From 1-20 I haven't noticed any grind. There are always quests available as you level up. I think Aion has the potential to be an MMO force to be reckoned with. It's not going to be perfect when it launches (no title ever is) but it is going to have enough going for it to make people want to at least try it. My only real complaint is that there are a few too many invisible walls where there shouldn't (imo) be any. That can make the world seem more restrictive (smaller) than it really is, and it serves to discourage random exploration. That (again, imo) is a shame, since the world itself is gorgeous, and just begs to be discovered. I'm looking forward to release. The dev team has done an awesome job with localization so far, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun when the first rush of gamers all reach the Abyss for their first PvPvE experience. Peace.
There wasn't a problem from 1-20 with AoC either, was there?
I don't think that's what he means. Yes, you can level to max via PvE only in PvE "mostly" territories. You can't avoid PvP entirely, since rifts are random. You do get forewarning about a rift opening in you area though, so you should be able to plan accordingly.
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Or we could go the way of a nice large world like 'Warhammer', where you can choose to avoid the main purpose of the game.
TBH I wanted to like this but when I tried it it just wasn't that fun. Painfully linear with no real storyline whatsoever. Quests are boring and repetitive at best. Runes of Magic is a better game, frankly, and it's free to play.
I respect your opinion, and admire the courage it took to express it in a public forum.
I've played both games, also. There is no comparison between the two, in my opinion.
Peace.
I would have to agree with the above poster. Runes of Magic is quite a nice game although it is a very basic PvE game. There really is no comparison to a free to play game and a pay to play. Runes of magic is essentially a WoW clone at the very best with a few interesting gimmicky features to attract some curious gamers in.
from 1-20 i never felt bored, the game is fun , specially the graphics are a Highlight (depends on the PC you play with )
the quests are fun to play , in higher level you need a grp, fine there is a grp-finder included,makes it easy to find a grp. Not many people used it while beta , but i guess after release it will be used more often.
to compare a new MMO with an existing MMO has pros and cons, and will never do justice to one of the MMO.
I prefer to take any MMO , like it is , as a new MMO with his own characterism
So, i like Aion and i will up to play after release.
I bet 90% of people that gave it a try and find the quest without story and linear are rather silly. Beta don't even include an opening and straight goes to the first starter's area. It is beta, they are not giving us the full game.
On the issue of it being linear and storyless. A novel is usually linear as hell, but there is a story. It is because it is a story that it is linear, the same can be said about any games. However, I would have to say people probably didn't even read the quest converstaion with NPC and just hit the accept button. Yeah, easy to say the story isn't there when you didn't bother reading the story.
I read it and tried to play around with the quest, and found some interesting after quest that is not available unless you did certain actions in a previous quest. This involves actually choosing a different option than just the standard, "k thx bye", after completing a quest. In this case the problem is more likely with the player than with the game.
Remember that quest where you have to steal the nymph's cloth. Apparently that nymph is actually a daeva, and there is an after quest for it if you choose the option to not give the woodcuter the cloth you stole. (You can give it to him immediately again after refusing though, this will open up the quest in sanctum and complete the quest with woodcutter) People who just click give him the cloth no questions asked will not receive the additional quest. The game even bothered marking it with a optional reward mark on the top of his head to let the players know there is a difference to be made here. However, people that doesn't read the log nor pay attention will almost 100% miss the nuances of questing.
Originally posted by Taram TBH I wanted to like this but when I tried it it just wasn't that fun. Painfully linear with no real storyline whatsoever. Quests are boring and repetitive at best. Runes of Magic is a better game, frankly, and it's free to play.
I don't know anything about Runes of Magic, but this pretty well sums it up for me. The combat system, I will grant, is pretty nice. It's similar to most other games, so it is easy for most people to pick up. The combo system is clever and well done. It feels reactive and real. Each class is pretty standard, no new ground there, but they really feel (to me) the way that class should. The mage is really a glass canon. They are incredibly powerful at range, and they have abilities to keep you at range while they blast unholy amounts of damage your way, but if you can get up to them, you can smash their face in. Scouts really feel like your rangers and assassins (I never played one high enough to actually pick). You stealth behind your target and you destroy them before they new what happened. You have a feel for the world around you. It's wonderful.
It's gorgeous. There are certain things that seem dated about the way the engine was built, but overall, the textures and models are far and away better than anything I've ever seen in an MMO.
The problem lies in the freedom. It doesn't feel like a world at all. It's linear; you are forced to go from point A to point B to point C. You are forced to do certain quests in a zone before you can proceed to the next zone. For story, that has it benefits, but it doesn't give the player the freedom to choose. You can't fly where you want, you can't fly for long, and while there is potential there, I don't think it will live up to it. You can't go where you want in the world. You can't even swim! I'm sorry, if I'm an adventurer, and Angel, and I can't swim, that's pretty pathetic. I kill things for a living and I can't figure out how to move my arms and legs together to stay afloat? That's an immersion killer for me right there.
Another huge immersion killer are the cities. In the outposts, most people are standing still, waiting to give you quests, but in the cities, there are more players and NPCs walking around, going about their day. If you are in a city full of angels, they should be flying most of the time. I just can't imagine a city of angels where they are all okay just walking about on foot. I am not even allowed to fly there. I am an angel and I can't fly at home? It just breaks it for me.
"There are two great powers, and they've been fighting since time began. Every advance in human life, every scrap of knowledge and wisdom and decency we have has been torn by one side from the teeth of the other. Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."
John Parry, to his son Will; "The Subtle Knife," by Phillip Pullman
friends of mine use macs so i am curious, also don't bother posting mac vs pc crap i don't really care about it, i just wanna know if they support Mac gamers.
