"This late summer will mark a major turning point for Ryzom. It has been 8 years since Ryzom's launch and since then we have always kept all three worlds and every character. This represents today over 500,000 players.

Unfortunately, with the current market and financial enviroment, we have had to make a difficult, but necessary decision, for the continuation of the game of Ryzom:Saturday 22 September, we will regroup and merge the communities and servers to form one single community, with one server. This will clear and reset all characters. Your account (login, password, etc.) will remain unchanged. Attention: the names of new characters will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis, so do not wait to recreate your character if you wish a particular name.

We know that you have spent a lot of time on your current characters. It is you that has helped keep this game running as long as it has. You are an unbelievable community that other MMO games and players envy. We would not have made ??this decision if there was an alternative, and we realise that many of you will be dissapointed. We ask for your support to make this transition as painless as possible.

Changes in the new world

• Outposts will no longer give experience catalyzers.
• All subscribed accounts will earn twice the XP of non-susbscribed accounts.
• Adjustments of the prices of NPC vendors.
• The WebIog has been improved to allow the easy addition of new applications (which could be encoded by players).
• New achievement system.

Advantages of a new beginning

• All players will be in the same universe and therefore you will have a more alive, interactive world.
• The price asjustments and reset will restore the value of the dapper and trade.
• You will be able to create multi-national guilds for advantages in online presence.
• You can discover or rediscover Silan and Atys with your (new) friends.
• With everyone starting again from scratch, you will be able to show others what you are capable of and who are the stronger and more skilled Homins of the New Ryzom.
• More Customer Support available during the day and more frequent events.

Events before the new beginning

Starting from tonight and until the closing of the old servers, we will implement a series of events that will help you earn "starter packs" on the new server that will facilitate your progress in the game. The best pack contains, amongst other things, a set of level 200 white Marauder Medium Armor.

These events will also give you a way to earn the ability to reserve and save the name and looks of your favorite character.

Before the closing of the old servers, you will be able to have new experiences, such as having unlimited money, items that you have never owned before, and many other things to discover..."

Originally posted by Draron
Really thinking about getting into the game once the wipe comes. Surely the game would have enough of a population on one server to make it worth playing.

That might be debateable. Go to the official forums. All the vets are quitting.

I also feel sorry for all the vets that spend so many time into their characters but I really will be there when they wiped everything.

I've tried Ryzom a couple of times but after the starting area it was pretty empty player wise, a new start can change that.

Again, it sucks for all those people that have played Ryzom for so long and paid every month just to see their characters wipe, but a new start with merged servers is better than shut down.

I will come back and play the game for sure after the wipe hoping for a high population in the world.

WOW- (seems a bit harsh...)

I have always cried out for a new server but a WIPE???? Damn. 

Sorry for the Vets BUT I will be there when it happens. I have loved Ryzoms potential but the game was too "top heavy" and "locked down" for anyone to really start out and experience the game properly.

Even the guilds were all at peace when I was playing (war too expensive, agreements reached etc...) and thus I expect a good deal of  territory wars and fun to be had upon the server wipe.

Sorry for the Vets as that is really kinda sucky (should have just started a fresh server and many Vets would have 'alt-ed' and noobs join anyhow) but a fresh start is what this game needed.

Whens the date? I will be hitting the official forum so nvm =P

Yeah, I think this was a pretty good move- I will be starting on the start day (sept 22) and will sub off the bat and give this game a really worthy shot- There was soooooo much potential here but money was so worthless and actually so was grinding skills as a noob.

I played for about 2 months  back a couple years ago (there was no F2P at the time) and while I enjoyed it, there was no economy to speak of and my grinding skills after 2 months really wasnt getting me ahead. People gifted items to noobs which I couldnt make (after a couple months) so there was no way in hell I could profit from my grinding (if this makes sense)

The community was wonderful , the game was wonderful but it was as if all the wars were over and it was a static orderly world controled by the vets and impossible for the newbs to really make an impact.

I am VERY exited about this news. Hell, they solved my only complaint with the game and the reson I didnt continue to play. Now, I have a chance to be a master trader/crafter and begin making money (which will matter and not be overly inflated) and get in with a guild who can set goals and conquer lands. =D

-I understand the vets being pisse and the Forums over there are in an uproar. If it were me- I would be mad as Hell. But I honestly think this is a good thing for anyone but the top 10% or so of players. I think this helps the game as a whole. I think many want a fresh start .

Anyhow, I cannot wait although I feel bad for the vets.

Then they should not charge for the game then. Everything that people worked and paid for will be gone. I always say about these MMO's, "You don't own anything."

That’s one way of handling it, not sure it is the best one. They could have transferred everyone on to the same server and changed duplicate names as a temporary measure. It should revitalise the early levels though. Lets see how it goes.

Originally posted by maplestone
A full wipe?  Yikes.

Yeah, I know someone who has over 5 years of progression on one toon he was hoping to max out all skills to 250 this is going to be one shock for him. I shall give it ago again as I had a very similar experience to SaintPhilip and that put me off playing long term.

Originally posted by Inktomi

Then they should not charge for the game then. Everything that people worked and paid for will be gone. I always say about these MMO's, "You don't own anything."

Its asys that in the EULA of most MMO's you pay to access the server thats it.

I'm immensely concerned about the number of people who don't actually play Ryzom, yet think this is a good idea. The only peace of mind I gain from this is that I know it's going to end about the same way SWG did, trying to attract new players while alienating their already existing customers. This is a niche game, an old game. This is a game that is never going to attract large numbers of new players and retain them long term.

The server merge? Great idea for a game of this size. It reduces overhead and helps maintain profitability for the company. The character wipe? You don't even do that sort of thing in a MUD where playerbases are relatively fleeting and overhead costs are nearly nonexistant.

Originally posted by Calerxes

Its asys that in the EULA of most MMO's you pay to access the server thats it.

People do not base their emotions and attitudes on legal fine print.  The entire nature of MMOs is dependant on players developing a sense of ownership over the database entries associated with an account which is at odds with a literal reading of the EULA.

So yes, publishers can usually *legally* do anything they want to the game, but they can't expect there won't be consequences in consumer hivemind.

There was a big problem with Ryzom. the community was too friendly and it killed any kind of achievement in game. You joined and in a matter fo days you got best armour/weapon/cats etc. from players. Sure you could say "no" but the rest of the world would move on without you. Without vets with years of mats to craft anything in the game, community as a whole will have some kind of goal. Who knows maybe there will be even some kind of economy. =P

I hope it will work for Ryzom in the end. I will give it a try.

From what they wrote it is  a matter of: we wipe and try to sruvive of close down ryzom right now. So I understand bitterness of loosing your char it seems they have no choice.

Originally posted by Calerxes

Originally posted by Inktomi

Then they should not charge for the game then. Everything that people worked and paid for will be gone. I always say about these MMO's, "You don't own anything."

 

Its asys that in the EULA of most MMO's you pay to access the server thats it.

Originally posted by maplestone

Originally posted by Calerxes

Its asys that in the EULA of most MMO's you pay to access the server thats it.

People do not base their emotions and attitudes on legal fine print.  The entire nature of MMOs is dependant on players developing a sense of ownership over the database entries associated with an account which is at odds with a literal reading of the EULA.

So yes, publishers can usually *legally* do anything they want to the game, but they can't expect there won't be consequences in consumer hivemind.

Exactly my point. There is nothing guaranteeing that the servers will even stay up. For the most part I look at MMO's as a lease or at best a rental. I never fall in love with a character, fully aware that if the server is closed or if there is a wipe, it all goes away. But you have to admit, for the people that spent years in cultivating a character are watching all their time, effort and money they paid go down the drain. It's still going to sting.

Originally posted by Inktomi

Originally posted by Calerxes

Originally posted by Inktomi

Then they should not charge for the game then. Everything that people worked and paid for will be gone. I always say about these MMO's, "You don't own anything."

 

Its asys that in the EULA of most MMO's you pay to access the server thats it.

Originally posted by maplestone

Originally posted by Calerxes

Its asys that in the EULA of most MMO's you pay to access the server thats it.

People do not base their emotions and attitudes on legal fine print.  The entire nature of MMOs is dependant on players developing a sense of ownership over the database entries associated with an account which is at odds with a literal reading of the EULA.

So yes, publishers can usually *legally* do anything they want to the game, but they can't expect there won't be consequences in consumer hivemind.

Exactly my point. There is nothing guaranteeing that the servers will even stay up. For the most part I look at MMO's as a lease or at best a rental. I never fall in love with a character, fully aware that if the server is closed or if there is a wipe, it all goes away. But you have to admit, for the people that spent years in cultivating a character are watching all their time, effort and money they paid go down the drain. It's still going to sting.

Interesting thing thu is that there is "karma" involved. Best example SOE with Star Wars Galaxies. Took me over a year to become light jedi knight Pre-CU, then I get perma banned for a single sentance I said on the forums to someone who was on my friend list. He gave me massive xp loss and collected the bounty and on top was braging on forums. This ban was also done without any prior violation to my account in over a year. Then few months afterwards NGE happened and the game died, then shut down couple years later.

SOE's reputation got destroyed and you should see how they handle DCUO now. It's one of the best MMORPG's avaliable with a F2P model that offers the best value compared to most MMORPG's.