31/1 - Characters' max level is increased to 250!

[FrozNlite]

Honestly in the end I agree with you @MorbidMagus, as my only real concerns are (a) producing interesting, engaging, worthwhile content for 180-250 to match the cap increase without subjecting the game to further power creep (which we can only wait to see what happens, though as I said in my first post in this thread, given Nexon's track record for the past decade, good luck with that), and (b), what @KhainiWest said in response to your quoted response to me, to which you agreed.

Just please note as well, before you go exploding someone's post into a million points to counter, consider where you're breaking them and what has already been said. If you read all of my responses in this thread, for example, you'll know I agree with you that (1) playing MapleStory for as long as we did back then was "unhealthy and an obvious obsession" (I freely admit I was addicted throughout high school and lost a portion of my social life because of it), and (2) "The fact that you have to do something else entirely while playing a game to enjoy it shows there is an issue with the entire damn system."

I mean hello duh to that second point. I didn't like it but I did it anyways because I wanted to contribute to the scare content that was available so badly. Ultimately all I'm really trying to say is, again, what you and KhainiWest agreed upon: I was addicted to a game and played my heart out for 3 years to reach 200, and set a number of other accomplishments in my time (soloed Papulatus like 200+ times before mid-2009, was the first F/P ArchMage to solo Zakum in GMS), but as things have changed over the years, essentially all of those have become worthless and meaningless (so don't tell me that facet of life because pineappleing duh I've lived it here, in addition to everywhere else in my life). The ranks as they are now are all I and several others have left to show for the time and sacrifice we put in, and to have them wiped basically shows a scene of a company we devoted all our free time and hundreds to thousands of dollars to, who are now laughing and spitting on us as they walk away.

Therefore, to correctly amend what you said about life (which is true, it's all about change, ask any evolutionary biologist), the human race is, like KhainiWest said, respectful and honorable of the work of those that came before us. In addition to artists, like he mentioned, I'll use your example of "experts in fields laughing at accomplishments made 30 years prior." Actually, I would imagine most experts would be humbly respectful of said accomplishments, because in any field they're building from them. After all, the work of Nobel laureates from the early 20th century, for example, is the basis of much scientific progress today. And go figure, the world didn't forget or erase those earlier advances.

[Encyclopedic]

The EMS rankings circle though all 200s randomly. At least half of the community has no idea who the first 200 was. Funnily enough he is also the leader of the biggest family by far in EMS.


To keep this post somewhat ontopic: I like this change, if it brings new content. Hoping for a nice 5th job too, mainly for Paladins and Dark Knights.

[CroM]

L>Hitler's reaction to level 250...

[Polantaris]

Meh.
I understand why people are annoyed with this, but at the same time i can see why they did it. What is there left to do once you hit 200? You've basically finished the main goal.

But at the same time this doesn't affect me much considering my highest ever character is 76 and that was after big bang.

That's more of the developer's fault for not providing something to do at max level. Many games have a significantly easier and faster to obtain max level, and players still have tons of post max level content. Just look at Guild Wars, almost the entirety of the three expansions were built around being Level 20.

[Carlos n,n]

Oh well looks like a lot of you are going to be spending money for 2x EXP cards and train hours on end during the double EXP weekends to meet the new level cap! I'm guessing Nexon's trying to up their profits even more, and surprisingly enough, this is a really good niche. Alot of people are complaining here, and I can sit here and complain about it all I want, but I'm sure that if I had massive amount of hours to invest in the game daily I would attempt to reach this new level cap. Who wants to get left behind and not participate in the new content that's sure to come with this change? It's a marketing scheme imo. I'm pretty sure there's more to it than just an upped level cap. They have to do something with the leftover SP that's worth the level acquisition.

[Seanny]

I've been watching this thread for a while, seeing how all the people were gonna take this news, which was honestly a major change to what can be considered the very soul of Maplestory. The grind and push to lv 200. Now some may doubt that statement with how much easier its gotten. But to this day when i bring up MS by random chance on other games, its always the same; Maple is infamous for how much work it took to level, and the stigma still sticks even though Big Bang had changed that for ages now.

That said, don't think its fair to just throw aside ranker's feelings about the changes, I'm from the school of thinking that one's free time should be taken even more seriously than one's work time. Cause most people don't have as much of it. Free time is what we live and work for. Who works so they can keep working? Who gets rich just so they can spend it all on more work? Why live just to... stay alive?

While I'm definitely not supporting the idea of sacrificing the future of the game to appease an older generation; its just as bad to say 'oh you spent your free time trying to win a race of endurance because you found the long term goal of a ranking entertaining and worth treasuring? Too bad.' I don't think anyone's free time is something to be scoffed at, free time is a valuable commodity in life honestly, and Nexon, being aware of how much free-time was spent towards personal projects in the space of their game, should show some acknowledgement and freeze the current rankings as a past-generation hall of fame.

IT'S a perfectly fine goal to make more money, a good corporation does that. But there is NO need to step on customers or be inconsiderate to achieve that. This is the very crux of the 'bad company' some people don't understand. There's no sense in calling people selfish if they had a CLEAR personal goal with their free time (Which is THEIRS) and through a corporate decision had it taken away from them. Just because it isn't a common goal doesn't change that free time wasn't wasted as a result.

You can argue that aiming for a ranking was always useless and you should just play for fun. A notion that's somewhat off, since aiming for that ranking WAS fun to them. But its opinion.

You can argue that ranking is important. That's an opinion too.

However, that people spent their free time on a goal they aimed for and is going to have that goal taken from them if no special consideration is made: is fact.

On a personal note... I don't know how i feel about the change, however i'm the person who got to lv 120 as a archmage, saw that i was supposed to spam blizzard for 80 levels at newties and was like 'haha no.' and made a Shadower main right after.

