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Sliced Gaming Feature: Aion Developer Interview

Writer: Nick Schaedel
Posted: 23rd September 2009, 1:40am

Aion hit shelves today, so it seemed only right to get NCsoft in to answer some questions. Associate Producer Lani Blazier stepped up to the plate.

 

Sliced Gaming: What are the key features of Aion that differentiate it from other MMORPGs?

Lani Blazier: We know players have choices in what to buy and play, so it’s important to us that we offer them game mechanics and experiences that they’re not necessarily going to find in any other MMORPG. Aion features tactical flight, introducing three-dimensional combat as a game mechanic. Tactical flight will change the way players and Legions (Aion’s guilds) think about combat strategies. We’ve combined PvP and PvE—into PvPvE—so players no longer have to commit to one or the other.

PvPvE allows them to play both while also giving them the option to focus on one over the other. NCsoft has also always been known for its robust character creator systems (City of Heroes, Guild Wars), and we’ve definitely taken character creation to the next level with Aion. Not only can players create a truly distinctive character look, but they can also customize the way they play the game with that character. An example of gameplay customization is the use of Stigma stones. By using different combinations of Stigma stones, players can enhance and change their character’s class so that the character’s abilities are unique.

SG: In the CGI trailers, you see the characters connect in combat. Do in-game fights retain this realistic feel and brutal intimacy?

LB: One of my favorite parts of Aion is the visceral feel you get when fighting enemies. There’s nothing quite like using various skills and weapons to throw your enemies around! Combat in Aion uses a familiar system that incorporates a few creative twists that we feel really make its MMO combat different. Your character has access to certain weapon types and skills based on its class. From there, you engage creatures and enemies in combat by targeting and attacking. The fun, however, starts when you begin to use the chain skill combo system.

By using the beginning skill in a chain skill combo set, you can trigger the next skill in the chain, which gives you either access to more offensive or defensive power. In addition, if you complete a chain skill combo set, you may end up knocking your target down or stunning it, in which case if you're in a group, a fellow player may have a reactive skill that its character can use on a target in that state. It’s a really exciting system to use and to see in action. We also have a directional combat system where your combat statistics change depending on the direction your character is moving while in combat. It is systems like these that make combat in Aion immersive and fun.

SG: Aion has been successful in Asian countries, but how do you feel about it taking on a Western MMORPG market dominated by Blizzard's World of Warcraft?

LB: World of Warcraft has certainly ...

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