Good morning aionsourcers, I was recently fortunate enough to get an exclusive look into the beautiful world of Aion 2.0. As you’re all probably aware 2.0 is a future content patch for Aion and is penciled in for release sometime in September but we’re not content waiting around for that date so here’s a sneak peak into what you’ll be seeing!
DISCLAIMER: All observations made in this article are currently speculation based on what we were able to see, monster spawns/content/localization is all subject to change by NCWest. Take this all with a truckload or two of salt.
Hideous font colors aside lets get started shall we?
Silentera Canyon
Silentera Canyon is a new instance, and fairly significant since it gets an entire map dedicated to it, added with the 2.0 content patch. From what I’ve been able to gather by looking through the map it will be shared with Elyos and Asmodians having both factions being in the same world.
Entrance into Silentera is gained via Inggison for Elyos and Gelkmaros for Asmodians within their respective mountain temples. Needless to say the look of this temple is bound to change by the time it hits our shores but who cares about that – we want to see what’s inside!
Upon entering the instance it seems you will be transported into one of two spawnpoints. If you look at the map above you’ll notice two markers are in golden text (Silentera Westgate & Eastgate) – it would seem these are to be the spawnpoints for the instance.
Now the reason I assume these are to be the spawnpoints is simple, they’re on exact opposites of this symmetrical map and as you will see below – on a raised cliff completely blocking the enemy faction from advancing upon you.
A perfect position to plot your next advance for whatever the goal of this place may be. Hell there even seem to be some kisks hanging around although those may be there for other reasons – doesn’t make much sense for an instanced zone eh?
Once you muster up the willpower to glide down from your mountain fortress though an expansive and surprisingly varied instance awaits to be conquered.
The start of the instance has a funny knack of giving you one-way hills, once you jump down you’re not getting back up anytime soon. There’s also some sparkling green forestry to behold if you’re so inclined.
As you begin to wind your way into the middle of the instance however you may notice things getting a bit… darker. But fear not, there’s one last bloom-enriched scene to behold before you enter the murky depths of Silentra.
After fighting your way through hordes of scantily-clad female Oompa-Loompas you will come across the Jotun Brothers.
Quite fond of taking names and chewing gum these two will probably give you a fair run for your money. What the rewards are for slaying them however remains, sadly, unknown.
(Few more screenshots because… well they’re cool. Quiet you lot!)
My goodness that’s a lot of screenshots. Wanna hear my thoughts? Of course you don’t but too bad you’re reading them anyway.
Just judging by the map design, a perfectly symmetrical map with what is clearly two spawn points, it’s pretty apparent this is going to be a PvP or Group vs Group instance of some kind. Now what’s interesting is all paths have a suspicious tendency to lead very quickly to the final bosses in the middle.
There’s a lot of paths to the side that seem to be completely unnecessary and will be ignored… if this was a normal instance. Having said that I have some faith in NCSoft so it seems more likely there will be a certain set of criteria/objectives that need to be met in order to “win” this instance. Perhaps npcs will be spawned or a certain kind of monster in those seemingly irrelavent hallways.
Hell I wouldn’t be shocked in the slightest to see some sort of point system similar to that in Dredgion. Well that and a lot more monsters than were shown here xD
Later,
-Cynic.
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