Casual Guild Forums
General Category => Gaming => Topic started by: Deepz on July 07, 2009, 05:29:22 PM
-
So, after the first beta weekend, I'm really enjoying this game. Unlike most foreign MMOs, I was able to quest to the available cap (20 this weekend), and had plenty left over. There are some really fun group quests that are actually kinda tough, and generally require 6 appropriately leveled characters.
The separate quest lines (Campaign/Normal) lets you quest around doing mostly menial, albeit not all just "KILL 400 BOARS LOL", and then hop over and do some fun quests for massive experience. Each level has a new campaign quest chain, though you can do higher level ones early if you feel like it. I never once had to grind, and in most cases, had fun glide bouncing all over the world avoiding mobs to get to my objectives faster.
I played a Gladiator up to level 20, and in PvE it was really a lot of fun. Cool animations, big numbers, etc... In PvP however, you basically get stomped by any caster. I read up some and apparently it's between 21 and 30 that you get all your tools to deal with them, so it's not such a huge deal. BG's (Abyss) open up at 25, so it's mostly just losing duels that happens at 20.
I didn't try crafting at all, though I might end up playing around with that next beta weekend (July 17th if you want to pre-order and get a key)
I actually may end up playing a Templar when it goes live, as I've heard nothing but good things about the class, and really this whole post is just a place so I can post this special little Templar ability:
(http://xs841.xs.to/xs841/09281/templar759.gif)
-
When I played for the relatively short time that I had to do so, I gained mixed feelings.
The game looks nice, the cliche phrase for the game, and the frame rates is definitely a lot better then WoW. However, it's too unstable. When you shift from a 60 to 30 in WoW due to some intensive spells or large enviroments, the transition is hardly noticable (although there are a few exceptions). However, it is WAY too noticable in Aion and happens very frequently while questing just due to the wonderful variety of landscapes. It's a pain to go from 100 to 40 back and forth and takes away from the game experience quite a bit. Even with "Fixed FPS" on, this wasn't solved.
Obviously there is more to the game then what I've seen but from just general play I've basically made this list:
Likes:
Quest items being 100% drop rate so you never need to extend your stay.
Chain-Spell system. It definitely looks interesting to learn.
Being able to tell the distance between you and targets.
Highly detailed character creation.
NPC Locater. It's simply awesome.
Setting up a private shop. It makes it feel more like those poor man's MMO though.
The manastone system and spell leveling / learning. It's pretty cool and nice to be able to advance your stats in a much greater fashion then WoW.
Dislikes:
Unstable FPS rate despite being high.
Poor camera control.
Target frame being at the center top when the rest of the UI is on the bottom.
Unable to de-target by clicking non-interactive enviroments like you can in WoW.
Long loading time due to the NCSoft Launcher.
When you move even a single step when talking to an NPC and trying to accept a quest, it immediately closes the chat box.
Yea most of the issues aren't even really gameplay related but more of the gameplay experience. It just really feels like the engines need more tuning.
-
They said in 1.5 or whichever patch is coming up, that they will implement an option to use the left click to pan your camera, just like you can in WoW.
I leveled an Assassin to 16 or so and it was alright, I don't think I was playing it well since I rushed learning the combat system, but I liked Gladiator a lot more. Assassin felt like I was playing some gimp ass version of a subelty dagger rogue, which I didn't really enjoy.
I had no issues with fps on the game, maybe my computer is just better then yours. I do agree with your other pros and cons of the game though, the location of npcs and mobs is fucking amazing.
-
Dislikes:
Unstable FPS rate despite being high.
Poor camera control.
Target frame being at the center top when the rest of the UI is on the bottom.
Unable to de-target by clicking non-interactive enviroments like you can in WoW.
Long loading time due to the NCSoft Launcher.
When you move even a single step when talking to an NPC and trying to accept a quest, it immediately closes the chat box.
There's a Fix FPS checkbox in the options, that will stabilize it for you. You can also run the launcher in the background on your computer and it won't add extra load time.
-
Even with "Fixed FPS" on, this wasn't solved.
