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Age of Conan a showcase game for Windows Vista

ajaxxajaxx Member Posts: 476
in Age of Conan: Unchained
Age of Conan a showcase game for Windows Vista


Funcom announces the signing of a development and marketing agreement with Microsoft.




Under the terms of the agreement, Funcom will work to optimize the
forthcoming Online Action RPG 'Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures' for
the Windows Vista operating system. Microsoft will showcase 'Age of
Conan' as a title that takes full advantage of new gaming functionality
in Windows Vista.

As
gaming on the PC takes a great leap forward in accessibility and
quality, Funcom is preparing 'Age of Conan' to be a showcase title in a
modern generation of Windows games. With stunning graphics and amazing
new technology 'Age of Conan' is set to bring Massively Multiplayer
Online gaming into a new era, and Windows Vista truly reveals the full
potential of the title.

'Age of Conan' is scheduled for a
Windows release in Q4 2006. The game earned the Gamespot award as "Best
MMO" of E3 2005, as well as being runner-up as the "Most Innovative
Game of Show". It recently earned the MMORPG.com award as their "Most
anticipated MMO of 2006", and was listed as one of the top ten games
for 2006 in PC Gamer US, as well as being among the most anticipated
games of 2006 in numerous other publications.


Comments

  • ajaxxajaxx Member Posts: 476
      It will still run on XP btw, but for you guys that upgrade every other month this should be good news.

  • ObiyerObiyer Member UncommonPosts: 511

    This is big news due to the fact Windows Vista comes in bundled with DirectX 10.

    DirectX 10 increases performance by reducing the API (Application Program Interface) overhead. This is what happens each time Age of Conan will ask the video card to draw something:

    Directx 9c:

    Age of Conan -> (Call to Cpu) -> API -> (Call to Cpu) -> Driver

    The instructions use cpu cycles before any kind of video rendering begins.

    In DirectX 10 the API is rewritten. They claim they will reduce the overhead by 20%.

    Furthermore there is a current limitation of about 500 unique objects on the screen at once. Directx 10 will remove this limitation but there is always the hardware aspect. Even though DirectX 10 removes the boundary a player is still limited by what's in his box.

    More info could be found here on Geometry Shaders, Unified Architecture. Vertex, Geometry and Pixel units are combined so a larger percent of resources is used. Instead of a bottled necked vertex shader unit while the pixel shader unit does very little:

    Source: [H]ardOcp DirectX 10 Article

    This excites me a lot. If a player could get a hold of ATI's new 2nd Generation Unified Architecture card and Windows Vista maybe he could get to see real massive battles take place. Will the cost of all these new toys be worth it though? Me, I plan to wait at least a year.

    Mind you it’s been about 2 years since Nvidia released the GeForce 6 series, an Nvidia 6800 GT retailed for $ 399.99 USD in 2004. Now it retails at $ 150 - 250 USD. There is hope for people like me!

  • cheggelundcheggelund Member UncommonPosts: 91

    This is great news, and it will give AoC a lot of 'free' advertisement and exposure.

    -Chegg

  • RadiotreeRadiotree Member Posts: 81
    I'll be running it on XP as well...at least till we're sure "Vistsa" isn't another "Windows ME" disaster. 
  • mindspatmindspat Member Posts: 1,367

    CCP's "EVE Online" will also showcase DirectX 10 & Windows Vista.  They've been working a new graphics engine update and we should expect EVE to be one of the first that blow our minds!!

    Being that I have no intention to updrade to a Vista computer for at least 2-3 years I doubt I'll be playing any game that's "Vista only". 

    (it's a huge investment to develop support for DirectX 10 while maintaining support for DX9.  Only Windows Vista will be able to run a DirectX10 game.  No Vista? Then you can only play directX 9  games.)

  • angerrangerr Member Posts: 865

    so you think this is great news because ms has publicly said that they will be involved with the development of AoC but yet people freaked out about soe and vanguard when they denied that soe would be involved in their development?? interesting ::::37::

    BTW this is relevant to the OP because if i remember correctly he is one of those that "freaked out" a bit of a double standard if you ask me.....actually it is different because they admit they are going to be involved with the development where sigil and soe deny it completely.

