Information AboutMaplestory |
This article is about the original game for Windows. For the Nintendo DS game based on the original, see MapleStory DS . ''MapleStory'' (, 2D , Side-scrolling Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game developed by the Korea n company Wizet . Several versions of the game are available for specific countries or regions, and each is published by various companies such as Wizet and Nexon . Although Playing The Game is free, many player appearances and gameplay enhancements can be purchased from the " Cash Shop " using real Money . ''MapleStory'' has a combined total of over 50 million players in all of its versions.12 ''MapleStory'' Global, for players mainly outside of East Asia , Southeast Asia and Europe , has over three million players. In the game, players walk around in the "Maple World" and defeat Monster s and develop their character's skills and abilities, as in typical Role-playing Game s. Players can interact with others in many ways, such as through Chatting , Trading , and Playing Minigame s. Groups of players can band together in parties to hunt monsters and share the rewards. Players can also band in a Guild to interact more easily with each other. GAMEPLAY Like most MMORPG s, gameplay centers on venturing into dungeons and combating monsters in real-time. The players combat monsters and complete quests, in the process acquiring in-game Currency , called "Mesos", Experience Point s (EXP), and various items. Players can kill monsters alone, or they can form a party with up to five other characters. Loot is shared based on relative damage and level of characters in the party, more awarded to higher-level members. Characters advance in level by gaining a preset amount of EXP for each level. The current level limit is 200 and the maximum EXP is 2,121,276,323.3. Upon leveling up, players receive Ability Points (AP) and Skill Points (SP) to distribute among their Abilities and Skills . The increase in EXP needed for each level increases greatly over the course of the game. MapleStory's 2D scrolling viewpoint more closely resembles a Platformer rather than the typical 3D or Top-down View of other games (such as Guild Wars or Mu Online ). The Controls for the game are executed using the Computer Keyboard and Mouse . The keyboard is used for many game functions, and much of it can be re-arranged to suit users' needs. The mouse is mainly used to trigger '' NPCs '', or Non-player characters, and manipulating items. MapleStory characters exist in "worlds" or "servers". Players are allowed to create multiple characters in each world, although that number differs between versions. Each world, similar in content between each other in the same version, is split into at most twenty channels (nineteen for Global MS for bandwidth efficiency and a performance boost), among which characters are allowed to freely switch.4 However, characters and their items cannot be transferred between worlds,5 although there is limited functionality in transferring items between characters of the same world. Character progression : New players are sent to '' Maple Island '', a floating island specifically designed to be beginner-friendly. Unlike many other MMORPGs, players in MapleStory cannot choose a Character Class or job when they create the character. Rather, every character starts with the job ''Beginner'' until they meet the requirements to complete the first job advancement. When a player creates a character, he or she is able to allocate ability points amongst four different Abilities . In addition, the player is able to choose from a limited variety of faces, hairstyles, hair colors, skin colors, and initial equipment for their character. After the character's creation, the cosmetic aspects of these can be modified only through the quest "Beauty and the Beast" (MapleGlobal only) or purchase of special coupons from the Cash Shop .6 At either level eight or ten, depending on the desired class, the player can willingly choose to complete the first job advancement and acquire a new class as a "Swordman", "Magician", "Archer", or "Rogue". Once a player reaches level 30, they are able to complete the second job advancement according to their current job. As with the first job advancement, the player is able to choose from two or three secondary professions based on their initial class choice. At level 70 and 120, characters can once again change their jobs. Unlike previous job advancements, the player is only able to progress in their current job to a new-named one. Each job advancement grants access to an increasingly powerful set of Skills . Dying When a character's Hit Points reach zero, the character dies. This is depicted by a Tombstone falling from the top of the screen, and the character transmuting into a floating, Ghost -like body. The character is incapable of moving, but they retain the ability to speak and use facial expressions. Death will normally cost a character a percentage of EXP, depending