I have talked many times before on this forum.
I have been around since ROSE was Korean.
This did not need to happen. The refusal to focus on the core and spend time on ancillary issues was the downfall.
The new level cap was ok, and the gems were cool. Except we ruined the multiplayer aspect of ROSE multiple times, over and over.
Why did we destroy high lvl buffers to help lower level players? There was no reason, this had been the norm for years and with the new "high end" content we destroyed multiplayer by refusing to allow max level characters to help those below.
This is not a single player game but since the Korean launch we have moved over and over, into instead of multiplayer acceptance, a 5 player group exclusion. If a group is in your spot, now it is a detriment to you. Way back groups were allowed to be huge, everyone joined the huge groups and sat there together and destroyed trash and kings together while all benefiting by being in a large multiplayer group.
Which is MULTIPLAYER interaction! Then we ruined the ability to have higher level players help/interact with lower level players. This was the worst decision I have ever seen. The high end grind is ok... but you need to inspire new players, segregating the community even more hurts us all.
The high level players complained about the lack of players and interaction, then demanded things like making things even harder for new players.
A new player just a year ago solo would take months to almost a year to get to max level. Most of their best leveling times were facilitated by either high end buffers or literally bot groups.
Then we had a crusade against bots that did not hurt the high end community at all. I have tirelessly advocated for a core change to combat that obviously could have been done instead of a new area, gems, or zones. Let us not forget the infinite development time spent on micro transactions that did nothing but promote what the marketing and business team thought was right while destroying long term interaction in the game with not only poor choices but wasted development time.
This is a good game.
This game can do well.
Yet we refused to address real issues and pretended we could ignore them. Almost certainly under marketing/business direction instead of realizing that the main problem was a core fundamental gameplay issue, it was a profit/loss maximization equation. While not realizing a core product is the maximization!
No not the high level buffs, but the fact that anything lower than max level was useless. Let alone the fact we constantly made it harder for new players to actually get to the best parts of the game.
A simple combat switch could have fixed the botting problem and quality of life for high end.
Instead the content was either obsessively hard or blindingly easy with no strategy of any real kind either way.
I am all for the grind, that is what ROSE is about. But if zero skill is required then why are we surprised to see bots? 100% of bots were no less than pushing 3-4 buttons on a timed schedule.
These are not complicated bots taking over high end content but bare minimum to get beyond parts of the game that are literally meaningless. The high lvl players refused to recognize that a new player had a hurtle so high that there was no point and bot groups that helped them past it were attacked.
The only help they had. Then not only that we ruined even regular players helping those below them with the grand buff nerf. Perhaps the most absurd thing I have ever seen. More than 10 years of higher lvl players minor interaction with lower levels was wiped off the face of the earth. WHY!?
This is multiplayer, not single. The one good thing was high lvls interaction with lower and helping them and giving advice. Which we thoroughly destroyed.
All of that would have "perhaps" been fine if we made lower players otherwise able to advance, which we did the opposite.
The saddest part is this game does have a good core... why do we constantly refuse to do anything but hurt said core?
The time spent on looking for bots ( and money ) could have been spent on making botting irrelevant. Instead we would rather spend money on that then actually fixing the problem.
By the time we do an actual development sink we in fact worsen the multiplayer aspect and no new area and frivolous high end grind will fix the core problem. Those are not even a band-aid, in fact they tear the scar off for more bleeding for the core group of the fan base.
The buff nerf was stupid.
The lack of skill in combat was stupid.
The lack of understanding why new players refuse to stay was stupid.
^
I am not saying there is a perfect solution.
But so many answers by many in the community could have alleviated these problems.
Instead lets put out more micro-transactions cause we need to maximize profit instead of understand that it would be actually maximized by refining core concepts.
We all got silly cosmetic ( and worse not ) micro transactions instead of development time spent on the actual game.
RIP ROSE.
I hope others can resurrect you, no i'm not happy with any of the alternatives, they are money grabbing @)(#$*@)#($*@)#$(*@#)$(* just the same. Refusal to spend development time on the core issues which don't completely recognize the game and address the real problems.
%xp
%loot
More cute outfits
Address 0 actual problems.
I hope this starts a discussion. I hope the IP ( intellectual property ) moves to someone that is willing to understand how the project is ripe for expansion, while understanding development time needs to be placed in the correct area.
I suspect many know this but certain groups have refused to allow this.
Thank you for your time,
Hellowarz