Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 47
  1. Default Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Aran, from the moment he came out and up through the patch changes, has been the best designed class in maplestory. This class is the entire package that blends multiple, unique elements and it is presented wonderfully. In this thread here I'm going to tell you exactly why all of this is true, and hopefully make a compelling argument.

    Play style
    Aran has one of the most unique ways of playing a character in maplestory, and if I were to sum it up in four words they would be; speed, mobility, flashiness, and power. Aran combines all those things well and makes you pay attention while you play; you must be actively involved with your character through lots of button pressing and utilization of skills during certain windows of time to play the character well. This was quite the trail-blazing philosophy for a class, and up to the point of Aran's release all classes were fairly simple, and so were their skills. Power Strike/Lucky Seven/Strafe for single target, Slash Blast/Avenger/Arrow Rain for multiple monsters. You press a button, and the thing in front of you is damaged. Aran is much different. Instead of the Single Target and Mob ability system, he operates on a rapid input skill system revolving around his Combo counter.

    The combo counter itself isn't very intuitive, but it is the key factor to keeping Aran in check and also making him very powerful, but I'll talk more about that later. You do not simply press a skill key once and recieve results with aran, you instead press your Attack key multiple times. Starting from the first time you press to the last, each strike you land is increasingly stronger. This system was revolutionary on release because no other class operated like this. Why is pressing one button multiple times supposed to be cooler than pressing a skill once?

    It gives aran a very stylized feeling that is unique to just him. You're pressing your attack key to attack alot, and you see cool animations, lots of numbers, and it feels good to attack. The Polearm, a weapon that received no love (except from the niche PA DK community) was suddenly made sexy and cool with Aran. You have this big, unwieldy weapon, but aran uses it like its made of air. Ever see the first fight in the movie Hero? Ya, that guy was aran, essentially. He attacks fast, moves while he attacks, and looks cool doing it. Attacking with Aran gives you a very satisfying spectacle of this character wielding a very heavy weapon, but attacking quickly and gracefully, giving you the feeling you're watching a very violent ballet. The animations support this perfectly, because they look awesome and make sense because they line up with the different lines of damage you're doing. However, just spamming you're attack key doesn't make aran the coolest character ever. Like I said before, Aran is a package, and everything works together to complete it.

    The things that really tie Aran's play style together is the Combo Counter system, and his combo-spending abilities. The combo counter is simple, you attack a monster, and you get 1 combo counter every one time you hit a monster. You receive passive stats the higher it goes, and you can also spend your combo. From a game designing perspective, the Combo Counter system is very smart because it gives you a tool to both reign in Aran's damage, and to also make it over the top, but the system keeps itself in check with no outside interference.

    So why is the combo system so awesome? Why is it such a good mechanic from a game design view?

    The concept of an attack is easily summarized. You press a button, it does damage in some form, and that's it. There are a few ways of doing this. The most popular in maplestory for a while was the classic simple skill system I mentioned before. You press button, receive damage, and its over. Very simple, and up front. There is a problem with that though. Its all up front, there is no long waiting and no cool down. This creates a problem for balance in the future in case you have to buff or nerf a class. Because there is no special mechanic or effort invested into an attack, like Dark Impale, the reward can't be too great. Essentially, your ratio of effort to reward cant be skewed, or at least not to extremes.

    Aran answers this design problem with the Combo Counter system. The combo counter system, using its build up of combo over time, utilizes a design tool called "ramp up time." If you played World of Warcraft, cataclysm-era Ret Paladins are the poster children for this concept. Essentially, ramp up time means that you do not get powerful damage up front, and instead get powerful over time involving some special mechanic. For aran, this means you can have lots of free passive stats and over the top damaging abilities because the Combo System keeps itself in check via ramp up. An aran with no combo may be weaker than an equivalent DrK, but once the Aran achieves 100 combo, he will out damage the DrK easy; this is balanced because the Aran can lose his combo, and must maintain it, whereas the DrK just derps the Dark Impale button.

    The combo system might be cool and all, but why is it fun again? Because you can get cool, overpowered pomegranate like Combo Smash/Fenrir/Combo Tempest, and supports while also strengthening the overall aran play style. Aran is all about fluidity, pressing buttons, moving around gracefully, and smashing everything with a giant swinging weapon. The combo system is completely made for that. You get up in the middle of alot of monsters, swing around, and you get combo counters to make you do better what you already do best; damaging and killing enemies. The swing attacks and combo system go hand-in-hand to give aran one of the coolest and most unique ways to kill stuff in this game.

