Photo Essay: Ragnarok Online
July 3, 2008 by Joel Tan
Filed under Asian MMO, Asian MMO Players, Gravity, Level Up! Games, MMO Guides, MMORPG, MMORPG News, My World, Ragnarok Online, Random Rants
Actually, it’s more of a screenshot essay.
Anyway, like I said in an earlier post, I’m playing Ragnarok Online again, and enjoying every minute of it. It’s soooo hard to start over. But I have, in the past, hopped servers several times that I should already be used to it. When Ragnarok Online was introduced in the Philippines by Level Up! Games back in 2003, everybody had been stuck with only one server—Chaos. About a year later, a couple of new servers were opened, and it was on one of these—Fenrir—that we, my wife and I, resettled with some friends, including the eccentric Henry Sy (named after a local tycoon).
A few months later, we got turned off from playing Ragnarok Online by a week-long server problem. So we decided to quit, but not permanently. We still visited Fenrir from time to time, checking on friends and our stash of loots. All things, however, come to an end, and that was what happened. We quit Ragnarok Online until a new server, Urdr (otherwise known as the PK server), opened in 2006. We were drawn back to Rune Midgard, lured by new adventures with new friends. Our time there, however, was short-lived. We had to quit—again—due to personal problems.
Now, we find ourselves back in Rune Midgard, this time in Valkyrie, and we’re hoping to make it permanent. Ragnarok Online still holds a lot of potential for an old MMORPG, thanks to the constant updates from Gravity, its developer. In our first few days on Valkyrie, we have learned that a few things haven’t changed:
Rockers are still a good source of experience points and loot for characters who have just changed jobs. This is especially true for vitality-based characters like swordies and merchants. Watch out, though, as one map where Rockers romp, Prontera Field 7, is also where the miniboss Vocal rocks too-daring avatars. No, I don’t have screenshots of my character near the noisy miniboss. Why? Because, at the time, she was too young to die … foolishly.
Higher level characters, or those who have already gone beyond the normal, aura-less ken, don’t care much about loots. Some of these uber powerful characters are still seen slaying monsters in newbie fields. Take advantage of this by following them around and grabbing their loot. This is highly recommended for those who are just starting out. Remember, though, that if the highbie resents your looting spree, just apologize and return whatever loot you took.
Going back to the old roots, eh? I was thinking of playing on the new server myself, I just don’t have time. Or was it because I don’t think I can afford to play too much if I get addicted again, LOL.