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: Knut Haugen talks game music, film music, and inspiration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/05/the-anvil-of-crom-knut-haugen-talks-game-music-film-music-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/05/the-anvil-of-crom-knut-haugen-talks-game-music-film-music-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/05/the-anvil-of-crom-knut-haugen-talks-game-music-film-music-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Welcome, my fellow barbarians, to another installment of The Anvil of Crom. This week I've got a bit of a treat for the music fans in the audience -- which is basically everyone, amirite? Yes, I finally got the chance to ask a few questions of Funcom's Knut Avenstroup Haugen, the man responsible for Age of Conan's sweeping soundscapes and evocative musical score.

Even if you're not an Age of Conan fan, you'll want to check out what Haugen has to say about the creative process, musical inspiration and research, and the crucial role that work ethic plays for the artist.

Join me after the cut as we talk about all that and more.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Knut Haugen talks game music, film music, and inspiration

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Knut Haugen talks game music, film music, and inspiration originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsaoccomposerfeaturedfuncomhyborian-adventuresinterviewknut-avenstroup-haugenknut-haugenmusicopinionrise-of-the-godslayerscoresoundtrackthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 05 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan rolls out long-term sub bonuses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/age-of-conan-rolls-out-long-term-sub-bonuses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/age-of-conan-rolls-out-long-term-sub-bonuses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/age-of-conan-rolls-out-long-term-sub-bonuses/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Funcom has just announced the availability of several limited-time long-term subscription offers, each of them featuring attractive in-game bonus items. The deals are broken down into 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month durations, with each option boasting additional free game time, character levels, and an owlet companion pet.

The 3-month package sports 14 days of free game time, an owlet pet, and 5 free character levels. The 6- and 12-month deals add the Warlord's Cache, a treasure chest of XP buffs, food and drink buffs, and teleportation scrolls that are shared among all the characters on your account. They also add 30 and 60 days of game time, respectively, as well as 10 and 15 free character levels.

The 12-month option also comes with the Wings of Power, a wearable item that grants a 10% experience boost for characters of level 40 and above. If you're thinking of playing Age of Conan long-term, check out these deals while they last, as Funcom states that they'll be gone forever as of September 30th.

MassivelyAge of Conan rolls out long-term sub bonuses originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbonus-itemsbonus-xpconanfuncomhyboriahyborian-adventureslong-term-subscriptionowletowlet-petrise-of-the-godslayersubscription-bonuswarlords-cachewings-of-powerFri, 20 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's product manager speaks out on Gaute Godager's departure]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/funcoms-product-manager-speaks-out-on-gaute-godagers-departure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/funcoms-product-manager-speaks-out-on-gaute-godagers-departure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/funcoms-product-manager-speaks-out-on-gaute-godagers-departure/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With the recent news of Age of Conan's Gaute Godager departing Funcom so suddenly, many players want to know what happened exactly. As an original founder of the company and through 16 years of employment at Funcom, one can only wonder what this says about the company. So MTV Multiplayer was able to sit down to a short interview with Funcom's product manager Jorgen Tharaldsen concerning this sudden departure of Godager.

Tharaldsen is understandably positive about the new direction of the company under replacement game director Craig Morrison. He praises Morrison's work as a community manager at Funcom and as a game director for Anarchy Online. Yet he also touches on the legacy of Godager and what he has meant to the history of MMOs in general. Not much else is said about the reasoning behind Godager's departure (besides what Godager has already said himself), but Tharaldsen seems optimistic about the future of the company and Age of Conan.

MassivelyFuncom's product manager speaks out on Gaute Godager's departure originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomgaute-godagerhyborian-adventuresinterviewjorgen-tharaldsenmtv-multiplayerFri, 19 Sep 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan: A postmortem analysis?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/age-of-conan-a-postmortem-analysis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/age-of-conan-a-postmortem-analysis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/age-of-conan-a-postmortem-analysis/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Ouch. That word pretty much sums up this article we found over at MMOCrunch regarding their opinion on the current state of Age of Conan. As declared in the article, it wasn't written to convince potential players that the game is bad (although... uh, it does?), or to tell current players that their game sucks, but it was addressed to Funcom and any other MMO developers out there currently working on a game to let them know why they're sometimes referred to as "Failcom" by the community.

