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[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[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[Funcom teases new Age of Conan group dungeons]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/funcom-teases-new-age-of-conan-group-dungeons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/funcom-teases-new-age-of-conan-group-dungeons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/funcom-teases-new-age-of-conan-group-dungeons/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The city of Paikang is getting a bit of an update in the next few weeks, and players of Funcom's Age of Conan should be pleased to note that the Imperial capital will soon be the home of two new level-80 instances.

The dungeons are designed for elite groups and take place in two outdoor zones that were recently profiled at MMORPG.com. The Ai District features an expansive playfield along with two "set-piece" boss encounters and "the odd secret to be revealed from careful investigation."

The Tian'an District is quite different in that it features six boss fights as well as a race against the clock to clear them all. Funcom has deliberately elevated the challenge level in this district, and Tian'an will reportedly require a skilled (and coordinated) group to claim its rewards. While Funcom hasn't revealed those rewards in detail, it has hinted that they will be on par with the existing Kara Korum dungeon drops.

MassivelyFuncom teases new Age of Conan group dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaiai-districtaocboss-fightsbossesdev-blogdev-diaryfantasyfuncomgroup-dungeongroup-instanceinstanceskhitainew-contentpaikangpverise-of-the-godslayertianantianan-districtTue, 03 May 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: Age of Conan's Refuge of the Apostate solo dungeon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/massively-exclusive-age-of-conans-refuge-of-the-apostate-solo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/massively-exclusive-age-of-conans-refuge-of-the-apostate-solo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/07/massively-exclusive-age-of-conans-refuge-of-the-apostate-solo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Lots of new content is on the near horizon for Age of Conan, and Massively has teamed up with Funcom to bring you an exclusive look at one of the game's newly minted solo dungeons. The Refuge of the Apostate is a level 80 instance located in the lands of Khitai (Kara Korum, to be exact), and it features a storyline involving the Scarlet Circle and Last Legion factions.

Funcom's designers are keen on making an unusual dungeon experience (and one you want to repeat) as opposed to the usual mob- and boss-whacking fight-fests. To that end, the Refuge dungeon is rife with what Funcom calls "environmental challenges."

Aside from the new content and story experiences, the Refuge will likely be popular with players due to its rewards (which include factional marks of acclaim, rare trophies, and esteem tokens). Check out Funcom's full description of the new content after the cut.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Age of Conan's Refuge of the Apostate solo dungeon

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Age of Conan's Refuge of the Apostate solo dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocapostateesteem-tokensexclusivefactionfeaturedfuncomkara-korumkhitailast-legionlevel-80level-80-contentmarks-of-acclaimnew-contentpverefuge-of-the-apostaterise-of-the-godslayerscarlet-circlesolo-dungeonsolo-instancetian-baiThu, 07 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: A brand-new day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/one-shots-a-brand-new-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/one-shots-a-brand-new-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/one-shots-a-brand-new-day/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Welcome, 2011! A bright new day has dawned, ripe with possibility, and all you have to do is step outside to enjoy it! Mind you, doing that in Age of Conan can also involve your getting attacked by any nearby monsters, crazy people, or just all-around bad guys. Hey, what can you expect in a brutal, bloody MMO based on the history of a guy who really enjoys battle? However, if you manage to find a quiet spot (or defeat those monsters waiting to pounce), there is a ton of richly detailed scenery for you to enjoy, waiting beyond the door. Today we see our very own Jef Reahard's character in Age of Conan, stepping into a sunny Khitai courtyard. Whether the day simply remained rich with possibility or ran red from the blood of his enemies, we don't know, but we can enjoy this frozen moment of peaceful potential nonetheless.

Have you snapped a screenshot while out on your recent travels? If so, we'd love to see it! Just email it in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II


MassivelyOne Shots: A brand-new day originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocFuncomfuncom-gamesjef-reahardone-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerscreenshotscreenshotsSat, 01 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Updated: On the ninth day of giveaways, Funcom gave to me...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-funcom-gave-to-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-funcom-gave-to-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-funcom-gave-to-me/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Congratulations!]

On the ninth day of giveaways, Funcom gave to me... nine ladies lamenting!
On the eighth day of giveaways, SOE gave to me... eight Station Cash cards!
On the seventh day of giveaways, Kingsisle gave to me... seven Epic Cards!
On the sixth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... six Vindictus packs!
On the fifth day of giveaways, Mythic gave to me... five upgrade codes!
On the fourth day of giveaways, ChangYou gave to me... four welcome gifts!
On the third day of giveaways, Icarus gave to me... three months of gameplay!
On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me... two gift packages!
On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP!
Ah, Conan. He had a nice, clear idea of the best things in life. Here at Massively, we're a little short on lamentation at the moment, so we went the other route: the best things in life are free. Funcom has joined our 12 Days of Giveaways with a one-year subscription to Age of Conan, including the Rise of the Godslayer expansion! Age of Conan has had a pretty eventful year -- if you've been a fan for a while, you know, but if you're new there's no better time to check it out.

Funcom put a little more under the tree too, so if you don't win the AoC subscription, don't despair. Two more Massively readers will win the Titan edition of Bloodline Champions. The game is currently in beta, so you'll have beta access until launch along with all the other bells and whistles that come with this edition.

To enter, simply leave a comment telling us which part of Age of Conan is your favorite by 5:00 p.m. EST Wednesday. We'll draw three winners at random. Check our contest rules, and best of luck!

MassivelyUpdated: On the ninth day of giveaways, Funcom gave to me... originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-days-of-giveawaysage-of-conanage-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayeraoccontestfuncomgiveawayrise-of-the-godslayerwinter-holidaywinter-holiday-2010winter-holiday-eventTue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Greatest Hits Vol. 2010]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Oh no! It's the end of a calendar year! It's that arbitrary point in space and time at which bloggers, journalists, and basically anyone who makes a living via the written word foists off a bunch of top 10 (or five, or other random number) lists on his loyal readers. Sadly folks, I'm no different, and though I'll gladly poke fun at the tradition, I'll also engage in it this week here at The Anvil of Crom.

Looking back, it's been quite an eventful year, both for Age of Conan and for Massively's coverage of the game. From the Rise of the Godslayer expansion to the various nerfs, buffs, rants, and interviews, 2010 has been one for the Hyborian history books.

Turn the page for eight reasons why.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Greatest Hits Vol. 2010

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Greatest Hits Vol. 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010age-of-conananvil-of-cromaocchristmas-2010controversyend-of-the-yearend-of-the-year-2010f2pfeaturedfree-to-playholiday-2010opinionretrospectiverise-of-the-godslayerrounduproundupsthe-anvil-of-cromtop-8Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Moonstruck]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/one-shots-moonstruck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/one-shots-moonstruck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/one-shots-moonstruck/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

OK, so hack-and-slash may not be the first thing that enters your mind when it comes to a dreamy holiday image, we know. Still, there's something to be said for an enormous moon that makes the sky look particularly magical. This One Shots from Age of Conan certainly fits the bill for lovely large lunar landscapes! It comes to us from Aeronach, who captured this while adventuring through Kara Khorum in Khitai. He writes in with a short note to tell us a bit about this screenshot: "Here's my character on a precipice looking out to the Crater in the distance under a full moon."

Have you captured a particularly breathtaking view in your favorite MMO recently? If so, we'd love to see it. Email it in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Moonstruck originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aeronachage-of-conanaocFuncomfuncom-gamesone-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerscreenshotscreenshotsThu, 16 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST<![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 soundtrack turning heads in Hollywood]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/age-of-conan-soundtrack-turning-heads-in-hollywood/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/age-of-conan-soundtrack-turning-heads-in-hollywood/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/age-of-conan-soundtrack-turning-heads-in-hollywood/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Long-time Age of Conan players need no introduction to Knut Avenstroup Haugen. Even though they might not know the name, Haugen's seminal score for Funcom's sword and sorcery MMORPG is instantly recognizable. It seems that Hollywood is finally coming around as well, nominating the composer for a best original score award in the Music in Media category.

Even if you're not an Age of Conan fan, Haugen's Rise of the Godslayer soundtrack (as well as the Hyborian Adventures suite for the original game) is well worth a listen, particularly if you're into big-budget fantasy soundscapes that rival the work of Howard Shore and Hans Zimmer.

Check out the press release on the game's official website, and have a look back at the Rise of the Godslayer Making the Music trailer.

MassivelyAge of Conan soundtrack turning heads in Hollywood originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomknut-avenstroup-haugenknut-haugenrise-of-the-godslayerscoresoundtrackFri, 15 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Gateway to adventure]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/26/the-anvil-of-crom-gateway-to-adventure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/26/the-anvil-of-crom-gateway-to-adventure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/26/the-anvil-of-crom-gateway-to-adventure/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I've been spending so much time in Khitai's Northern Grasslands lately that I'm starting to dream of wolves, 50-foot-tall golems, and crotchety warmonk bosses that mop the floors of their monastery with the remains of my asphyxiated assassin. As such, I figure it's time for a little change of pace, as well as a change of scenery. Ah hell, since I'm an incurable altoholic, let's go ahead and throw a change of character in there as well. Goodbye squishy 'sin, I'll miss you (not).

Anyway, several alts are in the works, but rather than focus on the hows and whys of a new class (more on that in the coming weeks), we'll chew the scenery in this week's Anvil of Crom.

Join me after the cut for a look at the majestic Gateway to Khitai, the latest stop on our tour of Hyboria's many and varied questing zones.

Gallery: Age of Conan - Gateway to Khitai

Kurosawa extra?Yeah I died, but cool armor!Kill the guard, free the slave.Looking westward across the zoneNear the Great Wall

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Gateway to adventure

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Gateway to adventure originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromaocaoc-zone-impressionsfeaturedfuncomgalleryhyborian-traveloguekhitaiopinionpvequestingrise-of-the-godslayerscreenshotscreenshotsthe-anvil-of-cromzone-impressionszonesSun, 26 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: What's going on]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/19/the-anvil-of-crom-whats-going-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/19/the-anvil-of-crom-whats-going-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/19/the-anvil-of-crom-whats-going-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Funcom's Age of Conan is a title that's changed quite a bit over the two-plus years it's been on the MMORPG market. Whether you're talking about the recent Rise of the Godslayer expansion, the game-changing 1.05 update, or the hundreds of smaller tweaks, balances, class revamps, and content additions that Hyboria has seen since 2008, there's never been a shortage of things to discuss.

Through it all, AoC die-hards have debated, pleaded, flamed, and in some cases, constructively discussed the merits of the title in one primary place: the official forums. Owing to its existence as a niche title with a smallish population, AoC doesn't feature huge third-party fansites like EQ2Flames, AionSource, or any of the legions of communities that have sprung up around World of Warcraft.

No, all the Hyborian meta-gaming action is centralized in one spot, and in this week's Anvil of Crom, we're going to highlight and discuss some of the more noteworthy threads that you may have missed over the last couple of weeks (including a definitive answer from Craig Morrison as to the size of the game's development team).

Flip past the cut for more.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: What's going on

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: What's going on originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromaocconan-filmconan-moviecraig-morrisondroidfaminefeaturedfuncomglen-famine-swaniphonemobile-appsopinionpriest-of-mitrarise-of-the-godslayersilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromunderpoweredSun, 19 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Storming the Warmonk Monastery]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/the-anvil-of-crom-storming-the-warmonk-monastery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/the-anvil-of-crom-storming-the-warmonk-monastery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/the-anvil-of-crom-storming-the-warmonk-monastery/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Woo! After a few weeks of toodling around Rise of the Godslayer's new Khitai zones, I finally managed to get in on the 6-man instance action that serves as some of Age of Conan's new endgame content. Life as an assassin in a small guild isn't all it's cracked up to be, so I bit the bullet and joined a PUG or two (when they'd have me). Pro tip for players thinking of taking a sin to endgame: be really good at your class, train up Tainted Weapons and Finely Honed, or join a big guild that doesn't mind taking along the most disposable of the game's DPS classes.

As I haven't yet partaken of the extensive raiding content in Age of Conan's old world, the Khitai 6-mans were my first taste of what Funcom offers for endgame folks. Read along after the cut for some impressions and advice.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Storming the Warmonk Monastery

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Storming the Warmonk Monastery originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6-man-dungeons6-man-instances6-mansage-of-conananvil-of-cromaocfeaturedfuncomkhitaiopinionreliquary-of-flamerise-of-the-godslayerthe-anvil-of-cromvortex-of-stormswarmonkwarmonk-monasterySun, 12 Sep 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[One Shots: Assassin's perch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/15/one-shots-assassins-perch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/15/one-shots-assassins-perch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/15/one-shots-assassins-perch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With so many headed to the rich new lands of Khitai in Age of Conan's recent expansion, Rise of the Godslayer, what's an assassin in the old world to do? Well, if you're Conumdrum from the Wiccana server, finding a good perch and waiting for an unsuspecting fool to wander past might seem like a good idea. He writes in: "A lone assassin sits high on the Black Temple in Khemi, watching over the empty streets as everyone heads to Khitai." We suspect he got tired of waiting and eventually joined everyone adventuring in the new lands. More people to kill there, after all!

One Shots relies on great reader screenshot submissions, so if you're playing a game that doesn't get love as much as you might like, please take a moment and send us some of your favorite screenshots. Just email them in to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post them up here and give you the nod for sending them along!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Assassin's perch originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocassassinconumdrumFuncomkhemione-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerscreenshotscreenshotsSun, 15 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How often do you upgrade your gaming PC?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/07/the-daily-grind-how-often-do-you-upgrade-your-gaming-pc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/07/the-daily-grind-how-often-do-you-upgrade-your-gaming-pc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/07/the-daily-grind-how-often-do-you-upgrade-your-gaming-pc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, it's that time of decade again, the cycle that comes around every three or four years when I'm forced to put an aging PC out to pasture. Age of Conan's new Khitai zones have brought my four-year-old gaming rig to its knees and, rather than run around looking at circa-1998 environment textures (and six minute load times), I recently took the upgrade plunge.

Luckily, most MMORPGs don't have the stringent hardware requirements that a lot of single-player games feature, and you can generally get away with relying on outdated hardware in our particular subset of gaming. For example, aside from a video card upgrade (driven by the silly desire to play Crysis a couple years ago), I've been playing dozens of MMOs on a PC that hasn't been state-of-the-art since early 2006.

What about you, Massively readers? How often do you upgrade your gaming PCs, and has an MMORPG ever driven you to do so?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How often do you upgrade your gaming PC? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccrysisfuncomgaming-machinesgaming-pchardware-requirementskhitaiopinionpc-upgraderise-of-the-godslayersystem-buildsthe-daily-grindvideo-cardsSat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Always someone bigger than you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/one-shots-always-someone-bigger-than-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/one-shots-always-someone-bigger-than-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/one-shots-always-someone-bigger-than-you/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just when you thought it was safe to head into Age of Conan's new expansion, Rise of the Godslayer... It appears that, while exploring exotic locales in Khitai and working toward all those beautiful new armors, you run the very real chance of becoming toejam. We might have hoped that today's One Shots contributor, Dits, had some friends with him. Alternatively, running the opposite direction seems like it would have been a wise choice as well. But, no. It appears that Dits had a different idea, as he wrote a note in to explain his reaction to this situation: "O hai there." We wonder how that worked for him.

If you like to write silly notes about screenshots from your character's point of view, we'd love to showcase them. Snap a screenshot and email it to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the tale, and the name of the game. You never know -- that image could be one of the next ones featured here on Massively!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Always someone bigger than you originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocditsfuncomone-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerrotgscreenshotscreenshotsSat, 31 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Beware the wild lands]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/09/one-shots-beware-the-wild-lands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/09/one-shots-beware-the-wild-lands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/09/one-shots-beware-the-wild-lands/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Been thinking about heading back to Age of Conan? Between the recent announcement that players can check out Rise of the Godslayer free for 10 days and the promise of seeing gorgeous areas like this one, we can see why so many folks are jumping back in. This image of a lovely waterside town comes to us from Pedro A., who has been enjoying his own adventures in the wild lands. He writes in:

"This is a picture of the village of Tesso, in the wild lands of Zelata. It is the point where you start working the quests in this area, eventually ending up in the big temple you can see far in the mountainous distance. The temple is the Sanctum of the Burning Souls: It was a city of splendor in the past, and now is a ruined dangerous place where you can encounter terrible spiders, mad worshipers of evil, and demons."

