NCsoft and the Aion staff have been spending a lot of time lately working to get the Aion community involved and engaged in ways beyond just playing the game. They began with the Eye on Community feature, brought out Aion apparel, and now NCsoft gives you Aion Around the World.
The Aion team is enjoying the international popularity of their game and want to see it in action. Community Manager Andrew "Tamat" Beegle explains "to highlight the global phenomenon that Aion has become, we want to see pictures of our community members in public locations. We're looking for pictures of our players participating in exciting activities or showcasing Aion-themed merchandise, art, or cosplay."
Tamat and two other Aion team members Ayase and Amboss illustrated the idea by cleverly getting themselves into one photo while 5,000 miles apart. (We anticipate someone taking the idea a step farther by doing the same thing with their entire guild.) Aion will be featuring the pictures on their site for the next few months, so get to work on those wings, grab your camera, and send your photos to the Aion Community email. Have fun!
Monday, November 16, 2009
NCSoft asks Aion players to fly their fan flags in public
Aion live server numbers crunched
http://www.massively.com/2009/11/13/aion-live-server-numbers-crunched/#continued
Aion has been out for roughly 6 weeks so we thought it might be fun to crunch some of the numbers NCsoft provides on their official North American website. We've taken a look at realm balance, class balance, and what level Aion's population is at. Data collection occurred on November 12 at noon Eastern. A spreadsheet containing all data can be viewed here.
Realm population balance (Elyos vs. Asmodian)
Realm population balance is 50/50 on 3 of 14 servers. The remaining 11 servers have the Asmodians ahead of the Elyos by a 51:49 ratio. It appears as if NCsoft's forced realm population balance mechanic is keeping things under control, but one wonders how rampant these disparities would be if character creation was unrestricted. We've seen unbalanced two-faction MMOs before.
It should be stated that these numbers only represent a tally of Elyos and Asmodians across all servers and not how organized or active each realm is in PvPvE.
Level range breakdown (average across all servers)
Note: We are unsure if these numbers track all Aion characters ever made or only active Aion characters. You can read them a lot differently depending on what they track.
The declining curve is quite dramatic after Aion's first month and a half. Over 64% of the population is between levels 1 to 20. It quickly plummets to 23% between levels 21-30. Across all servers, the average of players between levels 31 to 35 is 6.3%, levels 36 to 40 is 3.9%, levels 41 to 45 is 1.7%, and levels 46 to 50 is 0.8%.
As the game ages, one would expect this curve to eventually bubble in the middle and finally become a mirror image of the current curve (if these number represent active characters only). Then again, the slope could always look this way (if these numbers represent all characters ever created).
Some servers appear to be further along than others. Azphel, Israphel, Lumiel, Triniel, and Zikel all have a quarter of their players in the 21-30 range. Azphel and Zikel in particular have 2% of their current population between levels 46 to 50, which is quite high comparatively. Other servers seem further behind (in the 1 to 20 range), and they include Fregion (74%), Meslamtaeda (74%), and Kaisinel (68%).
Class balance (average across all servers)
There are 8 classes in Aion and player interest seems well spread across them. A perfect spread would be 12.5% into each and there aren't any classes that seem too heavily favored. The top three most popular classes appear to be Gladiators (17.4%), Sorcerers (14%), and Assassins (13%). The least popular classes are Spiritmasters (10.3%) and Chanters (10.9%).
Top 10 AP earners by class
Here we looked at the top 10 Abyss Point earners on the top 5 most populated servers by legion (Ariel, Marchutan, Lumiel, Israphel, and Azphel) and counted them up by class. As you can see, aside from Assassins being on top for both Elyos and Asmodian, the spread seems fairly even with the remaining classes.
Elyos: Assassins (11), Clerics (8), and Sorcerers (7) came out on top. Chanters, Gladiators, Rangers, and Templars all tied at 5. Spiritmasters were at the bottom with 4.
Asmodian: Assassins (12), Rangers (8), and Gladiators (7) came out on top. Spiritmasters (6), Clerics (5), and Sorcerers (5) were in the middle of the pack. Templars (4) and Chanters (3) were at the bottom.
Top 5 legions by contribution points
Here we looked at the top 5 legions ranked by contribution points across the top 5 most populated servers by legions and counted up the total contribution points. While Asmodians may have a greater population as evidenced by the realm balance chart at the top of this page, it seems the top Elyos legions are holding their own.
Asmodians have a slight lead on Ariel, Marchutan, and Israphel but the Elyos legions are completely dominating them on Lumiel (unofficial roleplay server) by nearly a 2 to 1 margin. Elyos also hold a slight lead on Azphel. Overall, the Elyos hold a nearly 5,000,000 contribution point lead over the Asmodians across the servers polled in total.
We're curious, what sort of meaning do you derive from these numbers? Is there something you'd like us to look into specifically?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Aion New Costumes from Korean Test Server
We are familiar with Eastern countries' traditional costumes in Aion 1.5. The good news is that NCsoft is creating new western countries' traidtional costumes and they have already come out in Aion Korean test server. Let's take a first look at them.
Image
Name
Hearthstone slots
Description
Kaftan / Sarapan
0
Russian traditional costume.
Image
Name
Hearthstone slots
Description
Himation / Kiton
0
European traditional costume.(lol they call this European..)
Aion Online: Grinding Guide and Tips
Aion Online is an MMO of not only quests but definitely grinding. There really isn’t too much of a way around it. There are a ton of quests but to be honest sometimes its worth just grinding out that extra two or three boxes to level. So this post should help gamers with grinding and some general leveling tips.
General Tips
———————————————————————————-
- The trick is to get levels in 3’s so you only have to hit the main city once and a while.
- Always sell when heading back from quests. The “Sell All Misc” button is your best friend.
- Bandages, Odella Powder and potions are a great to stop downtime.
- Power shards can help give you that extra damage when grinding to kill mobs faster.
Grinding Tips
———————————————————————————-
- Find a spot to grind that has 2 or 3 gathering nodes that way when you are waiting for the mobs to respawn you can gather and gain some Kinah.
- Ideal grinding spots are where you have a bunch of low level mobs where you can use some AoE skills if you class has any.
- If you have no AoE skills than a good grinding spot is where there are higher level mobs, maybe a level or two above your level which are spaced out to reduce adds, but will give extra xp. Make sure you have a decent Accuracy or Magical Accuracy so you can hit the mobs.
- In a group? Find a spot which has elite mobs, more Kinah and better item drops. Otherwise group grinding is actually not helping you because the xp is being split among the group.
Grinding Guide in Asmodian Areas
Grinding Guide for lvl 10-12
Altgard: Altgard Ice Lake (all kinds of animals)
Grinding Guide for lvl 12-14
Altgard: MuMu Farmland (mumu mobs)
Grinding Guide for lvl 14-15
Altgard: Area doesn’t have name but mobs at the coast north from MuMu Farmland (various mobs, because MuMu farmland gets too low)
Grinding Guide for lvl 15-17
Altgard: MuMu Village (mumu mobs)
Grinding Guide for lvl 16-18
Altgard: Gribade Crater Lake (various mobs, can go at 16 if you get bored of MuMu Village)
Grinding Guide for lvl 17-19
Altgard: path from Trader’s Berth to Urutemheim (birds)
Grinding Guide for lvl 18-21
Altgard: Impetusium (ghost mobs all around, can go at 18 and can leave at 20 too…)
Grinding Guide for lvl 17-20
Altgard: Blackclaw Village/Blackclaw Outpost (requires group!!)
Grinding Guide for lvl 20-22
Morheim: Morheim Snowfield (all kinds of animals here)
or if it’s crowded:
Grinding Guide for lvl 20-22
Brusthonin: Southern Polluted Area (all kinds of bugs and stuff here)
Grinding Guide for lvl 22-24
Morheim: Patamor Thicket/Patamor Ridge Path (shrooms, if it’s crowded go uphill north to earth elementals it’s usually empty there)
Grinding Guide for lvl 24-26
Brusthonin: Havenjark Farm/Havenjark Public Cemetary (all kinds of zombies)
Brusthonin: Vigrid Western Plain (elyos mobs)
Grinding Guide for lvl 23-27
Morheim: Taran’s Cavern (requires group!!)
Grinding Guide for lvl 26-29
Morheim: Fortress of Sorrow (ghosts)
Here’s a gap.. I don’t know good 29 grinding spot so I went to abyss and did all quests available to hit 30… you can stick to fortress or move to 30 grindspot I guess.
Grinding Guide for lvl 30-32
Beluslan: Beluslan Fortress (animals all around)
Grinding Guide for lvl 32-34
Beluslan: Mosbear Snowfield (mosbears, sadly they do annoying debuff that makes grinding as cleric hard if you can’t kill them fast enough)
so, you might want to
Beluslan: around Mahisha’s Nest (animals and some amethyst imps)
Grinding Guide for lvl 34-35
Beluslan: Besfer Ghost Village,Mosbear Snowfield / Morheim: The Crash Site, Alsig Village Area / Upper Abyss
Grinding Guide in Abyss Areas (Both Factions)
Grinding Guide for lvl 25-26
Memory Reaper – level 25 – Abyss – Quest for them on lower layer south eastern outposts
Grinding Guide for lvl 27-28
Sulfur Oculazen – level 27 – Abyss – north west of Sulfur Fortress, the floating eyes
Grinding Guide for lvl 27-29
Sulphur killing the plagued tree things that are level 28, mixed in with those ranged worms.
