'This is a game that starts at level 20, not at max level. If you pick a healing class, expect to be healing and not DPSing or Tanking, that's just how it is.

I know it's difficult, but use your brain. You won't be healing the mobs to death, so more than likely that is why you feel forced into grouping.'

rofl... and i thought gaming is progressing.

from the description OP gave us - the game feels just like lineage 2 at the start.

however since i read these foolish answers that actually agree with devs forcing players to do shit...

its no wonder devs did what they did - if there are fools then there will always be people who fool them.

personally i am having very mixed feelings

YEs I am too feeling very much bored as of this closed beat weekend

Originally posted by Jimmydean

First of all, you chose to play a Cleric. If you read the Cleric's description, it is the main healer class.

This is a game that starts at level 20, not at max level. If you pick a healing class, expect to be healing and not DPSing or Tanking, that's just how it is.

I know it's difficult, but use your brain. You won't be healing the mobs to death, so more than likely that is why you feel forced into grouping.

You know, I agree with this. I've tried just about all the classes and the cleric was extremely hard for me to stay focused on.

well, at least for 10 levels. Clerics are healers. They can solo very well but it's a group class. Of course, I say that with very limited experience in the scope of things. I'm sure there are higher lvl clerics who might be able to give a better opinion.

This has nothing to do with Cleric, i played a Ranger (is this really a dps class?) which is actually worse then Cleric.

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by Kyleran

 

Its called paying your dues, and almost everything in life requires you to do it, not just games.

 

I have already paid my dues - by paying my money. I'm paying NOW, I expect to be entertained NOW.

If i wanted to be entertained I'd watch TV.

The very last thing i want in an MMORPG is to be passively entertained.

I want a game environment that gives me lots of different ways to actively entertain myself.

Originally posted by -aLpHa-

This has nothing to do with Cleric, i played a Ranger (is this really a dps class?) which is actually worse then Cleric.

Rangers are horrible from 10-18. At 19 they get slightly better, but only shine at later levels.

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Originally posted by thexrated

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Originally posted by -aLpHa-

This has nothing to do with Cleric, i played a Ranger (is this really a dps class?) which is actually worse then Cleric.

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Rangers are horrible from 10-18. At 19 they get slightly better, but only shine at later levels.

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I hope you don't try to justify something there, the concept is beyond me, making classes horrible at start to midgame and saying they will shine in endgame is a joke in my eyes.

Originally posted by -aLpHa-

 

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Originally posted by thexrated

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Originally posted by -aLpHa-

 

This has nothing to do with Cleric, i played a Ranger (is this really a dps class?) which is actually worse then Cleric.

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Rangers are horrible from 10-18. At 19 they get slightly better, but only shine at later levels.

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I hope you don't try to justify something there, the concept is beyond me, making classes horrible at start to midgame and saying they will shine in endgame is a joke in my eyes.

Well, no I am not trying to justify it and it's a known issue. It has been complained a lot. I would not be surprised if Clerics did do more damage from 10-18. At 19 you get your first combo skill and at 20 you get your first Stigma. So damage gets a big boost.

However, levelling up to 19 is not exactly a huge feat. And you can group most of it (what I plan to do in release). I don't really find the sucky damage to be a game breaking issue for me, but not saying it can not be for you.

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by metatronic

I dont know why but this game just got utterly boring all of a sudden. Starting to feel forced into groups now otherwise soloing is just too painful.  CB4 I got into a group healing and it was alright, the loot was not bad.. but I seriously cant stand this asian garbage no more. Which is starting to feel very much like a heavy grinder.. Combat is so slow and boring I can't stand it.. As a cleric I have 2 main offensive abilities that chain into special attacks every 15-30 seconds or so...  I mean seriously im 20 levels in and Im attacking with the exact same crap as level 5.. There is other spells and a few buffs that have been given over 20 levels I just dont see why theres all this hype around this game anymore to anyone post lvl 20. 

 

Im actually only posting this now because I read a few posts on here that said the game opens up at level 20.. Im not sure what they meant but the game feels just like the the first 20 levels just with some new scenery..

 

I can't speak for you being bored. that is your thing. But asian grinder and heavy grinder?