It shortened the gap but didn't really help. It's not like WoW's Vsync that just throws it into a constant state of 60 or w/e shitty comps can get up to.
It wasn't that it was low fps, it was just that it kept fluctuating for the various enviroment.
Oh also, why the fuck can't the Show FPS option stay active even after exits.
-
Overall its very wow like with some improvements. The combat combo system is cool. I seemed to run out of quests around 17ish. There were like 2 I didn't do yet so maybe that would have opened up more(two that I could have soloed). I reserve judgment until I see what the end game is like. There's no way you can get a good read on the whole game until you're there. The foundation is solid though.
-
Overall its very wow like with some improvements.
Except it has many throw back Asian mmo throwbacks, and plenty of other problems already in the first 20 levels. I don't see much here that is much different then LotR or Warhammer. If I had time I could make a bigger list of faults then Amna's.
Leveling in a fresh mmo is always fun though, and NCsoft can sell it, so I'm sure it will be popular for the standard 2-3 months.
-
Yea I'm sure I'd be able to make a bigger fault list too but like I said, I spent very little time on it and those were just the most noticable. Like...right off the bat noticable.
-
Yeah, I think it's almost a definition that any early mmo is going to have a ton of stuff wrong with it. The real question becomes how good are the developers at responding rapidly to it. That's more of a remains to be seen thing.
I would be curious how long the list of faults with the current state of WoW would be though :)
-
Its not really a new mmo, its been out in korea since late last year. All they are doing is localizing it, which means making it less grindy and american friendly. Wow has its minor problems but at its core it's very solid.
-
Actually what they're doing is pretty unique. Localization is just translation for the most part. What they are doing is culturalization. They know what American players like about pacing and MMOs, and tuning the game to attract an entirely different playerbase.
-
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm?page=2&thread=240629&bhcp=1
Only read the first page or 2, but its a bunch of information about pvp balance and roles from a dude that plays on the asian servers, has a video or two of abyss combat, explains how the abyss and pvp system works.
-
(http://xs841.xs.to/xs841/09281/templar759.gif)
aoe deathgrip wat
-
http://www.aionsource.com/forum/general-discussion/20946-patch-notes-v1-5-update-shadow-balaur.html
So NCSoft are trying to pull out the stops and ensure that the US launch will have a bunch of end game raiding content. Quite interesting to see some of the stuff they are adding with the forth coming patches.
-
So after playing it more this weekend I have to say there are things I like about the game but there are far to many at my current level that I don't. Maybe its becuase I'm playing the one tank class in the game but killing things isn't that fun at the moment. Killing equal level mobs leaves me with half health and takes a lot time to do. Tanking is also kinda frustrating becuase all you have are a couple of abilities which are high threat but not high enough to pull off someone who started attacking before you. Also you have almost no aoe threat. You can tank maybe two targets and that's about it. Some of the quests are poorly designed. For example long respawn timers, only one person can loot the item you need in a group, and only one person can do an escort at one time even if your in the same group.
I'm at the point which I need to grind out the next level becuase there some repeatable quests that offer very little xp rewards but that's it. So right now its not that fun. I feel like I'm trying to level as prot in wow with low mitigation. I'm holding out to see if I can make it to 25 and enter the abyss. If that is fun it would worth the working though the lulls in leveling.
-
Brits on Aion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IhtsHk8r8o
-
I doubt I'll be playing in the next beta and I really don't forsee me playing this game again. First levels were kind of fun. Was certainly a pleasure to play in a world with such rich graphics but the core of the game seems kind of flawed already. I don't see how adding raid instances on top of that foundation is going to change things much.
-
Any of y'all still thinking of giving this a try at release? I'm likely to give it a month and see if it sticks, and, of course, it'd be more fun to try it with old friends than with random idiots.
-
At its core its pretty fun but so was war. I don't think I'll be getting it when it comes out unless people really rave about the end game. In its current state I don't think its better than wow just prettier.
-
It kinda depends on whether the ToC hard modes in WoW end up being better than I expect. If ToC hard modes end up all being simple, I'll probably pick up Aion and cap a character.
-
I'm undecided about this. I don't know if I'll have enough time to support playing 2 MMO's as well as hon and eventually getting work.
If I somehow do, I might give it a swing with the free first month, but it's looking doubtful.
-
Aion was kind of fun but it felt months behind WoW and while it had nice little features I don't ever see it as ever catching up. The in game mechanics in force when we were killing 'elites' made me think that the PvE content is going to sorely lacking. I plan on waiting for this game to be out for a while and see if they can pick it up for PvE content.
-
Game blows. End of Discussion.
-
http://kotaku.com/5340296/aion-version-15-impressions--what-ncsoft-learned-in-a-year
-
I'm going to try out the open beta. If anyone feels like running together, I'm on Israphel, Elyos faction: Disco=warrior Dysco=priest.
-
I played last night and got pretty wings. I now want pretty wings in WoW.
-
I'll be playing as Heepz (Elyos) on Zikel in between running 8 separate god damn ToC's this week.
-
Pontifex on Siel (asmodian)
-
Official Casual guild will be on Siel (Elyos).
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cO8N2OKsEQ
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cO8N2OKsEQ
What's with your head?
You look like a chibi.
-
Aeo on Seil - Elyos.
-
Himeko on Siel (Elyos) reserved for live
Edit: Apparently Siel is full now if you didn't reserve your character name already, did we want to try for a different server?
-
I just made a character on Siel so it should be fine. Name is Kennay and he's a mage
-
If you are having trouble deciding what to roll, here are the stats for Siel at the moment
(http://i36.tinypic.com/10p2i2s.jpg) (http://i36.tinypic.com/10p2i2s.jpg)
-
Disco (gladiator) and Discopline (priest) on Siel.
-
veloz on Siel, going to go assassin
-
I have a level 10 ranger(Kyla), level 10 gladiator(don't remember his name cause my brother made it) and level 5 mage (Kennay). All of them are elyos on Siel.
-
chanter on siel
sieg
-
reroll on azphel
-
Hey, anyone knows how to change the f'n install directory when downloading from the launcher. I dont have 15g on my c but I cant change the folder.
-
chanter on siel
sieg
What? Hi Tuan!
Also...
Hey, anyone knows how to change the f'n install directory when downloading from the launcher. I dont have 15g on my c but I cant change the folder.
NCSoft Launcher. Aion. Right click. Properties. Install Location. Try.
-
fuck enchanting!!!
-
so abyss is cool, but you basically have to grind outside of a few quests per level once you get the instance quests done and you're about 27 or so :/
this only happens until like 30 or so cause then you can do fire temple runs for really good exp, and then once you're 40 you can quest in that one zone.
-
Installing this piece of shit now. Whats good to roll?
-
Installing this piece of shit now. Whats good to roll?
Gladiator is fun, you just tear shit up. Just don't roll a fucking ranger, they are terrible.
-
Is everyone and their brother a gladiator? Are healers any good? I only played beta to like 10-12.
-
Rangers are amazing 19+ when you start getting better combo's, and tbh they're probably one of the top duelers (think 1v1 without it being a gank) aside from maybe a cleric or sm.
It seems like a lot of people play gladiator, but in our keep raid yesterday I was one of two.
-
I am enjoying the chanter, but I am only level 16... As far as dueling goes I haven't lost yet, but most my duels go on forever if I am facing anyone who can heal themselves.
-
Playing a gladiator is a hoot. And, even though there are a shittonne of them, I'm getting the impression that most of the people playing them are dopes. I wouldn't hesitate to roll one if gladiator is the gameplay feel you're looking for -- you'll have no problem standing out vs the short-bus crowd.
-
Someone made a post recently, which is true.
Scout/Warrior classes (Assassian, Ranger, Gladiator, Templar) suck in early game pvp, but are very good at level cap and near it
Mage/Priest classes (Mostly mages) are way too good at lower levels (think starting abyss), but balance out later.
-
is it just me or is the entire gladiator class based on slam timing?
-
Sanjeet on Seil
-
is it just me or is the entire gladiator class based on slam timing?
past a certain level it's basically combo spamming.
-
Someone invite Honeymustard to the guild