Aion : aion

Aion Has Been Released! Checkout Our Curse Fansites For Aion!

DoranM — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:57:33 GMT

We've received a press release from the folks at NCSoft his morning about Aion!

Aion has been officially released today by NCSoft on this historic day! In Aion, gamers explore a celestial world of breath-taking beauty and epic adventure. Players create either winged Elyos or Asmodian avatars, sworn enemy races that discover a common foe: the twisted and depraved Balaur. Aion is among the biggest MMO games in the East and has wowed millions of gamers with its breathtaking graphics, innovative gameplay and engrossing story.

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape – it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets.

Having sold out of its Limited Collector’s Edition version and tallying more preorders than any other massively multiplayer online (MMO) game this year, Aion’s release marks the biggest MMO launch of the year and is already being touted as one of the must-have games this holiday season. Aion also released today in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and launches this Friday, September 25, in Europe.

Hundreds of thousands of players assisted in the beta test process and have helped polish this game to it's latest release patch V1.5.

If you're looking to get into Aion we've got you covered! Visit these Curse fansite for all the tools and information you'll need to start stomping:

AionSource.com - The #1 Aion Community on the internet. Get your fill of guides, strategy, game banter, and social connections that'll keep you competitive and get your questions answered! We have a full moderation staff and provide over thirty distinct focused forums for you to find your niche!

AionArmory.com - The #1 Aion Database website. Get item and question information in real time, check out the latest gear your friend picked up, or use our interactive mapping system to find what you're looking for in-game!

Recent Aion Press Release and New Wallpapers!

DoranM — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:21:43 GMT

AionSource.com has picked up new wallpapers for Aion and a recent press release detailing the number of hours logged for NA and EU players so far, information about Aion at GamesCom and PAX, and the limited availability as Aion continues to sell extremely well!

Here's a look at the official press release:

The wait is almost over for the year's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.

Today, NCsoft, the world's premier publisher and developer of MMOs, confirmed that Aion has been released to manufacturing. Aion is the highly anticipated game that has already taken Asia by storm and has quickly become one of the world?s largest MMO franchises ahead of its release in North America on September 22nd.

In advance of the game's launch, Aion will be showcased at both GamesCom 2009 in Cologne, Germany, as well as the Penny Arcade Expo 2009 in Seattle, Washington. Both events will feature exclusive hands-on access to the 1.5 version of the game, which has yet to be unveiled to Western audiences. This version of the game introduces numerous enhancements, including continued improvements to Aion's innovative character customization that will now include a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements.

Aion has already built major momentum among gamers across Europe and North America, with more than three million hours of gameplay logged in the game's closed best testing alone. Additionally, the Limited Collector's Edition version of the game is nearly sold out in retailers, and Aion is currently on the best-seller lists for PC games weeks ahead of the game's launch. Aion is available for pre-order from several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Aiononline.com, Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games Canada, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Steam and Target.

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape - it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets.

For more information about Aion go to http://www.aiononline.com.

Here's a look at the new wallpapers which can also be found at AionSource.com:

Aion Releases Asmodian and Elyos Prologue Videos

DoranM — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:53:41 GMT

Aion has recently supplied us with two new Prologues for the game; one for the Elyos and one for the Asmodians. Aion will be releasing in September and has currently been running beta tests during the weekends. To find out more about scheduled beta tests, beta key giveaways, and other information for Aion visit our fansite AionSource.com.

Here's a look at the Elyos and Asmodian Prologues:

Elyos Prologue
(Please visit the site to view this media)

Asmodian Prologue
(Please visit the site to view this media)

New LG Monitor Ad Excites Aion Fans!

DoranM — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:43:29 GMT

Fans are wondering if Aion might have started their massive North American Ad campaign this week as Aion popped up on a recent LG monitor advertisment! The LG monitor itself is a beautiful mix of features and quality, and Aion looks amazing on it. Head over to the original article on AionSource.com to see what fans have to say about the Aion LG ad.

Here's a look at the Aion LG Advertisement:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Aion Will Launch With V1.5 - What's V1.5? Find Out Here!

DoranM — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:48:43 GMT

Aion has recently said that the North American launch will release as v1.5 and people have been clamoring to find out just what exactly is IN v1.5. AionSource.com has translated the patch news and updated the v1.5 page with the latest information on just what exactly Aion will be launching with!

