Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World

Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World
Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World logo
Developer(s)	Gravity Corp.
Publisher(s)	Gravity Corp. AsiaSoft Level Up!
Engine	Unreal Engine 2.5 Foliage - SpeedTree
Platform(s)	Windows
Release	KORTBA JP TBA INTTBA SEATBA PHILTBA
Genre(s)	MMORPG
Mode(s)	Multiplayer

Ragnarok Online 2: The Gate of the World (Korean:라그나로크 온라인 2: The Gate Of The World; alternatively subtitled Epic of the Light) is an MMORPG created by Gravity Corp. of South Korea and is the sequel to the popular MMORPG, Ragnarok Online. Most of the game's universe is based on Norse mythology. The soundtrack will be produced by Yoko Kanno, well known for her work in Cowboy Bebop and other anime series.

Plot

The year 1000 L.C is approaching. One thousand years prior, a terrible destruction took place, and the world was saved by St. Lif, son of Baldur. Roughly twenty years earlier, a destructive war took place between Normans of the east and west, but there has recently been peace. Strange things have begun happening, however; the dark wanderers Dimago have awoken, and the Ellr have left their land of Alfheim to investigate the Mother Tree's silence.

General features

Ragnarok Online 2 improves on many of the original's features as well as adding quite a few of its own. Below are notable new features or changes that will be seen in RO2. Larger features are described in detail. Not all game features have been announced yet.

• Full 3D graphics, while retaining the "original anime style" of Ragnarok Online.
• Real Emotion Expression, allowing player avatars to show and express realistic emotions. This will replace the "bubble emotes" from the original.
• Anti-Theft Mob System, which gives benefits to a victim of kill-stealing instead of penalizing the offender.
• Safe Trade System, which enables two ways of trade. The first option requires an item from both parties (or Zeny) and the second option allows the trade of an item or amount of zeny without having to receive something in return.
• Killing one strong creature has been redesigned to be far more effective than killing multiple weaker enemies. Grouping has also been made far more beneficial to those in the group.
• Loot collection has been changed to a "loot the body" system. Instead of making dropped items fall onto the ground, the player must select the fallen enemy's corpse and retrieve the items.
• Jumping and swimming have been implemented.
• There will be a day and night cycle.

Main features

Ragnarok Online 2 introduces many new features for MMOs. This section outlines the currently known main features of RO2. Not all game features have been announced yet.

Specialty Job system

This System allows a character to use skills from other classes. Special abilities can be gained by leveling a character's job class, giving them the ability to create useful and original class combinations, such as battle mages and wares-selling thieves.

For example, when a Swordsman learns Bash Specialty, he can equip this ability when he changes into another class, such as an Enchanter. He can now use the ability without being a Swordsman. Specialty skills learned this way have no real limitations, except for the fact that they cannot be upgraded while the character is not in the class in which the skill belongs. In this example, in order to upgrade the skill, the Enchanter must change back into a Swordsman, level up the Bash ability, before changing back to an Enchanter.

A bonus feature of this system is that a class can now equip class-specific gear that is normally limited to a different class. For example, Swordsmen have the "Long Sword Specialty." When equipped on an Enchanter, he/she can use Long Swords, where usually Enchanters could not.

There is a limit to how many special abilities one can employ at a time, represented by 16 blocks in a 4x4 box. Some skills may take up to 3 blocks, however, thus leaving less room for other abilities. Characters start with fewer than 16 blocks, but will gradually gain additional blocks as he/she levels, eventually gaining access to the full 4x4, 16-slot box.

Complex Job Change system

The first Ragnarok Online featured a unique leveling system in which a character's base level (how strong the character was) and job level (how skilled the character was at his job) were leveled separately. However, once a job was chosen, it could not be changed, so this could be considered a limitation to a player's freedom within the game. The Complex Job Change System, available only to Normans, will change this.

The Complex Job Change system will allow a Norman to change his job at any time. This system was devised so that a player can experience all different classes (s)he wishes to without having to create a new character for a specific class. There are certain small requirements one must fulfill in order to change his job, though these requirements are currently unknown. A character will even be able to change from secondary classes (i.e., a priest) to first level classes (i.e., an acolyte) and vice versa.

