Aion (Open Beta, Launch Day Info too!)

[Venkman]

If you're having pre-selection issues, hit this post.

Also, in that post they mention that pre-order/CE gifts won't be available until on or after Head Start.

[Draegan]

If you order the CE from NCSoft, it tells you it won't be available until the 22nd.

[Morfiend]

So, currently all the servers except two are locked Asmodian side, and about half of those are locked to both.

[Threash]

So, currently all the servers except two are locked Asmodian side, and about half of those are locked to both.

How can it be locked to both? :P

[Checkers]

I just spent an embarrassing amount of time creating characters on Azphel.  If it turns out TopGoon were just kidding when they said they weren't rolling here after all, I'll be  very !!!

[Outlawedprod]

How can it be locked to both? :P

Probably to encourage people to fill the others.

"To clarify, servers that are full for pre-select WILL re-open at headstart."
http://twitter.com/aion_liv/status/4089525118

Also whoever said Goons weren't on azphel I'm pretty sure that zikel stuff was a troll.  Judging by their efforts to snipe names on azphel of Ragequit members and others it seems my suspicions are accurate.  Not that it matters where they go.

[Morfiend]

"To clarify, servers that are full for pre-select WILL re-open at headstart."
http://twitter.com/aion_liv/status/4089525118

I saw this. I thought it was a joke. This locked server shit is clownshoes. Locked to one side I can understand but to both? Its not even primetime on the west coast, and most of the servers are locked. I will be pissed. Not that I really care, but I feel like I am being ripped off of part of my preorder bonus.

[Nonentity]

No worries - when the servers open for the head start on Sunday, you'll be able to create your characters on Asphel (or whatever other server) then. This lock only affects the pre-creation period.

[Numtini]

For those contemplating tinkering with characters. You can't. You get two choices. Go back and tinker. No more characters thanks and have a nice day. No characters for you. Servers full and you can **** yourself.

VERY UNHAPPY. Like not going to pick up the game unhappy.

[Threash]

For those contemplating tinkering with characters. You can't. You get two choices. Go back and tinker. No more characters thanks and have a nice day. No characters for you. Servers full and you can **** yourself.

VERY UNHAPPY. Like not going to pick up the game unhappy.

This has already been mentioned several times.

[Outlawedprod]

For those contemplating tinkering with characters. You can't. You get two choices. Go back and tinker. No more characters thanks and have a nice day.

Not certain exactly what you did but I was able to delete one and re-create it.  I'm guessing maybe if you only had one character on the server and then deleted it you might get locked out until headstart.  Now if you are talking about only being able to create 2 characters during this window ... well they announced that on their webpage a few days ago.

[Numtini]

If you're on a server that's full, you can't recreate. So I got home early (happenstance, I did not take time off from work for a game) and created a quick placeholder. Went back after dinner and deleted it and Lumiel is full. No more characters until sunday thanks and have a nice day.

Given that the entire reservation system is supposedly a perk for preordering, it's rather maddening. What was supposed to be a perk for preordering has, rightly or wrongly, left me angry and frustrated before a game even launches.

So really, the preorder thing has turned out to be a minus. Good show NC.

[Koyasha]

You deleted the character before creating a new one.  You can delete and recreate characters as much as you want, as long as you keep one character on the server to reserve your presence and side.  Once you delete all characters you no longer have a claim on the server.

[Checkers]

You deleted the character before creating a new one.  You can delete and recreate characters as much as you want, as long as you keep one character on the server to reserve your presence and side.  Once you delete all characters you no longer have a claim on the server.

This.   I've recreated my two characters several times each this way.

[Numtini]

Unfortunately too late. I had reserved my two on different servers to reserve the name. Israphel and Maruchan are the two east coast that are still open to character creation. Like I said, might not be rational, but feels like a real burn even compared to LOTRO where "kathy" on my server was a beta character that never got into retail.

From the volume, I'd have to guess that there's a huge sell through on this game. Also, says something about the value of advertising (little or none) vs. word of mouth (a lot of positive).

[Outlawedprod]

I do like how they are trying to push all the random folks and small groups onto other servers.  Obviously anyone experienced or with some pressing need for a specific server can wait.  To really control things and get a better idea of how many are going to be active on a server they should have put some mechanism in place to make folks pick a a single server for this early chara creation.

supposedly they'll update this...
http://na.aiononline.com/en/news/preselection-server-status.html

[Tale]

Man, the default voice really is ass-demolishing gay.

I have decided to make the world's smallest and youngest looking scout with the tough guy voice.

Made, and named Irony. I am looking forward to Leetdood has been slain by Irony. Like when I had an EQ character called Really: /hide /emote time you stopped playing and made my dinner.

[Tale]

He's gonna be xaen like a lion in aion!

aion lion xaen

[Venkman]

So what is the love for Asmodean anyway? Elyos too foofy?

[Numtini]

So what is the love for Asmodean anyway? Elyos too foofy?

Drizzzttt I think.

[Shatter]

They are likely capping servers on each side at low percentages, say 25% or something for pre selection.  Headstart they will likely cap at 50% or something, then for live go to 100% for each.  If you couldnt create a toon today but you want to play on a set server you likely will be able to just maybe not with the name you wanted if you missed out on todays pre selection window before the servers capped. 

[Tale]

I think most new MMOG players start with the "good guy" role. They pick a heroic role first and reserve playing the "bad guys" for later experimentation. Veteran players, particularly veteran PvP players, are more likely to find it cool to hang out on the evil side.

Pre-orders for a game like this would mostly be from veterans.

[Lantyssa]

I like their look more.  Metal-tipped fingers and toes, mane, darker complexion.  It's not a drow thing so much as I like 'shadowy' looking characters.  (See my love for an Arasai Shadow Knight in EQ2.)

Their story is also a little more compelling.  Things are rough, but they're making it.  There's some silly love stories mixed in which made me go 'awww'.  Elyos don't really factor into their world view, at least for the little guys.

[Tale]

It's the Pinkredible Hulk.

[Ashamanchill]

I think most new MMOG players start with the "good guy" role. They pick a heroic role first and reserve playing the "bad guys" for later experimentation. Veteran players, particularly veteran PvP players, are more likely to find it cool to hang out on the evil side.

Pre-orders for a game like this would mostly be from veterans.

This is usually true, but this time around my friends and I are rolling Elyos. The look of their wings appealed to us. I'm hoping most of the Lincon Park crowd is pulled to Asmodian.

[Numtini]

They reopened Elyos precreation and I was able to snag my name again.

[March]

I think most new MMOG players start with the "good guy" role. They pick a heroic role first and reserve playing the "bad guys" for later experimentation. Veteran players, particularly veteran PvP players, are more likely to find it cool to hang out on the evil side.

Pre-orders for a game like this would mostly be from veterans.

That's what I thought prior to WaR... turned out that the Destruction preference was simply preferred.  Damn postmodern kids.

A quick glance at the pre-order list shows that not a single server is locked to Elyos... every lock is Asmodian.

I'm wondering if the curse of two sides (vs. multiple) is going to bit another PvP ass.

[Threash]

I'm wondering if the curse of two sides (vs. multiple) is going to bit another PvP ass.

That's what locking the servers is supposed to prevent.

[Numtini]

I figured Elyos would be far far outnumbered. I think PVPers tend to go for the evil races. And the drizzt thing. Everyone goes for the dark elf look and that's certainly what they look like.

[March]

I'm wondering if the curse of two sides (vs. multiple) is going to bit another PvP ass.

That's what locking the servers is supposed to prevent.

I hear ya, and not to rehash two pages ago, but doesn't that just push the problem downstream?

Not talking about balancing 51/49, but if it turns out that there is a huge 60/40 imbalance, then you simply have Asmodian players without an opponent... even with lock-outs.... or more properly, especially with lock-outs.

What strikes me as interesting is that no-where are the Elyos showing a lock; sure, we can speculate on what the unwashed mmo masses will do, but that's my point... WaR showed that the preferred side was in fact the preferred side - contra approved wisdom.

I suppose that I just fall into the camp that sees PvP as needing multiple factions as a self-levelling dynamic that actually enhances the game... mathematical solutions to human problems strike me as fraught with peril.

/shrug, we'll see in a few weeks.

[Lantyssa]

That's what locking the servers is supposed to prevent.

Which works for about two days until people who paid for the game can't play their prefered side.

I'm only interested in Asmodian.  My first server was completely locked by the time I got home.  My alternate was.  My alternate, alternate was.  I finally picked one at random, but it's kind of a problem since my friend (Social stickiness is a must!) had already created on my first choice and couldn't on the one I finally made it on to.

Even with me watching the preselect server status, my pre-order pre-select bonus has been completely fucking wasted.  It's a horrible way to start a game launch.

[Draegan]

http://na.aiononline.com/en/news/preselection-server-status.html

Looks like no servers are locked and a few are Elyos only now.

[Threash]

That's what locking the servers is supposed to prevent.

Which works for about two days until people who paid for the game can't play their prefered side.

I'm only interested in Asmodian.  My first server was completely locked by the time I got home.  My alternate was.  My alternate, alternate was.  I finally picked one at random, but it's kind of a problem since my friend (Social stickiness is a must!) had already created on my first choice and couldn't on the one I finally made it on to.

Even with me watching the preselect server status, my pre-order pre-select bonus has been completely fucking wasted.  It's a horrible way to start a game launch.

Or they could just let people roll anywhere they want and end up with massive asmodean over population in a game based entirely around realm pvp.  WaR tried that, didn't go well.  The minor annoyance of people not being able to roll on their preferred server trumps the mayor one of having a broken game with an unfixable realm imbalance.  If it works, of course, if it doesn't this game is going to end up next to WaR in the graveyard anyways so pissing off a few people now is not a big deal either way.

[01101010]

Its not like we didn't discuss before it happened and even foretold of the problems.

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=17828.0

[Lantyssa]

That's a flaw the design, not the players fault.  Offering two sides then not letting players choose one is bad, especially if it splits apart friends and guilds because some of them couldn't choose.