For the latest on what exactly Aion will go live with checkout the AionSource V1.5 - Shadow of Balaur page; here's a quick look at some of the major features in V1.5:

With recent news letting everyone know that Aion will be released at 1.5 people have been craving to know what we'll be seeing and Aionsource is happy to deliver.

Just to give you all a brief overview of what the latest patch entails:

12 New Instance Dungeons!
Pirate Ships ;o
An arcade-styled battleground, the Dreadgion of all things.
Brand new skills and advanced stigma customization.
New costumes!
Item tweaks and changes, brand new sets!
Changes/Additions to the Gathering system.
UI changes.
Greater levels of character customization.

Do be sure to check out the full article, not to mention our other translations.

AionSource.com: New Fixes and Additions To the Aion Armory!

DoranM — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:38:21 GMT

AionSource.com has posted information regarding our second patch to the AionArmory! We're dedicated to making our AionArmory the number one resource for all your Aion needs, we've fixed bugs and added several new additions.

Here's a look at what AionSource.com had to say about the recent Aion Armory Update:

It brings a smile to my face to announce AionArmory's second patch has just gone live, a big thanks to Nic (Sank) for his continued great work as the Armory's head developer. As usual you can submit feedback/bug reports/questions at our AA forum. Oh and yeah I know the image I used in this post needs to be updated, that'll be done in a sec :D

Right off the bat you should have noticed the main page has changed and now sports a rather dashing young Asmodian, you may be seeing more of him very soon. Don't ask for details though, I'll take that secret to the grave ;)

Bug Fixes:

Crafting materials will no longer show recipes.
Cooking items will no longer display incorrect values.
Fixed some missing/hidden items (e.g. Od)
All spells should have correct values now.
General bug fixes in all areas.

Improvements/Additions:

Users can now submit multiple item drops at a time.
Users can now submit data edits which will go into an admin approval queue.
Users can also submit new entries(right now only guides) that also go into an admin approval queue, further additions/tweaks pending.
Items now include manastone/godstone stocks.
Recipes now display required level.
Items that start quests now show it on the item page, a filter has been added also.
Title list now shows the quest required to obtain each title.
Additional filters have been added for new item fields.
Spell filters added.
Description filter on items added.
SpiritMaster spells now show which pet they are related to.
Spells now state if they are stigma-based.
Recipes show rarity, filter added.
Weight-scale is now pinnable, upgrade tab on items.
Items can now be marked as World-drops or faction zone specific.
Enhanced editing bar for submissions (currently Guides)
Syndication search box support.
Latest edits menu added.
More items have been marked for their particular race/faction.
Latest edits/submissions added on user profiles.
Hefty increase in item drop data.

Please note that if you are unable to see the new image on the Armory itself you'll probably need to clear your cache =)

Patch one can be found here.

AionSource.com: New Zone Tour of Beluslan and Open Letter to the Community!

DoranM — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:42:00 GMT

AionSource.com has posted an update about a new area available in Aion, Beluslan! There's also a new open letter to the community from Lance Sites, who is the lead of NCsoft West's game production studio in Seattle. The letter is an excellent read and the new area tour is enough to get any Asmodian packing their bags to check it out!

Here's the official notice from AionSource.com about Beluslan and the new open letter to the community:

New area tour: Beluslan, and another NCsoft Open Letter to the Community

Hey everyone, a couple more news items popped up this evening.

From www.aiononline.com

Brave the Ice of Beluslan

It's time to see another locale on the Aion zone tour! Stop by Kotaku and Massively to get your first look at the icy lands of Beluslan in Asmodae. Beluslan is no place to relax and chill out - this is a realm of ice and shadow, inhabited by some of the most chilling creatures in Asmodae.

Want to venture out on more video zone tours of Elysea and Asmodae? Check out previous videos on Kotaku for your look at the lands of Aion.

From www.aiononline.com

Greetings Aion Players,

It has been a very busy year for us here at NCsoft West and our executive producer would like to take the time to address our communities today. Lance Stites is the head of NCsoft West's Game Production Studio in Seattle, overlooking many game franchises; including Aion, Lineage and Exteel.

In order to keep you updated on what is happening with our games, Lance would like to provide some insight into recent events and a scope of what is on the horizon for our studio as a whole. Please read on to gain a piece of unparalleled insight into NCsoft West's current operations.

Read the full letter here

Lots of news this week and more to come this weekend. If you're only in the habit of checking the front page for articles, visiting the News and Announcements forum might be a good idea as articles tend to move from the main page very quickly as of late. Take care, everyone.

Aion Release Date Announced! AionSource.com Hosts a Contest To Celebrate!

DoranM — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:43:22 GMT

The official date for the release of Aion has been announced! The game will release Sept 22nd in the U.S. and the 25th in the EU! To coincide with this massive announcement AionSource.com has decided to run a new contest allowing users to create motivational and de-motivational posters for the game using characters, locations, and other media available from Aion!

Here's the official Aion Release date and AionSource.com contest announcement:

NCsoft announces Aion's Official Release Date! We hold a contest to celebrate!

I can't even begin to say how excited I am to be able to deliver this news to everyone. For me personally, this has been 3 years in the making. This is Aion's most important announcement yet.

Aion has official release dates for North America and Europe!

NA
09/22/2009

EU
09/25/2009

Now, before you go all "OMG non-simultaneous release dates! NCsoft lied!" on me you have to realize that game retailers in NA and game retailers in EU put product on their shelves different days of the week.

However, I've confirmed with Ayase that early access service for Aion NA and EU will launch on the same day.

From www.AionOnline.com

Your adventures in Aion begin this September! NCsoft is proud to announce that Aion launches in North America on September 22, 2009 and makes its official debut in Europe starting September 25, 2009.

Read the full article here.

To celebrate this awesome occasion, we've organized another contest for you all.

Motivational posters are a big internet hit and we wanted this contest to be accessible to all the Aion fans who visit us for their news so, with the help of Big Huge Labs and their Motivational Poster Generator, we bring you... cue the big bold text!

The AionSource Official Release Date Contest

Step 1: Visit the Motivational Poster Generator
Step 2: Create your own Aion-themed Motivational or Demotivational Poster!
Step 3: Host it and Post it!

The Rules:

Keep it PG. Lots of people of all ages will be viewing these results and we want these to be appropriate for everyone.
The submission must be Aion-related and we'd prefer it if you used Aion media for the image of the poster.

The Rewards:

One (1) first place winner will receive a copy of the Aion: Collector's Edition!

One (1) second place winner will receive a copy of the Aion: Regular Edition!

Three (3) third place winners will receive an Aion Beta Event key good for the remaining events!

The Details:

All AionSource members are eligible to participate in this contest, excluding moderation staff.

Entries will be judged by AionSource and Curse staff.

The contest begins at the time of this posting. That's right now. Go!

You may submit multiple entries, just don't spam us. Let's say not more than 8.

All entries received before 11:59pm on Monday, June 29th, 2009 are eligible for judging.

There you have it. What a big day for Aion fans everywhere. We've all waited so long and now our time has almost come. Have a fantastic day, Aion fans!

Edit: Help us solve the Mysterious Mystery!

Aion Pre-Order Information Released! Several Unique In Game Items Available!

DoranM — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:04:35 GMT

Aion Pre-Order information has been released! The final contents of each box have been detailed and a list of exclusive pre-order in game items available for those who buy early! You'll be able to obtain different in game rings depending upon the retailer you purchase from! The game is set to ship this September and these are some pretty cool in game rewards so don't miss out!

Here's the original Aion Pre-Order notification from AionSource.com:

Aion Pre-Order info! (Aren't you glad you were all so patient?)

US:
From AionOnline.com's news feed:

It's almost time to spread your wings and take to the skies! Get an early start to your adventures in Atreia by pre-ordering Aion, now available at participating retailers, including GameStop, Amazon, and Best Buy.

Pre-order Aion to receive:

- Guaranteed entry to all scheduled beta events
- Early access to the servers at launch
- Special game benefits including character and server pre-selection privileges
- Exclusive in-game digital items

Your character will enter the world of Aion in style with an exclusive Black Cloud Hat and Lodas' Amulet, as well as one of five different Ancient Rings of Power.

