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Aion: Ascension and F2P launch date set

MJ Guthrie — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Hang on to your wings! The news that Daevas and Daevas-to-be have been anticipating (and even hedging bets on) has finally arrived: NCsoft just announced that Aion's 3.0 update and free-to-play-conversion will hit North American servers on April 11th, giving folks barely enough time to recover from any chocolate bunny-induced comas.

And if that wasn't enough to set Asmodians and Elyos astir, along with the raised level cap, mounts, streamlined UI, and other assorted goodies previously disclosed, two additional features launching with Ascension were revealed: a completely unique microtransaction system (C.U.B.E.) and a personalized in-game guide (the Atreian Atlas).

Continue reading Aion: Ascension and F2P launch date set

Aion: Ascension and F2P launch date set originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[Updated] Aion fans: Update your look with free Wonder Girls outfits from Massively!

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Contests, Giveaways

If you're an Aion player, you've no doubt noticed a new look to some of the players around you. The powers-that-be at NCsoft have released a limited-edition set of Wonder Girls costumes and dance emotes in the NCsoft store, available until June 28th.

Has your pocketbook kept you from indulging in some new threads? Well, take heart because as always, we've got you covered here at Massively. We've got codes galore for several of these items: the Disco Pack (both Asmodian and Elyos), the Nobody Retro Dress, the Tell Me Ensemble, and finally, the Wonder Girl Dress Pack.

Want to win one of your very own? Entering couldn't be easier. Just leave us a comment telling us which of these items is your favorite and why. The entry deadline is 11:59 p.m. EDT Sunday, June 19th. We'll choose the winners Monday, so read our contest rules and leave your comment before the deadline. Best of luck!

[UPDATE: We've found that some of the codes were mislabeled when we received them, and we've contacted NCsoft for clarification. Sorry for the confusion!]

[Updated] Aion fans: Update your look with free Wonder Girls outfits from Massively! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you play multiple MMOs at once?

Jef Reahard — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Super-hero, Age of Conan, Aion, Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, DC Universe Online

If MMO rehab centers existed, chances are some of us would no doubt be joining Charlie Sheen on the long road to recovery. Earlier this week I found myself "playing" not one, not even two, but three MMORPGs simultaneously, and the absurdity of that particular moment would have been somewhat sad were it not for the fact that I'm now profiting from it.

When I say "playing," though, I really mean "was logged into," since even the most skilled multi-taskers would have trouble coordinating multiple MMOs without the help of macros or bots. So, while I ran a few faction missions in Age of Conan, I also toured Metropolis kiosks with Booster Gold and indulged in a bit of Atreian AFK-crafting, the better to satiate my desire to progress as much as possible in as many places as possible.

I'm also guilty of keeping a second game open purely for the purposes of chatting whilst playing something more interesting, and while this could be a biting commentary on the repetitive nature of MMOs in general, cross-game UI and mechanical familiarity is appealing. What about you Massively readers? Do you "play" multiple MMOs at once? Why or why not, and if so, which ones?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Do you play multiple MMOs at once? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion kicks off 2.1.0.5, Artisan's Expo event

Jef Reahard — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Patches, News items

Early bird Daevas looking to get a head start on their Wednesday were thwarted by the patch gods this morning as Aion servers were briefly offline. The good news is that the downtime was in service of the new 2.1 patch (or more accurately, the second portion of it). Today's update shines the spotlight on crafting, and citizens of Atreia will be enjoying bonus crafting, essence-tapping, and aether-tapping gains courtesy of the Artisan Expo event that runs through February 2nd.

As for the patch itself, it features a bevy of tradeskilling tweaks, chief among them reduced material requirements for high level recipes, increased drop rates on some rare Balic materials, and an increased chance at rare gathering drops. The patch also addresses the long-standing issue of the Balaur taking over Kysis Fortress during normal siege times. Check out NCsoft's announcement post as well as the full patch notes for all the details.

Aion kicks off 2.1.0.5, Artisan's Expo event originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion 2.1.0.5 update tweaks crafting difficulty

Jef Reahard — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Patches, News items

Part two of the Aion 2.1 update is on the way to servers across Atreia, and the dev team has posted the official 2.1.0.5 patch notes to the game's website. The build debuted on the public test servers yesterday and is scheduled to take a bow on the live servers next Wednesday, January 26th.

