Age Of Conan’s Combo System Being ‘Dumbed Down’ On Testlive Server

One of the innovations Age of Conan provided when it hit the MMO scene earlier this year was an original, fast-paced combat system, involving attacking in multiple directions. As levels are earned, ‘combos’ are unlocked (for most classes, anyway) which, once triggered, require multiple keystrokes to complete. There’s no denying that combos can be some of the most satisfying effects in AoC: firing off a whole barrage of arrows, for example, or dealing a powerful DoT, or even triggering a fatality as frequently happens.

Now, though, in a recent patch to the Testlive server, the system (described by one enthusiast as ‘DDR with knives’) is being streamlined, or as some players are putting it, ‘dumbed down’. Combos that required multiple keystrokes have been changed, so that fewer button-presses are required. Some are reportedly even down to being one button in addition to the trigger. The objective seems to have been to increase the pace of PvP, with more frequent attacks required in place of heavy burst damage. It’s a controversial change, and we should point out that it’s only on Testlive so far.

Reaction to the proposed changes has been, to put it mildly, mixed. We’ve been extremely impressed with the contents of ‘Patch 3′ so far, but it looks like this is one change that is dividing the community. Any Age of Conan players who want to contribute to the testing can access Testlive; there are NPCs available to insta-level you to 80, or you can copy a character across.

Don’t worry about being morphed into something out of Lovecraft: the bug that turned characters into bone-white headless level 1 ‘commoners’ on arrival at Testlive seems to be fixed now.

Source: Massively.com

Upcoming Releases From Fantasy Flight Games

Fantasy Flight Games, the makers of Tide Of Iron, Starcraft The Board Game, World Of Warcraft The Board Game, and a host of other fine products, has an extensive list of projects currently in development. Here is a list of those products with their expected release dates.

Thanks to BoardgameNews’ Gone Cardboard

Tribune	June 2008
World of Warcraft: The Adventure Game	July 2008
Cosmic Encounter (new version)	Q2/Q3 2008
Descent: Tomb of Ice	September 2008
MotoGrandPrix	September 2008
Tannhäuser: Operation Novgorod	Q3 2008
Arkham Horror: The Black Goat of the Woods	October 2008
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game	October 2008
Red November	October 2008
Talisman (revised 4th edition)	October 2008
Talisman: Death and Glory Expansion	December 2008
Age of Conan: The Board Game	Q4 2008
Aye, Dark Overlord!	Q4 2008
BlackSheep	Q4 2008
Kingsburg	Q4 2008
“Not-Dune”	Q4 2008
Gears of War: The Board Game	Q4 2008
Si, Godfather	Q4 2008
Battles of Napoleon: The Eagle and the Lion	2008?
Blood Royale (new version)	2008?
Constantinopolis	2008?
Runebound: The Frozen Wastes	2008?
Borderlands (new version)	Q2/Q3 2009
Reins of Power	2009

New Comics In This Week

New comics in at the TC Games Store:

Death Dealer #6 of 6 – Image Comics Frazetta – Cover A

Death Dealer #6 of 6 – Image Comics Frazetta – Cover B

Freddy vs Jason vs Ash #4 of 6

Gotham Underground #4 of 9 – Batman

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