Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

1. Age of Conan:Hyborian Adventures A Game Review by Nathan Palmer

2. Basic Info • Based on the world created by author Robert E. Howard • Game created by Funcom, co-published by Funcom and Eidos • Game Type - MMORPG • Price • Initial Release: $49.99 USD • Current: $19.99 USD • $14.99 per month for online play after first month

3. System Specs • Minimal Stated System Specs • Recommended Resolution: (1024 x 768) • Intel Pentium 4 – 3.0 GHz or equivalent • 1 GB RAM • ATI Radeon 9800/nVidia GeForce 6600 • 32 GB free hard disk space • Actual System Specs from Experience • Resolution Used: (1440 x 900) • Intel Core 2 Duo – 2.0 GHz or equivalent • At least 2 GB RAM • Dedicated video card with at least 512 MB memory • 32 GB free hard disk space

4. Installation • Game can be run off of a purchased disk or downloaded from authorized sites • Once installed the game is run from then on using a patcher that will update game files as necessary and launch the game • Note: the game takes a considerable amount of hard disk space compared to the average computer game

5. Overview • MMORPG focused heavily on Player vs. Player combat • Combat designed to be more “action-packed” • Game can be played beginning to end solo • Best experience comes from playing in groups, generally consisting of 6 people • Game play activities include: • Player vs. Environment (PVE): leveling, collecting items, crafting • Player vs. Player (PVP): combating enemy guilds, bragging rights, gaining PVP levels

6. Story Line Your Character You begin as a nameless slave with a strange mark tattooed on your chest. The ship transporting you is attacked and you are one of very few to survive thanks to the assistance of some unknown deity. You awaken on an island and encounter a strange old man who tells you that you have been marked by destiny to accomplish a very important task. The World Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard is now the king of the most powerful empire in the world, but his empire is starting to fall apart. Enemies from all over are rising to challenge him and the king’s soldiers are not enough to stop them. Even worse is the rumor that some dark power might be behind everything that has been occurring. The call has been put out for all brave men and women to help stop this dark power.

7. Player’s Role • Sandbox Style • Player free to roam and progress as he or she wishes, for the most part • A player’s level is the only limit to what they can do • The point of the game is to progress through the levels completing quests, and in the process fulfill the “destiny” described in the storyline. • Once at maximum level there are several activities to perform including crafting, raiding, and PVP

8. Game Play • Player vs. Environment • PVE (player vs. environment) game play is mostly story-driven early on with more side quests later on • Quests between levels 20 and 80 not as based on the overall storyline • Endgame (level 80) PVE consists of 24-man raid zones and some 6-man zones

9. Game Play (cont.) • Player vs. Player • Game focuses on this aspect more than most previous MMO’s • Sieges - guilds can defend and attack battle keeps (48 man teams) • Mini-games – 6 man team games with different objectives • World PVP • Crafting • Different resource types gathered from around the game world • Using recipes found or learned from NPC’s the player can craft items to use, trade or sell

10. User Interface • Button Slots: used to hold and spells, abilities or macros the player wishes to put there • Personal and Target’s Indicators: show the health, mana and stamina of yourself and your target • Chat Windows • Mini-Map • Group Window: shows group members and their stats • Tool Shortcuts: opens windows for inventory, player attributes, feats, etc. • FPS and Latency Bar: hovering over the bar shows player’s latency and frames per second, the bar changes color as latency increases

11. Scoring • No formal scoring system • Players’ PVE score could be determined by their level and gear • Players’ PVP score could be determined by their mini-game points and PVP level • Guilds can be scored by their numbers, success in sieges and world PVP • Bragging rights

12. Artwork • The games graphics are quite good, some of the best in the genre • Made to use dx10 • Settings and characters in the world are detailed and unique to the game • There is some reuse of NPC models • Character creation isn’t quite as extensive as it could be, so some players will look very similar

13. Sound and Music Sound • Game sound is high quality and there is not too much repetition of sounds for different purposes • Game supports multiple sound settings and speaker configurations • No built in voice chat Music • Music has an epic feel • Different music for different zones, music matches the surroundings • Music changes to alert player of something going on in the game • Example – Music changes to alert player that something is attacking

14. Special Features • Game is detailed and has many features considered normal for a game of this genre • Special features could include… • Game Forums – to discuss different aspects of the game with other people and the creators • Extra Purchase Options – players can buy additional character slots, server transfers, and character name changes • Specialty Items – For example, if a player pre-ordered the game they receive special items

15. Manual • Instruction Manual • installing and running the game • changing game settings • How to read and use the UI • Much information received by asking for assistance from experienced players, GM’s and through trial and error

16. Bugs • Server Instability • “Lag Spikes” • Better than at launch but still the games biggest issue • Causes lag and disconnects • Memory Leaks • Most noticeable when crossing multiple zones • Very bad at launch, much improved now but still some present • Cause graphical issues and game crashes • Quests Bugs/Glitches • Were quite a few, now only a few remaining that I have seen or heard of recently • Player Exploits • Players exploiting game mechanics to achieve some advantage they wouldn’t normally have • Third-Party “Hack” Programs • External programs that give players different abilities they are not supposed to have • Most functions of these programs have been blocked, but some still present

17. The Good • Very good graphics • Game earns the M for mature rating • Game is fast paced and can be quite intense • Fairly easy to learn, hard to master • Good amount of PVP activities • Easy but profitable crafting system • Arguably the best combat system in any MMORPG • New content still being created • Full expansion announced, likely within the next year

18. The Bad • Server instability • Graphics can be a downfall for players with low end computers • Game earns the M for mature rating • Game bugs can add up to sometimes aggravate players • Could be more PVE content • Some class imbalance between playable classes • Somewhat low, but stable population • May limit player’s choices in some ways • Due to lower population, money going to those maintaining the game is also somewhat low • Issues not fixed as fast • New content not being added as fast

19. Compared to Other MMO’s • Better graphics than most • Arguably the best graphics in the genre • Uses dx10 with great results graphically • Runs somewhat slower than other popular games • Does utilize dual core processors • Depends a lot on player’s hardware • Average amount of content at launch • Better combat than most, maybe all other MMO’s • Combat is more mobile and intense • Better storyline than most games of the genre • Familiar UI style

20. Audience • The game is M for mature and definitely earns the rating • Blood and Gore • Intense Violence • Language • Nudity and Sexual Themes • Appropriate for those 18 or older

21. Design Mistakes • Game is an MMO and uses high-end graphics so hardware requirements are high • Limits players with lower end computers to low graphical setting, game may still run slow • Some low end machines will not be able to run the game at all • M for mature • May keep some from purchasing the game

22. Overall • Faster pace • May be refreshing for those who play a lot of MMO’s • May interest others who haven’t played this type of game before • Great visually, if computer can handle it • Good amount of content, could be better • Population low but not yet to the point of the game failing • Expansion on the way

23. Worth Purchasing? • Yes • Game is only $19.99 now and is much more finished than it was at launch • Price includes free month of play so player can try it for a while and decide if its worth re-subscribing

24. Improvements • Being worked on: • Additional content • Fix memory leaks, server stability and remaining bugs • Balancing/Tweaking classes • The rate at which all of the above gets done depends on the income the game generates • Biggest issue is increasing the game’s population • More marketing, promotions needed