There will be no normal closed beta for NA\EU?

[Draconic]

I agree to an extent, but mine is for financial reasons. I recently got fired from Amazon.com's CVG2 warehouse in Hebron, KY. They pulled a bunch of illegal strings to get it done too, might I add, well since then they've been slandering my name when i used them as a warehouse work reference and have not been about to find a job that can pay my bills(Car payment, rent, food, cell phone, college). I was looking forward to Open beta at least so I can finally whet my appetite for AION, but if one needs to pay for this preview or needs to buy this game, then I'll be very disappointed because I have to wait for a lawsuit to settle my job situation.

This is a game I have been waiting for, not as long as some of you, but I would like to play it before retail at least to see what all I'm missing if at all.

[dalin]

i think this may have gotten a little offtrack...

1) there will be ample opportunities to "preview" the game prior to release (general public)

2) there will be several scheduled media events where Aion will be playable onsite

the issue at hand was whether or not the US/EU market would be able to test the game prior to launch, in order to provide some practical feedback (to things like gameplay mechanics, balance, UI, etc.)... as it stands, it looks like this wont be the case...

is that earth shattering? not really... we'll all still get a chance to see the game beforehand, and as is typically the case, we (those who decide to stick around) can all provide feedback about the game after launch...

[Aerie]

Originally Posted by Kaycy

Look, I'm not at the mercy of NCsoft. I'm not here to test or fix a game, before or after release. If I buy something I want to know what I'm buying. That's why games have free beta's or previews before launch, if you use them to fix games, great, most people use them to see if they like the game or not and to make a decision based on that.

If I buy clothing in a store I want to try it on. Because a lady in South Korea liked it does not mean it will fit me does it. I'm not buying something blindly, be it a game or any other product. The game is far from release date, there is no good excuse why people can't preview it. If NCsoft does or doesn't isn't of my concern but it will influence my decision on buying or not because I don't buy things I can't try out, not in the least if it's tested by another continent instead of my own.

Then really, you don't belong in a beta. It's a testing phase and that's it. The 'try it before you buy it' thing you so passionately believe in doesn't really apply to anything in the entertainment business. I'm all for having a beta, but I want it so I can be a part of clearing the game of bugs, and working towards a faster launch. I already know I'm buying it, and I know that no one is not going to buy it because they didn't get to play in beta. And really, it's in NCsoft's best interests to not have open beta if there's enough people with this mindset, because people who only want to 'try before they buy' will be most likely turned away by all the bugs and unfinished pieces of the game, so less money for them.

So please, stop saying these things and let there be a beta so things can get fixed and the word can be happy, etc, etc.

[Arrowtaru]

Originally Posted by Draconic

I agree to an extent, but mine is for financial reasons. I recently got fired from Amazon.com's CVG2 warehouse in Hebron, KY. They pulled a bunch of illegal strings to get it done too, might I add, well since then they've been slandering my name when i used them as a warehouse work reference and have not been about to find a job that can pay my bills(Car payment, rent, food, cell phone, college). I was looking forward to Open beta at least so I can finally whet my appetite for AION, but if one needs to pay for this preview or needs to buy this game, then I'll be very disappointed because I have to wait for a lawsuit to settle my job situation.

This is a game I have been waiting for, not as long as some of you, but I would like to play it before retail at least to see what all I'm missing if at all.

Exactly how close to Lexington is that >_>!! I live in Winchester lol...

[Kaycy]

Originally Posted by Aerie

Then really, you don't belong in a beta. It's a testing phase and that's it. The 'try it before you buy it' thing you so passionately believe in doesn't really apply to anything in the entertainment business.

And really, it's in NCsoft's best interests to not have open beta if there's enough people with this mindset, because people who only want to 'try before they buy' will be most likely turned away by all the bugs and unfinished pieces of the game, so less money for them

What sort of fantasy world are you living in. The try before you buy it doesn't apply to the game industry? You are obviously new to gaming if you believe this or just making random statements to substantiate something you know little about apparently.

All major games are coming out with trials or beta's now, they have ever since PC games went mainstream. Beta is what the player makes of it. It's common practice to use beta as a preview what was before MMO called a demo.

