February 25, 2010 – KryptoDEV, a popular MapleStory private server development forum, is soon to make MapleStory history by becoming the first private server development website to be sued by Nexon Inc. Rumors have been flying around since January about problems within the website and a trusted source has told Maple News that the rumors are true. A Canadian law firm is acting on behalf of Nexon America Inc. in the lawsuit against owner of the website, Alex Manov (known as Sparks).

On February 13th KryptoDEV posted a Twitter update in which they admitted the lawsuit was in fact real,

@AkaiMS We have to be careful what’s floating around KryptODEV due to the filed lawsuit, on top of which the features…

KryptoDEV’s database was also wiped after one of their administrators (xcheater) was hacked which debunked rumors that Nexon had already shut them down.

So, over the past few months, it’s been nothing but hell for us. One of our administrators (xcheater) got hacked which turned out by the time I got home from work the entire forum was pretty well wiped, this was not the work of Irwin (x0r) but rather another individual unknown.

Despite the lawsuit KryptoDEV is still up and running. We have not received a comment from either KryptoDEV or Nexon America regarding the lawsuit against KryptoDEV. Please check back for updates as they come.

Nexon, are you ready?

Due to the recent reports about GMS (MapleStory Global), using a new set of codes to launch the game via their website. Nexon might not have noticed… we use Window computers to play MapleStory, not Macs (Apple Computers)!

What do I mean?

Hypothetically speaking, launching Maplestory using a website launcher is like managing your banking/SSN (Social Security Number) without thinking about spy-ware entering your computer, and stealing your data.

Playing MapleStory on the official website is a BIG risk. Nexon really has to step up their protection. The new Hackshield program currently in use wouldn’t do squat to protect us from website-based attacks especially account fraud and keyloggers. Keyloggers are extremely deadly. They can see what you type on your computer and where you go.

Spyware is also a concern. There are tons of websites out there pretending to be official MapleStory websites offering to give you free NX for your account information. In early 2008 there were at least 100,000 accounts hacked due to their owners entering their information on a fake official site. (According to the Maplestory Website Notice in Early 2008)

Nexon and everyone else in the MapleStory community should STOP and think about how this change can affect the safety of accounts. Security must be improved if the web client is to be a success. Just be careful and mindful of URL’s and links and you should be fine. Make sure that when you log in to the MapleStory homepage to launch MapleStory you aren’t on maplestory.nexonn.net.

Is Nexon ready for this big leap? OR am I just insane to bring this up…I don’t know…but tell us what you think.

Sources: Basilmarket.com/google.com/maplestory.nexon.net/nexon.net

On January 25th the OdinMS creators made the first update in almost a year on their website. Read it below.

Update (01/25/10): After a period of silence something is happening again. We received a bill of indictment from the public prosecutor. Therein we are accused of having illegally copied, distributed or broadcasted a work without the agreement of the holder of rights. The contained report of the facts of the case is in our opinion quite dubious to say the least.
A Korean attestor is named to have prepared an incriminating expertise for which he seemingly was granted access to all of our confiscated data.
Our lawyers will now again request access to the records so we can review the actual evidence (including the expertise of the Korean guy) and decide if we want to name any other attestors or request hearing of evidences.
The lawsuit takes place at the juvenile court (since one of us is still younger than 21) of the Amtsgericht Neunkirchen which is the lowest level court possible in Germany.
(Please note: Contrary to all rumors this marks the beginning of the first lawsuit against us. Everything that happened before was just part of preliminary proceedings. There has been no kind of judgment so far.)

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We will keep you posted if any new information arises.

Yes! The fun started yesterday, but now already over 1500 beta-keys were obtained by Mabinogi fans in whole Europe.

Links:
Learn more about Mabinogi here
The official site can be found here
Beta-key give-away is here

Events:
Beta-key give-away!
All beta-keys gone!? Don’t worry, we will give away 3 beta-keys.
How to win? Mail to mrpudding@maple-news.com with the reason you want to win!
Winners will get their beta-key on December 1st, Mabinogi and verifying your beta-key can be done on the 2nd of December and later.

-rules can be changed at any time, we do not correspondent about the winners-

CB Event

Bye, and have fun!!

-MrPudding

I received an e-mail yesterday with a link to a YouTube video showing what a potential MapleStory iPhone app would look like using Photoshop. I honestly thought it was the real thing when I first saw the video!

The creator posted a short synopsis on the video page.

Have you ever wanted to play MapleStory from your iPhone or iPod Touch? Well, that feeling was very mutual so I bring to you iPhoneMS. A full fledged version of MapleStory with a redesigned UI to accommodate running on a much smaller screen.

Unfortunately, this is simply a mockup of how the UI might look, and how the game might play on an iPhone. I am not making an actual app. This was all made in Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop.

Stay tuned for an interview with the creator.

Thanks to an anonymous source for this link. Looks like the “Blizzard doesn’t sue private servers!” argument is now null and void.

Source

We’ve talked about private servers on the site here before, but in case you haven’t heard the term: they’re unofficial servers, very much against WoW’s Terms of Use, that are run by companies other than Blizzard. They’re shady as get out — some make you pay (and these are not people you’d ever want to give any credit card information to), some will delete or change characters on a regular basis, and many times they’re created just so whoever’s running them can mess around with GM powers, and cheat with any items they want.

So you can see why Blizzard would want them shut down, and that’s exactly what they’re trying to do with this lawsuit filed in the California Central District Court against a company called “Scapegaming” that runs at least one private WoW server (and they’ve apparently been running microtransactions in-game — selling in-game items for “donations” of money). The law firm working for Blizzard, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, also worked on the “Bnetd” case, which was another piece of unofficial server software that allowed players to play off of Blizzard’s Battle.net setup.

The complaint lists copyright infringement as the cause, which means they’re probably using the same argument targeted at other private servers in the past. We’ll keep an eye on this, but it’s very likely Blizzard will win this one unopposed, and Scapegaming (or at least just their WoW server) will get shut down for good.

Thanks, Phenom!

The images above are courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Within the last several server checks we have noticed that MapleGlobal has added several new cash items. It first started with their Chaos Package outfit. Some players said it looked oddly familiar. They were right.

It didn’t take long for many to put the pieces together. The metal suit that was being advertised on the front page of the MapleGlobal website was a direct reproduction of the popular anime show Full Metal Alchemist. The metal monster is one of the main characters in the show, Alphonse Elric. Skeptics still believed that it was just a coincidence.

The server check on October 15th yielded more new cash items (seen below).

Naruto  (Naruto)  Edward Elric (Full Metal Alchemist)

Do they look familiar? Well, that’s because they are both from two hugely popular anime shows. The first image is Naruto from the popular ninja anime, Naruto. And once again, the second image is the main character of Full Metal Alchemist, Edward.

Nexon’s Maple Racing Helmet and mount look strangely similar Speed Racer.

Over the past year Nexon America has been cracking down on private servers for violating intellectual property. Private server supporters and Nexon supporters have both pointed out the fact that these two shows are not owned by Nexon America. The images they reproduced are technically intellectual property of their respective companies.

Stealing intellectual property and profiting from it has been a main point in Nexon’s ongoing fight against private servers. However, if Nexon is reproducing these images without permission they are violating those same laws. How?

1. Full Metal Alchemist and Naruto are owned and licensed by respective companies (Nexon is not one of them)
2. These items are cash shop items. Cash shop items cost money, so technically Nexon is selling items that are not theirs.

We cannot be sure whether Nexon America has the permission to use these items in their game. Is it somehow okay if a multi-million dollar corporation reproduces intellectual property but illegal if a 12 year old kid does?  Nexon America’s possible hypocrisy could be a main arguing point for private servers.

*Disclaimer: This article is an editorial. The views expressed in this article are that of the author.

