Age of Conan - Looks better than Warhammer Online or any mmo out currently.

[Darkragnar]

The only thing that interests me about this game is that , Its Twitch based gameplay not just pointy pointy clicky clicky type of gameplay.

U have to have twitch reflex to play this , which is always a good thing for a MMO.

[Chaigidel]

I am definitely going to try this game ive signed up for the beta --- and hope to be accepted-- you can build cities build armies fight for fortresses, plus fight pve raid type bosses like giant undead etc etc-- the classes all look real interesting and they are all built for army type squad to squad combat complete with formations and wizards that charge up offa the units --

this game promises to be very cool i look forward to it, warhammer looks cool too but conan has more unique features--

[Kanaric]

I signed up for beta as well, i usually have decent luck in getting in so I can't wait to try it.

This is definitely unique as far as mmorpgs are concerned so its worth trying.

[Count of Montesano]

The only thing that interests me about this game is that , Its Twitch based gameplay not just pointy pointy clicky clicky type of gameplay.

U have to have twitch reflex to play this , which is always a good thing for a MMO.

That's actually the reason I'm not sure I'm going to be a Age of Conan fan. While I'm pretty good at RPGs and RTSes, I've always sucked at the whole Halo "jump around and strafe like a monkey on meth" style of twitch play. IMHO I want a game where making smart tactical decisions is rewarded over plain button mashing.

But one area where'd I agree with you is the need for MMOGs to be more skill or tactically based rather than automatically reward the person who can spend the most time gathering powerful gear.

[Constantii Falconius]

I've been a member of the AoC forums for nearly a year now( and i've been reading Howard books since I was 6, or 12 years ago when I started), and I have found out a lot of stuff about this game.

Theres so much I don't think I could name it all, but to name the main things.

There are guild citys, these guild cities are ocassionaly attacked by npcs, who form a village outside your town, and they will march in formations, you have the choice of taking the battle to them, before they attack you.

There are Battlekeeps, in an area known as the Border Kingdoms (actually exists in Hyboria). This is a pvp region, where the guilds duke it out for control, of a limited number of keeps. There are also towers for smaller guilds to compete over.

There is mounted combat (lance, sword and bow are confirmed, think Mount and Blade).
The horses in this game are motion captured (and look real as well, the mo-cap aside).

Combat, is action; or twitched based, unlike other mmos (such as WoW), where you click a number corresponding to a certain attack. They have 5 base directions to attack from, with some gut-wrenching combos. There is one, where your character smashes the enemy with his sheild, then runs him through with the sword; then kicks him off, onto the ground(really kick ass).

NPCs live need based lives. Meaning when they are tired, they will go home and sleep, or go somewhere to eat.

They have arenas for players to do pvp combat in also.

Formations for pvp, and pve (cavalry, spearmen, archer etc).

They have drunken brawling, which is just mean't to be a fun way to introduce players into pvp.

They have a bounty system, for high level players who 'grief' lower level players.

There are 20 seperate pvp levels.

The crafting has been described as 'useful', and items made from crafting can have gems attached to them to make them better.

Magic is a little darker than other games.

Some of the better aspects of the game (imho anyways), is that are no elves, dwarves; or high fantasy races in this game. In fact, all playable races are human, but based off of cultures that existed in our own world (as portrayed in the books by Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan). The character creation in this game has over 40 sliders, ranging from allowing your character to have broken his nose, tattos, body hair, several muscle sliders, age slider, height slider. Also, your character can get scars, from battle (a little eye candy I suppose).

The armor and weapons look realistic, and are based off of differant cultures.
Like the Aquilonians, will have Greco-Roman-esque gear, though many original Conan fans (fans of the storys by REH, like myself), have argued that the Aquilonians are more like the Medieval French (there military is made up of powerful knights from Aquilonia proper and Poitain, men-at-arms mounted, and dismounted, as well as longbowmen, and strong and trustworthy infantry.) Also the provinces of Aquilonia, such as Poitain, are in the locations that would mark them as areas once belonging to a French province called Aquitaine.

The other two races, the Stygians and Cimmerians( don't worry that theres only three for the launch, there are MANY more that can, and will be added), represent Egyptians, and Proto-Celts.

The lore of this game is deep, a collection of nearly 70 years worth of storys, books and comics.

You need to know that this game is not based upon, and will not feature events (and some characters), from the 1982 film 'Conan the Barbarian', or the 1984 film 'Conan the Destroyer', but will instead be based upon the darker, and more graphics storys by Robert E. Howard. In fact, Arnold made a poor interpretation of Howards Conan, who was described as being 'panther like' in the stories.

Also Conan (in the stories) was never a slave or gladiator, and his clan was not destroyed.

If any of you have questions, i'll answer them as best I can.

Edit: In case you wanted to read some of the original Conan stories by REH,
http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-a-m.html#letterH
Scroll down to where it says 'The Conan stories', and you will find the original stories there.

Also a map of Hyboria, http://chrysagon.free.fr/images_site/Hyboria_Map_by_Chrysagon_(Conan's_world).jpg
The game at launch will include Aquilonia, Stygia, Cimmeria, the Border Kingdoms and the Barachan Isles.
It will be about 185 sq2 miles at launch.

[Constantii Falconius]

Kanaric, you are right in that this game has single player. But, that is not a portion of the game that is indefinate.

The single player portion of the game takes place during the first 20 levels, as an introduction, to really bring your character into the game. After you complete the first 20 levels, you take a ship to your characters homeland, and that is where you enter the MMO portion of the game. This goes from level 20-80.

Also the devs of AoC, a few months back announced that there will be opportunities to team up with other players during the 'single' player portion of the game.

[Darkragnar]

about the Mounted Combat, is it going to be like Mount and Blades ,with momentum and Crounched Lances and all?

[Constantii Falconius]

Yes I believe the momentum is there(you mean running people over right?), another thing I like about AoC is the collision detection. They have couched lances, you can see some of it on IGN.com, in the developers commentary video. Though its an old video and doesn't look great.

The way you use swords, looks similar, the way you hold it out to the side. Also, horses in this will rear up, and kick; and you can buy barding for them.

Here is some screenshots, they are all pretty old; so don't worry if somthing doesn't look right.
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/743392/imgs_1.html

Some horse screens
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/74...g_3593095.html
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/74...g_3593107.html
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/74...g_3593109.html
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/74...g_3260222.html
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/74...g_2806820.html
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/743/74...g_2768769.html

New videos
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/videos_edit...tures_f1q1.htm
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/videos_edit...tures_f1q1.htm

New screens
http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots...3_157_news.htm
They are on pages 14-17

[Kanaric]

This game looks completely bad ass.

This completely blows the **** out of Warhammer Online. If done right this should be the best MMO in a LONG LONG time.

The single player portion of the game takes place during the first 20 levels, as an introduction, to really bring your character into the game. After you complete the first 20 levels, you take a ship to your characters homeland, and that is where you enter the MMO portion of the game. This goes from level 20-80.

That is an interesting idea.

I hope it doesn't take very long to level in this. For it to be a truely good pvp game it shouldn't be a grind.

Everything about this game looks completely bad ass.

[Darkragnar]

Warhammer online is more innovative than this , the RVR elements are more though and the PvP gameplay has options in Warhammer.

The only innovative thing about Conan is its control scheme and dismemberment.

watch the videos in the warhammer online thread , especially the way they planned their campaign and quests structures.

[Ringeck]

I think it is a bit early to compare the two games, don't you?

I'm usually not a MMORPG fan, but I've gotten on the AoC beta team still; I've got a friend working as a programmer in Funcom, and he's shown me the tech betas. It does look very impressive.

Both EA Mythic and Funcom have solid MMORPH titles behind them, so I'm guessing both games will be interesting.

[Roman Rapper]

I hope it doesn't take very long to level in this. For it to be a truly good pvp game it shouldn't be a grind.

I disagree with that. surely, the nature of MMG's is that you get rewarded for the time you invest with things that newer players can't get? The "grind" is something we are never going to get away from in MMG's.
however, the great thing about this game is that (if we believe the hype) the combat system will be so new and interesting that "grinding" will not really feel like "grinding" at all, and will instead be much more enjoyable.

[Gwendylyn]

It does some interesting things. I will certainly try this one out, but I highly doubt I will stay with the game. Guild-based gameplay turns me off because its just another way to create grind and hierarchy among the gamers. If it stops me from being able to play the game solo, then it won't last more than a month.

They have a bounty system, for high level players who 'grief' lower level players.

I heartily approve.

The "grind" is something we are never going to get away from in MMG's.

The "grind" is something created out of a subscription-based MMO service. These games require the players to continue to play monthly, and thus create grinding so that the players have to sink more time into the game. Games without subscription models have much less grinding.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

4th quarter 2007, hell yeah!

[Drexxus Maximus]

4th quarter 2007, hell yeah!

I know, it's getting close. The only thing that worries me is that it's still in a very small and closed Beta. 3 months before release you'd think they would start general beta, then an open beta about a week or 2 before release, to stress test.

I've been a member of the AoC forums since '05, and I still drool everyday over this game. I grew up reading the Robert E. Howard books, along with Tolkien he was my main influence of fantasy.

I cant wait to try out a Lich, I've always wanted to play one. <cackle>

[Darkragnar]

Mayhaps i spoke too soon, haste makes waste.

after wacthing a couple of videos im converted , the only delema in my mind is which one to choose Warhammer or Age of Conan , both are outstanding games that deserve all the success of WoW.

A Intro to the game.

[The Mongol]

This looks pretty damn interesting, finally some new refreshing gameplay. And gore... gore makes everything better.

Mounted combat = win and a half

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

I know, it's getting close. The only thing that worries me is that it's still in a very small and closed Beta. 3 months before release you'd think they would start general beta, then an open beta about a week or 2 before release, to stress test.

I've been a member of the AoC forums since '05, and I still drool everyday over this game. I grew up reading the Robert E. Howard books, along with Tolkien he was my main influence of fantasy.

I cant wait to try out a Lich, I've always wanted to play one. <cackle>

Lich, eh? I'm gonna stay as an evil "Warlock" so I'll probably be a Demonologist ... The thing is that I don't wanna revert to a melee class because spell-casters are ALWAYS more powerful although AoC looks like a melee-class' game.

Yeah, I'm concerned about the beta date, too .. Considering that the game was supposed to be out in the first to second quarter of 07, I don't know why they're lagging behind so much ...

By the way, I've already got people ready for an AoC guild ... These people are hardcore MMO-veterans (Guild Wars, Vanguard, WoW, etc). It's a small group at the moment but we'll get people standing in queues to get us our copies and our aim would be to start the end-game content ASAP.

[Chaigidel]

we should all form a kick ass uber twc conan guild :O

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

we should all form a kick ass uber twc conan guild :O

Yeah man ... A month before the final release date, we should actively get as many serious players as possible ....