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: Downgrading an Age of Conan account to F2P]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/the-anvil-of-crom-downgrading-an-age-of-conan-account-to-f2p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/the-anvil-of-crom-downgrading-an-age-of-conan-account-to-f2p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/the-anvil-of-crom-downgrading-an-age-of-conan-account-to-f2p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Comparing Age of Conan's free and premium services
As I mentioned last time, I'm currently test-driving the EU servers. As such, my Age of Conan subscription fee is spoken for, and my US server characters are now relegated to free-to-play status. Since I'm still deciding on an EU main (I just rerolled after getting a PoM to 22), I figured I'd use this week's column to take a quick look at my veteran account through the eyes of a free-to-play customer.

When AoC Unchained debuted last summer, I read the account services matrix like everyone else, but to be frank, I didn't pay it much attention because I'd always been a subscriber. In the back of my mind, I figured that anyone who's halfway serious about Age of Conan would want to sub up, and my experiences this weekend have only reinforced that notion.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Downgrading an Age of Conan account to F2P

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Downgrading an Age of Conan account to F2P originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaa-f2paccount-downgradeage-of-conanage-of-conan-account-downgradeage-of-conan-extended-trialage-of-conan-f2p-matrixage-of-conan-free-vs-premiumage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-account-downgradeaoc-advanced-ridingaoc-downgradeaoc-mountsaoc-unchainedaoc-veteran-rewardsbusiness-modelsconandowngradef2pf2p-conversionsf2p-matrixf2tfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfree-to-tryfreemiumfreemium-conversionfuncomgodslayerhyboriakhitaikhitai-f2popinionrise-of-the-godslayerthe-anvil-of-cromtrialunchainedMon, 21 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-star-wars-galaxiesage-of-conan-unchainedanniversaryanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsanvil-of-crom-specialanvil-of-crom-specialsaocaoc-anniversaryaoc-craftingaoc-interviewaoc-unchainedclassic-mmoconancraftingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgalaxieshyboriainterviewinterviewsopinionsandboxsci-fisilirrionsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-anvil-of-cromThu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Reasons to come back to Age of Conan
A couple of weeks ago, one of Massively's more eloquent commenters referred to yours truly as "Funcom's 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) Age of Conan for nearly five months at the time.

You know what, though? I do like Age of Conan, and I did miss Hyboria.

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 The Anvil of Crom).

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-euage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-guidesaocaoc-euaoc-eu-clientaoc-unchainedconancromcrom-servereu-aoceu-clientf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomguideshow-to-play-aoc-euhyboriaopinionreasons-to-return-to-age-of-conanthe-anvil-of-cromMon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 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[Leaderboard: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/leaderboard-age-of-conans-score-vs-guild-wars-score/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/leaderboard-age-of-conans-score-vs-guild-wars-score/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/leaderboard-age-of-conans-score-vs-guild-wars-score/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Leaderboard
Believe it or not, there are actually loads of incredible MMO soundtracks. Oh, I know we all bellyache about the repetitive music and how we turn it off and just listen to speed metal or Justin Bieber while we grind boars, but the scores are often wonderful when removed from infinite looping.

Today we're going to pit two of the greatest MMO soundtracks against each other as they vie for your approval. In the first corner is Age of Conan's score, which was composed by Knut Avenstroup Haugen. It's not only award-winning and famous outside of MMO circles but hauntingly beautiful to listen to as well. In the other corner is Mr. Jeremy Soule's epic Guild Wars soundtrack (we'll lump all four of them together for this poll), which many claim to be just as memorable as the game's visuals.

It's the cream of the audio crop presented for your judgment: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score. Give each one a listen and then let us know which you'll vote for after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score

MassivelyLeaderboard: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanetaocaoc-unchainedarenanetbattle-royalconanf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomguild-warsgwhyboriajeremy-souleKnut-Avenstroup-Haugenleaderboardncsoftone-on-oneone-vs-oneopinionpollpollsunchainedversusvotevotesvotingvsMon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/choose-my-adventure-ultimate-road-trip-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/choose-my-adventure-ultimate-road-trip-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/choose-my-adventure-ultimate-road-trip-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Choose My Adventure
Let's go for another spin!

Just like Mikey of Life cereal fame, I ventured into the realm of Choose My Adventure once before, and I liked it! Grand adventures, camaraderie with readers, exploring the unknown... what more could I ask for? More time, obviously!

It ended all too soon. I was totally revved up and ready to jump right back in, but unfortunately neither pleading nor bribery worked to continue my stint as your plucky puppet (and locking the other staff members in a dark closet didn't pan out either -- they escaped), so I had to park it and wait my turn. It took much too long, but finally my time has come again. *happy dance*

Now the boss may have handed me the keys, but you will be the ones driving. The top is down, and I've got snacks and shades; all that is left to begin our adventure for the next six weeks is to pick which direction to head and floor it. Although a lot of good places have already been visited, there are plenty more to choose from. In the mood for fantasy? Capes? Nebulas? Heavy artillery? Cast your votes by Sunday, April 22nd, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. EDT for your chance to steer me to the world of your choice. Our possible destinations (in no particular order) are...

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acaeriaaeria-gamesage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanarchy-onlineaoaocaoc-unchainedasherons-callchampionschampions-onlinechampschoose-my-adventurechoose-my-adventure-mj-guthriecity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocmacocohconanconsoleconsolescovcoxcrypticcryptic-studiosdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuoeden-eternalf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomfuncomhands-onhistoricalhyboriancsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplaystation-3playstation3pollpollsps3pvppwereaders-choicesandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestosuperherosuperheroestanktanksturbineturbine-entertainmentunchainedvotevotingwarwargaming.networld-of-tankswotWed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Hotbar combat vs. action combat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/leaderboard-hotbar-combat-vs-action-combat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/leaderboard-hotbar-combat-vs-action-combat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/leaderboard-hotbar-combat-vs-action-combat/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Leaderboard

I've noticed that whenever a studio is developing an MMO that features action combat (i.e., faster-paced combat that's more dependent on positioning, reflexes, and mouse usage), it acts as though it's developing the savior of the genre -- even though action combat is nothing new (just ask Dungeons and Dragons Online or Age of Conan). Instead of seeing it as a revolution that will bring us out of the supposed dark ages, I look at it as a different style of play that some prefer while others shun.

Both have their pros and cons. Hotbar combat allows for quick access to a wide variety of skills, levels the playing field for those of us old fogeys who aren't so tight in the reflex department, and focuses more on strategic thinking. However, it's typically slower and not as visceral as many non-MMO video games tend to be. Action combat, on the other hand, is certainly more in-line with its non-MMO contemporaries, with exciting pitched battles at the expense of time to think and a more limited selection of input.

So for today's Leaderboard, we're going to tackle the grand ol' staple of MMOs, hotbar combat, vs. the action combat upstarts. Will reflexes or brains win the day? Cast your vote after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Hotbar combat vs. action combat

MassivelyLeaderboard: Hotbar combat vs. action combat originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedbattle-royalconanddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyborialeaderboardone-on-oneone-vs-oneopinionpollpollsturbineturbine-entertainmentunchainedversusvotevotesvotingvsMon, 09 Apr 2012 13:00:00 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[Gaikai: Delivering instant MMOs to your browser]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/gaikai-delivering-instant-mmos-to-your-browser/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/gaikai-delivering-instant-mmos-to-your-browser/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/gaikai-delivering-instant-mmos-to-your-browser/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Gaikai
Imagine that you're reading up on an MMO on a site such as Massively (far-fetched, but stay with us on this). The words intrigue you and you think it might be worth checking out. You make a mental note to do so in the future -- to head over to the game's site, see if there's a trial, download it, set up an account, and give it a whirl -- but time gets away from you and none of that actually happens.

Now imagine that right after you read that article there was a single button or link. Clicking on it, a Java window opens up on top of your screen and tells you that you're now playing a trial of the game. There's no wait, no download, no lengthy form to fill out -- just click and play, right away. You go from interested to inside the game within mere seconds, your computer specs (mostly) aren't an issue, and your curiosity is immediately sated.

This isn't a far-fetched dream but the here-and-now reality. This is cloud-streaming MMOs brought to you by Gaikai. And it just might be the future of MMOs as we know it.