Grinding Guide for lvl 29-30
Upper abyss drakes or immortal plumas, if you don’t suck
Grinding Guide for lvl 30-32
Upper abyss drakes or immortal plumas ( Drakes are on the left side of upper abyss at the ruins. Called Garchicans or something.)
Grinding Guide for lvl 30-31
Mirrorglass Waterworm – level 30 – Abyss – upper layer Lake Asteria
Kill Ghosts at Ruins of Roach. They are squishy
Upper Abyss – The two lager islands due west of Lake Asteria
= Top Island – Balaur level 33-34
= Bottom Island – Undead level 34-35**Both Elyos and Asmos can grind here. Beware, both do, and often. This seems to be a highly publicized spot, and ganking will happen…FREQUENTLY.
Grinding Guide for lvl 34-35
Upper abyss Undead/balaur or Heiron grind near observatory
Aion sells over 970K copies across NA and Europe
NCSoft has revealed during its financial report for Q3 of its fiscal year that Aion has sold more than 500,000 units in North America and 470,000 in Europe.
The Korean publisher’s financials are up 112 percent to KRW166 billion ($142 million) with net income for the July-September period at KRW46.9 billion ($40 million), which is a 836 percent year-over-year increase, with Aion contributing to 52 percent of those figures.
MMOs Lineage contributed 16 percent, City of Heroes/Villains 4 percent and Guild Wars 3 percent.
Revenues from Korea accounted for 48 percent with North America, Japan, Europe, and Taiwan following in that order
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Aion preselection and head start programs detailed
Aion is right around the corner and there are two big things you should be aware of leading up to its North American launch on September 22 (September 25 in Europe): preselection and head start. These items are only of concern if you are a preorder customer.
Preselection begins this Friday at noon PDT (3PM EDT). Eligible players who preordered the game (check your master account status: as long as it doesn't say 'beta' you're golden) will be able to log into their game clients and create a total of two characters on their server of choice. This will help you get on the same server as your friends and hopefully reserve your favorite names (see official server list). Our understanding is that you can make two characters on one server or one character on each of two servers for those wanting to reserve an Elyos and Asmodian. Preselection closes on Sunday, September 20 at 9AM PDT (noon EDT).
Aion's head start will begin on Sunday at noon PDT for those eligible players who preordered as well. It appears that both NA and EU players will have the same preselect and head start dates and times. The head start program allows players to experience the full spectrum of what Aion has to offer as there are no level/zone restrictions being put in place. It's just as if you're getting to play the full release... two days early (five if you're European). Want to avoid the launch day crowds? Play the head start!
Help NCsoft help you: Aion server poll arrives
NCsoft has put up an official server select poll up on SurveyMonkey for Aion. Anyone can participate by choosing which region they're from, whether or not they're a role-player, and then which server they plan to play on. The results will be released on September 18 to help preselect players decide which servers they should make characters on.
There is currently a bit of a competition going between Lumiel and Zikel as the official Eastern role-playing server. Before the release of this official poll, Aion role-players were gathering up to declare Lumiel the unofficial RP server because NCsoft didn't appear as though they were going to arbitrarily pick one. Recently, many Warhammer Online players from Phoenix Throne (the biggest and only official RP server) decided to organize an effort to steal the vote for Zikel. Many other hardcore PvP guilds seem to be vying for Zikel as well. We won't know the results of this until Friday.
There seems to be another battle going on between Eastern and Pacific servers as well. We haven't been able to confirm any exact times, but apparently certain PvP events will be 'timed' in Aion, such as fortress vulnerability and the Dreadgion. The issue arises when players of the same guild who live in different time zones have to decide on a single server to play on. If, for example, a fortress can only be raided from 8PM-11PM PDT, that makes it prime time for west coast players. Eastern guildies who have to work in the morning might not be too keen on playing from 11PM-1AM EDT.
Limited Edition Aion Keyset & Mousepad Now Available
Are you a profesional Aion fan? Then you should not miss this SteelSeries Zboard Limited Edition Aion Keyset and QcK Aion Asmodian Mousepad which was introduced by SteelSeries, a leading manufacturer of game peripherals and accessories. Co-designed with NCsoft, the limited edition gear can provide Aion players with customized functionality and original artwork from the game that allows players to battle and quest with ease into AIon's breathtaking world of Atreia.
The SteelSeries Zboard Limited Edition Aion Keyset will offer the full breadth of in-game commands on color-coded keys across the board. The keyset also provides players with:
- Dedicated action keys, menus, and chat commands that are labeled across 69 keys
- Full customization of each key through the SteelSeries Z Engine
- Quick-access emote keys for greeting, intimidating, or taunting your opponents
The SteelSeries Zboard Limited Edition Aion Keyset and SteelSeries Limited Edition QcK Aion Asmodian Mousepad will retail for $19.99 USD and $14.99USD.Products are now available for pre-sale at Game Stop and Amazon.com.
About SteelSeries
SteelSeries is a leading manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories, including headsets, keyboards, mice, software and gaming surfaces, selling in more than 75 countries. SteelSeries has been on the forefront of professional gaming gear since its inception in 2001, thanks to continued innovation and product development in cooperation with leading professional gamers. All SteelSeries products are developed in co-operation with professional gamers to ensure optimum performance and durability. SteelSeries supports the growth of competitive gaming and electronic sports through professional team sponsorships and community support all over the world. For more information, please visit www.SteelSeries.com.
About NCsoft
NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Lineage®, Guild Wars®, and City of Heroes® franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://us.ncsoft.com.
NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, Lineage, Guild Wars, City of Heroes, Aion, and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Preselection Players Can Create Aion Characters Since Sept. 18
September 13, Aion ended its open beta test. Have you catched the chance to experience Aion? NCsoft NA now is busy encouraging players to preorder Aion for its official lauch on September 22. Preselection is a benefit available to anyone who preordered Aion. If you are not sure whether or not you are eligible, simply log in to your NCsoft Master Account to verify that your game aion account is listed and your account type is not designated as "Beta".
Starting 12:00 p.m. PDT (more) on September 18, 2009, eligible players will be able to start their game aion clients and log in to create a total of two aion characters ahead of everyone else. You can name and create these two characters through the standard character creator and be ready to play with these characters right when the game Head Start Program begins (but not beforehand). Preselection will end 9:00 a.m. PDT on September 20, 2009 (more).
Aion - Video Podcast #3 - East Meets West
Above is the third part of a special behind-the-scenes look at Aion released by NCsoft, entitled "East Meets West," showcasing the work that has gone into bringing an Eastern game to the Western audiences. Besides, Aion will be launching in Europe on 25th September 2009.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Aion: Third Video Podcast Released
NCsoft released the third part of a special behind-the-scenes look at Aion, entitled "East Meets West," showcasing the work that has gone into bringing an Eastern game to the Western audiences. Aion will be launching in Europe on 25th September 2009.
View the video here.
NCSoft sells over 300,000 Aion pre-orders
There's an interesting interview with Véronique Lallier -- NCSoft's managing director of publishing -- over at GamesIndustry.biz that reveals Aion has sold over 300,000 aion pre-orders so far. Not too shabby if you ask us. The interview also covers a lot of what's been going on over the past year with NC West, NCSoft's 'umbrella' for their western subsidiaries.
The main goal of NC West is to give the company a stronger foothold in European and North American markets. Now based out of Seattle, employees can be closer to their players and be more responsive to their needs. Stepping back from their original strategy of making casual games, the Seattle studio is also focused on making more triple-A MMOs for the West. What's on the horizon for NCSoft? Apparently, we can expect to hear more about Guild Wars 2 next year and their Korean studio is working on Blade & Soul, which they claim has even better graphics than Aion. There are a number of unannounced titles as well.
We should have the results of our own Aion interview with NCSoft out shortly, so make sure to stay tuned for that.
Aion : Open Beta Ends, the Wait Begins
The Aion Open Beta test ended on Sep. 14 at 8AM CST, and with the doors now closed, the wait begins. The doors will open once again on September 18th for players eligible for the Pre-select program, which allows players to select their servers, reserve their names, and create their characters a full two days before the Head Start program begins. The Head Start program will then begin on the 20th, with the floodgates opening for the full launch two days later on the 22nd.
So how did the Aion Open Beta go? From what we understand, much like Champions Online, even Aion couldn't escape Open Beta woes; with issues like widespread lag, login issues due to the authentication process, and a bevy of GameGuard errors cropping up.
A aion patch was released during the Aion Open Beta program to address many of these issues and more, and as a result of the aforementioned problems the Open Beta was also extended six hours to 8AM CST this morning.
