Low res textures =/= Art Style They are just preferences to make the game available to a wider audience. Also, recommended system reqs for the game has NVIDIA 6800 on it. That card was also released in 2004 (same time as Far Cry). If engine was modified, it was modified to decrease the details on screen, because honestly, Farcry looks much better than Aion in many ways. There's nothing wrong with targeting a wider audience of course. WoW did it, and it was a success, EQ2 didn't, and you know where EQ2 is right now (of course, this isn't the only measure for EQ2's situation, but it's still a large one). Edit: Cryengine 2 is just an unoptimized shit (yes, as in, crap). Cryengine 3 will look more or less same as Cryengine 2, but it will require much less raw power.
So basically you're saying,
NO ART: (note: too realsitic)
ART:
Also crysis is optomize fine stop crying cuz your pc suck a $500 pc can maxout crysis. If you want to play an unoptimized game go play GTA IV.
Originally posted by Spathotan The simplest way to put this, is like this. Buying a used/refurbished 360 is on the same plane as sharing a condom in a gangbang with strangers.
Aion has no NDA, as they have nothing hide like some previously released disasters. There is enough information about Aion on the internet to make up your mind if its the right game for you. You can also preorder the game for $5 and enjoy the beta or even play on the china servers. You have a alot of options to find out for yourself before the game is released.
Low res textures =/= Art Style They are just preferences to make the game available to a wider audience. Also, recommended system reqs for the game has NVIDIA 6800 on it. That card was also released in 2004 (same time as Far Cry). If engine was modified, it was modified to decrease the details on screen, because honestly, Farcry looks much better than Aion in many ways. There's nothing wrong with targeting a wider audience of course. WoW did it, and it was a success, EQ2 didn't, and you know where EQ2 is right now (of course, this isn't the only measure for EQ2's situation, but it's still a large one). Edit: Cryengine 2 is just an unoptimized shit (yes, as in, crap). Cryengine 3 will look more or less same as Cryengine 2, but it will require much less raw power.
I get your meaning mostly, however some part are worded slightly strange so I am not 100% certain.
Summing it up. Realistic looking graphic does not always necessarily mean "better" quality, and just because the devs didn't choose to go for realistic graphics does not necessarily mean it is low graphics quality.
I hope I got that correct. Thisis also what I have been saying in the forums. Graphic quality and graphic design are in most cases separate things, but most people will confuse the two.
After years and years of many failures and dissapointments, i was very reluctant to pre-order this. I have read several forums to get an impression and noticed that it isn't hyped but many people enjoy it.
I decided to pre-order and played in CB4 and found it to be exactly that .... rock solid and fun to play.
That is all i wanted
It could use some tweaks here and there and has some pro's and con's ... but i was hooked from the minute i started playing.
Low res textures =/= Art Style They are just preferences to make the game available to a wider audience. Also, recommended system reqs for the game has NVIDIA 6800 on it. That card was also released in 2004 (same time as Far Cry). If engine was modified, it was modified to decrease the details on screen, because honestly, Farcry looks much better than Aion in many ways. There's nothing wrong with targeting a wider audience of course. WoW did it, and it was a success, EQ2 didn't, and you know where EQ2 is right now (of course, this isn't the only measure for EQ2's situation, but it's still a large one). Edit: Cryengine 2 is just an unoptimized shit (yes, as in, crap). Cryengine 3 will look more or less same as Cryengine 2, but it will require much less raw power.
I get your meaning mostly, however some part are worded slightly strange so I am not 100% certain.
Summing it up. Realistic looking graphic does not always necessarily mean "better" quality, and just because the devs didn't choose to go for realistic graphics does not necessarily mean it is low graphics quality.
I hope I got that correct. Thisis also what I have been saying in the forums. Graphic quality and graphic design are in most cases separate things, but most people will confuse the two.
You're close.
High quality graphics doesn't always necessarily mean "realistic"
TF2 is a great example at this. When it first came out, it had fairly high quality graphics (it still does), it was stylized, yes, but it was also high quality.