One Shots needs your screenshots! If you'd like to help us out and send in some screenshots of your recent adventures, the address you'll want to send them to is oneshots@massively.com. Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the thanks for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Beware the wild lands originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomone-shotspedro-arise-of-the-godslayerrotgscreenshotscreenshotstessozelataFri, 09 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive: Funcom's Morrison explains AoC microtransactions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/exclusive-funcoms-morrison-explains-aoc-microtransactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/exclusive-funcoms-morrison-explains-aoc-microtransactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/exclusive-funcoms-morrison-explains-aoc-microtransactions/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A few weeks ago, we ran an opinion piece speculating about the possible inclusion of microtransactions in Funcom's Age of Conan. The column generated a lot of discussion, and some players felt that because of the bonus items available for purchase with the recent Rise of the Godslayer expansion, Age of Conan already featured a cash shop of sorts.

Funcom's sword-and-sorcery title has featured account microtransactions for a while now, in the form of server transfers and character name changes, but has pointedly avoided introducing a proper item store aside from the bonus expansion items. We went straight to the source to clear up the confusing question of whether Age of Conan does or does not feature an item shop. Executive producer and game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison was kind enough to answer our questions regarding the Godslayer item packs as well as Funcom's future microtransaction plans.

Read all about it after the cut.

Continue reading Exclusive: Funcom's Morrison explains AoC microtransactions

MassivelyExclusive: Funcom's Morrison explains AoC microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccash-shopcraig-morrisonf2pfeaturedfuncominterviewitem-shopmicrotransactionsp2prise-of-the-godslayersilirrionTue, 06 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Try Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer free for 10 days]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/try-age-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayer-free-for-10-days/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/try-age-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayer-free-for-10-days/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/try-age-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayer-free-for-10-days/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Age of Conan expansion Rise of the Godslayer has been out for a while now, and if you're a former player who hasn't tried it yet, Funcom is eager for you to take a look.

Everyone likes free stuff, so how about 10 free days of Rise of the Godslayer? From now until July 15th, former Age of Conan subscribers are invited to download and play the expansion at no cost for ten days. Of course, Funcom hopes you'll enjoy it enough to buy it, and there is a little bonus if you do just that. If you purchase on or before July 15th, you'll receive the "Tortage Survival pack," a bundle of goodies that includes a pile of starter weapons and ten double-XP potions.

The expansion's trial is available for download now, and newcomers to the game are always welcome to check out the trial of the full game, available on the Age of Conan site.

MassivelyTry Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer free for 10 days originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayeraocfree-trialfuncomrise-of-the-godslayerFri, 02 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Do a little dance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/one-shots-do-a-little-dance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/one-shots-do-a-little-dance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/one-shots-do-a-little-dance/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sometimes, a little time and distance from an MMO can completely change our opinion of a game. This appears to be especially true of our readers when it comes to Age of Conan. While many may not have cared for the game at launch, the polish and care that the Funcom team have put into the game since then is often remarked on by our readers. That's why we're not surprised to see a screenshot from the tutorial like this one from Mark. As his note is a bit long, we'll simply say if you'd like to join the fun, email your images to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a note about it. Now, here's what Mark had to say:

"I had just loaded up Rise of the Godslayer and could not resist levelling a new Khitai character. While getting back into the flow of the game after nearly one year away, I started playing with the emotes to see what the new race had to offer fluff-wise. She seems to be having a good time dancing with her undead minions. Personally I think Jintana could give Lady Gaga a run for her money!"

"I had forgotten how beautiful and rich the world was in Age of Conan. I am so glad I came back to the game after suffering from general MMO burnout. Even with loading screens now and then, it is for me the most immersive MMO I have ever played. Sometimes I can practically smell the sea air and the fires burning."

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Do a little dance originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocmarkone-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerrotgscreenshotscreenshotstutorialWed, 16 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom releases Godslayer soundtrack package]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/funcom-releases-godslayer-soundtrack-package/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/funcom-releases-godslayer-soundtrack-package/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/funcom-releases-godslayer-soundtrack-package/#commentsFiled under: , ,

To go along with their recently released making-of music trailer, Funcom has made the soundtrack to Rise of Godslayer available for purchase in both MP3 and disc format. The deluxe DVD packaging contains 23 tracks composed by Knut Avenstroup Haugen and performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. It also features trial clients for Age of Conan, game art, and an in-game flute exclusive to the soundtrack package.

The music itself needs no introduction, and features a diverse selection of instruments and artists including a taiko-drum ensemble and world-class ethnic solo masters.

Currently both the retail package and the MP3 downloads are only available in Europe via CDON.com, but Massively will keep you updated when the music becomes available in the States.

MassivelyFuncom releases Godslayer soundtrack package originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbonus-itemflutefuncomknut-avenstroup-haugenmusicprague-philharmonicrise-of-the-godslayersoundtrackSun, 13 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Changes aren't permanent, but change is]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/06/the-anvil-of-crom-changes-arent-permanent-but-change-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/06/the-anvil-of-crom-changes-arent-permanent-but-change-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/06/the-anvil-of-crom-changes-arent-permanent-but-change-is/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Yeah, so they're pulling the rug out from under my rangers, in the form of a hefty class revamp that is basically taking a good chunk of everything familiar about Age of Conan's rascally rogues and tossing it out the proverbial window. I shouldn't be shocked by this, after all; spend more than a week playing in this genre and it becomes clear that MMORPG developers are the game-industry equivalent of George Lucas: constantly tinkering with their creations (sometimes to the dismay of their fans) and rarely leaving well enough alone.

