Morheim
Latest
Wings Over Atreia: A guide to Elyos spy quests in Morheim
When I first thought to make a listing of spy quests in Aion, the idea was that folks could be sure to finish all the parts of the different lines before certain zones became unavailable due to leveling. I can remember on at least one occasion my quest progression was halted when I found myself leveled beyond the rift's parameters. It was a sad time, as I was prevented from obtaining the rewards and titles involved. Even worse, I was left with an incomplete quest in my journal. Oh, the horror! I moved on, but there was always that nagging feeling of something missing. All that has changed. Once the Fast Track server was introduced, the level limits on the rifts preventing Daevas from returning to enemy lands were removed. Now, any Elyos or Asmodian can return to those lower zones and wrap up any unfinished business. Of course, with so much to keep you occupied at the higher levels in Aion, you probably wouldn't even have time to flit back to the old haunts just to finish up old quests, which makes getting them done early all the more important. So to help you out, here's a guide to the Elyos spy quests in Morheim.
Wings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on
You know 'em -- those places shrouded away from the everyday grind of the world where you can chill-out without being interrupted (excepting spouse aggro), a private nook where you know there is a definite beginning and end to your adventure, one that offers the best possible loot. They are areas often steeped in lore. They are... the instanced dungeons. There are actually 19 separate PvE dungeons currently in Aion where Daevas can get their dungeon crawl on. If you include the Fortress instances, you can add another 10 dungeons to this list. Adding PvP instances raises the number even higher. However, since fort instances are seriously lacking in lore and fort ownership is required (so availability is not assured), we will forego including them. We'll also omit the Dredgions and PvP arenas to keep the list PvE focused -- after all, there are times you really may not want to bother with fighting the enemy! This week, Wings Over Atreia explores the first half of the dungeon list for the benefit of both young whippersnappers and old-timer Daevas alike. Why would veterans need it? Because dungeons aren't just for certain levels anymore. For a change of pace or to break out of a rut, grab yourself some lowbies, mentor down, and check out one instance a day -- you'll pass two weeks before ever repeating. You might even have fun, meet new friends, and renew your enthusiasm for Aion.
NCsoft planning more Aion rifting tweaks
The month-long rifting experiment begun by NCsoft in early December has apparently given the Aion devs enough data to continue with a trial aimed at revisiting the decision to nerf the PvP mechanic with last fall's 2.0 update. Players were recently asked to complete in-game surveys relating to the new changes (which boiled to down a removal of Heiron/Beluslan protections and changes to the large protective defender buffs), and NCsoft reports that the majority of survey participants responded favorably to the change. In a post on the official Aion website, NCsoft says it will continue the rifting trial "a few more weeks," and the devs will also tweak lower level player protection in Morheim and Eltnen. Finally, a new player survey will be sent out and the rifting protections will be "restored to their previous levels" while feedback is collected and analyzed.
Aion experimenting with temporary rifting changes
Rifting is a sore spot for many Aion players. On the one hand, some folks no doubt felt that the mechanic was intrusive and forced PvP on people who simply wanted to quest, gather, and otherwise PvE. On the other hand, the drastic changes introduced in the Assault on Balaurea expansion all but killed most of the rifting in the game, causing some to question NCsoft's all-or-nothing approach. Starting today, the devs are experimenting with a month-long trial designed to bring an element of risk back to Atreia and also strike a balance between rifting and PvE. The protective buffs placed on homeland defenders will remain in place for the low-level Morheim and Eltnen zones but will be significantly reduced. Protection buffs for defenders in the higher-level Heiron and Beluslan zones are going away entirely. What does this mean for you? In a nutshell, you'll have an easier time completing those spy quests that have been clogging your journal for weeks, and you'd also best keep an eye on your radar for incoming reds.
Wings Over Atreia: The ties that bind
Flaws. Bugs. Annoyances -- like a level 45 slaughtering you while your little level 18 self is quietly going about gathering Lumesia. Moments that just make you want to find a dev and toss him off the nearest high rise; all games have them, no one denies this -- not even Aion players (although they usually don't feel the need to discuss them with those who don't play). So why is it we stay in games that, at times, make us want to rip our hair out by the fistfuls? With such a plethora of games catering to a wide variety of play styles, how do we stay faithful to a particular one over the long haul, even when we know it isn't perfect? No, it isn't because we are all secretly masochistic. Or because we detest our barber/hairdresser. Looking around me in games both past and present, watching those who could be considered die-hards stay in (and enjoy) games long after the masses have fled, I found themes that mirrored some of my own reasons -- because, alternately, there are the moments that make it worth it. Not the art, the features, or the wittiness of the quest dialog. Rather, the ties that bind us: Friendships, epic memories, and just plain stubbornness. Charge across the bridge and we'll delve into my top reasons for sticking with a title, even in the face of the raging malcontents.
Aion's Morheim zone receives video tour treatment
Volcanic valleys full of floating islands of pouring magma are just one of the many amazing vistas you'll see in the newest Aion video zone tour for the Morheim. It's probably the 100th time we've said it, but this game's environmental visuals are without a doubt drop dead gorgeous. We don't always agree on everything here at Massively, but if there's one thing you can be sure we've reached a consensus on, it's this.It probably helps that these videos just keep on coming out, too.Another strikingly impressive part of the video tour stems from its showcasing the amount of diversity in just this one particular zone. Beyond the flaming hot craggy regions, there are icy frozen tundras and classically built tree houses and, uh, well tree people too. You can find the full video just after the break.