High res textures/ ≠ Realistic Graphics
Low quality graphics doesn't mean it is an "art style" or "stylized"
Say a game has low quality graphics/textures because its "stylized" "anime" "whatever floats your boat" isn't an excuse for low quality graphics. Even if developers intended to make stylized graphics, low quality is still low quality.
High quality graphics doesn't always necessarily mean "realistic"
TF2 is a great example at this. When it first came out, it had fairly high quality graphics (it still does), it was stylized, yes, but it was also high quality.
High res textures/ ≠ Realistic Graphics
Low quality graphics doesn't mean it is an "art style" or "stylized"
Say a game has low quality graphics/textures because its "stylized" "anime" "whatever floats your boat" isn't an excuse for low quality graphics. Even if developers intended to make stylized graphics, low quality is still low quality.
Low res textures ≠ Art Style
Maybe you guys should start your own thread somewhere ?
Hyped? definately, seeing as the lack of decent pvp mmos in EU and US, any AAA mmo with a pvp focus is going to be the subject of much hype (see darkfall).
The thing that i take in to account is that it has been released for almost a year elsewhere in the world. that experience can only benefit us when it is released. For that reason I think its going to be alot more polished when its released here than say, WAR or AoC.
But if it were me who had the tight gaming budget, id say wait at least a month after release then read up on what people are saying. the signs will be there if its gonna bomb or a disapointment, like what happened with the AoC post release forums.
To the OP - I guess the question is what do you want out of an MMO? I assume you want pvp if you tried WAR and AOC. Naturally you're going to just see how pvp plays out then before you really judge the game. No one will be able to tell you if it's good or not till we see it ourselves at end game.
On a side note a lot of you complain about bugs/lag or polish in Warhammer. What about the complete awful implementation of end game pvp? That's my main thing with Aion... how will end game pvp be. Obviously I'll have to play myself and find out or see what happens. Looks like a lot of potiential.
It all goes back to what you're looking for in a game.
For the OP. I enjoyed games like EQ1 ,Vanguard , DAoC , and AOC (sorry to the haters but aoc combat was excellent).
I just recently got in on the last closed beta for aion ,i believe it was 4. My first impression of the gameplay is classic mmorpg style. I used my time in beta to decide what class I will go with for release. I tried every class and decided chanter is my favorite. chanter would be your battle healer type with chants (buffs) that the entire group gets.
Not AS hardcore as EQ1 was at release but there is definatly a sense of working hard to get the things you want. You said you were a WAR player, let me tell you this pvp will be more like DAoC was at the start , meaning you can not get straight into the rvr although the arena is accessible fairly early and you can duel at any level.There are things that you must do first to get to the rvr.
As far as the graphics, I'm not going to get all technical and uber geek on you here. Lamons terms the graphics are very good and the game is so smooth. Anyone that can play AOC can easily play this game. I believe this game has the potential to be my next long term subscription.
Thanks for all the advices and for the nice conversation that followed ! Still have two things I'd like clarification on...
1- From what I've been reading, the level cap for the previous beta test was 25. Since the level cap is 50, is there any word on how the end game will be ? I have no problem waiting 20 levels in order to be "rewarded" with pvp, but if the endgame is boring or non-existent, waiting a month after release will probably give me another month of playtime before seeing the servers going empty (one of the reason that made me quit WAR..)
2- Many of you guys suggested me to get a beta code and try this game myself. The problem is, there's not gamestop or EB around where I live. The easiest way I found to have access to beta was from Steam, but I'm almost sure that I can't get a refund if the game doesn't turn out how I would like... Is there any other way to get into beta ? Or is there an open beta scheduled I haven't heard about ?
Thanks again for all the answers, keep them coming ! I must say it feels weird to have that much positive comments though. Rarely do you see any thing negative outside the common graphic and "you've seen it all before elsewhere" topics...