on how much luck they have, but the EXP percentage cannot fall below zero percent. The beginner class players cannot lose EXP. Items such as the one-use Safety Charm (available from the Cash Shop) and the limited item from the Valentine's and Easter's quest can prevent EXP loss when the character dies. However, a safety charm only works once and disappears from the user's inventory after use. Players are notified upon death with a message box that contains an "OK" button and upon pressing, they are sent to the nearest town. Even if the button is not pressed after a period of time, the character will be automatically revived anyway. Upon returning to the nearest town, characters are revived with 50 HP, as well as the same amount of MP they possessed upon death. Abilities There are four types of Abilities and two sub-types of abilities, with varying degrees of value, depending on character class. General effects of each stat do not depend on a character's class; however, damage will vary based on job, level, and the equipped weapon. Characters generally raise one main stat to increase their damage output, as well as one minor stat to meet the requirements to equip weapons and armor and/or increase the specialties that come with some of the abilities. These are raised using Ability Points (AP).7 Skills Every character class has various skills in which to invest Skill Points (SP). As is typical with RPG Skills and Powers , a skill becomes increasingly powerful or helpful depending on the amount of SP invested in the skill. Each skill can be mapped to a specific button to simplify activation. As characters gain levels, more skills are unlocked. Some skills can only be unlocked when a certain prerequisite is met. Some high level skills also require items such as Magic Rock or Summoning Rock in order to activate the skill. Guilds Players can form Guilds8 with other players. The purpose of a guild is to be able to find and chat with each other more easily, to bond with other players, and to make it easier when trying to complete a quest. Members have their guild's name listed under their character name along with the guild's Emblem , if applicable. Guilds can be created at Orbis for large amounts of Mesos. Additional upgrades to the guild such as a guild emblem and expanding the maximum amount of guild members will carry an additional fee. For each expansion, the cost is more. A guild emblem is an icon representing the guild. Guilds have a customizable hierarchy of five ranks. The "Guild Master", who initially created the guild, has complete control over the guild. "Jr. Masters", appointed by the Guild Master, have limited control over the guild. Each guild member's rank, level, and job is displayed in the guild window. A special guild only quest called "Sharenian" is available. It is much like a Party Quest , but more difficult. There are now guild forums known as the BBS in the Global and Taiwan versions. MONSTERS : Killing monsters gives a player experience, mesos, items, or nothing at all. Any experience gained is automatically added to the player’s total experience, whereas the mesos and items are dropped at the location of the monsters' death; in order to obtain the mesos and items, the player is required to pick them up. Like human-controlled characters, monsters have defense ratings against attacks. In addition, some monsters have elemental strengths and weaknesses, which make them more or less susceptible to specific elemental attacks. Nearly all monsters can damage the player simply through contact. Some monsters can use skills Similar To The Player's . There are several Boss Monsters which can be found throughout the MapleStory world. Each boss is located at their respective map and do not appear at other maps beyond their bounds. Most boss monsters have special privileges such as high attack and HP, summoning abilities, and dispelling abilities. Spoils from bosses are also typically dominant over other similar items in the boss' level group. Bosses spawn less frequently than normal monsters. Monsters and boss monsters can also be summoned by monster bags which some monsters drop or by certain quests. QUESTS : Quests are varying tasks that players may perform for NPCs in return for experience and possible rewards. There are over a hundred available quests,9 each with varying prerequisites; most quests may require the player to have attained a certain level or to have completed another certain quest. Most available quests require the player to retrieve a certain amount of spoils attained from monsters or to traverse an obstacle course. Some quests can be repeated, although the reward(s) and given EXP may be different from those attained during their first completion. Accompaniments/Party Quests Although not listed as a quest, accompaniments are a special type of quest where a party of players must work together to complete several challenges. Although officially called "Accompaniments", they are commonly referred to as "Party Quests" or "PQs" interchangeably. Most of the seven PQs have their own level limits that every character in the party must be within to enter the quest. Guild Quests This is very similar to party quests. All participants must be within the same guild. This quest requires jumping skills, party skills, solving puzzles, and teamwork. Jump quests Jump Quests are a unique type of quest in which a character starts at one area of a map and uses timed jumps to get from one to another specific platform. The player attempts to avoid enemies and obstacles that can knock them off the platform. Enemies in the special jump quest areas are invincible (level 200) and often have different attacking power than the normal versions of these monsters. Jump quests typically require precise timing, and the reaped rewards are re-attainable. Mobility skills are disabled in Jump Quests, as are speed and jump boosts. WORLD : There are three main continents (Maple Island, Victoria Island, and Ossyria) common to all versions in the MapleStory world. Maple Island is where every new player begins the game, and has short, tutorial quests. When a player leaves the island, they are unable to return to it (except in ChinaMS). Victoria Island has six towns: Lith Harbor, Henesys, Ellinia, Perion, Kerning City, and Sleepywood. From Lith Harbor, one can travel to Florina Beach. From Henesys, you can access the town of Amoria. From Ellinia, one may take a flying ship to Ossyria. Ossyria has six regions: El Nath Mts., Ludus Lake, Aqua Road, Minar Forest, Mu Lung Garden, and Nihal Desert, with eleven towns: Orbis, El Nath, Aquarium, Ludibrium Castle, Omega Sector, Korean Folk Town, Leafre, Mu Lung, Herb Town, Ariant, and Magatia. Players first arrive in Ossyria at Orbis in the El Nath Mts. region. From Orbis, players can reach El Nath and the Aqua Road region by descending the Orbis Tower. A flying train from Orbis station can transport players to the Ludus Lake region, which is separated from mainland Ossyria through an ocean. Omega Sector can be reached by descending Eos Tower in the west side of Ludibrium Castle. Korean Folk Town can be reached by descending Helios Tower on Ludibrium Castle's east side, or by traveling to the eastern end of Aqua Road. Orbis station also provides rides from a giant blue bird transporting players to the Minar Forest region. A giant Crane transporting players from Orbis station to the Mu Lung Garden region. Mu Lung Garden can also be reached via a Dolphin Taxi NPC in Aquarium that transports players to Herb Town. A giant Genie can also transport players from Orbis station to the Nihal Desert region. World Tour regions can be reached by talking to Spinel the World Tour Guide NPC, located in almost every town in Victoria and Ossyria. The world tour consists of additional continents that are based off of real life countries. There are currently four world tour continents: , Night Market , Taipei 101 , Floating Market , and Golden Temple. The newest area, Singapore, has been released on MapleSEA, with two new towns: CBD (Central Business District) and Boat Quay Town. Currently, there are no regional maps for any of the world tour continents. Masteria is a new continent currently only available in GlobalMS. It is believed to be off the coast of Victoria Island, though there are currently no world maps or regional maps to show this. Currently there is only one town located on this continent: New Leaf City. There are also two marriage areas called ''Peach Blossom Island'' and ''Amoria'', each available in various versions. ''Happyville'' and ''Shalom Temple'' are event towns, and have limited availability, only accessible during a certain period in Winter. ''Premium Road'' is accessible only if the player is connected to the game from an Internet Cafe that has contracts with its local MapleStory version. ''Coke Town'' is a town with a Coca-Cola theme, only available in KoreaMS. These continents are not shown in any official MapleStory maps. ITEMS Items can be acquired from monster drops, purchased from other characters or shops, or obtained as rewards for completing a quest. In some versions of the game, items can be acquired through cash with the Gachapon system. Players buy Gachapon tickets with cash and each of these tickets can be exchanged for a random item. Unnecessary items can be dropped (where they can be picked up by any other character), sold to any shop for a sum of mesos, or sold/traded to other characters. Generally, the stronger the monsters are, the better the items they drop. Due to the time required to sell valuable items to other players as well as the quantity of items received, many players create a Mule account to store excess items and act as a dedicated trading account. MapleStory has a Virtual Tax system. Inventory There are five different item categories in the game: Equipment (clothes, accessories, and weapons); Use (potions, scrolls and other consumables); Set-up (decorations); Etc. (monster drops, ores, and quest items); and Cash (items bought from the cash shop). In the inventory window, each category has its own section, each of which is only able to contain a limited amount of items; however, extra inventory space can be purchased in the Cash Shop. Extra inventory space is also awarded after certain job advancements. Equipment can be upgraded by using item upgrade scrolls that give stat bonuses to equipment. Using a scroll on an item can only be attempted a limited number of times irrespective of the scroll's success or failure. The number of attempts varying with the item type. Scrolls have a certain percentage of success, and the lower the success percentage, the higher the stat gains provided by the scrolls. Scrolls can only be used when you have equipped the item that you wish to upgrade, but in KoreanMS, MapleSEA, and JapanMS, there is a new beginner skill that allows you to scroll an item without the need of equipping it. Cash Shop Since MapleStory is free, the developers of MapleStory introduced the Cash Shop to generate revenue. This is a virtual shop where players can buy items using real money, so called microtransactions. The items sold in the Cash Shop include clothing items, appearance-changing coupons, pets, and usable items that provide special bonuses, such as a bonus in experience gain.10 Most Cash Shop items expire after a certain period of time. Pets, modeled after animals such as monkeys, dogs, cats, bunnies, pandas, and pigs, follow the owner around and can be equipped to pick up spoils dropped by enemies.11 In MapleSEA, in addition to Credit Card payment (through PayPal ), it has also released Prepaid cards.12 As for GlobalMS, Prepaid cash-value cards, or "Nexon Cards", are now released.13 The Nexon prepaid cash cards are currently available in all U.S.A. Target stores. They are in the Music Card Section.Statement by in game NPC They recently began selling in 7-11 Convenience Stores in Hawaii . In the patch before their release, an event quest named "Spot On" was added to introduce the partnership. Completing the quest involves talking to two NPCs who give information about the sale of cash cards. This quest has since been discontinued. Trading mesos for cash shop items is against the terms and conditions, and those who were caught doing so are given temporary or permanent Bans . As a result, the ability to gift someone Cash Shop items has been permanently disabled. Free Market The Free Market is a place set aside for people who wish to sell their items amongst other players. Miniature shops can be set up in this area in which people can browse their stock. Shop permits, required to set up a shop, are only available through the Cash Shop. There are two types of store permits: a standard store, which requires the presence of the player, and the mushroom house which does not require the presence of the player but requires additional cash shop money to use this feature. The mushroom house store is only available in time periods of 24 hours or one week. Conversely, the standard store lasts ninety days but only works with the presence of the user. One can meet with players located in other towns, provided the town contains a Free Market entrance. However, one cannot use the free market to travel between towns. There are entrances to the Free Market in many of the various towns, but not all. In MapleStory Global, a storage keeper named Scrooge was available in Free Market Entrance, making it much more convenient (albeit more expensive) for players to access their mesos and items, but after the release of Maple T.V., Game Developers chose to put it where Scrooge was previously standing. UNIQUE GAMEPLAY FEATURES Although a purely two-dimensional game lacking certain features found in other MMORPGs , MapleStory has features that distinguish it from other online games. For example, by pressing certain keys, a player can have their character temporarily display various emotions viewable by other players; some emotions showcase a confused expression, while another conveys happiness. Additional expressions can be purchased in the Cash Shop. Fame Fame is the designation for one of the statistics on a character's character sheet. Although publicized by the game's creators, fame serves little practical purpose besides fulfilling quest and some level 40 and above equip requirements. Once characters are at the minimum requirement of level 15, they are able to raise or lower the fame of any character once per day. A character cannot raise or lower the same character's fame more than once every thirty days. Some quests may award a player fame points and some may take them away too. Maximum fame allowed in the game is 30,000.http://www.maplesea.com/ranking/ranking_fame.aspx MapleSEA fame ranking table. Retrieved on August 8, 2007. Minigames : There are various Minigame s that one can play, both solo and multi-player: ''Omok'', ''Match Cards'', ''Pachinko'', ''Gachapon'', ''Rock Paper Scissors'', and ''Fishing System''.