"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand." - Lewis Thomas
Originally posted by Kris.Kringle Originally posted by fiontar Originally posted by Xasapis I don't think that's what he means. Yes, you can level to max via PvE only in PvE "mostly" territories. You can't avoid PvP entirely, since rifts are random. You do get forewarning about a rift opening in you area though, so you should be able to plan accordingly.
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Or we could go the way of a nice large world like 'Warhammer', where you can choose to avoid the main purpose of the game.
That's gotta be a joke.
Warhammer's main purpose was suppose to be RVR but even in end game it's mostly PVE keep swaps or PVE in their new LoTD zone.
Don't use Warhammer as a example of good gaming to hold up to others. They got some good things in the game but end game RVR is not one of them.
Aion would do well to not force PVP on people in PVE zones specially when it's the only place you can go to level. Give people options... not giving it to them will just drive people away when they get tired of being ganked by higher level people while they are simply trying to level up.
Meh, another theme park where your progression runs on rails in a very narrow world. The scenery is gorgeous until you realize that you can't actually go to a lot of those places that you can see. Nothing for explorers here. Replayability is minimal since every character you create is going to take the same dull ride as the one before. In fact, both factions have essentially the same quests with the only differences being names and the mobs involved. It's soloable until about level 18 when forced grouping hits you in the face like a bucket of ice water. From that point, you can either group or grind the same boring mobs over and over. However, you can make some very pretty characters. Still, if you love shallow PvP and forced grouping, you might be happy here, that is, if you can find enough like-mindeds to play with six months after release.
I don't understand it, if you don't want groups and want to play alone doing quests, then why not just play a single player game. Also about the shallow PvP, which game today has better PvP to offer? In my opinion, this game has huge potential, alright it might have some invisible walls but for it just being 1.0 beta it sure delivered.
I didn't see any grinding problems when going from 1-19 in 18 hours just from quests. Plus since I had friends that were playing with me, group quests where no problem but I am sure when the game comes out, more people will play it thus solving this problem.
Gods, not that old saw again! The reasons why people may enjoy playing these games without grouping or PvP have been stated over and over in numerous forum posts on countless websites, yet some of you just can't factor it into your myopic view of how things should be.
I've also been around the block a few times and have heard the "it's beta" garbage until I'm ill. Beginning with my first beta, which was Horizons, people like you have been pointing to some unseen patch that will make everything better after release. These fixes never seem to materialize and the game you're playing on the last day of beta is essentially the same thing you'll play at release. So, if you're happy, then you'll be okay. But don't try to convince the undecided that there's some miracle patch around the corner. It's never happened.
The version launching in NA is 1.5. You have been testing 1.0. Rather than point to one patch that is coming, we can look forward to 3 (1.1, 1.2 and 1.5). Think there might be some changes? Or do you really think the last day of beta will be the same as release (1.0 vs. 1.5)?
If you don't like the game, fine, go away. But really, cut the BS and don't try to convince the undecided that there's no changes around the corner...
I have run through the last 3 beta tests and I have to say that at least the producer is telling folks a more "real" version of the game they are offering. I know things can still be changed before launch but it's a bit refreshing to read this and realize that they aren't promising something that the game doesn't deliver. I agree that the game can be a bit "grindy" if you will but that doesn't make it boring by any means. I still hate the crafting and resource collecting but to each their own I suppose. It's basically EQ 2's crafting system which I actually liked when building items for my house but hated for everything else. I had more fun this time in beta than the previous 2 but I think that had to do with getting deeper into my character this time. They are going to have to improve server performance and fix the rubber banding though. The server performance didn't improve at all regarding lag and the rubber banding could end up killing pvp.
I don't think that's what he means. Yes, you can level to max via PvE only in PvE "mostly" territories. You can't avoid PvP entirely, since rifts are random. You do get forewarning about a rift opening in you area though, so you should be able to plan accordingly.
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Sorry, but that last part is BS. If you are in a zone with a rift you get a warning and can leave. Your feet don't get cemented to the ground when a rift opens, you can move. And, there are zones with no rifts.
Why does Lani insist on misleading people ? "If you want to focus on PvE only, you can." is a lie, it just isn't true, post lvl 20 you will be forced into non consensual PvP.
that isn't true you can only pve if you wish, like at 20 you go to the next zone wich does have rifts opening but you CAN go to the other zone wich has no rifts. i never ever seen a rift open in the other zone. i can't think of the name but since its the same lvl as the one you're lead to through quests, it costs the same amount roughly to teleport there. i don't think i had a quest to go there i just went exploring and found it to be the same lvl and with no pvp or rifts.
edit: just checked the rift zone is Eltnen and the non rift PVE only zone is theobomos, for elyos
1-20 is very easy. On my first character, first time ever playing, it took me 2 days to hit 20 on my Cleric, and the following playthroughs took a day or less. I believe I got my Sorcerer to 20 in less than a day, with enough time to get a Ranger to 12 out of curiousity for the class. It all really depends on how well you know the game and how many people are questing in the same area as you.
Post 20 however, slows down considerably, though I don't feel it falls to the point of grindy. It feels more like City of Heroes leveling speed pre i9, where it took me about 6 months to hit 50 on my first character (Tank) 4 months on my second (Empath).