I did part of 17, dinged 18 and mostly to 19 in a long evening's play session. I have a lot of quests that I haven't done and don't anticipate being at 19 for very long.

i just don't know what easy games you are playing to say that 1-20 feels like a grinder. I played Lineage 2 when it came out and it took almost a week to get to 20. That has changed now but then it was a huge battle to get lvls and money.

 

I wouldn't mind if it took me a year to level if I could do through something other than "take quest, kill mobs, return quest" and option b) "kill mobs". If I could level via PvP as well I wouldn't mind if it took me 10 years to reach the max.

Basically i what i am hear is, i want to do more, faster.

The grind in Aion isnt step, its a joke, the game has 50 levels, and basically if you add up the time you played, in a few days you hit 20, its an MMO, its supposed to take some time, and interms of time, its not that long, it took me 4 hours to get to level 15.  That isnt Asian grind, that is reasonable progression.

I think WoW spoiled to many people, having them blow through the A to Y just to get to Z as quickly as possible. Aion is not like that. There is no need to level faster since all of the content starts in your 20s, yes the game has some focused team work dynamics, yes if you play a healer you will heal, no you wont be a dps god, this isnt WoW, dps healers do not need to exist, if you want to do dps and magic play a mage. 

The game has a wide selection of skills and stigmas, but guess what, they arent at level 20.

Look, every class sucks before 20, and most of them are slower to start then others, if you arent willing to see how they devolop then there isnt much anyone can say to change your mind.

Aion isnt a casual game, it was made by the people who created lineage 2, there is going to be some grind, a lot of gaps between skills, a lot of time before you are concidered awesome, but just like in lineage when you do get to that point it is well worth it.

You are at a crossroads now, do you want to play a serious MMO in september, something that might actually require an actual investment on your part, some actual patience and willingness on your part, or are you just looking for the quickest feeling of shallow satisfaction you can find.

MMOs today have just made people to weak, i started off with final fantasy 11, and then moved to lineage 2.  When people complain about grind in games liek this, and WoW and most of those f2p asian grinders i always say to myself "What the hell are they talking about?" Most people who have played FF11 and Lineage 2 to a decent level will agree, alot of these games dont have any grind compared to those games.

Im bored of Aion at level 20, but thats because i did level 1 to 20 like 8 times since chinese beta, and i just dont feel like doing it anymore until launch.

I dont think the MMO genre is for most people.

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

It's not exactly fair (or smart) to require SOME classes to group for efficient leveling when other classes do not, since grouping presents its own problems.

MMOs should be offering quests that healers can perform by healing, and quests that tanks can perform by tanking. Not only does that allow players to level in the style they have chosen to play, but it teaches them skills they will need when grouped.

 Another option would be to reduce the amount of xp that tanks and healers need to level, since they are not as well suited to great majority of quests offered.

MMOs do offer stuff that teaches tanks how to tank and healers how to heal, its CALLED grouping.

Originally posted by markoraos

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by metatronic

I dont know why but this game just got utterly boring all of a sudden. Starting to feel forced into groups now otherwise soloing is just too painful.  CB4 I got into a group healing and it was alright, the loot was not bad.. but I seriously cant stand this asian garbage no more. Which is starting to feel very much like a heavy grinder.. Combat is so slow and boring I can't stand it.. As a cleric I have 2 main offensive abilities that chain into special attacks every 15-30 seconds or so...  I mean seriously im 20 levels in and Im attacking with the exact same crap as level 5.. There is other spells and a few buffs that have been given over 20 levels I just dont see why theres all this hype around this game anymore to anyone post lvl 20. 

 

Im actually only posting this now because I read a few posts on here that said the game opens up at level 20.. Im not sure what they meant but the game feels just like the the first 20 levels just with some new scenery..

 

I can't speak for you being bored. that is your thing. But asian grinder and heavy grinder?

I did part of 17, dinged 18 and mostly to 19 in a long evening's play session. I have a lot of quests that I haven't done and don't anticipate being at 19 for very long.

i just don't know what easy games you are playing to say that 1-20 feels like a grinder. I played Lineage 2 when it came out and it took almost a week to get to 20. That has changed now but then it was a huge battle to get lvls and money.

 

 

I wouldn't mind if it took me a year to level if I could do through something other than "take quest, kill mobs, return quest" and option b) "kill mobs". If I could level via PvP as well I wouldn't mind if it took me 10 years to reach the max.

Just checked and no we don't get xp from pvp kills. unfortunate.

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by markoraos

Originally posted by Sovrath

Originally posted by metatronic

I dont know why but this game just got utterly boring all of a sudden. Starting to feel forced into groups now otherwise soloing is just too painful.  CB4 I got into a group healing and it was alright, the loot was not bad.. but I seriously cant stand this asian garbage no more. Which is starting to feel very much like a heavy grinder.. Combat is so slow and boring I can't stand it.. As a cleric I have 2 main offensive abilities that chain into special attacks every 15-30 seconds or so...  I mean seriously im 20 levels in and Im attacking with the exact same crap as level 5.. There is other spells and a few buffs that have been given over 20 levels I just dont see why theres all this hype around this game anymore to anyone post lvl 20. 

 

Im actually only posting this now because I read a few posts on here that said the game opens up at level 20.. Im not sure what they meant but the game feels just like the the first 20 levels just with some new scenery..

 

I can't speak for you being bored. that is your thing. But asian grinder and heavy grinder?

I did part of 17, dinged 18 and mostly to 19 in a long evening's play session. I have a lot of quests that I haven't done and don't anticipate being at 19 for very long.

i just don't know what easy games you are playing to say that 1-20 feels like a grinder. I played Lineage 2 when it came out and it took almost a week to get to 20. That has changed now but then it was a huge battle to get lvls and money.

 

 

I wouldn't mind if it took me a year to level if I could do through something other than "take quest, kill mobs, return quest" and option b) "kill mobs". If I could level via PvP as well I wouldn't mind if it took me 10 years to reach the max.

 

Just checked and no we don't get xp from pvp kills. unfortunate.

Then it's not a PvP game. Deal-breaker.

Originally posted by Jotika

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

It's not exactly fair (or smart) to require SOME classes to group for efficient leveling when other classes do not, since grouping presents its own problems.

MMOs should be offering quests that healers can perform by healing, and quests that tanks can perform by tanking. Not only does that allow players to level in the style they have chosen to play, but it teaches them skills they will need when grouped.

 Another option would be to reduce the amount of xp that tanks and healers need to level, since they are not as well suited to great majority of quests offered.

 

MMOs do offer stuff that teaches tanks how to tank and healers how to heal, its CALLED grouping.

If DPS classes don't need to group to level, and tanks and healers do, then the game is unfair and imbalanced. It would be fine if ALL classes had to group.

Inconvenience, poor sports, incompetent players - all make grouping problematic. Forcing some classes to have to subject themselves to such problems and not other classes is bad design.

Get ready with your "Why aren't there any healers" complaints.

Originally posted by MustaphaMond

No, it's a single-player online themepark for me me me.

It's a single-player theme park already for the DPS classes, since they don't have to group.

Tanks and Healers are designed for grouping? With whom, pray tell? The DPS classes don't have to group.

Whether you see it or not - required grouping is a handicap. It's fine if ALL players have to group. It's not fine if only some classes have to.

Originally posted by Margulis

Originally posted by Ozreth

To the OP: MMOs shouldnt be completely soloable. And of cousre you are bored. One day in and you are already level 20! What did you expect? You burned it out far too quickly. It takes me a few weeks to get level 20 in most games. Take your time, meet people, enjoy the content, take breaks and do other things with your time.

That being said I quit at level 2 lol. Only because I realized its the exact same stuff ive been playing for years, and thats just not my cup of tea.

 

As someone else said in this thread, he didn't hit that level in 1 day.  All the beta weekend characters carry over, even from the first weekend. 

Its not more boring than in 90% of the current MMOs, if you play Aion, play it for its awesome PvP or the decent endgame pve, otherwise, we (fans) have said it over and over, if you're looking for the ultimate solo experience, Aion is not your game, period.

