What is going on with AION?

[Ades]

I agree that Luna was launched because Teon and Franz were full.But that as a fact should make NCSoft more aware over the needs of EU players.I mean they opened the Transfer Window,saw that EU servers were becoming full and in just one week they announced the forthcoming new EU server.That seems to me as they realized that EU community is here and active and they moved fast to fullfill our needs (and make more money ofc).I sincerelly hope that this has been a lesson to them and they changed their course of action over EU/US community handling.I also was impressed to see that they assigned a Community Manager (or something like that,don't remember the exact title) to monitor AionSource Forums.That is kind of a hint that the guys over at Korea HQs really care about EU/US community opinions since most of us in here are from EU/US.And I'd really like him to comment on the subject and give us an insight on the matter..

PS.Pan1ck I am already in a clan,we decided Elyos so I couldn't change sides now But you're always welcome to join us on Noble Phantasm,I'll be glad to fill you in..

[kieron]

It is our desire to release the best game possible and if that means slipping the release date, so be it. We are aware that the more a title slips, the more opportunity there is for a negative impression to build. Obviously, that is something we want to avoid and are taking that into consideration.

There will be closed and open beta testing for the NA and EU communities. Testing dates will be announced later this summer.

I realize you and the rest of the Aion community are looking forward to testing and release. We are looking forward to it just as much as you are and ask for a bit more patience.

[k1klass]

I understand everyones views, dam wish it was here myself as ive just spent a fortune on games trying to find one to play till Aion but all have failed to keep me intrested and i might have to go back to wow which im bored to death with.

But having just been invovled with AoC from beta to release i can put up with few more months and if i dont see a repeat of funcoms splendid job.

[Ades]

That was a record-breaking time in subject response
And the fact that we will have the chance to play in Open Beta makes the waiting a little bit easier...I mean it won't be the same but instead than sitting around,doing nothing and just speculate over game matters it would be nice to be able to have a taste for ourselves..

[Verth]

The man has spoken... now let this thread die!

[Eg1]

Thanks for the post from NCSoft.

I think they are right in not announcing a release date until the game is properly ready for release, sure any MMO player will still expect a few bugs on release but at least we won't have the situation players currently have with AoC, Funcom may not have done themselves any big favour by releasing too early without content and so many bugs and character balancing issues still to be resolved. Personally I don't mind flaws in an early release but watch any community forum and you will see how quickly the moaning spreads and your often left wondering 'why are you still posting and playing?', it gets to the point where that if you want to enjoy the game you must make a conscious decision to stay away from the forums.

I give NCSoft a thumbs up for their approach, the sad thing for most of us is that at the moment theres precious little else to play while we wait. AoC has too many problems to warrent a significant time investment and GW is a place (which I spent many a happy hour- thousands infact ) but is not recieving fresh content while fans of the game wait for news and info about GW2.

I would love it if there was a closed beta for the US/EU and I'd be happy to play along with pen and paper at hand, theres something special about that opportunity. An open beta would be fantastic but again patience is something we need if we want this game to be as awesome as it looks and we think its going to be.

I've only been aware of this game for around 6 months but from everything I've seen this and GW2 (honest I'm not an NCSoft fanboy ! it's just coincidence those 2 titles are what intrigue me the most) are the 2 MMO titles i am most eagerly anticipating.

[Haubix]

Originally Posted by N0rdic Ninja

Actually in an open Beta test not everyone has to be hardcore anal about what they're doing. In a closed Beta test ya sure, you're there for a reason and you should be hunting for things. But in an Open beta it's more of a stress test, and also to see what it will be like when the game goes live and everyone is enjoying themselves in game. So, at least in an Open Beta, enjoying yourself in-game is still a very useful tool to the dev team, and also helps them realize how much fun their game is/isn't gonna be.

Yep, that's true. Initially I meant closed beta. Sorry

Originally Posted by Ades

An Open Beta is called Open because the Dev team wants to see how the game feels to the average player. [...]
So yeah,Open Testing is both usefull for the Devs and necessary in any MMO development..
But don't be too much concerned,Open Beta usually lasts for a month because the game is more or less complete,so the delay before Official launch won't be long as soon as we reach OBT.