The second half of the 2.1 patch focuses on Aion's crafting, and many new recipes are included in the mix. NCsoft has also upped the drop rates for many crafting materials (including desirable Balaur components like hearts and balic items). Your chances of snagging a "greater" version of the resources farmed from harvesting nodes have also been increased, and many crafting quests will see reduced difficulty (including the wince-inducing expert crafting quests as well as the Miragent Holy Templar and Fenris Fangs quests).

The 2.1.0.5 patch also brings a number of tweaks to instances, NPCs, and items, and you can see the full list of updates via the official website.

Aion 2.1.0.5 update tweaks crafting difficulty originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: We'll be over here

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

Just when you thought it was all about beautiful landscapes and lush pastorals, we have this image of a recent potential near-death experience from the lands of Atreiya. While Michael G. and his friend managed to avoid trouble from the flying monstrosity we see in this picture, others nearby may not have been quite as lucky. He writes in to tell us about his recent experience while playing Aion: "I was finishing off the quest for the flash longbow with my friend when the area we needed to go to was suddenly attacked by a Dredgion flying out of the fort. We moved to the cliffs and waited for it to pass before killing the mobs we needed to kill."

If you've captured an image of a huge boss monster in your favorite game, we'd love to see it. It's easy to share! Just email it in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide, has no visible UI elements, and is (most importantly) actually attached to the email you're sending in! Your screenshot could be the next one we use here on Massively.

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

One Shots: We'll be over here originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft planning more Aion rifting tweaks

Jef Reahard — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, PvP, News items

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.

NCsoft 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.

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Aion Myth Breakers examines crafting DP and manastones

Jef Reahard — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, News items

After failing to proc master crafting and miragent armor recipes on multiple occasions, Aion players naturally gravitate towards superstition, luck, and the equivalent of in-game urban legends in order to deal with the nightmare that is high-level crafting in the world of Atreia. One of those legends concerns the supposed effects of a full Divine Power (DP) bar on crafting success. This particular myth is thoroughly debunked in the second installment of Victor Shugo's Aion Lab: Myth Breakers, an ongoing series that provides statistical data regarding some of Aion's mechanics.

In addition to laying the crafting DP myth to rest, this edition examines the loot drop rates for Draupnir Cave and Commander Bakarma and also provides a success rate table for level 50 and 60 manastones. So the next time you shake a fist at the Seraphim lords over a failed socketing attempt, rest assured that statistically speaking, you're bound to do better next time.

Aion Myth Breakers examines crafting DP and manastones originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion 2.5 patch notes translated, lots of new content incoming

Jef Reahard — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Patches, News items

Huge changes are coming your way with Aion's 2.5 update, and we've got all the details courtesy of the officially translated Korean patch notes. Yesterday we chatted up Aion producer Sean Neil, and today we've got a few interesting nuggets that should add fuel to your 2.5 fire.

There's a lot of new content coming in the update, none of it bigger than the new Academy Bootcamp and Araka instances (both of which sport a level 50 entrance requirement). The former is a bit of a departure from the game's existing instances given that it's set in a circular arena and features "wave after wave" of monsters. The Araka farm instance requires an eye for quest dialogue detail, so pay attention to the Reian tribesmen associated with the dungeon.

The 2.5 patch is also adding a new divinity endowment enhancement system as well as several tweaks to the game's crafting and gathering systems. The endowment system adds various bonuses to your equipment that are then consumed in battle, while more than 300 advanced designs have been added with the aim of reducing the pain inherent in the higher-level crafting game.

Finally, 2.5 is adding new pets, an extensive pet mood system, group guide mentoring functionality, new temporary titles, new coin quests, new graphics engine options, new social clothing, and various legion enhancements. Check the patch notes on the official Aion website for the ful list of additions and tweaks.

Aion 2.5 patch notes translated, lots of new content incoming originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What would you do if your account were compromised?

Jef Reahard — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

There's no denying that MMORPG security issues are on the rise and have been for several years now. As more people flood into the MMO space, script kiddies and social engineers naturally have more targets. Account compromises aren't always the result of end-user ignorance either, as several of us know computer-savvy folks who've logged into their favorite game to find their characters stripped (or haven't been able to log in at all).

Some game companies are fighting back, notably Blizzard with its World of Warcraft authenticators and NCsoft with its new Aion PIN system (which basically amounts to a second password). That said, ladies and gents, today's Daily Grind is more concerned with you. Specifically, what would you do (or have you done) if your account were compromised?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What would you do if your account were compromised? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft hypes Aion double crafting XP and holiday events

Jef Reahard — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Happy Solorius Festival, Daevas! Yes, the Atreian equivalent of Christmas is back, and you can join the ongoing Aion celebration through January 5th. You'll find new quests in both Sanctum and Pandaemonium, as well as rewards that include decorative hats, gift bundles, and buff consumables.

