The fatal flaw with the current business model.

So did you pay for those things or did you work up 80m:1k nx ratio to pay for everything. Or did you just buy the permanent?

I bought it with NX. I don't do the whole buying nx with meso thing.

So what you call "NX dependency" is a "high learning curve", then try to compare it to something like Dota? Maplestory has no learning curve. You play the game how it's supposed to be played, you either break bank, or struggle for years. Dota actually requires strategic thinking, reflexes, and all sorts of skills. I'm not familiar on how it entirely functions, but I believe the only thing really purchaseable are champions. You can literally buy your way through any challenge in maplestory. Boss kills you to fast? Wheels? Can't buff fast enough? Pet buff? Can't be bothered to potion, auto HP, auto loot, hell there was some auto buff thing that made you unable to die. The sad part is, for the most part, these "chaos" variant bosses require it as they have some sort of 1HKO, where the frames can glitch up and even though you jumped through the necessary hoops yous till die. Your comparisons have absolutely no credibility at all.

It does have a learning curve because there are things about the game that make it easier that isn't just known off the bat. Which means there is knowledge available through different means that can help make things easier, hence there is stuff to learn and also they reason why they are so many guides, so yes there is a learning curve and the game gets easier the more you know. They never promised being able to play everything or even 10% of the things in the game, once you can access it and get to try classes or anything else for that matter it's still free to play. It's a game designed to make money, they are not giving away their game for free, they would make no money and it's soley exists to make money, you fail to understand this simple concept. They don't owe us anything and while i'm at it they don't have to let us even get to 3rd job for free . Focus on that concept for a while before you post more self-entitled BS. The whole point of any game endeavour is to what? make money, now looking at games titles that are released to play you have to pay to even play it, unless you go by a friend who has already purchased it and play it on his system. I remember other MMOs as well like last chaos and perfect world to name a few that i tried where it was just as much mindless grinding and the people who payed got huge advantages. Think of maplestory as a consumable that you are able to at least try a bit before you start paying for the real experience of what it has to offer, whether that total experience is worth it at all is a different story, but the fact remains we aren't entitled to play their entire game and all it's benefits without paying what they demand for that experience. It's a simple product that has to be bought. I don't get how that's complicated, if you don't want to pay for anything then keep your mouth shut with what you can accomplish *faceplam*. And if you do want to pay for the advantages know what you are getting into because clearly things aren't changing.

Again...your entire comparison is so off it's not even funny. The first weeks of maplestory are great, you get free stuff majority of the time, almost everything you get is beneficial to you, no mastery books, little to no conflict (save for class releases), it's how it should be played to be honest. You can play maplestory for years, but your dependency on NX is never going to suddenly vanish. You're never going to turn around a profit to get the range required to fight bosses which in fact do, although small, turn over a profit.

It's never about inexperience, it isn't about understanding the concepts of the game, when it get's down to it, there is no genuine free oppurtunity that is proportional to the amount of nx you would have to spend. You aren't a more "skilled" player simply because you don't buy nx, that doesn't make any sense. I could throw 1.5 grand on the game, still know as much as you, accomplish more than you, while you take what I would consider baby steps.

Now you are making this easy for me lol, as you are saying above you get quite alot for free, that's good enough, as i said it's a product that has to be bought, whether it's proportional or not is up for them to decide, it's not your game or your product, they are offering and we are choosing to accept, what is so complicated about that. If you want something different go play a PS.

TIL Las Vegas is a nation. It's not about having a sudden epiphany that "hey my money isn't worth it", but the fact the option is there is ludicrous. You can default to this "It's their choice" but we're not talking about choices, we're not talking about masochist addicts, we're talking about how nexon's business model can be improved on. Nexon cannot rely on these top 15% to spend on cubes all the time, because these high spenders are getting fed up. They are getting banned(justly mind you) and they are quitting because it's too much. What we are seeing is a static population of the same 50 or so people playing the game like a day job. They grow out of it, better games come up, or life just beats them out. With the current business model, that caters to these high spenders, who have been dedicated for years, all because it's become their comfort zone, is going to bite their ass in the long run.

Nexon has no forsight, there is plenty of room for oppurtunity in this game, and they are focusing on tomorrow instead of next year. If they focused on an easier transition to an nx user, in fact, do as private servers do, and indulge free users, then we'd see a bigger community. There is a proportion in games like these, and Nexon DESTROYED IT after these frekin cubes came out. Perfect gear became a standard, cubing it to legendary with 3 lines that have some sort of benefit, is now a standard. These weapons costs several hundred dollars to make, only to be replaced with the next "tier" of equipment. Those are ridiculous extremes and are not acceptable.

Lol now i'm just finding this hilarious, what don't you understand by it's their model and they can do what they want, you really think they don't know they have an option to try to save the game for longterm if it is indeed going downhill? Who says they don't want to just drain as much as they can out of this cash cow before it goes down the drain? What are you assuming is that nexon as a company has no idea what they are doing and they are just sitting at the desk going "grrr money now more money now" without thinking of the consequences. You really can't be that naive, all of that talk is irrelevant because it's a company that is making quite alot of cash, which by default means they have a good business sense to get this far and last this long. You really gonna try to convince people that they have no clue what the consequences are? People get degress in business just for this purpose alone lol, you really think a company like this can't simply hire people (if they haven't done so or have people working there already on this aspect) working on business models and projections? Now your just being a bit naive. And if they do as you say have no foresight, then out of respect for all the dedicated maplers out there like me and you who come up with solutions you think they aren't aware? or at least some part of their staff know exactly what players are suggesting they do to improve the company? Come on man nexon isn't sitting in some throne in the clouds unaware of what is going on or who is suggesting what, only plausible thing that can be inferred is that they don't give a s*** or prefers their way instead. Which goes back to what i was saying before, know what your getting into and decide if you want to deal it.

