Aion Online

[Slayerx]

Originally Posted by Rawgers

Japanese voices are much better.

If anyone cares, NA Beta Keys are available over at File Planet. Have fun~

Gotta second the thanks,
really wanted to give the game the try
I'll have to try it out tonight

[Xacual]

So open beta has come and gone. My thoughts on the game is that it was fun enough but it felt like it lacked that spark to make me really want to buy it and sit down and play that WoW and some other games have had. Other things is that the game seemed filled with money sinks almost to the point of the ridiculous. I just don't think its that great of game design to say you can level entirely by quests which I did, only got to 20 on my highest character, but you kind of need to grind every so often if you want to afford to buy things. The only other negative I have is that some quests are clearly labeled [Group], while others aren't so I died a couple of times going to complete some quests when oh look the monsters i need to kill are elites and i'm barely hurting them...

Some pluses for me was the crafting system, other then the fact that failure means you lose all your hard earned mats used. Being able to accept little quests from the trainer to skill up is a great thing. I also though combat system was pretty smooth, except for some kinks sometime with cast time effects or things like that.

[Zarifus]

I'm quite sure a little after lvl 20, you can no longer level up just by doing quests.

[Xacual]

Have you played the newest versions? Because my friend who hit 30 in closed beta said he never grinded even once. He quested the full way. NCSoft has also said they added in a ton of quests from 30-50 that weren't there in the version the chinese servers have.

[2H-Dragon]

So which server you guys playing. I am probably going to play Nezekan. I don't really care for the timezones, but I hope all the servers stay at eascoast though. :P

[Rawgers]

Meh, not going to bother buying the game. Do not have a lot of spare time, and I do not want to spend it grinding/questing. But overall, the OB was a pretty fun experience (and helpful in getting rid of my mmo craving).

[Slayerx]

well beta's done...
And so far my opinion of it is really rather "meh"... i cared for it just about as much as i did for WoW when i tried it out, but i never got into WoW either.

I really did get some good enjoyment out of the character creation. Made an Assasin named Gremlin that looked like he was some kind of goblin or something. It's nice and more robust than most fantasy MMO's but unfortunately it did not workout in the long run. You see when i get that much freedom with character creation, i feel the urge to role play it... and Gremlin came off as a conniving little weasel who would sooner stab you in the back and steal your gold (which is why i found the ceremony hilarious as the crowd's comments sounded pretty damn correct)... but in contrast to this, what i could get out of the game in the first 10 levels was that Gremlin (and every other character you will make), is some kind of great lost hero/deava with plot inspired amnesia... from what little i read in the quest my character was always just a generic noble hero character devoid of any real interest... Am i expecting a bit much, maybe? can an mmo ever actually allow me to role play? not sure... but i think i would have liked things a bit better if i could have ATLEAST been allowed to play as an evil character... I guess that is one thing about Runes of Magic that i can find some appeal in... you actually are given a good and evil system and it does have some effect on the gameplay... granted though, never played it long enough to find out how much of a difference it makes (most everything else about the game was pretty much WoW)... though i guess the reason why they were able to do that could be that their wasn't going to be a major central storyline

The flying mechanic was fun to play with once you got to that point of the game... It added something i feel a lot of MMO's lack; a fun way to get around the world. MMo's are kinda like sandbox games with how large they are, and how you get from point A to point B can make up a lot of the fun... MMO's generally have you just jog from place to place... much later in the game you get mounts, but all these due is help you move a little faster... i had fun flying around, it wasn't that much faster but it still grabbed my attention more than riding a mount does, especially since it worked in aerial combat into it... however, any point i'd gave the game were taken away when i found some of the limits... namely, i saw big dinosaur elephant things in the river and i wanted to fly over there only to run into an invisible wall. Those wings gave me a need to explore and things i could see i was unable to touch... honestly, i see this big beautiful world and feel a need to explore but MMO's never really seem to satisfy that need

Combat, what's there to say... you played one MMO and you've pretty much played them all

Granted, one thing i did not like is that my trial period did not allow to experience much... during my time i was able to level up 3 level 10 characters, and only got a brief look at 3 of the 8 advance classes... Assasin, Gladiator, Sipirtmaster... Gladiator was rather uninspired; Assasin dealt nice damage, died fast, and felt a bit slow since i need to wait for my hide skill to rechage before i could backstab enemies that aggro; Spirit master however i had some fun with... i was able to instruct my spirit to fight one monster while i nuked another, and thus moved twice as fast... optionally i could let it tank, but i had to control my caster as it does not make a good tank... but again i didn't get much beyond level 10 with any of these so it was merely the very tip of the iceberg... frankly, it would be nice if a trials would allow to make a temp character that starts off at a decent level that way you could get a REAL taste of each of the classes... since i spent 95% of my time in n00b territory, i can't really say i got the REAL aion experience



so ya... i enjoyed the beta, but i think i'm done with Aion, it's pretty much WoW with a new paint job and it costs just as much... only real attraction are the character creation, and the flying... but otherwise it's same old same old

I'll look towards the next upcoming MMO's... "Blade and Soul" in which the combat looks really fun, and characters look like they'll be able to run along walls and stuff (also made by NCsoft)... and "The Secret World", a more Urban myth based MMO; ironically, because fantasy and Sci-fi are so over done, it's modern day setting actually makes the game feel much more unique and thus more interesting...

