What do you think will make heRO better?

[Reynolds]

Duh.
A lot thing came into my mind as I started to think about that what things can make heRO better.
No offense, but most of the posts were just empty chit-chat. How can even someone think, that changing minor things like "fishing" would actually make the server better?

Huh, I don't know where to start, and I even don't know how will I tell you everything I really want in a foreign language, but I'll try.

Basically, we can talk about two types??if players come into question.
1. the funplayer
2. the woe oriented palyer
Well, a server needs different things to satisfy these types.
The funplayers need tons of customs, eyecandies and... yes, fun.
A usual woe oriented player cares about the pvp, woe and the most important thing: the servers settings.

Let's start with the funplayers viewpoint and let's imagine that this player wants to have only some fun but still wants to have the original, best ragnarok experience, he/her skips the mid/high rate servers.
So, this player checks the rms server list. HeRO is on the second place, and it's actually pretty cool. He/she (let's stay at he, but not because I'm anti feminist, it just.. sounds better for me) takes a look at the server and what will he see? Nothing. There's a website from the 90s, aaand that's all, because he even can't check the number of the online users which sucks in my opinion. So, this player will go on to the next server on the list.
And here comes the first really important thing: the first impression.
For example, my first impression in 2009 was something like this: "Hmms.. it's ok, however I've seen a lot of better. Cute anyway."
The first impression should be something like this: "F*ck, this is awesome. I want to know everything about this server."
So, if we can talk about the major changes, one of the first thing would be a brand new website.
Do you think that it's unimportant? Well, let me tell you then: it IS important.
Almost 2 years ago, when I became a head-admin on an other server, making a brand new website was one of the first thing I wanted to make as fast as possible. It was pretty surprising that a new, stylish site can be that helpful if it comes to the server. A lot of new player on that said to me that he has choosen us, because of the site.
Well, a site can really reflect how things are going on the server.

Customs.
I see that HeRO got a lot, which is awesome. However, in the future, you should think more about what do you put into a server and what not.
A recent example: some weeks ago I wanted to play RO again, and I tried to find the best server for me. And what did I see on hero? A pretty ugly snowy prontera. And what on the other server? A nicely xmas-decorated one. Well, snow was a great idea, but I can't really imagine any good snowy prontera. Lutie is awesome, but somehow this snowy pront doesn't have the same feeling as Lutie. Lutie is really about xmas and it has it's own unique feeling being there through xmas time (yes, I know it's just a game "lol"). The Halloweenish prontera was pretty ugly as well.
As for the already put in custom items: Most of them are really cool, but there are some disgusting items too. Mainly, I think about some wings now, like Demonic Wings and Archdemon Wings. It's really easy to see that these wings are some homemade stuffs, maybe made in paint. Um, well. Someone likes these, someone not. Since lot of people got these items and there's a well developed system for them at hero, they'll stay I guess (who am I anyway to tell you what things have to go ).
Ok, these items are in, it's ok, but the fact that they can actually give stats, sometimes considerably "imba" ones - well, that really sucks. In my opinion these custom stuff should be only decorative. I don't know how many people use these wings on woes (maybe they are forbidden to use, then sorry), but they are just annoying. I mean, really annoying. A usual wing takes up at least 2 more cells on the character's appearance and on pvps, woes this could be really-really annoying.
*thinking* *thinking*
Well, yes. Customs are awesome and every server needs them nowadays, but sometimes less can be more, and their appearance is important as well

In the meantime, I just realized that I turned away from the original funplayer/woeplayer line on my post, forgive me for that. I'm gonna continue it a bit somehow else.

The technical side of things:
The server is up to date enough, I think the GMs are making a good job there. However, there's only one thing I really miss: a newer client.
Maybe you've bought an xray client (or just simply using a silent one, idk), and that's why you are not changing it. I totally understand that, money is important, neither I would drop out something I paid for.
Anyway, I really think that it's about time to make a new one. I think we don't need a renewal client, we don't need the brand new user interface. A simple, but newer sakray based client would be awesome. I really miss some things, like the "time left until buff gone indicator" (I don't know what's its official name, sorry). Sometimes it would be really helpful if I could see that how much time left until I have to buff myself, and the others again.
As for dual clienting: I don't mind that it's forbidden. However sometimes it would be cool to have a pocket-priest with me, but at least when there's 7 player online in the guild, I know they're all different people

GM team:
They're cool. I don't think that the server is actually in the need of more GMs. However, in the past weeks, I didn't see any online events. But maybe that's because I'm european, and you hold these events when I'm sleeping
As for personal experience: the leaders of this server are nice, just how we like 'em.

WoE:
Uh, this is the most fastidious thing on a server. WoE makes competition, WoE makes sense of leveling and so on...
What's the can be the main problem about WoE (not only on hero)? Well, ALMOST everything depends on the players as WoE comes into question.
Even if the GMs make an amazing woe system, it worths nothing when people are not using it. Somehow we should make more people a bit more woe oriented and also change some thing in the woe system on the server.
It's sad so see anyway that lots of players want to have an own guild, but only as a social one. There's almost nothing to do with them, so I'm going to head onto the woe itself.
The short version:
Lower the number of castles to one. There can be 1 maybe 2 "sidecastle" but only with pretty sucky drops, and so on... They could be a good playground for small guilds. But I prefer only one castle, and maybe later we could open an other one, if 1 wouldn't be enough (that would be the far-far future, when everything would be great as it comes to woe on hero).
The long version:
I mentioned that I was a head admin of an other lowrate server. Well, it was fairly small (~100 players), but still, the woes were really enjoyable, and competetive! Let me share our woe system with you. I bet you'll like it a lot.
There was no WoE 2.0 Castles (they could be only good with over 1k+ woe player, i think)
There's only one castle.
Every week, the place of the castle changes! Like this: the first week is Wuerzburg and the next is Bamboo Grove Hill. The point is, that the first week would be Aldebaran, then Payon, then Geffen, then Prontera and the Aldebaran again, and so on.. With this system, the WoE got some unique diversity and you won't get bored of one castle. So, if there's 20 casltes in 4 cities, you wouldn't see the same castle for 20 weeks.
Of course, the castles would keep their level, so for example if X guild owns Wuerzburg, and it's level is 5, the next week (if they keep the castle) would be Bamboo Grove Hill owned by X guild with the level of 5.

Well, this WoE system isn't that really outstanding invetion, but worked for us, and we had really great woes.
Of course, I can tell a lot more about our woe system, not only the number of castles, and their change, but I will tell only if someone will ask me to do that in pm or in the forums.

*Thinking* *Thinking*
That's all I guess. I'm really sorry if it was just the waste of time, but I feel better that I could share my thougths with you
I planned to write a way more serious comment without any useless words, but this came out like this.

Oh, by the way, turning back to the website again: I would love to make a new one, or help in it. Currently I'm learning graphics and css and I think I would be able to make a good one. Also, you can check the one I made for my previous server here. It's not advertising, that server is already dead Anyway, I think I could make even better than that.

Nah, I think I'm done. I would like to thank you for the opportunity for share my thoughts.
Whatever's gonna happen, I'm about to keep being a HeRO fan until my time affords that

Regards,
Reynolds.