Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Aion announces holiday items for players]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/aion-announces-holiday-items-for-players/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/aion-announces-holiday-items-for-players/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/aion-announces-holiday-items-for-players/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The holiday season is approaching, and NCsoft is leading the charge for the annual rush of holiday celebrations and items in MMOs. Yesterday they announced the Aion Holiday Ascension Pack for those of you who haven't purchased the game yet, or are hoping to receive it as a gift.

The Ascension Pack comes with an extra holiday bonus in the form of four gifts to give your character a little boost and shine up his or her appearance a bit. It contains 20 Lesser Life Potions, 15 Lodas Amulets, 15 Lesser Running Scrolls, and a special dye for your character. You'll get a different dye color depending on where you purchase your Ascension Pack, so you may want to choose your purchase place with that in mind.
  • Amazon - Hot Orange Dye
  • Best Buy - Mustard Dye
  • Game Stop - True Black Dye
  • Target - True Red Dye
  • Wal-Mart - True White Dye
Aion is only the first game to begin announcing their holiday plans - we're sure much more will be coming soon, and we're looking forward to it!

MassivelyAion announces holiday items for players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionholidayholiday-2009holiday-ascension-packncsoftTue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion reports nearly 1 million copies sold in North America and Europe]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-reports-nearly-1-million-copies-sold-in-north-america-and-e/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-reports-nearly-1-million-copies-sold-in-north-america-and-e/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-reports-nearly-1-million-copies-sold-in-north-america-and-e/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Aion hit the ground running earlier this year, easily breaking the 400,000 mark for pre-orders, and they're continuing the trend. The first month post launch was occasionally rocky, but the good seems to easily outweigh the bad in the eyes of fans: NCsoft announced today that they have sold nearly one million copies of Aion: The Tower of Eternity in North America and Europe.

North America accounted for over 500,000 of those copies, and European sales stand at around 470,000, allowing Aion to make up an extremely respectable 52 percent of NCsoft's total sales last quarter.

Aion has their player base to thank for the sales, but their timing certainly didn't hurt. They enjoyed a launch time relatively free of competition -- the MMO market wasn't exactly glutted with new high-fantasy PvPvE titles in 2009.

Aion officially launched September 22nd in North America, and September 25th in Europe.

MassivelyAion reports nearly 1 million copies sold in North America and Europe originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-onlinencsoftsalesMon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion 1.5.1 patch additions receive an overwhelming "Meh"]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The latest additions to Aion's 1.5.1 patch notes illustrate the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" reality that is MMO development. They also show a potential communication disconnect between the game's players and developers or possibly even unrealistic expectations. Upon reading the pages and pages of player comments on these patch note additions, the general opinion can be summarized as such: "These changes don't address our major complaints."

There's no doubt that 1.5.1 will greatly improve Aion (less grind anyone?), but players seem to be sticking on a few major points that aren't yet in the tentative patch notes. Most of the players commenting on these notes seem to feel that Aion's first big patch should tackle the crashing fortresses issue (crysys.dll), flying spiritmaster pets, better UI customization, and a number of other issues (less grind included). There also appears to be resistance to a new debuff that will be added to aether extraction. Players will now be randomly debuffed when gathering, but can quickly remove it by typing a captcha. This change is obviously aimed at bots, but many state this will become an annoyance for everyone.

Check out our summary of part one of the patch notes and AionSource's interview with NCsoft's Lani Blazier to get a comprehensive view of the situation.

MassivelyAion 1.5.1 patch additions receive an overwhelming "Meh" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-patch-1.5.1aionsourcecrysys.dllinterviewlani-blaziernc-westncsoftpatchesMon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: The hat needs work]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/one-shots-the-hat-needs-work/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/one-shots-the-hat-needs-work/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/one-shots-the-hat-needs-work/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


When it comes to Aion, many players love just how highly detailed and cool-looking their armor and weapons are. However, when it comes to the recent holiday hats from the Aion Halloween event, those glowy pumpkin heads just don't really cut it in comparison. Even considering that, they're still fun to see. This recent image comes to us from our long-time One Shots contributor, Johanis, who writes in: Here is Metros...now almost level 25 Templar who just got his Halloween Hat. Lookin' good!

One Shots is all about reader contributions. MMOs from big to small are welcome. Just email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post them out here and give you the love for sending 'em in.

Gallery: One Shots


MassivelyOne Shots: The hat needs work originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionhalloween-2009johanisncsoftone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsSun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You'd be forgiven for thinking Aion would've fallen off the Steam and DIrect2Drive top ten sales charts, what with the fire hose blast of new PC releases. Fortunately for NCsoft, that isn't the case as the game is still clinging to said charts in the face of games like Dragon Age: Origins, Borderlands, Torchlight and Left 4 Dead 2. Boldness!

Actually, the game is pretty darn good -- if you don't mind your peanut butter with extra grind -- so that's not a huge surprise all things considered. It's always a good sign when an MMO can stay on the top ten after its launch, moreso when it does so against high profile, high pedigree releases. So, rejoice Aion players, you've likely got a strong community! (We could've just told you that, but now numbers vindicate said observation.)

MassivelyAion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionborderlandsd2ddigitaldirect2drivedragon-agedragon-age-originsl4d2nc-westncsoftsteamtop-tentorchlightSat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you still playing a September MMO?]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-playing-a-september-mmo/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-playing-a-september-mmo/http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-playing-a-september-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

September 2009 saw the release of Champions Online, Dungeons & Dragons: Eberron Unlimited (an older MMO going F2P), Fallen Earth, and Aion. This was easily the busiest month for MMOs in recent memory and we're sure many of you at least picked up one of them to try out. We're curious to know if you're still playing a September MMO just over a month later. If so or if not, why?

No MMO in the history of MMOs has experienced a perfectly smooth launch and these September titles were no exception. Did the action-packed combat of CO pull you in or did the lack of content push you away? Were you awed by DDO-EU's polished suite of tools or annoyed by the limitations put on free accounts? Was Fallen Earth's post-apocalyptic setting a breath of fresh air or did you choke on a mouthful of radioactive bugs? Did the beauty and smoothness of Aion make your heart beat faster or did its grind and bot infestation crush your soul? Just how impressed were you with September's crop of new MMOs?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you still playing a September MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionchampions-onlinecrypticddoddo-ebberon-unlimitedfallen-earthicarus-studiosncsoftnew-titlesthe-daily-grindturbineFri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively wishes you a happy Halloween]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/31/massively-wishes-you-a-happy-halloween/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/31/massively-wishes-you-a-happy-halloween/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/31/massively-wishes-you-a-happy-halloween/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Halloween is probably second only to Christmas in terms of holiday popularity. Ask just about anybody what their favorite holiday is, and they'll probably list one of those two (if it fits the culture). Naturally, as MMO players, we have fun celebrating it in our virtual worlds just like we do in the real world. And boy, this year, do we ever celebrate. Just about every active MMO out there had (or has) something going on. The 2009 lineup included:
Most of these events last a few days into November, so if there's any one in particular you're dying to experience, you might still have a chance if you have a subscription laying around. If you're not able to visit any of these in person, we have screenshots from many of these events in the gallery below. Enjoy!

Gallery: Halloween 2009

EverQuest II CostumeAnother EverQuest II CostumeEverQuest II ScarecrowEverQuest II's Headless HorsemanEverQuest II Skeletons

MassivelyMassively wishes you a happy Halloween originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brraaaaaainsscavern-of-chaosdaemon-moon-risingdays-of-the-deadgalactic-moon-festivalhalloweenhalloween-2009halloween-in-mmosharvest festivalharvest-revelhaunting-of-norrathholidayholidaysmmo-halloweennights-of-lost-soulsnights-of-the-deadpumpkin-festivalroundupspooks-and-scarecrowssuper-spooktacularthe-deadly-apocalypsethe-mad-kings-revelrySat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Details for Aion's new Veteran Rewards Program]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/31/details-for-aions-new-veteran-rewards-program/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/31/details-for-aions-new-veteran-rewards-program/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/31/details-for-aions-new-veteran-rewards-program/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We probably don't need to point out the glaring congruity that each month you play Aion will soon be rewarded with four XP boost amulets; but we will. NCsoft just spilled the beans on their new Veteran Rewards Program. This seems slightly ironic because the game has only been out for a month. We suppose it's probably a good strategy to entice players to stick around; especially after an MMO's first month, which is arguably the rockiest.