Marriage Players may participate in in game Marriages . Weddings occur at one of two special areas, based on the version played. Guests may be invited to the wedding, and the marrying couple will receive Wedding Rings . The traditional Chinese marriage system that takes place at ''Peach Blossom Island'' is only available in ChinaMS, TaiwanMS, and MapleSEA. In order for the couple to enter the ceremony hall, players will need to don Western- or Chinese-style wedding outfits and a special ring purchased from the Cash Shop. After the ceremony, both players will receive a Diamond Ring as proof of the marriage. Starting September and October 2007, MapleSEA and TaiwanMS will retire Peach Blossom Island respectively and will implement the Amoria marriage system. ''Amoria'' is a town where marriage-based activities occur. A marriage system based on western culture is available in ThailandMS16, KoreaMS17, and GlobalMS. It requires the completion of various quests, including receiving an engagement ring and the blessing of the parents (Cathedral weddings require blessings). Unlike other versions, players may attempt to make a variety of rings. Each of these rings carries various bonuses. If you buy a premium wedding ticket from the Cash Shop , you will be able to have a party after the ceremony. In Amoria Dungeon, players can fight exclusive monsters. Currently, the monsters found there include the Orange Mushroom, Blue Snail, Slime, and exclusive to these maps, the Sakura Cellion, Crystal Boar (GMS), and Indigo Eye (GMS). The KoreaMS version of Amoria has been altered to remove the training grounds and the Chapel area, leaving only the Cathedral. Events On certain days, the Game Masters (also known as GMs) host special events in which any player is capable of participating, given their character is at a given map during the event time. All participants receive a trophy, and winners receive a random prize. Users are notified of an upcoming event by a scrolling box at the top of the game screen. Events are known to bring an influx of players to the event's respective locations, which generally causes massive connection lag and sometimes even disconnections.18 Special events include Christmas tree events, wedding events, drawing events, and quest events; for example, players might be required to find an item and return it to the event quest NPC or GM. Occasionally, certain versions of the game hold events that celebrate a certain event in real-life or an event specific to that version, such as a holiday or new server release.19 During these events, certain aspects of the game are modified in celebration; for example, the experience rate or drop rate may be increased, or special items may be released. Rankings Ranking feature is available in certain versions of MapleStory. It keeps track of players that are performing well in the these divided categories: total ranking, job ranking, world ranking and fame ranking. Ranking feature is available in the KoreaMS , Korean test serverMS , JapanMS , ThailandMS , MapleSEA , GlobalMS , and EuropeMS . VERSIONS AND REGISTRATION StrategyWiki has more information about the content differences between versions at . The Korean version was the first to be created, ergo it has the most features as of yet;20. Other versions are at different stages of development and most are not as advanced in content as Korea's. With this advantage comes the problem of players (mainly from the Global version, but some from others) trying to play KoreaMS. These players are often referred to as ''이주자'', or "immigrants" by a majority of the Korean MapleStory players. These "immigrants" are the reason why a Korean Social Security Number is required to play. IP Blocking is used in some of the other versions of the game, mostly for the same reason. Some attempt to bypass this by using Proxies, which spoof IP Address es to make it seem like a player is playing from a different country - however in Europe MapleStory a GameGuard proxy check has been implemented. This is also because foreign text in the Latin Character-Based Global version causes glitches to occur. This is the same for Koreans in the Chinese version, and so on.21 Though some versions share the same world names, they are different and independent of each other. They are defined by their language used, publisher, server location and specialized worlds. REVENUE AND GAME POPULATION As of February 2006, Wizet has generated 200 million USD from the game service in South Korea. Wizet received 110 million USD for licensing the games to other parts of the world. Game Population (as of February 2006):
The statistics did not take into factor that players can have multiple accounts. It assumes that each player only has one account. Therefore, actual number of players are less than the announced statistics. CRITICAL RECEPTION See Also: Cheating in online games See Also: Grind (gaming) In a brief review of the game, IGN praised the game's accessibility and colorful art direction, while questioning the game's slow pace.IGN review of MapleStory In an investigation conducted by Fox News , MapleStory is known to be a game where players can potentially steal their parent's PayPal or Credit Card accounts to purchase Nexon Cash for use in the cash shop. 24 However, this notion is not entirely precise, as theft could occur in any game that involves a Pay To Play feature to grant access to the game, or receive extra features or gameplay. ANIME An anime based on this game will be airing on TV Tokyo in October 07, 2007.25 SEE ALSO REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS Official game websites
Informational fansites ;English language
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