Well it ain't the Gunner class reveal, but Aion is getting more content teased out, with a showcasing of its new skills being changed and, potentially, removed. They have displayed new skills for Katalam, the Raid vs Raid skirmishes, and three new Charged skills. Get excited!
Julian "Mirai" Williams
It feels like Aion 3.5 just hit live servers last month, doesn't it? Oh wait, that's because it did. But that's not stopping NCSoft from talking about their plans for the upcoming 4.0 update. Yesterday, they dropped a preview video of the all-new Bard class!
The cool content teased for Aion 3.0 by this trailer back in May is getting prepped for launch, and if you want to take a shot, the test servers are live and available right behind the link. Two new territories, level cap raised to 60, a housing system, and six new instances await behind the link.
With Aion's huge 3.0 expansion, Aion: Ascension, launching today, combined with the fact that they went "Truly Free" a week back, there's no doubt that there will be hundreds of thousands of players getting a little overwhelmed with all these new features coming. Of course, you can trust NCsoft to rectify that in the most community involved way possible, as NCsoft's Producer, Adam Christensen has created a fantastic introductory guide to Aion: Ascension. Let's get on with the guide!
NCsoft's big campaign for Aion's big F2P shift is finally coming into its end stages as they have just announced that, after today's maintenance, all subscription models will be changed from Standard to "Truly Free," with all current, future, or recurring subscription billing being stopped. Any accounts with remaining game time will also be converted into NCoin at a rate of 40 NCoin per remaining day you've paid for. For more details, you can read the "Truly Free FAQ" on the Aion website.
It should also be noted that Aion: Ascension will not be launching today, as it has already been reported that update 3.0 will be launching on April 11th, 2012. Still, if you're going to be starting over on Aion's new Kahrun server, you'll probably need more than a week to hit the point where you can actually enjoy the endgame content that Aion: Ascension will bring. Safe flying, Daevas!
Aion is in the middle of its conversion to Truly Free, what they're calling their new free-to-play system, and the producer Adam Christiansen takes the time to explain some of it. And he says some good stuff. All content will be available to free players, the purpose of going free to play was to attract users, the story of Aion will advance with the new patch, the purpose behind the new level cap, and the addition of housing and mounts.
We reported last month that Aion would be going "Truly Free" in North America, and it looks like April 11, 2012 will be when that happens. While there are no concrete details about what NCsoft plans to sell in the Aion microtransaction store, they are introducing a brand new microtransaction feature they call the "Customizable User Bundling Experience" (C.U.B.E.), which allows players to build their own bundle with microtransaction purchases. With multiple C.U.B.E. sizes available and purchase bonuses depending on what C.U.B.E. size is picked up, these DIY bundles will give players a build-a-bear level of microtransaction customization but with perfectly tailored in-game packages. rather than hideous bears with terrifying self-recorded voice boxes, as the final product.
The Atreian Atlas, an in-game guide to leveling, lore, and questing, will also be making its debut with Ascension, so for anyone who feels daunted by the sheer amount of new content already in the game and being introduced with Ascension, just turn to the Atlas and hope it can guide you home.
Ascension will also be bringing a new level cap of 60 with more than 600 new quests being added in, as well as two new zones, Sarpan and Tiamaranta, six new instances, player housing, and mounts. If you're keen to hear more, be sure to check out the Aion: Ascension trailer below, or head over to the Aion Online 3.0 Feature Guide to Ascension.
Aion has rolled out the details of its "Rallying The Troops" event, which gives veteran players the opportunity to get a free Daevonian Armor set, two weeks of free activation time (from February 27th to March 12th), and more relics & medals from Fortress loot drops.
New recruits will also be able to play Aion up to the new level cap of 40 (for free!), and if they should subscribe before March 12th, they'll also receive a free Daevanion Armor set.
Finally, players who are currently playing the game will also receive a Free Daevanion Armor set and boosted relic & medal drops from Fortress loot drops.
Throughout all weekends, players will also be able to enjoy +100% EXP rates, and 30% more Abyss Points and Crucible Insignias. It looks like NCsoft really wants players checking out the game as they get ready to roll out their F2P services.
We now know that the EU version of Aion will make the transition to a free-to-play model by the end of February. This will allow you and your friends to experience the entire world of Atreia with no monthly cost for registration and the game client.
New members coming to the game, however, will have some limitations regarding trading and chat amongst others. Those who wish to unlock the game in its fullest potential, as well as receive some various bonuses, can upgrade to the Gold Pack. For all existing players that have already paid for an Aion subscription - whether it's still active or not - will receive Veteran status and will enjoy a very similar status as the Gold Pack members. To gain this status you must allow your account to be transferred to the new Gameforge server. For instructions on how to do this, be sure to check out the FAQ. Some F2P details are below:
And the news is out! In a fresh press release, NCsoft has announced that their upcoming 3.0 update, Aion: Ascension, will not only be adding a plethora of content to the game, but it will also herald Aion's big shift to their "Truly Free" business model! Much like their "Truly Free" push for Lineage II, Aion: Ascension's new F2P model will grant players access to the entire game, including the two major expansions, Assault on Balaurea and The Promised Lands.
While it may have been an inevitable conclusion ever since NCsoft announced that Aion Europe would be going Free-to-Play back in December, this still comes as great news for Daevas around the world. Also, if you just can't wait for Aion to make its big shift this Spring, NCsoft is also rolling out a "Rallying the Troops" event, where new players can play on a no time limit trial up to level 40, and returning players will have a free 14 days of time to jump back in. In the meantime, check out Aion's touching new trailer heralding their upcoming changes. You can also read up on the lore of Ascension on the official Aion website.
