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Funcom shows off new Age of Conan Dreamworld video
If you're curious about the current MMORPG standard for graphics but aren't currently subbed to Age of Conan, you'll want to check out the new Dreamworld Technology: Powering AoC video that Funcom is showing off on its YouTube portal. The clip features voiceover narration by game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison and offers viewers a three-minute romp through Tortage, Khemi, Conarch, and Khitai, all rendered in the extreme detail made possible by the 2.1.5 Dreamworld update. In technical terms, Funcom has moved from a forward-rendering approach to a light pre-pass approach. If you're averse to geek-speak, know that this basically allows designers to use many more light sources with minimal performance costs. Dreamworld also makes use of a technique called adaptive shadow mapping, which results in higher quality shadows and higher frame rates. Check out all the details after the cut.
Massively Exclusive: Age of Conan's Craig Morrison on Blood and Glory, grind, and the future
Interesting times are just over the horizon for Age of Conan, and whether it's due to the Dreamworld game engine upgrade or the recently announced Blood and Glory PvP servers, Funcom's sword and sorcery epic isn't standing still as it moves toward its third anniversary in May of 2011. On the heels of the PvP ruleset announcement, we sat down with Funcom executive producer and AoC game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison for a chat about ruleset specifics, PvP balance, grind, and what we're likely to see once Dreamworld hits the live servers. Join us after the cut for all that and more.
Age of Conan adding more RMT items
More microtransactions are making their way to Hyboria, and while Funcom doesn't have a full-blown item shop as of yet, the Age of Conan account page is starting to come pretty close. The game launcher features an introductory paragraph explaining the new items, which include both social pets and limited use consumable packs, and Funcom is looking to provide newer players with access to some of the exclusives previously available only via special subscription offers. New item packs feature various XP buff potions, temporary and permanent teleportation abilities, and social pets like the owlet, loyal crocodile, and fearless crab. All items and item packs are purchased with Funcom points, which are available in various bundles starting at $10.00 (1200 points) and going up to $50.00 (6000 points).
The Anvil of Crom: Dreaming up expansion destinations
So how does a new Age of Conan expansion grab you? Well let's not get carried away just yet, but Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison did drop the barest mention of a hint on the official boards this week. Responding to a post that asked about the size of AoC's dev team, Morrison said that "we are looking at the next new location (still under wraps, sorry no clues there right now)." Taken in the context of explaining why Funcom has development teams flung to the far corners of the earth (Norway, China, and Canada if you're curious), it says very little about where the game is headed. It is a good sign, though, one indicative of the fact that Age of Conan is a bit healthier than the legions of fail-trolls would have you believe. In this week's Anvil of Crom, I'd like to indulge in a bit of good ol' fashioned speculation as well as a healthy amount of wishful thinking. Join me after the cut to see where Hyboria's next expansion might lead us, and add your two cents in the comments.
Age of Conan 2.1.2 patch goes live
Hold on to your bloodied, battle-scarred, and barbarian-themed helmets, kids, it's patch day in Hyboria. Yes, the 2.1.2 update has come to Age of Conan and brought with it a few tweaks to the game's classes. The Guardian, in particular, is the recipient of quite a lot of developer attention, and reaction on the official forums seems to indicate that the rich just got richer. Also of note is Funcom's apparent addressing of long-standing issues relating to silences and other crowd-control abilities that have heretofore been immune to damage breaks. According to the patch notes, the unintended immunity should no longer occur. Another welcome change sees increased XP rewards from the new Call of Jhebbal Sag PvP minigame, as well as increased tick rates. You can view the full patch notes, and the resulting discussion, on the official boards.