So now with the Aion Open Beta over, how was your experience? Did you hit the level 30 cap during the test? What do you plan on playing, or doing to occupy your time between now and the game's imminent release? Let us know in the comments!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Aion: ID or Password does not match
EDIT: Hmm... it seems updating my password solved my original problem, but the client keeps closing out due to an "unexpected problem." I imagine this has to do with the instability of the servers, and that other people are having this same issue as well. Either way, thank you for your help.
HERE: NSCoft has said awhile ago that updated their password servers. You have to update your password in your aion account on the NCSoft website. you can just use the same password you used before. https://secure.ncsoft.com/.
Aion open beta hits some hiccups
Aion open beta hits some hiccups, but aion patches are on the way!
It seems that no game can find that smooth stride regarding their beta testing these days, but thankfully that's what beta testing is for -- squashing bugs. (No matter how much marketing we seem to lump atop these tests these days.)
The Aion development team has heard the community's call regarding the lag, authentication server, gameguard anti-cheating program, forum authentication script, and beta key release schedule. They understand that the problems with the aion lag experienced by North American users, as well as the login server not working, is frustrating. However, they are devoting resources to finding out the cause and will be patching the game ASAP.
As for the GameGuard, it seems the feisty little program has been coughing up more errors than usual for some users, making it another notch on the "to-do" list. Unfortunately, the beta forums didn't feel like cooperating either, leading to some users becoming unable to login and post their problems.
But, the team is making movement forward and will continue to iron out problems before release. We here at Massively wish them the best of luck in doing so.
Are you interested in the Aion open beta? Well no worries, you can grab your key from Fileplanet when you're ready to take to the skies. No Fileplanet membership is required, all you need to do is sign into Fileplanet with a standard account and download away!
Aion Enchantment Guide
Aion Enchantment is a basic way to enchant in Aion , please read the following Aion Enchantment Guide about enchantment and hope you have a good time in this game !
1. First you must creat the aion enchantment stones.
In order to create them, visit a nearby General Goods Merchant and purchase Extraction Tools. One set of tools is used per extraction. In order to extract, you must Right-Click on the Extraction Tools and then Left-Click on the item you wish to extract from.
1) You can only extract from items that can be enhanced. These are your chest slot, legs slot, shoulders slot, hands slot, feet slot, primary slot, and secondary slot.
2) When you extract from an item, that item is destroyed. Do not extract from items you wish to keep or use, obviously.
Once you have extracted an item, you will receive Enchantment stones. They come in the form: Level # Enchantment. The level corresponds to an item's level, not your level.
2. Now How you apply them for an item ?
The first important part is figuring out the level of the item you wish to enhance. Quite simply, the item's level is the required level to use that item (but there is more!). This can typically be found just by looking at the item's statistics, as it will say what level is required. For some items, such as quest rewards, there is no given level on the item. In order to figure out the level of these items, you must know what level the quest was that resulted in that item. For instance, if a quest said "Level 10" in front of it and completing it resulted in an item, that item's level would be 10.
Once you know your item's level, the next step is figuring out what level Enchantment stone to use. In order to do this, you must know whether the item is of White rarity, Green rarity, Blue rarity, or Orange rarity. You can simply do this by looking at the item and seeing what color the item's name is written in. Once you know the item's level and its color use the following to figure out what aion Enchantment stone to use:
White Item = Item's Level +1-10 Levels
Green Item = Item's Level +5-20 Levels
Blue Item = Item's Level +15-40 Levels
Orange Item = Item's Level +30-50 Levels
3. Take note that using the lower extremity will cause you to have a lower chance of success.
If you have a Level 10 White item, you will have a higher percent of success if you use a Level 13 Enchantment stone than if you used a Level 11 Enchantment stone. Also, if you use too high of an Enchantment stone, your chance of success will be diminished as well.
Now that you know how to create aion Enchantment stones and use them to enhance your gear. Thank you for reading and enjoy yourself !
Aion Launch Server List Released
A lot of people have been waiting for this, so here you go, the official aion server list 9at least starting out) for launch!
Many of you have been curious to learn what the names of the Aion servers will be at launch. We've listed the server names below along with their associated time zones. The servers are aligned to those time zones (e.g. affecting fortresses) so that players on the East Coast as well as those on the West Coast can have blocks of game time to play during each server's prime time. Daylight saving will apply at launch.
Before the start of preselection (which begins September 18, 2009), we will also give our fans from the Oceanic region the chance to take part in an online community poll where you can indicate what server you'd pick unofficially if you want to play with your friends and neighbors. We hope to show instant results in the poll so that you can see which server provides you the best chance to meet them.
We are going to post a similar community poll for roleplayers. We have decided not to officially tag servers as roleplaying servers and enforce specific rules on them. However, we do believe that roleplayers are an essential part of our community, and we support their initiative to claim their own unofficial roleplaying server. Aion gives you the ability to create your own chat channel, and we are already seeing a lot of roleplaying groups out there who are defining their own rules and building up their own communities. Take your time to organize your group before the poll goes live, and then pick the server that would give you the best chance to find players with the same roleplaying interests.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Atreia on one of these servers at launch!
Aion Launch Server List Released
(1)North America: (UPDATED LIST AS OF 09-11-09)
[West] Siel GMT-8
[East] Israphel GMT-5
[West] Nezekan GMT-8
[East] Zikel GMT-5
[West] Vaizel GMT-8
[East] Triniel GMT-5
[West] Kaisinel GMT-8
[East] Lumiel GMT-5
[West] Yustiel GMT-8
[East] Marchutan GMT-5
[West] Ariel GMT-8
[East] Azphel GMT-5
(2)Europe:
[ENG] Spatalos
[ENG] Telemachus
[ENG] Castor
[ENG] Perento
[ENG] Gorgos
[GER] Kromede
[GER] Thor
[GER] Votan
[GER] Balder
[FRA] Urtem
[FRA] Vidar
[FRA] Suthran
NCsoft releases Aion Podcast #3!
Get a firsthand look at the NCsoft office in Seoul, Korea, in the third official Aion video podcast found exclusively at incgamers.com, Gamereactor.net, Gamona.de, EveryEye.it, Hardgame2.com and PowerUnlimited.nl! Join Associate Producer Lani Blazier, Lead Designer YongChan Jee, Lead Artist Hyung Jun Kim, and other members of the development team in your inside peek at Aion. The team talks candidly about how the design makes the game appeal to players across the globe, the future of Aion, and more.
Also, the server list located here has been updated. Please take a look and note the changes.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Aion Version 1.5 Impressions
It's been one year since I first saw Aion: Tower of Eternity and those wings I admired are about ready to take flight in the US.
Developer NCSoft has learned a lot since the massively multiplayer online game went live in Korea last year and they've integrated as much as they could into version 1.5, which will be the game that launches in the US this September.
First up is instancing; aion 1.5 adds 14 new instances to players past level 20, a scoring system to all instances to encourage replay-ability and a whole lot more story to pad it all out. NCSoft takes their storytelling very seriously – especially since they're dealing with localization – so they've put professional writers on their adaptation team and skipped automation programs that find and replace text in favor of going through and rewriting text line-by-line.
Also new to aion patch 1.5 are character design options. Aion already had a pretty detailed character creation system to start with from what I can remember, but now they've added 14 new character presets, more westernized character appearances and the ability to create wee people and near-giants with new body types.
As far as classes and balancing goes, NCSoft has added one new spirit for each of the two playable factions in Aion that the Spiritmaster can summon (Spiritmasters can summon up to four spirits). There're also new class specific quests at levels 30 and 50 and a new tier of rarity to items (called "Eternal"). The armor sets have been tweaked, too, allowing for bonuses when you're wearing a complete set and for an ultimate badass look when you match really good armor with some of the incredibly detailed new wings they've added.
The developer showed me a trailer for aion version 1.5 while telling me all I've told you above. In it, I saw dramatic dragons, cat people and somebody being shot out of a canon. But what really impressed me was what I saw when they actually loaded up the game and played through a couple of areas to show off.
First of all, most of the quest text was voiced and it sounded good instead of stilted. Second, the quest text wasn't a line-for-line brick that matched the voice over (NCSoft thinks of quest text as "notes" rather than "the script.") The third thing I noticed was the new tutorial system – it features short videos with pleasing voiceovers that instruct noobs on exactly what they're supposed to do for everything from accessing the inventory to interpreting the map. It was very pleasing to the eye and welcoming for newcomers (and of course completely skippable for the more experienced).
After the show-and-tell period ended, I got to ask Producer Brian Knox a few questions. It was a special moment because I had just worked out in my head that my anniversary with Kotaku was coming up – and it was sort of an anniversary for Aion as well.
Knox said that what he's learned in the year since I saw him last is that developers should never compromise. If they're going to do something, they want to do it right – that's the strategy he wants NCSoft to maintain in its western branch. That's why his team spent so much time and effort on the localization so they wound up with a good story instead one riddled with translation flukes like "Immolate Ejaculation."
Knox also stressed just how much Aion relies on its community for support. The game is introducing a PowerWiki where more experienced players earn rewards for helping out new players by answering questions in the frequently asked questions section. He said that the developer hopes to use tools like these to let the community know they're being heard and that they can have an impact on the game.
