Greetings HeroClix Players and Fans!
WizKids is pleased to announce that we will be working together with HCRealms on a very exciting project. This is an exclusive opportunity we’re offering you, our player community, to participate in a very exciting Beta test of the upcoming HeroClix Online game platform.
Before we get started, let’s talk about what some of you are going to experience as a tester. HeroClix Online (HCO) is what we call a “transliteration” – a literal translation of the tabletop game. Every effort has been made to make sure the two platforms operate in parallel. Of course, there are differences, such as –
1: The Maps are rendered in a beautiful 3-D space
2: Rules are enforced by the computer – you can play poorly but you can’t play incorrectly (except for some bugs right now)
3: Sanctioned (prize bearing tournaments) have a chess clock feature
4: No more tackle boxes – Some will love it, some will hate it!
5: Sound effects!
Before you get started, realize that you are about to play HeroClix an entirely new way. For starters, there is a “camera” to help you manage your view of the board. We think the camera works great but it did take some time to get . Give it a chance, and let us know if we can improve table top awareness. We’ll be reading the HCO message boards for feedback.
Chat isn’t as easy as it is at the store, you’ll have make an effort to chat via game chat or IM. VoIP is on a future feature list but that won’t be available at launch.
The system is still buggy, please be patient and report bugs as you encounter them. Keep in mind that some elements are still pending approval and may change based on licensor comments. There are tools built into the client to assist with providing feedback and bug reporting.
Stick with in and I am confident you’ll find it rewarding. Consider the convenience of being able to play a quick game 24/7 with players from around the world.
We’re providing access to the HCO Developer forums, a discussion board where you will have direct access to the development team, share work arounds, and speak with other players to organize events and test sessions.
What to focus on
As you begin your HeroClix Online experience, there are four areas we would like all of our Beta Testers to concentrate on:
If you focus on these areas, HeroClix Online will be the better experience for all involved and will be an excellent platform through which HeroClix players worldwide can both enjoy and improve upon their game.
And remember, HeroClix Online is not intended as a replacement for the tabletop experience, rather, it is a platform that is designed to make HeroClix even more convenient for players around the world to share their love of the game on a platform that fits into their busy lives.
Think about it; HeroClix games available 24/7, full rules enforcement, a virtual judge “at your table”, and you can play with folks all over the world!
HeroClix Online represents everything you love about the tabletop experience: maps, strategy, your favorite figures, and more. Assemble your teams and do battle in the digital arena today!
Thanks in advance,
The HeroClix team
BTW – For those of you that don;t get into round 1 of the test, don’t worry. We’ll open HCO testing up shortly.
Here’s are some early (preliminary) screen shots
