Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures Preview

When Age of Conan unleashed itself upon the gaming world in May last year, it brought with it expectations so high some felt it had a chance of dethroning the mighty World of Warcraft. Things haven't quite worked out like that, and recent server mergers have been viewed by some as the beginning of the end for the violent fantasy MMORPG. Not so, according to Funcom's Erling Ellingsen, who tells us in this wide-ranging interview why 2009 is set to be the year Age of Conan proves itself.

VideoGamer.com: Now that the game's been out for almost a year and you've had time to reflect, what were Funcom's highlights for 2008?

Erling Ellingsen: The launch itself went very well, without any major technical difficulties, and sales wise it was an astounding success. We sold a lot of copies, the game did really well. But we all agree to the fact that certain aspects of the game were lacking at launch. Some features were not properly implemented and there were parts of the game where the content was too slim. We needed to do some more work on it. We completely realize that there were a lot of difficulties and challenges that arose in the months after launch. I think that we have faced those challenges in a very, very good way. The game has evolved dramatically since it launched. We have introduced numerous updates that have changed the game in radical ways. We have introduced PvP system updates, we have revamped some dungeons, and we have introduced tons of new content such as an entirely new outdoor area complete with its own dramatic storyline. The game is just a lot more polished now and that's one of the things that we keep hearing from people who come back to the game. The game has really turned around, and we're seeing positive trends all around.

VideoGamer.com: Looking forward, what's in store for Age of Conan players in 2009?

EE: We have several different updates planned. Coming up next, for instance, is an entirely new level 80 dungeon called Xibaluku, intended for players who have reached the end game. Included in this update is a smaller dungeon, also intended for high level players. All of this is included in what we call Update Four, and there's a lot of other improvements as well. For instance we're going to make PvP slightly more interesting by making it so that resources required to build Battle Keeps will need to be gathered in the Border Kingdom area. Basically it means that there will be a whole new dynamic when it comes to fighting over resources. Because when you're collecting resources in this part of the game world you're fair game for other PvP players, so I think we'll be adding a lot of drama to gathering PvP resources. We're also doing major changes to the mini-game system. It's going to be a lot easier to find other players, so the whole process of getting more PvP experience and rising up in PvP levels will hopefully be a lot smoother and a lot more interesting.

VideoGamer.com: Do you have a time frame for when this update will be implemented?

EE: Well this is what we call Update Four. We're aiming to have it out over the next month or so depending on testing. Later, in a future update, we are also doing changes to the items system. One of the criticisms that we have been getting is that items in the game don't have a lot of impact on your character's statistics when you play - it doesn't always feel like you're a lot more powerful after having gotten a new sword, helmet or shield. Another problem is that when players hover their mouse over items in their inventory, the tooltip describing the item can be confusing and difficult to understand. We will be improving all of this, making items matter more and have a more profound impact on your character's power. Statistics will also be better represented, and it will be easier to understand them. Items will simply matter a lot more, and I believe this will make gameplay a lot more entertaining and meaningful - going out there and getting better items will matter more.

VideoGamer.com: A lot of these changes seem like they're being put in place for existing players of Age of Conan. Will Funcom be doing anything to attract new players into the game?

EE: We will definitely be doing a "Come back and play" campaign when we feel that the time is ready for it. We're really biding our time right now, though, and we want to wait until the time is right before putting it out. We would, for instance, like to have certain improvements in there before we go ahead with such a campaign.

VideoGamer.com: What's happening regarding the promised DirectX 10 features?

EE: DirectX 10 is also on its way. It's been on the test server now for a while, so players can actually log on to the test servers and play around with DirectX 10 now. That's actually spawned lots of videos and screenshots circulating all over the internet. I've seen comparison shots and videos floating all over the web now.

VideoGamer.com: Do you have any time frame for when the DirectX 10 features will be going live properly?

EE: We can't commit to any dates regarding DirectX 10. We're working on it, it's on test live, and we'll release it when we feel it's ready for prime time.

VideoGamer.com: Towards the end of last year you teased the first expansion pack for Age of Conan. What's the latest on that?

EE: Absolutely. Well (laughs), one of the things we just don't want to do right now is talk about what the expansion is all about at all. We showed a concept image at GC in Leipzig. So we just showed that image and let people get their own ideas in their heads, but we don't want to say anything about it yet. But I think later in the year we're definitely going to be revealing it.

VideoGamer.com: Fans won't have long to wait to get the first details on the expansion pack then?

EE: They might have to wait a little bit. Right now our biggest focus is on the live game, improving the live game, listening to the concerns of the players and addressing the issues they put forward. That's the number one priority right now and we want to make sure players realize that's our main focus.