Introducing....  Silkroad Salvation!


Cap: 70
Skills: 110 (Redesigned to fit 70 cap)
Solo Exp Rate: 4x
Party ExP Rate: 2x
SP Rate: 5x
Gold Rate: 0.5x
Item Rate: 4x
Trade Goods Rate: Some routes are 2x iSro, some are up to 7x iSro
Item Mall: Provides cosmetic and luxury items that will not effect PvP

About a level 70 cap:

High level caps create a huge gap in the community between the start of the game and lowest sustainable party level. A 70 cap server would put the lowest sustainable party level somewhere around crabs, which is something people wont mind soloing to on a 4x solo exp bonus rate. After crabs, parties should be plentiful on a 70 cap legit server. A cap of 80 puts the party level at sungsungs, 90 puts it at the ice, and 100 kills low level parties altogether leaving only power-leveling as a viable way to level up. We want to avoid repeating the mistakes of iSro and that begins with a 70 cap that will not ever go up.

What about higher level content?

Since the files are unlikely to ever be released again, the 110 content we currently have is the only content any vsro based pserver will ever be able to provide. Which means with some reworking, we can tailor fit that content to a 70 cap and offer a vast endgame of repeatable fun content without having to ever raise the cap!

What is unique about Silkroad Salvation?

Silkroad Salvation aims at taking Silkroad to the next level. We want to eliminate the grind treadmill and turn silkroad into a viable game for both casuals and hardcore players. Our main focus is PvP content. We did this by moving Battle Arena onto a 2 hour timetable replacing the lame campfest of CTF. PvP players will not need to grind a second past 70. All there gear will be available via battle arena along with the tablets and elixers needed to pimp the gear out.

PvE players are not left out. We are adding mini-uniques all around the gameworld with drops worth fighting for. PvE instances such as Roc and Pharaohs Tomb will drop gear equivalent to the PvP gear. No matter your playstyle, you will be able to enjoy the game and be competitive.

LINKS:

Over the years I have collected a LOT of images for Silkroad. So I figured Id start releasing them to people that might want them for websites, sigs, whatever. Ill be adding them a few at a time, every few days. When I say I have a LOT, I mean hundreds. lol  So enjoy yourselves and watch for more posts on the imagedump site. 

Hey guys, long time no write.  I should really do this more often, right?  So here is a couple things to take note of.  There was a recent leak of silkroad server files and Avalon has snapped them up.  We are currently in Alpha testing while Fly reconfigures them to better suit legit gameplay.  The stats so far?

4X XP
5X SP
70 Cap
All areas accessible for use

I also have a screenshot posted on my google +.  If you are on there and want to add me, feel free!  To get more information about the server, go to http://avalonguild.com where we have a temporary forum set up to answer questions.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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....

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

This was posted in the IGL forums and I thought it was a great idea, so I am passing this along via my blog to get it more exposure.


Hi players,

As an active player and member of the French Silkroad Online community, I'd like to ask you all guys for your help.
We all know that Silkroad online is infested by bots and players who don't give a damn about a legit and good game environment. Recently connecting to the servers has become worse than ever due to new bot programms allowing players to connect plenty of characters easily on a single pc ... And obviously Joymax doesn't do anything. The point is, I like this game, and I'm pissed when I try to log on for 30 minutes before getting dc because of poor server stability.
Doing something is not easy, as we can't really convince everyone not to buy silks for a while or something like that to make Joymax understand. But doing nothing and just complaining won't help either.

So I have a very basic idea, yet it IS something to do and that won't cost more than a few minutes to each of you. Just use the mail service to send to Joymax an e-mail explaining how bad the situation is. Since my point is not to waste your time I even wrote an example e-mail. You just have to copy-paste it and send it. Steps for using the Mail Service will be detailed. The more e-mails sent, the better. This is not a big threat or anything for Joymax but at least it'd make them know.

As I said there is no point in complaining but doing nothing. Please send as many e-mails as possible and spread the word, event with your alt acounts if you have. It won't take you long and it might be worth it.

And for people who think all this is worthless and that it won't change anything, keep being pessimistic but please don't come here and just flood to show you disagree. This post is only aimed for people wanting to do something, I don't wanna debate on the utility to send those mails (else I wouldn't be here obviously) or why botting is bad.

I say it again, please consider taking 3 minutes to log on Silkroad website, copy-paste the example mail below and send it to the mail service.

If you could do this and answer this post saying you did so it'd be great, as it'd allow me to keep a track on how many mails have been sent yet. I already sent mine, so please just do as I did.

How to use the Mail Service :
- You must have an account with a character level 20 or more.
- Go to the Silkroad Online official site : JOYMAX.COM - Global Hub of Fun :: SilkroadOnline
- Login.
- In the left menu, clic "Support" and then "Contact Support". You will be redirected to the Joymax Portal.
- In the bottom frame named "Recommended Reply", clic on "Type Content" to start writing the mail.
- Category : "General"
- Adress : "-" (or anything)
- Title : "Help Request : Save Silkroad Online"
- Server : choose your server
- Character : type your character name
- Content : copy-paste the example e-mail that you can find further in this post.
- Clic "Register" to send.


