age-of-conan-hyborian-adventures posts

While developer Funcom is still working on its next MMO game The Secret World it has not forgotten its previous fantasy MMO Age of Conan. Today Funcom announced that the game now has an updated engine that, among other things, has server-side game physics supplied by Nvidia's PhysX technology.

Age of Conan is the first PC game ever to have PhysX-powered server-side game physics. Funcom reports that the change results in "more than a doubling in the speed-of in-game physics processing" versus the normal method where PhysX is on the game's client software.

Funcom has also improved a number of other visual aspects of the Age of Conan graphics engine. You can see a narrated trailer showing off and explaining those new visual effects after the jump:

Earlier this month publisher CompuExpert announced they would be the North American publisher for the new Age of Conan retail release which will contain Funcom's original MMO with its new expansion pack Rise of the Godslayer. Today CompuExpert announced that the game will be released in both retail stores and via download on May 11.

As we have reported before the Rise of the Godslayer expansion pack will give Age of Conan players a new land to explore, the Asian-themed land of Khitai, along with a number of new additions and features. The new retail version will also contain some exclusive in-game items designed to help new players.

In 2008, Funcom used Eidos as its distributor for the retail version of Age of Conan. Now with the upcoming release of their expansion pack, Rise of the Godslayer, Funcom will release a new retail version of their fantasy MMO that combines both the original game and the expansion pack.

The new retail release will be distributed this time by CompuExpert in North America and will include some exclusive in-game items that will assist new players in their adventures. CompuExpert had previously distributed the WWII flight sim Wings of Prey to stores in the US. While Rise of the Godslayer is expected to be released sometime this year there's no specific date that has been announced.

[Via email press release]

Funcom recently announced the first expansion to Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures at GameCom 2009. Titled, Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer, players are invited to enter the all new Empire of Khitai, inspired by eastern Asian cultures. There, they can choose to join a side among the warring factions and enjoy new features like an alternate character advancement system.

Download HD Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer Trailer (104 MB)
Check out all Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures downloads