Continue reading Gaikai: Delivering instant MMOs to your browser

MassivelyGaikai: Delivering instant MMOs to your browser originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2moonsacclaimactivisionage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedbest-buyblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrowser-mmochronicles-of-spellborncloudcloud-streamingconandave-perryddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeaea-originearthworm-jimf2pfamilyfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgaikaigaikai-inchyboriaipadkid-friendlykids-mmokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrostreaming-mmothe-darknessturbineturbine-entertainmentunchainedwalmartwarcraftwbwizard101world-of-warcraftwowyoutubeWed, 14 Mar 2012 12:00:00 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: Would you buy an advanced character?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/the-daily-grind-would-you-buy-an-advanced-character/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/the-daily-grind-would-you-buy-an-advanced-character/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/the-daily-grind-would-you-buy-an-advanced-character/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

UO advanced character
For many years, Ultima Online has offered an advanced character microtransaction. Well, the term "microtransaction" may be stretching it -- originally priced at $30 a pop, it's more like a macrotransaction. The advanced character token allows you to boost the skills and stats of a single character according to a preset template. It won't give you a capped Bard, Treasure Hunter, or Animal Tamer overnight, but it will get you a big chunk of the way there. And for skills that are notoriously hard to train .1 by .1 all the way to 100 or 120, advanced character tokens can be a huge boon to players who've been there and done that and just want to skip the early grind.

UO's not alone in this; other games, such as Dark Age of Camelot, allow players to jump past some of the early game on their alts once they've capped a toon and proven they know the ropes of the game. Of course, those games aren't charging for the pleasure. So what do you think: Would you buy an advanced character from a game company? Or do you think you're cheating yourself and those around you by not grinding up the old-fashioned way?

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 buy an advanced character? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advanced-characterage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedbiowarebrianna-royce-tdgcamelotclassic-mmoconandaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgrindhyborialord-britishmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpvprvrsandboxskill-systemtdgthe-daily-grindultimaultima onlineUltimaOnlineuoMon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom teases AoC's House of Crom]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/funcom-teases-aocs-house-of-crom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/funcom-teases-aocs-house-of-crom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/funcom-teases-aocs-house-of-crom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - inside the House of Crom
The House of Crom is basically the Hyborian equivalent of Duke Nukem Forever. It was announced quite a while ago, it was expected long before its actual arrival date, and at long bloody last, it's finally on its way to an Age of Conan server near you.

Thankfully, that's where the similarities end, as the new dungeon is looking quite impressive -- if Funcom's marketing blurbs are anything to go on.

The latest such features a few paragraphs of textual description regarding the Threshold of Divinity and Vile Nativity dungeons (the House of Crom isn't just one dungeon, but rather a massive new area that supports multiple groups and amounts to the largest indoor dungeon that Funcom has created to date). Head to the official AoC website for more info, including screenshots of some of the new armor available throughout the instance.

MassivelyFuncom teases AoC's House of Crom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchaineddungeonsf2pfinallyfree-to-playhouse-of-cromhyboriathe-house-of-cromthreshold-of-divinityvile-nativityWed, 11 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Quality-of-life improvements for 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/the-anvil-of-crom-quality-of-life-improvements-for-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/the-anvil-of-crom-quality-of-life-improvements-for-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/08/the-anvil-of-crom-quality-of-life-improvements-for-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Angry man header
This week's Anvil of Crom took a bit of thought because honestly, I haven't felt very motivated to play lately. It's one part burnout and two parts wandering eye, as there are a lot of MMOs out there that I keep hoping Age of Conan will emulate in the interests of becoming a more complete game.

It's certainly not a bad game as is; I've been traveling Hyboria for four years now (and writing about it for two), and you don't do that with titles you have to force yourself to play. Like most things, though, AoC could be better.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Quality-of-life improvements for 2012

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Quality-of-life improvements for 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchainedchronomagiccodexfantasyfeaturedfeaturesfree-to-playfuncomhyborialorelore-codexopinionquality-of-lifequality-of-life-improvementsthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 08 Jan 2012 16:00:00 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[The Anvil of Crom: The winter of our discontent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/11/the-anvil-of-crom-the-winter-of-our-discontent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/11/the-anvil-of-crom-the-winter-of-our-discontent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/11/the-anvil-of-crom-the-winter-of-our-discontent/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - angry man banner
Well, winter isn't just coming, folks -- it's here. And it's not one of those balmy south Florida winters when the temperature rarely drops below 50 degrees. No, this is a blustering Cimmerian winter, complete with hard freezes, winds of change, and dare I say a little Hoth-like chill in the air.