    BTW i support both games and hope it turns out well....congrats funcom and AoC ::::20::

    image

    read this http://www.vanguardsoh.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1044304#post1044304 then come back and talk to me about the vanguard/soe fiasco.....

  • GungaDinGungaDin Member UncommonPosts: 514

    Originally posted by angerr

    so you think this is great news because ms has publicly said that they will be involved with the development of AoC but yet people freaked out about soe and vanguard when they denied that soe would be involved in their development?? interesting ::::37::
    BTW this is relevant to the OP because if i remember correctly he is one of those that "freaked out" a bit of a double standard if you ask me.....actually it is different because they admit they are going to be involved with the development where sigil and soe deny it completely.
    BTW i support both games and hope it turns out well....congrats funcom and AoC ::::20::
    Are they co-publishing it?  I thought they were just showcasing it and not investing in AOC directly.   I may have misread the release but to me this seems safer than having SOE Co-Publish.
  • angerrangerr Member Posts: 865

    Originally posted by GungaDin

    Originally posted by angerr
    so you think this is great news because ms has publicly said that they will be involved with the development of AoC but yet people freaked out about soe and vanguard when they denied that soe would be involved in their development?? interesting
    BTW this is relevant to the OP because if i remember correctly he is one of those that "freaked out" a bit of a double standard if you ask me.....actually it is different because they admit they are going to be involved with the development where sigil and soe deny it completely.
    BTW i support both games and hope it turns out well....congrats funcom and AoC
    Are they co-publishing it?  I thought they were just showcasing it and not investing in AOC directly.   I may have misread the release but to me this seems safer than having SOE Co-Publish.

    they will be involved with marketing and development, i don't know if they will be publishing it.....but just for the fact that it says they will be involved in the development where soe wont, wouldn't worry be any less.

    I'm not worried either way, its just a double standard in my opinion.

    image

    read this http://www.vanguardsoh.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1044304#post1044304 then come back and talk to me about the vanguard/soe fiasco.....

  • GungaDinGungaDin Member UncommonPosts: 514

    I think they are just gonna help develop it to be optimized with Vista.  Its like when Sirus signed on Howard Stern.  They arent gonna tell him how to run his show, they just want Stern to promote Sirus Satellite.  I think this is the same idea with this deal, but I may be wrong. 

    Microsoft did ruin my favorite game of all time (Myth the Fallen Lords by Bungie). They bought them out and ruined the game and also stole Halo which was meant for the PC only at first.  So basically I have a hatred towards them also but I'm hoping they don't interfer with AOC.

    Wow 2 hot games now involved with 2 larger companies.  This is all starting to depress me,  looks like $$$$ talks and we are the BS walking through it. 

  • angerrangerr Member Posts: 865

    Originally posted by GungaDin
    I think they are just gonna help develop it to be optimized with Vista.  Its like when Sirus signed on Howard Stern.  They arent gonna tell him how to run his show, they just want Stern to promote Sirus Satellite.  I think this is the same idea with this deal, but I may be wrong. 
    Microsoft did ruin my favorite game of all time (Myth the Fallen Lords by Bungie). They bought them out and ruined the game and also stole Halo which was meant for the PC only at first.  So basically I have a hatred towards them also but I'm hoping they don't interfer with AOC.
    Wow 2 hot games now involved with 2 larger companies.  This is all starting to depress me,  looks like $$$$ talks and we are the BS walking through it. 

    the bottom line is people over react, IMO both vanguard and AoC will be fine....i was really just trying to prove a point, I'm not bashing funcom for this...its just a funny double standard to me comparing this to vanguard, where nobody will bat an eye about this but they freak out about soe.

    like Microsoft is any better than Sony, there not.....ms just hasn't been as successful at making mmo's to piss off as many people as Sony has lol.

    i bet theres a few ex ac players that hate ms but the problem is there isn't alot of them...::::18::

    image

    read this http://www.vanguardsoh.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1044304#post1044304 then come back and talk to me about the vanguard/soe fiasco.....

