EntropiaPlanets presents: Exclusive interview with Buzz Erik Lightyear - Owner of CP

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Hi Erik, and thank you for allowing us the time to have this interview with you, in these undoubtedly busy times for you.

Let's start off with one of the most obvious questions: What was the first thing going through your head when you received the message that you actually had won Crystal Palace, and will you be evicted from your house for shouting "FUCK YEAH" at the top off your lungs when it did happen, which spooked the neighbour's cat so much it set off the toaster and burnt their house to the ground?

Well maybe not that much of a reaction, lol. It was pretty stressful of course to be bidding so high... So it took quite awhile to finally sink in. Plus I had about a million PM's. I knew a lot of people had me on their FL's, but had no idea it was that many lol. I think the whole of EU was watching that auction. Many people commented on the 2.7M peds bid when I entered the auction, they were all very shocked, if at the very least it was some good entertainment =)

How much higher had you been willing to go if you had been outbid again?

I would prefer not talking too much about any private details. I've had so many asking me, and really the best solution and answer is to just keep it simple and not reveal too much. I know that is kind of boring, but I need to take it as a business standpoint as well.

[IMGALIGNRIGHT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/buzz_837696.gif[/IMGALIGNRIGHT]How did you estimate the earnings from owning CP, and how much did you guess the revenue on an average day would be?

Mostly from using trackers and trying to estimate the averages in the past... But it is very hard to predict, because there are so many variables. "Will people still hunt with tax, or when spacetravel and other planets comes?", etc. But knowing that we could add Aurli Queens, and modify the spawns a bit would get people to go there. And, of course, in the future when there will be fun events held in the domes, I think it will add a fun experience for all to participate in the massive spawns at CP, non-stop shooting events and a chance to win big prizes, or even hit some huge hofs... I can't wait ;-)

Is the money you used all your own, or did you gather a collection of investors, similar to what others had been trying to set up? If your own, was it all made (directly or indirectly) by crafting? If so, can I have your skills and BluePrints, since you'll now be too busy managing a space station to also be an uber crafter on the side?

I won't talk much about the financial things, except to say it was not a collection of investors. And that I'm not rich, just worked out resources and invested them into CP. An investment that I think will outperform any similar Real Life investments.

And I will still continue to craft. There are many market stalls on CP, and the goal will be to keep them stocked up with all the main items that hunters at CP need. UR-125, Apis, etc, and keep them at fair market prices.

Should you not have won the auction, would you have kept the money ingame, or pulled it out again?

The goal was to win no matter what :P there was no Plan B.

Has MindArk been in touch with you yet to discuss further details, or was the brief message on their site the extent of their involvement so far?

My goal of course is to work to make CP the best hunting grounds in EU. There have been some kinks to work out until it is running smooth, but we will get there soon.

Will you be trying to see if FPC/MindArk, with the outcome that undoubtedly generated them a lot more money than even they dreamt when they launched the idea, is willing to reconsider their initial statement that CP would go "as is", and no other features would be added?

Well, I will aim for something similar as what happened with TI or CND, where a few alterations have been made over time, in order to improve those areas. The first goal is to work out some minor bugs and things. And I am listening to the players and getting as much feedback as possible, and will do my best to follow though and try to make improvements to keep CP as a favorite place to hunt for most colonists.

You are a well known crafter in game. I (Read: Lykke) still remember how incredibly honored and surprised I was when you pm'ed me to hand me over the first ever crafted Lykke Wooden Chest - and you have done a lot of incredibly things with your crafting and shops. Are you going to devote all your time to CP now or will you still be doing your crafting business?

I hope you still have that first Lykke chest :) (Note from editor: I still have it, Buzz :D and I will never sell it)

I will devote most of my time to CP for sure. I will be focused to mainly keep the marketplace there stocked up, but will keep my shops in Twin mall stocked up fully as well. But the rest of my time will be alongside other hunters, killing Aurlis and Kreltins.


[IMGALIGNLEFT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/lykkeschest.jpg[/IMGALIGNLEFT]Will you now get a haircut similar to the one NEVERDIE started sporting after he won CND?

Neverdie is a rockstar! I'm happy to just be a normal player/hunter/crafter with everyone else :-)

How many of the market stalls on Crystal Palace will you be keeping for yourself? As one of the most succesful show owners on the planet, we can imagine you want to be able to peddle some of your wares up on CP so the hunters there will have easy access to it.

Initially I am waiting for the +20 item count to be added to each. After that is done, I will be selling some of them. The goal with those will be to keep a nice stocked up marketplace on CP. Mostly aimed at hunters, but some diverse items could be there as well. So before someone is to go back down to the planet they could do a little shopping beforehand :) But due to the auction transport fee, this marketplace will be essential for hunters who use L weapons, so they will have a steady supply while at CP and won't ever have to TP down, or pay the high auction fees in order to get the items they need.

