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what's new on maple since about a year+ ago?

PIRATES @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@.
OMG GUNZ.

Norly, Pirates. Nautilus. UI Updates out the ass.
Monster Book, quest logging updates, 4th job, maybe? I don't remember when that was.
All kinds of new items.

4th job, maybe? I don't remember when that was.

That was January '08. Basically, pirates and a lot of level 200s. Also, Nexon has some new CEO dude who's actually doing decent.

Magatia

Lots of formerly uber-expensive items and skillbooks are now much cheaper thanks to Gold boxes

Mini-dungeons - maps are never full

Family System - you can add 2 juniors, who accumulate rep for you by levelling, which you can use to your or their benefit

There's a new PQ for level 90+ in Crimsonwood Keep that requires two of each class and allows 10-20 people to go in. There are four bosses which you fight simultaneously, and each drops a Mark of Naricain, which gives 5 to all stats, 300 hp/mp, and 10 att/magic. Then there's a bonus that drops a lot of good items.

You forgot MVPQ (Mal Volence Party Quest) xD, it's another lvl 10+ pq for nubs, although you need like a lvl 50 at least to beat the boss lol.

Here's a list:

April '08: MTS

May '08: Kiddy Showa

June '08: Ariant, 24 hour fail patch

July '08: There was no patch

August '08: Phantom Forest and the outside of CWK

September '08: Back to school events

October '08: Signapore, Halloween events

November '08: Pirates, gunslingers who shoot guns and Brawlers who punch things

December '08: Magatia, christmas events, lots of new quests

January '09: Magatia PQ, 7th day market

February '09: Nothing here as well. Very sad.

March '09: CWK PQ and MV PQ. As said before CWKPQ is very badass.

April '09: Family System, monster book, mini dungeons

And there's been three gold box events where you open a box and the contents can be pretty awesome.

Everything changed. You don't even know the old Maplestory anymore.

You forgot MVPQ (Mal Volence Party Quest) xD, it's another lvl 10+ pq for nubs, although you need like a lvl 50 at least to beat the boss lol.

That event is over, though.