Silkroad Online Interview for Onrpg
Questions by Rick Charbs, Onrpg writer
Answered by Robert Alvarez, Community Manager / Joymax USA
I have had the opportunity to interview Robert Alvarez, community manager of Joymax USA and evidently, part of the Silkroad Online staff. Working hard at ridding the game of its current nuisances, Robert proves to us that they are on the right track: “Who knows what the future will hold, we would definitely like to get a handle on the nuisances that plague the servers before creating more areas for them to collect in.” With such a positive mindset, the future of Silkroad Online may prove to be a very appealing one! Happy Gaming!
Onrpg: Congratulations on your release of the Legend 4 update! Now, higher leveled players have more goals to reach and quests to complete. How does it feel to have released such an influential update in the game?
We’re all really excited, largely because our players finally get to experience all the cool content we’ve been working on over the last several months.
Onrpg: How has your player base reacted to this newest legend 4 update? Did you get any positive feedback? How about negative feedback?
The Silkroad community has responded quite positively to the new content. A number of players have already reached the new level cap, and the Qin-Shi Tomb tends to be a busy place no matter what time of day you log on. Our community is very vocal and forthcoming about telling us what they like and what they don’t like about the game, and we’ve received lots of positive feedback about the latest update. When it comes to player concerns, we’re continually dedicated to addressing valid player concerns as best we can.
Onrpg: Could you briefly give us a historical/legend background to the tomb of Qin-Shi Emperor?
There is a legend that tells of a great love between a traveler and the ancient white viper Beak Yung. Going against the Heavenly Mandate, Beak Yung hid her true self and took human form in an attempt to experience the love unknown to her kind. Unfortunately, she was discovered and banished to Chunbong Tower.
Eventually, war came to the lands of Silkroad and the tower was destroyed, breaking the seal that bound Beak Yung. She wandered the land in search of a home, stumbling upon the Qin Shi Tomb hidden in the mountains east of Jangan. Feeling safe and at peace, Beak Yung settled in her new residence and began to retrain her spirit and body.
This would not last, as warriors drawn to the tomb by tales of powerful artifacts and riches beyond imagination began to embark on foolish quests to slay her and claim the treasure as their own. Motivated by heartache and the pain caused by mankind, she has now vowed to slaughter all who dare to disturb her.
Onrpg: What are the perks of defeating the boss of the dungeon?
Defeating Beak Yung is not an easy task, so simply winning the fight against her is something to be proud of! In more tangible terms, Beak Yung drops some of the most powerful items in the game, including the newly-added 10th-degree weapons and armor sets.
Onrpg: What is your favorite aspect of the Qin Shi dungeon?
There are plenty of things to love about the dungeon, but our favorite aspect has to be the monster design. From the first time you fight a headless statue to your first encounter with a floating, creepy Tomb Bowman, every new enemy you face is sure to be memorable.
Onrpg: Could you please give us some insight on unique monsters (emphasizing on those found in the tomb)?
Some of the monsters in the tomb are more powerful versions of creatures seen elsewhere on the Silk Road, but there are a number of deadly creatures unique to the dungeon. Tomb Bowmen are enormous, floating demons that wield bows as tall as two men. Snake men and women are half-viper, half-human monstrosities whose physical attacks are almost as devastating as their magical abilities. Tomb bugs are electrically-charged insects that attack in groups and have a powerful lightening-based area attack which can pack a wallop. These are just a few examples of the tough opposition you’ll face as you delve into the depths of the Qin-Shi Tomb.
Onrpg: What is the Magic Pop system all about? What are some of the rewards players can obtain from it?
Magic POP is a game of chance which was implemented as a way for players who use the Item Mall to get powerful and valuable items without the perils of combat, provided they’re willing to take a few out-of-pocket risks! The items available include everything from Devil’s Spirits and outfits to extremely rare 9th and 10th degree weapons and equips.
Onrpg: What are some of the newly released skills players can use along with this new update?
For Chinese Hesukal users, one of the most notable skills to mention is the Chain Spear Phoenix which devastates the enemy with six deadly and graceful strikes like the wings of a Phoenix.
On the European side, high level Warlock users can obtain the Ravage Courage skill which will penetrate the heart and soul of an opponent, decreasing their will and defensive power and making them extremely vulnerable to magical and physical attacks.
Onrpg: Are you holding any special activities or events in regard to this new update?
We recently held a community-focused contest related to the launch of Magic Pop. Our community members took screenshots of themselves using Magic Pop and entered them for a chance to win cool prizes like new iPods. We’re always running fun events for our audience, and we have many more planned for the coming months.
Onrpg: For players who are new to Silkroad, what might you say to try and convince them to start playing the game?
While there are many MMO games out there right now, Silkroad Online‘s Triangular Conflict system is something entirely unique. We’d definitely recommend that new players try their hand at being a merchant, thief, or hunter in order to experience the best player vs. player interactions that Silkroad has to offer.
Onrpg: Do you intend on trying to tackle the connection difficulty most players of the game are experiencing?
The Silkroad Online MMO gaming community has grown rapidly over the last few years, and we’re currently taking steps to ensure that all our players are able to enjoy Silkroad Online to its fullest.
Onrpg: What is your stance concerning the botting outbreak in Silkroad Online?
We do not support the use of bots in any form, and we continually search for and remove them from our game. We are aware of the issue at hand and are working on tools and solutions to rid the world of Silkroad of bots entirely but it is not something that is proving to be an easy task.
Onrpg: How do you go about to rid the game world of this rather large inconvenience (botting, gold farming.. etc)? Does the community help you in doing so?
We are continually working on fixing these issues, and weekly bans are conducted that rid the servers of thousands of bots at a time. We encourage everyone to contact us on the community forums and share any questions or feedback they may have about their experience.
Onrpg: Are you planning on releasing content as substantial as this on the European side of the game?
We don’t have any specific plans along those lines right now, but that’s definitely an idea we’ve given some thought. Who knows what the future will hold, we would definitely like to get a handle on the nuisances that plague the servers before creating more areas for them to collect in.
Onrpg: Lastly, when do you next expect Silkroad will be undergoing another large update such as this one?
We haven’t announced any definite plans for another update, but when we do have plans we’ll be sure to share them both you and our community!
