The current state of affairs

Again, we have people who are inexperience with the economics of this server and continue to say that the items should be hard to obtain. Again its not the matter of it being hard, its the matter that it comes from pure rng. With such a demand and a supply worse than any other server its no wonder that chaos scrolls can run for 200m. That said 200m can be gathered within 20 hours of game play, which isnt too bad for most of the veteran players still around. The major problem is that the multiple veteran players that decide to do that for said item are all fighting for that 1 said item that comes once every couple of weeks. Congrats, you have now 1 person that has the item and the few others with 200m with nothing to spend it on as they were looking for a chaos scroll, nothing else. They're now in possession of this money and have to wait for the next time it comes around which is weeks from then, and once it comes, they hesistate between keeping the money or spending it as another wont come for a long time and that theyre in need of it. This doesnt only apply to chaos/ws but all scrolls in general but in a different way regarding supply. Without a way to farm youre forced to rely on the wall of rng, and not rewarded for gameplay. People who are stating there's deflation now don't realize it correlates to the lack of players which was caused by no one being able to buy anything or progress. Now that they're gone it cuts down to less people who want to buy stuff and in turn a cut to the prices is made because less demand = less price. There's so many other factors to account for, but its one thing certain, the lack of economy is doing massive harm and prevent many players from progressing and continuing the game.

 

What about de apples

 

I'll reply to these since I'm probably the person they are referring to.

I have quit playing my legit for months already, partly due to losing interest in v62. Having played four v62 servers, I find that this version has too many problems to be of long lasting interest to me, some of which are leeching, bishop design, and the gachapon and economy system in private servers, the last of which I'm not even sure what the ideal system would be. It has affected me both as a player and member of Staff, among other things. Out of the 4 servers I played, Legends is still the best to me, but unfortunately it's still quite off my personal mark. Not that it's Legends' fault, it's just hard to find an ideal in v62 for me I guess.

Spoiler: Reference

Since then I've only been helping out with Staff matters now and then, more specifically my main interest of dealing with botters/hackers/rule-breakers. Even though I don't have much motivation towards Maple then, I had even less desire to see cheaters exist.

However, fairly recently I discovered a new server that has sparked my interest to play again (it is not OpenMaple, and I'm not aware of any Staff members playing that server). I understand the conflict of interest given my Staff position here. I have no intention of becoming a Staff member there or in any other servers, and I am only there to play. I don't believe I would have been a lot different had the said server not existed, I was already searching for another game to play, it just happens that this game became Maple again. Should the community wish it, I am ready to resign from my post here at MapleLegends.

My main motivation when I applied for Staff is to help Kimberly (a friend I met on a previous server) run the server alongside playing it. I have no interest in staffing other servers because I much more enjoy being a player with no commitments. That said, it has been an enriching experience working with the MapleLegends team. I am not as motivated as I used to be, but I have stuck on just to help out a bit more, though I cannot promise I can do so much more than just catching bad guys. I apologise for this and thank you all for being patient with us all this time. I hope we can find a solution to this soon so the server can get going again.

 

As someone who's only been on the server for 3 months, I'd like to give my two cents on this.

I agree with rewyuio that the economy has been stagnating. The decrease in players has obviously led to a decrease in the number of stores around FM and there's plenty of reasons to see why. As many others have already mentioned there is an unbalanced number of scrolls circulating the economy. Currently, easily obtainable scrolls such as Spear Att 30% benefits the Dark Knights while others such as Bow Att 30% is something rare to come by. Different classes by the get go already have varying levels of difficulties when it comes to scrolling their end-game equipment. Of course, price variation is good, but that should come from a high demand rather than a limited supply. This is not to mention the extremely low quantities of White Scrolls and Chaos Scrolls, both of which is key in building your ideal weapons, armour and accessories.

Regardless of whether your primary focus is being a merchant or someone who simply frequents FM just to upgrade their gear, a stagnating economy affects almost all the players on the server. Eventually it will get to the point (or it already has) where the higher level players are unable to progress any further, not due to a lack of funds or demand but because there simply isn't anyone who can provide the supply. From what I've seen this is causing most of the higher level players to either quit the game or to create newer characters so that they have something else to do. We need both experienced and newer players on the server to have a striving community. Once these older players leave, newer players will lack mentors and guiding figures in the community to follow and it forces them to either take up the role themselves (something which frankly speaking not everyone can do) or to just stop playing.

