Silkroad Online recently celebrated its 15th year of MMORPG goodness. In today's Free Zone, we take a look at Silkroad Online and ruminate about its past and its future. Read on!

Joymax' Silkroad Online takes place in a fictionalized version of this period.  Combining elements of history and culture with legends of the time, it offers players three roles and the ability to switch among them.  Merchants buy goods to transport elsewhere and sell at a profit. Thieves take from the rich and give to... well, typically themselves, and hunters are mercenaries who can be hired to stop them.  I first saw it in Korea a decade ago, a few years before the game's global service made it available to North American players in 2006. However, it has been in operation even longer. Last month, it reached a notable milestone, 15 years in service. This prompted me to get in touch with Choi Inho, Head of Development for the title, to learn more about its past.

Read more of Richard Aihoshi's The Free Zone: Silkroad Online's Historic 15 Years.

Reading is hard.  More news @ 11.

C'mon guys, it explains the age and the much later release in the west.  

This is a game I never actually tried.  I never knew about its concept, either.  Interesting article.  Thanks.

Lower levels are full of bots, but the servers are still very populated (on the high end) from a 'WORLDWIDE' standpoint.. That means that in the higher levels you will see quite a few people but do not expect them to speak english or perfect english because more than likely they are not from America..

Much like Knight Online, which still has quite a few players despite being a very old and graphically outdated game..

Not everyone jumps from game to game based on graphics.. It seems some people, once they find their love, truly intend to stay no matter who else does..

Originally posted by woodard2040
8 YEARS(because it's really not fair to count the time before westernization) of botting, hacking and one of the worst grinds in MMOs. Move along people nothing to see here.

And why is it not fair? let me guess because you said so.

Originally posted by halflife25

Originally posted by woodard2040
8 YEARS(because it's really not fair to count the time before westernization) of botting, hacking and one of the worst grinds in MMOs. Move along people nothing to see here.

And why is it not fair? let me guess because you said so.

There is an unfortunate pattern on these forums to reject any data or milestone from the East, as if what occurs there does not count or is irrelevant to the design, history or future of MMOs.

It's not 15 years old. Anyone who was playing video games 15 years ago could tell you how they know.

This hype is due to horrible mistranslations and nobody willing to check into it. Joymax, the developer, is celebrating 15 years. Silkroad Online has only been around since 2004.

Originally posted by BTrayaL
You cannot be serious... there are no players in this game. Last time I was nostalgic and decided to take a peak at SIlkroad, I could not level even in the early zone, because there were groups of 20-30 bots (you can recognise them by the train-like grouping =)) ). Simply a piece of garbage.

Actually, SRo itself is a good game. The amount of bots won't change that a bit. Also, last time I checked (about half a year ago), JoyMax was very busy on banning bots.

Originally posted by Blackhound

It's not 15 years old. Anyone who was playing video games 15 years ago could tell you how they know.

This hype is due to horrible mistranslations and nobody willing to check into it. Joymax, the developer, is celebrating 15 years. Silkroad Online has only been around since 2004.

The whole world doesn't revolve around west. Original release date in east makes it 15 years old.

Originally posted by Reizla

Originally posted by BTrayaL
You cannot be serious... there are no players in this game. Last time I was nostalgic and decided to take a peak at SIlkroad, I could not level even in the early zone, because there were groups of 20-30 bots (you can recognise them by the train-like grouping =)) ). Simply a piece of garbage.

Actually, SRo itself is a good game. The amount of bots won't change that a bit. Also, last time I checked (about half a year ago), JoyMax was very busy on banning bots.

do this all the time now and then do a mass ban . next week  same botters will be back  only ones who never got banned were paying botters . i know this i gave up and bought a bot   only way i could farm then fun went  out of the game so i  never went back on

Originally posted by halflife25

Originally posted by Blackhound

It's not 15 years old. Anyone who was playing video games 15 years ago could tell you how they know.

This hype is due to horrible mistranslations and nobody willing to check into it. Joymax, the developer, is celebrating 15 years. Silkroad Online has only been around since 2004.

The whole world doesn't revolve around west. Original release date in east makes it 15 years old.

Do you have proof of it's fictional 1997 launch?

Nobody does.

And for that matter, 1997 MMORPGs looked like Ultima Online. If you haven't seen that, you wouldn't understand how Silk Road could not possibly have existed back then, even with eight graphics engine overhauls.

Originally posted by Blackhound

Originally posted by halflife25

Originally posted by Blackhound

It's not 15 years old. Anyone who was playing video games 15 years ago could tell you how they know.

This hype is due to horrible mistranslations and nobody willing to check into it. Joymax, the developer, is celebrating 15 years. Silkroad Online has only been around since 2004.

The whole world doesn't revolve around west. Original release date in east makes it 15 years old.

Do you have proof of it's fictional 1997 launch?

Nobody does.

http://mmogamecentral.com/silkroad-online-celebrates-impressive-15th-anniversary/

“When we opened the doors to Silkroad Online in 1997, we had no idea we would one day be celebrating fifteen years of active service!” said Nam-Chul Kim, CEO of Joymax. “It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the tenth anniversary, which in and of itself is a huge milestone. We give our most heartfelt thanks to all of our players for your ongoing interest and support.”

So whom should i believe? the official statement by the company itself or some random forum posters like yourself? unless  CEO of Joymax is also lying?

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by halflife25

Originally posted by woodard2040
8 YEARS(because it's really not fair to count the time before westernization) of botting, hacking and one of the worst grinds in MMOs. Move along people nothing to see here.

And why is it not fair? let me guess because you said so.

There is an unfortunate pattern on these forums to reject any data or milestone from the East, as if what occurs there does not count or is irrelevant to the design, history or future of MMOs.

Well i have to disagree with you.  This game was not available here 15 years ago so it is NOT 15 years old here.   I get rather irked when people dispute absolute facts.

Originally posted by Ozmodan

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by halflife25

Originally posted by woodard2040
8 YEARS(because it's really not fair to count the time before westernization) of botting, hacking and one of the worst grinds in MMOs. Move along people nothing to see here.

And why is it not fair? let me guess because you said so.

There is an unfortunate pattern on these forums to reject any data or milestone from the East, as if what occurs there does not count or is irrelevant to the design, history or future of MMOs.

Well i have to disagree with you.  This game was not available here 15 years ago so it is NOT 15 years old here.   I get rather irked when people dispute absolute facts.

Read the above post. I don't know from where you are pulling your 'absolute fact' from.