Would Pre Big Bang MapleStory Have Made It In 2014?

[KhainiWest]

If the game stayed static since update v54-60 probably not. The real answer to this question is not a static game, but a game without potential. The game would be much more active and loved without potential, I can almost guarantee that.

[Alilatias]

Pre-BB Maple likely wouldn't survive as is.

However, in terms of changes made between only pre-BB and BB itself (meaning not counting things that Chaos and onwards added such as professions, because those would likely happen anyway)... If we stayed in pre-BB and only had the EXP rates adjusted to Big Bang standards (without any of the adjustments promoting over-reliance on the potential system), I'd imagine the game would probably be more successful overall right now.

[Pearly]

No, it most likely wouldn't survive if you were to keep everything exactly pre-BB without any changes to the bad aspects of pre-BB.

What I missed the most from pre-BB era was....non existence of potential system. I didn't like the grindfest aspect.


Old era: No potential system > noone is MUCH MUCH stronger than others > boss runs done in parties/with team work

Current era: horribly imbalanced potential system > some funded guys can be 100x (or more) stronger than unfunded > still need team work? Just solo lah, why would I need other people?

See the difference?


If only they could remove potential system rubbish or tweak it such that noone is RIDICULOUSLY stronger than another (while adjusting monsters' HP at the same time, obviously), the game would have been better.

I don't know what others think of it, but I don't like SOLOStory. Look at how often people make threads containing things like "What bosses can I SOLO with xxx range", "Can I SOLO boss A with xxx range?", "How much funding would I need to SOLO boss B"?....and its variations. Solo mentality. Tsk. Why would you play an MMORPG (= MULTIplayer) if what you aim is to SOLO boss X, SOLO boss Y, etc? This didn't exist in the past.

I don't know whether Nexon has forgotten that this is not a SOLOstory. I really enjoyed team bossing VERY much pre-BB era. I had weekly/bi-weekly regular boss runs back then with the same group of people yet I didn't get bored. I always looked forward going for the next runs. I knew I had a role back then. I could be of help. I could contribute. But now? Yes I can still go in team in current bossing era, but I will feel like I'm just a parasite, "tapping" on funded friends to successfully kill the boss....because going with a group of friends of similar attack range with myself just doesn't work. We just do not have the required DPS

[Digitalium]

i do not think so
it was simply too frustrating of a game when big bang was around
sure there was more of a feeling of community and less about power and stuff but imagine 7 more years of that thing
maple would have died and nexon along with it (now maybe thats not a bad thing lolz)
but change was needed and i enjoy maple today just as much as i did back then

[Kooz]

potential changed the game .. if you don't think so than you're mistaken , why else would they keep ADDING , and ADDING , and RAISING the damage cap .. I understand I went on hiatus a few times , but in 2010 when they released potential it changed everything to do with the game .. attack wasn't as important as % luk anymore , or + luk , they added %ages to everything , than later on added another tier (legendary) and added bonus potentials extra lines all that pomegranate . Leveling was slow & all that , but still in new servers people could get to 70 in 2-3 days , and I personally got a dragon knight to 120 in the matter of 2 weeks and this was before potential and in a new server , so no one can tell me leveling was that bad .. yeah back in 2005-2007 it was real slow and took month or 2 to get to 3rd job but it was worth it .. It wasn't about having the best damage because higher levels could use their gear they spent months and years to get and re-create a new account and use the gears ..

I'm one of the ones who actually liked pre BB better .. It is damn near impossible to restart if you get perm banned , or want to go to a new server ,, to be strong you need % items and you need a lot of them . Maple isn't what it used to be obviously & there is no going back .. I've spent years trying to find a replacement game and it just sucks knowing I won't be able to find something like maplestory considering it was like my damn childhood from age 14-17 .. 2007-2010 = best years of maple

[Spiral]

I guess I'll throw my 2 cents in. What's wrong with Post-BB, in my opinion:

-Potential System (Cubes, etc.)
-Inflated and unfair economy
-Lack of comparable maps for training
-Monotonous high level party quests and training grounds
-Bizarre 'end-game' set equips
-Rehashed jobs and content that are mostly useless other than obtaining 'link skills' by grinding to 120 or higher to get better damage

If the game stayed static since update v54-60 probably not. The real answer to this question is not a static game, but a game without potential. The game would be much more active and loved without potential, I can almost guarantee that.

Khaini is always dead on - as are many of you. Potential has over complicated a once simple game in too many ways. I personally dislike how complex everything is, just with all the %'s and different items. A variety of means to upgrade equips is cool, but it's difficult when many of them pale in comparison to cubes and other expensive use items. What probably started out as an interesting new way to upgrade items has turned into Nexon's biggest earner.

Nexon has tried to resolve our concerns not by changing the system but by offering freebies in return for logging in at stupid times of the day for bullpomegranate. The system is still broken - it's just people who couldn't participate before can now in a pathetic way. Those who can pay still have a huge advantage. Nexon will never change the system because then their main source of income will be gone; plenty of people still use them anyway and I suppose enjoy the 'damage race.'

This all happened gradually and none of the necessary changes will happen quickly enough. We'll just keep getting the same lame events, classes, and content and people will still get a bit excited and make new characters for their link skills and waste their time. Then, it will die and Nexon will cut their losses - in the North American market, at least - and go back to Korea.

Pre-BB wasn't flawed - it was just bare bones. It had a lot of potential to be great. Sadly, we are all eating the rotten fruit of that missed opportunity.

I think many of us still hold on to what once was with this game. Maybe it's because we see remnants of what made MapleStory promising and enjoyable for many of us. Artistically, it's a beautiful game. I've always admired that. None of this is black and white, obviously, but it's just too late in my opinion. I think the people at Nexon America don't really know what to do and certainly don't have the infrastructure and leadership (or autonomy) to make necessary changes quickly enough. Ultimately, Nexon Korea is a corporation and profits are their primary objective. They don't really care about how we feel. Welcome to the corporate world.

I myself am nearing the end and don't really care much at all what happens. MapleStory was nice for a while but things change and obviously Nexon & GMS aren't going to adapt, so they must crumble and die. Before that, they'll milk it for all it's worth. I guess all anyone who still plays can do is try and enjoy what they can enjoy until it isn't worth the effort of clicking your mouse and entering your password. What a shame to see a once vibrant community die in so many ways.

This sucks.