Message to be sent :

Hello Joymax,

The aim of this e-mail is simple : I like Silkroad Online but I don't like bots and illegal programs.
Recently it has become worse than ever to connect to the servers due to massive traffic and goldbot invasion.
Please do something about this issue. Ban the bots, prevent goldbots from logging on and destroying the game.
The issue is huge and serious. So please do something. Fast.

Thank you.

The message is short but clear. The aim is not to be long but rather to send as much mails as possible.

Other sites where this help request was posted :
- Silkroad Online Official Forum : Index > General Discussion (no direct link)
- Silkroad France
- Silkroad Forums
- Silkroad Addiction
- MMO Site
- Rev6 Forums
- IGameLegit Forums


Don't hesitate to copy this message on any other Silkroad related forum.

Thanks.

Zapan

PVP - No other MMORPG has PVP like Silkroad. There is no debate here becasue I have played hundreds of MMOs. In Silkroad you dont have to ask permission to duel, it is free and open and whenever you feel like it. It's 1 v 1 or group vs. group. Its everywhere and permeates the game making it one of the most PVP saturated games I have ever played.

Adverse conditions - Why is this a plus? Because I enjoy the challenge. The atmosphere is like the wild west. There are no laws except might makes right. It's a Machiavellian gamers' dream come true. Lack of GMs make griefing in SRO is an artform, refined over years of trial and error.

Community - Everyone says that Silkroad Online has no community, but that isnt true. It has this out of control CRAZY community that is mostly American with large parts European, Turk, Egy and South Americans thrown in to make it spicy. Conflict is bitter and daily. It is never boring and kinda like living in the gamer version of "Rock of Love".

Graphics - They are still competetive after being out for years. While there isnt a lot of character customization, the scenery is beautiful and unlike most MMOs the women arent half dressed with giant breasts hanging out. As a woman, I appreciate that.
Variety - Like solo play? Go Chinese. Like party play? Go European. You have a large variety of play styles and skills here that can be satisfied. Be pure magical, be pure strength or make up your own combination of classes and skills.

I installed and built this Silkroad Online website toplist site a long time ago and it never really took off. I also haven't ever marketed it or posted about it either tho. So here is my lame attempt to catch up on some backlogged work.


The point is to give your small site some exposure and a directory of sorts at the same time. I'm looking for bloggers, small forums, guild/clan sites and information/build tool sites to make a banner and sign up. The topsite then gives you a link to post at your site. If it's in the top 3 (for now, 5 later) then your banner will show up, giving you some free advertising. The people who are doing the looking/voting are also being exposed to everyone else's website and everyone gets a little more exposure than they had before. I keep the sites clean and make sure there aren't weird porn sites or malicious sites getting posted. Also, your site doesnt have to be about Silkroad, just gaming in general is fine.

Ill also be setting up an affiliate/partner box so if any other topsite owners want to exchange banners or links, just send me a message via the contact box here on the blog or on the Topsite itself.

A.K.A. What it's like to die to Baek Yung a lot.

So I havent slept much yet. Yeah, Im THAT tired. I stayed up all night waiting for the servers to open, then logged on and rushed through the maze of rooms until FINALLY we reached the bosses. One after another they fell to our party. The fight with Baek Yung took FOREVER. SHe has some really powerful attacks and was so much higher level that it was like fighting a brick wall. The petrify status was brutal. You cant heal it. You just stand still for a full minute and take a beating from her powerful AOE attacks till you are either free or dead. I was so tired that I might have nodded off but thanks goodness I was Vent. It was pretty loud in there. I took a lot of screens, but here are some screens.

I have a little list of resources for you for the Legend IV update that is coming soon (rumors are for the 17th, delayed from the 3rd because of the Titan server rollback). I have a nice list of links from all over the internet. Once the update occurs, all this information will be compiled into the wiki, but here are the sneak peeks I have found so far...

FileFront Client DL: Click to Download - Faster than JM's peer to peer download by a LOT.

Maps: PaiNs Blog - These are the nicest ones I have seen so far as a hybrid between the old ones done in Chinese and the new ones that were done by someone at the MMOSite (they were hideous).

Everything else: Zatomik's Update Site - Good stuff here, especially the list of elements you will need for stones. Also weapons, maps, gears and a partial quest list.

Videos:

Venus needs more legit players! WAY more. We are currently the largest organized group of legit players on Silkroad Online but we are always in need of more. If you are legit, willing to reroll and would like to join a unique organization, check out this page:

Ill warn you right away. The real title for this article should be +5 and higher: An SRO Fairy Tale. There are a lot of theories and myths surrounding plussing in SilkRoad. Ill give you some of the more colorful ones, hey you never know, they might work for you. These are the top 20 plussing myths that came from talking to people who were successful at making +5 and over.

