MouRO Review

[CommodoreWilhoy]

Server Rating

Stability
The server for the most part is nearly always stable. There are times when there is severe lag or crashes but those problems usually get fixed very quickly.

Rating: 9


Availability
While the server is not always available, it is pretty darn close to being so.

Rating: 9


Community Rating

Friendliness
The community is pretty friendly in MouRO. When I first started this server I was given Zeny, some basic gears, and then power leveled to my characters second class.

The community does have its problems though. Mostly trolls and some very obnoxious elitist people. But as with any other server you can /ex them when you feel the need to.

Rating: 8


Eventfulness
The first, but unfortunately not last, low point for MouRO.

The community rarely ever does any events to my interests. The events held are character style contests and town invasions.. Both, in my opinion are not very fun. (I'm more of a WoE/PvP person. xD)

Rating: 6


Game Master Rating

Friendliness
Well for starters there is no Game Master for MouRO. The server owner does not have GM's on his server (He is not even one!) because he believes GM's cause corruption. Any way, the server owner is very friendly. You will always see him welcoming new players to his server.

Rating: 10


Availability
The server owner/developer is usually on the MouRO forums on a daily basis answering help requests or taking suggestions for improving the server. With the latter, the guy really really works his butt off to do. xP

But wait! There's more.

All though the server owner is very active on the forums, I do not think I have ever seen him in game. I have seen some impostors (People that think having the name Skotiex or Skot|ex is cute), but never the real deal. Because he is never in game, he himself does not have an impression on how the server is. Often he relies on the feedback from the servers players on the forums. Which obviously can be a bad thing because not all people that play MouRO post on the forums giving feedback. So he can potentially only be getting the views of one person/group.

Rating: 6


Helpfulness
The server owner is always quick to answer any request for help. And no matter how newbie or dumb the person requesting the help is, Skotlex usually resolves what ever they need.

Rating: 10


Game-Play Rating

Economy
MouRO's economy is terrible. This is in part due to the server having shops that sell all cards and all accessories. On top of that, any item is droppable by any monster at a small chance so there really are not too many items that can be considered as rare.

Selling Potions and other player made items is a no go too being that for one: you really don't make too much from them. And two: there really isn't much of a demand.

Rating: 4


Guild Competition
The biggest flaw with the MouRO server.
Guild competetion in MouRO almost does not exist.
This is largely due to the small player base though.

In the event there is an active WoE on MouRO you have to deal with people who are notorious exploiters:

-People that use macro programs along with Winsock Packet Editor to automate the refining process. With which they achieved +15 items with.

-People who go even further than the above and use WPE to send data to the server that lets them do/use things they normally can not.

If they're not using WPE/Macro Programs, then people are exploiting bugs that they neglect to ever inform the developer about or any one else for that matter.

Rating: 1


Class Balance
Class balance on MouRO is decent. Classes that would normally be weak on other servers are actually pretty decent here. Ninjas, Taekwondo Kids, Soul Linkers, Stalkers, Super Novices, Star Gladiators and Gunslingers are all good here.

While the above classes being buffed and all is a good thing, there are some imbalances on this server.

1) Star Gladiators here are essentially the Assassins normal servers have. Very high damage capabilities, with insanely high attack speed. Warmth and both automated and manual Kicks allow Gladiators to deal damage faster than any other class in the game. With the correct attack element, and the right cards, this class has no equal.

2) Creators here are god like tanks and can dish out some very heavy damage early on. Plants are way too good, especially in PvP/WoE (Only because you're allowed to use so many of them) and Acid Demo is almost always a for sure 9999.

Essentially: They can tank on their own, they can summon a huge mob of mini tanks (plants) to tank for them, and they can heal what ever damage they or their allies may take. Oh and Acid Demo their enemy while doing so, that is if they survive the plants. This class is a little too solid IMO.

Rating: 7



Final Score: 70/100




Closing notes
MouRO is an excellent server. Just do not let this be your primary server of choice.

Its balance is geared for casual play in almost every way. Which is too bad, because your typical hardcore player server with some of Mou's mechanics would be incredible.

There is no WoE/Any other form of guild competition, and getting to max level can be pretty fast with the right party so there's really not much to keep you playing here (Unless you're just bored of normal RO. xP).