The one thing Knox doesn't want to hear about Aion version 1.5 is the dreaded "G" word. Grind, in his opinion, is something that's monotonous and Aion goes out of its way to never be that. It's tough, he says, because the term "grind" has been blown out of proportion in the last five years of MMO history – and that's a lot of time for his game to fight against. But he's confident that his team has gone through the game enough to respond to criticism like "there's nothing to do at level xx!" and prevent mid-level lulls.
Lastly, Knox left me with the admonishment that Aion is not trying to be a World of Warcraft killer. There's room enough in the world for both it and Aion, he says – and Aion is its own game, not a clone.
Sheesh, I could have told you that after one look at the wings. It's quite different to be your own mount and be able to throw down in player-versus-player while flying.
Aion 1.5 goes live in September. Keep an eye on our Penny Arcade Expo coverage for launch party pics.
Aion patch 1.5 official HD video
Korean Aion players are getting ready for the third major content update in patch 1.5. To hype up the occasion NCsoft released a trailer for the upcoming patch featuring all in game footage of the new instances and battlegrounds. The 1.5 patch is the one the Western players will be starting the game with, so you might want to check out what awaits us all. All of you playing the Closed Beta events are sure to recognize the Dark Poeta, inverted version of the Elyos starting area. This is now a new instance full of Balaur that requires lvl 50 and a quest item to enter. There is also a pirate infested instance called Steelrake Valley for lvl 40+ players, new battleground ( Dreadgion ) and new Abyss instances. You can read the translated patch notes here.
But the star is certainly the new trailer showcasing all of the above. Watch it in HD if at all possible because it really is worth it.
Here.
Tags: Aion, Dark Poeta, Dreadgion, patch, Steelrake Valley, video
Aion OBT Patch 1.5 Details
NCsoft has given a comprehensive list of changes that will take place in the latest aion patch 1.5 for the MMO, Aion, which will feature in the upcoming open beta test.
Players who were on the closed beta test will notice a large addition of content and features in patch 1.5, which is much closer to the version that Aion will launch with later this month. The European and NA client will match the version that players in Korea have, where the game has been live since last year.
The Aion team has apparently done a lot more work on westernisation, and players will notice many changes from the CBT client. The terminology of many skills and items has been overhauled too.
Players are advised that Aion devs will be balancing races on servers during the OBT, so if the population of either race grows too fast when the servers open, players may receive a “This race cannot be created” message. Once the balance has evened out, the message will be removed again.
Anyone who played the CBT will probably not be surprised to learn that one of the most requested features during the testing was to allow the left mouse button to move the camera. This has been implemented, along with many other features including:
New Areas: Theobomos (Elysea) and Brusthonin (Asmodae)
New Instances
Over 40 new default faces have been added to character creation.
Increased PvPvE rewards
UI changes (click-to-move has been disabled by default)
New items
New skills + increased balance
Tons of new quests.
Advanced Stigma Stone System
Chat Channels: Class, Region, Looking For Group, Languages
The full list of patch notes can be found on the official Aion site.
The OBT kicks off on Sunday 6 September at 5pm British Summer Time and runs until 13 September. The game goes on sale on 22 September in NA, 25 September in the UK.
Aion Open Beta Updates
From the hallowed halls of NCWest comes word on the aion open beta, an interesting read.
It's been an interesting week with lots of not-so-pleasant surprises and various explosions throughout the world of Aion, thankfully NCWest have been quick to respond. More below...
Aion Open Beta Updates
The Aion Team extends a huge thank you for the overwhelming response we have received throughout the beginning of our ongoing open beta testing. We've had a few hiccups along the way, but have managed to resolve many of them with your persistent help, reports, and sincere desire for the game to run as it should.
The main topic of discussion over the past few days has been lag, in particular on the North American servers. We believe we have resolved the issue, but we will aggressively work to continue to improve and prevent similar issues. Over the next couple of days, we will do more in-depth troubleshooting to flush out the issue. It is very important to us that the game plays as intended for everyone, and we won't rest before we reach that goal.
The second issue we are addressing is the authentication server, which from a player point of view, is the login process. We are investigating the issues with its behavior during today and this evening to search for errors in our setups and to try a few different ideas we have that will allow us to understand the player reports and improve its behavior. We will let you know ahead of time if this will impact service in anyway.
The next issue is GameGuard. We are aware that a couple of new errors have popped up since our closed beta tests. We are working on a patch that will address a couple of them. Feedback is essential as we troubleshoot these errors, as the data you give us helps us narrow problem factors down and reach solutions quicker. To give you additional information and suggested fixes that might help your GameGuard-related situation before you need to call upon a customer services representative, we have added a GameGuard information page on AionOnline.
The beta forums have been a quieter than normal, in part due to irregularities with our forum authentication script. Certain upgrades that needed to be made for open beta apparently weren't completed in time, preventing both new and old accounts from logging in. The fix is now implemented. If you were able to log in prior to this update, but notice that you are suddenly unable to, make sure to update your Aion account password following these instructions. Your password update may take as long as 30 minutes before it is effective.
The final noteworthy topic relates to beta keys. Many of you have wondered why we have been so restrictive in distributing them. We know many of you have guildmates or friends who would love to give the game a try before making a further commitment. To ensure that we had time to set our servers up properly and get rid of initial connectivity issues, we throttled the key giveaways and so that we could ramp the distribution up slowly but securely. We are now at a stage where we are confident enough to open this final beta phase up to a much broader audience by giving away North American open beta keys to everyone! FilePlanet is hosting this giveaway, and you will not need to be a paying subscriber in order to get your hands on one of the keys. FilePlanet also have a number of European keys to give away, so get them while they last! Many more European websites in different languages will also be offering European keys.
Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued help in the open beta test. With your help, we will flush out any remaining issues before the upcoming release of Aion!
Aion: Flight 101
Aion: Flight 101
Flight is probably the thing which has drawn most people to Aion. The idea of soaring high above the cloud on a pair of white/black-feathered wings is a universally appealing one. The reality, however, is a little different. Flight in Aion is not something you can do immediately nor indefinitely and the rules for this are not just to be annoying, they are a part of the game's world and lore.
Join us after the jump when we look at everything you need to know about using your wings.
Getting your wings and using them
Only Daeva can fly and every player will become one at level 9. You get your wings but can't use them properly until you leave the starter zones of Poeta and Ishalgan and head to Verteron or Altgard at level 10. To summon your wings just press Page Up. R will make you rise, F is the descend button and Page Down dematerialises your wings. If you fall off something, press Page Up (even if there is only a fraction of flight time left) just before you hit the ground to save yourself from a grisly death.
You can't fly but you can glide
Flying is -- oddly -- banned in Sanctum and Pandaemonium, the Elyos and Asmodian capital cities. However gliding is something you can do wherever you are. Press the spacebar to jump and if you're in the right place your wings will spread and you can glide. It's a great way to outrun rampaging mobs. You can also glide while flying, just press space again and look for the yellow status bar.
When you can use your wings
At the right hand side of the UI, you'll see a small fair of wings surrounded by a circle. This is your flight timer. The wings will illuminate in areas where you can fly but these will often be few and far between. Why, you ask? Well Daeva use Aether to fly and this substance is slowly draining from Atreia. Some areas have more than others, which explains why certain parts of the world allow free flight and others force you to run like the mortal you once were.
Time is of the essence
Because of the Aether shortage, flight time is at a premium. When you start out you get sixty seconds but as you level up, you also have the chance to pay for better wings. Now these don't just look awesome – and cost a bomb – they also had an added bonus of extending how long you can stay up in the air. We mentioned they cost a fortune though right? The wings can be purchased from special vendors in the capital cities if you're interested in a little window shopping though.
Aerial combat is the key
Once you learn to fly, a whole new world opens up. Literally. Your wings also work in combat (in certain areas). If you're low on health or mana, this can be a life-saver. All you need to do is fly up to flee combat or you can hover just out of range of melee attacks and throw all you've got at whatever you happen to be fighting.
Aion: Transportation 101
Aion: Transportation 101
Transportation is important to any MMO, especially one like Aion which doesn't include the option of a mount. Yes, there are no cats, no horses or flying creatures to ride. It's just you, your feet, your wings and a little magic. Now the starter zones might look small but the main areas are ten times the size which can take a good half an hour to cross, not including time spent dying. Today we're going to have a look at transportation and what you need to know to navigate around. Elysea and Asmodae so join us after the jump to find out the secrets of travel in Aion.
On the wings of a bird
As a mere mortal, your transport is somewhat limited. You can walk, you can run and you can hitch a ride on a bird transporter. It costs Kinah but if you're in a new area, there's normally one or two flight points pre-entered allowing you to get to a new area without dying. It's also a nice quick way of getting from A to B using the scenic route, an epic fly-over of the landscape that will take your breath away. However, this can also highlight potential quest hubs and give you an idea of the terrain you'll be facing.
Bind points and Return
As we've already told you, Soul Binding is very important within the mechanics of the game. However it has another perk as it also allows you to use the "Return" spell every 20 minutes. Much like a teleportation spell or a hearthstone, this little spell will portal you back to wherever you've bound your soul in a matter of seconds. Just make sure you're not in combat when you try to do this and use it wisely. The only problem with this is that settlements are often quite far away from quest areas. This means you will always end up doing some running hither and thither. That said, it's a handy way of saving time and Kinah when you need to hand in a load of quests.
Map reading for beginners
Aion comes with two kinda of map. Press M and the screen will be taken up by a parchment-covered map but press N and you will get a transparent map laid over the screen which will allow you to travel without getting lost. You can also mark a species of mob, NPC or location on the map as well as find out a little about it using the in-built encyclopedia. The map system is such that it's nearly impossible to get lost and if you do, just find a road and follow it.
Gliding
Post-ascension, gliding can come in handy when you need to get somewhere and have a long run ahead of you. You can't do it forever but it can make a five minute run pass a bit quicker as well as avoiding random mobs. To glide, just press the space bar. Don't press forward as well and if you're high enough, your wings will appear and air currents will buffet you in the direction you're heading. Indeed it's possible to go quite fast and quite high.
Teleportation for beginners
When you ascend, you will be able to use a portal to teleport between landmasses, cities and settlements. It's something only Daeva can use (apparently the Aether would rip a fragile human to pieces) and is the only way to get to Sanctum or Pandaemonium. Teleporters are staffed by NPCs who will tell you where you can go and give you a quote. Yes, it costs Kinah (as does everything in Aion) but is the only way to get from one island to another.
Aion: Five things you need to know about surviving in Atreia
With NCsoft's release of Aion coming up on the 22nd and 25th September in North America and Europe, we thought we had better give you the basics on the land of Atreia ahead of the open beta which begins today. So, we're going to give you all the info you need to dive into their beautifully detailed world. After the jump, we're going to look at the five things you need to know if you've never played Aion before.
Money
The currency of Atreia is Kinah and you use it for everything from teleportation to getting your soul healed. Kinah is awarded for quests and also drops from mobs (though the reason why continues to elude many of us). Aion comes with quite a gold sink though, with teleportation from Sanctum or Pandemonium costing on average between 800-1400 Kinah, depending on where you want to go. Fortunately the average mob drop is around 200-400 Kinah, depending on levels. Our advice is simply this: Save, save, save and save some more.
Soul Binding and Soul Healing
Everyone has a soul, your avatar included. Souls can be bound to special Obelisks which serve both as a bind and resurrection point within the game. These magnificent statues will have an NPC called a Soul Healer next to them who will be able to offer Soul Healing, post level six, that will restore lost XP after you die. The catch is you can only bind to one Obelisk at a time (it also costs money) and Soul Healing gets more expensive each time you use it. So make sure you bind at the town nearest to where you are questing and try not to die!
Legions
Legions are basically guilds but with a levelling aspect. You can pay money to level the Legion up and get benefits like a snazzy cloak and logo. They also come with banks – called warehouses – where you can stash loot and, of course, there are the other perks of playing with people, instant groups and social fun. Join one if you can!
Making money
Since Kinah is all important, you'll want to make as much of it as you can. So start gathering herbs at level one and sell whatever trash or drops you don't need. You can also set up your own store if you want and advertise money. By the time you Ascend, you should have around 10,000 Kinah saved up. You should spend some of this on expanding your Cube though as it makes questing much easier and means you can carry more.
Surviving in Atreia
Always pack the following essentials: potions to restore mana and health, buff food and Manastones (which increase your stats). Don't forget to change your title depending on your class and spec. Also bind often or you'll face a long run and use potions and bandages during and after a fight. The less you die, the cheaper it will be in the long run.
Monday, September 7, 2009
10 reasons to enjoy AION in September!
AION is coming and many of us have tried it, what's your impression of AION? NCsoft spent 4 years and 18 million dollars on developing AION. And we do see the wonderful graphics and much creative contents in AION. I think there are 10 reasons to enjoy AION in the coming September:
1, Full-scale production. The developers refered to more than 500 mythological books of east and west to creat the world of AION. So you're traveling in a legendary world when flowing in this game. The music in AION is produced by the group which composed music of Lord of Ring.
2, The nice graphics and the wonderful view. Almost in every scene you can enjoy the wonderful view, the mythological architecture and the natural beauty are pleasing to me.
Aion also uses the best weather system I have seen . It makes extensive use of lighting effects; the rain hits the ground, the clouds change, there are fog effects, you can hear the thunder and lightning is applied to the environment objects on thunder strikes, etc...
3, PvPvE System
The end game of Aion will revolve around battles within the Abyss (PvP Zone). Within the Abyss are castles where large scale battles will take place. The game currently does not allow factions to fight within their own. Guilds in control of a castle are entitled to funding from taxes and players within the faction get specials from NPCs.
The participation in PvP is rewarded with PvP "Points". The game ranks you as you win battles against fellow players. At certain ranks your wings will change in appearance to show your status. Also certain items can be purchased with these points like high end armors and weapons.
4, Flying! You may fly from level 9, and fight in the air. If your charater jumps from the Sactum, don't worry, just spread your wings.
5, The diversified crafting system.
In Aion, there are six crafting skills including weapon smith, armor smith, alchemy, cooking, sewing, handiwork.
Yeah, you may design dazzling clothes, armors and badges in your interest!
6, Easy to earn kinah
It's a pay to play game, so leveling or fighting is relatively fair(). Easy to collect weapons and sell them for Kinah. My package is always full of potion, food, weapon and remainder of the monster.
7, Powerful social animation system
Dance! Yeah, you may dance as a famous star in AION. Expressing your emotion such as laugh, sleep, wave, anger...by powerful social animation system is so easy. Your character will catch a fish when standing in the lake, take a lotus leaf as umbrella when it's raining...
8, Wonderful places for dating
9, Suprises!
Suprises are almost everywhere when you're hanging around in AION. You may be changed into little corn or parrot to fullfill the quest. Suddenly you can see the fabulous pterosaur flies gracefully over the sky...
10, More to be explored by you!^^
Sunday, September 6, 2009
North American Aion servers to be located on east coast
One of our keen-eyed readers tipped us off as to a forum post by Ayase, aka Sebastian Streiffert, Aion's community manager, which confirmed an original email stating that Aion North American servers will be located on the east coast. Forum-goers whipped themselves up into a frenzy quite quickly over this news, especially those residing in the Oceanic region.
Gamers from Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore are often faced with crippling latency issues when playing on servers located stateside. This is usually mitigated by having some west coast servers or actual dedicated Oceanic servers. Since Aion has such a focus on PvP(vE) where lightning fast reflexes and speedy server responsiveness matter especially, you can kind of understand their concerns. Ayase's response after the cut confirms this news and tries to assuage their fears.
Ayase's response:
"It is correct that our North American servers are located on the US east coast, and the game servers for many of our other games have been for a long time as well. If any Oceanic players present here have participated in our closed beta stages, I do however think that most of you will be able to vouch for that this added distance does not constitute a major problem when it comes to latency.
Our servers are well-optimized and Aion is in its very core designed to tackle challenging client-server distances. Aion might not be launching with explicitly designated Oceanic Aion servers from day one, but we will carefully monitor the situation and if we see a large number of players experiencing issues as a result from their distance to our game servers we'll make sure to take action; to do our best to prevent any such issues from continuing."
Aion comic book
NCsoft and DC Comics have teamed up to create a limited edition comic based on Aion which focuses on the Asmodian Daeva Aiva. She might look familiar as her image is used to advertise the game and a statue of her will also be found in the Collector's Edition when Aion is released later this month.
"Aiva's Story" is the work of artist Neil Googe and writers David Noonan and Ricardo Sanchez. Aiva's life is torn apart when her family is killed by an Elyos raiding party. Embittered, she endures a harsh life as a mercenary, fighting Karnifs and the Mau. She brings with her a festering hatred for the white-winged Elyos, eventually ascending to Daevahood and is posted to the Abyss. The comic book will be available (albeit in limited quantities) at the Aion booth at this weekend's Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle but fans will also be able to get their hands on a copy by purchasing the game at GameStop in the US and Electronic Boutique stores in Canada..
Will you be playing Aion open beta this weekend?
With Aion's open beta set to launch this weekend (September 6-13), we're curious: Do you plan on giving it a shot? The game has gone through several closed beta phases dating back to early June. All closed beta phases leading up until the very last one were using an older version of the game client (1.1). They've recently upgraded to 1.5, so we highly suggest giving it a try before making any final judgments based on early testing experiences. We also hear the open beta version will be the version Aion launches with in North America and Europe. Be sure to read up on Shadow of the Balaur.
Aion Open beta characters will be capped at level 30, which is high enough to test a good mix of what the game has to offer including Rifts and the Abyss. Rifts are portals that will take you into your enemy's PvE lands and the Abyss is a giant PvPvE zone where the game's three factions battle for supremacy. I'm personally going to play a bit next week as an Elyos Gladiator named Snafzg on the NA servers, so make sure to say "Hi!" if you see me putzing around. Settling on a class has been challenging thus far.
