Aion (Open Beta, Launch Day Info too!)

[Senses]

Having little or no knowledge of Aion till I read this post and saw that cleric pvp video I will say that two things struck me. 1) Wow, that looks alot like WoW. and 2) It actually looks kind of fun.

[01101010]

Well, Aion matters most by being fun...to me. Regardless of how you see it, want to see it, slam it, masturbate to it, throw shit at it; its still a game and still about the fun factor. For myself, I am satisfied. Getting a little further in the beta this time, I am starting to appreciate the finer intricacies of the game like movement reactionary skills that raise att, eva, block when moving in the corresponding direction while fighting, the use of skills and combos, flying (in places where you can), and overall activity. Even the spiritmaster (summoner) is not a fire and forget DoT everything and read a book job. Definitely will pay for the box cost in entertainment value.

Beta is shaping up to be a nice try every job out without commitment either. I for one usually end up taking a job to higher level but not capping before I reroll something else to just try and end up with that character mid level before the vicious cycle repeats itself. Meanwhile, all my guildmates are all capped and doing high end things while I struggle to find a job to actually finish. This beta is a very nice, no risk try them out since they are wiped anyway.

And yes, this will be a cookie cutter MMO with the addition of flight (z-axis is nothing new in water environments and even timed in flight as well) and a PvP alternative. Its pretty and just different enough to get excited about, but there is nothing earth shattering here. I don't believe there will be this cutting edge ultra different MMO ever... its just a continuous progression with little jumps of progress. Since WoW has cornered the MMO market, they have been able to advance better and with more vigor than any other MMOs while capturing more and more people. With the headlock WoW has had on the MMO world, its hard to see past its influence on everything else, so there is no reason to. They did some good stuff, and hopefully new MMOs will follow suit and take those lessons and run with them while adding there own twists. The next MMOs will take their next steps and improve this and that, but WoW will always be seen as the trail blazer even though they weren't the first ones to enter the fray.

Aion will go the way of LotRO and FFXI (though without the dick-in-the-ass interface) and put out a solid game.

[Numtini]

I think a bit more successful than LOTRO and FFXI and EQ2. From what I can tell it already has more subs than all three of those combined. I've found press releases for 500k in Korea and 1m in the PRC. Everyone's tossing 3.5m around, but I can't find any confirmation of that one. It's doing well though.

The fun factor is the big one. I just plain enjoy playing it. I have no idea why or what makes one game enjoyable and another not when they're both on paper diku based clones of each other. But the actual gameplay for me just has "It" whatever "It" is.

[Ingmar]

Yeah it will do Lineage numbers.

[ghost]

Yeah it will do Lineage numbers.

Should we do a subscriptions pool, e.g. Warhammer at 6 months?? 

[AcidCat]

Group PVP from a clerics POV  Not sure what you can infer from that but it looked interesting.

As much as I like the game so far that just looks like random garbage to me. I'm not sure that the addition of flight really adds to the pvp experience of a game like this, it's just like a swarm of gnats flying around. When you're stuck on the ground, the landscape itself seems to offer more tactical variety. Plus I never play these games zoomed out like that - more efficient though it may be, I want that immediacy of being right behind my character, seeing more from their point of view. Otherwise from that viewpoint I'd rather just be playing an RTS.

[DLRiley]

I prefer being zoomed out...not only do I get to see everything around me...I get to see everything around me...

[Arrrgh]

Is there an english forum somewhere for people currently playing 1.5 (the version they'll open with here) on an asian server? I'm wondering about PvP class balance.

[01101010]

Is there an english forum somewhere for people currently playing 1.5 (the version they'll open with here) on an asian server? I'm wondering about PvP class balance.

you can come by a few translated bits and pieces on source and other fansites, but alas... we westerners must wait to bitch about these matters come this fall.

[Numtini]

I'm not sure that the addition of flight really adds to the pvp experience of a game like this, it's just like a swarm of gnats flying around. When you're stuck on the ground, the landscape itself seems to offer more tactical variety.

I'm actually skeptical about the effect of flight on pvp as well.

[Lantyssa]

Plus I never play these games zoomed out like that - more efficient though it may be, I want that immediacy of being right behind my character, seeing more from their point of view. Otherwise from that viewpoint I'd rather just be playing an RTS.

I'm the same way.  The second I have to move the camera from the immediate area of my camera to accomplish something is the second I'm no longer interested in doing it.  I don't feel like I'm playing my character anymore so much as directing my forces.  That's fine if I was playing an RTS, but that's not why I play RPGs, MMO or not.

The only time I don't mind is when I'm making a screenshot of a cool scene.

[Morfiend]

Is there an english forum somewhere for people currently playing 1.5 (the version they'll open with here) on an asian server? I'm wondering about PvP class balance.

www.aionsource.com

[Arrrgh]

Is there an english forum somewhere for people currently playing 1.5 (the version they'll open with here) on an asian server? I'm wondering about PvP class balance.

www.aionsource.com

That one is informative about the current english beta, but I was looking for more of an elitist jerks/arena junkies type spot for people who are playing the current asian version yet like to chat about it in english....

Ok, maybe that's asking a lot.

[Draegan]

I havn't found out any other places to get info other than the aionsource.com.  Aionsource is steaming pile though.  Tough to read through.

[Xurtan]

Aionforums.com isn't too horrible, but not as wide-spread as Aionsource. Just not a lot of good English sites out there yet.

[Zetor]

Is there an english forum somewhere for people currently playing 1.5 (the version they'll open with here) on an asian server? I'm wondering about PvP class balance.

www.aionsource.com

That one is informative about the current english beta, but I was looking for more of an elitist jerks/arena junkies type spot for people who are playing the current asian version yet like to chat about it in english....

Ok, maybe that's asking a lot.

There's a subforum on it on arenajunkies, but that's mostly about the beta, with some people playing the chinese version [1.0]... it's also sorta fanboyish, but that's to be expected I guess :p

[Draegan]

WARNING: MMORPG Forum link
A little insight from the Korean server on endgame PVP.



If you don't mind reading a little engrish, the OP of this threads plays on the Korean server and he discusses a lot of things from the high end game play.  He talks about the Abyss, group composition etc.  He's also the person who made the video I posted recently.  It's a good read if you want an experienced look at the Abyss end game.  He also has Korean and NA DAOC experience.  I found it informative.  Keep reading the thread, the OP answers a lot of questions.

[DLRiley]

I was tempted to stop reading after I read 8hour pve zone. But alas Aion actually has a decent idea on its belt, treating rvr for what it is really is pve with angry players (if only Mythic learned that lesson when they attempted to make rvr in WAR). I want front row seats to this.

[Severian]

WARNING: MMORPG Forum link
A little insight from the Korean server on endgame PVP.

Terrific thread.
I wonder a little about how much he might be trying to sell the game since he admits he's into NCSoft stock and trying to gauge NA interest, but his posts really seem to be on the level, from his perspective as a very competitive group-level PvP player.

[Draegan]

I don't think he's shilling the game for the little stock he bought. 

And DL: That 8 hour thing was apparently a large pvp fight.  The actual PVE doesn't take that long.  But of course your reading skills are pretty shitty anyway.

[DLRiley]

Actually it was a pve encounter that turned into a pvp encounter hence why it took 8 hours. My inclination is that the only thing I do for 8 hours is sleep, work, and school....

[Morfiend]

Actually it was a pve encounter that turned into a pvp encounter hence why it took 8 hours. My inclination is that the only thing I do for 8 hours is sleep, work, and school....

I spent almost 8 hours in the first ever AV on my server when it was released. I also got in to a 6 hour clusterfuck 3 way battle at Kazzak one time right after the world raid bosses where released. I imagine it was something like that.

[DLRiley]

Way too much time on an mmo.

[Draegan]

I think you spend to much time reading this forum.

[DLRiley]

You wanna log our stats to compare 

[Salesman]

I think you spend to much time reading this forum.

Not near as much time as you spend "shilling" for this game over the various forums I lurk.

[Xerapis]

WARNING: MMORPG Forum link
A little insight from the Korean server on endgame PVP.

Terrific thread.
I wonder a little about how much he might be trying to sell the game since he admits he's into NCSoft stock and trying to gauge NA interest, but his posts really seem to be on the level, from his perspective as a very competitive group-level PvP Korean player.

FIFY

[Draegan]

I think you spend to much time reading this forum.

Not near as much time as you spend "shilling" for this game over the various forums I lurk.

 .

[tazelbain]

6.02214179×10^23

[Nebu]

6.02214179×10^23

Knowing the reference just made me feel like a mega-nerd.  Thanks! 

[bhodi]

Yeah. Me too. 

[Soln]

Curt?

[WayAbvPar]

6.02214179×10^23

[NiX]

You wanna log our stats to compare 

You would only be proving his point.

[Lantyssa]

6.02214179×10^23

That was very cute.