Aion Riftshade

Seeing as this a x1 rate private server with official features in a rather forgotten patch I'm wondering how many of you like to enjoy all aspects of the game instead of rushing up.

•  Have you tried to complete every single quest?
•  Have you read the lore?
•  Have you tried to explore every place in the map?

Lastly, have you found others that you can actually have fun while achieving in game goals without the frustration of competing?

And are you returning to relive the nostalgia, beautiful scenery and beautiful composed music?

If this game has made you more happy whether or not you shared it with friends I'd like to know what Aion means to you.

Quote

Have you tried to complete every single quest?

I've only completed every single quest in Poeta. I tried to do the same once I got to Verteron, but it was taking too long, so I decided to focus on leveling up and do everything later on an alt.

Quote

Have you read the lore?

Some quests are more engaging than others, so I pay more attention. However, I don't really read most of them, since I still remember some stories and, like I said, now I'm focusing more on leveling on my main (which was too slow so far, thanks to gathering and crafting, but now I'm trying to speed up because there's always someone crying on LFG about sieges lacking people).

Quote

Have you tried to explore every place in the map?

I explore once in a while. I remember meeting someone back on Siel/Katalam(can't remember) who seemed to know the most unreachable places to kisk, so now I'm more interested in finding those places myself.

Quote

Lastly, have you found others that you can actually have fun while achieving in game goals without the frustration of competing?

I have in the past, but it's harder now, I guess. Sometimes I like slacking around, and other times, I go and make a real effort to improve my character. Usually, it's either one of those things when I meet other people (most of them like gearing up and get hyperactive with instances and pvp). Plus, I'm not always in talking mood...

I am a huuuuuge fan of Aion's lore and everything about it. I can't tell if I've completed every single quest, mostly because I skip the collect/group ones, but I did read every single quest I have done on both sides, every single book in the game and most of what can be found online. 
But you know what is probably the most interesting thing to read in game for me ? NPC default dialogues in the first cities, especially Sanctum/Pandaemonium. No one cares about it, yet it is full of precious informations about the area, the relations between everyone and the lore itself. Even the most insignificant guard standing at the entrance of the capital has a little gossip to share.

A lot of people underestimate Aion's lore in my opinion, as it is not directly told to the player. It needs to be searched. 
And maybe because it can be fastidious to read everything as the game gives lots of quests at the same time, I can understand why most of the players give up on it. 

Now when I see the current official Aion and what's left of the lore ... hmmf, no comments.

Another thing I regret about what they did to Aion, is the change made to the sky and the Tower of eternity. It is the most important part of Atreia, yet it was totally scrapped from the game. For those who forgot about it, here's an old screenshot. And the "new" one.
 

On 15.10.2019 at 6:50 PM, dekanh said:

(...)
But you know what is probably the most interesting thing to read in game for me ? NPC default dialogues in the first cities, especially Sanctum/Pandaemonium. No one cares about it, yet it is full of precious informations about the area, the relations between everyone and the lore itself. Even the most insignificant guard standing at the entrance of the capital has a little gossip to share.

A lot of people underestimate Aion's lore in my opinion, as it is not directly told to the player. It needs to be searched. 
And maybe because it can be fastidious to read everything as the game gives lots of quests at the same time, I can understand why most of the players give up on it. 

Now when I see the current official Aion and what's left of the lore ... hmmf, no comments.
(...)

^^^^this^^^^
So much this.

I started playing Aion as a young teen, I was perhaps 12-13 or so, and it was my first serious game. I have became enthralled by the feeling, the visuals, music, lore and the unobvious lessons it taught, and the game's art style has even influenced my own.

For my legion I used to be a "loremaster", and a storyteller, so I would gather the interested wingbacks in idyllic places every week or so, to present them bits of lore. What the dredgions are, what is the nature of aether, the presence and motivations of Aion himself, the symbolism and dynamics of the Empyrean Lords. Sometimes, I would go for completely nitpicky things, like differences between a Shugo and a Shulack, and my (failed) attempt at reconstructing actual Asmodian and Elyos languages. The legion was a complete noob party, we couldn't organise a single instance properly, we got wiped every time everywhere (except for Sauro on the 5th try, and we only were so stubborn because of the skins), but the sole immersion and friendliness was the amazing thing about it. No rush, anywhere, ever (we once spent 6h straight in TS). We also did plenty of role play. We basically copied the Empyrean/Dragon lords and put them in a variety of absurd situations and drama.

The vastness and ambiguity of presented information in this game is what is so great for me, it reminds me of the original Nier. Just bits and pieces that you need to gather, and put them into a whole yourself. One of the highlights, for me, was being forced to accept that I have been brainwashed as an Asmo, and had to make an Elyos, just to get the other side of the story. Such a seemingly small thing, but it made me realise of stupid it is, to just be told "hate that group", and actually doing it. Quite an important thing for a developing mind, though. Of course, all the movies and media say it, but nothing is quite as powerful as the game playing YOU, and then having to wake up from the propaganda.

Being such a nerd, of course I explored every corner of all maps, and did most of the quests that interested me (although I had a completionist friend who did all the other quests for me). The sheer size of the game guarantees that there is something for everyone, and I still find small unseen details, even after so many years.

Now, I was happy to find this server, and the first thing I checked was NPC dialogues, to see if they had their text intact, and it was basically one of the major factors that kept me here (I got burned on some other private servers, as they deleted everything that wasn't quest dialogue).

I left the official game around 5.6, because I just could not stand the decisions of the devs. 4.8 and 5.0 and onwards were pretty horrible from my perspective, as I cared so much for the lore and artistry, that it pained me to see someone's work thrown to trash. I did love the mysticism of 5.0, the reveal of Tower of Eternity, a lot of the lore and maps, but otherwise it was painful to play. I am glad to come back "home", though, even if I know this is frozen time in the lore, and I cannot expect better patches coming.