1. Leave the item in the bank for a day between plusses.
2. Zoom all the way into your char and look up at the sky.
3. Go someplace on the map with no lag and no players like the dark cave.
4. Do it naked (in game naked).
5. Only plus your item in direct sunlight or shade.
6. Cover the alchemy window with another window and dont watch it.
7. Wear an item that you were wearing when you plussed successfully before.
8. Use the item till its dura is low and then plus it.
9. Plussing an item with low stats and no blues is easiest.
10. If an item fails a lot, its a dud and wont ever plus for you.
11. Get a running start and plus while you are running.
12. Fail an item that you dont care about first.
13. Plus as fast as you can in a laggy place, like Hotan Storage
14. Transfer the item and the elixirs to a level one char and use it instead of the higher level.
15. Hold the item in the #1 inventory slot and the lucky powders on the 2nd page.
16. Take the item where you train and do it in between monsters you kill.
17. Plus your item while wearing your job suit.
18. Go to a "special place". (some are listed below, but there are many of them)
19. Go to a ferry and cross it after every fail to "reset" the item.
20. Close the alchemy window before the animation is finished.

Places that people think are lucky include:

• The railing at east Hotan behind the jewler
• The stairs at Jangan nearest the teleporter
• On the mountain at Chasers
• In the arena where Lord Yarkan spawns
• Stand inside the short, fat palm trees at S Gate Hotan.
• Under the water outside of Hotan
• At the back of the north building in Hotan, where the guild NPC is

My own guaranteed method of plussing an item is of course buying it plussed already from AlbelNox or paying Spanktastik to plus it after I buy it. I have a lovely +5 set of light armor and +7 rod and shield using this method, so I guarantee it will work.

I like to shop. I especially like to shop for bargains. I do that in real life and I do that in my game as well. Here is my favorite method of making in game money in Silkroad Online. It would probably work in ANY game that doesn't bind high end gear on pickup. (something I hate)
First you gotta start getting to know your market. This is pretty easy but time consuming. You also dont need to have a perfect memory or write things down, you just need to develop an impression of what things are worth generally. Silkroad Online has a stall network, so this isnt hard to do. Every day, twice a day look at the stall network and glance around at what things are selling for. I say twice because different times tend to have different standards. Nights in North America are going to have different prices than days. Nighttime has a completely different community actually.

Next, create a stall char. Make it on your same account so passing gear is easy. Why make a stall char? Because then you don't have to worry about politics being involved in your stalling. It's just a good idea. Take off it's weapon (or use a level 1 sun for extra flashyness) and use an extra avatar suit on it if you have one. Try to look like a "real player" and not a staller. If you happen to have an opportunity to buy a guild for storage or can make one, this is a good char to put it on. Also, if you choose to put your stall on a different account, linking your main to that staller is easy through a guild's storage. (make an alt on your main, add it to the guild and give it storage rights) I also use a stall avatar (the full one) but I dont think that really matters a whole lot, I think it just encourages the impression that I am a "real player" and not a gold bot selling items or just a stall char.

Now the important bits, buying gear. Buying daytime gear and selling it at night (or vice versa) is a very easy way to make some gold. Keep an eye out for good deals. They're out there. I find selling elements for gold to be both boring and slow. Prospective buying is riskier and more fun. You also need to be patient. Watch out for people who are doing what you do. If they have a stall full of random SOS items, they aren't giving you a deal. Talk to people. Leave messages in stalls and try to get a better price. I get a lot of gear at great prices that way. Most people cant stall for long periods of time so they want to unload that gear and get something new. Leave them a message both in their stall and in their message box so that they are more likely to respond. Don't over look gear that has very high stats/blues/+ and isn't SOS,S,M. That stuff can sell for just as high a profit.

Pricing, this is the hardest part. Here is my basic formula and it is VERY flexible. I never NPC any gear. Even things that I bought at the NPC. It all will sell eventually. If it sells for more than the NPC will buy it, you're ahead.

1. NPC Price x2 if white.
2. NPC Price X4 if good whites, some blues, plus 3 or 4.
3. Add some more (depends on degree, 500K - 2 mil) if there is something exceptional, but it is alone like more than 4 blues or a single 100% stat.
4. If the item has more than the basics outlines above, it depends on your market. (see above about knowing your market)

Location doesn't matter a whole lot. Find a place that is on the path people take from spawn point to potions or blacksmith. This maximizes your chances of grabbing an impulse buyer, someone who happens to see your stall and clicks it. Use a descriptive title on your stall, not just the default. Say what you are selling to attract that guy walking past. DON'T LIE. Most of the time, in Hotan, people selling certain things tend to group together. On Venus, Suns and other high end items are at the Stable, elements/stones and tabs are at the Jeweler, etc. I avoid these niche areas. Also, do not put your stall on an NPC, that just pisses off people. I know people like to put their stalls in hidden places to avoid getting DCed and that is OK if you don't think the random stall checker you will miss matters.

The last thing, the most important in fact... BE PATIENT. If it doesn't sell today, save it. I price things more than I think they may sell for and then either let myself get bargained down or slowly lower it over a series of weeks. YES WEEKS. If done correctly, you should have a whole inventory full of items that you are cycling in and out. I use a variety. A stall full of SOS makes me think that seller is a gold bot and who wants to give them more gold to sell, so I always have a mix of one or two SOS items, some good plus or blued stuff and regular drops that most people would have NPC'd (unless you use the hidden stall tactic above, then it doesnt matter).