam!

HAWKEN on Steam: A New Battlefield Awaits!  (https://community.playhawken.com/news/_/game-info/hawken-on-steam-a-new-battlefield-awaits-r330)

QuoteGreetings pilots!

As we move forward into 2014, we're hard at work on making HAWKEN bigger and better. We know all of you love HAWKEN and have expressed the desire for it to reach a broader audience. With that in mind, we're very excited to announce that HAWKEN is coming to Steam!

Steam is the premier platform for PC gaming reaching millions of gamers worldwide and will allow us to introduce HAWKEN to a brand new audience. As we continue to focus on a full release in 2014, expanding our reach is a major priority for us.Today, we're bringing LIVE services down to begin our transition to Steam. This is quite a major shift for us, so the process will not be instantaneous. We've created a Steam Transition Guide and Steam Transition FAQ in order to address the most pressing questions, but I wanted to highlight a few points here.

From this point forward, a Steam account will be required to play HAWKEN. HAWKEN will no longer be playable using the existing launcher and the game will only be accessible through Steam.

    Over the next 7 days, we'll be granting current pilots immediate access before new pilots can obtain HAWKEN via the Steam store. Read more about this process in our Steam Transition Guide.

    Once you have the game downloaded on Steam, you will be able to play the latest version of HAWKEN, i.e. our February Update. This patch will be missing some core content and you may run into some of our QA testers still working on final polish. Right now, we're aiming for a formal release of the update in the next couple of weeks.

    New account creation is being disabled until the full February release.

The reason we're approaching our release in this manner is so we can slowly ramp up to a full Steam launch. By the time our full February release is good to go, we want all of our existing users to have already made the transition over to Steam. This should help reduce the stress on our services immensely. All of us have worked very hard to make HAWKEN on Steam possible and we can't wait until it's available for everyone to enjoy. Thanks for your continued support, and we're looking forward to experiencing this new battlefield with all of you!

I got my key yesterday and made the transition with no issues.  I think this is a great move for a great game.  It should expose Hawken to a much larger audience, as well as making the game easier to keep up to date without mega patches. 

Speaking of which, the patch notes for this month's mega-update:

https://community.playhawken.com/news/_/game-info/steam-update-patch-notes-r332

I've played about three hours of the latest build and like what Adhesive has done.  The mechs are much more fragile now, but that makes the game more about careful maneuvering than slug-fests.  I do miss the tuning points though, albeit I can understand why Adhesive removed them (it was making balancing a nightmare according to them). 

In celebration of the Steam launch, I started a new Berserker mech (I called it Rick Y Morty  :)).  Not much invested in it yet except for some basic deflectors, but I did give it a custom camo scheme and some custom thrusters.  My glam vid:

Cool news.  Is the game still going to be F2P, though? 

Quote from: Martok on February 08, 2014, 02:27:03 PM
Cool news.  Is the game still going to be F2P, though?

Yup.  It is just gonna have full Steam integration (Steam Wallet, auto-updates, etc.).

Sweet. 

Even though the Steam client is still in closed beta - only players with a pre-existing account can play it, and even then invites are only going out  in staggered batches - the response have been very positive.  Lots of fallen away players are returning.  And the changes that are coming with the February update have been largely well received.  I've always believed that Hawken was the best mech game out there at the moment, and now I believe it stands a good chance of going super-nova once it is fully released on Steam.

Got my steam key today. I'll admit it...Hawken is looking VERY good.

I think Hawken just made a terrible decision.  I am at a loss to explain this:

https://community.playhawken.com/topic/32651-hawken-on-steam-early-access/

QuoteDuring the first phase of Early Access, new pilots will be required to purchase a bundle in order to play. We felt this was necessary to help control our server load and offer the very best experience possible to all players. Once a bundle is purchased you'll be provided a code to assist with creating your pilot account on our website. Please note that a pilot account is required to play HAWKEN.

...

The "Nemesis" Bundle

Early Access will begin with only one bundle available for purchase. The Nemesis bundle is a special, limited time bundle that contains a large amount of content at a deeply discounted price. It contains 9 mechs, a global repair drone, all 3 Nemesis themed chassis art pieces, 6410 HAWKEN Credits, 720 Meteor Credits and an exclusive pilot emblem, all for only $29.99 USD.  More information on this bundle and its content will be available soon!

Pardon me, but WTF?  I mean, this doesn't even effect me as I am part of the old bunch, but if I was new to the game, this would absolutely turn me off from the game!  When I first read that you were going to be required to buy a package, I was ticked off, but then I figured 'eh, it will probably be $10 or so, so no big deal".  But $29.99!!!!!  Again: WTF!   >:(   This is an absolutely horrible decision!  It is effectively going to kill any momentum Hawken would have achieved right out of the gate!

I am just at a loss....

Now that I am over my rage at the temporary ditching of the F2P model (I have since learned two things: 1) Hawken is expected to go back to being F2P in March, and 2) Steam requires a purchase price for the early access program), I can celebrate the first step of the launch of Hawken on Steam, not to mention the release of a new map and mech!

https://community.playhawken.com/news/_/game-info/hawkens-steam-update-is-now-live-r336

Great new trailer:

Yep, watched that yesterday.  Looks good. 

There is a new $10 gate pack, so if you want in on this temporary closed Steam beta, now is a good time!  :)

http://steamcommunity.com/games/271290/announcements/detail/1697033460736047605

Prosk Recruitment Event

QuoteGreetings pilots!

Last week HAWKEN was released on Steam and the Nemesis Bundle became available for purchase but we have another huge weekend planned! We're releasing another bundle that players can purchase which will also provide immediate access to HAWKEN during this initial Early Access phase. In addition to this new bundle we are also hosting a Double XP Weekend and we're implementing a limited-time discount on the purchasing of Meteor Credits!

This weekend marks the release of our second bundle for HAWKEN under Steam's Early Access program. The Prosk Starter Bundle contains the Vanguard, Infiltrator and Sharpshooter mechs as well as an exclusive Prosk Pilot Emblem. Just like the Nemesis Bundle, purchasing the Prosk Starter Bundle will give players immediate access to HAWKEN during this initial Early Access phase. The Prosk Starter Bundle is priced at $20 USD, but will be available with an initial 50% discount for only $10 USD. This discount won't last forever, so take advantage of it while you can!

I don't have two of the mechs in my garage, so I think I am going to pony up the $10.  The Prosk Emblem is worth it alone.   ;D