Girl Gamer Extraordinaire

Gaming All Day and Night

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Well no, not really but I did when Aion opened. A lot has happened in the last couple weeks. Avalon is of course the largest legion with the most Abyss points on our server. We hold a fortress which we defend nearly every evening. Aion doesn't work the same way that SRO does because it's faction vs. faction. We defend our own plus any other fortresses that are held by Elyos. That was three till last night. (I'll get into that later)

I leveled up to 38. That is not super high level but it's at the head of the curve. I am constantly distracted by the multitude of other things to do in this game. Crafting takes up my time every so often, gathering has to be maintained and Ive been kinda leveling my aether gathering up when no one is looking. I'm playing with the Broker, trying alternative ways to make kinah on other chars on my account. Ill make a post about it once I get some solid ideas.

Currently, the bane of my existence is KRALL MOLARS. Innocent little drops from Elite mobs that give blue gears. I want them all. Im leveling too fast in that area tho and I think you kinda outlevel the place around 42. Im getting closer.... Right around 35, till around 42 the game gives you grindy ways to get a full set of blue gear. While anyone can get the same gears, most throw up their hands in disgust at trying to get 100 or 150 krall molars or each piece (in a group that means you get 1 for every 6 mobs). I am determined. I have the pants cause I wanted them more than the shoes but the shoes and hands are next. The messed up part is you do it all over again in another area for blue jewelry. Right after that you do a campaign quest and get a blue helm. Viola, full blues.

So here are some screens from the last week. They start with an image from a cutscene I just thought was cute cause it showed the actual party (yeah, in order from L to R that is AkillerX, me, Spanktastik, Corrupt, KanjiX and Fly) and go through fighting in instances, fighting bosses, winning the fort, the Dredgion and some nice scenery.

From the Mailbag

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Maire Gilmartin wrote:

Dear girlscangame,

You have an ad for evonvy on your blog. You might want to remove it
as its got a bad rep for being spam, the ads are also rather sexist.

I was going to ad a link and then I saw you use "retard", in one of your blog posts.
I wasnt going to mention it, but then I thought I might as well say something.
That word is pretty uncool to anyone with mental or disability issues, so its
not a good word to use if you want them as readers.

Have a good day
mer

Dear mer,

Im so sorry for offending you. Im glad that whatever your mental disability is, it doesnt prevent you from reading my blog. I wont be removing Evony ads, I like that game. I also think that the female body is quite nice and makes for great advertising. Just because one is a girl, doesnt mean one has to be a militant man hating feminist. Sexism only seems to bother ugly women in my experience.

-nightbloom

First!

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:36:00 +0000

I think that we made the correct leap of faith, leaving Silkroad Online before that ship sunk completely and swimming over to the little tropical island of NCSoft's Aion. Avalon the legion is huge. We lead the Elyos in Abyss points and size and even if we weren't huge, the game would still be incredibly fun. I have leveled to 27 and been rifting, in the Abyss, done my first instance ever and been in Vent with 50 ppl.

While Silkroad Online wasnt my first MMO, it was close and it was the one I played the longest. I also experienced a lot of "firsts" in SRO. My first guild, made my first movie, made my first game site etc. The quest to recapture that first feeling is impossible. I have tried so many new games over the last 5 years, but after a week or so, the urge to play kinda dwindles and I ended back in SRO.

But Aion has been different. I havent even thought about SRO. I have made movies in Aion, written guides and read page after wiki page of information. I havent been this enthusiastic about a game since the 60 cap on silkroad Online. This game really has everything. I tried my first real instance where our group killed a raid boss and got a rare drop. I dyed my armor blood red to match my cape. I climbed mountains like we did in the old days of SRO. I PVPed for hours and hours in the enemy lands. I have made so many new firsts and the game isnt even live yet! So much of the fun of gaming had been drained out of SRO that I'd lost my grip on why we play at all. SRO was about proving a point and die trying. Aion is just pure fun.

A few former SRO people have followed me over and tried to bother me. lol I should take some screens and post them but I never remember to cause they always seem to bug me when I'm doing other things. I hope that more SRO people leave that dead end game and come to Aion. Even in SRO you cant have a guild the size of our Legion. All are hardcore PVPers from other games like WOW and Warhammer. New people are everywhere. The game is beautiful and that really helps. Come join me on AionArena and check out Aion.

Aion Cosplay Images

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:56:00 +0000

So usually cosplay isnt my thing... But I liked these images, I thought they were nice. This a professional cosplay group called "League of Vampires" from China. Enjoy!

If you liked SRO, here is why you will LOVE Aion

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Because our legion is a Ventrilo using legion and has been for many years, we get into great discussions that I wish I could record and share with the public. As anyone who knows me knows, I played Silkroad Online since it opened and recently quit because it is apparent that Joymax does not really care to solve the botting issue to anyone's satisfaction. There are now very few actual legits playing the game and I think that JM really has no reason to clean up. Their user base is nearly 100% botting and botters dont want botting to be banned. Joymax is so completely ignorant of the situation that we have incidents like this... [GM]Gargamel wears a bot company logo teeshirt at GNGWC '08

So here is a list of the reasons why Silkroad Online players specifically will love playing Aion Online and find it's style familiar.

1. Open PVP - While Aion does have an arena, it also has rifts and the Abyss. They give it a new name (PvPvE) and make it basically involuntary whether or not you want to be a target or not. You can and will be PKed by the other faction while you train. Silkroad had open PVP as well but with a penalty and using cape/jobsuits. Aion removes the conditionals and just lets you have a free for all. After level 25 you can train in the Abyss... actually both factions train in the Abyss at the same time. Think of the possibilities.... Korean gaming models own PVP.

2. Community - Because when you create a char on a server and it stays on that server for life, you always know the people you are fighting against and with. In the opposite faction, you get to know names and legions even if you cant understand what they are saying specifically. Friction is going to happen because the competition is open and encouraged. Sro also had that before the jobbing system was changed. You knew who was robbing you. In Aion, you know who is ganking you. You can see their name, look up their legion and see their stats. If you want revenge, there is another rift opening up somewhere....

3. Common Area Bosses - While there are some instanced bosses, most are just open. If you want to kill a named boss, you gotta camp him. In the Abyss, you have the aggravating factor of the opposing faction to deal with. Even in some instances, both factions can enter. In Silkroad Online competition for bosses was epic. Aion is the same way. Check out the description of "Dreadgions" here. Aion boss killing in the Dreadgion is like killing Medusa and everyone is in job suits.

4. Fortress - Aion has those. They are wild too and more than one per server. It's not just Elyos vs. Asmodians either, it's Elyos Vs. Asmodians vs. Balur. Yeah there is a third faction that is AI controlled. From what we understand, sometimes the Balur help you, sometimes they help them, sometimes they fight both. Reminds you of silkroad doesnt it? FACK MATHER! There are real bonuses for being the faction that owns a fortress too, not just sitting around collection money and fighting twice a month. You get access to a dungeon and special quests that come with it.

5. Death Penalties - Once you get high level in Silkroad dying becomes painful. You wince when you see that 5% loss because you know that it's gonna take you hours to replace it. Aion has that plus soul sickness wich means you can gain some of that lost XP back (not all) at a very stiff price. Why is this good? Because when someone does something dumb to get the party wiped, it's not just "oh well" and move on. There are real incentives to being on top of your game. You try not to die because it starts to hurt after a while. Earning money in Aion is hard!

6. Botters - Unlike SRO, there are none. That isnt familiar but it certainly is a reason Silkroad Online players will love the game. At least the old school legit ones.

7. Responsible Management - Aion has that. No absentee company that ignores you and feeds you form messages with heavy engrish overtones.

8. GMs - I have personally seen more than one of these in Aion and the game hasnt opened yet. I also have both CMs on my twitter. They actually RESPOND when you talk to them. No shit, it's true. GMs that are more than a pink message telling you that the server is going down for maintenance. O.. M.. G..

9. Queue Login - When the servers are crowded (and they will be for OB) Aion doesnt have a fake queue system that makes you wait for 5 hours or ask you to pay for a idiculously overpriced ticket to log on. They have a real queue system that counts down and gives you an ETA for login.

10. P2P - We all know that while Silkroad Online calls itself F2P it is in fact not. In order to be competitive, not have to grind for hundreds of hours at a time, pick up your drops and defend yourself in PVP you can easily spend $50 a month in silk. Aion costs $15 and that is all you have to pay. For $15 you are always on even ground with anyone else in the game. They have costumes you can buy at NPCs, res scrolls, reverse returns, etc and they are all obtainable with Abyss points or basically the more you PVP, the more speshul stuff you can buy.

In Silkroad Online legit players were choked out by the mechanics of the F2P, bot mecca atmosphere of the game. People who couldnt afford to pay real money for lots of silk were grossly overpowered next to those who could. Real players couldnt level in bot infested areas and botters didnt mind because they werent there to see it most of the time. The mass infestation of gold bots made buying gold both easy and cheap driving the market into a tailspin overpriced ridiculousness. New players cannot join the game and replace those who quit because as a legit quits playing (or playing legitly) he is instantly replaced with a botter and his or someone else's 20 goldbots.

Try Aion in the Open Beta on September 6th. If you dont already have a key, make an account at File Planet and try to win one.

Busy, Busy, BUSIER

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:57:00 +0000

It's been both boring and eventful lately. My cat got her first shots. She was a brave kitten and didnt bite or scratch ANYONE. I was impressed. My once Silkroad Online website is now completely devoted to Aion Online. That involved a lot of deleting (which I must say was TOTALLY difficult). I still have a lot of SRO resources that are up for grabs like a complete Wiki and all my silkroad renders and images Ive collected over the years (image kits). I'm not ever going back to SRO. I dont have it on my comp, I only saved a handful of screenshots. Its like getting a divorce. SRO and I have been together for 5 years but we've lose that lovin' feeling and it's gone... gone... gone... whoaoaoaoaoaw. (If you dont get it, watch this video)

We have organized a donation drive at Aion Arena. We used our first bunch of donations to get a Signature Generator. It's super easy to use and takes absolutely no skills at all. You can just generate text, drag and drop it where you want it on the backgrounds. There are 115 backgrounds and growing so everyone should be able to find something they like. Not everyone can make their own graphics so this is good for them.

I also made a new flash for the main page of the webiste. It has a story behind it too. I made one and didnt like it at all. It was my graphics and even I thought they were hideous but I had a creative drought. So I asked Fly about flashes or sites that he liked and after a few minutes of him sending me sites, he found some article about website trends. The number one trend is embossed lettering. So I read the whole article, noticing that big text and plain backgrounds are also a nice trend. I go online and look for a tutorial on how to make that embossed lettering. I find one, make the panels for my flash and get it up. The first thing that Cruor says, "It looks like the CS4 icons." I go and look at them and yeah, they do. MUTHAF****A! I dont care though, I like the flash and it's staying. ^^ Damn Adobe and their trend setting icons!!!

So we are all still sitting around starting at eachother, waiting for Aion to start back up again. It does so on the 6th of September. See ya on the Triniel server!

Here is a recent pic of Ferocia.... I took it about 5 minutes ago. I've compiled a complete web album of pics of her.

Legion!

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:35:00 +0000

OMG Chaucer as a badass former angel kicking ass... Mean grandmas... Avenging angels... Biblical Horror... I am so watching this movie.

This film is directed by a first time director, Scott Stewart... who was a big deal with the visual effects house, The Orphanage - which did incredible work on films like SIN CITY, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE, THE HOST, SUPERMAN RETURNS, the last two PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and IRON MAN. He also was the Digital Mastering Consultant on JACKASS: THE MOVIE. Odd credit, huh?

ZOMG - JoyMax reaps huge profits from retards.

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:34:00 +0000

[KOSDAQ REPORT (15)] JOYMAX taps global online game markets

This is the 15th in a series of articles analyzing companies listed on the Kosdaq, Korea's secondary stock market loaded with tech firms. - Ed.

By Kim Yoon-mi

JOYMAX Co., a Seoul-based online game developer and publisher, hopes to tap markets in countries where the online game industry is underdeveloped, the CEO of the company said yesterday.

The company is best known for Silkroad Online, or MMORPG, a multiplayer online role-playing game. International game players from 180 countries spend real money to purchase items to customize game characters or accelerate the process of the game.

More than 95 percent of the company's 32.9 billion won ($26.5 million) revenue in 2008 came from overseas sales, but the CEO said he is aiming higher.

"We should go further to expand business in the global market. We will boost overseas business in the Middle East, South America and East Europe where game content is relatively less developed," CEO Jeon Chan-woong said in an interview with The Korea Herald and The Herald Business.

"In China, too many developers are jumping into MMORPGs," he said, adding that he does not want to tap the Chinese market.

Making inroads into an underdeveloped market is particularly important for online game developers because popular content can come and go in a single day in the saturated, highly competitive market, Jeon said.

The Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe lack both game content and payment systems for consumers because the regions are at an emerging stage in terms of online game industries.

"Securing those markets first would help us save marketing costs, as well as create a strong brand image relatively easily," the CEO said.

Because JOYMAX provides Silkroad Online directly from the main server in Korea for users in different countries based on the "global direct service" platform, it reaps four or five times more profits compared to other game developers, who have to pay marketing and settlement commissions to publishers, he said.

The game developer's net profit came in at 17.1 billion won on annual sales of 32.9 billion won in 2008.

Silkroad Online generated 8.2 billion won in revenue out of the total revenue of 9.2 billion won in the second quarter, which was up 31.4 percent from a year earlier, according to the company.

In July and August, JOYMAX signed contracts to export Silkroad Online to Russia and another online game, Bumpy Crash, to Thailand.

From October, the company plans to offer Silkroad Online gamers multi-language services including Spanish, Turkish, German and Arabic to help them more conveniently interact with each other in the virtual game world.

For the local market, the company will launch Bumpy Crash soon, Jeon said.

Analysts said JOYMAX's stock price has a lot of upside potential because its shares are undervalued compared to other local game developers.

"The company's net profit is expected to hit 22 billion won this year and its price-to-earnings ratio is very low, at 9.1, compared to the local online game developers' average PE of 15," said Kim Seok-min, an analyst with Dongbu Securities.

"Such factors are expected to give extra momentum to the company's stock prices," he said.

Stock price of JOYMAX rose 4.17 percent to close at 59,900 won on Tuesday.