Thanks for all the advices and for the nice conversation that followed ! Still have two things I'd like clarification on... 1- From what I've been reading, the level cap for the previous beta test was 25. Since the level cap is 50, is there any word on how the end game will be ? I have no problem waiting 20 levels in order to be "rewarded" with pvp, but if the endgame is boring or non-existent, waiting a month after release will probably give me another month of playtime before seeing the servers going empty (one of the reason that made me quit WAR..) 2- Many of you guys suggested me to get a beta code and try this game myself. The problem is, there's not gamestop or EB around where I live. The easiest way I found to have access to beta was from Steam, but I'm almost sure that I can't get a refund if the game doesn't turn out how I would like... Is there any other way to get into beta ? Or is there an open beta scheduled I haven't heard about ? Thanks again for all the answers, keep them coming ! I must say it feels weird to have that much positive comments though. Rarely do you see any thing negative outside the common graphic and "you've seen it all before elsewhere" topics...
Nope no refund for sure on steam nor NCstore.
As far as i know there will be an OB after the CB's
You can pre-order it from EB/Gamestop ONLINE and they will e-mail you your beta code.
You can cancel from any EB/Gamestop or call them and cancel online, etc.
There doesn't seem to be any kind of online purchase, at least for Aion, on the EB website.. and this is what can be read on the gamestop one :
Reserve Aion and receive exclusive in-game items as well as early access to Aion. The preorder bonus comes with:
* Access to all Aion pre-launch events, and early head-start access to Aion live game.
* Access to Aion server and character pre-selection.
* Exclusive in-game items including the Dark Cloud Helmet (stat boost), Talisman of Lodas (XP boost), and the GameStop Exclusive Ancient Ring of Fire.
Available for online and in-store customers only while supplies last. Orders may not be canceled once beta code has been sent
Online / In-Store Pickup Customers: A unique code giving you early access and exclusive in-game items will be emailed within 1 business day of ordering.
Store Customers: A pre-order card giving you early access and exclusive in-game items will be available at time of reservation.
I've been actively reading about this game for a while now, and there's only one thing keeping me from preordering this one : past experience... I've been playing WAR from beta to about 5 months after release. I really loved this game : the scenarios, public quests, ORVR.. but after a couple of months the world felt empty and couldn't find groups, so the game went boring kinda fast.. I got AoC at launch. Played this one for 2-3 months before realizing the instances were kinda lame, same for the PvP... Everything felt buggy and laggy.. And when my guildmates left, I did the same... The more I read about Aion, the more it looks great, but so did the other two as well ... And since there's a lot of great games coming out on the X360 in the next couple of months, the gaming budget is kinda thin. So anyone want to help me get a clear idea about Aion ? What part of what we read here belongs to the hype ? Do you guys think this game will still be interesting in 3-6 months.. a year ? Kinda bored of switching games, I'd like to find a new home... Thanks !
I played all 3 games. Aion is a different animal. The polish and content is there. Crafting is solid(and useful! I make my own sets of gear every few levels because its the best ). PvP is solid. Itemization is solid. Graphics are solid. Gameplay is smooth(no frame-rate loss in high player density environments; its like they have access to some secret alien technology that every other MMO game has missed out on). Character customization is outstanding. Armor/weapon sets look amazing. Nary a bug in sight.
Seriously... how comfortable does a company have to feel about a product to be giving preview weekends to people who can simply cancel their pre-order if they don't like the game? And they also drop the NDA so people can say whatever they want about it. That's a pretty gutsy move for an MMO company, and there is a reason they are able to pull it off.
Because the game in genuinely good.
The funny thing is, all these good reviews are coming from people who are testing levels 1-25. I don't really even feel the game starts until 25. You're toons really start to flesh out after 25, and you start diving headfirst into competitive PvP at the same time. Unlike AoC... which puts its best foot forward with the newbie zone in Tortuge... this game's beginning experience actually pales in comparison to the later levels.
I only have a few problems with Aion
1) A lot of the npc mobs you fight are lame. I'll never understand why asians design there mobs to look alll cutsie and wussified. There are some cool ones later down the road though, but killing pokemon at the beginning of the game is damned irritating.
2) This might just be me playing on the Chinese version halfway across the world. But killing people in flight as a melee is a pain in the butt. Ranged classes seem to have a pretty serious advantage in flight combat. It's damn near impossible for me to run someone down once they are in the air.... granted a large portion of this is no doubt due to lag.