  • RadiotreeRadiotree Member Posts: 81

    Originally posted by angerr


    Originally posted by GungaDin

    Originally posted by angerr
    so you think this is great news because ms has publicly said that they will be involved with the development of AoC but yet people freaked out about soe and vanguard when they denied that soe would be involved in their development?? interesting
    BTW this is relevant to the OP because if i remember correctly he is one of those that "freaked out" a bit of a double standard if you ask me.....actually it is different because they admit they are going to be involved with the development where sigil and soe deny it completely.
    BTW i support both games and hope it turns out well....congrats funcom and AoC
    Are they co-publishing it?  I thought they were just showcasing it and not investing in AOC directly.   I may have misread the release but to me this seems safer than having SOE Co-Publish.

    they will be involved with marketing and development, i don't know if they will be publishing it.....but just for the fact that it says they will be involved in the development where soe wont, wouldn't worry be any less.

    I'm not worried either way, its just a double standard in my opinion.


    One may not like MS, their operating system sucks, there is no other option, the games they have done have been ridiculous, etc... MS certainly isn't at the top of my love list.  But there are allot of people(including myself) who have never been treated the way SOE has treated their customers.  Erasing years of hard work and dedication, then being told essentially to "Deal with it".  No, to me there is no double standard.  When I'm treated by MS the way I have been by SOE, I may agree with you, but as of now, it's apples and oranges. 
  • NullapaxNullapax Member Posts: 401
    I just hope and pray that it will run on Dx9 
    I never touch anything new from Microslime until it has been on the market for at least twelve months.
    That said I'm hoping for a big performance boost with Vista ( or have I fallen for the hype ? ) so if early adopters have less problems than usual then I may jump in early


  • ::blank::::blank:: Member Posts: 154

    Originally posted by angerr


    Originally posted by GungaDin
    I think they are just gonna help develop it to be optimized with Vista.  Its like when Sirus signed on Howard Stern.  They arent gonna tell him how to run his show, they just want Stern to promote Sirus Satellite.  I think this is the same idea with this deal, but I may be wrong. 
    Microsoft did ruin my favorite game of all time (Myth the Fallen Lords by Bungie). They bought them out and ruined the game and also stole Halo which was meant for the PC only at first.  So basically I have a hatred towards them also but I'm hoping they don't interfer with AOC.
    Wow 2 hot games now involved with 2 larger companies.  This is all starting to depress me,  looks like $$$$ talks and we are the BS walking through it. 

    the bottom line is people over react, IMO both vanguard and AoC will be fine....i was really just trying to prove a point, I'm not bashing funcom for this...its just a funny double standard to me comparing this to vanguard, where nobody will bat an eye about this but they freak out about soe.

    like Microsoft is any better than Sony, there not.....ms just hasn't been as successful at making mmo's to piss off as many people as Sony has lol.

    i bet theres a few ex ac players that hate ms but the problem is there isn't alot of them...::::18::


    ...for one..they are not going to do anything to the design..they are optamizing it for vista.. which would be video driver compatibility and things like that..not game play..second.. what kind of idiot compares SOE with Microsoft? Microsoft gaming studios has put out great games btw..not that it matters in this case.
  • angerrangerr Member Posts: 865

    Originally posted by ::blank::