(yoonmi@heraldm.com) source: The Korea Herald

-------------------------------------------

As if anyone needed more reasons to leave SRO. JM is riding on the international market's ass, raping it over and over for massive profits and yet they still provide grossly substandard service and can't even rid their servers of a single bot for more than a few hours. I'm sure Mr. Chan-woong doesnt lose a single wink of sleep in that enormous pile of won he is sleeping in at night either.

Everyone is into Aion

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Yeah, we are really loving this game. So far, the community has been top notch, not what we are used to in Silkroad Online. Avalon is steadily growing larger and the people we have been meeting are fantastic. Ive taken lots of screens. You can see a lot of them here: My Picasa and at WeGame also. I hope every single gamer out there has made an account at WeGame. They have added Aion to their huge list of games and are building up a real catalog of videos and screens, mine included. The quaility is also far superior to anyone else's.

I also made a quick video of us goofing around. I was testing the new computer's ability to record nicely. It does fine.

Oh also, my cat really likes Aion, she was really into it.

Do you know how hard it is to play with a cat head in the way? I should probably give you more information about game play than I have been doing. But really, Aion isnt that unique in the way of gameplay. It's like the hybrid offspring of a Korean MMO grindfest and a Western MMO Quest based model. It's attraction is it's graphics, it's PVP and it's polish. Even in the beta there arent that many bugs. I think the worst thing I can say about it is the fact that you can fly and not swim. You would think that they would be really similar tasks! I did read somewhere that they will work on swimming but dont quote me cause I dont remember where.

So if you are going to be playing Aion, Elyos race, and want a good Legion, check out Avalon. http://avalon.aionarena.com

Livestreaming Aion All Day

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:23:00 +0000

So I discovered LiveStream and it was pretty fun to have my friends who didnt have the Aion beta key yet watch us all play. It sends a live feed with a 5 second delay of my game to the internet where anyone can log on and watch. We have it linked to our website at http://aionarena.com or you can watch it at the LiveStream website.

http://www.livestream.com/nightbloom

When Im not live, it streams old Silkroad Online movies I made cause I didnt have anything else to put on there and its a good history of the guild Avalon anyways. I was online broadcasting for about 7 hours today and will be doing it again in the morning.

All the old Avalon gang is together also. Asyamura bought the game, Corrupt is downloading it as we speak and I heard to Khaara is supposed to join us before this beta weekend ends. So grab your popcorn and join Avalon on Aion.

Bots Beware: Joymax Launches MMO 'Clean Campaign'

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:50:00 +0000

This is JoyMax's press release for their recent, GNGWC inspired no doubt, war on bots. It was effective for maybe 12 hours at which point thousands of gold bots streamed back into the game. Not only that, it was only gold bots and player bots were unaffected. Yes, I know I dont play Silkroad anymore but really, this was even Failblog worthy....

Here’s a common story in the world of MMO gaming: bots. You know, those phantom players that seem to be gobbling up all the resources in the game, so they can resell them to other players who are too lazy to do the work themselves. Joymax is one company that wants to try and do something about bots in its games.

Today it announced the launch of the Clean Campaign in the fantasy MMORPG Silkroad Online. Through a brand new internet robot (aka “bot”) detecting system, Joymax will identify and restrict all Silkroad Online accounts associated with illegal automatic hunting programs. The campaign is designed to alleviate server congestion and enable players to enter the game with greater ease, the company said.

“We strive to provide a high-quality gaming experience for Silkroad Online players,” said Jina Song, General Manager at Joymax. “Through this campaign, we will be addressing the technical challenges posed by bots, and improving the performance of the servers for our community.”

During the Clean Campaign Joymax will host several community events that engage players as well. Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming community events.

To learn more about the Clean Campaign for Silkroad Online, visit the official website at www.joymax.com/silkroad.

A couple RL New Additions

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:30:00 +0000

I recently had a couple of RL new additions to my household. Cuteness first. This is my cat, Ferocia.
I love her. This is the story. I have been petless for many years. I moved into a condo and I didnt want to have the hassle of more pets since I had recently had a cat hit by a car. Years pass... about 8 or so. Then my teenage daughter brings home this little charmer. At first I am like NO WAY. NO CATS. I vow to take her to the pound the next day cause she is too small to toss out. That evening, we play with the kitten and then she leaps up on me, curls up in the crook of my arm and starts purring. Oh... Who can resist that? Not only does she purr and is a load of fun when she is awake, I think dont think Fly would have let me live it down if I had gotten rid of her anyways.

The second new addition is my new Alienware computer. It was hard to take a pic of cause its under my desk (dont look at the dust, I mean who dusts under desks anyways!). Its big. I tried to get the cat to sit in front of it so you can kinda see the scale but she is contrary. I mean, her name is Ferocia.
So now I can play Aion without lagging. Im not gonna say how much I paid for it but let me assure you, the cat is WAY cheaper, even after the vet visit and the carpet covered cat mansion. (If I was a cat, Id want one) The comp's details are on my xfire page, so if you are that kind of curious, you can go there and take a look. I logged on SRO yesterday to see what the game looked like with full graphics on my new 24 inch full HD monitor. WOW The difference is like night and day. I dont miss Silkroad. That game is full of morons. lol Except the 10 remaining legits that is.