3) They don't give the scout classes enough combos early in the game. Leveling a ranger/assassin from 10-20 is painful. Granted I'm planning on playing a sin... and I'm actually kinda happy about this because I think it'll weed out some of the short bus goobers that tend to flock towards stealth classes.
Will the game persist for the long run? Probably... its a gear grind after all. The fact that there are multiple sets of armor that all look pretty bad-ass at endgame makes me think people are going to work really hard at picking up that gear. The enchanting system is also a grind, and getting +10 abyss gear is going to be a serious undertaking. Crafting the best gear is no joke either, and unlike other game's its exceptionally worthwhile gear to work towards.
PvP in the abyss ranges from solo gankage, to roaming small groups, to all out multi-guild/faction warfare sieges on fortresses. You also have rifts that open into the enemies PvE areas that are a blast. So if you enjoy PvP there are a lot of options on the table. I just pray they don't implement some sort of BG/Scenario thing.... that stuff kills world PvP dynamics so fast, it would be an absolute tragedy.
They look like they are putting a good bit of focus on their PvE options in the latest patch version, which is what I would probably say is the game's weakest point in the 1.0 version. They've added tons of quest, and several instances that sound pretty interesting w/ the PvP element worked in. I'm not really sure how well it will work until I try it, but it has potential. From what I've seen of raids most bosses are tank & spank... but I'm sure the game will evolve a bit on that front, especially if there is a big demand for it.
The end-game is going to be a grind, be it PvP gear, PvE gear, crafting gear... or just enchanting your gear up to +10. Will it be a casually friendly grind? To some extent I'm sure. But being an NCsoft game I'm willing to bet its going to take some serious time to be in the best of the best gear.. well out of the reach of your average gamer.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay.
1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games.
2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them.
3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is.
I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before.
A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay. 1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games. 2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them. 3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is. I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before. A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
Yep agreed. I ve been leaning more towards CO myself. A few guildmates of mine and my wife are all saying lets do CO and see. We ve all played the Aion betas, but are not convinced. The only thing that would change my mind is if the Abyss, does continue to feel DAOC like to me. If not it s just another game to me. Were as CO is totally different, and I love action which it has.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay. 1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games. 2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them. 3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is. I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before. A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
Arena PVP blows though compared to open world PVP I really dont think GW2 and Aion share the same audience.
And to the OP.
Im a fanboi straight out with it.
Why though ?
Because in Aion i feel it deserves it having played on Chinese retail and all CB's it fully deserves every bit of praise it is getting i played WAR beta and launch but lost interest AOC i didnt bother with post beta as I didn't define it as a true MMO..
The simple fact that you managed to play WAR that long would tell me that Aion has a future for you its persistant PVP that actually matters is awesome and is keeping my most ardent of DAOC and WAR fan friends logging in with every beta.
My WOW playing friends have matured and now want more and in Aion they are finding it.
Originally posted by SaintViktor Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay. 1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games. 2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them. 3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is. I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before. A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
I haven't been playing any MMO in the past couple of months. *shrug*
I think a lot of players looking forward to Aion are in the same boat as me.
Before opening your wallet OP, I would suggest making sure your mind is open as well. Forget about preconceptions of the game, or any game you have played before. It's ok to take those past experiences with you, but don't let them dictate your enjoyment in any new game. That would include Aion.
People say alot of things about Aion, but it is up to you to ultimately decide. Treating it as it's own unique game will increase the enjoyment received in any new game.
But step #1 is always to check for stability and playability in a game, and I think many would agree Aion does indeed house this baseline value.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay. 1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games. 2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them. 3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is. I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before. A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay.
1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games.
2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them.
3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is.
I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before.
A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
I haven't been playing any MMO in the past couple of months. *shrug*
I think a lot of players looking forward to Aion are in the same boat as me.
I think that is part of it too. People are so hungry for the next big mmo they will flock to anything that has an inkling of success. I think NCsoft made a nice game but ultimately many NA/EU player swill move on to better mmos as i stated earlier.
In all honest no other MMOs on the horizon interest me. Jumpgate:evolution looks like a lot of fun but I think it may be a side game for me to play if anything. I have no interest in FFXIV or Champions Online. Mortal Online seems interesting but I'm already sort of out of that "hardcorez" mindset.
I think for players who are looking for a solid RvR experience that a lot have really been looking forward to Aion. There really isn't anything out there on the horizon that plans on doing the same.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay. 1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games. 2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them. 3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is. I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before. A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
A couple problems with your logic. Firstly, you're exlcuding the trend of change in the way western MMO gamers approach games. By and large people continue to play the MMO they enjoy in addition to whatever non-MMO games they might pick up. Starcraft isn't an RPG and Diablo is a different beast, plus the chances are they're going to copy what Hellgate tried to do with Diablo and it'll probably fail just as badly.
Most of what you're saying is based on preference. There is a huge portion of western MMO gamers who want a more traditional vanilla WoW/pre-TOA DAOC/oldschool EQ game. Aion offers that in a big way. I don't recall -NCSOFT- actually saying Aion was going to be anything new. They still don't say anything like that on their website. They, in fact, use the word TRADITIONAL often when describing Aion.
As for GW 2? Uhhhhhh, Ncsoft owns Arenanet. When you look at a GW box you'll see the Arenanet dev logo and the NCsoft publisher logo. NCsoft isn't EA and is smart enough as a company to realize when a studio does a good job and to just let them be. However, NCsoft is still pumping money into GW 2, it's still being influenced by the same company. Lot of people seem to not realize that Guildwars basically came from NCsoft.
Comments
So basically you're saying,
NO ART: (note: too realsitic)
ART:
Also crysis is optomize fine stop crying cuz your pc suck a $500 pc can maxout crysis. If you want to play an unoptimized game go play GTA IV.
Wow, just wow, such a fail at trolling attempt.
-2/10
Don't believe the hype believe what you see.
Aion has no NDA, as they have nothing hide like some previously released disasters. There is enough information about Aion on the internet to make up your mind if its the right game for you. You can also preorder the game for $5 and enjoy the beta or even play on the china servers. You have a alot of options to find out for yourself before the game is released.
GW2 the future of MMO gaming
I get your meaning mostly, however some part are worded slightly strange so I am not 100% certain.
Summing it up. Realistic looking graphic does not always necessarily mean "better" quality, and just because the devs didn't choose to go for realistic graphics does not necessarily mean it is low graphics quality.
I hope I got that correct. Thisis also what I have been saying in the forums. Graphic quality and graphic design are in most cases separate things, but most people will confuse the two.
After years and years of many failures and dissapointments, i was very reluctant to pre-order this. I have read several forums to get an impression and noticed that it isn't hyped but many people enjoy it.
I decided to pre-order and played in CB4 and found it to be exactly that .... rock solid and fun to play.
That is all i wanted
It could use some tweaks here and there and has some pro's and con's ... but i was hooked from the minute i started playing.
I get your meaning mostly, however some part are worded slightly strange so I am not 100% certain.
Summing it up. Realistic looking graphic does not always necessarily mean "better" quality, and just because the devs didn't choose to go for realistic graphics does not necessarily mean it is low graphics quality.
I hope I got that correct. Thisis also what I have been saying in the forums. Graphic quality and graphic design are in most cases separate things, but most people will confuse the two.
You're close.
High quality graphics doesn't always necessarily mean "realistic"
TF2 is a great example at this. When it first came out, it had fairly high quality graphics (it still does), it was stylized, yes, but it was also high quality.
High res textures/ ≠ Realistic Graphics
Low quality graphics doesn't mean it is an "art style" or "stylized"
Say a game has low quality graphics/textures because its "stylized" "anime" "whatever floats your boat" isn't an excuse for low quality graphics. Even if developers intended to make stylized graphics, low quality is still low quality.
Low res textures ≠ Art Style
You're close.
High quality graphics doesn't always necessarily mean "realistic"
TF2 is a great example at this. When it first came out, it had fairly high quality graphics (it still does), it was stylized, yes, but it was also high quality.
High res textures/ ≠ Realistic Graphics
Low quality graphics doesn't mean it is an "art style" or "stylized"
Say a game has low quality graphics/textures because its "stylized" "anime" "whatever floats your boat" isn't an excuse for low quality graphics. Even if developers intended to make stylized graphics, low quality is still low quality.
Low res textures ≠ Art Style
Maybe you guys should start your own thread somewhere ?
Hyped? definately, seeing as the lack of decent pvp mmos in EU and US, any AAA mmo with a pvp focus is going to be the subject of much hype (see darkfall).
The thing that i take in to account is that it has been released for almost a year elsewhere in the world. that experience can only benefit us when it is released. For that reason I think its going to be alot more polished when its released here than say, WAR or AoC.
But if it were me who had the tight gaming budget, id say wait at least a month after release then read up on what people are saying. the signs will be there if its gonna bomb or a disapointment, like what happened with the AoC post release forums.
To the OP - I guess the question is what do you want out of an MMO? I assume you want pvp if you tried WAR and AOC. Naturally you're going to just see how pvp plays out then before you really judge the game. No one will be able to tell you if it's good or not till we see it ourselves at end game.
On a side note a lot of you complain about bugs/lag or polish in Warhammer. What about the complete awful implementation of end game pvp? That's my main thing with Aion... how will end game pvp be. Obviously I'll have to play myself and find out or see what happens. Looks like a lot of potiential.
It all goes back to what you're looking for in a game.
Pledge your support to creating a PvP Community on Aion. Join our server on release.
http://aionfactions.homelinux.com
For the OP. I enjoyed games like EQ1 ,Vanguard , DAoC , and AOC (sorry to the haters but aoc combat was excellent).
I just recently got in on the last closed beta for aion ,i believe it was 4. My first impression of the gameplay is classic mmorpg style. I used my time in beta to decide what class I will go with for release. I tried every class and decided chanter is my favorite. chanter would be your battle healer type with chants (buffs) that the entire group gets.
Not AS hardcore as EQ1 was at release but there is definatly a sense of working hard to get the things you want. You said you were a WAR player, let me tell you this pvp will be more like DAoC was at the start , meaning you can not get straight into the rvr although the arena is accessible fairly early and you can duel at any level.There are things that you must do first to get to the rvr.
As far as the graphics, I'm not going to get all technical and uber geek on you here. Lamons terms the graphics are very good and the game is so smooth. Anyone that can play AOC can easily play this game. I believe this game has the potential to be my next long term subscription.
Thanks for all the advices and for the nice conversation that followed ! Still have two things I'd like clarification on...
1- From what I've been reading, the level cap for the previous beta test was 25. Since the level cap is 50, is there any word on how the end game will be ? I have no problem waiting 20 levels in order to be "rewarded" with pvp, but if the endgame is boring or non-existent, waiting a month after release will probably give me another month of playtime before seeing the servers going empty (one of the reason that made me quit WAR..)
2- Many of you guys suggested me to get a beta code and try this game myself. The problem is, there's not gamestop or EB around where I live. The easiest way I found to have access to beta was from Steam, but I'm almost sure that I can't get a refund if the game doesn't turn out how I would like... Is there any other way to get into beta ? Or is there an open beta scheduled I haven't heard about ?
Thanks again for all the answers, keep them coming ! I must say it feels weird to have that much positive comments though. Rarely do you see any thing negative outside the common graphic and "you've seen it all before elsewhere" topics...
Nope no refund for sure on steam nor NCstore.
As far as i know there will be an OB after the CB's
You can pre-order it from EB/Gamestop ONLINE and they will e-mail you your beta code.
You can cancel from any EB/Gamestop or call them and cancel online, etc.
There doesn't seem to be any kind of online purchase, at least for Aion, on the EB website.. and this is what can be read on the gamestop one :
Reserve Aion and receive exclusive in-game items as well as early access to Aion. The preorder bonus comes with:
* Access to all Aion pre-launch events, and early head-start access to Aion live game.
* Access to Aion server and character pre-selection.
