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First impressions of AION after almost two hours
This is no review by ANY means, just sharing a few personal thoughts about my first impressions with Aion:
I played about two hours, level a Sorceror to level five. I have to say, I got this meh feeling. I can't say I am excited. Somehow I expected this.
Character Creator: I really don't like the avatars. The hair looks like a bunch of pixels glued to avatars that are very Asian, bordering anime style. Nothing there gives me a feeling "wow this is cool". This is the biggest turn off so far.
Missions: Just the usual low level thing. Kill these animals, collects some stuff, fedex, talk to this guy. Only one cutscene so far, and generally a real lack of immersion.
Graphics: The textures are nice. Graphics and engine seems smooth. Lots of players running around, zero lag. HOWEVER, I find the world bland and boring. Like it is all kinda pretty but it doesn't come together in some specific style. It can't compete with say AoC - at all. The art just doesn't have a cohesive structure to it. Even World of Warcraft seems to ME to have more of a cohesive style, while dated and toonish.
Immersion: I feel a real disconnect with my avatar and with why I am playing this. I guess I am really tired of mmos that start with kill X this, gather Y that. I have to say - and this is no AoC fanboy or sales speach, ONE thing Age of Conan did right was to remove all that from the beginning of the game, so you actually felt like running through Tortage (the beginning levels).
That's it. No review here! Just a few thoughts. I am so bored right now I think I will watch Tv, something I don't do too much. Good evening all............
Disclaimer: I have no doubts that this game will appeal to a large crowd. It seems to me from the LITTLE I have seen and from what I read to be pretty cookie-cutter EQ / WoW but with polish and updated engine, flight, and a more PVP focus (Abyss). So I am not trying to take anything away from anyone. This game will find it's audience.
Also I will probably try again later next week to see if I can find something in the higher levels..
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CASUAL CONFESSIONS - Draccan's blog
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Comments
Thanks for sharing your impressions of the beta. I felt the same way after playing the first 5 levels of WoW as well.
I didn't see the anime in the character creation or the "glued" on hair, but I guess we all see things differently.
What were your expectations coming into playing the game for the first time?
They can adjust a game all day, but they can't help the issue between the keyboard and the chair.
Played: UO, DAoC, AC, WoW, EVE, TR, WAR, Aion, Rift, SWTOR, GW2, TSW, ESO, Elite:D
Play EVE for free for 21 days
It was pretty much what I expected. To be honest. But I might give it another go tomorrow. Right now I just got turned off it. I hoped to be pleasantly surprised. One major part of it the little lore I have seen (outside and inside of the game) seems uninspired to me. Maybe there is much more in the game, but it seems to me to be generic writing.
I have to stress I disagree about the avatars. They really look boring. Then again, while it isn't my cup of tea, others might just go Wauw!
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CASUAL CONFESSIONS - Draccan's blog
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RvR/Pvp at 25
I won't judge the game entirely until i've reached that
Interesting observations. I've gotten a bit farther in the closed betas and I can add a few of my own observations and answers:
- It is VERY WoW-like, you're totally right. The updated engine, flight, PvP, and some UI tweaks are the biggest changes. It is not a "wow-killer".
- This includes the quest (collect and kill) style. At least they -try- to make rational excuses for the quests, but they're quite generic.
- You need to get up to about level 8 and do primary quests to get immersed in the main storyline. They actually do it very rapidly, and I think they do it well. I feel that this is one of the big improvements over WoW: they get you involved in the larger game universe very early on with the feeling that your character is in some way "special" (cutscenes, etc).
- The newb areas have one, rather bland style, but once you leave and enter the more 3D areas, it is quite different and there are many different environment types. Try to at least get to level 10 before passing that judgment.
Not the best MMO I have ever played, but I think it will tide me over until the games I want to play get released. ^^
I agree for the most part. but i feel the animaton and smoothnes when walking with the char seems stiffy. I have nice fps and nice ping. Never dropped below 40fps on max settings. This game with quest seems booring. I feel burnout after just a couple of hour. Same old boring leveling system as always. fucking hell so booooooooooooring. It feels like Archlord whith wasd movement and little extra grafics.
i had exactly the same when i got into chinese beta, i was so exited.... so atm i can't be arsed to be in the EU beta
Have you done any PvE group fights yet?
Tell us about the PvP
To the OP: Frankly I'm amazed you've been able to play for two hours this afternoon! Haha.
I logged in once, CTD'ed after 5 minutes. Logged in a second time 30min later and the latency was so bad (3-5 seconds pass between selecting a skill and having it fire) that when I could find a mob, combat was only barely doable.
Welcome to open beta though haha. Considering past MMOs' OBs, the fact that the servers are up at all is a success.
Interesting observations. I've gotten a bit farther in the closed betas and I can add a few of my own observations and answers:
- It is VERY WoW-like, you're totally right. The updated engine, flight, PvP, and some UI tweaks are the biggest changes. It is not a "wow-killer".
- This includes the quest (collect and kill) style. At least they -try- to make rational excuses for the quests, but they're quite generic.
- You need to get up to about level 8 and do primary quests to get immersed in the main storyline. They actually do it very rapidly, and I think they do it well. I feel that this is one of the big improvements over WoW: they get you involved in the larger game universe very early on with the feeling that your character is in some way "special" (cutscenes, etc).
- The newb areas have one, rather bland style, but once you leave and enter the more 3D areas, it is quite different and there are many different environment types. Try to at least get to level 10 before passing that judgment.
Not the best MMO I have ever played, but I think it will tide me over until the games I want to play get released. ^^
Sounds fair.
I know I have to level more.
I guess - if I feel like it I will - if notI will just have to accept AION is not for me...
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CASUAL CONFESSIONS - Draccan's blog
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I have really really tried to give the game a chance, it's just too Asian for me, and really can't hold a Candle to WoW...but after Five years that has been the case with every MMO out there. Aion will be a hit with the FF and Dragonball Z crowd....they rest of us will stick with wow.
Tons of people are playing and way ahead of me. I took my time to level five.
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CASUAL CONFESSIONS - Draccan's blog
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I actually found the lore rather interesting, but like any fiction it might not suit everyone's tastes.
Well, I actually like the avatars and think they are well done, so we'll have to disagree on that point. I prefer them to the other MMOs that I have played at least. Of course I wasn't expecting to be "wow'ed", so my expectations might have been set lower.
My own impressions of the game so far have been positive, at least in the first 7 levels. Those levels have seemed pretty on par with other, polished MMOs, and at the same time I know that judging an MMO on the first few levels isn't effective for a thorough review anyway.
They can adjust a game all day, but they can't help the issue between the keyboard and the chair.
Played: UO, DAoC, AC, WoW, EVE, TR, WAR, Aion, Rift, SWTOR, GW2, TSW, ESO, Elite:D
Play EVE for free for 21 days
Not me. I wouldn't play WoW either. AoC! Waiting for The Secret World or something totally new.
SW ToR and Star Trek is not it either. I am pretty sure. I don't like where they are going.
Maybe Guild Wars if the PvP is good. But for now those in my sig are those that I am waiting for. Subject to change any time
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CASUAL CONFESSIONS - Draccan's blog
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Which is a good thing imo. Aion's mechanics are similar, which is good because WoW borrowed/polished features from a lot of other MMOs as well, but I hope that Aion stays as far away from WoW as possible in other respects.
About lag/connection problems: I haven't experienced either lag or connection problems. Strange.
They can adjust a game all day, but they can't help the issue between the keyboard and the chair.
Played: UO, DAoC, AC, WoW, EVE, TR, WAR, Aion, Rift, SWTOR, GW2, TSW, ESO, Elite:D
Play EVE for free for 21 days
Tons of people are playing and way ahead of me. I took my time to level five.
I'm not excited enough about Aion that I'm willing to work through the start-of-OB lag to play it. I've got Arkham Asylum on the 360 and the League of Legends beta weekend to keep me busy haha.
Also, they have -confirmed- all OB characters will be deleted. They already deleted all the CB characters.
Not me. I wouldn't play WoW either. AoC! Waiting for The Secret World or something totally new.
SW ToR and Star Trek is not it either. I am pretty sure. I don't like where they are going.
Maybe Guild Wars if the PvP is good. But for now those in my sig are those that I am waiting for. Subject to change any time
I'll confess the secret world sounds interesting..I have already heard flop being attached to STO from those who are in the Friends and Family beta. SW:ToR looked beyon boring if the 20 minuet video they showed us is any indication. Honestly I don't think Blizzard has any worries of loseing subs any time soon.....like the next decade.
I had to log out, as the server lag was unplayable. Everything else at least passed my test... the UI is not clunky, the graphics are smooth enough and perform well. But I have to reserve further judgment until I can really play the game.
