Originally posted by templarga

The third and final issue will be a massive in-balance at the end-game. The reason I say this is because, historically, games with only two sides (like WAR) have a very hard time with balancing. The secret to DAOC's success was a playable 3rd faction. Now I know that Aion has the NPC 3rd faction but I do not think it will be the same. I still expect that each server will start fairly balanced but over time, the population on each server will be drawn to one side or another. Soon servers will become known as server for "that" side. People will naturally gravitate towards one side and then the server becomes poorly balanced and the problem only exacerbates itself.

QFT. It always amazes me that game companies can't figure this one out.

Maybe they still believe the "two's company, three's a crowd" bullshit were were fed as children.

Originally posted by cfurlin

Originally posted by templarga

The third and final issue will be a massive in-balance at the end-game. The reason I say this is because, historically, games with only two sides (like WAR) have a very hard time with balancing. The secret to DAOC's success was a playable 3rd faction. Now I know that Aion has the NPC 3rd faction but I do not think it will be the same. I still expect that each server will start fairly balanced but over time, the population on each server will be drawn to one side or another. Soon servers will become known as server for "that" side. People will naturally gravitate towards one side and then the server becomes poorly balanced and the problem only exacerbates itself.

 

QFT. It always amazes me that game companies can't figure this one out.

Maybe they still believe the "two's company, three's a crowd" bullshit were were fed as children.

Remember guys, there is a third faction. Masked with the lore, they are here to keep the balance. Atleast that is what I hope.

The Baluar....love them hate them, tricksome side swapping bastages that they are.

The third faction in Aion serves a unique purpose in the game, they swap factions. Sometimes they turn on those they work with, sometimes they assist the Asmodians, other times the Elyos.

They really do balance out endgame pvp, in theory, but as I have not played KAion or CAion I cannot say if it works out that way.

Alexis

*Smiles*

Originally posted by Cailieg

The Baluar....love them hate them, tricksome side swapping bastages that they are.

 

The third faction in Aion serves a unique purpose in the game, they swap factions. Sometimes they turn on those they work with, sometimes they assist the Asmodians, other times the Elyos.

 

 

They really do balance out endgame pvp, in theory, but as I have not played KAion or CAion I cannot say if it works out that way.

 

 

 

Alexis

*Smiles*

Exactly. I have not read anything that says they will work with the side that is weaker and has less players 100% of the time. So as far as a 3rd faction goes, I am very skeptical.

After the initial rush to play this because it is something new, I predict that Aion will lose the most casual PvE players back to whatever games they came from. The game  will be a moderate success for those looking for more meaninful PvP. The game unfortunately is not as casual friendly (meaning non-guild, solo and small group) as some other titles (do not let the early levels fool you). Nor does it seem to offer much replayability value. However, I think due to the very nice engine that seems to handle larger PvP battles very nicely, it might hold interest for group/raid orientated PvP players and perhaps even convert some PvE players to the PvPvE concept.

Sorry but true MMORPGs are not for casual players. They ruin the quality of MMORPGs with their whines.

If you don't have time to play, just don't play and that is all.

I don't ask Fox Interactive to cut movies just because I don't have the time to watch a movie

Originally posted by SwitchMe

Sorry but true MMORPGs are not for casual players. They ruin the quality of MMORPGs with their whines.

If you don't have time to play, just don't play and that is all.

I don't ask Fox Interactive to cut movies cause I don't have to watch a movie

Then by all means play your non-casual MMO and have fun with it. And I promise you Aion will trend to cater to casuals more and more once subs start suffering).

However, casuals are not as whiny as you want to make them out to be. Hardcore PVP'ers are the worst and 99% of the whining comes from the hardcore PVP market. Look at games with no PVP or limited PVP, you think casuals whine that much.

Take for example that a lot of games have PVP'ers whine about getting a FFA server...then its implemented and its all whining about balance and not being fair.

The casual player is the driving force in the MMo market.

Some games will launch without catering to casuals (Mortal Online comes to mind) but for a game like that, they probably do not expect 250k players either.

Originally posted by Tyvolus

Originally posted by LynxJSA

Originally posted by Elsabolts

Box sales yes, continued subscriptions no.

 

Any MMO can do decent in box sales in the US. It's a nation of gamers that preorder a game at the slightest hint of a trinket, won't touch a game unless it charges them monthly and starts begging for info on when they can buy the next expansion within a month of release.

I think what makes that the most entertaining is that they are the gamers most likely to say they won't play a Free-to-play MMO because they cost too much.

 

 

one day you will realize you can swap out US for South Korea, China, Europe, etc. as what you said could easily apply to any commercial market worldwide with a heavy gaming population.  Nice try tho.

Do you have a link to your source? To the best of my knowledge South Korea and China have long since adopted free digital download clients, free expansions and microtransactions as the standard for MMOs. That you include South Korea, makes me even more curious as to the source of your data.

A 'true' MMORPG would create a game world that appeals to its intended audience. That's it.

In any case, Aion is already a success, and its fortune will likely follow in the west as well, as it is a solid game with plenty of information about it floating around, possesses a fairly wide appeal, and looks pretty to boot.

