Aion (video game)

Aion: The Tower of Eternity
Developer(s)	Aion Team Development Dept
Publisher(s)	NCsoft
Engine	CryEngine (2.0)
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release	November 25, 2008 April 16, 2009 July 7, 2009 July 17 2009 / September 22, 2009 / September 23, 2009 September 25, 2009
Genre(s)	MMORPG
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Aion: The Tower of Eternity (Korean: 아이온: 영원의 탑) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in Korea and China with localized versions in development for other regions of the world. Aion was (up until May 20, 2009) known as "Aion: The Tower of Eternity" but it will be released in North America under the one-word title of Aion. The game developer is NCsoft's Aion Team Development Dept, a major Korean game developer. Aion combines PvP and PvE (a concept the developers call PvPvE) in a fantasy game environment. A feature of the game is flight, which is mainly used as a means for combat. Other games in this genre typically offer flight only as a means of travel, while combat stays on the ground.

History

Development

Following the announcement of the game in May 2006 with a preview at E3 2006. NCsoft developed it over the following year at their software design studio in South Korea. Closed beta testing in Korea began in late 2007, followed by an open beta test in November 2008. A version of the game localized for China began its closed beta testing in December 2008, and began open beta testing on April 8, 2009, ending on April 18, 2009.

The game is also being localized for western markets including North America, Europe, and Australia. NCSoft has held two closed beta testing event weekends in June, 2009 open to players in North America and Europe. Each had a limited focus. The first, held June 5-7th, 2009, focused on the Elyos from level 1 through 20. The second initially had a focus of level 1 to 10 for the Asmodians, but at the last minute it was decided to allow it to be open to level 10 for both factions. There were four more closed betas spanned over weekends, allowing both races to level 30. The six closed beta weekends were all played on the 1.0 game version. An open beta is scheduled for September 6–13, 2009, allowing players to play the 1.5 game version.

Release

South Korea

Aion was released in South Korea on November 28, 2008. Making this the first country to get a final release of the game. Given the success of NCsoft's previous games, Lineage and Lineage II, Aion had been a highly anticipated game in South Korea ever since its announcement. At the end of 2008 Aion won the award "Best Korean Game of the Year" for its "epic scale, immersive story, and stunning graphics and sound design".

China

The game was released in China on April 16, 2009.

Australia

NCsoft will distribute Aion in Australia through QV Software (http://www.qvsoftware.com.au) in Spring (southern hemisphere) 2009, and will be released on September 22, 2009. The official Australian Aion Website http://aion.qvsoftware.com.au was recently updated and upgraded with new information about Aion.

In Australia, 3 editions are to be released: Collectors Edition, Limited Edition and the Standard Edition.

However it is worth noting that there is nothing stopping Australians ordering Aion through the content distribution system Steam since Australian players will be connecting to and playing on the North American Aion Servers.

Taiwan

NCsoft began an open beta of Aion in Taiwan on June 7, 2009, and was released on July 21, 2009.

Europe

NCsoft will begin the final version of Aion in Europe on September 25, 2009.

North America

Aion will be released in North America on September 22, 2009. The release will be accompanied by a free comic book from Wildstorm, Aiva's Story by writers David Noonan and Ricardo Sanchez, with art by Neil Googe.

Story

In the beginning there was a god named Aion who ruled over a world called Atreia. Aion created the Draken, a powerful race sent to protect the humans of Atreia. After some time passed the Draken disobeyed Aion's wishes and rebelled against their creator. The god Aion then created the twelve Empyrean Lords. The Empyrean Lords in turn created a barrier which prevented the Draken (now calling themselves Balaur) from attacking the humans charged under their protection. Within this barrier all things were safe. The Balaur ravaged and destroyed many of the living things residing outside of the barrier. Some humans, living within the safety of the barrier, learned how to harness some of the same energy as the Empyrean Lords, known as aether. Such humans were called Daeva and, like the Empyrean Lords, had wings. With time, enough Daevas were born to form an army. Ten of the Empyrean Lords led these Daevas into battle against the Balaur, while the remaining two were the guardians of the Tower of Eternity, the embodiment of the god Aion. The war with the Balaur lasted for hundreds of years until one of the guardians of the tower announced that they should find a way to make peace with the Balaur. Five of the Empyrean Lords vehemently disagreed. However, the second guardian of the tower was swayed to peace. The Balaur were invited into the tower for peace talks. It is unclear what happened at that point. One of the Balaur lords lay wounded on the floor and the rest proceeded to attack the tower. The two Guardians attempted to raise the shield by going to opposite ends of the tower. However, they were unsuccessful and the tower, along with the world, shattered in two. As their final act, the two guardians sacrificed their lives in order to protect a part of Atreia. With Atreia severed, the survivors banded together to face their new world. Of the original twelve, ten of the Empyrean Lords survived. Five who had opposed peace and claimed that the weakness of the rest of the lords had allowed the Balaur to attack them reigned over the dark part of the world, becoming known as the Shedim Lords. The other five reigned over the light-covered bottom part of Atreia and claim that it was the Shedim Lords' actions that caused the breaking of the tower. They are known as the Seraphim Lords.

