Maplestory is massively popular and has been for some time. So why screw with the formula and what exactly is going on? That’s what we were intent on finding out when we sat down with 
MapleStory producer, Crystin Cox to talk about the Chaos update which really shook up things in the game. The update came in phases with the latest, the Ice Knight, coming out just a while back. So as a sort of post mortem on the massive changes we asked them all about it.
The Chaos Update
GDN: Why the sudden, big shake up in Maplestory?
Globally, MapleStory just celebrated its 6th anniversary in May and while we have had many awesome additions to the game over the years, we thought it was time to add some features that were completely new. The addition of the crafting system and PvP really add a new dimension to MapleStory.
GDN: I like the Chaos theme, but this is more than just random additions to the gameplay, isn’t it? How long was this in the planning stage?
Some of the features being released this summer have been in development for over two years. Making these kind of additions to an already established game takes a lot of planning. While the update may have felt like Chaos to us sometimes, it was actually very meticulously planned.
Age of Artisans:
Weapons Crafting:
GDN: How intricate are the recipes?
When you first learn your profession, the recipes are very simple. We wanted to be sure that players were able to immediately use the professions to make simple, useful items. As you become more experienced in your profession, the recipes become much more complicated and require rare and hard to obtain items
. Of course, this hard work is paid off with great crafted items.
GDN: How many types of items (clothes, weapons, potions,) and individual items are currently creatable?
There are currently 645 recipes that players can get in the game. These recipes range from simple health potions, to complex gear and enchantments. We hope to add even more recipes in future updates.
GDN: Can items be personally customized in some way or are they all the same?
Each item you create is labeled with your character’s name, but all players have access to the same recipes.
