I was lucky to attend the "Aion Trial Meeting" hosted by NCsoft for journalists on April 1st, 2008 local time in South Korea. Now, I'll share my testing experience with you.

1. Character selection screen

Overall speaking, the startup screen and character selection screen are enhanced in terms of visual effect. The gorgeous colors will definitely astonish you.

2. Character creation

In character creation window, players will see a character wearing top-level armor and weapons. I believe many players will feel motivated since we can see our maxed-out character from the start.

In the second closed beta phase, the player can select hairstyle and customize his character freely. It is said that because there are too many choices for the player to make, the official will recommend some characters created by players for other players to use directly. And the player can also choose to have his character randomly generated.

3. Changes in NPCs

In the second closed beta, not only characters will have enhanced appearance, but also the NPCs' appearance will have big changes. One of the big changes is that the NPCs in the Amodians' zone will be more of Amodians style.

4. Changes in game interface

The most distinctive part is the subdivision of game setting. The player can switch between ordinary interface and AION interface. And for the convenience of beginners, the system will display help which are necessary for the player in small icons. In addition, the player can mark 1, 2, 3 or 4 over the head of his foe or monster in order to distinguish them.

5. Changes in maps

In the second closed beta test, the maps will be easier to view. Different regions are characterized by different colors and the character sign in the world map and mini map are bigger and clearer. In addition, I noticed there are two new maps added, both for level 20-30 players, one being the Elyos map and the other being the Asmodians map.

(1)New zone for the Elyos (Lv20-30)

The new zone for the Elyos added in this test is a combination of desert and forest.

(2)New zone for the Asmodians (Lv20-30)

The new zone for the Asmodians added in this test features bad climate. In this zone, you can see terrains whose style is totally different from those in the Elyos' zone and the monsters there are unique.

6. PvP

It is pitiful that the neutral area between the Elyos and the Asmodians is still not available in this test, which might disappoint those players who expect RvR combat. But don't worry, except the neutral area, you can also sneak into the area of another race through a portal.