While it's a truism that one of the appeals of an MMORPG is its malleable nature, that doesn't make it any easier to adapt and adapt again, particularly if you were happy with the status quo. All that said, I'm not dismissing Funcom's upcoming ranger revamp out of hand, as I haven't yet been privy to testing any of the changes. They may well turn out to be a blessing, but ten years of messing around with these games has left me a little leery of radical revisitations. Hopefully my reservations are unfounded this time around.

Read on after the cut to see what's in store for Hyboria's bow-and-crossbow crowd.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Changes aren't permanent, but change is

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Changes aren't permanent, but change is originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromaocchangecraig-morrisonfeaturedfuncomilaliyaopinionrangerranger-revamprise-of-the-godslayerthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 06 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Just bricks in the wall]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/one-shots-just-bricks-in-the-wall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/one-shots-just-bricks-in-the-wall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/one-shots-just-bricks-in-the-wall/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We're just now starting to see all the various different landscapes in Age of Conan's newest expansion Rise of the Godslayer thanks to readers like Joshua P. who keep sending their images in. When you add in the promised upcoming revisions to the game engine and DX10, we can only imagine how much more awesome Age of Conan is going to look in the future. For the here and now, though, we have Joshua's note on the above landscape:

"They sent me on a quest through the northern half of the Gateway to Khitai, which involved fighting legions of Zang Xin beasts on the side of a mountain; then the lieutenant of their army. After he was down, I noticed a rickety old ladder leaned against the side of the cliff leading up to Cong the King of the Zang Xin, a giant brute that towered over my Priest of Mitra. It was an epic battle, but thanks to Mitra's blessing I was able to defeat the beast. He dropped a worthless green piece of armor that I couldn't even wear -- how disappointing. At least I got this nice view of the Great Wall from the top of the mountain!"

Do you have screenshots of your favorite game that you haven't sent in to us yet? If so, why are you holding back? You should gather those up and send them to us here at oneshots AT massively.com. We can always use more screenshots to show off.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Just bricks in the wall originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomjoshua-pone-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerrotgscreenshotscreenshotsSat, 05 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC's Morrison drops hints about the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/31/aocs-morrison-drops-hints-about-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/31/aocs-morrison-drops-hints-about-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/31/aocs-morrison-drops-hints-about-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Funcom's Craig Morrison, Silirrion on the official Age of Conan forums, has returned with another Letter from the Game Director. Morrison, who also serves as executive producer on the Robert E. Howard-themed MMORPG, looks into his crystal ball to give fans a bit of a teaser in terms of future updates.

"So overall, the answer to the 'what next?' question is more of 'a little bit of everything' rather than one specific theme for the time being. We want to continue to improve the game and build upon the progress we have seen so far. That means now that the expansion is out, we will take the opportunity to address a wider selection of smaller and back-end or performance updates," he writes.

What's involved in the "little bit of everything?" We're glad you asked. According to Morrison, everything entails new Khitai quests, performance tweaks for all of the recently released expansion content, and significant revisions to the Dreamworld game engine as well as various DirectX10 functionality. Oh yeah, tweaks to PvP gameplay (specifically Shrines of Bori issues), possible vanity options, GUI enhancements, and cross-server minigame options are also on the table. "We are also though looking at a few things that offer longer term benefits. Included there are things like changing the way the mini-games queues work at a fundamental level to ensure fairer fights, and also starting to investigate further the possibility of offering cross-server PVP games," Morrison says.

Check out the full letter for all of the details.

MassivelyAoC's Morrison drops hints about the future originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanfuncomfuture-updateskhitailetter-from-the-game-directorpvepvprise-of-the-godslayersilirrionMon, 31 May 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: I always feel like somebody's watching me]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/29/one-shots-i-always-feel-like-somebodys-watching-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/29/one-shots-i-always-feel-like-somebodys-watching-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/29/one-shots-i-always-feel-like-somebodys-watching-me/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Perhaps it's just us, but there's something kind of unsettling about a mountain in the distance, through the mists, that just stares at you. Sure, we know it's something undoubtedly left there by an ancient civilization, but if we were in Sixscot's shoes, we probably wouldn't turn our backs on that thing until we saw it up-close. There again, that may just be the hangover talking. In any case, we're glad to see this interesting Age of Conan screenshot from the new areas in game. Lest we give too much more away, here's Sixscot with the scoop:

"Here's a picture of my lvl 29 Bear Shaman, Xantis, in the Gateway to Khitai zone. You can see some ruins in the background and my loyal Kappa by my side. I've been having a blast in the new zone and am looking forward to investigating other ruins and structures that I can see off in the distance."

Have you found a great place to adventure, or just hang out, in your favorite game? If so, we'd love to see those screenshots! Send them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game it's from, and a quick description. Sure, you can keep them to yourself -- but adventures become better in the retelling.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: I always feel like somebody's watching me originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocFuncomone-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerrotgutscreenshotssixscotSat, 29 May 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: She's crafty, but not my type]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/23/the-anvil-of-crom-shes-crafty-but-not-my-type/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/23/the-anvil-of-crom-shes-crafty-but-not-my-type/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/23/the-anvil-of-crom-shes-crafty-but-not-my-type/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Know, O Prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. Thither came Joe Gamer, a crafter, a harvester, to grind the gems of Funcom's Hyboria beneath his sandaled feet.

