This weekend, International Ragnarok Online (IRO), which is the powered-down version for anybody who isn't Asian, had it's servers hacked, and the entire list of passwords and usernames for all users on the International server was spread across the internet, nearly as fast as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's little video.
Many people never got a message, or were hacked and looted even after changing their passwords. Many errors were made in the handling of the situation. Others were hacked, and reported it to Gravity, and Gravity told them they were lying. As of last night, June 25th, which is the night Gravity always takes down their servers, Gravity announced that they would once more be rolling back the servers to the 19th, which meant that all of the work people had put into leveling their characters over the last 2 days would be entirely lost, as well as any equipment or money gained, and that two more days of double exp and loot would be provided, and that 5 days would be tacked onto the month to make up for time lost, and that new passwords would be sent out to everybody.
If those email services are bouncing the emails, then chances are there's no way for most people to get a reply even if they could fill out the form. Needless to say, most of the IRO fansites are now collapsing, and people are quitting the International game in droves.
Not that they could play anyway. Myself, I paid up for six months, and it's beginning to look as if that's $57 I will never see the result of.
Title: Ragnarok Online
Developer: Gravity Corp.
Publisher: Gravity Interactive LLC
Date Published: 2001
Platforms: Windows PC (version played: International Ragnarok Online Public Beta)
Ragnarok Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) which originated in South Korea, currently the online gaming capital of the world in the wake of a massive proliferation of broadband internet access there in the last few years, coupled with a highly talented domestic games development sector.
They also sent "confirmation codes" to everybody, so that people could log in and change their passwords. This file was not, we are now being told, secure. The reaction by the GM's was to roll the servers back to the 19th, (it was the 22nd) and then give people 2 days of double loot drops and double experience gain.
there is no longer any link to this form from the main page, since the only page you can get to on the English side is the one announcing the new rollback and password change, and you have to LOG IN WITH YOUR PASSWORD to use that form, and 2. Those who don't get the email should go to their page and fill out the form requesting that they be sent the password. But that all of the free email services (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) are bouncing their messages.
They allow the player to 'save' their position in or near that town, so that if they die during combat they will be resurrected in the town (at a small cost to their experience). These characters offer a range of handy services. They also allow players to rent a cart that can be used to carry around items over and above their character's weight limit (I think only blacksmiths can use this service). They also provide a storage service, which allows players to keep stocks of consumable items (e.g.
food, health potions and arrows) that would be too heavy to carry around in vast quantities.
These cards are highly prized among players, as they can be applied to weapons and armour to increase the wielder's abilities.
The quickest way to make progress in the game (especially early on) is to form a party with other players, who will then share experience for monsters killed. Very rarely, a monster will drop a card with its picture on it. Most trading is carried out in the game's towns and cities. All monsters drop items when they are killed, most of which have no direct use except as something that can be taken back to town and traded for Zeny (the currency of the game). Players of the merchant class have a bargaining skill which allows them to purchase items from the game's NPC shops at a discount, which they can then sell at a small profit to other players.
(These are already available in the Korean version of the game.) Combat in RO is very simple.
Ctrl-clicking on a nearby monster will make your character attack it until only one of them is left standing. Some types of enemy will also 'mob' players- that is, if one of their kind is attacked, Kotari News all the others on screen will instantly come to its aid, which can catch out inexperienced players. At the moment in IRO there is only one second-tier job available per class, but some additional choices are planned: Crusader, Sage, Monk, Rogue, Bard and Dancer. Most monsters in the game will ignore players unless they are attacked, but there are a few areas with aggressive enemies.
They will now be able to wield the weapons of that class and, as they continue to level up, gain special skills. Once their 'job level' reaches 40, the player has the option of upgrading to second tier of professions: Knight (can use heavy weapons and ride PecoPeco birds), Hunter (can use traps and train hawks), Blacksmith (can forge and upgrade special items and weapons), Wizard (can cast elemental spells), Assassin (can use two weapons at once as well as poisons) or Priest (more powerful form of Acolyte).
