Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Funcom's Bylos named creative director on AoC, AO, and TSW]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/bylos-named-funcom-creative-director-overseeing-tsw-aoc-and-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/bylos-named-funcom-creative-director-overseeing-tsw-aoc-and-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/bylos-named-funcom-creative-director-overseeing-tsw-aoc-and-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Bylos named Funcom creative director, overseeing TSW, AoC, and AO
Funcom has announced that The Secret World creative director Joel Bylos is now the creator director for all three of the firm's MMORPGs. This includes TSW, Age of Conan, and Anarchy Online. Bylos has penned letters from the game director for TSW and AoC, while AO's Dave "Ilaliya" Williams passes the torch via a forum post.

Bylos' TSW letter talks additional content plans up to and including Issue #12 (the live game currently sits on Issue #5, with #6 scheduled for early March). Bylos has a special place in his heart for AoC stemming from his time as the lead designer on the Rise of the Godslayer expansion, and his initial game director letter reflects on both coming home and the opportunities for expanding Hyboria. He also talks a bit about the pros and cons of having a single production team working on three live titles.

Finally, outgoing AoC producer Craig "Silirrion" Morrison recaps his four years at the helm and hints at a "new opportunity within the MMO world."

[Thanks to David for the tip.]

MassivelyFuncom's Bylos named creative director on AoC, AO, and TSW originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom logo
Funcom has published game director letters for all three of its MMOs this morning, and one of the topics on everyone's mind is of course the studio's reorganization. As it turns out, the dev teams for The Secret World, Age of Conan, and Anarchy Online will all be operating out of the company's Raleigh, North Carolina facility which was previously the sole domain of the Funcom customer service team.

TSW's Joel Bylos notes that the move will cause some "development turbulence," and that the game's DLC and update schedule will slow down temporarily as a result. He has more details on both the game's Issue #6 update and veteran rewards in his letter. AoC's Craig Morrison says that the fantasy title isn't going anywhere, although he also acknowledges some staff turnover due to the relocation. He also notes that having the game's dev team and community team in the same building will be a huge benefit. Finally, Anarchy Online's update echoes the first two, but game director Dave "Ilaliya" Williams writes that the engine upgrade, server migration, and new player experience are all still on the table.

[Update]: Funcom has also published an update on the restructuring process on its main website.

[Thanks to David for the tip!]

MassivelyFuncom game directors talk relocation, effects on TSW, AoC, and AO development [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanarchy-onlineaoaocaoc-unchainedbuy-to-playclassic-mmoconancraig-morrisondave-williamsf2pfactionfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhorrorhyboriailaliyajoel-bylosmythologysci-fantasysci-fisecret-worldsilirrionskill-basedsubscriptionlessthe-secret-worldtswunchainedFri, 25 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's Dragon's Spine content on test servers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/age-of-conans-dragons-spine-content-on-test-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/age-of-conans-dragons-spine-content-on-test-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/age-of-conans-dragons-spine-content-on-test-servers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

aoc monthly dev update
Funcom released its traditional end-of-the-month Age of Conan update over the weekend, and it revealed that the dev team is crunching hard on the Secrets of the Dragon's Spine content update. Executive producer Craig Morrison says that some of the new stuff is starting to appear on the game's test servers, so players are free to poke around provided they can't wait for the official release.

And when, exactly, is that official release?

"It's getting down to the wire now in terms of the release window, so we are currently working hard to bring the first Dragon's Spine updates to the live servers before the holidays. In all honesty it is very tight right now, and as we write this we can't say for certain which side things will fall on," Morrison explains. He also touches on the status of the crafting revamp and post-Dragon's Spine PvP updates, though the nature of the latter is very much up in the air at this point.

MassivelyAge of Conan's Dragon's Spine content on test servers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-craftingaoc-unchainedconancraftingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriasecrets-of-the-dragons-spinesilirrionunchainedMon, 03 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's free-to-play]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/20/hyperspace-beacon-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-swtors-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/20/hyperspace-beacon-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-swtors-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/20/hyperspace-beacon-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-swtors-free/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's freetoplay
In a recent Gamasutra article, Funcom's Craig Morrison argued that most games that have moved from subscription to free-to-play are "using a hybrid model, where the free-to-play is a trial and then what they really want is the users to move on to whatever they've called what used to be a subscription." You don't have to look too deeply to realize that was BioWare's intention when it shifted Star Wars: The Old Republic to a free-to-play model. But is there still some advantage to just playing free-to-play?

Also, the Cartel Market, SWTOR's cash shop, both opened up a new real-money economic arena and transformed the in-game market. Most free-to-play cash shops offer cosmetic items or items that don't give players a clear advantage over other players. There are certainly no endgame items available on the market, but what about other buy-to-win items?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's free-to-play

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-la-carteBioWarecartel-coinscartel-marketcash-shopcash-shop-itemscraig-morrisoneaElectronic-Artsexpertisef2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreemiumLucasArtsmicrotransactionmicrotransactionspay-to-winpreferred-accesspremiumStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicSWTORthe-old-republicTORupdate-1.5Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's Morrison: F2P hesitation 'not something we want as game developers']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/funcoms-morrison-f2p-hesitation-not-something-we-want-as-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/funcoms-morrison-f2p-hesitation-not-something-we-want-as-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/funcoms-morrison-f2p-hesitation-not-something-we-want-as-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Funcom's Morrison - F2P hesitation 'not something we want as game developers'The games media and cash-strapped gamers may delight in declaring paid-for entertainment dead, but the reality is a little different according to Funcom producer Craig Morrison.

Gamasutra recently interviewed Morrison regarding free-to-play and the expectations it generates, and while he acknowledged the model's recent success in the West, he noted that most western titles aren't designed to be experienced for free. "They're using a hybrid model, where the free-to-play is a trial and then what they really want is the users to move on to whatever they've called what used to be a subscription," Morrison explained.

