PVP:Yes | Distribution:Download,Retail | Retail Price:$09.95 | Pay Type:Free | Monthly Fee:$14.99
Desktop Client | System Req:
Anarchy Online - New Engine Q&A and Video
The folks over at Funcom have announced that Anarchy Online will be getting a face lift in the form of a new engine. Game Director Craig Morrison takes the time to answer a few of our questions as we present a trailer featuring the new engine.
|
MMORPG.com:
|
Can you give us a little bit of the history of Anarchy Online? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
Anarchy Online is a Sci-Fi MMO set in the future. Humans have traveled throughout the galaxies looking for new planets to colonize. One of the many planets that were colonized contained a previously unknown substance (called Notum) granting humans extraordinary powers. This is the planet Rubi-Ka where the game takes place. A war is now being fought on Rubi-Ka between a corporation named Omni-Tek and small rebel forces trying to overthrow Omni-Tek in an attempt to gain their freedom. Since the launch in 2001 the game has developed with a lot of new content and expansions. Players have discovered the mysterious, almost metaphysical world known as the Shadowlands and had to confront a full-scale Alien invasion as a hostile race of unknown origin descended on the planet to try and wipe out humanity. The last expansion called Lost Eden added new missions aboard the alien mothership and new PVP battlestations in orbit around the planet that players battle for possession of. |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
For players who may not have been in-game in some time, what are some of the most recent changes and additions to the game? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
We have spent the last year adding a lot of new gameplay content. Included have been the new single team locked instances in AO, and we now have three of those tailored to higher-level players. We have also added a massive new alien playfield for mid level players as well as dozens of new quest across all zones in the Shadowlands. We have also started new free player friendly items into the mix as well. The last update saw a new quest line added for high level players that finds them tracking down and fighting elements of the mysterious Dust Brigade faction across Rubi-Ka. There really has been a ton of new content added to the game in the last year. We will also shortly be implementing a whole new PVP system that allows players to gain ranks in three different types of PVP with separate solo, team and duel based progression. |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
What was the rationale behind developing a new engine for a game that launched all the way back in 2001? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
We still have thousands of new players every week through the free player offer and we realize that while we are very proud of the games art direction, it is starting to look its age compared to modern titles. With so many players still signing up and trying the game every week we felt it would be a missed opportunity if we didn’t bring the engine up to date and little and improve the visuals. We know we have a great game with a lot of depth so in doing this we hope we can also attract people with a modern looking engine. |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
How long have you been working on this new engine? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
We have been working on the engine for some time in terms of research and preliminary work, probably close to a year already (as we have to also focus on the live product as well), but we are now in full production with it and dedicated resource assigned to it. |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
Do you have a timeframe for release? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
We are currently close to what we think is a good alpha version internally and our QA teams will soon be going over it. This version is feature complete as it were, but without the gfx effects incorporated, as all of the effects in the game need to be converted to work in the new engine. That is the next phase of development that we hope to complete over the coming months. We haven’t set a firm release window yet as with an update like this a lot of testing is required. We hope to start comprehensive beta testing sometime in the late summer and then we will assess when we might look to release it to our live servers. The team is definitely aiming for later this year. |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
What, in your opinion, is the most dramatic change brought on by the new engine? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
Technically the biggest change will be the optimizations afforded by being able to update to utilize the GPU as the current engine was designed before there really were GPUs to utilize! That will hopefully bring the most benefit to our players. Visually of course the game world will look so much more dynamic as we can use a lot of new features to create the types of effects seen in the teaser video. |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
With Age of Conan on the horizon and Secret World coming up behind it, is there a fear that AO will take a back seat at Funcom? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
Not at all, we have managed the teams separately for some time now so they don’t impact on each other in that way. Last year we moved AO to an entirely new server farm with modern servers and infrastructure that should allow us to continue development for years to come. We are firmly committed to continuing to support AO as long as the players are there and enjoying life on Rubi-Ka! |
|
MMORPG.com:
|
How will this new engine effect the system requirements for the game? |
|
Craig Morrison:
|
We can’t say for sure just yet. It will certainly raise the requirements. The current game can run on some pretty old hardware. We will though be doing our very best to ensure we get the right balance between making the new engine and adding new features with not wanting to totally raise the specs through the roof. As much as possible will be optional and while it won’t be possible to run ‘the old way’ once we go live we are focused strongly on optimization. The last thing we want to do is to deny too many people who currently play the chance to keep playing. |
|
Check out this video featuring AO's new engine
|
Damn that looks good. Models look the same but textures, water, shadows and that sky! AO has always had the best sky of any game for it's genre. But damn, that just surpasses the already great sky lol. I cant WAIT to see the redone character models and particle fx :)
I never understood why FC didnt make AO2
It would surely be much more succesful (and easier to make) than Conan
Woohoo - very nice. Great article - thanks MMORPG.com. AO being free to play -- uhm.. this is nice!
Wouldn't AO2 kill AO1? In my opinion, updating these kinds of persistant worlds is prefered to closing and making new ones...
Hey great now everyone can do the same instanced generic missions and grind their way up to 220 with new graphics.
No player involvement in storyline no updated mission system but new graphics?
Go back and do some research on the early days of AO and you may find they had intended to have a "prison system" and player made missions and quests.
And here I thought they were only moving it to use DX9/hardware for performance reasons. I did *not* expect that.
Can't wait to see what the characters look/animate like in the new engine. Hopefully they get some kind of upgrade, too.
In any case... wow.. Looking very good.
wow, hopefully they can pull it of as I very well may go back to it if they do.
I for one loved AO. Right now I am in Tabula Rasa, and love it also. If they upgrade AO, I will be torn between the two. There is a lot of content in AO and a very good game. Glad it’s getting a face lift. I will take a look at it in the near future.
Look's amazing! thou I fear It may affect my gameplay now due to the fact I don't have the best computer. Hopefully It wont affect me much, thou im sure the system requirement's will go up.
When ready and released, I for one will re-subscribe with a paid account.
Have always had a fondness for AO, but the software graphics engine just did not cut it for me. To much lag. I hate Stop 'n Go movement.
Looking forward to it. Probably won't be my main MMORPG, but will be one I play a couple times a week.
Awesome! Glad to see AO getting a face lift. I always liked the game, but it's graphic were pretty ugly. Now if only we could convince the folks over at Turbine to give the same face lift to AC.
I played AO for 2 weeks during summer 2006, whilst on annual leave. That brief period was the most addictive MMORPG experience - up to and including EQ from April 2001 until I /quit in September 2002.
I stopped playing AO for a variety of reasons - mostly because I felt unsure for how much longer the product would be supported, I instinctively hated SL [Shadowlands], and some of the subsequent expansions didn't really pique my interest.
So why am I planning to return? I knew the history of AO - perhaps the worst launch in MMORPG history - as I remember EQ players leaving in droves to play AO, then scurrying back with horror stories about the state of the game, but I never actually played AO. Despite being a 1st generation MMORPG in terms of game engine, some of the game mechanics - character customization, class / skill hybrid system, OE [over-equipping], dynamic mission system - were 2nd generation, if not 3rd generation, given the lack of genuine innovation in (alleged) 2nd generation MMORPGs.
AO has a style all of its own and a strong sense of place, from the character models, items that one could equip that actually displayed on the character model, the vast variety of weapons, armour, modules, to the hauntingly beautiful music, and wonderful touches of humour and originality such as the cute lil' leets who insulted you, the dancing Atrox in a discoteque / club, and the astounding array of emotes - my favourite being the /dance emote when in one of the many clubs, with pulsating rhythmic music, and laser flashes and strobes.
So, why am I returning (and staying) once the graphics update goes live? Aside from the fact that no new releases on the horizon pique my interest (with the exception of 'Fallen Earth' - but whether the product is released in a playable state - all features implemented and working - and lives up to its billing is another matter ..), this quote from the AO New Engine Q&A is why I now have zero interest in the whole EQ 'Classic Server' (non-existent) debate:
Regards,
Riotgirl
Anarchy online is one of the greatest MMO's.
THis is I call good news.
Not really interested by AOC, but can't wait for AO "relooked"
This is great news indeed. I will definitely be checking out the new game engine.
