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Healer strife reaches Age of Conan
It's the kind of scenario you wake up from in a cold sweat, reaching for the comforting bulk of the axe under your bed: the healer wars. City of Heroes arguably had it worst, but other games haven't escaped, and now Age of Conan is getting it. The row centers upon that archetypal figure of MMO gaming, the healer; and the argument, in essence, is 'Healers aren't supposed to do damage, so just shut up and heal, noob'. In the case of Age of Conan, one player made a guide for Priests of Mitra, a powerful healing class. In that guide, he treated the issue of PoMs doing damage with the simple words 'You don't.' This wasn't all he said, but it was enough to cause a firestorm, particularly when one of the visiting moderators saw fit to sticky the post - which was seen as endorsing a 'you're just healbots' mentality. It seems to be a particular curse of support-type classes that everyone you group with has a better idea of what you should be doing than you do yourself. We'd like to know, from those who've played such characters: have you ever been told to 'just heal'? Do you care whether you can do DPS or not? Would you willingly give up all offensive abilities to help a team survive better? Or, in a barbarous world like Hyboria, should everyone be dangerous in combat?
By Crom! Another Border Kingdom Cryer!
It halted some feet away, and Conan glared at it, trying to distinguish its fire-misted outline. The quivering flame had a solid core; the flame was but a glowing green garment that masked some evil entity. "By Crom, I'll have your name!" shouted the Cimmerian. "State your business here!" A sharp laugh echoed from the slate walls of the cliffs that lined the path. "Well do you know my mission. We have come to demand RP-PvE servers in Age of Conan!" "What devilry is this? Surely even the most ale-sotted noble has ceased to call this song from the minstrels." "And yet, even as the Sun may set and shroud her rays, leaving dark; she may still rise in the morn, burning bright with the light of a million... well, a dozen... okay, with the awesome light of but a single Sun." Conan sniggered. Another role-player.A fully-fledged forum brawl has broken out over the question of PvP servers in Funcom's Age of Conan, and frankly, we're more than a little wary. Roleplaying is like juggling, after all; it looks great when it's going well, but one dropped chainsaw and suddenly everyone is screaming. Best of luck to the Conan community no matter how this one turns out. In other news, AoC dev Jason "Athelan" Stone answered a burning question about the demon form the Heralds of Xotli could wear. It used to be almost permanent, but that made all Heralds look identical; it will now be a short duration, powerful spell on a fast cooldown. That's a welcome change for any Herald who couldn't remember what they looked like! The tank-like Guardians are proving a popular class in beta; seeing how rare tanks have become in most popular MMOs, perhaps AoC has stirred the magic sauce to make them desirable both for solo and group play. It's nearing launch time for Age of Conan, and in our minds, we're already sailing the wine-dark seas of Hyboria with naught but pillage on our minds. If your dreams are likewise drenched in blood, try your hand at finding Mitra for a beta key, or try for a chance at testing PvP to your heart's content.[Via Ten Ton Hammer]
Where in the wiki is Mitra?
The fine folks over at AoCWiki have noticed that the Hyborean god Mitra has gone missing, and need our help to find him. The strange bit is: he's lost somewhere in the Wiki! So, to help recover him, readers are being solicited to go through the Wiki and follow a series of clues that will reveal the location of the missing god. Do it for the Hyboreans, whose prayers to Mitra have gone unanswered! Or, simply do it for these flash prizes: Five (5) Age of Conan Beta keys Five (5) Age of Conan 3-month pre-paid game cards And, of course, the respect and admiration of your peers. Unless, of course, you beat them to the win, in which case, watch for arrows in your back. The rules and full details of this contest are available on the referring page. This contest has begun, and continues until April 21st. Put on your sleuthing helmets, warriors, and help find Mitra! Personally, we think it's Crom's fault.
Age of Conan Product Developer interview, with gameplay video
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Age_of_Conan_interview_and_video'; On December 5th, I was invited to the Eidos/Funcom Age of Conan press event, where I was privileged enough to be granted access to both the game itself and the development team. I was able to play the opening area, leading into the first town. I sussed out the combat and the conversation interface. I spoke with Jørgen Tharaldsen, the Product Developer, and he let drop a metric ton of knowledge upon my fevered noggin. I reprint here our conversation, interspersed with my handheld-shot video pieces, the first of which is shown above, which is where the game starts, with you as a survivor of a shipwrecked slaver ship. I'd like to thank Jørgen and the entire Eidos/Funcom team, all of whom I found to be gracious, witty, and enthusiastic about their game, which is refreshing to see. My take? The game looks incredible, and it's extremely immersive from the get-go. They say they're on schedule for an early 2008 release, so this is something to anticipate indeed. More videos and the interview after the jump!