The Anvil of Crom: Sun, sand, and the serpent kingdom
Welcome back to the Anvil of Crom and the latest edition of the Hyborian travelogue. This week, we're going to visit the lands of Stygia in Funcom's Age of Conan for a look at the final post-Tortage lowbie zone. Previously we've journeyed to the Gateway of Khitai, the Wild Lands of Zelata, and Conall's Valley, all of them race-specific 20-to-40 zones that you can visit when you're through with the Isle of Newb. Stygia's corresponding 20-to-40 content isn't quite 20-to-40 though, as I found out this week while adventuring through the region for the first time. Join me and my brand new Tempest of Set after the cut for some impressions of Hyboria's serpent kingdom as well as a bit of questing advice. %Gallery-107238%
The Perfect Ten: Halloween MMOs
We're only a few days away from Halloween, and already the Massively office staff is dressing up in anticipation. Shawn's post-apocalyptic gear is at odds with Rubi's tastefully modest Guild Wars Elementalist outfit. Greg's Squig is in the corner battling it out with Larry's Chewbacca. Bree is dudded up as a giant red corrective marker; Jef's free-to-play outfit requires microtransactions to view in full; and Kyrstalle is photographing it all with her Poloroid One-Shot camera. I think Eliot showed up in full plate armor and riding a mechanical bull, but that just may be his normal work attire. So as everyone else is goofing off in the spirit of the holidays, it remains to me, your lovable intern, to hack out a top 10 list in honor of All Hallow's Eve. It's the least I can do since they're paying me in candy. While every MMO incorporates horror at some point (even, yes, Hello Kitty Online's Cat-Tastrophie zone), and it's nearly impossible to escape a clutch of giant spiders in any game you visit, I've picked out 10 MMOs that best deliver a slice of October 31st. Some are old, some new, some canceled and some yet to come, but these are 10 of the spookiest MMOs in the world.
Age of Conan rolls out long-term sub bonuses
Funcom has just announced the availability of several limited-time long-term subscription offers, each of them featuring attractive in-game bonus items. The deals are broken down into 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month durations, with each option boasting additional free game time, character levels, and an owlet companion pet. The 3-month package sports 14 days of free game time, an owlet pet, and 5 free character levels. The 6- and 12-month deals add the Warlord's Cache, a treasure chest of XP buffs, food and drink buffs, and teleportation scrolls that are shared among all the characters on your account. They also add 30 and 60 days of game time, respectively, as well as 10 and 15 free character levels. The 12-month option also comes with the Wings of Power, a wearable item that grants a 10% experience boost for characters of level 40 and above. If you're thinking of playing Age of Conan long-term, check out these deals while they last, as Funcom states that they'll be gone forever as of September 30th.
The Anvil of Crom: Secrets of Hyboria
I thought we'd do a bit of a departure from our usual format for this week's installment of The Anvil of Crom. As the column is a long-term chronicle of my experiences in and out of game, it's occasionally appropriate to throw a guide or two in the mix. Age of Conan is developing into a pretty deep title, and as such it's got plenty of little nooks and crannies that aren't readily apparent to either the veteran skull-splitter or the bright-eyed newb fresh off the boat in Tortage. Luckily for you, I've been making a list of the oddities I've encountered, as well as the various unanswered questions I've had since my return to Hyboria several months ago. By combining a little in-game and wiki research, I've put together this listing of a few of the game's notable quirks. Some of them involve combat, but as I'm really a PvEer at heart, you won't find much in the way of strategy or advice here. Most of this is along the lines of what I lovingly call fluff, i.e., it'll probably make your game experience more enjoyable, but it certainly isn't required reading if you just want to jump in and pwn face.
The Daily Grind: Will you play Rise of the Godslayer?
It's a time honored tradition with MMORPGs. First, you get all excited when a game based on your favorite franchise, or a game that just sounds really appealing, is announced. You sign up on the forums, you apply to beta test, and you're generally riding a wave of optimism and feel-good anticipation right on through release. Then reality sets in, maybe the game isn't all you hoped it would be, or the launch was extremely buggy, or real life just got in the way. So you hang up the greatsword, stow the spellbooks, and quest on for the ever elusive greener pastures until.....an expansion! Omg, maybe this will fix the game! Maybe it will be fun! Maybe there's just nothing else out there even remotely entertaining so I'm totally reaching in attempt to find a game I enjoy! Er, yeah, maybe that last bit is only for jaded old-timers like me. Whatever your reasons, now that Rise of the Godslayer has been announced and dated, will any of you Hyborian ex-patriots be returning to see what all the fuss is about?
