Hello Kin, it has been some time!
I write this post from my old room at my parent’s house, feeling somewhat reminiscent in my old quiet stomping grounds. I’m visiting old friends and family and remembering the countless years worth of games I played sitting right where I am. I can even look to my left out the window and look down the driveway which I used to do between marathon gaming sessions to try and get my eyes to re focus. The wonder years!

Anyway, that’s enough inner dialogue. I have been playing Age of Conan! As I sit here on my ‘vacation’ I almost wish I was back at home with my PC crushing skulls. Withdrawal I guess.

I’m level 30 and playing on a PvP server (Bloodspire) my characters name is Lindsy if anyone wants to say hi. Lindsy is a mighty barbarian warrior with beard that would need wire cutters to trim.
I love the concept of ultra masculinity where you surpass homo erotic. Rippling glistening muscles, tattered loin cloths and chiseled jaws. Men being MEN and wrestling and punching and slapping five high and low and even on a toned backside. THAT is hyper masculinity. Where the concept of it being suss is never mentioned and not even noticed. Where we reach the pinnacle of manliness that women are even forgotten about and the only true desires involve breaking jaws and pumping fists.

Anyway…

AoC does lots of things right. Interactive combat, in depth character customization, guild cities, mounted combat, lush immersive environments and engaging and mature quests.
Granted it also has lots of issues that need ironing out, but as the game is so early we can leave that open to be repaired. World of Warcraft was a mess when it launched let us remember.

I have never played for long on a PvP server, but something about the Conan universe wants me to experience it as brutally as possible, and at times it can be very brutal. Everywhere is free for all PvP except for 3 cities. (After the first ‘tutorial’ 20 levels) You could be talking to an NPC, so that all HUD is removed and be attacked and killed. This happens with even trying to hand in quests and at times can make me panic because I want to experience the world and read all the dialogue but I am also rushing it in fear of slaughter. There are no real penalties for dying (a small 30 minute debuff) and there are no penalties for killing players of a much lower level. Guilds help keep things at peace a bit more as certain guilds may try and keep the law and alliances are formed. The great thing I have found with PvP is I will just be exploring, when some guy a few levels higher than me will jump me, but I never feel that I have no hope in victory. Even if he was 7 levels higher there is a chance I can still best him with some decent combos. There is nothing more satisfying than finishing off some fool who jumped you with a fatality. I will lean back in my chair and pump the air, sometimes run into my housemate’s room and retell the story. I still have so much more to experience and can’t wait to.

I am interested to see how Funcom deals with their central story line. Your character has a very ‘personal’ story about being branded with a mystical tattoo. In a single player game this is nothing new but having such an individual and specific story line too your character in a multiplayer environment must be a ‘Role Players’ nightmare. Pigeonholing your character into the story rather than being vague and let you fill in the blanks. This is Funcom’s solution to the dreaded ‘MMORPG open unfocussed story line’. It’s a neat idea, but we will see if Funcom can pull it off!

Anyway, the game is definitely worth checking out. It is unique and has plenty of promise.

I just ducked down to a local used book store and picked up a Robert E Howard Conan book! Those bastards are hard to find.

Oh and apparently the GF and I are going to be in UK PC GAMER for the GF TF2 video! Sweet. I’ll try get some scans.

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