Edit: About forced PVP: Both sides are correct. You can strictly PvE if you want, but PvP ~is~ forced on you at certain points in the game. These are rare occurances, and are more to remind people that it is an option of play in the game, rather than throwing it in the player's face. You can still avoid PvP about 9/10 times, but there are times when it is unavoidable:
Rifts - Rifts open in certain maps only that allow people to travel to the other side of the world. These are NOT open 24/7, they only allow a set amount of people through, and as of patch 1.2 (which we will get, and then some, by official launch) NPC Guards will be dispatched to Rifts to help PCs fight those emerging from them.
Quests - Certain quests will teleport you to the other faction's side, perhaps by accident (Elyos NPC Teleporter is young and stupid) or for reconaissance (Asmo level 21 quest). Once you get there, you can simply die and get teleported back instantly if you don't feel like PvPing; the point is just to be there, you don't have to kill anyone...but hell, since you're there, may as well have a bit of fun, eh?
Guilds - Because Guilds usually strive to be powerful, joining one probably means participating in Abyss gatherings. Either make your own or find one that is strictly PvE. They're few and far between, but they exist.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
I think alot of people moan and groan... but I personally think this game will be great. It'll be a change from all the other stuff. I myself like the graphics... Kiddy graphics like WoW, just doesn't do it for me. If you don't like the game then don't play. If you are looking for something totally new, umm MMO's are MMO's.
But I have to agree with a lot of you about the interview, it did suck. No new information that I already knew... Atleast give us more info about the game, or something....
And to the people who plan to play this, cya in game.
I have run through the last 3 beta tests and I have to say that at least the producer is telling folks a more "real" version of the game they are offering. I know things can still be changed before launch but it's a bit refreshing to read this and realize that they aren't promising something that the game doesn't deliver. I agree that the game can be a bit "grindy" if you will but that doesn't make it boring by any means. I still hate the crafting and resource collecting but to each their own I suppose. It's basically EQ 2's crafting system which I actually liked when building items for my house but hated for everything else. I had more fun this time in beta than the previous 2 but I think that had to do with getting deeper into my character this time. They are going to have to improve server performance and fix the rubber banding though. The server performance didn't improve at all regarding lag and the rubber banding could end up killing pvp.
Uhm, in Europe's ariel the CBT3 performance was terrible, but in cbt4 it was smooth as silk, and it was still rocking 40 mins queues.
I don't think that's what he means. Yes, you can level to max via PvE only in PvE "mostly" territories. You can't avoid PvP entirely, since rifts are random. You do get forewarning about a rift opening in you area though, so you should be able to plan accordingly.
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Sorry, but that last part is BS. If you are in a zone with a rift you get a warning and can leave. Your feet don't get cemented to the ground when a rift opens, you can move. And, there are zones with no rifts.
Or, you could, ya know, stay and fight...
Something went right over your head. Wooosssshhh....
This game is not WoW or even WAR. There aren't three zones with content for your level. There aren't two zones with content for your level. Heck, there may not even be two areas with in a zone with content for your level. There is one zone for your level range and a small portion of that zone is for your level range.
Also, a level makes a big difference in this game. Mobs one level higher than you are extremely difficult. Two levels higher? For most classes, forget about it.
So, you get the warning that a rift has opened to your zone. There is no alternative place you can go to level.
Yes, the rifts open up randomly and there will be many zones at any given time with out rifts. However, those zones are not going to be accessible to you for leveling. Grey mobs give no XP, mobs slighty higher are not viable for most. So, you stay and hope the invading zerg doesn't find you, or you log out and maybe go play an alt in another level range or on another server.
This is also the reason some people would like a second server type where PvP outside the Abyss is optional.
Aion gave me a pretty good experience with just teh betas, I for one have a hard time sticking to a fantasy MMORPG like WoW, Shaiya, Sword fo the new world, Cabal, Guild wars, and etc, I tried them all and for some reason... i felt very bored after playing each of them for 2 weeks, many times i was nodding off, (WoW accually put me to sleep at my keyboard, fist game to ever do that) so i told myself i'm not much of a fantasy guy, and stuck with FPSs and RTSs and consol RPG games (tales of symphonia ftw), then i decided to start aion after i was refered to it by a few of my friends. at first, the graphics really wowed me and that kinda drew me in. the question that remained was... if is going to be fun. answer: yes it was, I got really into the game, for some reason, this game did something all the other MMOs have done, the flight i have seen something similar in "perfect world" but, it seemed more smooth when in combat and the timer accually is a good check since i beleive flying shouldnt be limitless. the character creations is just awesome and i could sit there all day making characters pity theres a limit . the invisible walls, was somewhat of a bummer but i guess its understandable since in Toblas village there arnt any real reasons to fly and the Mobs just run away from you since they cant hit u. The quests are quite fun and they make leveling quite easier than grinding. the part about "forced grouping" is not really an issue i like fighting in groups and that makes an mmo alot more fun and u get to meet new people in the process.
now Aion does have a few things that i kinda felt annoyed at: when u target an enemy and engage it, after u retreat for a bit and heal after it gives up running after u, the health just shoots right back up to full which kinda pissed me off abit, a simular complaint is that on the asmodea side in the grave yard wit hthe ghosts that hide, same thing happens escept this time they hide from you then you loose the target and the health just shoots back up that kinda annoyed me and i had to use up more mana to kill it and it wasted alot of my time when i had to kill a bunch of em for a quest. the limited boundaries aka, invisible walls bummed me and my sister out since i really wanted to go exploring, and the fact that u are able to drown in this game is really dumb, ok we can fly... but we cant swim?! there seems to be some imbalances in between some classes, the rangers are really weak when it comes to soloing, i guess thats understandable, just my opinion since im more of the get in your face and beat the $#!& out of them with me sword, so dont look too deep into that.
a few minor gliches i found, some times i jump and get stuck between some fences and it took me a while to get out of some of them, hopefully they get rid of me. and in the last beta, in akarios village next to the warrior trainer there are 2 mercenaries beating dummies all day, one time i saw a mercenary beating a dummy in the temple next to the preist inside, along with one of the gryphons, i was like wtf... what happened there?!
over all this game gets a 8.9/10, i hope to see whats next to come ^^
Why do you avoid asking them real, proper questions? Aren't they gonna sell AION for real money?