Aion Abyss rankings show assassins like it on top (Korean)
Aion Abyss rankings show assassins like it on top (Korean)
We stumbled upon this interesting Aion chart that shows off the current Abyss rankings on the top five Korean servers. There are a few things you should know before drawing any absolute conclusions. First, the list only ranks players by their total Abyss Points (AP) and doesn't factor in many of the variables associated with AP gain (e.g., solo, group, PvE, PvP, exploit, etc.). Also, it doesn't necessarily reflect class imbalance issues (power or population), but we're sure that's the conclusion most people will jump to.
After tallying up the class numbers, you can see that Assassins seem to be dominating the Abyss rankings, while Spiritmasters are at the bottom. Of the top 100, 48 are Assassins and 2 are Spiritmasters. With three classes tied for second and a few others not far behind, at least that seems quite balanced in terms of class spread. Exploitation is also mentioned in this thread and there appears to be one blatant case of it in the rankings (i.e., the level 30 Ranger with the top rank for his server). PvP games inevitably result in lists like this and it will be interesting to see how things pan out on the North American servers when Aion launches later this month.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Aion Open Beta Client Available for Download
The Aion Open Beta won't begin until September 6th, but that doesn't mean you cannot be prepared. As such, Ncsoft have made the aion open beta client download available in advance so you can be all ready to go once the big day comes!
Following our recent announcement regarding the commencement of Aion's open beta, we have taken steps to ensure a smooth setup and preparation process for all participants. While our Launcher will incrementally update your client, the new and patched Aion open beta client has been distributed to a select few partners around the web to prepare for our open beta test. To get your hands on it, you may visit FilePlanet or download it from GamersHell (available later this week).
We have also added a new option that the Aion community has long anticipated: downloading the full aion open beta client via our BitTorrent tracker (md5 checksum). We have even arranged for a torrent patch for those of you who already have the closed beta client installed but want to get prepared for open beta!
As added extra spice, FilePlanet will--in addition to distributing the client--be giving away a load of open beta keys starting on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. Get on the starting line if you do not have an eligible Aion account already! Eligible accounts include any previous closed beta participants and those who have preordered or prepurchased Aion.
Remember to update your Aion game password if your Aion account was created prior to July 29, 2009.
Aion PvP Ettiquitte/beginners guide
General Discussion » Aion PvP Ettiquitte/beginners guide
This is just a simple guide about becoming a PvPer in general and really can be applied to any game, but I will make it specifically for AION in this case.
Q: I was just killed while levelling! It's not fair! What should I do?
A: Kill them back
Q: I was just killed while levelling! He's alot higher in level than me and I can't kill him back! What should I do?
A: Level harder, then and kill him back.
Q: I can't do my aion quest because I keep getting "ganked!" What should I do?
A: Go somewhere else and level.
Q: But I still can't do my aion quests! How am I supposed to level?
A: Grind mobs.
Q: But grinding is boring and takes too long!
A: Learn to have discipline.
Q: When I get to higher levels, should I "gank" other players? Why?
A: Yes, because you win and you help your faction win.
Q: When I get to higher levels, should I "camp" other players? Why?
A: Yes. because you win and you help your faction win.
Q: But isn't ganking and camping cheap and unfair?
A: No. The only important thing is that you win. Fairness doesn't matter
Q: Is it ok to train mobs into players of my own faction
A: Yes. Training mobs helps train members of your own faction by training them to react to unexpected situations.
Q: Help! I've just been killed using an exploit! What should I do?
A: Use the same exploit on others.
Q: Isn't using exploits cheating?
A: No. The only thing that matters is what you can do and what you can't do.
Q: Should I cry about being killed on forums
A: No. That makes you a "newb"
Q: Should I do silly emotes like /facepalm?
A: No. That makes you a "newb".
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Aion Level 50 Daevonian Armor/Weapon
Aion
First thing is first, unlike the level 30 set, you do not need several character of a certain level to obtain the set. You only need one. You do however have to go through quite a long series of chain quests to get everything, and it's no walk in the park. It takes time and is expensive. It is not however the most expensive equips in the game nor (depending on preference) is it the best armor in the game, the weapon come pretty close to being the best however. In my opinion, this is actually a cheap (Compared to price of better gear) and fast way (Fast when compared to getting a full set of the best stuff) to obtain a decent set of gold equips. To be able to start the quest for the first piece of the armor, you will have to of completed the level 30 Daevonian quest, don't worry you only have to do it once, it is however quite a bit of running around, and you get to choose which piece of the armor you want. Some of the following names may be different for the Asmos as this is based off Elyos, the quests themselves are very similar for both factions.
OK, so you've leveled to 50, you have done the level 30 Daevonian quest and you are ready to get some decent gear:
Chain Quest Part One: Class Preceptor's Consent
This first part of the series is quite easy compared to some of the others. To start the quest you need to get it from the guardian of your factions main city (Sanctum/PandaTown). The series itself is quite straight forward, all you have to do is go around to each of the classes job instructors and get letters from them. They are the job instructors for the high level skill books, not the lvl 25 and under skill books. After that you need to buy a special item for just over 4.2mil Kinah from a vendor which is also in your factions main city, talk to another NPC and you are done. You will be rewarded with the first piece of the set, the boots =D
Part Two: Information Gathering Ability Test
This one like the last involves talking to NPCs everywhere, once again you need to buy the same special item for 4.2mil Kinah and get the Gloves. Fairly Simple, except for the part where these NPCs are only there at cerain times of the day/ month =D
Part Three: Combat Capability Test
Like the last one, talk to some NPCs, one of the NPCs will require that you have completed a quest from him/her beforehand. Pay 4.2mil kinah for item, recieve Pauldrons.
Part Four: Crafting Skill Test
You are probably thinking by now, lol these are easy, just talk to a few NPCs, pay some 4.2mil Kinah, its nothing....Welcome to part four =D. As you can probably gather from the title of this one, you will need to do some crafting. This is not just any crafting though, you need to have a craft level of 449p, that means you have to have expert and maxed out expert. Not only that but you have to crit the craft and this is no easy craft. Take a look for yourself at the materials that is needed: Link. These will take quite some time to obtain all of them. Then if you don't crit the craft, you have to get them all again. After you have finally done that and have your critted item buy an item for 6.2mil this time, hand it in and get your panties =D
Part Five: Test of Luck and Persistence
This one like the title says, requires a lot of luck and patience. You need to find an item that spawns in one place at a time, only spawns at certain times and has a LOT of different spawn locations. You also need to be able to "capture" the item and you will hvae to pay 3.2mil kinah for the "capturer". Once you have done that, buy the special item for 4.2mil kinah and recieve your top =D
Final Part: Test of Loyalty and Cooperativeness
This one is going to be quite time taking and challenging. First up you need to kill a certain mob to collect a certain item, you need 600 of them. Next you need to kill Menotios. Don't know what that is? It's a world boss of the abyss, located right in the abyss core, it is one of the hardest bosses in the game, (not that hard though, I've killed it myself with a legion) and it's level 51, but that's not all the killing you have to do, there's more. You guessed it, now you have to kill the final boss of the Dreadgion Instance, no idea what his name is though. After that, pay out 13mil kinah for the item and recieve your weapon =D
Final Final Part: Evil is Awesome
This part is simple, give all your moneys and items to Evil and get nothing in return. Have a nice day =D
Aion Bot v 0.2 EU
Cheers here you can downlaod my little Aion bot its nothing special but its enough to lvl ur char a bit…
features:
-target mobs and kill them
-loot
-heal your char
-looking around for mobs
instructions:
1.Get a GameGuard Killer that you can avoid GG
2.Change your desktop resolution to 1680 x 1050 and change Aion to windowed mode
3.Place “pick up item” at 9, and bandages at 0
4.Place ur skills on 1-8
5.Open the settings.txt and change the Mob which you want to search for and save changes(Codes are in the Monstercodes.txt [will be updated])
6.Start the Exe file and switch to Aion
Update:
-targetting updated
-heals your char when HP gets low and not after every mob
-Attacking until mob dies so the attack timer isnt needed anymore
ToDo:
-Buff system
- Anti stuck
-Autologin and Relog
-change to memory reading and add a waypoint system (in very very far future )
Download
Category: Aion Hacks & Bots / Tag: aion, aion bot, aion hack, aion heal bot, aion loot bot, aion moblock, bot, loot
Monday, August 31, 2009
AIon CBT to OBT installer is out!
The CBT to OBT installer is UP on Fileplanet. Download that here!
Just to clarify, you need to be a FilePlanet member in order to download from their servers but you do not need to be a PAID subscriber. That just gets you faster download access. Just FYI :)
Also, they've told us that a torrent will also be available for this, so if you're waiting for that, keep checking this thread and I'll update as soon as I have the link!
Happy downloading, everyone!
EDIT:
EDIT2:
Here is the FULL 1.5 CLIENT on FilePlanet for those who can't upgrade from CBT to OBT.
EDIT3:
The Torrent file is up!
Full Client
CBT-OBT Torrent
NCSoft West is getting ready for PAX
Hey everyone,
The Penny Arcade Expo is definitely a happening place to be this year. 3-day passes and Saturday-only passes have completely sold out. Friday and Sunday only passes are very close behind, so if you plan on visiting the Aion booth this year and don't already have a pass for one of those days, I suggest you do it soon!
I will be there covering the booth, talking with the team, showcasing version 1.5, and meeting all you happy people.
Of course, Aion and the NC West team will be there, too! Here's a writeup from the Official Aion site concerning PAX:
From www.aiononline.com
September 4, 2009 marks the opening of the sixth annual Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), a major North American gamer festival that takes place in the heart of Seattle, Washington.
With gamescom still in our rear view mirror, Aion is ready to follow up on last year's efforts at PAX and once again glide over to the convention center with the entire Aion team tagging along for the ride. Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity to view our beautiful booth (#642), get some hands-on time with the latest version of Aion, chat face-to-face with our present staff, or walk away with some much coveted swag.
Follow our Aion community blog throughout the coming week to get a peek of what delicious highlights to expect!
See you there!
AionArmory update complete with 1.5 translations!
That's right everyone, now that the aion 1.5 client is officially available for download via FilePlanet ( Full Client CBT to OBT Patch ) and Torrent ( Full Client CBT to OBT Patch ) Due to this, AionArmory has updated it's database!
The rest of the armory has been updated as well to correspond to text changes for skills, gear, etc. Some of the translations have been re-done and they look much better now!
We are still missing some sockets and drops informations for the new 1.5 items, everything should be in the database by tomorrow.
Stop on over and check out the changes and have a look below for a recap of some of the most recent changes as well.
Enjoy!
Updates : (07/28/09)
- 4500 items added from 1.0 to 1.5 Items - Aion
- 418 new quests Quests - Aion
- New spell haste bonus Items - Aion
- 160 new skills
- Item sets have been added.
- The item navigation panel has been reorganized a bit for easier utility.
- Editing/Addition of quest objectives is now available, all changes will go into the admin approval queue.
- Recipe tooltips added.
- Recipe syndication added.
- General fixes.
Bug Fixes : (07/02/09)
- Crafting materials will no longer show recipes.
- Cooking items will no longer display incorrect values.
- Fixed some missing/hidden items (e.g. Od)
- All spells should have correct values now.
- General bug fixes in all areas.
- Users can now submit multiple item drops at a time.
- Users can now submit data edits which will go into an admin approval queue.
- Users can also submit new entries(right now only guides) that also go into an admin approval queue, further additions/tweaks pending.
- Items now include manastone/godstone stocks.
- Recipes now display required level.
- Items that start quests now show it on the item page, a filter has been added also.
- Title list now shows the quest required to obtain each title.
- Additional filters have been added for new item fields.
- Spell filters added.
- Description filter on items added.
- SpiritMaster spells now show which pet they are related to.
- Spells now state if they are stigma-based.
- Recipes show rarity, filter added.
- Weight-scale is now pinnable, upgrade tab on items.
- Items can now be marked as World-drops or faction zone specific.
- Enhanced editing bar for submissions (currently Guides)
- Syndication search box support.
- Latest edits menu added.
- More items have been marked for their particular race/faction.
- Latest edits/submissions added on user profiles.
- Hefty increase in item drop data.
- No search results are found when searching for Armor - Rings.
- Duplicate entries (example: Amethyst Gem Recipe, Adamantium, Angelica, etc.).
- Cleric and Priest skills reversed.
- Refine filtering wasn't parsing correctly (example: Jelly on cooking doesn't have any hits, zones)
- Filtering by Cooking Recipes was listing other profession recipes such as swords, armor, etc. - not cooking recipes.
- Crafting Materials were resulting in a Crafting Recipes search.
- Incorrect tooltips were show 0's instead of actual values (example - Spiral Arrow I).
- Search bar not working sometimes on IE.(not able to replicate)
- Issues with syndication.
- Choosing subzone does not refine properly.
- Item stats incorrect (Commando BP +17 flight instead of +17 agi)
- Incorrect email links were linking to mailto:filters@runesdb.com
- Shield category was missing..
- Items were showing the wrong extra +% in their description
- Things like attack speed didn't have % values.
- General tooltip style has been improved.
- More key-data is now displayed within tooltips.
- Zones have filterable gather list. (May be in need of UI adjustment)
- Race fields have been added to recipes.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Aion Open Beta Client Available and Headstart Programs
In the next 4 weeks, Aion will treat European and North American gamers to two opportunities to jump into the world of Aion and explore Atreia as Asmodian or Elyos characters ahead of its release in Europe on 25th September and North America 22th September. Aion's Open Beta Test featuring version 1.5 will take place 6-13th September and will include numerous Western enhancements, including improvements to Aion's innovative character customization with a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements. Open Beta will retain a level cap for both Elyos and Asmodians characters at 30 allowing players to focus on getting to the same level so they can explore the lands of Atreia together, as well as the Abyss.
Players who have pre-ordered Aion will be treated to a Pre-Select and a two-day Headstart period giving them the opportunity to explore, organize and progress through the game prior to the official launch. Pre-Select will take place on 18th September, while Aion's Headstart will begin 20th September. Players can still participate in the Aion's Pre-Select and Headstart programs by pre-ordering the game through several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers.
The new and patched Aion open beta client has been distributed to a select few partners around the web to prepare for our open beta test. To get your hands on it, you may visit FilePlanet or download it from GamersHell (available later this week).
A new option that the Aion community has long anticipated was also added: downloading the full aion open beta client via BitTorrent tracker. And a totorrent patch was arranged too for those of you who already have the closed beta client installed but want to get prepared for open beta!
As added extra spice, FilePlanet will--in addition to distributing the client--be giving away a load of aion open beta keys starting on Tuesday, September 1, 2009. Get on the starting line if you do not have an eligible Aion account already! Eligible accounts include any previous closed beta participants and those who have preordered or prepurchased Aion.
Aion Calls For CB Players To Update Their Passwords
Aion official site updated a new post, saying that the CB players who created their accounts before July 29th, 2009 need to reset their passwords, as it upgraded account system that day.
If you not sure what your registered date is, you had better go and change or re-type the password for the account data upgrade. Here's the solution:
1. Log in to your NCsoft Master Account.
2. Click Game Accounts.
3. Select your Aion game account.
4. Click Change Password link in the Actions section, and follow directions to update your password.
If you wish, you can input the same password as the one you used previously. If you are an Aion closed beta tester, but created your Aion beta account after July 29, 2009, no action is needed, as your account is already prepared.
Once you follow these instructions, you should be ready for launch and for a bright future in the world of Atreia. See you there!
5 Reasons Why Aion Can Take on World of Warcraft
Every time a new Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) is released, the proclamation that it will topple the king of all MMORPG's, World of Warcraft, is inevitable.
First there was Age of Conan, then there was Vanguard, then Tabula Rasa and Warhammer Online. Despite each of these titles’ aspiration to take down Blizzard’s MMORPG, none have come close to reaching World of Warcraft’s estimated 11 million subscribers.
And then there’s Aion, NCSoft’s latest online role playing game which is set to launch in the United States on September 22nd. Described as an amalgamation of the best aspects and features of modern MMORPG’s, Aion is striving to become one of World of Warcraft’s largest competitors.
However, even though Aion has an already large subscriber base in Asia and is being helmed by the team behind successful MMO’s like Guild Wars and Lineage, does it have what it takes to make a substantial dent in World of Warcraft’s notoriously large subscriber base?
Here’s some reasons why Aion could just be the next MMORPG you’ll become addicted to starting late September.
5. Aion has been around since 2008
One of the main reasons why new MMORPG’s fizzle out and eventually fade into obscurity is because their subscription base isn’t stable. Initially, there’s a huge surge of first-time subscribers who are curious to check what all the fuss is about, but eventually, a staggeringly large amount of gamers end up returning to more established and populated options like World of Warcraft
It takes time and money for a game to flesh out its end-game content and iron out the kinks and glitches, but unfortunately, most gamers aren’t willing to stick around long enough for that to happen. It’s a Catch-22, really, and it’s this unfortunate dilemma that has doomed games with tons of potential like Age of Conan.
Aion, however, already has a stable, established subscriber base It was launched in Korea in November of 2008, and has since accrued an estimated 4 million subscribers in Asia alone. Additionally, the developers have had almost a full year of feedback from gamers actively playing Aion on live servers to ensure a successful and smooth launch in the United States.
There still is tons of room to grow and improve, sure, but if the numbers coming out of Asia are indicative of anything, Aion is a MMORPG that has the longevity, quality and popularity to stay around for quite a while.
4. Better graphics and customizable character appearance
As artistically creative and beautiful as World of Warcraft’s is, there’s really no denying that it’s aging graphics engines is one of the game’s weakest aspects. Aion’s graphics, however, look absolutely stunning for a MMORPG, thanks in no small part to Crytek’s heavily modified CryEngine that the game is built on. Not only did Aion take GameAmp’s 2006 E3 MMORPG “Best Graphics” Award, but it also offers a wealth of character customization options that World of Warcraft can’t even dream of competing against.
