Much ado has been presented about Ragnarok Online changing to not have monthly subscriptions. Well it is true, and here is a bit of information to help clarify what to expect from the changes.
We will be switching from a Premium/Free server scenario with required monthly subscription for Premium access, to a “VIP” account system with benefits to game play, but where you can access any account and characters freely without any payment requirement. The VIP Account system can be added to an account for 30 days (or 90 and 180 days respectfully) and has the same price as the current subscription model had. We will transfer remaining daily/hourly subscription into the new VIP account status when we make this change.
The VIP account tag will be added via purchase via WP energy onto a specific game account (much like a subscription). Login to the WarpPortal and “Power-Up” the desired account
30 day Premium 700WP
90 day Premium 1900WP
180 day Premium 3350WP
This new method is ideal for returning veteran players as they certainly will be able to play with friends and such without a subscription barring access to their characters, we look forward to how this will change WoE and what not. Of course returning and new players may still need to make a WarpPortal account and bind/register Ragnarok Accounts to it, possibly update passwords on the Veteran Ragnarok Accounts.
All servers will inherit the same refine system that our current Premium servers now enjoy. (Elu = safe to +4, e.Elu = high rate and then HD are protection with normal elu rate). All Kafra shop items will be added to all servers, at the lowest currently available price. This means rental items will be seen on Ymir, cheaper stuff in general will be seen on Valkyrie. Further prices will be updated to all match Ymir, with rental items entering into the shop on all servers.
Please keep in mind the below restrictions are what is planned, and in testing, that does not mean they are 100% set in stone.
| Premium Account | Free Acct | |
| Experience | 150% | 100% |
| Drop Rate | 150% | 100% |
| Storage | 600 | 300 |
| Penalty on Death | 1% | 3% |
| Access to Special NPCs | All + special | Normal |
| Access to Special Areas | All + special | Normal |
There will be one other update regarding Yggdrasil, it will parallel Valkyrie server in how many default characters a non-VIP account create (3), both Valkyrie and Yggdrasil are considered “Open” servers, while Ymir will be a “VIP” server. Below greater detail on the create character details can be found. If you wish to transfer off of Yggdrasil to Ymir, for Free before this change please do so.
On all servers, any character can be played. So if you currently have 7 characters created, all 7 can be accessed, regardless of your VIP status. This will also be true for newly created characters, no matter what all, potential, 9 characters slots can be played if there is a character in them.
However, the ability to CREATE characters is tied to your VIP status, and which server you are logging in on VIP vs Open server.
On Open servers you can create 3 characters by default, the remaining 6 Character slots can have characters created in them if the account is currently a VIP account.
On our VIP server (Ymir) default creation number of characters to create is 0, and a VIP account will allow character creation in all 9 slots.
It is highly likely that in the future we will have promotions and events that will bypass the 0 creation restriction on the Open server.
It is intended to have the F2P change occur by April 6, but all known bugs need to be worked out before such a large change occurs, this will very likely meld into the Brasilis launch as well.
We will certainly have a discussion and answer questions about this when the forums return soon.
Edit 3/23/2011: The above was updated to clarify a few points and use the more proper VIP vs Premium language, hopefully this makes it more clear for everyone. We are still testing and discussing the finer points of the update. There seem to be 2 sticky points in Ymir storage and Valkyrie multi-clienting, we are aware of the points on both sides of the discussion and your civility is appreciated thus far.
Edit 3/31/2011 : Removed the Multi-client restriction. VIP or not multiple clients may be logged in at once from 1 computer. The solution we were testing didn’t fully meet our requirements, since it didn’t meet the requirements and that the community has certain feelings about it, we decided to remove it.
Ymir is intended to have 600 storage by default (non-VIP) and may be 600 with VIP as well. We are working on a better storage expansion beyond 600, but it is not ready and it is better overall to have Ymir keep the 600.
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Questions received from Facebook and this blog, and answers.
- Q. How will upgrades work on all servers?
A. All servers will be equal, premium status will not change this.
Safe upgrade with normal Ore from 0 -> safe (+4 on armor +7, +6 +5 +4 on weapons respectively)
Enriched Ore gives higher than normal upgrade rates when going from safe and higher, but a risk of breaking is still possible. -
Q. Kafra shop prices?
A. All servers will use the current CHEAPEST price, which should be the Ymir prices on items. Rental items will be available on all servers. - Q. What about if I’m a returning player, what happens?
A. Returning players can login and access the game account and all characters that exist on the account, with no restriction on server, or premium status. This is the big benefit of this for our veteran players, that all old accounts become valid accounts for login. -
Q. Storage on Ymir will shrink from 600 to 300! But what happens then?
A. No items will be deleted or made unavailable, they will be in a “remove only” state so you can take items out but not put them in if you are over the default storage amount. Aside from making the account “Premium” you could login another account and use its storage to extend what you have. -
Q. Is it really wise to have a system for so long and then take it away.
A. Change is touchy, but the intention of the old seperation between Premium/Free SERVERS was the same as what we have with this update, except we remove the tie to server and instead make it unique to accounts.
If you have always preferred to play by ‘subscription” you can continue doing that, but instead of being a “for access subscription” it is a for added benefit Premium package. On ymir if you have an active premium on your account your game play should be precisely the same as now from the exp/drop storage etc. But there will now be more NPCs and maps being added that you get better access too. This should be a win scenario for veterans. -
Q. Multi-client restriction?
A. Current design: Yes, you can have as many premium accounts logged in on one PC as you wish, but only 1 non-Premium account can be logged in from that PC at a time. -
Q. But I have more accounts than that on Valkyrie, how will I play?
A. This is an unfortunate issue that came about due to no way to limit the amount of clients opening on Valkyrie when we opened. Players were used to having tons of accounts with 1-2 characters apeice instead of fewer accounts filled with characters. That was not a design intention, one that is possible to correct now.
With that said, this part of the update is the one that is most likely to be reviewed to be changed (possibly more non-prem logins) in some form or removed all together. -
Q. If multi-client limiter is put in, will it be tied to gateway?
A. As much as we want to see our gateway become more fun and useful and adopted further by our community, at this time we are not planning on directly tying game login to it, by extension of that it will not be a part of any client restrictions.
The limitation of how many Premium vs non-Premium accounts that can be opened, will need to be completely controlled via the client/server architecture, thus be transparent to the players.
There is some other news that we want to share regarding this update.
- All regular servers will launch from one client. No more having to use different launchers to get to your desired server (Sakray is not a regular server).
- Yggdrasil will shift to be like Valkyrie, with 3 character slots open for creation rather than 0 like Ymir.
- We will be offering Free Yggdrasil -> Ymir server transfers, without restrictions, starting 3/21 until we make this system change around April 6th.
As soon as the form is finished being created it will be announced on the patch notices, websites etc to get in your transfer request now. - If you opt to stay on Yggdrasil (which is a fine choice) you will still be able to play on the server, you will likely be the new upper class characters on that server when we begin having new users play there.
I only play for fun but with out a merch selling on a different client, I don’t think i can even do that! as i will never have enough zeny to buy the weapons and armor required to play at the higher lvls.
I have a few questions circulating in my head.. So, I’ll just shoot on down the list.
1: Will Valkyrie server be losing the ability to multi-client more then one character simultaneously?
2: If we already have a completely filled character creation screen; Will we lose access to our characters?
3: & Off topic.. When will the forums return?
Thanks.
Dont gravity realize how much a bad idea the storage drop is on the premiums servers, as alot people have well over 300 items in all there accounts by now. or do they just not care about the problem that will cause?
“Both servers will inherit the same refine system from Premium servers now (Elu = safe e.Elu = high rate and then HD are protection with normal elu rate).”
So Valk players will have a safe upgrade up to +4 on armors?
And this Multi-client blocking is bad idea people are just gona hack there clients again to allow it, so you’s might want to rethink that
BTW this scheme benefits Valk mostly and give the finger to the people that actual been paying for this game all these years, if anything things should revolves around how premiums is, or atlest meet half way
Sounds nice… but there are many questions, comments and complaints from the community. But how will the multi-client work and if it’s managed through Warp Portal (application) when will the application its self move out of beta to being a version 1.0-2.0 release?
I like how my comments arnt approved despite being post before Urahara, I guess they dont like being told how much some of there changes are bad ideas, and how this update is win win (actual buff for valk) but and a big debuff and finger to ymir
You can multi-client as long as the accounts you are using are in premium mode. Kind of sucks for Valk users.
I just noticed something I don’t like, renal items in the Kafra Shop.
“On all servers, all 9 character slots are available to play regardless of Premium Status.
