Aion: The Tower of Awesome

[Acepilotf14]

Anyway, this weekend was the first closed beta test for Aion. I got in, being a subscriber of Tabula Rasa during its death throes, and got first access to it.

I certainly doubt this game will do anything to WoW(What will, amirite?), but its certainly shaping up to be quite interesting.

I don't get wings until level 10, so I can't comment on that quite yet.
I WANT MY ****ING WINGS.

The graphics are much better than in these screenshots, I'm just on my crappy laptop. In fact, it runs well on this ONBOARD GRAPHICS CARD. That's something to note.

Screenshots:
(Don't tell NCSoft, would you? I signed a non-disclosure agreement or something. I didn't read it.)

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0000.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0001.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0002.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0003.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0004.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0005.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0006.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0007.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0008.jpg

[BHC]

I wanna try! I'm not much of an NCSoft kinda guy, but they've literally dumped all their chips into this one, and it seems like it might be fun for a few hours at the very least. Looking great for on board graphics too, jeesh.

Care to tell us a bit about the starting quests/combat/gear/loot/xp systems etc?

[Acepilotf14]

Starting quests are your standard 'kill x, then go here, get another quest, kill x, go here, give this guy this, kill x more, what you didn't pick up the items? go get more!' affair.

So far, loot seems rather meh, for these low levels.

XP works the same as every other MMO.

Combat is fun, you basically chain attacks to deal more damage. Reminded me of AoC.

Damn the game is pretty... your character reacts when it rains like in the third 'shot.

[BHC]

Oh that's ****ing awesome that your character's idle animations change based on the weather, actually. This is probably worth doing the free month for just to drool over the collective works of some of the best artists/animators in the MMO business.

[Acepilotf14]

The musical score is great too. Especially non-combat parts.

Pianoooo.

[BHC]

You should utterly rape that NDA and give your account info to play a bit :D

[Barnz]

The musical score is great too. Especially non-combat parts.

Pianoooo.

Agreed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfsk8SIXY-4

[Darkside55]

Korean Grindan Adventure

Now with wings!

Did you people learn nothing from Lineage II?

[Combine Hybrid]

Korean Grindan Adventure

Now with wings!

Did you people learn nothing from Lineage II?
Lineage 2 is a piece of shit as mmo much as ff11.

At least, Aion is nothing like lineage 2 despite teh fact that its by same developers.

Aion is basically WoW + L2.

[Acepilotf14]

Remember.
With wings.

[SamuraiKenji]

Dekaron has wings........at level 102 :3
But s'okay, i play on a private server 'cause retail, though free, is slooooow. Took me like 2 months of off and on play to get from 25 to 26

[Darkside55]

Lineage 2 is a piece of shit as mmo much as ff11.
That's what I was saying, in case we're missing each other's point here.

At least, Aion is nothing like lineage 2 despite teh fact that its by same developers.

Aion is basically WoW + L2.
Ok, so Questan Adventure

with wings

[Acepilotf14]

I'm glad you got that point, Darkseid.

..Anyway, I'll play more tomorrow, hopefully get mah wings, and update about the differences with them.

[BHC]

with wings

[Sedako]

I got to level 25 in the Chinese open beta about a month ago, and am currently in the weekend beta as well. Some friends and I who used to play WoW are rounding up people for an Asmodian Aion guild. We've had a lot of experience leading guilds in the past, so if anyone here is interested in joining up:

http://havok-gaming.net/

[Acepilotf14]

I might take up that offer, Sed.

I just got to level 10. Damn those flashback missions are awesome.
MOAR SHOTS
Heh, WoW only just got it's first cut scene?
You get a two ****ing cut scenes in the first ten levels.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0009.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0010.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0011.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0012.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0013.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0014.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0015.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0016.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0017.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0018.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0019.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0020.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0021.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0022.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0023.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0024.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0025.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Aion0026.jpg

[Krynn72]

Looks incredibly generic except for the wings. How do they affect gameplay?

[Acepilotf14]

Not sure yet.
In the flashback, the wings were basically ON RAILS.

But I get to go do a QUEST to go get my WINGS.

(but no paul mccartney)

[Krynn72]

Why did you CAPITALIZE those four words? And if the wings are just like WoW's flying mount things where they are just fancy carts on rails then im am thoroughly uninterested in this game.

[Combine Hybrid]

Why did you CAPITALIZE those four words? And if the wings are just like WoW's flying mount things where they are just fancy carts on rails then im am thoroughly uninterested in this game.
You can do aerial combat.

[Warped]

the layout looks just like Guild Wars, which is something I like

[Acepilotf14]

Completely free flight.

That just won the game for me.

[Acepilotf14]

Next beta is this weekend.

Huzzah!

Sedako, you going to be on?

Also, sorry all the screenshots are not there, I was organizing my photobucket.

They're all here. http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x256/acepilotf14/Screenshotties/

[BHC]

FP beta keys are being handed out. North America only, sadly.

http://www.fileplanet.com/promotions/aion/

[Sedako]

Next beta is this weekend.

Huzzah!

Sedako, you going to be on?

I will try to be, I've been fixing up my PC, but it should be good to go at this point.

[Acepilotf14]

You are rather late.

What is the next beta, anyway?

[the cow says moo]

So this game is basically WoW... except you can fly... like a boss.

[Combine Hybrid]

So this game is basically WoW... except you can fly... like a boss.
Only idiots compare new MMOs to WoW these days.

[Letters]

Only idiots compare new MMOs to WoW these days.

What?

...

What?

[Raziaar]

I played Lineage 2 for quite a while. Up to the point where the first sieges started happening. I was one of the highest levels out of all the servers with my female orc shaman(seriously), and at some point I said to myself... wow, this game is a shitty shitty grind, and I hadn't even realized it.

And then I quit.

[Adrik_Senturu]

So judging from the posts in this thread and the screen shots..its a fancy korean grindfest with wings.


**** didn't some free korean grindfest do this already? But with like flying surfboards or some shit.

[BHC]

Good call, probably. This one is just getting more press because NCSoft has dumped a metric assload into advertising it. If it fails things will not bode well for ol' NC, they've got all their chips in the Aion bucket.

[Eejit]

I
Heh, WoW only just got it's first cut scene?
You get a two ****ing cut scenes in the first ten levels.


Kojima is involved?

Cutscenes are balls and should be removed from games forever.

[Adrik_Senturu]

I was right this MMO did it first:

http://flyff.gpotato.com/?m=welcome&a=features

So its basically a prettier version of that.

[Shakermaker]

Just did an impulse buy and acquired Aion. The game is now updating. Is anyone here playing this?

[Acepilotf14]

Yes. I am level 21.

http://i38.tinypic.com/288mn0g.jpg

taken a bit before

On the server Lumiel. I wouldn't suggest joining my Legion(equivalent to clan), though, as it is the /v/ Legion.

[Shakermaker]

On the server Lumiel. I wouldn't suggest joining my Legion(equivalent to clan), though, as it is the /v/ Legion.

I am playing on EU servers so no worries.

I found the first few hours quite uninspiring. There is not a lot of difference in NPC's. The newbie levels for both sides have the same monsters you fight and the same traders. I also found the sound very basic and not very well done tbh. Gameplay itself seems ok. Standard mmorpg fare. I found a mage quite fun to play but I still need to try a priest. Prolly makes grouping easier.

How are the dungeons btw?

[Acepilotf14]

>dungeons
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3697794433_16146fc096.jpg

[Shakermaker]

You're more a PvP man I take it?

[Acepilotf14]

I mean
PvP IS the dungeons.

[Seppo]

Look like LotR Online.

[TwwIX]

This is no different than your standard Korean MMO. This just has a bigger budget in the marketing department. It's the same boring and grindy crap that i have played half a decade ago. NcSoft should put a bit more money into City of Heroes if they want to compete with Champions Online and DC Universe Online instead of throwing all of their money at new projects.

[BHC]

To be fair they spent a good deal more time coating the grind in a nice shiny and well localized layer of paint. It doesn't really do anything bold or innovative, but then again, I pity anyone who thought it would.

MMOs have taken to the same marketing strategies as female hygiene products, adding wings. It's still a piece of disposable fabric used to absorb menstruation--or in this case, an endless treadmill of killing rats.

[Acepilotf14]

This is no different than your standard Korean MMO. This just has a bigger budget in the marketing department. It's the same boring and grindy crap that i have played half a decade ago. NcSoft should put a bit more money into City of Heroes if they want to compete with Champions Online and DC Universe Online instead of throwing all of their money at new projects.

Champions Online was made by the same people who made CoH.

[TwwIX]

Champions Online was made by the same people who made CoH.

Your point is?

[Acepilotf14]

Your point is?

CoH really doesn't have much of a chance nowadays.

not that it wasn't very good in the first place, barring the creator.

[Kyorisu]

This is no different than your standard Korean MMO.

The solution is of course to wait for private servers to get to a decent level of emulating the retail ones and then jump on a 1000x EXP one. I'm on some random one right now with bogus levels of hp/mana it's hilarious. I really dislike this type of MMO arrangement where a company simply buys the rights to one and goes from there. It doesn't give me a lot of hope for the future of the thing. So get in early see if it's any good and then leg it to the next big thing whatever that is.

[Yorick]

I am enjoying this so far.

[Shakermaker]

I am enjoying this so far.

Out of sincere curiosity: why? I felt very let down by this game. Tried it a couple of times since I bought it, but I really can't enjoy it.

[Yorick]

I'm not really huge into MMO games, but I've played World of Warcraft on and off since it came out. No zomg epic end-game raiding, but I've got a couple toons at 80. And so far this feels pretty similar to that.

[Shakermaker]

I miss the fun from WoW. It all seems so mechanical. Plus the sound is horrible imo.

[TimoJay]

Unfortunately I bought this.... (I should really hide my credit cards when I'm drunk)

I played for a bit over a week and quit.. Not too fun. Plus I'm very familiar with lackluster support that comes from asian based companies toward western audiences.

[Acepilotf14]

Got to 21, overpopulated areas made it impossible to get any farther. So, I'm just sort of doing nothing, and probably won't continue. Considering I don't find WoW any fun at all, I just hope ToR will prove better.

which it won't