|
|
|
|
 |
|
KINGDOM COME
Director Gaute Godager Reveals Why Age of Conan - and the Barbarian Himself - Rule
When it comes to picking the right topics to base an MMO on, Funcom's definitely got a killer instinct. Having dominated the sci-fi field for years with Anarchy Online though, it's only natural the publisher move onto something kinder and gentler with its next project, i.e. half-naked swordsmen slicing one another to ribbons.
Introducing Age of Conan, based on one of the most popular comic book and silver screen legends of all-time, not to mention the literary works of author Robert E. Howard. Daring to be different, this brutal and barbaric offering - set in the realm of Hyboria and flush with graphic violence - doesn't just fuse fantasy lore with fast and furious melee combat. It also introduces a (gasp!) single-player component into the action that lets you explore worlds of magic and mystery on a solo basis before setting off in search of massively multiplayer conquests.
With audiences already thirsting for blood, we seized the opportunity to hold a dagger to game director Gaute Godager's throat and threatened to slice away unless he started talking. The result of our friendly chat: Yet another juicy LQGaming Services: scoop, packed to the brim with exclusive info. See for yourself below.:
LQGaming Services:: Why, of all licensed properties to choose from, did you folks decide to go with Conan the Barbarian?
Gaute Godager: Conan's exploits occur in a very dark, brutal and sensuous universe. You might not realize it, but more than 70 years of books, comics, movies and lore has made the Hyborian realm a very deep and meaningful place to set an online Action-RPG in. Sadly, to many people, their knowledge of the Conan universe extends to the '80s movies [starring actor Arnold Schwarzenegger], with all their strengths and weaknesses. I am glad to inform everyone that Hyboria is so much, so very much, more than that.
The Hyborian world is like a decadent, dark, twisted and corrupt version of Euro-Asian history. Take a bit of the Roman empire, Mongolian culture, Babylonian mysticism, '30s myths of undiscovered Africa, and much, much more - mix it all and add a dash of brutal darkness and you can see the shadow of something very unique and quite interesting brewing. Put on the lid and let it cook until it is about to explode and you are ready to sample the world of Hyboria...
"The Hyborian universe is like a dark, decadent, twisted and corrupt version of Euro-Asian history. Mix a bit of the Roman empire, Mongolian culture and Babylonian mysticism with '30s-era myths of undiscovered Africa. that's just a sample."
LQGaming Services:: Fair enough. But what makes the character's adventures uniquely suited to the MMO format?
Gaute Godager: It is not what Conan as an individual did as much as where he did it, and why, that makes him an interesting adventurer in our context. Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures focuses on just that. adventures in Hyboria in the age of Conan. The Cimmerian giant is actually king of Aquilonia at the time of our game - and looms over the story without being the key player. That person is you.
LQGaming Services:: OK, so Conan's king, but what role, if any, will he himself play in the adventure? Just an NPC or will he actually stride the battlefield to defend his crown?
Gaute Godager: Conan will be part of the story in many places in the game. You will meet him in his throne room, see him ride forth into battle and see him summon deadly military force against his enemies in the battlefield. These occurrences will be happening for the player every now and then, and it is story-driven, more than an instance which features the hero being played by an actor or as a "spawnable NPC."
LQGaming Services:: Please describe the combat system in as much depth as possible. What types of weapons can you get? How can you use them? Can you dismember people - certainly this kind of violence is a key part of the Conan lore...
Gaute Godager: There are loads of different weapon types and hundreds of different weapons. The combat in Age of Conan is totally different from any other online RPG out there. You can direct your melee attacks in six different directions: up-left, up, up-right, down-left, thrust and down-right. These are directly controlled by the player using the mouse, keyboard or gamepad.
How you direct these attacks will determine how well you fight. Certain moves will be more effective against certain monsters, and in certain situations. In addition, these directional hands on attacks will braid together to become combos where devastating special attacks can be released.
All monsters, humans and whatnot have several types of fatality moves enabled. This means, basically, that you can die in several horrible, graphic ways. This also means that you can do this to others. Depending on which monster it is, and how they get killed, different types of fatalities will be used including dismemberments and beheadings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
