VU 16.0 New Camera & Control System

A thread to collect info about the new camera & control system in VU 16 scheduled for Monday 18th of February.


Changes and New Actions

Lock Target (TAB key by default)
Next Target has been replaced by a new Action called Lock Target. The functionality of this Action is identical to using the left mouse button to click on a target. Priority selection among multiple potential targets depends on the direction of the camera center (targeting reticule in Aim Mode) and relative proximity. Repeating this Action with a short time frame will cycle through available targets. Lock Target does not target avatars.

Interact (F key by default, or RMB in cursor mode)
Interact is a context-sensitive Action performed on the currently selected target. If the current target is a vehicle, Interact will cause your avatar to enter the vehicle. If the target is a fruit on the ground, your avatar will pick it up. If the target is a creature, your avatar will move to interaction range and enable Auto Use Tool if possible. Holding the Interaction key for a couple of seconds will open a context menu for targets with valid secondary actions available.

Camera Transition (C key by default)
Alternate the current camera mode from first- or third-person. Holding the Camera Transition key for a couple of seconds will enable Personal Camera mode (see below).

Abort/Deselect (ESC key by default)
Aborts the currently selected action or tool, depending on current state.

Ready/relaxed mode
Ready and Relaxed mode are used much more in the new system, and it is made clear when an avatar is in one of those modes. Run speed is higher while in Relaxed Mode (i.e. with no items equipped).

Old settings
Upon launch, the new camera and control system will use the new default settings. However, all previously existing key bindings have been saved for reference in a text file in the directory where Entropia Universe is installed. We recommend that everyone try out the new default settings to get a proper feel for the new system and features, and then customize later.


Default Actions and Key Mappings

W	Move forward
S	Move backward/Towards camera
A	Move Left/Strafe Left
D	Move Right/Strafe Left
Space	Jump
Alt	Switch Aim/Cursor mode
E	Auto use tool
R	Ready/Relax tool
TAB	SelectTarget/DeselectTarget
F	Do prefered action
F Hold	Open context menu
Mouse Wheel	Zoom in when in “Ready” (to scopeif available)
Z	Toggle Scope (when available)
C	Camera Swap
C Hold	Activate Photo Camera
1,2, 3 etc	Switch tools on actionbar
Middle Mouse Hold	Rotate camera
Q	Auto run
Mouse 4	Auto run
Left+Right Mouse	Move in cameras direction
ESC	Aborts auto use tool and then selected target

Aim mode

Left Mouse	Use tool
Right Mouse	Interact/prefered Action

Cursor mode

Left mouse	Select target or interact/use tool on an already selected target
Right Mouse	Interact/prefered action or open context menu
Right Mouse Hold	Rotate camera/Open context menu if mouse not moving

Other changes

• Slope run speed penalty has been removed. Avatars cannot traverse slopes higher than 60 degrees.
• Double clicking a target now performs the preferred action rather than defaulting to the Item Info action.
• Removed the ability to drag out status bars. This feature caused many unintended issues and problems, and is no longer needed.
• Improved target outlines for increased visibility.
• Improved mouseover information for targets.
• Hit confirmation feedback on targets.
• Visual indication when a target is in range.
• Terminal interfaces now automatically close when an avatar walks away beyond a certain distance.
• Added a new Photo Camera mode, a detached-view follow camera fully controllable with the WASD and arrow keys. Field of View can be adjusted using the Z key + scroll.

Preview & guide videos

Aim mode

Cursor mode

Using terminals

 

The old preview videos for aim mode and cursor mode have been deleted 2 days ago and new videos have been uploaded, so probably something has changed.

 

VU 16.0 Release Notes


New Features

Lock Target
Next Target has been replaced by a new Action named Lock Target. The functionality of this Action is identical to using the Left Mouse Button to click on a target. Priority selection among multiple potential targets depends on the direction of the camera center (targeting reticule in Aim Mode) and relative proximity. Repeating this Action within a short timeframe will cycle through available targets. Lock Target does not target avatars.

