Vehicles

The vehicles system of Entropia Universewas expected to be implemented during spring 2010.
It finally arrived with VU11.2 on June 21, 2010.

Vehicles System

The Vehicles Editor is a system natively provided by EU's game engine CryENGINE 2 and "Allows designers to setup a vehicle�s damage system, including defining component damage and damage effects, define passenger seats and their connection to such vehicle features as the ability to control tank turrets and/or attached weapons, and provides full control over engine and physics parameters. It also exposes control of a vehicle's exhaust and surface particle effects."

Vehicles Facts

Statements by First Planet Company CEO Marco Behrmann:

• As the cars in the event are (L) their TT will be max.
• They use oil as fuel.
• All cars in the event will be of the same type and model.
• All cars can be customized using the coloring and texture systems.
• Cars will be able to carry passengers
• Calypso will see some terrain mods in our FPC release later this month to facilitate for vehicles.
• During test we had a scene where a car was speeding to get away from an Atrox Stalker - it was very much like the scene from the movie Jurrasic Park when the T-Rex pursues the jeep. =) So most cars can outrun most mobs.
• Vehicle combat is geared towards PvP and mounted weapons cannot be used to hunt mobs

Info from Client Loader:

• Commissioning a Vehicle
  All vehicles have to be commissioned before they can be spawned. The commissioning feature is planned to be developed further in the future, including designing vehicles by attaching various parts.
  How to: Commission a vehicle by using a Vehicle Commissioning Terminal. Such terminals can be found in selected cities, villages and outposts.
• Customize Vehicle
  The vehicle can be colored and texturized using the current coloring and texturizing system.
• Spawn Vehicle
  When the vehicle is commissioned it is possible to use the vehicle in the terrain (spawn it).
  How to: Spawn the vehicle for driving by right clicking the vehicle in your Inventory and selecting Spawn vehicle. Then place it on the terrain.
• Pick Up Vehicle
  Only the participant that has spawned the vehicle can pick it up. That way it will be returned to your Inventory. If you leave the vehicle out of sight for more than 10 minutes it will automatically be moved to the Storage Facility.
  How to: Use the Pick up action to return a specific vehicle you have spawned to your Inventory.
  Use the Recall All Vehicles action, to return all vehicles you have spawned to a Storage Facility.A vehicle in storage can be fetched from a Storage Facility through a Storage Terminal.
• Grant Access to Vehicle
  The participant that has spawned the vehicle, or has the right to spawn it, can grant friends different levels of access rights through the Vehicle Guests UI.
  How to: Edit access rights by right clicking the vehicle and selecting Open Vehicle Guests UI, which opens the Vehicle Guests UI.
  Add a guest by dragging and dropping desired friends from your Friend List to the Vehicle Guests UI. It is also possible to drag and drop directly from an avatar's status bar (the green avatar symbol) to the Vehicle Guests UI.
• Enter Vehicle
  How to: Enter the vehicle by right clicking the vehicle and selecting Operate.
  Switch between seats in the vehicle by using the action Next vehicle seat.
• Drive Vehicle
  Vehicle steering is controlled with the regular movement keys. To drive a vehicle, you need to fill the tank with oil, which is used as fuel.
  The vehicle does not deteriorate from driving or collisions. The vehicle will be submerged if driving it into deep waters. To be able to use it again, pick it up and place it on safe ground. If trying to drive indoors the vehicle will automatically be picked up.
• Adding fuel
  How to: Add fuel by dragging and dropping oil from your Inventory to the spawned vehicle.
• Damage to and from Vehicle
  The vehicle will deteriorate when taking damage from attacking creatures, avatars attacking with weapons and Mindforce, and other vehicles attacking with mounted weapons.
  As a subset to deterioration the vehicle is affected by its Structural Integrity (SI). The SI for a vehicle will be reduced by the same type of attacks as when deterioration occur.
  When the SI has reached critical limit, passengers are automatically removed from the vehicle, which cannot be used until the SI has been increased again.
  The vehicle absorbs hit points inflicted on avatars from creatures or from area damage. However, with a regular direct hit weapon, the avatar takes the damage if targeted directly, while the vehicle absorbs the damage if it was targeted.
  How to: Increase the SI of the vehicle by stepping out of the vehicle and using the Structural Integrity Toolkit on the vehicle.
• Shooting from Vehicle
  While positioned in the vehicle gun turret, a gunner can mount a mountable weapon. Shooting with mounted weapons can cause damage to other vehicles and avatars in PvP zones.
  Note: Mounted weapons cannot harm creatures. Passengers in a vehicle can cause aggression from creatures.
  How to: While in gun turret, mount a weapon by equipping it.
• Vehicle Inventory
  Each vehicle has a Vehicle Inventory, where items can be stored.
  Note: The stored items' weights affect the vehicle speed.

Two videos showing the Valkyrie Mk1 (L) in action:

Vehicles introduced in Entropia Universe VU 11.2.0	Entropia Universe Driving at night VU 11.2.0
<youtube>nwWOuAOmMYQ</youtube>	<youtube>GTGj2szaf1U</youtube>
Video by ALEXANDER.	Video by ALEXANDER.

Types of vehicles

Cars

From the statements by First Planet Company's CEO Marco Behrmann in the Planet Calypso Roadmap 2010 ("We have had the opportunity to race through the Calypso underbrush at 60 km/h, jumping off cliffs and skidding into lakes.") and the Planet Calypso Vehicles Preview Video it was certain that cars are one type of vehicles.

So far introduced:

• Valkyrie Mk1 (L)
• Valkyrie Mk1
• Saehrimnir Mk1
• another one not yet discovered

Spaceships?

There are several statements suggesting that Spaceships will be another type of vehicles to be introduced:

• First mentioned by First Planet Company CEO Marco Behrmann in the Project Entropia Roadmap 2004-2005: "Space exploration/combat – discover new areas in space, mine asteroids, fight pirates, enhance your space ship with additional equipment, weapons and shields."

• The Space Pirates announcements imply spacehips too:
• 

  Space Pirates

• 

  "Entropia Universe is expanding the frontiers of virtual reality to include Space exploration and the colonization of new planets, to herald in this new age, a vast assortment of space related tools, equipment, blueprints, vehicles, treasures and artifacts are being introduced."

• CryENGINE 2 Vehicles Editor supports flying vehicles. There are several videos from Crytek's own game Crysis that show the possibilities of flying vehicles as well as fan videos using the CE2 editor to realize 'spaceflight':
  • Crysis VTOL Ascension Level - Being the Pilot is FUN! on youtube.
  • Crysis - Naboo Starfigher (from StarWars) on youtube.

Vehicles related Blueprints

• Basic Vehicle Suspension Blueprint (L)
• Basic Vehicle Servo Blueprint (L)
• Basic Vehicle Supercharger Blueprint(L)
• Basic Vehicle Battery Blueprint (L)
• Basic Vehicle Gearbox Blueprint (L)

Vehicles related Parts

• Basic Vehicle Suspension
• Basic Vehicle Servo
• Basic Vehicle Supercharger
• Basic Vehicle Battery
• Basic Vehicle Gearbox

Vehicles System History

June 21, 2010 - Vehicles Giveaway Event

Valkyrie Mk1 (L) given away.

June 21, 2010 - VU11.2 Highlights Images

• 

  Start your engines!

• 

  Two constructable models

• 

  Intense action and physics

• 

  Customizable colors & textures

• 

  Attach heavy weaponry

• 

  Individual vehicle storage

June 19, 2010 - Vehicles Giveway Event on ROCKtropia announced

"Coming with the next update (tentatively on June 21st) vehicles will make their arrival at ROCKtropia. Starting on Monday your ROCKtropian Crew will be wandering around and handing out some FREE vehicles to our die-hard ROCKtropians."

June 19, 2010 - Vehicles Giveway Event on Calypso announced

"To celebrate the arrival of vehicles to Planet Calypso and the Entropia Platform, FPC Official Avatars will travel around Calypso directly after MindArk's 11.2 release, giving out free vehicles to colonists they meet along the way. MindArk's 11.2 release is tentatively expected on June 21. Only 1 vehicle per avatar will be allowed, and the offer will be available only while stocks last. Rumor has it though, that stocks will be plentiful :-)"

March 25, 2010 - Planet Calypso Vehicles Preview Video

Planet Calypso Vehicles Preview

<youtube>7jaCPVpEES4</youtube>

March 12, 2010 - Vehicles used in bank robberies

Wastelanders used vehicles when robbing the banks in Port Atlantis, Twins Peaks, New Oxford and Fort Argus.

• 

  Wastelanders rob Bank NEVERDIE using vehicles

• 

  Wastelanders rob Bank NEVERDIE using vehicles

• 

  Wastelanders rob Bank NEVERDIE using vehicles

• 

  Wastelanders rob Bank NEVERDIE using vehicles

• 

  Wastelanders rob Bank NEVERDIE using vehicles

Vehicles in Fort Argus

<youtube>aMVd8CfW0lA</youtube>

March 12, 2010 - Vehicles in Swamp Camp

Vehicle at Swamp Camp

Wastelanders showed up in cars in Swamp Camp.

Vehicles in Swamp Camp

<youtube>W18W0Dr7BSs</youtube>

March ?, 2010 - Vehicle Actions added to Action Library

Vehicle Actions have been added to the Action Library in VU???.

Vehicle Actions

Febuary 5, 2010 - Planet Calypso Roadmap 2010

Upcoming vehicles System mentioned on Planet Calypso Roadmap 2010.

2008 - Space Pirates announcement

Vehicles mentioned in Space Pirates announcment.

September 08,2004 - Project Entropia Roadmap 2004-2005

Vehicles mentioned on Project Entropia Roadmap 2004-2005.

References, Links

• Vehicles section of entropiaplanets forum