Downloading Hell

FFS did finally release their 1.0 update of HG: L yesterday, and I did eventually get the game patched, though FFS didn't make it easy.

For reasons that are beyond me, FFS published one update, but uploaded it to two links, one label "NA," the other "EU." That gave the impression that there were two different updates, one for North America, one for Europe. As a result, the "NA" link got hammered. Or maybe it was messed up from the git go. Either way, downloads form it either timed out too early or gave incomplete files. My first "complete" download produced a message that the patch was corrupt and missing sections. A second download attempt yielded the same result. I checked Hellgate's support forum and saw numerous forum threads popping up outlining the exact problem I was having. Some tool was trolling those boards, responding that the problem wasn't FFS's link, but the users' computers and that they "should seek immediate professional help." I couldn't help but flame that douche bag, a post that was soon removed by FFS. I know I shouldn't feed the trolls, but that guy was being a dick.

Not long after my rant, someone posted that the EU link was the same exact patch, and unlike its NA counterpart, was providing successful updates. Not only was it downloading faster than the NA one, it was yielding a complete file. Sure enough, I downloaded from this link and successfully updated the game. So much for having to seek "professional" help.

I imagine FFS linked the update this way to split the traffic evenly, but either more North America users were patching the game and slamming the server, or the NA link was just plain broken to begin with. Whichever you pick, it's yet another misstep on the part of FFS, in a long line of them.

I didn't get much time to actually play Stonehenge. I did enter the starting zone, a broad and wide open area centered around . . . Stonehenge! I already like the first combat zone I entered. It's a wide open area with swampy terrain and lots of jungle fauna, a welcome change to all the narrow streets and bunker hallways of pre-update. I'll have more to say about the update once I get more time to play it.