Age of Conan's 3.1 patch rolled out to the live servers a few days ago, and along with all the Dreamworld tweaks, it also brought a decent helping of bugs and general discontent. Join me after the cut for a deeper look.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: The winter of our discontent

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: The winter of our discontent originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.1-patchanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchaineddiscontentf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaopinionpatchesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-anvil-of-cromthe-old-republictorSun, 11 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/the-anvil-of-crom-thanksgiving-leftovers-and-whats-new-in-hybo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/the-anvil-of-crom-thanksgiving-leftovers-and-whats-new-in-hybo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/the-anvil-of-crom-thanksgiving-leftovers-and-whats-new-in-hybo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - angry man banner
What's up, Age of Conan fans? Hopefully all of you had an overindulgent Thanksgiving (I'm picturing clusters of barbarians hunched around roaring campfires, gnawing the blackened meat off the bones of whatever game animal happened to pass by).

For my part, I spent the last couple of days avoiding work, gaining weight, and catching up on recent news from Funcom's Hyboria. I've been a bit distracted with various online shooters lately, but I always find myself coming back to AoC because of its unique fantasy world and rough-and-tumble themepark mechanics. Join me after the break for a few recent tidbits that piqued my interest.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.13.1-patchage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-soundtrackaoc-unchainedcape-of-bottomless-thirstconandrinking-capef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhyboriainterviewknut-avenstroup-haugenknut-haugenmusicnews-roundupopinionroundupsavage-coast-of-turanscoresiegesiege-performancesoundtrackthe-anvil-of-cromxfireSun, 27 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Celebrating the selfless gamer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/13/the-anvil-of-crom-celebrating-the-selfless-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/13/the-anvil-of-crom-celebrating-the-selfless-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/13/the-anvil-of-crom-celebrating-the-selfless-gamer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - angry man header
Oh sh... it's time for another installment of Massively's Anvil of Crom! If I sound a bit harried, it's because there's simply not enough time in the day for all the gaming goodness going on lately. Whether we're talking about the MMO space where I'm currently dabbling in AoC, DC Universe Online, EverQuest II, and Global Agenda, or the single-player smorgasbords of Arkham City, Uncharted 3, and Skyrim, sometimes it sucks to be an adult with responsibilities!

Those "sometimes" are usually during the pre-Christmas release window when game publishers all get together and decide to make our entertainment lives miserable by releasing 35 badass titles at once. Hello geniuses, how's about we stagger the badassery throughout the year; you'll still be rolling in money and your customers won't be rushing through one title to get to the next.

Anyway, I'm continually on the lookout for interesting tidbits from Funcom's Hyboria, and over the past couple of weeks I've been struck by a noticeable uptick in what I'm going to call the quality community. Since AoC's 2008 launch, the game's community has been alternately awful and tolerable, and whether that's because of the game's mature rating (and the immature people it attracts) or some other factor, it's been a rare occasion when I've had cause to highlight the nice folk.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Celebrating the selfless gamer

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Celebrating the selfless gamer originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaltsaocaoc-unchainedbarbiebarbie-the-barbariancommunityculturef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriamad-immortal-manopinionrandom-acts-of-kindnessselflessselfless-gamerSun, 13 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom highlights Age of Conan player numbers, offers in-game reward pack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/funcom-highlights-age-of-conan-player-numbers-offers-in-game-re/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/funcom-highlights-age-of-conan-player-numbers-offers-in-game-re/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/funcom-highlights-age-of-conan-player-numbers-offers-in-game-re/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Age of Conan - King's Reward pack
DC Universe Online isn't the only MMO crowing about its freemium changeover this week. Age of Conan made the switch last summer and now Funcom is highlighting the fact that more than 600,000 players have tried the Unchained version of the fantasy title since July.

As a token of appreciation, the company is presenting players with a little ditty called the King's Reward pack. Everyone who logs in prior to November 21st can grab the bundle via the special offers tab of the AoC item shop. The pack contains various potions designed to speed your way through Hyboria, but it's also limited to one character per account, so make sure you're on your main when you claim it.

MassivelyFuncom highlights Age of Conan player numbers, offers in-game reward pack originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedbusiness-modelsf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriakings-reward-packpotion-packpotionsregistered-usersunchainedFri, 11 Nov 2011 12:00:00 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 Anvil of Crom: Can AoC survive The Old Republic?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/16/the-anvil-of-crom-can-aoc-survive-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/16/the-anvil-of-crom-can-aoc-survive-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/16/the-anvil-of-crom-can-aoc-survive-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - The Anvil of Crom banner
Can Age of Conan survive the onrushing BioWare MMO apocalypse?

That's a fair question, and if you've been playing AoC lately, or really any MMORPG, you've probably heard of a competing game called Star Wars: The Old Republic. If you haven't, well, I don't believe you. Anyway, you may or may not be aware that BioWare announced the official launch date for its MMO opus a while back, and barely a day goes by when I don't hear a guildmate, a groupmate, or someone in global chat talk about it.

That's Age of Conan's global chat, in case you were wondering, and as a long-time fan of Funcom's barbaric fantasy MMO, I can't help but be a bit concerned about its future health after December 20th.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Can AoC survive The Old Republic?

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Can AoC survive The Old Republic? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchainedbiowaref2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaopinionstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-anvil-of-cromthe-old-republicSun, 16 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan long-term subs available, Funcom gifting weekly consumable packs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/age-of-conan-long-term-subs-available-funcom-gifting-weekly-con/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/age-of-conan-long-term-subs-available-funcom-gifting-weekly-con/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/age-of-conan-long-term-subs-available-funcom-gifting-weekly-con/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - Bountiful Harvest pack
We've got more Age of Conan-related subscription news for you this morning. Yesterday we mentioned the lifetime sub sweepstakes currently ongoing at AoC's Facebook page. Today we came across some new time-limited sub offers on the game's forums as well as a blurb about free weekly login items.

The sub offers come in three-, six-, and 12-month flavors, and each also features a bundle of in-game goods designed to make your Hyborian life a little easier. All three packs give you assorted potions and the basic riding skill, while the six- and 12-month varieties give you mounts to go with it.

The weekly login items feature packs of consumables and are available via the special offers tab of the in-game store. This week's pack is labeled A Bountiful Harvest, while subsequent weeks will feature A Hearty Harvest, A Fine Harvest, and The Harvest Reward packs.

MassivelyAge of Conan long-term subs available, Funcom gifting weekly consumable packs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocaoc-unchainedconanf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriamountspetspotion-packspotionssubscription-packagessubscriptionstime-limited-subscription-offersunchainedweekly-login-itemsWed, 05 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: What's wrong with AoC's crafting?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/the-anvil-of-crom-whats-wrong-with-aocs-crafting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/the-anvil-of-crom-whats-wrong-with-aocs-crafting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/25/the-anvil-of-crom-whats-wrong-with-aocs-crafting/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Anvil of Crom
In the wake of Funcom's glorious announcement that Age of Conan is due for an extreme tradeskill makeover in 2012, I thought it might be fun to brainstorm a few crafting-related design ideas.

To be frank, I think any change will be an improvement, as it's hard to fathom a more boring and ultimately worthless gameplay system than what currently passes for crafting in Hyboria. This is a pretty huge topic, of course, so join me after the cut for the first part of what will likely be an ongoing discussion over the next few months. Before we can talk about solutions, though, we've got to identify what's wrong with AoC's crafting.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: What's wrong with AoC's crafting?

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: What's wrong with AoC's crafting? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-crafting-sucksage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchainedcraftingcrafting-revampdesignfantasyfeaturedfuncomgame-designhyboriammo-designopinionthe-anvil-of-cromtradeskillswhats-wrong-with-craftingSun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:00 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-package-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedardashirconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriasavage-coastsavage-coast-of-turansilirriontrailervideoSat, 10 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom talks inspiration and AoC's massive Savage Coast of Turan adventure pack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/13/funcom-talks-inspiration-and-aocs-massive-savage-coast-of-turan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/13/funcom-talks-inspiration-and-aocs-massive-savage-coast-of-turan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/13/funcom-talks-inspiration-and-aocs-massive-savage-coast-of-turan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedconanconan-filmconan-moviecraig-morrisondead-mans-handf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaisle-of-iron-statuesmovie-contentmovie-tie-innew-contentPer-Storlokkensavage-coastsavage-coast-of-turanturanSat, 13 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan offering free potion pack for all]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/age-of-conan-offering-free-potion-pack-for-all/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/age-of-conan-offering-free-potion-pack-for-all/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/age-of-conan-offering-free-potion-pack-for-all/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Age of Conan - King's Reward
As if you didn't have enough incentive to log into Age of Conan lately, Funcom is giving you one more. Yes, Unchained is here, as is free-to-play and a lot of new content. On top of that, the AoC Facebook page just mentioned a promotion called The King's Reward which runs through the end of the month.

Every Age of Conan player will receive a free potion pack via the new in-game store, and unlike everything else in the cash shop, the bundle is free of charge. Goodies include various flavors of XP-enhancing potions (including PvP, mastery, and regular XP), a temporary PvP evade boost, and a resurrect potion.

These items may only be claimed on one avatar per account, so choose wisely if you've got a ton of toons lounging about on your character select screen.

MassivelyAge of Conan offering free potion pack for all originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriakings-rewardpotion-packpotionspromotionspvp-evade-ratingresurrect-potionthe-kings-rewardxpxp-potionFri, 12 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/24/the-anvil-of-crom-musings-on-mmo-mortality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/24/the-anvil-of-crom-musings-on-mmo-mortality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/24/the-anvil-of-crom-musings-on-mmo-mortality/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Most of you are probably aware that Star Wars Galaxies announced its impending closure recently. As I booted up Age of Conan for my daily faction runs and tossed around some ideas for this week's column, I couldn't help but return to the fact that the MMO space is going to be that much dumber on December 16th.

What does SWG have to do with The Anvil of Crom? Admittedly not much, unless you count the fact that AoC was the first of many games I migrated to when taking extended breaks from SWG beginning in 2008. The game's demise did get me to thinking on MMOs as a whole though, and of course Funcom's fantasy title in particular.

While it may seem like an obvious conclusion in some respects, the fact that MMO players are ultimately no more than renters living on borrowed time was a sobering thought.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Musings on MMO mortality originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 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-unratedf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuturehyboriammo-mortalitymortalitymusings-on-mmo-mortalityopinionstar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-anvil-of-cromthe-futurewhat-you-can-while-you-canSun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Unchained, free at last, and some initial observations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/03/the-anvil-of-crom-unchained-free-at-last-and-some-initial-obs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/03/the-anvil-of-crom-unchained-free-at-last-and-some-initial-obs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/03/the-anvil-of-crom-unchained-free-at-last-and-some-initial-obs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Timing, as they say, is everything, and so I'd like to take a brief moment to thank Funcom for fouling up my carefully laid column plans this week. Also, it's a rare day that I'm not prowling the interwebs in search of news for our fair website, so of course, the second day out of the last six months that saw me take some time off was naturally the very same day that Funcom decided to launch Age of Conan: Unchained.

And yeah, I said Unchained, not Unrated, and if you think you're going to have trouble referring to the game as such after cozying up to the former moniker for the last month, console yourself with the fact that you now have David Lee Roth careening around inside your head for the foreseeable future. You're welcome.

In all seriousness, though, Age of Conan is free at last, free at last, thank God almighty it's free-to-play at last (even if it was a little sudden).

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Unchained, free at last, and some initial observations

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Unchained, free at last, and some initial observations originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.62.6-patchage-of-conanage-of-conan-2.6age-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaoc-2.6aoc-unchainedaoc-unratedappearance-slotscash-shopconandavid-lee-rothf2pfantasyfeaturedfirst-impressionsfree-to-playfuncomfuncom-pointshyboriaimpressionsitem-shopopinionslimy-sales-tacticsthe-anvil-of-cromunchainedunchained-impressionsunchained-reviewvan-halenvanity-armorSun, 03 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan: Unchained is here, as is F2P and a lot of new content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/age-of-conan-unchained-is-here-as-is-f2p-and-a-lot-of-new-cont/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/age-of-conan-unchained-is-here-as-is-f2p-and-a-lot-of-new-cont/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/01/age-of-conan-unchained-is-here-as-is-f2p-and-a-lot-of-new-cont/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Cue the vintage Van Halen (not to mention your Age of Conan launcher), as it's a big day for everyone's favorite barbarian-flavored MMO. Why's that? Well, there's the small matter of free-to-play, and oh yeah, 2.6 is the most significant patch since the Rise of the Godslayer expansion in May of 2010.

What's the big deal? Well, you've got your item shop as well as your free and premium membership tiers. You've also got new appearance tab functionality (or vanity armor, as Funcom's patch notes are fond of calling it). Still want more? How about relaxed difficulty and more frequent rewards on normal-mode 6-man Khitai dungeon content as well a significant price cut on factional armor pieces (epic chest-piece purples are now a mere 16 gold, for example).

More still? By Crom, you are one needy barbarian. You're also in luck, as Funcom has added a new queue function to minigame PvP which resurrects the late, great pre-made vs. pre-made option. Oh, and before we forget, here are a couple of new level-scaling solo dungeons (The Breach and Forgotten City), the better to see your character from his 40s all the way up to 80 should you desire. Finally, there's a laundry list of combat- and quest-related tweaks, all of which are viewable via the patch notes on the o-boards.

MassivelyAge of Conan: Unchained is here, as is F2P and a lot of new content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6-man-dungeonsage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedcash-shopdungeonsf2pfactional-armorfantasyforgotten-cityfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaitem-shopkhitai-6-mansmingame-pvpminigame-queuepre-made-pvppre-madessolo-dungeonsthe-breachunchainedvan-halenyes-i-tagged-david-lee-rothFri, 01 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Can AoC Unrated keep up with the Joneses?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/26/the-anvil-of-crom-can-aoc-unrated-keep-up-with-the-joneses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/26/the-anvil-of-crom-can-aoc-unrated-keep-up-with-the-joneses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/26/the-anvil-of-crom-can-aoc-unrated-keep-up-with-the-joneses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Sooooo, City of Heroes and LEGO Universe caught the free-to-play bug this week. Fallen Earth did so the week before. What does this have to do with Age of Conan? Quite a lot, if you think about it, and that's what I'm given to doing every week around this time as I sit down to hum a few bars relating to Funcom's Hyboria.

In case you've forgotten (and it's easy to do thanks to the rash of announcements lately), Age of Conan is gearing up for its own version of freemium MMORPG madness. At this point it's anyone's guess as to when the big day will actually roll around, though, and the longer Funcom waits, the more it concerns me.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Can AoC Unrated keep up with the Joneses?

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Can AoC Unrated keep up with the Joneses? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 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-unratedf2pf2p-conversionsfantasyfeature-listfeaturedfeaturesfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgame-systemsgameplayhurry-up-alreadyhyborianon-combatnon-combat-gameplayopinionsystemsthe-anvil-of-cromtimelinessSun, 26 Jun 2011 12:00:00 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[Funcom profiles Age of Conan's Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/funcom-profiles-age-of-conans-forgotten-city-and-the-breach-sol/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/funcom-profiles-age-of-conans-forgotten-city-and-the-breach-sol/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/02/funcom-profiles-age-of-conans-forgotten-city-and-the-breach-sol/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

By now, everyone's aware that Funcom is getting ready to unleash the world of Hyboria on the free-to-play scene. What you may not know is that in addition to the hybrid payment model, the Age of Conan Unrated update is going to be be bringing new content to the game as well.

Said content comes in the form of two new solo dungeons located in the lands of Khitai. Both instances are repeatable and designed to scale to a player's level (between 40 and 80), providing an alternative to the Tarantia Villas 40 to 80 experience that formerly filled in the gaps in AoC's mid-level curve. Funcom has told us that the new instances -- The Breach and The Forgotten City -- will be freely available to subscribers and available to Unrated F2P players for a small fee.

Join us after the break for Funcom's take on the game mechanics, the storylines, and the locations themselves. While you're at it, check out the new dungeon images in our Age of Conan gallery below.

Gallery: Age of Conan Gallery

Continue reading Funcom profiles Age of Conan's Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances

MassivelyFuncom profiles Age of Conan's Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acg-dungeonage-of-conanage-of-conan-unratedaocaoc-unratedauto-content-generation-dungeonf2pfantasyfree-to-playgalleryhyboriakhitairise-of-the-godslayerscaling-contentscreenshotsthe-breachthe-forgotten-cityThu, 02 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan merging U.S. servers today, EU tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/age-of-conan-merging-u-s-servers-today-eu-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/age-of-conan-merging-u-s-servers-today-eu-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/age-of-conan-merging-u-s-servers-today-eu-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's server merge time in Hyboria. Age of Conan's launcher indicates that the U.S. servers are offline for up to 24 hours while the American PvP shards (Cimmeria and Tyranny) are consolidated. Tomorrow will see the European servers undergo a similar process, with Crom, Hyrkania, and Ishtar merging into a single PvE mashup and Fury, Aquilonia, and Stygia joining forces as the remaining PvP shard.

Funcom has thrown up a server merge FAQ for your reading pleasure during the downtime, and in it you'll find details on everything from duplicate character names to duplicate guild names to the fate of guild-controlled battlekeeps. "Since build spots for battlekeeps are limited on each server, all build spots will be cleared and guilds will be reimbursed the resources for their battlekeep. This is to make sure that the guild gets the needed resources again and every guild gets the same chance," says the FAQ.

Read up on all the details at the official AoC forums.

MassivelyAge of Conan merging U.S. servers today, EU tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conan-unratedage-ofconanaocaoc-unratedbattlekeepsbring-out-the-fail-trollsdowntimef2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomguild-battlekeepshyboriaserver-mergessever-mergeTue, 31 May 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom planning Age of Conan: Unrated F2P launch this summer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/funcom-planning-age-of-conan-unrated-f2p-launch-this-summer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/funcom-planning-age-of-conan-unrated-f2p-launch-this-summer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/funcom-planning-age-of-conan-unrated-f2p-launch-this-summer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yep, it's official: Funcom has just announced this morning that Age of Conan is switching to a free-to-play/hybrid business model. While no date has been set, a posting on the game's European forums confirms that the title will be relaunched this summer as Age of Conan: Unrated.

Highlights of the new service include free access to all of the outdoor playfields in the original game (Aquilonia, Cimmeria, and Stygia), two free character slots, and access to non-premium dungeons as well as four character classes (Barbarian, Demonologist, Guardian, and Priest of Mitra). Alternate advancement points, veteran points, and offline levels are reserved for premium subscribers, as is the majority of the Rise of the Godslayer expansion content (the exception being the level 20 to 40 Gateway to Khitai content).

You can check out the full list of free and premium services, as well as a F2P FAQ, on the European Age of Conan forums. Also be sure to read Massively's exclusive F2P interview with Craig Morrison to learn about plans for server merges and other details.

MassivelyFuncom planning Age of Conan: Unrated F2P launch this summer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocaoc-unratedbreakingbusiness-modelsf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriahybridmmo-industryWed, 25 May 2011 07:00:00 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[Rumor: Funcom readying new Age of Conan lands]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/08/rumor-funcom-readying-new-age-of-conan-lands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/08/rumor-funcom-readying-new-age-of-conan-lands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/08/rumor-funcom-readying-new-age-of-conan-lands/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Speculation and excitement are the order of the day on both the European and American forums for Age of Conan. What's all the hubbub about? Two new lands are purportedly in the works, and this jibes with a cryptic comment by Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison in last month's development update.

"This is where we get to the stuff we can't quite talk about just yet... yes, a little teasing I know, but trust us, it is far more frustrating not being able to talk about what is coming just yet. These will be important updates, with two new and important elements incoming," Morrison wrote.

Fans are speculating that the two new and important elements are in fact two Hyborian provinces filled with a multitude of new zones, specifically Turan and Ardashir. Massively has confirmed that bringing up the in-game player search tab and filtering by region shows two new headings labeled Turan and Ardashir alongside the pre-existing countries of Aquilonia, Cimmeria, Stygia, and Khitai. There is also a bit of conjecture on the official boards regarding Funcom's annual report, which says in part that 2011 will bring "significant content and story tie-ins with the [new Conan] movie." We'll keep you updated as this story develops and as we get official word from the devs.

[Thanks to Nyan for the tip!]

MassivelyRumor: Funcom readying new Age of Conan lands originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocardashirbreakingbut-aoc-is-dyingconanconan-moviecraig-morrisondevelopment-updateexpansionfantasyfuncomhyborianew-landsnew-zonespossible-expansionrumorrumorssilirrionturanSun, 08 May 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's Age of Conan version 2.2 patch detailed, delayed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/funcoms-age-of-conan-version-2-2-patch-detailed-delayed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/funcoms-age-of-conan-version-2-2-patch-detailed-delayed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/funcoms-age-of-conan-version-2-2-patch-detailed-delayed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yesterday we told you about two new group dungeons in Age of Conan's Paikang imperial city, and later tonight you should be able to experience them for yourself. Yes, it's patch day in Hyboria, and version 2.2 is in the process of being pushed live to the game's American shards. European servers received the update earlier this morning, and there are a few issues, judging by a feedback thread on the EU boards.

What's in the patch other than the previously mentioned Ai and Tian'an District dungeons? Quite a lot of stuff actually, starting with tweaks to the endgame faction grind. Funcom has made a significant number of adjustments to faction quests, faction quest rewards, and Marks of Acclaim distribution.

Combat, in particular crowd-control abilities and counters, has also been tweaked in the 2.2 update, and the official patch notes have a complete breakdown on the changes by class. As of press time, Funcom's Age of Conan launcher indicates that the patch has been delayed by five hours, with an estimated up time of 6:00 p.m. EDT.

MassivelyFuncom's Age of Conan version 2.2 patch detailed, delayed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.2-patchage-of-conanaoccccrowd-controlfaction-grindfantasyfuncomgrindhyboriakhitaimarks-of-acclaimpatchpatch-notespatchesWed, 04 May 2011 14:30:00 EST