Even though Funcom pioneered free-to-play in the West with Anarchy Online in 2005, Morrison expresses concern about what the model is doing to games like The Secret World. "Eventually it only stands to reason that people's thought process is 'oh, well, I'll wait till it's free-to-play,' and that's not something we want as game developers. You don't want players to be going, 'I really want to play that game... but I'm going to wait.'"

Ultimately, Morrison concludes that F2P is just another tool in the toolbox as opposed to the one true way. "I think we see subscription and free-to-play as tools. And tools can be used well, they can be used badly... it depends on the game. We don't categorically go, 'subscriptions are dead; there will never be subscriptions anymore,' or, 'free-to-play is the only way to monetize your games.' I think it depends on the game and it depends on your project," he said.

MassivelyFuncom's Morrison: F2P hesitation 'not something we want as game developers' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom may incorporate new Schwarzenegger Conan elements into AoC
Remember last year's Conan the Barbarian film reboot starring Khal Drogo? Well, forget all about it, apparently. Universal and Arnold Schwarzenegger are hoping to recapture some of Conan's early movie magic with a reboot of the reboot.

Yep, the Governator is set to play everyone's favorite Cimmerian savage for the first time in 30 years, and ostensibly this latest flick will take its cue from the quick shot of an older Conan atop the Aquilonian throne at the end of 1981's Conan the Barbarian.

Age of Conan executive producer Craig Morrison responded to the announcement by saying that Funcom has a great relationship with license distributor Paradox and so some sort of AoC tie-in could well happen. Funcom's Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack expanded on the ideas and locations presented in last year's Conan film, and the firm also made gear from the picture available in-game.

"It's a little too early to tell what form that [a new movie tie-in] will take, but we will have some great opportunities with this as it all comes together," Morrison wrote on the AoC forums. "We are definitely looking forward to seeing what we will be able to do alongside it. With a 2014 release we will have plenty of time to be working on how to best take advantage of another movie."

[Thanks to Duffy for the tip!]

MassivelyFuncom may incorporate new Schwarzenegger Conan film elements into AoC originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedconanconan-movieconan-movie-rebootcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriasilirrionunchainedwait-i-thought-aoc-was-failingWed, 31 Oct 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Morrison on system-driven MMOs and Funcom's future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/15/morrison-on-system-driven-mmos-and-funcoms-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/15/morrison-on-system-driven-mmos-and-funcoms-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/15/morrison-on-system-driven-mmos-and-funcoms-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Morrison on system-driven MMOs and Funcom's future
Is the MMO genre poised to go back to its emergent future? It's very possible, particularly given recent big-budget disappointments. Funcom producer Craig Morrison tackles the subject head-on in a new interview at Gamasutra.

Morrison cites system-driven games as the way forward, though he bristles at any mention of the terms "themepark" and "sandbox." "You need to build an ecosystem. You need to build a collaborative set of systems which give the players the ability to tell their own stories alongside yours," he says.

Morrison also hints at the shape of potential Funcom projects. "We could make a great systems-driven MMO for 10 or 15 million dollars. Which by the standards of Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, The Old Republic, is a very small budget, but we could bring it to market in three years with that kind of budget and hopefully have a chance of them growing organically from there. And we haven't got the huge expectation of, 'Oh my God, you spent 50, 100, 200 million dollars on this game, and it has to succeed,'" he explains.

MassivelyMorrison on system-driven MMOs and Funcom's future originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back-to-the-futurecraig-morrisonemergent-gameplayfuncomsandboxsilirrionsystems-driven-designsystems-driven-mmoMon, 15 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev letter talks new content, scheduling]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/age-of-conan-dev-letter-talks-new-content-scheduling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/age-of-conan-dev-letter-talks-new-content-scheduling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/age-of-conan-dev-letter-talks-new-content-scheduling/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan dev letter lays out update schedule
Age of Conan's monthly dev update is here, and Funcom's Craig Morrison uses the latest installment to talk about the fantasy title's content release schedule.

The near future will bring an update to the Amphitheatre of Karutonia aimed at level 80 players. Tweaks for the Conqueror and Bear Shaman classes should make the cut as well. After that it's on to The Secrets of the Dragon's Spine updates, which Morrison says will release in stages over the end of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013. The long-awaited tradeskill update also falls into this release window.

Finally, Funcom is planning to revamp several of AoC's old-world dungeons as well as add a new PvP minigame and a new raid. More updates are in the planning stages, too, but you'll need to head to the official AoC website for more details.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev letter talks new content, scheduling originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-dev-updateaoc-monthly-updateaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriasecrets-of-the-dragons-spineunchainedFri, 28 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chaos Theory: The Secret World's bright (player-driven?) future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/06/chaos-theory-the-secret-worlds-bright-player-driven-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/06/chaos-theory-the-secret-worlds-bright-player-driven-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/06/chaos-theory-the-secret-worlds-bright-player-driven-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Chaos Theory - The Secret World's bright playerdriven future
Apologies for not following through with part three of my crafting guide this week. I fully intended to do so, but a couple of interesting things happened over the past few days that merit some discussion.

First off, Ragnar Tornquist published what can only be called a defiant state of the game letter. The Secret World's creative director engaged in some rabble-rousing penmanship that managed to inspire a metaphorical fist-pump from yours truly, even though I've been covering games long enough to cast a cynical eye toward similar rally-the-troops developer rhetoric.

Tornquist admitted that TSW's competition is stiff, in particular new releases like Guild Wars 2 and Mists of Pandaria, but he didn't shy away from singing his game's praises. More importantly, he reiterated what early adopters have known for a while now: The Secret World is that increasingly rare MMO horse of a different color, and despite financial and personnel losses, Funcom knows it has a winner on its hands and is fighting to keep it.

