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How Much Memory Does MapleStory Take Up?

MapleStory is a free massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG). Like many Web-based games, whether you can play at all -- and how you experience the game -- are based on your computer's hardware. The amount of memory your computer has helps determine whether the game runs smoothly or lags and appears jerky. Luckily, MapleStory doesn't require too much memory, so it's compatible with many computers; however, you may wish to upgrade your computer so the game runs more efficiently.

Requirements
- According to the official Nexon website, the random access memory (RAM) requirements to install MapleStory are 128 megabytes (MB) for minimal performance and 256MB for optimum performance. In addition, MapleStory requires the Windows XP operating system or later; it is not compatible with the Mac OS. Your hard drive must have at least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of free space; 3GB is recommended for storing game data, however. Lastly, Nexon recommends a broadband DSL or cable connection to play MapleStory, rather than dial-up.
Significance
- If you install and run MapleStory when you only have the minimum RAM requirement, your game may take a long time to load -- in addition to lagging as you play. This is different than the lag you experience when your connection slows or when many users are on the same channel or map. If you attempt to minimize the game to view other programs, this simple action may take an extended amount of time, during which your screen might appear black. Windowed mode, which allows you to see multiple programs at once, is highly likely to cause wait times or lags during play. Using the recommended memory requirements allows your game -- as well as Windows -- to run more smoothly.
Recommendations
- If you only have 128MB of RAM installed on your computer, you can instruct MapleStory to use lower-quality images from the in-game settings. Although the picture will prove less clear and crisp, fewer of your computer's resources are used, which can reduce lag or wait time when you play. This option uses a sliding scale so you can find the ideal combination of graphics and system performance.
Adding Memory
- If you would like to add memory to your computer to increase the performance for MapleStory or other memory-intensive applications such as multimedia editing software, you can do so if your computer does not already have the maximum amount of RAM installed. To install more, open your desktop computer's casing or lift the correct panel on your laptop. Your computer has at least two memory slots. You can either place a new chip into an empty slot or, if they're full, replace an existing memory chip with one that has a higher capacity. Consult your computer's manual to determine the type of RAM you need.

Computer Games