Hello, everyone.

This post is about gaming etiquette, and since online games still involve communicating with other people, the basic principles of good manners are much the same, even if interacting indirectly can make things feel a little more relaxed.

A recent example is this event, where many players have failed to keep the promises they made before entering into a contract, leaving their partners at a disadvantage.

There have been plenty of reports of partners promising 100,000 kills only to disappear the very next week, or doing nothing but their dailies while taking the points the other player earned, and while this may be a game, I think it is only right to do your best to keep your promises unless something truly unavoidable comes up.

Even outside limited-time events like these, there are certain expectations to keep in mind while playing MapleStory, so in this post, I have put together 2 things that newcomers in particular should know.

Guild Etiquette: Remember to Participate in Weekly Guild Content

A guild is, at its heart, a community, so it is important to show basic courtesy to other members and get along with them. Spending time with like-minded people, greeting one another, and chatting as you play can be reason enough to keep coming back to the game.

In MapleStory, however, there is one aspect of etiquette that matters much more: remembering to participate in content every week as required by your guild's rules.

Guilds unlock these Noblesse Guild Skills by earning SP through members' participation in weekly content and using it to obtain buff skills. Because the benefits are essential to gameplay rather than optional, unlocking them generally takes top priority, apart from in the few guilds that exist purely for socializing.

Requirements vary by guild, so before applying, read the guild introduction carefully and only join if you feel you can meet its expectations. There are 2 activities to participate in each week, as outlined below.

Sharenian Culvert, usually called Culvert, involves attacking a boss for 2 minutes to earn points. Each class has its own rotation, so it is a good idea to look up one for your chosen class and use it as a reference.

Flag Race, known as Flag, involves making your way past obstacles to reach the finish line. You only need to complete 1 lap, and although your score depends on your time, there is fortunately a minimum score, so you can always finish the course.

Various patches have made the format, difficulty, and requirements for earning SP much more forgiving, so these activities are no longer much of a chore. Flag now uses entirely fixed scoring criteria, and many guilds only require Culvert.

In the early days after <Challenger World> opens, guilds need to level up to increase their membership cap and unlock regular guild skills, which are also practically essential, so guild contribution boss runs, known in Korean as 기보, are required. These are straightforward as well: you can form a party through guild chat and defeat whichever bosses are available at the time, so make sure to participate early on in Challenger World.

If the guild later changes its rules, such as raising the minimum Culvert score, the changes will be posted under the Notices tab on the board, so be sure to check it.

Some guilds also remove members after n days of inactivity, but if you always log in and play while appearing offline, the guild UI will show you as inactive, meaning you could be removed even if you participate in guild content. To have your login date recorded, you need to briefly switch to online mode after logging in.

<Extreme Monster Park> Etiquette: Learn How It Works Beforehand and Make Clear Callouts

<Extreme Monster Park>, known in Korean as 익몬, an abbreviation that reverses the order of its Korean name, is essential content because it awards a large amount of EXP for the time invested.

Since its release in 2022, it has gradually become one of the easier activities, and <Challenger World> also provides a passive 100% Final Damage bonus specifically for this content, so the encounter itself can now fairly be described as easy.

Still, this is cooperative content, and there is a considerable difference between entering with an understanding of how it works and going in knowing nothing at all, so it is worth familiarizing yourself with the process before your first attempt. It is straightforward, so one read-through should be enough.

When you enter, 4 monsters are displayed at the top, as shown here.

The large map can be divided into 9 areas as shown here, with 8 types of monsters appearing across the 8 areas outside the center. Their locations are randomized each run.

The Mysterious Jackalope, which is not one of those 8 monster types, increases every kill count by 15 when defeated.

Since the map is large, make use of portals and movement skills, including the map's built-in portals. If a party member is already there killing monsters when you arrive, move elsewhere and look for a different monster type. Parties usually have 4 members, so each person can handle 1 monster type.

Once all the required monsters have been defeated, hold down the Harvest key at the altar to summon the boss, Bigfoot, in a randomly chosen location among the 9 areas, including the altar area.

This is arguably the most important step, because you do not know where Bigfoot will appear: before summoning Bigfoot, take up positions at 11 o'clock, 1 o'clock, and the altar, using a clock face as your reference.

Choose whichever position is closest to you, and once you arrive, type “Waiting at 1 o'clock,” “Waiting at 11 o'clock,” or “Waiting at altar” in chat, depending on your location, to let the other party members know you are waiting there.

• The priority is to have 1 person waiting at each of the altar, 11 o'clock, and 1 o'clock positions; the remaining player should choose a suitable spot based on the situation.

Once the chat messages confirm that all 3 positions are covered, the player waiting at the altar summons Bigfoot.

When the boss appearance image shown above appears, everyone moves downward from their position, checking for Bigfoot along the way (from 11 o'clock, follow 11→9→7 o'clock / from the altar, head up to 12 o'clock after summoning, then follow 12→altar→6 o'clock). If you find Bigfoot, call out your location in chat so your party members can join you.

• Callout Tip 1: Because the map is large, set your chat tab to [Party] rather than [All] so every party member can see your messages.

• Callout Tip 2: For other directions, players often use shorthand such as 33333 or 55555, which is fine, but typing 111111 for 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock leaves the others unable to tell which you mean. Please type “1 o'clock” or “11 o'clock” instead.

From there, defeat Bigfoot with the rest of your party to finish the run. If you fail to defeat it, repeat the same process; the regular monsters will remain in the same locations as before.

If someone dies, they may ask you to revive them with a guild skill, referring to the skill shown here. Simply use it while standing next to them.

If a player with high Combat Power carries you through the run, it is also good manners to thank them afterward.

Thank you for reading.