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For all those guys who can't wait for the launching of RO2 in International as well as in Asia here's a little info:


Closed Beta

- Close Beta in Korea.
- Full game expected to be internationally released in 2007

Current Info

- Developed entirely by Gravity Inc Korea
- Will be using Unreal Engine 2.x(UT2004 or higher build version) and Enhanced Rendering(SM 3.0 rendering, Normal Map HDR, Dual-Core CPU support, etc...) and new AI system and new network system.
- Sountrack will be penned by famous Japanese composer Yoko Kanno.
- Will have "Complex Job Change System" which allows the player to switch freely between jobs, meaning the player won't have to erase characters or purchase multiple accounts.
- Items will get better with use. As you level up so will your gear.
- Will be entirely in 3D
- Will feature realistic player movements and facial expressions.
- Players will be able to express a wide range of emotions never before seen in online games.
- There will be an user abuse tracking system which will somehow enable safe trading transactions. It will also be able to track bad players which mob train, kill steal and looting.
- There are guns in RO2



* Main Features *

1) Full 3D graphics, while retaining "original cuteness" of Ragnarok Online.

2) Real Emotion Expression: A system designed to maximize the effectiveness of "emotion expressions". The body is designed meticulously to ensure the emotions your character expresses is as real as it can be.

3) Anti-Steal System: This system does opposite is what most other "anti mob stealing system" does. Instead of penalizing the stealer, it provides benefit to the victim of mob stealing.

4) Safe Trade System: The system created two ways which to trade items; first method which both sides must input an item or Zeny; second system where you can directly give the item to the receiver.

5) The battle system in RO 2 focuses on teamwork and no more mobbing multiple monsters. The system has been designed so that, killing one very strong monster with group member will prove to be far more beneficial than killing multiple weaker mobs at once.

6) Lootstealer Prevention: The monster item drop method now uses similar system from other MMORPGs. Instead of items directly dropped on the ground, you now "loot the body" to get the item directly.

* Job System Details - Complex Job Change System *

(Direct Translation Mode On)

Ragnarok Online 2 uses the Base LV and Job LV system just like Ragnarok Online had - to simply put, unlike other games where leveling up allowed you to increase stats and learn new skills at the same time, base level up in RO only let you increase stats, and job level up only allowed learning new skill.

This was originally designed to allow freedom of choice for high-level classes to distinguish each other by having different stats. However, since the base jobs presented in Ragnarok Online were fixed and could not be changed, it severely limited the "freedom" we wanted, instead, only making players work 2x as harder.

Introducing to you all, "Complex Job Change System". This system allows you to change your job class at any given time.

This system does not have limitation of sorts for job change. As long as you fulfill small requirements, you can change your jobs as much as you want. Also, you can even change from "high-level classes" to "lower-level classes". Doing so resets your Job LV, but does not reset your Base LV, allowing you to experience new classes without having to re-level your character's main level.

As a result, players do not have to create whole new character suited for different jobs for specific reasons in the game.

As a bonus, any previously "experienced Job LVs, skills and stat bonuses from the said job" you had will be saved. For example, let's say you had a Swordsman at JLV 20, then changed to Magician JLV 1. When you change yourself to Swordsman again, you will begin at JLV 20, exactly the point of where you left off.

This system will definitely save the players of time wasted to level a whole new character just to experience new things in the game. Also, through "Speciality" ability, a player can use skills from different classes without having to be a different class.

You will no longer have to suffer from having to experience beginning content ever again just to change your job!

... You may now ask yourself a question... "I am a Swordsman who invested a lot of points into STR and VIT. What if I change to Magician? Then I would be too weak to do any spellcasting...".

While the game does not give you complete redistribution of all your stats when you change your job, but we do not believe this will be a problem. Unlike Ragnarok Online, the status bonus gained from the job classes themselves are HUGE ( 2:5 stat difference vs. 9:1 in original RO ). As such, total stats of a character will be controlled more or less by the class you are.

And, unlike RO, RO2 requires variety of stats to be effective in any class you choose, resulting in that, this no longer makes classes to be shoehorned into single stat builds. For further information about what stats do to you, continue to read on.

* Job System Details - Speciality System *

Speciality is a system in RO2 that allows characters to use skills from different classes without having to be that certain class. You gain "speciality" abilities by job leveling, allowing you to create unique class combinations.

Speciality is gained naturally as you progress in job levels with the class you are with.

For example, Swordsman at Job LV 20 gains "Bash Speciality". You can equip this speciality when you change into, say, Magician, which then allows you to use Bash ability without having to be a Swordsman.

Not only skills, you can inherit the ability to equip specific gears that are usually limited to that class.

For example, Swordsman also have a speciality called "Long Sword Speciality". If this is equipped on whatever your current class is, that class could equip Long Sword-type equipments, even on Magicians.

The skills and equipments acquired through Specialities do not have any specific limitations. However, the Speciality skills are not upgraded.

For example, if you have learned up to Bash LV 6 when you acquired Bash Speciality, then you changed into Magician class. Equipping Bash Speciality allows you to use up to Bash LV 6, but you cannot level that any further than LV 6. Only way to level it up again, is to switch back to the original job of where this Speciality originated - in this case, Swordsman.

Note Specialities can only be equipped and unequipped through specific NPCs in towns.

... We also are very aware that this system would cause completely imbalanced characters if they take enough time to learn maximum levels of all Specialities. Knowing that, we put in a restriction system so no single class can have all maximum Specialities at once.

One thing first, not all skills are available through Speciality system. There are two types of skills - Speciality skills that can be used by others, and "class-only skill" where only that specific class can use that skill. As such, this ensures each classes in the game have their specific value in groups while allowing versatility.

For example, Swordsman's skill, Bash, can be learned through Speciality. However, Gallant Rush, is a specific skill that lets Swordsman to taunt all nearby mobs to himself. This skill is one of the defining points of being a Swordsman, and as such, is not available as a Specialities skill.

There's also limitation to number of Specialities you can equip. There are 4x4 cell that represents number of "Specialities" you can equip. Depending on its power and ability, a Speciality can take up more than 1 block in that 4x4 cell. Also note, you cannot just horizontally stack all Specialities in a row. It must have straight line all to itself.

Specialities take up 1, 2 or up to 3 slots maximum. The slots are assigned in an order, as such, in a 4x4 cell, you can have one powerful Speciality that takes 3 slots, then you will only have 1 slot left over, which can ONLY be occupied by 1 slot Speciality. This is done to prevent stacking multiple powerful Specialities in a row.

In the end, there are maximum of 16 Specialities you can equip. However, you do not get all slots at once. Your character gradually gains additional slots which to put Specialities up to 4x4 cell block as you level. As such, getting everything does not make you powerful. Mix and match what will be the most beneficial to the situation you are about to encounter.



Character Classes

Novice
Swordsman
Enchanter
Recruit
Thief
Clown

Thanks French RO2 for this info.

This post is for all the RO2 addicts.