Oh my god, and how old are you? "They're adults", lmfao. Their objective and their means to accomplishing it has and is slowly killing the game off. I have seen entire generations of players just dissapear and mock the previous generations for even bothering with this pit of retardation. You don't and frankly can't discredit peoples criticism based on "Their adults, they'll do what they want", that's not how the real world works. Nexon is not a charity, they are a business, they have, believe it or not, a certain amount of obligation towards their customers, which is people who use their service. This just shows how immature, naive and frankly selfish your mindset is on this. "I surivive and have fun while doing it, so everything is fine how it is".

I'm 25 actually and refer to what i said above in response to your statements.

Oh my god, do you know how to write a sentence that doesn't spam half a goddamn paragraph. I can't break this up because if I attempt to it'll just be taken out of context.

I'm not going into this philosophical 101 bull sh`it with you, a video game is to waste time as a leisurely activity, maplestory does that, for a limited amount of time. But now you have time invested, a character you like, you want to grow on this hobby, reach accomplishments, become better, it's just natural. Why must it be a decision to begin with that I have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to achieve a decent dent in the higher hierarchy of end game content? Then you allude to, working hard, which to be honest takes as much time and dedication as a second job. It then loses it's lust as a game, but the friends you make keep you there.

They should encourage players at this point of their maple life to stay, not face this wall through an ocean of time, or an ocean of money. For you to dismiss this as "Well that's their intention!", is ridiculous. The whole point of using their service, thus making us a customer, which in the end, kind of effects their IPO, is our voice on the subject. There's a tipping point in any activity you invest into, whether it be time or money, where they don't want to suddenly make all of it in vain. For you to suggest the problem is the players with no dicipline complaining, is ridiculous, especially since they are very valid complaints, with very fair solutions.

Here is an option, simply don't lol, and keep finding ways to try to insult me, your definitely going to get your point across that way. Refer to what i have said more than once that nothing is fair, this is what they are offering and if they wanted to change they would have . The moment you assume they have any obligation to satisfy you out for the sake of just doing it you are going into a pointless circle argument. They are making money, if that's their bottom line so be it. You want to change them so bad buy them out and take over as CEO. Anything is pointless because they know what we are saying and they know what we would like them to do.You do understand that part yeh? I understand what you are saying but so far they haven't given much us much evidence to say they want to do what we want them to do. So why continue to wrestle and qq and groan, say what you have to in a positive way and move on smartly.

Actually, I'm pretty well known for getting whatever I want in maplestory, I just don't indulge it anymore. What your problem is, you're looking at this as a general player basis, while the thread is about the company's strategy and how it's f`ucking over players. Your solution of "Don't like it, quit", is just obnoxious immaturity being cornered by logic. Nexon has made a few changes based on the participation of this forum alone, girasol was doing leaps and bounds before she left based on our input. So for you to suggest that criticism is simply whining and should be disregarded, is asinine.

Unlike you, I have taken initiative to make a difference, even spent about 3-4 months recording hackers and submitting them because the botting issue has gotten that bad. Nothing can be accomplished if you disregard it simply as "A choice that I have to deal with", I honestly don't think it's nexon's choice to get their database hacked, I don't think it's their choice that botters have such a benefit over normal players, and a million other examples. The only choices they made were unaware of the consequences, it's half ass'd and there are people trying to take initiative to change that. And you're dismissing those efforts as "their choice".

No actually my solution is do what you can giving the circumstances, give solutions if you think you have a better one but ultimately know what you investing into, and if it's not getting any better and really as horrible as you say it is, THEN JUST STOP PLAYING. The company's strategy grossly affects the general player base so it's quite relevant to talk about the players and how they feel about it and what they can do to cope given the circumstances. I don't report hackers when i see them? You are assuming I am doing nothing for the community and you know what they say about assuming lol. I even submit those stupid little reports that pop up when the game crashes. I haven't said anything other than: know what you are getting into, decide if you want to deal with it or not and don't peach if it bites you in the ass. Funny thing is I talk to quite alot of people with the same mindset as you and they complain and moan yet still play the game again and again, obviously either nexon is so smart on the psychological level and has made the game so addictive you can't help it, or you are just insane falling for the same crap. That is for the people who constantly complain, if that's not you then disregard.

To be quite frank I believe it's the fact you don't have much money to spend to begin with. Just to let you know time is in fact money, so you're by default wasting it by participating, you are condoning the gaps, the glitches, the vulnerability, so your choice isn't exactly that smart to begin with.

Lol one again assuming, i'm a microbiologist working a medical device production company for about 40k and saving for my tution to study dentistry. So hmm if i play the game in my leisure time after work after playing tennis, I guess i'm just wasting my time since apparently i'm not enjoying what i'm getting out of it....altho I have said I do enjoy it. Man please ofc i know time is money which is why i don't mind forking over 2k nx for a 2x card to use during 2x events when i need to, you really are a piece of work aren't you. Stop projecting.

I was giving advice to anyone out there who plans to start any endeavour, which applies quite well to maplestory, i don't mind positive criticism, but the type i'm seeing from you is just plain negative and irrelevant. I stated my opinions you responded to me, you didn't have to yet you chose to. If you don't agree then fine, but please don't try to come off as though your opinions are any more plausible and right than me by challenging everything I say.