<
>

Ask Funcom
Jason "Athelan" Stone, Game Designer for Age of Conan and Glen "Famine" Swan answer questions, and discusses the game, life, and the industry. Let us know what you would like to hear about.

Show Blog

A little update and a very personal request

Posted by Athelan Tuesday March 11 2008 at 11:20AM

First I wanted to let you guys know that things are continuing to go great in the Beta. We have seen patches on a very regular basis and the game is getting more solid. I went up to Eidos in San Francisco last week and had the opportunity to show the game off again and it ran well, and played well we had very few issues.

We are still adding more people to the beta, and the PvP server is up and kicking as mentioned before and quite a few people have moved over to play there.

Player cities are working on the server, but not activated for the general player base.

Keep your eyes on Tenton Hammer for a new Ask the Devs feature with me soon.

Now for the perhaps out of place and too personal request.

As you guys know I am recently married as of October of last year. Thank you all for the warm wishes and support that you offered on hearing that news. My mother in law has been battling breast cancer for a few years now and it had moved into her bones over a year ago. She is currently in the hospital and her condition has decline very fast. I ask that for those of you who do choose to have a faith please pray for my mother in law and my family. Thank you - Jason

User Comments

  • Cheval- Tue Mar 11 2008 11:56AM
    • Thank you for the update and I know the strong AoC community will be pulling for your mother in law.

  • Kyleran- Tue Mar 11 2008 1:35PM
    • Thanks for the update, but go take care of personal issues, far more important than this day to day stuff. 

  • Dominous- Tue Mar 11 2008 2:16PM
    • Jason, your family is in our prayers.  Take care and wish you all well.

      Dominous (Hawkeyes on AoC boards)

  • Micajah- Tue Mar 11 2008 2:51PM
    • Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law Jason. Both my aunt and my grandmother endured breast cancer, and my prayers go out to her and your family.

  • Tekaelon- Tue Mar 11 2008 6:32PM
    • I'll definitely pray things go well for your Mother-n-law,  your new wife and yourself!

  • Dabruuzer- Tue Mar 11 2008 7:04PM
    • Athelan, please pass my prayers along. My father is battling leukemia, and I know how hard this can be on everyone in the family, as well as the patient.  Just tell your family to remember that it is good to be strong, but sometimes it is okay to cry too.

  • zergwatch- Tue Mar 11 2008 7:50PM
    • So is the game still on track for a May 20th release date or can we expect another push back.  Is there anything new to report on the chopping block such as classes, features, etc?

      Best wishes to you and your family.

  • Kunglar- Wed Mar 12 2008 12:13AM
    • My prayers are with your mother-in-law and family, Athelan.  I think I speak for many in the fact that we as a community appreciate your constant feedback, and that we understand any time away that you may have to take to deal with family matters.

  • Athelan- Wed Mar 12 2008 12:29AM
    • Everything is on track for release. Progress has been coming at an astounding pace and things just continue to get better.

  • Qayne- Wed Mar 12 2008 6:06AM
    • I hope it all goes well for your family, as for all others having similar conditions. It's really hard to say anything else, words seem trivial in situations like this. Best wishes Athelan

  • Pado- Wed Mar 12 2008 12:07PM
    • Your mother in law is in my prayers.

  • Proson- Wed Mar 12 2008 4:26PM
    • Thanks for the update, So player cities are not in the game yet? i would guess that need alot of testing aswell as sieges, when is that gonna be enabled? thats what im looking forward to the most so i hope its polished! :D

  • AmazingAvery- Thu Mar 13 2008 1:36AM
    • Sorry to hear about your mother in law Jason, thoughts go out to you and your family.

  • adel- Thu Mar 13 2008 6:10AM
    • your family will be in my thoughts and prayers

  • exadose- Thu Mar 13 2008 8:24AM
    • man my whole family is praying for you mother in law and your family's good health

  • aodoine- Thu Mar 13 2008 9:45AM
    • Sad story Jason... If there was something to do I'll join the group. My aunt went through a surgery for 2 cancers 20 years ago. She went to surgery to take her breats implant off because they leaked.

      She fought the cancers but was always sick caused by a leaking breast implant...

      Everything you do in life has to be remember. Actions and person stay in mind and makes history. It's really sad that the cancer went that far with your  mother-in-law.

      I'm praying for her and every person who has cancer.

      /kneel

  • synrg023- Thu Mar 13 2008 4:29PM
    • Glad to hear things are on track.

      Best wishes go out to you and the family.

