BlackCloud-Marketplace
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Wings Over Atreia: Aion's Black Cloud Marketplace evolves to let you play more your way
Those of you who know me a bit know that I am not really a fan of cash shops. In fact, I don't sit in the cheer section for free-to-play at all; I am a die-hard subscription gal. But I know free-to-play and cash shops are a very entrenched and popular part of our gaming culture now (though I do celebrate when F2P games turn to subs!) and as an avid gamer, I can't avoid them. However, I also feel that there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to do both F2P and cash shops. The former, Aion already nailed on the head with the Truly Free model where all content is actually free to all players. The latter... well, in my opinion the Black Cloud Marketplace had definite room for improvement. As it turns out, some of those improvements are happening now. And according to Associate Product Manager Sean Orlikowski, those changes represent a permanent new direction for the Marketplace. We're going to delve into those improvements and how they might affect the grand scheme of Aion right here in this edition of Wings Over Atreia.
Wings Over Atreia: No Aion block party for you!
Batten down the hatches and prepare yourselves for a storm, my friends, because I have a rant that's just waiting to burst forth! I know, I know -- it's hard to believe I am that riled up over anything in Aion. After all, I've managed a grand total of only four rants in more than three years. But I am! I am downright annoyed. Ironically, this rant also comes right when I was going to give you all the heads-up on an Aion job opportunity. It's not exactly what I'd call the best timing for NCsoft to make a blunder, but it is what it is. So what is "it" exactly? You know that big summer event block party that was advertised as going until September 4th? Well, I hope you got what you wanted out of it because the bartenders have packed up and gone home. That's right: The event ended two weeks earlier than announced. Not only did this seriously put a damper on my personal Atreian adventuring plans for the next couple of weeks, but it seriously screwed with my event guide for this week's Wings Over Atreia (no point now, right?). Even worse, "it" is the fact that Aion outright said one thing but did another. And that, my friends, just chaps my hide, ruffles my feathers, and gets my goat. The whole things leaves a sour taste in my mouth and gives the game's credibility a big fat black eye.
Player-designed weapons arrive in Aion
Remember way back when (namely late 2012) when we learned of a couple of contests to design weapons for the new classes in Aion 4.0? Well those contests have run their course, and a winning design was selected for each class. And now, those weapon skins are finally available to players! Originally called the Mookie Gun, the winning Gunslinger weapon was designed by Liiga Smilshkalne, (a.k.a. Rakesh from the Israphel server). Now named Kippie's Nightmare, the final concept for the pistol "came naturally in the wee hours of the morning with the aid of a large cup of coffee," according to Smilshkalne. The winning harp design, created by Sergio Kishino (a.k.a Seey on the Tiamat server) was born from the loss of Internet. Without the game, Kishino drew an "outfit inspired by Guardian Commander and Kahrun, with a blue butterfly and golden details." Flutterlight Sonata, as the instrument is now called, completed that ensemble. As an exclusive reward, both creators received five of their winning designs. Others can get their own copies in the Black Cloud Marketplace. Be sure to check out the four new pieces of artwork in the gallery below.%Gallery-191538% [Source: NCsoft press release]
Wings Over Atreia Exclusive: Soar into Aion 4.0 June 26th
Could it be? Is that really... it IS! Your eyes do not deceive you; there really is a bonafide date set for the release of Aion's next expansion, Dark Betrayal. And I've got to tell you, it is such a relief to be able to share the news without the chance of that electric shock collar going off. You'll be able to spread your wings in Katalam and Danaria -- or just spread new wings period if you go for one of the new classes -- come June 26th. But here's the catch: If you still have things you want to get in order before the expansion hits (perhaps gain a level or two like some people we know), now you've got a deadline! Luckily, for all those stuck in the position of needing to advance in levels a bit to experience all of what 4.0 offers, Aion's got just the event to help you out. Starting June 5th and going all the way to launch on the 26th, any and all Daevas -- meaning level 10 and above -- can participate in Code Red and receive special enhancements to aid in their adventures.
Wings Over Atreia: Aion adopts lockboxes
It was bound to happen. Rare is the free-to-play game that evades incorporating this quintessential cash-shop concoction. The good news is, if you entered a pool for when NCsoft would introduce lockboxes into Aion and your date was January 30th, congratulations -- you won! Of course, this may have been one pot that you were secretly hoping no one would ever claim; there are certainly those who have a deep-seated hatred for lockboxes and all they purportedly represent. Those who enjoy the random nature of that treasure, however, probably wondered what took so long. Love them or loathe them, lockboxes are a now permanent part of Atreia's landscape. But is that a good or a bad thing? Are lockboxes a fun feature or one step on that slippery slide toward nickel-and-diming players like a number of other F2P offerings? One of the best things Aion has going for it is the unique free-to-play mode that allows folks who choose not to pay to experience the same exact game as those who drop cash in the shop. Can Aion maintain its Truly Free philosophy while pushing lockboxes? I believe the answer is yes.
Wings Over Atreia: BlackCloud Marketing 101 -- freebies!
Footsteps echo off the cobblestones paving the marketplace streets. The sunlight streams through the merchant stalls, and the wind tugs at the awnings as trinkets and baubles spill out of baskets on every counter. One merchant eyes a possible patron drawing near. "Oh, have I got a deal for you. Special for you, only for you! Come see, come see! Ack-ack-ack-ack-ack." But the Daeva continues to pass by. Thinking quickly, the furry shopkeeper calls out, "FREE!" You stopped, didn't you? OK, so maybe this is not what shopping is like really in Aion's BlackCloud Marketplace (though it is fun to envision), but the principle is the same. Marketing 101 teaches that above all else in the world, be it Earth or Atreia, one simple word hooks people and reels them in like a first-rate fishing lure: free. Don't believe me? Well, you clicked on this story, didn't you? And if you want to see what free cash shop items you can get your hands on in Aion, you'll also click past the break!
Wings Over Atreia: Support the war effort and reap the spoils in Aion
Ah, the best laid plans of Daevas and men... I am so glad you are the understanding sort! You'll forgive me, right? I know that I'd said that this week's Wings Over Atreia would be covering a guide to all the daily quests in Aion, but that was before NCsoft surprised us with a new event mid-week. And since said event ends on the 20th, I thought waiting until the 18th to fill you in would be downright cruel! Besides, the daily quests aren't going anywhere; we'll catch them next week. You might even thank me later for giving you seven more days of freedom. So what's this event that has preempted the (spectacular, informative, and well-worth-the-wait!) already-penned article? It's called The Spoils of War, though technically it is actually two events bundled together: Provisioning the Front Lines and Besh Temple Blitz. Daevas of any level can participate in the first, whereas only those level 55 and up can do the latter. The next question is why participate? Because of the spoils, of course!
Wings Over Atreia: Much ado about housing
Although Wings over Atreia has covered Aion's housing before, both in anticipation and right after release, I still encounter some lingering questions and misconceptions regarding this new feature. This point was really brought out during Justin's Leaderboard poll about who had better housing, Aion or EverQuest II. While I laud anything that brings attention to one of my favorite features, and I do realize that the Leaderboard articles are made for a bit of fun, I had some concerns about that specific pair up. However, despite its disadvantages and underdog status, Aion held its own pretty well. Go team Daeva! To be honest, I admit I was a bit surprised (and pleased) by the fervor with which some fans defended the newcomer to the housing market. Daevas have really embraced this gameplay alternative to hunting and gathering -- just take a look at the bidding wars for prime housing or the recent decorating contest. Aion's housing might be totally new, but it's off to a pretty good to start and will keep getting better.
Wings Over Atreia: This little Daeva went to market...
Milk Bread Red Shell Potcrab Life Leaf Bulldozer... You all know the old adage "Never go grocery shopping while hungry," right? It is sound advice for avoiding filling your cart with impulse purchases that might decimate your budget (and your waistline). How many of you have also used the shopping list tactic to try to minimize said impulse purchases? Well, you just might want to put that skill into practice when visiting Aion's BlackCloud Marketplace. When the BlackCloud Marketplace launched last month, the inventory had pretty slim pickings for a game that needed to make all of its profit from the cash shop. Since all content in Aion is free, we knew more things would appear; it was just a matter of what and when. And even while there was still some trepidation about what items would be introduced over time (how many would play into the whole pay-to-win debate?), Daevas looked forward to new offerings and wondered what would be available next. Wonder no more! Those little Shugos came in last Wednesday and stocked the marketplace shelves with over 100 new items. Some items were expected, some were not, and some were even clamored for by the masses. To help you construct your shopping list before heading to the store, Wing Over Atreia has perused the aisles for you to find what's new, what's interesting, and what's on special.
Wings Over Atreia: Clean up on aisle four
Careful where you step; there's a bit of a mess. After much ballyhoo about taking great pains to avoid the dreaded pay-to-win stigma as Aion converts to free-to-play (including screen time in the producers interview), NCsoft went ahead and began offering an eternal-grade weapon in the new BlackCloud Marketplace. Granted, it is for a limited time only, but the fact is that it's been offered at all has sparked a few tizzy-fits within the community. Of all the low-down, double-crossing... I know some players feel lied to and misled. A few profess they've been downright hornswoggled by that single announcement and have turned away from the game. Meanwhile, others are sitting back chortling "What did you expect?" or mouthing a big "I told you so." But was this really an underhanded trick? Did the devs really go back on what they said? You have to wonder why, right in the midst of generating excitement for Aion, the developers would spite the players they are trying to lure in. And maybe they didn't. Was this an innocent bonus or portent of things to come? Before we start stringing someone up in effigy, let's take a look at the details. Might just be all the fuss is much ado about nothing.
Wings Over Atreia: An interview sheds light on the new BlackCloud
Information is like gold 'round these parts, and I've been out prospecting, sifting, and searching in the hopes of at least finding a few flakes if not hitting pay dirt. But even with Aion Ascension just around the corner, finding many nuggets of information on the new BlackCloud Marketplace hasn't panned out. Until now. Eureka! Welcome to the Massively Gold Rush. OK, so maybe a "rush" is a bit of an overstatement, but I have discovered a few golden nuggets about Aion's renovated cash shop and impending 3.0 expansion. I had the chance to catch up with Producer Adam Christensen and learn a bit more about what Daevas will find in the BlackCloud Marketplace as well as get some details about various new upcoming features like housing, mounts, and the level 60 Daevanion armor. And with the BlackCloud Marketplace finally opening its doors, Daevas can check out the selection for themselves and pre-purchase items to be delivered at Ascension's Launch.
Aion opens the BlackCloud Marketplace, adds eternal weapon
As part of Aion's conversion to the Truly Free model, NCsoft finally opened the doors of the new cash shop. Dubbed the BlackCloud Marketplace, Daevas can immediately begin purchasing in-game items with NCoin either singularly or in bundles. What exactly is stocking the shelves? We finally have the answer for you! Besides the expected pets, consumables, emotion cards, and appearance items, the marketplace also offers XP amulets and special boost packs including immunity from XP loss upon death, boosted AP, and boosted Empyrean Crucible points. From now until 6:30 a.m EDT April 11th, Daevas will receive a bonus pre-order gift for purchasing a large C.U.B.E. -- a level-50 eternal-grade Tahabata weapon. After this time, only the appearance skins will be sold. The weapon type will be class-appropriate for the character the player chooses when first purchasing the C.U.B.E. Other than the restrictions that characters must be level 30 or above, players can buy as many large C.U.B.E.s as they wish during this time to obtain multiple weapons. Once purchased, the weapons will be delivered after server maintenance on the 11th and will be soul-bound. To get your special deal or even just window shop, check out the BlackCloud Marketplace today.
Wings Over Atreia: Fools and tools
In the immortal words of some child glued to a pleather seat in the back of an old station wagon in the dusty desert heat (and echoed by impatient Daevas everywhere): Are we there yet? Are we, huh, huh? Isn't it April 11th yet?!? Whoa, deja vu there for a moment. But with the launch of Aion's next big expansion just around the corner, very few phrases can capture the feeling in their air quite like that old standby. Many players are anticipating the move to free-to-play along with the introduction of new content (even if information on the upcoming changes has been less than prolific). To pass the time until the 11th, some Daevas are participating in the latest Aion event, the aptly named Fool's Day. More still are on the lookout for and latching on to every bit of information that comes out about the incoming patch. As for me, I'm a multi-tasker, so I am simultaneously checking out the event and utilizing my hooks to snag every bit of info I come across all while sharing said results with you!
