Padd Solutions

Because our legion is a Ventrilo using legion and has been for many years, we get into great discussions that I wish I could record and share with the public. As anyone who knows me knows, I played Silkroad Online since it opened and recently quit because it is apparent that Joymax does not really care to solve the botting issue to anyone's satisfaction. There are now very few actual legits playing the game and I think that JM really has no reason to clean up. Their user base is nearly 100% botting and botters dont want botting to be banned. Joymax is so completely ignorant of the situation that we have incidents like this... [GM]Gargamel wears a bot company logo teeshirt at GNGWC '08

So here is a list of the reasons why Silkroad Online players specifically will love playing Aion Online and find it's style familiar.

1. Open PVP - While Aion does have an arena, it also has rifts and the Abyss. They give it a new name (PvPvE) and make it basically involuntary whether or not you want to be a target or not. You can and will be PKed by the other faction while you train. Silkroad had open PVP as well but with a penalty and using cape/jobsuits. Aion removes the conditionals and just lets you have a free for all. After level 25 you can train in the Abyss... actually both factions train in the Abyss at the same time. Think of the possibilities.... Korean gaming models own PVP.

2. Community - Because when you create a char on a server and it stays on that server for life, you always know the people you are fighting against and with. In the opposite faction, you get to know names and legions even if you cant understand what they are saying specifically. Friction is going to happen because the competition is open and encouraged. Sro also had that before the jobbing system was changed. You knew who was robbing you. In Aion, you know who is ganking you. You can see their name, look up their legion and see their stats. If you want revenge, there is another rift opening up somewhere....

3. Common Area Bosses - While there are some instanced bosses, most are just open. If you want to kill a named boss, you gotta camp him. In the Abyss, you have the aggravating factor of the opposing faction to deal with. Even in some instances, both factions can enter. In Silkroad Online competition for bosses was epic. Aion is the same way. Check out the description of "Dreadgions" here. Aion boss killing in the Dreadgion is like killing Medusa and everyone is in job suits.

4. Fortress - Aion has those. They are wild too and more than one per server. It's not just Elyos vs. Asmodians either, it's Elyos Vs. Asmodians vs. Balur. Yeah there is a third faction that is AI controlled. From what we understand, sometimes the Balur help you, sometimes they help them, sometimes they fight both. Reminds you of silkroad doesnt it? FACK MATHER! There are real bonuses for being the faction that owns a fortress too, not just sitting around collection money and fighting twice a month. You get access to a dungeon and special quests that come with it.

5. Death Penalties - Once you get high level in Silkroad dying becomes painful. You wince when you see that 5% loss because you know that it's gonna take you hours to replace it. Aion has that plus soul sickness wich means you can gain some of that lost XP back (not all) at a very stiff price. Why is this good? Because when someone does something dumb to get the party wiped, it's not just "oh well" and move on. There are real incentives to being on top of your game. You try not to die because it starts to hurt after a while. Earning money in Aion is hard!

6. Botters - Unlike SRO, there are none. That isnt familiar but it certainly is a reason Silkroad Online players will love the game. At least the old school legit ones.

7. Responsible Management - Aion has that. No absentee company that ignores you and feeds you form messages with heavy engrish overtones.

8. GMs - I have personally seen more than one of these in Aion and the game hasnt opened yet. I also have both CMs on my twitter. They actually RESPOND when you talk to them. No shit, it's true. GMs that are more than a pink message telling you that the server is going down for maintenance. O.. M.. G..

9. Queue Login - When the servers are crowded (and they will be for OB) Aion doesnt have a fake queue system that makes you wait for 5 hours or ask you to pay for a idiculously overpriced ticket to log on. They have a real queue system that counts down and gives you an ETA for login.

10. P2P - We all know that while Silkroad Online calls itself F2P it is in fact not. In order to be competitive, not have to grind for hundreds of hours at a time, pick up your drops and defend yourself in PVP you can easily spend $50 a month in silk. Aion costs $15 and that is all you have to pay. For $15 you are always on even ground with anyone else in the game. They have costumes you can buy at NPCs, res scrolls, reverse returns, etc and they are all obtainable with Abyss points or basically the more you PVP, the more speshul stuff you can buy.

In Silkroad Online legit players were choked out by the mechanics of the F2P, bot mecca atmosphere of the game. People who couldnt afford to pay real money for lots of silk were grossly overpowered next to those who could. Real players couldnt level in bot infested areas and botters didnt mind because they werent there to see it most of the time. The mass infestation of gold bots made buying gold both easy and cheap driving the market into a tailspin overpriced ridiculousness. New players cannot join the game and replace those who quit because as a legit quits playing (or playing legitly) he is instantly replaced with a botter and his or someone else's 20 goldbots.

Try Aion in the Open Beta on September 6th. If you dont already have a key, make an account at File Planet and try to win one.