Creating the art and art direction for a massive game like Age of Conan -Hyborian Adventures (Conan) is far from an easy task. Not only are we introducing some groundbreaking graphics and technology when it comes to online RPGs, but we are also dealing with a license loved by millions of people. This means that we simply can't go ahead and create anything we want, and that our game is defined by a setting created by Robert E. Howard so long ago. That is far from a bad thing, as working within a set universe, with excellent creative people from Conan Inc. to play ball with, means you get a focus that is more difficult to obtain when working on original IP.

So, how then do we go about creating this world, what can you expect, and how do we get there? You won't get all the answers in this article, but for the first time, we are shedding some light on the creation of art for a couple of the locations found in Age of Conan. Specifically, we will tell you more about two particular regions of the world, the mist-cloaked Field of the Dead in Cimmeria, which lies at the southern foot of the mighty mountain of Ben Morgh, and the island of Tortage with its pirate city, situated on the Barachan Isles, off the Zingaran coast.