Interact
Interact is a context-sensitive Action performed on the currently targeted entity. If the current target is a vehicle, Interact will cause your avatar to enter the vehicle. If the target is a fruit on the ground, your avatar will pick it up. If the target is a creature, your avatar will move to interaction range and enable Auto Use Tool, if possible. Holding the Interaction key for approximately half a second will open a context menu for targets with valid secondary actions available. For targets with exactly two valid actions, holding the Auto Use Tool key for half a second will perform the secondary action.

Photo Camera
Enabled by holding the Camera Mode action for approximately half a second. This will trigger a free moving camera around the avatar which can be controlled by your mapped actions for moving Left, Right, Move Forwards, Move Backwards, Move Up and Move Down, etc. Scrolling with the mouse wheel will increase/decrease the camera movement speed. Using Scroll + Toggle Zoom action will increase/decrease the Field of View. Use the Camera Mode key or the ESC key to cancel Photo Camera Mode.


Changes

Combat

• Targets within range are now indicated as such, and combat text is displayed when shooting at a target that is out of range.
  
• Improved the range of the Auto Use Tool functionality for melee weapons to prevent canceling when close to a target but not quite in range.
• The crosshair for a locked target will scale based on the distance from the target.
• When a target takes damage a flash and crosshair animation will be displayed.
• Auto Use Tool will remain active if the avatar switches tools while a target is locked.
• The Relax Tool Action now aborts Auto Use Tool
• Switching tools when in Ready Mode will immediately bring the next tool into Ready Mode.

Camera and Interaction

• The maximum and minimum camera view distances in Third-Person mode have been adjusted.
• Using Right Mouse Button on your own avatar’s health bar will open context menu.
• The camera will now be centered between the object you're interacting with and yourself.
• Holding F or Right Mouse Button will open a context menu on targets with more than one valid action.
• The Use Tool action will be activated once if tapped, and will activate Auto Use Tool when held. Triggering the Use Tool action again, or using the ESC key will cancel an active Auto Use Tool.
• In Cursor Mode the camera can be rotated freely in Third-Person Mode with the Left Mouse Button. Reset by using the action Camera Freelook on Middle mouse button, using the right mouse button, or tap both left and right mouse button at the same time
• The Camera Mode action toggles between First-Person and Third-Person Mode. There is an option to enable scrolling with the Mouse Wheel from Third to First Person to scope and back.
• Visual outlines have been added for objects that can be interacted with.
• In a vehicle Toggle Zoom will toggle a closer zoom if no scoped weapon is available.
• The Toggle Zoom action can be enabled from Relaxed Mode and places the avatar into Scope and Ready Mode.
• Using the Lock Target action will cycle between available targets.
• Lock Target is only possible for targets within a range of 180 meters and in the avatar’s line of sight. A marker will indicate which creature will be chosen as the next valid target. The lowest maximum range for Lock Target is 80 meters.
• Camera views now have proper collision detection and will enter first-person mode when the avatar is in a location that does not provide enough space for Third-Person camera view.
• The ESC key will clear any active Auto Use Tool or deselect the current target.
• When activating Cursor Mode the cursor will now properly start in the middle of the screen.
• The interaction range for different targets has been unified.
• Terminal interfaces now close automatically if the avatar moves a certain distance away.

Character Movement

• Character movement is much improved and more responsive.
• The behavior of avatars when climbing steep terrain has been changed. Slopes of less than 50 degrees do not result in a movement speed penalty. Ascending slopes of between 50 and 64 degrees result in the avatar moving at normal walking speed.
• Avatars can no longer ascend terrain steeper than 64 degrees.
• Inertia has been adjusted to provide more consistent and realistic feedback when an avatar airborne (e.g. after jumping).
• Avatars now always move in the direction the camera is facing.
• When strafing, avatars will now always be centered on the screen.
• The Strafe Left and Strafe Right actions have been renamed Move Left and Move Right.

Other

• Many actions, for example Consume and Place are no longer displayed when not valid or applicable to the current target or item.
• The trade interface now states “Do you want to trade with [avatar name]?” rather than “Deal with [avatar X]?”.
• The Spawn Vehicle action has been renamed Place.
• Vehicles can now be placed by double clicking the vehicle’s inventory icon or by dragging and dropping the inventory icon onto the ground. This also applies to pets.
• Toggle Aim/Cursor Mode has been renamed Toggle Cursor.
• The Item Info menu text has been changed to View Information
• The Desktop Icons and Dashboard actions are now called Toggle Interface Visibility.
• When the map opens for teleportation it now defaults to the lowest zoom level.
• Removed actions to decrease and increase size for make-up. Resizing can still be done in the make-up interface. Changed Start Make-Up to My Avatar for your own avatar and Avatar for other avatars.
• The Beauty context menu folder has been removed.
• The Avatar leaning option has been removed. It is now always off.
• The delay before an avatar automatically switches from Ready Mode to Relaxed Mode after using a tool has been increased from 5 to 10 seconds.
• The fonts for waypoints and scrolling combat text have been adjusted to improve visibility.
• General improvements to scrolling combat text to be more informative and intuitive.
• New crosshairs have been added for Relaxed, Ready, in-range and Locked Target modes. It is no longer possible to cycles between custom crosshair designs.
• Mission titles are now displayed in bold, objective text in normal fonts.
• It is no longer necessary to wait for a tool to finish its reload animation before triggering a loot action.
• Improved the Loot Target action on defeated targets.
• Improved the automatic move to interaction range when attempting to attack a target behind an obstacle.
• It is now possible to refuel vehicles via a context menu available in inventory or on placed vehicles.
• Updated hitboxes for a large number of creatures to interact properly with the new Camera and Interaction system.
• Updated the new avatar Start Room to reflect the new Camera and Interaction system
• Avatars no longer rotate when attempting to use a healing tool on an avatar already in range.
• It is now possible to perform the Use Tool action on a target which the mouse pointer is currently hovering over (this includes targets placed in the game world, and status bars where available).
• The Move Down action now works when swimming.
• The Jump action has been merged into the Jump/Move Up action.
• Added an option for changing the “Interact Text Size”.
• Added an option for “Show Action Text On Target”
• Added an option for “Let Effects Change Camera”. Disabling this will prevent certain effects (such as Hall of Fame loots) from changing the currently active camera mode.
• Added an option for “Hide Outlines”.
• Added an option for “Camera on Left Side”.
• Added an option for “Disable Damage Flash”
• Added an option for “Scroll Changes Camera Mode” which allows the camera view to be cycled through Third-Person Mode, First-Person Mode and Scoped view by using the mouse wheel scroll.
• Added an option for “Interact to Cancel Current Action” that aborts both Auto Use and Lock Target if used again.
• Added an option for “Target Lock Sensitivity” to adjust how difficult it should be to break the current locked target via mouse movement.
• Increased the speed at which you can find fruit on the ground.
• The Waypoints and Tracked Missions interfaces no longer default to always on top of other interfaces.
• Projectiles from weapons and tools are now more precise in relation to the camera’s aim position.
• Pets can now be spawned by double clicking the pet’s inventory icon or by dragging and dropping the inventory icon onto the ground.
• Pets can now be fed by dragging and dropping food onto a spawned pet.
• Tab functionality has been disabled in many interfaces to avoid interference with the new interaction system.
• Avatars located in a vehicle that gets destroyed now die.
• The Enter Vehicle action has been renamed Operate.
• The Society interface can now be accessed at any time using the new Society action. As they are no longer necessary, all remaining Society Terminals are now inactive and will be removed in upcoming releases.
• Vehicles destroyed in PVP zones are now removed from the world and placed in the avatar’s planet storage inventory; vehicle wreckage cannot be placed in PVP zones.
• A confirmation dialog has been added to the convert shrapnel process.
• When exiting a flying vehicle, the engine will remain active for a short time before shutting down.
• Improved the display for rotation of other avatars.
• Adjusted the minimum zoom level for all scopes to 2.5.
• Reduced the number of stages between minimum and maximum zoom level.
• Removed the Show Status Bar functionality and the ability to drag status bars from most targets in the client.
• Removed the “click on ground to move” feature, which is obsolete in the new interaction system.
• Streamlined context menus. For example, the Merge actions for stackable items will not be displayed if there is nothing that can be merged.
• Removed the "Move To Target when Interacting" option setting. That behavior is now always the case.
• The Compact in Inventory feature now displays a confirmation dialogue.
• The Exit action to exit the Entropia Universe client software will start the countdown immediately instead of asking for confirmation.
• Renamed some tabs in the Action Library to: Social, Control, System, Interface, Postures, and Emotes.
• Emotes All chat commands are now case insensitive. The emote chat command help text has been divided into categories. All emotes can now be triggered with or without the em prefix. For example, "/angry" or "/em angry" will both trigger the Angry emote. /contacts and /friends for Contacts /users and /players for User Register /profile and /me for Edit Profile /walk and /run for walk /exit and/quit to exit the game /time to view time /edit for edit mode /bad and /good as aliases for /baddeal and /gooddeal. /no for /shakehead
• Removed the "Copy My Avatar Link" action.
• Split Emotes in the Action Library into Postures and Emotes.
• Added more information and stats comparison onto item tooltips
• NPCs and other invalid targets no longer have health bars.
• Scrolling combat text now originates from the point of aim.
• Updated many mysterious “Could not execute” messages alerts with more descriptive text, and removed some unnecessary, inconsistent alerts.
• Updated alerts when attempting to dropping items in the world: The "Could not execute" message is no longer displayed when trying to drop an item outside of an estate. The "You can not drop this item" message no longer displays when trying to drop undroppable items outside of an estate (only displayed when inside an estate). items will display a disabled action in the item context menu if it is not possible to place the item currently. Unnecessary error messages when trying to drop items in dynamic areas, spaceships, vehicles, etc. have been removed. You will no longer get any error message when trying to drop an item in a mothership, dynamic area or vehicle
• The Mouse Help action has been removed.

