Overview:
An upgrading event had been implemented on our servers and it didn't loose it's renewal touch. The promotional tagline for the event is "Get your Bling on" which sounds like hip-hop with a gangstah attitude. The attitude remained on the name of the event for Valkyrie server which they called Silvah Bunny Band Event. Funny enough that even the color is sounds like gangstah. Just like the previous events adventurers would be able to trade an upgraded Silvah Bunny Band with the hard to resist items on a list provided. The Silvah Bunny Band has the attributes VIT +1, INT +3, STR +2 and over refinement bonus. The details of the event are provided at our Unified Forums.
Previous Event:
The Upgrading Event is now a regular event done by the game masters to spice up our Ragnarok Online experience. For each upgrading event there are new set of items added on the exchange list but some prizes remained unchanged. The noticeable addition on their list is the overupgrade for RWC Indonesia Cap and Stat reset starting from +9 upgrade and up. They also introduced new MVP cards on the list like High Wizard MVP Card, Mistress Card (New Chaos only) and Tao Gunka MVP Card (New Chaos only). For the stories behind the past upgrading events read the journals below.- Green Bunny Band Upgrading Event
- Pink Bunny Band Upgrading Event
- Yellow Bunny Band Upgrading Event
- Red Bunny Band Upgrading Event
- Black Bunny Band Upgrading Event
Event Proper:
The event mechanics for the event have been posted last June 15, 2011 but the actual trading day for Valkyrie server happened after a month which is July 16, 2011. They provided a very long period of preparation however I believe that this not necessary because they sold the SBB for 1 week only and later on it made its come back 3 days before the trading day. I think this is more of marketing strategy on their part.
I patiently waited for the trading day itself because 1 month is way too long for an upgrading event. When the trading day finally came, I gambled my luck by lining up at Lighthalzen the night before the trading day like the usual. By the time I arrived at Lighthalzen there were few players with the same mind set as me who lined up there so I followed their number and I found myself lining for number 20.
I AFKed immediately after I lined up and hoping I won't be disconnected while I'm asleep. I woke up just in time when there are global announcements pertaining to the Silvah Bunny Band trading. As the trading hour gets closer, GM Aeon greeted our server and began his welcome remarks for the trading day. After a while he officially announced the trading place will be in Veins. Say what?? Veins? Why Veins? So in the end my luck on this trading day failed me. Everyone who lined up in Lighthalzen scrammed and find their quickest way to Veins. Most of the players on Lighthalzen were pissed but as the mechanics says the trading place will be announced in-game during the trading day so the GMs were still following their mechanics. Its just us who were too excited for the event and made our own line.
Since everyone is in panic mode on getting to Veins, I made a quick decision to use the premium warp to Freyja Grand Temple and used Cart Boost for faster mobility in reaching the nearest Cool Event warp to Veins. Upon arriving at Veins, I didn't know where the line started because I didn't paid attention on the coordinates given. But even if they gave the coordinates, I won't be wasting my time typing /where successively to figure out where to go. I followed my instinct to line up at the upper right part of the map just like the line during the Red Bunny Band trading day. Once I arrived on the spot I immediately create a pub to secure my slot following the line formed. Seconds later the people in front of me started running again and they seem to be moving towards the upper part of Veins. I closed my pub and went with the flow of people until I reached the TRUE line. I set up a pub immediately for the second time to secure my slot.
Our area became chaotic and difficult to continue the line because we have to follow the terrains' diagonal path. Creating a line diagonally on a slim space is very hard and is prone to "singit". True enought the diagonal line became so complicated that people themselves didn't know whom they are following. When people at the far front started to create their numbers, the people lined diagonally had the hardest time figuring out which number will they adapt. In effect two or three of them are claiming the same number. Same goes with the people behind them. The people on the succeeding line had a hard time deciding whether to follow the numbering or count the number of people infront before claiming the number.
The complication of things didn't end there! The line which was going downward had reached a dead end. The line then started to take a turn upward and created a double line. The double line is still ok as long as there is a clear separation of both lines. When the line reached the diagonal area it made the area worse. You need an extra effort to zoom in in order to see whose on the line. Same problem emerged where in two ro three people are claiming the same number on the double line.
The situation produced a lot of complaints as seen through the shouts of players. Our new game master named GM Vretie personally assessed the situation and somehow tried to fixed the inappropriate numbering on the lines. If I'm not mistaken she's the one responsible on warping players in the the trading room that's why she sees to it that everyone are lined up properly. Her presence did changed the mood of the people and everyone lined up specifically following the proper numbering. Everyone adjusted their number and everything flowed smoothly.
After few hours of waiting It was my turn to be warped to the trading room. I arrived at the center of the room and I immediately noticed that the room had few people inside. It only includes 5 trading GMs and at least 3 to 5 players per line. I'm surprised that they choose to summon few people on the trading room. Few people on the room means few players misbehaving thus trading is more organized. It was a nice move on their part to avoid misbehaviors and conflicts among players. They can easily pin point who's violating the rules and give judgement in an instant.
There are no special lanes during the trade so everyone has to wait for the insertion of their prizes. So basically any line will be the same so I lined up on the GM with fewer players. The trade was so organized that it took me a few minutes trading my items. As I have noted, four of the GMs were actively trading the items while the last GM located at the right part of the room only trades for headgears. Nothing is so special on the room so I didn't stayed much longer and returned to my last save point.
I decided to go back to Veins to check out the number of participants on the event. I heard a rumor that Silvah Bunny Band Event had few participants because of the repetitive and hard to get prizes. Plus people had a notion that the event is for money making so they had the mindset that people will not be biting the event. When I traced the last number of the line, it seems the event was successful because the last number on the line was 406. I didn't stayed long in the area because I had to attend to my personal activities.
The trading time alloted for Valkyrie is very long. It started at 1:00pm and was expected to end at 9:00pm. The GMs made the right decision to increase the trading time duration rather than conduction a second day of trading. That way all players will be accommodated properly without comprimising their time. Before the trading time ends, I went back to Veins again to check the area if there are still people. To my surprise there are few people lined up on the area waiting for the GMs to summon them. Some of there were already shouting to get the attention of the GMs. From what I've observed the GMs already ended the event before they lined up at Veins so I think they are chance traders. I stayed on the area until the time hit 9pm but No GM appeared. I don't know what plays on the mind of the people who lined up late but unfortunately their effort were put to waste.
In summary, the trading day's first hours were chaotic because of the line formation however when everybody has lined up properly the trading went smoothly. The trading time given is more than enough to accomodate the number of people joining the event. Each participants were given ample to to chat with the GM and give their trade items. So I might say that the Silvah Bunny Band was successful.
Notes:
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