You're using cashflow to NCsoft as an excuse for the game to have bugs. We, the players, are not responsible for the success or failure of this game, nor are we resposible to fix the game, nor is it a good excuse to not have a preview of said product. I'm sorry I don't wear the shiny rose tinted classes you are supporting but some common sense would suit your argument better.

[Arianes]

I think we need to calm down about this try before you buy thing. Yes some games allow you to demo it before you buy it some require you to pre-order the game some don't but in the end you get to. But to say you won't get to at this date is being a little absurd. I am new to the forums but ive been reading it since i found out about Aion I would like to play it alot as well but we are just going to have to be patient wait and see how they are going to do things. Thats really all we have to do at this point.

[Ayase]

I'm not quite sure how this thread got this much off track.

So. Preview Events. In case you haven't seen it already, head on over to my cave at Ayase solves: The Mystery of the Preview Events | Ayase?s Realm | Aion: The Tower of Eternity and read the latest blog post. It should cover some of your questions. Make sure to read it all.*


* Even the copyright notice on the bottom!**
** Okay, you don't have to read the copyright notice.

[Wicked_Edge]

It's gonna be hard waiting until q1 09 to start previewing aion

I have very high hopes for this game. This is prolly the first ncsoft game out of 3 I've previewed/beta'd that I'll actually buy lol.

I was so sad when Tabula Rasa (I followed that game for a long time) went from fantasy sci-fi to futuristic sci-fi. I even got into the beta, but for some reason I never got really interested.

[Draconic]

Originally Posted by Arrowtaru

Exactly how close to Lexington is that >_>!! I live in Winchester lol...

About 2 hours north, near Cincinnati, OH.

[Aerie]

Originally Posted by Ayase

I'm not quite sure how this thread got this much off track.

So. Preview Events. In case you haven't seen it already, head on over to my cave at Ayase solves: The Mystery of the Preview Events | Ayase?s Realm | Aion: The Tower of Eternity and read the latest blog post. It should cover some of your questions. Make sure to read it all.*


* Even the copyright notice on the bottom!**
** Okay, you don't have to read the copyright notice.

Good stuff, thanks! (Although *sad face* at 2009 launch.)

Also, I hope you own the copyrights to that avatar or you're in for a lawsuit!

...the interlocking NC logo... are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation.

Also, also, Kaycy, I merely meant to say that demanding a beta so you can play the game and not contribute to the testing process isn't exactly the best way to go about persuading people. But I won't continue further, I don't want to start a flame war.

[Arrowtaru]

Originally Posted by Draconic

About 2 hours north, near Cincinnati, OH.

Damn.. well I'll have to hit ya up sometime in game. I have a few RL friends in Paducah who are gonna play w/ me.

[Caedes]

Hmm sounds like the GuildWars preview weekends they did in the Beta, thats fine with me.

[Chrome]

Originally Posted by Ayase

I'm not quite sure how this thread got this much off track.

So. Preview Events. In case you haven't seen it already, head on over to my cave at Ayase solves: The Mystery of the Preview Events | Ayase?s Realm | Aion: The Tower of Eternity and read the latest blog post. It should cover some of your questions. Make sure to read it all.*


* Even the copyright notice on the bottom!**
** Okay, you don't have to read the copyright notice.

Q: When was this again?
A: We’re looking at launching them in 2009.

Tests weren't supposed to be planned for late 2008 ?

(in a recent interview, Ayase talks about a release hopefully in Q1 2009. Isn't that going to be way to short in matter to make ajustements regarding our feadbacks ?)

[ILLUSIA]

Okay Previw events start in 2009, not even in the end of this year. So EU\NA release shall be allegedly in the end of next spring, may be even in summer.

OMG!!!!!!

[anicaus]

Kaycy, you obviously mistake an open beta for a trial..

An open beta is usually a stress test where the producers take in as many people as possible to test if the servers can handle the amount of people running the client etc. It normally only lasts for a few weeks before release.

A trial on the other hand is the thing you download to see whether the game is for you or not. Trials are usually not a function before release or the first few months after. Expect to see an Aion trial a few months after release whenever that is.

But I will agree with you that most people try to get into open beta only to see if they like the game. However that is not the purpose of the open beta, and to state that you are not interested in testing the game, only to try it without paying lowers your overall chance to get into beta. Just a tips

Now, these mysterious "preview events" is something totally new. We'll just have to see what the heck all that commotion is about :S