![]() It is common for teams eventually to meet up and fight one another eventually, so players in the Dredgion need to be aware and actively engaged in the instance to succeed. ![]() “Group entry” allows organized groups to enter the instance together, an option that generally creates a greater opportunity for success. The only difference between this and “Quick Entry” is that the latter could place a player in an instance that is already underway while the former waits to start an entirely new instance. Private Entry, according to the official Aion game guide, allows the player “to queue up to enter the next available Dredgion Battleground as a single player” (“Game Guide”). Players can choose “Private Entry” or “Quick Entry,” both meaning that players will be placed, more or less randomly, in a group that the game attempts to make balanced in terms of class distribution (one healer, several high damage dealing characters, and a “tank” who can absorb most enemy damage). There are several options for how to queue. This window allows players to queue up for the instance, which essentially means waiting for 12 players (6 from each faction) before starting. When it’s time for the Dredgion, a little box appears on the screen of players high enough in level to join the instance. ![]() This large sum of AP is one of the dangling carrot that motivates endgame players to return consistenly, since AP-awarding instances and events like the Dredgion occur few times daily. Whoever has more points at the end-and the captain awards a huge amount providing motivation for both teams-wins and receives the lion’s share of “Abyss points” (AP-I must point out that “AP” is used as a singular noun by players even though it’s based on plural “points”) which can be traded at special vendors for some of the game’s most powerful items. Throughout the instance players accrue points from killing enemies and destroying the “surkanas” that power the ship. Teams race through the instance, fighting minibosses at regular intervals and leading up to the captain of the ship whose death ends the instance. ![]() Both teams, though from opposing factions, hate the Balaur and want them destroyed but also want to claim victory for their particular faction. Both teams want to take down the Dredgion, which in the game lore is a type of ship used by the “Balaur” who make up the environmental enemies for both of the other races. It pits two teams from opposing factions against each other, each team with essentially the same goal. The Dredgion is restricted to certain character level requirements and is only available to characters three times a day-12:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 12:00 AM. A succinct example of endgame PvP play is the Chantra Dredgion instance (Dredgion for short). Since open-world PvP isn’t guaranteed, however, games within the game called “instances” also provide some opportunities for PvP play to satisfy players. Aion also encourages “open-world” PvP, meaning that most areas of play beyond the first few can be potential battlegrounds for players of opposing races. Like most MMOs, the PvP content is predicated on a two-sided conflict between similar but distinct races. A recent experience with social norming related to particular game mechanics can help reveal that complex social and material forces combine to create gameplay, and specifically the kind of gameplay considered “correct” by the broad social structure supporting Aion and among particular actors in that structure.Īion provides lots of opportunities for PvP play especially during the endgame phase. In order for the game to function and continue to grow in the way that MMOs demand, the moments of gameplay must be supported by the game design, the interactions of players in game, and the construction of paratextual social structures outside of the game (where videogame stands in for text). The reason I find PvP so compelling is that human players are incredibly complex, especially compared to non-player elements in the “environment,” and the competition is fierce and challenging. I enjoy player (PvP) content in MMOs, being generally less interested in rigid, preprogrammed player-versus-environment (PvE) content. When I left the game about a year ago, I was at the top tier of players, that is, I had maxed out my level and was participating in the “endgame” offerings that are so important to keeping MMOs alive. Recently I returned to the virtual world of one of my favorite MMORPGs ever, Aion (NC Interactive, Inc.).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |