I just tried every 99/50 server

[pablomacabro]

Hello everyone! Greetings from Argentina (HI-END) I've been playing Ragnarok Online (RO) for nearly 20 years now, and I must say, I miss the old RO feel  . The most recent server where I played seriously was OriginsRO, a fantastic server that had no donations, bots, or pay-to-win elements. It's a shame that Gravity eventually issued them 

Recently, I decided to download and try out every classic server (99/50) listed on RMS  . However, each server seemed to have at least one aspect that spoiled the experience. The most common issue was the imbalanced donation and VIP systems  . On these low-rate servers, it didn't make sense to offer donation items that provided 100% more experience and 50% increased drop rates, along with VIP benefits, books, and weekend bonuses. This created an unfair playing field, with some players enjoying rates three times higher or even fifteen times higher than others. It's frustrating to see a vending machine selling six Martyr Cards on a server that started just one month ago with a 1x drop rate. It's simply baffling.

Furthermore, most servers introduce absurd custom items that have no connection to the retro or classic style of gameplay. These items provide bonuses such as +3 strength, extra slots, increased drop rates, and more, all for low headgear. And of course, you have to pay for these items on a 1x server. It's quite disheartening.

OriginsRO, at its peak, boasted a player count of over 2000. It demonstrated that the best approach is to stay true to the original classic experience, with donation items limited to visual enhancements only. They also employed a slow episodic release, gradually reaching the Transcendent classes over a period of about 4 to 5 years. In addition, they had robust anti-bot measures, with Game Masters (GMs) manually checking for bots. If a player had been farming Skelworkers for a while, the GMs would silently observe, offer buffs to gauge the player's response, and ensure a fair environment.

I've grown tired of the multitude of template-based servers with extensive customization. It's ironic that I'd rather play an Episode 19 server claiming to be "more classic" than these so-called "classic" servers, which often shut down after just 5 or 6 months . They make a significant amount of money from this business model, only to close the server in the end. It's frustrating, to say the least.

I have been playing on Niktout RO Classic, and overall, it's a good server. I have a hunter and I enjoy the gameplay. However, the major issue is the lack of players. It feels like a ghost server with hardly any active participants  . On the bright side, the server has some convenient NPCs that prevent the need for aimlessly searching for tool dealers and similar services. The Kafra system is also well-implemented. Despite the low player population, the classic essence of the game remains intact. I think the GMs need to promote it more! It could be a total success, like OriginsRO was. 

Well, hope you enoyed my pergamum hehe

[Zulf]

Hey!

First, a question: are you actually the admin of HI-END (that server from around 2003)?

Second: we aren't dead (yet). Arcadia (our new name) will come eventually. For now, we are working on new stuff.

[Shuchou]

@pablomacabro you also forget that 2k 'player count' was inflated by people having 5+ buffing characters logged in while they played their main. So honestly 500-700 real players would be closer to the real player count. But there are a number of low rate servers that haven't changed a thing and don't have donations of any kind, so I wonder how those didn't give off the old RO feel [Unless you don't really know the old RO].

[Usagimimi]

> NiktoutRO Classic

Quoi.

Is this run by the same French guy from 2006 who took the money and ran not once, not twice, but multiple times following several "revivals"?

Or did someone "borrow" the name for nostalgia reasons?

[iMissDecentServers]

Origins was (is) on another whole unreachable level of good. Ideal rates with ideal experience/leveling mechanics and absolutely NO way to pay real money your progression there. No big changes while still claiming to be classic or anything.

Tried many (most?) of those "classics" servers as well in the last 15 months or so and I'm in the same boat as you: most of these servers claiming to be classic, aren't classic at all, and the "no-mutliclient!!" bullsh*t they love to boast are actually never enforced and you see people multiclienting all the time anyway, which is disheartening to people following the rules as it puts them in major disadvantage.

Decided to stop to giving a chance to such servers and now I'm waiting for the only and likely last good server we will see, as it's prone to come back even better and stronger than before, judging by their work progress and the recents events/traction of past 2 weeks.

Origins' comeback numbers will be huge when Gravity takes TalonTales down

[pablomacabro]

Hey!

First, a question: are you actually the admin of HI-END (that server from around 2003)?

Second: we aren't dead (yet). Arcadia (our new name) will come eventually. For now, we are working on new stuff.

1) No, I'm not, that guy nickname was IceCream or something like that.
2) That's great!! I'll be waiting for it, like a stone 

Origins was (is) on another whole unreachable level of good. Ideal rates with ideal experience/leveling mechanics and absolutely NO way to pay real money your progression there. No big changes while still claiming to be classic or anything.

Tried many (most?) of those "classics" servers as well in the last 15 months or so and I'm in the same boat as you: most of these servers claiming to be classic, aren't classic at all, and the "no-mutliclient!!" bullsh*t they love to boast are actually never enforced and you see people multiclienting all the time anyway, which is disheartening to people following the rules as it puts them in major disadvantage.

Decided to stop to giving a chance to such servers and now I'm waiting for the only and likely last good server we will see, as it's prone to come back even better and stronger than before, judging by their work progress and the recents events/traction of past 2 weeks.

Origins' comeback numbers will be huge when Gravity takes TalonTales down

Love ur nickname 
I agree on everything.

> NiktoutRO Classic

Quoi.

Is this run by the same French guy from 2006 who took the money and ran not once, not twice, but multiple times following several "revivals"?

Or did someone "borrow" the name for nostalgia reasons?

I don't know. I played iRO Classic (what memories!) and then Hi-End, my first private server. After that, I played OdysseyRO, ImperiumRO, AtlantisRO, and some others whose names I can't remember now. I also played lots of Filipino servers. Now I'm trying every new server, also 99/70 mid rates.

@pablomacabro you also forget that 2k 'player count' was inflated by people having 5+ buffing characters logged in while they played their main. So honestly 500-700 real players would be closer to the real player count. But there are a number of low rate servers that haven't changed a thing and don't have donations of any kind, so I wonder how those didn't give off the old RO feel [Unless you don't really know the old RO].

Yeah, that may be true. But no matter what map you go to, you'll find players grinding, even in the newbie maps. Lots of novices and first classes farming like old times, that's good nostalgia. Multiclient is not bad as long as all players can access it. I haven't found a server with no changes, no donations, no VIPs, no custom BS. Just tell me one, I'll be glad to play it.

Going older with no RO is so sad 

[OrcLordDaddy]

I played on Origins and I must say it felt the closest and most accurate game mechanics wise to an original aegis server. I almost felt like I was playing "iRO Classic Loki" again.

However, some things I heavily dislike about it, one thing being that 3 minute afk thing, where you can't leech up your characters unless you have them auto-follow you.

Unfortunately, every other classic server in comparison just isn't a true classic/pre-renewal server.


An exception were KokoRO and Ragnarok Travels.

KokoRO lived only for a short time, as it closed out of fear right after Gravity started taking down streamers and sued NovaRO. It went online 1 or 2 months before that Gravity stuff happened, I think.
So far it was my personal favourite.

And Ragnarok Travels just turned out to be hosted by psychos, it basically killed itself because of the owner and his minions.

But other than that, those 2 servers were using the original aegis software, which made it feel perfect to play on.
No wonky mechanics, no uncanney-valley inaccurate Hercules/rAthena stuff.

[Playtester]

KokoRO lived only for a short time

Pretty sure KokoRO already existed before Ragnarok Travels. I think it lasted at least 2 years?

[Zulf]

1) No, I'm not, that guy nickname was IceCream or something like that.
2) That's great!! I'll be waiting for it, like a stone 

1.- Booooo. :x
2.- Eventually~ No ETAs because it's actually unknown.

From time to time, we post stuff on our devlog, tho I haven't done much lately. But we know people are waiting for it (we get DMs and messages asking for it very frequently).

[OrcLordDaddy]

Pretty sure KokoRO already existed before Ragnarok Travels. I think it lasted at least 2 years?

