Open Beta Announcement

[Gisli]

Press Release:

Players are now one step closer to the release of the year's biggest massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Aion.

Within the next four weeks, NCsoft will treat North American and European gamers to two opportunities to jump into the world of Aion and explore Atreia as Asmodian or Elyos characters ahead of its release in North America on September 22 and Europe September 25. Aion's Open Beta Test featuring version 1.5 will take place September 6 - 13 and will include numerous Western enhancements, including improvements to Aion's innovative character customization with a host of Western styles, as well as new zones, instances, skills, quests and continued game balancing and improvements. Open Beta will retain a level cap for both Elyos and Asmodians characters at 30 allowing players to focus on getting to the same level so they can explore the lands of Atreia together, as well as the Abyss.

Players who have preordered Aion will be treated to a Pre-Select and a two-day Headstart period giving them the opportunity to explore, organize and progress through the game prior to the official launch. Pre-Select will take place on September 18, while Aion's Headstart will begin September 20. Players can still participate in the Aion's Pre-Select and Headstart programs by preordering the game through several participating online and brick-and-mortar retailers, including Aiononline.com, Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games Canada, Fry's Electronics, GameStop, Steam and Target.

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online experience where flight offers much more than just a way to explore the landscape - it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict. Using one of the most flexible and in-depth character customization systems ever featured in an MMO, players will be able to create genuinely distinct characters and explore a visually stunning world of ethereal beauty brimming with otherworldly inhabitants, mysterious enemies, and ancient secrets.

For more information about Aion go to http://www.aiononline.com.

[Gisli]

Good, this is a step. But it leaves me with a lot of questions.

1) Who, exactly, gets to participate in Open Beta?

2) When, exactly, will the servers open up on the 6th?

3) How/when do we get the 1.5 patch?

4) What servers will be available for OB? [That could be the most important question for us, since it could influence where we finally end up.]

Will try to collect answers to these questions as I can.

[Gisli]

Brian Knox twittered about the client:

We are working on getting the client up today/tomorrow. Hopefully more news on that soon.

[Drakhon]

1) Who, exactly, gets to participate in Open Beta?

2) When, exactly, will the servers open up on the 6th?

3) How/when do we get the 1.5 patch?

4) What servers will be available for OB? [That could be the most important question for us, since it could influence where we finally end up.]

Will try to collect answers to these questions as I can.

Complete Answer
1) This is the only one I can answer in full - anybody who has pre-ordered, otherwise gained entry to at least one CBT or who acquires an OB code from whatever websites they decide to distribute them through this time.

Partial Answer
3) 1.5 will be distributed via BitTorrent, but whether it'll be something built into the patcher or if you'll have to use your own client is unknown. It's supposed to be 4-5 GB for people who have the CBT client. I suppose we'll find out today or tomorrow.

Speculative
2) Unknown, but they don't usually say until a few days before hand. Of course, the CBTs all opened at noon, so it wasn't hard to guess. OB starts on a Sunday rather than a Friday, though, so that may not be the best indicator.

4) Given that OB will have the largest pool of potential players to date, I don't see why they would have fewer servers than they did in CBT6. It's reasonable to assume they would use the same names with the potential for additions.

[Gisli]

Complete Answer
1) This is the only one I can answer in full - anybody who has pre-ordered, otherwise gained entry to at least one CBT or who acquires an OB code from whatever websites they decide to distribute them through this time.

Yes, but the $64K question is: How does someone not in CB and not preordered actually get an OB key? Lots of questions about that on the fansites right now.

2) Unknown, but they don't usually say until a few days before hand. Of course, the CBTs all opened at noon, so it wasn't hard to guess. OB starts on a Sunday rather than a Friday, though, so that may not be the best indicator.

Whatever the answer, we can speculate that it will be the same at launch.

4) Given that OB will have the largest pool of potential players to date, I don't see why they would have fewer servers than they did in CBT6. It's reasonable to assume they would use the same names with the potential for additions.

Yes. What will be interesting to know is if they add servers beyond the current announced six.

[Scarr]

I bet it will be all pre-orders will have open beta access, along with some exclusive subscriber deals like game mags and fileplanet.

[Drakhon]

Yes, but the $64K question is: How does someone not in CB and not preordered actually get an OB key? Lots of questions about that on the fansites right now.

The only real questions is "what sites will have the codes this time?". It should work just like the CB codes but in greater quantities.

[Drakhon]

Fileplanet
These require you to be a member, but not a subscriber, thus they don't require money.

CBT to OBT Update [~3 GB].

1.5 Full Client [~9 GB].


Torrents

CBT to OBT Update posted by Ayase [~3 GB].

1.5 Full Client posted by Ayase [~9 GB].

[Gisli]

Any recommendations on a torrent program to use?

[Drakhon]

µTorrent

The Beginner's Guide might be helpful if you've never done this before.