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Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Anvil of Crom, Crafting

The Anvil of Crom - Age of Conan turns four, looks to Star Wars Galaxies for inspiration

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-star-wars-galaxiesage-of-conan-unchainedanniversaryanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsanvil-of-crom-specialanvil-of-crom-specialsaocaoc-anniversaryaoc-craftingaoc-interviewaoc-unchainedclassic-mmoconancraftingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgalaxieshyboriainterviewinterviewsopinionsandboxsci-fisilirrionsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-anvil-of-cromThu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with The Secret World character creator]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/11/hands-on-with-the-secret-world-character-creator/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/11/hands-on-with-the-secret-world-character-creator/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/11/hands-on-with-the-secret-world-character-creator/#commentsFiled under: Horror, Real life, Video, Age of Conan, New titles, Previews, Opinion, Hands-on, The Secret World, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, Miscellaneous

The real secret to The Secret World is that it's the Matrix (see the above picture from the character creator that resembles Carrie-Anne Moss).

Actually, the first and most important stop for an MMO gamer is the character creator. When you're in beta, it might not be as important because the character will be tossed away in a few short weeks. However, in the live game, this character will not only be the same one you might see for years to come; it's also a reflection of you as a player. There are some players who insist on playing the ugliest races in the game, while others want the prettiest or the strongest. Personally, I lean toward playing female characters. I'm not sure what that says about me.

The creation of our character says so much about us, so it is extremely important that western RPGs and especially MMORPGs allow us to express ourselves. The Secret World's character creator has its good elements and its bad, but the most important part is how much Funcom's version allows us to express our personalities.

Continue reading Hands-on with The Secret World character creator

Hands-on with The Secret World character creator originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccharacter-creatoreaElectronic-ArtsfantasyfeaturedFirst-Impressionsfuncomhands-onhorrormythologyopinionpreviewpreviewssci-fantasysecret-worldthe-secret-worldtrailertrailerstswvideovideo-previewvideosFri, 11 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Four reasons to return to Age of Conan]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/the-anvil-of-crom-four-reasons-to-return-to-age-of-conan/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Anvil of Crom

The Anvil of Crom - Reasons to come back to Age of Conan

A couple of weeks ago, one of Massively's more eloquent commenters referred to yours truly as "Funcom's biznitch." Well, OK, biznitch wasn't the exact word, but you get the idea. This bit of nerdrage was amusing for multiple reasons, not the least of which was that I hadn't covered (or played) Age of Conan for nearly five months at the time.

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

Sure it's got its issues, omissions, frustrations, and WTF-were-they-thinking design decisions, but it's also got a game world unlike any other in the MMO space. Join me after the cut for a few reasons I came back (as well as a preview of what the future holds for The Anvil of Crom).

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-euage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-guidesaocaoc-euaoc-eu-clientaoc-unchainedconancromcrom-servereu-aoceu-clientf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomguideshow-to-play-aoc-euhyboriaopinionreasons-to-return-to-age-of-conanthe-anvil-of-cromMon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should veterans and newbs be on equal footing?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/the-daily-grind-should-veterans-and-newbs-be-on-equal-footing/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/the-daily-grind-should-veterans-and-newbs-be-on-equal-footing/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/the-daily-grind-should-veterans-and-newbs-be-on-equal-footing/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind

Age of Conan - newb in Tortage

Age of Conan game director Craig Morrison recently tweeted a frank reply to one of his followers. The reader asked why Funcom doesn't revamp PvP items to make everyone's minigame stats equal, thereby relegating grindtastic PvP gear to the game's vanity armor slots and providing theoretical balance.

Morrison's response: "Not everyone wants a new player and a two-year veteran to be on equal footing. Many want that to count, aside from knowledge."

