Warning
The below article has no proof of factual and just a collection of other people news and comments and some assumptions.
The Birth of RBO[]
At the very first, RBO is only a flash animation made by Harukaze Namikai (南向春風, the artist of RBO's characters...) just for fun in 2002. It was originally just some idea flash made by the artist of RBO. The flash itself was created in two weeks, and the music was composed by Raito (the musical composer of RBO)
At that time there were no plans on making the game as no group/circle have confirmed with Harukaze and he didn't feel like doing all 14+ characters and monsters on his own. As that flash created a huge amount of comments of "Please make it real", French-Bread and Harukaze Namikai cooperated again and started the "Ragnarok Battle Online" Project...
(there exists another version which says it is Gravity who wanted to make it real and so contacted French-Bread and Harukaze Namikai, asking if they would do them a favor......but this doesn't make sense......)
you can check the flash that started it all in the external links below
The Rough Path[]
Original Game[]
Soon after the start of the Project, French-Bread encountered technical problems of web gaming. Moreover, they lacked exact game data of RO as they wanted to make the game "as similar to original RO as possible". Things were badly stuck and French-Bread finally decided to ask Gravity, the Korean company which created RO, for help.
Gravity was enlightened by this doujin Project and promised to give support; however because of those unsolved technical problems and also opposes from Gravity, the game had to be changed into "Ragnarok Battle Offline". (moreover, French-Bread were not nicely treated during the process...)
after long working, the game was finally released in December 2004.
First Expansion[]
With the popularity of RBO, French-Bread and Harukaze Namikai decided to make the first and probably last expansion patch, adding one extra stage "Amatsu" and the "Arena Mode". but by some reason, the stages added were changed to "Prontera Culvert" and "Sunken Ship"......
By the way, after studying about the feasibility of PVP gaming, French-Bread concluded it as "it is too hard to make as it requires changing the whole system" and decided not to think about it.
On the other hand, Gravity's former principal saw the success of RBO and wanted to expand the market into PSP (PSP is somehow extremely popular in Korea but not Japan... However it would be French-Bread to work it out) French-Bread replied "it is impossible" but could only shut his mouth by "we'll try to make PSP resolution first"......
This patch finally became "RBO Extra Scenario Vol.1", released on August 14, 2005.
Second Expansion[]
Receiving lots of supports from players, French-Bread and Harukaze Namikai were motivated to make the second expansion patch containing three more extra stages: "Lutie and the Toy Factory", "Pyramid" and "Sphinx". However, with the opposes from Gravity (again...), some elements couldn't be put into those stages. This badly worsen the relationship between French-Bread and Gravity.
At this point, French-Bread realized the program itself has reached the limit of expanding since they didn't plan to make any expansion patch at the very first.
Still, the "RBO Extra Scenario Vol.2" was released on December 29, 2005.
But, French-Bread and Harukaze Namikai had already agreed "it's time for an ending".
The Ragnarok[]
Although RBO is amazingly popular in places around the world, with problems of the game program and also themselves, French-Bread and Harukaze Namikai announced to end the Project with the last expansion patch, even though they wanted to make more stages like the "Clock Tower".
(note that French-Bread is only a doujin group - a group of people making something for interest, thus a hard work, low paid "part time" job......they still have to work for their living......)
To fulfill their original idea, the last extra stage was decided to be "Amatsu and Tatami Maze" while the patch was titled as "Civil War RBO". (this is something related to Japanese history...)
By the way, as Gravity's former principal (the one who suggested a PSP ver. RBO) resigned from the company, the plan of PSP ver. RBO "disappeared and may not re-appear again" before the third expansion was released.
Unwillingly leaving the next RBO Project to Gravity, French-Bread released the final expansion patch on May 21, 2006 - the "RBO Extra Scenario Vol.3 - Civil War RBO".
by Nanaya
External Links[]
- (dead link)why?
- First RBO in Flash movie