You are already promoting events on CP - What exactly are you able to change up there - other than the maturity of mobs and their spawn sizes? Speaking of spawn sizes, will you make drastic changes, or mostly leave the domes as they have been all along?

We plan to have weekly ingame events. 1 hour long events, with 30 min breaks in between. And we will keep running them one after another, alternating between most loot events, which most of the bigtime hunters enjoy the most, and highest single loot events, which the more medium players like since it gives everyone a more fair chance to win the prizes. These events would be taking place in all domes, all day long, so people can paticipate in just their favorite event that suits them, or come up on the weekend, and join in all the events. With low ticket prices, and big prizes, it will be a lot of fun for everybody :-)

The spawns in the domes were altered a bit in order to add the almost non existent Queen. She now rules over all the other mobs up there. So there is a dome which is going to be aimed towards only the top hunters in the game, or some very well organized teams. There will be a dome for medium hunters with a mix of Aurlis and Kreltins. And the two favorite domes will be the easier ones: One of them filled completely with small Aurlis, and one filled with small Kreltins. With this type of balance, there is something for everyone.And it will be great for events too :-)

[IMGALIGNRIGHT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/stars_1.jpg[/IMGALIGNRIGHT]What did your girlfriend say, when you told her you where going to spent 330,000 USD on a virtual Space resort?

Summer, who I met ingame... We fell in love at first virtual sight :) and now we live together, happily ever after! She said: `"$%& Yeah!`. She is proud to be Miss CP <3

Was investing large in EU something you have been pondering about for long - and just waited for the 'right moment' - or was this the biggest impulse buy you have ever done?

I always had a feeling MA would sell CP one day. Or well let me rephrase that... I always knew that if it did ever come up, I wanted to be the owner. I turned into a hunter 1.5 years ago, after being in the game as a crafter for 5 years previous to that. And I really got hooked on hunting and how fun it is to global. And I love hunting in teams, too. So CP was the ultimate place to hunt, where an endless stream of mobs come to you, and you just shoot away and have the ability to global a lot. Even better, if you check the ATH list, you will see that 50% of the ATH`s originated at CP! So that always keeps it exciting to know there is always a very real chance to make that list :-)

So of course when CP was sale, I had to pounce at the opportunity!

You are known as 'the man of the people'. What are your plans for the future and how to make CP attractive for players?

I have gotten nothing but support from everyone since winning the auction. Many even who said they would never hunt at CP again once there is tax. But they have said to me that they can`t wait to try events up there, or the big spawn of Aurli Queens and the other domes now. And I do love the fact that I am a player, and I love CP, and EU. If you come hunt at CP you will see me there often, hunting, stocking up the marketplace, and do many other pro-active thiings. I am not just some faceless investor... I listen to all the players, and take feedback, and will forever improve things to make it better for everyone!

I think CP has a unique appeal, because of the intense spawns where you don`t have to move around, and you get endless streams of mobs. All of which have the ability to give giant HOFs. So along with the fun weekend events, and other special events, it will always be a fun place to hunt.

With the upcoming new planets, what do you estimate their impact will be on the predicted revenue from CP? Are you anticipating a big hit from it, or do you expect it to be only a temporary dip in activity?

I am an optimist. I think new planets will bring many new players. Some will temporarily leave Calypso to explore a bit, for sure, but they will be back. And I think overall more players will be joining the Entropia Universe, which is good for everybody. So there may be a slow period, but in the long run I think this will be made up for by an overall increase in activity everywhere on Calypso. And while other planets will have their own appeal, I believe that Calypso will always work to keep the main playerbase by adding new features. This was the birthplace of so many of us. We will always come back to our home planet :-)

How can we serve you? :D

Cappuccino, extra sugar please :P

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We bow and thank you Buzz Erik Lightyear for taking the time to make this awesome interview with us and giving us a little insight in his thoughts and ideas! EntropiaPlanets.com wishes you the best of luck, happiness and fun with your new adventures.​

 

EntropiaPlanets presents: Exclusive interview with Buzz Erik Lightyear - Owner of

I would burn there anyway :D why not take advantage of that???

And thanks :)

 

EntropiaPlanets presents: Exclusive interview with Buzz Erik Lightyear - Owner of

Thank you to Buzz :) And thanks all for liking it.

But tbh Peter did his huge share in this interview and I can't take credit for that ... I'm mostly the *number girl*
(page-setup-graphic-and-adding-a-few-questions-and-bugging-Buzz-untill-he-gives-in-girl)