Continue reading Chaos Theory: The Secret World's bright (player-driven?) future

MassivelyChaos Theory: The Secret World's bright (player-driven?) future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan heralds Secrets of Dragon's Spine update series
Hyboria's about to get a lot more rowdy, as if that was possible. Funcom announced that it is planning a series of updates for Age of Conan called Secrets of Dragon's Spine, with the first update coming in the next few months. The key focus for this content will be in the titular desert region of the Dragon's Spine, located southwest of Pteion.

These updates will not only introduce a new zone, but also plenty of additional quests, dungeons, challenges, and even a new mount type. Funcom says that the Dragon's Spine will be around the same size as the coast of Ardashir, and will feature a new raid and PvP area. The three dungeons to be introduced are the Coils of Ubah Kan, the Sepulchral of the Wyrm and the Slithering Chaos.

Creative Director Craig Morrison hopes that this announcement gets fans pumped up: "Our version of Hyboria has grown into a vast online world since we launched back in 2008. With the Secrets of Dragon's Spine update, we are moving into an incredibly exciting part of Robert E. Howard's work, and I think both Age of Conan players and fans of Howard's work alike will find a lot to enjoy once they get to explore this new content."

[Source: Funcom press release]

MassivelyAge of Conan heralds Secrets of Dragon's Spine update series originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive - Funcom's Morrison on the future, new Age of Conan content
This month's Age of Conan development update had the potential to be quite depressing in light of Funcom's recent layoffs. There's actually a lot of good news, though, as game director Craig Morrison reveals some juicy bits about AoC's upcoming content release plans.

Due to the downsizing, what was once an adventure pack on par with last year's Savage Coast of Turan will now be released in installments over the next few months. The collective title for all the new content is Secrets of the Dragon Spine, and it will take place in various new playfields along the border of Stygia and Keshan. There will be a new raid, a new outdoor playfield (approximately the same size as Turan), several new dungeons, a new mount type, and a new PvP area.

We had the chance to ask Morrison about the new stuff as well as Funcom's future, and he had some interesting things to say regarding player-driven content and the kind of games the company plans to make going forward. Join us after the cut for the full interview.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Funcom's Morrison on player-driven games, new Age of Conan content

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Funcom's Morrison on player-driven games, new Age of Conan content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOs as a rule tend to have a focus on providing content for us, the players. It makes sense; they want us to play their games, so they give us as much stuff to do as possible so that we'll keep playing. But why do we want to do that stuff in the first place? Craig Morrison, creative director at Funcom Montreal, posed that question at his GDC Europe talk, saying that MMO design needs to shift to consider that option. Gamasutra covered what he has to say: "Everytime a player logs in, they need a 'why'," noted Morrison. "What we really need to be thinking about is the why -- it's the bit that we don't really consider enough. Players need a reason to be playing it. What is motivating them?"

Referencing both Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Simon Simek's work on motivation, Morrison's talk ranged from discussing how games go wrong by focusing on only one kind of player to encouraging the development and fostering of community. "Unless you expose the players to the community and encourage community interactions, there's not that much difference between your game and a single-player game," he opined.

MassivelyGDC Europe 2012: Funcom's Morrison says focus on the why, not the what originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conconferenceconventioncraig-morrisoneuropeFuncomgamasutragame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012GamescomGamescom-2012gdcgdc-2012gdc-europegdc-europe-2012MaslowsilirrionWed, 15 Aug 2012 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Chaos Theory: The Secret World's single-server tech]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/chaos-theory-the-secret-worlds-single-server-tech/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/chaos-theory-the-secret-worlds-single-server-tech/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/19/chaos-theory-the-secret-worlds-single-server-tech/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Chaos Theory: The Secret World's single-server tech
Something went missing during this month's launch of The Secret World. Do you know what it was? No, snarkonauts, it wasn't "fun." The game is certainly an acquired taste, but it's nonetheless doing pretty well for itself in terms of word-of-mouth and happy early adopters.

No, what was missing was a parade of lengthy launch-week queues (and QQs for that matter). I've been present for every AAA MMO kickoff since Star Wars Galaxies in 2003, and The Secret World marks the first time I've been able to log in when (and where) I wanted to log in on day one.

RIFT, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Aion, Lord of the Rings Online -- all of these were "polished" launches by most accounts, and yet all of them featured horrendous launch queues that often stretched from minutes to hours. Why was The Secret World so different?

Continue reading Chaos Theory: The Secret World's single-server tech

MassivelyChaos Theory: The Secret World's single-server tech originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan - Paikang village
It may be early release day for The Secret World, but that doesn't mean Funcom is throwing in the towel on its other MMORPG projects. Case in point is Age of Conan, which is sporting a brand-new game director update as of this morning.

Craig "Silirrion" Morrison presents the findings from AoC's annual summer survey, which amount to an unsurprising PvE-is-way-more-popular-than-PvP conclusion. The scores are weighted, so we don't get to see exactly how many players voted and what they voted for, but it's an interesting peek into the minds of AoC's community in any event. Morrison says that "overall, 70% of responders listed one form of PvE as their primary interest, with the remaining 30% listing a form of PvP."

He also takes a moment to tease AoC's forthcoming adventure pack, which is as-yet unnamed and supposedly set somewhere in the Hyborian south. Full details are at the official website.

MassivelyAge of Conan survey respondents prefer PvE by a wide margin originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-summer-surveyaoc-survey-resultsaoc-surveysaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriapvesilirrionunchainedFri, 29 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom soliciting Age of Conan feedback via annual summer survey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/funcom-soliciting-age-of-conan-feedback-via-annual-summer-survey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/funcom-soliciting-age-of-conan-feedback-via-annual-summer-survey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/31/funcom-soliciting-age-of-conan-feedback-via-annual-summer-survey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Age of Conan - Atzel's Approach
If you've ever wanted to give Funcom a piece of your mind when it comes to Age of Conan's development, now's your chance. The latest monthly development update is live, and with it comes the annual AoC summer survey questionnaire.

