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Does anyone remember this? Or the ridiculously long chat bubbles in Free Market cc1?
A huge part of my childhood was Maplestory. I remember waking up early to find empty maps to train and saving up pocket money so that I could buy some @-cash to have a go at the gachapon. Back then, MrYaNdAo and Jessbunny were idols to many. But much has changed since my Kerning City party quest Maplestory days.
In case you were too busy adulting, Maplestory went through many changes and feels like a completely different game now. However, basic things like maps and background music are quite like the old version.
3D Maplestory Maps
As you know, Maplestory is a 2D-based game but a part of me always wondered what would Maplestory look like if it had 3D graphics. Around 2 months ago, a Korean developer uploaded this video. Until this date, it has gathered more than 850k views.
If you have not watched the video, it’s basically a playable version of Maplestory in the Temple of Time map with upgraded visuals. You can even download this version of Maplestory and try exploring the maps yourself.
The Man Behind This
RYU Russell, a Korean developer is behind all this magic.
Q: Hi Russell, what were some motivational factors behind starting the Maplestory Unreal Engine project?
A: As you see, I’m a developer and artist. However, I’m also a big fan of the original game and a loyal player of Maplestory since 10 years ago. I especially love the art and music in Maplestory. When I play Maplestory, I always had this thought of wanting to jump in the game. Inspired by the original game’s art and music, we wanted to allow others to experience the in-game environment.
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Q: According to your first video, it took around 1 month to complete the temple of time map, what were some difficulties and challenges when creating a map like that? Could you walk us through the process?
A: Firstly, the original game is composed of 2D-illustration, and is a side-scroller game. It was very important for us to convert the original 2D art into 3D objects, with a minimal sense of difference. I invested quite some time in the art direction. The hardest thing was probably trying to find a middle ground between reality 3D and toon 3D.
When we finished researching and coming up with the art direction, the development of assets was not much of an issue.
Q: Did you expect the Maplestory videos to be such a hit?
A: Well, I started this project so that I could study more about game engines and also share my motivation with various people, without any expectation. I am so honoured that so many people appreciate and like my work. This motivates me to make better artwork. Although we may be lacking in many ways, I would like to thank everyone who liked our work.
Q: As the game is playable, can we look forward to more features such as monster-killing?
A: We are currently developing many things and monster hunting is one of those. However, I am not sure as the original game’s monster system is pretty complex, but we will apply that in the future even if it takes time.
Q: What maps can we look forward to in the future? Could you give us a hint on the next map?
A: I’m currently researching the next map based on my subscribers’ highest request, it’s a map with many nostalgia elements and is a famous region. I will release the teaser pic in 2 weeks, so please keep your eyes on our channel!
Q: Anything else you would like to say to the viewers?
A: Thank you to everyone who enjoyed my artwork. I am not that skilled because it has only been 3 months since I studied game engine. I will try to improve as much as possible so please look forward to my future works. Thanks!
You can follow RYU Russell on Facebook, Instagram or subscribe to his Youtube channel.
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