Entropia News: Communication and development roadmap

So about a month ago the creature inhabiting pills were introduced (according to MA and their new "regular"*** updates).... did anyone loot one yet?

No? Didn't think so.... (sigh)

Wistrel

***Where "regular" is defined as "less than once a month"

 

Yes according to my wife.....

 

This development roadmap and all communique that has come from David Simmonds who is now redundant in this role are now null and void as is the standard practice of all commercial entitles around the world.

I would hope to expect a new set of communique at some point in the future from Klas Moreau once he has settled into his new position as CEO of MindArk.

I have put a honest blunt direct request io him on this forum, stating the facts.

If he is truely going to make an impact then he will have his feelers out and be reading the forums, staying informed, wether delegate or himself doing this.

http://www.entropiaplanets.com/thre...ew-planet-calypso-ceo.11589/page-2#post-69773

I also made this point here and since it relates to this thread, will repost in full.

Some starter points of where MindArk can focus their initial attention:

I agree with these reviews so far as being accurate, both also being negative aspects, yet honest.

1. Entropia Universe is a MMORPG available on the PC platform. It uses some of the most outdated and worst game mechanics that most modern MMORPG games have abandoned ....

2. After years of playing this game (i had hopes things would change, both costwise and bugwise), i have to conclude: Entropia Universe (EU) is not worth your time. MindArk, the company behind EU, keeps nerf'ing and breaking things that were ok before, reintroducing bugs, they seem to be too focused on making a quick dollar from the players (no storyline, no playerretention, lots of lies, no decent communication ....

Reposted from another thread - Requested Future Development Roadmap for Entropia Universe.

Dear Klas Moreau of MindArk and David Simmonds of Planet Calypso (And other PPs)

Another suggestion, a no brainer really in terms of displaying the company's professional standards in keeping it real. I would hope all of you start to regularly (once per quarter) demonstrate what the majority of other established game development companies do in the industry today to keep their customers up to date, roadmap wise rather than a whole lot of hot air each time that no one these days seems to take any of you seriously for anymore.

See such a roadmap and communications Q&A demonstrated here >
http://www.entropiaplanets.com/thre...ing-features-with-notes-videos-roadmap.11633/

 

Entropia was using the GameBryo (NetImmerse) engine since 1999.

Gamebryo is way more then just fully customizable (see FallOut 3, Skyrim etc.), looks very good and if you seriously compare it with todays Entropia, you might feel, that CE2 wasnt really needed here, except for PR reasons. I mean, where are the 1 mio concurrent users ? If you dont know about advertising either and try to exist with publicity stunts and announcements, that often fail dramatically...whatever...

MindArk wasnt able to unleash the full power of CE2 anyway and spend a huge amount of work/time and money on (unneeded) "conversions".

GameBryo can look as nice as CryEngine in an MMO, if you arent able to maximize CE2 anway.
Also a maxed out CE2/CE3 might turn into a lagfest in a MMO, if you dont really know what you are doing.

I mean, look at current CE2/CE3 MMOs, its mostly a static 3rd person camera view + hack&slay and the (fantasy/cartoonish) graphics, that sometimes look indeed weel done, but didnt leave the impression of "today I played the MMO with the most realistic graphics". (thats what MA kept announcing)

Also other MMOs have less FarCry scenarios then Entropia now has (lots of palm trees, beaches...*yawn*)

In GameBryo times Entropia did not need super-mega-realistic graphics...actually, it never ever needed super-mega-realistic graphics...and still does not offer super-mega-realistic graphics by now.

Still, in 2004 it had way more depth, more love on details and a f*cking amazing immersive landscape, that sucked you right into the world of... "Project Entropia". I miss all these things...and I can still feel the remnants.

Feel free to look at maxed out CE2 samples on google. If you cant use that in an MMO and can reach very similar results, if not even more pleasent results, by using GameBryo 4.0, which even supports DX11...why choose CE2 at all in the 1st place, If not for PR reasons only...

Many areas, clothes and mobs feel like, as if someone wasnt in the mood to do his best work...or just wasnt able to... but we know that already, dont we ? :p

 

Although I am a big supporter of Cryenine, I have to agree with McCormick here. If it takes this long to see the results that we have so far, it may have been better to spend the money else where.

 

Click > Without reposting the entire contents of what can be done to improve communication < Click

Hi McCormick,

See above link ;) Cry3 used. No issue with the engine in an MMO, others like Star Citizen are also using Cry3 too. MA needs to invest in their employees in sending them off to adequate training seminars, imo, if they wish to use such an engine.

I do agree wih you on the point that for the purpose of Entropia, it was totally unnecessary at the time and a bad decision on management/board of directors part.

 

When I can get to it, I'm going to do as short a video as possible to demonstrate the 5 characters I have in the game Neverwinter ... Devoted Cleric (Healer), Control Wizard, Great Weapon Fighter, Trickster Rogue, and Hunter Ranger (Archer, which can switch between range and double-blade melee with one click of the tab key).

I'll do this on my big computer where the graphics are far better, as I can play this game on my laptop, and usually do in the comfort of my big chair in the livingroom.

What I love about this game is the game-play, the enormous attention to details, and the continued and frequent development that makes inhabiting this environment worth it, along with the varied challenges that are presented, and the incremental level of difficulty as you advance in stages.

In Neverwinter, game-play is it for me BIG time, and community is usually reserved for our Guild members, but community in Entropia was definitely the most important aspect for me. However, I have to agree that the ambiance, charm, enthusiasm, and especially the spirit of what drove players to become so immersed in PE/EU (IMO) was destroyed by incredibly poor decision-making on the part of MindArk with regard to the enormous potential PE/EU had.