[Xacual]

Yeah I didn't really like my Scout -> Assassin as much as the sorceror I leveled before it. On my sorceror I don't think I ever really got hit except by accidental aggro, lot to be said for having a snare that lasts longer then the cd of the spell. My scout could only auto attack and then wait for skills to come up off cd which really isn't that great when you are just leveling, a lot of downtime. I think it took me twice as long on my scout to hit 10 as it did on my sorceror. Well I didn't wait for stealth cd either, sometimes I just used the evade skill + the stun hit that follows hit and then stepped around and backstabbed, that worked pretty good.

[Kyero Fox]

of course, most people like being at range because its easyer to hit and run like a girl when you can hit from a distance.

[Velore]

I completely disagree with statement that close weapon-focused classes are weaker than ranged ones. Indeed, early on you can kill mobs with 2 spells, while scout needs to get all sweaty which I think should be balanced, but still later on everything gets a bit more complicated. Let's see Templar, he has his stigma skill which pulls enemy directly to him, Oh hai Sorc! ... Assassin has shadowstep, while Glad has unroot/slow and sprint. They all wield better-than-cloth armor, and as I just said - can get to cloth user quite easily.

Please don't say silly stuff about 'running' like girls and such when you have no idea about Aion PvP.

And no, It's not same old WoW, It's far different because of L2 elements and some other games it was based on. (I forgot names atm), Just want you to know, first 10 levels look pretty much alike in all fantasy MMORPGs. When Aion endgame though, leaves WoW and gets more like WAR where you have to capture fortresses and fight players and npcs at once.

I'm sooo going to play this game ; )

[Kyero Fox]

Wow.. chill~ I was just crackin a joke, and I didn't mean any sexistness about running like a girl. I was just sayin thats how its been in lots of MMORPG's ... WoW mostly, fuckin mages hiding behind objects that they can shoot through (for some freakin reason) and other ranged classes.

I was just hopin AION wouldn't be like that >< I can't get past lvl10 because I don't wonna ruin anything for me.

[2H-Dragon]

Originally Posted by Slayerx

so ya... i enjoyed the beta, but i think i'm done with Aion, it's pretty much WoW with a new paint job and it costs just as much... only real attraction are the character creation, and the flying... but otherwise it's same old same old

All I am saying this game is about it's end game. L2 was trash too on lower levels. The game shines on higher levels when guild, politics come in to play. Not to mention the skill sets the characters drastically changes how the classes are played. NCSoft tends to balance towards end game.

If you didn't get much further than level, then honestly you don't know more then someone who just heard about the game.

Actually a lot of reviewers say that the lower levels is pretty much WoW, but on higher levels it takes it own path. Aion is way more pvp oriented.

[Xion Valkyrie]

Assassins are one of the weaker classes until you hit 25, then you start your path to rampage and by 40 you're pretty much king.

Assassins are also by far the most fun class to play.

[Tak]

I am glad many people are playing this. At least I won't feel lonely when the game actually launches.

Anyways, I wish people wouldn't look down on scouts so much. I admit, scouts aren't very appealing early on, they die fast and have less-than-desirable physical prowess, but they will begin to shine around level 16 should one assume the role of ranger (have not tried assassin). Once rangers acquire accuracy skills, they can dish out unbelievable amounts of damage. On the other hand, I am not going to lie, rangers are the most expensive class to maintain. After all, in addition to ranged skills, almost every ranger is equipped with melee weaponry, many of them dual sets. But the high cost of maintaining a ranger is perhaps justified by their versatility.

Although I am no longer playing a ranger, because I love money, see...

But, like most NCsoft games, Aion is about endgame content, and fortunately, the grind is nowhere near as ridiculous as Lineage II...

- Tak

[Slayerx]

btw, anyone know where you would go if you found any problems... i rmembered that in pandemonium i was able to jumped off the edge near the airship port and glide all the way into the snow below; granted i was able to just use a "return" to get out, but i think there should be an invincible wall there to prevent you from jumping like there is in Sanctum... some times i forget what the point of the beta is =p

Originally Posted by Velore

I completely disagree with statement that close weapon-focused classes are weaker than ranged ones.

well, i was speaking of Assassin alone... in my short time with him, he just got damaged too quickly; he may be able to wear better armor then a mage, but cloth doesn't seem to matter much when the enemy dies before it lands a hit... not to mention having a spirit that can kill a second enemy at the same time. My warrior on the otherhand, i did have more fun with... unlike my assassin, he was able to take much more punishment, and thus could fight longer without needing to rest up and heal... might have been better if i could have gotten more manastones and increased my evasion, though you never seem to pick up the manastones you want... though one thing i would have liked is if the stone remover would give back the stone instead of just getting rid of it (though there could have been something i missed)

Could these dynamics have changed later on? maybe... just have to take your word for it... I might have been able to get to higher level if i stuck with one character, but i wanted to get a feel for multiple classes as i have multiple interests... frankly, i'd wager to guess that my spirit master's nuking abilities would eventually fall behind as i leveled up and thus would need to rely more on my spirits instead of having him kill one thing while i kill another... but i can only play the game for so long before i have to pay to play

Originally Posted by Kyero Fox

WoW mostly, fuckin mages hiding behind objects that they can shoot through (for some freakin reason) and other ranged classes.

I was just hopin AION wouldn't be like that >< I can't get past lvl10 because I don't wonna ruin anything for me.

Well it's not as mages can shoot a target they can not see, thus limiting your ability to hide and shoot... Though i could still shoot from places where it took things a minute to actually reach me

Originally Posted by 2H-Dragon

NCSoft tends to balance towards end game.

If you didn't get much further than level, then honestly you don't know more then someone who just heard about the game.

i guess that's really a handicap that Aion will have to face... afterall, even when they start allowing for free trials that's the part of the game poeple will see; just the WoW part... and i don't know about other people, but when the game doesn't become different till high levels, it takes a long time to get to high levels and you have to pay money on a monthly basis(in addition to an initial payment); i don't really feel it's all that worthwhile to play a game just based on what others say... most games i'm questionable about i can rent and get a good idea of what the game will be like for the remainder of my time playing, and it doesn't cost me much... I generally don't have to play a game for weeks/months (depending on amount of gameplay time) to figure out what the game is "really like"

Though granted, i do think that it would be good practice to show off those game differences from the get-go... as opposed to only letting those things come up much later on in the "endgame"... Does it really HAVE to start out just like WoW? would it not be better to make it so the beginning of the game is different to make sure the endgame really is Drastically different? And how long does it take for the game to really feel different? i'd imagine that if things didn't take a real change by level 20(maybe 30) i might drop it there and then because i got tired of waiting for these differences (though technically, knowing myself, by then there's a chance i'd come down with game addiction a play it no matter how WoW like it was)...


This is part of why i think free trials should allow you to create a temp high level character so you can actually SEE those higher levels... free trial periods really only let you see n00b territories and thus don't give you a chance to see what the game is supposed to really be about... granted though, my friend did say that might be a bad idea as it might be too much information all at once, adn thus you need to be eased into playing... but still, the option to do as such would be nice

[2H-Dragon]

Originally Posted by Slayerx

i guess that's really a handicap that Aion will have to face... afterall, even when they start allowing for free trials that's the part of the game poeple will see; just the WoW part... and i don't know about other people, but when the game doesn't become different till high levels, it takes a long time to get to high levels and you have to pay money on a monthly basis(in addition to an initial payment); i don't really feel it's all that worthwhile to play a game just based on what others say... most games i'm questionable about i can rent and get a good idea of what the game will be like for the remainder of my time playing, and it doesn't cost me much... I generally don't have to play a game for weeks/months (depending on amount of gameplay time) to figure out what the game is "really like"

Though granted, i do think that it would be good practice to show off those game differences from the get-go... as opposed to only letting those things come up much later on in the "endgame"... Does it really HAVE to start out just like WoW? would it not be better to make it so the beginning of the game is different to make sure the endgame really is Drastically different? And how long does it take for the game to really feel different? i'd imagine that if things didn't take a real change by level 20(maybe 30) i might drop it there and then because i got tired of waiting for these differences (though technically, knowing myself, by then there's a chance i'd come down with game addiction a play it no matter how WoW like it was)...


This is part of why i think free trials should allow you to create a temp high level character so you can actually SEE those higher levels... free trial periods really only let you see n00b territories and thus don't give you a chance to see what the game is supposed to really be about... granted though, my friend did say that might be a bad idea as it might be too much information all at once, adn thus you need to be eased into playing... but still, the option to do as such would be nice

Honestly I agree with you on a lot of points.

In NCSofts defense though. People just don't like the hardcore experience from the get go. If I get ganked by a higher level I just accept it for what it is, sadly most people don't have the same mind set. Lineage 2's Higher level gameplay is probably the best there is. Thing is however to get there you are probably grinding for years before you get there(I myself switched to priv servers after a few months of retail). Which led to it getting sucky grades from most gaming sites.

btw Lineage 2 is trash now even on higher levels the devs screwed it up bad and the community is dead.

If I where you I'd just w8 it out. The level of entry on this game isn't to high so it wouldn't be bad to start a few months later.

[Divaa]

I went and downloaded it the other day and after spending hours just to manage to get it working, I uninstalled. I keep in mind, it is beta and nothings perfect but the opening wouldn't even load up right, I finally get into my little character I created and start going through the simple voice tutorial, only to find THAT ALSO SKIPS.

I ran the game pretty smoothly so I know for a fact it's not my graphics card. I moved around quickly and killed things with no issue, I think the voice tutorial should of been left out and I surely would of kept playing, but those 13 gigs just made me annoyed.

But it's a beta, meh.

Edit: Also, nowhere did they bother to really tell you where to get the beta keys, or that you needed them. I figured you just had to sign up and check mark the game, spent a couple more hours researching, sure enough TADA.
Felt like a waste now.

[Velore]

Originally Posted by KyeroFox

Wow.. chill~ I was just crackin a joke, and I didn't mean any sexistness about running like a girl.

I just said that in general, to all people (and I can assure you that there are a lot) who think ranged classes are easy and close-combat ones are pro and they play them so that they can whine about catching up targets.

About betas - Of course it should be about low levels, beta is supposed to show mechanics, graphics, music, and some gameplay for a taste. Aion is a game of choices, they can't just give you max level with random stigmas and weapons, it would be like 'Meh, I dont like this, totally not my style' when on the other hand, playing from the begininng you would pick professions you like, make armor you like, put manastones you like, pick stigmas you prefer. Not to mention that whole endgame is pvpve based, which means tactics and teamwork, which means being in a Legion is important in here.

Also, 1-10 takes like 3hours, on level 17 which takes few hours more, you get to group quests and some funnier campaigns which requiere killing elites and grouping-up, a lot funnier experience than WoW's low level instances, as you can solo these elites as they're in 'open', also on level 25 you get access to Abyss, which is huge pvp area, where you can kill mobs for points, or of course players, for which you get awesome armor.

That much you could try out on beta, and I must say, I liked it early, end-game shouldn't disappoint me ; )

[iceyfw]

im actually going to wait until people post their opinions what they've been doing at the level cap and if the PvP system will grant any kind of rewards you can only get through pvping.

but it is looking good so far graphics and class wise. if its anything like WoW when it first came out, my mind might change at that thought.

[Slayerx]

Originally Posted by Divaa

Edit: Also, nowhere did they bother to really tell you where to get the beta keys, or that you needed them. I figured you just had to sign up and check mark the game, spent a couple more hours researching, sure enough TADA.
Felt like a waste now.

Ya, that seemed pretty sloppy... the open beta was well advertised but i saw no mention as to where you could get the beta keys; took me forever to download and install only to have to wait another few days to look for the beta keys and someone to tell where i could get one

Originally Posted by Velore

About betas - Of course it should be about low levels, beta is supposed to show mechanics, graphics, music, and some gameplay for a taste. Aion is a game of choices, they can't just give you max level with random stigmas and weapons, it would be like 'Meh, I dont like this, totally not my style' when on the other hand, playing from the begininng you would pick professions you like, make armor you like, put manastones you like, pick stigmas you prefer. Not to mention that whole endgame is pvpve based, which means tactics and teamwork, which means being in a Legion is important in here.

Who said it would have to be random?
You make a character like normal and pick your class... but then automatically give you a bunch of levels a ton of money and off you go... buy all your skills and equipment yourself... and part of my point was that a trial period like a week or two may not be enough to give you the supposed REAL taste of Aion... i myself got a chance to taste it and my conclusion "too much like WoW", when had i been able to start off at a higher level i might have seen the differences

Also, 1-10 takes like 3hours, on level 17 which takes few hours more, you get to group quests and some funnier campaigns which requiere killing elites and grouping-up, a lot funnier experience than WoW's low level instances, as you can solo these elites as they're in 'open', also on level 25 you get access to Abyss, which is huge pvp area, where you can kill mobs for points, or of course players, for which you get awesome armor.

That much you could try out on beta, and I must say, I liked it early, end-game shouldn't disappoint me ; )

Depending on how much time you had to play and how many classes you want to try out... in the one week i got with the open beta i MIGHT have had enough time to get to 25 if i played with only ONE character... but trying out one class seems poor for testing out a game when you have a lot of different tastes

I mean is there reason to make players wait that long to get to those parts of the game? i remember that when i was trying out Runes of Magic, i was able to get similar sounding campaign experience within the first 10 levels... no open PvP, but i don't see why we could not get access to the abyss after lv 10 instead of waiting till 25