The new shape of the world also reshaped its inhabitants. Those that lived in the light part of the world saw little change except for an increase in their beauty. These followers of the Seraphim Lords called themselves Elyos and created the city of Sanctum. The inhabitants of the upper part of the world saw many changes. Having to walk on ground strewn with fragments of the tower, their feet became talons. Having to fight against beasts, their hands became claw-like. Furthermore, the darkness made their complexion change and their eyes grew red adapting to the absence of light. They call themselves Asmodians and live in the city of Pandaemonium under the rule of the Shedim Lords.

Classes

There are four primary classes, and eight specialized classes in the game. Players start the game by choosing one of the four primary classes: Warrior, Mage, Scout, or Priest. After attaining level 10, the players must choose from the two specialized classes associated with that base class. This allows players to get a feel for the playstyle of the class before making a major decision as to which class to play for the rest of the game. Each faction will have a slight variation in class skills.

Mage

Mages have weak physical combat ability but they can launch devastatingly powerful magic attacks, they are the primary ranged magical damage dealers. There are two specializations possible for mages: Spiritmasters and Sorcerers.

Sorcerer

The sorcerer follows the path of magic, mastering the elements of water, fire, wind, and earth. A sorcerer's skill set becomes very diverse as their combat ability evolves.

• Special ability: Long range damage spells
• Play style: Magical ranged damage dealer

Spiritmaster

Spiritmasters are the only summoning class in the game. They can control water, fire, earth, and air spirits.

• Special ability: Summoning powerful elemental spirits
• Play style: A pet class with ranged DPS power

Priest

Spiritual warriors, priests can use healing and self-protection spells to excel in melee combat, and launch powerful ranged magic attacks too. This makes them not only useful support characters in a party of adventurers, but also powerful combatants in their own right. There are two priest specializations: Clerics and Chanters.

Chanter

The Chanter is primarily a buff provider, but also has access to healing and damage spells.

• Special ability: Fortification magic using healing and mantras
• Play style: Healing, attacking, and enhancement magic. In addition to its magical abilities, it also possesses exceptional skills involving the use of the staff. The chanter uses mantra magic to inspire the morale of allies, and since it can strengthen abilities, it is the gathering center during battle.

Cleric

Healer class. Able to raise the dead.

• Special ability: Healing and protection
• Play style: The Cleric is the main Healer in the world of Aion. Capable of resurrecting allies, a successful group without a Cleric just does not exist, as the Cleric possesses a core position within the group. Gameplay consists of removing negative effects on party members and oneself, and keeping the party alive. The Cleric's equipment provides tremendous defensive potential that is only surpassed by the Warrior classes.

Scout

The scout combines great agility with swift attacks. Scouts must specialize into one of two sub-classes: Ranger or Assassin.

Assassin

Assassins are experts in deft movement and the silent termination of their target.

• Special ability: Striking without detection
• Play style: Stealth DPS

Ranger

The ranger is the only physical ranged damage class in Aion.

• Special ability: Range diversity of attack
• Play style: Ranged DPS with traps

Warrior

Warriors excel in close-quarter combat. Strong performers in a wide range of situations, Warriors are relatively easy to master. Warriors must specialize into one of two sub-classes: gladiators, who concentrate on dealing damage (DPS), or templars, who combine fierce fighting with defensive chants and techniques (tanks).

Gladiator

Gladiators can use many types of melee weapons, ranging from swords to halberds.

• Special ability: Close combat
• Play style: Close combat DPS along with good AoE

Templar

Fighting with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, the Templar is both guardian and fierce combatant. To remain effective, the Templar should stay on or close to the front firing line.

• Special ability: Protection chants
• Play style: Tanking. The Templar acts as a guardian, fighting with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, protecting others on the battlefield.

Features

Graphics

• The game uses a heavily modified version of the CryEngine (originally developed by Crytek, now owned by Ubisoft).
• Aion won GameAmp's 2006 E3 MMORPG "Best Graphics" Award.

