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Sure, we know that Maplestory is one of the better 2D rpgs around but how come it has so little legitimate competition? Is it really that hard to not blatantly copy someone elses work and create something original? And how come there are not any 2D MMORPG developers in North America?
Come on guys, we need some more games like Maple but that are not cheap knock offs!
More people looking for 3d games than 2d games I think...
There really hasn't been many copycats I am aware of. And the ones that "were" copycats didn't capture the same essence. I found a lot of them lacked the customization for looks, a solid art style, and most had bleh gameplay in general.
We really are lacking quality 2D MMORPGs and it's a shame. I don't like the awkwardness of 3D games (the camera, movement, and it just doesn't feel fun or even welcoming to me.) I don't know why people instantly assume 3D is better.
The things that set maple apart to me at first were, the amount of customization you could put into a character appearance wise, as in most equippable items were visible. The simplicity of the chat and buddy system as opposed to lots of other games, and the pretty much straight forward gameplay.
Wonderking is coming back. https://www.facebook.com/WonderKing
Oh god Kill3rCombo / KOG might host WK? Not sure how I feel about that if it ends up going that way.
the current generation of gamers believes graphics are more important than gameplay, or so I've seen.
I heard Minecraft is quite popular.Quote:
Originally Posted by MuscleWizard
I was more speaking of the CoD generation, but Minecraft is basically legos. Everyone loves legos.Quote:
Originally Posted by Loose
Well, everyone thinks they are Maple copycats, oh and bad management.
Technically MapleStory itself is a copycat game...
Wonderking, mates.Quote:
Originally Posted by xparasite9
It's not a "Hmm, most Maple copycats seem to die off" as it's more of a "Most MMOs in general tend to die off". MMOs typically do very poorly to be honest regardless of whether they're 2D or 3D.
MMOs look similar to others because creating and hosting an MMO is expensive as f.uck, so instead of taking too many risks you see reused concepts and mechanics often.. In some cases they hit the "sweet spot" and capture a particular demographic well, or very rarely they'll actually be quality MMOs in general, and the rest all die off little by little. The same can be said for the general video game industry where developers create "generic" games because taking risks might cost them millions.
There's an aversion to 2D in general as it is seen as "dated" and typically only has niche demographics. Preference for 3D isn't really about "dem graphics" but more so the feeling of playing something more modern and that has more depth to it. It's like wondering why most gamers play current video games over SNES games. 2D itself applies very harsh limitations to the design of your overall game, and it can be quite difficult to make something interesting because of these limitations. A lot of Maple's problems come from its old foundation for example, as well as it being in 2D; there's only so much they can do within these limits. Maple players who hope for more in-depth combat, or complex mechanics will literally never see them in Maple as they aren't possible to implement, which I'm sure is where Maple 2 comes into play as it will offer them more room for development.
mmmyep.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arrol
The reason I bring this up is cuz everyone needs at least a little competition. Mcdonalds has Burger kiing, Sprint has Verizon, Sony has Microsoft, etc.
I hope Wonderking does make a comeback because if not then there is a chance that Nexon could start slacking off or become lazy.
I've been wondering the same question a long time.
I said this in another thread but I wish a company which has the tools and the experience on making sidescroller platformers like Capcom or Sega would decide on making a fantasy 2d MMORPG. I mean, look at megaman ZX advent, the game is almost 7 years old and it still looks better than maplestory at the same time its gameplay is awesome.
Have you looked into Soul Saver?
I've played it for a few days, but kinda got bored of it. Reminds me of a more complex snes game, really because the movements are just..different than maple, I dunno how to describe it.
It's an okay time killer and free, so you've really got nothing to lose.
I'm actually surprised La Tale isn't dead.
Real pretty game with nice customization, but dear God was the movement system awkward and 80 levels until a job change drags.
I checked it out but it seems too Korean for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by icephoenix21
Yeah, it's not really my cup of tea (I prefer coffee anyways hehe).Quote:
Originally Posted by xparasite9
Once again, just a time killer, really. I think I'd have to get pretty high level and decently geared to enjoy the bossing and such of it.
I mean, this looks decent..I just don't know if I wanna put in the time to be able to do runs like that and such:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWethBmwFP4
Perhaps I'll just stick to my gamecube and ps2 games for now haha.
Hahahahahahaha..... seriously?!Quote:
Oh god Kill3rCombo / KOG might host WK? Not sure how I feel about that if it ends up going that way.
I actually kind of want this, I'm quite bitter over my experiences with Kill3rCombo's utterly incompetent handling of NA Elsword, and even more bitter over the direction KOG has been taking Elsword in as of late. Kill3rCombo CANNOT handle a second game. They've proven themselves to be way too incompetent and understaffed for this.
To be fair they recently changed job advancement levels(50 instead of 80, 100 instead of 140). Movement is still awkward though.Quote:
Originally Posted by FangelXIII
Start?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pikamemnon
The fact that even movement relies on ping will ALWAYS keep that game from greatness. It makes pvp incredibly unfair if you're far for the server.Quote:
Originally Posted by Proxied
Seriously, playing other MMOs REALLY made me appreciate Maple's chat system.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrFry
As of 2013, 3D graphics still suck. They just don't do it for me. It may have come a long way, but it's still not good enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by MuscleWizard
Having said that, most MapleStory "copy-cats" still have pomegranate graphics and look like 2003 Maplestory. MapleStory isn't perfect either; some animations after Tempest look complete pomegranate and Zero's are choppy as hell. Some old graphics still aren't being updated, like weapon afterimages, arrows or Soul Arrow. Yet, it's the best out there. Most of the problems are due to laziness and budget rather than limitations in technology.
When I play games, I really only notice the graphics first. If they're bad (in comparison to other games of this time), then it just takes away from the experience. I most likely couldn't play it if it were a MMORPG, because it would mean I would have to constantly face it. It's not like Pac-Man, which can be fun with simple graphics, but you don't come back to regularly. The thing is, I can only continue playing that game if the gameplay is good. Even if the graphics are excellent, it would do no good if the gameplay is boring.
In a sense, this makes graphics more important than gameplay to me. But in the end, they both matter. a lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Link
Wait what? I always thought Kill3rCombo was great (experienced time and time again; absolutely-unheard of great customer service from them lol!). Last time I played Eslsword they delivered everything and more... considering their tight nit staff!Quote:
Originally Posted by Endgame
What problems were there that you guys had with Elsword? I'm REALLY curious lol :S (I also don't think they can handle running another game)
Kill3rCombo STARTED OUT good, but they quickly degraded to one of the worst NA kMMO host companies. (Not counting ones like Twelve Foot Tall who hosted Lunia that went under within a year.) It started out as a joint venture between Level Up Games and KOG. Then KOG bought the entire company, which really, explains everything. Just look at Grand Chase's entire history to see how good KOG are at decision making.
-Horribly slow updates compared to all the other major kMMO versions. It took them six months just to get through the Transform 1st Jobs when it only took the korean version 9 weeks. Only now upon Ara's release (Estimated December 4th) are they finally getting within being a year behind the korean version, while Maple Story, Mabinogi (Yes, MABINOGI NA with its small population.), and Vindictus are 4-5 months behind theirs, I believe Dragon Nest is around 8 month behind, etc.
Yet, they tend to rush out hated updates like the Field and Skill Tree Revamp to NA rather quickly. The Skill Tree Revamp was even designed around a level cap (Which shows how horribly designed and thought out it is, but that's a discussion for another time.) that NA didn't even have at the time.
-They're literally the only company stupid enough to keep the Stamina system in place in a NA version kMMO. Everyone else gets rid of theirs for a reason and it is well documented that the korean players have loopholes around the Stamina system such as easy unlimited Stamina Potions and unlimited Stamina and double EXP by playing at a PC cafe. They do however, give unlimited Stamina on weekends and keep on threatening to take it away if the playerbase doesn't vote for them in something. (It's how they got greenlit on Steam. "Get us greenlit and unlimited Stamina weekends will last until the end of the year!") Not even Nexon NA in their scummy days pulled anything involving restricting gameplay and manipulating people like this.
-They inflate the EXP tables for no pineappleing reason whatsoever:
http://elwiki.net/w/Exp_Table
59-60 on NA is only slightly less than what it takes for 69-70 on KR, and KR has stages that give more EXP per run for that level range too. 63-64 on NA (The current level cap, when it was 65 in all the other versions at this point, and thus, there's level 65 requirement equipment dropping that no one can use.....) is the highest listed value period and is more than twice what it takes KR.
Aren't westerners the ones who hate grinding and asians the ones that allegedly like it? Way to be ass backwards KOG..... and combine that with the artificial lengthening that is the Stamina system, and you have a horrible clusterpineapple of artificial lengethening that makes the game not causal friendly at all when the original version is very much so. The recent Skill Tree Revamp made things even worse for some classes by making their core skills have higher level requirements.
-So many big glitches left unfixed. Henrir is the endgame content, but there have been bugs that cause runs to come to an uprupt end, causing one to not get any rewards from it and basically have the run wasted. (And you only get three runs per day, the runs are counted when you start instead of when you get rewarded.) This has been going on for MONTHS now.
-I read something about a recent innocent player banning spree where they wiped the ED of anyone they banned, while infamous hackers have yet to be banned. And at least we know Nexon NA actively goes after the actual hackers. (Remember the Magnus Hard Mode trap? Releasing Magnus Hard Mode before Angelic Buster so he was legitimately impossible? That was brilliant.)
I actually tried out Elsword ytd and surprise surprise I CAN'T USE BLIZZARD SHOWER ANYMORE.Quote:
Originally Posted by Endgame
oh jeez! Hmm I haven't played in about 3 months, and that's really disappointing to hear that Henir glitch still happens...Quote:
Originally Posted by Endgame
ahh all I know is that they give great customer service whenever a problem ever arose! lol
And to be on topic, I REALLY wish there were more 2d mmorpgs! so many 3d point and click clones... it's outrageous!!
Like somebody else already said, I want to like LaTale (music and visuals are beautiful, minus the awful skill animations) but it's so clanky and awkward to move...
That is only before the accidentally step on one. Stepping on a lego will change your perspective.Quote:
Originally Posted by MuscleWizard