Been following Aion for a while and i was surprised with the NCSoft change of plans for Aion beta.

First, they only providing a very limited number of keys to promotional websites..

Second, they offering beta acess to whoever pre_order their game.. Pre_Order a game the costumer doesnt know as a way to acess a limited preview or else? Has the gaming industry marketing schemes came so low that they have to use theese methods to sell a game?

Makes you think.. "What piece of c..' am i preordering ?"

Originally posted by EduardoASG

Been following Aion for a while and i was surprised with the NCSoft change of plans for Aion beta.

First, they only providing a very limited number of keys to promotional websites..

Second, they offering beta acess to whoever pre_order their game.. Pre_Order a game the costumer doesnt know as a way to acess a limited preview or else? Has the gaming industry marketing schemes came so low that they have to use theese methods to sell a game?

Makes you think.. "What piece of c..' am i preordering ?"

 

I'm sorry if you missed out on the slew of other betas they had.

You are mistaken, you should get your info before you start thinking up conspiracy theorys.

Beta is beta is beta, they don't get to keep their characters past release, If you really want to know about this game its already being played by half the world.  So no, its not a trap.

Originally posted by EduardoASG

Been following Aion for a while and i was surprised with the NCSoft change of plans for Aion beta.

First, they only providing a very limited number of keys to promotional websites..

Second, they offering beta acess to whoever pre_order their game.. Pre_Order a game the costumer doesnt know as a way to acess a limited preview or else? Has the gaming industry marketing schemes came so low that they have to use theese methods to sell a game?

Makes you think.. "What piece of c..' am i preordering ?"

 

Well if you were at all interested in this game, you wouldve known thats it's been released for a half year or so in Korea, and will release with the lastest patch in place.

So really, if anything, the Korean launch would have been the "unfinished product" which it was clearly not, as they have a couple million subscribers there, not to mention the Chinese and Japanese launches that are also occuring before the NA release.

At the very least developers are taking advantage of the fact that people are willing to pay for a beta.   It's been tested, it's proven, its a new revenue stream, and devs are jumping all over it in the various ways you described.

It also shows the player base has grown beyond the industries ability to support the number of active MMO players with the current game selection.

The developers are feeding on the player bases frenzy for new games and you really cant blame them.

I have edited this post after reading the responses above mine that didnt exist when I was drafting this one.  You missed the original posters primary point.  Its the trend in general hes talking  about not so much Aion in particular.

Originally posted by alderdale

At the very least developers are taking advantage of the fact that people are willing to pay for a beta.   It's been tested, it's proven, its a new revenue stream, and devs are jumping all over it in the various ways you described.

It also shows the player base has grown beyond the industries ability to support the number of active MMO players with the current game selection.

The developers are feeding on the player bases frenzy for new games and you really cant blame them.

I've preordered, I'm not playin in the beta

Why?

Cus I already played the chinese beta, I'm just waiting for 9/20 to start playing the live version.

People who are pre ordering to play the beta are suckers, its the same as the people who buy the extended warentee on their keyboard.

Its highly illogical.

Pre order cus you want to play the game, not cus you want beta access.

Originally posted by alderdale

I have edited this post after reading the responses above mine that didnt exist when I was drafting this one.  You missed the original posters primary point.  Its the trend in general hes talking  about not so much Aion in particular.

General Discussing forums for General Discussions, he posted in the Aion forums, so I gave it to him in terms of Aion. It's probably the only forum that his post doesn't have any grounds, any other game I could agree with, but this is a polished product given new grounds in North America, that has been play tested, and content-added, opposed to something like Age of Conan.

Originally posted by mrroboto40

Originally posted by alderdale

I have edited this post after reading the responses above mine that didnt exist when I was drafting this one.  You missed the original posters primary point.  Its the trend in general hes talking  about not so much Aion in particular.

 

General Discussing forums for General Discussions, he posted in the Aion forums, so I gave it to him in terms of Aion. It's probably the only forum that his post doesn't have any grounds, any other game I could agree with, but this is a polished product given new grounds in North America, that has been play tested, and content-added, opposed to something like Age of Conan.

Was that his primary point?

He had several, I think its hard for you as a viewer to determan the posters intent.

All we've been saying is that this is not a bait and switch and this isn't a "trick" to get you to buy an unfinished product.

This isn't darkfall.

Originally posted by mrroboto40

Originally posted by alderdale

I have edited this post after reading the responses above mine that didnt exist when I was drafting this one.  You missed the original posters primary point.  Its the trend in general hes talking  about not so much Aion in particular.

