I've noticed lately, the main reason i stay interested in games is the music and landscapes, believe it or not. It's just those 2 things create the game, and if they get old, so does the game in my perspective. The first i noticed this was in Age of Conan, where the music is complete shit. It's supposed to sound like the music that was around at the time the game is supposed to take place, but it just makes the game so boring and annoying to play. Along with this is the number of different songs that's on the soundtrack, which is a total of about, oh i don't know, 7? This game got old, and i no longer play it. Why I'm looking forward to Aion is the beautiful landscapes and the epic and variety of soundtracks. It has a mix of orchestrated pieces along with HARDCORE (only spelled in caps) guitar pieces. The Map of Aion is also brilliantly thought up, where instead of living on the outside of the planet, you inhabit the inside, and it shares 2 very different archetypes of landscapes: Beautiful and tropical, and dark and a abyssful. This is why I think I'm going to enjoy and stay with Aion. I don't know about the rest of you, but next to gameplay, music and landscapes are the next best things in a game, and they're the things that keep me interessted in them.

Yea, I'm a fan of having a good soundtrack too.

landscape is true, and while soundtrack is nice, after hearing it about 5 times im turning the volume up of my own music ;P.

altho it does not really mix too well ( dutch hardcore + wow in the early days just didnt mix .. :P )

ha yeah i start to turn up my own music as well. At least Aion's soundtrack isn't completely terrible like age of Conan's. I just can't stand that soundtrack

I agree, an interesting landscape is important however I turn off all music in games. 

With most guilds requiring voice coms and my preference to listen to my own music while gaming, I have no use for game music.

But in the end, only one thing really matters to me to stay with a game long term, and that is interesting gameplay.

No way to confirm that AION has this (for me) until I get a chance to play it.

I tend to agree with those of you who are drawn to beautiful landscapes. I love finding areas that are just begging to be made into wallpaper or incorporated into a video.

The HUGEST thing for me though is a sense of achievement and a community that you get when you play a game that isn't on 'easy mode'. Someone mentioned grindfest (a la Lineage 2). While gaining even just 2% into level was almost painful, I was prouder to hit level 40 in Lineage 2 than I was when I hit max level in other games I've played. If Aion keeps some of the sense of achievement and reliance on a tight guild structure to get things done..I'll be a happy camper :)

The only MMO I remember where the soundtrack really was a major draw for me was Lineage 2... it was amazing. 

WoW also has some excellent  music in places, but it gets old before long.

I'm playing the open beta now. The game definetly hast the IT factor. The music is so damn good even the credit music is amazing.

Credit music: http://static.plaync.co.kr/aion-obt/aioninfo/sound/a01_b03_c03/music1_8.mp3

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Originally posted by Fahootmogads
I'm playing the open beta now. The game definetly hast the IT factor. The music is so damn good even the credit music is amazing.
 
Credit music: http://static.plaync.co.kr/aion-obt/aioninfo/sound/a01_b03_c03/music1_8.mp3

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damn that's epic lol

Originally posted by Kyleran

I agree, an interesting landscape is important however I turn off all music in games. 

With most guilds requiring voice coms and my preference to listen to my own music while gaming, I have no use for game music.

But in the end, only one thing really matters to me to stay with a game long term, and that is interesting gameplay.

No way to confirm that AION has this (for me) until I get a chance to play it.

 

Agreed.  Of course a nice soundtrack is small bonus, and landscapes matter, but ultimately they are waaay down the list of necessities for a good game, especially an MMO. 

Conan soundtrack is shit? News to me, I remember Conall Valley having a very haunting tune. But whatever to each their own perception.

Aion does have one amazing sound track make no mistake.

Agree. attracted by the  music and landscape sooo... much.

But , it's decision to be a p2p game disappoint alot of players.

Not clear whether it could continue to be so popular, as wow does

Originally posted by chopstix906

 The first i noticed this was in Age of Conan, where the music is complete shit.

Lmao.  You are truly and completely clueless if you bash AoC's soundtrack.  It is of cinematic scope and quality, and isn't just one of the best soundtracks in mmo's, it is one of the best in gaming, period.

Oh, and I'm not the only one that says so:

http://www.massively.com/2009/02/20/age-of-conan-wins-best-original-score-at-ifmca-awards/

Damn I remember loving the AoC soundtrack. Oh well to each his own :)

I also enjoy landscapes and soundtracks as well, eventhough many times I found myself putting my own music instead (such as the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack "Conan what's best in life?!?!?")

And as much as I hate to admit it WoW had some great music. It does get old after a while.

Things such as soundtrack and landscapes are important,  it is nice to know a MMO company puts THAT much effort into things such as music, voice-overs, and small details. We play these games to immerse ourselves in a fantasy setting to escape  real life as we know it even if its just for a few minutes or few hours in a day. Nothing upsets me more then a nice game with weak combat sounds (coughc ough TCoS cough) or annoying music.

Originally posted by juncaoy

Agree. attracted by the  music and landscape sooo... much.

But , it's decision to be a p2p game disappoint alot of players.

Not clear whether it could continue to be so popular, as wow does

no free meal in the world. especially not when Aion is a 5stars 10 course dinner. :)

Although I share your sentiment regarding Aion, keep in mind that Conan's art style (audio and visual) is the complete opposite of Aion's.  Conan's style was aimed at brutal, unrelenting realism, and the music reflects that atmosphere of the savage beauty within the desperation of a doomed age.

I personally prefer Aion's style over Conan's as well, but recognize that it is the style that we dislike, not the game itself.  (Ok, maybe you dislike the game itself as well, but they can be mutually exclusive) You said it yourself that Conan's music fits the time and place that the story is supposed to take place, the game interpreted that specific style almost perfectly.

In short, don't shoot Garth Brooks because you dislike country music, he's actually doing his job perfectly.  It's tempting to anthropomorphize our disapproval of something, but come on, it ain't Garth's fault!

Side note!  Does anyone know where I can get the Aion soundtrack?  I'm looking specifically for the main theme, the song that plays at the main menu.

Yeah I agree with you OP. Graphics and landscapes are important to me. In Vanguard both are great. City of Heroes / Villains is pretty good... but the recording / instrument sounds are pretty shit in my opinion. The soundtrack to the new WoW expansion is brilliant. The forest area has a really fitting track, very soothing and natural.

EQ2 on the other hand has a terrible soundtrack :-O Really really quite bad. The sounds in general on that game are horrific. I was expecting serious polish when I tried the trial. The graphics are ok but the sounds totally killed it for me. Except for the voice acting... why doesn't every MMO have that? haha

Well. Sound and Landcspace is very important to me too. But Age of Conan has a Great Soundtrack. The Mainthemes of Games are always the best parts of the hole soundtrack so beware. I Play the Aion korean release version and not everything sounds that good. Age of Conan Main Theme is also awesome and got alota nice tunes while you running through the zones. AoC Soundtrack was composed by a well known orchestra.

I've been playing the Chinese beta quite fanatically. The whole atmosphere of the game just makes me want more and more.

I literally had to uninstall it to prevent myself from seeing too much of the game (Knowing that I wouldn't be playing it much longer, atleast 'till the EU / NA release arrives).

I see why it's so frikkin popular. 

I can see it last as long as Lineage 2 and Final Fantasy XI, but I do not see how it is going to compete with other games such as Starcraft 2, Diablo 3, (they may not be MMO but they do have a large gamer base), Guild Wars 2, and the even better looking, Blade and Soul.

Aion will last ( at least for me ) if they could solve the problem of being always in the queue

Thats a problem with the OB not being 100% open :P they can't open 300 servers so people can play for free and then all of the sudden go P2P ruling out thousands of "if its free its for me", that would be a huge risk of investment.

Lol it seems my perspective of the Age of Conan soundtrack was completely off...but hey, that's just my opinion. I guess it just got a little old for me, seeing as got to 80 on one guy, then made about 8 different alts. I guess i was just so used to all the starting area soundtracks and stuff that it was a little much. Also i just like the all around style of aion's soundtracks more.

What I dont understand is why Aion is asking people to pay for being in the beta. That's what it is right now, isn't it? Just beta?  But you still have to get those time card things?

It does look like a gorgeous game though.