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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![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.

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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.

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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<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Deconstructing the dev update - PvP Edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/07/the-anvil-of-crom-deconstructing-the-dev-update-pvp-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/07/the-anvil-of-crom-deconstructing-the-dev-update-pvp-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/07/the-anvil-of-crom-deconstructing-the-dev-update-pvp-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

It's been quite a while since I devoted an Anvil of Crom entry to deconstructing one of Craig Morrison's monthly Age of Conan development updates, and what better time to resurrect an old tradition than on the heels of one of the lengthier producer letters in recent memory.

The end-of-July document took a decidedly pro-PvP approach, and since I've been spending the majority of my game time on the new Blood and Glory server lately, reading between the lines on the bossman's latest state-of-the-game manifesto seems like the thing to do.

Join me after the cut for a bit of discussion on PvP, the future, and a bunch of interesting bullet points.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Deconstructing the dev update - PvP Edition

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Deconstructing the dev update - PvP Edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison has posted his latest monthly development update, and the lengthy piece focuses heavily on the PvP side of the game. While class-specific balance fixes aren't given much lip service here (Morrison says they're addressed in each game update anyway, and are an ongoing process), Funcom is looking at quite a few changes to AoC's PvP component.

Morrison tasks lead systems designer Einar Forselv with talking about the specific goals, and he gives us a general look at what's on the dev team's plate. First up is the problematic minigame respawn mechanic, and Forselv says that Funcom is looking to make it more like the systems found in your average FPS as well as address the loopholes people use to perform AFK exploits.

Ranger tracking will also be "overhauled," which likely means a nerf since the feature is the subject of much QQ from the non-Ranger community. Siege performance changes are also on the table, as are stamina and aggro fixes, changes to animation and combat calculation interactions, and tweaks to the stealth system. Finally, this month's dev update mentions that new PvP world bosses are on the way to Hyboria, and teases the upcoming Savage Coast of Turan content that ties in with this summer's Conan film reboot.

MassivelyAge of Conan dev update outlines PvP changes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a huge couple of weeks for Funcom and the Age of Conan community. Unchained brought a new freemium business model, thousands of new (and old) players, and new dungeon content to Hyboria. One week later, PvP fans were treated to the opening of the new Blood and Glory servers, with hardcore rule sets that included increased PvP XP, corpse looting, and a return to the game's unforgiving free-for-all roots.

AoC game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison recently took the time to answer a few of our burning questions about Unchained and the game's immediate future. Head past the cut to see what Silirrion has to say about earning Funcom points in game, veteran point allotments, paying to skip the grind, and some spiffy new community-focused server tech.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Unchained, buying power, and more

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Unchained, buying power, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsaocaoc-unchainedbusiness-modelsbuy-powerbuying-powerchoose-your-communitycommunity-choiceconveniencecraig-morrisonexclusivef2pfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomfuncom-pointsgrindinterviewinterviewsmmo-industrynew-contentpay-to-progresspay-to-winpaying-to-winsilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromFri, 08 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's hardcore PvP ruleset releasing tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/age-of-conans-hardcore-pvp-ruleset-releasing-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/age-of-conans-hardcore-pvp-ruleset-releasing-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/06/age-of-conans-hardcore-pvp-ruleset-releasing-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

What's a good encore for the week following a huge, game-altering freemium revamp? How about a new and much-anticipated server ruleset. Yep, Funcom is gearing up to release Age of Conan's hardcore Blood and Glory PvP shards tomorrow according to an update on the official boards.

The American and European servers are scheduled to receive four hours of maintenance, after which time two new shards, Deathwish (US) and Rage (EU), will be brought online. These aren't just any servers, either. The Blood and Glory ruleset features free-for-all PvP throughout the game world, corpse-looting, and one character per account.

Age of Conan's PvP community has been very vocal in its disdain for the game's turn towards the PvE side of the MMO street in recent years, and the new ruleset will finally give the die-hards an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. For more on the ruleset, check out our exclusive interview with Funcom's Craig Morrison as well as our Blood & Glory opinion piece.