It's a pretty lengthy set of questions, and it covers everything from item store prices to PvP to potential player housing. And lest you think the survey is just for show, AoC game director Craig Morrison begs to differ.

"It genuinely does have an impact. Many of the answers in the previous surveys became the templates for specific additions, features and new content. People voted for a 12v12 minigame two years ago, and that was what we made for the next minigame. People wanted more solo instances, those arrived as well," he writes.

MassivelyFuncom soliciting Age of Conan feedback via annual summer survey originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-summer-surveyaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriasilirrionunchainedThu, 31 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Age of Conan turns four, looks to Star Wars Galaxies for inspiration
The last time I did an anniversary retrospective for Age of Conan, we had a recent expansion, some new dungeon content, and several class revamps fresh on our minds. The year before that, we had the earth-shaking combat and itemization changes. This past year, the major development was, of course, the switch to a freemium business model, followed closely by the game's first adventure pack.

Join me after the break for a quick rundown on the last 12 months as they happened in Hyboria, as well as an anniversary interview with game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison that sheds a bit of light on the crafting revamp.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-star-wars-galaxiesage-of-conan-unchainedanniversaryanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsanvil-of-crom-specialanvil-of-crom-specialsaocaoc-anniversaryaoc-craftingaoc-interviewaoc-unchainedclassic-mmoconancraftingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgalaxieshyboriainterviewinterviewsopinionsandboxsci-fisilirrionsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-anvil-of-cromThu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should veterans and newbs be on equal footing?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/the-daily-grind-should-veterans-and-newbs-be-on-equal-footing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/the-daily-grind-should-veterans-and-newbs-be-on-equal-footing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/the-daily-grind-should-veterans-and-newbs-be-on-equal-footing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - newb in Tortage
Age of Conan game director Craig Morrison recently tweeted a frank reply to one of his followers. The reader asked why Funcom doesn't revamp PvP items to make everyone's minigame stats equal, thereby relegating grindtastic PvP gear to the game's vanity armor slots and providing theoretical balance.

Morrison's response: "Not everyone wants a new player and a two-year veteran to be on equal footing. Many want that to count, aside from knowledge."

By "that," Morrison meant time spent playing the game and paying your character dues, as it were. This brings up an interesting debate, since MMOs have a reputation for rewarding geared players over skilled players in both PvP and PvE. What say you, Massively readers? Should veterans and newbs be on equal footing?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should veterans and newbs be on equal footing? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisondaily-grindequal-footingf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgear-vs-skillhyboriaopinionsilirrionskill-vs-geartdgthe-daily-grindtime-spent-playingunchainedveterans-vs-newbsThu, 03 May 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev blog outlines stamina changes, multi-spec functionality]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/age-of-conan-dev-blog-outlines-stamina-changes-multi-spec-funct/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/age-of-conan-dev-blog-outlines-stamina-changes-multi-spec-funct/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/age-of-conan-dev-blog-outlines-stamina-changes-multi-spec-funct/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - Strom's Keep
Funcom may be gearing up for The Secret World's imminent launch, but the company hasn't abandoned its other Dreamworld-powered MMO. Yes, Age of Conan is still going strong, as it's closing in on its fourth anniversary and pumping out updates on a semi-regular basis.

Today's traditional end-of-the-month development letter focuses on said updates, in particular a few systems changes slated for the near future. Funcom's Craig Morrison gives us an update on extensive changes to AoC's stamina mechanics, which have long been a thorn in the side of PvPers and PvEers engaged in lengthy battles. The new system boasts "a new personal resource that will be used just for sprinting. It is also not observable by other players," the dev blog states. Stamina will now be used exclusively for combos, and caster classes no longer have stamina at all.

Age of Conan is also getting multi-spec functionality with respect to the game's feat system. Switching between specs can be done almost anywhere in the game world (aside from raids and group instances). Look for these changes on the live servers "later in the summer," Funcom says.

Finally, class updates are in the works, beginning with the Tempest of Set and continuing on to the Bear Shaman, the Herald of Xotli, and the Necromancer. There's more too, so head to the official AoC site to read it all.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev blog outlines stamina changes, multi-spec functionality originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-class-revampsaoc-staminaaoc-unchainedclassesconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriapress-shift-to-drain-your-staminaunchainedMon, 30 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on new content, crafting, and customizable communities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-new-content-crafting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-new-content-crafting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-new-content-crafting/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Spring 2012 Craig Morrison interview
It's been a little while since we've interviewed Age of Conan executive producer Craig Morrison. In the intervening months, Funcom's bloody fantasy MMO has added developers, new content, and fresh ideas at a fairly steady pace.

This week sees the introduction of tier four raiding content in Khitai as well as a lengthy Morrison-authored update letter that provides a roadmap for the rest of 2012. Follow along after the break as we talk raiding, the upcoming crafting revamp, and the community potential (and perils) of Funcom's spiffy new single-server technology.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on new content, crafting, and customizable communities

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on new content, crafting, and customizable communities originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsaocaoc-raidsaoc-server-rulesetsaoc-tier-four-raidsaoc-unchainedcommunityconancraig-morrisoncustom-madecustom-server-rulesetcustomizable-communitydreamworld-single-serverf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaopinionpriest-of-mitrapriest-of-mitra-revampsilirrionsingle-serversingle-server-technologythe-anvil-of-cromFri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev update details free content, spiffy server tech]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-details-free-content-spiffy-server-tech/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-details-free-content-spiffy-server-tech/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-details-free-content-spiffy-server-tech/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - angry Conan concept art
Hullo Hyboria fans, and welcome to the traditional end-of-the-month update letter recap. What's the update letter, you ask? It's Funcom executive producer Craig Morrison's way of keeping players abreast of development happenings on Age of Conan.

