SerenityRO -- An honest exposé

[Jekka]

I've recently posted my feelings about this server in a review, but felt like there was just not enough room to fully express my experience as a player there. When I joined back in late August of 2007 (Or maybe as late as September, I can't recall precisely); this was a 50/50/25 rate server. But after a rather suspicious accident, all data was wiped and the server reopened as a 5/5/4 rate server. At first, there was all sorts of awesome people to go against in PvP/WoE, or to party with. I still communicate with many friends I've made here on a daily basis.

Even as these new friends left, which mostly occurred after the 50/50/25 -> 5/5/4 wipe, I still gave this server a chance. I remained after countless bickerings and resignations of staff. I still continued to build up my characters to participate in WoE. People told me I was crazy for staying but I just hadn't gotten how horrible this place truly is through my head.

I took a job and played on this server sparingly; every now and then whenever the mood struck me. But after the latest bout of drama (I will not go into details as to keep rumors from perpetuating); I was disgusted with the server owner's reactions and promptly severed what little ties I had with the current community.

Here are many disadvantages to SerenityRO:

Drama: There's plenty of it to find here, and a major contributing factor to my leave. Be it drama between staff members, drama between staff and players, or drama between players--you won't find an end to it on this server.

Overpowered Donations: Yes, it is quite easy to buy your own way to power here. There are custom items only available through quests and there has been events in the past that gave away donation items, but buying your way into power is so much easier. You can also buy EXP manuals en masse. I'd gladly link to the donation rewards page as to allow you to make a judgment for yourself, however, it is locked away in a forum post that requires you to be a member to view. Hmmm...

High staff turn over rate: Even if I only check up on the server sporadically, there seems to always be a brand new set of staff. I have the slightest clue where these people keep coming from--some of them are (or have been) players. These staff are payed in items which are given to their "legit" characters on the server. But more than likely after a month or two, these new staff members resign--sometimes after a great deal of drama played out right in front of the playerbase. Those who do not leave in an explosion of anger never do seem to list direct reasons why they have taken their leave.

GMs participate in WoE: Think what you may of this, but keep in mind GMs are paid with items which they are allowed to use on their legit characters in WoE. Also please keep in mind that many people are or have been GMs. If you're on good terms with the GMs or in a guild which has the GM's legit characters, you're likely to do very well in WoE. If not, God help you.

There are some good things about the server--the players are, for the most part, rather friendly and you're likely to find someone you'll get along with very well. However, its anyone's guess as to how long they'll stay at the server. Backups are made as to secure a player's progress, so any tampering that goes on with the server will not set a player entirely too far back. There's always a GM around to help players out. That's all I can think of as good aspects.

Say and ask what you wish. I will gladly reply to comments, questions and criticisms.

[Zone]

I just want to comment on the GMs in WoE.
GMs are not paid with items, atleast they shouldn't be.
If they are, then the server administrator finds that the staff have earned them.
Now if it is god items then that is a different story...
Personally, I don't think GMs should WoE with illegits and illegit items.

[Garret2193]

There's several things about this server that the writer hit the nail on the head on.

There's also other smaller things that get worse as you get into the server.

This year, so far, there's been at least three wipes, one brought the server from a 7/7/4 to a 25x, and then a complete wipe to a 5x.

If you want to play here for the long haul, I don't recommend it.

You can also buy and quest for items such as slotted god-items, and there's overpowering god-item related stuff on the server as well.

Also, in WoE, for months now, there's been GMs that run around with all kind of crap, scrolls, items normal players can't get, and whatnot, just to turn the WoE tides. It's corrupt, WoE for the most part.

[Yfael]

For any that were curious... a list and prices....

Update - All available items are displayed in the SerenityRO Donations Item Shop: http://www.serenityro.com/shop/index.php

Serenity Charm - Shield "Card" - SP +35%, MDEF +20, Auto-Chance to heal SP with each monster defeated. ($30/each)
Naoro Charm - Shoe "Card" - HP +50%, Endure At All Times, Auto-Chance to heal HP with each monster defeated. ($30/each)
Celebration Ring - +5 All Stats, Accessory ($35.00/each)
Sleipnir - Fast-Move at all times, +15% SP recovery, +20% Max HP/SP, +15 MDEF ($35.00) (Available in-game via quest)
Lord Kaho Horn - +5 STR/INT, +10 AGI/VIT, +20 LUK, +10 MDEF ($25.00) (Available in-game via quest)
Steel Cart - Level 3 Vending/Over Charge/Discount and Level 10 Push Cart ($5.00)
Wooden Cart - Level 5 Vending/Over Charge/Discount and Level 10 Push Cart ($7.50)
Flower Cart - Level 7 Vending/Over Charge/Discount and Level 10 Push Cart ($10.00)
Panda Cart - Level 10 Vending/Over Charge/Discount, Level 10 Push Cart and Level 5 Cart Boost ($15.00)
Premium Cart - Level 10 Vending/Over Charge/Discount, Level 10 Push Cart and Level 10 Cart Boost ($20.00)

Promotional Items : (These items are obtainable in-game via quest and are only available via donation for a short time. Item properties may be adjusted at any time for balance concerns.)
Sleipnir [1] - Fast-Move at all times, +15% SP recovery, +20% Max HP/SP, +15 MDEF (1 Sleipnir + $50.00/each)
Brisingamen [1] - +5 All Stats (1 Celebration Ring + $50/each)
Megiongarde - +40 STR, +7 MDEF, 800 Weight ($65/each)
Valkyrie Shield [1] - Trans-Only - +20% Resist to Fire / Water / Shadow / Undead, +5 MDEF ($35/each)

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Mischief Set - $5.00 Donation
   50 Poring Boxes
   100 Dead Branches

Basic Box Set   - $5.00 Donation
   10 Old Blue Box
   5 Old Purple Box
   1 Old Card Album

Deluxe Box Set - $10.00 Donation
   25 Old Blue Box
   10 Old Purple Box
   3 Old Card Album

Premium Box Set - $20.00 Donation
   25 Old Blue Box
   10 Old Purple Box
   3 Old Card Album
   5 Kafra Card Boxes
   5 Life Insurance Boxes
   5 Giant Fly Wing Boxes   

Premium Item Boxes
   10 Kafra Card Boxes - $5.00
   10 Life Insurance Boxes - $5.00
   10 Giant Fly Wing Boxes - $5.00

Premium Scroll Boxes
   10 Lvl 10 Blessing Boxes - $5.00
   10 Lvl 10 Increase Agility Boxes - $5.00
   5 Lvl 10 Wind Walk Boxes - $5.00
   5 Lvl 5 Aspercio Boxes - $5.00
   5 Lvl 5 Assumptio Boxes - $5.00
   5 Lvl 5 Adrenaline Rush Boxes - $5.00
   5 Lvl 5 Magnificat Boxes - $5.00
   5 Lvl 1 Repair Weapon Boxes - $5.00
   5 Chemical Protection Weapon Box - $5.00
   5 Chemical Protection Shield Box - $5.00
   5 Chemical Protection Armor Box - $5.00
   5 Chemical Protection Helm Box - $5.00
   10 Lvl 10 Storm Gust Boxes- $5.00
   10 Lvl 10 Meteor Storm Boxes - $5.00
   10 Lvl 10 Lord of Vermillion Boxes- $5.00
   10 Lex Aterna Boxes - $5.00

Special kRO Items
   50 300% Field Manuals (3x EXP for 30 minutes or until your character dies) - $10.00 or .20/each
   50 Bubble Gum (Double drop rate for 30 minutes or until your character dies) - $10.00 or .20/each

Premium Items
   1 Stone of Sage - $2.50
   1,000 Rainbow Coins - $5.00
   1 Custom Pet - Class A - $10.00, Class B - $5.00, Class C - $2.50
   Available Pets Listed Here: http://www.serenityro.com/pages/pets.php
   1 Donation Hat Ticket - $5.00
   1 Angeling Wings (1) - $15.00
   1 Deviling Wings (1) - $15.00
   1 Serenity's Blessing (1) - $25.00
   1 Naoro's Wrath (1) - $20.00
   1 Serenity Helm - $35.00 (Customizations are $5.00 each)
   
Premium Services
   Name Change - $5.00
   Gender Change - $5.00
   Card Unslots - $2.50 PER card
   Serenity's Blessing Customization - $5.00
   Naoro's Wrath Customization - $5.00
   Serenity Helm Change - $5.00
   1,500 Golden Keys - $10.00
   GM Hosted Wedding - $10.00
   Character Rollback - $10.00
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What do each item do?

Old Blue/Violet Boxes: Gives the user one item at random.

Old Card Albums: Gives the user one non-mvp card at random.

Poring Box: Spawns one poring-type monster at random. Includes bosses as well as Arc Angeling.

Dead Branch: Spawns one monster at random, including boss monsters.

Kafra Card: Each Kafra Card allows you to open your storage anywhere one time per card. Ten Kafra Cards come per box.

Life Insurance: Each Life Insurance Card allows you to not lose experience upon death for one half hour, or until you die. Ten Life Insurance Cards come per box.

Giant Fly Wing: This special item allows the leader of any party to recall all players from his or her party to their exact location. Similar to the MVP teleport skills where the MVP teleports it's entire mob along with itself to safety. Ten Giant Fly Wings come per box.

Scroll Boxes: Ten of the specified spell scrolls come per box. These special scrolls enable usage of skills per each scroll regardless of your character's class or level.

Stone of Sage: This special item is needed to evolve homunculus to their second forms. If you're not able to hunt the item, the option is available here to you for a small donation fee.

Rainbow Coins: A totally "for fun" item, these create a rainbow effect when used above the player.

Donation Hat Ticket: These tickets enable the usage of our Donation Hat NPC. There are over seventy special hats available through the NPC in-game, and you will receive one hat per ticket at random. It's sort of like playing the lottery.. with hats!

Angeling Wings: This special mid-headgear includes one slot. Your character will wear wings by it's side that flap as you walk, move angles, attack and use skills!

Deviling Wings:  This special mid-headgear includes one slot. Your character will wear wings by it's side that flap as you walk, move angles, attack and use skills!

Serenity's Blessing: This special lower headgear is available through donation only! It gives five base defense and among other things, makes your character adorable. It's the best lower-headgear available to players of our server.
Updated! - Allows the usage of Level 3 Heal, Level 3 Warp Portal, Level 2 Teleport, grants a 15% aftercast delay reduction to skills, as well as a 15% reduction to cast time and SP cost of all skills.
Customizations of this item are available as Romantic Leaf, Romantic Flower, White Petals (White Romantic Flower), Pipe, Flu Mask, Gangster Mask, Assassin Mask, Mr. Smile, Crunch Toast, Cigarette, Angry Snarl, and Pacifier.
To customize your Naoro's Wrath, remember, it is $5.00 per customization change!

Naoro's Wrath: This special mid-headgear is packed full of special skills that will aid your character in it's fights.
Updated! - An auto-cast of Decrease Agility, Lex Aterna and Curse effect against enemies while dealing physical damage to them, as well as the added boost of 20% attack speed and Fury allow most mediocre players to experience a whole new level of offensive play! Update added Customization: Angel Wing Ears, Evil Wing Ears, Blush, Binoculars, Sunglasses, Contacts, Blinker, Dark Blinder, Angled Glasses, Mini Glasses and Elven Ears.
To customize your Serenity's Blessing, remember, it is $5.00 per customization change!

Serenity Helm: There are currently over 142 customized Serenity Helms, referred to as "SeROs" in-game. These special helmets greatly impact the way the game is played and provide the following stat boosts:
+10 INT/DEX/STR/MDEF +20 AGI/LUK +6 Defense (Refineable safely up to +4!)
Instant cast is available to Super Novices, Hunter, Dancer and Bard classes with the usage of this helm.
Customizations to the Serenity Helm are an additional $5.00. The default sprite is a Valkyrie Helm (classic). Please click here for a full list of headgears.

Serenity Charm - Shield "Card" - SP +35%, MDEF +20, Auto-Chance to heal SP with each monster defeated. (SP was reduced from 50% to 35% due to Champion's Asura strike benefiting a bit *too* much from the extra SP).

Naoro Charm - Shoe "Card" - HP +50%, Endure At All Times, Auto-Chance to heal HP with each monster defeated.

~ Also, by popular demand, two very helpful charm ("card" type) items have been added to the gaming environment, and are available via MVP drop, and also by donation (since they are custom items specific to this server).~

They are both debuting at a donation reward price of $25/each and are set to raise to $30 at the end of September. If you wish to take advantage of obtaining these two cards, now is the time to do so as they'll be hiking up in price as they're sure to be highly sought after items- especially the Naoro Charm due to the immense help it's effects will present whilst leveling and mobbing monsters.


Mid-Slotted Headgears: are available for a $10.00 donation. These include Angel Wing Ears, Evil Wing Ears, Eleven Ears, Sunglasses, Binoculars, Mini Glasses, Takius' Blindfold, Dark Blinder and Blinker. They do not follow the regular level requirements on their non-slotted counterparts and are available to use on all job classes, including Novices!

Cart:
Steel Cart, Wooden Cart, Flower Cart, Panda Cart, and Premium Cart. These items are equipped in the garment area. Using this item you *can* autotrade *any* character class to vend items while you are not able to play. This greatly helps those who don't want to move items between characters, and the Cart Boost on the top-tier carts provides a nice boost to walking speed as well! Additionally, you can access your cart at any time by wearing it the normal method of Alt+W while in-game, just like on any merchant style class. The additional 8000 weight makes carrying supplies a breeze without going over your 50% weight limit!
Note - This item uses visual options to equip the item. If you have a Falcon, Peco Peco, are in Wedding Clothes or have an Orc Face, equipping this item *will* make those conditions disappear. So, you must use the Breeder NPC, or re-equip your Wedding clothes to make those things about your character re-appear. If you want to look like an Orc? Go have a run in with Angeling, hehe.

Donations Policy / User Agreement
By donating to SerenityRO you agree to the following terms, and agree that you understand them in their entirety:
No donation can or will be refunded for whatever reason. Donations are voluntary and not required to play SerenityRO, but are intended to help promote growth and meet the cost of running the server. No donation will be distributed prior to receiving donation payment in full, whether via US Postage, Paypal, eCheck, Credit Card, et cetera. Only secure methods of donations are accepted, and should a donation sent via US Postage be lost, you agree to being responsible for refunding your check or money order at the vendor you purchased it from. No donations will be exchanged for other donation items after the order has been processed for whatever reason and you understand that all donations are final.

[bunniebabe]

Being a previous GM, I'd like to say that I NEVER received any kind of payment, be it donation gear for my legit or any other form. I know GMs prior to my time with the staff did, but I did not. Any donation gear I had, I paid for outright.

Drama?...LOADS, the owner thrives on it. Balance?....not even close. Economy?....shot in the a$$ due to overpowered gawd items and the distribution of said items to the owners "friends". High GM turnover?....due to VERY poor mgmt.

[Garret2193]

The helm now adds +15/20 to most stats, increases walkingspeed, and a bunch of other crap.

[Zone]

What was the reason to post the donation items prices?
Prices are set by the server owner as how he/she values the items, if users don't want to pay the value they are set as, then they don't have to.
This topic has no relevance to donations whatsoever.

[Franpowah]

Why do you play o a server who tries to make money when there are so many more =_= if people weren't so dumb this things wouldn't exist and replicate like viruses.

[Zone]

I agree, I don't donate anymore anyways
I had my fill of wasting money on a pointless game a good while ago.

[Xarkayy]

Im going to revive this just to say...

The server has changed. I will not say anything specific but....

The rates have gone up, the GM team does NOT get paid in gears(nor do they get paid from what i understand), donations have been heavily balanced(increased prices, changed effects[the helms and such only give a +2 to stats and a +6 to stats now], some have even been taken away), drama has been silenced via permanant bans, and the server overall has grown.

I joined during the time of the 50x rate switch to 5x so I have a valid point of view. This topic was made during a HORID time for the server and I would like to point of it has changed and that you should give it a chance ^_^

[Hutchy]

People who start and perpetuate drama get removed from the environment ^_^ Unless you're friends with someone on staff, in which case you can do whatever you want. Your punishment will be removed. Case closed.

GM turnover? Not really. I left staff for a multitude of reasons, but aside from me, the staff has been the same for the past four months (at least).

The GMs' legits participate in WoE *sometimes*, but I don't really give a f*** about WoE to begin with so I never noticed.

[Mamimi]

Donovann, don't resurrect old topics. x_x;