Age of Conan

IGN: Age of Conan released last May and has seen quite a few updates. Yet there's been plenty of movement in the general MMO market, at least as far as AAA titles go. Warhammer Online is out, and there are expansions for The Lord of the Rings Online, EverQuest II, and World of Warcraft. How do you think Age of Conan stacks up right now, and in what ways do you think it's unique?

Craig Morrison: I think the game stacks up very well. The titles mentioned all have different elements to them. I think some things we do better than them, and in some areas they do better than us. Mainly it's down to where the products focused. I think in the areas where those other titles focused we certainly have the opportunity to improve. Warhammer Online has done a great job with its very PvP-centric options, and a game like Lord of the Rings has maintained Turbine's track record of keeping great quest-style content coming into their games after launch.

I think it's safe to say we have the most visceral and beautifully detailed game world ever created for an MMO. Likewise, we have one of the most fun and well-paced combat systems of any of the current crop of MMOs. It feels different and allows for greater freedom of choice in combat. We also have the advantage of a very mature and brutal setting for the game. Tied closely to the visuals, I think it's a very unique setting amongst the current generation of MMOs. No other game out there feels quite like ours does in terms of setting and atmosphere. Stepping into Hyboria you are truly getting something different.
 

IGN: As far as content updates go latest one seems to be fairly significant. It implements a PvP consequence system for the first time. So for players who aren't familiar or haven't logged in for a while, can you explain exactly what the changes are and how they work, as well as how the update fits in with what you see to be the game's strengths?

Craig Morrison: The latest game update did indeed introduce a new consequence system for PvP. Off the back of the PvP leveling system that we had introduced in the previous update this new system brings a deeper meaning to PvP. Basically it introduces real consequences for players' actions. Players will now run the risk of becoming a criminal or even a murderer depending on their actions in PvP.

If you as a player take part in anti-social actions in PvP, picking on weaker foes and such, you will find yourself accruing "murder points" that will eventually mean the attitudes of NPCs in the world will change towards you! Murderers will be outcast from society and will have to depend on new outlaw camps which can be found at remote locations in various different playfields. These NPCs offer the same types of services as you find in the normal cities, camps and outposts around Hyboria, but they charge for their services, a price you have to pay for becoming a dangerous individual to do business with.
There are also a series of "redemption" quests if you wish to repent and return to civilized society. There are characters scattered throughout the outlaw camps that seek to redeem the outlaws of Hyboria and will offer you tasks that can earn back the respect of their respective cultures.

I think it's a really nice, dynamic system that adds a level of authenticity to the game world. Players can become famous or infamous at their discretion. It ties in with the brutal and dangerous world of Hyboria. It adds another interesting element to the PvP area of the game, an area that has been very popular since the launch of the game. I think it has managed a pretty good balance between the needs to protect players from excessive "grief" play while not preventing those who wish to stray down a darker path from doing so. It all ties into creating a visceral and believable interpretation of the harsh world that Howard originally described in the Conan literature while still accounting for the practical considerations that we have to keep in mind for game balance. So I think it adds very neatly into the games core PvP strengths in a unique and interesting way.
 

IGN: How many active subscribers worldwide do you have at this point? If you're not willing to share this number, would you mind explaining why?

Craig Morrison: Being a publically traded company on the stock market here in Norway that's not information I am able to give out. Information like that comes through our financial reporting to the Stock Market.

IGN: What's going on with the Xbox 360 version of Age of Conan?

Craig Morrison: There is a team working on it internally at the moment. There is a lot to consider with a console version so it's still something that is in the works, but we don't have any firm release plans as yet.

IGN: Can you give us a glimpse into the future of Age of Conan? What's being readied for upcoming content patches?

Craig Morrison: We are also in the process of preparing the DirectX 10 version of the game for our public test servers. I am really looking forward to players getting to experience some of the new visual improvements that this new technology allows. It really brings an even further splendor to the game world.

IGN: Where do you see Age of Conan two years from now?

Craig Morrison: I think we will continue to focus on bringing new fun content to the players and further expanding on the world of King Conan. There is some much more for us still to explore. I am excited to get the chance to get involved in an MMO on this scale as early as this since it means we get the chance to introduce new elements that can bring the game world to life even more for the players and engage them in their communities and the experience of the game. That's an area that is very important for me, and we have already started with systems like the PvP consequence system, and will continue to focus on areas like that so that hopefully players feel part of an exciting and dangerous game-world.