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The Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria
What's up, Age of Conan fans? Hopefully all of you had an overindulgent Thanksgiving (I'm picturing clusters of barbarians hunched around roaring campfires, gnawing the blackened meat off the bones of whatever game animal happened to pass by). For my part, I spent the last couple of days avoiding work, gaining weight, and catching up on recent news from Funcom's Hyboria. I've been a bit distracted with various online shooters lately, but I always find myself coming back to AoC because of its unique fantasy world and rough-and-tumble themepark mechanics. Join me after the break for a few recent tidbits that piqued my interest.
The Anvil of Crom: Playing through Dead Man's Hand
A few weeks ago I teamed with Funcom to bring you an exclusive preview of the Dead Man's Hand solo instance featured in Age of Conan's new Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack. Over the past couple of days I finally managed to spend a bit of time playing through it, and for the most part it's been a lot of fun. I say "for the most part" because I did experience a couple of gnat-bite annoyances in terms of acquiring the proper quests and completing a couple of the boss fights. Overall, though, it's definitely an instance worth checking out (though I'm not sure I'll be adding it to my daily rotation like I did with the Breach and Forgotten City dungeons).
Funcom teases Age of Conan's Turan content with new trailer
If you haven't taken the plunge on Age of Conan's new Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack yet, you can still get a good look at the new location thanks to a developer video recently posted by PC Gamer. The clip runs for over six minutes and is narrated by Funcom's Craig Morrison, otherwise known by his forum handle Silirrion and for his deeds as AoC's game director. The video hits all the adventure pack's highlights, and Morrison says that the dev team set out to offer something for everyone in the form of new solo instances, a group dungeon, and a large quest-driven playfield. The video also delves into a bit of the lore behind the Persian-themed Ardashir coast region and mentions the cross-over between the recent Conan the Barbarian film and several of the storylines and characters that players will encounter in their adventures. See all the sights after the cut.
Age of Conan's Savage Coast adventure pack officially live
If you didn't pony up 700 extra Funcom points for early access to Age of Conan's new Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack last week, you'll be glad to know that the content officially debuts today at its normal price. Said price is 1300 Funcom points (or approximately $15 depending on how you purchase your point packages). So what do you get for your hard-earned barbarian bucks? A bunch of new content for both mid- and high-level players, that's what. There's the Ardashir Coast playfield and its numerous quest lines that are designed to take you from 50 to 55. Players may also partake of Dead Man's Hand, a solo dungeon that scales from level 50 to level 80. Don't forget the Isle of the Iron Statues, either. It's another solo instance -- level 80 this time -- and it's taken directly from the works of Conan author Robert E. Howard. Finally, endgame grouping fans should note the new Fort Ardashir dungeon (and it's hard to miss as you zone into Ardashir City for the first time). The Savage Coast pack contains characters and locations from the recent Conan film reboot, and you can read more about the new content in Massively's weekly Anvil of Crom feature. [Source: Funcom press release]
The Anvil of Crom: Savage Coast first impressions
Oy, the life of a game blogger. Earlier this week I teed off a bit on subscription-based games that tack on a cash shop. The short version of that particular rant is that I'm not a fan of the practice, at all, and as far as my personal gaming time goes, I've bid adieu to all of the double-dippers formerly denting my wallet -- with one exception, of course. Whether that one exception makes me a hypocrite or is simply part of my job description is something I haven't quite figured out yet. In any event, it's somewhat ironic that I'm now about to tell you what a good time I had after spending 20 bucks in Age of Conan's item store. Yep, there I was, forking over for 2400 Funcom points -- I only needed 2000 for the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack, of course -- and enjoying it for the most part. Luckily, it only costs 520 Massively points to read my first impressions after the cut. %Gallery-132491%
The Anvil of Crom Extra: An exclusive look at The Isle of the Iron Statues
Hey kids, it's time for another Massively Age of Conan exclusive! A couple of weeks back we took a look at Dead Man's Hand, a level 50-80 solo instance that's part of the new Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack. As you know if you've been reading Massively today, Funcom is getting ready to launch the Savage Coast content on September 8th (or August 31st if you purchase an early access pass). What you didn't know is the details on the level 80 solo instance that rounds out the content drop, and this extra edition of the Anvil of Crom will give you an inside look at the Isle of the Iron Statues instance from Funcom's perspective. Join me after the cut as we see how the devs drew inspiration from an original Robert E. Howard yarn and married it to some engaging modern-day MMORPG gameplay. %Gallery-9836%
Massively Exclusive: Funcom details Age of Conan adventure pack options [Updated]
Well, Age of Conan fans, we've finally got ourselves a launch date for the much-anticipated Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack. The new content will be rolled out in two phases, and the regular launch date is set for September 8th, while an early access period will begin on August 31st. Funcom has given us the details on all of the purchasing options, and the Savage Coast will be available in a variety of flavors depending on how soon you'd like to start playing and what side dishes you'd like along with your main course. Join us after the cut for a look at the Savage Coast menu, and check back with Massively later today for an exclusive new Savage Coast content reveal. Please note that as of press time, Funcom has not provided us with prices for the following options. [Update]: Funcom has released pricing options as well as confirmed that both subscribers and free-to-play gamers will need to pay for the Savage Coast content. It's also worth noting that the pack is only available through the in-game store.
Funcom teases Age of Conan Turan armor
We still don't have a release date for Age of Conan's next content drop, but the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack is nonetheless looking pretty spiffy. How's that, you say? Well, Funcom has teased a couple of new screenshots featuring gear from the new pack, and you can see for yourself at the AoC Facebook page. There's a pair of male and a pair of female models on display (and unlike most fantasy MMOs, Age of Conan continues its tradition of providing actual armor for the fairer sex as opposed to thongs and heavy metal bras). The only question that remains is where will players get the bag or bank space to hold the new sets?
The Anvil of Crom: An exclusive preview of Dead Man's Hand
Welcome to a special edition of The Anvil of Crom. It's not often that I give up the captain's chair on this here column (in fact, today is the first time, if you want to get technical about it). In the interests of bringing you fine folk an exclusive Savage Coast of Turan content preview, though, it seemed like the prudent thing to do. Today's installment will give you a first look at Dead Man's Hand, and no, I'm not talking about the unfortunate Xbox title that I once purchased in the hopes of playing Red Dead Redemption six years prior to Red Dead Redemption. No, this Dead Man's Hand is a new single-player instance in Age of Conan, and it's debuting shortly with all the rest of AoC's movie tie-in adventure pack content. Head past the cut to join me in discovering what Funcom has to say about its latest dungeon endeavor (and oh yeah, I've got some exclusive screens and concept art for you as well). %Gallery-9836%
The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Turan, open-world PvP, and those pesky Funcom points
It's almost time for another Age of Conan content drop, and that means it's also time to catch up with game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison to chat about it. This weekend I interviewed the Funcom executive producer about a range of topics, including all that's new and shiny with AoC's forthcoming Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack. As we told you earlier, the pack features a boatload of new material, from new solo dungeons to a new raid to 50 new quests and a large outdoor playfield. While that's quite a bit of stuff, Funcom isn't done yet, as the devs are also hard at work implementing the bullet points Morrison covered in his latest dev update. Join me after the cut as we explore Turan, combo-skipping fixes, the riskiness of AoC's new open-world PvP content, and the question of whether subscribers are getting a good deal in terms of point rewards.
Funcom talks inspiration and AoC's massive Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack
Age of Conan faithful, enjoy yourselves. There's simply never been a better time to be a fan of the great barbarian and Funcom's blood-drenched MMORPG based on his Hyborian stomping grounds. The year has already seen the fantasy title adopt a free-to-play business model and push out a ton of new content, and that's really the tip of the proverbial iceberg. With the new Conan film reboot arriving in theaters this month, Funcom is gearing up to launch a huge amount of tie-in content. Dubbed The Savage Coast of Turan, the upcoming adventure pack adds a large outdoor playfield and over 50 new quests to the gameworld, not to mention two solo instances, a team instance, a new raid, and plenty of new gear. Join us after the cut as we present Funcom's internally produced look at the inspiration behind all the new content, and stay tuned to Massively this weekend for some exclusive Savage Coast news as well as an Anvil of Crom interview with game director Craig Morrison.
Age of Conan: Unchained conquers 300,000 new players, doubles revenue in a month
The secret is out and the jig is up: MMO studios have solid evidence that adding a free-to-play option on top of a subscription model is the way to bring in hordes of new players. Age of Conan: Unchained proved this today as Funcom announced the addition of over 300,000 players to its bloody family in the first month of service. Apparently the servers are packed full and Funcom is raking in the moolah, too. The studio announced that servers have quadrupled activity during this time period, and revenues have more then doubled. This is certainly good news for the 2008 title, which is now being supported by a mix of subscription and cash shop options. Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas is pleased as (a) punch: "The launch of the hybrid business model has been very successful so far. The activity levels on the servers are booming with a fourfold increase in players during July, we more than doubled the revenue generated from the game, and we have experienced a positive development in subscriber numbers. This definitely gives us great hope for the game's future." Age of Conan is set to release a movie tie-in update later this month called Savage Coast of Turan to take advantage of the Conan the Barbarian movie coming to theaters on the 18th.