Craig Morrison discusses Age of Conan's improvements and future
Craig Morrison spoke with Eurogamer recently about the state that Age of Conan; what's been going on over the last year and where the game is headed in the future. This is of course one of many interviews you can expect to see regarding Age of Conan as Funcom is in the middle of their summer blitz to get people to come back and check out all the changes.As it turns out, a whole lot has changed. We've mentioned it on our podcasts and in our posts, but Morrison is keen to continue to emphasis the improvements and updates here as well. The latest update has quite possibly been the biggest and equally subtlest improvement yet, as it completely reworked the item system to be less obtuse and make items more desirable.But you really don't need to take Morrison's word for it, since the two free weeks campaign is in full effect. You can be sure Massively is jumping head first into Hyboria to get a taste of AoC's new flavor.
Age of Conan offering two free weeks to previous players
It's been a long while coming, but Funcom has finally announced their first re-evaluation campaign for Age of Conan. Anyone who possesses a previously active account can -- as of today, July 8th -- reactivate and play for two full weeks entirely for free. In the last year, the game has seen a literal avalanche of updates and improvements. So if you haven't been back in Hyboria since launch last year, you're in for quite a few big surprises.The timing of the expansion announcement and this two free week return are obviously not coincidental. You can be sure that Funcom has been planning this quite carefully to get people buzzing about their game again, and kudos to them for pulling it off nicely. Of course, we've yet to learn what's coming in the expansion but something tells us it'll be doing everything it can to impress both previous and current players.
Slay a festive goat to win game-time and prizes in AoC
In keeping with the macabre nature of the Conan world, you won't be helping orphans for Age of Conan's seasonal event. Nope. No delivering festive cookies to elves or spreading holiday love. Just hunting down mountain goats. Nothing says Christmas in Hyboria like a freshly slain and skinned goat carcass for that special someone. The problem in this particular case is that these "holiday" goats are in short supply -- extremely short supply in fact, as there will only be one special goat per server. All the bragging rights (and prizes) go to one lucky person per server who manages to track it down.There will be a hefty portion of luck involved in winning your server's event, but Funcom is also providing clues to the goat's whereabouts in the form of riddles on the official site. The events will take place on different days across the servers, and the goats won't be in the same place either. Now we've got to admit that we were a bit slow to catch this (we'll blame the spirit of the holidays for making us lazy) and some servers have already had their riddles posted and goats killed. However, if your server hasn't had the event yet, then it will be either be on later today, or the 29th, the 30th, or the 31st of December. Each server's winner will receive a pack of prizes (the same as the Season give-away pack) and two months of free game-time. Happy hunting!
The Hyborian Backpackers' guide: Conall's Valley
This week, we present to you the first installment of the Hyborian Backpackers' guide to the zones of Age of Conan. Over the coming weeks, we'll be scouring every nook and cranny of Conan's world to bring you all the sights, quest locations, and notable local characters that make up the areas of AoC. Whether you are the type of player that likes to stop and smell the roses, or prefer to have a heads-up on where to go next and charge towards the level cap, these guides will give you an excellent overview of what each zone has to offer so that you don't miss a thing.To kick things off, we have put Conall's Valley under the spotlight, seeing as a good portion of the population will end up here after leaving the isle of Tortage. Starting at Conarch Village and winding up in an encounter with the big Ymirish baddie pictured above, the trek through the valley proved to be rewarding in more ways than one. Click through to the gallery guide to join us in the first leg of our epic journey across Hyboria!%Gallery-29713%
Hotfix quashes ludicrous purple loot drops in Age of Conan
Something strange has happened over the last few days in Hyboria. The first we knew of it was when a forum post suggested Funcom take a look at their loot tables, because certain mobs were dropping a heck of a lot more purple loot than they were (presumably) supposed to. The poster backed this up by providing a screenful of blue and purple items garnered in a very short space of time.Word got out, as it inevitably does. It seems the Beguiler Demons in Poitain were bugged: their loot table was so skewed that soon any level 75+ character that wanted to could go and stock up on epic drop after epic drop. They're not the best gear in the game by far, but it was pretty clear that a purple item is supposed to be a lot rarer than this. Personal inventories and traders alike were soon overflowing. Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!