On Valkyrie you can create characters up to the first 3 without restriction, however to create characters on the other 6 slots requires an active Premium account.
On the other servers the default creation of characters is 0, and with a Premium account all 9 slots can have characters created in them.”
this doesn’t make sense… it contradicts itself…can you guys explain it more.
For most F2P games thats how they make revenue similar to 24 league. The gear that can be purchased isn’t slotted so it only offers specific incentives for different types of players and game styles (WoW,PVP or PVM/MVP).
Agreed that it seems to be a bit “odd” or off key but that is only from the long run iRO has been built as a P2P and for players to “work” towards gaining their gear.
But again the gear offered is nice, but it wont replace the better carded weapons and accessories used by players.
I don’t like the multiclient option. That’s a really bad idea.
Certainly is a bit of confusion on this, so I will try to clarify.
All Kafra Shop Prices will match Ymir Prices
All servers will use the current Premium Refine rates, so safe upgrading with Elu.
Storage, will default to 300 and go up to 600 if you have the Premium account. This is the same as it is now, those that paid the premium subscription received the premium benefits, the difference is those benefits were tied to server, rather than account. We are fixing that so the benefit can be gotten regardless of what server you play on.
If you are at 600/600 and the premium account expires you will be at 600/300. You can take items out of storage but can’t put more items in until you are under the 300 limit. The items won’t disappear. You can have more accounts to hold other items as well.
Character restrictions: Whatever characters you have, you can ALWAYS access them that is in essence what makes this F2P. However, there is a limit on what a non-Premium account is allowed to create. Valkyrie you can create 3, Ymir/Ygg you can create 0 if you don’t have premium. This will only effect new accounts created and is a direct attempt to keep abuse limited on our current Premium servers. The intention of all this is to make the game accessible to players indefinitely so you can play without pay. But to create new may have a cost to start, which the cost can be removed via certain events or invitations etc. If you are currently making subscriptions to get access, and you later make the account premium every month you lose nothing, and infact you gain access to Premium NPCs and areas.
Multi-clienting is a touchy subject, and is currently planned, but not necessarily kept. There shouldn’t be a need to have many accounts played at one time by one person as it detracts from their playing with the community (although the vending reason does make sense). There is no problem on the Premium servers today with Multiclienting, because each account is subscribed. On Valkyrie it is a problem because of the amount of accounts some players make and abuse. There was never any intention to allow 5+ accounts on Valkyrie, but there wasn’t a good means of stopping it from happening. If the technology existed in ’09 valkyrie would have been 1 acct restricted.
I still say this scheme sucks and benefits valk people more while Ymir is screwed if we dont pay, the 2 biggest problems with this for ymir is, the Storage issue this will cause for people that cant continue to pay (just leave Ymir/ygg server storage alone and make premium 900 if payed there, and the multi client which if done will just cause people to hack there clients again to allow it
This sounds like a huge mistake.
Multi-clienting is bad for the community? If anything it’s helpful(make an endow account, linkers etc that you can have separate from your main so you can link/endow the people you’re playing with).. don’t really understand the character restriction. 300 storage is stupid when 95% of the population has like 900+ items on one account anyway. Some people rather turn off their computers when they aren’t around(out of the house, asleep), and rather vend on a separate account while they are playing as well.
Rental items are and always have been dumb in almost every game they’ve ever been in. Why rent something repeatedly for a certain period of time when you can just buy it and have it forever?
I understand the pay to play again(because that’s basically what this is) That isn’t really a problem, though I feel that a lot of people who have quit and returned due to RO becoming free will simply leave again rather than paying 7(rather than 10-12, quite nice)dollars a month to play. the game to it’s fullest potential which they’ve been able to do previously anyways in the past when paying, and more recently without it. I think if you’re going to do this, you should leave damn near everything the same, leave the experience, keep the extra exp loss on death, make life insurance a premium only benefit along with the NPCs.
Character restrictions are also stupid. Everyone already has x amount of characters per account(probably 9 since that’show many you can have), high leveled and something they want to use. People want to have names for something they plan to make later but are currently working on something else..etc. I see no benefit for you guys here.
Honestly if you’re going to do this you may as well just make the full game cost 50 bucks or something and let people play forever with an item malll, and make item mall things more expensive than they are right now.
Betting people would love a pre-renewal server if you want a suggestion to make some extra money!