Ok, so maybe I embellished Robert E. Howard just a tad with that last bit, the point being to illustrate that there's something a little off-kilter about the tradeskilling system in Age of Conan. As enjoyable as I find the combat, exploration, and various other aspects of Funcom's sword and sorcery MMORPG (not to mention the Rise of the Godslayer expansion), it's odd that I'm almost completely meh about the crafting system. Part of it has to do with being spoiled by more complex crafting mechanics in other games. The other part, well, I don't what it is exactly, but maybe I will by the end of this week's column.

Click past the cut for more.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: She's crafty, but not my type

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: She's crafty, but not my type originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromcraftingfeaturedfuncomgrindgrindingharvestingopinionrise-of-the-godslayerthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 23 May 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Mysterious marauder]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/22/one-shots-mysterious-marauder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/22/one-shots-mysterious-marauder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/22/one-shots-mysterious-marauder/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With the recent expansion Rise of the Godslayer now live in Age of Conan and the contest in conjunction with Xfire, Funcom's bloody barbarian MMO seems to be enjoying a surge in popularity currently. That's why we're a little mystified as to precisely why we got a great screenshot of a burned out caravan in Khitai from a mysterious stranger who refused to give us his name. Is he on the run from King Conan? Has he done something truly dastardly that has turned the ancient gods against him? Perhaps he torched those caravan wagons himself! We'll likely never know, but hey -- at least we have a really nice screenshot to enjoy.

Are you adventuring through the new areas in Age of Conan? Would you like to show off some of the exotic sights of Khitai? All you have to do is email your screenshots to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a brief note indicating what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to check out and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: Mysterious marauder originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocFuncomkhitaione-shotsrise-of-the-godslayerrotgutscreenshotsSat, 22 May 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's Morrison asks for your AoC feedback]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/funcoms-morrison-asks-for-your-aoc-feedback/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/funcoms-morrison-asks-for-your-aoc-feedback/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/funcoms-morrison-asks-for-your-aoc-feedback/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Age of Conan executive producer and game director Craig Morrison is no stranger to the game's official forums, and earlier today he stopped by the boards to solicit feedback from fans. Specifically, he's interested in your thoughts regarding progression in the recently released Rise of the Godslayer expansion.

"What do you consider to be your first priority for progression in the expansion content? As we move forward it's one of the important areas for us to consider at we look at any potential balance changes to the methods and sources of progression, so I am interested to see what you folks think," he writes.

Head on over to the official Age of Conan boards to cast your vote and make your voice heard in the discussion.

MassivelyFuncom's Morrison asks for your AoC feedback originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccraig-morrisonfactionfeedbackfuncomgrindingofficial-forumsprogressionrise-of-the-godslayersurveyThu, 20 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Getting into Godslayer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/the-anvil-of-crom-getting-into-godslayer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/the-anvil-of-crom-getting-into-godslayer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/the-anvil-of-crom-getting-into-godslayer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You might have heard about a little expansion that recently came out, Rise of the Godslayer or some such. Yes it's been getting a lot of press around these parts, particularly up to last Tuesday's launch. As some of you snarkier keyboard cowboys have noted, said coverage has since died down. Contrary to popular conspiracy theories though, that's not because of a buggy expansion launch but rather because we've been spending so much time playing it.

I mean really, who has time to write about games when you could be playing the heck out of them? Eventually responsibility did rear its ugly head and here you have this week's column, i.e. what passes for my initial impressions of the live expansion client. Since we covered Alternate Advancement in detail in our beta preview, this week's piece is a little lighter on the game play details and a little heavier on the general atmosphere.

So, join us past the cut as we take a break from our dueling rangers and head for Hyboria's exotic far east.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Getting into Godslayer

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Getting into Godslayer originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 May 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromexpansionfeaturedkhitaikhitanlaunchesrise-of-the-godslayerthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 16 May 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan anniversary retrospective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/age-of-conan-anniversary-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/age-of-conan-anniversary-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/age-of-conan-anniversary-retrospective/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Thinking of coming back to Age of Conan? You're not alone, as the recently released Rise of the Godslayer expansion, plus a wave of generally positive buzz, have conspired to reverse the fortunes that Funcom's ambitious Hyborian MMORPG experienced during its rocky launch. Two years is an eternity in the computer gaming world, and the game bears little more than a skin-deep resemblance to the title that launched way back in May 2008.

Age of Conan has undergone significant revision in its short lifespan, from a sweeping combat and itemization revamp to the addition of numerous dungeons and play fields, all of them pre-dating the new expansion. The laundry list of additions can be broken down into six major categories: combat and itemization, PvP, crafting, gameplay, new zones, and the expansion. We'll also touch on smaller details such as performance tweaks and offline leveling, so hack your way past the cut to see the gory details.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan anniversary retrospective

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan anniversary retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananniversaryanvil-of-cromaoc-anniversaryaoc-anniversary-retrospectivechanges-since-launchcraig-morrisonculture-armorfeaturedfuncomlaunchmurder-systemnotorietypvpretrospectiverise-of-the-godslayershrines-of-borithe-anvil-of-cromSun, 16 May 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What are your summer MMO plans?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/the-daily-grind-what-are-your-summer-mmo-plans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/the-daily-grind-what-are-your-summer-mmo-plans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/16/the-daily-grind-what-are-your-summer-mmo-plans/#commentsFiled under: ,

After too many snowstorms, blizzards, blizzageddons, snowmageddons, ice storms, dreary days, and martyred meteorologists to count, we've emerged from winter as timid fleshlings, blinking in the bright spring sunlight. It's hard to imagine that in just a few weeks, we'll usher in the summer season -- traditionally a dry spell of new game releases. Still, many of us will get off school or college, or enjoy a vacation away from work, and have a chunk of gaming time open up.

So what are your MMO summer plans? Will you invest more time in your current favorite title? Are you planning on exploring old favorites, perhaps in preparation for upcoming patches and expansions? Did you miss out on a recently-released MMO, such as Star Trek Online, Global Agenda or Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer, and are considering a one-month pass to check it out? Or mayhaps you're holding out for one of the rare summer releases, such as Mortal Online and APB?

What are you going to do in MMOs this summer?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What are your summer MMO plans? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanall-points-bulletinaocapbglobal-agendamortal-onlineopinionrise-of-the-godslayerstar-trek-onlinestotdgthe-daily-grindSun, 16 May 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Pre-order now!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/the-daily-grind-pre-order-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/the-daily-grind-pre-order-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/the-daily-grind-pre-order-now/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pre-ordering has become something of an epidemic in the gaming industry. Whether you're looking to plunk down five bucks at Gamestop several weeks in advance of Red Dead Redemption or pay for the full enchilada on Amazon and wait for them to ship you a box on launch day, companies large and small have taken to offering their goods up for sale before they're really for sale. MMORPGs aren't left out of course. Currently the darling of the pre-order ball is Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin, simply by virtue of being the next big genre release.

Along with the early payments, players are generally rewarded with some sort of in-game trinket. Age of Conan's first expansion, launched this week, offered up a Loyal Kappa and Ravager of Jhi pet duo to those who pre-ordered Rise of the Godslayer. Both of these items, while aesthetically cool, are completely unnecessary (they function as fairly weak combat pets and buffers), mainly because Funcom is following the unwritten gaming rule that states thou shalt not provide early adopters any kind of real advantage. Along with the pets, early Godslayer customers were given a bewildering array of expansion upgrade packages to choose from, each featuring different items designed to temporarily boost XP, ease the transition for newbs, or just make their avatars look that much cooler.

Whether all of this is a good thing is up for debate. On the one hand, it's clear that players love any chance to acquire new shinies, even if it means paying a little extra. On the other hand, it can be argued that pre-ordering allows MMORPG makers to deliver unfinished games due to pre-existing demand and blind faith from fans.

What say you, dear readers? Yay or nay on MMORPG pre-orders?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Pre-order now! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanall-points-bulletinexclusive-itemsFuncompre-order-bonuspre-ordersrealtime-worldsred-dead-redemptionrise-of-the-godslayershiniesthe-daily-grindFri, 14 May 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC: Godslayer downtime extended]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/aoc-godslayer-downtime-extended/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/aoc-godslayer-downtime-extended/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/aoc-godslayer-downtime-extended/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Those of you taking the day off work to enjoy Funcom's first Age of Conan expansion are hopefully finding other things to do with your time as afternoon gives way to early evening. Rise of the Godslayer, the sprawling addition to the Robert E. Howard-based fantasy MMORPG released in 2008, has been delayed. The server downtime was originally scheduled to last approximately 12 hours, beginning at 4am Eastern time this morning.

As the day wore on, Funcom began experiencing undisclosed technical issues with the European server deployments and opted to release an updated announcement via the official forums. The EU delay also means that the American server launch will be pushed back, and Glen 'Famine' Swan, Senior Assistant Community Manager for Funcom, posted an expected up time of 8pm Eastern. "Overall, we are aiming to come up within the 2 hour extended delay, but it highly depends on how the EU deployment goes when it's fully launched," Swan said.

While you're waiting, you can check out the official Godslayer update notes (dubbed version 2.0) to get a taste of what you can expect when the servers come up.

MassivelyAoC: Godslayer downtime extended originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbreakingconandelayexpansionlaunchlaunch-daypvepvprise-of-the-godslayerrobert-howardTue, 11 May 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC: Rise of the Godslayer launch day roundup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/aoc-rise-of-the-godslayer-launch-day-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/aoc-rise-of-the-godslayer-launch-day-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/aoc-rise-of-the-godslayer-launch-day-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Can't get enough Rise of the Godslayer? We here at Massively can't either. In fact, if we weren't slaving away composing this roundup to make your Godslayer launch day research a little easier, we'd be logged in right now. So thank us, of course, and be sure to check out all of our Age of Conan expansion coverage that you may have missed.

GDC10: A look at Rise of the Godslayer
If you're looking for an exhaustive run down of all the features coming your way in the new expansion, look no further than this Rise of the Godslayer preview from GDC2010. The piece features extensive information on new factions, mounts, dungeons, and excerpts from an interview with Game Director Craig Morrison.
Faction Armor detailed in Game Director Letter
Game Director Craig Morrison details the new faction armor system in the upcoming Rise of the Godslayer expansion, and Massively brings you the highlights as well as a smattering of helpful links.
Massively interviews Craig Morrison
Massively's weekly Age of Conan column, The Anvil of Crom, sits down with Funcom's Craig Morrison to talk about a wide range of topics, including tidbits about the new Rise of the Godslayer expansion.
Rise of the Godslayer retail exclusives announced
Funcom announces that Rise of the Godslayer will be available in both digital download and retail formats, both including exclusive pre-order pet items, XP bonuses, and assorted goodies.
Instanced travel encounters detailed
Funcom's Craig Morrison returns with another Letter from the Game Director, this time highlighting a unique feature of the expansion that takes the form of instanced travel encounters. Massively is there with all the details and links.
Rise of Godslayer beta impressions
Jef Reahard, Massively's man on the street in Hyboria and author of the weekly Anvil of Crom column, takes a long look at the Godslayer beta and the Alternate Advancement system and likes what he sees.
Rise of the Godslayer launch trailer released
GameTrailers releases the exclusive teaser trailer for Funcom's Rise of the Godslayer expansion. The trailer, a pleasing mixture of concept art, comic panels, and in-game footage, shows off the lush lands of Khitai, new tiger mounts, and brief glimpses of the new dungeons in action.