See above; but you're also right. That would also be my point of view regarding Open Beta

[Yame]

It would be nice to get some more concrete info on NCsoft's part regarding NA open beta and release, but whatever. I understand that it's better not to build certain expectations and then have to end up delaying the date.

What I don't like is this period of downtime between closed betas, where we have no clue what's going on or when the next one will start. At least during closed betas I can check out videos and new info, but now... nothing. Thankfully, I do have a busy life, otherwise I'd be frustrated :P

[pan1ck]

I am very happy that we had a response from a Dev. I hope that we don't have to wait too much again

[Pancak3s]

I think being 2-3 years past an estimated release date is a little more than 'slipping'. Sorry, but Aion is much less appealing as it once was to me.

Aion = Duke Nukem of MMO's? lol!

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Yame

It would be nice to get some more concrete info on NCsoft's part regarding NA open beta and release, but whatever. I understand that it's better not to build certain expectations and then have to end up delaying the date.

What I don't like is this period of downtime between closed betas, where we have no clue what's going on or when the next one will start. At least during closed betas I can check out videos and new info, but now... nothing. Thankfully, I do have a busy life, otherwise I'd be frustrated :P

That's exactly how I feel, except as a webmaster with expectations to meet it's worse. People wonder why we're getting about two thirds of the hits we were getting an April. It's simple: nothing's happening.

[Xenicide]

Originally Posted by naranana

I really prefer they delay the release so that we can play without too much technical issues. Look, AOC for example, they relased a beta, do you think it's better ?

That has nothing to do with it. The only problem will be changing everything from Korean to English. Much, if not all, of the content will be tested in the Korean betas.

[Pancak3s]

Originally Posted by Mark

That's exactly how I feel, except as a webmaster with expectations to meet it's worse. People wonder why we're getting about two thirds of the hits we were getting an April. It's simple: nothing's happening.

Noone is to blame except NCSoft really. They always pull the same load of crap, I don't know if i should blame their marketing or managment department, but someone in a high up seat fails to understand the gaming community and how to correctly communicate with the target audience.

This is one thing i can give credit to CCP for, as I have yet to meet a rivaling company that has superior understanding in communicating from a business sense to-internet to-costumer support, pleasing the vast majority of their customers on all levels (Although Blizzard is the closest to them). If i were to rank the MMO's companies that i have had experience with on a scale of 1 to 10... here would be a small list:

CCP: 9
Blizzard: 8
NCSoft: 2
Codemasters: 1

Well hey, look on the brightside NCSoft, i think codemasters are worse than you (wow, thats possible?! )

[Dragonizzle]

It does suck waiting for some sort of new info to come out, I'm lucky enough to have just heard about Aion a little over a month ago, but even for me the wait is killing me lol. If there was some sort of official release date then I think the wait would be so much easier, but since we have no info on when its going to be out, or even when Betas are going to happen, it makes it a lot harder to sit and wait. I do have to say though it is really nice to have Devs actually come to the site and read the forums and give a response when they can, I think that shows that they do care about the community IMO.

[pan1ck]

I totally agree with you Pancak3s and i see that the most of you ppl have the same feelings with me. It was happy to see a Dev to respond to a Thread like that but as Pancak3s said 1-2 years and probably 3 is not just a slipping. Some really good MMO's gone Live in this month other are comming on, who is gonna play AION? the members of AION source? Well trying to make the best game sounds to me like a joke cause when AION is going to be launched with these steps the graphics will be a crap and the unique ideas of AION will be on another MMO so what is the point of that delay? The bugs? even L2 who was 3 years game continues to have bugs. And i can not understand why if it is going to be a close Beta in N/A and EU why it should be after the Korean Beta...It's is so difficult to begin together.And from that someone can Realize that a Live AION can not be before Q1 or Q2 of 2009. So happy new yea to every one!!! Really that is a lame..