       

  • Forial- Thu Mar 13 2008 8:35PM
    • I have family members who had cancer and i feel for you and your family. You all will be in our prayers.

  • chaos91- Thu Mar 13 2008 8:44PM
    • i will pray for your mother-in-law. My grandma a couple of years back passed away from breast cancer, and i know how hard it can be on a family. I will pray for her.

  • attentivevow- Fri Mar 14 2008 1:16PM
    • I would really like to see a blog focused on how Age of Conan is going to support role-players. As far as emotes (interactive 2 people emotes anyone?) player/city housing (As of right now there are *no* social hubs in the guild city outside of the keep? Can we get a Tavern PLEASE!), Tools to find other Rpers, Details on the RP PvP Ruleset (Will /say, /whisper /shout be rp enforced like WoW, DAoC?) and in the future how is conan going to support Role-players? This game seems like it is very unsupportive considering the cult-like following REH's literature has.

      Do not underestimate the power RPers have on a game. LoTRO is basically staying afloat just on them! ;)

      Hope you get around to addressing the RP Community's concerns.  You and your family have my prayers and I hope all goes well with your mother-in-law.

  • Jester238- Fri Mar 14 2008 5:18PM
    • Your Mother in law will be in my thoughts and prayers, and thanks as always for the update.

  • adavis72- Sat Mar 15 2008 6:49PM
    • hey man, im not a christian nor a religious person, but, good luck to your mother and i hope that her life and afterlife is filled with happiness, good luck man. thanx for the games

  • Windlion- Mon Mar 17 2008 7:20PM
    • Jason, I will pray to the almighty and caring and loving God for your family and i wish you all the best to you and your wife and your mother in law and hope everything's comes out ok I know it can be very terrifying and how hard it is i really honestly truly feel very sad and upset when this happens to people so my prayers go out to your family and your mother and law.

  • wakuzel- Mon Mar 17 2008 9:52PM
    • Will keep you and your family in our prayers.

  • Par`a`dox- Tue Mar 18 2008 8:19AM
    • My prayers for your situation. 

  • Par`a`dox- Tue Mar 18 2008 8:22AM
    • Let me rephrase, I don't pray that you and your family will be taken out of the situation, but that you and your family will become closer to God through it, and that powerful things in your life will come to be due to the situation.  If it is in God's plan I pray that your mother in law will recover and that God would be glorified through it.

  • egr4405- Wed Mar 19 2008 9:38PM
    • We will keep your mother-in-law and your family in our prayers. God has a plan and a purpose for everyone. Keep your family and friends close during these trying times and live life to its fullest. I've worked in ICU for 7 years now and seen miracles that couldn't be explained through modern medicine. Keep Faith and God Bless.

  • Gajari- Fri Mar 21 2008 2:39PM
    • People like Par`a`dox are scary.

  • S4ndM4n- Fri Mar 21 2008 2:47PM
    • Let us know if she will drop any epix

  • Gajari- Sat Mar 22 2008 9:48PM
    • omg S4ndM4n. That is so horrible, but I laughed so hard. Hell's gonna be burny.

  • Proson- Mon Mar 24 2008 12:46PM
    • S4ndM4n... wtf is wrong with you? hope u get cancer dickhead.

  • Qayne- Tue Mar 25 2008 6:08AM
    • S4anM4n... way to go man. Could you please go play WOW or whatever you 12 year olds do? If you are older than that, you should get some help. Sick people.

  • duncan2002- Fri Mar 28 2008 3:39PM
    • My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family Athelan. I had two cases like this in my family and I know that you are having a very hard time rights now.

      Thanks for sharing something personal like this. Someone once said: "If you tell a problem to the world, you will see that it soon will not be a problem any more."

      I hope it helps you to know that people understand your situation.

      Unfortunately there are trolls like S3anM4n who do not understand what you might be experiencing now. They will learn, when they grow up.

      Keep your head up.

  • thanos03- Sat Apr 12 2008 12:00AM
    • Jason - 
      I apologize for my late entry, and I hope things are going better than when you posted this. My thoughts and well wishes are with your and yours. I hope that everything turns out for the best.

  • LordWyv- Fri May 02 2008 1:05AM
    • Jason -

      Sry to hear bout ur mother-in-law. My MOM passed back in 90 from BC so i know the feelings and emotions that are associated with such a situation. Just keep your chin up and Carry on. :)

  • dekken- Sat May 03 2008 2:28AM
    • Jason -- praying for you guys. My dad's got pancreatic cancer (for the second time), so I know what you are going through.