This article is harsh, straight to the point and pulls no punches. That's exactly what we love. But whether you agree or disagree with the author's prognosis, these MMO postmortem articles are always written to charge people up. Give it a read and let us know what you think.
Warhammer Online Coverage Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

MassivelyAge of Conan: A postmortem analysis? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfailcomfuncomhyborian-adventuresmmocrunchpostmortemThu, 28 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Maybe one has to be immature to enjoy mature content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/maybe-one-has-to-be-immature-to-enjoy-mature-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/maybe-one-has-to-be-immature-to-enjoy-mature-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/maybe-one-has-to-be-immature-to-enjoy-mature-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


That title is a quote from the latest entry over at Tobold's blog, concerning the success of Age of Conan. He believes the combat system itself is one of the main draws of the game. While appearing somewhat similar to other MMOs, the combat system seems to make more sense in regards to its speed, intensity and overall enjoyment.

Some other points he makes include the content of the game, and the enemies you encounter. LotRO made good use of its license in regards to the mobs, zones and quests, but Tobold feels that in regards to AoC, most of the content could be from any other random fantasy game. In addition to this (hence the interesting title) is how Tobold doesn't believe the mature rating drives sales too much, despite the fact that "Age of Conan nudity" is the top search phrase that leads people to his blog. Hey, that's how we found it!

MassivelyMaybe one has to be immature to enjoy mature content originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomhyborian-adventuressalessuccesstoboldSun, 01 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's Age of Conan launch day giveaway]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/massivelys-age-of-conan-launch-day-giveaway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/massivelys-age-of-conan-launch-day-giveaway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/massivelys-age-of-conan-launch-day-giveaway/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Happy launch-day, Age of Conan! For those of you who are curious about the game but haven't picked up your own copy, you're in luck! We're celebrating the game's launch with a giveaway -- we have eight copies of Age of Conan (worth about $50 each) and three guides to Hyboria (worth about $10 each) to share with you, dear readers. So if you've got a hankering for Hyboria, it's easy to enter: all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling us why you're interested in playing Age of Conan before 7:00 AM EST Wednesday, May 21st. (Please, only one entry per person -- we can only deal with so much enthusiasm at once!) When the contest closes, we'll pick eleven winners at random and ship you a shiny prize. To win you must be age 18 or up and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) -- for full eligibilty details, please read our official rules.

Gallery: Age of Conan Gallery

MassivelyMassively's Age of Conan launch day giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbreakingconanfuncomhyboriahyborian-adventuresTue, 20 May 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is this the age of the mature MMO?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/is-this-the-age-of-the-mature-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/is-this-the-age-of-the-mature-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/is-this-the-age-of-the-mature-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


In a recent interview with Funcom's Erling Ellingsen, he speaks candidly about the direction he sees MMOs taking in the near future, and how Age of Conan will soon be considered a pioneer in regards to more mature gameplay.

His valid points include the fact that the average gamer is well into the mature category, and the younger MMO players who started out with World of Warcraft four years ago are now considered mature. So not only is the market maturing, but he sees much more upcoming competition for AoC in regards to the mature genre.

Be sure to read the complete interview for more insight into the direction of the game, and how Funcom views the importance of a proper MMO launch, avoiding the mistakes of others.

MassivelyIs this the age of the mature MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocconanfuncomhyborian-adventuresinterviewmatureSat, 10 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC board game miniatures revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/aoc-board-game-miniatures-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/aoc-board-game-miniatures-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/aoc-board-game-miniatures-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you just can't quite get your fix of Age of Conan this spring when it releases in online form, there's hope yet! I mean, what would you do if the internet was down, or the power went out? Read a book? Psshh! You'd play the upcoming Age of Conan board game by candlelight, of course!