MassivelyAoC: Rise of the Godslayer launch day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayerconanexpansionsfuncomkhitailaunch-daylaunchesrise-of-the-godslayerTue, 11 May 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This week on The MMO Report]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/this-week-on-the-mmo-report/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/this-week-on-the-mmo-report/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/this-week-on-the-mmo-report/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Casey Schreiner's back with The MMO Report this week, and he had plenty of exciting MMO news to cover.

Kicking off the report was Guild Wars 2, since ArenaNet provided enough news last week to fill nearly an entire MMO Report by itself, but more news was waiting in the wings. So with a quick recap and a warning not to drool on our keyboards, it was on to Rise of the Godslayer. Age of Conan's first expansion now has a launch date and the release of a new trailer. Up next, World of Warcraft news was wrapped up in a neat little package entitled "Wow We" which included a fun addition to the refer-a-friend program, a WoW movie, and WoW on the iPad.

Finally, the City of Heroes newest content update and graphics upgrade got a look, as did the announcement of APB's launch date and unique pricing structure.

Follow along after the jump to see for yourself, and check back every week for The MMO Report from our friends at G4TV.

Continue reading This week on The MMO Report

MassivelyThis week on The MMO Report originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanall-points-bulletinapbcasey-schreinercity-of-heroesg4g4tvguild-wars-2rise-of-the-godslayerthe-mmo-reportFri, 07 May 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise of the Godslayer available tomorrow to Fileplanet subscribers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/rise-of-the-godslayer-available-tomorrow-to-fileplanet-subscribe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/rise-of-the-godslayer-available-tomorrow-to-fileplanet-subscribe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/05/rise-of-the-godslayer-available-tomorrow-to-fileplanet-subscribe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Are you looking forward to Rise of the Godslayer? Do you feel like it can't come soon enough? We've got less than a week to go until launch, but some fans aren't going to have to wait that long.

Fileplanet announced a sneak peek of Age of Conan's first expansion for their subscribers. If you're among that number, you have access to a key via their promotion page. If you're not, Fileplanet will of course be very happy to let you subscribe via the same page. While the expansion itself won't be available until tomorrow, the download is available now to allow subscribers to install ahead of time and jump right in once the sneak peek begins.

This is the full expansion rather than a limited version, but it's important to note that the page specifies North American subscribers as well as a limited number of keys, so grab one quickly if you're interested!

MassivelyRise of the Godslayer available tomorrow to Fileplanet subscribers originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanFilePlanetfileplanet-subscriberrise-of-the-godslayerrise-of-the-godslayer-sneak-peekWed, 05 May 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Godslayer launch trailer unveiled]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/godslayer-launch-trailer-unveiled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/godslayer-launch-trailer-unveiled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/godslayer-launch-trailer-unveiled/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

With less than a week to go before the launch of Age of Conan's first expansion, the hype is steadily building for Funcom's Rise of the Godslayer. Portions of the new content, scheduled to release on May 11th, are available for inspection courtesy of a two minute teaser video hosted at Gametrailers.

The trailer, a pleasing mixture of concept art, comic panels, and in-game footage, shows off the lush lands of Khitai, new tiger mounts, and brief glimpses of the new dungeons in action.

Check it out after the cut and over at Gametrailers, and also be sure to read our impressions of the Rise of the Godslayer beta.

Continue reading Godslayer launch trailer unveiled

MassivelyGodslayer launch trailer unveiled originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanexpansionfuncomkhitaipvepvprise-of-the-godslayertrailervideoTue, 04 May 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise of the Godslayer: The Gateway to Khitai and Alternate Advancement]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/rise-of-the-godslayer-the-gateway-to-khitai-and-alternate-advan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/rise-of-the-godslayer-the-gateway-to-khitai-and-alternate-advan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/rise-of-the-godslayer-the-gateway-to-khitai-and-alternate-advan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's an exceedingly rare feat when a game company, particularly a maker of MMORPGs, manages to capture the spirit and substance of a pre-established intellectual property. The landscape is littered with many a well-intentioned but misguided attempt at bringing a beloved novel, film, or multiverse into the realm of video gaming. While Funcom's Age of Conan suffered through a launch that contained a generous helping of bugs and negative forum buzz, one thing the game has always done well is transport the player into a lushly realized digital Hyboria, where lore and Howard references abound for those who care to look.

As we draw nearer to the May 11th street date for the Rise of the Godslayer expansion, Massively has managed to snag some time at the controls of the beta client, and we're happy to bring you our impressions of life in the eastern wilds of Hyboria. We touched on the extensive feature list for the new expansion in our earlier look from GDC as well as our Craig Morrison interview, so this time around we'll focus on the major mechanical addition, the AA system, as well as the general look and feel of the beta.

Walk this way for more on Khitai and the new mechanics and be sure to check out the gallery below.

Gallery: AoC: Rise of the Godslayer Beta

Continue reading Rise of the Godslayer: The Gateway to Khitai and Alternate Advancement

MassivelyRise of the Godslayer: The Gateway to Khitai and Alternate Advancement originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aa-systemage-of-conanage-of-conan-rise-of-the-godslayeralternate-advancementbetabeta-impressionsbeta-previewbetasfeatsfeaturedfuncommasteryperksprowessrise-of-the-godslayerMon, 03 May 2010 12:30:00 EST