Web3 MapleStory N Economy System Introduction: Equipment Quantity and Enhancement Pricing Mechanism Revealed

At this year's Game Developers Conference (GDC), the Chief Strategy Officer Keith of MapleStory Universe, the Web3 version of MapleStory, introduced the current in-game economic model of MapleStory N to the audience. He discussed the total quantity of in-game items and the pricing structure for enhancements, hoping to provide guidance for developers interested in constructing other MapleStory game worlds in the future. Source

Introduction to MapleStory N Economic System

MapleStory Universe is expected to consist of multiple game contents. In addition to the MapleStory N world operated by the official team, it is expected to see game worlds and equipment created by other players, maximizing user reward experience through User Generated Content (UGC) and Module (MOD).

This article will focus on discussing the economic system within the MapleStory N world, specifically explaining how to incorporate real-world economic principles into the game through the elements of quantity and time, making the game more realistic and enhancing the Reward Experience (RX) to ensure game sustainability.

Key Setting 1: Limited Resources

Infinite Resources Destroy Reward Experience

Keith mentioned that the structure of most MMORPGs generates items in proportion to the number of users and game time. Although this structure may be suitable for single-player games, it may not be suitable for multiplayer games with market attributes.

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In a structure where items are generated infinitely, it is difficult to maintain the value of assets and player reward experience RX, which will limit the core fun of MMORPGs. If items that players earn through time and effort continuously depreciate over time, the motivation for players to invest time and effort in the game will decrease, similar to the consequences of malignant currency inflation.

In contrast, in the real world, from air that people don't consider rare at all, to water, and even diamonds that are considered very rare, although there are differences in rarity, ultimately everything is a finite resource.

Keith believes that the quantity of items in the game should also be limited, and the value should be assessed based on scarcity and demand.

How to Set the Total Quantity of Items: Based on Usability

In the MapleStory N game, items can mainly be divided into four categories: equipment, decorations, consumables, and characters, all of which will be put on the chain. Among them, equipment is the focus of most game values, implemented in the form of ERC-721, and this article will focus on such items.

Now it is necessary to determine the total quantity of each item, which is the most critical part of game economics. The team does not have a clear answer at the moment, but during the closed beta phase, four key factors were considered to determine the total quantity of items: peak number of players, rarity not hindering gameplay experience, item usability, and relative demand.

First, it is necessary to determine the peak number of players, which can be more accurately obtained close to the game's release. The recent player count during the last beta test was 400.

The second factor is to ensure that there are enough necessary items to meet the expected number of players. In MapleStory games, equipment is the most important, as not having it will seriously affect player gameplay experience and progression. The team will repeat this process for each item category mentioned above to determine the total quantity of items.

After determining the total quantity, it is necessary to consider the quantity of equipment for each level group. The team refers to the design of traditional MapleStory games and sets the quantity of each level group based on the length of item usage. Items meant for short-term use will have fewer total quantities, while those for long-term use will have higher weight. For example, if an equipment piece has a usage level limit of 10 to 20, its total quantity will be less than another piece with a usage level limit of 50 to 150 because the latter has a longer usage period.

Lastly, the relative demand needs to be considered. For example, throwing stars can only be used by Thief classes like Night Walker and Night Lord, while weapons like two-handed swords are more versatile. The team anticipates that the demand and competition for general items will be higher, and the weight will be adjusted accordingly.

Therefore, it can be expected that in the MapleStory N game, equipment will exhibit the following situations: professional equipment will be less than general equipment, and top-tier equipment with long-term availability may not be in short supply.

Game content and technical development are no longer issues; rather, it is more about the consideration of the economic system. MapleStory Universe is expected to focus most of the efforts in the coming six months on this.

How to Allocate Items: Fully Transparent Reward Stack Design

After setting the total quantity, the next step is to think about how to distribute items fairly. Traditional game resources are unlimited, so there is no reference.

MapleStory N uses a reward stack design to allocate items within the game. The system will periodically allocate a certain amount of items to monsters and bosses, and when players defeat monsters, they can obtain the corresponding number of items. The reward update cycle for regular monsters will be more frequent compared to bosses, possibly every 20 minutes or once a week.

However, when a powerful boss like the Black Mage has not been defeated by players, or when monsters in an area have not been cleared for a long time, rewards will still be periodically distributed and accumulated until a player successfully challenges them in the future, allowing that player to receive more rewards, encouraging players to explore other areas.

All reward stacks behind monsters are transparent and real-time, and all players can access this information.

Key Setting 2: Price Fluctuation

Another key factor is pricing. Keith and the team believe that in-game equipment inflation caused by in-game purchases with fiat currency will ultimately reduce the gaming experience. Therefore, in the MapleStory N game, there will be no fiat currency stores, and players cannot directly purchase equipment with fiat currency but can only use currency earned in the game to enhance equipment.

However, from a recent video released by the team, it seems that players may be able to use the in-game cryptocurrency NESO to purchase equipment.

Adjusting Enhancement Costs Based on Demand

The goal of MapleStory N is to adjust the price of enhancing equipment based on demand. If the demand for enhancing a certain item is low, the enhancement cost will decrease. Conversely, if many users are enhancing a particular item, the enhancement cost will increase. Prices fluctuate based on whether the demand for enhancement exceeds the weighted average, reflecting the pricing mechanism in the real-world economy.

The MapleStory Universe team has tested this "demand-driven pricing model" multiple times, and testers have stated that playing requires new strategic thinking because the enhancement prices constantly change based on demand, which is not only individual but also requires observation of other players' needs.

This mechanism will prompt players to consider whether to spend money on enhancing popular equipment or to look for alternative equipment with lower enhancement demand to save costs and achieve goals more quickly.

Keith mentioned that during the beta test, some players bought a large number of cheap equipment for enhancement, then upgraded them and sold them on the market, making substantial profits. The team hopes to reduce such information asymmetry.

Economic Model Still Under Rolling Testing

The economic model within the MapleStory N game is mostly complete, but there are still many parameters that need continuous experimental optimization and longer-term testing rather than being finalized.

However, this information is not without value. The results and considerations from these internal team tests are shared with the community, and when players construct their game worlds in the future, they will face the same issues. Hopefully, this will reduce the probability of failure and create a successful game economy.

Recommended Reading: Web3 MapleStory Universe Game Content Preview, Adventurer Class Unveiled!
Reason for recommendation: This article provides first-hand information, giving a glimpse of the game's combat scenes and NFT forging gameplay in MapleStory N, and reveals that the Adventurer class group will be the first to be released based on official videos.