Honestly speaking, Maple is an extremely grinding-centric game and I'm sure everyone knows that. Once you are able to clear the end-game bosses (Zakum and Horntail), there isn't much else to do besides increasing the quality of your gear to help with the run-time. While I'm not the most experienced and do not know how far existing discussions have went, I feel that the best way for the server to progress now is to actively tweak the drop rates to ensure a sufficient supply of scrolls for most end-game players to work on. I also know that this is something the community has discussed for awhile now and the developers have tried to implement this through the Gachapon Hunting Tickets.

I genuinely appreciate the amount of work and effort the Staff has put in the past year. The MapleLegends community has been extraordinary and I am still enjoying my time here. I understand that the developers do not necessarily have the free time to do so. But with the way things are going now, the server really have to introduce new content (for both newer and end-game players) as well as to fine-tune the scroll drop rates to ensure a steady supply for the end-game players to work on. Stagnation will only lead to regression.

 

Ok.. i'll read

 

So, I've been a part of the server since the 2nd day of launch. While I haven't been active the past three or so months I've been constantly monitoring the game through the forum and guild Skype chat. So I'd like to think I have a fair opinion to voice on these matters. Note however: it's an opinion.

First I want to say the thing that everyone else has said here already; we need more content. I think that point has been made. I agree with Lionheart that we shouldn't limit ourselves to the Neckson v. 62 standards. Thus far we honestly haven't. We have ToT, Ellin Forest, and a raised damage cap to benefit certain classes like marksman. All of which are after v. 62. Which is great! But of course, ToT isn't much unless you dish out the whole quest line to reach Oblivion road. Ellin forest is just an area to explore while suffering in ludi and the damage cap doesn't add content. These are all reasonable points of view and are quite valid.

One of the most interesting things I've seen mentioned is that we need more end game content. CWKPQ is technically planned to be added which is cool. Amoria PQ and apples are nice. But those aren't necessarily end game alternatives. You'll still be grinding skeles if you want to ppl2pass. Even if we introduced Ulu, I believe skeles will be superior to it? It would be nice for levels 9x-14x though as an alternative. I'd honestly be down for the implementation of Ulu and Neo city if it can be applied to a v. 62 style of game play. Or something similar. At least those offer some extra bosses to kill and mobs to grind. Which in a way is the same as ToT so maybe we shouldn't implement it, Kappa. I don't think the content issue is so much an issue of level speed as it is area to explore and alternatives to use. The alternatives just need to be actual alternatives, not worse exp for a different environment or so on and so forth.

Before writing my post I saw that Kimberly wrote her own post that mentioned the current state of the content that has been written and is just waiting to be coded in . I'd like to say I really appreciate that you've released this information. That's the type of status update I believe everyone has been asking for you to give for the past few months now. Which I don't want to sound like a scolding or anything, I'm just saying that's what we've wanted.

As for Gachapon, we all know that shit is a scam. We've had multiple suggestions, many threads, and plenty of disagreements/agreements between both players and staff alike. I personally wish we would just make the 30% scrolls accessible through mobs. Also maybe buff the white scroll and chaos scroll rate until the server population is big enough to actually need a nerf for them. Or make bosses drop that shit, I dunno. Get creative with it I guess. Of course I'm not saying this is some new, never before thought of concept. This was already discussed and I guess technically lost in the Gachapon discussion thread. Does me mentioning this help anything? Probably not, chances are someone will quote it and be like "we already discussed that moron, flame flame spit spit toxin toxin." Despite me saying that it was already discussed.

I don't really think this post will advance our situation with our dissatisfaction dilemma but I thought that as, what Cal would call me, an OG player, I should come out and reiterate points like everyone else. Will some people read this and be annoyed since it's basically the same as everyone else? Yeah prolly. Oh well though.

TL;DR
Server has communication and dedication issues, Navi is back so let's pray to RNGesus that the content Kim mentioned gets implemented and that our voices are finally heard, prepare for more flames and reiteration to proceed after this post. Peace out

- KappaBento4Prez2k16

 

"gunna cry myself to sleep now"
sorry i just had to f3

 

That was my way of saying I was going to bed xD but then I felt the urge to write an essay.