Blockheads are the creepy guys running out of the NEXON logo. Nexon says they will be using them a lot in events such as the Blockhead Invasion!

Here is Nexon’s intro video in case you’ve forgotten since the last time you’ve played.

This means that Nexon will be changing their name to BlockParty! This, coupled with various new features, could perhaps bring about new-found interest in Nexon from onlookers hoping to play some new games.

www.blockparty.com is the URL!

If you click on the Blockheads at the top-middle of the screen, you’ll see what they will be doing with the site.

As nexon says:

What is going on at Nexon.net you ask?? The Blockheads (the feisty little green dudes with party hats) have come to share the BlockParty gospel in their…”unique” way. We don’t always understand their tactics, but they know how to have fun doing it, so what are you going to do?

So check out the BlockParty infotainment animatory thing. The Blockheads spent a lot of time on it, and we’re pretty sure you will see why.

So definately get ready for some new events coming up on nexon.net!

~Pudding

*thanks to Savage for updating*

I was contacted by MentaL, the owner of RaGEZONE, who linked me to this announcement found on the RaGEZONE forums regarding Nexon’s recent Private Server announcement (see this post). Below is the official announcement from the RaGEZONE forums.

Hi,

It has come to my attention that Nexon (MapleStory license holders) are currently releasing a lot of statements regarding the “private server” scene and to which I feel obligated to say my part.

First and foremost , these servers are created by fans of the game, a lot of them still play the official servers and on the side create a server for others to play, their intention may or may not be profit but for Nexon to release the statements that they have is absurd.

99.99% of servers you will find here do not contain keyloggers, infact, we have a strict policy regarding this and have done since the day RaGEZONE was created, anybody found releasing virus’s, trojans or any malicious software that coincides with maplestory (or any other server) are instantly banned from our forums so for Nexon to say that by playing a server you will be infected with a trojan/virus is uncalled for.

Secondly, if a server does have a donation/cyber shop, 99.99% of them use PAYPAL, a free service which stores no information to the actual server owner other than your email address and home address, so how can they justify stating that “These illegal servers do not have legal or any other binding obligations to keep your information secure. This means your information has a high risk of being shared, leaked or stolen from unofficial, unsecure servers” its paypals liability for any information obtained not the server owners, paypal transactions do not release ANY credit card details.

Nexon should rethink its words and actions as each time I read something regarding this company they seem to lower their reputation.

MentaL

Today the MapleGlobal staff made an announcement about private servers on their official website tagging private servers as ploys to earn money through donations, identity theft, and/or fraud. This is the second announcement made by Nexon America since last March when they first made the “truth” about private servers known.

You can read the official announcement below:

A Warning About Illegal (Private) Servers

Dear Maplers,

As we’ve recently seen more problems with illegally operated, private servers, we wanted to provide information to our players regarding the dangers of these operations. Private servers are run by individuals who already understand that they are performing an illegal activity. Thus, the goal of private server operators is to make money using the least amount of resources possible. That means they often engage in identity theft, fraud, and other means to steal funds both from the official operator, and any users of private servers.

These illegal servers do not have legal or any other binding obligations to keep your information secure. This means your information has a high risk of being shared, leaked or stolen from unofficial, unsecure servers. Not just the information you write when you register for these servers, they also track IP addresses, and are able to obtain other information just by you logging into a private server. And when you do play, you are using an unsecured, modified client which may cause you to download keyloggers, viruses, and other harmful components to your computer. And of course, you can lose everything you worked for if the server runs into a problem or shuts down without notice. And not to mention you miss out on the in-game events in the official MapleStory. Fishing and Spirit Week events anyone?

We strongly ask you not to compromise the integrity of the game for the millions who play MapleStory North America (this includes our global players that still connect to us) and those who play other official versions worldwide. In addition to warning our players about private servers, we are making sure our service is the best MapleStory experience anywhere. Thank you for continuing to play MapleStory, and we?ll see you online!

Thank you,

-MapleStory Staff-