In addition to these extraordinary in-game items and early access, North America pre-order participants also have a chance to win an Alienware Area-51? m15x gaming notebook and other fantastic prizes! In order to qualify to win, players must pre-order and participate in Aion beta events. Visit the official pre-order page for more information and contest terms and conditions.

North America Pre-Order Locations:
Amazon.com: Aion Collector's Edition: PC: Video Games

EU:
From eu.AionOnline.com's news feed:

We are today celebrating the long-anticipated announcement of Aion's pre-order program and more details regarding the availability of Aion for our Western launch this fall.

You can now secure your own copy by pre-ordering the Aion Limited Collector's Edition (only 50,000 are being produced worldwide in total), which features a variety of exclusive items, or the standard edition featuring an exclusive SteelBook case limited to the first production run.

Those of you who pre-order Aion receive guaranteed entry to all scheduled Aion beta events, early access to the servers at launch, exclusive in-game digital items, and special game benefits including character and server pre-selection privileges. Featured in-game digital items for Aion pre-orders include an exclusive Black Cloud Hat and Lodas' Amulet, as well as one of five different Ancient Rings of Power dependent on retail purchase location.

To take advantage of the special pre-order promotion and secure your copy of Aion, you can visit one of several retailers that participate in the preorder program. For complete Aion pre-order program details, visit Pre-Order | Aion: The Tower of Eternity.

For European Pre-Order Locations, Click here!

Contents:

Aion Limited Collector's Edition and Aion Standard Edition First-Run SteelBook Cases

Be one of the first players to have the grace to soar and the power to dominate in the divided world of the Aion MMORPG. We will release only 35,000 copies of the Aion Limited Collector's Edition in North America, so don't miss out.

Aion Preorder Bonuses

Aion Beta Events: Preorder and receive a code to access all of the remaining Aion beta events.
Preorder Aion Game Sweepstakes: Play in an Aion beta event, and you?ll have a chance to win a killer Alienware notebook, ATI video cards, or other great prizes (see Preorder Aion Game Sweepstakes below).
Preorder-Only In-Game Items: In-game items will be available for use during the head start program.
- Black Cloud Hat (gives boosts to HP, MP, magical resistance, and evasion)
- Lodas' Amulet (gives a +20% experience boost for 1 hour)
- One Ancient Ring of Power (type depends on your preorder retailer): Ancient Ring of Fire (GameStop), Ancient Ring of Magic (Best Buy), Ancient Ring of Earth (Amazon.com), Ancient Ring of Water, or Ancient Ring of Wind.
Head Start Program: Get a 48-hour head start to the live game before the game releases.
Preselection: Select your character names and server in advance of the game going live.

__________________________________________________ ___________________________

I linked to each pre-order page I had available. As of this news post, BestBuy.com still doesn't have Aion listed in their pre-order pages.

And finally, NCsoft has confirmed their beta dates (which are always subject to change):

Friday, June 19th to Monday, June 22nd
Thursday, July 2nd to Monday, July 6th
Friday, July 17th to Monday, July 20th
Friday, July 31st to Saturday, August 8th
Friday, August 14th to Monday, August 17th

Aion Online New Mob, Creature, NPC, and Landscape Artwork!

DoranM — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:55:04 GMT

AionSource.com has posted an update including several new graphics for mobs, NPC characters, landscape and scenery, and new creatures. They've also included a video from the 2008 Game Convention detailing quests in Aion Online.

Here's one of our favorite images from the newly released content:

He's a looker alright!
Here's the new original New Aion Artwork post from AionSource.com followed by the GC2008 Video:

First up, here's some new artwork for you guys! Some of them are really, really big. Most of it will probably be in the updated fansite kit Ayase twittered about recently. ;)

EDIT:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayase (Post 301872)

Since we want to avoid a fansite kit of 1 GB++, only a selection of the above items will be put in there. ;)

Daevanion concept art: [1] [2] [3]

New mobs and NPC characters: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Landscape and scenery concept art: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

General-purpose screenshots: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Gag/joke weapon screenshots: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Artwork: [10]

Second, here's another video from last year's Games Convention 2008 (GC08) in Germany. Now that Amboss (who's present in this vid) and Ayase are moving to America, it's doubtful that NCsoft or Aion will make an appearance at GamesCon 2009 in Cologne (unless some marketing/public relations guys from what's left of NCsoft Europe go). Penny Arcade Expo 2009 (PAX09) in Seattle Washington, however, will definitely be blessed with NCsoft's participation. It's in the same town as NCsoft West's HQ, so they've got no reason to not show up come September...with Aion in tow (just like last year)! ;)

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Aion Preview From GC

Zyuu — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:21:55 GMT

GameSpy has released a preview of NCsoft's Aion based off a presentation at this year's GC. The preview also has a video clip attached to it. Below is something on character creation:

Based on this year's Games Convention, GameSpy has published a very interesting preview of the upcoming flagship MMO from NCsoft called Aion. After you've read the full preview, don't forget to head over to AionSource for all the information you most likely will want to read about. AionSource is the #1 English fansite with official NCsoft employees posting and answering your questions. There's also a video, which you can view below.

While Aion has been in development for a number of years, it wasn't until this week's Leipzig Games Convention that we really got to sit down with the title to see the gameplay up close and personal. Aion is playable on the show floor, allowing gamers to roll up a character and run around within the lushly-rendered world. We took a stab at it ourselves, mashing enemies with a mighty hammer as we dashed across a charred landscape. We raved before about how great the game's art style looks (it uses the Crytek engine), and the combat certainly had a good fast-paced feel. But to really drill down and understand what makes Aion different we strolled to NCSoft's private meeting area for some one-on-one time with the team.

First up: The world of Aion is high fantasy at its finest. Aion takes place within a spherical world that's been shattered into two halves by an ancient conflict. The upper and lower sections of the sphere were once connected by a great pillar called the Tower of Eternity. The tower has since been decimated; in its place is a region of floating islands known as the Abyss.

Players play as one of two races locked in conflict with the architects of the tragedy, a group of dragon lords known as the Balaur. The fair-skinned and beautiful Elyos live in the lower half of the world, bathed in constant sunlight. On the other side of the sphere lurk the Asmodians, who live in constant darkness amidst a fiery landscape. The Elyos and Asmodians don't get along, and in between fighting off the Balaur they're competing with one another for resources in the Abyss.

Check out the full preview here!

Asmodian Ascension Trailer (First English Trailer)

Zyuu — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:17:52 GMT

Today NCsoft held a Aion Hands On in San Francisco and among the things on show was a brand new trailer in English, called "Asmodian Ascension". Curse had Kody present.

Five New "Official" Screenshots

Zyuu — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:56:06 GMT

Along with the sales sheet that was posted yesterday NCsoft also published five new screenshots of Aion. You can view them below.

View more screenshots here!

Sales Sheet Unveiled

Zyuu — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:28:29 GMT

NCsoft Europe has presented the official sales sheet for its visual-pleasing MMORPG, Aion: The Tower of Eternity.

In Aion you’ll wield divine powers to bring deliverance to your people and restore balance to a world shattered by cataclysm. Prepare yourself for power and privilege in an epic online adventure you'll take with thousands of other players and spread your wings to claim your rightful place among the immortal legions of Atreia!

Aion Preview: The signs are good. Very good, in fact

Zyuu — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:13:44 GMT

Play.tm recently had Aion displayed to them by NCsoft and they are very impressed.

Luke Guttridge at play.tm finish his article by saying the following:

"As my demonstration concludes I'm struck by the lengths NCsoft are going to with Aion to create something which offers a genuine break to their own MMORPG cannon, and a strong rival to genre leaders such as Conan and of course WoW. Aion looks set to offer a diverse experience, which engages the player on multiple levels using a variety of techniques. Of course, much will depend on how well the multiple elements of this game function together, and whether the world hangs in a balanced manner, but the signs are good. Very good, in fact."

A correction to the article has been made by a NCsoft Community Representive over at AionSource.com, Ayase at NCsoft Europe has the following to say about it:

"This was made from the Press Event we held recently, but the lore is quite intricate and perhaps overwhelming to take in all at once, so I understand that a few thigns were mixed up by some of the journalists.

Super-short version:

Aion created the world. Five Dragon Lords overthrew his rule. 12 Empyrean Lords, created in the image of humans, were made by Aion to counter the Dragon Lords and bring back balance. These Empyrean Lords would eventually split up and become the Elyos and Asmodians."

Full preview can be seen here.