Get a few friends and go experience the impressive PvM of MouRO! I am sure you have never had any thing quite like it. 8O


Special note to developer
Play your server more. It is the best thing that you could possibly do to improve/balance it.

[~~T~~]

Economy
MouRO's economy is terrible. This is in part due to the server having shops that sell all cards and all accessories. On top of that, any item is droppable by any monster at a small chance so there really are not too many items that can be considered as rare.

Selling Potions and other player made items is a no go too being that for one: you really don't make too much from them. And two: there really isn't much of a demand.

Rating: 4

Ahoy Mate, I agree with you there. The worst thing are the damn Mimic Cards, they ruin totally. Random drops are fine as far as I know, sure, sometimes you can get some huge items, but isn't that the reason why you play? You want to camp mobs that WILL change when you step on a dungeon? Hell no! First time I went into Amatsu Dungeon to get a Miyabi Ninjyo Card a mob of bathories were camping around most ninjyos.
Shops that sell acess/cards are fine to me, can't see what's wrong with it since it gives you a wider way to create builds and test them while test server is off, acessory is just fine too, Prices are normally giantly overpriced(LOLOLOL 17kk Ring of Resonance).

Money isn't worthy because people use Mimic Cards at Anthell/Orcsdun/Hydras/whatever the f*** spawn fast enough to grant fast drops.

Guild Competition
The biggest flaw with the MouRO server.
Guild competetion in MouRO almost does not exist.
This is largely due to the small player base though.

In the event there is an active WoE on MouRO you have to deal with people who are notorious exploiters:

-People that use macro programs along with Winsock Packet Editor to automate the refining process. With which they achieved +15 items with.

-People who go even further than the above and use WPE to send data to the server that lets them do/use things they normally can not.

If they're not using WPE/Macro Programs, then people are exploiting bugs that they neglect to ever inform the developer about or any one else for that matter.
Rating: 1
Rating: 7
Final Score: 70/100

I haven't seem anyone do that, really, if you got a proof or something just post on forums or PM skotlex, he'll fix it right away. I feel that Guild Competition is dead due the fact no castle give anything good. No real reason to get them.

1) Star Gladiators here are essentially the Assassins normal servers have. Very high damage capabilities, with insanely high attack speed. Warmth and both automated and manual Kicks allow Gladiators to deal damage faster than any other class in the game. With the correct attack element, and the right cards, this class has no equal.

Lol Jacob. Answer this Dew.

2) Creators here are god like tanks and can dish out some very heavy damage early on. Plants are way too good, especially in PvP/WoE (Only because you're allowed to use so many of them) and Acid Demo is almost always a for sure 9999.

Lol Stonechimes.

The unbalancements you're seeing are just two people. TKMs are not that good, just check them. Creators need a GREAT investiment of money to do 1 or 2 raids per day, they are strong as hell with plants tho. Just find a wizard to kill them, MS really do well about it.

Play your server more. It is the best thing that you could possibly do to improve/balance it.

If you know Skot(And I believe you do), most of the time he can't.

[Majora_younglink]

Nobody. I repeat NOBODY has used a packet program to auto update +15. If anyone ever did I would personally ask Skot for a ban on them. Myself and a few other players have gotten a +15 through f*** hours of trials and thousands of materials. We play Mou because we like it and if someone wants to be a lazy bastard they can honestly get banned.

As for over powered TKM. Its Jacob. Only him. Ask to see his other charies. His sinX is MUCH worse to be honest. XD

Stone isn't that bad. He wastes a hell of a lot for what I'd call just a wall of plants that I can KO pretty easily. He really isn't that hard.

Money is pretty loose but thats a consequence of the low population. People stockpile money and why bother selling low if that have plenty. But Mimics aren't that bad and even then you have to have a high diff to make it work. I don't even use mimics. I'd rather work off random drops. 99% of the times its better to have a good accessory card than a Mimic.

Also a 17kk RoR was I would guess a joke or just an item to keep the shop up. I max sale Jelopies and stuff if I want to keep a shop up.

