[And yet another rare instance of the all-caps entry title, because, hey, this is just that important.]
NineMoons's Guide to Surviving the Upcoming Server Merge
1. The Server Merge will begin on 7 October 2008 Corrected to 13 October 2008, see Hrin's latest blog post. Hope hard that the maintenance will be declared as done on time.
2. Before saying/doing anything else, read the following links VERY VERY CAREFULLY:
Special re-link to the first post in the Granado Espada World Migration Official Announcement forums thread, where Hrin has started to compile an FAQ based on questions and answers given in the thread itself [all currently 55 pages of it]:
3. If you'd also like to find out what I think about some of the most pressing issues involved in the Server Merge - and thank you! - here are the two posts I did:
4. Things you need to do as soon as the servers come back up:
- Claim all items in your Booty Chest from Adelina's Booty Search
- Claim all items from your server's Market Manager
- Claim all items from Leonardo Expreso's "Receive Premium Item" service. As Hrin has already emphasized, the Item Vaults will NOT be affected by the Server Merge.
- DO NOT activate any more time-based premium items. The only possible exception to this rule is the use of one-day items.
- Contributed by Staark: Find something to do during maintenance time - something productive perhaps?
That's it for now. If I've missed anything, I may update this post. Please comment and let me know what else needs to be done NOW, before people forget, and then wind up in hysterics after the Server Merge catches people flat-footed....
Q. What do I need to know about the POBT? A. Hrin puts it together in this news article posted at the official website.
The gist, though, includes the following:
- POBT officially opens on 17 May 2007 - Thursday - 1200 (GMT +8). That's 12 noon Singapore time on Thursday, 17 May. No one can log in to the game until then.
If you won a 2-day advance pass, though, you can log in starting 15 May 2007 - Tuesday - 1200 (GMT +8). [Lucky you!]
The winners of the pass will be receiving emails from IAH Games on 13 May [that's today], and they'll need to follow the instructions contained in the emails very carefully.
- As earlier stated: there is NO patch from CBT Client to POBT Client. See the second question above for details on obtaining the POBT client.
- There will be NO IP bans. So all international players are welcome to play.
- The question of F2P vs. P2P has NOT been settled yet. When IAH Games has come to its decision regarding this, there will be an announcement on the official website and in the official forums.
In the meantime, the POBT phase is free to play.
- According to the distributors, installers will be made available after the POBT launch. Again, they will announce when the installers will become available.
In the Philippines, the game client will be released in CD format.
In Malaysia and Singapore, the game client will be released in DVD format.
- Cervantes server has the Baron Mode turned ON. In ordinary terms: PK is ALLOWED, although you have to be in Baron Mode to PK.
- On the other hand, Carracci server has the Baron Mode turned OFF. In ordinary terms: PK is NOT ALLOWED. Carracci is the "carebear" server.
- Both servers WILL be hosting the Colony Wars, and a tentative schedule has been drawn up and included in this article.
It bears repeating: please read the above carefully, and heed what is being said.
If there are any more questions:
- Leave a comment here, and I will do my best to answer them.
Sorry it hasn't been translated into English yet. I'll hunt around for a more understandable version when it comes out.
This is what I can figure out from watching it, though: the titular witches of the video might be a new set of bosses or mobs that the pioneer families can fight. There's likely to be a new dungeon, too - the Witches' lair.
The witch stirring the cauldron at the end is actually an NPC that the characters can interact with, and who can give them missions and quests. You can even get a version of her pointy hat for your female wizard, if you're lucky.
Princess Gabriella and Simon Ayende react to news of the witches, and only they know what they'll have the members of their groups do....
Grace Bernelli's nemesis, Sorceress Cherlyn [the final boss of the Tetra Ruins dungeon], makes a comeback.... New NPCs include Karjalainen, who fights with a Bracelet of Ice and a rapier - therefore making her the opposite number of Panfilo de Narvaez [who fights with a Bracelet of Fire and any sword or sabre].
Viki, the kid with the dog as big as he is, reminds me so much of Nelo from the tearjerker story and anime Dog of Flanders. But he's not to be underestimated - he seems to be a scout, and there's that part of the video where he seems to be summoning that huge rock elemental....
[That all-kid team of Ramiro, Tiburcio and Viki might be worth putting together.]
Jack the Engineer, Diego / Yeganeh, and Selden, the original Construction guys, get a female counterpart: the new RNPC Angie.
***
Everybody take a deep breath - 17 May is just around the corner, and it's almost time for the New World to open up before us once again....
And to the lucky ones who won the 2-day advance pass, and will venture into Granado Espada on Tuesday - we wish you bon voyage and the best of luck!
