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This page is about the original game for Windows. For the Nintendo DS game based on the original, see MapleStory DS. For the anime, see MapleStory (anime).
MapleStory
The current logo of MapleStory.
Developer(s)Wizet
Publisher(s)Nexon South Korea, Japan, North America, EU
Shanda China
AsiaSoft Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand
Gamania Taiwan, Hong Kong
Level Up! Games Brazil
Platform(s)Windows (98/ME/2K/XP/Vista/7)
Release
  • KOR: April 29, 2003
Genre(s)Fantasy, Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Mode(s)MMO

MapleStory (Korean: 메이플스토리) is a free-to-play, 2D, side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by the South Korean company Wizet. Several versions of the game are available for specific countries or regions, and each is published by various companies such as Nexon. Although playing the game is free, some character appearances and gameplay enhancements can be purchased from the "Cash Shop" using real money.

In the game, players travel the "Maple World", defeating monsters and developing their characters' skills and abilities as is typical in role-playing games. Players can interact with others in many ways, such as through chatting, trading, and playing minigames. Groups of players can band together in parties to hunt monsters and share the rewards and can also collaborate together forming guilds to interact more easily with each other.

In July 2010, the Korean version of the game was completely revised in a patch named the "Big Bang". Other versions followed suit and on December 2010, the Global version received the update. Later in the year, the Korean version received the Chaos update which balances the classes again. And in May 2011, the Korean version received the Jump update which balances the classes again.

Plot

Player's assume the roles of citizens in the Maple World with no specific objective to win the game and work on improving their characters' skill and status over time. The antagonist of the game, the Black Mage, was sealed away years ago by five heroes.[1][2] Fearing his resurrection, Empress Cygnus enlisted the Maple World to join her cause in preventing his evil from returning.[3] However, they failed and the Black Wings resurrected the Black Mage resulting in a cataclysm known as the Big Bang.[4]

Gameplay

MapleStory is a 2D scrolling platform game.[5] The controls for the game are executed using the keyboard and mouse. The keyboard is used for many game functions, and much of it can be rearranged to suit users' needs. The mouse is mainly used to trigger Non-player characters and manipulate items. Like most MMORPGs, 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 points, and various items.[5]

Players have a variety of options when interacting with others online: They can form parties where loot and experience are distributed from a monster;[6] in-game marriages where the game will recognize the two players as a heterosexual couple;[7] guilds which is indicated with a guild's name listed under their character name;[8] or families, a architecture gathering of juniors and seniors.[9] Players are also able to raise or lower the in-game popularity stat entitled Fame of other players and compete with other players in minigames such as Gomoku or Concentration.[10]

Characters

File:Maplestory character creation screen.png
The character creation screen of Global Maplestory v97

MapleStory characters exist in worlds or servers. Players are able to create multiple characters in each world through the characters in different worlds can not interact with each other.[citation needed] Each world is similar in content with each other and are divided into channels, among which characters are allowed to freely switch. The ability to transfer entire characters between worlds was added in December 2007 to Global Maplestory with restrictions placed on items.[citation needed]

When creating a new character, there are four branches of classes currently available: Explorers, Cygnus Knights, Heros, and Resistance. Some classes are currently not available in other versions.

Explorer characters start on Maple Island and begin as a Beginner class.[11] When reaching level 10, 8 for Magicians, the Beginner is able to advance into one of the five classes: Warrior, Bowmen, Magician, Thief, and Pirate.[12] After choosing their class, further class progression is only allowed within the scope of the first class advancement with advancements at level 30, 70, and 120. A class advancement called "Dual Blade" is available for the Thief class at level 20, allowing them to wield a second blade with different class advancements.[13]

Cygnus Knight characters begin as Noblesse class and begin their journey on Ereve.[14] At level 10, they are allowed to class advance into five Cygnus Knight classes, each one parallels to the Explorer class.[15]

Two Hero classes are currently available, Aran and Evan. The Legend classes are characters with background stories related to the antagonist of the game, the Black Mage. Arans have the Combo System, a unique feature to the class, allowing them to generate combo counts by hitting monsters giving them buffs and allowing them to cast combo-consuming skills.[1] Evans are similar to Magicians but use a dragon which fights on their behalf.[16]

Resistance characters begin in Edelstein, a town taken over by the Black Mage's followers. The characters created under the Resistance branch begin as Citizens and have three available job advancements: Battle Mage, Wild Hunter, and Mechanic. A Battle Mage uses a staff for physical attacks, a Wild Hunter rides a jaguar while wielding a crossbow, and a Mechanic uses a robotic suit to fight.[17]

