I realise these are not directly comparable games, but being the big two MMOs due for imminent release, I thought I would throw in my 2c.

Having tried both in Beta, and based on relatively early gameplay experience, all I can say (without breaking NDA) is that Champions knocks the socks off Aion for entertainment value.

Why?

Three reasons

a) Customisation

b) Travel Powers

c) The sense of being badass from the get go.

.......................

a) CO customisation wins on two levels.

i)First, the character generator simply blows anything Aion can offer out of the water. Aion's is not bad as these things go, but CO really is stratospherically more varied.

ii) The choice of powers on offer, the ability to mix and match, and find interesting combinations, offer a much more interesting early experience that Aion's one size fits all linear march up the tree.

b) The travel powers are simply awesome. Anyone who played the CoX games knows this; the grand tradition continues, and it's just plain good fun.

c) Aion has you using fairly limited powers gathering bananas and picking flowers for the first three hours. Yawn. CO - while not giving away any details - does a great job of making you feel like a mean supercharged mofo in a crazy world from the get-go.

And yet, Aion is being touted as the next big thing. So be it. I predict many Aion players getting bored, although the PVP system there has great potential, and I wish it the best.

CO also has something against it - the instanced zones are not great for a sense of community. That said, it is just a great blast of good fun.

I hope it gets what it deserves.

Aion more polish with end game PvPvE and raiding. This is way more then what CO offers. I think there only Arenas or dueling for CO.

I don't see anything new CO has to offer over CoX. So what the fuss about? I want to try out CO but it been difficult finding a way into beta. Also I don't even know if there an open beta coming  at all. I bet it the same for others as well.

Open Beta is August 17 if im not mistaken

I think its gonna come down to who wants fantasy and who wants super heroes. Both games are good, but its gonna come down to personal preference in story and setting.

One thing that prevents me from even trying champions online is that it has a cash shop AND a monthly fee. No thanks.

GL :))))

When the dust settles Aion will still be the king.

Ya, I have tried Aion. To me, it feels like most MMOs with an 'as-always' updated graphics along with an interesting background.

CO is something that I have not tried. My closest experience, and I think as with everyone else who has played, is CoX, which is a nice game. Great customization and interesting PvE. The major issue I had with CoX is for all the customization for hero looks, you really could not customize the powers themselves. CO, we are given this ability, hopefully to the degree I am hearing.

Really, I think Aion will start out strong, but will slowly lose their subscriptions while CO will start off slow but build over time.

Originally posted by markyturnip

I realise these are not directly comparable games, but being the big two MMOs due for imminent release, I thought I would throw in my 2c.

Having tried both in Beta, and based on relatively early gameplay experience, all I can say (without breaking NDA) is that Champions knocks the socks off Aion for entertainment value.

Why?

Three reasons

a) Customisation

b) Travel Powers

c) The sense of being badass from the get go.

.......................

a) CO customisation wins on two levels.

i)First, the character generator simply blows anything Aion can offer out of the water. Aion's is not bad as these things go, but CO really is stratospherically more varied.

ii) The choice of powers on offer, the ability to mix and match, and find interesting combinations, offer a much more interesting early experience that Aion's one size fits all linear march up the tree.

b) The travel powers are simply awesome. Anyone who played the CoX games knows this; the grand tradition continues, and it's just plain good fun.

c) Aion has you using fairly limited powers gathering bananas and picking flowers for the first three hours. Yawn. CO - while not giving away any details - does a great job of making you feel like a mean supercharged mofo in a crazy world from the get-go.

 

And yet, Aion is being touted as the next big thing. So be it. I predict many Aion players getting bored, although the PVP system there has great potential, and I wish it the best.

CO also has something against it - the instanced zones are not great for a sense of community. That said, it is just a great blast of good fun.

I hope it gets what it deserves.

None of the points you talked about interests me a little, what I look for a MMORPG:

a) Massiveness: The ability to support hundreds of players in a seamless enviroment.

b) Enphasys on grouping and endgame activities.

c) A fast paced combat oriented for groups.

d) A place where few can beat many

e) PvP and roaming

f) Politics and economy

I don't care much for the fluff or superficial content as that can be added later on or modified, I care about the core of newly released games in order to see their potential.

 trust me...champions is REALLY good..i've been in beta for quite some time now

I have to agree... i'm in both betas as well and so far Champions Online has been the victor.....

my only issue with CO is the graphics...... and regeneration passives which are ridiculously OP atm lol

Aion by a long shot have been in Champions and didnt like it or its artistic style.

I hasten to add I didnt enjoy COH either and loved Lineage 2 so Aion for me is natural progression whereas CO isn't.

i guess it depends on what you prefer TBH if your into superhero mmo you will probably love CO if your into high fantasy mmo then Aion might justbe a case of trying both.

It really depends on what you are looking for. In CO, it is a static world (as they have said in interviews). PvP is not going to change anything--and neither is the PvE. You can kill the same npcs over and over.

Aion has a more dynamic world that PvP won't necessarily change, but can control. In order to gain access to the best PvE spots in endgame, you have to control keeps with PvP.

These games aren't targeting the same audience at all. And though both have similar features naturally, their focuses are different.

Aion-->PvP oriented

CO-->PvE oriented

For those who hate PvP, it doesn't matter how great Aion's PvE might be, they will hate having to PvP to get to it.

For those who love PvP, they will quickly get bored of CO's static PvP systems.

Some of us like both--and in that case, it's a tougher decision. But overall, the excitement of PvP counts for more for me.

Originally posted by 0over0

It really depends on what you are looking for. In CO, it is a static world (as they have said in interviews). PvP is not going to change anything--and neither is the PvE. You can kill the same npcs over and over.

Aion has a more dynamic world that PvP won't necessarily change, but can control. In order to gain access to the best PvE spots in endgame, you have to control keeps with PvP.

These games aren't targeting the same audience at all. And though both have similar features naturally, their focuses are different.

Aion-->PvP oriented

CO-->PvE oriented

For those who hate PvP, it doesn't matter how great Aion's PvE might be, they will hate having to PvP to get to it.

For those who love PvP, they will quickly get bored of CO's static PvP systems.

Some of us like both--and in that case, it's a tougher decision. But overall, the excitement of PvP counts for more for me.

Yes.. the PVP does tilt in Aion's favour.

But the combat itself - and granted, I am only a few hours into each game - seems to go to CO.

The graphical style in CO is certainly something you get used to, and I can see some never liking it. For my [art, I think it's a nice change frmo standard MMO fare.

I wonder whether CO will develop it's PVP a lot. The entry price to Aion's PVP is steep - limited options, and a lot of grind. If you don't mind grinding for hours (some people say they enjoy it) and have a lot of time to kill, Aion may be the stronger contender.

BUt for a quick blast of fun, I think CO wins.  I am hoping that CO develops the PVP side more strongly, but it does already offer a fair number of options.

Originally posted by supbro

One thing that prevents me from even trying champions online is that it has a cash shop AND a monthly fee. No thanks.

GL :))))

 

When the dust settles Aion will still be the king.

I found this out last night. I thought maybe the subscription fee was small then the MT to help with cost.

So I pay 50$ to help pay the cost for development. I pay 15$ a month for servers and customer support. 50$ for expansion content. The usually MT are for account changes, character transfer, and renaming. This usually takes extra support so they charge them for it.

So Now they add in games items to MT store. WHY? Do there servers cost more to run, If so then charge more.

wait.... Isnt the idea of an mmo to go out and adventure to get these items. I always like going to old content to get some rare item to show off. Now people just buy it in some store.

On top of it I can't find the list of these items anywhere. No wonder no one gives a rat ass about this game. They dont give a **** about there customers.

I was going to wait for the 17th to see the items but they stated in games items will be in the MT store.

 I don't care if it just a penguin custom. It shouldn't be allowed and **** this game

You people bitch way too much about the "RMT" in Champions. Who gives a damn, it isn't going to be game breaking and it probably won't be worth it, so heres a novel idea, how about you NOT spend your money on it and get on with your life? NCsoft charges 5-10 bucks for their Costume boosters, and you don't hear anyone complaining about them. Get over yourself. Stop trying to give futile excuses that don't even relate to GAME PLAY as to how Aion will "trump" CO. Both are good games. 

Originally posted by Devalon

Originally posted by supbro

One thing that prevents me from even trying champions online is that it has a cash shop AND a monthly fee. No thanks.

GL :))))

 

When the dust settles Aion will still be the king.

 

I found this out last night. I thought maybe the subscription fee was small then the MT to help with cost.

So I pay 50$ to help pay the cost for development. I pay 15$ a month for servers and customer support. 50$ for expansion content. The usually MT are for account changes, character transfer, and renaming. This usually takes extra support so they charge them for it.

So Now they add in games items to MT store. WHY? Do there servers cost more to run, If so then charge more.

wait.... Isnt the idea of an mmo to go out and adventure to get these items. I always like going to old content to get some rare item to show off. Now people just buy it in some store.

On top of it I can't find the list of these items anywhere. No wonder no one gives a rat ass about this game. They dont give a **** about there customers.

I was going to wait for the 17th to see the items but they stated in games items will be in the MT store.

 I don't care if it just a penguin custom. It shouldn't be allowed and **** this game

 

Gross exaggeration there.  I think there is quite a bit of interest in it judging by the all the people who want in the beta.

Originally posted by junzo316

Gross exaggeration there.  I think there is quite a bit of interest in it judging by the all the people who want in the beta.

A lot of people just want a free game to spend there time with. Even i will just hop in to waste time.

The thing I had wrong with CoX, was the lack of depth in the quest, and even though the character customazation is cool, and the super powers early on, when your a BA from the start where do you go to from there? If CO starts you out with all this cool stuff, and you ultra powerful whats the point in leveling?

I get it, to get even more powerful, but thats something some people like, you play a game, and you see your character go from being close to the average person, in the game world, to this epic hero. (Thats a pretty standard RPG thing)

um cant really classify these 2 into same catagory... champions is hella fun il just say that not your typical mmo gamplay(in cb) ps mt are erelivent to the awsomeness this game has w/o them..  aion i dont really have interest in since im not a big ncsoft fan plus fantasy is so the sux these days... Still waiting for that killer zombie mmo.. where you play the zombies but i can dream i guess

Originally posted by Dark-Asylum

You people bitch way too much about the "RMT" in Champions. Who gives a damn, it isn't going to be game breaking and it probably won't be worth it, so heres a novel idea, how about you NOT spend your money on it and get on with your life? NCsoft charges 5-10 bucks for their Costume boosters, and you don't hear anyone complaining about them. Get over yourself. Stop trying to give futile excuses that don't even relate to GAME PLAY as to how Aion will "trump" CO. Both are good games. 

I'm already suppose to buy the fucking game and pay a monthly fee.  Why the hell should that not get me full access to what a game has?  It's bullshit no matter how you try and cut it.  I don't care if the cash shop or their rmt model isn't your normal item or xp booster type of thing.  It reeks of greediness to no end.  I'm not going to support a game that expects you to buy it, pay a monthly fee, and then pay even more money for additional items even if they are cosmetic that most other compaines add for free because you're already a paying customer far as they're concerned.

Maybe eventually I might try the game out but whether you like it or not that is a major turnoff for me and quite a few others out there.  I'm not real keen on supporting something like this that you know damn well even if it is minimally successful other companies will try and copycat.

Too different to compare... at least to say which is better. You can compare then in other ways via what they have in common or aspects. But I don't think you can say which is better based on anything other than what your type of game is.