Adults may respond with the predictable knee-jerk, but 10 years from now,Ragnarok, an online game that has become a craze for up to a million Thaikids, may be viewed as a key factor in the dramatic improvement of thecountry's computer literacy rate. At least that's what some players are saying. Ragnarok Online, amulti-player role-playing game, is a phenomenon, with the number of registeredThai players passing 700,000 amid concerns of addiction. Information and Communication Technology Minister Surapong Suebwongleesaid on Monday that reports of addiction to the game had prompted him toask his E-Society Committee to consider regulating Internet cafes and onlinegaming businesses. Developed by South Korean software company Gravity, Ragnarok is arole-playing game in which players adventure in an online 3D world andsocialise with other players. It has reportedly become so popular that it has reinvigorated theInternet cafe sector, with businesses rushing to install the software thatallows clients to play the game. Indeed, its popularity resulted recently in what is believed to havebeen the biggest online vote in Thai history, when the game's distributorin Thailand, Asiasoft International, asked players when the best time forit to shut down its servers for maintenance each week would be. The voteconcluded Monday morning from 9 to 12am would be best. "Ragnarok", which sounds like the Thai words rak ("love") and narok("hell"), is actually a Swedish word from a Viking legend, meaning similarly"when all hell is about to break loose". It signifies a time when the godsand humans encounter demon enemies and the world faces destruction if thegods lose the final battle. The game features beautiful graphics and each player can choose a cutecharacter to represent him or herself. Initially, Asiasoft let users play the game free-of-charge during thebeta testing period. But the company has been testing a system wherebypeople are charged to play. Players will be required to buy access cardsat Bt59 for 40 hours, or Bt99 for unlimited hours. The testing period endson February 22. With the game such a huge hit, it comes as no surprise that there areconcerns that young people are spending too much time playing it, and therehave been reports of students spending their entire allowances at Internetcafes so they can play the game. Advocates of the game, on the other hand, point out that, apart fromthe fact it is relaxing and promotes social skills, playing the game athome requires considerable skill on the computer. For example, playershave to log on to download updated software - known as "patches" - to solvecertain problems and add or remove certain features as required by thegame operator regularly. They also have to learn to manipulate the complicated game controls inorder to make the best use of the game's features and in order to updatetheir characters. And, as in all role-playing games, the goal is for users to graduallydevelop their skills by building up experience and collecting items. Withenough experience, characters can migrate to higher levels and earn improvedattacking and defensive skills. To earn points, players have to slay the demons that are threateningthe world, after which they also earn the weapons and treasures belongingto the slain demons. The items can be traded for money - or "zanies" -with which they can buy other magic and protective items or more powerfulweapons. But since players can trade among each other, scarce items that helpplayers upgrade their skills can become very expensive, and according tosome reports certain players have been using real money to buy them. Reports also have it that some experienced players put their high-level characters up for sale, selling their user ids and passwords to newplayers who want to show off to friends. But why has the game become so popular among young Thais? One answermight be that it allows players to socialise. One 16-year-old girl says she has classmates who play and chat withone another on Ragnarok Online, helping one another get through the differentlevels. Yindeesmore Saetung, 19, says she enjoys the imaginary world as wellas a feature that allows players to group together and help each otherdefeat the demons. Pacharaporn Leelathawornpanya, an Asiasoft International marketingexecutive agrees, saying she believes the beautiful graphics and cute charactersthat represent the players in the game, as well as the opportunity to socialisewith other players, were all features that had made the game a hit. "Since the game provides chat features, many have found new friendswhile playing it," Pacharaporn says.According to Pacharaporn about 700,000 people nationwide haveregistered with the company to play the online game, and she says the numberof registered users is increasing by the day. To play the game, users must log on to one of eight main servers andtake a character whose skills and experience develops over the course oftime. Players start to crowd the servers from 3 or 4pm and they remaincrowded until after midnight, Pacharaporn says. But, she says, players, especially students, should have disciplineand give priority to their responsibilities in the real world. A Pantip.com message board has seen many expressions of concern byparents that their children are in danger of becoming addicted to the gameand that their studies will be affected. But one poster, calling himself "Non", says the game should not beblamed, but rather the players themselves, who after all have the freedomto choose whether to play or not. -------------------------- How to play the game First, you mustregister with Asiasoft (www.asiasoft.co.th) to receive a username and passwordand download the client program allowing you to log into one of the game'seight servers. You begin as a novice and must wander in the game's world, whichconsists of several types of environments, such as forests, deserts andcities. Novice players must kill small monsters to gather experience pointsand the items they leave behind. After earning enough experience, you can upgrade your status bychoosing one of six available jobs - sword man, archer, magician, merchant,thief or acolyte. Before choosing your job, you must first find the city where the jobis offered. You can also sell the items you have collected to computer-controlledmerchants to earn money, which is counted in zany units. You can use your zany money to buy weapons or magic and other defenceitems. The game currently has an open-ended goal. But since it is a role-playing game, the basic goal is to increase your experience and upgradeyour character level as high as possible. The top level is 99.
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