Thursday, August 27

Aion Open Beta dates

Just in case Phe wanted to have a look prior to release :) I'll be trying a few different classes out.

"Players are now one step closer to the release of the year's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.

Within the next four weeks, NCsoft will treat North American and European gamers to two opportunities to jump into the world of Aion and explore Atreia as Asmodian or Elyos characters ahead of its release in North America on September 22 and Europe September 25. Aion's Open Beta Test featuring version 1.5 will take place September 6 - 13 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 preordered 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 September 18, while Aion's Headstart will begin September 20. Players can still participate in the Aion's Pre-Select and Headstart programs by preordering the game through several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Aiononline.com, Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games Canada, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Steam and Target.

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape - it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets."

6 comments:

  1. I have my pre-order still in place! Maybe I'll be there during the open-beta on 13. Or I could just wait out till the head-start on 20. And what is the Pre-select? And will European pr-order players get 5 days headstart vs only 2 for US pre-order players? Or did they only state the US dates? Not that I really care either way.

    To make it even less relevant to me, I am on vacation from 22nd till 28th. First visiting mom and dad, then the train to Paris, and onwards by car to Barcelona. So I guess you guys will be level 30 and in the abyss by the time I show up :)

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  2. Do you have a pre-order version then Phè?
    I have pre-ordered the regular version, which naturally excludes me from anything that the $10,- extra one pays for pre-ordering the Pre-Order version gives you. Open Beta characters will not be used post-launch. Characters made during the two-day headstart at $5,- per day will remain post-launch. Don't you just love it how people will actually pay to provide NCSoft with a staggered launch thereby reducing starter-zone lag?
    I'm still a bit confused by pre-select and head start. There's a pre-select two days prior to the two day headstart. Huh? What's that?

    I'm not that anxious to get into Open Beta. I don't think the Westernization will be that much different from the translated chinese version and Geekz0r, which of the 4 classes haven't you tried yet?

    I'll be taking it easy when launch comes, so I probably won't be as far ahead of Phè as happened with Age of Conan. It's going to be easier to not plunch ahead with Aion :-)

    Sounds like a lovely trip you got planned Phè.
    Are you renting in Paris or is Catherine meeting you there with your own car? Just curious :-)

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  3. EU players get a full 5 days head start. The 18th pre-select is just to let players secure their names and server, access to the game itself won't be until the 20th.

    I haven't tried any class beyond level 10 except for the Spiritmaster, I'll give the Cleric and Sorceror a look.

    Limiting the OB to lvl 30 is going to mean that after a few days lots of bored lvl 30's will be using the rifts to go on ganking sprees in lvl 20+ quest areas, at least anyone thinking that Aion is anything but PvP centric will see otherwise.

    I've seen a few small posts on Aionsource hinting that the western version of 1.5 will be a little different and not just a translation of the Korean 1.5 client, time will tell if that means anything good for the game as far as it having longevity amongst a wide audience in the west goes.

    I'm having dental surgery just as the game is launched which means a few weeks off work, at least it will help stem my boredom, I'll mostly be grinding up my crafting skills.

    Theres a fair few Mutants joining Aion so if you two want to join us I'll keep you posted which server we are on, we do know that we will be playing Asmodian at first although I have every intention of setting up a Mutants guild on the Elyos side quite early on should people want to explore the Elyos content too.

    Have a great trip Phe :)

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  4. Dental surgery sounds painful, being home bored for a few weeks less so. I am getting quite a bit excited about Aion as release gets closer. Not so much about the game itself, but just the prospect of having some social gaming again. Who knows? Maybe I'll become a pvp junkie.

    Catherine is actually off visiting family in Kenya for a month by then. So I took the opportunity to take that week to join a friend from Chicago. We rent the car in Paris and drop it off in Barcelona.

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  5. Good luck with the surgery. I'd recommend a yard of two of books to read, but that's not your cup of tea. Still: Steven Erikson, Neal Stephenson, Stephen Donaldson. :-)
    Sounds like a fun trip Phè :-)
    5 day head starts in a PvP centric game?
    Sounds like Open Beta with bored L30's ganking the L20's will be a good representation of the initial days of the game then :-/

    I did hear stuff about how the localization team did their best to make quests less grindy, put in back-story for people who click through all coneversational options and added tons of westernized customization items. I doubt it will greatly change the game though.
    I'd love to join the MUtants on the Asmodean side. The Eloi never appealled to me :-)

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  6. "Sounds like Open Beta with bored L30's ganking the L20's will be a good representation of the initial days of the game then :-/"

    Your not wrong on that front! At least there will be some solice in the newer rift free areas, although the maps I see have a severe level gap still. The dungeons do look very nice though, let's hope we can stomach enough PvP to get that far. I have to admit to enjoying the 'gate' PvP in the Abyss, I'm rubbish at 1v1 but mass PvP provides plenty of opportunity to hide or run away :)

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