* Exclusive in-game items including the Dark Cloud Helmet (stat boost), Talisman of Lodas (XP boost), and the GameStop Exclusive Ancient Ring of Fire.
Available for online and in-store customers only while supplies last. Orders may not be canceled once beta code has been sent
Online / In-Store Pickup Customers: A unique code giving you early access and exclusive in-game items will be emailed within 1 business day of ordering.
Store Customers: A pre-order card giving you early access and exclusive in-game items will be available at time of reservation.
Oh man that is weak! They must have changed it
I was looking back in early June and they didn't have that message at all... damn!
I played all 3 games. Aion is a different animal. The polish and content is there. Crafting is solid(and useful! I make my own sets of gear every few levels because its the best ). PvP is solid. Itemization is solid. Graphics are solid. Gameplay is smooth(no frame-rate loss in high player density environments; its like they have access to some secret alien technology that every other MMO game has missed out on). Character customization is outstanding. Armor/weapon sets look amazing. Nary a bug in sight.
Seriously... how comfortable does a company have to feel about a product to be giving preview weekends to people who can simply cancel their pre-order if they don't like the game? And they also drop the NDA so people can say whatever they want about it. That's a pretty gutsy move for an MMO company, and there is a reason they are able to pull it off.
Because the game in genuinely good.
The funny thing is, all these good reviews are coming from people who are testing levels 1-25. I don't really even feel the game starts until 25. You're toons really start to flesh out after 25, and you start diving headfirst into competitive PvP at the same time. Unlike AoC... which puts its best foot forward with the newbie zone in Tortuge... this game's beginning experience actually pales in comparison to the later levels.
I only have a few problems with Aion
1) A lot of the npc mobs you fight are lame. I'll never understand why asians design there mobs to look alll cutsie and wussified. There are some cool ones later down the road though, but killing pokemon at the beginning of the game is damned irritating.
2) This might just be me playing on the Chinese version halfway across the world. But killing people in flight as a melee is a pain in the butt. Ranged classes seem to have a pretty serious advantage in flight combat. It's damn near impossible for me to run someone down once they are in the air.... granted a large portion of this is no doubt due to lag.
3) They don't give the scout classes enough combos early in the game. Leveling a ranger/assassin from 10-20 is painful. Granted I'm planning on playing a sin... and I'm actually kinda happy about this because I think it'll weed out some of the short bus goobers that tend to flock towards stealth classes.
Will the game persist for the long run? Probably... its a gear grind after all. The fact that there are multiple sets of armor that all look pretty bad-ass at endgame makes me think people are going to work really hard at picking up that gear. The enchanting system is also a grind, and getting +10 abyss gear is going to be a serious undertaking. Crafting the best gear is no joke either, and unlike other game's its exceptionally worthwhile gear to work towards.
PvP in the abyss ranges from solo gankage, to roaming small groups, to all out multi-guild/faction warfare sieges on fortresses. You also have rifts that open into the enemies PvE areas that are a blast. So if you enjoy PvP there are a lot of options on the table. I just pray they don't implement some sort of BG/Scenario thing.... that stuff kills world PvP dynamics so fast, it would be an absolute tragedy.
They look like they are putting a good bit of focus on their PvE options in the latest patch version, which is what I would probably say is the game's weakest point in the 1.0 version. They've added tons of quest, and several instances that sound pretty interesting w/ the PvP element worked in. I'm not really sure how well it will work until I try it, but it has potential. From what I've seen of raids most bosses are tank & spank... but I'm sure the game will evolve a bit on that front, especially if there is a big demand for it.
The end-game is going to be a grind, be it PvP gear, PvE gear, crafting gear... or just enchanting your gear up to +10. Will it be a casually friendly grind? To some extent I'm sure. But being an NCsoft game I'm willing to bet its going to take some serious time to be in the best of the best gear.. well out of the reach of your average gamer.
Once they reach max level and the novalty of flight wears off, the players will go back to what they was doing before. Atleast here in NA/EU I think they will. It is a good game but for the long term I'm not sold yet that players in the NA/EU will stay.
