Why Aion?

[Hyan]

Well, I don't expect the games to be revolutionary or anything- but I guess I'm just used to playing normal RPG's which often have different kind of combat system and the like.

Of course it has happened in the case of normal RPG's too. I couldn't play through lost odyssey because the combat & leveling system was something I had seen billion times already, it's the same thing here really.

There are million ways to make a combat system in an RPG already, but why are MMO's stuck using one overused method? I don't think it's acceptable.

[Gwynplaine]

I started playing because a friend of mine wanted me to check it out with him, we've been duoing from 1-30. Also let it be known that PvP has never interested me much. I'm terrible with console fighters and likewise with PvP (however being a templar/cleric duo helps in the abyss a lot). And although PvP in Aion is a very integral element of the game, it's not like so omnipresent you're fending for your life with every step.

If you go to the abyss you know what to expect and you can either bring friends or just play it safe and stick to the guard towers. It's actually worse being killed by regular mobs imo, it costs you good money. Outside of the Abyss where the vast majority of the game takes place so far, PvP via rifts appearing is a rare occurrence. It's not like dozens of parties of opposing factions roam the area, it's more like a rare abnormal event. On top of that PvP in areas via rifts can only happen in 2 out of all 7(?) regions beginning at lvl ~20+.

Anyways here are my personal likes and dislikes so far:
Good
-Style is great. It's a hybrid of WoW and FFXI with some Korean influence. Everything feels exotic and not stale.
-It's simple and casual. Aion is a breeze for anyone who was decent at FFXI. Most everything can be solo/duod until you run into the more difficult elite mobs.
-Music is well done and varies greatly. The soundtrack has all kinds of interesting music from epic symphonic pieces to tribal sounding native chanting, to trippy techno and guitar. Somehow the eclectic feel works and doesn't come off as lame.
-Enemy design is creative and interesting. Every new section you go to has several new model types you've not seen before. Granted they do reuse models like every RPG but there's less of it. I can't even communicate how refreshing it is I haven't encountered the obnoxious tired cliches western RPGs aren't creative enough to escape. I haven't seen one short green "Goblin" or one big clumsy "Orc" for example. You won't ever see another white-legged Baku in some shitty redundant western MMO.
-Combat is fast and damn sexy.
-Crafting is simple. I feel a little unsure about grinding work orders but eh.
-Asmodians aren't cartoonishly "evil" like wow races. Both Elyos/Asmodian worlds are interesting and beautifully made.

Bad
-Despite the great imagery and style, the system itself is pretty much WoW it seems. Go to new area > pickup every new quest > kill X of all the Y in your immediate area > finish quest.
-The story is kinda funky and different but entirely inconsequential. I haven't read a single text balloon any quest npc has given me. It's just the same tired shit. A world inhabited by worthless npc's who need you to do everything for them for some reason. The only cutscenes are just used to illustrate "HEY HERE'S THIS THING YOU'RE GONNA BE GOING TO FOR THIS QUEST".
-I've heard that at higher levels it becomes difficult to earn money and quests dry up. This hasn't been my experience so far so I can't say. It might just be that most of the population is still working it's way up to lvl ~40. Soul healing is definitely becoming troublesomely expensive.
-Falling damage is a bullshit idea that needs to be eradicated from all of gaming-dom. I can't fall off a ramp without my characters apparently calcium deficient spine exploding with hundreds of damage from the impact. God help you lag in some congested area with 1 channel and die from falling. Enjoy losing your tens of thousands of kinah.
-Edit:Also rubberbanding during a fall sucks.

[Noobta]

Money gets easier the higher you go. Grays sell for 1.1k+ each, white weapons are 315k at 42, and armor is 150k~200k. Quests are meh, I came into the game knowing it was grindy.

[Sirenia]

Sorry if this is considered necro bumping I just thought it would be better to ask questions on a similar topic than create a whole new thread....

I have been wondering if it is worth it to pay 50$ to try this game out? I have played both FFXI and WoW and have got bored of both primarily because there are no friends left to play with.

So I have bootcamp (OS X and XP Pro) and thats the only way I would be able to play the game. So even though I'm not a fan of getting ganked and really have no friends to play with would this be something I should try out? (I also tend to like to play a healer, thats why am I so worried about gankage and in WoW switched from PvP to PvE server.)

[Kerberoz]

(I also tend to like to play a healer, thats why am I so worried about gankage and in WoW switched from PvP to PvE server.)

Healers are very, very hard to kill in this game. They wear the second heaviest armor and can cure very quickly.

[Anakron]

Sorry if this is considered necro bumping I just thought it would be better to ask questions on a similar topic than create a whole new thread....

I have been wondering if it is worth it to pay 50$ to try this game out? I have played both FFXI and WoW and have got bored of both primarily because there are no friends left to play with.

So I have bootcamp (OS X and XP Pro) and thats the only way I would be able to play the game. So even though I'm not a fan of getting ganked and really have no friends to play with would this be something I should try out? (I also tend to like to play a healer, thats why am I so worried about gankage and in WoW switched from PvP to PvE server.)

If the lack of friends caused you to quit FFXI and WoW, it would probably do the same in Aion. Like others have said, there is nothing particularly revolutionary here. As a cleric, you can probably survive most PvP encounters, but you may not be able to actually kill too many people. Unless you make new friends or convince existing ones to play, though, you're a pretty vulnerable target (most jobs are if they solo) as enemies will often come in 2s and 3s, if not more. Even if they can't actually kill you, they'll still be a real nuisance when you're trying to get a quest done and such.

One thing I would like to say, though, is that I absolutely hated PvP in WoW (open world and BGs), but for some reason, Aion PvP is actually pretty fun for me. I find myself randomly flying around looking for fights sometimes, so you may find something new in Aion if you're open to that.

[Weltall]

If you get it you're welcome to join my Legion and try to meet some new friends. I'll help out where I can.

Server = Siel, Race = Elyos

[Sirenia]

If you get it you're welcome to join my Legion and try to meet some new friends. I'll help out where I can.

Server = Siel, Race = Elyos

Thank you, that is very kind. I will certainly think about it.

It is nice to know that healers are hard to kill....don't see that very much!

/Edit

Well I bought the game tonight and it is installing. I'm trying to decide which race / server to pick. The pale dark people look cool, but I see many people here did not pick that race.

[Abandon]

That's because they're furfags.

[Olo401]

Hey hey.. both races have wings and back hair.. it's hard not to be a furfag!

[Abandon]

I don't got no back fur, you take that shit back. I'll have my wind spirit chase you to the ends of the earth, bitch.

[Sirenia]

Yah the back fur and claws is kind of disturbing.

Anyone happen to run Aion on Bootcamp with an apple keyboard? I'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to take a screenshot? I have one last thing I can think of....grrr.

[Hitoshura]

Thank you, that is very kind. I will certainly think about it.

It is nice to know that healers are hard to kill....don't see that very much!

/Edit

Well I bought the game tonight and it is installing. I'm trying to decide which race / server to pick. The pale dark people look cool, but I see many people here did not pick that race.

Because many people feel insecure for some of the stupidest fucking reasons, or there is the "HURR I DUN wanna be called a furfag, i wan 2 mai loli to look like an angel, uguu :3", and want to look as normal as possible, pussies.

[burnation]

Because many people feel insecure for some of the stupidest fucking reasons, or there is the "HURR I DUN wanna be called a furfag, i wan 2 mai loli to look like an angel, uguu :3", and want to look as normal as possible, pussies.

That's just what a furfag would say

uguu~

[Hitoshura]

Insecure Elyos player is insecure.

:3

[Saxon]

You don't even notice the retarded fur after a while anyway.