Now if only Sony would do something similar with the original EverQuest.
Anarchy Online is a very addictive game if this graphic update utilizes my HD3870 (Will be in crossfire shortly) to its full potential I may be drawn back to the game.
Good old level 200+
I tried AO though the free trial. It was a bit over my head at the time (I was also drunk, which probably didn't help matters), but I've been waiting for a time to jump back in. Once this new engine goes through, I'll try it again.
MMO Devs: limited free accounts on your games is a GREAT way to bring up populations.
It's proof that sequels don't count in the MMO space. Well, at least not yet. :)
-- Brede
I would expect the new engine would affect all the spells casted ...weapon effects...etc etc...could be spectacular.
and yes....clothing needs to take advantage of the new capabilitys too
The content is there for this game. This engine upgrade is brilliant. This will make this game 5 game. First Eve online and now AO. Its the smart way to go with games and other older games should follow suit.
They're starting to make a great come back from the disasters they had for a long while.
They still need to bring the old storyline back and let players have an impact on the game world once more. There was nothing like the early days of AO when you could make a name for yourself and groups of players could feel like they were impacting the game.
Players do have some impact on the game still, mainly those in the roleplay community. Examples would be the remake of Old Athens and re-arming of city guards with Alien weapons( both pushed for years by the roleplay Council of Truth). Obviously, players cannot change the longer story arcs the Dev's have in place (If some NPC/legacy leader needs to be assassinated, it will happen because the Events staff decides to do it, not because some group of players decided that would be a good course of action).
One can expect the clothing and weapons' meshes and textures to be better looking under the new graphics engine, and the models to probably have better flesh tones, but their emotes and animations will undoubtedly be just as they are now - modifying that would be an even bigger chore than creating the new rendering engine.
all I can say is WoW.
But i'm with you, it would be nice if they could just redesign AC1 from the ground up.
same here. i will most likely resub myself if this turns out well.
The old engine had (and still has ) some strong points. Good example is the Sky and weather system:
http://www.mmorpg.com/photo/a3908e9e-1afb-416f-9a05-6965056633ef
Not so much fancy rendering but good artwork
That is hardly impressive considering players were pushing for those things about 4 years ago when I left the game.
In the beginning of AO every patch and sometimes inbetween patches players impacted the game all the time before Shadowlands. Assassinating the Clan leader, racing for the Tir moat, changing Omni politics. The game has shifted from a dynamic and player centered storyline to a static storyline where the players have no impact.
If AO wanted to bring me back they could change that because not enough other MMOs do it that way and it was part of the early success of the game when everything else was falling apart.
Maybe I'll try AO once this update is online :)
As some of the old links to the videos of the new AO graphics engine are no longer active, I've hunted down one that should be around for a while, and which also includes some static screen shots and alternate links to the videos:
http://www.athenpaladins.org/aonewengine/index.html
I was in AO around christmass after 1 year(?maybe?) and I was
woooot ..really nice and sharp textures..
They was (are) really cool, they must upgrade it..BUT
Why 90% ppl dont want get back or try the game (newcomers)? Because models. Yes Models are really bad.
Your character is your avatar. For most people its the most important thing in game. How he looks, How he walks..etc. And models of PC characters + models of guns are still old crap.
I Like they dont make just new engine (that will add some FPS because CPU<>GPU and some little shiny gfx, better shadows..etc) but they make new models. Remodeling at least some basic old most used armors + characters (especially Atrox) will be really cool.
AO is best by content, but graphic sux. I hope they will choose way like Eve Online choose.
btw link to videos - 2 qualities 20/40mb
ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/ao/newEngine2008
I hate to say that but "the day the earth stood still" will be the very same day AO recieves the enchanced graphical engine.
R.I.P. ol'pal :(
I gave 3 and half years of my life to that game, so I'm very happy to se that its alive. I hope it will stay that way for many years to come.
If you never tried it, go right ahead. There's no experience like seeing an Atrox in underwear :)
Cheers,
V
Holy thread necro Batman!
Way to necro a 2 year old thread, lol.
That being said, it sad that this was two years ago and nothing more has come of it.
I like AO and if this were to ever happen I would probably go back.