Also am I not active enough in WoE to get something on me? D:

[Skotlex]

All though the server owner is very active on the forums, I do not think I have ever seen him in game. I have seen some impostors (People that think having the name Skotiex or Skot|ex is cute), but never the real deal. Because he is never in game, he himself does not have an impression on how the server is. Often he relies on the feedback from the servers players on the forums. Which obviously can be a bad thing because not all people that play MouRO post on the forums giving feedback. So he can potentially only be getting the views of one person/group.

I try to play, but I do not have a lot of time in my hands as I am doing a master's degree (which will be completed by the end of the month). Plus, whenever I play, I prefer people not knowing who I am (which is pretty easy to do since the people who once knew me are not frequently online and the fact that I have 17 characters to pick from). So unless I hop in with my actual alchemist Skotlex, you are unlikely to know who I am :B BUT, I'll grant you that I still should be playing more. I wish I could at least get time to play on weekends. :/

MouRO's economy is terrible. This is in part due to the server having shops that sell all cards and all accessories. On top of that, any item is droppable by any monster at a small chance so there really are not too many items that can be considered as rare.

Perhaps, but if some cards were obnoxiously hard to get, people would not let me nerf them the way they are now, and the few people who would have them would have quite an advantage over others. Something which was planned from the very beginning was that I didn't want to let a few "lucky players" get a power-edge over the rest because they know how to grind/farm better. Which is why the random drop system was added, to level the playing ground some more.

People still seem to spend their cash around buying refine materials, as most advanced players won't stop at being happy with a +10/+12 gear, and instead prefer to spend millions upon millions getting lucky to +15. They are somewhat bored.. and that extra +3 refine level is not a big-huge-deal of a difference anyway... (I mean, any decent j140 Whitesmith can get you +12 items without much pain).

Of course, if you notice, nothing that I said regards economy. That economy was hurt was a side-effect of other motivations behind these decisions. Even though it's hard to argue there can ever be an economy unless there are more players!

In the event there is an active WoE on MouRO you have to deal with people who are notorious exploiters:

-People that use macro programs along with Winsock Packet Editor to automate the refining process. With which they achieved +15 items with.

-People who go even further than the above and use WPE to send data to the server that lets them do/use things they normally can not.

If they're not using WPE/Macro Programs, then people are exploiting bugs that they neglect to ever inform the developer about or any one else for that matter.

Point one is most likely bored people who had too much time in their hands anyway.
Point 2 is concerning. It should not matter that people use WPE and such stuff, the server should never trust the client data, and it should make sure the players can't do anything just because they sent a packet to request.

Of course, yelling "exploit!" without any further data just makes it much harder to get an idea of what is going on. Sort of finding a needle in the haystack. In the end, these people are only hurting the server and encouraging others to leave when their bug-exploiting goes unreported and is abused openly in the eyes of other players. >.<

Can't do much here other than try to guilt people into believing that they are ruining the server by playing dirty.

1) Star Gladiators here are essentially the Assassins normal servers have. Very high damage capabilities, with insanely high attack speed. Warmth and both automated and manual Kicks allow Gladiators to deal damage faster than any other class in the game. With the correct attack element, and the right cards, this class has no equal.

As others said, this is Jacob. Ironically enough, he is still calling for damage improvements on TK, claiming their damage output to be terrible and subpar to other DPS characters. I know he has a reputation for being a lethal player, and SG skills have gone through various anti-spamming revisions before. It's hard to know whether further action should be taken or not, since... as others have said, he has far more deadly characters. Jacob just equips himself very, very, very well for pvp, it seems.

2) Creators here are god like tanks and can dish out some very heavy damage early on. Plants are way too good, especially in PvP/WoE (Only because you're allowed to use so many of them) and Acid Demo is almost always a for sure 9999.

I should further do something about plants in pvp/woe. The re-use delay of 5 secs is certainly not enough when you can plant them all over the place. I should reduce their duration in PvP/WoE to one minute or two at max so you actually use them in battle and not as a pre-cast *writes in his todo*. About plants in pvm... I wonder how strong they are. Macros has complained before that in high level dungeons, his plants can get raped quite rapidly, so they are hardly of use. Yet, at low level they seem to be much better for... taking/dishing damage? I could always change the level scale formula so plants are much weaker early on (eg: 25% of the master's level rather than 50% improved by int), and if the problem are the random skills, they could get reduced usage rates.

That likely belongs more to the general suggestion threads than here, though, as I don't keep check often of this subforum.

Its balance is geared for casual play in almost every way. Which is too bad, because your typical hardcore player server with some of Mou's mechanics would be incredible.

I've heard that before. Unfortunately there is not the population or the time to keep up a second server, and no one else has actually stepped up to try to take care of one (I can help with the code as long as you don't expect me to be a babysitter).

There is no WoE/Any other form of guild competition, and getting to max level can be pretty fast with the right party so there's really not much to keep you playing here (Unless you're just bored of normal RO. xP).

I keep wanting to lower the base rates, because people should never get to max level (this is how it was a long time ago! the first player to reach L150 took months upon months to get there!), but I am kinda worried on just how much people would complain if I do that. Not to mention the cries of foul over the existing characters since I refuse to do a wipe, ever.

Thanks for the review, it was an interesting/insightful read.

[CommodoreWilhoy]

Thank you for the replies everyone.

Let me address a few things here:

1) While it is true Jacob is a powerful Gladiator user I have seen other powerful ones too such as Brindis. But like it was said this could just be their gears rather than their characters being powerful.

2) As for Stone Chimes, well every level 100+ Creator in the game I have seen is powerful. I know they can be expensive to maintain, but as noted by another poster here money is not too hard to get if you farm with Mimics.

Skotlex, I can understand you not having much times as you are a college student. But still it would be a good thing. xD

[Majora_younglink]

Thank you for the replies everyone.

Let me address a few things here:

1) While it is true Jacob is a powerful Gladiator user I have seen other powerful ones too such as Brindis. But like it was said this could just be their gears rather than their characters being powerful.

2) As for Stone Chimes, well every level 100+ Creator in the game I have seen is powerful. I know they can be expensive to maintain, but as noted by another poster here money is not too hard to get if you farm with Mimics.

Skotlex, I can understand you not having much times as you are a college student. But still it would be a good thing. xD

Theres another that doesn't log in a lot. There also might be others that quit. And they are veteran players. It is their gears and their builds. It has little to do with the class being godly. Hell, even Jacob has trouble staying alive without pots sometimes.

Also every 100+ Creator that you've meet are probably vets. I haven't seen too many people make Creators to be honest or level them past 100. In fact most people quit before 100. Also I'd like to see the easy money. I've been playing for months and I've just recently hit a decent peak of money which I doubt will last once I start refining everything to +15. :/

And leave Skotullax alone. He's in France, I'd want to do things in France if I was there.

[Pandora]

Skotlex is French?

[~~T~~]

1) While it is true Jacob is a powerful Gladiator user I have seen other powerful ones too such as Brindis. But like it was said this could just be their gears rather than their characters being powerful.

Alright, they are powerful, But every class has it strongs and weak points.

[Majora_younglink]

Skotlex is French?

He's doing his masters in France. Thats one reason I don't hold it against him that he doesn't log on that much. He's too busy probably enjoying his time in France when he isn't studying.

[Pandora]

I see, hope he's having a good time in between the studying and all.

[Skotlex]

Don't spread out details of my personal life, that's not for the whole world to know. :v

Anyway, I do think that perhaps the fact that plants have access to the monster skills, and how they SPAM those skills has to do with the awesomeness of plants. Perhaps skill rate usage should be more limited to plants to avoid them from spamming too much. More stuff to be discussed over at the forums, though. I am sure Macros won't like that :v though he probably compares his small fauna versus Thor volcano where a Salamander or two burns them to a crisp.

[Dew]

Alrighty... 

Eventfulness
The first, but unfortunately not last, low point for MouRO.

The community rarely ever does any events to my interests. The events held are character style contests and town invasions.. Both, in my opinion are not very fun. (I'm more of a WoE/PvP person. xD)

Rating: 6

Have to agree somewhat... I too am more of a PvP/WoE person. Still, the events are not any less them the ones I see on servers with GMs. Invasions are fun, it's just a bit too "little"

Availability
The server owner/developer is usually on the MouRO forums on a daily basis answering help requests or taking suggestions for improving the server. With the latter, the guy really really works his butt off to do. xP

But wait! There's more.

All though the server owner is very active on the forums, I do not think I have ever seen him in game. I have seen some impostors (People that think having the name Skotiex or Skot|ex is cute), but never the real deal. Because he is never in game, he himself does not have an impression on how the server is. Often he relies on the feedback from the servers players on the forums. Which obviously can be a bad thing because not all people that play MouRO post on the forums giving feedback. So he can potentially only be getting the views of one person/group.

Rating: 6

Also agree somewhat... server would be a bit better off if Skotlex was more active. But even without, one-sided suggestions don't exist.. there's always a side that doesn't agree and keeps the debate going. Suggestions won't get implented just like that.

Guild Competition
The biggest flaw with the MouRO server.
Guild competetion in MouRO almost does not exist.
This is largely due to the small player base though.

In the event there is an active WoE on MouRO you have to deal with people who are notorious exploiters:

-People that use macro programs along with Winsock Packet Editor to automate the refining process. With which they achieved +15 items with.

-People who go even further than the above and use WPE to send data to the server that lets them do/use things they normally can not.

If they're not using WPE/Macro Programs, then people are exploiting bugs that they neglect to ever inform the developer about or any one else for that matter.

Rating: 1

Mmm WPE to refine.. never seen that happen. I refine allot in the open.. and well, I'm too ignorant to comprehend any hacking/botting or wpe'ing for that matter. I refine in a fair way.. don't understand why anyone would have to bot for that.

The usage of WPE to do impossible things... ugh, not confirmed.. however I do believe it happens.

Economy isn't grand... some mind find that bad, I don't. Really do you want to play a game revolving around months of grinding, selling/buying? I've done that often enough. But sure things could be made a bit more difficult to do.

Class Balance
Class balance on MouRO is decent. Classes that would normally be weak on other servers are actually pretty decent here. Ninjas, Taekwondo Kids, Soul Linkers, Stalkers, Super Novices, Star Gladiators and Gunslingers are all good here.

While the above classes being buffed and all is a good thing, there are some imbalances on this server.

1) Star Gladiators here are essentially the Assassins normal servers have. Very high damage capabilities, with insanely high attack speed. Warmth and both automated and manual Kicks allow Gladiators to deal damage faster than any other class in the game. With the correct attack element, and the right cards, this class has no equal.

2) Creators here are god like tanks and can dish out some very heavy damage early on. Plants are way too good, especially in PvP/WoE (Only because you're allowed to use so many of them) and Acid Demo is almost always a for sure 9999.

Essentially: They can tank on their own, they can summon a huge mob of mini tanks (plants) to tank for them, and they can heal what ever damage they or their allies may take. Oh and Acid Demo their enemy while doing so, that is if they survive the plants. This class is a little too solid IMO.

1) Not quite.. SinX and Sniper outdamage them, the attacks they do get.. are limited by many things. Build equips, day etc etc. Countless ways to counter this class. Have been killed by Paladins, Professors, Wizards, Creators, LordKnights.. even a well put together Priest can hand my donkey over to me.
2) Scary class indeed, but also not without their share of limits.
1. AD like skills, are still costly. Too expensive to use often in PvM
2. Skills are still either Neutral or require a "non fitting" stat to become usable.. even then you can question how good it is
3. Plants usefull, but rather stupid.. also cursed with neutral property. But the way they can form a huge army ( more then one creator) is evil.

Sounds to me you aren't well informed about these classes.. a server with this many changes, people who play here need some time to understand it all... if you have troubles fighting a certain class, ask on forums.. or ask me ingame.

To me.. the class closest to imbalance would be Wizard, but even they can be dealt with.

[bulbasteve]

I've heard that before. Unfortunately there is not the population or the time to keep up a second server, and no one else has actually stepped up to try to take care of one (I can help with the code as long as you don't expect me to be a babysitter).

Well I have never heard THAT before. The problem with trying to make some sort of "hardcore" server would be that nearly every change in the game was made towards being casual. I mean what would you say are the core things of Mou? To me it would probably be @diff and skills/stats. But even those were all made with casual gameplay in mind, I'm just not sure you could make take the casual out of "casual and challenging". It would be hard to make a game as hard as Mou where you would actually have to grind or hunt for loot in the normal fashion.

