ProjectOMS

The old pre-BB maple was a terrible game compared to what it is now. It was a treadmill-grindfest of a game with an terrible high level community with much content out of reach of the casual player. The UI was terrible and outdated, the economy was dull and no better back then, hacking was worse, training was worse, classes were worse and badly designed, and accessibility was a huge problem for many classes than weren't sins or mages (I hated accuracy so much as a spearman and I hated Gobis as a Bandit). When 4th job came, mage ultis were the most unfair training tool in the game.

In my opinion, the only reason people ever remembered it so fondly (other than the social aspect) was because Nexon's business model wasn't so completely exploitative. The moment potential released was the moment Nexon had compromised its integrity of the game we played.

The novelty of it is alluring but that's all it is. To make a game people want to come back to, novelty can't be the only thing there. The sheer fact that Nexon is still standing by their game after all these years and creating newer and newer content (subjective) is what makes many people stay despite their monetized-powercreep business model, and there would be no way anyone would still be here if the game hadn't budged from 4th job/Leafre.

I liked repeatedly doing PQs all day long. I liked huge maps with lovely platformer terrain that I'd just wander around in just for the sake of wandering. I liked chatting with people while riding on ships. Because of the scarcity of equipment drops I actually valued my equips and felt a connection to them. Every class, every job had its specific purpose. Thieves were wanted for their haste. Dark sight was needed in certain PQs. A mage's teleport was needed in certain PQs. The mages skills Seal and Slow were very useful and often needed. Warriors were wanted to their Rage, or Hyper Body, or just their strength period. Bowmen attacked from safe distances and weren't too shabby at mobbing.
What was this "much content out of reach of the casual player" anyway? I am having trouble recalling that.