This month there are quite a few interesting tidbits, including a mention of the game's next adventure pack, the crafting update, and of course, the new tier four Khitai raids in and around the Jade Citadel. Also noteworthy is the latest mention of Funcom's single-server tech. You may recall that Morrison mentioned this in 2011 as a way for players to form their own niche communities within the larger server community. Not much has been said about it since, but Funcom's Dreamworld engineers have been working on it behind the scenes to get it ready for its debut in The Secret World.

After that, Morrison says, the tech will make its way into AoC, and chances are you'll have a chance to vote on the implementation. "This will most likely be the main subject of our summer surveys this year given how radically we could change the experience with this technology," Morrison explains. "It is one of those things that could be implemented in a way that you don't even notice, or it could be deployed to make things work in ways that are not typical for MMO games (like potentially allowing players to define their own communities, or even, at the furthest fringes of what's possible, defining their own rulesets!)."

Look for our exclusive interview with Morrison later this afternoon.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update details free content, spiffy server tech originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-dev-updateaoc-tier-four-raidsaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisoncustomizable-communityf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriakhitai-raidsmonthly-dev-updateraidssilirrionsingle-server-technologyunchainedFri, 30 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Would you pay extra for a filtered community?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/the-daily-grind-would-you-pay-extra-for-a-filtered-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/the-daily-grind-would-you-pay-extra-for-a-filtered-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/the-daily-grind-would-you-pay-extra-for-a-filtered-community/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - guild city event
Earlier this week we asked if there was a game you'd like to play but for its awful community. The topic got a lot of replies, and the usual MMO suspects turned up in many of the comments. The thread got us to thinking about customizable communities, server rulesets, and creative uses for instancing technology, and though no MMO firm has offered players control over their community experience as of yet, it's certainly doable.

Funcom executive producer Craig Morrison mentioned the possibility in 2011, and for today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know how you'd feel about being able to carve off pieces of a game world specifically for your friends, your guild, or your niche community (roleplayers-only, PvPers-only, etc.). Would you pay extra for dedicated communities or filtering technology?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Would you pay extra for a filtered community? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedcommunity-filteringconancraig-morrisondaily-grinddedicated-communityf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaopinionprivate-serversroleplayingroleplaying-instancesroleplaying-serversshardingsilirrionsingle-server-technologytdgthe-daily-grindunchainedThu, 29 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom gutting Age of Conan's crafting system, starting over]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/funcom-gutting-age-of-conans-crafting-system-starting-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/funcom-gutting-age-of-conans-crafting-system-starting-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/funcom-gutting-age-of-conans-crafting-system-starting-over/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - I have no crafting shots because the current system sucks that bad
Age of Conan's latest development update is here, and producer Craig "Silirrion" Morrison has quite a lot to say about the game's forthcoming crafting revamp. And when we say revamp, we mean revamp. "When we sat down and looked at the system and how we could add depth and improve engagement, it became clear that it was better to start over," Morrison says.

He isn't kidding either, as the new system does away with awkward quest blocks to progression and instead ties your advancement directly to making items and using the relevant skills.

Harvesting nodes will also spawn with more variety (and at more locations), and the much-reviled random NPC attacks that used to happen while harvesting are finally being dropped. Still want more details? Well, material quality will matter, there will be some sort of refining process, and there's an entirely new system for the actual production of an item. There's a lot more to Age of Conan's new crafting system, of course, but we're out of space, so you'll need to head to the official site to check it out.

MassivelyFuncom gutting Age of Conan's crafting system, starting over originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-crafting-revampaocaoc-craftingaoc-crafting-revampcraftingcrafting-revampcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyborianon-combatnon-combat-gameplaysilirriontradeskillswooTue, 28 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you want a 'fair' fight?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/the-daily-grind-do-you-want-a-fair-fight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/the-daily-grind-do-you-want-a-fair-fight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/the-daily-grind-do-you-want-a-fair-fight/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Johnny Depp is a Cry Baby
Fair is a four-letter word. I mean, literally it is; you can count them if you like. It's a figurative four-letter word too, especially when it comes to MMO design and PvP. What's unfair to some is smart tactics to others, and the subjectivity here is responsible for a large part of the rancor that underlies PvP discourse.

Funcom's Craig Morrison recently expounded on the subject via his personal blog, and among the interesting nuggets up for discussion was the notion of a fair fight (and more specifically, whether MMO players actually want one). Some do and some don't, of course, but the more important question seems to be what is a "fair" fight? Can it even be defined, let alone coded?

Morrison writes that "most people simply don't like being fodder for a dominating force. They don't like to be bullied or out-muscled by a force that the game mechanics have allowed to have a clear position of dominance." He's right, but what's left unsaid is that everyone has the same opportunity to take advantage of those game mechanics.

What say you, Massively readers? Do you want a "fair" fight? If so, how do you define the word in this particular context?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you want a 'fair' fight? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craig-morrisonfairfair-fightfairnessfeaturedgame-discussiongamer-discussionits-not-fairmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionpvpsilirriontdgthe-daily-grindunfairThu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's Craig Morrison talks conquest vs. competition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/age-of-conans-craig-morrison-talks-conquest-vs-competition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/age-of-conans-craig-morrison-talks-conquest-vs-competition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/age-of-conans-craig-morrison-talks-conquest-vs-competition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan concept art
PvP is a naturally contentious subject, particularly when focused on its various flavors in the MMO space. Everyone thinks they know best, and whether they're arguing for a three-faction system, full loot, or open-world objectives, the discussion often devolves into verbal throw-downs every bit as violent as their in-game counterparts.

Age of Conan game director Craig Morrison recently waded into the fray via his personal blog, and he says that defining PvP in an MMO context involves separating the wish for conquest from the wish for competition.

Morrison touches on several interesting aspects of MMO PvP, including a bit of history relating to the arenas and battlegrounds that are usually reviled by hardcore player types. "The needs of accessibility dictated that designers try and find a way to accommodate the appeal of the conquest style of play while also retaining the fairness of the competitive desires of the players," he explains.