Funny thing is I was hoping Aion would spice up things a little with being PvP focused. You should be allowed to PvP from the start, period. You should be able to gain exp through PvP kills. I want to get to the goods sooner rather than wade through the weak sauce (PvE). And this thing about patch 1.5 is dumb....why risk adding 5 levels to the cap every beta week and allowing your most enthusiastic audience to get frustrated with your weakest feature of a outdated build/version?

Makes no sense. I was looking foward to getting my kill on, but now I'm not only forced to play an outdated version, but I'm also forced to endear the weakest part of the whole package and suck it up? Nahhh, I pass. But if any of the other beta events are gonna be anything like the last 2 before the release of the game, then expect a lot of unhappy players to sit it out for a few months after release. Don't get me wrong, I will still be picking up my CE but it will stay shrink-wrapped until I feel Aion has advanced enough to warrant me breaking open the wrapping.

Isn't the gameplay of AION already tested and gone live? I thought the NA beta was mainly to test out the localization / translations (of which i'm thinking there aren't a whole lot in PvP)...

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by MustaphaMond

No, it's a single-player online themepark for me me me.

It's a single-player theme park already for the DPS classes, since they don't have to group.

Tanks and Healers are designed for grouping? With whom, pray tell? The DPS classes don't have to group.

Whether you see it or not - required grouping is a handicap. It's fine if ALL players have to group. It's not fine if only some classes have to.

I think you got it wrong. Dps classed need to group just as much because they have a greater change of dieing by gankers. All classes serve an important purpose in groups.

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I hope you don't try to justify something there, the concept is beyond me, making classes horrible at start to midgame and saying they will shine in endgame is a joke in my eyes.

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The reason why rangers "suck" 10-18 is because you go through your first 10 levels as a MELEE character. You're going to have to do a hybrid of melee/range until around 19 when you get enough ranged skills

I've dueled level 25 rangers and they HURT. Point is some classes are just difficult to try and balance at a low level, or fit them into their perspective role real quick. If you're smart you can level just fine as a ranger, and do just fine dps, up until 19 where you'll start pumping out high burst DPS.

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Just checked and no we don't get xp from pvp kills. unfortunate.

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1.5 We get PvP XP btw, although I'm unsure how much it is and if it is "worth it" or not. I'm sure it'd be faster to PvE, but there will be xp from PvP nonetheless.

@the OP: Maybe cleric just isn't the class you want to play? Try a chanter, for example. They are probably one of the best soloers (next to spirit master), they can main heal groups if the player is good and they have useful buffs. Pretty much the best of both worlds though.

The one thing I don't get though is that devs can really not win, can they. They make a game catered to soloers and group players bitch about grouping not being useful. They make a game catered to group players and soloers complain that they can't solo. They then make a game where you can solo 1-50 just fine (there will be some quests that you will miss, mostly campaign quests) but then make it so that some of the quests require a group and you can also group 1-50 fine... and people bitch.

Although really what did you expect by rolling a main healing class?

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I think you got it wrong. Dps classed need to group just as much because they have a greater change of dieing by gankers. All classes serve an important purpose in groups.

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Not to mention it is sort of difficult to solo elite mobs. Of course any mob that a DPS can solo a healer and tank can solo as well, and a lot of times the healer/tank will probably be a better solo class due to heals/a lot of mitigation! If you expect your healer or tank to do the same amount of damage as an assassin or sorc though you're looking at the wrong game...

really, you can solo up in this game if you want. It'll be dangerous in the abyss but you can do it. The only issue is that in 1.0 they don't have as many quests as in 1.5, so the mid 20's can feel like a grind due to limited quests. I don't really like that they raised the cap to 30, as I think some players may get the wrong idea about those levels.

I agree with the OP. Even though I was hyped on this game, I've been lvl 20 for last 2 beta weekends, and I just can't get interested to go any further. I can see that its all about who gets max level first and /pwns in the Abyss. And thats great for the 12 year old on summer break, but I'm not going to engage in the futility of trying to out-waste my time.

There are so many great things about this game. But it lacks the most important thing: fun gameplay. Pay my dues? Um, no. Entertain me. Not some day off in the future when I hit a higher level. Do it now, or I'm gone.

