Super Low Rates (Below Official)

[Bug]

What are your thoughts on rates below the official 1x/1x/1x? (e.g. 0.5x/0.5x/0.5x)
Have you ever played a server with super-low rates? If not, would you?

Personally, I would enjoy the challenge, granted the server is balanced, well setup, and worth investing all that effort into.
I remember when reaching level 99 and obtaining MVP cards seemed like a daunting, almost-unattainable, but ultimately rewarding task. That was a long long time ago.
The sheer impossibleness of it all helped fuel my enthusiasm and drive to play.

I'll speak for myself, but I'm sure plenty can relate: after playing RO for so many years, a lot of the game's highlights no longer impact me.
They've become standard. I'm just going through the motions.
We all love the familiarity and nostalgia of it all, but it's like driving: it eventually becomes an automatic, mindless task.
It's like taking the same route home from work everyday until eventually it's so habitual you don't even feel like you were driving at all.
If you slow down the car, you'll probably start noticing all kinds of things that were there all along, but you always just sped past them.

Custom content is a sensible solution to keep things fresh, but its a mere a hat-tip to the original content that captivated us in the first place and planted these familiar feelings that eventually grew into deeply rooted nostalgia which every other server revolves its marketing "strategy"around.

As RO gets older, its players get more & more experienced.
I think slowing down the game compensates for this forever-increasing Player EXP.
The original 1x rates were set when Player EXP was very low, before all the guides and databases.
I think super-low rates would put my skills/methods to the test, forcing me to improve them, and reach out to others.

I can see WoE being a lot more interesting when a wide variety of player-levels are involved.
Generally speaking, when everyone is around the same level, it comes down to how dope your gear is.
Great gear will only get a low-level player so far against a high-level player (unless they've really got their s*** together).
In other words, when it's very difficult to level-up, and there's a whole spectrum from low to high level players competing against each other, gear-quality is no longer the predominant factor in who dominates WoE, but instead just another factor, which could make things more interesting and fun!

I'm aware plenty of players "don't have time" to spend eternity grinding, and prefer servers with higher rates. Cool.
I'm writing this rantasic essay from the perspective of someone who doesn't dismiss MMORPGs as mere games, and enjoys them as alternative lives that can be tapped into when real life permits. And just like real life, it should take time, effort, and dedication to not just survive, but thrive.
When you finally pull it off, it should be a celebratory event.
I mean, you get an aura for christ's sake.
But hey, I'm just musing here.
What's your perspective?

[blame20]

In my opinion, if server owners would create a server. Better start focusing to pvm classic 1/1/1 episode 0.5-1.0 1-1 classes. When population reaches like 3k++. Woe should be recommended. A good example for this is the private server in Thailand which they have the highest population based on my experience compared to private servers you usually see. But don't even bother trying to play there unless you know how to speak and read thai. Even the NPCs there are mostly thai and they are not quite good in understanding english. Google translate will not help you. I wish server owners will realize that imo, most low-rate server players will prefer classic. I'm basing to the number of classic servers on Asia. Server owners will benefit with the correct customization. Removing a warper except Kafra is a plus.

[Bug]

Yeah, I don't speak Thai.

[SpaceFalcon]

You say RO is just automatic and mundane to you like driving, just going through the motions. So to make it challenging, you go and do exactly that? which is to turn your brain off and mindlessly click monsters on your screen for several hours a day...

I don't see how 1x rates makes WoE more competitive at all. It comes down to whoever is willing to sacrifice more of their free time to get ahead. There is nothing challenging about clicking on thara frogs for two weeks straight. This kind of 'hard work' is bullsh!t and a strategy used by gaming companies to get people hooked, much like slot machines in casinos.

Everyone should have decent gear and the true challenge is whoever is the more knowledgeable and coordinated player/guild in PVP not who is grinding the most.

I'm not bashing on low rate servers because I played mostly low rates from 2005-2014. I spent a bunch of time for nothing because the servers I played have all been shut down over the years.

I'm 26 years old don't have tons of dedication anymore but want to continue playing RO. Mid rates let me enjoy the content in the game like quests, items, monsters, mvps without making it too easy and pointless.

[blame20]

Why not both hard work + knowledge and coordination in pvp/woe? Well, there are more players playing in low-rate and majority are having fun. I think asians do prefer low rate and classic imo and I know a server with a population greater than what you usually see on other servers. Just don't mind them, do not get affected on players having fun or seeking low-rate servers. Important thing is that you have fun with the server you are sticking with, which is mid-rate mate. 

[Arnkell]

I don't see how 1x rates makes WoE more competitive at all. It comes down to whoever is willing to sacrifice more of their free time to get ahead. There is nothing challenging about clicking on thara frogs for two weeks straight. This kind of 'hard work' is bullsh!t and a strategy used by gaming companies to get people hooked, much like slot machines in casinos.

Everyone should have decent gear and the true challenge is whoever is the more knowledgeable and coordinated player/guild in PVP not who is grinding the most.

I'm not bashing on low rate servers because I played mostly low rates from 2005-2014. I spent a bunch of time for nothing because the servers I played have all been shut down over the years.

While you are not wrong you have to keep in mind that RO used to be more about skill and teamwork than who did the most burst damage, 2-x-x broke the mild balance that the game had and 3rds tried fixing it, it worked for a while. Vanilla WoE was never meant for trans/3rd, the strongest weapon was your good ol' 4 carded level 1 weapon and armors didn't have bonuses.

[Bug]

Hey everyone. Thanks for contributing your thoughts.

I do find it humorous that no one has managed to respond to the actual topic, which is rates below the official 1x (in case that escaped you).
I've merely asked your thoughts on rates below 1x, whether you've played a server with rates below 1x, and if not, would you?
I sincerely apologize for asking such abstract, difficult questions.

@SpaceFalcon: I'll try to articulate my thoughts better, if you work on your basic reading comprehension skills, deal?

You say RO is just automatic and mundane to you like driving, just going through the motions. So to make it challenging, you go and do exactly that? which is to turn your brain off and mindlessly click monsters on your screen for several hours a day...

Wait. Who said anything about how leveling is just turning off your brain and mindlessly clicking monsters? Right. That would be you.
I tend to use my brain while leveling, so it's a breeze, even on 1x official rates, which is why I personally would enjoy a below-official-rate server.
I'm honestly just curious if anyone else would. Apparently, you wouldn't.

I don't see how 1x rates makes WoE more competitive at all.

Neither do I. Did anyone say 1x rates made WoE more competitive? Think real hard.
I do recall saying something about how rates lower than 1x (oh, what do you know, that just happens to be the topic of this post) would result in players competing at all kinds of different levels, instead of almost everyone being 99, and how this could result in a more interesting and fun WoE, due to variety.
See the difference? There's a big one.

There is nothing challenging about clicking on thara frogs for two weeks straight. This kind of 'hard work' is bullsh!t and a strategy used by gaming companies to get people hooked, much like slot machines in casinos.
Everyone should have decent gear and the true challenge is whoever is the more knowledgeable and coordinated player/guild in PVP not who is grinding the most.

Correct. The challenge isn't mindlessly clicking monsters. You point this out as though someone claimed otherwise. Wasn't me.
Challenge yourself to level more productively and creatively.
Here's a thought: apply all that amazing knowledge and coordination to the PvE portion of the game.

The challenge lies in the high stake situations that can only be conquered when you apply skill, knowledge, party-cooperation, player EXP, etc.
You level faster on mobs that are a lot stronger than you. Good luck doing that with your mindless-clicking strategy.
I'll use an assassin mobbing with grimtooth as a basic example. The risk of death (being mobbed) increases as the number of mobs increases, but so does the potential EXP reward. This leveling tacit is far from mindless when the player is challenging themselves to create bigger and badder mobs that would instantly kill them if they were to make one wrong move.

I'm not bashing on low rate servers because I played mostly low rates from 2005-2014. I spent a bunch of time for nothing because the servers I played have all been shut down over the years.

Refer to the original post for my comment about how the super-low-rate server should be worth playing in the first place.
You've made a moot point here, because when you invest time into any server that shuts down, it feels like a waste, regardless of the rate.

I'm 26 years old don't have tons of dedication anymore but want to continue playing RO. Mid rates let me enjoy the content in the game like quests, items, monsters, mvps without making it too easy and pointless.

Hey man. If you're happy playing mid-rates, good on ya. I find them too easy.

@blame20

Why not both hard work + knowledge and coordination in pvp/woe? Well, there are more players playing in low-rate and majority are having fun. I think asians do prefer low rate and classic imo and I know a server with a population greater than what you usually see on other servers. Just don't mind them, do not get affected on players having fun or seeking low-rate servers. Important thing is that you have fun with the server you are sticking with, which is mid-rate mate. 

Exactly. You get it.
Play whatever rate server you want, and if you enjoy it, that's great!
I'm just pointing out that I'm personally interested in trying out a super-low-rate server, explaining why, and asking what others think about them.
I'm in no way claiming it to be the best server configuration for everyone.

[SpaceFalcon]

@SpaceFalcon: I'll try to articulate my thoughts better, if you work on your basic reading comprehension skills, deal?

Stopped reading right here. Seems like you took my post personally and felt you needed to insult me for no good reason. Either autism or more likely just because your ego is largely tied to video games since you have nothing else going for you in life.

Have fun with your little thread here buddy! 

[Bug]

Stopped reading right here. Seems like you took my post personally and felt you needed to insult me for no good reason. Either autism or more likely just because your ego is largely tied to video games since you have nothing else going for you in life.

Have fun with your little thread here buddy!

Yep, you definitely struggle with reading. Called it.
It was a small dig based on your apparent miscomprehension of what I was saying. Didn't go out my way to do it. Too easy.
You insult just as mindlessly as you level. Funny stuff. What else you got?

[NightshadeRO]

I'm actually working on something kinda like that?   The problem is that you cant really go lower than 1x without the exp from a group of mobs going null so really the only way to make the rates seem lower is to modify the exp curve.

[Bug]

I'm actually working on something kinda like that?   The problem is that you cant really go lower than 1x without the exp from a group of mobs going null so really the only way to make the rates seem lower is to modify the exp curve.

Now we're talking.
I actually meant to ask about issues like this in the original post. (Got carried away with my rant.)
Are there any other potential repercussions?

[NightshadeRO]

It's non conventional, if you were looking for a nostalgia trip of having to grind Glast Heim Prison to max then it probably wont be the same experience.     The repercussion is that it can generally take a very long time to level.   You are thinking of leveling at half of the rates of 1 so you need twice as much as EXP to max.  You may have to adjust the exp for endgame areas to make it so you are at least making 0.02~0.05 and it's probably best to have no death on EXP or you will play and just feel like most of your time has been wasted.    You are better off leaving Job rates alone,  I have been playing with this for about a month trying to tweak something like this up.   I don't think  half of 1/1/1 is what I was going for but I was looking to make leveling feel a bit more rewarding in a sense where you are trying to pass a mental wall.  I come from a long line of playing Flyff(another grindy MMO I'm using to compare being used to 0.00#% exp) on offical rates so grinding is just naturally fun to me.           All I can say is check it out and tell me what you think personally, there should be a thread in the low rates section of the forums.  I can't list it on the actual RMS until its actually open.

[Arnkell]

Flyff had some retarded exp curves yes, but it was mostly because they forced you to move from mobs as soon as you outleveled it by one level. They fixed it post V7 so you could grind less, also Flyff had giants respawing faster, almost the triple amount of mobs of RO in a spot, dungeons being harder but more rewarding and it was WAY EASIER to mob stuff on you too because it mobs just respawned as soon as they are killed plus the respawn place is/was a very small area.

Comparing that to RO up until say Niflheim and before the exp table and spawns rework you had very small places to level, the amount of exp you needed from level 98 to 99 was literally the sum of level 1 to 98 and MvP exp was mediocre because you acutally needed a party to fight them. That's why WoE played a important role during that time, leveling without Guild Dungeons was a major pain and even then you wouldn't be making more than a level a day after level 7x. After Heritage leveling had to be made faster so people could Reborn faster so it wasn't hard anymore, even though trasnclasses receive 25% less exp we still have Thor and Biolabs before they made them harder.

[rubie123]

Lol wth..why would you want to play on rates lower than x1? That is insane..

[Bug]

Lol wth..why would you want to play on rates lower than x1? That is insane..

Read the first post.

@NightshadeRO
Non-conventional is good. The idea is to try to new things and find even better ways to level. I don't consider slow leveling a negative repercussion; it's to be expected.
Yeah, disabling the EXP penalty would be smart, unless you're really trying to keep it hardcore.
I visited your site. Here's a couple things I noticed: the server statuses are different on each page (all OFF,  all ON, two ON and one OFF, etc.), a broken image in the footer, lots of capitalization errors, list bullets with nothing listed, I can go on.
Might be a good idea to take care of these issues before focusing on promoting your server. Unprofessional sites tend to be a big turn-off to potential players.
Interesting enough, the site I'm working on for my server is also Niflheim themed.  What are the odds?


@Arnkell
Ah, I can see why you're adamant about playing a "per-heritage" server now.
Great point: needing a guild dungeon for leveling provides incentive to WoE.