    Originally posted by angerr Originally posted by GungaDinI think they are just gonna help develop it to be optimized with Vista.  Its like when Sirus signed on Howard Stern.  They arent gonna tell him how to run his show, they just want Stern to promote Sirus Satellite.  I think this is the same idea with this deal, but I may be wrong.  Microsoft did ruin my favorite game of all time (Myth the Fallen Lords by Bungie). They bought them out and ruined the game and also stole Halo which was meant for the PC only at first.  So basically I have a hatred towards them also but I'm hoping they don't interfer with AOC. Wow 2 hot games now involved with 2 larger companies.  This is all starting to depress me,  looks like $$$$ talks and we are the BS walking through it. 
    the bottom line is people over react, IMO both vanguard and AoC will be fine....i was really just trying to prove a point, I'm not bashing funcom for this...its just a funny double standard to me comparing this to vanguard, where nobody will bat an eye about this but they freak out about soe.
    like Microsoft is any better than Sony, there not.....ms just hasn't been as successful at making mmo's to piss off as many people as Sony has lol.
    i bet theres a few ex ac players that hate ms but the problem is there isn't alot of them...
    ...for one..they are not going to do anything to the design..they are optamizing it for vista.. which would be video driver compatibility and things like that..not game play..second.. what kind of idiot compares SOE with Microsoft? Microsoft gaming studios has put out great games btw..not that it matters in this case.

    idiot? why don't you name a successful mmo that Microsoft has released? i don't care about their other games....sony has made alot of sweet PS games and thats besides the point.

    so its okay to speculate that soe is going to actually take over sigil and vanguard and ruin it, even though both sigil and soe deny that......but I'm an idiot for speculating the same damn thing about ms and AoC? heh what a freaking joke.......

    image

    read this http://www.vanguardsoh.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1044304#post1044304 then come back and talk to me about the vanguard/soe fiasco.....

  • rdrpappyrdrpappy Member Posts: 325

    Originally posted by angerr


    Originally posted by GungaDin

    Originally posted by angerr
    so you think this is great news because ms has publicly said that they will be involved with the development of AoC but yet people freaked out about soe and vanguard when they denied that soe would be involved in their development?? interesting
    BTW this is relevant to the OP because if i remember correctly he is one of those that "freaked out" a bit of a double standard if you ask me.....actually it is different because they admit they are going to be involved with the development where sigil and soe deny it completely.
    BTW i support both games and hope it turns out well....congrats funcom and AoC
    Are they co-publishing it?  I thought they were just showcasing it and not investing in AOC directly.   I may have misread the release but to me this seems safer than having SOE Co-Publish.

    they will be involved with marketing and development, i don't know if they will be publishing it.....but just for the fact that it says they will be involved in the development where soe wont, wouldn't worry be any less.

    I'm not worried either way, its just a double standard in my opinion.

    Microsofts developement help with AoC is for optimizing the game to take advantage of the Vista operating system, much diferent than SOE having Vanguard on their game pass line up.
  • wjrasmussenwjrasmussen Member Posts: 1,493

    Originally posted by Obiyer

    Furthermore there is a current limitation of about 500 unique objects on the screen at once. Directx 10 will remove this limitation but there is always the hardware aspect. Even though DirectX 10 removes the boundary a player is still limited by what's in his box.
    Do you know if the physics chip is a factor in this at all.  It supposedly will handle 30,000-50,000 bones as they call it.   It will be interesting.  Cool announcement though.
  • wjrasmussenwjrasmussen Member Posts: 1,493

    Originally posted by angerr


    Originally posted by GungaDin

    Originally posted by angerr
    so you think this is great news because ms has publicly said that they will be involved with the development of AoC but yet people freaked out about soe and vanguard when they denied that soe would be involved in their development?? interesting
    BTW this is relevant to the OP because if i remember correctly he is one of those that "freaked out" a bit of a double standard if you ask me.....actually it is different because they admit they are going to be involved with the development where sigil and soe deny it completely.
    BTW i support both games and hope it turns out well....congrats funcom and AoC
    Are they co-publishing it?  I thought they were just showcasing it and not investing in AOC directly.   I may have misread the release but to me this seems safer than having SOE Co-Publish.

    they will be involved with marketing and development, i don't know if they will be publishing it.....but just for the fact that it says they will be involved in the development where soe wont, wouldn't worry be any less.

    I'm not worried either way, its just a double standard in my opinion.

    Isn't the development directly related to DX10 and Vista integration?  Do you have some different information about this?
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