It will be hampered by western player bias against eastern games (certainly not unwarranted) and its graphical style. Considering that it is still a polished and solid game despite this, it will still do well as word gets around amongst western gamers that this is, in fact, a quality eastern game.

Originally posted by lornphoenix

not yet, sept 22 is the US release date. The servers open on the 20th for pre-order head starts.

 

terrible timing, I will be shipping out to travel the world for a year on the 18th. Maybe I should cancel my plans to stay home and game

So many assumptions being passed as facts. I will bookmark this topic just to laugh at all of you who are saying that AION will start losing subs after 4 months. Make sure to eat your shoe.

Originally posted by Choi.B

As one of the person enjoy playing MMORPG in asia, I wonder that AION can gain popularity in U.S.

Do you think that AION will be succes in US?

As watching and estimating pre-video and screen shot so far, is it enough for gamer's to get attention and to enjoy?

 

Wating for your freely opinion and any comment.

 

From your original quote, Aion won't be successful in the US, but they aren't going to shut it down because it is so successful in other countries like Japan, Korea, and China for sure.

If they make a westernized version same end content, westen looking charcters armor, English speaking npc and do away with the kung fu grunts the game will be a huge sucess if not then they get box sales and declineing subs after. Let me also add an ongoing better gathering and crafting system the one they have will get by for release but it needs work.

It has some downers that could lead to some people not subscribing past the 1rst month:

1. The early levels are strictly PvE and are boring for a lot of people (for anyone who has played his fair share of traditional MMOs).
2. Only 1 starting area, not good for altoholics.
3. The art style.
4. The feeling that it's the same old, same old.

Once people get past them and reach the mid 20s, there's:

1. The drastic change in game play (even though you practically can get to max level with only minimal PvP), which will kinda scare some people who enjoyed the previous PvE experience.
2. The possibility of bots ruining the experience for many.

There's a lot of content, especially since we're launching with v1.5. It will satisfy a lot of the players. Once people get to their mid 20s, the overwhelming majority will be sticking with the game. Issues with Aion at this stage will not scare people away.

I think that's the gist of it really. The first 20levels are the worst of the whole game, contrary to AoC, WAR, or others.

I still think it will be a successful game, and that it will NOT be losing subscribers after a few months, as the new subs are going to outbalance them easily. I think the first month is when it's going to lose the most players, ones who have never read anything about the game and bought it on a whim. That's my opinion at least.

No one here (including myself) has a clue how everything will flesh out, so all we can do is speculate and predict.

Originally posted by Elsabolts

If they make a westernized version same end content, westen looking charcters armor, English speaking npc and do away with the kung fu grunts the game will be a huge sucess if

Voices will be in english dont even know why people think it will stay Korean.

If they change the armor and such for the western countries i will most likely unsub!

Me and alot of people like the artstyle and there is nothing wrong with it, you cant argue about taste.

Originally posted by cfurlin

Originally posted by templarga

The third and final issue will be a massive in-balance at the end-game. The reason I say this is because, historically, games with only two sides (like WAR) have a very hard time with balancing. The secret to DAOC's success was a playable 3rd faction. Now I know that Aion has the NPC 3rd faction but I do not think it will be the same. I still expect that each server will start fairly balanced but over time, the population on each server will be drawn to one side or another. Soon servers will become known as server for "that" side. People will naturally gravitate towards one side and then the server becomes poorly balanced and the problem only exacerbates itself.

 

QFT. It always amazes me that game companies can't figure this one out.

Maybe they still believe the "two's company, three's a crowd" bullshit were were fed as children.

Actually there is a third npc faction which tends to ally with the underdog.

... which is a cool solution to inherent imbalance in 2-faction system. I advocated something like this for WAR even before its release. You do need at least 3 factions for the self-regulatory feedback to work. Aion's solution is quite an elegant one but we'll have to see how it works in practice.

Is there really going to be a faction imbalance in a game where all 8 classes are available to both factions? the only imbalance that would arise is the difference between army numbers and we all know from many videos over the internet, skill and coordination > zerging.

Originally posted by Elsabolts

If they make a westernized version same end content, westen looking charcters armor, English speaking npc and do away with the kung fu grunts the game will be a huge sucess if not then they get box sales and declineing subs after. Let me also add an ongoing better gathering and crafting system the one they have will get by for release but it needs work.

Even if the game is "westernized" 200%,the whines and rants will still be there because since 2004 that 's all that the US market knows.On the contrary the EU market will do better as it is more open to the world.

Originally posted by SwitchMe

I think you're racist

and i think you should go back to school and learn what racism aktually is kid!

Originally posted by Elsabolts

If they make a westernized version same end content, westen looking charcters armor, English speaking npc and do away with the kung fu grunts the game will be a huge sucess if not then they get box sales and declineing subs after. Let me also add an ongoing better gathering and crafting system the one they have will get by for release but it needs work.

Hey, not everybody is so insecure about themselves that they can't stand a foreign art style. What the hell makes you think that people will buy the game knowing that it has this graphical style and then unsub later? Face it: Aion is going to be a success regardless of your petty issues with its origin.