Players will now receive special items for each month they remain subscribed to Aion. Months one to six award four Lodas Amulets (20% bonus XP for one hour) and four Revival Stones (self/player resurrection). Additionally, month one gives a cube expansion ticket (+1 free row) and a special Michael Jackson dance emote. Month three grants an extra title (Adept of Aion ) and another Forbidden Dance emote. Month six gives players special level 40 Black Cloud wings.

The disclaimer states that NCsoft can expand, revise, or end the Veteran Rewards Program at any time. With the first six months plotted out, it seems likely they will continue as the game soars ahead. Check out the official description page for full details on how to qualify.

Continue reading Details for Aion's new Veteran Rewards Program

MassivelyDetails for Aion's new Veteran Rewards Program originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionlodas-amuletmichael-jacksonnc-westncsoftrevival-stoneveteran-rewardsveteran-rewards-programSat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion releases tentative patch notes for 1.5.1]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/30/aion-releases-tentative-patch-notes-for-1-5-1/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/30/aion-releases-tentative-patch-notes-for-1-5-1/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/30/aion-releases-tentative-patch-notes-for-1-5-1/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In last week's community address, Aion promised some changes on the way in the next update. Today they released some tentative notes for that update as a preview of things to come. Of course the patch is still in testing and things are open to change, but it's a look at where things are headed.

Thankfully, it looks like the issue of EXP is being addressed pretty extensively. There are new repeatable quests that focus on crafting, increased EXP for gathering and crafting, increased EXP rewards for many quests in both regions, and a slight reduction in EXP penalties when you're in a group. We're anxious to see how this plays out when the patch is implemented -- a decrease in the grind will undoubtedly be welcomed by the Aion community. Rewards will be getting a little boost too, in the form of increased drop rates in several areas and new rewards here and there to make the grind a bit more rewarding.

The patch notes also include the standard tweaks -- bug fixes, skill balances, and changes to items and NPCs. Check out the full notes for all the current details, and we'll keep an eye out for a release date.

MassivelyAion releases tentative patch notes for 1.5.1 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionncsoftpatchpatch-1.5.1Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Last chance to upgrade Aion from standard to collector's edition]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/last-chance-to-upgrade-aion-from-standard-to-collectors-edition/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/last-chance-to-upgrade-aion-from-standard-to-collectors-edition/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/last-chance-to-upgrade-aion-from-standard-to-collectors-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you've been holding off on upgrading your standard edition version of Aion to the full-fledged collector's edition, now's your last chance. NCsoft is extending the upgrade window by only 48 more hours from Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. PDT to Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. (Check the time in your area.) Here are the in-game goodies you'll receive for a $10 USD upgrade fee:

The original upgrade period ended a bit earlier than NCsoft intended due to an interneal error, which is why they are extending it until this Friday (or Saturday depending on where you live). Keep your eye on the NCsoft store if you don't want to miss out on this limited time offer. It's actually a pretty good deal because the price difference between the pre-launch standard and collector's editions was up to $20 USD depending on the merchant.

MassivelyLast chance to upgrade Aion from standard to collector's edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionblack cloudcollectors-editionemotesnc-westncsoftstandard-editionupgradeWed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Elvis is everywhere]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/one-shots-elvis-is-everywhere/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/one-shots-elvis-is-everywhere/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/one-shots-elvis-is-everywhere/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Okay, okay. It's not Elvis, but we feel reasonably certain he'd approve of those dashing sunglasses and the hair. That said, this One Shots comes to us from Justin M. who felt that a screenshot we've run earlier didn't do the lovely looks of Aion justice. As such, he sent in his own pretty shot along with the following note for us all to enjoy! Justin writes: Saw you post a picture talking about how beautiful Aion is, but the picture wasn't nearly as great as the many, many scenes that this game has. Here is one of my early pictures showing the diversity and beauty of the landscape, creatures, and my toon at level 14.

Think you've found a cooler looking shot from your favorite game? Why not toss in your own contribution and show off how awesome your favorite game is! It's easy to do. Just email it to oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here and give you credit for capturing a great moment.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Elvis is everywhere originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionjustin-mnscoftone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsWed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interview with Aion's new community manager]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Aion is easily one of the biggest MMOs of the year, so when a new North American community manager took over recently we decided it was the perfect time for an interview with the new team member, Andrew Beegle -- known as Tamat to community members.

We asked Tamat about new methods of community interaction, the hotly anticipated experience boost patch and even some personal questions about our new community manager. You can never really know enough about the person serving as the conduit to your main MMO -- at least that's what we tell them!

Continue reading Massively interview with Aion's new community manager

MassivelyMassively interview with Aion's new community manager originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncommunityexperienceexperience-boostexperience-patchfeaturedinterviewkoreakoreanmassively-interviewsnc-westncsoftnorth-americanorth-americanpatchservertamattranslationWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interview with Aion's new community manager part 2]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager-part-2/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager-part-2/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading Massively interview with Aion's new community manager part 2

MassivelyMassively interview with Aion's new community manager part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionblizzardcommunitydaocdark-age-of-cameloteverquestlineage-2lineage-iinc-westncsoftncwestplanetsidesoesony-online-entertainmenttamatworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A look back at Aion's first month and impressions]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/26/a-look-back-at-aions-first-month-and-impressions/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/26/a-look-back-at-aions-first-month-and-impressions/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/26/a-look-back-at-aions-first-month-and-impressions/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

43,829 minutes. That's roughly how long Aion's been out in the West. Depending on your tolerance for grinding, it may or may not have felt like that amount of time passed. There's no doubt it's been a busy month full of ups and downs, so we'd like to take an extensive look back at the last 30-days and give our impressions on the game.

Smooth criminal

Aion experienced one of the most technically smooth launches in MMO history, which was the result of hard work, innovative design, tough decision-making, and of course nearly a year between the Eastern and Western releases. Anti-cheat software, GameGuard, was stripped from the client in the 11th hour. This no doubt eliminated most of the open-beta issues that would have sent a lot of potential players packing shortly after release. Players just aren't as forgiving as they used to be.

Continue reading A look back at Aion's first month and impressions

MassivelyA look back at Aion's first month and impressions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbottersfeaturedfirst-monthgameguardgrindingimpressionsnc-westncsoftspammersxp-grindMon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A retrospective of Aion's first month (part 2)]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/26/a-retrospective-of-aions-first-month-part-2/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/26/a-retrospective-of-aions-first-month-part-2/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/26/a-retrospective-of-aions-first-month-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Continue reading A retrospective of Aion's first month (part 2)

MassivelyA retrospective of Aion's first month (part 2) originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionasmodianassassinfirst-monthhands-onimpressionsnc-westncsoftopinionMon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One month: Aion October community address]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/24/one-month-aion-october-community-address/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/24/one-month-aion-october-community-address/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/24/one-month-aion-october-community-address/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Aion has officially been out for one full month and NCsoft just released an October community address in response. The notice reads less like a giant pat on the back and more like a checklist of major issues they are working on, which is bound to churn up speculation about how well the title is doing. Oh, we're sure Aion is doing quite well even though we haven't heard the official numbers yet, but developers usually use these opportunities to shout about their accomplishments rather than their shortcomings.

The top three issues mentioned in the letter are experience curves, client performance, and spammers/botters. Most players will agree that it can feel like a part-time job to level your character at times. Some players have had performance issues specifically related to "Cryssystem.dll." And finally, everyone has been forced to /ignore the odd spammer... or fifty. NCsoft is using this opportunity to yet again tell players they are aware of these issues and fixes are on the way.

We're curious how this may relate to differences between eastern and western gaming cultures. Aion has been released for nearly a year in Asia and yet only the outcry from European and North American players against experience grinds and gold spamming specifically seems to be sparking a change.

