Game Director Letter – August 2013

[Tarib]

Hi everybody.

Last week, Funcom moved to new offices after 14 years in the old location in Skøyen, Oslo. It was a bittersweet move because the old offices were where all of the major development on Age of Conan took place up until 2010, when the majority of development moved to Montreal.

You can read the full Game Director's Letter - August 2013" on the Age of Conan website.

[letsdance]

Good stuff, but how does the Xiba changes fit into this?

[Chaman-bourru]

Hmmmh,

Is the Hyborian Race a one time thing ? Like the server will only be up for 3 months and once the event is finished the chars created can be moved to B&G real servers (or be destroyed) ? Or is it a completely new server in addition of the current B&G server ?

If it's a new permanent server i doubt this will work out really well unless the Ruleset is improved. If it's just a temporary event it could indeed be good fun !

Concerning Unchained mini-games i would set it either on Fury or Rage. These are where the gear imbalance is the widest (easier to gear up T4 and Bori on crom) and where players are actually there for PvP. Makes sence to try them out there.

Personnally i'm happy to see World Bosses come back ! More hunting and open-world objectif to achieve.

"One of the primary requests we have received from the Player vs Player community are ways to recreate the feeling of rivalry that they felt in the early days of Age of Conan. Open world PvP is often mentioned and in discussing this problem with the designers, we feel that the best direction to take in improving open world PvP are sporadic, controlled events which force players into areas that are unsafe."

I completely agree with this but would still suggest you try and ad an incentive to fight the most powerfull guilds that will, like it was the case with Bori, still dominate what ever these World pvp content will look like. Something making trying to take them down worthwile. Otherwise it's easier to join them for the rewards than fight them hoping for an unlikely victory (like Bori).

My two cents.

[Nusquam]

Hmmmh,

Is the Hyborian Race a one time thing ? Like the server will only be up for 3 months and once the event is finished the chars created can be moved to B&G real servers (or be destroyed) ? Or is it a completely new server in addition of the current B&G server ?

If it's a new permanent server i doubt this will work out really well unless the Ruleset is improved. If it's just a temporary event it could indeed be good fun !

Hmm weird, I did actually write that at the end of the "race" there would be free transfer of those characters to the regular B&G server, before we close down the race server.

That information got lost in the wash somehow.

[SelfRez]

Hmmm. Im confused about this Hyborian race. Its nice that you are trying so my gratitudes for that but new character ? on empty server? and only temporary event ?
I was thinking more like something to improve permanently PVP/open world PVP. I personally dont want to create any new characters actually i already too many. besided "semi casual" player like me has no chance of making first nor even top 10.. So no interest really to even try. Overall this idea makes no sense at all tbh....

[chad65]

I dislike the idea of this "race", mmorpg are about progression, not doing something to leave it 3 months after the release. We need content, you're gonna relaunch one more time something that was a failure 2 year ago, just take a look at the blood and glory servers status: empty. Why not revamp sieges and improve Shrines of Bori / border kingdoms instead of that?

[-Tutu-]

To get more people maybe you should give some rewards like vanity pet or armor for attending this event, for example for getting with character to lvl80. That could even get some PVE-rs out there which means more people & more fun for everyone :-)

As always it's already visible as you propose something to pvpers and they whine again, it's endless story lol. And one would imagine they're here to actually kill others ;-)

[FirepowahQQ]

Tortage pvp here i comeeeeeee!

[Chaman-bourru]

besided "semi casual" player like me has no chance of making first nor even top 10.. So no interest really to even try.

You know the saying, the importance isn't winning but participating. I heard rage was great fun during the first few months and levelling was fun.
If guildies and friends have free character spots i'll probably go there and have some fun open-world lowbie PvP.

I dislike the idea of this "race", mmorpg are about progression, not doing something to leave it 3 months after the release. We need content, you're gonna relaunch one more time something that was a failure 2 year ago, just take a look at the blood and glory servers status: empty. Why not revamp sieges and improve Shrines of Bori / border kingdoms instead of that?

It's just a contest. A one time thing that requires, i assume, little ressources from Funcom since they just need to set a new B&G server and let players run their marathon.
It's not a B&G revival (though it might indeed help the current servers a little), it's just a race taking place on a server with the toughest ruleset available.

The good thing is it's only a Temporary server so you don't have to consider the long run. You won't have to farm K6 and factions for gear, you won't have to buy T1 PvP set when you reach level 80. Since reaching level 80 will be the end of it.
How i see it is just a good opportunity to level up a new character with friends in the best conditions ! Kind of a 2008 leveling revival.

[ViolentLeonidas]

Hmm weird, I did actually write that at the end of the "race" there would be free transfer of those characters to the regular B&G server, before we close down the race server.

That information got lost in the wash somehow.

From a pvp player point of view i dont understand what you hope to accomplish with this race?

If i read this correct your giving a option to Reroll on fresh temporary server (it will not be up long enough to get good gear and AAs) then when the server is closed my undergeared low AA toon is transferred to the current B&G server..... Then this toon must grind for months PvP(xp aa tokens) or subscribe to enter PVE dungeons (for better faster gear AAs ect... to pvp with)

Well can't say i'm very excited about this news at all....

Whats the point of a temporary B&G server that when closed you land on the curent B&G server (anyone thats into this might as well just roll on the curent B&G server)

Why dont you do something with the current PVP tag servers! like balance the PvE PvP weapons and gear plus the grind!
Then add this open world PvP controlled events which force players into areas that are unsafe to all the current pvp tag servers