I think I'll just go back to RTS and FPS games. Its instant fun and the competition is always balanced. In general, the MMO genre is dead.

Christ you guys made it to 20? I got bored after about level 10.  Everything is so linear, you follow a path from one zone to the next with quests along it...yesh... And the zones don't even fell that big either.

Besides that, someone who compared the game to life, because you "pay your dues" for the first 20 levels, to which someone said that is like saying the first 30 minutes of a movie should be terrible.  That person that replied saying, you can't compare it to movies....Compare it to sports...

Wtf?  At no point should anyone pay their dues for a game, outside of buying the game/monthly fees. from than on, you should have fun.  Having no fun the first 20 levels is WE TODD DID.

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Originally posted by windstrike1

I agree with the OP. Even though I was hyped on this game, I've been lvl 20 for last 2 beta weekends, and I just can't get interested to go any further. I can see that its all about who gets max level first and /pwns in the Abyss. And thats great for the 12 year old on summer break, but I'm not going to engage in the futility of trying to out-waste my time.
There are so many great things about this game. But it lacks the most important thing: fun gameplay. Pay my dues? Um, no. Entertain me. Not some day off in the future when I hit a higher level. Do it now, or I'm gone.
I think I'll just go back to RTS and FPS games. Its instant fun and the competition is always balanced. In general, the MMO genre is dead.
 

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Some people just don't like MMOs, it's understandable. I haven't felt like I've had to "pay my dues" yet, I've enjoyed the game so far from level 1.

It is a beta though, remember that. I don't mean as in the "oh it will change!" aspect, but the fact that you're going to "lose" all of your progress so far is sure to turn some players off once they sort of see what the game is like. There isn't really any point in going higher than mid 20's in my opinion if it is going to get wiped. Last CB I spent a bit of time getting to 22 on my Chanter and then just started to PvP. This closed beta I've done an assassin, who is level 15 now and prob will be 20 by tonight. That means I'll probably just be able to hang out in the arena or something for a while, even though I'll probably be fighting higher levels.

Everyone have different opinions though and people like different things.

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Christ you guys made it to 20? I got bored after about level 10. Everything is so linear, you follow a path from one zone to the next with quests along it...yesh... And the zones don't even fell that big either.

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Why is it we get critics here who play up to level 10 and feel they can give their opinion on a game? It's fine if you didn't enjoy it but Jesus Christ dude, you played through what surmounted to a tutorial zone. Of course it's linear, it's teaching you the ropes!

Double post, but the OP mentioned the combat being boring without much to do. I thought I could share my current "rotation" I sort of do on my assassin at level 15 to shed some light on how it is on other classes.

Start the fight with Dash Attack I (charge), go into a Swift Edge II 2 part combo then use my Engrave Signet I. If I haven't dodged an attack by now I hit my Focused Evasion I to automatically dodge the next attack (if it is up against a mob that poisons or does a nasty ability I wait for it to start casting that to dodge). After I dodge I use my Counterslash I ability, which stuns the mob allowing me enough time to buff up with my short CD buffs Follow-Up Strike I and Devotion I, which gives me another 90% P attack for my next attack. I then Surprise attack II the enemy (does more damage in the back) and follow up with another Engrave Signet I and then usually finish with Burst Signet I (the Signet moves add things that act like combo points, and Burst Signet is a finisher.

That's a common fight for my assassin so far. Depending on how hard the mob is I might throw in another Swift Edge combo. Against tougher boss like mobs (4-5 dots) I usually switch it up a bit, and pot too. I can also Bloodlust (+20% speed while it is toggled but drains mana) to run away which gives me enough time to heal using the Herb Treatment everyone gets.

Of course the fights go by at a pretty decent pace, so it doesn't really sound as long as it does, although I certainly do a lot so far for such a low level.

1. If you think it's boring. DO NOT PLAY

2. Hope you find a game that's exciting for you.

3. Stop trying to tell these people who think Aion is boring to play

Personally, I like the game so far (not in Beta, I like playing on Chinese server), I will play once N.A. version is out.  

4. if you think Aion is boring.. go to play Warhammer :P (J/K) Real friend won't let friends play Warhammer