The one thing that attracted me to this game is its "cartoony" graphics. ROSE Online caught my attention because it has 3D characters and its gaming world is huge. When I first played it, it was in its international server. But just a few weeks later, I found out that Level Up! Philippines has already published it here. I was so happy because they announced that it would be free-to-play! From June of 2005 up to December of the same year, I became a gaming addict again.
There are seven worlds in ROSE Online, which represent its seven episodes (though only four of them were released). After creating my character I was transported to the Birth Island where new players learn the basics. Some players who feel they do not need tutorials can ask the Arua Fairy to transport them to the first map of Junon (the first planet). However, they did not know players who finish quests in the BI will receive bonus experience, some beginner equipment and a handful of HP and MP pots.
After reaching level 4 or 5 I went to the beginner's map - the Adventurer's Plains. Killing cute beans and caterpillars was not really my style, but I enjoyed it a lot. I also loved the clothing and equipment system. Unlike avatars in Ragnarok that have generic clothing, the characters in ROSE Online can wear different types of clothing - which gives a sense of uniqueness. Whenever I dress up my character (another girl character..get used to it), I just stare at her while turning the camera around (male players with female avatars know this).
My character's job was a Muse - the spellcaster class of the game. There are two paths for Muse - an offensive type and a support type (though the support type is one of the leading classes in PVP). Of course I chose the offensive path, which focuses on AOE attacks and high-damage elemental skills. When I reached level 60 (I think), I was given the quest "Rosemary's Doll". I didn't know what it was for but I tried to finish it immediately. But when I went to the place where Junon's Golem appears, I saw almost a dozen other players in the area. When the golem appeared, all of them attacked it. I thought we can all finish our quest at the same time after the golem has been killed, but as usual, I was wrong.
In ROSE Online, ganking bosses and elite monsters is a commonplace. However, the character with the most damage inflicted would have higher possibility of getting the dropped items or in some cases, quest items. I found myself waiting for hours trying to inflict more damage to the golem. After n hours of playing, I've finally looted the doll. I finished a few other related quests and talked to NPC Alfonso. To my surprise I found another dialogue option which says something like "Take me to Luna" (the second planet). And that is how my adventures in the frozen planet began.
By the time I went to Luna, pRose has already been commercialized by Level Up!. Fortunately, I managed to save up P100 every week to load my account (okay back to Luna). The atmosphere in Luna is very different from Junon's (aside from its being frozen). I personally liked the lively background music in the Mana Snowfields map. The music becomes a little melodramatic in the Arumic Valley.
Leveling up in Luna is a one-of-a-kind experience. It's as if I was in a province and whenever I have to check the market, I'll go to Junon Polis. The monsters in Luna were also unique, I would say. In my five years of MMO experience, no other game has Mammoth monsters. In the planet Luna they're huge, fast, and have a bad temper. They also have a high critical rate. I grinded through the Mammoths until I reached level 90.
By the time I reached 90, Luna's hidden temple was opened (not the HT of RO). There we have to fight flying books, porcelain birds and other peculiar-looking monsters. I finally reached level 100 and needed to advance my job from Muse to Mage. The job advancement quest was a little difficult. I think it took me over four hours to complete it (good thing there were only a handful of players advancing their jobs). After advancing to Mage, I stopped playing ROSE for a while. I became busy finishing papers and reviewing for tests before Christmas vacation. That is when I started to lose interest in the game. After a month, I changed my password only to forget the combination months later. I also found out that the email address I used for the game has already expired. I thought that was the end of ROSE Online for me. But as usual, I was wrong.
*The last part of my Rose Online experience tomorrow..promise.*
