Aion 1.9 patch specifics with producer Chris Hager pt. 2

(loading temporary flame forcefield...ah there we go...bzzzzzzzz)

Would someone who likes Aion, and who is also a hardcore/experienced/casual mmo player like me, let me know if they think the upcoming patch will make the leveling and exploration process that I find fun become viable in the game? I enjoy learning how to play all kinds of classes, and its hard to tell my mains from my alts, but what I really enjoy is learning how to build characters and play them well within the game world.

Basically, I like understanding the game theory (not the maths) behind a game. When I'm done learning in a game, I'm done with the game. I played in the OB for Aion and liked it a bit, and I'm wondering if these new changes will open up the game to my kind of gaming.

"For the full 26 page monster, though, head on over to the main Aion website and take a look at the recently translated information."

I'm most likely navigationally challenged, but I don't see any notes up there aside from this entry:
http://na.aiononline.com/board/notices/view?articleID=225&page=

Are they hiding somewhere no quite obvious?

Well thank goodness, playing from level 1 to 25 was quite a nasty grind. But what I want to know is that are they doing anything to deal with botters, farmers and such because nothing ruins a game more than receiving ten messages saying "www.AION>GOLD.CH KINAH FOR 5 DOLLAR".

Ummm, what happend to the increased experience? All we get is more rest xp and the salvation effect which requires u to be logged in for a long period of time to receive points that just go away when you log off?

I see several problems with this attempt at trying to regain lost subs. I currently am on a 30 day timecard seeing whats up after 6 months after cancelling before they could charge me because of the fiasco that IS currently Aion, and so did several thousands of others. Looks like its still a bunch of garbage.

Ganking is still not fixed in this patch nor is it improved for the victims, this is the single biggest detrement to any MMO bar none. Regardless of your attitude towards it, the problem has not been addressed nor fixed, a skull on a ganker after several kills is still a roaming ganker, players call out locations just as easily. SOLUTION: You simply wont be able to attack anyone one level or more lower than you, automatic, no penalty, no restriction to travel no icon uncovering you, protection is automatic. the higher level ganker can swing to its hearts content the lowbie takes no damage, lowbie attacks, then they die, their choice.

Gold sellers. SOLUTION: Simple, kinah is bind on aquire, non tradeable (Aion can deal with accounts being sold between folks), goods can be traded one time. problem solved and alts/twinks get over it.

Personal item shops. SOLUTION: 5 meter radius announcements, no chat spam unless your that close, triggered, nice and quiet otherwise.

I do have an amusing solution to gankers that would leave current level ganking and game mechanics in place, pleasing both the ganked and the ganker, but until i am paid they dont get it.

More exp is welcome.

Looking for group is a non issue right now with very very empty servers, they need to merge first to one or two servers, suck it up and then try the lfg mechanic.

stun resists are going to be a problem, a sin has a limited way to prevent ranged from decimating them and thats suprise and keeping them shut down, if they are going to take away stuns, then ranged combat of any type needs huge penalties as well. along with healing in combat which needs to be removed or restricted heavily.

Travel is a huge pain in this game and the fault of ignorant devs with no insight to their customer base.

Soul healing is an annoying dev choice as a death penalty that i cannot give a for or against, though i simply do not like this particular death mechanic. reducing it will not bring back subs however.

it will be interesting to see what behind the scenes things have been applied to this "patch" or as i like to call them, fixing ignorant dev choices.

"I never liked the LFG channel. It takes too long to find a group, and it's too filled with spam."

"I always hated having my gladiator be unable to fight effecitvely (sic) with two-handed weapons because dual-wielding was more efficient,"

(Note: This quote doesn't even make sense if you have played the game at all)

"We want players to concentrate on having fun instead of being mired in laborious processes."

He is talking about the game that you are currently playing and will continue to play for many months before you see this patch. And he is talking as if this current situation has nothing to do with him or anyone else, its AION's fault its boring, unbalanced, and filled with spam! That should tell you everything you need to know about this game.

the top and most consistent complaint from players who struggle (and eventually quit) Aion is the mindless and repetitive grind. Increasing xp through a rest system will not affect that. reducing the massive xp/level amounts or increasing the overall xp gains (like making double xp weekends everyday) is the sole way to lure back players like me who got bored in the late 20s/early 30s by killing a zillion dumb creatures using the same key rotation over and over and over again.

Just play this instead:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/international-trailer-final-fantasy/60730

Tuesday. Yup, this Tuesday.
SQUEEE(nix)!

Many of these changes are good, and surprising that the game launched in the West without them. And we have no way of knowing if the content will actually be engaging and enjoyable after the patch (perhaps the days of killing literally thousands of the same several types of mobs to level will be over?). However, the game is still a deeply flawed MMO at its core. I don't even have the energy to go into it, there's so much wrong with the game.

But after hearing what a few people that gave the game try recently had to say, they need server merges stat. There's apparently no reason to have more than three or four in the US right now.

Aion isn't a flawed game, it just appeals to a different crowd. I'm not joking. I do not find it equitable to have everyone at 50, and I believe people should struggle to hit cap. I hit cap specifically because it was believed to be some herculean task. (It really wasn't that hard in the end.)

It's unfortunate that the game has such a negative vibe here on Massively, because this article should have a better home just on principle. Why even get interviews about a game that your community clearly hates without quarter? I thought you guys had an award about how terrible this game was.

Seriously, the next MMO with the 1-man-RTS feel is no deeper than Aion when you get down to it. I quit it for a month, tried everything else Massively recommended, and discovered that the grass really isn't any greener elsewhere.

1.9 is just a desperate try from NCSoft to keep Aion afloat until 2.0 is ready (september or octomber for NA/EU). For me 1.9 looks like some early parts of the planed 2.0 which are ready and tested(maybe). It looks like they realized( a bit to late ) that the situation is more "blue" than expected.
It will be interesting to see if this 1.9 duct tape patch made of 2.0 code pieces will do any good to the dying servers.