I only grinded as high as the content was relevant. and honestly, in a MMO where lv 200 equipment hasn't even released, let alone lv 200 mob maps, i really don't get the lv cap increase. It's... well... honestly after moving on from this game, its just been one bad or pointless design decision after another. Its more grind without more substance... in other words... its Maple.

[Spadow]

L>Hitler's reaction to level 250...

I had time to kill.

[Corrai]

[byakugan]

-video-

It would have been way funnier if they had used factual arguments.

In any case, ;tl:dr; so much talk for something like this. The only really relevant thing to discuss here is how those that worked their ass off to become the "first one" reaching the cap with a certain job get screwed over, and those that still have the time, the patience and the love for the game to attempt it get another chance.

As a level 200, I must admit that it feels way more enjoyable to play a character while it gets EXP, even if you don't train it at all and just getting messing around. After getting to lvl 200 on my hero, doing anything with it felt so pointless as there was no more growth.

-video

Nice animating skills, althought I really doubt FangBlade still plays (albeit being so... dedicated as he was it wouldnt surprise me).

[KhainiWest]

Nice animating skills, althought I really doubt FangBlade still plays (albeit being so... dedicated as he was it wouldnt surprise me).

He pays attention to these events believe it or not.

[SaptaZapta]

As a level 200, I must admit that it feels way more enjoyable to play a character while it gets EXP, even if you don't train it at all and just getting messing around. After getting to lvl 200 on my hero, doing anything with it felt so pointless as there was no more growth.

To each his own.
After getting 200 on my Hero, the only thing that became pointless is grinding, which was hardly fun.
I still enjoy "messing around" on it, doing only what I enjoy, and watching my personality traits, damage, medal count, and quest count, grow. Others grow their mesos or their Azwan honour. There's plenty of "growth" that is unrelated to level.
(Not to mention that there's plenty of fun that is unrelated to growth, like chatting with friends or helping guildies).

[Demonic]

There is a massive split between the people who don't care about the raised level cap and the people that do. There should be an official poll where the players can decide whether Nexon raises the level cap or not.

Adding new classes and new content doesn't change the way the game is played as much as raising the level cap, IMO. Adding 5th job will only add another terrifying goal for the average players who haven't even reached level 200 or spent/used cubes.

[66alex66]

There is a massive split between the people who don't care about the raised level cap and the people that do. There should be an official poll where the players can decide whether Nexon raises the level cap or not.

Adding new classes and new content doesn't change the way the game is played as much as raising the level cap, IMO. Adding 5th job will only add another terrifying goal for the average players who haven't even reached level 200 or spent/used cubes.

You're assuming Nexon cares about what players think or cares about rankings. I mean you can try, but it probably won't succeed in swaying them one way or the other.

[AltCtrlDlt]

You're assuming Nexon cares about what players think or cares about rankings. I mean you can try, but it probably won't succeed in swaying them one way or the other.

At least they were nice enough to let us choose the name for Big Bang.

[KhainiWest]

There is a massive split between the people who don't care about the raised level cap and the people that do. There should be an official poll where the players can decide whether Nexon raises the level cap or not.

Adding new classes and new content doesn't change the way the game is played as much as raising the level cap, IMO. Adding 5th job will only add another terrifying goal for the average players who haven't even reached level 200 or spent/used cubes.

I think people are more afraid of losing their ranking they worked for. If they promised that, this would be a welcomed addition for the majority I'm sure.

[66alex66]

At least they were nice enough to let us choose the name for Big Bang.

Yeah, but that was a surprise and it was of their own will. Making a poll and convincing them to keep rankings is another thing. If anything it's better to appeal to their lazy side and say that revamping rankings is harder than just creating a seperate section for 250s

[Kabanaw]

Haha yeah sweet. Let's see some mixup. Move over fangblade, let someone else sit on top for a while. I always thought it was kind of silly to make rankings useless after 5 people hit 200 anyways.

I was going to post a "well-thought argument" about why people shouldn't be butt-hurt about this but it looks like that ground's already been covered. Please tell me you spent that time leveling to 200 when gaining a level took two days because you were enjoying it and not for bragging rights. Because, you know, priorities.

[G-Meister]

and those that still have the time, the patience and the love for the game to attempt it get another chance.

Not giving the current level 200s the credit of making the level cap before the change will guarantee the permanent loss of such players.

Oh wait, they still exist?

[Killmeplsok]

Years ago, "For the first time after few years, MS is releasing new job, there you go PIRATES!" And we get new job every year since then.

"New event! Attendance check quest!" We get attendance check quests every now and then ever since.

"Hot time! For the first time in MS history, we are giving out gifts to everyone online at a specific time!" Then we get countless hot times after.

"Revamp! Adventurers will be revamped to make then stronger!" We get a revamp every few months now.

Now, "For the first time in 10 years, MS gets a level cap raise!" Guess what we'll be getting in every big update from now on.

[Curtiss]

Years ago, "For the first time after few years, MS is releasing new job, there you go PIRATES!" And we get new job every year since then.

"New event! Attendance check quest!" We get attendance check quests every now and then ever since.

"Hot time! For the first time in MS history, we are giving out gifts to everyone online at a specific time!" Then we get countless hot times after.

"Revamp! Adventurers will be revamped to make then stronger!" We get a revamp every few months now.

Now, "For the first time in 10 years, MS gets a level cap raise!" Guess what we'll be getting in every big update from now on.

Going by this theory we should all be overjoyed every time a new event that gives good items comes out. At any rate that won't happen since other games had a much lower cap than 200 to begin with so they can freely increase it...

Or at least, one would hope.