MapleStory's Chief Product Officer, Hanbyeol Oh (Inkwell), marks the game's 20th anniversary by reflecting on the past year's improvements driven by player feedback in his latest Inkwells Note. He pinpoints recent highlights that included the introduction of a long-awaited Crossover Event, the beta launch of the Steam Community Market, and the new Auto-Harvest System.
It's been a short 20 years since MapleStory hit the ground running with their 2D sidescrolling MMORPG. In the latest Inkwell's Note, the CPO expressed his gratitude for the ongoing player support the team at NEXON has seen and emphasized continued community-driven improvements.
To start, he called out a few key gameplay elements the developers have under review, including adjustments to Boss Power Crystals, with the primary driver being that they want to ensure balance and smooth gameplay integration by the summer update.
The Star Force System is also under close scrutiny, considering recent KMS changes to enhance equipment acquisition methods, especially regarding the transfer of destroyed Equipment Traces. He also touted how great the Auto Harvest system has been but that they are planning further enhancements in the summer update slated for June 11, 2025.
Finally, it wouldn't be an MMO Producers Letter without mention of Quality-of-life improvements. While there weren't a ton of specifics mentioned here, Hanbyeol Oh stated that QoL remains important, with noticeable enhancements planned by winter revolving around gameplay stability and streamlining the gameplay process.
MapleStory has been making some moves lately, especially in relation to their Steam Community Marketplace which allows players to sell some of the items they've obtained in game. While it did see some initial issues upon launch, the team is confident of its ongoing success.
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