Well hey, see you in Aion.

All New Site

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:51:00 +0000

IGameLegit.com has been transformed. The old address works still, of course but we now have a completely Aion dedicated section.

http://aionarena.com

It took a lot of work integrating Joomla with vBulletin, thanks to Cruor, it's beautifully seamless. The forum amenities are the same with links to your favorite Aion resources and of course, our own brilliant inhouse Aion Armory link system. More Aion videos have been added to our Video Library and even the Avalon Website has had a total reinvention. If you are going to be playing the NA servers of Aion, check out Avalon Legion.

World of Warcraft Movie?? Srsly?

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:36:00 +0000

Sam Raimi To Direct World Of Warcraft Movie
Spider-Man director chosen to adapt the fantasy video game franchise...

Legendary film-maker Sam Raimi has been confirmed as the director of the hotly-anticipated World of Warcraft movie.

The project seemed to have been in limbo since Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures teamed up with Blizzard Entertainment to develop the game into a big screen adventure.

Things have gotten serious now though with Raimi and Charles Roven, producer of The Dark Knight, both confirmed to be on board.

World of Warcraft, often referred to as WoW, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) by Blizzard Entertainment. It has more than 11.5 million monthly subscribers, and holds the Guinness World Record for the most popular MMORPG.

Raimi plans to tackle the project after Spider-Man 4 wraps. The superhero flick is set to begin shooting early next year.

source: MTV news

T.E.R.A. An MMO to watch for

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Im not gonna say I know the whole story from an official standpoint, cause I dont but I will tell you what I have heard. Bluehole Studios, a korean MMO developer, are all former members of the Lineage III dev team. They all left for reasons unknown (the rumors are varied) and formed their own company and began deloping a new game using the Lineage III engine/coding, all or in part.

The game that resulted from this is T.E.R.A. and it's pretty sweet. Fly has been ogling trailers, vids and screen of this game for a week now and finally I took a real good look and yeah, Im pretty amazed. Not only are the graphics beautiful but the game play is pretty unique.

"1,2,3,1,2,3…"

Facing the mob and repeatedly pressing a skill button is no longer exciting.
Even the unprecedented hit title, WoW, doesn't deviate from the traditional combat system.
TERA introduces a ground-breaking innovation to the MMORPG combat system.

From the start, the company hoped to realize a combat system that would set a new global standard. After careful consideration, it was decided that TERA's fight sequences should closely resemble real fight scenes. Hence, TERA will introduce omni-directional attacks, where distance and direction must be coordinated for weapons and spells to work; moreover, healers must continuously take new battle positions to cast spells. Also, depending on body weight ratio between a mob and player, an enemy hit will register a fall-back reflect. These are some of the innovative features in TERA.

Also, unlike games that claim to be a MMORPG by emphasizing action-style gameplay, TERA does not utilize zoning (section loading). All users will seamlessly move throughout the world, sharing a singular combat experience. Moreover, the foundation for the innovative combat system originates from the robust client/server technology. This breakthrough technology is one of the many revolutionary features developed by Bluehole to enhance the end-user experience.

The targeting system looks like something I would really be interested in. I read around the internet that it is scheduled for beta release this summer but no real dates. If anyone can translate some information from the official TERA site, I would appreciate it.

RSRO? Ruskies march on Hotan...

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:08:00 +0000

01 July 2009, 12:30

Astrum Online and Joymax announce the russian launch of Silkroad Online

Astrum Online Entertainment, the leader of Russian interactive online entertainment market, and Joymax, global entertainment company of South Korea, are happy to announce the beginning of cooperation. According to Agreement signed by parties, IT Territory as part of Astrum Online entertainment group now has publishing rights for Silkroad Online on the terrritory of Russia, CIS and Baltic states.

During the Signing Ceremony that took place in Moscow the 30th of June, Chan Woong Jeon, CEO of Joymax, and Alexander Vashenko, CEO of IT Territory, put the signatures starting the cooperation under the terms and conditionsof Silkroad Online licensing Agreement.

The Russian localized version of Silkroad Online (http://silkroad.ru/) will work on free-to-play model. The Russian release of the game is scheduled on a boundary of 2009-2010.

source: Astrumonline

Aion Beta: First screens and impressions

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:51:00 +0000

OK, so Ive had a full day to play this game. Yes, I still love it. It's beautiful, involved, has a great story and the amount of interaction between you and the environment is awesome. Its a bit linear. I mean, you cant really stray too far from the path they set. You go down a corridor of NPCs and monsters, picking up quests along the way. It may get better at higher levels. Ill get more involved as I play to a higher level because EVERYONE has given a basic rundown of how Aion is in the first ten levels. I just wanted to add how much I like it and how glad I am that I bought the Collector's edition cause flying is really kick ass. I suck at it but Im getting better.

Want to sell Silkroad Wiki

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:56:00 +0000

Yup, you heard me, Im selling the Silkroad Online Wiki. You will get the domain, the complete files and everything contained within to be hosted on your own site. It is quite busy and a great resource for any silkroad site, but Im not playing silkroad and slowly, my site is switching over to an Aion site.

If you are interested in buying the Silkroad Online Wiki, email me at admin[at]igamelegit.com

Interview with Silkroad Online Community Manager

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Apparently, at some point Silkroad Online's Community Manager changed yet again. Silkroad Online eats more CMs than any other online game EVER and we never even know their names!

Here is an interview I discovered today. I think the CMs comment about botting is the most colossal understatement ever made about SRO. But apparently they are trying to get some GMs. That might be a good idea.

Silkroad Online: Interview with Community Manager Rob Alvarez

source: mmogamer.com
Mobin Koohestani, the latest member of The MMO Gamer’s writing team, debuts today with an interview with Joymax Community Manager Rob Alvarez. The interview focuses on the company’s most successful game, Silkroad Online.

Today I am joined with Rob Alvarez, the community manager for Joymax USA. Joymax is not only the developers of the free MMORPG “Silkroad Online”, however they are known for others such as “Dark Eden”, as well as “Deco Online”. Now the primary focus for today is about their hit game “Silkroad Online”. So without further ado, I’d like to ask Mr. Alvarez some questions about the main concept and idea behind “Silkroad Online”.

The MMO Gamer: What was the main intention you had planned that Silkroad Online would bring to other MMORPG players?

Rob Alvarez: To set it apart from the the bevy of MMO titles already out there, Silkroad Online was intended to be a step back in time in terms of place setting and story. Silkroad Online was also intended to open players up to a new experience that differed from most traditional MMO games, starting with a broad set of unique and amazing skills and jobs. Silkroad Online has always been about the power of choice, especially in terms of character development and the constant struggle between the merchants and thieves along the Silk Road trade route. More than anything, we wanted the players to feel the constant, daily challenges facing the inhabitants of the Silk Road.

The MMO Gamer: What sets Silkroad Online aside and unique amongst other MMORPGs?

Rob Alvarez: I think Silkroad Online really brings historical elements and classic tales to the forefront of modern gameplay. Through the use of our triangular system, players have the option to walk the path of the merchant, thief, or hunter. Through this gameplay mechanic, players are able to see firsthand how their actions impact the trading economy in ways both negative and positive. The Fortress War system also makes players more inclined to guild up with other players, allowing them to control the grounds and taxes within each respective location as the conquering guild.

The MMO Gamer: What are some of the newer aspects that have been brought in Silkroad Online recently?

Rob Alvarez: A number of things have been added to Silkroad Online quite recently, including the Qin Shi dungeon, Magic POP system, and an increased level cap. In addition, our next expansion, Legend IV Plus, will be released later this year and will feature new weapon effects, new mobs, new quests, and an entirely new dungeon for users who are level 80 and above to explore.

The MMO Gamer: How strong has the game progressed from its original release?

Rob Alvarez: Originally we only had the Chinese race to play and a fraction of the land to cover. Since then, we have added the Europeans as a playable race and expanded to cover the lands between Europe and China with dangerous baddies and treacherous dungeons. We focused on giving our fans and dedicated players something fun, and Silkroad Online developed a strong following as a result. We anticipate that as time goes on, it will continue to pull in curious onlookers who are searching for something new.

The MMO Gamer: What changes do you hope to make, if any in the future?

Rob Alvarez: Our top priority at the moment is increasing Game Master support to combat the rise in botting issues that we’ve experienced. No online titles are ever completely free from hackers and cheaters, but we are continuously working towards implementing additional security measures that allow us to provide Silkroad Online players with the best possible experience.

The MMO Gamer: What in your opinion is the biggest accomplishment about Silkroad Online?

Rob Alvarez: Honestly, we see our biggest accomplishment as the continued growth and development of the community globally. Despite the trouble makers that are present in our servers, Silkroad Online really is a fun and entertaining game with so much to offer players who really engulf themselves into our world. Even with all of the other free to play games out there, we continue to maintain and grow our active base of players. It is truly a blessing that after all this time people still want to play Silkroad Online and see what new features and content we have in store for them.

The MMO Gamer: What do you foresee for Silkroad’s future within the upcoming year?

Rob Alvarez: Change. Like Obama, but with less political discussion and more action. This will mean a shift in direction and a better understanding of how to make Silkroad Online more and more enjoyable to play as time goes on. Also, the Legend IV Plus update will be released soon and it will bring with it a new dungeon. That means more mobs, new quests, and the potential for new unique drops, as well.

The MMO Gamer: Do you feel that if the game continues to expand, any additional monthly or service charge fees would be applied?