    Another huge part of Aran I have yet to mention is his mobility, and without this Aran would not be the delightful play experience he is today. Before Aran's release, there were no melee classes that had a form of mobility that didn't come from a thief. Combat Step was a huge step (hyuk) forward for warrior variant classes, and having Final Charge in second job was amazing. Combat Step is an awesome skill for alot of reasons. Like I mentioned, because it gave a warrior variant mobility, but also because it tied in with Aran's very dynamic and involving game play. Combat Step is very simple, and maybe underwhelming when used by itself, however that is not how the skill is meant to be used. This must be used intelligently, weaved in between your skills and attacks to truly utilize it to its full potential. Final Charge also contributes to Aran's speed and mobility, because when you have a rush ability on any class that also has a movement ability, you get a true feeling of free movement and speed. Since combo now also boosts Aran's speed up past maximum you have a very quick moving melee character that has fast attack animations, and the whole thing just melds together to give the player a real sense of speed.

    Up to this point, Nexon has done a mostly good job in changing aran for the better and retaining that special and sexy play style of Aran. I will promptly stop riding the Aran tip briefly to discuss some issues I do have with aran.

    1. Final Toss has been phased out of usefulness for a large portion of an aran's career. Because toss is a finisher, you will have killed a group of monsters before getting the chance to toss them. This wasn't a problem when Aran was first released, because monster health and player damage were tuned differently so it required more damage out of the player to kill monsters. This is a shame too, because final toss added a very cool ability to the aran play style that made him even more engaging and fun to play.

    2. Rolling Spin being out of place. Rolling spin pushes everything away. Aran is a melee character, that wants to be in the thick of things and hitting everything. Why in the world would you ever want to push something away? I don't care if it has a very high damage output, it looks stupid doing it and If I want to damage something I want to use Triple Swing, god damn it. Remove this non sense, it reminds me of the Upper Stab spamming that Dual Blades do. Why in the hell would anyone want to spam Upper Stab or Rolling Spin all day?

    Overall, Im very happy with how Nexon has handled Aran. They released a very cool and satisfying character, and they've only made him more fun. Adding the passive speed to Combo really completed the mobility package for Aran, in my opinion, and should have been included on release. What I need anyone reading this to know, is that classes like Aran, who were specifically designed around a unique style of play that feels good and looks cool need to be celebrated in games.. Things like Mikhail, Mercedes, and Demon Slayer are the kinds of classes maplestory does not need. These classes are toxic, and will eventually be the downfall of the class system, alongside the "give everyone everything" mentality, which the three previously mentioned classes embody.

    Hope you enjoyed reading. If you havn't played Aran yet, I suggest you do, and I bet you cannot guess what my favorite Magician class is.
     

  2. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Nope.

    Me gusta Aran
     

  3. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.



    Shhh. In an ideal world, there are trade offs and rewards :(
     

  4. Won't Be Coming Back Straight Male

    IGN: Promothian
    Server: Siel
    Job: Spiritmaster
    Guild: Siel_Seals
    Alliance: Aion
    suriname

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.




    Bravo ! here here! I do agree!

    my girlfriend was really pissed today playing a different mmo remarking that Aran was the best designed class of any MMO.
    I'd have to agree that Aran is a very well thought out class. what would make it better would be a megaman-X type dungeons added to maple where you progress like a true side scroller.
     

  5. Lead Ball
    IGN: Watt
    Server: 루na
    Level: 240
    Job: Hero
    Guild: 깜찍
    Alliance: 깜찍qkff
    Farm: 에디

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    I just opend aran on kms,enjoy every single day of it.
    Well said.
    Also haha
    "Ever see the first fight in the movie Hero?",i saw that movie like 3 weeks ago it was pretty niche ;)
    10 Steps kill :P
     

  6. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    True 'nuff.

    I kinda miss when combo would step you forward a little bit with every attack. It was more dynamic. They kinda made Aran more bland with all # targets doing equal damage and standing perfectly still and stuff.

    Plus, finishers should ideally be strong enough to be better than letting your combo run into the thousands. Used to be accomplished by the target-damage-splitting - which only finishers didn't do (making them awesome on mobs)
     

  7. Euro Minicar Straight Male
    IGN: ZekkenAdele
    Server: Scania
    Level: 246
    Job: Adele
    Guild: DarkLily
    Alliance: Arcane
    Farm: HarvestxMoon
    usa

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    ill say ds>arans can't argue with me i have both
     

  8. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Until he gets nerfed to the point of being a pile of feces.
     

  9. Orbital Bee Cannon Straight Male
    IGN: Musiphe
    Server: Reboot
    Level: 277
    Job: Hero
    Guild: Epic
    Alliance: Fatal
    Colorado

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Here, here.
    Granted my Aran is only 143, but still...

    That's no way to talk to Dark Knights... :(
     

  10. Lead Ball
    IGN: Watt
    Server: 루na
    Level: 240
    Job: Hero
    Guild: 깜찍
    Alliance: 깜찍qkff
    Farm: 에디

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    I disagree,i have both as well in kms and i prefer arans.
    Yes sure he is nerfed atm but i had him before the nerf and he was nice but imo aran is just more smooth experience,also post-nerf aran helps the party much more then a DS.
    Also Drain>Vamp post nerf
    HAHAHAHAHAHA D:<
     

  11. Euro Minicar Straight Male
    IGN: ZekkenAdele
    Server: Scania
    Level: 246
    Job: Adele
    Guild: DarkLily
    Alliance: Arcane
    Farm: HarvestxMoon
    usa

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    aran just dies too fast, my 200 washed 50 points only got 21k or so hp even with decent hb...... the pineapple is that pomegranate ds on the other hand no washed/blooded points and has 31k with meta+decent hb and ds has way more OP defensive skills compared to aran
     

  12. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Oh I know, I'm just saying in regards to pure DPS. I much prefer DS myself simply because of how god damn buff they are defensively. I'd much rather kill a tad slowly on the DS and survive without any trouble than get seduced left and right by bosses as an Aran.
     

  13. Orbital Bee Cannon Straight Male
    IGN: Musiphe
    Server: Reboot
    Level: 277
    Job: Hero
    Guild: Epic
    Alliance: Fatal
    Colorado

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Binding says otherwise, sir.

    I like post-nerf Vampiric, makes people less bad at the game.
     

  14. Lead Ball
    IGN: Watt
    Server: 루na
    Level: 240
    Job: Hero
    Guild: 깜찍
    Alliance: 깜찍qkff
    Farm: 에디

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Ok binding if you have time leap D:<
     

  15. Orbital Bee Cannon Straight Male
    IGN: Musiphe
    Server: Reboot
    Level: 277
    Job: Hero
    Guild: Epic
    Alliance: Fatal
    Colorado

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    2 minutes isn't that bad
    Least it allows for another 20 seconds of free damage on bosses, that's always a major plus in my book.
     

  16. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Bind is pretty nice if you can time it just right to prevent the boss from using damage reflect right as its cooldown wears off.
     

  17. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Thats the thing. I said aran was the best designed class, not the best class. :(

    Sadly, the disgusting piles of pomegranate known as Mercedes, Demon Slayer, and Mikael(because he is a copy of Demon Slayer) are the most powerful. They're the type of classes Nexon needs to stop making, Demon Slayer being the prime example. They have everything, from top notch mobbing, awesome single target, and have all the mobility in the entire game. Demon Slayer literally has every single mobility ability in the game.

    I really hate demon slayer lol
     

  18. Donator Straight Male
    IGN: ShinkuDragon HoukaPhoenix BoshokuRaven
    Server: Scania
    Level: 152
    Job: Batman
    Guild: IDissOrtis
    panama

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    can't heal the party when the boss seduces? bind it instead!
     

  19. Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Yeah, this. I quit my Aran at 121 because with only 6000HP I was constantly dieing. I tried going to a place that was supposed to be the best training for Arans and would be dead before the screen finished loading. Thought must have gotten glitched. Went in again, died immediately again. wtp Rage quit.

    That plus the class was very hard on my hand, having to continuously hammer the attack key several times per second in order to get the combo to work. (Trying to sync keypress with the combo would never work for me; maybe only people with very low lag can play the class properly, I don't know.
     

  20. ᗧ ᗣ ᗣ ᗣ Straight Male
    IGN: Helsinki
    Server: MYBCKN
    Level: 220
    Job: Aran
    Guild: Friends
    Alliance: Unbreakable
    finland

    Default Re: Aran is the best designed class in maplestory, and here is why.


    Unfortunately being the "best class" of MapleStory doesn't necessarily mean it's a good (=fun) class. Besides it really is a matter of personal opinion. I liked Mercedes more, but because I had better equips and seperate cash item inventory on Aran, I never made Merc my main.
     

  21.  

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •