Chronicles of Masteria

[CommanderJiinn]

Dunno if this is necessary and if someone disapproves, lock the thread. But if not, this'll be used to discuss the "spoilers" on the new masteria expansion coming soon that NxProse will put up.

Edit: He is currently late, but that's hardly new right? :rolleyes:

Links to Nexon forum threads:
Q&A Thread
Chronicle's of Masteria Thread

Links to NxProse's answers to the Q&A thread:
http://forum.nexon.net/MAPLESTORY/fo...t/1330033.aspx
http://forum.nexon.net/MapleStory/fo...t/1330318.aspx

Hint #1 to masteria expansion

Spoiler!

Ok, so let's get this party started.

So, shortly after NLC launched, we all were discussing the concept for the next area of Masteria. Many directions to choose from, along with the exact path we wanted the stories to take. Eventually, we agreed that one area would be the best starting point for the epic tale you're about to experience. You've had a fair bit of story to go along with the debut of NLC, and now we're taking it to the next level. As many of you are aware, Masteria is lightly themed around Hollywood. In this tradition, it's mainly meant by focused storylines--the overall story of Masteria, the NPC origins, the Haunted House, the iTCG extra info, etc. A lot of what's been seen over the past few months has been build-up, now you'll get some payoff.

...when you do the quests of course. All 100+ pages of them. =)

We've examined NLC, culled the feedback, and went through a fairly lengthy process to design the best possible expansion we could think of. So, we're proud to welcome you to the first expansion in the Chronicles of Masteria, Crimsonwood Keep. The symbol you're looking at up there is the official seal. This should give a few indications as well...

Of course there's more to it than meets the eye...

Let's peel back the curtain a bit more, here's one of the new NPCs:


“This is me being nice. If I were being rude, I’d greet you with something much sharper than my tongue.”



And that's all for now...

Hint # 1 and a half

Spoiler!

The one on the left has been speculated to be part of the stormcasters faction and the one on the right along with the mystery npc given by NxProse (now known as Taggrin) are speculated to belong to the Dragon Ninja Clan/Raven ninja clan (not yet clear, probably the latter).

Hint #2

Spoiler!

...we’ve received plenty of reports of a very weird…thing…out there in the forest...tough enough to stomp 160 Heros, 100 Nightlords, 80 Arch Mages, 190 Paladins, 90 Bowmasters, 110 Marksmen, 50 Shadowers...pretty much everyone we sent after it...

Hint #3

Spoiler!

“You’ll have to pass a lot of tests, a lot of running and climbing ropes and jumping on
posts, and then some more running! Hoof! Just thinking about all that makes me sweat!”

Hint #3 and a half

Spoiler!

Hint #4

Spoiler!

"The second thing you’ll need is an ancient, mystic Shadowknight artifact called a Tao. The method for their creation has been lost to time, but we Raven Ninjas still know how to use their power." - Fiona, Raven Ninja Weaponsmith
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ________________

"I taught countless mages during my heyday—from talented ones like Rafael, master of the mind; not so talented ones, like that bunch of ruffians who thought a staff was a walking stick; and the odd, most notably LeFay, who was in touch with a kind of chaos magic..." - Ridley
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _________________

"In his last letter, Jack wrote that after weeks of wandering in circles in the haunted Phantom Forest, he’d made it to the base of Crimsonwood Mountain, and was standing in the fabled Valley of Heroes! But this last letter was dated a few months ago, and frankly, I’m beginning to get a little worried..." - John Barricade

Hint #4 and a half (because it's not actually in the nexon forum thread)

Spoiler!

Crimsonwood Keep.

It's beautiful, isn't it? And it's just going to get better and better.

Coming soon is the Crimsonwood Keep Party Quest. It's a pretty elaborate to-do that has been keeping the dev team running around like orange mushrooms on oh too much sugar (Just pause a second and get the mental image). The quest is near completion, but one big step remains: Playtesting.

In case you don't know, when we finish making something, we have to test it again and again. This helps us figure out any potential problems, as well as provide feedback on the updates. It's quite the mix of business and fun when your company tells you that you MUST play video games. :-)

So, NxProse just swung by and handed us all the briefing on Crimsonwood Keep. This helps us to be well versed in what to expect, so that the test goes smoothly. We took turns reading it, and I feel I can summarize this PQ in three words:

Expect. Big. Things.

In every way imaginable. This quest is complex, it furthers the storyline of MapleStory, it's challenging, it's fun, and there are measures to make sure that it is never exactly the same thing twice. We can't spoil all of the secrets of this quest (Where's the fun in that?), but we do want you to know how much fun it is going to be, as well how much work has gone into it. So, without further ado, here are some of the notes that have been scribbled across the PQ briefing:

"The only way out is up – and they better move fast, as the automatic defense system...will scroll up slowly..."

"...where –name removed- will explain everything."

"Due to the time limit, players will need to split up..."

"...The Test of Wit..."

"Players can observe this area and deduce who was behind this..."

Those just give you an idea of the air of mystery Crimsonwood has, as well as the dedication players will need to crack those same mysteries. In addition, we would like to tell you that you will need experienced Maplers of almost every job path to complete this quest. You will definitely want to contact your guild and buddies to get through this one. You may also wish to go reread some teasers that are scattered throughout the forums and game itself, to help you understand what's going on.

That's all for now, though. I'd write more, but they don't want me to mention how many bosses there are, the underwater chamber, or how much Jack Barricade plays into all of this. I guess I'll have to let you find out on your own. ;-D

Happy Mapling!

Hint #5

Spoiler!

Anyone else hear that noise?

Probably just me, almost felt like somthing had changed rather drastically...like a brand new PQ and some dedicated spawn maps.

So, the next chapter in the tale of Masteria is nearly here: "The Battle of Crimsonwood Keep". We've pulled out plenty of tricks, and simply cannot wait to have the community experience it.

GM Blog should be up by now, and I'll (hopefully) have some time on Friday to answer a few questions. However, we've got new maps, new Bosses, new stages, new music and new rewards for your party, should you actually complete the numerous, never-before-seen challenges within...

Until then, feel free to speculate on how many bosses you'll fight. And how you'll get there...if you haven't finished your Masteria quests, I highly, highly recommend you do.

And remember, No Mercy. Which of course, doesn't mean "unfair". Wink

Some details are coming soon...

[...]

Ok, so while this isn't a direct update with pics, etc, I have a few minutes to talk a little. So, consider this an extended commentary on bosses.

Now, MapleStory has a wide, wide range of bosses. As a gamer myself, I always thought that several boss fights stood out:

1) 3rd Job Advancement Dark Side Fight
2) Papulatus
3) Black Crow
4) Horntail

And let me confess, I LOVE boss fights. Part of the reason why the Evil Dead map in the Phantom Forest spawns both Headless Horseman and Bigfoot is because it's there as a sort of personal challenge. No quests, or anything, just a basic challenge of "Can I do this?"

The last game I played had some rather interesting bosses, but I think the best boss fights are ones where you have to constantly adapt to only only the boss, but other factors. Mega Man 3 is my favorite out of the series, due to the challenge variety/stage layout of the bosses in Wily's Fortress. Shinobi 3, the stage prior to the last boss is one of pure platforming, where the stage itself is your enemy. Stuff like that stays with you years later.

So when seeing speculation about just what is behind the gate at the apex of Crimsonwood Mountain, I've read plenty of comments that say "Can you just give the Geist Balrog more attack/HP?" Sure, we could, but you guys deserve more. In fact, waaaay back when we first tested the Amorian Challenge, he was a lot stronger (close to a one-hit KO), but with all of his skills intact. Too hard. Even for an Onyx Apple. So we tweaked it a bit so it'd be a lot more fun, while still challenging. Because in the end, that's really what its about. Of course, since then, quite a few of you have leveled substantially, so we can show a great deal less mercy.