By "that," Morrison meant time spent playing the game and paying your character dues, as it were. This brings up an interesting debate, since MMOs have a reputation for rewarding geared players over skilled players in both PvP and PvE. What say you, Massively readers? Should veterans and newbs be on equal footing?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Should veterans and newbs be on equal footing? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisondaily-grindequal-footingf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgear-vs-skillhyboriaopinionsilirrionskill-vs-geartdgthe-daily-grindtime-spent-playingunchainedveterans-vs-newbsThu, 03 May 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev blog outlines stamina changes, multi-spec functionality]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/30/age-of-conan-dev-blog-outlines-stamina-changes-multi-spec-funct/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/30/age-of-conan-dev-blog-outlines-stamina-changes-multi-spec-funct/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/30/age-of-conan-dev-blog-outlines-stamina-changes-multi-spec-funct/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Age of Conan - Strom's Keep

Funcom may be gearing up for The Secret World's imminent launch, but the company hasn't abandoned its other Dreamworld-powered MMO. Yes, Age of Conan is still going strong, as it's closing in on its fourth anniversary and pumping out updates on a semi-regular basis.

Today's traditional end-of-the-month development letter focuses on said updates, in particular a few systems changes slated for the near future. Funcom's Craig Morrison gives us an update on extensive changes to AoC's stamina mechanics, which have long been a thorn in the side of PvPers and PvEers engaged in lengthy battles. The new system boasts "a new personal resource that will be used just for sprinting. It is also not observable by other players," the dev blog states. Stamina will now be used exclusively for combos, and caster classes no longer have stamina at all.

Age of Conan is also getting multi-spec functionality with respect to the game's feat system. Switching between specs can be done almost anywhere in the game world (aside from raids and group instances). Look for these changes on the live servers "later in the summer," Funcom says.

Finally, class updates are in the works, beginning with the Tempest of Set and continuing on to the Bear Shaman, the Herald of Xotli, and the Necromancer. There's more too, so head to the official AoC site to read it all.

Age of Conan dev blog outlines stamina changes, multi-spec functionality originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-class-revampsaoc-staminaaoc-unchainedclassesconancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriapress-shift-to-drain-your-staminaunchainedMon, 30 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Age of Conan's score vs. Guild Wars' score]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/23/leaderboard-age-of-conans-score-vs-guild-wars-score/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/23/leaderboard-age-of-conans-score-vs-guild-wars-score/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/23/leaderboard-age-of-conans-score-vs-guild-wars-score/#commentsFiled under: Polls, Age of Conan, Guild Wars, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

Leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanetaocaoc-unchainedarenanetbattle-royalconanf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomguild-warsgwhyboriajeremy-souleKnut-Avenstroup-Haugenleaderboardncsoftone-on-oneone-vs-oneopinionpollpollsunchainedversusvotevotesvotingvsMon, 23 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on new content, crafting, and customizable communities]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-new-content-crafting/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-new-content-crafting/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/the-anvil-of-crom-extra-craig-morrison-on-new-content-crafting/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Classes, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Anvil of Crom, Dungeons

The Anvil of Crom - Spring 2012 Craig Morrison interview

It's been a little while since we've interviewed Age of Conan executive producer Craig Morrison. In the intervening months, Funcom's bloody fantasy MMO has added developers, new content, and fresh ideas at a fairly steady pace.

This week sees the introduction of tier four raiding content in Khitai as well as a lengthy Morrison-authored update letter that provides a roadmap for the rest of 2012. Follow along after the break as we talk raiding, the upcoming crafting revamp, and the community potential (and perils) of Funcom's spiffy new single-server technology.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on new content, crafting, and customizable communities

The Anvil of Crom Extra: Craig Morrison on new content, crafting, and customizable communities originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsaocaoc-raidsaoc-server-rulesetsaoc-tier-four-raidsaoc-unchainedcommunityconancraig-morrisoncustom-madecustom-server-rulesetcustomizable-communitydreamworld-single-serverf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaopinionpriest-of-mitrapriest-of-mitra-revampsilirrionsingle-serversingle-server-technologythe-anvil-of-cromFri, 30 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan dev update details free content, spiffy server tech]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-details-free-content-spiffy-server-tech/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-details-free-content-spiffy-server-tech/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/30/age-of-conan-dev-update-details-free-content-spiffy-server-tech/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Age of Conan - angry Conan concept art

Hullo Hyboria fans, and welcome to the traditional end-of-the-month update letter recap. What's the update letter, you ask? It's Funcom executive producer Craig Morrison's way of keeping players abreast of development happenings on Age of Conan.

This month there are quite a few interesting tidbits, including a mention of the game's next adventure pack, the crafting update, and of course, the new tier four Khitai raids in and around the Jade Citadel. Also noteworthy is the latest mention of Funcom's single-server tech. You may recall that Morrison mentioned this in 2011 as a way for players to form their own niche communities within the larger server community. Not much has been said about it since, but Funcom's Dreamworld engineers have been working on it behind the scenes to get it ready for its debut in The Secret World.

After that, Morrison says, the tech will make its way into AoC, and chances are you'll have a chance to vote on the implementation. "This will most likely be the main subject of our summer surveys this year given how radically we could change the experience with this technology," Morrison explains. "It is one of those things that could be implemented in a way that you don't even notice, or it could be deployed to make things work in ways that are not typical for MMO games (like potentially allowing players to define their own communities, or even, at the furthest fringes of what's possible, defining their own rulesets!)."

Look for our exclusive interview with Morrison later this afternoon.

Age of Conan dev update details free content, spiffy server tech originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-dev-updateaoc-tier-four-raidsaoc-unchainedconancraig-morrisoncustomizable-communityf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyboriakhitai-raidsmonthly-dev-updateraidssilirrionsingle-server-technologyunchainedFri, 30 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Would you pay extra for a filtered community?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/29/the-daily-grind-would-you-pay-extra-for-a-filtered-community/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/29/the-daily-grind-would-you-pay-extra-for-a-filtered-community/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/29/the-daily-grind-would-you-pay-extra-for-a-filtered-community/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Age of Conan - guild city event

Earlier this week we asked if there was a game you'd like to play but for its awful community. The topic got a lot of replies, and the usual MMO suspects turned up in many of the comments. The thread got us to thinking about customizable communities, server rulesets, and creative uses for instancing technology, and though no MMO firm has offered players control over their community experience as of yet, it's certainly doable.

Funcom executive producer Craig Morrison mentioned the possibility in 2011, and for today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know how you'd feel about being able to carve off pieces of a game world specifically for your friends, your guild, or your niche community (roleplayers-only, PvPers-only, etc.). Would you pay extra for dedicated communities or filtering technology?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Would you pay extra for a filtered community? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedcommunity-filteringconancraig-morrisondaily-grinddedicated-communityf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomhyboriaopinionprivate-serversroleplayingroleplaying-instancesroleplaying-serversshardingsilirrionsingle-server-technologytdgthe-daily-grindunchainedThu, 29 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom gutting Age of Conan's crafting system, starting over]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/28/funcom-gutting-age-of-conans-crafting-system-starting-over/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/28/funcom-gutting-age-of-conans-crafting-system-starting-over/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/28/funcom-gutting-age-of-conans-crafting-system-starting-over/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Crafting

Age of Conan - I have no crafting shots because the current system sucks that bad

Age of Conan's latest development update is here, and producer Craig "Silirrion" Morrison has quite a lot to say about the game's forthcoming crafting revamp. And when we say revamp, we mean revamp. "When we sat down and looked at the system and how we could add depth and improve engagement, it became clear that it was better to start over," Morrison says.

He isn't kidding either, as the new system does away with awkward quest blocks to progression and instead ties your advancement directly to making items and using the relevant skills.

Harvesting nodes will also spawn with more variety (and at more locations), and the much-reviled random NPC attacks that used to happen while harvesting are finally being dropped. Still want more details? Well, material quality will matter, there will be some sort of refining process, and there's an entirely new system for the actual production of an item. There's a lot more to Age of Conan's new crafting system, of course, but we're out of space, so you'll need to head to the official site to check it out.

