2013-10-09, 02:21 PM
Originally? I suppose it was because one of my neighbors across the street introduced me to the game in middle school, then everyone on the whole block was playing together til 2 in the morning (beta version). I'm an only child so growing up I wouldn't really have anyone to play with. I'd kick a soccer ball against a wall, play basketball by myself, play Yu-Gi-Oh! cards against myself (don't ask). MapleStory was a dream come true as I got to hang out with a bunch of people my own age (and sometimes older), it was realistic, functioned in real time unlike console games or gameboys, and was free (for a while). The artistry and unique gameplay kept me around. Oh, and the challenges.
Now? I'm not 12/13 anymore, so the reasons are quite different. I don't play nearly as actively as I did (or as I remember playing). I was never 'addicted' like a lot of people claim to be. I knew school and other pomegranate was more important than MapleStory. In the summers I did play frequently, but that was because there was nothing to do. Now, it's just a nice escape once in a while. I get on every few days or maybe once a week - or less depending on the week. I'm almost 21 and there are a lot of things, beyond college, that I have to deal with. It's a nice escape from the fucked up world we live in. Sadly, MapleStory is mirroring the real world more than I'm sure a lot of us would like in several different, but analogous ways.
I feel everyone's frustration. There are a lot of problems that need to be solved. I get the nostalgia, in some ways. The game just doesn't have that pull that it had before. I treat it casually, and every now and then I'll find myself with a burst of interest in the game again. That usually dies when other things take precedent. That being said, playing a game like this for 8 years. Wow. I'm sure that's longer than a lot of things young people have done.
It's sad. Just looking at all the topics and the anger and dissatisfaction. It's disappointing. A lot of people can say, "It's just a game. Quit." The easy thing is to write it off and call someone stupid for caring so much about a video game. I understand. I don't quite understand why this game has impacted my life the way it has over the years. That's not to say I, or many others, are like certain fanboys/fangirls in the community (I'm sure you know who I'm talking about...just take a look on Twitter) who treat this game as their lives. That's a gross exaggeration for a lot of us. It's a hobby. Everyone needs a hobby.
I see a lot of people telling players to "just quit" and "let go." You can't tell someone how to feel or what they should do. People will quit this game, and make other decisions in their lives, when they're good and ready. I saw a post on the official GMS forums by [MENTION=12842]Aurtax[/MENTION]; which I thought was extremely honest and true on a lot of levels. Although I'm paraphrasing, he said something along the lines of "It took me five times to quit an MMO I played for a long time. Each time I quit, it got a little easier." A lot of us have quit this game for periods of time over the years. I think as time goes on, the game will either grow with us (customers/fans) or we will outgrow it. Things are obviously more complicated and there are a ton of factors at play, but I think a lot of us just aren't ready to leave this community and quit the game yet, despite its decline.
Anyway, I have absolutely no idea what the point of this rant is. Why we play MapleStory is unique to every person; there is no right or wrong answer. We can rant about why people should quit and why they shouldn't play, but hey, it's just a matter of time I guess.
Now? I'm not 12/13 anymore, so the reasons are quite different. I don't play nearly as actively as I did (or as I remember playing). I was never 'addicted' like a lot of people claim to be. I knew school and other pomegranate was more important than MapleStory. In the summers I did play frequently, but that was because there was nothing to do. Now, it's just a nice escape once in a while. I get on every few days or maybe once a week - or less depending on the week. I'm almost 21 and there are a lot of things, beyond college, that I have to deal with. It's a nice escape from the fucked up world we live in. Sadly, MapleStory is mirroring the real world more than I'm sure a lot of us would like in several different, but analogous ways.
I feel everyone's frustration. There are a lot of problems that need to be solved. I get the nostalgia, in some ways. The game just doesn't have that pull that it had before. I treat it casually, and every now and then I'll find myself with a burst of interest in the game again. That usually dies when other things take precedent. That being said, playing a game like this for 8 years. Wow. I'm sure that's longer than a lot of things young people have done.
It's sad. Just looking at all the topics and the anger and dissatisfaction. It's disappointing. A lot of people can say, "It's just a game. Quit." The easy thing is to write it off and call someone stupid for caring so much about a video game. I understand. I don't quite understand why this game has impacted my life the way it has over the years. That's not to say I, or many others, are like certain fanboys/fangirls in the community (I'm sure you know who I'm talking about...just take a look on Twitter) who treat this game as their lives. That's a gross exaggeration for a lot of us. It's a hobby. Everyone needs a hobby.
I see a lot of people telling players to "just quit" and "let go." You can't tell someone how to feel or what they should do. People will quit this game, and make other decisions in their lives, when they're good and ready. I saw a post on the official GMS forums by [MENTION=12842]Aurtax[/MENTION]; which I thought was extremely honest and true on a lot of levels. Although I'm paraphrasing, he said something along the lines of "It took me five times to quit an MMO I played for a long time. Each time I quit, it got a little easier." A lot of us have quit this game for periods of time over the years. I think as time goes on, the game will either grow with us (customers/fans) or we will outgrow it. Things are obviously more complicated and there are a ton of factors at play, but I think a lot of us just aren't ready to leave this community and quit the game yet, despite its decline.
Anyway, I have absolutely no idea what the point of this rant is. Why we play MapleStory is unique to every person; there is no right or wrong answer. We can rant about why people should quit and why they shouldn't play, but hey, it's just a matter of time I guess.