[Thanks to Blasius for the tip!]

MassivelyAge of Conan's hardcore PvP ruleset releasing tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedblood-and-glorybreakingcorpse-lootingcraig-morrisondeathwisef2pfantasyffa-pvpfree-to-playfuncomhardcorehardcore-pvppvp-serverspvp-shardsrageunchainedWed, 06 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan: Unchained (aka F2P) starts tomorrow [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/age-of-conan-unchained-a-k-a-f2p-starts-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/age-of-conan-unchained-a-k-a-f2p-starts-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/age-of-conan-unchained-a-k-a-f2p-starts-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yeah, you read that headline right. Age of Conan: Unrated is now Age of Conan: Unchained according to a new Craig Morrison interview over at PC Gamer. Oh, and that free-to-play launch date we've been asking for? It's tomorrow today.

Funcom is inviting both new and old players to check out a good portion of its Hyborian content on the house, and the company will also be unveiling its cash shop (complete with a new "temptress" pet that helps the title live up to its mature rating).

Unchained also marks the release of new content in the form of the Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances. As we told you last month, these new dungeons scale to your level and offer an experience designed to relieve the monotony of the well-traveled Noble District villas. Stick with Massively all weekend as we bring you the latest AoC: Unchained news and impressions, and don't forget to check out the Unchained launch trailer after the break.

[Update]: Funcom has also posted its traditional monthly dev update, which focuses on all of the new content coming soon to AoC (and there is a lot of it). In addition to the two dungeons debuting today with Unchained, players can look forward to the long-awaited House of Crom dungeon (no, really!), new tier four raids, the Savage Coast of Turan stuff, and of course, Blood and Glory.

[Update 2]: AoC 2.6, and F2P, is in fact going live today -- June 30th -- and the game launcher is currently down for patching. Funcom's Glen "Famine" Swan confirms as much on the official forums, and we'll link the patch notes as soon as they're available.

Continue reading Age of Conan: Unchained (aka F2P) starts tomorrow [Updated]

MassivelyAge of Conan: Unchained (aka F2P) starts tomorrow [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedblood-and-glorybreakingbusiness-modelsconancraig-morrisonf2pfaminefantasyforgotten-cityfree-to-playfreemiumfuncomhouse-of-cromhybrid-business-modelinterviewsmmo-industrysavage-coast-of-turansilirrionsolo-dungeonsthe-breachthe-house-of-cromtrailerunchainedvideoThu, 30 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan game director talks Blood and Glory server rules]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/age-of-conan-game-director-talks-blood-and-glory-server-rules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/age-of-conan-game-director-talks-blood-and-glory-server-rules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/age-of-conan-game-director-talks-blood-and-glory-server-rules/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan's game director has penned a new developer diary at MMORPG.com. The subject is the new Blood and Glory server ruleset, and if you haven't been keeping up with Hyboria lately, suffice it to say that the initial announcement made a lot of waves last February due to its player looting and free-for-all components.

Craig Morrison's new post talks about how the desires of MMO veterans are often mutually exclusive with the industry-wide accessible design trend, and he goes on to outline Funcom's desire to give its displaced PvP fans something to sink their teeth into.

In terms of ruleset specifics, they include no transfers, no offline levels, no guards, no Shrines of Bori, limited player looting, and open PvP restored to White Sands and the Underhalls. PvP kills will also grant additional XP in comparison with the game's normal servers. Finally, Morrison says that Battlekeep rewards will be adjusted, though he gives no specifics as of yet. For additional coverage, check out our March 2011 Blood and Glory interview with Morrison as well as our server ruleset and sharding discussion.

MassivelyAge of Conan game director talks Blood and Glory server rules originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessiblityage-of-conanage-of-conan-unratedaocaoc-unratedblood-and-glorycasualcorpse-lootingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyffa-pvpfree-to-playhardcorepvppvp-serverserver-rulesetssilirrionFri, 10 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Server merges, separation, and why both are potentially swell]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/05/the-anvil-of-crom-server-merges-segregation-and-why-both-are/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/05/the-anvil-of-crom-server-merges-segregation-and-why-both-are/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/05/the-anvil-of-crom-server-merges-segregation-and-why-both-are/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Last week I mentioned that the Age of Conan Unrated announcement has given us a lot to talk about. There's the 800-lb. free-to-try elephant in the room, there's a bunch of new content that's both coming soon and already here, and there's also an endlessly fascinating quote from Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison that is, well, endlessly fascinating.

This last bit got lost in the big announcement blitzkrieg, and because it was buried in the depths of a thread about roleplay on the EU boards, it's safe to assume that 99.99% of Age of Conan players didn't read it. Regardless, it may well be one of the more interesting and exciting developments in Age of Conan's short history. What was it about? Well, it involves servers, server merges, and new technology that could change the way we think about MMORPGs and server populations.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Server merges, separation, and why both are potentially swell

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Server merges, separation, and why both are potentially swell originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unratedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unratedconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriainstancingopinionplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentprivate-serverprivate-serverspvepvproleplayingsegregationserverserver-copiesserver-mergesserverssilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 05 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Beggars, choosers, and why Unrated isn't a sign of "failure"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/the-anvil-of-crom-beggars-choosers-and-why-unrated-isnt-a-si/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/the-anvil-of-crom-beggars-choosers-and-why-unrated-isnt-a-si/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/29/the-anvil-of-crom-beggars-choosers-and-why-unrated-isnt-a-si/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Hi folks, and welcome back to The Anvil of Crom. First off I'd like to thank Funcom for single-handedly making my writing life absurdly easy for the foreseeable future. The tidal wave of Age of Conan announcements this past week have basically pushed all my carefully laid column plans back about two months.

Which is fantastic.

The only problem is what to talk about first. F2P? The Savage Coast? Various Craig Morrison interviews as well as an obscure quote that's more interesting (and exciting) than the rest of this stuff put together? I guess it only makes sense to get the reaction to Unrated out of the way first, so join me after the cut as I do just that.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Beggars, choosers, and why Unrated isn't a sign of "failure"

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Beggars, choosers, and why Unrated isn't a sign of "failure" originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anvil-of-cromaoc-unratedbeggars-and-choosersbusiness-modelscraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playmmo-industryopinionthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 29 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan monthly update details patch schedule, talks Khitai difficulty]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/27/age-of-conan-monthly-update-details-patch-schedule-talks-khitai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/27/age-of-conan-monthly-update-details-patch-schedule-talks-khitai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/27/age-of-conan-monthly-update-details-patch-schedule-talks-khitai/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's been a big week for Age of Conan, and Funcom game director Craig Morrison has capped it off with his traditional end-of-the-month development update. Though it's a bit redundant if you've been paying attention over the last few days, Silirrion does let us in on a general patch schedule now that all the cats are out of the bag.

The next update will officially bring about AoC: Unrated and the new business model and will also feature new content in the form of the Forgotten City and Breach auto-content generation dungeons we've discussed previously. The Funcom team has also eased up on the Khitai dungeon difficulty, at least for normal mode, and Morrison says, "the earlier instances have also been made more accessible for those arriving in Khitai for the first time, and will not require AA investment to be worthwhile options."

Finally, we get a look at the list of tech-related improvements in the offing as well as confirmation that the film-related Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack will be part of the game's fall update cycle. Check out all the goods on the official forums.

MassivelyAge of Conan monthly update details patch schedule, talks Khitai difficulty originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocaoc-unratedcraig-morrisondev-diaryf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomkhitaikhitai-dungeonskhitai-normal-modemonthly-development-updatesavage-coast-of-turansilirrionthe-savage-coast-of-turanFri, 27 May 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on pioneering the hybrid business model]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-pioneering-the-hybrid/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-pioneering-the-hybrid/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-pioneering-the-hybrid/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Conventional wisdom holds that Turbine is responsible for bringing the free-to-play/subscription hybrid to the west. It might surprise you to learn, then, that Funcom's Anarchy Online F2P implementation pre-dates the much-hyped Dungeons and Dragons Online experiment by a good four years.

