Funcom has introduced a unique "tiered subscription fee" system into their science fiction MMORPG Anarchy Online. The game is about to get a brand new graphics engine to update it for modern machines. The system allows players to play free-to-play, for $5 a month or a regular $14.95. The more people pay, the more content they have access to.
Click below for full details.
While surfing the web, we came upon this interesting video showcasing the promised graphic engine rehaul, and if you ever played Anarchy Online, you'll notice how big this upgrade is.
Check it out after the click.
Anarchy Online's Game Director Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison addressed the community in his latest letter giving a very detailed and comprehensive rundown of the upcoming PVP changes for Update 17.8, complete with the full ranking titles:
As I mentioned in the last letter, one of the major changes in 17.8 will revolve around the process of replacing the PVP title system, and introducing separate rankings for solo and teaming PVP as well as a true dueling system with its own ranks as well for those that prefer that style of PVP as well. There are also some Notum Wars changes afoot that we will get to later on in this letter. So with this letter I'm going to explain in more detail exactly what is coming your way in this regard.
It's also a fairly lengthy letter this time out with a lot to cover on this subject so hopefully it illustrates the thoughts and efforts that are going into redefining the system.
Click after the jump for the complete list!
In his latest Monday column, Jim Moreno gives us a snapshot of the state of roleplaying in two new MMOs and two older ones. For more of his thoughts on World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, Ultima Online and Anarchy Online, click below.
World of Warcraft
Wijon'bu Zentao (Earthen Ring), known as Wichdocta, or just 'Wichy' by his friends, is a troll priest of the voodoo discipline. He shuns being called a healer, and his skills go beyond merely using the powers of shadow. He calls no place home, and can be seen walking through Shattrath City or Thunder Bluff one moment, to throwing the voodoo around Shadowmoon Valley or Silithus the next. He meditates often, either in quiet contemplation inside the Pools of Vision, walking amongst the huge mushrooms of Zangarmarsh, fishing around Nagrand, or by mixing and bottling up the mojo at the Undercity Apothecarium. He is always open to helping fight alongside his Horde brethren, especially when it comes to correcting the ways of the tribes of wayward trolls. Don't hesitate to ask this old troll for help, and may the spirits be with you.
Role on!
Funcom decided to release the scheduled holiday events list early on, and it looks like Christmas in Rubi-Ka will be nothing short of Merry! With several contest, glitzy rewards, trunks and the traditional red bikinis:
We have came to a decision and decided to start reporting some of your events on the community news section of the official site. So look no further, if you have an event in the planning that needs some community advertising then please let us know by e-mailing community@anarchy-online.com or sending a private message to 'Famine' on the forums.
So check out what the community has in store for you this month!
Read More for the festive list of events!
Anarchy Online's official forum released yet another letter this month from Game Director Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison, who talked about the next set of updates, which will implement a multitude of exciting features, like social clothing mode, new team instances, powerful nanos, revamped PvP title system and more:
As 17.7 gets closer to being ready for the live dimensions I thought it was a good time to give you all another little insight into where we are at with Anarchy Online.
The coming game update includes quite a lot of stuff that we are all quite excited to see released to the live dimensions. Having spent quite some time now (well over a year in fact when I think about!) working on content with a focus on the Shadowlands it has been great to be able to look at Rubi-Ka again as we work through the new quest lines.
Getting to add some reasons to get people out an exploring the original game world is a fantastic feeling, and not just because it's a great nostalgia trip for me! It was great seeing the designers and artists adding a little more life to some of the areas I remembered frequenting in the days around launch and sending people to some of the 'old haunts'...
Read More for the complete letter!
Funcom has taken a step towards internalization of the "secondary market" with the announcement that Anarchy Online now supports virtual item sales on all servers. Players can buy "points" (100 points = 1 USD) and then redeem those for items within the game. For example, in their press release, they cite a new hover-board for 300 points (3 dollars).
For more information, check out the press release.
Anarchy Online's Director Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison posted today an official letter to the community explaining the new features AO will support, which will include a new paid points system amongst other updates:
Letter from the Game Director: 5 October 2007
A message today from Game Director Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison going over the new paid points system, new player recruitment, Halloween, and other game developments.
Hello again, it's that time when you get to listen to me explaining a little about our most recent efforts and what we have in store for you all. I enjoy doing these letters to the community and hope that you guys are enjoying reading them!
Read the rest after the jump!
]FunCom team came back from DragonCon'07 with lots of cheers and even more new friends. Here's the wrap up straight from AO newly polished site:
As always, Dragoncon was a complete blast for those of us at Funcom.
We'd especially like to thank Gridstream for coming out, as they not only kick out the jams, but they're also one of the coolest groups of people you could ever hope to meet. We love all our fans, naturally, but we have to admire a group so dedicated to us and our game that they broadcast live from the show floor, with all the temptations of the convention around them. It means a tremendous amount to us at Funcom to see them there every year, and we look forward to doing it again next year.
If you were at Dragoncon and missed the Anarchy Online panel, you missed a good time. You also missed some footage of the jetbikes and hoverboards, as well as a dazzling talk by the ever-charming Game Director. And though it was at a different presentation, we also gave away another custom AO laptop, pictures of which are available here. While marketing for Conan is in full swing, Anarchy Online will not go gently into that good night, and we made sure AO got its moments, mentions, and love on the show floor and in the presentations.
Along those lines, you may also be seeing some new faces around you soon. We had a lot of interest in AO, especially with it running on the big screen TV, and we gave away quite a few accounts in giveaways and contests. That new player beside you may just be one of the wide-eyed newbies that are truly new to the world of Rubi-Ka and AO. Do be kind.
Above all, we'd like to thank everyone who came by and said hello. You guys mean a lot to us, and we enjoy meeting fans of AO every year, and the turnout at the Anarchy panel was very cool. Putting faces to names is part of the fun of Dragoncon for those of us on AO, and we certainly hope to see you again next year.
For those of you who weren't there, we took some pictures of the booth and various AO-related things.
Reuters reports that the ESRB has re-evaluated Manhunt 2 and labeled it "Mature", a move that effectively allows the game to be released in the United States on Halloween. The article contains no word on what if any measures Take 2 undertook to get the new rating.
"Manhunt 2," a brutally violent video game that was effectively banned in the United States, has risen from the grave in a modified form and will go on sale for Halloween, its publisher said.
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO.O) said a new version of the game, which features an insane asylum escapee killing enemies in gruesome ways, had won a "Mature" rating from the U.S. Entertainment Software Ratings Board, meaning it is meant for players aged 17 and over.
Read more here.
