MMORPG Dictionary in the house, the latest addition to the AoC Vault Guide Wiki! Whether you're new to MMOs or just not sure of some of the lingo, you can find all of the common MMORPG terminology in the MMORPG Dictionary.

Happy Evaluate Your Life Day. Borrrring. It's also Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day. Double Whammy! Today's birthdays include Ty Pennington (43), John Lithgow (63) and Divine (63). Ahhhh yeah! Feel it now!
My car is by Ferrari
and my body's Jack La Lanne
My clothes are by Armani
and my hair is by Elaine
Tiffany and Cartier are
telling me the time
This Native Love is restless
and I'm just not satisfied!



On this day in history...

• 1872 - World's largest gold nugget (215 kg) found in New South Wales.
  
• 1924 - General Christian Worker's union demands 8 hr work day in Belgium.
  
• 1926 - John C. Garand patents semi-automatic rifle.
  
• 1957 - Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Mont, became 1st NHLer to score 500 goals.
  
• 1980 - Steve McPeak rides 101'9" unicycle.
  
• 1997 - 700th World Series home run (Sandy Alomar, Cleve Indians).
  
• 2001 - Zoo Tycoon released.

Just a little update that went up on the Testlive server yesterday.

COMBAT

• Changed the penalty for wiffing without a target on a combo. It will now be -5% first miss, -15% second miss (cumulative 20% total damage penalty), and third miss -25% (cumulative 45% total damage penalty).

NPC

• Cistern : Renato should now properly reset when players die.
  
• Yakhmar now uses his shake ability more often when you've got 11+ characters (players & pets) close to him.

You can read up on yesterday's big Testlive update here.

Happy World Menopause Day! Ouch. Everyone prepare for hot flashes, night sweats, decreased sexual drive, dryness, heart palpitations and mood swings. Don't look at me like that! I googled the symptoms. Jerks. Let's see who's having a birthday today... Pam Dawber (57) and Jean-Claude Van Damme (48). Now go enjoy your menopause. You can have my helping too. Ciao!



On this day in history...

• 1648 - 1st US labor organization forms (Boston Shoemakers).
  
• 1767 - Boundary between MD & PA, Mason Dixon line, agreed upon.
  
• 1776 - In a NY bar decorated with bird tail, customer orders "cock tail".
  
• 1867 - US takes formal possession of Alaska from Russia ($7.2 million).
  
• 1962 - Dr. Watson (US) & Drs Crick & Wilkins (Britain) win Nobel Prize for Medicine for work in determining structure of DNA.
  
• 1979 - "Beatlemania" opens in London.
  
  From Video Game Calendar:
  
  
• 1985 - Nintendo releases the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in the United States, in New York City. Special displays are set up in department, toy, and electronics stores. The NES comes with the Robotic Operating Buddy and the Zapper light gun. Price is US$125. Seventeen game cartridges are available with the launch of the game system.
  
• 2004 - Half-Life 2 goes gold.
  
• 2007 - In Los Angeles, California, the E for All Expo video game show is held, open to the public. About 18,000 attend over four days.

Age of Conan Game Director, Craig 'Silirrion' Morrison, brings us another preview of the upcoming AoC update.

Update Preview

The next game update is now progressing very nicely on the test server and we hope to have it ready for the live servers over the next couple of weeks. As anyone who has read the test server update notes or visited the test server will be aware the amount of changes and new content coming with this update is substantial. The next update will introduce many new adjustments and additions so today we wanted to give you all an idea of what to expect from this update.

System Designer Dave Williams took some time to answer a few questions on culture armour and weapons. The inside scoop on new recipes, levels, raid loot and more!

Will the best recipes be only available as raid loot?

Currently all the culture items are boss-dropped blues. We plan to introduce crafted raid items down the line, but that may or may not be culture gear. At the moment, culture items are intended to fill the crafting niche for end-game content that does not require a guild.
However, this may change based on future crafting needs as well as game balance. It will especially have to be re-examined when we look at introducing epic crafted gear.

Just to be clear, there is not yet epic crafted items, but I can say this is being given some design attention. Epic crafted gear may certainly require epic mats, and it might be the case that raids are the only appropriate venue for players to acquire those resources. More about that later, probably after the larger item rebalance initiative.

Preliminary Update Notes for Update 3.30
**These notes do not necessarily reflect the final version that will be deployed on Live**

GENERAL
* It is now possible to pick where to resurrect in the resource and building and minigame playfields.
* Fixed several typos in quests.
* Jumping while sprinting will once again keep your sprinting speed.
* The Field Manual will now contain a brief tutorial on "whiffing", as support for recent combat changes (ie the -15% penalty per miss).

CLASSES
Dark Templar
* You should now notice a few more fatalities happening when using a 1H Blunt weapon.

NPCS
* Fixed a typo in the name of the npc Watchman in Old Tarantia.

PVP
* You should notice more consistent dialog options across all Redemption quests.
* Shady Vendors should no longer be unresponsive at times.

QUESTS
* Tarantia Noble District: The Chef - Fixed requirements so you should no longer receive incorrect dialog options from Juan, and so the quests should work as intended.

WORLD DESIGN
* The Shady Camp in Old Tarantia has been given a visual revamp.

Testlive Only :
* The leveling NPCs on TestLive have been merged into one NPC named "Fate". She can help you with the following :
- Level you to 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 37, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80. (Down-leveling is not supported, but you are welcome to do it in several steps).
- Increase/Decrease your pvp level to 1,2,3,4 and 5
- Feat reset for the lowest cost (50 copper at the moment)
- Reset your feat untrain counter
- Teleport you to 15 different playfields *including* Ymir's Pass.
- Fill up your cash to 35 gold
- Free access to Basic and Advanced Riding books
- Free access to Normal Mount, Armored Mount and Swift Mount
- Adjustments to murderpoints (add/remove 50 points, add/remove 100 points, reset murder points)
- Binding your Path of Azura to her location

* Please note - Although you can now access Ymirs Pass in this build via the teleport NPC, it is still considered *under development*. You can visit the location, and discuss it in the thread that will be provided under the Update 3 forum, but it is by no means finished in the build that is on Testlive right now. Level range recommended for this area is 55 upwards. Quests are available from approx. 51 upwards.

Ymir's Pass Early Feedback thread - http://forums-tl.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=39646

Happy Boss's Day. "Boss", what an egotesticle word (today is also Dictionary Day /snicker). To be master over; manage; direct; control; dominate. To order about, especially in an arrogant manner. Chief; master. The word boss is so 1950's. You are your own boss. And me, I'm your boss too, your chief, your master... My little puppets... Dance for me, dance!

Time to name another sunrise! Yesterday's was from Guild Wars, and Terrawen scored the point. Let's see if I can make it a bit tougher this morning! Today's pic is not from a MMO.

Terrawen: 6 Points (DAoC, WoW, WAR, EQ2, LotRO, GW)
Morieve: 1 Point (AO)
Meithar: 1 Point (Vanguard)



On this day in history...

• 1846 - Dentist William Morton demonstrates effectiveness of ether.
  
• 1847 - Charlotte Bronte's book "Jane Eyre" published.
  
• 1848 - 1st US homeopathic medical college opens in Pennsylvania.
  
• 1869 - Hotel in Boston becomes 1st to have indoor plumbing.
  
• 1916 - Margaret Sanger opens 1st birth control clinic.
  
• 1964 - China becomes world's 5th nuclear power.
  
• 1984 - Baboon heart transplanted into a 15-day-old baby girl.
  
• 1985 - Intel introduces 32-bit 80386 microcomputer chip.
  
• 1987 - 175-kph winds cause blackout in London, much of southern England.

Happy Grouch Day! Sweet, nothing like a license to bitch. Birthdays today include Sarah Ferguson (49), Emeril (48) and Penny Marshall (66). Keep your fish away from me. I'm officially Jubey the Fish Slayer. I killed my sister in-law's goldfish, plus two other random goldfish in a mere 12 hours. The funerals are tomorrow if anyone wants to attend. R.I.P. Nemo and friends.

Yesterday's name that sunrise was from Lord of the Rings Online and Terrawen nailed it. Terrawen is one point closer to getting that sponge bath from my mom! It's still anyone's game, first person to 10 is the Supreme Sunriser, and I'll hook you up with something to go with the sponge bath (rubber ducky?). Just be first to name the horizon below in the comments.

Terrawen: 5 Points (DAoC, WoW, WAR, EQ2, LotRO)
Morieve: 1 Point (AO)
Meithar: 1 Point (Vanguard)



On this day in history...

• 1641 - Paul de Chomedy de Maisonneuve claims Montreal.
  
• 1860 - 11-year-old Grace Bedell writes to Lincoln, tells him to grow a beard.
  
• 1949 - Billy Graham begins his ministry.
  
• 1969 - Vietnam Moratorium Day; millions nationwide protest the war.
  
• 1980 - George Brett is forced out of World Series with hemorrhoids.
  
• 1993 - Amstel brewery on Curacao produces 1,000,000,000th bottle.

Preliminary Update Notes for Update 3.30

**These notes do not necessarily reflect the final version that will be deployed on Live**

GENERAL

• If a team kills an npc, the freshkill count will not be taken from a dead character, since he or she will not get xp for the kill.
  
• The Pulsing Guard reactive heal proc has been changed to last much longer, and has had the heal per tick changed to make the total amount of healing received the same.
  
• Stygian, Aquilonian and Cimmerian treasure-chests should now animate when opened.

CLASSES

Soldier (General)

• Goad should once again be working.

NPCS

• All guards are patroling now in the Caravanserai.

PVP NOTORIETY

• Added "Redeemer" tags to NPCs in Shady camps.
  
• The Totem of Origins should no longer teleport Stygian players right next to a City Guard.
  
• Fixed Redeemer Capoluchio's dialog so that it now displays the golden ! when he has quests for the player at level 80.
  
• Added xp rewards to several Redemption quests that did not have it.
  
• Added waypoint for the Redemption quest NPC to the quest Herbal Aid, in Eiglophian Mountains.

Happy 12th Birthday to Planet Quake! Soon she's going to want to start dating, borrow the car, and be asking people to buy her beer. Little hookah. Something like 7 years I wrote on Planet Quake (aka The Big Fuzzy). That's right, I love me some FPS! Some celebrity birthdays include Usher (29), Natalie Maines (34), Ralph Lauren (69), Roger Moore (81), Stacy Keibler (29) and Harry Anderson (56). Have a good one.

No one got yesterday's name that sunrise, which was from Neverwinter Nights 2 - Dark Waters 2. Let's try a [hopefully] easier one today!


On this day in history...

• 1322 - Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland's independence.
  
• 1964 - Philips begins experimenting with color TV.
  
• 1978 - 1st TV movie from a TV series - "Rescue from Gilligan's Island".
  
• 1980 - Bob Marley's last concert.
  
• 1996 - Planet Quake was born! Happy Birthday PQ! (Video Game Calendar)
  
• 2004 - Zoo Tycoon 2 goes gold. (Video Game Calendar)

Happy International Skeptics Day! No way. I don't believe it. It's also Columbus Day and Navy Birthday. Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians! Today's birthdays include Ashanti (28), Sacha Baron Cohen (37) and L.L. Bean (136). Plus half of the people I mentioned yesterday, because I messed up yesterday. :p

No one ever did get Friday's "Name That Sunrise", although we had a couple of close ones. It was indeed an id Software game, but it was Quake 2. Time for a new one! If you know the game below then shout out in the comments. Here are the current standings:

Terrawen: 4 Points (DAoC, WoW, WAR, EQ2)
Morieve: 1 Point (AO)
Meithar: 1 Point (Vanguard)



On this day in history...

• 1483 - Rabbi Issac Abarbanel starts his interpretation on the Bible.
  
• 1792 - "Old Farmer's Almanac" is 1st published.
  
• 1792 - Washington lays cornerstone of Executive Mansion (White House).
  
• 1914 - Garrett Morgan invents & patents gas mask.
  
• 1963 - "Beatlemania" is coined after Beatles appear at Palladium.
  
• 1972 - Argentine Fairchild crashes in Andesgebergte (rugby team eats crash victims to survive).
  
• 1987 - 1st military use of trained dolphins (US Navy in Persian Gulf).
  
• 2324 - Birthday of Beverly Crusher, fictional doctor on Star Trek Next Generation.

Time for a new AoC Vault Poll, and this time we want to know how many alts you're rolling through Hyboria? Vote now!

The Age of Conan Vault Feat Calculator has undergone a major revision. All classes are now up to date using the latest Age of Conan in-game data. The rank stats for all classes should now be accurate, along with feat descriptions. Stats that are level dependant are based on Level 80 characters. Visit the Aoc Feat Calculator to plan your uber-l33t character today!

You can save your templates, view the saved templates of other users, rate, comment and manage your own templates. We are also going to start featuring templates from all classes on a regular basis. Get in there!

Pagan catches us up on the latest Age of Conan scoops in Age of Conan Week in Review. Did you miss some of the juice from the previous week? Not a problemo! Check out AoC Week in Review to find out what's what.

Happy International Moment of Frustration Scream Day! Alright, get ready now. You have one minute to let out a blood-curling movie scream and dance around like a little girl. They don't mention the dancing like a little girl part, but I thought it would be fun to watch. It's also Old Farmer's Day, Cookbook Launch Day, World Egg Day and Emergency Nurses Day. Today's Birthdays include Kirk Cameron (38), Kelly Preston (45), Marie Osmond (48), Sammy Hagar (60) and Nancy Kerrigan (39). Until tomorrow...



On this day in history...

• 1492 - Columbus arrives in Bahamas [real Columbus Day].
  
• 1609 - Children's rhyme "Three Blind Mice," published in London.
  
• 1853 - John Morrissey wins boxing title, when Yankee Sullivan leaves ring after 36th round to slug Morrissey's fans.
  
• 1915 - Ford Motor Company manufactures its 1 millionth Model T automobile.
  
• 1915 - Theodore Roosevelt criticizes US citzens who identify themselves with dual nationalities.
  
• 1927 - Hermann Gorner of Germany raises 24 men weighing 4,123 lbs on a plank with soles of his feet.
  
• 1977 - Psychic Romark attempts to drive blindfolded, smashed into cop van.
  
• 1978 - Sid Vicious charged in murder of girlfriend Nancy Spungen.