Yes, Funcom is no stranger to free-to-play, and the MMORPG maker is looking to expand Age of Conan's playerbase -- much as it did Anarchy Online's -- by trotting it out again. It's no accident that this is happening alongside the latest salvo in a substantial content rollout that started earlier this spring and will continue well into late summer. Funcom is timing the buildup to take advantage of an expected upsurge in Conan interest as Robert E. Howard's barbarian reaver re-enters the public consciousness with the August release of a film franchise reboot.

I recently chatted with Funcom's Craig "Silirrion" Morrison for my second exclusive interview in as many weeks, this time picking the game director's brain about business models, content updates, and why we won't see additional servers to handle the new player load.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on pioneering the hybrid business model

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on pioneering the hybrid business model originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 May 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananarchy-onlineanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsaocaoc-unratedbusiness-modelcraig-morrisonexclusivef2pfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhybridhybrid-business-modelinterviewmmo-industryopinionsilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromWed, 25 May 2011 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's Morrison talks Savage Coast dungeons and gear]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/age-of-conans-morrison-talks-savage-coast-dungeons-and-gear/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/age-of-conans-morrison-talks-savage-coast-dungeons-and-gear/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/age-of-conans-morrison-talks-savage-coast-dungeons-and-gear/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Interested in learning more about Age of Conan's newly minted Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack? Eurogamer recently talked to Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison about everything from the marketing opportunities represented by the upcoming Conan film to specifics on the new tie-in content.

Morrison riffs on new instances, both the solo and group variety, including an encounter with pirates called Dead Man's Hand and another tryst based on the Island of Iron Statues from the original Robert E. Howard lore. There's also a new raid in the Temple of Elric that features Ela-Shan, a master thief whom Jason Momoa's Conan encounters in the new film.

Still want more? How about a new epic quest line and various loot upgrades? The drops from the team instances will be "slightly more powerful than the rewards we give for max-level content in Godslayer," Morrison explains. He also drops a hint about the adventure pack's new armor. "You can't go into an area like Turan and have that magnificent Persian theme without bringing in new armor sets." Despite the high-level nature of some of the drops, it appears that much of the Savage Coast content is aimed at players around level 50. Head to Eurogamer for more.

MassivelyAge of Conan's Morrison talks Savage Coast dungeons and gear originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-package-of-conanaocardashirarmorconan-filmconan-moviecraig-morrisondead-mans-handdungeonsepic-questsfantasyinterviewisland-of-iron-statueslootnew-contentpveraidssavage-coast-of-turansilirrionturanTue, 24 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan year three retrospective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/22/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-year-three-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/22/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-year-three-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/22/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-year-three-retrospective/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The past 12 months have been something of a whirlwind for the Age of Conan team. While content updates for the game were a bit lighter than normal, Funcom was nonetheless working quite hard behind the scenes for much of the game's third year.

As a result -- and despite the residual stickiness of the outdated "Failcom" rhetoric that floats around the internet -- there's never been a better time to be an AoC fan. The dev team has expanded, content updates are coming at regular intervals, and there's even a new server ruleset on the way for those of you in favor of unforgiving PvP action. Add to that the cryptic hints of a big announcement that Craig Morrison has been dropping over the last little while and you've got a recipe for Hyborian intrigue the likes of which we haven't seen since launch.

