Interview: Netmarble Monster’s Head of Development on RAVEN2’s Fresh Start Server ZERO

On September 15th, Netmarble Monster opened the gates to RAVEN2’s Fresh Start Server ZERO, providing players with a new way to experience its dark fantasy MMORPG while reducing both P2W pressure and barriers to early-game progression. 

Among the biggest changes are the introduction of Peace Zones in place of early- and mid-game field bosses to ease PK pressure, a rebalancing of the accuracy system to reduce misses caused by progression gaps, and the addition of Farming Crystals—a new in-game currency that can be used to buy useful shop items that previously required a paid purchase.

Such sweeping changes beg the question: how do you redesign the experience of an established MMORPG without compromising the qualities that made it compelling in the first place? To find out, we spoke with Doo-Hyun Cho, Head of Development at Netmarble Monster, to learn more about the thinking behind ZERO, the changes being made for players, and what the team hopes this new chapter will bring to RAVEN2.

ZERO represents a significant new chapter for RAVEN2. What prompted the team to take the game in this direction?

For a long time, the development team has been discussing what kind of environment would allow new players to experience the core fun of RAVEN2. As existing servers mature, it inevitably becomes more difficult for new players to catch up. We knew that meant creating a new server, but we also felt that we needed to be bold enough to move away from some of the approaches we had taken while operating RAVEN2. 

Some of the key changes we made include reducing progression gaps, making field farming more rewarding, and allowing players to earn Crystals through farming and use them to purchase packages. At this point, we believe ZERO offers the best environment for players to experience RAVEN2 at its fullest.

What were some of the biggest barriers you identified for new players when designing ZERO?

There are too many factors involved to single out just one, but I would highlight the difficulty of progression and the progression gap between players.

On the existing RAVEN2 servers, progression required a significant amount of time. In particular, maintaining the value of items naturally meant keeping the drop rates for high-grade equipment relatively low. As progression took longer, players could lose interest, while differences in spending inevitably created gaps in character power. With ZERO, we wanted to bring back the excitement of finding valuable loot. 

We have significantly increased the drop rates for high-grade equipment compared to existing servers, and players can also earn Farming Crystals simply by hunting and use them to purchase a variety of Crystal packages. This allows them to accelerate their progression. We are also running a variety of events designed to ensure that players can clearly feel their characters getting stronger as they invest more time, providing a consistent sense of progression.

In addition, ZERO excludes Mythic-grade and Awakening systems, significantly reducing power gaps between players and making a variety of competitive content more accessible to everyone.

Is reducing P2W pressure a matter of changing monetisation, or changing what players can achieve through gameplay?

Both. On ZERO, players can earn Farming Crystals through gameplay and use them to purchase Crystal packages. ZERO is designed to reduce the pressure to spend, and we believe it provides an ideal environment for players who are starting RAVEN2 for the first time.

How do you approach the balance between faster progression and long-term engagement?

On ZERO, we plan to introduce content in line with the pace of player Progression. A variety of field, PvE, and PvP content is prepared, but rather than making everything available at once, we will closely monitor how quickly players progress and work to roll out content accordingly.

Why introduce Farming Crystals instead of simply increasing rewards from existing activities?

With ZERO, we wanted to create a structure where investing time into the game would reliably lead to progression. Simply increasing the amount of rewards or raising drop rates can ultimately reduce their value through inflation, and depending on where players are hunting, even frequently dropped equipment may not necessarily be valuable. Farming Crystals, however, allow us to set an acquisition cap while still giving players access to Crystal packages that provide meaningful value. For this reason, while we have increased drop rates overall, we also introduced Farming Crystals as an additional progression mechanism. Farming Crystals can also be converted into tradable Crystals using Exchange Tickets.

What advice would you give to new players starting their ZERO journey for the first time?

Throughout RAVEN2’s live service, we have spent a great deal of time thinking about what kind of environment would allow players to enjoy the game at its best. ZERO is the result of that process, and the development team is very excited to finally share it with players.

As everyone starts again from zero and makes their way toward the top together, we want to support every player taking that first step. Even after launch, we will continue listening closely, responding quickly to feedback, and working to make ZERO a server that players can enjoy with us for a long time.

The Fresh Start Server ZERO is live globally, and can be joined by downloading RAVEN2 from the App Store or Google Play.

You can also follow the game’s latest developments via the official RAVEN2 forum and Facebook page.