Recent posts

#91

Server Seeking / Re: LF lowrate with QOL, no va...

Last post by NimbleStorm - Mar 25, 2024, 11:24 PM

I recommend checking out Project Sunhshine!

[Hello wonderful Ragnarok Online community!]

#92

RO Graphic, Coding & Media / Aste Grf v2024

Last post by asteanya - Mar 25, 2024, 03:46 PM

Hello wonderful Ragnarok Online community! 

I would love to present to you an update to my custom GRF created completely from scratch, housing hundreds of changes, improvements and optimizations for smooth and beautiful playing experience.

Let me share some of the features of Aste Grf v2024:

Redesigned fully from scratch with the feedback and experience from the best WOE players in the world and all of the feedback from users of previous versions all over the years, Aste Grf v2024 brings absolutely new experience for the GRF users. All effects and features of the original Aste Grf were recreated from scratch, featuring a new design style allowing for instant feedback of what is happening on the players screen and at the same time improving game performance even more.

Main goal of this GRF is to provide WOE ready experience for the players out of the box, improving FPS and visual clarity without sacrificing unnecessary effects and features.
Aste Grf v2024 includes many new effects, features and optimizations from original GRF at the same time as featuring things that were never thought to be possible before.

New design language:

Aste Grf v2024 features a completely new design language and style. No more half-transparent or barely visible effects. New design language takes aim in providing instant color and shape feedback with clear, fast and sharp animations that enables players to build strong muscle memory for the effects. Such effects enable players to instantly recognize what exact effect is currently playing on the screen, without needing to think or look directly at the effect itself.

New color coding system is a design choice that makes every "negative" effect appear in the red/orange color scheme and every "positive" effect appears in the blue/green color scheme. Such an approach allows players to build even stronger muscle memory to the effects, enabling the brain to instantly recognize if they are in danger or not and allowing them to focus on the task at hand in the heat of the battle without directing too much attention to what exact effect is playing on their screen in the current moment.

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Never seen before effects:

Aste Grf v2024 enables new, never before thought even possible effects in the game, such as GuildSkill Emergency Call, Sura Cursed Circle, Genetic Sling Item and others. New tech found in the GRF allows clear retargeting of existing .str files to any effects (except few that are forced by client) enabling GRF power users to create their own effects and retarget them to the desired effects themselves.

Even more performance optimization:

Transition to usage of .tga images for new effects instead of .bmp enabled even more performance boost compared to the original GRF. With the version of Aste Grf, players would be able to reach FPS numbers that they have never seen before.

Clear status icon design:

Some status Icons were updated too, to make them more easily readable, less confusing and provide much faster feedback on important debuffs and statuses. Many new status icon effects that are missing from the original RO were added too.

Playable even with /effects on:

Worried about missing something important in the heat of the battle? No worries, thanks to huge performance increase in Aste Grf v2024 playing with /effects on is fully possible! Even with /effects on, Aste Grf v2024 provides clear visual feedback on what is happening on the screen with absolutely playable performance.

Fully customizable experience:

Enjoy playing without headgears? Or maybe you want to mute all sound effects except ones you choose? Maybe you want to remove Genetic Homunculus and Sorcerer Elementals from the screen? No worries, Aste Grf v2024 provides a fully customizable experience without sacrificing any features as it was before. New "addons" system allows players to choose what features they want or don't want and simply merge them to the base Aste Grf v2024 without any conflicts. Power to the user, customize GRF exactly to your liking!

Watch GRF in action in my promo video:



https://youtu.be/H_gFOeMiPDs






If you are interested in my GRF or want to learn more about it please visit my Discord Server for the full list of features and other details about my GRF:

https://discord.gg/S6JjKW7Rpn




Thank you and have a nice day!   

#93

Long Lost Friends / Re: Anyone from EternityRO?

Last post by Ty - Mar 25, 2024, 03:25 AM

Holy s***, its been what, a whole 17-18yrs? cant believe I could find eternityRO nostalgia here.

