Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wings-over-atreia-the-top-19-ways-to-get-your-dungeon-crawl-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wings-over-atreia-the-top-19-ways-to-get-your-dungeon-crawl-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wings-over-atreia-the-top-19-ways-to-get-your-dungeon-crawl-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header
You know 'em -- those places shrouded away from the everyday grind of the world where you can chill-out without being interrupted (excepting spouse aggro), a private nook where you know there is a definite beginning and end to your adventure, one that offers the best possible loot. They are areas often steeped in lore.

They are... the instanced dungeon.

There are actually 19 separate PvE dungeons currently in Aion where Daevas can get their dungeon crawl on. If you include the Fortress instances, you can add another 10 dungeons to this list. Adding PvP instances raises the number even higher. However, since fort instances are seriously lacking in lore and fort ownership is required (so availability is not assured), we will forego including them. We'll also omit the Dredgions and PvP arenas to keep the list PvE focused -- after all, there are times you really may not want to bother with fighting the enemy!

This week, Wings Over Atreia explores the first half of the dungeon list for the benefit of both young whippersnappers and old-timer Daevas alike. Why would veterans need it? Because dungeons aren't just for certain levels anymore. For a change of pace or to break out of a rut, grab yourself some lowbies, mentor down, and check out one instance a day -- you'll pass two weeks before ever repeating. You might even have fun, meet new friends, and renew your enthusiasm for Aion.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A-LabsAetherogenetics-Labaionaion-gameAzoturan-FortressBeluslancrucible-challengeDraupnir-Cavedungeondungeon-crawldungeon-crawlerdungeon-crawlingdungeonsEltnenfeaturedfire-templeguideguidesHaramelHeironinstancesKromedes-Triallistlistsmorheimnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionnochanta-training-campntcsolo-instancesolo-instancestalocs-hollowWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: AP bakery]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/wings-over-atreia-ap-bakery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/wings-over-atreia-ap-bakery/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/wings-over-atreia-ap-bakery/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Get yer hot, fresh, AP cookies folks, right here! MMmm mm.

For those who are not as familiar with Aion or haven't participated in much PvP combat, AP (Abyss Points) are the currency by which special gear and items can be bought. AP can be gathered a number of ways, through both PvP and PvE. This week, Wings Over Atreia takes a stroll through the AP bakery to share with you many of the tasty morsels available.

While I had already planned on discussing AP this week, NCsoft's introduction of two new events (For War and Glory and Behind Enemy Lines) brought a new angle to it -- specifically, more enthusiasm and enjoyment! I've got to say that of all the recent events that have been held, these two more fully capture the essence of Aion and encourage participation in core elements of the game; small-scale skirmishes are cropping up all over. This is what the game is about -- clashes of light and dark wings throughout all of Atreia. I haven't had more fun in PvP in a very long time, and I am not even a PvPer!

How can you, too, take advantage of these great events and fill up your AP coffers? Grab a plate, join me past the cut to check out the selection, and prepare to gorge on some yummy AP goodness!

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: AP bakery

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: AP bakery originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abyssabyss-pointsaionaion-gameapbalaurbalaureaBeluslaneventeventsfeaturedfortsheironnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpvppvp-gearriftingsiegesiege-warfaresiegesSilenteria-CanyonWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 21 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion double AP event looks to temporarily revitalize endgame]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/aion-double-ap-event-looks-to-temporarily-revitalize-endgame/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/aion-double-ap-event-looks-to-temporarily-revitalize-endgame/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/aion-double-ap-event-looks-to-temporarily-revitalize-endgame/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Spend any time at Aion's endgame and you'll quickly realize that everything revolves around Abyss Points (AP). Hitting 55 is really the tip of the iceberg when it comes to PvE progression and the ability to be competitive in PvP, as you'll need plenty of pricey gear and stigmas to stand a chance. AP is so important, in fact, that even PvE mobs in the Abyss and Inggison dole it out.

Unfortunately for Daevas everywhere, the AP gods are undeniably stingy. Acquiring a full set of 55 armor, jewelry, and the weapon of your choice literally takes months (or even years) depending on how much AP you manage to farm on a daily basis. NCsoft is temporarily addressing this problem with a new in-game event dubbed For War and Glory. The event's double AP bonuses (and halved AP losses) kick off today and will run through the server reset on March 30th.

NCsoft is also tweaking the game's rifting mechanic yet again, and defensive buffs in Heiron and Beluslan will be removed until March 23rd (buffs in Eltnen and Morheim remain). Both events are part of the larger Spring 2011 Reactivation Celebration, which runs from March 24th to March 31st and welcomes back Daevas to "train for the greatest battle this planet has seen yet." Check out all the details on the official Aion website.

MassivelyAion double AP event looks to temporarily revitalize endgame originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abyss-pointsaionapatreiabeluslandaevadaevasdouble-apend-gameendgameeventsfantasyfor-war-and-glorygrindheironhow-about-permanent-double-apin-game-eventncsoftncwestriftingriftsWed, 16 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Solo vs. group]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/wings-over-atreia-solo-vs-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/wings-over-atreia-solo-vs-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/wings-over-atreia-solo-vs-group/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

OK, now get your collective minds all out of the gutter! There we go. Of course, the title speaks to gaming styles and preferences in Aion. Lately, I've had the topic of grouping crop up in different discussions, from the trend of decreasing group sizes (Star Wars Galaxies had groups of 20, then Lineage II had groups of nine, followed by other games with a maximum group size of six) to questioning the need to group at all. To group, or not to group: Is that really the question?

I touched on this topic a bit a few weeks ago, but an adventure this past week brought my attention back to it; I discovered that you no longer need a full group for one of the more frustrating quests in the game (once you factor in trying to get a group when the rift is up and not have it camped on the other side by the enemy!). Instead, you can complete the quest with just two or three Daevas, a feat unheard of previously due to the difficult dungeon in enemy territory.

Granted, we completed our quest, which would have been impossible otherwise given the circumstances. But on a broader scale, what's with the trend of phasing out group content in MMOs and catering to the solo crowd? This phenomenon puzzles me. When a game is an MMO (read "massively multiplayer"), why discourage grouping by making almost all content accessible to the solo crowd -- especially in Aion (where learning good group dynamics can be crucial in large scale warfare)? In a time when social skills seem to be struggling to survive, why open yet another opportunity for people to avoid interaction?

Type /Invite and join me past the cut to examine this phenomenon and weigh in with your preferred gaming style in our comments.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Solo vs. group

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Solo vs. group originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gameBeluslanbeshmundir-templefeaturedgroupinggrouping-incentivesgroupslootnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpugpugsrngsolosoloingudas-templeWings-Over-AtreiaxenoMon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft planning more Aion rifting tweaks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/ncsoft-planning-more-aion-rifting-tweaks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/ncsoft-planning-more-aion-rifting-tweaks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/ncsoft-planning-more-aion-rifting-tweaks/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The month-long rifting experiment begun by NCsoft in early December has apparently given the Aion devs enough data to continue with a trial aimed at revisiting the decision to nerf the PvP mechanic with last fall's 2.0 update. Players were recently asked to complete in-game surveys relating to the new changes (which boiled to down a removal of Heiron/Beluslan protections and changes to the large protective defender buffs), and NCsoft reports that the majority of survey participants responded favorably to the change.

In a post on the official Aion website, NCsoft says it will continue the rifting trial "a few more weeks," and the devs will also tweak lower level player protection in Morheim and Eltnen. Finally, a new player survey will be sent out and the rifting protections will be "restored to their previous levels" while feedback is collected and analyzed.

MassivelyNCsoft planning more Aion rifting tweaks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.0aionaion-the-tower-of-eternityaion-tower-of-eternitybeluslaneltnenfantasyheironmorheimncsoftncsoft-aionncsoft-westnerfspvpriftingrifting-changesrifting-nerfThu, 13 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion experimenting with temporary rifting changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/aion-experimenting-with-temporary-rifting-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/aion-experimenting-with-temporary-rifting-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/aion-experimenting-with-temporary-rifting-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Rifting is a sore spot for many Aion players. On the one hand, some folks no doubt felt that the mechanic was intrusive and forced PvP on people who simply wanted to quest, gather, and otherwise PvE. On the other hand, the drastic changes introduced in the Assault on Balaurea expansion all but killed most of the rifting in the game, causing some to question NCsoft's all-or-nothing approach.

Starting today, the devs are experimenting with a month-long trial designed to bring an element of risk back to Atreia and also strike a balance between rifting and PvE. The protective buffs placed on homeland defenders will remain in place for the low-level Morheim and Eltnen zones but will be significantly reduced. Protection buffs for defenders in the higher-level Heiron and Beluslan zones are going away entirely. What does this mean for you? In a nutshell, you'll have an easier time completing those spy quests that have been clogging your journal for weeks, and you'd also best keep an eye on your radar for incoming reds.

MassivelyAion experimenting with temporary rifting changes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-the-tower-of-eternityaion-tower-of-eternityassault-on-balaureabeluslaneltnenheironmorheimncsoftncsoft-aionncsoft-westpvepvpriftingrifting-changesFri, 10 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft reveals Beluslan in a video tour]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/ncsoft-reveals-beluslan-in-a-video-tour/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/ncsoft-reveals-beluslan-in-a-video-tour/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/ncsoft-reveals-beluslan-in-a-video-tour/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


There might be another week until the next stage of the Aion beta but NCsoft are ramping up the excitement surrounding their next big MMO. Today they released a video showcasing yet another part of the rich world of Atreia. Profiling the Asmodian zone of Beluslan, the short video offers an eagle's eye view of what we can expect when the game goes on sale in September.

Join us after the jump for NCsoft's take on the zone as well as the video itself.

Continue reading NCsoft reveals Beluslan in a video tour

MassivelyNCsoft reveals Beluslan in a video tour originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-betaaion-the-tower-of-eternityaion-tower-of-eternityBeluslanncsoftncsoft-westThu, 25 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST