What Do We Know About Masteria So Far

This has nothing to do with the Masteria Royals have but, I feel like I just wanted to share the revamped and redesigned Phantom Forest / Crimsonwood Keep monsters for fun, what do you guys think about it?

Spoiler

Elderwraith

Windraider > Windreaver

Stormbreaker > Stormcaster

Firebrand > Flamekeeper

Nightshadow > Shadowknight

Possibly Crimson Guardian?

Elite Bosses (Windreaver Atlante, Flamekeeper Siana, Shadowknight Dehiti, Stormcaster Caeneus)

Phantom Trees

Special Elite Bosses
Giant Phantom Tree

Phantom of Naricain

Headless Horseman > Master Killian and LeFay



rip Bigfoot

Updated map preview
Phantom Forest

Crimsonwood Keep

Gate to Versal

 

Not much of a finding tbh but I just noticed something about Phantom Forest

Spoiler

Most people would just skip the JQ area tbh because it's dumb, but the Sage statues does give some interesting information regarding Masterian lores and this is one of them :


A moon that shines in the Phantom Forest huh...





You could just argue about the moon is just there as a background object, and you could right about it. But the thing is, the moon only appears in hidden maps (the one with wooden sign) with either Bigfoot or Headless Horseman, which is kind of a coincident, don't you think? Is this the said Sirrine Moon stated by the Sage? Probably...

Also if anyone is kind enough, would someone take a screenshot of Jack's conversation on the map right before CWKPQ Bonus map for me maybe?

 

Thank you for the screenshots and sorry if you lost precious time having to screenshot everything

Pretty interesting dialogue, and pretty sure from what this dialogue means, our next destination would be the Krakia Jungle.

It would be nice if they continued to work on it tbh but oh well

 

Necroing this thread for one time, but I have discovered another unreleased/unfinished Masteria related equipment when I was browsing maples.im,. Honestly I have no idea which part of Masteria these item belongs to, but for now, we can just speculate...

Stumbled upon three hats with no icon and sprites when I was browsing for NX to suggest lol.

Definitely Masteria related hats.
​

I'd dig the items in my own server but, really, there is no use in doing that since all you get is just the same thing as this one anyway.

Spoiler: Past attempt

By the way, here's the ID for items if you are curious.

1002655 - Versal Maro
1002657 - Spectre Helm
1002658 - Valor Helmet​

Sadly, that is all I got for now. Kind of a bummer too, but we actually discovered something new (and didn't see much discussion for it too). As for what it is, don't really have a solid clue other than it might be related to the weapons we found on the game's data. I can say for sure that Versal Maro is a Bowman hat, because we do have bunch of Maro hats already in game.

Spoiler: Maro hats

These are the Maro hats by the way.

Soooo, it kinda make sense to assume that these are the hats that goes along the weapons and by that logic, Valor Helmet would be a Warrior's equipment and Spectre Helm would be Thief's equipment.

Spoiler: Extra info

You REALLY don't need a 200 IQ brain to figure out this out to be honest, because the name is already an obvious giveaway to who it belongs to. Valor means great courage, which most people would associate with a great, brave and strong Warrior, and spectre literally means a ghost, you figure the rest. Seriously, Masteria is filled with obvious giveaways (like how Elpam Gorlab is an alternate universal being, because his name is just Maple Balrog in reverse, and bunch of other stuff like Crimsonwood is literally crimson-colored forest and more.) and yet it's filled with mysterious stuff.

This part will be purely speculation anyway, but it might be an earlier version of the GMS event hats, but scrapped and all, probably.

But yeee, that is all I got for today sooooo

​

 

Surprised that no one on the Southperry thread talked about it, despite them digging the WZs and all that stuff, but I guess no one really paid attention to the hats since most people would switch to Zakum helm anyway, so that's why.

Really wished that Nexon didn't fire NXProse and his team, the lores and the world of Masteria had so much potential and care being put on them, heck, if they are still working on it, Masteria could just be an end game area for us now. Really sad because we didn't get any conclusion for it, and doubt that NXProse would come up and just spill the beans on us (it's been 14 years since New Leaf City came out even). His team also came up with most of Maplestory event anyway, so that's a big loss.

And yeah, we don't really talk about the revamped Masteria (LOL), the whole thing is just literally unplayable with all the weird gimmicks and questionable choices they made. I kinda love/hate the new redesigns though, part of me thinks they do look great, but part of me thinks that they killed the old Masteria charm by being "totally edgy and spoopy", which ended up looking kinda generic and not Maplestory-ish.

Anyway, appreciate your time reading this jumbled mess, glad you enjoyed it~

 

Gonna necro this thread once again, because I was reading threads and archives of the Q&A session that was hosted by NXProse himself and I found some interesting stuff that I guess all of us would love to know. I'll try my best to pick questions and answers but NXProse is reaaaaaaaally secretive and is trying to avoid most of the questions given, but I hope you guys will enjoy this new addition to this thread!

As an extra, here's a general overview of Masteria in technical standpoint.


New Leaf City - July 2007
27 maps, ranging from 600000000 to 600020600.
Streets : New Leaf City Town Street, Badlands, Hidden Street, Masteria, Bigger Ben, MesoGears.
12 monsters. No boss.


Haunted House - October 2007
35 maps, ranging from 682000000 to 682000900.
Streets : Phantom Forest, Haunted House.
16 monsters. 1 boss.


Crimsonwood Keep - August 2008
31 maps, ranging from 610010000 to 610020015.
Streets : Phantom Forest, Crimsonwood Mountain.
16 new monsters. 2 unconfirmed bosses.

Crimsonwood Keep Expansion - March 2009
23 maps, ranging from 610030000 to 610030800.
Streets : Crimsonwood Mountain, Crimsonwood Keep, Party Quest.
11 new monsters. 6 bosses.

And lets us all see some of the questions answered by NXProse now~

Spoiler: How long has New Leaf City been in the works?

NLC has been in development for a while. This is not just something quick and dirty, it's an area that will grow and expand. We have some different features planned for the areas as well. We're not looking at it as "Only level X can train here", it's being developed so everyone will eventually be able to enjoy the area and train. This includes our high-level population.

Spoiler: What will the monsters be off of, like will there be a slum-like area with ganger-like monsters, pitbulls, and the such?

Slum-like area? Not quite. The monster concepts are somewhat different than what's normally seen. They retain humor while expressing something new. Best I can do right now. =)

Spoiler: Is NLC gonna be loaded with pop culture references like some of Taiwan's exclusive maps?

Heh, hopefully, you'll see some stuff there that'll make you chuckle. The pop culture references are always fun, so we always do our best to work of this in.

(Taiwan exclusive map here refers to Ximending and Taiwan 101, mostly.)

Spoiler: If this isn't going to join the world tour, will we contribute something to the world tour for other versions to enjoy? Also, is this related to Amoria in anyway (Like perhaps how to get there, or so on.)?

For your first question, details like that are worked out a lot later. And it has no direct relation to Amoria, as in, it's not how you get there or anything like that.

Spoiler: Do you have any concept art of the place that you'd be willing to release any time soon?

We're talking about it, nothing finalized yet though. When we make a decision, you'll know =).

Spoiler: I'm curious as to your allusion to the Amoria capes. Any hints on how we can get a hold of those?

Hmm. Well, I can say there is a method to it, but you have to figure it out. That's part of the fun.
I wish you luck. And as a side note, good job with the Guide.

(I have no context on what's this Amoria Cape is all about, let me know if you know what it refers to!)

Spoiler: Is Cody's dream for a theme park going to be honored in any way, shape, or form?

Yes.

(Thank you for the answer. If you curious what is this Cody's Theme Park is about, check out the previous post on this thread!)

Spoiler: I would like to know if you (NXProse) have a maple story character and if so what level, job, and world do you play in? XD

I have quite a few, highest being the 91 I/L Mage and the lowest being a Level 7 Beginner. I like to keep a few characters low level to gauge difficulty for new players.

Spoiler: Filler questions

What kind of pie do you like best? My favorite is apple pie. (and the pie full with ALL kinds fruit)
Apple and Cherry.

What kind of movie genre do you like best?
Action/Sci-fi. Fantasy movies are also fun, but they better be good.

Spoiler: Was it a random name (New Leaf) that you picked out of a hat?

No. Short-term, it's viewed as the growth of something new, i.e. turning over a new leaf. Long-term, it's meaning will become clearer, as there's a reason why it was founded, and the symbology of the city will come into play down the road.

Spoiler: If you could describe NLC in one word, what would the word be?

Radical.

Spoiler: Why are you so hush-hush about all of the stuff in NLC?

It's a combination of not wanting spoil information and knowing it's still being tweaked and developed. I know the stuff we have planned there, but until it's ready to go in, I won't list specifics because it can change; and we don't want to promise a certain feature unless we know we can deliver it.

Side point, it's interesting to read some of your theories. So, as I sit at my desk surrounded by concept art, and other things, I'm interested in the reactions, because it's fairly different from what's currently in-game. We hope you guys like it. =)

Spoiler: Amoria related questions

Will there be more married couples quests, as I recall from the flash animation that there would be Jump quests and such?
Yes. That's in the works. The PQ was a pretty big step, and we plan on expanding the content there for visitors and married couples.

(This one got me curious. I'll probably dig into this too since the jump quest was "in the works" but never got to see the light. Don't think I can find the said flash animation anymore now though. The idea for more married couples content is interesting too.)

Also, will there be tie-ins between Amoria and NLC via quests and NPCs? I think that would be pretty cool.
So do I.

Also, rapid-fire answers: I'm African-American and Native American, and I've wanted to make games since playing my first one. And no, we weren't playing Pikmin when we made the Fire Tusk. =)

As far as schedule, nothing is being said about state of completion or time-table until it's ready to go. =)

(Honestly, I don't know what is he talking about, he is not making any sense at all.)

Will there be a background story about NLC, like Amoria (the Story about Elias and Cecelia)? Note that I'm not really asking for details here

Who said anything about just one? =)

are there any plans to add better quests to amoria?

We'll be adding more quests there yes, and we'll do our best to make them more enjoyable.

(The two last answer never happened at all)

Spoiler: A less serious question: If you were to estimate the amount of conceptual stuff you had for NLC (Text files, rough notes on scratch paper, concept art, you know, places where you put down ideas,) how much do you think you'd have?

Hmm, well, I'll answer your question like this. We've worked on this area for a while, to the point of finalizing documents at 3am. So, a lot has gone into the area, and we'll be unveiling more and more as we complete new areas. A lot of this is new, so it has to be developed, built, tested, adjusted, etc. We have a vision for the area, and we're going to do our best to execute it, brick by brick, metaphorically speaking.

Spoiler: Coca Cola or Pepsi?

Pepsi.

Spoiler: Are you gonna play around with the background on maps? In terms of nighttime/daytime, maybe some maps that are stormy, or covered in smog, stuff like that.

Yes. We're looking into how feasible it is. The Amorian Challenge has some of this in it.

Spoiler: NLC is based on Urban legends, how many urban legends will be involve in it?

Quite a few. Some you'll see at first, other will emerge later.

Spoiler: Next one, why do you hate mages so much?

My highest character is an I/L mage.

Spoiler: If I give the Nexon Staff homemade chocolate chip cookies, will they guarantee us Showa Town and Leafre next patch?

Pie would be a better avenue for bribery. =)

Spoiler: NLC is based on urban legends, correct? If so will you be using folk tales like the loch ness monster, pop rocks and coke exploding your stomach, and big foot (these are all examples of course, you dont need to say something like "wait and see")?

Heh, well, for those suggesting different types of Urban Legends, I'll say that those definitions need expansion. There'll be some familiar ones there, but we have a few things planned for the more iconic ones.

Spoiler: What exactly inspired the Fire Tusk design? Does it follow with some weird theme of a part of NLC, or is it more of a random enemy?

Heh, there is a theme to it. Where those and a few of the other enemies come from will be explained.

Spoiler: Also, I'm starting to believe that NLC is a continent, a la Victoria Island/Ossyria. I don't expect a confirm/deny on this, but judging from the commentary you've provided so far, I'm inclined to believe so.

*thinks about answering*

*smiles, moves on*

(...what's the point of hosting a Q&A then)

Spoiler: Soooo, if there's a New Leaf City where is Old leaf City?

Well, that wasn't the previous name...which is something we'll delve into a bit later. The actual origins of the city will be explored at a point when everyone can appreciate it a bit more.

Spoiler: Will NLC be well-integrated with the rest of the Maple World (in terms of lore, storylines, quests, overall game design, and the like) or will it be more of a stand-alone area that doesn't have much to do with the rest of the World (similar to the World Tour areas)?

It will have ties, yes. However, the area has a story of its own to tell...

Spoiler: I think it's time they gave us SOME answer or a hint, or a comment, OR SOMETHING.....

We're aware of it, but that's about all we're saying at the moment.

So, I've been reading a few threads here and there, and it's rather interesting what's been posted and speculated about. Not just about patches, but about hints, etc. Now, we may also may not be able to say certain things based on the situation, particularly when it comes to future content. Not just maps currently in existence, but others coming as well. However, sometimes clues can be staring right in front of you, in or or out of game. Most times, we don't actually give hints; whether it's about how obtain Item L or how to reach Area C, but sometimes, it's right there.

That said, we have a very long patch to do tonight. However, I suspect that it will take quite a bit longer for people to discover what exactly it all means, if and/or what is coming--perhaps how terrifying or exciting it may be. Just keep in mind that sometimes the answers are looking right back at you, and every now and then, they smile.

So what else? Oh, patch notes on the FTP server. We know they aren't there. Yet, anyway.

Spoiler: NXProse wise words

So, I'll be back a little later before we begin, but before I go...

It is interesting to read sometimes, that I'm rather cryptic. This is a fair accusation, as it's a concious choice, much like arising in the morning before work and/or school, or selecting which drink one consumes next. For instance, if I'm tired, I always have a Red Bull. But if I want something with more punch, a Monster is fine.

But what of the days when the hunger is not there? One still must sustain strength, lest you lose it. So whether you're in the wilderness of an urban jungle, or far away from home, it's always good to have something to sustain yourself. Always. You never know what can pop up.

Now, at this point in time, that may seem rather cryptic. However, with proper knowledge, it's not impossible to decipher the delicious center of that message--it's just currently wrapped in the hard shell of a riddle most wicked.

Spoiler: Can you tell me if i should go to bed, or stay up for a while more?

Get some sleep, my friend. MapleStory will be here for quite some time.

Spoiler: What kind of music do you listen to, Prose? Throw a few bands at us.

Sevendust, Depeche Mode, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Disturbed, Godsmack, older Metallica, Oakenfold, DJ Shadow, Dr. Dre...it's a long list lol

Spoiler: NxProse, are you the NLC mayor?

Heh, no.

Spoiler: Any comment about Versal, Esorp?

Ah, Versal. I thought that might come up. I've seen quite a few threads about this in the past few days. Some of the theories are close to the mark, some off, but there was one that came really, really close. I'm not saying who/where it was, but they get a Ginger Ale from me.

(classic)

Spoiler: You have me stumped on the graves in Bigger Ben. Is it a puzzle to complete now? Or do we have to wait for more areas to complete this? Is it for future quests?

If I were mean, I'd say yes. However, that riddle is pointed at future content. Again, I've read some interesting theories about this, but none that solve it yet. The fruits of said solution won't be presented yet, however, it would be better to solve this sooner, rather than later.

Spoiler: NxProse all my Bowman friends are upset that they got the Arrows from the Lita Lawless quest rather than a weapon or hat or something permanent.

They'll have cause to rejoice a bit later.

Another note, keep in mind that there's multiple backstories...

So, your question of the day: How do you feel about Jump Quests?

(I know what quest are they talking about exactly, but god, he's being cryptic again)

Spoiler: What's the thing behind wolf spiders?

It's a combination of things. We thought a spider enemy would be rather cool, and wanted to give a sleek kind of feeling to it. The name, however, comes from an actual spider.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_spider)

Spoiler: Why the music style of choice for NLC was techno/eletronic music?

We felt that a new style was needed for the city, and continent in general. As it was once home to a technologically advanced society, we think it's appropriate. That's not to say that every area will have that type of music, however.

Spoiler: What's the role of Prof. Foxwit in NLC? Will we be able to visit the past Masteria continent?

Ah, now that would be telling. You'll have to wait and see.

Spoiler: Is Eastern culture being taken in consideration for future NLC releases, as a form of inspiration for ingame content? Many people of other races, cultures play this game...

Possibly. There's a connection between East and West, in particular when it comes to martial arts, so there'll possibly be some content down the line that plays to that.

(They did actually plan on adding Eastern cultures onto Masteria, like the Badlands gate and the two ninja-like miniboss on CWKPQ but thats all I can recall so far)

Spoiler: Easy question: Leaving the storyline aside, why teleporters instead of ropes?

Speed. Ropes have their place, but we feel that using the Foxwit Doors to get around is a bit faster. This doesn't mean you'll never see ropes again. =)

Spoiler: Who arose Masteria from the sea? Was it you and the Nexon staff *dun-dun-dun?! If it's not you guys, will this mysterious little character have some role later?

Heh...definately not little if you think in terms of power

Spoiler: I think Prose died.

Nope.

Spoiler: I was wondering if there will be a storyline connection between the alternate dimension Versal, where Eplam Gorlab is from and the alternate dimension that the Papulatus Clock came from in Ludi?

Ah. Very sharp. Now, I can't actually answer this question yet, but I can say that kind of thinking is more of what we want, story-line wise.

Spoiler: I understand how Bigger Ben is in the 'clock tower', but Bigger Ben is only one map, and then it leads to MesoGears. Is MesoGears part of Bigger Ben, or are you not done with Bigger Ben yet?

You are currently exploring the MesoGears section of Bigger Ben, not the whole thing. There's still stuff coming.

(didnt happened though rip)

Spoiler: Did the citizens of Old Sappe Village ever have any contact with the Sharenian civilization that used to rule over Victoria Island? I ask this because it seems like Masteria's heyday and the time that the Sharenian ruled overlap, and if Masteria is just off the coast of Victoria, they might have had some contact, maybe even been at war.

Interesting thinking. This is all I'll say about this. =)

Spoiler: Jacob of Amoria talks about the "Sakura Garden" opening. Is this the Purple Plains/Purplewood Forest area, or is it something completely different? Is it even going to be an area at all?

Hmm. I'll decline to answer this for now, but it's not the Purple Plains/Purplewood Forest area.

(there was a plan for Amoria expansion based on his answer, but never get to see the lights rip)

Spoiler: Has NXProse been kidnapped by Mateons to keep him from answering this thread?

They tried. There's a Yeti on my desk. He saved me.

Spoiler: I mean when the time comes to head to Versal will the main plot just be centered around 1 town after you enter Versal or will there be more than 1 town and area, showing the "Mirrored" version of some areas. And will Versal be a Mirrored Masteria or a Mirrored Victoria Island?(Versal Mushmom reference but it's possible for her to be somewhere other than a mirrored Henesys).

Well, I'm not going to answer anything specific to Versal, but I'll say what I said a while back. There is a long-term plan for Masteria, and we'll do our very best to ensure that it's awesome.

Spoiler: 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. =)

(all i can say about this statement is, a big fat lol, yknow why)

Spoiler: 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 someone in Nexon Korea must've slipped that nude pics in Crimsonwood Castle then)

Spoiler: Do the quotes you gave us actually give out any hints, or are they randomly selected quotes? Perhaps the numbers of the Maplers sent in to fight the "thing" have something to do with the numbers mentioned in the Enigma Chamber?

Ah, not bad. There are usually hints within the text. While the numbers don't apply to the Enigma Chamber, this is the type of thinking that will lead to success in Masteria. Think outside the box. =)

Spoiler: With the Amoria map laid out, there doesn't seem to be much room there for anything else. Would you say that, more or less, Amoria is in a finalized state?

Nope. We haven't forgotten about it, just taking a bit longer to build what we have in mind. And just because its not on the map, doesn't mean it won't be there. Wink

Spoiler: Will the Keep have Hidden Streets? Surely an awsome keep must have a load of secrets.

Hidden things? Oh yes. There is something to be said about paying attention to detail.

(probably just bullshit tbh)

Spoiler: Can you give me some tips on how to talk to girls in real life, and not be a nerd that plays maple story all day?

Be yourself and find someone who likes you and games.

Spoiler: Don't want to be mean but what was up with the animation "gltiches" with just about every monster in Crimsonwood Mountain/Phantom Forest? I'm mean look at it, Firebrand, Windraider, Strombreaker, Nightshadow, Elderwriath, Bigfoot, Crimsonwood Guardian all had (and still have....) animiation errors. But were some of them intentional? I mean it's annoying at times, like Elderwrith, Hit it, takes a long time to respond(compared to just about any monster outside the area) and is invincible when getting knocked back. The Corrupted Soldiers (E.X Windraider) all react to knockback later than they should.

Well, let's just say we wanted to try something different, and obviously, it hasn't worked quite the way we envisioned it, so these will be addressed shortly. =)

(bigfoot still broken though kek)

Spoiler: It is said Christopher Crimsonheart mastered all four classes, so I thought the statue was / represented him, but then I saw a gun. Two questions about that. Question in a question.. isn't it funny? Anyway, first one is: did you add the gun in the statue AFTER the release of pirates or was the sketch plan already like that? It looks like you added the gun after some time because you forgot to add something that represented the pirate job on it.

Not exactly. They weren't necessarily called Pirates at that time. If you're concerned about how exactly Pirates fit into the Keep, don't be. You'll know fairly soon.

Spoiler: What is the point in having a Q&A if you're just going to dodge questions?

There are some questions that I can't answer directly, so that's part of it. I know it can be a tad frustrating sometimes, but some things, you just have to wait and see for. Hope that helps.

I guess that is all for the Q&A session that he hosted, there's some eyebrows raising ones but its mostly just some vague answers and all. What a bummer.

 

Never have I thought about resurrecting this dead thread since the trails went cold, but here we are, again!

Someone from Southperry forum recently had the guts to actually contact the man and the legend himself, NXProse asking about his original plans for Masteria via his LinkedIn (which I will not share, but it's out there) and there is quite a shame on how many lost potential Masteria had.

So, here is what he has to say about his visions on Masteria! Enjoy~

Spoiler: NXProse Original Vision on Masteria

Hello,

First, thanks for playing. Ive gotten asked this a lot over the years. And given its been 10+ years since I put the pen down for MS, it's time I answered.

So, first, I viewed those areas as love letters to the games I played when I was younger. So just like CWK is an homage to one, Krakia would be to another.

I regret not finishing that story. That was probably the worst feeling about leaving, was knowing the story was going to change.

Bringing back memories and honestly, they've tried to remake this many times instead of just finishing the original story.

Did they know where to continue? Yes. I left the next chapter (~20 pages, Krakia design, area, gameplay, party quest) and all 11 transition quests (ie Lukan gets his memory back) with the team when I left.
C'est la vie.

I actually wrote this out from memory way back.
...I suppose sharing the full details of the path untaken wouldn't hurt. So this was the plan:

Biggest possible map with hidden puzzles to unlock sections (hidden item here to use inside Yetinx for special long stage passage to Ariant)
Rotating Day/Night Maps
"K.K" - Roaming Monster
Weekly rotating 8 stage party quest
11-part boss fight w/variations ("Krakiatoa" + The Alchemist)
Next Exchange Quest with Taru Spirits + Corrine
~37 quests

...and the story was something like this:

The Polis of Krakia
Part 1: Main idea was essentially one giant jungle, as in 1-2 of the biggest possible maps that could be made. The jungle has hidden entrances, shortcuts, etc, similar to Phantom Forest and Crimsonwood Mountains. Players would basically figure out a way to reach the town, The Polis of Krakia. The original quest to find the Polis is given by Foxwit, who asks you to find his assistant, Gori. Once you reached Krakia, the real quests would start, by 1 NPC, Rogi, who you question, and simply says Foxwit always forgets his name, being an old man. Rogi wants to help keep Masteria safe. However, to do this, he'd like to calibrate the continent so it stays anchored here. Remember all those random pods and futuristic structures in the background of the original Krakian Jungle? Those are now interactable, and you'd have to find and visit all of them to turn them on. Of course, this is made more difficult by 2 things: one, you have to find them, and two, the Taru Spirits are attacking you. After turning on 50 beacons, you'd report back to Gori, who'd give thanks and one last quest for beacon 51, in a special map in the jungle--you are advised to take friends. Once arriving at the area, you are confronted by the latest urban legend, K.K., a giant Jungle Ape with cyber-enhancements; he'd be around 120-150, and the whole point is to stun him so you can escape from his lair...and since you escaped, he now roams the jungle (similar to Bigfoot), looking for you. You can stun him for items (that come from others that weren't so lucky), but that's it; he's not killable.

Now that you've escaped, there's only question--why did Gori/Rogi try to kill you?

Upon reaching the Polis of Krakia again, you find Gori/Rogi has disappeared, but you can now enter his hut. Upon entering, you find a disguise, a strange device and a copy of a note written in gibberish, Versalian. Taking the note back to Foxwit, who sends you to Elpam, he translates it in horror: "Continent now ready for transport, Master. Reporting back to Octoplex". He asks you the name of the NPC, which you tell him. He says that this is The Alchemists' loyal servant, who in this world, would be known as Igor. He sends you back to Foxwit, who deduces that his assistant is no more, which is how he got the disguise, and that Igor is Dr.Krakia's assistant from their time together, which means that The Alchemist and Dr.Krakia are one and the same. He asks you to visit 5 of the beacons so he can assess what you really did. Upon going back to the jungle, you find the Taru continue to attack you. Going back to Foxwit and sharing your findings, he tells you that Rogi lied to you--you've calibrated the exact position for the continent for the Alchemist and Naricain to transport Masteria back to Versal; at which point he can invade the entire Maple World and take over.

This is your mess, and there's only one way to clean it up: Find the Octoplex and Stop The Alchemist.

Part 2: To learn more about the Jungle, Foxwit tells you to visit Corine, who may have some knowledge about the Taru and how to find the Octoplex. She gives you a token that allows safe passage through the jungle, and asks you to go back to the Polis, as things should become clear. You make it back to the jungle, and back to Rogi's hut, and turn on the machine. The Taru spirits, now freed, appear in the Polis, 5 Taru Spirits total. You speak with the Chief, who explains that they attacked you because they knew what the devices did, having seen them ages ago when they were wiped out. Once you explain your side, and give them the Token, they mark you as an ally, and say they will help you find the Octoplex. They also give a warning--the ultimate weapon that destroyed Crimsonwood Keep and ended the war is here, and is known as Krakiatoa. There would also be an exchange quest here, as well as other lore-driven activities and new bounties. Upon entering the jungle, you find a new enemy--the Krakian Army. Battling through their legions of strange warriors, you find the path that leads to the Octoplex and battle towards the front gate, only to be denied passage, as you are not Versalian. Going back to Foxwit & Elpam, they come up with a plan--you must head to Crimsonwood Mountain and collect items from the Versalian Army there to create a disguise that will fool the sensors. However, you will also need to synthesize the disguise in Magatia. In addition to that, you must have at least 4 friends, max of 20, help you--the groups always enter in 4's. Visiting Magatia and Dr. DeLang reveals the truth of the Alchemist--he is a time traveler, but much more. He's learned from the most powerful scientists and magicians in history, from the Black Mage to Foxwit, and has allied himself with Naricain in a bid to reverse the destruction of his world. A large part of this, is the Antellion, a crystal of immense power, and what he used to transport the continent the first time around. However, Subani and Icebyrd's deal snatched back the continent before he could finish his research. The Antellion is one of two items he needs to save his world, the second of these is located at the grave of Christopher Crimsonheart, still unknown.

Upon collecting enough items and heading back to the Octoplex, you can now enter...and start the Party Quest.

Party Quest: The Octoplex is really 8 random stages out of 32. You must complete a different challenge in each to unlock the Launch Site corridor. The challenges change every week.
Upon finishing 8, you can now reach the Launch Site, which you can see the gigantic Robot known as Krakiatoa in the distance...

Boss Fight - Krakiatoa
The Krakiatoa Boss Fight takes place from the Launch Site to special versions of each NLC map--Krakian Jungle, NLC, Crimsonwood Mountains, to the Keep, to the Heart of the Keep, where the Antellion is. The idea being that players would beat each form on a different map both as it goes to get the Antellion and fails, and destroying each piece as it crashes into the Octoplex.
But that leaves The Alchemist, who's alive, pissed, and the most dangerous boss to walk the face of Masteria.

Boss Fight - Alchemist
The Alchemist only has one human-sized form, and the fight takes place on one map. He can teleport, and uses both AoE killing spells and snares. But the real danger is his summons--due to his knowledge of time travel and dimensions, he can summon any 4 of the following bosses at once: Twisted Masters, Black Crow, 3rd Job Clones, Manon, Griffey, Pap, Ergoth, Bigfoot, K.K.. Rogi enters the fight when he's at half-health with basically, a giant laser cannon that you have to dodge. Every time he's drops 25%, he warps you to a prison--Aqua Road, Crimsonwood Mountain, and a dark dimension, where you must find the anchor, and destroy it to escape in limited time. Upon getting him to zero health, he reverses time and drops you in his sanctum (where the reward chests are). You emerge at the launch site again, and go talk to Foxwit. He explains, that essentially, he has to find a way to break The Alchemists' control over time, but until he can do that, you have to keep beating him. PQ can be done 1x a day at that point.


Temple of the Elementals
You visit the Isle of Vigilance and meet the Raven Ninja Clan leader, Unife. He tells you that that they have found a strange temple in the woods, but there aren't enough of them to mount as assault, as the Dragon Ninja Clan has additional reinforcements and strange new powers. Once you beat an infiltrate the temple, you find a captured Rapheal, who would then join the fight after you beat his captors, True Ocelot and True Phoenix, leaders of the Dragon Ninja Clan. He would finally lead you to the Chamber of the Antellion, where he would now stay as a guardian. He offers to give you a lesson of just how powerful Naricain currently is. He hands you a one-time use item that activates upon defeat of the Alchemist; which sends you to Versal. Upon landing in Versal, you are met by Elpam 's father, who leads the Resistance, and before he can warn you, the entire party is drained of all HP/MP and unequipped of all items. Elpam's father panics, and summons Subani, who casts a spell to send you back...and at the moment he succeeds, Crushmom shows up (the beast that "ate" the sun, basically black and red version of Mushmom) and leaps at Elpam's father...

And you find yourself back in the Maple World, good as new. You return to Rapheal, and now that you know what you're up against, it's time to prepare--there's an entire world that needs to be freed, as Naricain will never stop his pursuit of the Antellion. And you can't do it without Crimsonheart. Rapheal has deduced his location, and needs Foxwit to build the device to bring him here, to your time. Once he's finished the device, you can pursue Crimsonheart, and bring him back to lead an all out assault on Versal. His grave is a portal that leads to a new land where he was last seen.

And that's as far as I wrote, Versal was going to be a twisted version of the most popular maps in the game; and would've taken multiple acts to weaken Naricain and finally be able to kill him. The Realm of Versal would've been you killing his anchors and totems, and The Shadow of Versal would've been the final fight.

What do you guys think about it? Personally, I found it interesting and ambitious idea, and now I get to live my life in peace knowing how would the story progressed after CWKPQ.

Thank you to Piratelzzy on Southperry.net for actually reaching out to NXProse about this and NXProse himself for agreeing to let Piratelzzy share this with all of us!

 

You gotta give NXProse and his team tons of credits to be honest, for coming up with brand new game mechanics at that time. From the day and night cycle seen on Amoria Party Quest Stage 2 (although it's pretty basic, the idea was there still) and fighting 5 bosses at once at the end of Crimsonwood Keep Party Quest, us players are basically lab rats to see if the future expansions will work or not, I'd say they nailed it, even though it does sound pretty overly ambitious to be honest.

Anyway, if you've been reading this thread, there was some speculations and prediction made about future expansions and how the story would play out from all the lores and pieces gathered, and some of them are actually confirmed to be correct based on the latest piece we got from NXProse himself.

Let's see:
1. Krakia and Foxwit being enemies through time - confirmed
2. Connection between Nihal and NLC - confirmed, with the Yetinx being an Ariant travel point
3. Isle of Vigilance being a map we can go to - confirmed
4. Versal being one of the last places we see - technically no, but what we would have seen at that point was basically a teaser
5. Naricain being the final boss - confirmed
6. Komodo Duo being the Azure Ocelote and Scarlet Phoenix from CWKPQ - doesn't look like it, NXProse's plan has a True Phoenix and True Ocelote near the end of act 1
7. The location of the Antellion - it was in Crimsonwood Keep when it came out, not sure if that was an early change from NXProse's plan or is the statue not related to the actual Antellion itself?
8. Christopher Crimsonheart being important was sort of a given based on his tomb in the MesoGears.
9. The Black Mage's apprentice being Dr. Krakia - confirmed
10. Timing of Krakia - totally confirmed, it was the next area on the next expansion

Krakiatoa was out of left field but we basically had breadcrumbs to go on.

Honestly I am glad that we get some detailed bits and pieces, but it just opens up even more questions now, like what about Bigger Ben and the riddles? What about Vineland, or the Affluent Tower? Or what about Cody's fabled Theme Park? I wonder what the plan was for the other areas hinted at, would they have come out after the Versal storyline was tied up or would it be spread out?