Was a wiz & bard for Power & Benriya guild if not mistaken, was a noob supporting char, but i really enjoyed the international community in the server. Made tons of in game long lost international friends too, all the way from SouthEastAsia to US,UK Europe, Aussie etc2.

Could spend tons of hours idle chatting in Prontera/geffen/aldebaran with strangers/parties/guild. Missed the crazy big parties spamming in glastheim majorurous farmin. Enjoyed watching Epic guild showdown between NaBz, Gold Saints, BerZerker, and etc2, post PVP sessions and all the guild drama, pride, flaming and s***.

Can't believe there's still a forum discussing this and happen to google it.

Just started in UaRO recently, feeling all the nostalgia from days past. Although, couldnt find such great, helpful and friendly community from back then. =')

Despite the server closing after so long, it was a really fun and happy server, great childhood memories too. Just wanna say, am Thankful for all the GM's and the great community in EternityRO!!

Cheers!!

#94

Server Reviews / Re: ValiantRO - Why?

Last post by Felione - Mar 24, 2024, 11:57 PM

great review.

[The good things:]

#95

Server Reviews / ValiantRO - Why?

Last post by ProtobeltNunu - Mar 24, 2024, 07:49 PM

To be upfront, I've never been one to leave reviews. Typically, if I'm not a fan of something, I'll simply move on to the next option without much thought. Conversely, when I find something I enjoy, I tend to savor it in silence. However, this time around, I feel a strong urge to support the Valiant Team by sharing a candid review of their efforts. Having played in the server for over five weeks (the server is 7 week-old), I believe I've gathered enough insight to distinguish the highs and lows of this experience.

The good things:

1. I respect Solis and his vision. In Discord, he claims his role as a coder, but I think he is the admin of this project. The team's approach to skill rebalancing is both comprehensive and thoughtful. It's 2024 and while most servers out there have done the skill rebalance things, most of them barely scratch the surface of real problems in classic Ragnarok Online. The Team's rebalancing ideas are unique and did bring back lots of obsolete builds in a pre-renewal server. People actually want to play auto-cast sage, battle priest, trap hunter, and alchemist in the PvE environment, which is inspiring. You can validate my point here.

2. Their roadmap is clear. They start at Episode 8 right before Rebirth and gradually release later episodes with great consideration. For example, the next episode will be Einbech/Einbroch and they revamp every map belonging to that episode to solve the problem Solis has stated:

"Ragnarok Online has so many unused maps, so many untouched mobs, and will-never-be-used equipment."

They're even eyeballing Renewal content and thinking, "Hey, let's remix this for the old-school vibe." Talk about ambition 

"The Airplane and Airship are released on episode 9. I mean, why don't we bring Airship Crash Instance to Ep 9 as well? It would be refreshing!"

3. Last but not least, I have seen and felt that the Valiant Team is very dedicated, and they do know and understand the game. Their ability to empathize with the player's perspective is a standout trait not often seen in other teams.

The bad things:

1. You will feel a little bit left out because 90% of the community is Vietnamese people with their language. They are friendly and helpful, but they tend to play with each other as groups. If you ask them, they will give answers. A guy named Loyt even lent me some money to start the journey. I don't know if it's because they are shy or their English is not that great. Either way, you must be very communicative to interact with them actively, or you better join with your own group of friends.

2. The server connection is not that great. Solis has tried so hard that he literally set up 8 proxies all over the world to reduce latency but the spiking lag is sometimes terrible. They promised to upgrade the server at the end of this month, and I hope they keep their word.

3. This might be a good point to someone, but I myself dislike the fact that the Cash Shop doesn't sell any valuable thing. There is a VIP system that provides good QoL, but I don't see any good headgear with a decent status bonus. The Cash Shop is full of nice costumes though but I'm not into those things.


For the sheer guts of their content and vision, easy 10/10. But on making it feel like home for us international folks? More like a 5/10. It's a bit of a bummer seeing players bounce because of lag or feeling like an outsider. It's disheartening, given the team's evident efforts to improve server stability.

This review comes from a place of honesty, and I hope it reaches Solis and his team: You're doing remarkable work. Stay driven and persistent, and success will follow.

Thank you.

#96

RO Graphic, Coding & Media / Re: [WOE GRF] Nerva.grf Public...

Last post by Fluxion - Mar 24, 2024, 12:18 PM

Why not just create your own, there are so many tutorials now.

#97

RO Graphic, Coding & Media / Re: [WOE GRF] Nerva.grf Public...

Last post by Onad0704 - Mar 24, 2024, 02:29 AM

Where is the updated link? Sorry, newbie on the site.

#98

Rant and Rave / Re: Ragnafilian

Last post by OrcLordDaddy - Mar 23, 2024, 08:54 PM

Michielnummerloos

He is the reason I left the server.

The GM let his personal attacks and insults go on for too long, so I basically gave away all my gear to other German players that were still playing and deleted all my characters.

Too bad he acted so late, personally I enjoyed the server a lot, but the moment you let insults and personal attacks, that come out of nothing, just be there in the Discord without immediately taking action when you see them, that's when I'm out.

#99

Server Discussion / Re: Project Alfheim is back

Last post by Metan - Mar 23, 2024, 02:25 PM

I'm informing people of mistakes and issues surrounding a problem. I wouldn't really call that democratic. I also provided proven solutions through comparison. What exactly am I doing wrong on a forum that discusses servers where you are allowed to state your own opinion? I don't have to think about anything but my own opinion of a product I chose to consume for a time before I dropped it. No one's feelings is a part of this, nor is defending the idea that it's difficult to start a server for "free". It is a risk, which comes with obvious consequences. The way you act as an admin reflects if people will stay, or people will go, and I believe people need to be informed of someone's discretion, observe it themselves, and make a decision. If I was the sole person who dictated whether someone plays a server, I would never type a word on this forum, but the beauty of being an individual, is that I can write a novel of terrible and negative things, and people could simply ignore it. I think the reason why anything I say bothers anyone, is because it's very direct and to the point. If any issue exists, it needs to be pointed out, or nothing will be fixed. It's that simple. If it's not fixed? well, the appropriate actions are taken by a playerbase.

My main issue with server owners continuing the way they do, is, it leads to failure, and unfortunately, the only victims are the PLAYERS who wasted their time, something MONEY can't buy, on a person's poor decisive skills. If you have a vision of something, giving the players small amounts of compassion wouldn't hurt you or your vision, but some people are just childish and refuse to see anything else. I know this from experience, because I'm a writer, and after showing my work to people, I was given advice I thought was terrible, and some I thought were good. Did I sulk in a corner? did I put my foot down and declare war on ideas? no. I simply adapted a massive change, which forced me to rewrite hundreds of hours of text, so that it was more presentable towards a certain audience, WHILE keeping things as close to my vision as I could.

If I, someone with a low self-esteem, who is normally rather fragile, can take the advice of people who dislike my work, a server owner can make a consideration for their donations. I personally don't get it. This type of game is dead without a community, so why on earth would you grudge over your community's advice and quite possibly their needs to stay? it's mind boggling that I have to write this, like it needed to be explained.

Oh please, this was never about whether you're allowed to state your mind in a public forum, so don't twist it like that. It's the assumption that admins out there not just ought to, but have to listen to inputs lest they be labeled a close-minded brute who hold their community in low esteem.

You think your ideas are sound and shoving them aside will but smother a great potential, or exacerbate an ongoing mistake? Now there's something GMs hear every day; presenting your stuff shouldn't completely influence anybody at a first glance unless it's disarmingly great. Taking this to mind, why should one's suggestions prevail amidst all others just because they have been suggested?

Moreover, I believe your idea that people in a position of power such as an admin should be more open-minded in the sense of what you're describing, and expecting, is rather counterintuitive, and potentially self-destructive. Not that it'll drive you mad or something, but in that it will degrade the original objective which you once envisioned. Where is the line that dictates at which point a server admin should reconsider their vision and instead open up to what third people have to say? And, past this point, where is the line that defines whether your idea still breathes, whether it hasn't been forever disfigured by the wheels of change? These are not so clear that one can talk about them objectively, yet they're so present that it would be a blunder to not consider them. The ego is not to be isolated, but fostered. As a writer yourself, this piece of wisdom should have long been ingrained deep into your thinking. If you cater too much to the public, your original work perishes, and it turns out that you're no longer presenting your feelings and thoughts through art, you're merely providing entertainment made cheap to be as inclusive to external ideas as possible. You essentially become the public's intellectual b****. Though I also happen to speak as a writer myself, this idea applies to all things in life where you're supposed to take a stance in the name of something or someones, and, to a less extent (you're not exactly developing a game from scratch, but some of it is still there), managing a RO server.

Besides, most of us have been playing RO for decades, and as we get older, ideas solidify, the mind loses its fluidity and adaptability, and we just stick to what we think is right, refined or degraded by decades of living. It's just natural. I think people often forget this part because it may be hard to imagine 30+ or even 40+ yo people playing games, it's usually seen as a young people's kind of thing, but a good chunk of the community, to not say the majority, is just that old, so this is worth stating.

I honestly didn't and won't read the last paragraphs because the moment someone begins to capitalize words in the middle of a sentence, it feels like they're screaming at the reader, and that behavior marks the death of reason. Overall, you don't strike me as someone who usually suggests what you think is a good idea, but more like someone who's hellbent to force a hot potato down my throat, and damn if I refuse.

EDIT: TBH, I think this thread has run its course a long time ago, even before this discussion. Is this even about PA anymore? lol

[daily]

#100

Server Discussion / Re: Project Alfheim is back

Last post by ghrim987 - Mar 23, 2024, 01:54 PM

My main issue with server owners continuing the way they do, is, it leads to failure, and unfortunately, the only victims are the PLAYERS who wasted their time, something MONEY can't buy, on a person's poor decisive skills. If you have a vision of something, giving the players small amounts of compassion wouldn't hurt you or your vision, but some people are just childish and refuse to see anything else. I know this from experience, because I'm a writer, and after showing my work to people, I was given advice I thought was terrible, and some I thought were good. Did I sulk in a corner? did I put my foot down and declare war on ideas? no. I simply adapted a massive change, which forced me to rewrite hundreds of hours of text, so that it was more presentable towards a certain audience, WHILE keeping things as close to my vision as I could.

Did you approach people with the intent of getting advice? Did you think your work had room for improvement but couldn't put your finger on what's lacking?
There is a fine line with going out of your way to ask for feedback and advice and having it shoved down your throat.

There is another issue when only a small fraction of the playerbase even uses discord.
You'll never have a clear view if your suggestions or criticism will lead to changes that flips another part of the community off completely.

Recently people were -screeching- daily about L4L (leech for loot) in our individual loot dungeons, so naturally to adress the constant b**** we received adjustments that toned down L4L but now people can't multi client on said maps anymore.. guess what? It seems to be causing even more screeching than before, because now it's harder to get a party going in the first place.

To clarify the point I am trying to make:
Something that some people make out to be a huge deal is a non-issue for many others, similar to how the chat restriction was to you.
There were many options you could've chosen:
A) play for 2 hours to reach the level needed to chat away
B) go to town and chat away with people if it's that important to you
C) join a guild and chat away, plenty of welcoming ones for new people
D) talk on discord while playing until you get to the point

But somehow that non-issue snowballed into all of this?

If I, someone with a low self-esteem, who is normally rather fragile, can take the advice of people who dislike my work, a server owner can make a consideration for their donations. I personally don't get it. This type of game is dead without a community, so why on earth would you grudge over your community's advice and quite possibly their needs to stay? it's mind boggling that I have to write this, like it needed to be explained.

Are we still talking about PA at this point?
As I've mentioned before, content gets adjusted via player feedback and player suggestions get implemented steadily.

I often see people (that quit) asking for PA 2.0 with a fresh server reset, so apparently the server can't be as bad as you make it out to be?

I think some people just expect too much out of the small dev team PA has, I am surprised we get big updates as frequently as we do honestly.