Me and the rest of my guild have played it for a few months now in C-AION (now in the end game) and in NA beta.
I have read peoples comments bashing the game for some weeks now, and it seems that the majority of them haven't even played the game past a couple days of beta. After playing it for some time now, I can say for myself and the 100+ in the guild are loving the PVP in the game. It also has a good mix of challenging PVE content and bit of depth in the games mechanics and style.
1. In depth and diverse, not that easy and not that hard and some very tuff end game content for those like me who like challenges.
2. Plenty of fun and rewarding PVE content.
3. Awesome class balance making for some of the best PVP battles I have had in 10 years, playing or testing every PVP MMO in that time.
4. Smooth running and visually pleasing.
5. Player driven crafting+economy and PVP end game.
People who hate PVP will not last in AION, to each his own. But I bet those are some of the few doing the bashing...mixed in with the obvious ignorant ones who played one day (or not at all)and claim it sux. Of course there will be some who don't like it for various reasons but tons are flocking to AION and coming out of the woodwork. I am seeing and playing with some peeps that I haven't seen for years! Good shite
Yes, it's the PVP crowd...the fabled MMORPG minority! And the cries will echo plenty from those who can't handle a dangerous MMO world. That is all
Only the deluded claim that XX game is the WoW killer. These kind of threads come up for even the most absurd games possible.
Aion only subscription details at this point is this number. I suppose NCsoft could go silent as they did so far, but it seems that some people care about such e-peen demonstrations.
What exactly will make Aion "successful"?
I think the only valid definition is the expectation of the developers/investors. Fans don't really count, their expectations as mentioned above are absurd. So, NCsoft is aiming to become the second biggest subscription based MMO in the west. Lets say that they achieve this target by 350k subscriptions. So basically this is what NCsoft is aiming for to consider their game a massive success, to manage to retain 350k subscribers.
Lets just say for the sake of argument that they don't manage that and instead manage to retain 100-150k subscribers. That's (roughly) five servers in EU and five in US. It still sounds pretty healthy to me. Of course, I've played games that were extremely popular (WoW) and games that had only two servers (AO). The fun factor in both cases was equally big, regardless of the size of the overall game population. We only get to play in one server, and since most game don't employ the one server cluster design, as long as that server is healthy, all is good.
Don't know about the "official" numbers, nor could I care less. But, 12 or so people in my kin (LOTRO) pre-ordered, all but 2 have canceled over the past week or so. Make of it what you will.
Lets start from the bottom. Guild Wars 2 is still in alpha phase, so the subscription base is zero. They obviously haven't sold anything, there is no product to be sold yet. Guild Wars 1, if you are familiar with it, has no subscription fee. That means that you can basically purchase the box and play at whatever time you want. Also all packages of the game worked as stand alone clients on their own. You didn't need to the original GW to play, just one of the later boxes was enough, you'd just miss the original PvE campaign. So the claim for X million of boxes sold is a pretty solid number. It is a number associated with single player games, but that's how GW was sold.
As for the 3.5M rumour. You may be right and it could be viral marketing involved. Or it could just be an honest mistake. I suppose that in either case, we can put some blame on NCsoft for not correcting the error. Not much though and I'll explain from a different perspective. Look at how many people are claiming that Blizzard has lost a considerable amount of subscribers, hence why they don't disclose subscription numbers any more. Blizzard could come out and correct the false claims, just as NCsoft could come out and correct the false claims. They didn't though. I can't fathom the reason, but it seems to happen more frequently than we believe.
As for you coming on these boards to "defend" WoW, as I said in other threads I really don't see the reason. The only thing that is achieved is that you make WoW fans look threatened by Aion, when there is no reason to be. Aion, despite its westernisation, is too niche to have a broad appeal. It's a brand new IP, a art style that is associated with low quality second class games and an origin that is associated with the previous generation of MMOs. There are a lot of misconceptions in the mind of people, which means it will take a considerable amount of time for this game to run smoothly to get a good deal of growth.
Bottom line, I'm glad that the official numbers show that the game will have a healthy start. I like the game and I'll play it, mainly for the feeling of world PvP. Whether it'll keep me playing in three months time or one year time, I really can't answer yet. To be honest, I'd still prefer a non fantasy MMO, but nothing out there besides a revamped AO would keep me interested.
Me and the rest of my guild have played it for a few months now in C-AION (now in the end game) and in NA beta.
I have read peoples comments bashing the game for some weeks now, and it seems that the majority of them haven't even played the game past a couple days of beta. After playing it for some time now, I can say for myself and the 100+ in the guild are loving the PVP in the game. It also has a good mix of challenging PVE content and bit of depth in the games mechanics and style. 1. In depth and diverse, not that easy and not that hard and some very tuff end game content for those like me who like challenges.
2. Plenty of fun and rewarding PVE content.
3. Awesome class balance making for some of the best PVP battles I have had in 10 years, playing or testing every PVP MMO in that time.
4. Smooth running and visually pleasing.
5. Player driven crafting+economy and PVP end game. People who hate PVP will not last in AION, to each his own. But I bet those are some of the few doing the bashing...mixed in with the obvious ignorant ones who played one day (or not at all)and claim it sux. Of course there will be some who don't like it for various reasons but tons are flocking to AION and coming out of the woodwork. I am seeing and playing with some peeps that I haven't seen for years! Good shite
Yes, it's the PVP crowd...the fabled MMORPG minority! And the cries will echo plenty from those who can't handle a dangerous MMO world. That is all
Well I am glad you are enjoying it. The problem is that in this genre pve is king hence all the pvp MMO's are in the doldroms. While Aion might be fun now, there is nothing to keep people past the short term. Your number 4 is bogus. The crafting is worse than Wow's which is poor to start with and the effects on the economy are minimal. In short just another theme park with little to separate it from any of the other theme parks.
It will do just like all the other mega MMO's have done, big sign ups and then a huge drop off as players get bored with it, they will be talking consolidating servers in 6 months.
So enjoy the game while it is popular because there is nothing there to sustain it.
Good numbers kinda of. I preordered the CE and plan on playing til FFXIV comes out. But didn't War have like 700k and AoC had like 700k as well ???
They didn't reach those numbers till october I believe, although there was just as much hype on WAR and AoC as there is Aion lets just hope we don't get a third screw up..
Both War and Aoc had 500K (NA/EU) at head start. Numurous internet sources. I remember seeing a photo of Mark Jacobs sitting in front of one of his servers, smiling....
War had also the "biggest" pre order print run of any new PC game ever. 1.5 million, later adapted in its financial reports to 1.2 million.
WAR fans screamed for 2 weeks they had 1.2 million players.
In the beginning of October Xfire showed they had around 750K players. On Oct 10th confirmed by Mythic. The later quarterly EA report mentioned 800K.
But when that report hit the streets back in Nov, Xfire already showed a decline to around 400K players.
Xmas it was 250- 300K in Xfire stats and later confirmed by the official financial reports in February. Server merges confirmed it earlier.
You can always find it all on Xfire MONTHS in advance.
it shows Aion in the States has only a small percantage of the preorders WAR had at the time.
So it is all easy to predict: 400/500K (NA/EU) at launch (at the most). 30% retention rate after the first months.
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
The end of the next WOW killer story.
April 2010: The hardest Aion fans on mmorpg.com change names and troll CAT for being the worst expansion ever and go screaming about the next kid in town.
History repeats.
Your logic is, unsurprisingly, filled with holes.
You seem to forget one simple fact: This game has already been released in Korea for over a year and recently in China and guess what: The game has not only been able to hold it's already enormous subscriber base: It managed to increase them.
There is absolutely no reason to believe the games subscriber will suddenly start dropping like you claim it will. The amount of Pre - orders are hardly an indication of how well a game is going to do. 300k pre - orders is very impressive for a new IP.
WoW didn't have 11.5 million subscribers right out of the gate.
Me and the rest of my guild have played it for a few months now in C-AION (now in the end game) and in NA beta.
I have read peoples comments bashing the game for some weeks now, and it seems that the majority of them haven't even played the game past a couple days of beta. After playing it for some time now, I can say for myself and the 100+ in the guild are loving the PVP in the game. It also has a good mix of challenging PVE content and bit of depth in the games mechanics and style. 1. In depth and diverse, not that easy and not that hard and some very tuff end game content for those like me who like challenges.
2. Plenty of fun and rewarding PVE content.
3. Awesome class balance making for some of the best PVP battles I have had in 10 years, playing or testing every PVP MMO in that time.
4. Smooth running and visually pleasing.
5. Player driven crafting+economy and PVP end game. People who hate PVP will not last in AION, to each his own. But I bet those are some of the few doing the bashing...mixed in with the obvious ignorant ones who played one day (or not at all)and claim it sux. Of course there will be some who don't like it for various reasons but tons are flocking to AION and coming out of the woodwork. I am seeing and playing with some peeps that I haven't seen for years! Good shite
Yes, it's the PVP crowd...the fabled MMORPG minority! And the cries will echo plenty from those who can't handle a dangerous MMO world. That is all
Well I am glad you are enjoying it. The problem is that in this genre pve is king hence all the pvp MMO's are in the doldroms. While Aion might be fun now, there is nothing to keep people past the short term. Your number 4 is bogus. The crafting is worse than Wow's which is poor to start with and the effects on the economy are minimal. In short just another theme park with little to separate it from any of the other theme parks.
It will do just like all the other mega MMO's have done, big sign ups and then a huge drop off as players get bored with it, they will be talking consolidating servers in 6 months.
So enjoy the game while it is popular because there is nothing there to sustain it.
Actually PVE is king for the less competitive, the average gamer with average intellect, skill and drive as PVP is far more challenging than fighting AI. With AI, the unpredictability factor lasts what once?? 2 times??? 3 times and then most can easily defeat the MOB...over and over and over again...rather dull, easy and repetitive. The law of "averages" of average gamers keep the belly of the MMO scene thick and fat with PVE.
Most or nearly all the other PVP MMO's out have horrible class balance, AION does not.
Or horrid server stability and game killing bugs, AION does not.
My 1-5 are dead one actually as I have played it for months now but I'm not getting an impression that you have even played the game much, if any...if so, have you even been past level 25? Anyone who has spent any time in either the Korean or Chinese versions knows first hand that the crafting has plenty depth and the player based economy has huge effects from crafting and crafting mats/recipes.
The PVPers out there can and will enjoy AION for a while considering what's out there or in development...nothing bigger or better than AION for the for see able future PVP wise, unless someone is sitting on some big secret.
Less obvious baseless opinions and un educated guesses/speculation please.
When did men stop liking hot chicks? Ive seen many posts about how the female toons in Aion are too sexy. Lets all petition game devs everywhere to make fat, ugly female toons that wear burkas, then these sensitive men will not be so offended.
Really? DOWN FANBOI DOWN! They're saying that because that is how most if not all mmorpg's are turning into. Nothing but graphics good graphics hot chicks and no content or little substance. There is a reason American MMO's have been much more succesful in the U.S. than KOREAN based MMO's. I.E. Everquest,Ultima,Runescape(If you even consider that an mmo), and WoW, and SWG ( Before CE and NGE ). Obviously people are going to cite examples of Korean based MMO's that have done DECENT in the U.S. but till you find one that has made as much sales and profit as WoW you have no leg to stand on as far as im concerned. This game will be another Auto Assault Flop shit ton of hype for nothing. This game is getting good reviews for one reason and one reason alone. Its somthing NEW, just like a new girlfriend you love her and you love the sex. Give it 5 or 6 years. But in terms of mmo's play it straight for 3 or 4 months. It'll die from little content and no substance.
Good numbers kinda of. I preordered the CE and plan on playing til FFXIV comes out. But didn't War have like 700k and AoC had like 700k as well ???
They didn't reach those numbers till october I believe, although there was just as much hype on WAR and AoC as there is Aion lets just hope we don't get a third screw up..
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
Originally posted by spawn12345 Originally posted by Zorndorf Originally posted by Sarbocabras Originally posted by Zandora2018 Good numbers kinda of. I preordered the CE and plan on playing til FFXIV comes out. But didn't War have like 700k and AoC had like 700k as well ???
They didn't reach those numbers till october I believe, although there was just as much hype on WAR and AoC as there is Aion lets just hope we don't get a third screw up..
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
WTH is WoW 2?!?!??!?!!?
Next expansion Cataclysm is completely redoing Azeroth.
WoW2.
Also, I don't think we need to wait solely WoW2 to see some serious damage to AION. I think FF14, GW2, and TOR will also take a serious bite out of the game.
My prediction: Under 200k active subs in the WEST by the end of this year.
Good numbers kinda of. I preordered the CE and plan on playing til FFXIV comes out. But didn't War have like 700k and AoC had like 700k as well ???
They didn't reach those numbers till october I believe, although there was just as much hype on WAR and AoC as there is Aion lets just hope we don't get a third screw up..
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
WTH is WoW 2?!?!??!?!!?
Next expansion Cataclysm is completely redoing Azeroth.
Comments
Me and the rest of my guild have played it for a few months now in C-AION (now in the end game) and in NA beta.
I have read peoples comments bashing the game for some weeks now, and it seems that the majority of them haven't even played the game past a couple days of beta. After playing it for some time now, I can say for myself and the 100+ in the guild are loving the PVP in the game. It also has a good mix of challenging PVE content and bit of depth in the games mechanics and style.
1. In depth and diverse, not that easy and not that hard and some very tuff end game content for those like me who like challenges.
2. Plenty of fun and rewarding PVE content.
3. Awesome class balance making for some of the best PVP battles I have had in 10 years, playing or testing every PVP MMO in that time.
4. Smooth running and visually pleasing.
5. Player driven crafting+economy and PVP end game.
People who hate PVP will not last in AION, to each his own. But I bet those are some of the few doing the bashing...mixed in with the obvious ignorant ones who played one day (or not at all)and claim it sux. Of course there will be some who don't like it for various reasons but tons are flocking to AION and coming out of the woodwork. I am seeing and playing with some peeps that I haven't seen for years! Good shite
Yes, it's the PVP crowd...the fabled MMORPG minority! And the cries will echo plenty from those who can't handle a dangerous MMO world. That is all
PIRATE LORDS
Only the deluded claim that XX game is the WoW killer. These kind of threads come up for even the most absurd games possible.
Aion only subscription details at this point is this number. I suppose NCsoft could go silent as they did so far, but it seems that some people care about such e-peen demonstrations.
What exactly will make Aion "successful"?
I think the only valid definition is the expectation of the developers/investors. Fans don't really count, their expectations as mentioned above are absurd. So, NCsoft is aiming to become the second biggest subscription based MMO in the west. Lets say that they achieve this target by 350k subscriptions. So basically this is what NCsoft is aiming for to consider their game a massive success, to manage to retain 350k subscribers.
Lets just say for the sake of argument that they don't manage that and instead manage to retain 100-150k subscribers. That's (roughly) five servers in EU and five in US. It still sounds pretty healthy to me. Of course, I've played games that were extremely popular (WoW) and games that had only two servers (AO). The fun factor in both cases was equally big, regardless of the size of the overall game population. We only get to play in one server, and since most game don't employ the one server cluster design, as long as that server is healthy, all is good.
This thread is going way off topic.
Its not about which is a better game or what game will kill another game or which game "suxorz".
Oh Noes Its The Forum Police
Don't know about the "official" numbers, nor could I care less. But, 12 or so people in my kin (LOTRO) pre-ordered, all but 2 have canceled over the past week or so. Make of it what you will.
Lets start from the bottom. Guild Wars 2 is still in alpha phase, so the subscription base is zero. They obviously haven't sold anything, there is no product to be sold yet. Guild Wars 1, if you are familiar with it, has no subscription fee. That means that you can basically purchase the box and play at whatever time you want. Also all packages of the game worked as stand alone clients on their own. You didn't need to the original GW to play, just one of the later boxes was enough, you'd just miss the original PvE campaign. So the claim for X million of boxes sold is a pretty solid number. It is a number associated with single player games, but that's how GW was sold.
As for the 3.5M rumour. You may be right and it could be viral marketing involved. Or it could just be an honest mistake. I suppose that in either case, we can put some blame on NCsoft for not correcting the error. Not much though and I'll explain from a different perspective. Look at how many people are claiming that Blizzard has lost a considerable amount of subscribers, hence why they don't disclose subscription numbers any more. Blizzard could come out and correct the false claims, just as NCsoft could come out and correct the false claims. They didn't though. I can't fathom the reason, but it seems to happen more frequently than we believe.
As for you coming on these boards to "defend" WoW, as I said in other threads I really don't see the reason. The only thing that is achieved is that you make WoW fans look threatened by Aion, when there is no reason to be. Aion, despite its westernisation, is too niche to have a broad appeal. It's a brand new IP, a art style that is associated with low quality second class games and an origin that is associated with the previous generation of MMOs. There are a lot of misconceptions in the mind of people, which means it will take a considerable amount of time for this game to run smoothly to get a good deal of growth.
Bottom line, I'm glad that the official numbers show that the game will have a healthy start. I like the game and I'll play it, mainly for the feeling of world PvP. Whether it'll keep me playing in three months time or one year time, I really can't answer yet. To be honest, I'd still prefer a non fantasy MMO, but nothing out there besides a revamped AO would keep me interested.
Well I am glad you are enjoying it. The problem is that in this genre pve is king hence all the pvp MMO's are in the doldroms. While Aion might be fun now, there is nothing to keep people past the short term. Your number 4 is bogus. The crafting is worse than Wow's which is poor to start with and the effects on the economy are minimal. In short just another theme park with little to separate it from any of the other theme parks.
It will do just like all the other mega MMO's have done, big sign ups and then a huge drop off as players get bored with it, they will be talking consolidating servers in 6 months.
So enjoy the game while it is popular because there is nothing there to sustain it.
They didn't reach those numbers till october I believe, although there was just as much hype on WAR and AoC as there is Aion lets just hope we don't get a third screw up..
Both War and Aoc had 500K (NA/EU) at head start. Numurous internet sources. I remember seeing a photo of Mark Jacobs sitting in front of one of his servers, smiling....
War had also the "biggest" pre order print run of any new PC game ever. 1.5 million, later adapted in its financial reports to 1.2 million.
WAR fans screamed for 2 weeks they had 1.2 million players.
In the beginning of October Xfire showed they had around 750K players. On Oct 10th confirmed by Mythic. The later quarterly EA report mentioned 800K.
But when that report hit the streets back in Nov, Xfire already showed a decline to around 400K players.
Xmas it was 250- 300K in Xfire stats and later confirmed by the official financial reports in February. Server merges confirmed it earlier.
You can always find it all on Xfire MONTHS in advance.
And of course this link helsp too: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_4?rh=n%3A468642%2Cn%3A%2111846801%2Cn%3A229575&bbn=11846801&ie=UTF8&qid=1253096080&rnid=11846801
it shows Aion in the States has only a small percantage of the preorders WAR had at the time.
So it is all easy to predict: 400/500K (NA/EU) at launch (at the most). 30% retention rate after the first months.
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
The end of the next WOW killer story.
April 2010: The hardest Aion fans on mmorpg.com change names and troll CAT for being the worst expansion ever and go screaming about the next kid in town.
History repeats.
Your logic is, unsurprisingly, filled with holes.
You seem to forget one simple fact: This game has already been released in Korea for over a year and recently in China and guess what: The game has not only been able to hold it's already enormous subscriber base: It managed to increase them.
There is absolutely no reason to believe the games subscriber will suddenly start dropping like you claim it will. The amount of Pre - orders are hardly an indication of how well a game is going to do. 300k pre - orders is very impressive for a new IP.
WoW didn't have 11.5 million subscribers right out of the gate.
Well I am glad you are enjoying it. The problem is that in this genre pve is king hence all the pvp MMO's are in the doldroms. While Aion might be fun now, there is nothing to keep people past the short term. Your number 4 is bogus. The crafting is worse than Wow's which is poor to start with and the effects on the economy are minimal. In short just another theme park with little to separate it from any of the other theme parks.
It will do just like all the other mega MMO's have done, big sign ups and then a huge drop off as players get bored with it, they will be talking consolidating servers in 6 months.
So enjoy the game while it is popular because there is nothing there to sustain it.
Actually PVE is king for the less competitive, the average gamer with average intellect, skill and drive as PVP is far more challenging than fighting AI. With AI, the unpredictability factor lasts what once?? 2 times??? 3 times and then most can easily defeat the MOB...over and over and over again...rather dull, easy and repetitive. The law of "averages" of average gamers keep the belly of the MMO scene thick and fat with PVE.
Most or nearly all the other PVP MMO's out have horrible class balance, AION does not.
Or horrid server stability and game killing bugs, AION does not.
My 1-5 are dead one actually as I have played it for months now but I'm not getting an impression that you have even played the game much, if any...if so, have you even been past level 25? Anyone who has spent any time in either the Korean or Chinese versions knows first hand that the crafting has plenty depth and the player based economy has huge effects from crafting and crafting mats/recipes.
The PVPers out there can and will enjoy AION for a while considering what's out there or in development...nothing bigger or better than AION for the for see able future PVP wise, unless someone is sitting on some big secret.
Less obvious baseless opinions and un educated guesses/speculation please.
PIRATE LORDS
Really? DOWN FANBOI DOWN! They're saying that because that is how most if not all mmorpg's are turning into. Nothing but graphics good graphics hot chicks and no content or little substance. There is a reason American MMO's have been much more succesful in the U.S. than KOREAN based MMO's. I.E. Everquest,Ultima,Runescape(If you even consider that an mmo), and WoW, and SWG ( Before CE and NGE ). Obviously people are going to cite examples of Korean based MMO's that have done DECENT in the U.S. but till you find one that has made as much sales and profit as WoW you have no leg to stand on as far as im concerned. This game will be another Auto Assault Flop shit ton of hype for nothing. This game is getting good reviews for one reason and one reason alone. Its somthing NEW, just like a new girlfriend you love her and you love the sex. Give it 5 or 6 years. But in terms of mmo's play it straight for 3 or 4 months. It'll die from little content and no substance.
They didn't reach those numbers till october I believe, although there was just as much hype on WAR and AoC as there is Aion lets just hope we don't get a third screw up..
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
WTH is WoW 2?!?!??!?!!?
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
WTH is WoW 2?!?!??!?!!?
Next expansion Cataclysm is completely redoing Azeroth.
WoW2.
Also, I don't think we need to wait solely WoW2 to see some serious damage to AION. I think FF14, GW2, and TOR will also take a serious bite out of the game.
My prediction: Under 200k active subs in the WEST by the end of this year.
Alltern8 Blog | Star Wars Space Combat and The Old Republic | Cryptic Studios - A Pre Post-Mortem | Klingon Preview, STO's Monster Play
Under 150K subs within 6 month. That's March 2010 and then ... Wow 2 launches.
WTH is WoW 2?!?!??!?!!?
Next expansion Cataclysm is completely redoing Azeroth.
WoW2.
That doesnt make it WoW2 in any shape or form...