Though the character's base level stays the same, changing a character's class will reset the job level back to 1. For example, a character is a job level 25 swordsman and changes into an enchanter. Their job level is reset to level 1 while they are an enchanter, but if they decide to change the character back to a swordsman, their job level will go back to level 25. All skills, stats and bonuses from the character's swordsman job will be saved in the event that they decide to go back to that class again.

This system presumably presents a bit of a problem. In the first RO, one would choose stat points based on their class - if a character was a swordsman, it would be a good idea to place all of their stat points into Strength and Vitality. However, if they decide to change their strength/vitality-based swordsman into a mage, these stats would be fairly useless to a magician (particularly strength). In RO2, this problem is fixed by the fact that stats are controlled by the class a player currently playing. In the original RO, the ratio of stats based on where one places stat points versus stat points based on the class one plays was 9:1. In RO2, this ratio is 2:5, meaning 3/5 of one's stats will be controlled by the class they play.

Lastly, it's been stated that in RO2, a variety of stats will be needed in order to play a class well, as opposed to setting all the stat points into two or three stats. This provides yet another advantage to those who decide to change their character's class frequently.

Equipment leveling

RO2 has implemented a new system in which equipment itself levels up. This system allows people to keep their favorite pieces of equipment because they continue being useful instead of tossing them out when they become outdated.

Equipment in RO2 is separated into two categories: they are either a leveling type, or a non-leveling type. The leveling equipment types can gain experience and levels, just like your character, whereas the non-leveling type doesn't acquire any experience and doesn't level at all.

All of the following gear is considered to be of the leveling type: weapons, shields, gloves, "upper" clothing, and shoes. The rest - "lower" clothing, garments, belts and accessories - are considered to be the non-leveling type.

Leveling Equipment...

• Can level up.
• Has fixed base stats.
• Belongs to you and you alone from the moment it is identified.
• Cannot be traded.

Non-leveling Equipment...

• Cannot level up.
• Has randomized base stats.
• Doesn't belong to any one specific person.
• Can be traded.

An item "belonging" to a character works in a similar way to an item being soulbound in World of Warcraft.

Equipments are separated into three classes: C-class, B-class, and A-class. Each of these classes has a max level that your equipment can reach. Once it's reached its max level, you must use a special equipment combination item in order to upgrade it to the next class. When this happens, you can either choose to keep the equipment's features, or you can opt to change the equipment's name, shape, special ability, and growth rate changes. Only the stats remain the same. An example of this that's been given is that the C-class weapon, "Ellr's Knife," which focuses on both melee and magic power, can be upgraded into the B-class weapon, "Kris of Thorns," which has a new growth rate focus on critical rate. The max level of every class is as follows:

C-class: Max level 20

B-class: Max level 20

A-class: Max level 30

Once your leveled equipment’s experience bar reaches 100%, it will not level on its own. Instead, you will have to take the piece of equipment to the nearest blacksmith NPC to upgrade it for you for a small fee. The equipment's stats will increase randomly based on its growth rate. The growth rate simply determines which stats are more likely to increase when the piece of equipment levels. For example, if a piece of equipment's growth rate focuses on melee damage, the stats of the equipment's melee damage will increase at a much higher rate than other stats.

Stats

When a player levels up their character level, they are given several points to increase stats of their choosing.

• STR, or Strength: Increase Melee Physical Max Damage and Melee Physical Defense.

• DEX, or Dexterity: Increase Melee Physical CRIT Chance and Melee Physical Dodge.

• INT, or Intelligence: Increase Ranged Physical HIT Chance, Magic Max Damage, and Magic Defense.

• CON, or Concentration: Increase Melee Physical HIT Chance, Ranged Max Damage, and Ranged Physical CRIT Chance.

There is a 5th stat that can only be increased by equipment or skills.

• LUK, or Luck: Increase Melee Physical Dodge, Ranged Physical Dodge, and Magic Dodge.

Races

Ragnarok Online 2 introduces 2 new races for players to play as. In addition to the Normans (from Ragnarok 1) you can now play as an Ellr or Dimago. Each race has advantages to it that make it a viable choice when a new player is creating their character. Little is known as of now on how these races will affect the game, but announcements have made some info clear about them.

Norman

File:Comparison.PNG

Height comparison of the Norman and Ellr.

The Norman race has a human appearance and is the race that was played in RO1. They use the job System, allowing them to switch their job at will and take advantage of specialty skills. The original appearance of the Norman, a very childish look, was re-designed for a more mature look. The race's name may likely be a reference to the historical Normans or Norsemen, given the game's focus on Norse mythology. It could also be a portmanteau of the words "normal" and "human."

