Hello!

This time, the theme is color hunting: choosing a color and looking for elements within a game that match it.

With summer making cool colors especially appealing, and shades from sky blue to deeper blues having always been favorites of mine, I decided to see what I could find in MapleStory.

Shades of Blue in Items

Most EXP-related consumables come in shades of blue. The 2x EXP Coupons, which have effectively been removed and can now only be obtained through Mu Lung Dojo and The Seed, are a pale sky blue, while the 3x and 3x coupons are a slightly deeper shade.

The vouchers redeemable for these 3x coupons and Legion's Experience, an EXP coupon available from the Legion Coin Shop, follow the same blue color scheme, as do bonus EXP coupons.

Among the VIP buff items currently available from the Meso Shop, the EXP coupons are blue as well, keeping the color scheme consistent.

The 경험치 부스트 링 and Pendant of the Spirit also come in similar colors, even though these EXP-related items are not consumables.

Of course, exceptions such as 혈맹의 반지 and 아즈모스 영약 mean that not every EXP-related item shares the same color, but looking over them, I wondered whether the aim was to keep confusion to a minimum.

The decision to change the MVP Superpower Buff to pink also seems to fit this approach, since it is not an EXP coupon.

Shades of Blue in Monsters

First, Dorothy, the boss of The Seed, wears a blue outfit inspired by Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz, the character she is based on. Interestingly, her outfit was given a different color in GMS.

It was changed to red, like the VIP buff, and while some speculate that this was done to avoid potential copyright issues, the exact reason apparently remains unknown. As a result, the outfit available to purchase with points also has a completely different color.

Blue is also a common main color for monsters because of its association with cold, and a few in particular stand out to me.

The Frozen Fear/Rage/Solitude/Anxiety/Emptiness found in the Forest of Beginning Tragedy in Kritias may have simple designs, but they fit their surroundings well and give the area a distinctly cold feel.

Ascendion and Foreberion in Limina look cute, but as the World Archive mentions, their identities are unknown, and that alone gives them a strangely chilling quality.

Finally, Grim Phantom Watch leaves quite an impression, with its menacing appearance making it easy to imagine the grave crimes it is said to have committed, which are mentioned in both the Monster Book and the World Archive. Judging by his portrayal in other quests, the king of Ludibrium is hardly someone who takes everything seriously, so his response makes me think that something quite chilling must have happened.

Shades of Blue in Locations

First are the buildings of Lith Harbor, a place that really takes me back to the game's roots. They are said to be inspired by Santorini and share its blue tones, which I think make for a lovely setting for the place where the adventure first begins in earnest.

Angler Company, one of the Epic Dungeons, captures the refreshing feel of blue ocean depths right from its entry UI, fitting its concept as a building deep underwater.

The Seed also has a lovely atmosphere, with views of Aquarium's waters from its rest areas, though one small disappointment is that the background stays the same farther underground. I think rest areas below a certain floor would have been even better with darker waters and deep-sea monsters such as Bone Fish and Cold Shark, reflecting the descent into greater depths.

Next is the Papulatus boss battle map. The boss itself may not be particularly significant these days, but I find the idea of a time-controlling monster from another dimension quite appealing, along with the refreshingly cool backdrop that draws on that concept.

This is the Mirror Cave at the far end of Rien. Although it is not possible to go inside, reaching this spot is easy with a Hyper Teleport Rock. If I were ranking maps by how refreshingly cool they look, I think this one would place quite highly for several reasons.

Finally, Snowy Whale's Island in Aquarium has such a lovely atmosphere that I sometimes go there just to idle. I have nothing to base this on, but the air looks especially clear here. I already miss the winter air.

Thank you for reading.