I must have found it very late then, until now I thought it was a newer server.
Regardless, it was a super fun one and the server owner was also one of those very rare ones that actually cared about their server.

It was a sad day for me when he decided to close KokoRO out of fear of Gravity, though I absolutely understand his decision.

[Aeroskye]

Just play Ragnagoats then. It's 1x and the truest classic around. I have been playing for about 8 months now. It's VERY close to classic with some nice QOL features. No complaints from my end. Just needs more people.

https://ragnagoats.eu/



I was an ex Origins player, the server was great, and I played a good while at it, but I just hated the fact that you could just multi client 20 classes which defeats the way RO is supposed to be played. At the same time autoloot changes the game more than people realize. I just couldn't bear with it once it went Trans.

[OrcLordDaddy]

Just play Ragnagoats then. It's 1x and the truest classic around. I have been playing for about 8 months now. It's VERY close to classic with some nice QOL features. No complaints from my end. Just needs more people.

https://ragnagoats.eu/

Unfortunately, they have a 1 client only policy in this day and age.
No Pure Forger, I'm out.
Vending and transferring items to your merchant = a hassle, I'm out.

Other than that, Ragnagoats is nice but these small things kill it for me.
I played on it for a while and did really enjoy it.
But if there isn't at least a Dual Client possible than that's not a place for me to consider staying.

Forging is imo one of the most fun aspects, I absolutely love item creation in online games. But at 1 client only servers it is impossible / behind a big barrier only for a selected few that have like 20 people to leech them.

And vending is like the thing that keeps the economy and with that a server alive, as well as allow it to grow.
Nothing is more annoying than having to mail every single item you want to sell over.
Nor can you autovend on the same account that you play on.

[pablomacabro]

Unfortunately, they have a 1 client only policy in this day and age.
No Pure Forger, I'm out.
Vending and transferring items to your merchant = a hassle, I'm out.

Other than that, Ragnagoats is nice but these small things kill it for me.
I played on it for a while and did really enjoy it.
But if there isn't at least a Dual Client possible than that's not a place for me to consider staying.

Forging is imo one of the most fun aspects, I absolutely love item creation in online games. But at 1 client only servers it is impossible / behind a big barrier only for a selected few that have like 20 people to leech them.

And vending is like the thing that keeps the economy and with that a server alive, as well as allow it to grow.
Nothing is more annoying than having to mail every single item you want to sell over.
Nor can you autovend on the same account that you play on.

Unfortunately, the fact that it will be a 1x trans server is a dealbreaker for me. While I would love to play every day, I can only commit to 2-4 hours at most due to my responsibilities such as family, work, and health. It would take me a long long time to reach a trans job on a 1x server. Maybe the server will close before/after that 

[OrcLordDaddy]

Unfortunately, the fact that it will be a 1x trans server is a dealbreaker for me. While I would love to play every day, I can only commit to 2-4 hours at most due to my responsibilities such as family, work, and health. It would take me a long long time to reach a trans job on a 1x server. Maybe the server will close before/after that 

Tbf, 1x rates allow you to actually play the game again rather than just mindlessly race-grind to 99.
Afterall, leveling is a big part of the Ragnarok experience. If you take that away, then there isn't really much left do to. (see MindRO)

Somehow I feel like everyone only has this "race to the top asap" mindset and forgot how to actually play and enjoy the game.

But that's just my opinion.

I love the hours you can spend as 1st class, it's one of the most fun parts of the game.
And some servers just take that away with too high rates, or even worse, job change NPCs. Because doing that job change is such a "horrible" experience.

[Aeroskye]

Exactly. I understand people are used to some "facilities" over time....but RO is supposed to be 1x, and ideally be played single clienting. That's the most fun, and truest version of the game.

One may not like that "purer" form, but that's what essentially the game is. You move the rates, throw in @autoloot the meta just shifts in favour of something.

But yeh, I am not trying to challenge anybody's wish to not play a 1x, I am just giving my view on 1x single client RO.