That said, enjoy the holiday events and Magatia, and get ready for 2009. We're gonna have some fun ;)

Hint #5 and a half

Spoiler!

Hint #5 and 3 quarters?

Spoiler!

Should you emerge victorious in the battle of Crimsonwood Keep, this is a small sample of what awaits you...

[krnboy1009]

What are you talking about?

[BladeStorm]

our next big patch will expand masteria a year after they gave it to us and left it to die.

[krnboy1009]

Good good. We need a new map. Not to mention a better way to get to Omega Sector.

[CommanderJiinn]

and the questions swarm in. NxProse's Q&A thread is open on the nexon forums. you can ask about anything he's able to disclose AKA practically nothing :p

*moved to first post*

[TheDon]

so he said crimsonwood keep

[ScarletWolf]

An axe, a wand(?) and an arrow...
Am I the only one noticing the lack of anything thief-related in that seal?

As far as Crimsonwood Keep goes, I remember talk about a "person" by the name of Christopher Crimsonheart during the last round of Guess-The-Masteria-Riddles. Related perhaps, or maybe Nexon just like crimson as a color :p

[DarkPhive]

An axe, a wand(?) and an arrow...
Am I the only one noticing the lack of anything thief-related in that seal?

As far as Crimsonwood Keep goes, I remember talk about a "person" by the name of Christopher Crimsonheart during the last round of Guess-The-Masteria-Riddles. Related perhaps, or maybe Nexon just like crimson as a color :p

A claw (with a dagger looking thing) is holding the wand axe and arrow.

But oh man, that looks like an elemental wand to me!

Maybe its just me >_>

[InTraining]

Spoiler!

Masteria or Ossyria?

Good pizza or good burgers? Both leave you satisfied. With all the effort put into that fantastic place, it'd be rather arrogant to say Masteria
at this point. Maybe in a few years, the players can decide that for themselves. =)

What level range is the new Masteria expansion for?

Lowest monster is 45, highest is 120.

Did the Bronze Sack you guys release do any good for the economy like you guys planned? Will you continue to sell them in the future?

We're still evaluating it, so we'll see.

Does the recent iTCG code items have anything to do with the new content?

Story-wise, yes.

Any Party Quests involved?

Maybe. =)

When is the next Content Test Server sign up going to be?

For Masteria, there isn't going to be one. Everyone is going to experience the update at the same time. =)

why was Maple Island altered?

To make it easier for beginners to start out and get into the game.

Has anyone thought of porting maplestory to linux? There is a fairly large base of maplers that use linux and are interested in playing but
face extreme difficulty doing so.

No, this isn't something we're pursuing at the moment, but in the future, you never know.

Has anyone toyed with the idea of a new major boss? Something a little superior to krexel while at the same time being in the same league as horntail, zakum, pianus, and papulatus.

I will say this, my ideal boss fight is more similar to the Amorian Challenge. Not exact, but the same ideals of strategy, attacking, and dodging.
Thinking under pressure is always an excellents way to gauge how good you are. =)

I'm glad to see that you solved the problem with windowed mode (i've seen dxwnd running around since 06') so that leads me to are you going to create original software like that in the future?

We're always looking into different ways to play the game, so just stay tuned. =)

Will there be new content for higher lvl players (lvl 120+) to enjoy in this next patch?

Yes.

How long has it taken for the development of the Masterian Expansion?

A long, long time. It'll be worth it! =)

Will we expect to see future locations in Masteria in a faster pace? (Not once every year =X).

Well, the key is not once per year, it's how many areas you actually get. That said, good stuff takes a while =).
I'd love to do one a month, but that isn't really feasible. Once you see the new area and the scope, you'll understand a bit better.
We wanted a lot more than just a new background. =)

Will the new area be any good for mages in general?

See the Logo in the other post. =)

Have 2hour 2x Cards been discussed? I can find a 2 hour playing window but I can’t usually find the time for 4 hours. I think 2 hour cards would be far more practical and flexible and suit casual gamers like me much better.

