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Wings Over Atreia: All I want for Solorius is...

While admittedly they don't include two front teeth, there are definitely some things I would be thrilled to see in my virtual stocking this holiday season from the developers of Aion. At this time of year, you almost can't help but look ahead and dream about what things would make it a better world. Don't believe me? Name me one other time when you hear "peace on earth" more -- not counting a beauty pageant! But our desires for a better world need not be confined just to that real one we inhabit when our computers are shut off; in fact, wishing for a better Atreia (though peace among Daevas may be counter-productive) is right in the holiday spirit!

I am not looking for any "I win" or easy button -- just a few things that will make for a better and brighter Atreia, some things that will put more fun into my time in Aion. I'm making my list and checking it twice. After all, 'tis the season of miracles, right?

Sleigh ride past the break to take a peek at part of my Christmas... er, I mean Solorius... wish list!



A funeral for BoE


OK, so maybe I can accept some forms of bind on equip (I know it is a strained attempt to help regulate economy, crafting, etc., but let's not get into thoughts on that now); however, I want to be able to share anything of mine with any character that is mine! Dang it, it is mine after all, right? I know the programming is there, because we can already pass Daeva armor and flora charms (the XP lodus amulet you give specifically to your alts) along using our account warehouses -- so why can't that apply to everything? If I get some awesome something, I want to chose whether I use, sell, or disenchant it, regardless of whom I am playing when I loot it. If I luck out on a super roll for an incredible eternal weapon, I darn well want to to be able to pass it along to another character of mine (I know, fat chance of winning the roll, but we are talking about dreams here!).


Now, before anyone gets all huffy, I agree that there could trouble with this -- specifically, people of every class rolling on everything just so they can pass it to an alt. This, however, can be easily remedied with my next wish...

Need/greed loot distribution



Oh, to have this in game would be like hot chocolate on a snowy Atreian night! And I'm not talking about just any plain-old need and greed buttons, but a need button that is disabled unless your class/profession can actually use the item (not counting level requirements). Imagine that! I am sure I am not the only one who just absolutely hates when people greedily roll on everything (regardless of whether they can use an item or not) when there are people in group who truly need the items. If no one can use it, then great -- everyone can hit the greed button. This also cuts down on many people missing a chance to roll on a greed item because they politely hit pass or waited too long for party members to speak up about the "need" status. Why punish considerate people and support the greedy?

An end to the "victory over mailbox"

Yes, I want to do away with auto emotes. Please, please, please, I beg of you NCsoft! They drive me insane; I jump in the air and celebrate victory over whatever my target happens to be at the time, just because I type a sentence beginning with "I"! There are times my attack combos are interrupted because a stupid emote animation fires off first. Don't get me wrong, I love having the emotes I can choose to use when I feel they are appropriate, either by clicking the icon in the skills tab or by typing a slash command. The emphasis here is on using emotes when I want to use them, not being forced to. Seriously, how is it increasing immersion to have random animations and text interrupt your game? It's not; it does the opposite. If they aren't outright removed, then just please let me disable them.

Home sweet home

You know no wish list would be complete without mention of those sweet goodies we were teased with all those months ago in the Visions of the Future trailer. And the very top of my list from that sneak peek is housing. I want a unique space of my very own to show off my creative side and decorate however I see fit (decorating mechanics ala Star Wars Galaxies or even Vanguard please, not Lord of the Rings Online!). I want a place in which to conduct my secret world domination meetings and all black market dealings in true roleplay style -- a place to genuinely kick my feet up, invite some friends over, and hang out. With that in mind, toss in some interactive objects, like gambling machines. Heck, all military personal need some R&R, right? So, let me pop a few slots into my house, I'll mix up some drinks, and we'll call it all good.

Pimp my ride



Yes, the visions trailer really did steal my heart a bit; the housing isn't the only perk I am hoping to see included into game soon. Although I love to fly (it's one of the things that really drew me to game), I was excited to see the alternative transportation -- specifically mounts. Not just a single rider mount, either, but one you could offer a friend a ride on as well. Ships traveling in both the air and on the water were also visible in that teaser... I mean trailer, as were underwater adventures. Gimme. I want.

Five strikes and you're in!

I totally agree that getting expert or master in crafting or acquiring Miragent/Fenrisarmor should be difficult. But it shouldn't be game- breaking, suck-the-will-to-live-right-out-of-you insane! The fact that some people have tried to proc their hot hearts of magic for their Miragent pants 31 times (31 times!) is quite simply totally unacceptable! So instead of a quest allowing someone to turn in five regular hearts of magic for 100 boiling balaur blood stains (and a chance to fail yet again), why not let the hearts be turned in for a procced version? I don't care if the number is five failed attempts or 10 -- a person should be assured there is a light at the end of the tunnel and an ultimate reward for all his hard work. Repeated failure for nothing more than RNG makes for very unhappy customers, who then take their business elsewhere. You know, somewhere where they have fun?

Or, better yet...

Interactive crafting

OK, so I may be the only gamer who doesn't like the just-press-a-button-and-see-if-your-craft-works philosophy. I actually really like being involved in the crafting process and not relying on RNG (it has been proven the RNG gods hate me anyways). I truly enjoyed the Vanguard and original EverQuest II crafting systems, in which you had to be present during your craft and counter different situations in order to succeed. If you didn't pay attention, you could end up with a less-than-ideal product, but those who took extra care could be proud of their work. Forget RNG and AFK crafting -- involve crafters and make them work for it! If you have the skill, you have the ingredients, and you are paying attention to your work, you should succeed. Who's with me here?

Failure is not an option

Short and sweet: Do not -- I repeat, do not -- have all manastones blow out of a piece of gear when you fail to socket one! When you enchant a weapon, you only chance losing one level of enchantment each time; why can't manastones be similar? Losing the one you are socketing is bad enough (especially when the ones you have to use are almost a million kinah each like mine are), but losing up to six each time is too painful for words. Either switch it to losing just the one you socket, or possibly the last successful one put in as well. Just not all of them, every time.

I love you, I love you not

My final wish for this list: For the love of all that is decent and peppermint, please give me a larger block list! There are more kinah-selling spammers then I can shake a shugo at, and that doesn't even leave room for the unpleasant gamers I wish to avoid. And while you are at it, grant me a bigger friends list as well. Some of us actually do have a decent number of people we enjoy grouping with, doing business with, and just outright interacting with who aren't visible on our legion lists. I don't need the stress of deciding whom to delete (so long sucka!) just so I can add a new friend/menace to my lists. How hard could a larger list really be? I promise, I have been a good Daeva!

It's better to give than to receive

So there you have it. My list certainly isn't exhaustive -- I am sure I could drone on and on about all the little goodies I would like to find in game -- but I would like to hear what your biggest Aion wishes are. Share your list in the comments, and until next time, I leave you with a carol *cues the music*

"Peace on Atreia, good will to Daeva! Peace on Atreia, good will to Daeva!"

Soaring through the Aionosphere, MJ Guthrie touches down weekly to bring you Wings Over Atreia. Featuring tips, guides, and general snippets of life in Aion, the column is better than Tutty-on-a-stick, ackackackackackack! Have a suggestion to share? No need to bribe a Shugo -- just send mail to mj@massively.com.