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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan/" rel="tag">Age of Conan</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/free-to-play/" rel="tag">Free-to-play</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-anvil-of-crom/" rel="tag">The Anvil of Crom</a></p><div style="text-align: center;">
	<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/"><img alt="The Anvil of Crom - Reasons to come back to Age of Conan" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2012/05/aocbannermain.jpg" /></a></div>
A couple of weeks ago, one of Massively's more eloquent commenters referred to yours truly as "<a href="http://www.funcom.com">Funcom's</a> biznitch." Well, OK, biznitch wasn't the exact word, but you get the idea. This bit of nerdrage was amusing for multiple reasons, not the least of which was that I hadn't covered (or played) <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com"><em>Age of Conan</em></a> for nearly five months at the time.<br />
<br />
You know what, though? I do like <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan"><em>Age of Conan</em></a>, and I did miss Hyboria.<br />
<br />
Sure it's got its issues, omissions, frustrations, and WTF-were-they-thinking design decisions, but it's also got a game world unlike any other in the MMO space. Join me after the cut for a few reasons I came back (as well as a preview of what the future holds for <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/the-anvil-of-crom">The Anvil of Crom</a>).<p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/">The Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Mon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/20223793/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>age-of-conan</category><category>age-of-conan-eu</category><category>age-of-conan-unchained</category><category>anvil-of-crom</category><category>anvil-of-crom-guides</category><category>aoc</category><category>aoc-eu</category><category>aoc-eu-client</category><category>aoc-unchained</category><category>conan</category><category>crom</category><category>crom-server</category><category>eu-aoc</category><category>eu-client</category><category>f2p</category><category>fantasy</category><category>featured</category><category>free-to-play</category><category>funcom</category><category>guides</category><category>how-to-play-aoc-eu</category><category>hyboria</category><category>opinion</category><category>reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan</category><category>the-anvil-of-crom</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jef Reahard]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[E308: Interview reveals name of new AoC dungeon]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-interview-reveals-name-of-new-aoc-dungeon/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-interview-reveals-name-of-new-aoc-dungeon/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-interview-reveals-name-of-new-aoc-dungeon/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan/" rel="tag">Age of Conan</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/interviews/" rel="tag">Interviews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/news-items/" rel="tag">News items</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.ageofconan.com"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/aoccrom.jpg" /></a></div>
At E3, MMO bloggers <a href="http://www.keenandgraev.com/?p=1139">Keen and Graev caught up</a> with <a href="http://www.funcom.com">Funcom</a> Product Manager and all-around <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com"><em>Age of Conan</em></a>-spinster Erling Ellingsen. The <a href="http://vault.ign.com/View.php?view=editorials.detail&amp;id=71">Vault Network-hosted interview</a> covers a lot of the same ground that we went over <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/e308-erling-ellingsen-talks-patch-timeframes-for-age-of-conan/">in our own talk with Ellingson</a>, but there was one extra bit that we thought was worth mentioning. We know you don't want to miss a thing, so here it is!<br /><br />Ellingsen mentioned that a new dungeon instance called "House of Crom." He didn't give any information about it apart from the name, although Keen's prose suggested that he was unusually excited about it. We'd like to think that this House of Crom is, in fact, the actual house of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crom_(fictional_deity)">the deity Crom</a>, atop a monstrous mountain.<br /><br />We also find it fun to imagine that the name of that dungeon is basically a curse phrase. Crom's name is rarely invoked except in cursing and swearing in Howard's <em>Conan</em> novels. You don't want to attract Crom's attention, you know. He might kick your pathetic mortal ass.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-interview-reveals-name-of-new-aoc-dungeon/">E308: Interview reveals name of new AoC dungeon</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://vault.ign.com/View.php?view=editorials.detail&amp;id=71>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-interview-reveals-name-of-new-aoc-dungeon/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1258470/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-interview-reveals-name-of-new-aoc-dungeon/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>age-of-conan</category><category>aoc</category><category>cimmeria</category><category>cimmerian</category><category>crom</category><category>deity</category><category>erling-ellingsen</category><category>funcom</category><category>god</category><category>house-of-crom</category><category>instance</category><category>interview</category><category>keen-and-graev</category><category>vault-network</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Samuel Axon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Funcom endorses Age of Conan graphic fiction]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/funcom-endorses-age-of-conan-graphic-fiction/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/funcom-endorses-age-of-conan-graphic-fiction/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/funcom-endorses-age-of-conan-graphic-fiction/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan/" rel="tag">Age of Conan</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lore/" rel="tag">Lore</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/news-items/" rel="tag">News items</a></p><a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/news/05_19_08_03_16PM.htm"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/06/michaellafferty225.jpg" /></a><a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/">GameZone</a> is producing a series of original fiction set in <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com"><span style="font-style: italic;">Age of Conan's</span></a> Hyboria, which deals with the world's characters and lore. The series is created by Michael Lafferty and is a blend of short fiction, comic art, and graphic panel storytelling using in-game screenshots. Lafferty has <a href="http://www.funcom.com">Funcom's</a> blessing on this; an announcement at the official AoC community site leaves no doubt that they've given their <a href="http://community.ageofconan.com/wsp/conan/frontend.cgi?func=publish.show&amp;template=content&amp;func_id=2511&amp;table=CONTENT">express permission.</a><br /><br />Lafferty's fiction begins with <a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/news/05_19_08_03_16PM.htm">'In Service to a King'</a> and continues with <a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/news/05_27_08_12_24PM.htm">'Deliverance from the Sea'</a> and <a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/news/06_03_08_11_58AM.htm">'In the Shadow of the Volcano.'</a> More stories are to follow. GameZone has one caveat about the series, though: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Some of these stories may contain spoilers for quests, so by Crom, be forewarned!" </span>It's doubtful that spoiler quests will keep people from checking out the series, so have a look at Michael Lafferty's work and sound off if you like what he's doing.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/funcom-endorses-age-of-conan-graphic-fiction/">Funcom endorses Age of Conan graphic fiction</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://pc.gamezone.com/news/05_19_08_03_16PM.htm>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/funcom-endorses-age-of-conan-graphic-fiction/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1215024/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/funcom-endorses-age-of-conan-graphic-fiction/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>age-of-conan</category><category>character</category><category>conan</category><category>crom</category><category>fantasy</category><category>fiction</category><category>funcom</category><category>gamezone</category><category>graphic</category><category>hyboria</category><category>lore</category><category>michael-lafferty</category><category>setting</category><category>storytelling</category><category>world</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[James Egan]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Age of Conan updates its official website]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/18/age-of-conan-updates-its-official-website/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/18/age-of-conan-updates-its-official-website/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/18/age-of-conan-updates-its-official-website/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/betas/" rel="tag">Betas</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/galleries/" rel="tag">Galleries</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/screenshots/" rel="tag">Screenshots</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/trailers/" rel="tag">Trailers</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan/" rel="tag">Age of Conan</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/events-real-world/" rel="tag">Events, real-world</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/launches/" rel="tag">Launches</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/new-titles/" rel="tag">New titles</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/previews/" rel="tag">Previews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/news-items/" rel="tag">News items</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/opinion/" rel="tag">Opinion</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.ageofconan.com/aoc/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="top" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2008/01/ageofconanwebsite.jpg" alt="" /></a></div>
<br />And man, it's an improvement! Outfitted with Flash and streaming video, if you weren't already excited for <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/categories/age-of-conan"><em>Age of Conan</em></a>, this site would have you frothing in about 10 seconds. Everything's integrated nicely, and there's a ton of new media to be had as well -- screenshots, concept art, new hype video -- this site is just the cherry on the media sundae that we've been slowly nibbling at, trying to eke out as much information about the game as possible. That analogy may have been overwrought, but by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crom">Crom</a>, I don't care! Go <a href="http://www.ageofconan.com/aoc/">check out the new site</a> now!<br /><br />[Thanks, Dre!]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/18/age-of-conan-updates-its-official-website/">Age of Conan updates its official website</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.ageofconan.com/aoc/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/18/age-of-conan-updates-its-official-website/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1090205/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/18/age-of-conan-updates-its-official-website/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>age-of-conan</category><category>concept-art</category><category>crom</category><category>new-content</category><category>screenshots</category><category>video</category><category>website</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Akela Talamasca]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Age of Conan Product Developer interview, with gameplay video]]></title><link>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/</guid><comments>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/betas/" rel="tag">Betas</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/fantasy/" rel="tag">Fantasy</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan/" rel="tag">Age of Conan</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/anarchy-online/" rel="tag">Anarchy Online</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/events-real-world/" rel="tag">Events, real-world</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/game-mechanics/" rel="tag">Game mechanics</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/interviews/" rel="tag">Interviews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/lore/" rel="tag">Lore</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/previews/" rel="tag">Previews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/hands-on/" rel="tag">Hands-on</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/massively-interviews/" rel="tag">Massively Interviews</a>, <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/massively-hands-on/" rel="tag">Massively Hands-on</a></p><center><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/photos/age-of-conan-artwork/529924/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2007/12/aoc-guardian-425.jpg" alt="" /></a></center><span style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 7px;"> <script> var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Age_of_Conan_interview_and_video'; </script> <script src="http://digg.com/api/diggthis.js"></script></span>
<div align="left">On December 5th, I was invited to the Eidos/Funcom <em><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/category/age-of-conan">Age of Conan</a></em> press event, where I was privileged enough to be granted access to both the game itself and the development team. I was able to play the opening area, leading into the first town. I sussed out the combat and the conversation interface. I spoke with J&oslash;rgen Tharaldsen, the Product Developer, and he let drop a metric ton of knowledge upon my fevered noggin. I reprint here our conversation, interspersed with my handheld-shot video pieces, the first of which is shown above, which is where the game starts, with you as a survivor of a shipwrecked slaver ship. I'd like to thank J&oslash;rgen and the entire Eidos/Funcom team, all of whom I found to be gracious, witty, and enthusiastic about their game, which is refreshing to see. My take? The game looks incredible, and it's extremely immersive from the get-go. They say they're on schedule for an early 2008 release, so this is something to anticipate indeed.<br /><br /> <center><embed width="425" height="319" src="http://static4.filefront.com/ffv6/player/vp_embed.swf?v=455230&amp;autorun=false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></center><br /> More videos and the interview after the jump!</div><p><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Age of Conan Product Developer interview, with gameplay video</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com"><img src="http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Massively" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/">Age of Conan Product Developer interview, with gameplay video</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://massively.joystiq.com">Massively</a> on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/forward/1061787/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/age-of-conan-product-developer-interview-with-gameplay-video/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>5.1-surround</category><category>age-of-conan</category><category>anarchy-online</category><category>aquilonia</category><category>archer</category><category>architect</category><category>arnold-schwarzenegger</category><category>barbarian</category><category>breaking</category><category>cimmeria</category><category>commander</category><category>crom</category><category>dark-templar</category><category>didrik-tollefsen</category><category>eidos</category><category>featured</category><category>funcom</category><category>gameplay-video</category><category>germany</category><category>guardian</category><category>hour-of-the-dragon</category><category>hyboria</category><category>interview</category><category>jorgen-tharaldsen</category><category>joystiqfeatures</category><category>kushites</category><category>mage</category><category>mammoth</category><category>marvel-comcs</category><category>massively</category><category>mitra</category><category>mtv</category><category>norway</category><category>picts</category><category>prestige</category><category>priest</category><category>robert-e-howard</category><category>shadowlands</category><category>siege</category><category>stygia</category><category>the-longest-journey</category><category>thoth-amon</category><category>vanir</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Akela Talamasca]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