 

General Discussing forums for General Discussions, he posted in the Aion forums, so I gave it to him in terms of Aion. It's probably the only forum that his post doesn't have any grounds, any other game I could agree with, but this is a polished product given new grounds in North America, that has been play tested, and content-added, opposed to something like Age of Conan.

I know Aion, you do, he does and she also.. but the common Joe doesnt.. and its the common Joe who gonna make Aion a fail or not.

The point is as in general not just Aion, but i am posting here because Aion is the last game using this 'technique' at the moment im posting.

Now.. try to explain to the common Joe.. how a so much played and so much polished product need to use a 'stealthy_shaddy' approach like this to sell.. see my point?

I think maybe you should take off your tin foil hat and go out on a date w/ a non iflatable person......
 

The common joe does not read the forums on mmorpg.com.

Originally posted by Laughing-man

Originally posted by EduardoASG

Been following Aion for a while and i was surprised with the NCSoft change of plans for Aion beta.

First, they only providing a very limited number of keys to promotional websites..

Second, they offering beta acess to whoever pre_order their game.. Pre_Order a game the costumer doesnt know as a way to acess a limited preview or else? Has the gaming industry marketing schemes came so low that they have to use theese methods to sell a game?

Makes you think.. "What piece of c..' am i preordering ?"

 

 

  So no, its not a trap.

Your logic can't repel stupidity of that magnitude!

I got into the beta without buying anything so :P

aion has been out in korea for a while, is wildly successful, and was recently selected as the number one mmorpg there...

so you tell me whether or not you really think this is the case...

Originally posted by Laughing-man

People who are pre ordering to play the beta are suckers, its the same as the people who buy the extended warentee on their keyboard.

Its highly illogical.

Pre order cus you want to play the game, not cus you want beta access.

Not true. First, I would never buy an extended warranty on just about anything. I'm the guy that paid 5 bucks to see if I would like this game after seeing so much hype. I don't have to spend 50 bucks to find out. Plus I can cancel my pre-order. Which I probably will. The game doesn't do it for me. I keep trying. But it hasn't seemed much different than any F2P Asian mmo. Again, just to me. I know a lot of you like it and it's great you've found a game. Me, I continue to search. And now I'm not out 50 bucks.

Its highly logical. = )

Originally posted by qotsa

Originally posted by Laughing-man

People who are pre ordering to play the beta are suckers, its the same as the people who buy the extended warentee on their keyboard.

Its highly illogical.

Pre order cus you want to play the game, not cus you want beta access.

 

Not true. First, I would never buy an extended warranty on just about anything. I'm the guy that paid 5 bucks to see if I would like this game after seeing so much hype. I don't have to spend 50 bucks to find out. Plus I can cancel my pre-order. Which I probably will. The game doesn't do it for me. I keep trying. But it hasn't seemed much different than any F2P Asian mmo. Again, just to me. I know a lot of you like it and it's great you've found a game. Me, I continue to search. And now I'm not out 50 bucks.

Its highly logical. = )

Now this is a good negative post....If it doesn't do it for you, it just doesn't..... I love the look of Aion it IS doing it for me.... I can understand that it may not for some. My dad would say, that's why they make chocolate AND vanilla ice cream. Atleast you gave it a look.

Originally posted by qotsa

Originally posted by Laughing-man

People who are pre ordering to play the beta are suckers, its the same as the people who buy the extended warentee on their keyboard.

Its highly illogical.

Pre order cus you want to play the game, not cus you want beta access.

 

Not true. First, I would never buy an extended warranty on just about anything. I'm the guy that paid 5 bucks to see if I would like this game after seeing so much hype. I don't have to spend 50 bucks to find out. Plus I can cancel my pre-order. Which I probably will. The game doesn't do it for me. I keep trying. But it hasn't seemed much different than any F2P Asian mmo. Again, just to me. I know a lot of you like it and it's great you've found a game. Me, I continue to search. And now I'm not out 50 bucks.

Its highly logical. = )

YAY!!   You are the first person to post a negative review that I actually understand and appreciate!

Good review and well thought out too.

Thanks for your imput!   I agree that it feels a little light right now, but honestly when I started playing most games that were in their first year the game felt basicly the same.

I dunno, just my three cents.  Thanks again!  ^.^

Eh, I see games abusing people's addiction to games with item malls by making an advertisement around "FREE TO PLAY", yet someone is here complaining because they are giving pre-order people a chance to play in the beta instead of letting them wait until september.

