An open letter to Nexon and MapleStory players

Apologies accepted for those earlier bits.

Some small things though. It's probably misleading that I said Blizzard generates less percentile revenue, where in fact, they generate more revenue than Nexon, just in smaller percentages comparatively to a whole solid number figure. Though despite this, Blizzard has a number of around 3,000 staff members that attribute to the overall operations (ie management, customer service, administration, game coordination, development, etc.). That's huge comparatively since if numbers tally up right, the average worth of each employee yields 0.033% roughly to the company excess revenue (the calculative process is actually more complex than I care to go in depth for so I'm just gonna leave it here at this number). The yield ratio for each Nexon employee is probably a lot higher, however, I'm unable to get an accurate tally as there's no information I can acquire out about Nexon's staff size. This is a number you usually want lower than higher, especially for corporations.

Though I don't know the exact number figure per staff and I imagine them to be different per case and category, I do recall reading somewhere on this forum that the average pay for the standard Nexon GM is $9 an hour (I would like a correction if wrong). That isn't a whole lot at all! In the state of Georgia, in the city of Atlanta, flipping burgers and salting fries nets you $8.50-ish an hour. It's almost no wonder there aren't any sightings of GM's nor does it feel like they exist.

This goes back to what you said about pouring money into the staff. They need to increase pay and they need to hire more staff. Though I'm sure there are many like Shikage out there who would be glad to work for free, I want to mention that it was tried and done. If any of you remember the MapleWatch Leaf Brigade? They were a group of volunteers personally selected by Nexon who selfless aim at and combat versus hackers. Sounds all fine and dandy to have people who are willing to work for free (with zero reward) for the betterment of a game, but it was ultimately one of the biggest failures. The MWLB died, Nexon never revived it, and even during its existence, the amount of hackers changed very little.

Edit: Small correction on number figure.

Well, I once thought about applying logic to Nexon, pretty sure I discussed it here. Pretty sure everyone had a jolly good laugh.

Are you serious? Nexon aren't idiots. At least not all of them are. They are good at milking money out of this game and they have on countless occasions proven that. Even if the people over at game security department are complete nutjobs, I think the sales people would have a say in the name of the company's best interest.

Are you serious? Nexon aren't idiots. At least not all of them are. They are good at milking money out of this game and they have on countless occasions proven that. Even if the people over at game security department are complete nutjobs, I think the sales people would have a say in the name of the company's best interest.

To be honest, I don't consider the people who work for Nexon in the sales department to be salespeople. They're con artists (example: Black Friday 2010).

Some small things though. It's probably misleading that I said Blizzard generates less percentile revenue, where in fact, they generate more revenue than Nexon, just in smaller percentages comparatively to a whole solid number figure. Though despite this, Blizzard has a number of around 3,000 staff members that attribute to the overall operations (ie management, customer service, administration, game coordination, development, etc.).

Eh, we must keep in mind that Blizzards staff is split by game/franchise in most cases. I don't believe thats the case with Nexon correct me if I'm wrong.

Though I don't know the exact number figure per staff and I imagine them to be different per case and category, I do recall reading somewhere on this forum that the average pay for the standard Nexon GM is $9 an hour (I would like a correction if wrong). That isn't a whole lot at all! In the state of Georgia, in the city of Atlanta, flipping burgers and salting fries nets you $8.50-ish an hour. It's almost no wonder there aren't any sightings of GM's nor does it feel like they exist.

This goes back to what you said about pouring money into the staff. They need to increase pay and they need to hire more staff. Though I'm sure there are many like Shikage out there who would be glad to work for free, I want to mention that it was tried and done. If any of you remember the MapleWatch Leaf Brigade? They were a group of volunteers personally selected by Nexon who selfless aim at and combat versus hackers. Sounds all fine and dandy to have people who are willing to work for free (with zero reward) for the betterment of a game, but it was ultimately one of the biggest failures. The MWLB died, Nexon never revived it, and even during its existence, the amount of hackers changed very little.

Definitely. For 9 dollars an hour most people wouldn't want to follow kids around listening to L0LSP33K and communicate with the players. Though hell, like Shikage I would gladly do it for free. Also, in my opinion, the selection process for the MWLB was bad, as are all "random" selections by Nexon. For instance they should be targeting their older audience with that kind of job, possibly rewarding them at christmas or so for their loyalty by sending a basket(hopefully not full of fruits).

Have you ever played a private server? I GM'd for a few of them and we had no trouble crippling the hacker threat. In fact I was able to deal with a server of 800+ by myself with ease. Surely there can't be more than 20,000 on per server at a time(average). Even 2 gamemasters per populated world and 1 gamemaster per non-populated world actively taking care of problems would be a HUGE boost.

 Spoiler

Hey, a man can dream, yea?

Edit @ Kalovale: Hardly think they're idiots. Just think they lack some baser common sense. However if I continue as to why someone will tag me as a racist. So I'll stop there.

Eh, we must keep in mind that Blizzards staff is split by game/franchise in most cases. I don't believe thats the case with Nexon correct me if I'm wrong.

Nexon's the same way. Mabinogi staff differs from Maple staff.

Definitely. For 9 dollars an hour most people wouldn't want to follow kids around listening to L0LSP33K and communicate with the players. Though hell, like Shikage I would gladly do it for free. Also, in my opinion, the selection process for the MWLB was bad, as are all "random" selections by Nexon. For instance they should be targeting their older audience with that kind of job, possibly rewarding them at christmas or so for their loyalty by sending a basket(hopefully not full of fruits).

MWLB failed on the account of a few factors aside from their poor member selection:

• MWLB cannot patrol their home worlds.
  
• MWLB cannot interact with the players of the world.
  
• MWLB cannot participate within the FM. (not sure what this entails, but if it's what I think it is, golly that's stupid)
  
• MWLB cannot ban. They can only send working reports to GMs.
  

So to cut the chase, MWLB do not get paid and instead, wander a server not their own looking for hackers that auto-CC away from you. Without being allowed to interact with the community on a social and marketing scale, it's no surprise that the volunteers quit. This is also promptly why having people work for free won't work.

Have you ever played a private server? I GM'd for a few of them and we had no trouble crippling the hacker threat. In fact I was able to deal with a server of 800+ by myself with ease. Surely there can't be more than 20,000 on per server at a time(average). Even 2 gamemasters per populated world and 1 gamemaster per non-populated world actively taking care of problems would be a HUGE boost.

 Spoiler

Hey, a man can dream, yea?

My husband owned a Maple v75 private server. One of the largest until he withdrew from admining it and handed it over to his partner, letting it end sharply by Nexon closing it down months after he quit. But similar to your story, hackers were hardly a problem, though this is mostly credited to my husband's fine tuned auto-ban system. And anyone the auto-ban system does not catch, the large number of GM's would eliminate individually.

Nexon's the same way. Mabinogi staff differs from Maple staff.

I sit corrected.

MWLB failed on the account of a few factors aside from their poor member selection:

• MWLB cannot patrol their home worlds.
  
• MWLB cannot interact with the players of the world.
  
• MWLB cannot participate within the FM. (not sure what this entails, but if it's what I think it is, golly that's stupid)
  
• MWLB cannot ban. They can only send working reports to GMs.
  

So to cut the chase, MWLB do not get paid and instead, wander a server not their own looking for hackers that auto-CC away from you. Without being allowed to interact with the community on a social and marketing scale, it's no surprise that the volunteers quit. This is also promptly why having people work for free won't work.

So what you're telling me is, they gave the players no power beyond a contact line with GM's, made them work in a world they don't care about and can't grow to care about because they can't interact with players? Wonderful. Worst of all in my opinion is that most players could tell you a plethora of information on where to find hackers in the world, maybe some names here and there? People or guilds to watch for? Why leave that easily obtained yet valuable information simply rot?

My husband owned a Maple v75 private server. One of the largest until he withdrew from admining it and handed it over to his partner, letting it end sharply by Nexon closing it down months after he quit. But similar to your story, hackers were hardly a problem, though this is mostly credited to my husband's fine tuned auto-ban system. And anyone the auto-ban system does not catch, the large number of GM's would eliminate individually.

Eh, I was glad that the servers I was with did not rely on the autoban. I remembering slowly tuning the autoban system, and yet where I closed one hole, I usually saw another open, to the point that I would have had to go completely case by case to tune it right. However, I've always been part of a good GM staff. So believe me, I know how much an influx of GM's could do for Maple Story.

So what you're telling me is, they gave the players no power beyond a contact line with GM's, made them work in a world they don't care about and can't grow to care about because they can't interact with players? Wonderful. Worst of all in my opinion is that most players could tell you a plethora of information on where to find hackers in the world, maybe some names here and there? People or guilds to watch for? Why leave that easily obtained yet valuable information simply rot?

That is correct. Zero power beyond having contact with GM's. Otherwise, they are said to have functioned as normal players (therefore, without the GM's hide ability making it impossible to sneak up on an auto-CCing hacker). They got a special hat though.

They got a special hat though.

 Spoiler

pineapplein' yay!

So can we safely say that maple is probably the most hacked game on the entire internet?

Just askin.

So can we safely say that maple is probably the most hacked game on the entire internet?

Just askin.

Not even close.

Edit: Though someone is going to come in here and try to prove me wrong, I'm sure.

You have to consider the opposite foot though. Nexon doesn't consider the maple community to be anymore than power hungry 16 year old's. To be honest, most private servers do support that. If you give a mapler the power to talk to other players, establishing a connection, could lead to bias'd decisions, as well past begrudges being handled. Think of the dexless sin who thought he was justified for taking his map back even though he left to re-fill his stars. 2 years later, no ban's, gets gm status, bans anyone who doesn't give their map back after star filling.

You can't have the community do a paid job for free, because that's what you'll get, a person with no consequence besides having no GM powers. Here's a better example, moderators on forums, even on SP, they are ridiculed to a degree.

You have to consider the opposite foot though. Nexon doesn't consider the maple community to be anymore than power hungry 16 year old's. To be honest, most private servers do support that. If you give a mapler the power to talk to other players, establishing a connection, could lead to bias'd decisions, as well past begrudges being handled. Think of the dexless sin who thought he was justified for taking his map back even though he left to re-fill his stars. 2 years later, no ban's, gets gm status, bans anyone who doesn't give their map back after star filling.

You can't have the community do a paid job for free, because that's what you'll get, a person with no consequence besides having no GM powers. Here's a better example, moderators on forums, even on SP, they are ridiculed to a degree.

As I've said, they need to target the actual older players. I did a pretty damn good job of avoiding bias, banning some of my best friends on the server when situation demanded it. If they're really your friends, they'd understand anyway. However I'm 22, so I'm a good hop older than 16. That said, I would prefer the people to be even older than me.

As I've said, they need to target the actual older players. I did a pretty damn good job of avoiding bias, banning some of my best friends on the server when situation demanded it. If they're really your friends, they'd understand anyway. However I'm 22, so I'm a good hop older than 16. That said, I would prefer the people to be even older than me.

Although age is a good start, it certainly is a far cry to determine maturity. Most of the hackers are in our age range, besides the ones who fly around or smega for hours about it. They have the right process going, it's the fact the process only gives you the power to tattle and hoping mommy or daddy will come clean up the mess.

So can we safely say that maple is probably the most hacked game on the entire internet?

Just askin.

lolno
Runescape is, by far.

lolno
Runescape is, by far.

I'd have to argue CMS because it's legal to hack in that server. lol

Although age is a good start, it certainly is a far cry to determine maturity. Most of the hackers are in our age range, besides the ones who fly around or smega for hours about it. They have the right process going, it's the fact the process only gives you the power to tattle and hoping mommy or daddy will come clean up the mess.

I do concur that age is not a direct comparison to maturity, however, as ShanghaiDizzy would point out, this comes down to rule vs exception. Compare the average 15 year old to the average 25 year old, without knowing anything about them but their age, my money is on the 25 year old as best candidate every time. Frankly, without directly meeting the person, I think thats the best place to start.

Edit: I'm not sure that hacking is still acceptable in CMS, but regardless I'd still agree that Runescape is by and far more exploited than maple. At least if we base it on percentages.