Here's a few for your next interview :
1. Will the European and American playbase have any power over what needs to be "fixed", "nerfed", "tweaked" and so on? Or is it like Lineage 2 where we got w/e update the Korean players wanted? (note : A year later from them as well)
2. Why do they keep talking about that thing called PvPvE? They are intentionally misleading the fanbase. There is such a feature ingame, but its PvEvP and trust me there's a huge difference. PvPvE = proper PvP with the NPC faction interfering. PvEvP = You are leveling / questing and you suddenly get jumped by a 6 man group.(if not more) I kid you not, the Abyss is not for PvPing, its where mobs give the mobs exp per kill + rewards. Which makes it a leveling place.
3. Will utterly stupid items like the potions which remove ALL your abnormal conditions (debuffs, slow, silence, etc...) be removed from the game? Or they will let them destroy the PvP experience like Blessed Scrolls of Escape did in Lineage 2.
4. Will Fortress Sieging stay as it is? I honestly don't see the point of defending a fortress when you'll get more Abyss Points and rewards if you just leave the other faction have it for a day. (Sieges happen every day if im not wrong) It's already an issue in Korea and China. Another question on sieges. Where exactly is the fun part in capturing a fortress by killing a raid boss? Where is the PvP part of Fortress sieging when nobody defends them?- because they have nothing to lose anyway, they will recapture them the next day and be rewarded for it as well....
Honestly i could go on and on and on and on with real questions that need real answers but i cannot be bothered. I played a Spirit Master to level 36 on Chinese retail and i don't feel like i have accomplished something. I reached the Abyss rank of Soldier rank 3 but that's mostly from mobs and enemy NPCs, not from killing people. And that's not just me, its what everyone does. Its just faster and more convenient. Mobs and NPCs will always give you the same amount of AP and they will always respawn, when a player will stop giving you points after you kill him a couple times.
Don't get me wrong here, i believe AION has the full potential of becoming a very successful MMORPG, even hit humongous numbers like World of Warcraft. But. That won't happen if the game stays as it is. Lots of tweaking is requiered and people like me want to know beforehand if the company has the resources, the guts and the will to make these changes happen. So far, even from official announcements they are not changing anything to the game but translating it to English, French and German. The core mechanics are staying the same, they are only adding new items and zones which doesn't really change things. It just recycles boredom and nothing more.
Thanks for reading my post, if you don't agree with me there's no need for flaming, just ignore me and move along.
I played Lineage 2 for over four years, i am playing in Aion CN, and all of the NA beta's. Aion is not like Lineage 2, there may be some minor similarities but the games are totally different. One thing i'd like to add is i dont know where people are getting their information from regarding bot's in Aion. So far in Aion CN bots have been rare, as rare as getting a nice weapon drop in Lineage 2 if you know what i mean.
I have always had the mindset that if there was some thing, or a game that i did not like, i just wouldn't buy it, instead of wasting my time and energy complaining about it.
______________________________ Currently Playing: Tabula Rasa Waiting to play: Aion Games played: Lineage, Lineage 2, WoW, Guild Wars, City of Heroes, Archlord, Espa Grenada ______________________________ System Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium (x64) AMD X2 5200 (OC-2.8ghz) 4gb Corsair XMS2 ddr2-800 mem. Crossfire 2 x (ATI 2600xt HD)
TBH I wanted to like this but when I tried it it just wasn't that fun. Painfully linear with no real storyline whatsoever. Quests are boring and repetitive at best. Runes of Magic is a better game, frankly, and it's free to play.
I don't know anything about Runes of Magic, but this pretty well sums it up for me. The combat system, I will grant, is pretty nice. It's similar to most other games, so it is easy for most people to pick up. The combo system is clever and well done. It feels reactive and real. Each class is pretty standard, no new ground there, but they really feel (to me) the way that class should. The mage is really a glass canon. They are incredibly powerful at range, and they have abilities to keep you at range while they blast unholy amounts of damage your way, but if you can get up to them, you can smash their face in. Scouts really feel like your rangers and assassins (I never played one high enough to actually pick). You stealth behind your target and you destroy them before they new what happened. You have a feel for the world around you. It's wonderful.
It's gorgeous. There are certain things that seem dated about the way the engine was built, but overall, the textures and models are far and away better than anything I've ever seen in an MMO.
The problem lies in the freedom. It doesn't feel like a world at all. It's linear; you are forced to go from point A to point B to point C. You are forced to do certain quests in a zone before you can proceed to the next zone. For story, that has it benefits, but it doesn't give the player the freedom to choose. You can't fly where you want, you can't fly for long, and while there is potential there, I don't think it will live up to it. You can't go where you want in the world. You can't even swim! I'm sorry, if I'm an adventurer, and Angel, and I can't swim, that's pretty pathetic. I kill things for a living and I can't figure out how to move my arms and legs together to stay afloat? That's an immersion killer for me right there.
Another huge immersion killer are the cities. In the outposts, most people are standing still, waiting to give you quests, but in the cities, there are more players and NPCs walking around, going about their day. If you are in a city full of angels, they should be flying most of the time. I just can't imagine a city of angels where they are all okay just walking about on foot. I am not even allowed to fly there. I am an angel and I can't fly at home? It just breaks it for me.