 

we already discussed that moron, flame flame spit spit toxin toxin

 

Ok, so the TLDR explanation from Kimberly is that we have a major, strangling chokepoint which is no coders to implement the content that is ready to go.

So the obvious next question should be: who can code?

*raises hand*

 

I've been saying this since MapleLegend's open beta: V62 is nowhere near a finished product.

I like to think of a "v62 Maplestory Private server" as a paradox. There is no way an MMORPG can remain stagnant in terms of content and thrive at the same time. It's extremely unlikely that such an equilibrium can be found and we're currently seeing the effect of the lack of new content. With all due respect, V62 was definitely a MS in its prime. However, it was extremely mid-heavy, since it was around the time 4th jobs just got released. It was only NEAR (and after) the time of Big Bang that we started to see more challenging endgame content (Pink Bean, Empress Cygnus, etc)

That being said, we should not shy away from adding content long after v62 such as Ulu City, Malaysia, and Neo Tokyo, areas with higher level content. Personally, the thing that strayed me away from Big Bang was the exp curve, the release of overpowered classes, and partially the new UI. I still really enjoyed new maps and areas such as LHC and Stronghold and whatnot. The issue that most players have with Big Bang was the simplification of the game in terms of becoming stronger and levelling faster. Releasing these "new" content does not mean that we must forfeit the difficulty of v62. With simple tweaks in the exp rates and drop rates, we can add newer content while retaining the same "grindy" feeling of old maple.

This are just my thoughts that I had for like, forever. Moving forward, I think it is impossible to remain status quo yet expect to bring in new players while retaining older players. Thanks for reading my rant. Here's a waffle #.

 

I think there are a lot of bridges at the moment between the Staff and the player base.
Ever after our ban and unbans there seems to be very little respect to each other.
It sickens me to my stomach that till this day they dare to use the excuse for the lack of progress on a group of players who pushed out most arguments for new content and were probably most motivated of all people which is why they are where they are today.
If you have a task to do and you either can not complete it because of the lack of understanding how something works or lack of motivation it is on you. Not on anyone else.
There were times where everyone, even when in bad blood could respect each other because they liked the server. Now every time a post that is about constructive criticism (and this is one hell of a post UnluckyKid made) It just becomes a "Staff defending themselves" vs "Community trying to show them the frustration with mean words".
I probably have been around longer then most and it is sad to see we can't have a nice clean discussion. (Don't feel offended if you are not part of this)

A lot of valid points have already been made. I will use a few to maybe try to add something to it and a few of my own for the sake of the discussion.

I think this is an issue. It seems most people on the Staff are close friends. It is totally fine if you can get along with each other and are close but this is more like a company (or should be treated as one) where friendships are maybe not the best relations to have. Correct me if I am wrong here because I don't think it has ever been said in a official post but if I remember correctly Latte was kicked from the staff for being inactive (?).
There seem to be a lot of people inactive these days but they are all still part of the Staff.
I understand that you can not just get new Staff members but maybe you should look at people there motivation to make the server a better place instead of screening them on how they behave in game or there personality. (No I did not apply to be a Staff member if that is what you think ^^ I am way to cold and direct for that haha)

I am just going to use this as an example because I can reflect on this but this goes for most people in the Staff.

You are a Public figure. Your forum name is up there.


This is what we see. You are online. There is barely a GM helping players in game with there @GMs
The only person I see active with these things is Poofcakes.

I understand that you get burned out and might or might not be done with it but then let someone else take your place instead. It doesn't matter if you do things behind the scenes like catching botters hackers etc. It is good that you try to keep the servers clean but you are a "public" figure that is active and online. People expect you to help them and get frustrated that most of the times there are GMs online or at least showing as online but simply don't answer.
If you like to do things behind the scene low profile maybe don't show up as a GM anymore and get someone else to take the spotlight.

The more this happens the more fed up people get and eventually this leads to the cycle we are in now where there is very little respect for each other.