Age of Conan: Unchained (aka F2P) starts tomorrow [Updated]
Yeah, you read that headline right. Age of Conan: Unrated is now Age of Conan: Unchained according to a new Craig Morrison interview over at PC Gamer. Oh, and that free-to-play launch date we've been asking for? It's tomorrow today. Funcom is inviting both new and old players to check out a good portion of its Hyborian content on the house, and the company will also be unveiling its cash shop (complete with a new "temptress" pet that helps the title live up to its mature rating). Unchained also marks the release of new content in the form of the Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances. As we told you last month, these new dungeons scale to your level and offer an experience designed to relieve the monotony of the well-traveled Noble District villas. Stick with Massively all weekend as we bring you the latest AoC: Unchained news and impressions, and don't forget to check out the Unchained launch trailer after the break. [Update]: Funcom has also posted its traditional monthly dev update, which focuses on all of the new content coming soon to AoC (and there is a lot of it). In addition to the two dungeons debuting today with Unchained, players can look forward to the long-awaited House of Crom dungeon (no, really!), new tier four raids, the Savage Coast of Turan stuff, and of course, Blood and Glory. [Update 2]: AoC 2.6, and F2P, is in fact going live today -- June 30th -- and the game launcher is currently down for patching. Funcom's Glen "Famine" Swan confirms as much on the official forums, and we'll link the patch notes as soon as they're available.
Catch up on Hyborian changes with Funcom's new Age of Conan newsletter
If you haven't been paying attention to Age of Conan lately, Funcom has just sent out a handy newsletter designed to catch you up on all that's new and exciting in the realm of Hyboria. The mailing covers the recent AoC Unrated free-to-play announcement as well as some of the new content that takes the form of the Breach and Forgotten City solo dungeons. Don't forget about the Savage Coast of Turan content coming later this summer (and coinciding with the Conan feature film reboot), and of course there's the Blood & Glory hardcore PvP server ruleset (also coming soon). If you're a former AoC subscriber, check your email for the newsletter, and stick with Massively for more exclusive AoC coverage throughout the summer.
Age of Conan monthly update details patch schedule, talks Khitai difficulty
It's been a big week for Age of Conan, and Funcom game director Craig Morrison has capped it off with his traditional end-of-the-month development update. Though it's a bit redundant if you've been paying attention over the last few days, Silirrion does let us in on a general patch schedule now that all the cats are out of the bag. The next update will officially bring about AoC: Unrated and the new business model and will also feature new content in the form of the Forgotten City and Breach auto-content generation dungeons we've discussed previously. The Funcom team has also eased up on the Khitai dungeon difficulty, at least for normal mode, and Morrison says, "the earlier instances have also been made more accessible for those arriving in Khitai for the first time, and will not require AA investment to be worthwhile options." Finally, we get a look at the list of tech-related improvements in the offing as well as confirmation that the film-related Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack will be part of the game's fall update cycle. Check out all the goods on the official forums.
Age of Conan's Morrison talks Savage Coast dungeons and gear
Interested in learning more about Age of Conan's newly minted Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack? Eurogamer recently talked to Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison about everything from the marketing opportunities represented by the upcoming Conan film to specifics on the new tie-in content. Morrison riffs on new instances, both the solo and group variety, including an encounter with pirates called Dead Man's Hand and another tryst based on the Island of Iron Statues from the original Robert E. Howard lore. There's also a new raid in the Temple of Elric that features Ela-Shan, a master thief whom Jason Momoa's Conan encounters in the new film. Still want more? How about a new epic quest line and various loot upgrades? The drops from the team instances will be "slightly more powerful than the rewards we give for max-level content in Godslayer," Morrison explains. He also drops a hint about the adventure pack's new armor. "You can't go into an area like Turan and have that magnificent Persian theme without bringing in new armor sets." Despite the high-level nature of some of the drops, it appears that much of the Savage Coast content is aimed at players around level 50. Head to Eurogamer for more.
Funcom prepping new Age of Conan adventure pack inspired by film reboot
It looks like rumors of new film-related content for Age of Conan were pretty accurate, as Funcom has officially announced The Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack for its fantasy MMORPG. According to a new press release, the pack "includes but is not limited to" content from the forthcoming Conan the Barbarian film reboot and will see players traveling to the lands of Turan some 20 years after the events of the movie. Players will explore the city of Ardashir and take on new quests, encounters, raids, and dungeons, all inspired by the film and on display in the recently released Conan trailer. Conan the Barbarian debuts August 19th, and while there is no firm release date for The Savage Coast of Turan, film producer Fredrik Malmberg says that fans will appreciate the synergy between the movie and Funcom's MMORPG. "Many of the concepts, locations, and designs from the game development were utilized by the film team for consistency," he said. Check out our AoC gallery below for a glimpse of some Ardashir concept art that includes new Turanian armor. %Gallery-9836%