*grimace* Reading the game lore would tell you why that's not possible. The short answer is you are not an angel, nor are the other side demons. Your wings are a product of Aether, a mystic source of power which is available in various quantities depending on the area. Areas where you can fly, Aether is abundant, and where you can't, it is not. The wings aren't technically a physical part of your body, which is obvious from your ability to equip different ones (later in the game), though the wing emote does work pretty much all the time.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
First of all to be fair to Aion,being asked if it is a WOW killer is so vague and a brutal question.
The questions should be direct on the aspects and game play of AION.If you want to compare certain aspects to another game ,that is cool,but a vague question like"WOW KILLER" is wrong and offers no insight about Aion what so ever.
Second thing that caught my eye was the question/Answer about feedback.They state the public offered great feedback,yet they talk about the smallest of changes that would take almost zero effort,so do NOT expect ANY game changes from customer feedback,all changes will be very miniscule.
I do not believe for a second there was any effort to generalize the game for the North American player,all they did was transcribe the language,that is not much effort at all as far as game design goes,that is something all developers do if they want foreign people to play their game.
I have no idea if their 1500 quests are accurate,i highly doubt it,because that is creeping close to EQ2's quest line,and i know for a fact EQ2 has a ton more quests than Aion,as you can get a quest from pretty much EVERY NPC and the majority of mobs drop quests as well,and there is a lot more of both in EQ2 than there is in AION.Oh well most developers hype up the numbers beyond the truth.NCSOFT is stating the 3.5 mil or whatever people are throwing around,is NOT official at least they were honest about that.
I guess none of this really matters,the questionnaire did not do much to get into the depth and design of Aion,as there is MANY outsiders who still do not know of the game or what it involves.To me the game is just a tad below average,but no matter ,the game might appeal to some other people,they would have got nothing from this interview.
Talk of "Grind" is another biggie that has me baffled.IMO there is no such thing as grind if you are having fun playing a game.If the core of the game play is so boring for you to call it a grind,then that game is obviously not for you,no sense dwelling about grind.
Future interviews,i hope to see in depth questions,like comparing graphics to other games,or comparing the combat system or the size of the world,mob AI,any quests that stand out as different from other games.What sort of things does the game offer that gives players options other than questing or PVP?so many questions/topics can be brought up to give people an in depth view of a game.After all the interview is suppose to be for people that do not know the game,the people that already know the game,do not need to read the interview or questions,since they know the answers already.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Comments
The game looks like Cabal Online.. Where the game developer focused more on Skill Effect and PVP styles which attracts more and more player..
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Why would you need somebody to "sell" the game to you? If you're remotely curious, you'd check for yourself and make your own mind about it.
There wasn't a problem from 1-20 with AoC either, was there?
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The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Or we could go the way of a nice large world like 'Warhammer', where you can choose to avoid the main purpose of the game.
[email protected]
I respect your opinion, and admire the courage it took to express it in a public forum.
I've played both games, also. There is no comparison between the two, in my opinion.
Peace.
I would have to agree with the above poster. Runes of Magic is quite a nice game although it is a very basic PvE game. There really is no comparison to a free to play game and a pay to play. Runes of magic is essentially a WoW clone at the very best with a few interesting gimmicky features to attract some curious gamers in.
from 1-20 i never felt bored, the game is fun , specially the graphics are a Highlight (depends on the PC you play with
)
the quests are fun to play , in higher level you need a grp, fine there is a grp-finder included,makes it easy to find a grp. Not many people used it while beta , but i guess after release it will be used more often.
to compare a new MMO with an existing MMO has pros and cons, and will never do justice to one of the MMO.
I prefer to take any MMO , like it is , as a new MMO with his own characterism
So, i like Aion and i will up to play after release.
mfg
PS.: Wow sucks :=)
I bet 90% of people that gave it a try and find the quest without story and linear are rather silly. Beta don't even include an opening and straight goes to the first starter's area. It is beta, they are not giving us the full game.
On the issue of it being linear and storyless. A novel is usually linear as hell, but there is a story. It is because it is a story that it is linear, the same can be said about any games. However, I would have to say people probably didn't even read the quest converstaion with NPC and just hit the accept button. Yeah, easy to say the story isn't there when you didn't bother reading the story.
I read it and tried to play around with the quest, and found some interesting after quest that is not available unless you did certain actions in a previous quest. This involves actually choosing a different option than just the standard, "k thx bye", after completing a quest. In this case the problem is more likely with the player than with the game.
Remember that quest where you have to steal the nymph's cloth. Apparently that nymph is actually a daeva, and there is an after quest for it if you choose the option to not give the woodcuter the cloth you stole. (You can give it to him immediately again after refusing though, this will open up the quest in sanctum and complete the quest with woodcutter) People who just click give him the cloth no questions asked will not receive the additional quest. The game even bothered marking it with a optional reward mark on the top of his head to let the players know there is a difference to be made here. However, people that doesn't read the log nor pay attention will almost 100% miss the nuances of questing.
I don't know anything about Runes of Magic, but this pretty well sums it up for me. The combat system, I will grant, is pretty nice. It's similar to most other games, so it is easy for most people to pick up. The combo system is clever and well done. It feels reactive and real. Each class is pretty standard, no new ground there, but they really feel (to me) the way that class should. The mage is really a glass canon. They are incredibly powerful at range, and they have abilities to keep you at range while they blast unholy amounts of damage your way, but if you can get up to them, you can smash their face in. Scouts really feel like your rangers and assassins (I never played one high enough to actually pick). You stealth behind your target and you destroy them before they new what happened. You have a feel for the world around you. It's wonderful.
