Dev Blog: Capture the Flag

http://maplestory.nexon.net/News/News.as...ntNo=00Cfp

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Hello again Maplers!

Its hard to believe, but Chaos is almost complete. Age of Triumph is only a few days away and we are all working hard to launch the last update in our biggest summer ever. While all of Chaos was been pretty exciting, my team has been looking forward to Age of Triumph, and not just because it means this marathon of game updates has come to an end! Age of Triumph introduces Capture the Flag, a piece of content made exclusively for global MapleStory, This marks the first time in many years that a permanent piece of content designed by the gMS team will be added to the game, a dream come true for all MapleStory game developers and a point of pride for my team. Today, Id like to share with you how this little slice of Maple came about.

Why gMS Exclusive Content?

The Chaos update included a huge amount of new content for MapleStory, from entirely new systems like Professions, Personality Traits, and PvP, to significant balance changes for many classes and a huge number of events. While we knew that gMS players would enjoy all that Chaos had to offer, we felt that the game needed something special to cap the summer off. We only had a few months to design the final Age, so we started looking at content that other MapleStory teams had recently completed. Japan MapleStory had two things that we really liked: the Silent Crusade (a long, story-driven quest line involving master monsters) and a revamped Monster Book (eventually renamed Crusader Codex). Although we knew we would add them, they didnt really have any connection to the other Chaos content. If we wanted another piece to tie the final Age to Chaos, we decided it would have to be something we made ourselves.

We were very excited about the prospect of creating something new, despite the very tight timeline. Making content specifically for gMS is an ongoing goal for us, though between the large amount of content from kMS this year and the many live issues, we have not had much opportunity to do so. Thus, we dove into designing this content with great enthusiasm.

What to do? At first, we had only two criteria for the gMS exclusive content. It had to be related to one of the existing Chaos features, and it had to be small enough to be completed in time. We quickly gravitated toward working with PvP. This seemed like the obvious choice to us since the original concept for MapleStory PvP came from the gMS team; in our minds, PvP and gMS are fundamentally linked. Focusing on PvP also gave us a lot to work with. There are dozens of classic PvP modes we could explore and while most do not work with a 2D game, we had fun trying to convert them. We fleshed out several designs (including a very elaborate one that may enter the game at a later date) and prototyped a few before settling on Capture the Flag.

Why CTF?

Arriving at Capture the Flag was a bit of a surprise. While it is a classic PvP mode that has been used in games with widely divergent play styles, we originally felt it was not going to work in 2D. We tried other PvP modes that seemed easier to implement, but they felt like slight variations on Free for All. We came back to CTF because it had a few elements we really liked: its team based so it encourages cooperation, and it involves platforming/precise movement. Once we made a map and tried out the mode, we knew we had a winner. Weve had a great time playing together and have found that the classic CTF skills apply well in MapleStory. Once you get your hands on this mode, youll want to strategize with your team and organize a good defense because Maplers that are skilled on platforms can score fast!

Age of Triumph

Were very proud to be introducing a gMS exclusive piece of content that is also a permanent addition to the game, and we hope you enjoy the addition. Keep an eye on the website for updates about other content coming with Age of Triumph, and enjoy these final weeks of Chaos!

Until next time Maplers,

Eurydice

The MapleStory Team

I really just want the monster book.

Once you get your hands on this mode, youll want to strategize with your team and organize a good defense because Maplers that are skilled on platforms can score fast!

Flash Jump, Flash Jump, Flash Jump, get Flag, Flash Jump, Flash Jump, Flash Jump, score?

But did they fix the issues with Capture the Flag? If not...

I find it hard to believe that the Korean team was inspired to make a PvP mode from an idea pitched in by the GMS team.

Also...

We fleshed out several designs (including a very elaborate one that may enter the game at a later date) and prototyped a few before settling on Capture the Flag.

Oh really? I wonder what else they had in mind.

Its team based so it encourages cooperation being the team with the most thief characters, and it involves platforming/precise movement flash jumping as fast as you can.

We fleshed out several designs (including a very elaborate one that may enter the game at a later date)

If they're as horrifically bad as CTF was in tespia, put them in a box and burn it

Chaos was been pretty exciting

Nexon should at least disable quick movement skills in PvP, like in a jump quest.

Capture the Flag still sucks.

So they blamed not being able to make exclusive content on the fact that they didn't have enough time because they, essentially, copy and pasted everything? While you're at it, Nexon, how about you try to get rid of hackers too, or do you not have time for that either?

But did they fix the issues with Capture the Flag? If not...

Doubt it'll stay the same. Reading this it seems like Tespia was just bets testing for it. Cake V Pie did a complete turn around in th live servers.

I find it hard to believe that the Korean team was inspired to make a PvP mode from an idea pitched in by the GMS team.

Don't see why not. Itbeen said many times the teams work together and the North American community has always DEMANDED pvp.

Can't wait to see this pomegranate show in action.

Only GMS'ers would have a high desire to want to kill each other in a ring-o-death fashion. That's why our cooperation for boss fights sucks hard compared to KMS and JMS.

I'm lulzing at how they believe PvP was the only option to go. I mean, Professions, hello? I'm sure most of us would have liked a certain something (or things) from that.

Only GMS'ers would have a high desire to want to kill each other in a ring-o-death fashion. That's why our cooperation for boss fights sucks hard compared to KMS and JMS.

I'm lulzing at how they believe PvP was the only option to go. I mean, Professions, hello? I'm sure most of us would have liked a certain something (or things) from that.

Unless you have been on a PB run pre-bb/potential and a czak/cht when potential was new, you have no idea how well a group of gmsers can work together. The 1st successful czak I was on 1bishop kept 3 parties alive not only is that good control from the exped leader, but as a whole group.

I wonder what the other mode they prepared is... that COULD be interesting.

This is like a slap in the face. The one time they decide to make original content in who knows how long, and they use unnecessary restrictions to make an unoriginal and poorly executed PvP mode. I am so glad they shared their thought process.

Only GMS'ers would have a high desire to want to kill each other in a ring-o-death fashion. That's why our cooperation for boss fights sucks hard compared to KMS and JMS.

You have no idea what you're talking about. Anyone who's ever been in an early high level run of a main boss will tell you how much leadership and cooperation it takes to make it happen. Thinking it's any less than other versions is insulting. You must have no experience with any good groups to say something like that.

we are all working hard to launch the last update in our biggest summer ever.

No.

This marks the first time in many years that a permanent piece of content designed by the gMS team will be added to the game, a dream come true for all MapleStory game developers and a point of pride for my team.

I . . . I . . . I am at a lost for words.

I . . . I . . . I am at a lost for words.

Yep...So much more could have been done. So much more. Though I will believe Time is an issue because it's not just copy and paste.

This is like a slap in the face. The one time they decide to make original content in who knows how long, and they use unnecessary restrictions to make an unoriginal and poorly executed PvP mode. I am so glad they shared their thought process.



You have no idea what you're talking about. Anyone who's ever been in an early high level run of a main boss will tell you how much leadership and cooperation it takes to make it happen. Thinking it's any less than other versions is insulting. You must have no experience with any good groups to say something like that.

Guess my current situation with guild/alliances/boss runs is due to my immeasurable amount of bad luck then.

Guess my current situation with guild/alliances/boss runs is due to my immeasurable amount of bad luck then.

It isn't luck it is who you associate urself with, you cant throw 30 people who don't know each other in a room and expect greatness, such cohesiveness is made through time/experience