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Closed It's about time Maplestory makes a classic server.
Nexon needs to release an official classic server. A server based on the game pre-big bang. This post will detail why it's necessary with facts more so than "nostalgic feels."
I currently don't have an effective way to measure how many people are on maple at any given point, but I assure you it's less than those on illegal classic private servers.
Before I go any further I want to say I am not endorsing, promoting, or encouraging anyone to use those-- in fact I'm trying to offer a solution to this issue.
I know private server discussion is against the rules but I feel like in this context it is NECESSARY to discuss.
The best estimate I have seen on how many people are on GMS at any given time is 2,000ish players in Bera and far fewer in other servers.
Private classic servers based on Maplestory from 2005-2009 actually inform you how many people are online and the numbers range from 900 to 500 on multiple servers. Combined, that is more than official maplestory according to my admittedly funky statistics . There is clearly a demand and a need for an official pre-big bang server if the data is showing higher total playercounts than the official ones.
A very popular streamer named Shadypenguinn was recently banned on Twitch for playing a private server. To him, and many other people apparently, the newer maplestory mechanics just aren't the same as the game they initially fell in love with. People who want to play maplestory the original way are only being punished and have no legal or official alternative. Why is there no other option?
A good analogy to this is when pirating music and mp3 sharing was popular. The artists were being ripped off and couldn't even combat it. Then music streaming came along. No one pirates mp3s anymore because they actually have access to all music for almost free now. By giving an easier alternative to the illegal, you can eliminate it and give people what they want without them stealing.
The most obvious comparison I can draw is when Runescape had evolved very much like Maplestory did, and a large portion of the playerbase played on illegal private servers or didn't play at all. The company who owns runescape then released 2007scape, a classic server of the game for people who wanted to play it as it was originally at its prime. This made those people who had defected from normal runescape return to a safe and legal environment again.
These THOUSANDS of people who play private servers and some who still play regular GMS would clearly be enthusiastic, beneficial members of an official community again instead of criminals, pirates, or intellectual property thieves. If Nexon will just help by giving a safe alternative they can drastically combat these servers.
Now for the logistic and financial part.
It will be VERY comparable to Reboot.
Here is the income logic as to why a classic server would be viable in comparison to Reboot:
-Reboot playerbase uses cash to buy cosmetics both regularly and in RNG lootcrate style boxes.
-Classic Sever playerbase will use cash to buy cosmetics and RNG lootcrate style gachapon items.
-Nexon can support reboot with the income it brings in. Proof of this is the fact that it still exists. If it wasn't at all profitable, a huge corporation wouldn't keep it.
-Nexon therefore should also be able to support a classic server with the income it brings in assuming people will continue with spending trends.
Now here is where I talk about development of the server:
There is little to no development necessary. People want a copy+paste of v.73 or v.83 for example. Maybe change the exp curve or drop rates a little but the game is far smaller than it is now and has fewer files to deal with. And if hundreds of random folks making private servers can successfully develop classic servers, I have no doubt Nexon can. This isn't the kind of thing that will take months to create as all the work has been done already in the past. I'd say it's doable in weeks or maybe a month from whenever Nexon decides it is something to go through with.
Overall, this is very doable and could be greatly profitable. It can reform an estranged community of maplers. It can combat illegal use of Nexon's intellectual property and give people a safe and legal way to play the classic maplestory they fell in love with.
Thanks for reading and please really consider the way I used private servers as an example before banning me from the forums.
Comments
http://forums.maplestory.nexon.net/discussion/6835/code-of-conduct#latest