31/1 - Characters' max level is increased to 250!

And people still call it a game.

I'm starting to think it's not the game what's wrong, but the people. I'm not overpowered, I never spent a cent on this game, and know what's weird? I still have fun playing it.

Why would you regret the first thing if it lead to the 2nd? Imagine if you didnt do the first one, you life could a lot different than it is now, would you want that?

If you were seriously playing this much, then you have some serious problems you need to set straight. This game is not worth your physical health, your life. This is exactly the same way people end up dying in internet cafes. The only 'wake up call' this post gave me was just how much of a 'wake up call' the pre-bb level 200s needed. (The ones that pulled this crap, in any case). There's no reason to play a game that much on a daily basis. Absolutely no reason for it.

I think what many of you don't understand is the extremely different dynamic of the game now v. back then. While I don't condone David's (heroofstars) behavior (some of the most extreme out there, though it's not like people like myself weren't doing 12-16 hour average days for 3 months straight), I understand and respect where he's coming from (being there myself, of course) because of what the game offered back then.

 More explanation

Not just before Big Bang, but like mid-2009 and earlier, MapleStory didn't have much. I mean, it had a fair amount to captivate many people, but that was nothing compared to some of the really great changes and additions that came with Big Bang and in patches since. Because some of the biggest things to do in the game was boss, and back then you actually needed to be a pretty high level to join a squad for anything, people grinded and made goals to hit certain levels to participate in various runs. By setting a goal, putting in the work, and reaching it, people found satisfaction in leveling that not only isn't here today, but also led to other neat elements: meeting like-minded, hardcore gamers (like David), racing one another with levels, and accomplishing feats no one else could because no one else wanted to dedicate themselves.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is the underlying difference between the game now v. then is the degree of dedication. Casual gamers didn't go far and eventually quit MapleStory back then because to do anything required time, effort, setting goals, and dedication to achieving them. But because a company needs to expand, and because of the massive rise in casual gaming since then thanks to the iPhone and other mobile devices, it only makes sense that they've streamlined the game now so everyone can do anything with minimal effort and funds. Hence why all of the casual gamers are now back playing MapleStory and saying they're "still having fun with it."

Well duh you're "having fun" if you only want to play for a few hours a day and in a few weeks have a Lv. 200 capable of soloing Zakum. If you got a free permanent Hyper Teleport Rock and can warp around the entire world, wherever you want, whenever (in a world, mind you, that has been incredibly redesigned and streamlined so travel is even faster than before, without such special devices). If you get free pomegranate all the time and great equips drop from anything and it's easy for anyone with no funds to even get enough potential to be hitting multi-hundred thousand damage hits.

Dedication is no longer an essential element in this game because Nexon has transformed MapleStory into the only thing Americans want: entertainment with instant gratification.

So to echo David, yes, it's incredibly frustrating to see our hard work become something meaningless, and now wiped away before our eyes, because even if we went to unhealthy extremes at times to achieve what we did, at least we did it, at least we proved our patience and our worth with the records we set. The reward was delayed until we put in the time and hard work, but once we accomplished it the result actually meant something. What does literally anything you do in this game matter anymore? Who cares how many times you solo HT? Anyone can solo HT. Bitches in KMS are OHKOing HT. When people can do anything in this game with the single press of a button, why does any of it matter anymore?

In the end, I recognize the importance of increasing the level cap now, of giving new and current players a chance at the top when, like many have aptly noted, the top ranks are filled with many of us retired players. But honestly I pity you, to spend the extra day or two or *gasp* seven it may take to do 200-250, because with such minimal relative effort needed to do that compared to what we did, it's simply meaningless. At least our accomplishments still have recorded merit, if only in our memories and posts.