H-Hour: World's Elite

H-Hour: World's Elite
Developer(s) SOF Studios
Publisher(s) SOF Studios
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4
Release date(s) Microsoft Windows
May 19, 2015 (Early Access)
PlayStation 4
TBA
Genre(s) Tactical shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

H-Hour: World's Elite is a tactical shooter video game, currently being developed by SOF Studios. The game is currently in beta as of April 2015 and full release as TBA for Microsoft Windows via Steam.[1] A version for the PlayStation 4 is planned to be released at a later date.

Initial development was mostly funded by $252,662 from a successful Kickstarter campaign that ended on July 7, 2013.[2]

Gameplay

H-Hour: World’s Elite is a team-based tactical shooter. The online gameplay will feature round-based and objective-focused matches. Players will be able to switch between third-person and first-person view. The game will initially be "8v8" only, with the possibility of testing and adding larger player-counts in the future.[3] Upon release the game will be multiplayer only. Campaign mode is scheduled as part of semi-annual DLC releases.

Online multiplayer

H-Hour: World's Elite online is a community-orientated multiplayer game. The game is planned to feature an online match making system capable of matching players based on skill levels but will also offer lobby matchmaking where players can manually find a game of their choice to join. The game will feature what SOF Studios is calling the Analytics Sergeant, which is an integrated tool which will identify the flaws and strengths of how a player is playing the game. It is intended to teach players in-game strategies and how to play tactically with their team. Matches will have a 16 player maximum divided into 2 teams Special Forces and Terrorists.

H-Hour will make use of comprehensive building tools to focus on its community, including detailed clan creation and management systems. Players with leadership drive can create their own permanent clans by pre-set options. More advanced customization options will be available. These include a dedicated clan page, unique clan badges and logos, and the ability to create a clan "constitution" to declare the clan's philosophy. In addition, "After Action Reports" will give clan leaders the ability to monitor their members performance at a glance, assisting leaders with tracking and improving their clan's performance. When it's time to play, clan leaders can sent challenges to other clans, or enter their team into SOF-sponsored ladders and tournaments.[4]

Advanced analytics technology will be used to monitor and combat cheaters.[5]

The game will not require a player to play for a certain period of time or complete certain tasks in order to use certain weapons or weapon attachments. All guns and equipment in the game will be available for players to use without having to unlock them. This design concept stresses the fact that the game will be primarily skill-based. The developers are planning on releasing downloadable content that only affect the aesthetics of equipment and weapons.

H-Hour: World's Elite is planned to include six maps upon release and at least four gameplay modes. Additional maps will be released via semi-annual DLC. The maps in these DLC packs will be free of charge and available to all players.

Development

H-Hour: World's Elite is being developed by SOF Studios, located in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Its creative director, David Sears, was also the creative director of the SOCOM series, and H Hour is envisaged as a spiritual successor. Sears lead the game through a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, raising $252,662 in July 2013. These funds were used to create a prototype which could then be used as a pitch for publisher funding.[6] Sears left his position as creative director at SOF Studios in October 2014.[7]

Initial development and assets were created using Unreal Engine 3 and later transitioned to Unreal Engine 4. The game is being developed for Microsoft Windows, with plans to port the game to the PlayStation 4.[8] The game was released onto Steam Early Access in May 2015.

As of March 14, 2016, all development on H-Hour: World's Elite was ceased awaiting further capital investment. [9]

As of March 21, 2016, a group of industry professionals including former contract workers at SOF Studios stepped forward to volunteer their spare time to continuing the development of 'H-Hour: World's Elite. Between then and the end of June 2016, significant work was completed:

[10]


References

  1. ↑ Matthew Bennett (2014-10-06). "H-Hour: World's Elite enters full production, coming to Steam Early Access in March 2015". egmnow. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  2. ↑ David Sears (2013-06-07). "H-Hour: World's Elite". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  3. ↑ David Sears (2013-06-07). "H-Hour player count". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  4. ↑ SOF Studios. "H-Hour: World's Elite". SOF Studios. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  5. ↑ David Sears (2013-06-07). "H-Hour: World's Elite". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  6. ↑ Dean Takahashi (2013-07-02). "SOCOM creator crowdsources his next team-shooter game with H-Hour: World's Elite". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  7. ↑ Tom (2014-10-23). "David Sears moves to advisory role for H-Hour". SOF Studios. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  8. ↑ David Sears (2013-06-07). "H-Hour: World's Elite". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  9. ↑ Tom (2016-03-14). "Weekly "Quick Look" - 14 March 2016". SOF Studios. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  10. ↑ Rosie (2016-07-01). "Consolidated Patch Notes". SOF Studios. Retrieved 2016-07-01.

External links

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