Character customization

The character creation system allows for a great deal of character customization. Players will be able to radically adjust height / weight & scale of various body parts (for example, creating a 4 ft. character with a giant head). Different hair styles, skin colors, facial textures and voices can also be chosen. Further detailing can be found in the selection of eye shape and color, nose shape, ear size and shape and tattoos for the character's face and body. Players have even been able to use the character creation system to reproduce the appearances of a wide variety of celebrities and fictional characters including Barack Obama, Cloud Strife, Wolverine, and Michael Jackson.

The game will allow a player to dye their equipment to change its color and to change the graphics of one weapon or armor to that of another that they have in their inventory. (Via an NPC) This allows a player to display equipment graphics of items which they find visually appealing, while benefiting from the actual stats of different weapons or armors. Players can only change the graphics of an equipment to that of another equipment of the same type. For example, cloth armor cannot be changed to have the appearance of leather, chain, or plate armor. Similarly, a sword can only be changed to have the appearance of another sword, and not any other type of weapon, such as a staff or polearm.

This adds another layer of customization (as it allow players to control the look of their avatar without sacrificing the better stats of an item that they find visually unappealing) and strategy to the game. One can, for example, display the skin of a level 28 armor set, while you're actually level 40, and benefiting from the stats of your mismatched level 40 items. This can throw your opponents off, especially coupled with the fact that you cannot discern the level of other players in PvP, making for more engaging gameplay.

Music

Most of the music was created by Ryo Kunihiko. A sample of the soundtrack is available on the official Chinese site.

Skill chains

As a character progresses in the game, they will learn additional skills, some of which form part of a Skill Chain. A skill chain is a group of skills that as each skill is used, unlocks the next skill in the chain. Generally the skills at the end of the chain are much more powerful.

PvPvE system

The end game of Aion will revolve around battles within the Abyss (PvP zone). Within the Abyss are castles which can be controlled by individual Legions (Aion equivalent of a guild). Battle for control of these castles involves combat against players of the opposing faction and computer controlled NPCs at the same time, using siege weapons obtained from end game PvE raid content. Legions in control of a castle are entitled to funding from taxes and players within the faction get specials from NPCs. The game currently does not allow factions to fight against those of their own race, except for casual duels.

The participation in PvP is rewarded with PvP "Points" (called Abyss Points in the game). The game ranks players as battles are won against fellow players. At higher ranks the character's wings will change in appearance to show the character's elevated status. Also certain items can be purchased with these points such as high-end armor and weapons. This is referred to as the Abyss Rank system, and there can only be a limited number of high ranking players per server. The highest ranking players compete for the relatively few rank positions available. Abyss points are gained by killing other players in combat, and points are lost by being killed by another player. Higher points are awarded for a kill of a much higher ranked player than for killing an equal or lower ranked player.

Alliances

Alliances are the equivalent of a Raid. Alliances consist of up to 4 parties with up to 6 players per group for a maximum of 24 players in a single alliance. Alliances are treated differently from a Party, especially concerning quests.

Professions

There are a total of six crafting professions and two extracting (gathering) professions. Players automatically learn the two extracting professions, and have the option to learn any or all of the production professions if they choose, however you can only master a single profession. Mastering a crafting profession will provide you with an associated title, and statistical boost for mastering the profession.

As of version 1.5, you are able to master two crafting professions, and obtain two titles.

Extracting professions gather raw materials and ingredients from resources found while exploring the world, there are two professions, namely 'Extract Vitality' which allows you to harvest living things, such as plants and fish, and 'Extract Aether' which allows you to collect Aether from specific areas around the world.

Crafting professions create useful items from raw materials. The current six crafting professions are:

• Weaponsmithing
• Armorsmithing
• Sewing
• Handiwork
• Alchemy
• Cooking

Items from crafting skills can help in combat and some are essential for capturing castles in the Abyss.

Quests

There are two type of quests in Aion: ordinary quests and campaign quests. The ordinary quests you just complete and receive your reward, but the campaign quests are crucial for progressing in the game, and to move through the main storyline. Some of the quests can be done multiple times. Not every quest can be shared or abandoned (especially campaign quests).

Cost to play

South Korean gamers pay for time cards that allow them to play the game to the extent of time they purchased. NA/EU NCsoft will be charging US$14.99/AU$17.99/€12.99/£8.99 per month when the game is released.

Criticism

Aion uses the software nProtect GameGuard from INCA Internet to protect against hacks, cheats and bots, which is criticized for integrating itself deep in the player's system with its own device driver that is very difficult to remove. This driver seems to employ rootkit-like techniques to hide the game's process and to watch the computer's memory for suspicious software. Furthermore there is an unpatched security vulnerability in the driver which can be used for a local privilege escalation.

External links

• Official North American Aion Site
• Official European Aion Site
• The Aion Wiki, an external wiki
• An excellent Aion Resource Site