Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

It's important for NCsoft to realize that this really is a different age and that even though our characters will be able to fly, forcing us to grind our way through mindless content won't. Be aware that my discussion about combat is nothing more than speculation at this point.  I'm simply pointing out what I perceive as a flaw in some past models and hope the NCsoft crew avoids repeating those mistakes. At this point in time, there's nothing to indicate they won't do exactly that and present us with an outstanding game.

Don't walk into the light!

No matter how the combat plays out, there is something that I feel gives them a big chance to grab a staggeringly large Western audience and that's the eye candy. The video footage we've been able to watch has been mind blowing. The world of Aion is far more gorgeous than any piece of pixilated canvas has any right to be. I can't imagine how hard the art team has worked on it, but every drop of blood, sweat, and tears shows. The areas we've seen so far will leave you nothing less than absolutely breathless by its beauty.

Pretty graphics can't make up for shoddy game play, but they've instantly gotten one thing that every publisher and advertiser in the world is absolutely desperate to get - your attention. That alone is virtually priceless in today's market. It won't guarantee success by any means, but it does give them the opportunity to make a great first impression. A game can have the greatest gameplay in the world, but if it's not pleasant to look at, you're going to have a ling road to travel in your quest to spread the word. Aion's graphics have already spread the word, now they just have to prove they can deliver.

Amazingly, the Aion team has another ace up their sleeve as well, and this one just might trump them all - the chance to provide the most seamless launch of an MMOG in North American history. I'm not saying it's guaranteed to happen, but the pieces for this golden puzzle are theirs for the taking if they can seize upon this opportunity. Almost a quarter of a million players have already been pounding on the game and its servers for months now since the game went live in Korea last November. These haven't been laid back beta testers either, but paying customers. If you think those gamers are going to just be quiet when something bothers them, you've obviously been hiding under a rock for the last decade. Gamers can be some of the loudest, pushy, and self entitled customers a company could ever dream of. It may be a pain for them at times, but it can be a boon to all of you.

So in retraction of my earlier knee-jerk answer, and because I'd like to think I'm not actually a jerk, I've come to a new conclusion. I'm not a hundred percent sure Aion: The Tower of Eternity will be a smash hit in North America and take us by storm, but I am positive about one thing - they're in a unique position to do just that and do it with style. Personally, I can't wait!