Rob Alvarez: No, I do not see that happening at any point. We would never do something that could upset the balance between faithful users and the continued development of the game. Our CEO wanted to develop something for everybody, not just the people who would pay to play. That said, there could be additional types of services offered in the future, but no plans are currently outlined in our product roadmap.

The MMO Gamer: What incentives are given to players from Silkroad Online?

Rob Alvarez: Our main incentive to players is providing high-quality content. Whether that means major web events or new skills and weapons, it is our duty to provide users with unique ways to enhance their Silkroad Online experience.

The MMO Gamer: In your opinion, is there going to be a lot more added to the game as time continues?

Rob Alvarez: Personally, I do not see an end in sight for the content and expansions we keep developing, but it really is up to the community. As long as we have the player interest and fan support, the possibilities of what we can add and build upon within Silkroad Online are endless.

The MMO Gamer: Thank you for answering our questions!

Blog Reformatting = Cheap Therapy

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:48:00 +0000

I know that the layout of your blog is something like branding but I enjoy messing with it too much. I look at more than anyone and I get tired of the way it looks! I find that searching through templates, rearranging things, making new graphics, and everything else that comes with making a new blog layout, to be a calming act.

I especially like when it gives me trouble. I get to sous out the problem and try to fix it. WOOO. I know, Im a total intarweb nerd but I dont care. So this is my new theme. It took me about 4 hours from, "Hmmmm I think Im gonna change my layout!" to "If I mess with it any more Ill break it." I did use a premade template cause I really, REALLY dont have the oomph to completely design a new one. I will one day but Im afraid that will take the lighthearted fun out of redoing it so often.

So anyways, enjoy my labor of love and try not to make fun of me for my nerdness. Note that the theme has shifted from Silkroad Online to Aion. Yes, I think I have found a new home for a while or Im just adding to the hype for this game. All I know is I have been waiting for it to open for years now and FINALLY it seems to be looming on the horizon. (9/22/09 in NA) So good luck to those staying in SRO.

IGameLegit Revamped

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:38:00 +0000

Because Fly and I are eagerly awaiting the opening of Aion, we have completely redone IgameLegit in an Aion theme. This was a mostly handcoded and designed theme done by Fly and I with some help here and there from various friends of the forum.

We also added an Aion section and minimized the Confederation section to be equal to both Aion and those legits at tSRO. So if you havent heard about this new game Aion, you must be living under a rock...

Review: Aion Beta Weekend from MMORPG.com

After my last entry about some of the upcoming MMOs, luck would have it that I was able to get a chance to play Aion during one of their recent beta preview weekend type events. Today I am going to try to give you my impressions from playing during the recent weekend event that had a level limit of 10, but did allow players to make characters from both of the game's factions. While I will be the first to admit that 10 levels is hardly enough to review much of anything, but I think I got a chance to sample the game and take a look at various aspects that were present.

Just to recap quickly here before I get started, I went into this with a few preconceptions about the game in terms of graphics, polish, and whether or not the game would be bringing anything new to table. I have seen some pretty remarkable screenshots of the game, so graphically I set the bar pretty high. The game has also been out in a foreign market for a while, so I expected a fair amount of polish. In terms of innovations I approached Aion with fairly low expectations. As soon as the log-in screen popped up as seen above, I felt somewhat reaffirmed that graphically I would not be disappointed. So with all that being said, let's get started!

article continues...

A Perilous Story in TwelveSky 2

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:38:00 +0000

I have been playing MMOs for about 6 years. 99% of them have been free ones. All free games have a generous slice of human existence and what I mean by that is; you have your knights, your maidens and your shady serfs. I have had more than my fair share of shady serf contact of a negative nature so trust me, Ive learned to be a wary maiden.

I like to enjoy all aspects of a game and am lucky enough to be able to run my computer all night long so I generally stall at night. One morning, I wake up, get my coffee and sit down to do some writing as I look over my stall. Then I get a PM from Pinoyballa.

He says, ","

I answer, "?"

He doesn't reply so I watch a few minutes and go back to writing. The only contact I have ever had with him is of course when he offered me a ridiculous amount of Jeon for my M3 elite chest. I didn't wish to sell it at that time, we talked back and forth because apparently he really thought I was silly for not selling it. Im ok with being silly in the name of good defense.

So back to my story. A few minutes later I get a PM from a guy named Flip something, a name I never saw before and he asks me about the chest. I tell him Im in a stall and writing right now but I would be happy to show him the chest later. He chitchats a few minutes and then goes quiet. About 5 minutes later, battle is announced, I go to it and when it ends, he again PMs me. I am kinda annoyed but I say FINE, Ill show him.

I tell him it will be a minute cause I have some items in the trade window and while I am transferring items, he says a curious thing.

"How do you make money? I am so broke!"

I ignore that and get the Elite from my storage, put it in the trade window and offer the trade. It's auto denied. I try a couple times and then PM him and tell him to turn on his trade. He says it is on, he must be bugged. I tell him to relog then and he does but still the trade doesn't go through.

"Put it in a stall." He says, "No one has 999,999,999 Jeon"

Red flags and whistles of course go off. Not only do ppl have WAY more than 1 bil Jeon, those that do have already assured me they are willing give it to me for the item.

"The people who have offered me more than a bil gold for the chest have that much gold and I dont want to sell, so go to my xfire and look up the screen." I say.

I tell him goodbye and reset my stall.

The moral of the story? I dunno... Maybe it's that some people don't take "NO" for an answer or that if they haven't had good luck, they are willing to take someone else's. The best rule is: If you think you want something, never, ever let it be in a position where someone can take it no matter how unlikely it may be. I'm not accusing anyone of anything, I'm no Nancy Drew. You can draw your own conclusions.

Warrior Epic: Avalowned

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:58:00 +0000

I did a review a while back for a small game called Warrior Epic. It was a cute game but got kinda repetitious for me and wasn't really my cup o' tea but still a good game. A couple Avalon people continue to play it though, namely Argonaut and Corrupt.

Well, we gave them the Avalon guild and wished them luck and high tailed it over to TwelveSky 2 where Fly and I are currently playing. Argo made a char and I think he likes it but then today, Fly tells me the cutest story about Avalon in Warrior Epic.

They decide to have a contest where they are gonna wipe all the guilds' points and at the end of the time period, whatever guilds have the most points (received from players completing missions) wins 50 gold per member and the leader gets a teeshirt.

Needless to say, Avalon has the largest guild in the game because Argonaut, recognizing that they had no guild limit, just thought he would see how many he could cram in it. lol 1.4K members later, everyone is screaming that there isnt anyone left to join guilds that AREN'T Avalon. Even the Game Masters....

Here is the thread where everyone is once again screaming that age old cry of, "Fack Avalon!" because not only did Avalon win first place, but it won second place as well because of course, Argo had to make AvaIon as well. So I say GG Warrior Epic! You got Avalowned!

How to take over the Fortress in Silkroad Online

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:49:00 +0000

My latest article has been published at MMORPG.com.

The Fortress War expansion has been out for over a year, yet I know that how exactly a successful takeover works is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to the transfer of control from one guild to another. Fortress War is one of my favorite features, despite the awkward time, because how can you go wrong with two hours of straight group PvP? So bring your love of bashing the opposition, 'cause there are a lot of steps to go through between signing up to fight and being the holder of the fortress.

Preparations:

First, you need to get prepared. Signing up at the fortress administrator in Jangan is merely the beginning. You will need to buy a few supplies and organize your guild as well. Make sure you give fortress positions to people who are going to be there. If you gain control of the fortress, you will need those people to be able to function in order to be able to defend what you have just gained. Also, if you gain the fortress, it can be taken back if there is enough time before the end of the war, so you will need defensive items such as pills, barriers, bombs and repair hammers in addition to a command post. All of these are available at the fortress NPC in Jangan. Buy many stacks of barriers and repair hammers and give them to those who can use them. Buy some Man-hos (White Tigers) also because they are good for defending your command post from low level hammerers trying to destroy it. Every guild leader in your union can use them.

Article continues at MMORPG.com....

Legend IV Plus: Roc is announced

silkroadaddiction@gmail.com (nightbloom) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:20:00 +0000

So Legend IV Plus: Roc update has been announced on silkroad online's official website. The actual release date hasnt been announced yet, but it seems like they are really trying to pack a lot of content into this update, including a new client. That means a small hope of bot relief for you you legits out there. Maybe this time they'll do it!

New Areas

New areas are being added such as Gate of the Sovereign, the entryway to the Roc Mountain dungeon and the Roc Mountain Peak, where you encounter Roc himself.

New Monsters

Roc and his minions are being added. Roc is of course the level 107 boss. He also has some friends he is bringing. source: Konpaku

Roc the Monster Bird - Level 107

Devil Shaitan - Level 105
Gnome the Earth Elemental - Level 100

Sylph the Wind Elemental - Level 100

Undine the Water Elemental - Level 100

Salamander the Fire Elemental - Level 100

Rocky Javanis - Level 95

Rocky Malik - Level 99

Wind Tribe Duke

Seal Stone of the Essense - Level 100

New Quests

A whole new set of quests that must be done in order to enter the Roc Mountain Peak that you must be level 80 to begin.

New Items

3 new sets of armor that glow like Seal of Sun. Light armor, heavy armor and robe. They look the same for both Euro and Chinese and have effects like SOSun on headpiece and shoulders. Also they are adding a 32 slot inventory expansion that is permanent. You buy it once and it works forever. Handy for all those drops you get at high levels. (yeah, Im kidding)

New Glows

They are changing the way weapons glow after +5 so warm up your alchemy muscles! Want some tips? Check out my own guide here!