It's gorgeous. There are certain things that seem dated about the way the engine was built, but overall, the textures and models are far and away better than anything I've ever seen in an MMO.
The problem lies in the freedom. It doesn't feel like a world at all. It's linear; you are forced to go from point A to point B to point C. You are forced to do certain quests in a zone before you can proceed to the next zone. For story, that has it benefits, but it doesn't give the player the freedom to choose. You can't fly where you want, you can't fly for long, and while there is potential there, I don't think it will live up to it. You can't go where you want in the world. You can't even swim! I'm sorry, if I'm an adventurer, and Angel, and I can't swim, that's pretty pathetic. I kill things for a living and I can't figure out how to move my arms and legs together to stay afloat? That's an immersion killer for me right there.
Another huge immersion killer are the cities. In the outposts, most people are standing still, waiting to give you quests, but in the cities, there are more players and NPCs walking around, going about their day. If you are in a city full of angels, they should be flying most of the time. I just can't imagine a city of angels where they are all okay just walking about on foot. I am not even allowed to fly there. I am an angel and I can't fly at home? It just breaks it for me.
"There are two great powers, and they've been fighting since time began. Every advance in human life, every scrap of knowledge and wisdom and decency we have has been torn by one side from the teeth of the other. Every little increase in human freedom has been fought over ferociously between those who want us to know more and be wiser and stronger, and those who want us to obey and be humble and submit."
John Parry, to his son Will; "The Subtle Knife," by Phillip Pullman
Do they support Mac gamers?
friends of mine use macs so i am curious, also don't bother posting mac vs pc crap i don't really care about it, i just wanna know if they support Mac gamers.
"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand."
- Lewis Thomas
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Or we could go the way of a nice large world like 'Warhammer', where you can choose to avoid the main purpose of the game.
That's gotta be a joke.
Warhammer's main purpose was suppose to be RVR but even in end game it's mostly PVE keep swaps or PVE in their new LoTD zone.
Don't use Warhammer as a example of good gaming to hold up to others. They got some good things in the game but end game RVR is not one of them.
Aion would do well to not force PVP on people in PVE zones specially when it's the only place you can go to level. Give people options... not giving it to them will just drive people away when they get tired of being ganked by higher level people while they are simply trying to level up.
http://www.greycouncil.org/
I don't understand it, if you don't want groups and want to play alone doing quests, then why not just play a single player game. Also about the shallow PvP, which game today has better PvP to offer? In my opinion, this game has huge potential, alright it might have some invisible walls but for it just being 1.0 beta it sure delivered.
I didn't see any grinding problems when going from 1-19 in 18 hours just from quests. Plus since I had friends that were playing with me, group quests where no problem but I am sure when the game comes out, more people will play it thus solving this problem.
Gods, not that old saw again! The reasons why people may enjoy playing these games without grouping or PvP have been stated over and over in numerous forum posts on countless websites, yet some of you just can't factor it into your myopic view of how things should be.
I've also been around the block a few times and have heard the "it's beta" garbage until I'm ill. Beginning with my first beta, which was Horizons, people like you have been pointing to some unseen patch that will make everything better after release. These fixes never seem to materialize and the game you're playing on the last day of beta is essentially the same thing you'll play at release. So, if you're happy, then you'll be okay. But don't try to convince the undecided that there's some miracle patch around the corner. It's never happened.
The version launching in NA is 1.5. You have been testing 1.0. Rather than point to one patch that is coming, we can look forward to 3 (1.1, 1.2 and 1.5). Think there might be some changes? Or do you really think the last day of beta will be the same as release (1.0 vs. 1.5)?
If you don't like the game, fine, go away. But really, cut the BS and don't try to convince the undecided that there's no changes around the corner...
Eloar, dude, wall of text for a game that you've already given up on? Who are you trying to convince? The readers or yourself?
Sorry to burst your bubble but GW was crap. If that's your idea of a good MMORPG, well, you need to get out more...
I have run through the last 3 beta tests and I have to say that at least the producer is telling folks a more "real" version of the game they are offering. I know things can still be changed before launch but it's a bit refreshing to read this and realize that they aren't promising something that the game doesn't deliver. I agree that the game can be a bit "grindy" if you will but that doesn't make it boring by any means. I still hate the crafting and resource collecting but to each their own I suppose. It's basically EQ 2's crafting system which I actually liked when building items for my house but hated for everything else. I had more fun this time in beta than the previous 2 but I think that had to do with getting deeper into my character this time. They are going to have to improve server performance and fix the rubber banding though. The server performance didn't improve at all regarding lag and the rubber banding could end up killing pvp.
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Sorry, but that last part is BS. If you are in a zone with a rift you get a warning and can leave. Your feet don't get cemented to the ground when a rift opens, you can move. And, there are zones with no rifts.
Or, you could, ya know, stay and fight...
that isn't true you can only pve if you wish, like at 20 you go to the next zone wich does have rifts opening but you CAN go to the other zone wich has no rifts. i never ever seen a rift open in the other zone. i can't think of the name but since its the same lvl as the one you're lead to through quests, it costs the same amount roughly to teleport there. i don't think i had a quest to go there i just went exploring and found it to be the same lvl and with no pvp or rifts.
edit: just checked the rift zone is Eltnen and the non rift PVE only zone is theobomos, for elyos
1-20 is very easy. On my first character, first time ever playing, it took me 2 days to hit 20 on my Cleric, and the following playthroughs took a day or less. I believe I got my Sorcerer to 20 in less than a day, with enough time to get a Ranger to 12 out of curiousity for the class. It all really depends on how well you know the game and how many people are questing in the same area as you.