Mid-winter and New Year's marks the Year of the Ribbit celebration, and festivities include even more quests and rewards (including new ribbit outfit pieces). The party starts December 22nd and lasts through January 12th.

Finally, NCsoft is turning on the double XP spigot again, this time in honor of Atreia's crafters. Friday, December 17th through Monday, December 20th is a prime time for catching up on any artisan activities you may have been neglecting, as double XP for crafting, essence-tapping, and aether-tapping will be in full effect.

NCsoft hypes Aion double crafting XP and holiday events originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion experimenting with temporary rifting changes

Jef Reahard — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Patches, PvP, News items

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.

Aion 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.

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Aion surveys feature in-game presents

Jef Reahard — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Looking for some free loot to welcome you back to Aion? Look no further than the new Solorius festival and the 10-day account reactivation promotion recently begun by NCsoft. Whether you're a loyal veteran or you've just returned to the fight, be sure to fill out the random in-game surveys that the Aion team will be sending your way at various times throughout the day.

In addition to doing your civic duty and providing valuable game feedback, you'll receive a present with your survey. Possible presents include boxes of enchantment stones, colored dyes (including rare blacks and whites), candies and food, a Watchful Ailu pet egg, swimwear, and more. Check out the full announcement on the official website for all the details.

Aion surveys feature in-game presents originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Always better with friends

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

While the Massively staff is somewhat split on the topic of alts, we all love to play as many MMOs as we can squeeze in. Take our very own Jef Reahard, who is currently playing Darkfall and Age of Conan and has also spent time playing and writing about a plethora of other games like EverQuest II and the game in today's One Shots, Aion. As a special bonus, you'll even see that this screenshot offers double the Massively fun, as Jef wasn't alone on this adventure. Jef sent along a note to explain: "Here's a shot from T-Labs (Theobomos Labs really, but no one calls it that). It's a pretty fun high-level dungeon that isn't too stressful, and as you can see, boasts a kaleidoscope of color/light/etc. This shot is me and a sorceress pounding on the end boss. If you squint really hard you can see Massively's Aion columnist, MJ, going toe to toe with the thing on her Assassin."

We can do it; so can you! It's easy to take part in One Shots. All you have to do is send in your screenshots to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in. Couldn't be easier!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: Always better with friends originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft reactivating Aion accounts, doubling XP

Jef Reahard — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Time to dust off your wings, former Daevas, as you're invited back to the world of Atreia on NCsoft's dime. If your account was inactive as of December 1st (and you've got a retail code applied and haven't been banned), you're eligible to play Aion for free through 8:00 a.m. PST on December 13th.

NCsoft has also extended the double XP period for the entire duration of the reactivation event (as opposed to two weekend periods). Soul healing discounts of 99% will still happen on the weekend as originally announced. Finally, instance timers have been considerably reduced. For example, Kromede's Trial now features a four-hour lockout timer (in place of the usual 22). Check your timers with the /checkentry command for more details.

NCsoft reactivating Aion accounts, doubling XP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion producer letter talks account security, transfers

Jef Reahard — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Aion's been getting a decent amount of press this fall, first for September's Assault on Balaurea expansion and lately due to the uproar surrounding the 2.1 patch. Among other things, 2.1 substantially increased the game's loot drop rates, leading to huzzahs on one side of the aisle and raised eyebrows on the other.

Not to be outdone, NCsoft producer Chris Hager recently posted an open letter on the official Aion website, summarizing both the aforementioned changes and hinting at a few things to come for the world of Atreia. Hager gives a heads up regarding the final day for the free character transfers that have been ongoing since the summer. January 5th is last call, so make sure you've got your Elyos or Asmo where you want him.

Hager also mentions the fact that NCsoft is taking steps to increase account security, an issue that has plagued Aion since its launch in 2009. "We are stepping up our efforts and introducing a new secondary PIN system to Aion that will provide an additional layer of security to our players. This service will go live on December 1, 2010, and we will post a full FAQ in the coming days explaining exactly how it will work," he writes.

Aion producer letter talks account security, transfers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft explains Aion siege timer changes

Jef Reahard — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, PvP, News items

Amidst all the G-Star news coming out this week, as well as Aion's own upcoming double XP bonanza, you might have missed a fairly significant gameplay change that NCsoft has slipped onto the live servers. In a very brief news blurb on the official site (which links to an image graphic hosted on Flickr), the Korean MMO developer answers the question that many Daevas have been asking of late, namely, what are the new siege times.

As it turns out, they're quite different and will no doubt affect Abyss PvP in numerous ways. For example, prime time fortress sieges used to happen in a three-hour window, which pretty much meant that if you committed to attacking or defending, you missed out on Dredgion groups and basically any other content going on for that particular night. Now, the siege timers are staggered. In addition to the timers being reduced to two hours, there's also an hour block in between, which should give players time to do things other than siege on any given night.

Additionally, the previous fortress vulnerabilities were a convoluted mess, with a mixture of upper and lower forts going on at once. Now, the vulnerable forts will be on a single layer, and there will also be five vulnerable forts simultaneously as opposed to three. This should lead to new strategies, as the zerg will no longer be able to bum-rush three locations at once, and there will theoretically be more sustained fighting going throughout the Abyss.

NCsoft explains Aion siege timer changes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double your pleasure with Aion double XP

Jef Reahard — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Thinking of dusting off one of your Daevas? If you've got a long-neglected alt, if your main has stalled on the cusp of level 55, or if you've just been away from the world of Atreia altogether, you'll probably want to take advantage of Aion's upcoming double experience weekends.

From December 3rd through December 6th (beginning and ending at 12:00 p.m. PST on both days), you can double your pleasure with double XP on both mobs and quests. If that's not enough, you can also enjoy 99% off soul healing costs from December 4th to December 5th (12:00 a.m. PST - 11:59 p.m. PST) as well as December 11th to December 12th (at the same time slot). Check out the official Aion site for all the details.

Double your pleasure with Aion double XP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft reveals juicy details on Aion 2.1, item drop rates substantially increased

Jef Reahard — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Patches, News items

Aion is the lucky recipient of "the single biggest change ever implemented by NCsoft across its entire portfolio of games." Version 2.1 is hitting the Public Test Server (PTS) today, with a launch date for the live shards currently scheduled for November 17th. What's so special about 2.1, you're probably asking?

In a nutshell, loot, and lots of it. More specifically, significantly increased drop rates are the order of the day. Now, we've heard the jokes as well. "Significant" means an increase from .01 to .02 percent, right? Wrong, as this time NCsoft means business. Aion's devs have offered up some specific statistics via press release, and you'll want to check out the tables after the cut for all the details.

If you've spent much time in the lands of Atreia, you're probably familiar with Beshmundir's Temple and the named bosses contained therein that players often farm for loot. Over a period of 20 Perilous Path Temple runs, testers collected 138 total loot items. Of these, 121 were fabled quality (including wings), and 17 were eternal. Similarly, NCsoft testers cataloged 20 runs through the famed Dark Poeta dungeon, recording all loot items acquired from Spiritmaster Atmach to Brigade General Anuhart. A total of 68 fabled items dropped, which averages out to 3.4 per run. This was also sans the final boss, so the actual numbers will likely be higher.

Finally, NCsoft is also gifting players with the new Aion Adventure Guide. According to the press release, the guide will "give players advice on where to find level-appropriate in-game content that will help with progression and reward them with items along the way. Crafted in-game messages and guides let players know where to go to find game content (quests, instances) that help progress them to the next level and give them hints on how to use new areas, such as the Abyss, and systems, such as Stigma Stones to their advantage."

Don't forget to fly past the cut for a detailed breakdown of the Beshmundir Temple runs in table format.

Continue reading NCsoft reveals juicy details on Aion 2.1, item drop rates substantially increased

NCsoft reveals juicy details on Aion 2.1, item drop rates substantially increased originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Aion's Beshmundir Temple goes hard mode

Brianna Royce — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, Game mechanics, Previews, Endgame, PvE, Guides

Assault on Balaurea has been a part of Aion for nearly two months now. Are you getting bored yet? If you feel like you've done all of the new content so much that it's a snooze, get ready for a new challenge.

Beshmundir Temple is going into hard mode. Aion developers have been hard at work on this for a long time, and they've prepared a huge guide for the PowerWiki. You'll find advice, walkthroughs, details on the named bosses, and much more.

The guide will be released next week, but Massively got an exclusive look at it ahead of time. We've formatted it all up into a handy overview for you, so follow along after the jump for a look at what Beshmundir Temple hard mode has to offer!

Continue reading Exclusive: Aion's Beshmundir Temple goes hard mode

Exclusive: Aion's Beshmundir Temple goes hard mode originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Win a spiffy graphics card in Aion's PvP event

Jef Reahard — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Contests, Events, in-game, PvP

NCsoft is teaming up with Alienware to light a fire under Aion's PvP game. While recent changes to rifting have curtailed much of the open-world conflict, the "red equals dead" mentality is alive and well in the Abyss. This weekend (November 5th to November 7th), bring your best gear and you could win one of three ATI Radeon 5850 graphics cards.

You'll need to register for the contest and then score 15 PvP kills before 9:00 pm Sunday to be eligible to win. You can also follow the competition via the Alienware Arena Competitors webpage. Check out the news posting on the official Aion website for all of the details and requirements.

Win a spiffy graphics card in Aion's PvP event originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft releases Aion Exchange app for iOS

Jef Reahard — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, MMO industry, News items

NCsoft has taken the wraps off another portion of its mobile platform offensive as today marked the unveiling of the new Aion Exchange app for Apple's iPhone, iPad, and iOS devices. The app provides live access to the fantasy MMO's broker system, as well as options for viewing your character info, statistics, and equipment.

The broker feature includes an item search as well as price lists, a wish list, and push notifications that will alert you to sales without the need to log into the game or open the app. Finally, Aion Exchange features a comprehensive item listing that boasts info about each piece of equipment available in game. Chris Hager, NCsoft West producer, sees the app as the first step in extending the world of Atreia beyond the desktop. "We see this application as an extension of the game and we will continually support and update the service offering with future feature updates," he said.

NCsoft releases Aion Exchange app for iOS originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Might as well jump

Krystalle Voecks — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

With summer winding down, what's better than a pool party? Well, if you're Dan X., that might just be a pool party with some rockin' music during a summer event! And if you play Aion on the Israphel server, this scene may well be familiar to you (with or without the lovely lass and guitar, mind you). Dan writes in to explain a bit more about what we're seeing in today's image: "This is my sorcerer, Forgot, on Israphel, sitting in Pandaemonium. This is the last night of the Summer Event 'Scorching Heat' or what I like to call the AFK jumping event. If you look carefully behind my character, you can see players jumping. A day after the event started, players discovered they could avoid being disconnected for being AFK if they simply kept jumping in order to keep accumulating event tokens. Event tokens were rewarded for every 20 minutes a player was online. I manage to only collect enough tokens for a few trade-ins. The best item I received was a tradeable white dye. This was Aion's best event to date, but I was still disappointed I could not get a swimsuit item."

Are you taking part in an in-game event in your MMO of choice? If so, why not grab a screenshot of the festivities and send the image to us here at oneshots@massively.com? Be sure to include your name, the name of the game and a description of what we're seeing. Yours could be the next one featured here on One Shots!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: Might as well jump originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Friday Livestream: Aion

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Aion, Events, in-game, Opinion, Livestream

Hooray, it's finally Friday! Once again, because it's the best day of the week, it's time to fly into another edition of the Friday Livestream!

This week we're soaring into the (literally) war-torn world of Atreia as we check out the early levels of NCsoft's Aion. We're going to be checking out the sunny-side of the game as we step into the shoes of an Elyos chanter and work our way through some of Aion's PvE content. Will we finally put to rest the age-old mystery of "Where's Tutty?" Well you'll have to tune in to find out!

~~To watch the stream, either click the picture above, hit the continued reading button below~~, or access our Livestream directly at http://www.livestream.com/massivelytv. If you want to get all interactive with us, be sure to join the Livestream chat to ask questions of Seraphina Brennan about Aion, the MMORPG industry, or anything you want, really. It's all fun and games on Friday!

[Update: The stream is over, but the recording is available for those of you who are interested! Check it out by clicking the picture above or the continued reading button below!

Continue reading The Friday Livestream: Aion

The Friday Livestream: Aion originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion's 2.1 patch to increase drop rates

Jef Reahard — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Patches, News items

NCsoft isn't resting on its winged laurels after last month's release of its Assault on Balaurea expansion. Aion's 2.1 patch is just around the corner, judging by its debut this week on the Korean test servers and the associated patch notes that have been posted to the North American PowerWiki.

The update is brimming with the usual NPC, quest, and instance bug fixes, as well as a reduction on the prerequisites for the greater stigma quests. That said, the most interesting additions to the patch are the loot table tweaks. In a nutshell, it seems NCsoft is finally heeding the cries of players to do something about Aion's abyssmal loot drop rates. The patch notes indicate "greatly increased" drop rates on gear from instance and field bosses as well as regular mobs. There also appears to be an across-the-board hike in the drop rate of fluxes, skill manuals, and stigma stones.

While this news might drive broker prices to new levels of ridiculousness over the next little while, Aion's economy will probably look a little different after 2.1 goes live and supply overtakes demand.

Aion's 2.1 patch to increase drop rates originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion fortress sieges to follow set schedule

Jef Reahard — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion has wrought more than a few notable changes across the sundered face of Atreia, in addition to opening up several new areas for intrepid daevas to explore. Among these are four new fortresses to conquer and, along with old familiar names like Siel, Krotan, and Asteria, each of these mighty forts will now be subject to a recurring vulnerability schedule.

This is in contrast to the pre-Balaurea system of random fortress vulnerability times, a mechanic that left legions and alliances somewhat unsure as to when to marshal their forces in anticipation of sacking certain fortresses and accessing their rewards. NCsoft has posted the current fortress vulnerability schedule on the official Aion website, though they do note that it is subject to change based on the final integration of the new forts into the rotation.

Aion fortress sieges to follow set schedule originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: These pets are a scream

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

It's been a few weeks since the launch of Aion's most recent addition, Assault on Balaurea, which has brought smiles to many a Daeva's face -- although it may not be the "shiny new things to do" happiness you quite expected. Indeed, as Format shows us in today's One Shots, something else snuck in on this last expansion -- something adorably horrible. Here's Format's note: "So the new free expansion launched [a little while] ago, and this was [taken on] my second day into it. There I am running around Verteron when I see the new 'pets' from the 'pet system.' What followed had me laughing out loud, in real life mind you. I don't think I even need to explain. Recognize the mask? Halloween has come early this year! Props to the devs for this, and for making me laugh."

MMOs big or small -- we want screenshots of them all! Email yours to us here at oneshots@massively.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 them in.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: These pets are a scream originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Did you get your piratin' in?

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

Ye might have been too busy with yer chores to note, but yesterday was Talk Like a Pirate Day, mateys! While many different MMOs had events going on to mark the occasion, Aion decided to take its normally graphically pretty avatars and make them look rather rum-soaked, if not deliciously deranged. This image from yesterday's celebration comes to us from Qaz, who writes in to give us some more background on this piratical image: "This is a screenshot from Aion taken after eating 'Pirate Form Candy,' which all players received free for Talk Like a Pirate Day. This was taken in the Ishaglen zone."

If you've got celebration screenshots from your favorite MMO, we'd love to see them! Just email them in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide and has as few UI elements as is possible. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: Did you get your piratin' in? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: A party in grand style

Krystalle Voecks — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

There's no denying that Aion has some beautiful art. Aside from the detailed wings splayed all over the game's advertising, there's also a plethora of finery players can enjoy getting dressed up in. But what's the point of getting all dressed up if you have no place to show it off? Well, if you're out of ideas, you could do what today's contributor, Marc, does when he's kitted out. We'll let him explain: "This is what the roleplayers on Gorgos do when there's a double experience weekend. Well -- the wacky ones from the LFRP channel, that is. We all love a filled experience bar, so we went and partied like madmen! Dance parties in Aion rock. Unfortunately, the music in that place wasn't really danceable though -- it's Asmodian."

Find something worth sharing on your recent adventures? Just in the mood to show off what you've been doing? All you have to do is email your screenshots to us at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the game your screenshots are from, and a quick note about what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you credit for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: A party in grand style originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition

Greg Waller — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

This week Waging WAR rides the double rainbow of gameplay customization via downloadable content and takes a cursory glance at the RvR packs being teased by the folks behind the development of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Let's follow along and see what Greg can unleash this time.

It is difficult to talk about the future of WAR right now. Not because it doesn't have a future, but because the availability of information regarding it is not exactly easy to find. Actually, information on the future of WAR is all but non-existent, surrounded by controversy on all sides, and steeped in rumor, speculation, assumption and misinformation. The best I can put together is that we, as players, can look forward to some sort of set of three different "RvR Packs" allowing us to "customize" our gameplay experience moving forward. The packs have been called "Power," "Progression," and "Personality." What exactly each contains is a mystery, although the few talking points I was able to find regarding these RvR packs are speculatively disappointing at best. Although Carrie, Andy, and anyone else involved with the Mythic development team have said time and time again that they are not discussing moving toward the free-to-play business model, what they're proposing with these customization packs looks suspiciously like the item shop established by Turbine, implemented in Dungeons & Dragons Online and soon in Lord of the Rings Online as well. V.I.P. membership, anyone?

Although concrete information is scarce and difficult to find, let's take a look at the most commonly referenced points of interest after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition

Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion live on PTS

Jef Reahard — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Expansions, News items

Ready to get a preview of Aion's forthcoming Assault on Balaurea expansion? You're in luck, as today finds the new content live on the Public Test Server, a couple weeks ahead of its September 7th release date. Pre-existing PTS players will find that their characters have been wiped, which is a small price to pay for the chance to test the new content with accelerated XP and loot drop rates.

Assault on Balaurea features a new pet system as well as new zones, instances, quests, and a level cap increase. Check out the official press release for more information, including how to install and run the PTS client.

Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion live on PTS originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Switching sides

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

In Aion, players are getting ready for the upcoming Assault on Balaurea expansion, slated to hit the servers on September 7th. While some are planning to head for the public test realms in upcoming days, others are choosing to reroll their characters and get to leveling before the new content lands. Today, we have a great One Shots and note from Format, who has recently returned to Aion, and writes in:

"[There's] nothing symbolic to what this picture shows to some people, but to me it shows a lot. I just resubbed and this time I am trying out the Elyos. This is the starter area outside of Akarios Village. Even though this game, claimed by others, has a 'low rez polygon count,' I still find it to be beautiful. This is my, for now, level 6 scout named Format. The road ahead of me looks simple and it seems that there is nothing too special about it, but just around the corner there is a whole new world of discovery. What lies ahead for this character of mine? Time will only tell, but I am eager to find out. To me, a simple picture shows a lot more than others perceive."

Do you have a game that you love, no matter what others might say? Feel like telling us why you think it's awesome? Send your screenshot and tale to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. You never know -- yours could be the next one featured here on Massively!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: Switching sides originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion coming to public test server

Jef Reahard — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Expansions, News items

OK, Aion public test server (PTS) fans: would you like the good news first or the bad news? Never mind, here's the bad news: the PTS has been brought down and its database wiped (i.e., your characters and legions are now digital rubble under the NCsoft wrecking ball).

The good news is that all of the destruction, terror, and mayhem is in service to the forthcoming Assault on Balaurea expansion and its eminent appearance on the testing shard. Beginning on August 18th, you can be among the first to experience the new content, in addition to sampling it with the significant XP and drop-rate boosts exclusive to the PTS. The expansion hits the live servers on September 7th, so be sure and read up on how to access the PTS client if you'd like an early start.

Aion's Assault on Balaurea expansion coming to public test server originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Community Detective, Issue #3: Aion

Jef Reahard — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, MMO industry, Opinion, Community Detective

"There is currently a wait of about five days from the time you sent your request. We will continue to do all we can to reduce the wait time." So says a portion of the support email we received from NCsoft over the weekend while preparing the notes for this week's issue of Community Detective. Five days? Five days! Well, the good news is that the debacle had a happy ending. The bad news is that the wait, and a few vocal community members, colored our current perceptions of Aion.

Welcome to another issue of Massively's Community Detective. This week we're changing up our format just a bit to focus on a single MMORPG. Aion goes under the microscope today, and the PvPvE title skews a bit more towards conventional MMOs than last week's EVE/Darkfall duo.

Before we dive into the world of Atreia, let's reiterate the column's purpose, as well as outline our current methods. Fly past the cut for more.

Continue reading Massively's Community Detective, Issue #3: Aion

Massively's Community Detective, Issue #3: Aion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Come get some

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

Between the recent server merges to increase population and the upcoming addition of the 2.0 Assault on Balaurea update to the game, there are several folks returning to the gorgeous world of Aion. While PvP isn't necessarily everybody's thing, there are more than enough people willing to take up the call -- and enjoy this beautifully textured world. Today's One Shots comes to us from Flog, who also recently returned, and writes in:

"I resubbed because of the server merges. It is nice to see the game so busy again. I was on my way out of Altgard to level up my essence tapping when I glided so high that I was able to land on this little guard post. After seeing what was behind me I figured I would take a picture. Come at me Elyos! I am Flog....protector of Altgard!"

From big to small, we love to see all manner of MMO worlds. However, we need you to help us by sending in screenshots of them! Email those to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Yours could be the next one posted out here on Massively!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: Come get some originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion wants you... to be a journalist

Jef Reahard — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Think you've got what it takes to be an Atreian war correspondent? If so, grab your notepad, a pen, and your razor-sharp prose skills and head over to the official Aion website. It seems the powers that be (both Elyos and Asmodian) are looking for a few good daevas to prove that the pen is at least as mighty as the sword by signing on to be Battle Reporters.

The program will be accepting members on a continual basis, though it is somewhat competitive due to the limit of one reporter per faction and server. To apply, send the Aion community team an email that includes your full name, your character and server, and a 400-word sample article noting the recent happenings on your particular realm and remaining as objective as possible.

If selected, your articles will be published on the official Aion website.

Aion wants you... to be a journalist originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion offers six free server transfers per character

Jef Reahard — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

With NCsoft's upcoming Aion server merges looming, chances are you've taken the time to figure out where your daeva's new home is going to be (as well as marked your calendar to be sure you get first dibs on keeping your name). What you may not know is that you've got plenty of opportunities to test out the various Aion server communities after the merges are complete.

In its weekly Eye on Community featurette, NCsoft answers a player-generated question about transfer specifics. "During the free character transfer period, characters you submit for transfer are placed in a collated list, together with transfer requests from other players. The transfers outlined in this list will all be executed at the same time during weekly maintenance. Because transfers are moved in a batch each week, you will be able to transfer your character up to six times before the 18th of August, when the free character transfer period ends. Our intent is to let you test the waters so that you can decide which server best suits you," says the featurette.

Aion offers six free server transfers per character originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion server merges delayed, name changes explained

Jef Reahard — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Aion's recently announced server merges have been pushed back a couple of weeks and are now scheduled to take place on July 14th. The delay is apparently the result of name conflicts between players with the same moniker on servers that are scheduled to merge, and NCsoft has decided to take a bit of extra time to smooth the process.

In a nutshell, the name changes are likely to affect a small percentage of characters, and NCsoft will be adding one or two letters onto the end of duplicate names depending on original name length. Additionally, all daevas will be given a free name-change. "When the merge maintenance is completed on July 14th, 2010, you'll be able to log in and use your free Character Name Change ticket to change your name. All uses of that Character Name Change ticket will be on a first come, first served basis," NCsoft said in a press release.

Check out all the details at the official website.

Aion server merges delayed, name changes explained originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: I ain't got no body

Krystalle Voecks — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Aion, One Shots

Many of our Aion One Shots have featured fantastic, highly detailed armor, or the obligatory enormous wings that the game seems to be so well-known for. However, as a nice treat we got this scenic image in our mailbox recently from Jay (AKA SylvariVentari), who decided to focus on something we don't always get to see as the focal point of pictures -- the buildings in the game. While we don't know precisely where this is, we'd bet some of our Aion readers could lend us a hand there, as Jay's note was short and sweet:

"Hey, just a screenshot I took whilst playing Aion. The scenery and architecture in this game are just great, so thought I'd send this in. Hopefully you like it!"

If you've read this far, it means you like One Shots, so why not do us a favor and send in some screenshots from your MMO gaming? We need lots more screenshot love, and you're the best ones to help us out. Just grab a screenshot from your favorite game (or hey, least favorite, if you're crazy enough to play it) and send it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and a quick description. We'll showcase it and give you the credit for sending it along.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: I ain't got no body originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Refer a friend to Aion, get free Abyss Points

Jef Reahard — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

NCsoft is dangling a few goodies in front of current Aion subscribers in the form of their revamped Refer A Friend program and its myriad incentives. If you've got an active account that's over six weeks old (and have paid for at least six weeks of game time), you can log into your NCsoft Master Account and click the Refer A Friend link in the Actions section to get started.

If your referral purchases either a retail box or digital copy of the game, you'll be gifted with three Major Ancient Crowns, currently valued at a whopping 6400 AP each. If your referral signs up for one month or more of Aion game time, you'll get a free paid month credited to NCsoft Master Account. Your friend isn't left out either, as NCsoft will email each referral a serial code that includes XP bonus items, running scrolls, courage scrolls, and recovery serums.

Check out the official site for all the details and regulations.

Refer a friend to Aion, get free Abyss Points originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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