Age of Conan going F2P

[Tach Deneva]

Admiral, there be details HERE!

Crom!

See also the official website: http://ageofconan.com/

‘Age of Conan’ goes FREE and UNRATED

‘Age of Conan’ soon available in a savage, sexy and brutal UNRATED version featuring a hybrid business model.

Durham, USA – May 25th, 2011 – Funcom is excited to announce that the award-winning and critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online game ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’ will receive a digital re-launch this summer under the new name ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’. As well as reaffirming its position as the sexiest and most savage MMO in the world, ‘Age of Conan: Unrated’ will also feature a hybrid business model allowing anyone to freely roam the vast lands of Hyboria either as free players or premium subscribers with access to extra content.

When will the hybrid model be launched?

The current plan is to switch to this new model during summer 2011.

[Softball]

Oh yeeeeea!! Been waiting for this to happen. Now let's see if I will have access to my Ranger when this goes live. I'll check out the info when I have time, but I wonder if the F2P will have PVP or no PVP, or both? Looking forward to this for sure...

[Hammer]

unrated is not good - at least in my household. needs to be family oriented, not young, single adult oriented. oh well. or am i taking that opposite what it means and unrated means it will be family viewable?

[Tach Deneva]

Just found out yesterday that Age of Conan Unchained (free to play, that is) launched June 30th. D'oh! Anyway, I downloaded it and played a little today.

Evidently the way it works is, you initially download around 7 Gigs, which is the tutorial and supposedly the 'first 5 hours' of play. While you're playing that, more stuff is downloading in the background. Alternately, there seems to be an option to download *everything*, which I supposed would be best if you've got a happy fast connection. From what I gather the entire thing is around 20 gigs.

Free players can make 2 characters. There are different types of servers, some for PVP, some for PVE. I put my two characters on Wiccana, which is a PVE server. Your choice of class is very limited as a free player - for example, my Cimmerian could only choose the Guardian or Barbarian classes - and there's at least one race (Khitan) that seems to require the recent expansion to unlock.

Well, heck, here's the info - look it up!

http://aoc.wikia.com/wiki/Introduction/Age_of_Conan
http://www.ageofconan.com/

As for the 'unrated' aspect, well, female characters can run about with their mammary glands exposed (even while wearing armor - it's a cosmetic thing). If there's an option for 'auto-clothing' other people's toons I didn't see it.


Edit: okay, while I was playing this morning - after downloading the initial 7 gigs - about 9 more gigs downloaded, so my Age of Conan folder is now a little over 16 gigabytes.

[Tach Deneva]

Here be me Priestess of Mitra getting started. Note the skimpy outfit. She got several different tops as drops during the tutorial, but it wasn't until much later that she finally got some pants. Also note the blood splattering - another 'unrated' aspect.



Here's another view. My male Cimmerian Guardian started with part of an oar for a weapon, but my Priestess started with a broken bottle.



Finally, some clothes! Not particularly fashionable, but much better protection.



One more - don't try this at home kids. She was waaaaaaay up on the side of a volcano at this point.

[Softball]

I wonder if I can transfer my character from the server (PvP) my character(s) is on? (Edit: Looks like you need to have a paid account to transfer characters) Hmmmm, I guess I should make a new character though, so we are all close to the same level. I'll try and get this DLed tonight.

I may subscribe for a month to get Premium account status and see what's new. I also wonder if I will get the expansion stuff for subscribing or if it's an additional cost?

[Tach Deneva]

I may subscribe for a month to get Premium account status and see what's new. I also wonder if I will get the expansion stuff for subscribing or if it's an additional cost?

I dunno, but after playing up to level 19 with my Priestess of Mitra, I can say that I've enjoyed the experience so far and would really like to make a Khitan character - which requires the 'Rise of the Godslayer' expansion.

Oh, and so far I've only noticed two player character females running around topless.

[Softball]

I believe you get the expansion when you subscribe. Not positive, but look at the comparison chart, it shows subscribers as getting access to expansion areas:

Scroll to bottom of page: http://www.ageofconan.com/playfree

Content Free Premium
Character Classes 4 available Full Access
AC:HA Adventure Zones Full access Full access
AC:RotG Adventure Zones
(including Faction system) Gateway to Khitai Full Access
Dungeons Non-premium Full Access
Raids 2 available Full Access
Sieges Unavailable Full Access
Personal Bank Space 50% Normal
Character Slots 2 (max 18) 8 (max 18)
Guild Renown Full access Full access
Alternative Advancement Unavailable Full Access
Mount Training Basic Only Full Access
Offline Levels Unavailable Normal Gain
Veteran Points Unavailable Normal Gain
Item Shop Discount None 10%

[Softball]

Ok, I got the game installed and finally got logged in. I was a bit off on my characters from when I played 3 years ago.
I have 3 characters:

ON TYRANNY:
(72) Aquilonian Ranger - Lomak
(50) Cimmerian Dark Templar - Ledusa
(28) Cimmerian Priest of Mitra - Lourdesa

ON WICCANA:
(13) Cimmerian Bear Shaman - Dejaneera

[Tach Deneva]

Hey Softball,

go into your AoC account and put this

lionsgatebonus

in the key registration thing to get "Amra's Noble Mane" which seems to be some sort of cloak.

Edit: Yup, it's a cloak.

[Softball]

My wife might start playing too, I got her setup last night.

[Tach Deneva]

Cool. I played my Khitan Assassin a little more last night and today. She was level 12 after I completed the level 10 Night 'Awakening' stuff. It's cool how different classes get slightly altered versions of the same missions.

[Softball]

Yes, and the Awakening stuff is at night. I just got the quest to go switch the blood for the ritual at the volcano.

I'm really enjoying the Bear Shaman so far, lots of toys .....errrrr.....powers to play with. I just started adding points to my Bear Shaman skill tree, "Blood Flow" and "Empowered Renewal" are both pretty sweet. +50% Damage buff on next attack and an AoE Heal. Muy bueno.

[Tach Deneva]

Ah, I think I see how the Awakening story arc works for different classes: each class participates in the events at different points along the timeline. For instance, one of the things my assassin had to do was sneak up and watch Arias get taken by the Red Hand Guards - but my Guardian's first interaction with Arias happens after he's already escaped from them and is hiding out on the White Sands Isle. Cool.

[Tach Deneva]

My Khitan Assassin, Xiaolen, is now 30! Whee.

My Priest of Mitra, Aerlen, is 22.

My Stygian Demonologist, Nephret, is 18.

And Softball was on comms for three days without being on comms!

[Softball]

Lol yea, I forgot to log out on Friday night. I was out of town on Saturday and doing IT support all day / night on Sunday. No games for me this last weekend. *sad face*

[Tach Deneva]

Keepers:

Assassin: 36!
Priest of Mitra: 22!
Demonologist: 21!
Dark Templar: 20!
Ranger: 14!


Considering:

Bear Shaman - think I'll make one of these my 'free 50'.
Barbarian - seems like fun.
Necromancer - not a fan of minions/pets, but evidence suggests going petless is viable.
Conqueror - played one up to level 5 but decided I didn't like looks of the character I'd created.
Guardian - I have one at level 10, my first AoC character, but not sure if I'll keep him.

Rejected:

Herald of Xotli - got one up to level 9 before deciding I just don't like the demon form. Same problem I have with Stone tankers in City of Heroes - the powers obscure the character and defeat the purpose of character customization.


Untried:

Tempest of Set - just haven't got around to trying it yet.

[Tach Deneva]

"To celebrate the two millionth addition to the Barbarian army, everyone who logs in before Monday the 29th, will be able to claim The King's Reward pack from the item store on one character on their account. The reward pack, which can be found in the 'special offers' tab in the store, contains a selection of potions and is yours absolutely free - a thank you from us for your loyalty to King Conan! Remember to be on the correct character when you claim it however, as these are limited to one per account! So make sure you log in and claim your reward!"

[Tach Deneva]

Horsie!



Wallie!



Horses *look* better in LOTRO but I think the riding animations are a lot more horsey in AoC. Plus, in AoC your toon actually SITS in the saddle with his/her feet in the stirrups while holding the reins. No stirrups or reins in LOTRO.

[Softball]

I believe you can fight from your horse as well in AoC.

I hit level 23 or 24 (can't remember which) last night. Slowly but surely getting up there. I've been running around doing the quests in Conarch village, decent XP. My wife started playing last night, made a Barbarian named "Vonnya." I'm going make another character so I can help her level. I'm thinking a PoM, as I'm really liking the healer classes. Also, on the F2P side of things, they only get 1/2 a bag for inventory; kinda lame.

Tach, any idea how the "Alternative" Feats work? I see points going into it but I am not able to choose any of them. I guess I'll have read up on this but I was just wondering if you knew anything about it.