Preview: Aion

[dochmbi]

I can only play one MMO at a time (due to monetary and time constraints) and even though Aion may be a great game, it would take a lot to make me choose it over WoW. I would want to see it happen though.

 

[Aptspire]

I see Warrior templar, as well as scout assasin

Now to find a good hood for my char. ;-)

 

[Nurb]

I hope they're going to come out with a trial upon release if they want my money. I can't seem to get into any beta I apply for, and I'm not wasting my money on another like I did with warhammer online, that POS. I wonder why all these companies think they're above making a trial easily available considering the competition. I installed the Conan trial from PC Gamer only to find out the company isn't handing out trial keys yet. Same with LOTR online, they have these limited windows of time where you can try it and I usually end up missing it, so I've never played either even though I'm interested.

If you're still interested, Conan is doing so now. Ish [https://register.ageofconan.com/trial/]. Although why they don't off the bat is really not hard to figure out. You've just blown all your money on your MMO development, released it slightly early when the funds got critically low (story of every MMO thus far). You need every bit of cash you can; the money from the early purchases, the first few months subscription is the lifeblood of an MMO dev. If they let the majority of their players avoid paying for the first few days then they'll have crippled their income. It would be bloody stupid business practise.

bad business practice? giving a trial or demo increases the chance of more people paying to play the game. For example, I want to try out the game before spending money, if they don't have a trial, I won't purchase anything till they do. They ensure a non-purchase off the bat with that decision rather than increase the chance of a potential sale. I know I'm not the only person like that who's got burned on blind MMO purchases.

And thats the page I was talking about, the trial's being "prepared" while I waste 16 gigs of space, heh

 

[xxcloud417xx]

The problem with most MMOs right now, and maybe the way to topple some of WoW's fanbase is the lack of "free" content. WoW releases free content in patches regularly. Just look at the past year or so there's been the Sunwell isle, Zul Aman, Ulduar, and the new patch 3.2 with a new raid and instance!(correct me if there's more) I've yet to see an MMO release ANYTHING outside of a goddamn expansion. At least in WoW the money you pay each month can be considered like a "content fee" so it's like seeing your money at work when you start playing the patch content. When other MMOs start doing this right, maybe they'll gain some appreciation and more players.

Another thing that keeps ppl interested is the simplicity of WoW. It makes it easier to play and attracts even casual gamers to the MMORPG market. I hate so many MMORPGs because they are needlessly complicated. EVE for example is retardedly complicated, I mean who the hell wants to play a game that almost requires a damn certification to understand? Most of the online gaming community, that's who. Want to know why they have only 1 server? Because they could never even begin to fill a 2nd, there are too many people (with common sense) that want to play a game. Games are meant to be fun sources of entertainment, not tedious work.

If Aion can stay nice and simple and maybe give the paying community some content for their buck, I'm sure they could keep a nice tidy player base.

 

[Xero Scythe]

The idea of getting massive bat wings is enough to make me want to try this.

I haven't played many MMO's, but my main problem is the "press button, wait for creature to die" combat. To be more involving the combat should mimick a fighting game where you hit a specific button for each strike.

don't worry, that's actually the basis of Aion's fighting system. one button= one strike. ive played Aion, it's really good.

 

[Singing Gremlin]

bad business practice? giving a trial or demo increases the chance of more people paying to play the game. For example, I want to try out the game before spending money, if they don't have a trial, I won't purchase anything till they do. They ensure a non-purchase off the bat with that decision rather than increase the chance of a potential sale. I know I'm not the only person like that who's got burned on blind MMO purchases.

And thats the page I was talking about, the trial's being "prepared" while I waste 16 gigs of space, heh

Ah, fair enough.

But no, in terms of MMOs, it does not. It's not coincidence that a very large chunk of the playerbase leaves any new MMO very quickly; it doesn't live up to their expectations. Give a trial and you won't get see any money from that entire portion of the market you would otherwise have paying off your development costs. And the likelihood that anyone who isn't sure enough to buy the client without having a trial being pleased enough with a freshly released, inevitably bug-ridden and content shallow MMO to start paying is slim indeed. The no trials at start proviso is with the caveat that all MMO's suck at launch compared to the almighty one everyone is sallying out from to try the new contender. WoW itself was no exception, but it's didn't have the high profile established competition modern ones do.

 

[Wingmna]

Aion is a WoW-clone:
It is the same style of MMORPG yes, it took some hints from the game and no doubt Aion's gameplay/UI/etc is influenced by the fact that WoW was so popular.
Overall however its endgame is extremely different, and many things like market and crafting are also different. It is more like DAOC then WoW

It is only pretty:
Great engines aren't about pretty looks, Aion's engine is fully capable in terms of a MMORPG. Look at WAR, it had a horrible engine and hence one of the reasons why the game failed so badly.
Either way, it is more then an engine.

Bottom line is, Aion isn't revolutionary (stuff like questing/leveling is extremely generic), it is however decent. It is an hardcore experience that has been missing from MMORPGs for a while.

Really sick of seeing one-liners from randoms who know nothing about the game, I would call you trolls, but most don't even deserve that title.

I haven't flown in endgame, but I know gliding is an amazing mechanic. It isn't WoW, where you just mount past everything all the time, the game keeps you there in full concentration (and is fun)... Finding the best spots to jump off of, getting as much air time as possible... This is one aspect of Aion that will hopefully become a sticker in all future MMORPGs as an entertaining means to travel over long distances.

If God gives you lemons, you find a new God.

I like lemons... And lemons are better then nothing, you can make lemon juice if you're a weirdo who likes only sweet stuff.

Why does everyone have it against lemons? SOUR = GOOD. It isn't like people are so this aggressive against Chili, which is way worse to have by itself (love Chili myself, go Thai ones, hottest kind).

 

[chickenlord]

I don't Know, Aion just doesn't attract me, i really think the setting, lore, and the utter knowledge that it will never really be as full and energetic as WoW. The story seems not that interesting cause well...i don't know much of it, and it seem a little too...whats the word...generic...yeah bad vs good both want something in the middle, old news i think. Isn't there ANY other kind of story that could work for an MMORPG? i don't know, but i think someone should try, if it bombs then everyone will continue to make the same boring, generic kind of games. I really think before i would consider buying it i would need a glims of some memorable characters, some interesting lore, something! Is there a book/manga/game that this is continuing so i could possible try and get interested in it before i buy it?

 

[Leesee]

The makers of Aion are the same as lineage 2. Question for people who have played Lineage 2 and who have played Aion also.... Is it as well made as lineage 2? Or would I be wasting my time?

 

[Miral]

It looks decent, but unless they adopt that Chinese payment system mentioned earlier (pay for a block of play hours, rather than each month regardless), then I'm not interested. I just don't have enough free time to justify a monthly fee.

 

[Jupsto]

looks like guildwars.. plays like WoW. pass.

 

[theultimateend]

Although I like the idea of flying, and I do agree it looks pretty, it simply won't be enough to topple WoW or even draw in a small but respectable income without something more.

Why exactly is destroying WoW the expectation everyone seems to make for games?

How about it just innovating and being something itself? I think for the most part that's what is lacking for most people.

Likewise if this ends up being Guild Wars it certainly is forgetting the horribly long time spent leveling. I got to 10 on a small beta bing. In Guild Wars I don't think I even made it to 7 without being so bored that I contemplated just slapping my balls against an anvil. Seems like that would have been more fun overall.

 

[spuddyt]

Although I like the idea of flying, and I do agree it looks pretty, it simply won't be enough to topple WoW or even draw in a small but respectable income without something more.

Why exactly is destroying WoW the expectation everyone seems to make for games?

How about it just innovating and being something itself? I think for the most part that's what is lacking for most people.

Likewise if this ends up being Guild Wars it certainly is forgetting the horribly long time spent leveling. I got to 10 on a small beta bing. In Guild Wars I don't think I even made it to 7 without being so bored that I contemplated just slapping my balls against an anvil. Seems like that would have been more fun overall.

I didn't only say it wouldn't beat WoW, I also said it wouldn't be able to draw in a decent marketplace to sustain itself in my view, precisely because WoW will eat almost all its' subscribers. I may be proved wrong, but I won't budge on my prediction simply because it is "innovative"

 

[theultimateend]

Although I like the idea of flying, and I do agree it looks pretty, it simply won't be enough to topple WoW or even draw in a small but respectable income without something more.

Why exactly is destroying WoW the expectation everyone seems to make for games?

How about it just innovating and being something itself? I think for the most part that's what is lacking for most people.

Likewise if this ends up being Guild Wars it certainly is forgetting the horribly long time spent leveling. I got to 10 on a small beta bing. In Guild Wars I don't think I even made it to 7 without being so bored that I contemplated just slapping my balls against an anvil. Seems like that would have been more fun overall.

I didn't only say it wouldn't beat WoW, I also said it wouldn't be able to draw in a decent marketplace to sustain itself in my view, precisely because WoW will eat almost all its' subscribers. I may be proved wrong, but I won't budge on my prediction simply because it is "innovative"

I don't think its innovative I was just saying that beating wow shouldn't be the priority of an MMO. But yeah you are probably right with your prediction, not necessarily for the "" reason but in general.

 

[S-Unleashed]

I may want to check this out.

 

[mykalwane]

Weird that this turned from a topic based on the game into an argument on what it isn't going to beat. As though WoW is the topic, and not the game Aion. I may sound like the crazy one here, but wither a game can beat another game isn't a real concern. It is either a good game that lives, or a bad game that dies. That is just how the MMOs are. As much as one may love or loath them, they are not more then a game. The goal of a game is to be (fill in the blank) and profitable so they can make more said games. Sometime the case is to tell a story much like Metal Gear is or to be fun like Prototype, but it has to be that and profitable. If in the end you don't like a game, don't buy it. Doesn't matter if it beats it or not. City of Heros didn't beat WoW, but it didn't make it a better game because of that. Some games are more popular then others. Just a plain fact. It doesn't make sense as to what is the most popular. Pyscronauts wasn't popular and that didn't make it a bad game because it didn't beat Madden. Just because Madden makes more money and is more popular doesn't mean it is a better game either. Just means one can make more money is all.

 

[Kojii Doom]

This game looks hella fucking balls to the wall awesome.

 

[Razorback0z]

WWW = World Wide Web ?

No

WWW = Wow With Wings