General

Main Changes since Shade?

Hey,
I haven't played maplestory since the Shade release, and I was wondering if any major changes occurred since them.
Like fm prices, playerbase, what's spell traces and this star thing I heard?
Apparently it's less pay2win now, how's that?
(oh and what's the best way of obtaining cubes- without nexon).

Thanks

(Edit: Is there new best places to train? ie for the firepower event, 1-100)