1.You also have to keep in mind that Guild Wars 2 is creeping closer to revealing itself and once that happen fans from Aion here in NA/EU will be playing Guild Wars 2 instead because of the no monthly fee and Arenanet > NCsoft when making games.
2. The Diablo and Starcraft effect. Every mmo will hurt once Blizzard releases them.
3. The Old Republic, FFXIV and the fans wating to see what Blizzard's new mmo is.
I think Aion will have short term success here in NA/EU. It's a good game and people should give it a try. I liked it but I found nothing majorly new at all and well for me, Champions Online just brings a whole new mmo experience for me since I never played a superhero mmo before.
A big hype for short term but for the long term I will have to give it a big nay.
Yep agreed. I ve been leaning more towards CO myself. A few guildmates of mine and my wife are all saying lets do CO and see. We ve all played the Aion betas, but are not convinced. The only thing that would change my mind is if the Abyss, does continue to feel DAOC like to me. If not it s just another game to me. Were as CO is totally different, and I love action which it has.
Arena PVP blows though compared to open world PVP I really dont think GW2 and Aion share the same audience.
And to the OP.
Im a fanboi straight out with it.
Why though ?
Because in Aion i feel it deserves it having played on Chinese retail and all CB's it fully deserves every bit of praise it is getting i played WAR beta and launch but lost interest AOC i didnt bother with post beta as I didn't define it as a true MMO..
The simple fact that you managed to play WAR that long would tell me that Aion has a future for you its persistant PVP that actually matters is awesome and is keeping my most ardent of DAOC and WAR fan friends logging in with every beta.
My WOW playing friends have matured and now want more and in Aion they are finding it.
I haven't been playing any MMO in the past couple of months. *shrug*
I think a lot of players looking forward to Aion are in the same boat as me.
Before opening your wallet OP, I would suggest making sure your mind is open as well. Forget about preconceptions of the game, or any game you have played before. It's ok to take those past experiences with you, but don't let them dictate your enjoyment in any new game. That would include Aion.
People say alot of things about Aion, but it is up to you to ultimately decide. Treating it as it's own unique game will increase the enjoyment received in any new game.
But step #1 is always to check for stability and playability in a game, and I think many would agree Aion does indeed house this baseline value.
Agreed with everything there, especially point #3
I haven't been playing any MMO in the past couple of months. *shrug*
I think a lot of players looking forward to Aion are in the same boat as me.
I think that is part of it too. People are so hungry for the next big mmo they will flock to anything that has an inkling of success. I think NCsoft made a nice game but ultimately many NA/EU player swill move on to better mmos as i stated earlier.
In all honest no other MMOs on the horizon interest me. Jumpgate:evolution looks like a lot of fun but I think it may be a side game for me to play if anything. I have no interest in FFXIV or Champions Online. Mortal Online seems interesting but I'm already sort of out of that "hardcorez" mindset.
I think for players who are looking for a solid RvR experience that a lot have really been looking forward to Aion. There really isn't anything out there on the horizon that plans on doing the same.
A couple problems with your logic. Firstly, you're exlcuding the trend of change in the way western MMO gamers approach games. By and large people continue to play the MMO they enjoy in addition to whatever non-MMO games they might pick up. Starcraft isn't an RPG and Diablo is a different beast, plus the chances are they're going to copy what Hellgate tried to do with Diablo and it'll probably fail just as badly.
Most of what you're saying is based on preference. There is a huge portion of western MMO gamers who want a more traditional vanilla WoW/pre-TOA DAOC/oldschool EQ game. Aion offers that in a big way. I don't recall -NCSOFT- actually saying Aion was going to be anything new. They still don't say anything like that on their website. They, in fact, use the word TRADITIONAL often when describing Aion.
As for GW 2? Uhhhhhh, Ncsoft owns Arenanet. When you look at a GW box you'll see the Arenanet dev logo and the NCsoft publisher logo. NCsoft isn't EA and is smart enough as a company to realize when a studio does a good job and to just let them be. However, NCsoft is still pumping money into GW 2, it's still being influenced by the same company. Lot of people seem to not realize that Guildwars basically came from NCsoft.