But I think this is part of the problem with the topic and why you can tell that this is really a glorified suggestions topic. I mean the poster never actually mentioned that there are huuuuuge fundamental changes to RO that aren't seen anywhere else. All these negatives would sound horrible if part of this customized package wasn't the fact the fact that those mobs that plants are doing so well against are level 150 porings with random high level mobs spawning. To a certain extent you have to take the good with the bad, it's all part of the idea of a casual and challenging server...I'm really not sure you can seperate any of the aspects.

Though maybe the most important part is that...you actually listen to suggestions as you just showed here. I mean yeah if plants are still bad in WoE (though didn't we give a maximum number that can be spawned?) then you can always just fix it. The worst thing anyone can ever think about Mou is that it is set in stone. The reason why a class is subpar is not that the system is broken, it is that you have not figured out a great idea to improve his existing skills or give some other new aspect to the class. And if the system is broken, you just report it and Skot does his best to fix it.

I mean hell if I started a topic like this 2 years ago when I started I would have said that Supernovices are terribly overpowered and as a party oriented server the support classes like Priests aren't being served well. But the best (and maybe worst thing based on your perspective) is that anything is up for change and I can almost guarantee you if you looked at this topic in a few years you would wonder what they heck we were even talking about.

[CommodoreWilhoy]

A glorified suggestions topic? Every issue I've noted here is a matter of my opinion. Could I be incorrect about some things? Sure I will grant you that. But no where do I suggest any thing, and the developer should not take it as such either.

Dew: Yes I have not seen one sided suggestions myself. I was just laying out the possibility that they could happen with the way things currently are.

While I do not have concrete proof people are using WPE use things they should not, it is pretty common that I see people bragging in game about being able to equip items they normally should not. I will grant that they could be bull crapping, or if not that using other means to equip the items.

[Loki]

I have never once seen someone bragging...about anything. And WPE too.

[Skotlex]

Well I have never heard THAT before. The problem with trying to make some sort of "hardcore" server would be that nearly every change in the game was made towards being casual. I mean what would you say are the core things of Mou?

Hardcore version of Mou? Take out the equip/card shops, drop rates to 1x base, 10x job. Perhaps reduce some more the drop rate. Done :v

While I do not have concrete proof people are using WPE use things they should not, it is pretty common that I see people bragging in game about being able to equip items they normally should not.

This could be the Sniper Suit issue. For a long time, eA's item_db was messed up and allowed pretty much every class to equip the sniping suit. When this finally got fixed, a LOT of people started to complain and wanted back their bug. However, even though it was fixed, people did not automatically lost their equipment, it was still on until they would take it out (or get stripped).

A few people are paranoic about this, and are careful to only pvp with said chars and have their set be unstrippable to avoid losing them. You could say it has been laziness from my part to not code in something to remove these forbidden equips :< I should add that to my todo list.

Something similar happened years ago when the "new cards" back then were all wrong, but this time I did add some code to automatically disable cards that were not compounded where they belong to (injustice cards compounded in headgears was the example that made me take action ).

[~~T~~]

While I do not have concrete proof people are using WPE use things they should not, it is pretty common that I see people bragging in game about being able to equip items they normally should not. I will grant that they could be bull crapping, or if not that using other means to equip the items.

Dude I droped a refined item armor and shield, forgot Armor name, Dew knows it, and Shield is Shell of Resistance, if you're  talking about classes equiping items like ninja a sword, skotlex made it so to balance, I believe.

[bulbasteve]

A glorified suggestions topic? Every issue I've noted here is a matter of my opinion. Could I be incorrect about some things? Sure I will grant you that. But no where do I suggest any thing, and the developer should not take it as such either.

But you seemed to have forgotten about the actual reviewing part. A random RMSer reading this will have no idea what you are talking and certainly someone who has never played Mou would not be helped by the topic.

This is a real review topic: http://www.ratemyserver.net/forum/server-reviews/mouro-t5451/0/

You can bring up as many opinions on what is good or bad as you want, but if you aren't mentioning @diff or the skill/stat system and all of that then it isn't really a review. Those are the core of MouRO, if someone only read your topic they would not know about these things.