Speaking of AoC's launch, it happened three years ago this week, and today's Anvil of Crom offers you a look back at year three's most memorable moments. Put on your birthday hats, break out the kazoos, and join me after the cut for more.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan year three retrospective

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan year three retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanalways-fastly-wellanniversaryanvil-of-cromaocaoc-anniversaryaoc-anniversary-retrospectivebirthdaycraig-morrisondreamworldfantasyfeaturedfuncomnew-contentopinionpatchesrip-salvosalvosilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromupdatesSun, 22 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Age of Conan's past, present, and future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/20/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-silirrion-on-age-of-conans-past-prese/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/20/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-silirrion-on-age-of-conans-past-prese/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/20/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-silirrion-on-age-of-conans-past-prese/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome, barbarian friends, to a special edition of The Anvil of Crom. Age of Conan's third anniversary is here, and the sheer amount of things to talk about has necessitated two columns this week -- and driven me to consume a celebratory pint (or six) of Cimmerian ale. First up is a recent sit-down with Funcom's Craig "Silirrion" Morrison wherein the game director chats about the fantasy title's past, present, and future.

Hyboria has changed dramatically since AoC's May 2008 release, and even bigger changes are coming, including new content, a new server ruleset, and a big announcement that Morrison's been hinting at via Twitter in recent weeks.

Join us after the cut as we discuss PvP, PvE, forthcoming appearance slots, and more!

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Age of Conan's past, present, and future

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom Extra: Silirrion on Age of Conan's past, present, and future originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananniversaryanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsaocappearance-slotsblood-and-glorycraig-morrisonfantasyfeaturedfuncominterviewpvepvpshrines-of-borisilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromthird-anniversarythree-year-anniversaryFri, 20 May 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom inviting former Age of Conan players back for free, giving away bonus XP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/funcom-inviting-former-age-of-conan-players-back-for-free-givin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/funcom-inviting-former-age-of-conan-players-back-for-free-givin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/funcom-inviting-former-age-of-conan-players-back-for-free-givin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

By Crom (or is that Mitra?), Age of Conan is having a birthday! Yep, Funcom's version of Hyboria turns three this week, and active subscribers are invited to claim a number of free potions that boost PvE, PvP, and alternate advancement experience. Each character on an active account is entitled to a single claim of all three potions through the end of May.

Former Age of Conan players haven't been left out in the Cimmerian cold, either. Funcom has turned on all inactive accounts, also through the end of May, so patch up and come back to Hyboria on the house. Finally, Funcom is running a third-anniversary sweepstakes with prize packs that include free game time plus the original AoC client and the Rise of the Godslayer expansion.

Check in with Massively all weekend for more Age of Conan anniversary coverage including an interview with Craig Morrison and more!

MassivelyFuncom inviting former Age of Conan players back for free, giving away bonus XP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananniversaryaocby-cromby-mitracraig-morrisonfantasyfuncomgiveawayhyboriaprize-packprizesrise-of-the-godslayersweepstakesthird-anniversarythree-year-anniversaryxpxp-bonusxp-potionsThu, 19 May 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/15/the-anvil-of-crom-is-age-of-conan-a-pvp-focused-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/15/the-anvil-of-crom-is-age-of-conan-a-pvp-focused-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/15/the-anvil-of-crom-is-age-of-conan-a-pvp-focused-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

One of the great things about Massively is the deluge of MMO information and opinion that is spread across the site on a daily basis. Since I'm so closely tied to our Age of Conan coverage, it's interesting to read other writers' perspectives on Hyboria, particularly when they don't match my own.

Take one of our recent early-morning conversation starters in which Funcom's title is described as a PvP-focused game. Despite being a throw-away reference, the wording here struck a strange chord. Age of Conan does feature both open world and instanced PvP, but said PvP is -- in my experience -- a red-headed step-child in terms of content updates, system tweaks, and player preference.

The key here is "in my experience," and it's amazing how a simple turn of phrase like "PvP-focused game" can send the mind drifting on all manner of perceptual tangents. Analytically, though, is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game as of May 2011? Head past the cut to find out.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game?

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromaocboricall-of-jhebbal-sagcraig-morrisonfantasyfeaturedfuncomgame-mechanicsminigamesopen-world-pvpopinionpvepve-vs-pvppvppvp-vs-pveshrines-of-borithe-anvil-of-cromSun, 15 May 2011 12:00:00 EST