Well Draccan, I cant say what its like but what I am going to say.. well rather ask is..
Can I have your stuff? Yea, I know its bad to say that. Just wondering if you still had use for beta account. Dont know until you ask!
I thought I left all the beggars in WOW, - really!
Vidi, vici, veni (pronounced ['wi?di? 'wi?ki? 'we?ni?])
I Saw, I Conquered, I Came
Really? You really thought that?
Human beings play WoW. Who plays all the other MMOs?
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Not me. I wouldn't play WoW either. AoC! Waiting for The Secret World or something totally new.
SW ToR and Star Trek is not it either. I am pretty sure. I don't like where they are going.
Maybe Guild Wars if the PvP is good. But for now those in my sig are those that I am waiting for. Subject to change any time
I'll confess the secret world sounds interesting..I have already heard flop being attached to STO from those who are in the Friends and Family beta. SW:ToR looked beyon boring if the 20 minuet video they showed us is any indication. Honestly I don't think Blizzard has any worries of loseing subs any time soon.....like the next decade.
Yea. I think I demand more these days. Sure SW ToR is adding new combat elements and 100% voiceovers, but I can't see they are taking it the right direction.
STO pretty much already revealed that what they are doing is taking a normal mmo and putting Star Trek skin on it. Nothing trekkieness over it for me. Stargate Worlds suffered from the same problem. Those IPs (incl. Battlestar Galactica) just can't be turned into pure combat games and stay true to the series..
APB in comparison at least look cool. And I am not the Grand Theft Auto target group (by a milestone)..
I hope Studio 38 or Carbine Studios will be our saviour. Earthrise seems a little "meh" so far, but I know too little to judge.
Maybe we just have to wait another four five years before the juicy stuff will come out....
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CASUAL CONFESSIONS - Draccan's blog
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The game is very polished in both the handling of char/UI in game and also on the technical side. Character movement, casting, UI feels live and direct and it's never dropping below 70fps on 1680x1050, 8AA, all max for me. I'm also positively surprised that to me the game doesn't feel that much asia-like, at least not enough for an instant turn-off that i was afraid could hit me.
They put a ton of effort into all these many neat gimmicks like the small clips shown as help-function, linked places and names in the questtexts, idle moves and such things. But that doesn't help the game in the long run i guess, because all gimmicks aside it's entirely running on the same basic game mechanics i've played for 4 yrs+ in WoW, EQ2 and the likes. Click, kill, loot, maybe collect some in the exact same manner i was tired of years ago. Not shure how long the game will excite by gimmicks and pretty graphics only.
Guess i grew out of what this genre has to offer in this era, since the technically halfway decent games are more some light entertainment for kids and the other games are just pure crap -either way nothing massive nor epic left about it.
Wake me up for the betas of the real titles we wanna see...such as Morrowind, Fable, W40k, Vampires...guess you know what i mean
Not me. I wouldn't play WoW either. AoC! Waiting for The Secret World or something totally new.
SW ToR and Star Trek is not it either. I am pretty sure. I don't like where they are going.
Maybe Guild Wars if the PvP is good. But for now those in my sig are those that I am waiting for. Subject to change any time
I'll confess the secret world sounds interesting..I have already heard flop being attached to STO from those who are in the Friends and Family beta. SW:ToR looked beyon boring if the 20 minuet video they showed us is any indication. Honestly I don't think Blizzard has any worries of loseing subs any time soon.....like the next decade.
Yea. I think I demand more these days. Sure SW ToR is adding new combat elements and 100% voiceovers, but I can't see they are taking it the right direction.
STO pretty much already revealed that what they are doing is taking a normal mmo and putting Star Trek skin on it. Nothing trekkieness over it for me. Stargate Worlds suffered from the same problem. Those IPs (incl. Battlestar Galactica) just can't be turned into pure combat games and stay true to the series..
APB in comparison at least look cool. And I am not the Grand Theft Auto target group (by a milestone)..
I hope Studio 38 or Carbine Studios will be our saviour. Earthrise seems a little "meh" so far, but I know too little to judge.
Maybe we just have to wait another four five years before the juicy stuff will come out....
I like how "you demand more these days" but you play AoC?
Keep up the comedy act.
Aion v3 "RELOADED" - A glimpse into the future of the MMO genre
hmmn I am not actually feeling any immersion
kill x an bring y endless quests are bugging me although if u take time to read books quests they are quite ineteresting