I'm not even gonna touch the apples-and-oranges comparison to the Olympics...
This is a timed event with content we are unlikely to ever see again, not permanent endgame content which, rightly, ought to be hard as hell. Most timed events in MMO's are tuned so that a majority of players are able to see at least most of the content, given enough effort. Jump quests have never been the domain of the "average" Mapler. They are meant for those handfuls of players who want to go beyond the norm and tackle something radically different from just killing mobs and running around playing FedEx. They're meant for showing off, absolutely, and I have a lot of respect for those who've grown to trivialize jump quests. But by becoming masters, you often forget where you came from, which is where the majority of this game's players are. Jump Quests got phased out of required content because they never caught on with the majority of players, only a select few who, much like real life parkour runners, dedicated themselves to making completion of these brain busters into an art form. Gating a major event, complete with limited-edition items and one of the best storylines this game has seen in quite a while, behind a niche feature that the majority does not have the skill nor the patience for is a recipe for disaster. Maybe if the Wondroids became a permanent fixture of the game could the extreme difficulty of the JQ be justified - much as I hate this implementation, I honestly think the game needs something brand new that also acts as a throw-back to the early 2000's, to help show newcomers and returning veterans like myself that Maple Story still has its roots. But as a limited event, where the stress of the time limit only further exacerbates the other issues I stated above, it is a mistake. Should the JQ be removed? Hell no, it has a great deal of potential to bring them back in a much less headache-inducing form for future content, restoring the game's platformer roots. Should it be made easier? YES. There is too much in the way of demands for precision timing and lightning reflexes, and extreme punishment of failure, that I would expect from a custom-built private server jump map, or a high-end Japanese shoot-em-up. It doesn't need to go away, in my opinion, but it needs a heavy-handed thump from the nerf bat.
I thought Maple Story had phased out Jump Quests because it was clear only a select few enjoyed them. Not only do I return after years to see a new one, but it reminds me of the custom-built nightmares I've heard exist on private servers. Yes please to a nerf. A BIG one.