When you first create your character, you can modify virtually every aspect of your character. Gender, race, height, size of individual body parts, skin tone, hair styles--everything from your character’s voice to their facial features are customizable, allowing you almost limitless creative freedom in the creation process.
But that’s not all. You can even modify the appearance of your in-game weapons and armors through merchants and other non-playable characters in Aion. If you want to change the color of your armor, just purchase a dye. If you don’t like the way your sword looks, merely swap it out with the model of another sword without effecting its actual stats.
3. Hybrid of PvP/PvE Content
In World of Warcraft, there’s a pretty defined boundary between the world of Player versus Player (PvP) and Player versus Environment (PvE) content. With the exception of the rare city raids, random ganking and Wintergrasp battles, you’re usually either raiding PvE dungeons or participating in PvP battlegrounds and arenas. The two worlds seldom overlap.
Aion, on the other hand, is promoting a new type of gameplay appropriately named PvPvE. In PvPvE, you’ll find yourself fighting alongside other members of your faction to control strategic locations where vendors who sell exclusive items can be found.
However, while you’re busy waging war against enemy gamers, a third faction of NPC’s, the Balaur, will periodically intervene and radically alter the course of battle. Sometimes the Balaur will ally with you, sometimes they’ll fight against you, and sometimes they’ll attack both sides to make each battle exciting and unpredictable.
2. You have freaking wings
Seriously. How awesome is that? You obtain your wings early on in Aion and they grant you the ability to take flight for short periods of time. Later, you get the option to purchase upgraded wings which allow you to fly for extended periods of time.
While World of Warcraft does have some sweet flying mounts, you can’t really do anything on them besides travel. However, the celestial wings in Aion are not a silly gimmick or a mere form of transportation. Rather, flying is an integral part of the game play and adds a brand new dimension to both PvP and PvE combat.
For instance, picture a fight between two gladiators. They run around, strafe, looking for openings and lunge in when the time is right. Now imagine both gladiators are still trying to stab one another, only this time they’re strapped in fighter jets and are doing some super sick barrel rolls in mid-air miles above the ground, inverted plunges, nose dives and all sorts of other jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics.
Awesome, right? That’s the typical PvP experience in Aion. Only minus the fighter jets, of course.
1. Does anyone still want to play World of Warcraft?
I love World of Warcraft. I really do. But after five years of playing, it’s gotten old. There’s only so many times you can raid Naxxaramas, Ulduar or the Argent Tournament stuff before you begin to feel that the game’s once exhilarating and intense gameplay has become a repetitive and tedious chase for shinier, newer gear.
Blizzard has done a fantastic job of adding new content to keep things fresh and exciting, but even the most hardcore World of Warcraft fan will probably admit its time for something different. At least until Icecrown raids and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm draws nearer anyway.
Will Aion kill World of Warcraft? Not a chance. World of Warcraft has been around for almost five years now, and part of the reason why it’s so popular is because it is a genuinely good MMORPG. However, I do think Aion has a very good chance of stealing a nice chunk of subscribers from the MMORPG behemoth.
If Aion is everything its hyped up to be, then it could very well be the first game in a long while to give World of Warcraft a decent challenge and make gamers excited about MMORPG’s once again.
Enclosed is the official CG trailer for Aion, which is set to be released on September 22nd.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Open letter to the NCsoft Community
Greetings Aion Players,
It has been a very busy year for us here at NCsoft West and our executive producer would like to take the time to address our communities today. Lance Stites is the head of NCsoft West's Game Production Studio in Seattle, overlooking many game franchises; including Aion, Lineage and Exteel.
In order to keep you updated on what is happening with our games, Lance would like to provide some insight into recent events and a scope of what is on the horizon for our studio as a whole. Please read on to gain a piece of unparalleled insight into NCsoft West's current operations.
Greetings and salutations,It's been just over three months since I've settled into the Seattle office, and I must say it's been an incredibly busy 100 days. The restructuring has resulted in the staffing of the NCsoft West Game Production Studio, which, as previously mentioned is tasked with supporting the Lineage and Aion franchises, as well as Exteel . At this point I'd like to pause and address the wider audience of all of the products supported by our NCsoft West Game Production Studio— Lineage, Exteel, Lineage II, and Aion .
Our major release with Lineage II on the North American 5 year anniversary was a big accomplishment on April 28. This was Producer Sam Han's first launch at the helm of this project. His many years as Associate Producer and Customer Service experience with the project served him well. Sam and team are currently in planning stages for the upcoming months. Recent additions to the team include Assistant Producer Marissa McWaters and Community Manager Lauren Duncan.
With Lineage and Exteel , we welcome a new face via our European and Korean office. Hyunah Chun will be taking the lead of both projects as Producer. Hyunah will be in transition mode while she relocates to the Seattle office from the European office. We'll continue working with the existing Lineage team to deploy weekly maintenance, events and also work to deliver our next big update. We are also working to update Exteel with the latest content from Korea. While we are making every effort to deliver timely updates, our resources are being stretched supporting existing and upcoming projects.
Of course, all eyes are currently on our next big release: Aion . We have some staff announcements of the team that will lead this project through launch. Brian Knox has been functioning as the project's Producer for the past few months and is doing a fantastic job. He's wrangling all the production elements and working with the various teams to ensure a top quality product and service. Supporting him in this role is Chris Hager, recently transiting from the Lineage II team. Chris is ensuring Quality Assurance support, age ratings submissions, beta tests, coordination with IT teams for server and software deployments, and host of other support issues. Adding to this leadership is Lani Blazier, whom I am happy to report has transitioned from Community Manager to Associate Producer. Lani will continue to support the community effort, but from the production standpoint and will provide guidance to our other Community Managers, Martin Rabl and Sebastian Streiffert. We're interviewing for the French Community Manager position—I'm personally well aware of the enthusiastic French gamer community, having witnessed the Festival du Jeu in Paris of last year, so I do consider this a priority addition to the team.
I know that many fans are extremely anxious, impatient even, awaiting the release of Aion . I can assure you the team is fully engaged in the release of this product. We've got an army of creative writers generating an enormous amount of rewrites as we execute to our total commitment of quality of content. Our Localization Manager has vendors in place, keeping pace with the French and German translation. We're actively recruiting an additional native German speaking localization Project Manager and have added QA Testers (native French and German speaking) to the Seattle office. We've got Voice Over recordings underway (of course for all three languages) and our PR and Marketing teams are releasing the hounds—you've likely seen the articles on class descriptions hit the internet. We also have tutorial videos in production, this should provide a great Aion first experience—both to novice and experience MMO players. We've shared details of our Collector's Edition recently, our first public access beta event was very well received, and we'll continue these events through our launch. We'll have a flood of information in the upcoming days and invite you all to share the experience as Aion takes flight in North America and Europe this fall.
Faith and arms,
Lance Stites
Executive Producer, Game Production Studio
NCsoft West
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Aion trailer 1.5 released into the wild
Aion's launch is coming up this September, and a brand new trailer has been released to make sure that everyone remembers exactly how pretty this game is. For the record, Aion is jaw-droppingly gorgeous.
Aion's "patch 1.5 trailer" is a glorious eye-candy collection of new zones, monsters, powers, and pretty. The focus here is obviously on the threats of the world as many large bosses are shown while formerly beautiful areas transition into a state of war and decay. The threats that will haunt players are extremely varied, as the video starts off with a dragon but goes on to show demons, foot soldiers, and even a really angry plant-like thing. You know things are bad when you can't even trust the plants.
The second half of the trailer features an Asmodian raiding party taking down the owners of a beautiful airship, as well as a huge battle in the... You know what, why are we still talking when we could just be showing you the pretty first-hand? Jump after the break and take a look at Aion's latest trailer.
Get your Aion wings in Guild Wars
As part of a cross-promotion for both NCSoft products, you can now get some graphical wings to put on your Guild Wars character. The wings promote another NCSoft title coming out in September; the highly anticipated Aion.
All you have to do is purchase an Aion Collector's Edition or a first run Aion Steelbook Edition will receive the Aion wings. Visit this site for more information.
You can view the press release and a video demo of the wings (to come later) below.
NCsoft Announces an Exclusive Cross-Game Promotion between the Aion and Guild Wars®
In anticipation of the launch of this year’s biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) release, Aion, NCsoft announced an exclusive cross promotion today giving players the ability to call upon the Aionwings emote within the Guild Wars family of games.
Designed as an added value and a way to say thanks to our biggest fans of the Guild Wars and Aion franchises, players that purchase an AionCollector’s Edition or a first run Aion Steelbook Edition will be rewarded with a Guild Wars emote that displays the wings that have become synonymous with Aion.
While the Aion wings emote will stay active in a players account forever, the promotion has a limited run. In order to guarantee a Guild Wars Aion wings emote code, players are encouraged to pre-order Aion at several participating retailers, including GameStop, Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics and EB Games.
For more information on the Guild Wars AionWings promotion, please visit www.guildwars.com/aion.