We discuss a lot of things, but nothing concrete yet.

You've mentioned before that high level content is hard to design. Making me feel like you guys are cooking up something unique and challenging, not just higher level monsters with more hp. Are you satisfied with the progress your team is making on future high level content? I hope we're not waiting in vain.

It's trickier, but you are not waiting in vain =). We're pretty confident that it will be a true test of your skills.

Do you like Pirates or Ninjas more?

Ninjas.

About the masteria map (image) it seems that the map show a part of the continent, we are going to get the other parts of the continent?

It would be nice to visit those areas, wouldn't it?

will there be new weapons? for all classes

That logo really does say everything.

what lvl is your masteria favorite unreleased monster?

The *Yeti Smash!*.

I was wondering if you guys would ever consider cutting Axe and BW users some slack by giving them a weapon up to par with swords that they can use in higher levels, maybe one with a fast attack speed like the Ribgol sword, or any other bonus to give Axe and BW users a pat on the back. It doesn't have to be remarkable, just something to keep the motivation alive.

This is fair point, and you guys are important, and we do have some stuff that balances it out in-game, so we'll defeinately keep you guys in mind for the future.

In comparison to the first part of Masteria, how would you rate this upcoming release of Masteria? Better, worse...

Bigger is always better. =)

Do you plan to add more areas in Masteria that we still don't know about?

Heheh...there's always stuff to add!

What are your goals for the remainder of 2008 like?

Basically, make this year the best that Maple has seen. We've added a lot, and it's only going to get better.

How do you put up with people's insults towards your job,and towards the company as a whole,and still find some sort of enjoyment out of your occupation?

That's easy. If you make a couple million players smile and a couple thousand frown, you enjoy the smiles and see what needs to be done to get the others to join them.
We aren't always perfect, and we do make mistakes. Even so, people enjoying something I created is what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Some are ranting one how pirates are gonna be censored due to the "guns not fitting into the E rating", would it be "edited" to fit the rating?

I'll say this: My Yeti laughs well everytime he sees a thread like that.

What are some of your favorite obscure shows?

Firefly, NY Undercover...the Mysterious Cities of Gold.

Is the annoying return scroll disablement in Masteria there for something, or is it just for laughs?

Nope, it's there for a reason. Eagle-eyed sleuths can probably deduce this once they finish the new quests.

did you readded aqua seraphim to cash shop because u were fixing the bug of the pole arms/spears having wrong animation?

Yep.

Just one question. What is "X"?

"Anything specific". We don't give dates. =)

what's your opinion on the new KMST area, the Time Temple? It looks awesome and it'd be neat to see what the team at Nexon America thinks of it.

Heh, everything they make is awesome, so there you go.

What goes through your minds when making a map?

Out of order, navigation, new wrinkles, intent, mobs, playability, overall scope are a few.

Why did this company recieve an F from the BBB?

We basically had to contact them and show them we responded to the inquiries. It's a BB now.

Are Masteria's graphics done in-house or do you guys send the concept art to Nexon Korea for processing?

Concept Art here, sent for in-game design.

So, will Nexon America add special Nexon America features? For example, something not tested/made in Nexon Korea?

The Masteria/Amoria updates are an example of this. There is stuff there that doesn't currently exist anywhere else.

My Skunk, he wants to go there so bad! Maybe open the doors for him ;)

Who said its a door? =)

That person... looks a lot like John Barricade. Might this be his brother Jack?

They do look alike don't they? In due time, this one will be answered.

And, lastly, pepsi or coke?

Neither. Tropical Punch FTW.

Which side (of NLC) will the expansion be on?

As Beyonce would say...to the left.

are there any plans to fix the disconection problem that marksmen have when doing over 100k with pierce?

We're looking into it.

woot, monsters ranging from 45 to 120~

[CommanderJiinn]

I'm gonna move all the updates to the first post from now on aswell as links to the nexon forum threads