Originally posted by DashDash

I can't catch on, why every new game must be compared with WoW. Yes, because 90% of MMO players don't know any other MMO game on the market. I apprehend, that can be compared WoW with some similar title. But how can someone compare two differrent games with completly different game system? I will go play something, because its different and fun to play, not for why its better or not from something ....

I will answer you why i need a comparation with WoW. I play wow from 4 years, and in mean time, i almost tried all other mmorpgs on the market. The fact is, the FOR ME, WoW was still better. Thats why i am comparing with WoW. There is no other reason. Again, i am try to figure out if FOR ME Aion could be better that WoW.

And please, again, no other flames, I am posting here just to clarify some things, no other reasons.

So far i can see, a place in beta/open beta could make me to make a final decision.

Also, NCSoft is a solid company and serious, I doubt they will not give a game trial also.

Originally posted by Xasapis

 Well, considering that we have played up to level 1-20 in the bright side (call it alliance if you want) and up to 1-10 in the dark side (call it horde if you want), there isn't much to tell especially regarding end game, beyond speculations. 

It would be easier if you named what aspects of the game you'd like to compare.

See other threads. Many people have played way beyond levels 1-20 or 1-10. Many of us have been playing the Chinese version of AION for the last few months and have characters as high as mid levels 40. I had a level 38 Gladiator and level 22 Cleric. It's a fantastic game in terms of concept, game play and design, It has excellent end game features for realm versus realm. Read the boards here and you will find out more details about AION. Also see this site for the brilliant patches that will come with versions AION 1.1 and 1.2. AION is in a totally different league to WoW, and will knock out Warhammer from the 3rd spot in game ratings.

http://www.aionsource.com/forum/general-discussion/16195-translation-aion-update-1-1-a.html

After playing from 1-10 about 6 times over the weekend, and then having a very nice conversation on our vent channel with 2 players who do play Korean retail and are doing endgame here is what I can tell you.

Aion adds:

Flying Combat, Open World PVP/RVR, some very nice ghx "in my opinion, subjective obviously",

You loose:

Swimming, mounts, a decent chunk of char customization and some pve.

As to customization, wow has: talents, glyphs, enchants, and toons like druids who can do everything all the toons combined in aion can do.

Aion has: Mana Stones, God Stones and a system called Stima's and a VERY good char designer, you can make your toon look like almost anyone :)

Other things that aren't as widely known as they should be, you don't have a stat like +heal in aion, what you heal the first day when you hit 50 is what you will heal till the day you level, meaning the next expansion.

Spells can't crit, and don't do a damage value x-y they do a flat rate that CAN be affected by a stat called Magic Boost and the targets resistance.

The western market will have limited to no say about game mechanics, we are really just along for the ride, as to the beta we are in, its all about testing localization, not game mechanics.

The game is just as gear hungry as WoW, maybe even more so and the grind takes longer.

All that said I have pre ordered because it is a fun game and I need a little break from WoW, no doubt ill be back in Azeroth 6 months - year down the line. Hope this helps you out a bit, I am by no means trying to bring Aion down it is a good game and worth a try, truth is if you like WoW you will prob like Aion to an extent.

I played from 1-20 on the Elyos (you could say Alli side) as a Templar (think prot tank with a touch of pali)

It wasn't Grinding, all xp was from quests, took me about 2 days of semi hard playing.  Yes I read the quests and had hunt for a while to find a few things (damn fossilzed seashell)  Smelled the roses and worked on crafting too as well as making death runs to see parts of the game that are high level.  If people call this a grindfest they haven't played the game or should be calling WoW a grindfest as well as I found the experience so far to be about the same amount of time I remember playing to get to level 20 in WoW the first time.  By the 2nd toon I made it 1-10 in about 2-3 hours.  Has a built in quest locator, not quite as good as the WoW addon but still VERY good.

The graphics are not cartoony (I'm sure you have seen some screenies and watched a few vids on youtube)  I have had no problems with lag and other than a few bad translations and 1 broken quest (they are aware of it)  I found the play to be extremely polished.

Crafting appears to be more meaningful, and according to reports the upper level items it makes are some of the best outside of PvP purchasable rewards.  Crafting gives XP as does collecting crafting mats, there are dozens of repeatable quests in the crafting arena.  You can learn ALL crafting skills to 399 but can only become expert (450 as of now) in 1 craft.  I learned them all and worked them into the 60 range and even made a few usable items and put them on the AH, didn't use the personal vendor.

I made a Legion (you would call them a guild) just pay 14000 kina (not a lot of cash about 5 silver to you) and you do not need sigs to make it, comes with a beginning Legion vault.  Legions have levels and are ranked (ie compared to other legions)  Didn't do too much testing on this.  Comes with a legion tabard and you must rank up your guild to choose a unique one, rank 2 was about 120,000 kina and you needed 10 guild members according to the vendor.

There is a cube (backpack) which you can expand.  Storage is a little limited compared to WoW and yes you do have a bank vault in the major city of your side.

Money seems to come and go fast, you buy all your skills as books and can even carry them around in your cube so you can use them when you get the level rather than going back to the vendor.

Armor is nice looking and has many variations, you can change the colors of your armor and after level 30 you can even change the skin of new armor you get to match one you like better.  IE The new stuff has AMAZING stats but looks ugly, well you can make it look like the armor you love and get the stats off the new piece.  examples of the armor set can be found here http://aion.mmosite.com/guide/suit.shtml

UI is polished and easy to use, skill chains are fun and combat for me was great.

I love how there are few hybrids to take away from the pure classes and how they are inferior to the pure classes at their specialized role, a Gladi could tank but not as well as a Templar nor will they do the DPS of a Sin.  Chanter is a very cool hybrid with flavors of the EQ bards without the twisting (there is no real WoW equivilant to a Chanter)

Close class equivilants (some will disagree)

Spirit Master-Demo lock/Afflic lock.  Only pet user in game.

Templar-Prot tank/ very small amout of prot pali

Gladiator- MS war

Sorcerer-Mage.  Just as glass

Assassin-Rogue but requiring more skill to play

Ranger- Hunter minus pet (more survival than marks)

Cleric-Disc priest

Chanter-no equivilant, think buffer/healer that melees but not a druid, best AoE heals in game.  Reported to be the endgame healer of choice for their group buffs AoE heals and good direct heals while swinging a DPS staff.

post more direct questions and I'll try to answer them for you.