Ultimately, Morrison offers a bit of hope for those who prefer open-world conflict. "It's great to finish a great story and storm the castle and beat the bad guy. It is something else altogether to get to keep his castle, and for you to become the bad guy for the next would-be hero to try and conquer," he says.

MassivelyAge of Conan's Craig Morrison talks conquest vs. competition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocarenasbattlegroundscraig-morrisondesignf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgame-designinstanced-pvpopen-world-pvppvpsilirrionWed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/25/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - angry man banner
By Crom! Can you believe we've made it through another year? Well, almost, at any rate. Technically there are a few days left in 2011, but as I'll be taking some of them off for the purposes of gaining weight and opening presents, it seems like as good a time as any to do a little recapping.

Saying that 2011 was a big year for Age of Conan probably qualifies as severe understatement rather than simply understatement. The big news, of course, was the Unchained free-to-play conversion, but that was really just the tip of the gigantic Hyborian iceberg. Join me after the break for my top seven Anvil of Crom issues from the past year.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchainedchristmas-2011conancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomholiday-2011hyboriaopinionsilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromyear-in-reviewyear-in-review-2011Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev update talks open-world PvP, House of Crom]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-open-world-pvp-house-of-crom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-open-world-pvp-house-of-crom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-open-world-pvp-house-of-crom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - inside the House of Crom
Funcom game director Craig Morrison has released his monthly Age of Conan development update a couple of weeks early. Morrison usually closes each month with a summary of where the game has been and where it's going, and the December version is no different save for the mid-month release date.

While there's a lot of info, the most interesting bits concern the projected live date of the long-awaited House of Crom dungeon. Morrison says that the new content will most likely debut on January 11th or 12th, and that the dungeon will be playable on AoC's test shard over the Christmas holidays.

Also new this month is a detailed explanation of the game's upcoming open-world PvP content. When the new feature was first announced, the game's hardcore PvP community unleashed an epic tidal wave of tears due to suppositions about "PVE sheep trying to pass in PVP wolf's clothing," not to mention concerns about a possible rehash of the game's disastrous Shrines of Bori mechanic. Morrison spends several paragraphs of this month's update explaining what Funcom has learned since Bori, and how that knowledge is going to translate into a fun system that isn't exploitable via PvE mechanics. You can read the full update at the official AoC website.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update talks open-world PvP, House of Crom originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedboricraig-morrisondungeonsfuncomgame-mechanicshouse-of-crommonthly-development-updateopen-world-pvppvppvp-world-bossshrines-of-borisilirriontheres-no-crying-in-pvpTue, 13 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev update talks House of Crom, upcoming content patches]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-house-of-crom-upcoming-content-pa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-house-of-crom-upcoming-content-pa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-house-of-crom-upcoming-content-pa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - Turanian coast
Craig Morrison has posted his latest monthly Age of Conan dev update. Funcom's game director is known for his interaction with fans and for his verbosity when it comes to all things AoC, and this month's letter is no exception.

The lengthy read lays out current and future AoC updates in a linear fashion, beginning with yesterday's 3.1 patch (which Morrison says was slightly delayed and also slightly problematic due to the slew of behind-the-scenes tweaks that were performed on the game's Dreamworld engine). The extra time apparently benefited the upcoming 3.2 patch, though, because it gave Funcom artists even more time to add both beauty and detail to a patch that will add both Khitai raids and the huge House of Crom dungeon instances.

Head to the official AoC website for a look into Morrison's Hyborian crystal ball.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update talks House of Crom, upcoming content patches originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccraig-morrisondev-updatedreamworlddreamworld-enginedungeonsf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhouse-of-crommonthly-development-updatepatchesproducer-letterraidssilirrionWed, 30 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev update talks new House of Crom dungeon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-new-house-of-crom-dungeon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-new-house-of-crom-dungeon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/age-of-conan-dev-update-talks-new-house-of-crom-dungeon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - House of Crom concept art
It's time for another month-ending Age of Conan development update, and the October version doesn't disappoint. Craig Morrison gives way to a gaggle of AoC developers who are more than eager to talk about the new House of Crom content coming in the 3.0.2 patch.

The House of Crom is actually composed of two large dungeons. One is a social playfield that supports multiple simultaneous groups while the other is a six-man instance like those found in Khitai. The encounters take place in the bowels of the Eiglophian Mountains and are designed for endgame players. Lore-wise, the dungeon is an ancient Atlantean temple which has recently been unearthed (and defiled) by the Vanir raiders invading northern Cimmeria.

That's all fine and dandy, but what about phat lewtz? "We will be bringing in new Atlantean-themed items. Power-wise, the rewards will be on par with those found in the more difficult instances, and there will be all the regular token and trophy rewards that you would expect to find," says system designer Knut Jagels. The 3.0.2 patch is currently slated for the end of 2011, and you should head to the official website to check out the full dev diary while you wait.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update talks new House of Crom dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedcraig-morrisondev-blogdev-diarydev-updatedungeonsf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgame-mechanicshouse-of-cromhyboriaknut-jagelsmonthly-development-updateMon, 31 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Applying Neal Stephenson's Innovation Starvation to MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/the-soapbox-applying-neal-stephensons-innovation-starvation-to/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/the-soapbox-applying-neal-stephensons-innovation-starvation-to/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/the-soapbox-applying-neal-stephensons-innovation-starvation-to/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Rocket launch failure
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

You've probably heard of Neal Stephenson. The celebrated sci-fi author recently released his 13th novel, Reamde, and while it treads a little closer to traditional thriller territory than some of his more cerebral efforts, it still packs a futurist punch (and even led the author to comment on MMOs, virtual worlds, and World of Warcraft in a recent interview).

In addition to speculative fiction, Stephenson is also prone to the occasional essay, the latest of which found its way onto the intarwebs a few weeks ago. While not directly related to the gaming or massively multiplayer industries, the piece does feature some interesting observations about the stagnant creative culture to be found in contemporary corporate America, and Stephenson also offers plenty of food for thought that can be applied to the current state of the MMO space.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Applying Neal Stephenson's Innovation Starvation to MMOs

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Applying Neal Stephenson's Innovation Starvation to MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecraig-morrisonculturedavid-brevikdesigndesign-rutfeaturedfuncominnovationinnovation-starvationMiscellaneousmmo-designmmo-design-rutmmo-industrymmo-innovation-starvationneal-stephensonopinionpolishpolishing-a-turdriskrisk-aversionsandboxsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-soapboxthemeparkTue, 25 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: AA resets, tradeskills, and hardcore PvP stagnation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/the-anvil-of-crom-aa-resets-tradeskills-and-hardcore-pvp-stag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/the-anvil-of-crom-aa-resets-tradeskills-and-hardcore-pvp-stag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/the-anvil-of-crom-aa-resets-tradeskills-and-hardcore-pvp-stag/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom banner - angry man with a sword
Welcome back to the Anvil of Crom, dear readers. After the content explosion of the past couple of months, it seems almost strange to be relatively relaxed when it comes to Age of Conan. I'd gotten so used to scrambling around re-writing columns at the last minute -- and polishing up interviews and impression pieces -- that I had almost forgotten what it feels like to settle into a comfortable gameplay groove.

In looking around for interesting topics this week, I realized that it's been quite some time since I turned the column over to the community. So without further ado, join me after the cut to see what's on the minds of Hyborians at home and abroad as we power through the week's hot topics.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: AA resets, tradeskills, and hardcore PvP stagnation

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: AA resets, tradeskills, and hardcore PvP stagnation originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aa-resetaa-resetsage-of-conanage-of-conan-hot-topicsage-of-conan-unchainedalternate-advancementalternate-advancement-resetanvil-of-cromaocaoc-hot-topicsaoc-unchainedcommunity-roundupcommunity-updatecraftingcrafting-revampcraig-morrisondeathwishf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhot-topicsopen-world-pvpopinionpopulationpvp-objectivespvp-serversragesilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromtradeskill-revampSun, 09 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev update outlines a year's worth of content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-outlines-a-years-worth-of-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-outlines-a-years-worth-of-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-outlines-a-years-worth-of-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - concept art
Age of Conan's latest monthly development update is hot off the presses, and it's kind of a doozy. Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison takes the gloves off and lists five major updates coming to AoC over the next year -- and he also offers a few disclaimers in terms of schedule changes and dates. As far as content goes, fans can look forward to new Turan boss encounters, the House of Crom dungeon, tier four raids, and a major Dreamworld/quality-of-life update prior to the end of the year.

Moving into 2012, Age of Conan will be adding a new multi-feat specification system (apparently the feature was a landslide winner in the recent summer survey). The devs will also be giving Priest archetypes some "care and attention" as well as implementing the single-server tech that will allow for cross-server minigames and "all manner of cool things." There will also be new variants on The Breach, The Forgotten City, and Dead Man's Hand dungeons, all balanced for high-level characters.

Finally, the second quarter of 2012 is the tentative launch date for AoC's latest adventure pack as well as the tradeskill revamp. There's more too, so head to the official website to check it out.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update outlines a year's worth of content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-package-of-conanaoccraftingcrafting-revampcraig-morrisoncross-server-minigamesdev-diarydev-updatedreamworlddungeonsf2pfantasyfeatsfree-to-playfuncomhouse-of-cromkhitai-raidsmonthly-development-updatemulti-feat-specializationnew-contentsilirrionsingle-server-technologytier-four-raidsFri, 30 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: On armchair development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/the-soapbox-on-armchair-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/the-soapbox-on-armchair-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/the-soapbox-on-armchair-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Armchair
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

A couple of weeks ago I penned a Soapbox that, to put it mildly, elicited passionate responses. While a few people sided with me in my belief that MMO combat is silly and sucky, the cries of the masses drowned us out with variations on "you know nothing, Jon Snow" and "go back to consoles, you inexperienced newb!"

Some of the responses got me to thinking about game design in general and about game designers and their cult celebrity status in particular. When you cut through the anonymous insults and keyboard courage, most of my would-be critics were actually right about one thing: I'm not a game "developer." You know what's funny, though? That doesn't make a lick of difference when it comes to the ability to talk intelligently about games and game design.

Continue reading The Soapbox: On armchair development

MassivelyThe Soapbox: On armchair development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-designarmchair-designerarmchair-developersarmchair-developmentarmchair-devscelebritycraig-morrisoncreativitycult-celebritiesdaniel-ericksondesigndesignersdevelopersdevelopers-know-bestdevsexperienceexpertiseexpertsfeaturedmmo-designmmo-industrymmo-status-quoopinionsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstatus-quothe-soapboxtow-the-linewhat-is-a-developerTue, 27 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's Craig Morrison on SWTOR and MMO industry advances]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-swtor-and-mmo-industry-advances/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-swtor-and-mmo-industry-advances/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-swtor-and-mmo-industry-advances/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Craig Morrison
Funcom's Craig Morrison is one of the more outspoken MMO devs on the planet, and the Age of Conan game director has weighed in with a lengthy personal blog update that reflects on the state of the industry, the future, and the impending success of Star Wars The Old Republic.

Morrison, who goes by the handle Silirrion on Funcom's various forums, touches on the freight train that is SWTOR as well as why MMO veterans have been getting the cold shoulder from development companies in recent years.

Vets are "yearning for the next advance in technology at a time when the industry itself is still refining the experience offered by the first generation of games," he says. "The formula for an MMO is still pretty much the same, in terms of structure, as it was a decade ago, and that frustration at a perceived lack of progress is what fuels a deal of the complaints."

