"Lockdown" Error Code 38 data gathering.

What I would like to know is how this connects to the error happening while trying to enter the farm on a main. Both me and my wife suffers from that, albeit she have had it for much longer.

Monster Life runs on a separate server, like a separate channel, so the whole client-connecting-to-a-channel thing happens when you go there.

Why does it happen first there, and only afterwards in cash shop and game channels? I assume it's because the monster life items are added on to your regular game items and tip you over the limit. (Why the Monster Life server would want your client to reload your game items, though, is beyond me. Probably just protocol copy-pasting from game channel.)
Similarly, cash shop has extra items to load, beyond your game items. (However, I didn't get Error 38 in cash shop when I had piles and piles of temporary gear there, the month they were giving them out every day. So that's not the whole story).

Anyway it's a form of corrupted memory / overrun / leak / whatever-you-want-to-call-it, those don't always behave logically.

I don't know why Nexon hasn't been able to locate the bug even after doing account takeover for some people and presumably using their accounts to replicate the bug.

Yeah, I got the same lockdown againbecause of having too many items too. And I could have gotten rid of thos cash shop items if my cash shop wasn't locked, too.

Anyway, at least this gives a bit more of a knowledge pool. One little question, though. The "magic number", how was it calculated? Item slots or items per slot in total? Mainly curious, because I hope I'm not into another permanent lockdown without expiring items...

Strange...I got the trick to work again but this time, on a different computer. And on the first try too. I must have spent over a hour last night trying on the laptop I always play on and kept failing. I'm pretty sure none of my items expired as well...so I don't know anymore.

Okay, after getting rid of most of my tradable chairs (almost half my setup inventory gone), I can enter cash shop without triggering error code 38. My goal is to keep it that way for now. I believe that once cash shop error code 38 triggers, your character is dangerously close to being fully locked out.

Strange...I got the trick to work again but this time, on a different computer. And on the first try too. I must have spent over a hour last night trying on the laptop I always play on and kept failing. I'm pretty sure none of my items expired as well...so I don't know anymore.

Okay, after getting rid of most of my tradable chairs (almost half my setup inventory gone), I can enter cash shop without triggering error code 38. My goal is to keep it that way for now. I believe that once cash shop error code 38 triggers, your character is dangerously close to being fully locked out.

Tried reinstalling again, and didn't seem to work. This is a very weird issue now...

Tried reinstalling again, and didn't seem to work. This is a very weird issue now...

Stupid question, but have you restarted your computer since you unlocked your char?

There's a certain memory leak bug in Maple which does not go away when you restart Maple. You have to actually reboot your computer to clear it. I don't think that particular one has anything to do with Error 38, but it may be that the 38's workaround also does something to shared memory that isn't cleared when Maple exits, and will therefore only work once per reboot (or per computer).

Stupid question, but have you restarted your computer since you unlocked your char?

There's a certain memory leak bug in Maple which does not go away when you restart Maple. You have to actually reboot your computer to clear it. I don't think that particular one has anything to do with Error 38, but it may be that the 38's workaround also does something to shared memory that isn't cleared when Maple exits, and will therefore only work once per reboot (or per computer).

I managed to log in on two different days with it, shutting down the computer inbetween, of course, and even then, I installed, shut it down, then tried again. Nope, doesn't seem to go that way. But it IS strange that the fix only works once. I should have dropped all that stuff...

Anyway, I have a few theories.

Do affected characters have, by any chance:
-That old scrolling skill, from back in the day, legendary spirit, now obsolete
-The 3 pets skill
-BAGS. I just noticed something funny. I think it may be due to bags not counting towards the total limit. I have the theory that bags filled past a point start giving problems. Overlapping data, and other shenanigans

I've had error code 38 on my Aran when I try to enter monster life since around last July. 2 days go (12th Jan 2014), I was at oblivion 5 just collecting bells (pet also loots equips/etc/use), and I cc'd and got error code 38. A cc is required to obtain the error code 38 whether it be leaving dimensional invasion/evolution lab or just a regular cc. Yesterday someone told me how to fix it, I dced on my Aran on the resolution of 1366 x 768, so he told me to change resolution on a mule character (within acc), and after entering pic to click the maplestory border at the top and I managed to fix it and play my Aran again. Then today I was at dimensional invasion on my Aran and upon exiting dimensional invasion (which makes you cc), I dced and got error code 38. I tried the same method as yesterday to fix it by changing resolution and clicking the border but it did not work. As for inventory, I collected a bunch of equips and bells/frozen D's(or whatever letter they are at now). My use and equip were almost full before I left dimensional invasion to my doom. I have expanded my inventory greatly but it's not maxed yet. I think I'm at 6x/9x for inventory space in etc/use/equip if that helps.

Edit: I forgot to mention my friend had error code 38 today upon entering cash shop. I was helping him xfer 6 cs equips onto his main, and when he tried entering cash shop he got error code 38. So he traded the 6 equips to me and tried entering cash shop again and he didn't get error code 38. So I have a theory that for what causes error code 38 upon entering cash shop could possibly be determined by both how many cash shop equips you have in your cash shop, as well as the amount of equips you have in your inventory that CAN be xferred into cash shop. So a possible fix for those who have trade able cash shop equips in their inventory and get error code 38 upon entering cash shop could be to xfer the tradeable cash shop equips and try entering cash shop. (This however will not work for those with non-tradeable cash shop equips)
Never mind I just read the earlier posts on this thread

EDIT: WAIT A SECOND. My medal UI inventory was kind of shuffled. Is that normal? As in, the medal order wasn't right. It started happening at the time they added Root Abyss, I remember clearly.

EDIT2: Ok, I think I remember something... 1 medal was in fact removed from the count. But I never figured out which one. Anyone remembers this? I do because I love collecting medals and have over 100 of those.

My medal UI is also shuffled, I wonder if medal count is also a variable to the amount of items in inventory?

Also the trend of error code 38 being monster life~>cash shop~>main char, I don't think it works that way. My friend didn't have monster life and only had cash shop error code 38 then main char, whilst I on the other hand only had monster life ~>main char(though I don't know if it also included cash shop since I hardly go in it).

Would removing all the useless items from monster life "storage" such as daily coupons and such allow me to go into monster life on my main? (I would like to test it but my Aran is error code 38'd and the new fix doesn't work) I think I'll test to see if removing character cards, might allow me to go on my Aran.

Edit 2: Removed character cards and links from my main, still hasn't fixed the problem. Also tried the resolution change again & hasn't worked. =(

Well, it seems that SOMEHOW the error code bypass either works only one time, or we are being very unlucky.

I'm starting to lose faith in this. This is simply frustrating. Anyone knows if there's any future event with 50% 8 attack scrolls after this one? Because I managed to get the claw I was scrolling locked down on my main. Because dilligence and better scroll results. And what I thought was a way to fix this crap.

-BAGS. I just noticed something funny. I think it may be due to bags not counting towards the total limit. I have the theory that bags filled past a point start giving problems. Overlapping data, and other shenanigans

Maybe if the item total (stuff in bags + inventory + whatever else counts as items) exceeds the overall number of slots a character can have? (96*5=480 possibly plus equipped slots - of which there seem to be 29 on the character, mirrored by 17 cash shop slots, plus 7 for the android and 18 per pet) It's possible the client just plain won't accept more than 480+whatever items and gives error 38. And as I know of you can have 4 etc. bags (up to 12 slots each) and several setup bags (8 slots max? not sure, I only have 4 slot title & 4 slot chair bags)

Maybe if the item total (stuff in bags + inventory + whatever else counts as items) exceeds the overall number of slots a character can have? (96*5=480 possibly plus equipped slots) It's possible the client just plain won't accept more than 480 items and gives error 38. And as I know of you can have 4 etc. bags (up to 12 slots each) and several setup bags (8 slots max? not sure, I only have 4 slot title & 4 slot chair bags)

But the people who posted their "magic numbers" had something in the low 300's.
You can have 5 etc bags (4 herb/mineral/pq, and coin purse). So that's 60 items (maybe? I've never seen a 12-slot coin purse), plus 8 in the setup... even if there exist bigger bags I don't see them adding up to even 100 items.

Maybe if the item total (stuff in bags + inventory + whatever else counts as items) exceeds the overall number of slots a character can have? (96*5=480 possibly plus equipped slots - of which there seem to be 29 on the character, mirrored by 17 cash shop slots, plus 7 for the android and 18 per pet) It's possible the client just plain won't accept more than 480+whatever items and gives error 38. And as I know of you can have 4 etc. bags (up to 12 slots each) and several setup bags (8 slots max? not sure, I only have 4 slot title & 4 slot chair bags)

Well, it would make sense because I have like 3 12 slot bags, a 10 slot chair one, and a 8 slot title one...

And I think my slots get close to that number.

In fact, my use slots are maxed out, my etc ones are close to it, some expansions have been used for equipment and set-up, and since I'm a NL, I'm usually packed with stars, and cramped use inventory... Ironically, the 10 chair bag COULD have been close to the phase 2 for me...

I hope it has to do with that... Because it makes sense and it's a very precise trigger.

But the people who posted their "magic numbers" had something in the low 300's.

Maybe it's lower than 480, then... I only have ~170 including bags on the character I'm currently logged onto so I'm a long way from knowing. Would be 384 if it's only counting the 4 non-CS sections. [MENTION=4093]SaptaZapta[/MENTION]; said iirc 24-ish slots short of 4*96 (12 unpurchased set-up, plus similar number of free slots) was getting the first levels of error (monster life) A few full bags could definitely cover that difference.

I mean, limiting them to 96 per section is fairly arbitrary if there wasn't some reason for it early on. Reason may have been lost by the time they added bags.

Maybe it's lower than 480, then... I only have ~170 including bags on the character I'm currently logged onto so I'm a long way from knowing. Would be 384 if it's only counting the 4 non-CS sections. SaptaZapta; said iirc 24-ish slots short of 4*96 (12 unpurchased set-up, plus similar number of free slots) was getting the first levels of error (monster life) A few full bags could definitely cover that difference.

I mean, limiting them to 96 per section is fairly arbitrary if there wasn't some reason for it early on. Reason may have been lost by the time they added bags.

But I have full bags...

In any case, I think it's worth testing whether the stuff in bags affects the 'lockout' numbers.

In any case, I think it's worth testing whether the stuff in bags affects the 'lockout' numbers.

What type of testing are you suggesting? ChaoticCJ indicated on Page 3 that Item Bags and the contents within do count towards your Magic Number. So all further Magic Numbering should probably include slots taken up in the Bags too.

The ticket response which I got for error code 38.

"Thank you for contacting Nexon Customer Support. I appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention and I understand that this type of issue can be very frustrating and disappointing. As a fellow gamer I can relate to the importance of this issue.

I am sorry I wasn't able to assist you sooner. I understand the frustration you went through. The lag and disconnection issue was a result of a number of DDoS attacks against our services. Our IT and Game teams have been working deligently to solve this issue. You may login to the game at this time. For more information regarding this issue please visit the link at, http://maplestory.nexon.net/news/news/cu...tacks#Play

We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused you. If you have more questions regarding your account please submit a new ticket.


Sincerely,

Game Advocate Mosasho"

Makes me wonder if they even read tickets.

What type of testing are you suggesting? ChaoticCJ indicated on Page 3 that Item Bags and the contents within do count towards your Magic Number. So all further Magic Numbering should probably include slots taken up in the Bags too.

I have an interesting theory right now.

Everyone that calculated a magic number... Can you add to that number both the contents of your bags if you didn't before, and the empty slots of said bags?

What if, data-wise, each bag has to store its own data, and room for all of its possible items inside? That would count the bag as 1 for itself + its number of slots. Then add each item inside separately. That would explain why each person has a different magic number, since it'd depend on how many and what bags are opened.

Also, people usually mention equipment usually weighs more, could it be because data-wise it's more complex? Maybe there's like 2 "rows" of data, one for the clean item ID, and another for its stats.

Well folks, it looks like I'm permanently locked out. I have gotten Error Code 38 when entering monster life on my main since the fall of last year, but I had no idea that it could permanently lock your character from use. Earlier today I was questing in Malaysia, left for a business appointment, and when I returned, error 38. I removed everything from my explorer cash shop, and changed all 10 of my link skills, but I still can't get into my Hero. I found this thread after googling and am experiencing simultaneous rage and despair. Even the menu bar trick doesn't seem to work to unlock my character.

My Hero is a six-year-old character that was used before MTS was taken away, I have 580 familiars, over 50 mounts, 129 medals, and close to the maxed inventory slots for every tab. I have invested over 5000 hours and more resources that I am proud to admit but I am supposed to believe that my character is now completely unreachable? I know that you guys have been working at this for a long time, but how is it even possible this exists as a problem in the first place? We all know that a ticket can take months, but what other recourse do we have? If this is an issue where the inventory expansions that they sold for real money have now led to my character being permanently unplayable... I don't pay so that this character can sit for an unknown amount of months until someone fixes it manually.

Fenne, they don't even know how to fix it manually...

Well folks, it looks like I'm permanently locked out. I have gotten Error Code 38 when entering monster life on my main since the fall of last year, but I had no idea that it could permanently lock your character from use. Earlier today I was questing in Malaysia, left for a business appointment, and when I returned, error 38. I removed everything from my explorer cash shop, and changed all 10 of my link skills, but I still can't get into my Hero. I found this thread after googling and am experiencing simultaneous rage and despair. Even the menu bar trick doesn't seem to work to unlock my character.

My Hero is a six-year-old character that was used before MTS was taken away, I have 580 familiars, over 50 mounts, 129 medals, and close to the maxed inventory slots for every tab. I have invested over 5000 hours and more resources that I am proud to admit but I am supposed to believe that my character is now completely unreachable? I know that you guys have been working at this for a long time, but how is it even possible this exists as a problem in the first place? We all know that a ticket can take months, but what other recourse do we have? If this is an issue where the inventory expansions that they sold for real money have now led to my character being permanently unplayable... I don't pay so that this character can sit for an unknown amount of months until someone fixes it manually.

Nice medal collection! =D On topic did you change resolution before you tried the trick? Cause that worked for me once till I got locked out again Dx.