Ellr

The Ellr are a half-breed, born between an interracial relationship between the Normans and the Elves. They inhabit their own land known as "Alfheim". After participating in the war between the eastern and western Normans, they returned to Alfheim, but have recently returned to Midgard to investigate why their "Mother Tree" fell silent. The power of an Ellr comes from the magical stones they possess, called "Stones of Ancestors". These stones influence their skills, and as such the Ellr has no professions or classes. They may only equip two stones at a time, however. The original model of the concept Ellr appeared as a super deformed art style. It was later redesigned to appear more normal in proportions, although still very childlike.

Dimago

The Dimago are the rejected offspring of a relationship between the Colossus and Norman. They have apparently been under an enchanted sleep, and have no memory of their previous lives. They "fight with style" and are able to make use of dynamic skill trees. The characters are designed to be 7-8 heads tall in height (that of an average human.) This, compared to the Ellr which are 2~3 heads tall or the Normans which are 4~6 heads tall, means that the Dimago will be the tallest playable race in the game.

Classes

At this time, only the classes for the Norman race have been announced. It is unknown if the other races will have a class, or job, system. With lack of information, excluding the official descriptions, similar classes from Ragnarok Online have been used as a basis for determining the main purpose of the new classes by several RO communities. Please also note that it is unknown at this time if these are all the classes for the Norman race, as more may be announced.

Novice

The Novice class is the starting class for every new Norman player. It has the ability to advance to the other classes and offers new players a chance to learn the game and decide what course they want to take before committing to a class. They are generally a weak and short-lived playing class, but have potential and skills to make them just as viable as other classes later on. They have an interesting repertoire of utility and combat skills suiting their adventurous nature and Play Dead makes a return. It is unconfirmed if the Super Novice, an advanced form of the Novice with the ability to learn the basic skills of every 1st job class, will be carried into RO2 as well, though it is estimated Gravity will implement this class in a later update instead of having it available on release.

Swordsman

The identified "tank" of RO2, the Swordsman class is a melee class dependent on close range battles. They are generally the first person to take damage and deliver damage in a battle, fighting on the frontlines of a battle. A Novice can become a Swordsman after a certain requirement, at this time unknown, is met. They are tanks remember and need alot of HP. The Swordsman relies on damage skills, though it also has several powerful defensive skills. It can successfully fight high level monsters much higher than its level due to its high HP and damage ratio. Most of its attacks center around dealing damage, though some are geared towards dealing damage towards more than one target at the same time. It is severely limited in ranged attacks, however. In RO1, a swordsman could advance to either a Knight or Crusader at job level 40-50. The Knight, which is an improvement on the Swordsman's damage dealing ideal, relies on high damage skills. A Crusader, who is more of a battlemage, relies on a balance of both damage skills and buff skills. It is unknown at this point if the Knight or Crusader will be introduced into RO2.

Enchanter

The main magic user in RO2, the Enchanter supports the other players in battle to maximize damage and keep players alive. They have access to very powerful healing abilities, as well as resurrection skills to bring life back to a dead combatant. Their skills also allow them to buff, or power up, a player in the game to increase his skills or status. They can even debuff, or sabotage, an enemy by slowing them down or making them weaker to specific elements. Enchanters also have access to damage dealing skills, ranging from elemental skills, such as Fire Bolt and Ice Arrow, to skills that rely on stats, such as Shadow Strike. They also have a few damaging holy spells, however their also have the ability to support other players. Enchanters could best be described as a mix of the RO1 classes Priest, Sage and Mage.

Recruit

The Recruit is the supposed replacement of the Archer from RO1. Yet, from the official description, its role varies from the Archer and more like the Hunter class from World of Warcraft. Regardless, the Recruit is the long-range attack master, with many of its skills using long-range attacks to deal damage. The Recruit more closely resembles the Gunslinger, a new class released in RO1. Unlike the Archer, the Recruit uses weapons similar to modern day guns, rifles, and gatling cannons. This weaponry is known as a "Dampf Flinte" in the RO2 world. The Norman race advanced heavily in technology to attain guns to make up for their shortcomings in their physical and mental abilities. A large difference from the RO1 Archer is that Recruits can also engage in melee effectively. Footage has been released of a Recruit attacking an enemy using their gun as a melee weapon, hitting them with the butt end of the gun. The advanced Archer classes, Bard/Dancer and Hunter, are again unknown of continuance in RO2. The Hunter advances on the abilities of the Archer, increasing use of damage skills with long-range attacks and enabling the player to use traps to trick enemies. It has been concluded that Bards and Dancers will not journey to RO2, as the Clown class will receive their abilities.

