I just want to share some truth about NovaRO coz there seems to be a lot of false claims from attackers in the review section bashing the GMs and the server with inaccurate descriptions perhaps in an attempt to raise their new server's ranking.
I care because NovaRO had been my haven during my difficult times in life. I am doing this review as the least I could do out of gratitude for the fun and comfort I had through the server, and to help other people make a more fact-based decision.
I first played RO in 2005 then came back in 2017 (several official servers). In 2018, transferred and remained in NovaRO for these main following reasons:
1. Superb technical skills of developers, along with good&clever leadership and fair&just administration.
- These key factors keep bots and cheaters away. I've never seen one in NovaRO unlike in one of the official servers where I waste time just hunting and reporting bots.
- More importantly, these enable to keep up with changes/updates and maintain a stable server over the years.
- Their hardworking team with awesome technical and administrative ability could be seen through their: (a) very professional functional website with (b) a very functional up-to-date Market Database, (c) and account/log-in security measures, (d) thorough detailed patch notes that show prompt bug fixes and implemented reasonable suggestions, prompt at keeping up with new episode release from official, (e) developments for custom client, NovaExt, companion app, etc.
- Bigger impact suggestions need more careful evaluation but I've ever seen in the forums how the admins listen and pay careful attention to suggestions. I personally also wanna see improvements in certain aspects as mentioned in the other reviews. And I'd bet on seeing improvements sooner or later as NovaRO is capable and reasonable.
2. Good enough EXP rates and Drop rates.
- Easier to loot items and level up but not to the point of losing the fun of grinding and farming, and that sense of achievement from long hard work.
- Some people just doesn't understand the fun of the difficulty of grinding and the greater sense of fulfillment from hard work. If you want everything too easy and skip through the whole fun adventure of the game...If you are that kind of person who wants to be bored with rewards without hard work, don't ever go to low rate servers and rant about how busy you are and the great time and long grind it takes to level up and make zeny, or just don't play RO, coz RO is about lifelong adventure and friendships, and the end game stuff such as MVP cards and hardcore PVP which you want to rush into is just an icing.
- I personally still prefer the lower official exp rates especially at lower level curves. Lower rates also necessitates joining parties coz it makes too hard to level alone, and that makes more fun. Nevertheless, for solo and at higher levels, I find the rate of progress at NovaRO just fine.
- Item drop rates are good enough such that end-game gears and cards are not too far out of reach if you know how to manage your time and resources well. It's definitely not pay to win.
3. Consistent large enough community of active friendly helpful players which make the market stable and not hard to make zeny and gear up.
- The number of online characters (over the two years I played) ranged from a little less than 2000 to almost 5000. Though most of these are indeed alts and autotraders, I see active players having live conversations in almost every town, aside from how fast to get responses from the support, trade, and main channels, and of course in Eden. Also having a great number of vendors is a very good thing, making the market wide and variable such that it ain't hard to find a particular item you want to buy and also easier to find a market niche to sell and make zeny from. I also see in Discord how a lot of real people actively play this server.
- Having been able to maintain and grow a thriving community over the years just show how awesome the admins and GMs are at being friendly, engaging people, handling issues, and weeding out toxicity. Also, it's just fair how it shouldn't matter how much money you've spent on the game, rules are rules, no bribes. And also just logical if ever indeed the admins act like gods to implement the rules and that players need to follow rules for the greater good of all.
- This is the only server where the GMs are so often visible and very engaging (I've tried several other private servers aside from official servers). The events are very lively and GMs had always been respectful, cordial, and not boring. They've been prompt in responding to support tickets I sent and when someone calls for a GM in the support channel they are there to help.
- The community of players are also very kind and friendly. I did not have much hard time when I was new 2 years ago. Players are generous at giving information to newbies, aside from having very clear updated Wiki guides on the website. The support channel is very active and helpful, some would even give free items, take the time to accompany you to direct you along a quest or through levelling up.
---> to be continued