WoW was pretty much playable after the first month....how is Aion doing?

Pretty much playable as well.

Originally posted by Xasapis

Pretty much playable as well.

Fortress siege crashing I wouldn't characterize as playable.  And yes, it is happening to a substantial number of people.

 On my server (Trinel) the number one legion (legacy) recently all quit and formed a WoW guild. 

The first month game time ends in couple of days. It will be interesting to see the impact of the mass canceled accounts.

NCSOFT made a horrible misscalculation about non asian markets accepting bots/spam. 

Cancelled my subscription for the time being. Lack of support and the bot situation just reeks of Lineage 2 all over again.

We'll see in the coming months if they're willing to make the investment needed to make Aion a viable contender in the West.

Originally posted by mmofan2112

 On my server (Trinel) the number one legion (legacy) recently all quit and formed a WoW guild. 

The first month game time ends in couple of days. It will be interesting to see the impact of the mass canceled accounts.

NCSOFT made a horrible misscalculation about non asian markets accepting bots/spam. 

Did they quit or just make a ragepost somewhere? A lot of them were online and playing yesterday, including TPZ.

The thing is that Aion will follow the destiny of it's antecessors and will lose a lot of subs. It's linear and Lineage2-ish so the terrible bot/ebaying is going to be there in one form or other. Only the people that is comfortable with it will stay after 3 months when they check that player skills has nothing to do with gameplay but botting or buying the best gear.

For the Swedish Samurai Yamoto: Please, who said "we" meant "we the Western People", and Sweden is in this part of the world unless you are a Samurai or not.

In Europe we have a "we", we the Europeans, from the European Union-15, and the eurozone. EU eastern countries are still making their mind up about it...

Aion was very promising but i saw that it was not for me from the first moment. Basic linear level based carrilled gameplay: if I was to play that style of MMO i would chose the number ONE, this is, WoW. Not its variations. And yes, I only play Western Made MMO's for Western People. The asian model is not for us.

If you want to check the asian model you can go f2p some of the millions of them and see that is all about grinding, botting and buying RMT/Ebay the best gear. No player skill needed, I shall insist.

Anyway, if you like Aion, play it.

Originally posted by junzo316

Originally posted by LynxJSA

Originally posted by Yamota

And it is not about having an american equal, it is rather the notion that somehow "we" would be very different from koreans. They have a highly developed and civilized (and also west influenced) society and I dont see how "they" are much different from us.

 

They have a different culture, different level of competitiveness and place importance on different aspects of gameplay.

Point and click movement in Asian MMOs isn't so much because of any type of optimization as it is to facilitate playing with one hand. Customization of the height of cheekbones and the furrow of a brow aren't in Asian MMOs because Asian players don't find that stuff important. I'll see if I can find the article about the Westernization of Granada espada. It was a great look into the diffrences in east and west gamers, with a lot of information on how much a game needs to be changed if it is to be ported to the NA/EU audience.

That's sounds like an interesting read.  I'm always fascinated by other cultures, and the way they view things compared to the west.  I have an friend from China who always pauses before he speaks (I found it quite annoying and finally asked him what the deal was)  He said that people in China usually like to think before they speak, to get their thoughts in order.  I found that fascinating.  We in the western world could learn a lot from our Asian counterparts.

 

Anyway, sorry for that off topic rant.  I look forward to reading the article.  =)

http://www.google.com/search?q=Peter+Cesario+westernization  <- Lots of info on K2 Network. They've built a sizable empire on taking existing successful games and both localizing and westernizing them.

Originally posted by Horusra

WoW was pretty much playable after the first month....how is Aion doing?

It's not that Aion isn't playable, it really is, it might even be as smooth and polished as any new game can be. Problem is that it is sort of pointless to polish poo. No amount of polish can change the fact that Aion is a linear, predictable and derivative grind.

Most hyped up games have at least some small core of originality, something that at least partially redeems them. AoC had it's fighting system and stunning music. WAR had the public quests, open warbands and RvR. Lotro had that cozy middleearth feeling, the addition of new books, and a superior roleplay enviroment. Even Tabula Rasa offered something new with that fastpaced shooter-hybrid gameplay. But Aion does absolutely nothing new, and what's worse is that they don't even improve on any of their stolen ideas.

The only thing that saves Aion from being the failure it deserves to be is the utter lack of competition, there really is nothing else with any chance whatever of appealing to the mainstream, so  Aion came  out on top by default. 2009 is a lost year when it comes to mmos.

Servers are pretty packed when I log in... but hey! You came up with a percentage off the top of your head to support your failure in "trolling"!  Good for you.

Have a cookie.

Originally posted by Comnitus

But you can fly and fight like ballerinas. How is this game not awesome???

The lack of tutus. 

Originally posted by Karbonoid

Originally posted by Horusra

WoW was pretty much playable after the first month....how is Aion doing?

 

It's not that Aion isn't playable, it really is, it might even be as smooth and polished as any new game can be. Problem is that it is sort of pointless to polish poo. No amount of polish can change the fact that Aion is a linear, predictable and derivative grind.

Most hyped up games have at least some small core of originality, something that at least partially redeems them. AoC had it's fighting system and stunning music. WAR had the public quests, open warbands and RvR. Lotro had that cozy middleearth feeling, the addition of new books, and a superior roleplay enviroment. Even Tabula Rasa offered something new with that fastpaced shooter-hybrid gameplay. But Aion does absolutely nothing new, and what's worse is that they don't even improve on any of their stolen ideas.

The only thing that saves Aion from being the failure it deserves to be is the utter lack of competition, there really is nothing else with any chance whatever of appealing to the mainstream, so  Aion came  out on top by default. 2009 is a lost year when it comes to mmos.

Even though flight isn't completely new and has been done in games like Perfect World. It hasn't been done in the complexity or scale Aion has done it. That is the real new feature of Aion, I hope more games in the future limit the new things they put into the game for expansions because you need a playable sound base to work from. Sometimes introducing a new system never before seen is a disaster and there was a reason it was never done before. This can spell disaster for a company.

NCSoft has tried to be innovative numerous times. Remember Tabula Rasa and Auto Assault? Those were new... different. What happened to them. Oh yeah, no one played them! No one can accuse NCSoft of not trying to be innovative at least. As an investor I wouldn't put my money even close to an MMO that tries to be innovative.

My guild of 90 is number 8 atm on my server and we've had what... 2 people leave?  We've been having a blast and I truly doubt that the thrown out number of 50% is accurate.  Now I'm not saying that we don't see some issues the big ones being: goldsellers(though I have seen huge improvements over the last month), dcs on 64bit systems.(usually never happens unless hundreds are on the screen.  Basically only an issue during the sieges.) All other things?  Well we've never been a pve centric group and find the community on our server awsome.  The sense of being on a "team" really is there for the elyos and we've done some amazing things despite the overwhelming numbers on the asmo side.  I don't doubt that the asmos will learn with time how to work together but for now... well they're a mob and mobs don't rule in aion.  You have to fight smart with artifacts in the equasion.  If your wanting the game to die it won't people but yes I realize it's not for everyone.  I will be the first to say there are better pve games but I'm not convinced there is any other game that's incorperated pvp and pve as well as Aion has. 

As in any mmo it's the community that makes all the difference. So many jump on a game and play it a month while still haveing half a foot back into their old game.  Of course there's going to be a turn over but it's hardly as bad as so many on this site are making it sound. 

Aion is first F2P kind of game that has monthly fee. For sure this can not work.  But it is true it first Korean game I was able to enjoy at least up to around 18 when I left with all possible alts at that level. Then .... free fall.

Originally posted by FastTx

Even though flight isn't completely new and has been done in games like Perfect World. It hasn't been done in the complexity or scale Aion has done it. That is the real new feature of Aion, I hope more games in the future limit the new things they put into the game for expansions because you need a playable sound base to work from. Sometimes introducing a new system never before seen is a disaster and there was a reason it was never done before. This can spell disaster for a company.

NCSoft has tried to be innovative numerous times. Remember Tabula Rasa and Auto Assault? Those were new... different. What happened to them. Oh yeah, no one played them! No one can accuse NCSoft of not trying to be innovative at least. As an investor I wouldn't put my money even close to an MMO that tries to be innovative.

If flight really had played a significant role everywhere in the game I would have agreed, truly adding a third dimension to gameplay has huge potential. But that third dimension is sadly lacking in most parts of the game, and when it's there it's mostly for a bit of mining. For most parts the world of Aion is much flatter, linear and restricted than most competitors. Where is the airborne exploration and sense of freedom that would make the flight worthwhile? Flight calls for a whole new way of designing maps, not for the use of traditional maps with even more invisible walls than is the norm.