Is there any hope for the future, though? Morrison seems to think so, but he's not holding his breath on a timeframe. "I also think that those advances the veterans yearn for will come, and the genre will become more dynamic and community focused again, but maybe not in the near future, and almost certainly not with the upcoming generation of games," he writes.

MassivelyFuncom's Craig Morrison on SWTOR and MMO industry advances originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbiowarecraig-morrisonea-biowareelectronic-artsfuncommmo-industtrymmo-veteransmmo-vetsopinionsilirrionstar-wars-mmostar-wars-the-old-republicveteransMon, 26 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Evaluating the dev update - crafting edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/11/the-anvil-of-crom-evaluating-the-dev-update-crafting-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/11/the-anvil-of-crom-evaluating-the-dev-update-crafting-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/11/the-anvil-of-crom-evaluating-the-dev-update-crafting-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Anvil of Crom - banner
Hallelujah, amen, and by frickin' Crom! What's got me all excitable this week? Well, the latest dev update, for starters, and I apologize in advance for reneging on last week's promise to devote today's column to a deeper examination of the new Savage Coast of Turan content. The last time we met, I gave you a quick rundown on the Ardashir Coast, but with all due respect to Funcom's content designers, the most interesting bit of Age of Conan news from the last little while is the crafting revamp that Silirrion hinted at in the August 31st update letter.

But Jef, how interesting could it be if it's taken you over a week to write about it? Well, you got me there, and I could throw in some excuses about needing to get something Turan-related out last week, as well as the fact that I was doing the DragonCon shuffle, but I won't.

Anyhow, holy shitaki mushrooms! Funcom mentioned AoC's tradeskills! Join me after the cut and bring the smelling salts.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Evaluating the dev update - crafting edition

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Evaluating the dev update - crafting edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-craftinganvil-of-cromcraftingcrafting-revampcraig-morrisondev-diarydev-updatef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhouse-of-cromhyboriamonthly-dev-updatemonthly-development-updatemonthly-updatenew-contentnon-combat-gameplaysilirrionsingle-serversthe-anvil-of-cromtradeskill-revamptradeskillswelfare-epicsSun, 11 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom teases Age of Conan's Turan content with new trailer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/funcom-teases-age-of-conans-turan-content-with-new-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/funcom-teases-age-of-conans-turan-content-with-new-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/funcom-teases-age-of-conans-turan-content-with-new-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - The Isle of Iron Statues
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.

Continue reading Funcom teases Age of Conan's Turan content with new trailer

MassivelyFuncom teases Age of Conan's Turan content with new trailer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan - Forgotten City entrance
Yeah, you read that right, Age of Conan fans. Funcom is planning on remaking the game's much-maligned tradeskill system. While the exact nature of the changes has not been revealed, and the deployment date is pretty far in the future (sometime in 2012), it's a big step for what has thus far been a squarely combat-focused game.

This month's AoC development update has the details, along with teasers for a new adventure pack in the early part of 2012, not to mention additional content before the end of 2011. That content includes the conclusion of tier four raid progression in Khitai as well as the long-awaited House of Crom dungeon. Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison describes the space as part open dungeon (similar to the Onyx Chambers) and part team instance with dynamic opportunities for both cooperation and conflict.

Today also marks the deployment of the Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack to the live servers (though it's worth noting that you won't be able to access it until September 8th unless you ordered the early bird pack), and Funcom currently advises players of a six-hour down time on the AoC patcher. Finally, the devs have put together a community survey that is open to everyone, so be sure and fill it out to make your voice heard with regards to AoC's future development.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update talks new content, crafting revamp originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedcraftingcrafting-updatecraig-morrisondev-diarydev-updatedungeonsf2pfantasyfree-to-playhouse-of-crommonthly-dev-updatenew-contentsilirrionsurveytradeskillstradeskills-updateWed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Turan, open-world PvP, and those pesky Funcom points]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/13/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-silirrion-on-turan-open-world-pvp-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/13/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-silirrion-on-turan-open-world-pvp-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/13/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-silirrion-on-turan-open-world-pvp-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Anvil of Crom - Interview special
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.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Turan, open-world PvP, and those pesky Funcom points

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Turan, open-world PvP, and those pesky Funcom points originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Conan - Jason Momoa
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.

Continue reading Funcom talks inspiration and AoC's massive Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack

MassivelyFuncom talks inspiration and AoC's massive Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan
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.

MassivelyAge of Conan: Unchained conquers 300,000 new players, doubles revenue in a month originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-package-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocconanconan-the-barbariancraig-morrisonf2pfree-to-playfuncommovie-tie-innew-playersrevenuesavage-coast-of-turansubscriber-numberssubscriberstrond-arne-aasunchainedThu, 11 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's Craig Morrison on background, story, and immersion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-background-story-and-immersion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-background-story-and-immersion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-background-story-and-immersion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - Forgotten City
It's been a while since we checked up on Age of Conan game director Craig Morrison's personal blog, and the latest update is a lengthy morsel designed to get gamers thinking about MMO story as something more than a marketing bullet point. Along the way, we get a glimpse of Morrison's thoughts on games ranging from MMOs, to Brink, to id Software's forthcoming RAGE.

While you might think that story is all about narrative and characterization, Morrison opines that a sense of place and attention to world-building details like societal structures are equally important. Quest text can be crucial too, and while gameplay is obviously a big deal, Morrison says that it's only part of the equation.

"Sure, a game can be good on its own mechanical merits, and first and foremost a game must be a compelling gameplay experience... but those truly great games? Those are the games that also create a sense of place for the player. A world they can believe in," he writes.

MassivelyFuncom's Craig Morrison on background, story, and immersion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbackgroundblogcraig-morrisondesigndev-diaryfuncomgameplayimmersionmmo-designmmo-industrysilirrionstoryWed, 10 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST