Massively multiplayer games usually start you out as a wimpy adventurer in a high-fantasy world, beating up rats with a rusty dagger in the hopes of one day being able to afford a shiny new leather cap to wear. Funcom's Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures will take a different tack by offering brutal real-time combat that will let you hack and slash your enemies into mincemeat. That's not an exaggeration--the game's extremely violent combat, which includes skewering enemies and lopping off limbs and heads, is in keeping with the source material from author Robert E. Howard, and will soon be available to try out in the GameSpot player-versus-player beta weekend. We sat down with game director Gaute Godager for more details.
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GameSpot: Give us an overview of the beta. What can players expect to experience?
Gaute Godager: The beta is in its final stages in terms of content and code right now. Classes are getting more and more balanced. The quests, items, and spells are getting their final touches. We still have issues, sure. Plenty of bugs and optimizations to finish off, but we are en route to a fantastic, involving game! What you will experience in the upcoming beta session is hardcore, hands-on, action PVP combat.
You select one of 12 classes. You may choose to play through the [levels] one-through-five story introduction to the game. (I urge you to do this, as you will get a glimpse of the final game in terms of soloing and player-versus-environment, or PVE, gameplay.) After this session, which takes about an hour, you will be automatically leveled up to 20, and will be participating in minigame PVP action. Using the automatic search option, you will be playing either "capture the skull" or "team annihilation."
GS: How much of the game will players get to see in the beta weekend?
GG: In terms of class variety, core control, and PVP fun, I think almost everything! You will be able to sample all 12 classes and their strengths and weaknesses. You will see tons of different, sexy outfits. You will fight in various groups for PVP glory. You will gain PVP levels and track your progress in the kill/death ratio.
GS: Can you give us a general update on the game's progress? What is being worked on at this time?
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GG: The game is on schedule for launch the 20th of May as we speak. We polish, remove annoyances, and optimize. Finally the client is approaching the target rendering performance, and it certainly is looking smooth. We are working hard on the features we haven't shown off in beta, features we have held back on purpose to have some new revelations at launch. Among these are spellweaving, massive PVP, and DirectX 10 [graphics]. In addition to this, the classes are getting their final overhauls before launch. We are doing some balance focused only on PVP now, something I prefer doing after the PVE aspects have been more or less stabilized.
I played with spellweaving the other day, and I must say: It is a very scary experience. My necromancer character had dark matter and skulls growing out of the ground everywhere around her, and gradually my powers changed. Spells that normally were applied to only a single target started spreading out and damaging huge belts of opponents in a cascading madness. It's a truly unique feature I am very excited about.
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