Area that was biggest waste?

you can't un-explore a game you've been playing for almost 10 years

I think you missed the concept there.
Do I really need to lay out the difference between the streamlined, EXP focused crap they have been throwing at us for many years now and what Maple tended to offer, or at least had the ambition to offer, prior to that?

Also, the adventuring aspect worked for years, so there was plenty of time to loose the new and shiny feel.