Thief

The Thief class in RO2 specializes in causing chaos and disorder for their enemies, as well as stealing items and money. Unlike their RO1 counterparts, which were a more direct attack class, the RO2 Thief is more centered around confusion-type skills designed for silent strikes and mayhem. Thief skills will revolve around causing problems with their enemies. Attacks that poison or inflict other aliments are said to be their main way of attacking, though they can also use skills to hide or disorient the enemy. Abilities such as the double attack ability from RO1 may also make a transition into RO2. The Thief is weak in long-range attacks, like the Swordsman, due to it not having any long-range abilities to counterattack with. It is significantly less able to defend itself, but balances itself out with high agility, making them a hard target. The Thief advanced classes, Assassin and Rogue, are undetermined as to being in RO2. The Assassin improved on killing moves, while Rogues move into more mayhem causing skills or even using a bow. There is good support for their existence, however, as the official description makes a note of citizens employing Thieves to use their skills.

Clown

The Clown class is mainly derived from the Bard and Dancer in RO1. Their skills are in the same general area: Singing songs and supporting in combat. Though the official description is very vague, the idea is that the Clown will relax and increase players' stats for battle. They will sing during battle too, "soothing" front line fighters. The Clown's combat abilities are not defined well, though there is an example of the Clown employing deadly poison on its enemies when they least expect it. In RO1, bows are the weapon-of-choice for the Bard and the Dancer, using the skills they learned as an Archer to supplement their damage. They also need a musical instrument in order to use their bardic skills. Because their description is so vague, not much can be said for the Clown class until more announcements are made.

Current status of the game

The first closed beta in South Korea officially ended on December 29 2006. Application to participate in this beta was made available for a week (during the second week of December, 2006). Over 190,000 applications were submitted but only 2000 were chosen to participate for a period of three days (from 27 December to 29 December). Due to several technical issues and server tweaking, the total testing time was only about 10 hours.[1]

According to an interview between the Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo and developer team Mercury, the main goal for the first closed beta was to test characters. They wanted to see how gamers would react to the overall feel of the game as well as whether character designs were accepted by them.

For the second phase of the Korean closed beta, 3,000 users were automatically accepted upon registration and login via the website, with another 5,000 being selected before and on February 22nd. The original closed beta testers were also given access to phase two. Towards the end of this phase, a special event invited 10,000 additional players to join testing, leading to a total of 20,000 selected accounts.[2]

The third phase of the Korean closed beta ran from April 26 to May 5, 2007. It was open for 100,000 registered users as well as those players from the previous closed beta. In order to balance the large amounts of traffic, Gravity opened a second server at the start of the third phase.

The final phase was the Korean Open Beta running from May 28th to an unannounced date, where the final release of the game is expected right after. It is open to all Korean citizens (Those with a KSSN)(Korean Social Security Number). and during the first week, the servers went through severe maintenance as each server quickly filled up. Several more servers were opened shortly after to fit the demand, including several age 18 and up only servers to accommodate the older crowd. The focus during open beta is game balance and mechanics. The game content was similar to the previous closed betas and it is expected to see a greater release of content in the soon future, but most likely after the game is released.

A final Release is currently unknown. The Japanese open beta will be running from August 30th to September 20th from which it then will be a paid service. Closed Beta and Open Beta tests for following Asian countries are soon to follow; Level Up! Games Philippines [3] is anticipating a Closed Beta this winter (2007) , International (English Version) will most likely get a beta early 2008 and South East Asian version (Asiasoft) will also be released soon.

External links

Official websites

• Ragnarok 2 Portal - Official Ragnarok 2 Website Template:Ko icon
• Gravity Corp. Website Template:Ko icon
• South East Asian Ragnarok 2 site - Official South East Asian Ragnarok 2 Website
• Japan Ragnarok 2 site - Official Japan Ragnarok 2 Website

Useful information

• Ragnarok-Online-2.com - RO2 information and beta news
• RO2 Database