Now for the main point I would like to make and I don't think it has been said is
"Make time investment rewarding"

The game is very lack luster if it comes to rewarding players spending hours upon hours of there time.
Right now you can farm your ass off and get very little reward (not because low drop rates but because you can't really farm anything worth of value, it all comes from gachapon)

Player "A" can be jerking off all day (sorry for the lack of a better description) shoot some gach tickets get lucky made double the money compared to Player "B" who farmed 8 hours a day for a week and didn't get shit.

We all complain about GMS / EMS is pay2win. This is vote2win. There is no reward for playing the game anymore. This is the main lack of motivation for players. Bosses are pointless to kill when there is no market for books ( there is no market for books because of the very limited player base we have) and exp from killing them does not come close to exp gained from grinding instead.

There is lack of content but not the way you might think.
There are enough bosses to kill. There are enough Maps to grind as well and I think even with less it would be fine.
The biggest content in MapleStory is "scrolling your items".

Look at games like Guild Wars. Gear is very easily obtained there. You can be best in slot gear in a month there for most people drift away from it because there is simply nothing to strive for.

Look at World of Warcraft. They push out new content every year so that you can upgrade your gear. You got best in slot gear? Oh cool here is a new patch now your gear is shit glhf. People stay hooked longer because there are more challenges ahead even though in the current game not much is challenging but that is besides the point.

Now we have MapleStory. Farm simulator.
The items we make are behind a crazy hard RNG system which we all learned to love over the years of playing this game. This is your content. It is so "easy" to milk yet you do not do anything about it.

Diablo is a good example. It is still a really populair game because you farm for items that are behind a hard RNG wall but you will NEVER get the best gear possible. It is simply not possible to get perfect gear in every single slot with so many stats.

MapleStory is the same with gear. Scrolling is content. You scroll your gear which will take forever to do due to the hard RNG system behind it. Unlike the other games mentioned it is simply impossible to even consider scrolling items because there is simply nothing to scroll which goes back to my point vote2win.

Good scrolls with hard RNG are behind a wall. Not pay but vote. Tbh its the same thing in my eyes. Both hinder progress in the game and are simply not rewarding. Time people invest should be stimulated not demotivated.
If there was a way to farm scrolls either by letting them drop from mobs or having a random item drop from area "x" hard to kill or "fuck it" everyone is happy snails till HT and exchange "x" tickets for a scroll of choice it would open up a tsunami of content. Gear in this game is everything and very hard if not impossible to perfect. Use it as content instead of constantly telling your community you do not want this because it will be to easy to obtain. You can not tell us what we want. We are your customers. We donate to you to keep the server alive and these topics addressed is what we want.

The Gachapon tickets that dropped was probably the worst decisions made so far. People got motivated for actually being able to get tickets but it was to good to be true. They are nothing. Less value then a snail shell because you can't use them. Pure eye candy which demotivated people even more. They were happy finally something changed. Finally they listened to us and then we got spitted on in the face by making them useless and now simply scrapped. Maybe it will come back in the future but the damage has been done already. You can not hype people up and get there hopes up to throw them down even harder.

TLDR

Try to respect each other even if you dislike one and an other.
Make gameplay rewarding instead of w/e u can call this currently.

 

Even though I haven't been playing for so long (like 3 weeks now) I can understand why everyone is getting bored of the lack of content.
There have been plenty of games where people left because the developers didn't bring out enough content, that game would slowly die of it's life span.
I'm not an expert on this but, this is a very apparent issue on private servers.
A private server focusses on one version on the game.
Whether that version has good endgame or not, doesn't matter to most of them.
Until people see the level cap or in this case lvl 140(i think) point.
Once you beat the "final" boss, there is nothing to do anymore.
Private servers are a hit but not forever, World of Warcraft is an example, everyone loved vanilla but because if they just keep it there eventually people would leave, why?
Eventually everyone would run out of content, that's why they made expansions, whether they where good or bad, if players came back for it. They didn't really care.
What i'm trying to say is, Private servers are mostly victim to this. It's inevatable.

This maybe very wrong, but whatever. I just said what i see on this matter.

 

Thank you for proving my point.

I am glad we both agree on gachapon there might be hope after all ^^

 

So many ideas have been discarded due to some rando popping up and bringing the "Nostalgia argument", if you wanted nostalgia last year's april was the time to play, now it's time for the server to move on