Described as a "massive new strategy game" (see what they're trying to do there?), the AoC board game will feature several miniatures based on the visuals created by Dark Horse Comics. So far, we're shown two new prototypes: the Stygian Emissary and the Hyperborean Army figure. The game developers, Roberto Di Meglio, Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi of Nexus Games said they've chosen the Dark Horse Comic style for their miniatures because those are simply the ones they liked the best, despite the many other interpretations in the past.

MassivelyAoC board game miniatures revealed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocboard-gamedark-horse-comicshyborian-adventuresnexusstygianThu, 17 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC Lore: Boat Captain Amyr]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/aoc-lore-boat-captain-amyr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/aoc-lore-boat-captain-amyr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/aoc-lore-boat-captain-amyr/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Down in Stygia there's a river called Styx. Of all the boat captains in the Khopshef Province the most well known is Amyr, master of the Pride of Luxor. Unlike most of the other boats the Luxor is old, but so well maintained that you'd swear it was better than new. Decorated with bright colors, she glides across the lapping waves with little effort. No matter what it is (people or cargo) -- when it absolutely, positively has to get there... Amyr will get it there.

The captain is a barrel chested, imposing man with a booming voice who has the command presence that even King Conan would admire. Blunt and forthright are his hallmark characteristics. While he may be stern he's also very shrewd, and can haggle with the best of them.

There may be one (and only one) weakness. Rumors suggest that he has soft spot for a woman named Semira, a priestess of Derketo who lives on the island of Pashtun. No soul alive would openly suggest such a thing to Amyr's face.

MassivelyAoC Lore: Boat Captain Amyr originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanCaptain-Amyrconaneidosfuncomhyboriahyborian-adventuresstygiastyxMon, 07 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A chat with AoC's Shannon Drake]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/a-chat-with-aocs-shannon-drake/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/a-chat-with-aocs-shannon-drake/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/07/a-chat-with-aocs-shannon-drake/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Age of Conan's launch date is fast approaching, so it's always nice to read news from the developers to get us psyched up for it! In a recent Q&A, Shannon "Pharamond" Drake, Funcom's Community Manager, answered 15 questions submitted by the community members themselves.

In this Q&A, we find out some interesting information regarding what Funcom has planned for launch versus what they plan to implement further along in the game. For instance, player housing will not be out at launch, but it is a possibility in the future, much as was done with LotRO. There is also word that the game will pull its lore from not only the original Robert E. Howard books, but also from the movies, the Dark Horse comics and everything else associated with the Conan name.

Gallery: Age of Conan Gallery

MassivelyA chat with AoC's Shannon Drake originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-hyboriaaocfuncomhyborian adventureshyborian-adventuresHyborianAdventuresrobert-e-howardMon, 07 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC for life!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/aoc-for-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/aoc-for-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/aoc-for-life/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We can't wait for Age of Conan to finally go live. A few of us here at Massively even dropped coin for the gigantic Collector's Edition of this brutal, mature themed MMO. Apparently a great many of you feel the same way. However, if you haven't purchased the game yet, then Ten Ton Hammer has a contest you will absolutely want to enter.

From now until April 18, TTH wants to know (in 250 words or less) why you think Age of Conan is the game you'll be playing for life. Ten people will get beta keys. Five of those beta key winners will also get a copy of the Collector's Edition. One will get the CE plus an autographed framed piece of concept art. Finally, one incredibly lucky individual will walk away with a CE signed by FUNCOM founder and AoC Game Director Gaute Godager and - hold on to your sword - a lifetime subscription to the game. You'll never have to pay for the game. Ever!

Now that's one heckuva prize!

MassivelyAoC for life! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conancollectors-editionfuncomgaute-godagerhyborian-adventuresten-ton-hammerMon, 31 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A mighty barbaric Friday AoC update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/a-mighty-barbaric-friday-aoc-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/a-mighty-barbaric-friday-aoc-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/a-mighty-barbaric-friday-aoc-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Six seems to be the magic number this week for Age of Conan. A few days ago our own Kyle Horner brought you six reasons to be excited about the barbaric MMO(one that was not mentioned in that splendid article was the game's drunken PvP brawling, which some of us here at Massively are drooling over!). Now the gang at Funcom has dropped their Friday roundup... which includes six updated topics!

