Maple Story

All work & no play is a horrible thing. So introducing my latest game craze, Maple Story! It's a free online game whereby you download the game client from the website, create an account & you're ready to play. The game's form of money is meso & you can buy items & equips in the game's shops in various towns. The cash shop features special items with which you can use to customise your character. This cash shop uses real money. You have to buy this Maple Card (with pictures of the game's monsters) & top up your account using the pin at the back of the card. 1 card costs $10.50 & gives you 10k maple cash. Another way is to buy credit using visa but you don't get the card though. So unless you want to buy special cash items, the game is basically FOC.

You start off as a Beginner. There're 4 job advancements available to Beginners, namely, Warrior, Magician, Bowman & Thief. Once you've chosen the job, you can't change your mind. Subsequently, you get to make your 2nd job advancement when your character is at level 30. 2nd job advancements are:

Warrior: Fighter, Page or Spearman
Magician: Fire Mage, Lightning/Ice Mage or Cleric
Bowman: Hunter (uses bow) or Crossbow Man (uses crossbow)
Thief: Assassin or Bandit

I'm currently playing as Warrior & had just recently made my 2nd job advancement as a Page. On my 3rd job advancement, I'll be a Knight & I'll be able to make use of elemental attacks. Well, that's a long way from now. I can only make the 3rd job advancement at level 70 & I'm currently at level 35. It's already a struggle as the experience points offered by monsters (or mobs) are miserable.

I believe that the players' age range from Upper Primary all the way to adults. So you can imagine the chaos. All the vulgarities & childish behaviours, picking a fight with others, getting a huge gang of players to harrass you etc. Students are the 1s spending a lot of money buying cash items. Way before I started playing Maple, I happened to be in a queue behind a Primary School kid. He bought 5 cards in total, amounting to $52.50. Of course we all know where the money comes from. Kids nowadays have it so easy. My heart aches if I were to spend even $10.50 on the game.

So there it is. My current game craze. I spend between 1 hr to the whole day playing each time. But I can only play for long if Jeff's playing with me. Otherwise it gets dreadful & boring. More updates later! Maybe when I finally reach level 70...