[Chop-Chop]

Right... the answer to the OP's first question: I was getting tired of the old routines of MMOs filled with elves and orcs. Then I heard about an upcoming game called Age of Conan. I read about it for months before launch. Closer to launch, I was still unsure whether this really was my kind of thing (despite of me having enjoyed Conan for years). A friend of mine had already made a decision, and that partly helped me to make up my own mind. So I pre-ordered the CE box and entered the game with early access.

I made a toon on a PvE server, made some nice progress, and after two weeks my friend left the game. By that time I realised that the server was not really my cup of tea, and eventually I wanted to make a fresh start on a RP server (if I remember correctly, there was no RP server at launch). There were no character transfer options this early in the game's history, so I had to start from scratch. And the rest is history. I've been here ever since (except a several months long break in late 2008).

The answer to question number two is simple: It was not the promised brutality, bar fights or anything like that that made me play in the first place. It was the boobs. I wanted to see if they bounced. They didn't. Then I thought, well, surely in a future patch there'll be bouncing hooters. Patch after patch arrived, no bouncing boobs. Yet this glimmer of hope kept me going, and to this day I am still here because I hope that at some point in the future, there'll be bouncing boobs in Hyboria.

Wait.

That was not it.

The boobs had nothing to do with it. Silly me. What has kept me playing, is the impressive story-writing. Some quest lines are incredibly well written, and I think that the story-driven part of this game is very underrated out there. There's a vast amount of quality writing that'd make Robert E. Howard proud. He'd approve of this game, I'm sure of it.

On top of that, the music is in my opinion the best in any video game. Mindblowing. And the combat system wins me over time after time. The graphics and landscape design really make great impact on me too.

Here's to hoping that AoC will last for many more years. I'm looking forward to the new crafting system, and who knows, maybe we'll even have player housing some day (that'd be better than bouncing boobs anyway).

[Misiuggah]

Ummm, but boobs are bouncing - just not while you're idle, only during animations.

[Kurt777]

Just buy a camel.

[Chop-Chop]

Camel... most likely not an option. Unless you are truly desperate, or if your name is Aladeen and your camel is called Osama.

If boobs are indeed bouncing in-game during animations, then they do not bounce enough (my own toons' animations during fights is not my main focus anyway). Suggestion to devs: Introduce a new combat combo called Boobytrap. It could have an awesome fatality animation that lives up to its name... wink wink, nudge nudge

But this is getting rather off topic now, so back on track: Happy birthday AoC... may you never run out of choppable heads

[Nemathap]

"Happy Birthday AoC - 4th Year Anniversary " = Most boring action ever

[stage]

Another great video by Henry:
http://youtu.be/00dHRBaX-f0
I guess this goes out to Craig and all the (hundreds of) guys that worked and continue to work on this great game, may you resolve the last issues quickly.

[Padme]

Awesome video

Funcom should use this material to advertise and bring players back to game. It inspires people to play again.

I think Funcom has still gold in their hands but don't realize it

If they keep up the good work and then advertise after everything works as intended they can get a fresh new start.

Here a nice song to inspire players to come back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g5KYv2oqXk




Padme

[evangarstorm]

after 4 years, its still best looking MMO around. (whatever would someone say as opposite - plz, don't put in my eyes tons of so kiddish artstyle games)

[Nolenthar]

That's silly how a fan can make such an awesome advertisement whereas sometime we feel like Funcom doesn't even want to try.

This will turn up to be a niche game, but please promote fan content, they can really turn the tides.

Good job Funcom and Henryx