Age of Conan Update 6 Preview

04 Dec 2009 at 14:38:41 by Bill Vaughan

The next update for Age of Conan is on the way, and we've teamed up with Funcom to give an exclusive look at some of the exciting new features that players can look forward to.

Update 6, as it's currently known, will introduce a guild renown, PvP arenas, another raid tier and a new dungeon. Perhaps most importantly, players will be able to fight alongside Conan himself, as you hunt down his arch nemesis, Thoth-Amon. It's one of the largest updates that has ever been applied to AoC, and Funcom is hard at work getting it all ready for release.

“To us this update is primarily about making guild gameplay even more meaningful. We also hope that new players will immediately feel even more welcome, that guilds want to actively recruit and follow up their members. We're also excited about adding a new raid tier and giving our players even more content adventure to go through, and giving them epic experiences such as fighting alongside the barbarian himself.”

Guild Renown

This new game mechanic will reward guilds for the accomplishments of its members. Guild Renown can be seen as a levelling system for guilds, and once a new level is attained, its members gain access to extra benefits. When the update launches, there will be 20 levels a guild can earn.

In addition to the levels, there will be three different types of renown; Valor, Glory and Artistry. Valor awards point for completing PvE content including killing monsters and completing quests, Glory rewards PvP victories in mini-games and siege wars. Artistry is gained through crafting.

As an added incentive, Funcom will rank the top-earning guilds, based on the total points earned as well as for the most Valor, Glory or Artistry.

In return for all their efforts, players will receive access to a wide range of rewards including new mounts and new buildings such as duelling grounds. As guilds renown level grows, the items sold by vendors will improve as well, and new quests may appear from civilians. A number of other in-game benefits will become available too such as Guild City Decorations which allow players to customise their cities with shrubberies, banners and statues. New companions are also on the cards.

Thoth-Amon

Update 6 will herald the arrival on Tier three raid content, provding all-new dungeons including the stronghold of Conan's greatest enemy, Thoth-Amon. The villain will be present in the dungeon, along with a bunch of his most powerful allies. Many will be new to players, although some may have come across  Hathor-Ka before. Thoth-Amon's Stronghold will bring with it a host of new items, quests and loot.

“As far as the encounters go we don’t really want to give away too much. But who knows: perhaps someone will have to pay the ultimate price, having the Mark of Acheron reapplied, and maybe washing up on a beach near Tortage, again? Ok, so maybe we won’t do that. We do hope the encounters will prove a fun and interesting challenge for everybody. I’d dare say the foundation we’re building our raid encounters on has improved radically since Wing 3 was released, and I think that will be reflected in the encounters.”

Fight Alongside Conan

While most of the details about fighting with Conan at your side are still under wraps, Funcom does say that the Tier three content will wrap up a major stroyline in AoC, and it will face players up against the forces that placed them on Tortage in the first place. Tier three armou has been designed specifically for each class, and will enable them to fight harder and longer – they'll need it against the things that await them in Update 6.

Be sure to look out for tomorrow's interview with AoC's game director, Craig Morrison, where he talks about Update 6 and beyond. In the mean time, check out more images of the update below.

Further reading: Read our interview with Craig on update 6

Comment