I WILL say though, that for me ... David and his A-Team on Arkadia outshine any other planet by far with what they are trying to bring to the community, and as far as I'm concerned, that's the planet I not only call home, but would recommend to anyone who wanted to try the universe out, but I don't recommend EU to anyone anymore, and haven't for a long time. However, I'm not in the universe that often anymore either, and other than a large list of friends that I like to check up on now and then, I have no interest.

Although, something happened the last couple of days that may cause me to check in a bit more as a support to a couple of very dear friends and their new directions, we'll see.

I also love what Ed and Kris and their team are doing on Cyrene, but I think they need to ramp it up a bit and be more public and promoting like Arkadia is, and do more with the magnificent storyline they have. It's massive and I think the best of any of the planets. I really hope they expand this to the degree they were talking about when I was an official member of their writing team ... it's brilliant and captivating ... Ed's imagination and story-building skills are pure gold.

Anyway ... I'm off to have fun and maybe even write more at my new writing site ... hope everyone is well and has a great day.

 

Ed rocks, but having powerfull story-skills isnt everything...story alone isnt everything...if needed/additonal stuff cant be implemented (properly) and the planet starts to become deserted...and I bet it is not only MindArks fault this time... :/

Where are the 1 mio. concurrent users again ? Our playerbase never really grew.
We came in batches. Sometimes bigger batches, sometimes smaller batches.
A lot of Entropians did not stay 10 years+.

I would still bet we arent more then 12.000 active Entropians...

 

Hi MS9,

That would be great, even though I try to promote such games as Neverwinter here on EP for those reasons you have outlined, I have never really been good at writing reviews to point out exactly why it is great, instead using other people's work to demonstrate this.

So yes, please do :)

Neverwinter will always have a special place in my games to return to and continue to play over time category due to this. I may be gone from Neverwinter for the time being, but I am still there in spirit ;) Good to see it is still going strong though I knew it would, such games never truely die out. They only get better with age having a solid foundation to work off.

Aye, sad but true.

Aye, you were saying this about Dave before :)

Agree, David Dobson has his RL talents and is very much an ideas man too, we have had many good chats in the past on ideas revolving around Entropia and its potential.

Sure his prior games/gaming experience lacks (Entropia was his first MMO, no prior MMO gaming experience before Entropia, bio on Arkadia Forums posted by Dave Dobson in the new members introduction area when logged in), however his other attributes easily make up for this and he has others around him to help fill in for this shortfall being the open minded man he is ;)

Dave is also very on the ball with the Arkadian community at hand as can be seen here (Click on Developer Posts > DevPosts - David).

One can not deny that he does not request and listen to feedback and ideas and interacts with people on these ideas to forward the discussion along, something MA and other PPs fall short on doing to a great degree. He works hard at making the connection with his clients and keeping open the lines of communication in offering insights, querying and followup.

The only thing troubling me somewhat with Dave since the launch of Arkadia as his relationship with MindArk warms in his attempt to make better progress (Like any good business person would be doing), which others have also have also noticed and mentioned over time with his invested interests in Entropia on all levels with MindArk;

Is that he has changed somewhat in gravitating further away from people and places (eg. Forums for one) as he gravitates closer to MindArk that put up any sort of resistance/friction to MindArk & Entropia, whether constructively or otherwise in outlining the lay of the land (How things are going down as to the outcomes produced) or otherwise pointing out shortfalls.

Maybe this is a weakness he has in handling this effectively in shyng away due to the lack of legs to stand on vs the facts of resulting outcomes in terms of what is required of his partner MindArk to achieve being somewhat limited or excessively and unnecessarily hard for MindArk to achieve present day.

I do not know, but it is a concern never the less, one that is starting to shine through to others around him.

It is a bit sad to see having spotted this somewhat early, even with my initial investment talks with him into Arkadia Studios which I mentioned before. Hence why I have kept to some degree away from Arkadia forums and related ingame Arkadia content "for now" ;) Simply out of respect for a friendship that was there at one point.

Things seem to be going ok for him for now, or better put to the level one would expect with relation to the level of energy he is expending in getting things organised and done. We shall see how things continue to progress.

Personally I prefer to work on MindArk in the hope that the knock-on-effect, even though perceived as negative and damaging at this point in displaying the reality of the current state of affairs, in time will have a positive outcome for Dave (And other PPs) to btter achieve their vision(s).

fx: Lifts an eye-brow

Aye, you were saying how good the storyline was with Cyrene :)

Also I agree with McCormick that your only as strong as your weakest link (This also applies to Dave @ Ark) in that their needs to be proper systems in place on all levels from company workflow processes (Within the platform, MA/PP/Clients) through to the product/service itself in terms of the mechanics on offer within the sandbox environment to bring ideas together cohesively in producing working concepts that will be aceepted by the userbase as something that adds value to their gaming experience and/or to Entropia overall.

Sounds good ... and you too ;)

Take Care,
DCB/Viper.

 

Just as an FYI ... I added a "Virtual World News" category to my new writing site so I can post thoughts and opinions (and "facts" if I'm moved to do so), as well as what's happening in my virtual worlds, but it will be my own personal offerings based on experience, and nothing "official" to promote or support any games. My official writing for ANY game doesn't exist anymore.

I don't have anything posted in the category yet, so it won't show up, but perhaps I'll have something there sometime tomorrow.

With regard to all that you wrote Viper, I'll reserve my thoughts and opinions for my writing site.

Not sure if you have a FB page or not, but what you were curious about I posted on my FB page ... and that would be ... Lynne MindStar ... so that people knew who I was (RL and virtual world names).