Changes prompt accusations of 'censorship' in AoC
'Funcom are removing the mature content from Age of Conan!' Yes, it's that rumor again, springing back up like that man-eating plant boss on White Sands Isle that someone else always seems to be fighting first, so you have to sit politely by the cage in the side of the room and hope they don't think you're going to gank them, then while you're waiting for it to respawn someone else arrives... where were we? Oh, yes. In a patch from nearly a month ago the formerly topless prospecting trainer Gera in Purple Lotus Swamp was unceremoniously clothed, as well as getting a new hairdo and some more prospector-ish accessories. Looking at her former attire, can we honestly say that wasn't a bug fix? Girlfriend, that brown belt does not go with that... er... blue thing made of straps. Even so, the loss of a cherished pair of NPC breasts caused outrage in some quarters, where it's still being seen as the latest in a line of allegedly censorious changes.
The Daily Grind: Do zones kill immersion?
One of the complaints we hear rather frequently of Age of Conan is that the game's scattered zones have the effect of discouraging exploration amongst players. Those accustomed to traversing World of Warcraft's (mostly) seamless world have levied their displeasure at the fact that Age of Conan feels like a series of disparate maps instead of a single unified world.The explanation in terms of lore is rather obvious -- the universe created by Robert E. Howard's fiction is simply too large to contain within a single MMO world. But is that just hiding behind a convenient excuse? What would you rather have, a zoned game that fits more closely with the game's lore, or a seamless world that allows you to explore from one area to the next?
Exclusive interview with AoC Senior Dialog Writer Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Age of Conan has received acclaim from all quarters, especially for the quality of the Tortage quests, dialog and voiceover acting. The credit for a bewilderingly vast amount of this material goes to Aaron Dembski-Bowden, a young British writer already known for his work in the tabletop roleplaying field. We tracked him down and managed to secure an interview. Despite the look in his eyes above, which is the sort of thing you see immediately before your character's arms and head are cut off, he proved a very approachable guy... Let's start with your background, your work to date, what position you held in the AoC team, and what responsibilities that entailed. I've done a bunch of pen 'n paper RPG work (primarily for White Wolf on their World of Darkness game lines) and Mongoose Publishing's various Fantasy genre licences. I'm currently alternating between videogame work and writing Warhammer 40,000 novels for the Black Library, Games Workshop's publishing house. Also, in the few moments of clarity that reach me through the haze of over-coffeed sleepless nights, I still cling to the shreds of useful lore I picked up from my writing degree. This is the part where I should say I've always wanted to be a writer. That's not entirely true. I wanted to be a writer in my teens, when I realised I was too much of a coward to be a paramedic. All that lifesaving sounded like hard work, y'know? And before I wanted to be a paramedic, my only ambition was to be one of the kids that got to hang out with Optimus Prime. In my defence, I was about 4 at the time.
Funcom endorses Age of Conan graphic fiction
GameZone is producing a series of original fiction set in Age of Conan's Hyboria, which deals with the world's characters and lore. The series is created by Michael Lafferty and is a blend of short fiction, comic art, and graphic panel storytelling using in-game screenshots. Lafferty has Funcom's blessing on this; an announcement at the official AoC community site leaves no doubt that they've given their express permission.Lafferty's fiction begins with 'In Service to a King' and continues with 'Deliverance from the Sea' and 'In the Shadow of the Volcano.' More stories are to follow. GameZone has one caveat about the series, though: "Some of these stories may contain spoilers for quests, so by Crom, be forewarned!" It's doubtful that spoiler quests will keep people from checking out the series, so have a look at Michael Lafferty's work and sound off if you like what he's doing.
Keen and Graev's AoC podcast makes its first transmission
MMO bloggers Keen and Graev have published the first episode of their Age of Conan podcast. Well, it's the first if you don't count the open beta special they did earlier this month, anyway.In this episode, they talk about their impressions of the game during its Early Access period, from Tortage to the Wilds. They also describe the performance and stability improvements Funcom has managed to make since the rather troubled open beta event. It sounds like the duo generally has positive feelings about AoC's post-launch existence so far, but a few criticisms are raised about things like the user interface and the way the game's world is pieced together.The conversation is an honest intro to the state of Hyboria at the moment; it's worth a listen whether you're already playing AoC or still sitting on the fence.