New Default Keybindings

In order to implement default key bindings that support the new interaction system, all settings have been reset for all clients upon logging in after the Version Update.


Previous custom keybinding settings have been saved in a text file in the following directory on your computer:

Documents/Entropia Universe/Removed key mappings and icons.txt


Key - Command

Avatar Movement

W - Move forward

S - Move backward/Towards camera

A - Move Left/Strafe Left

D - Move Right/Strafe Left


Z - Rotate Left

C - Rotate Right


Space - Jump/Move Up

Q - Toggle Run/Walk

R - Auto Move


Left+Right Mouse - Move in camera direction, a.k.a Easy Navigation


Camera

V - Camera Swap

V [Hold] - Activate Photo Camera


Middle Mouse [Hold] - Rotate camera, Release to Re-center


Mouse Wheel - Zoom in when in Ready Mode (to scope if available)

Left Shift - Toggle Zoom (when available)


Interaction

Alt - Switch Aim/Cursor mode

E - Auto Use Tool

X - Ready/Relax tool

G - Unequip Tool

TAB - Selects, Switches or Deselects Target depending on Context

F - Interact/Do prefered action

F [Hold] - Open context menu

ESC - Aborts Auto Use Tool, deselects target or closes window depending on context.

T - Teleport to nearest Revive Terminal


General Interface Windows (Open/Close)

Y - Message Center

U - Contacts

I - Inventory

O - Options

P - Professions

H - Hall of Fame

J - Mission Log

K - Skills

L - Edit Panel

B - Event List

N - Action Library

M - Map of Current Planet/Territory

F11 - Society Interface


Chat Functions

Return - Start Chat or Send Message in Chat.

