Mitra's Method: Stephen "weezer" Spiteri's Age of Conan Column

Funcom announced last week that female characters in 'Age of Conan' will be as strong and able as male characters in their game.

"The strong, fierce and independent female is perfectly in line with the lore of Howard, however, we have expanded it to include ALL the female players."

But what of what makes men and women so distinct from each other? Can "realism" lend itself easily into the MMO? This fortnight, it's making what's real as real as it can be in 'Age of Conan'.

Funcom are promising us a lot with this game, and so our expectations are high.

"'Age of Conan' is not highly-anticipated for nothing; it offers so much, something unique, and does so very, very boldly."

This fortnight, we ask ourselves if there's a danger in 'Age of Conan' peaking so early or setting the benchmark too high too soon. Can Funcom truly set the standard for MMO gaming with 'Age of Conan'?

Gaming is a serious industry, and so now you have serious gamers. But this I ask you: what ever happened to game being played just for fun?

"The standard response to this would simply be, 'Get over it; it's just a game' but for some individuals, it's not just a game, it's a way of life!"

This fortnight we look at how such an emotional investment into 'Age of Conan' may be affecting your own potential enjoyment of the experience the game has to offer now and at release.

Lore is not something that you can so flippantly toy with and manipulate. On the flip side, we have to understand we're talking about the gaming industry, so it is with some reservation that certain liberties have to be taken.

"It is a constant focus for us to make this ['Age of Conan'] right, but sometimes we need to bend some borders, even take the lore and update it somewhat to make it fit better with gameplay."

Funcom Product Director, Jørgen Tharaldsen, took some time out of his very busy schedule to explain in a Mitra's Method exclusive what measures are being taken to ensure a "true to Conan" experience in the much anticipated MMORPG 'Age of Conan'.

Funcom, as it is currently evident, has listened to their beta testers very seriously because their beta testers have been very serious with their feedback...

"Not listening to experienced beta testers' initial reactions is the most dangerous thing to do." - Gaute Godager, 'Letter from the Game Director'

This fortnight, it's about beta, serious testing, serious testers, and the road to March 25, 2008.

So we have to wait a bit longer for 'Age of Conan', and only the most committed are going to stick around for the game's release on March 25, 2008.

"...get to know Howard, get to know Conan, get to know Hyboria, get to know Funcom, and get to know 'Age of Conan'"

This fortnight, it's all about the making the next seven months tolerable as we revisit a few suggestions on how we can make the most out of this time for ourselves and Funcom.

Do loose lips really sink ships? Is that art of keeping a secret truly lost? And just what sort of implications does breaking an NDA have for Funcom and 'Age of Conan'?

"It [NDA] means you are chosen because Funcom has a belief in you, a belief that you are trustworthy..."

This fortnight, it's all about beta, the NDA, business, and the gaming industry. Strap yourselves in for a wild ride in these, the last few months of the game's development!

We can be so caught up in worrying what we're not seeing or what we haven't seen that we lose sight of the bigger picture.

"Worrying is only going to ruin not only your own personal excitement and anticipation for a game, but that of others, especially if it's unwarranted."

This fortnight, the final countdown begins as the anticipation of more information builds, and builds, and how you can deal with fan doom-calling and press nay-saying.

Hype is only as good as the promises the game company is able to deliver on.

"As we've said before, we will never reveal everything there is about the game. We will certainly show you a wide selection of content and we will reveal the outlines of the different game mechanics, but the meaty details of the game is for you to explore..." - Erling Ellingsen ("LordOrion")

This fortnight: are we doing ourselves a disservice with all this hype surrounding 'Age of Conan'? Do we only have ourselves to blame when our own expectations supersede what is actually given in the end product?

For most PvPers, perhaps the reward of Bloodcoins is not enough, and the penalty of losing only Bloodcoins on defeat is not serious enough. In addition to his comments about a looting system, Gaute Godager said:

"We want risk. As to reward, this is much better."

And he's right: the reward of loot for defeating another player is much better because it adds that element of risk in a PvP setting.

This fortnight: to loot, or not to loot? That is the question!

PvP is fun (or at least it can be), and there are people that are just naturally drawn to it. However, there are gamers out there in MMO-land who sit on a teetered edge when it comes to playing in a PvP environment or not.

"The unpredictability of early MMOs led to a dichotomy in player perception of PvP. You either loved it, or you hated it..." - Gaute Godager, IGN, July 2005

'Age of Conan' is the game to play for an awesome PvP experience, but how do you keep casual PvPers coming back for more, and what can PvP veterans do to ensure the smell of victory doesn't leave a bitter taste in the mouths of who don't care to bear it?

Thanks to the many awesome features Funcom have put in to 'Age of Conan', a player is able to fully immerse themself in an online community.

"Online communities are the social clubs of the 21st century and as such suffer all the drawbacks and benefits of real world groups."

This fortnight, a look at online communities and making guilds better places to be part of in 'Age of Conan'.

In this fortnight's bumper issue, with the help of Jørgen Tharaldsen (Funcom product director) and a few members from the Funcom QA (Quality Assurance) and development teams, we go on a mission to make sure you with bright and brimming ideas do not travel through Hyborian cyber-space unnoticed and unheard.

"The most simple rule of thumb or piece of advice I can give as far as feedback goes is this "Ideas are plentiful, solutions are rare" it's not the brainstorming a basic premise or cool idea that creates the challenge, it's finding a way to make it happen." - Jason Stone (Game Designer)

You might know how to walk "the walk", but do you know how to talk "the talk"? Even if you do know, let's see how we can make our communication with Funcom QA and developers more effective!

Formation combat! Finally, players will actually have to use their brains and think tactically as they deploy their troops and get their guildmates to take position on the battlefield or in the dungeons strewn across Hyboria. Combined "real-time combat" with RTS gameplay; it's the perfect marriage!

" Formations are also the best offense and defense against other formations. In a paper-scissors-rock type approach, 'Age of Conan' will offer a unique PvP and PvE approach to tactical combat."

This fortnight, a look to the past at what will herald your very own stories of glory and valour in 'Age of Conan'.

Beta is here! While we salivate over our keyboards hitting the 'Refresh' button on our web-browsers every 30 seconds to see if that invitation has arrived, we're told:

"...beta testing is much more than fun and games (excuse the pun) and those who are admitted into the beta are expected to provide useful feedback to the developers. It's an important job, and though we do hope you will have fun during the beta process, we're also depending on you to help us bring the game up to the level of quality we all want."

This fortnight, it's important to keep in mind a few "dos" and "don'ts" if you do get that invite.