Did you know most retailers allow you to cancel your pre-order at anytime?

A marketing like this would be bad if they weren't sure their game rocked and stable enough to be shown in a beta state, people would simply cancel their pre-orders and save their $50 many games like AoC and DF charged from players without a chance to try the game (initially), you should be complaining about THOSE marketing strategies, not Aion's.

This is really not the case of the just mentioned games, the game has been around for like 6 months in Korea, has seen 3 major patches, and we will be seeing release with all the existing patches in place and fully working. And they allow us to beta it as a preview, with the possibility of canceling our pre-order in case we don't enjoy it.

Originally posted by EricDanie

Eh, I see games abusing people's addiction to games with item malls by making an advertisement around "FREE TO PLAY", yet someone is here complaining because they are giving pre-order people a chance to play in the beta instead of letting them wait until september.

Did you know most retailers allow you to cancel your pre-order at anytime?

A marketing like this would be bad if they weren't sure their game rocked and their beta was way too unpolished to be shown, people would simply cancel their pre-orders and save their $50 many games like AoC and DF charged from players without a chance to try the game (initially).

However this is not the case, the game has been around for like 6 months in Korea, has seen 3 major patches, and we will be seeing release with all the existing patches in place and fully working.

Exactly!

I dunno why people are upset about having to preorder to play the beta, just cancel if you hate it.  It makes it seem like they want you to play the game before you have to pay for it that way.  Almost like it was thought out.

Hmm I wonder if thats the point?

Either way I'm glad that people who didn't get a chance to see the game from CN are now able to give it a shot before they must pay for it.  Main reason I never tried out Darkfall is they don't have a free trial, I don't spend money when I don't know what I'm buying, and you shouldn't have to either.

Originally posted by alderdale

At the very least developers are taking advantage of the fact that people are willing to pay for a beta.   It's been tested, it's proven, its a new revenue stream, and devs are jumping all over it in the various ways you described.

It also shows the player base has grown beyond the industries ability to support the number of active MMO players with the current game selection.

The developers are feeding on the player bases frenzy for new games and you really cant blame them.

I have edited this post after reading the responses above mine that didnt exist when I was drafting this one.  You missed the original posters primary point.  Its the trend in general hes talking  about not so much Aion in particular.

I would just like to state that developers/publisher make 0 (zero) dollars from presale boxes. Those boxes and all the goodies that come with them are given for free! There only purpose is to advertise the game and to give the retailers something to offer their customers. Presale boxes cut into and do not add to the publishers profits.

Originally posted by Laughing-man

Exactly!

I dunno why people are upset about having to preorder to play the beta, just cancel if you hate it.  It makes it seem like they want you to play the game before you have to pay for it that way.  Almost like it was thought out.

Hmm I wonder if thats the point?

Either way I'm glad that people who didn't get a chance to see the game from CN are now able to give it a shot before they must pay for it.  Main reason I never tried out Darkfall is they don't have a free trial, I don't spend money when I don't know what I'm buying, and you shouldn't have to either.

 

Well.. i will try to explain it again.. It is the principle wich is all wrong.

You paying to check a unfinnished product, $1 or $5 or $50 or whatever doesnt matter.

One might say.. "no you paying to Pre_Order something.."

Pre_ORder? Why would anyone pre_order something you can download in a few minutes? OH wait.. if i pre_order this something, i get to even enter the Beta_of_nothing_gonna_be_changed called Closed Beta/preview while in fact is Limited_preview_of _the_finnished_part_of_the_game_you_can_see.

Furthermore i can even ride_the_mount_of_wonderland_that_will_be_available_to_all_after_launch AND i can start playing before the others do!!! Woot!

Same applies to the limited Beta events wich is commonly related to this pre_order_bonus_enter_pseudo_beta where you can only play a very limited timeframe of the game and just some levels. Age OF Conan's Funcom was prolly one of the first to use theese schemes in order to promote and make a buyable product knowing it had several and grave flaws.

Is NCSoft doing the same? Does the game seem polished and finnished to you? What about the security breaches lots of people been complanning at ? How about hacks and the way they trying to shutup players who talk about it? How about several existing exploits ingame that are totally unaceptable in a todays game and that will probably required lots of work to solve? Is it really THAT finnished or is someone trying to lead you to believe it is?

See when the commmon Joa sees all this.. the common Joe wich DOES read MMORPG forums even if you believe he/she does not, will wonder.