General

How To Balance The Gap Between Godly and Average Maplers

I know this has been a overbeaten issue, but I just wanted to add my two cents on the whole thing. There are many users who want to lessen the gap between the godly players who spend money on the game, and are pushing more towards a solo-oriented game, and the lower players who have a tough time catching up. It's a issue that will NEVER truly disappear, but could possibly get eased over time. I'm also interested into seeing what you guys thing, so I'll attach a poll to this thread.

Let's reference this patch that KMS received: [url=http://orangemushroom.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/kms-ver-1-2-179-maplestory-unlimited-system-reorganizations/]Unlimited[/url]. As many people know Unlimited is the KMS version of our Unleashed, and let's not belabor a topic that has been abused to the end of time, so let's just get into the bulk of it.

One of the first things that was mentioned in this patch note list was the increased drop rate. From the notes:

"First up are all the item reorganizations. The drop rate of all equipment has been increased from 5 to 10 times its regular rate, permanently! In addition, dropped equipment now has a greater chance to be a rank higher than Rare~

The price of equipment in shops as well as the price to repair durability have been decreased."

This was an option that was left out from our patch due to a general complaint consensus from the community at the Nexon Forums. Now this isn't necessarily needed, and this isn't the answer to our problems, but adding this to our localization would definitely help the lower players gain an advantage and lessen this gap in between the player-base. It would give characters who don't have shops an ability to get the equipment they need even if they don't have the money for it. Now, from speculation, and someone can comment on this who they see fit, and I do want an answer to this so IN BOLD:[b]While training at Ellin Academy, I notice I get many more equipment drops than usual. Is this because we received the new monster files, and their loot tables are made for better odds based on KMS' system? All speculation![/b]

Lastly, of course this has been overbeaten as well, but let's take a second to look back at additional options that GMS also didn't receive due to community complaints. Let's take a look at additional options:

"Items have become more powerful! Equipment from drops, blacksmithing, and shops will have a chance to come with Additional Options! These additional stats will appear as orange text beside the regular stats of the item (Note: this means that Additional Options, above average stats, and scrolled stats will all be combined into one number).

You can receive 1 to 4 Options per item and there are five ranks of Additional Options, each with better stats. Certain boss items will always receive 4 Options, and have a greater chance of getting higher ranked stats. Items that drop may also vary in required level."

Additional options give items that drop, with this increased drop rate as well, the chances of having better stats, or not! This random set goes right along with Maple's current scheme, but also this system gave items a higher chance of being hidden potential, and even a better chance at being a decent tier potential. This system would help players who grind all day, and can't quite boss yet regularly, have a chance at running a boss to then in turn upgrade their equipment. It still allows the players who buy equipment to purchase what they want, and then allows the players who grind all day long to have some benefit without having to merchant chairs to start out.

Just my two cents, I'm open for all ideas and speculation, as well as any flames. I just want to know what the community thinks. I'm still a little surprised we didn't get either of these systems.