AoC will offer a hoary host of "pick up and play" PvP minigames (such as the aforementioned Drunken Brawling) including Capture the Skull and Team Annihilation. Players join one of two teams with the sole objective of killing everyone on the other team.

Thoth-Amon is the big, bad villain of the game. He's the Earth's most powerful sorcerer and leads the snake god's cult of wackos in Stygia. You would do well to know your enemy before you set out to try strike him down (good luck with that by the way!).

Continue reading A mighty barbaric Friday AoC update

MassivelyA mighty barbaric Friday AoC update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-hyboria...AztelcimmeriaConarch-Villagefuncomhyborian-adventuresKeairarobert-e-howardTeam-AnnihilationThoth-AmonTroglodytesFri, 28 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Age of Conan trailer drops Thursday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/new-age-of-conan-trailer-drops-thursday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/new-age-of-conan-trailer-drops-thursday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/new-age-of-conan-trailer-drops-thursday/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Ten Ton Hammer is reporting this morning that Funcom and Eidos have announced that a new Age of Conan trailer will appear on Gamespot.com Thursday. According to the announcement on the AoC official forums, the video will launch at 1700 California time ( -8 GMT). Since I'm bad with that whole international time thing, the TTH guys have done my work for me... apparently "1700 California time" translates to roughly 12pm EST. If it's as bloody as the above pic - wow!

We'll let you know when the ball drops so you can make a beeline for Gamespot.

MassivelyNew Age of Conan trailer drops Thursday originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Age-of-ConanAge-of-Conan-Hyborian-AdventuresAoCConanConan-the-Barbariandeveloper-blogEidosFuncomgamespotHyborian-Adventuresten-ton-hammertrailerWed, 05 Mar 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[There's no crying in head lopping]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/theres-no-crying-in-head-lopping/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/theres-no-crying-in-head-lopping/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/theres-no-crying-in-head-lopping/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The fine folks at Funcom have posted a brief update about the beta for their upcoming head-loppalooza, Age of Conan.

The biggest news: female avatars are now available! Gotta love this line from Funcom: " ... while there are some bugs to work out -- people always seem surprised to find out a beta is actually used for finding and squashing bugs! -- they are playable..." They also gave a count of how many patches have dropped in the last few weeks. January had three, while there's been two so far this month. Wednesday's update dropped over 2.5 gigs of data! Lastly, PVP and the PVP servers will - for the first time - be opening soon.

So if you're one of the lucky ones in beta - rejoice! But whatever you do... don't cry. As Tom Hanks might say: There's no crying in head lopping!

MassivelyThere's no crying in head lopping originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Age-of-ConanAge-of-Conan-Hyborian-AdventuresAoCbeta-updateConanConan-the-BarbarianFuncomHyborian-AdventuresFri, 15 Feb 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Age of Conan developer blog on MMORPG]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/new-age-of-conan-developer-blog-on-mmorpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/new-age-of-conan-developer-blog-on-mmorpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/new-age-of-conan-developer-blog-on-mmorpg/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


MMORPG.com just launched a new developer blog for Age of Conan. Writing about the ins and outs of this mature hack-n-slash is Jason Stone (aka "Athelan"), one of the game's designers. In his first entry (posted yesterday), Jason introduces himself by explaining his roll in AoC and what his gaming background is.

His goals for the blog are to "highlight the goings on in the Age of Conan community, respond to community questions and feedback, give you sneak peeks into my own Beta experiences..." For now Jason will be the only contributor, but he hopes that other members of the development team will chime in from time to time.

Almost all of these dev blog's are worth the time to read because they really give a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the game's design and progress. Us old timer's never had anything like this back in the day, so it's a real treat to get what amounts to first hand information straight from the "horse's mouth" - so to speak.

MassivelyNew Age of Conan developer blog on MMORPG originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Age-of-ConanAge-of-Conan-Hyborian-AdventuresAoCConanConan-the-Barbariandeveloper-blogFuncomHyborian-AdventuresTue, 15 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TTH talks with Funcom about Barbarians]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/tth-talks-with-funcom-about-barbarians/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/tth-talks-with-funcom-about-barbarians/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/tth-talks-with-funcom-about-barbarians/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Barbarians. Love 'em or hate 'em, but it's likely going to be the most played class when the gates finally open to Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. This adult themed, head-lopping affair may be an MMORPG where you can play several archetypes, but without Barbarians there would be no Conan. Thankfully, Funcom knows this and are making sure it lives up to what every fan of Howard's legendary literary lout would expect. TenTonHammer's Cody "Micajah" Bye sat down with Evan Michaels (Funcom System Designer) and talked about this classic class.

While most people think of Barbarians as savage and brutal, Funcom has labeled them under the "Rogue" archetype in AoC. According to Michaels, Barbarians are by nature roguish in that they are very individualistic, much like Rogues. They are unequaled melee fighters. When asked how they'll be balanced compared to other "tank" characters Michaels stated that Soldiers will specialize in wearing down their opponent and last longer in a prolonged battle, while a Barbarian would rely on pure aggression to dispatch their foes. Another interesting tidbit that Michaels revealed was that Barbarians will be more effective when the odds are stacked against them. Barbarians have several different abilities that can hit multiple targets, so they become more effective when surrounded.

Yep, look for Eli the Barbarian when AoC lets loose the dogs of war in late March. And be sure to read the entire interview if you plan on partaking in your own Hyborian Adventure.

MassivelyTTH talks with Funcom about Barbarians originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Age-of-ConanAoCBarbariansConanConan-the-BarbarianEvan-MichaelsFuncomHyborian-AdventuresRobert-E-Howardten-ton-hammerMon, 07 Jan 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Beta update for Age of Conan, more invites sent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/25/beta-update-for-age-of-conan-more-invites-sent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/25/beta-update-for-age-of-conan-more-invites-sent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/25/beta-update-for-age-of-conan-more-invites-sent/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Following the latest newsletter from Hyboria, the Age of Conan website now has details of the new beta update. Apparently there was a very large patch that added lots of new content, and because of this, Funcom has decided to send out some more beta invites, so check your inbox and spam filters if you have previously signed up. This update also saw the introduction of the Capture the Flag PvP game for the beta test.

In website related news, there are some new RSS feeds that you can nab in a few different languages to get the latest AoC information as soon as it's out, and a couple of screenshots of the freshly revamped Picts have been posted. Above you'll see one of them, but there are more at the site. Very scary indeed, and they do have that "wear your face as a hat" look that Funcom mention they are going for.

MassivelyBeta update for Age of Conan, more invites sent originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Nov 2007 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aocbeta-invitesbeta-updatebreakingcapture-the-flagfuncomhyborian-adventurespatchpictsrssSun, 25 Nov 2007 20:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan product director, Jorgen Tharaldsen: "You'll see titties"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/age-of-conan-product-director-jorgen-tharaldsen-youll-see-ti/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/age-of-conan-product-director-jorgen-tharaldsen-youll-see-ti/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/age-of-conan-product-director-jorgen-tharaldsen-youll-see-ti/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Gamesblog.it managed to score a video interview with Jorgen Tharaldsen, product director for Funcom and Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures , and just in case you weren't sure yet, he makes it clear -- this game is not for kids. The interviewer poses a few questions relating to how AoC will be different from other MMO's out there, in particular its more mature and violent approach.

The passionate Tharaldsen does not hold back -- much like the game itself -- with his responses. He places a lot of emphasis on Funcom wanting to be faithful to the Conan story and license, and not having to "dumb it down" or remove elements for a younger audience. Decapitations, prostitutes, and copious amounts of blood are some of the things mentioned that you may not find in your average MMO. Tharaldsen said that it was liberating to not have to worry about including aspects like this -- anything that they wanted to add, they did.

It remains to be seen how the proposed server-side ratings system will pan out, and whether there will be an uncut edition of the game available in every region, but it's nice to know that at least somewhere, the game will exist in a form that is exactly how the developers envisioned.

MassivelyAge of Conan product director, Jorgen Tharaldsen: "You'll see titties" originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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