Age of Conan: Class List

[Azazel]

I'm a 30-something and despite enjoying the two conan films a lot when I was younger, and still liking the first one today, am not exactly someone who knows or cares much at all about the IP.

[Engels]

Anyway I must be the only person in the world who liked AO. I'm looking forward to Conan. Just remembering all the cool clothing styles in AO gets me worked into a lather. I'll never forget the first time I walked outside the city and saw what had to be 50 people each looking really cool and dressed totally differently.

There are a few of us out there. I know Numtini and I adored AO for a period of time. Stylistically and atmospherically it rivalled any MMO. Gameplay, was at best, functional during long periods of time. Rubber banding game play, non-intuitive ui, physics from hell, etc, all contributed to the game's lack of popularity. But the art and the story writing were there.

I'm looking forward to just about any FunCom release because no matter how potentially clunky and dated some of its features may be, the creative developers are clearly given a lot of influence in the design of the game. I'm hoping that they've learned from the past and can put out a game that's playable out of the box. And if they don't and we have howls of laughter, I'll just point to Vanguard and state 'They started it'.

[stray]

I thought the AO class system was impressive, as was the equipment/gear (as someone already pointed out).

Pretty boring game though.

Funny though, it was the first MMO I ever played. Or at least, the first MMO I ever bought and stayed in long enough to get a feel for (dabbled with a friend's AC and UO accounts before though). I tend to dislike fantasy (.....Except Conan), and AO was pretty much the only sci-fi MMO I found at the store (then later on, I discovered Earth and Beyond, which sucked even more).

This was early 2003, I think? At that point, it didn't seem broken. Just empty and boring (To be fair, I later discovered this was not a unique feature to AO. Just about all MMO's are this way). And top it off, the minute I saw characters running around with high level numbers next to their heads, I wanted to quit (the level cap was extremely demoralizing, no matter how you put it. And I think it's up to lvl 220 now?).

[Engels]

Well, to be fair, levels in AO were not the same as levels in EQ. Each one wasn't a prolonged saga of whackafoozling. They performed a slightly different function, which was to let you to add points to your skills. They could have gone with an EQ model, making levels longer and have a lower cap, but that would have taken some of the fun out of point allocation, and probably made the potential for hosing your toon far more drastic.

[Rithrin]

I don't know why you say U.S. Someone already pointed out it's popularity in Europe. Hell, it originated and is maintained in Europe.

Um, yeah. Darniaq's comment about WAR having a following due to 40k is a little misinformed as well. The Warhammer Fantasy IP is particularly huge in Europe. It's debatable whether WFB or 40k is more popular over there, but I can tell you that both are very popular in Europe, and that the IP there is plenty strong EA or no EA. I know quite a few (not all) of f13'ers have a rather US-centric view of the world, but what are the US and European WoW numbers again?

Also, Stray. WFRP came about at roughly the same time as WFB3 did. The warhammer world (aside from beginnings as a basement D&D campaign, etc) was first published in WFB1 to the best of my knowledge. Jackson and Livingstone imported and sold D&D rules and materials when GW started.

Being an ex-Games Workshop Employee, I feel I should comment on this. In the UK, if you toss a stone, it'll hit a Games Workshop. If you're lucky it'll also bounce and hit yet another. Thoughout all of the EU, it's also pretty damn popular. Its all about Warhammer Fantasy, though, not 40,000. It started out as the fantasy/adventure board game Talisman (Traditional RPG-ish combat), which eventually lead up to the actual fantasy tabletop strategy game. The funny thing about all this is that in the States, W40K is the most popular. It also seems to pull in a much younger audience whereas in the UK the players are generally older. Its really interesting when you look at the difference in gamestyles and who their audience is. Warhammer Fantasy Battles is a large scale, slow paced, sit-and-think, tactical kind of game. Warhammer 40,000 is a small scale, quick paced, rush-in-and-blow-stuff-up kind of a game. Its just interesting to note that here in the US we love 40k, and Europe prefers fantasy. So for WAR, they're not only pitching mainly to a country that doesn't know much about the two games, they're also pitching the one they like the least. I think it'll be a hit in the UK, though.

And I kind of feel bad not knowing anything about Conan other than Arnie. But thanks to Stray and the like, I'll read some of the books. If anyways, it looks like it focuses on the kind of aspects I enjoy in a fantasy story.

[Merusk]

Just got back from Best Buy and discovered that they had the "Complete Conan" DvD on sale for 9.99.   The Destroyer & The Barbarian for $10, woo. Just thought I'd let y'all know.

[Margalis]

I'm looking forward to just about any FunCom release because no matter how potentially clunky and dated some of its features may be, the creative developers are clearly given a lot of influence in the design of the game. I'm hoping that they've learned from the past and can put out a game that's playable out of the box. And if they don't and we have howls of laughter, I'll just point to Vanguard and state 'They started it'.

Yeah that's a good summary. I'm not sure if Conan will be a good game but I expect it to at least some interesting elements.

[Venkman]

It's debatable whether WFB or 40k is more popular over there, but I can tell you that both are very popular in Europe, and that the IP there is plenty strong EA or no EA. I know quite a few (not all) of f13'ers have a rather US-centric view of the world, but what are the US and European WoW numbers again.

I'm mostly curious. Sure WH is huge in EU, but would Mythic by itself have been able to do a good job in both single-language/regulation US and 13+ language/multiple-regulation EU? I guess we'll never know, but to me Rithrin sums up my concern:

So for WAR, they're not only pitching mainly to a country that doesn't know much about the two games, they're also pitching the one they like the least. I think it'll be a hit in the UK, though.

[eldaec]

While the EU might have an assload of languages, you only actually need to manage 5 at most (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian). Once you have those five (arguably even Spanish and Italian are optional) your product will be accepted throughout the region (I'm not attempting to address the fairness of this - I'm just talking about how it is). Tbh, if you didn't translate at all, you'd still be able to sell everywhere bar France, Germany, and maybe Italy; many European markets would actually prefer no-translation because then they don't they don't feel that they are cross-subsidising a service they won't ever use (I don't just mean the UK, I also mean countries that will play on English servers because there will never be, for example, a Swedish language server).


And Mythic may not have the capability to market and host directly within the EU, but I'm damn sure there are potential partners  with a better record than DAoC has through the GOA/FranceTelecom/OpenTransit fiasco. If a more professional and capable organisation were running EU WAR, I can't see any reason it couldn't beat EU WoW numbers (Warhammer is a much stronger brand than Blizzard or Warcraft in Europe, and EU WoW numbers are not as dramatic as US or AP WoW numbers). But with GOA running the show it is really hard to see the marketing being able to deliver that sort of scale, or the infrastructure being able to support it. To fully deliver on potential of the warhammer brand in Europe you need a partner on the scale of Ubisoft - not an outfit that struggled to keep server connections running for DAoC numbers.


That said, the real issue is whether Mythic have the right Asian partner. Because being a success in the far east will automatically give you WoW numbers. WoW's US and EU successes are incidental by comparison.

[Venkman]

Wouldn't it be EA{/i] that needs the right Chinese partner and not Mythic anymore? That's really what I've been wondering about, as I'm certainly no expert on globalization: Does EA do for WAR what Mythic by themselves couldn't (staggered worldwide launch).

How many MMOs are offered in as many territories as WoW? Yes, the Warcraft name carries weight, but that alone does not a partnership make. Finding a partner is easy. Finding the right one though... well, that's how they ended up with GOA. Maybe in their mind, GOA is fine. Maybe.

And I thought the EU had almost as many subscribers as the US, with China alone equaling the sum of the two? Could be wrong.

[eldaec]

Well, yes, it would make sense for EA to have a strategic partner for the AP region. But given that the GOA contract was announced almost immeadiately before EA's acquistion of Mythic was announced, you'd have to assume that EA ok'd the GOA relationship. That being the case, it looks like they aren't yet ready to operate this sort of thing on a strategic level.

Re: WoW subs; afaik, Europe is running at a bit over a million. With the right partner, I think Warhammer could have got ahead of that. With GOA, I don't even see how they can support that many even if they could sell to that many.

This product ought to maintain more subs in Europe than in the US, that ought to be the yardstick that GOA are judged by.

Maybe in their mind, GOA is fine. Maybe.

I'm sure that in their mind GOA is fine.

[Secundo]

Last I heard, WoW had 2mill+ in the US and 1.5mill+ in the EU with a total number of just over 8milll worldwide. This was before BC but I cant imagine they have changed that much relatively.

Edit: wrote something that didnt belong here

[Riggswolfe]

It started out as the fantasy/adventure board game Talisman (Traditional RPG-ish combat)

BTW, for those that care Talisman is being rereleased sometime in October.

Now if only they'd rerelease Mighty Empires I'd be happy.

[Hoax]

I'd be down for a new edition of Man O War that was a hella fun game. 

[Ixxit]

BTW, for those that care Talisman is being rereleased sometime in October.

Wow, very cool.   Played and  enjoyed  this quite a bit back in the day,  and always wanted to pick up a copy.

[Slayerik]

BTW, for those that care Talisman is being rereleased sometime in October.

Wow, very cool.   Played and  enjoyed  this quite a bit back in the day,  and always wanted to pick up a copy.

Talisman was the best board game ever :)

We had quite a bit of fun with some programs they have out to create your own cards. Woot

[Sky]

I had a ton of Conan comics...err excuse me, graphic novels! I had a nice collection of the older stuff and was collecting the reprints when the band split up. I've got a couple dozen left, most were lost or stolen.

My girlfriend and I enjoyed the Conan movie in HD a couple months ago (I didn't know there was a second one). I really wouldn't call it a good movie, though. More funny than good with the horrid action acting, the stealthy character knocking over things, the odd editing.

[stray]

Stealthy character? Are you talking about Tracey Walker?

He's in the second one. Sort of the comic relief character.


The first was made a few years before that. Thulsa Doom. Subotai. Mako. Nuff said. Go see it.

[Morfiend]

The first was made a few years before that. Thulsa Doom. Subotai. Mako. Nuff said. Go see it.

CONAN! What is best in life?

[Ixxit]

The first was made a few years before that. Thulsa Doom. Subotai. Mako. Nuff said. Go see it.

CONAN! What is best in life?

"Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women! "

[Sky]

Stealthy character? Are you talking about Tracey Walker?

He's in the second one. Sort of the comic relief character.


The first was made a few years before that. Thulsa Doom. Subotai. Mako. Nuff said. Go see it.

What's with me apparently not knowing what I'm talking about today?

Yes, that one. The first one. The chick Valeria, whenever doing her cheese 'stealth moves' bumps into stuff. I know which movie I'm talking about, it was hilarious.

Again, I'm Not Stray. James Earl in a bad weave < Vader.

[HaemishM]

Shadowbane had formations.  Just saying.

How'd that work out for them? 

That game was full of great ideas laced with shitty implementation.  So much wasted potential.

You know?  I don't recall.  I think that there was some bonus to stats if someone with the leadership skill was calling formations but I'm not sure how it worked later on as I quit playing pretty early.

That was the theory, but they never implemented it to my knowledge. It was just a way to autofollow the group leader.

[stray]

Stealthy character? Are you talking about Tracey Walker?

He's in the second one. Sort of the comic relief character.


The first was made a few years before that. Thulsa Doom. Subotai. Mako. Nuff said. Go see it.

What's with me apparently not knowing what I'm talking about today?

Yes, that one. The first one. The chick Valeria, whenever doing her cheese 'stealth moves' bumps into stuff. I know which movie I'm talking about, it was hilarious.

Again, I'm Not Stray. James Earl in a bad weave < Vader.

Just making sure. When you said stealther, I thought you meant that other dude. Valeria was a thief though, so you're right (well, all of them were thieves...But whatever).

[Hoax]

Thief isn't a class in Conan it was removed during the great "we can't come up with this many melee hotkey abilities" dilemma a few months back.

[Nija]

I'm going to be honest with you guys. I am turning 28 next month. I didn't know there were Conan books until I read this thread.

I liked the movies as a kid - I like all Arnold movies. I thought they were just that.

As far as Warhammer popularity goes - I've always wondered how those nerderies in the malls stay in business. I have "heard of" Warhammer, but I know nothing of the lore aside that there are Orks with a K, and they have one variation with mechs and futuristic pseduo-nazis.

[WindupAtheist]

To this day there's a guy in my guild, this native american dude with the soul of Jeff Lebowski, who'll sometimes come into Ventrilo, put on a loud gruff voice, and ask me what is best in life before so much as saying hello to anyone.  At which point I'll put on a pseudo-Austrian accent and scream the "lamentations of the women" line back at him, while anyone too new to the guild to have heard this before wonders what the fuck is wrong with us.

Good times.

[shiznitz]

I'm going to be honest with you guys. I am turning 28 next month. I didn't know there were Conan books until I read this thread.

I liked the movies as a kid - I like all Arnold movies. I thought they were just that.

As far as Warhammer popularity goes - I've always wondered how those nerderies in the malls stay in business. I have "heard of" Warhammer, but I know nothing of the lore aside that there are Orks with a K, and they have one variation with mechs and futuristic pseduo-nazis.

Amazon.com has collections of Howard's original fiction. I read one and then left it on a plane. Grr.

[Valmorian]

Talisman was the best board game ever :)

..until someone who is new to the game points out that each player's turn consists of choosing to go clockwise or counterclockwise.

I used to LOVE Talisman, had two copies of the game, almost every expansion for it.  Looking back at it now, after all the experiences I've had with the new Eurogames, I just can't enjoy it anymore.  The game practically plays itself.

[eldaec]

Talisman was the best board game ever :)

..until someone who is new to the game points out that each player's turn consists of choosing to go clockwise or counterclockwise.

?

[Valmorian]

Yeah, pretty much.

One of my favourite comments on the board game messageboards I frequent was along the following lines:

"The only problem with the game was that I somehow can't seem to improve my ability to roll 6's more often than chance allows."

[eldaec]

As far as Warhammer popularity goes - I've always wondered how those nerderies in the malls stay in business. I have "heard of" Warhammer, but I know nothing of the lore aside that there are Orks with a K, and they have one variation with mechs and futuristic pseduo-nazis.

Just so as you know, only the far future version of orcs are spelt with a k, and they have way more than one variation with pseudo-nazis.

Pretty much everyone from every race in every warhammer setting is a pseudo-nazi.

[Nija]

Pretty much everyone from every race in every warhammer setting is a pseudo-nazi.

AWESOME

[Xuri]

Btw, for anyone who hasn't read any of Robert E. Howard's Conan-stories, you can get hold of many of them in .txt or .html format for free at the following location:
http://www.gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-a-m.html#letterH (scroll down to Robert Ervin HOWARD).

So if you don't mind reading them on a monitor instead of on the pages of a good old book, the above site is a good place to get better aquainted with his works. =)

[stray]

Hey, that's pretty cool. That's most of the same stories in that one compilation I linked to awhile back (at least most of the popular ones).

Note: He only wrote one novel for Conan, which was Hour of the Dragon (it's in that list above too). Everything else are short stories, so it shouldn't be too hard reading them on a computer.

[Velorath]

Btw, for anyone who hasn't read any of Robert E. Howard's Conan-stories, you can get hold of many of them in .txt or .html format for free at the following location:
http://www.gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-a-m.html#letterH (scroll down to Robert Ervin HOWARD).

So if you don't mind reading them on a monitor instead of on the pages of a good old book, the above site is a good place to get better aquainted with his works. =)

For anyone planning on checking some stories out here, I'd recommend Beyond the Black River.