Unfortunately, it sems that this discution comes in a little late.

Fortunately, it seems so because Funcom, responsible for the development of Anarchy Online, among others has taken the route to develop Age of Conan on those lines, and giving more than we dared dream. It does sound good. I think 2006 is when I send my wife and daughter back to her mother's, get a job, good wages, and a better computer... When you're single, it seems you have more time to get involved in MMORPGFPSRTS and have fun with it.

Re: Comparing with Age of Conan

Overall, the design of Conan is more peripheral. Some major differences can be seen from these quote from the FAQ section. At this point I am not trying to say which design is better, I am just pointing out the differences.

Quote:

Is the game level based or skill based? "The game is based around a level progression, as you grow stronger more adventures will open up to you, and you will be able to take part in epic battles with other players in many diverse regions of Hyboria."

In BC, the low levels have a place in battles. There is no requirement for a new player to level to some level before they can enjoy battles.

Quote:

Will there be PvP options? Yes there will be PvP gameplay in Age of Conan, we will be announcing more details on the PvP systems closer to release.

The design of PvP is not an add-on in BC. BC is about player-to-player cooperative strategy. It is the foundation of its game experience.

Quote:

What do you mean by Formation Combat? This is a completely new, aspect of multiplayer gameplay. In previous RPGs with indirect point-and-click movement you have seen party based formations, as in the “Baldurs Gate” series for instance. In Conan you can for the first time not only have a formation, but be in direct control of both your character, NPC’s and other players.. The leader of the formation can decide on different formations and the degree of freedom the various players and NPC’s can have within the formation. The formation also serves as a cooperative travel system, yielding beneficial effects to the team as the collision of the formation itself protect the members at the rear. Formations yield beneficial bonuses to members, and offer a new type of depth to a RPG. In some cases it will be essential to pick the right formation to survive.

In BC, Formations are done in three levels.

In the strategy level, the Flag is the 'cooperative travel system'. The Flag also yields beneficial bonuses, but unlike AoC, the Flag itself is more like a character than interchangeable options. Flags have skill sets and can be leveled up and specialized, like a character.

In the battle level, Flags of different composition enters the battle according to their Flag-to-Flag formation. This is a formation across several battle instances. For example, if you want to reach the enemies one instance beyond, you have to penetrate through the enemies at the instance in between.

In the combat level, there is player-player formations. In this case, players are in formation in order to maximize the chance to execute certain combat skills. For example, the players will naturally form Wedge formation not because there is a bonus for choosing the 'Wedge', but because the character at the pinacle of the Wedge is an character that deals melee AE damage. (If you just do a line formation you will be obvious wasting half of your AE arc). Why doesn a wedge penetrates the enemy? Because the enemy is trying to avoid the AE damage. Formations are implemented as emergent proporties of combat.

Quote:

What about Siege Combat? As a player you can cooperate with other players in building cities, with walls, towers and keeps, protecting softer targets like houses, inns and merchants. In the same regions you will have the forces of evil like the Picts not only building their own city, like a real-life Real Time Strategy AI, but with the ability to mount sieges against your city. With ample warning you must return home to protect the walls of your city against enemy catapults and hordes of monsters swarming through the breaches. Yes, the only true way to combat this oncoming evil is to gang up with your friends and take the battle to their walls. Lay siege to their towers, blow them up and see the vermin scream for mercy when your catapults sing their merry song of death and destruction. Naturally, mercy is unheard of in the Hyborian time. A swift death would be the extent of friendliness offered by (or to) your foes. Massive battles hide almost any form of cruelty or chivalry.

The major different here is that you fight against human strategies instead of AI in BC. Battle system in BC seems more supported and organized. Battles and strategies are integrated and in epic scale. Cruelty and chivalry are depicted in BC. Battles are not about mindless killing. The game aims to bind you to a Flag, to share its emotion and story.

Quote:

Will I be able to ‘be’ Conan? No, Conan will not be a playable character, rather you will be playing in King Conan’s world. You can in some way see the journey through the game as many alternate ways of sampling Conan’s history, and getting to know him. This will gradually bring you closer and closer to the grand King of Aquilonia, to his royal court and who knows, maybe even joining him at this top table!

The game of BC is not about discovering history, but making history, collaboratively. So you can be Conan in this game of leadership and strategy.

Well, then, it's the next best thing...

And I forgot to ask, "In the end, War is not about who is right, but who is left"...

Is this yours, or did you steal it to someone? For I just love the sound of that sentence... If it is yours, then congrats, you are now ranking in my private top 5. If not, then someone else is, and I would like to know who it is...