(,) - Show Position in Chat Window

(.) - Show Current Entropia Time in Chat Window


Misc Functions

(- or /) - Recall All Vehicles

L - Edit Panel (Open to Edit Keybindings and Desktop Icons)

F10 - Show Keyboard Map On Screen

F1 - F9 Select Key Map Set

F12 - Exit

Print Screen - Take a Screenshot, See Chat Window for Save Location


Mouse Button Map

Mouse 3 - Rotate Camera

Mouse 4 - Auto Run


Aim Mode

Left Mouse - Use Tool

Right Mouse - Interact/Trigger Auto Use Tool on target


Cursor Mode

Left mouse - Select Target or Interact/Use Tool on an Already Selected Target

Left mouse [Hold] - Rotate Freelook Camera

Right Mouse - Interact/Do Prefered Action or Open Context Menu

Right Mouse [Hold] - Rotate Camera/Open Context Menu


Fixes

• Fixed an issue where untracking a mission could cause the Mission Tracker to malfunction, or to move to the upper left corner of the client unexpectedly.
• Adjusted the Notifications interface to avoid overlap with the Message Center icon.
• Fixed an issue causing corpses of flying creatures to not disappear after being looted in dynamic instances.
• Fixed an issue causing obstruction of the target interface when selecting a target with the cursor.
• The scroll wheel no longer controls zoom in the make-up interface.
• The “No target selected” alert no longer appears when opening the inventory of a vehicle an avatar is seated within.

MindArk and the Planet Partners strive to ensure a smooth and problem-free Version Update. Nevertheless, even after extensive testing some issues may arise after release. Such issues are often addressed via mini-patches directly after a release and in subsequent patches. If you feel that the possibility of encountering minor issues or bugs directly after a Version Update affects your gameplay to an extent that Entropia Universe is not enjoyable, please wait until the mini-patches have been released and any last minute issues have been resolved.

Source

 

Press Release
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ENTROPIA UNIVERSE CELEBRATES SWEET 16 WITH MAJOR GAMEPLAY UPDATE

MindArk outlines unprecedented control and selection changes for multi-world online game

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN – Feb. 19, 2019 – As long-running living, breathing virtual multi-world MMO game Entropia Universe celebrates 16 years, the game’s developers are unveiling significant gameplay updates today to deliver an updated experience that will make exploring, looting and battling enemies even easier. The free update offers a streamlined experience while at the same time knocking down barriers for new players exploring many of Entropia Universe’s six diverse virtual planets.

Existing players will immediately notice all-new aiming controls, allowing them to quickly lock on enemy targets, and swap between camera perspectives with one click of a button.

“Much has changed in the last 16 years, but Entropia Universe continues to grow and evolve, and the MindArk team remains committed to keeping the gameplay experience familiar yet fresh,” said Dennis Antonsson, project lead, MindArk. “Long-time players will notice an immediate difference as they switch camera views, toggle their aim and more efficiently interact with the world of Entropia Universe.”

The Entropia Universe Version 16.0 Update includes:

• Revamped Aiming – Players can now lock onto targets and quickly cycle through new ones, allowing for total control to defeat waves of enemies much more easily;
• Camera Transitions – Going from first-person to third-person is now possible, with an all-new toggle option;
• Full Interactions – Right-clicking is dead! No more working through menus to enter vehicles or to pick up items as players can simply interact with objects with one key.

Players can also check out video tutorials for the updated controls through the following YouTube links:

• Aim Mode
• Cursor Mode
• Using Terminals

ABOUT ENTROPIA UNIVERSE
Entropia Universe is a living, breathing virtual multi-world online game where players can escape and create their own reality, choosing their own path and transforming themselves into whoever they want to be. First launched in 2003, Entropia Universe has continuously raised the bar for online virtual societies by introducing players to real-cash currency, limitless job possibilities, and a full-on item investment platform. Players collect and earn virtual currency (‘Project Entropia Dollars’ or ‘PED’) within the game and are able to convert this cash to and from their real-world bank accounts. Since launch, five other developers through the Entropia Planet Partners program have created additional planets, each with their own unique attributes and systems.

 

I haven't had the chance to login and try it out yet.

Merely from reading it I'm rather positive. Sure there are points I certainly dislike, other I'm skeptical about, for example the "photo camera" thingie. But I think it's a step in the right direction, considering that the motivation is to renovate EU and align it with modern standards.

Unfortunately EU lacks behind so terribly that a modern control system is just a tiny step on a very long road. I hope MindArk can speed up a lot, which might be possible with a total focus on the game and dropping all other weird activities. A complete replacement of the current management with gaming industry veterans would be a good signal, game makers instead of money makers.