Post 20 however, slows down considerably, though I don't feel it falls to the point of grindy. It feels more like City of Heroes leveling speed pre i9, where it took me about 6 months to hit 50 on my first character (Tank) 4 months on my second (Empath).
Edit: About forced PVP: Both sides are correct. You can strictly PvE if you want, but PvP ~is~ forced on you at certain points in the game. These are rare occurances, and are more to remind people that it is an option of play in the game, rather than throwing it in the player's face. You can still avoid PvP about 9/10 times, but there are times when it is unavoidable:
Rifts - Rifts open in certain maps only that allow people to travel to the other side of the world. These are NOT open 24/7, they only allow a set amount of people through, and as of patch 1.2 (which we will get, and then some, by official launch) NPC Guards will be dispatched to Rifts to help PCs fight those emerging from them.
Quests - Certain quests will teleport you to the other faction's side, perhaps by accident (Elyos NPC Teleporter is young and stupid) or for reconaissance (Asmo level 21 quest). Once you get there, you can simply die and get teleported back instantly if you don't feel like PvPing; the point is just to be there, you don't have to kill anyone...but hell, since you're there, may as well have a bit of fun, eh?
Guilds - Because Guilds usually strive to be powerful, joining one probably means participating in Abyss gatherings. Either make your own or find one that is strictly PvE. They're few and far between, but they exist.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
I think alot of people moan and groan... but I personally think this game will be great. It'll be a change from all the other stuff. I myself like the graphics... Kiddy graphics like WoW, just doesn't do it for me. If you don't like the game then don't play. If you are looking for something totally new, umm MMO's are MMO's.
But I have to agree with a lot of you about the interview, it did suck. No new information that I already knew... Atleast give us more info about the game, or something....
And to the people who plan to play this, cya in game.
Don't hate because I'm awesome
Uhm, in Europe's ariel the CBT3 performance was terrible, but in cbt4 it was smooth as silk, and it was still rocking 40 mins queues.
The problem is that the game world isn't that large and there is no redundant PvE content. If your zone is invaded, that's going to be the only zone for your level range. Your choice will be to log off.
Sorry, but that last part is BS. If you are in a zone with a rift you get a warning and can leave. Your feet don't get cemented to the ground when a rift opens, you can move. And, there are zones with no rifts.
Or, you could, ya know, stay and fight...
Something went right over your head. Wooosssshhh....
This game is not WoW or even WAR. There aren't three zones with content for your level. There aren't two zones with content for your level. Heck, there may not even be two areas with in a zone with content for your level. There is one zone for your level range and a small portion of that zone is for your level range.
Also, a level makes a big difference in this game. Mobs one level higher than you are extremely difficult. Two levels higher? For most classes, forget about it.
So, you get the warning that a rift has opened to your zone. There is no alternative place you can go to level.
Yes, the rifts open up randomly and there will be many zones at any given time with out rifts. However, those zones are not going to be accessible to you for leveling. Grey mobs give no XP, mobs slighty higher are not viable for most. So, you stay and hope the invading zerg doesn't find you, or you log out and maybe go play an alt in another level range or on another server.
This is also the reason some people would like a second server type where PvP outside the Abyss is optional.
Want to know more about GW2 and why there is so much buzz? Start here: Guild Wars 2 Mass Info for the Uninitiated
Aion gave me a pretty good experience with just teh betas, I for one have a hard time sticking to a fantasy MMORPG like WoW, Shaiya, Sword fo the new world, Cabal, Guild wars, and etc, I tried them all and for some reason... i felt very bored after playing each of them for 2 weeks, many times i was nodding off, (WoW accually put me to sleep at my keyboard, fist game to ever do that) so i told myself i'm not much of a fantasy guy, and stuck with FPSs and RTSs and consol RPG games (tales of symphonia ftw), then i decided to start aion after i was refered to it by a few of my friends. at first, the graphics really wowed me and that kinda drew me in. the question that remained was... if is going to be fun. answer: yes it was, I got really into the game, for some reason, this game did something all the other MMOs have done, the flight i have seen something similar in "perfect world" but, it seemed more smooth when in combat and the timer accually is a good check since i beleive flying shouldnt be limitless. the character creations is just awesome and i could sit there all day making characters pity theres a limit
. the invisible walls, was somewhat of a bummer but i guess its understandable since in Toblas village there arnt any real reasons to fly and the Mobs just run away from you since they cant hit u. The quests are quite fun and they make leveling quite easier than grinding. the part about "forced grouping" is not really an issue i like fighting in groups and that makes an mmo alot more fun and u get to meet new people in the process.
now Aion does have a few things that i kinda felt annoyed at: when u target an enemy and engage it, after u retreat for a bit and heal after it gives up running after u, the health just shoots right back up to full which kinda pissed me off abit, a simular complaint is that on the asmodea side in the grave yard wit hthe ghosts that hide, same thing happens escept this time they hide from you then you loose the target and the health just shoots back up that kinda annoyed me and i had to use up more mana to kill it and it wasted alot of my time when i had to kill a bunch of em for a quest. the limited boundaries aka, invisible walls bummed me and my sister out since i really wanted to go exploring, and the fact that u are able to drown in this game is really dumb, ok we can fly... but we cant swim?! there seems to be some imbalances in between some classes, the rangers are really weak when it comes to soloing, i guess thats understandable, just my opinion since im more of the get in your face and beat the $#!& out of them with me sword, so dont look too deep into that.