World

File:MapleStory world map.png
The overall map of the Maple World

There are three main continents common to all versions in the MapleStory world: Maple Island, Victoria Island and Ossyria. Maple Island is where adventurers start off their characters. Victoria Island contains eight cities, and is where most classes begin. Ossyria seven distinct regions with varying environments: El Nath Mountains, Ludus Lake, Aqua Road, Minar Forest, Mu Lung Garden, Nihal Desert and Temple of Time. Ereb and Rien are separated from another land which is the beginning of another job of the game. The World Tour regions contain in-game versions of real life locations such as Zipangu, Singapore, Malaysia.[citation needed]

Cash Shop

The Cash Shop is an in game shop where players use real-life currency to purchase unique virtual goods such as avatars, digital pets, and other in-game items.[18] Most Cash Shop items expire after a period of time. The Cash Shop also offers a shop permit, allowing players to set up an store in the in-game market location called the Free Market.

History

MapleStory was developed and released in South Korea and was localized to ten different regions as of 2010.[19] As other publishers license the game for their region, proxy blocks are put in place, forcing players to play their localized version.[20]

Revamps

The first revamp is entitled Big Bang and was released in Korean Maplestory in July 2010 with other versions following suit.[citation needed] Big Bang changed the games core coding and featured balancing changes to the classes.[21] The second revamp, entitled Chaos, features a second rebalance to the classes, professions, and Player versus player.[22] The third revamp, Jump!, features a rebalance to the Warrior, Magician and Archer classes and was brought to Korean Maplestory in spring 2011.[23]

Media adaptions

MapleStory DS is a game based off of Maplestory and features a single player experience. The game was was released on April 15, 2010 in Korea.[citation needed]

The Japanese anime, entitled Maplestory (メイプルストーリー, Meipuru Sutōrī), was adapted of the game and produced by Madhouse Studios. It was aired on TV Tokyo between October 7, 2007 and March 30, 2008, spanning 25 episodes. The plot revolves around a warrior as he journeys to revive the world tree.

The North American publisher, Nexon released its a trading card game on November 6, 2007.[24] Nexon Korea and Japan have since released similar Trading Card Games while Nexon North America has discontinued this service.[citation needed]

Reception

In 2006, Wizet revealed they earned over US$ 300 million from Maplestory.[citation needed] In Global MapleStory (GMS), more than a million players have bought items in the cash shop.[25] MapleStory has a combined total of over 100 million subscribers worldwide.[26] Maplestory Global has over 8 million users as of 2011.[27]

References

  1. ^ a b "Aran". Nexon America. March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Prophecy of the Black Mage". Nexon America. November 19, 2010. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  3. ^ "Nexon America Releases New MapleStory Update Featuring the Cygnus Knights". IGN. July 30, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  4. ^ "Big Bang: Rise of the Resistance". Nexon America. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Maplestory characteristics". Nexon America. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  6. ^ "Maplestory Party". Nexon America. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "Maplestory Marriage". Nexon America. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  8. ^ "Maplestory Guild". Nexon America. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  9. ^ "Maplestory Family". Nexon America. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  10. ^ "Maplestory Minigames". Nexon America. April 8, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  11. ^ "Explorer: Beginner". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  12. ^ "Explorer: Warrior". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Explorer: Thief". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Explorer: Magician". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Explorer: Bowman". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Explorer: Pirate". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

  13. ^ "Dual Blade". Nexon America. April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  14. ^ "Cygnus Knights: Noblesse". Nexon America. June 28, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  15. ^ "Cygnus Knights: Dawn Warrior". Nexon America. March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Cygnus Knights: Night Walker". Nexon America. March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Cygnus Knights: Wind Archer". Nexon America. March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Cygnus Knights: Blaze Wizard". Nexon America. March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Cygnus Knights: Thunder Breaker". Nexon America. March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

  16. ^ "Evan". Nexon America. April 8, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  17. ^ "Resistance: Wild Hunter". Nexon America. July 4, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

    "Resistance: Battle Mage". Nexon America. July 4, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.

  18. ^ "Cash Shop features". Nexon America. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  19. ^ Eurydice (September 10, 2010). "Dev Blog: Localization". Nexon America. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  20. ^ "FAQ: General - Why is my country blocked from MapleGlobal?". Nexon America. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  21. ^ Eurydice (November 15, 2010). "Dev Blog: Big Bang". Nexon America. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  22. ^ Eurydice (March 25, 2011). "Dev Blogs". Nexon America. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  23. ^ "Jump! Update dates" (in Korean). Nexon Korea Corporation. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  24. ^ "MapleStory iTrading Card Game". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
  25. ^ "Celebrate One Million!". Nexon America. December 17, 2010. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  26. ^ Jun Sok Huhh (April 21, 2006). "Some Facts on Maplestory". Gamestudy.Org. Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  27. ^ "MapleStory Tops Eight Million Users Six Years". Gamer Daily News. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
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