I do remember Tabula Rasa, I played it for longer than I stuck with Aion, and it really did have it's bright points. There was a certain charm to planting one's character at the gate to fort and burn down onrushing mobs by the hundreds with a flamethrower. In some ways it was a better game than Aion is, but it was not however developed by NC-Soft, it was made by Destination Games. And Auto Assault was created by NetDevil. NC-Soft was the publisher, not the developer. When it comes to their own development they are very conservative, and while this isn't all bad, it does put a hard limit on what they can accomplish.

It's certainly true that it isn't enough to be innovative, and when a developer has to point out how creative and innovative their game is, it usually isn't very creative at all. But I can promise you that the next really big thing will be innovative, no game will ever rival wow by doing the exact same thing wow does but in an inferior way.

It's not trying to rival WoW at least in this demographic. Blizzard has an insane following because of their three IP's (Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft). There will probably be 1.5 million people signing up for Blizzard's next MMO beta. If you got one of those beta keys they might sell in excess of $1k.

No one can trump WoW because it has 5+ years of solid expansions and content updates. The best Aion can do is compete for the open PvP market because WoW abandoned it for instanced pvp.

Aion DOES have maps suited for flying. Anyone bothering to hit 25 go to the Abyss. Personally I don't like the bottom layer (25-30) as much but the top layer is breathtaking the first time you visit. Tons of floating islands with broken pieces of buildings scattered throughout and not on a level field. I've encountered pvps where we hopped from island to island until there was a victor.

Let me put it blunt, flight is limited for PvE but it has so many strategies when it comes to PvP. The only place you will be PvPing is the Abyss and you can fly anywhere.

Originally posted by pre_mar

Aion is first F2P kind of game that has monthly fee. For sure this can not work.  But it is true it first Korean game I was able to enjoy at least up to around 18 when I left with all possible alts at that level. Then .... free fall.

actually when u put i like that wow was first look a like f2p. i mean this statements r close to mental retardation. if it has asian art it doesnt mean it f2p a like.. and i agree with the post above. aion has flying. which should be imo a little more longer.that 3rd dimension should be more explored. pvp pve wise. there is a lot potential in that area so i hope ncsoft will recognize that and implement some new and better features in the, cause that invisible walls crap is annoying and gamebreaking.

\\\\\\\

Originally posted by fixif

Originally posted by pre_mar

Aion is first F2P kind of game that has monthly fee. For sure this can not work.  But it is true it first Korean game I was able to enjoy at least up to around 18 when I left with all possible alts at that level. Then .... free fall.

 

actually when u put i like that wow was first look a like f2p.

I would really like to hear more explanation here. 

i mean this statements r close to mental retardation. if it has asian art it doesnt mean it f2p a like.. 

Actually ... everything feels like f2p to me. Despite better then any f2p i have ever played. F2p are usually such crap that players play only because they are f2p. With monthly fee they would close pretty fast. But maybe it is just me. I'm just expresing here my opinion like many others. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

\\\\\\\

I predict a rise in chuck norris jokes across all wow severs in the next few days...going by xfire stats and this chart my dog made proves this fact.

Originally posted by FastTx

Even though flight isn't completely new and has been done in games like Perfect World. It hasn't been done in the complexity or scale Aion has done it.

I would have to disagree here.  CoX and CO have better flight than Aion.  And you can fly/hover anywhere and with/without wings. They aren't complex, which I don't think flight should be in an MMO, but the scale is pretty awesome.

Enlighten me, where did you get these numbers?

I predict this game will be free 2 play with cash shop by christmas 2010.

By then also the largest guilds on each server will be chinese goldfarmers.

My legion of 40 has only lost 1 person due to not really getting into the game. Everyone else is loving it, even the casual people who only play a couple hours at a time a few days a week.

We actually just approved a new member same day as one said he was leaving, so I don't know where all these DOOOOOM predictions are coming from. Cept maybe from people who want to see the game fail?

Morale of the story: Keep eastern games in the east and western games in the west.

Originally posted by Cyborg99

Morale of the story: Keep eastern games in the east and western games in the west.

I wonder why you say that, since apparently the game is gaining people instead of loosing =)))