a few minor gliches i found, some times i jump and get stuck between some fences and it took me a while to get out of some of them, hopefully they get rid of me. and in the last beta, in akarios village next to the warrior trainer there are 2 mercenaries beating dummies all day, one time i saw a mercenary beating a dummy in the temple next to the preist inside, along with one of the gryphons, i was like wtf... what happened there?!
over all this game gets a 8.9/10, i hope to see whats next to come ^^
hmm i guess thats true.... theres also the fact thatu can change channels and go some place else that less crowded... sut a thought
I played Lineage 2 for over four years, i am playing in Aion CN, and all of the NA beta's. Aion is not like Lineage 2, there may be some minor similarities but the games are totally different. One thing i'd like to add is i dont know where people are getting their information from regarding bot's in Aion. So far in Aion CN bots have been rare, as rare as getting a nice weapon drop in Lineage 2 if you know what i mean.
I have always had the mindset that if there was some thing, or a game that i did not like, i just wouldn't buy it, instead of wasting my time and energy complaining about it.
______________________________
Currently Playing: Tabula Rasa
Waiting to play: Aion
Games played: Lineage, Lineage 2, WoW, Guild Wars, City of Heroes, Archlord, Espa Grenada
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System Specs: Windows Vista Home Premium (x64)
AMD X2 5200 (OC-2.8ghz)
4gb Corsair XMS2 ddr2-800 mem.
Crossfire 2 x (ATI 2600xt HD)
I don't know anything about Runes of Magic, but this pretty well sums it up for me. The combat system, I will grant, is pretty nice. It's similar to most other games, so it is easy for most people to pick up. The combo system is clever and well done. It feels reactive and real. Each class is pretty standard, no new ground there, but they really feel (to me) the way that class should. The mage is really a glass canon. They are incredibly powerful at range, and they have abilities to keep you at range while they blast unholy amounts of damage your way, but if you can get up to them, you can smash their face in. Scouts really feel like your rangers and assassins (I never played one high enough to actually pick). You stealth behind your target and you destroy them before they new what happened. You have a feel for the world around you. It's wonderful.
It's gorgeous. There are certain things that seem dated about the way the engine was built, but overall, the textures and models are far and away better than anything I've ever seen in an MMO.
The problem lies in the freedom. It doesn't feel like a world at all. It's linear; you are forced to go from point A to point B to point C. You are forced to do certain quests in a zone before you can proceed to the next zone. For story, that has it benefits, but it doesn't give the player the freedom to choose. You can't fly where you want, you can't fly for long, and while there is potential there, I don't think it will live up to it. You can't go where you want in the world. You can't even swim! I'm sorry, if I'm an adventurer, and Angel, and I can't swim, that's pretty pathetic. I kill things for a living and I can't figure out how to move my arms and legs together to stay afloat? That's an immersion killer for me right there.
Another huge immersion killer are the cities. In the outposts, most people are standing still, waiting to give you quests, but in the cities, there are more players and NPCs walking around, going about their day. If you are in a city full of angels, they should be flying most of the time. I just can't imagine a city of angels where they are all okay just walking about on foot. I am not even allowed to fly there. I am an angel and I can't fly at home? It just breaks it for me.
*grimace* Reading the game lore would tell you why that's not possible. The short answer is you are not an angel, nor are the other side demons. Your wings are a product of Aether, a mystic source of power which is available in various quantities depending on the area. Areas where you can fly, Aether is abundant, and where you can't, it is not. The wings aren't technically a physical part of your body, which is obvious from your ability to equip different ones (later in the game), though the wing emote does work pretty much all the time.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
First of all to be fair to Aion,being asked if it is a WOW killer is so vague and a brutal question.
The questions should be direct on the aspects and game play of AION.If you want to compare certain aspects to another game ,that is cool,but a vague question like"WOW KILLER" is wrong and offers no insight about Aion what so ever.
Second thing that caught my eye was the question/Answer about feedback.They state the public offered great feedback,yet they talk about the smallest of changes that would take almost zero effort,so do NOT expect ANY game changes from customer feedback,all changes will be very miniscule.
I do not believe for a second there was any effort to generalize the game for the North American player,all they did was transcribe the language,that is not much effort at all as far as game design goes,that is something all developers do if they want foreign people to play their game.
I have no idea if their 1500 quests are accurate,i highly doubt it,because that is creeping close to EQ2's quest line,and i know for a fact EQ2 has a ton more quests than Aion,as you can get a quest from pretty much EVERY NPC and the majority of mobs drop quests as well,and there is a lot more of both in EQ2 than there is in AION.Oh well most developers hype up the numbers beyond the truth.NCSOFT is stating the 3.5 mil or whatever people are throwing around,is NOT official at least they were honest about that.
I guess none of this really matters,the questionnaire did not do much to get into the depth and design of Aion,as there is MANY outsiders who still do not know of the game or what it involves.To me the game is just a tad below average,but no matter ,the game might appeal to some other people,they would have got nothing from this interview.
Talk of "Grind" is another biggie that has me baffled.IMO there is no such thing as grind if you are having fun playing a game.If the core of the game play is so boring for you to call it a grind,then that game is obviously not for you,no sense dwelling about grind.
Future interviews,i hope to see in depth questions,like comparing graphics to other games,or comparing the combat system or the size of the world,mob AI,any quests that stand out as different from other games.What sort of things does the game offer that gives players options other than questing or PVP?so many questions/topics can be brought up to give people an in depth view of a game.After all the interview is suppose to be for people that do not know the game,the people that already know the game,do not need to read the interview or questions,since they know the answers already.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.