Funcom gutting Age of Conan's crafting system, starting over originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-crafting-revampaocaoc-craftingaoc-crafting-revampcraftingcrafting-revampcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomhyborianon-combatnon-combat-gameplaysilirriontradeskillswooTue, 28 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/#commentsFiled under: World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, City of Heroes, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Fallen Earth, Opinion, Ultima Online, Humor, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

Perfect Ten Prisons

Chillin' in the clink. Spending time in stoney lonesome. Thrown into the slammer. Checking in to the big house. Doing (perfect) 10 to life in the hole. Learning the ropes in juvie.

Prison: The only fun thing about it is the slang that people have come up to describe it. And while you may never actually want to spend any time in the crowbar hotel in real life, chances are you've already done so in MMOs. Jails are an ever-popular locale in online gaming, and they almost always deal with an epidemic of escaped -- yet still milling around casually -- prisoners.

So in today's Perfect Ten, we talked to the warden and got you a special glimpse into pixelated pokeys, if only to scare you straight. No more exploits and bots for you, young man or woman!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons

The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocarkhamarkham-asylumbelsavisbrickstownchampions-onlinecity-of-heroesclinkcocohconanconan-the-barbariandc-universe-onlinedcuoeqeverquestfallen-earthfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigm-jailgm-prisoniron-towerjailkingman-prisonlistlistsmmo-prisonsperfect-10perfect-tenprisonprisonsstar-wars-the-old-republicstockadesstronghold-prisonswtorthe-iron-towerthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowzigzigguratThu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan prepares to pillage 2012 with basketweaving]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/age-of-conan-prepares-to-pillage-2012-with-basketweaving/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/age-of-conan-prepares-to-pillage-2012-with-basketweaving/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/age-of-conan-prepares-to-pillage-2012-with-basketweaving/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Previews, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries

Age of Conan

The Funcom team is happy with its bone-crunching achievements in Age of Conan last year, but it has moved on to bigger and better conquests. In a new development update, the devs outline their roadmap for 2012 -- and it might not be what you'd expect.

According to the update, the team felt torn between adding more content to the game and going back to rework and tweak systems that needed it: "Our problem there in 2011 was that with so much content to support, the majority of the systems time was consumed by the creation of everything that is needed for the content itself." As a result, the first half of 2012 looks to be light on the content side of things -- although with new tier-four raids, it won't be non-existent.

Instead, the team will be reworking the tradeskill system this summer to make it more involving and complex than the modern "point and click" setup. Other improvements on the way include enlarging bank space, a dual-specification system, class balancing, and single-server development.

Following these projects, the team will shift back into content-creation mode, starting with a new adventure pack for later this year.

Age of Conan prepares to pillage 2012 with basketweaving originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012adventure-package-of-conanaoccraftingdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playfuncommonthly-development-updateproducers-letterraidraidstradeskilltradeskill-systemMon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's Craig Morrison talks conquest vs. competition]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/25/age-of-conans-craig-morrison-talks-conquest-vs-competition/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/25/age-of-conans-craig-morrison-talks-conquest-vs-competition/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/25/age-of-conans-craig-morrison-talks-conquest-vs-competition/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play

Age of Conan concept art

PvP is a naturally contentious subject, particularly when focused on its various flavors in the MMO space. Everyone thinks they know best, and whether they're arguing for a three-faction system, full loot, or open-world objectives, the discussion often devolves into verbal throw-downs every bit as violent as their in-game counterparts.

Age of Conan game director Craig Morrison recently waded into the fray via his personal blog, and he says that defining PvP in an MMO context involves separating the wish for conquest from the wish for competition.

Morrison touches on several interesting aspects of MMO PvP, including a bit of history relating to the arenas and battlegrounds that are usually reviled by hardcore player types. "The needs of accessibility dictated that designers try and find a way to accommodate the appeal of the conquest style of play while also retaining the fairness of the competitive desires of the players," he explains.

Ultimately, Morrison offers a bit of hope for those who prefer open-world conflict. "It's great to finish a great story and storm the castle and beat the bad guy. It is something else altogether to get to keep his castle, and for you to become the bad guy for the next would-be hero to try and conquer," he says.

Age of Conan's Craig Morrison talks conquest vs. competition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocarenasbattlegroundscraig-morrisondesignf2pfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgame-designinstanced-pvpopen-world-pvppvpsilirrionWed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan opens up the House of Crom]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/17/age-of-conan-opens-up-the-house-of-crom/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/17/age-of-conan-opens-up-the-house-of-crom/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/17/age-of-conan-opens-up-the-house-of-crom/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons

My house! Okay, technically Crom's house, but he lets me stay here rent-free as long as I clean the gutters.

Whether you've been playing Age of Conan since launch or you just recently jumped on board with its transition to free-to-play, today will give you a reason to be excited. Today marks the launch of the House of Crom update, offering players a chance to explore the eponymous structure that sprawls through two enormous dungeons. But that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of lore, with the two dungeons giving players two different ways to explore the new content.

One of the two dungeons is an instanced dungeon, but the other one is a social dungeon, allowing multiple groups to explore it at the same time and reap the rewards for braving its perils. Players will be tasked with exploring the structure left by the ancient Atlanteans, hoping to discover the evil that befell this ancient race of people. You can check out the latest screenshots of the update in the gallery below, or you can log in and start exploring the dungeons now.

[Source: Funcom press release]

Gallery: Age of Conan Gallery

Age of Conan opens up the House of Crom originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocdungeonsf2pfree-to-playfuncominstanced-dungeonslarge-patchesnewspatchessocial-dungeonsunchainedupdateupdatesTue, 17 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part one)]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/12/the-perfect-ten-best-mmo-theme-songs-part-one/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/12/the-perfect-ten-best-mmo-theme-songs-part-one/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/12/the-perfect-ten-best-mmo-theme-songs-part-one/#commentsFiled under: Age of Conan, Darkfall, Final Fantasy XI, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Wurm Online, RuneScape, Humor, Mabinogi, Wizard101, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Blade & Soul, Perfect Ten

Perfect Ten

As I've well established both here on Massively and elsewhere, I'm somewhat of a nut for video game music. Whereas others might collect vintage hair metal tracks or the latest Justin Bieber opus, I'm always digging through obscure (and not-so-obscure) official soundtracks to games like Wipeout and Kirby. Video game scores can be right up there with the best that the film industry puts out, and the fact that they tie into personal experiences that we've played through can lend them sentimental weight.

So for the next two Perfect Tens, I scoured all the MMO theme songs that I could get ahold of in an attempt to formulate a list of the very best. It was originally slated to be just one list, but after an hour or so of listening to tracks and having friends and fellow staffers weigh in on the subject, I knew it was impossible to keep it there.

Two important things to note for this list. First, I wanted to keep to just the title/login screen tracks so that I wouldn't be working on this for the next 2.5 years. Second, unlike most past Perfect Tens where there's no significance to the order of the list, in this case we're going to have a genuine countdown to the best MMO theme song of all time. And I expect to take no flak about it, do you hear me? Good. Let's begin.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part one)

The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part one) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbiowareblade-and-souldarkfalldarkfall-onlinefeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xiharry-potterlistmabinogimusicNobuo-Uematsuperfect-10perfect-tenpiratespirates-of-the-burning-searunescapescorestar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenthemetheme-musictitle-musictop-10top-20transformerstwilightwizard101wurm-onlineThu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom teases AoC's House of Crom]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/11/funcom-teases-aocs-house-of-crom/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/11/funcom-teases-aocs-house-of-crom/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/11/funcom-teases-aocs-house-of-crom/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons

Age of Conan - inside the House of Crom

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

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

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

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

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

The Anvil of Crom - Angry man header

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchainedchronomagiccodexfantasyfeaturedfeaturesfree-to-playfuncomhyborialorelore-codexopinionquality-of-lifequality-of-life-improvementsthe-anvil-of-cromSun, 08 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom tops Oslo stock exchange, invests heavily in The Secret World]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/02/funcom-tops-oslo-stock-exchange-invests-heavily-in-the-secret-w/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/02/funcom-tops-oslo-stock-exchange-invests-heavily-in-the-secret-w/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/02/funcom-tops-oslo-stock-exchange-invests-heavily-in-the-secret-w/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Horror, Age of Conan, Business models, Economy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, The Secret World

The Secret World - Dude with a big shotgun

Funcom's future is looking pretty bright according to a report at Views and News from Norway. The site says the development firm behind Anarchy Online, Age of Conan, and The Secret World topped the Oslo stock exchange last year and saw its share price rise by 227%.

AoC has "sold well and still generates income for Funcom," says the report, but the real cause for optimism is the positive buzz surrounding The Secret World. Funcom head honcho Trond Arne Aas says that the firm has received "very good feedback" from both testers and journalists, and it's a good thing since the company absorbed a third quarter loss despite its share price increase.

"We're investing heavily in The Secret World now, therefore the loss," Aas explained. "But we're hoping for major income after the launch in April."

Funcom tops Oslo stock exchange, invests heavily in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbusinesseconomicsfailcomfantasyfuncomhorrormmo-industrystock-performancethe-secret-worldtrond-arne-aastswMon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/25/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2011/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/25/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2011/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/25/the-anvil-of-crom-greatest-hits-vol-2011/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Anvil of Crom

The Anvil of Crom - angry man banner

By Crom! Can you believe we've made it through another year? Well, almost, at any rate. Technically there are a few days left in 2011, but as I'll be taking some of them off for the purposes of gaining weight and opening presents, it seems like as good a time as any to do a little recapping.

Saying that 2011 was a big year for Age of Conan probably qualifies as severe understatement rather than simply understatement. The big news, of course, was the Unchained free-to-play conversion, but that was really just the tip of the gigantic Hyborian iceberg. Join me after the break for my top seven Anvil of Crom issues from the past year.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011

The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-unchainedchristmas-2011conancraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomholiday-2011hyboriaopinionsilirrionthe-anvil-of-cromyear-in-reviewyear-in-review-2011Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[[Updated] On the eleventh day of giveaways, Funcom gave to me...]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/23/on-the-eleventh-day-of-giveaways-funcom-gave-to-me/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/23/on-the-eleventh-day-of-giveaways-funcom-gave-to-me/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/23/on-the-eleventh-day-of-giveaways-funcom-gave-to-me/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Contests, Free-to-play, Giveaways

Age of Conan

[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Thanks to everyone who entered!]

On the eleventh day of giveaways, Funcom gave to me... eleven prize packages!
On the tenth day of giveaways, PerfectWorld gave to me... ten grab bag items!
On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... nine SWG mementos!
On the eighth day of giveaways, Enjin gave to me... eight guild-wide gifts!
On the seventh day of giveaways, NCsoft gave to me... seven years of memories!
On the sixth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... six retail packs!
On the fifth day of giveaways, Trion gave to me... five subscription codes!
On the fourth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... four pet items!
On the third day of giveaways, Wargaming.net gave to me... three premium years!
On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me... two warring factions!
On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP!

We're almost finished with our 12 Days of Giveaways, but Funcom is making sure we approach the end in style with a series of prize packages guaranteed to excite both Age of Conan and Bloodline Champions fans. We have five gift packs each containing one year of premium account status for Age of Conan, a Bloodline Champions starter edition, and one thousand Funcom points. Five more packages contain a Bloodline Champions starter edition and one thousand Funcom points, while our final prize is a Titan edition of Bloodline Champions.

Ready to enter? Read the contest rules for eligibility, then leave a comment letting us know why you love Funcom's games and should be one of our winners. The deadline is tomorrow, December 24th, at 7:00 p.m. EST, so be sure to enter before then. Good luck!

CONTEST FAQ

OFFICIAL RULES

[Updated] On the eleventh day of giveaways, Funcom gave to me... originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-days-of-giveaways-2011age-of-conanaocbloodline-championscontestcontestsf2pfree-to-playfuncomgiveawaygiveawaysFri, 23 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST