After playing the AoC PvP Weekend and getting the opportunity to experience characters from levels 1-6 in PvE and at level 20 in a templated form of PvP, we have been left with more questions than we had going into the event. We have several burning questions in the back of our minds that can not go unanswered. These questions will determine not only what class and server type we choose but if we even play the game at all. Right now there is still a NDA in place and the answers to these questions, for the most part, are probably going to have to wait until closer to release. Maybe some of them can be answered now and the info was just overlooked; that’s why we want to pose these questions now.
There is no particular format or order for these questions. Graev and I simply wrote them down as we thought of them.
- Does the Soldier archetype improve later in levels? (Right now it feels very weak)
- Can the Soldier archetype step out of “tank mode” and fill another role in a group or are they destined to be a meatshield forever? (Example: Can I be a DPS Dark Templar?)
- Do the Demonologist and Necromancer eventually deal real damage?
- Is the PvE similar to WoW? aka: Questing from 1-80 and then raiding for gear over and over. If not then what is it like? Questing or Grinding to level? Raiding for gear? Group dungeons for gear?
- If I don’t have a big guild am I screwed? Right now I have a group of 3 that I play with but that’s it.
- In what way is the Border Kingdom different from the mini-games? Details!
- Is it worth it to be a mercenary for blood money or is it just some cheap idea that falls by the wayside because no one ever needs a mercenary?
- Will gear be super important to your character like in WoW or will it be more like WAR where the gear is 25% of your character and skill+abilities = most important?
- What does PvP Exp get me?
- Losing PvP experience on death seems harsh… why would I participate in these Mini-games just to lose more exp than I gain?
- How much will it cost to respec feats and will there be a limit to the number of times you can respec? Need as much detail as possible here!
More questions will be added throughout the day. As they are answered they will be moved below with their answer. If you have any questions that you are just dying to ask feel free to leave a comment. Maybe what you want to know isn’t covered by the NDA. Note: Please do not violate the NDA because your comment will be deleted.
Click ‘More’ for the questions that have been answered.
Is Spell Weaving going to be in the game? If so how does it work?
“We are working hard on the features we haven’t shown off in beta, features we have held back on purpose to have some new revelations at launch. Among these are spellweaving, massive PVP, and DirectX 10 [graphics]â€
“I played with spellweaving the other day, and I must say: It is a very scary experience. My necromancer character had dark matter and skulls growing out of the ground everywhere around her, and gradually my powers changed. Spells that normally were applied to only a single target started spreading out and damaging huge belts of opponents in a cascading madness. It’s a truly unique feature I am very excited about.â€
Can small guilds (really small) have cities or any form of property?
“3.8 But I’m in a small guild! We don’t have the manpower to hold something like that.
Building, maintaining, and defending a battlekeep does take a lot of resources and manpower, and it’s not something every guild has the capacity to do. Spread over the Border Kingdom, you will find something we call towers, which function like mini-battlekeeps that can be captured and held by smaller guilds. While they do not give the same benefits as battlekeeps, it will definitely be worthwhile to control these structures, as well.â€
“What’s for lunch? (Teehee! -Graev)”
I snuck home for lunch, fixed myself some spaghetti with a few pieces of toast, play some of my freshly download Assassin’s Creed and listent to your podcast. Good times.
Now i’m back “at work” and doing this.
I contribute nothing. Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone.
Firstly I would like to state that I only recently have found you guys, and that I give you guys lots of kudos for everything that goes on here. I will be a regular.
My questions, not being in the beta and moderate knowledge of the game.
1. I have heard that when you buy the game you can play single player for free unlimited. If so, is it only to level 20? and if you can go all the way to 80 is the single player enough to purchase the game for.
2. Being P2P there are some cautions that I take in planning on buying the game. I need to make sure that this is the best choice to get. Are there any other games out or coming out that offer the same amount of gameplay for a one time fee of buying the game or is it just not possible?
Thanks.
Hate to sound like a broken record, but again, great points made in the post. I haven’t yet listened to the podcast because I forgot my headphones 🙁 but I’m eager to listen once I get back home. Keep up the good work!
P.S. If I find out anything that might answer these questions in the forums or elsewhere, I’ll be sure to share.
I’m hoping that gear plays a relatively minor role in the overall individual power of a player, so that I can dress my barbarian however I want.
Given that this is Hyboria, and the biggest badass ever often did just fine with a loincloth and sandals (although mail saved his ass on a number of occasions), I’d like the option to do the same– or at least wear whatever looks cool instead of what I need for stats.
I to am wondering about which type of server I should play on. I’m looking forward to the border kingdom pvp, but I don’t want to get to lv 80 on a pve server and find out that I have to be in some big large guild to be able to participate in the pvp. I’m more like you guys and prefer to solo and do the small group thing, I don’t want to be forced into joining a large guild and always having to group to pvp.
/quote
Will gear be super important to your character like in WoW or will it be more like WAR where the gear is 25% of your character and skill+abilities = most important?
/quote
It’s most important question for me, hopefully classes will be fixed on time and real balanced. Skilled players should have profit from it. I hate when grinders easly pwns you berause they spend 24/7 on grinding honor (or how it will be called in AoC).
Regards
Rhho
“3.8 But I’m in a small guild! We don’t have the manpower to hold something like that.
Building, maintaining, and defending a battlekeep does take a lot of resources and manpower, and it’s not something every guild has the capacity to do. Spread over the Border Kingdom, you will find something we call towers, which function like mini-battlekeeps that can be captured and held by smaller guilds. While they do not give the same benefits as battlekeeps, it will definitely be worthwhile to control these structures, as well.”
http://community.ageofconan.com/wsp/conan/frontend.cgi?func=publish.show&template=content&func_id=2336&table=CONTENT
From everything I’ve read, spell-weaving will be in the final product. If it’s not, it will be a significant letdown to the community.
I hope I don’t have to raid in the endgame. I tend to solo or play in small groups (still need to convince my friends/coworkers!) due to the fact that I can’t normally log on until late in the evening. I usually miss most raids due to that. Hopefully decent gear can be obtained through quest chains (not repetitive “daily’s”!) or crafting as well.
The big battles in the border kingdom is what I’m interested in. Mass carnage! Swords swinging, magic flying, mounts trampling… hopefully it isn’t all hype or just for the big guilds.
@KT
Carnage! You and me both!!
Waaagh!!!….opps…I mean….Rahh?
Keen&Graev hey guys love your website. One thing I wanted to say about your PVP weekend at AOC. I think Balance is very important but wanted to make a comment about your saying it was unbalanced.
You were playing all them classes at level 20 right? I know I am right because I watched all your videos on youtube, anyway what I wanted to say is a game with say 60 levels for an example is imposible to make every class Balanced on each and every level. So at level 20 you cant get upset yet.
Example: If you take a level 20 Ranger that may at level 20 already have a special move that is good and a mage at level 20 that does not have a great spell till level 22 then the Ranger is going to win but at level 22 the mage may kick that rangers ass at 22 because maybe the ranger does not get another kool skill till level 24.
Anyway what I want to say is alot of games the PVP Balances out more when people are at max level witch is important because now you have all your stuff unlocked and everyone should have a good Balance.
“Is Spell Weaving going to be in the game? If so how does it work?”
Since I can’t play WoW after watching these videos… 🙂
I found this quote on the official forum, which linked to a gamespot interview with Gaute from 4/18:
“We are working hard on the features we haven’t shown off in beta, features we have held back on purpose to have some new revelations at launch. Among these are spellweaving, massive PVP, and DirectX 10 [graphics]”
“I played with spellweaving the other day, and I must say: It is a very scary experience. My necromancer character had dark matter and skulls growing out of the ground everywhere around her, and gradually my powers changed. Spells that normally were applied to only a single target started spreading out and damaging huge belts of opponents in a cascading madness. It’s a truly unique feature I am very excited about.”
So I would say it will be in the game. Good news for us!
I have a question:
Is there a difference in damage or range in FPS mode for a ranger? If not whats the advantage?
Vort, I think the FPS mode was just a cool feature they discussed. I could be wrong though, not totally sure. Maybe it used your actual aiming more than just auto aiming.
I’m still looking forward to AoC after all the vids. I was in the tech test two weeks ago but missed out on the pvp one.
My only concern now is what class to play. With the assassins being bugged, many will want to play them live thinking they will do crazy dmg. I wanted to play them but would hate to end up with an overplayed class like I did in Wow. I guess in a guild it wouldn’t matter possibly but who knows. I was thinking about a healer as my only healer was in CoH which I liked for the two months it entertained me. However the PoM souunds just awful adn the ToS sounds sweet. Hmm, I’ve never played a caster but they seem to squish right now. I would possibly try the guardian but would hate to not be able to do enough dmg to kill anything. So it may be Barbarian for me.
I wish there was soem pictures or something of high lv content armor sets & such. The assassins with their veils and silk look really nice from what I’ve seen but I haven’t seen a barbarian pic that really stuck me as something I would like to run around looking like. I did like the caster visuals though so that might do the trick.
My preorder is from best buy so I’ll have the rhino mount not that that really matters. I think you can buy any of them later. I actually am looking forward towards a camel. =)
Woohooo preorder avalible in my contry! i have my own cope ordered allready!
Besides what popcorn said, there are new intresting classes in AoC, dicided for Herald of Xotli, dreamead abut class like that from the time of Neverwinter Nights 2.
1#: Does the Soldier archetype improve later in levels? (Right now it feels very weak)
Class balancing overall, is something that will tune itself in, you must remember that the client you were running in the PvP Weekend wasn’t even the latest BETA client, so the latest balancing fixed wasn’t even in that build.
But when it comes to balancing classes, that’s something which always have to be worked on. I haven’t really seen any MMO yet which have offered something close to perfect balancing at release. Also when it comes to the classes, they are very different at level 80 than they are at level 20. You get two more directions to hit, and completely different comobs etc.. So the classes feeling weak at level 20, don’t need to be the weakest when you finally hit level 80.
Just think of Mage in World of Warcraft, I feel darn weak from level 15 – 40, but when I finally reached level 40 I start to shine.
And the soldier arch class itself isn’t that weak, the Conqueror is one of the classes am the most satisfied with. Very balanced when it comes to damage-output and armour / HP.
After what I’ve heard most people think the Guardian for instance go too much damage, and can take too less.
2#: Can the Soldier archetype step out of “tank mode†and fill another role in a group or are they destined to be a meat shield forever? (Example: Can I be a DPS Dark Templar?)
After what I’ve heard, all the soldiers are getting different stances so they can have different roles depending on what their groups need. So I guess a Dark Templar could be the tank, healer and dps.
But of course, the soldiers are best suited to be tanks (beside of the Conqueror perhaps?), so in most groups where you got a priest, soldier, mage and priest the soldier class would be the best suited tank.
3#: Do the Demonologist and Necromancer eventually deal real damage?
The pets are being worked on, and after what I’ve heard both the demonologist and necromancer are just getting better and better the higher level you get. And the major issue with these classes today is the lack of spellweaving, when that is getting added right before release (yes it has been tested, and WILL be in) I think the damage-output will be a entirely different story for the spell casters.
4#: Is the PvE similar to WoW? aka: Questing from 1-80 and then raiding for gear over and over. If not then what is it like? Questing or Grinding to level? Raiding for gear? Group dungeons for gear?
The games isn’t that gear depended, but the end game for PvE-players will be stuff like raids and dungeons.
But it more for just fun, rather than something you need to do to get better gear so you can advance in the game.
Of course there will be some good loot in the raid dungeons, but instead of giving you a boost, you get cool equipment instead. So the special loot will look really cool, and give your character a epic feeling, rather than give your character a boost so you are almost invulnerable against others without raid loot.
And of course there will be lots of really cool and challenging raid content, with massive and really cool bosses.
5#: If I don’t have a big guild am I screwed? Right now I have a group of 3 that I play with but that’s it.
You don’t need a guild to play, on a normal / PvE server you will be able to play your way up to level 80 without any major issues. Of course some groups will be required to do some of the content, but you don’t need a huge guild to play. The PvE endgame will also be possible to do without a guild, though it might be hard to get a decent raid group without a guild, but it’s possible.
You can also enjoy the various of PvP mini-games that will be in the game without a guild.
But there will be some content of the game you wont see without a guild, like you will never be able to have your own guild city in either Border Kingdoms nor in PvE.
I guess you will also have a rather hard time in Border Kingdoms without a guild.
6#: In what way is the Border Kingdom different from the mini-games? Details!
This I really don’t know. You will have these huge guild cities battles, and that will be great fun!
It also opens up for more tactic based combats, where huge guilds can have massive fights between each other.
Here the collation system also come in, where guilds can have lines of guardians in front, and polearm people behind and rangers behind them again, so their opponent can’t get though etc..
7#: Is it worth it to be a mercenary for blood money or is it just some cheap idea that falls by the wayside because no one ever needs a mercenary?
I don’t really know much about the blood-money at all..
8#: Will gear be super important to your character like in WoW or will it be more like WAR where the gear is 25% of your character and skill+abilities = most important?
The idea is that gear shouldn’t be that important, of course a player with a massive club with twice the damage then you will have an advantage. But in the long run Funcom tried to make the game depend on how well you mix and do your combos and abilities. Also the tactic of your team is critical.
9#: What does PvP Exp get me?
PvP Experience is like PvE experience, it will grant you new levels, and new special PvP combos and abilities.
10#: Losing PvP experience on death seems harsh… why would I participate in these Mini-games just to lose more exp than I gain?
* What’s for lunch? (Teehee! -Graev)
1#: Does the Soldier archetype improve later in levels? (Right now it feels very weak)
Class balancing overall, is something that will tune itself in, you must remember that the client you were running in the PvP Weekend wasn’t even the latest BETA client, so the latest balancing fixed wasn’t even in that build.
But when it comes to balancing classes, that’s something which always have to be worked on. I haven’t really seen any MMO yet which have offered something close to perfect balancing at release. Also when it comes to the classes, they are very different at level 80 than they are at level 20. You get two more directions to hit, and completely different comobs etc.. So the classes feeling weak at level 20, don’t need to be the weakest when you finally hit level 80.
Just think of Mage in World of Warcraft, I feel darn weak from level 15 – 40, but when I finally reached level 40 I start to shine.
And the soldier arch class itself isn’t that weak, the Conqueror is one of the classes am the most satisfied with. Very balanced when it comes to damage-output and armour / HP.
After what I’ve heard most people think the Guardian for instance go too much damage, and can take too less.
2#: Can the Soldier archetype step out of “tank mode†and fill another role in a group or are they destined to be a meat shield forever? (Example: Can I be a DPS Dark Templar?)
After what I’ve heard, all the soldiers are getting different stances so they can have different roles depending on what their groups need. So I guess a Dark Templar could be the tank, healer and dps.
But of course, the soldiers are best suited to be tanks (beside of the Conqueror perhaps?), so in most groups where you got a priest, soldier, mage and priest the soldier class would be the best suited tank.
3#: Do the Demonologist and Necromancer eventually deal real damage?
The pets are being worked on, and after what I’ve heard both the demonologist and necromancer are just getting better and better the higher level you get. And the major issue with these classes today is the lack of spellweaving, when that is getting added right before release (yes it has been tested, and WILL be in) I think the damage-output will be a entirely different story for the spell casters.
4#: Is the PvE similar to WoW? aka: Questing from 1-80 and then raiding for gear over and over. If not then what is it like? Questing or Grinding to level? Raiding for gear? Group dungeons for gear?
The games isn’t that gear depended, but the end game for PvE-players will be stuff like raids and dungeons.
But it more for just fun, rather than something you need to do to get better gear so you can advance in the game.
Of course there will be some good loot in the raid dungeons, but instead of giving you a boost, you get cool equipment instead. So the special loot will look really cool, and give your character a epic feeling, rather than give your character a boost so you are almost invulnerable against others without raid loot.
And of course there will be lots of really cool and challenging raid content, with massive and really cool bosses.
5#: If I don’t have a big guild am I screwed? Right now I have a group of 3 that I play with but that’s it.
You don’t need a guild to play, on a normal / PvE server you will be able to play your way up to level 80 without any major issues. Of course some groups will be required to do some of the content, but you don’t need a huge guild to play. The PvE endgame will also be possible to do without a guild, though it might be hard to get a decent raid group without a guild, but it’s possible.
You can also enjoy the various of PvP mini-games that will be in the game without a guild.
But there will be some content of the game you wont see without a guild, like you will never be able to have your own guild city in either Border Kingdoms nor in PvE.
I guess you will also have a rather hard time in Border Kingdoms without a guild.
6#: In what way is the Border Kingdom different from the mini-games? Details!
This I really don’t know. You will have these huge guild cities battles, and that will be great fun!
It also opens up for more tactic based combats, where huge guilds can have massive fights between each other.
Here the collation system also come in, where guilds can have lines of guardians in front, and polearm people behind and rangers behind them again, so their opponent can’t get though etc..
7#: Is it worth it to be a mercenary for blood money or is it just some cheap idea that falls by the wayside because no one ever needs a mercenary?
I don’t really know much about the blood-money at all..
8#: Will gear be super important to your character like in WoW or will it be more like WAR where the gear is 25% of your character and skill+abilities = most important?
The idea is that gear shouldn’t be that important, of course a player with a massive club with twice the damage then you will have an advantage. But in the long run Funcom tried to make the game depend on how well you mix and do your combos and abilities. Also the tactic of your team is critical.
9#: What does PvP Exp get me?
PvP Experience is like PvE experience, it will grant you new levels, and new special PvP combos and abilities.
10#: Losing PvP experience on death seems harsh… why would I participate in these Mini-games just to lose more exp than I gain?
The reason why they implanted this, is to make all the PvP more serious. In World of Warcraft you simply join a battleground and don’t really care that much if you die, loose or whatever. Since no matter the outcome you actually gain honour points. So no matter how well you or your team do it in the battle, you don’t lose anything, you gain honour.
To make the PvP battles more serious in Age of Conan they’ve implanted these PvP-levels and PvP-experience system.
So if you just rush into the battle and die, you get have to suffer. You can’t simply join and play like a jurk and still get something out of it, here you have to bleed to advance.
You also have to remember that if you gain enough PvP Experience to become PvP level 2, you can never drop down to level 1 again.
Re Dark Templar DPS.
There’s now some information on Dark Templar feats in the WIKI. The different feat trees are Depravity and Desecration. Quote: “Depravity Templars mainly focus on DPS, while Desecration Templars excel in their healing and tanking roles”.
I’m rather hoping that FC won’t impose a penalty for changing one’s feat tree as happens in WoW for instance. I hope it works more like Guild Wars, where you can quickly change builds in towns for different purposes.
play with but that’s it.
You don’t need a guild to play, on a normal / PvE server you will be able to play your way up to level 80 without any major issues. Of course some groups will be required to do some of the content, but you don’t need a huge guild to play. The PvE endgame will also be possible to do without a guild, though it might be hard to get a decent raid group without a guild, but it’s possible.
“You can also enjoy the various of PvP mini-games that will be in the game without a guild.
But there will be some content of the game you wont see without a guild, like you will never be able to have your own guild city in either Border Kingdoms nor in PvE.
I guess you will also have a rather hard time in Border Kingdoms without a guild.”
This response troubles me deeply.
Latest take I can find on respeccing feats (from ask Kalanthes #2):
“In the current beta build, it’s possible to reset your feats at the push of a button (largely because we’re interested in getting everything tested out). There may be a small fee or timer or some other penalty to encourage you not to change with every shift of the winds, but we’re still working out precisely what that would and should be.”
So looks like they intend to make it reasonably easy.
I believe the did mention that when it is day time you will be in PvE mode and at night you will be in PVP mode. I would think people wont be able to attack you in daytime mode. so that you can PvE to level. I read this along time ago in an interview, so I am not sure if it has change since then.