MassivelyOne month: Aion October community address originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbottingclient-performancecommunity-addressexperience-grindfarmingfirst-monthgold-farminggrindingnc-westncsoftspammingSat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five quick tips for Aion (week 3)]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/five-quick-tips-for-aion-week-3/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/five-quick-tips-for-aion-week-3/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/five-quick-tips-for-aion-week-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Welcome to our third installment of "Five quick tips for Aion." The title is pretty self-explanatory so let's just jump right into things, shall we? This week's post features the trade broker, group recruitment, faster XP, rift locations, and custom signatures!

1. Quickly search the trade broker
It can get annoying typing out the full name of an item in the 'Buy' tab, especially when the names are all case-senstitive and can be quite long. Here are two quick tips to speed up the process.

a) If you have an item in your inventory and want to do a quick 'Buy' search to see how much it is selling for, simply ALT + Left Click the item in your inventory and the search bar will be auto-filled with the complete item name.

b) If you don't happen to have an item in your inventory but know its name, you can simply enter the first letter of each word (capitalized) in the search box. For example, you can search 'T S L J' instead of Thin Soft Leather Jerkin. Some item names share the same initials, so you can narrow the search by adding a second letter in lower-case. For example, 'M W F' will result in Major Weapon Flux and Minor Weapon Flux. If you only want Major Weapon Flux, search for 'Ma W F.'

Continue reading Five quick tips for Aion (week 3)

MassivelyFive quick tips for Aion (week 3) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abyssaionaion-tipsfeaturedgroupingncsoftpvpvestrategytips-and-tricksWed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion tops NPD Group PC sales chart for September]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/aion-tops-npd-group-pc-sales-chart-for-september/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/aion-tops-npd-group-pc-sales-chart-for-september/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/aion-tops-npd-group-pc-sales-chart-for-september/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


When NCsoft released Aion, they had hopes it would ultimately enjoy the caliber of success in western markets that the title has in Asia. It's been roughly one month since Aion launched in North America but it's off to a good start, as indicated by its entry to the NPD Group's September US PC sales chart at number one.

Aion usurped competing titles like World of Warcraft and Champions Online in the NPD rankings, and the Aion Collectors Edition took the number five slot on the chart as well. Not bad at all for a game that only launched in the third week of September.

MassivelyAion tops NPD Group PC sales chart for September originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionfantasymmo-industryncsoftnorth-americanpdnpd-grouppc-salessales-chartWed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Getting used to her wings]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/one-shots-getting-used-to-her-wings/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/one-shots-getting-used-to-her-wings/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/one-shots-getting-used-to-her-wings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While there is some swirling controversy about various things within Aion, many people are still thrilled with how beautiful the game is. While it isn't the next step in MMO innovation, it does combine gorgeous graphics like the ones above with well-known game mechanics and an interesting story. Today's Aion One Shots comes to us from our regular contributor, Veng, who snapped this shot just before release. She writes in: [This is a] player character hovering in flight at Altgard Fortress, one of the first areas a young Asmodian travels to after ascending to be a Daeva.

Screenshots from all games from small to large, and MMOs of all genres are welcome! Just email those in to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game it's from, and a quick note about what we're seeing. We'll post it here and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Getting used to her wings originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-tower-of-eternityncsoftone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsvengWed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why You Should Be Playing Aion: Chain combat]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/why-you-should-be-playing-aion-chain-combat/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/why-you-should-be-playing-aion-chain-combat/http://www.massively.com/2009/10/21/why-you-should-be-playing-aion-chain-combat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

"Why you should be playing ..." is a freeform column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play.

I didn't give Aion the world's most glowing set of remarks last time I visited it, so I thought I should at least stop by and spend some time on a part of the game that I do actually like -- chain attacks.

Chain attacks do many things to help Aion's combat move smoothly and efficiently. They clean up the UI, they offer flexible choices, they keep the combat looking fluid, and they're a lot of fun to pull off.

Continue reading Why You Should Be Playing Aion: Chain combat

MassivelyWhy You Should Be Playing Aion: Chain combat originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-onlineaion-the-tower-of-eternityanimationsattackschain-attackschain-combatchainscombat-systemgame-mechanicsncsoftWed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST