Aion Open Beta Starts September 6th

NCSoft announced today that the open beta for upcoming fantasy MMO Aion will begin on September 6th, extending through to the 13th. The client is available now. The game launches on September 22nd in the US, with a two-day head-start given to players who pre-order. NCSoft has also said they'll be showing off Aion in more detail at the Penny Arcade Expo, expanding on the information they provided at Gamescom (video).

Fileplanet Subscribers Only

[Anonymous Coward]

It looks like the open beta will only be available to Fileplanet Subscribers (about $5/month)...
There may be more beta keys available from other websites, but currently Fileplanet is claiming to have exclusivity on the beta.

So, I'm not really sure in what way this is "open", it sounds like it will be exactly the same as all the other Aion beta events with a limited number of keys for select (lucky) players.
Maybe, someone with more info can prove me wrong.

Where's the download for Mac?

[Anonymous Coward]

Where's the download for Mac?

Re:Rootkits for everyone!

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to play another small korean mmorpg, Priston Tale [wikipedia.org]. It used GameGuard. The GameGuard server would go down all of the time, making the game inaccessible. The parent is 100% correct, GG is crap.

Re:Gameplay beyond level 20: Unfair ganking.

[Dr. Eggman]

I never understood why MMOs didn't implement some sort of PvP honor system that takes into account the difference between levels and awards or takes away from a players honorabilty, like a morality meter in some rpgs. A more honorable character gets certain, small bonuses to a stat like luck or maybe just allows them higher standing with some faction. Ganking is still possible, but a minor deterrent could at least reduce the instances of repeated ganking. Sure, you'd have to track who started a fight to make sure some sort of reverse-ganking doesn't happen, but it can't be that hard.

Re:Gameplay beyond level 20: Unfair ganking.

[SpartacusJones]

Back in the early days of WoW, you could get a dishonorable kill for killing non-combatant NPCs. I'd also like to see the same happen for ganking much lower level characters. It's one thing for an 80 to kill a 70 (which really doesn't have much of a chance either), but for an 80 to kill a 20 and camp the body is really ridiculous. That should be considered dishonorable and the 80 should get some sort of reputation penalty for it.

Blizzard apparently thought otherwise though because they removed the entire concept of a dishonorable kill from the game.

Re:Gameplay beyond level 20: Unfair ganking.

[Jim_Maryland]

for an 80 to kill a 20 and camp the body is really ridiculous.

Completely agree with you on that. I have no problem though with an 80 running through a low area once (example: Mid-Summer Festival quest/achievements) but staying there and repeatedly camping is crazy. Kill the low level once, then move on to whatever you have to do in the area.

That should be considered dishonorable and the 80 should get some sort of reputation penalty for it.

Wouldn't be completely opposed to this, but lets face it, don't most people already have an 80 or know an 80 that can come help them? Even just shouting in the local chat channel will draw other 80s to come solve a problem like this. Unless the reputation is associated with something the level 80 needs, I don't think most would worry about losing a bit (especially if they are already willing to camp someone so much lower than them).

Re:Who cares?

[KDR_11k]

What's the point of pwning people in MMOs when that usually amounts to "my level is higher than yours, I win"? It's not a demonstration of skill, it's just a demonstration of how long you have played before that battle.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Who cares?

[Hausenwulf]

It does get really good when you get into the forced PvP part, none of that casual carebear blueshield / pveonly server bullshit in this game. I was impressed, kept my Aion preorder and cancelled my WOW subscription. Different strokes for different folks.

I always thought that's what fps games were for. MMORPG pvp tends to be of the "I-can't-beat-you-fairly-so-I'll-outgear-you-or-out-level-you-or-get-12-of-my-friends-to-kill-you" variety. It's seldom challenging.