State of the Universe Address 2014

[jenny ferr]

IF this thing of the premium goes ahead their line of "all players have same chances" is killed
Since a premium account will have benificts

agree

Premium accounts - may start off as an innocent way to give certain features, but you will get a creeping effect with each passing year, where more important features are added until eventually a premium account is a necessity for any serious player.

Also it goes against the whole ethos of EU.

Agree, thats what I fear will happen and we all know it will sooner or later.

I'm against the premium accounts because of the actual name/title, not what it gives.

If you want to grant premium account features to player such as more storage space, I have no problem with that at all. Just sell these features in the TT terminal instead and let the people who want it buy it?

They already have a system they should use for this, the Voice Chat System should be working for adding extra storage space/auction slots.

 

[billairboy]

Like I said, I have nothing against the features but why must they add this "premium account" status? If resellers want to be serious, they will buy this feature regardless if it is a premium account or not. If it can be purhcased from TT, it can be looted too no? Just like the voice chat tickets are/were before.

I can agree on this. I think a monthly fee for some additional benefits is a good way to bring in some extra money, but could to it in a way that you can customize and select what extra benefits you want to pay for, and no need to call in premium.

Overall 2014 looks interesting. The full release of Toulan in "mid-2014" could be a hint on when the taming system will be back.

 

[Dusk]

Damnit - I obviously missed the bit about the expansion of space.

 

[Svarog]

By all significant measures such as average simultaneous users, new accounts, and daily economic turnover, overall activity in the universe was at an all time high during 2013,

Seriously, higher than 2007, when the number of players you could meet in a day was greater than nowadays in a week? Higher than 2005, when probably more CND-babies were registering per hour than, again, nowadays in a week? That's some totally different from mine a game you're talking here about. Apparently the same game, where the cost to play really was reduced and tiering speed really has increased and all other magic has happened.

Premium accounts... It wouldn't bother me if their 'premiumness' was limited to the mentioned unimportant for gameplay features, but you won't stop at that, will you? A premium loot surely to follow, as the absence of the premium status will be a sign that the participant isn't a worthy contributor and can be safely screwed up. The premium will be like that "advertisements sound volume" slider in the setting of the old EU client - no one knew for sure that it really had a use, but hardly many risked to turn it off.

Don't forget to display the premium status of an avatar to others, so non-premium users could be shamed like non-depositors nowadays, - that will promote the feature tremendously.

But hey, there are plenty of positive things too. Nice gesture to remove the clothes equipping fee, for instance, pity it didn't happen before the clothes were rendered into unwearable junk over a year ago.

 

[Shady]

premium accounts is bad

 

[Neil Stockton]

Seriously, higher than 2007, when the number of players you could meet in a day was greater than nowadays in a week? Higher than 2005, when probably more CND-babies were registering per hour than, again, nowadays in a week? That's some totally different from mine a game you're talking here about.

I think you are exaggerating, or do you actually have numbers?

Edit: I wasn't here in 2005 or 2007. However, I do know that Caly (and EU!!) is many times bigger than it was then (which reduces the number of people at any one spot).

 

[whiteknut]

premium accounts is bad

Why?
Additional auction slots for additional fee (very wanted feature)
Bigger storage (also quite wanted)

Until premium accounts dont get unfair advantage in loot or mobs it should work just fine.

 

[SoReal]

Damnit - I obviously missed the bit about the expansion of space.

did you not see it ?

no wait , I had that dream too lol

 

[voom]

Nothing about taming?

Bring back Legacy systems!!!! Perhaps

 

[melander]

I think premium account can be a good addition to the game if its done right. By adding universe wide*** convenience features that in no way impact the overall economic balance or what type of content can be accessed it can be a good system i thing.
***What im scared of is the prospect that they will turn this into a per PP system and if that happens it will turn to shit instant with the usual premium area restrictions and such.

Great to see that the player count is rising, seems the triage of the server system is lagging behind though, a by product of to much success i hope.

Best regards
Zweshi

 

[toad]

And still waiting for lowered cost for tiering...

Tiering speeds have not been fixed MindArk

 

[BaronNuss]

[h=3]State of the Universe Address 2014[/h]

Cost to Play & Balancing
Continuing with the improvements made in 2013, MindArk plans to further improve average returns for many activities. One example would be the removal of the clothing equip fee in an upcoming platform release.

[/url]

-Thats the only thing that bugs me, some may say I´m crazy but bigger "swings" where alot more enjoyable, I´m fine with current system too but please dont go hardcore now with average return, maybe misunderstanding from my side but who knows....

-And could u think about smth like Merry Mayhem for miners&crafters? I dont want much, just a small event for us, or at least include all professions for ur upcoming events@Caly-Devs.


Thanks and keep it up MindArk.

 

[Svarog]

I think you are exaggerating, or do you actually have numbers?

I don't need numbers, I was here in 2006-7 and can easily tell the difference. I wasn't around in 2005 yet, but from what I've heard it was even more massive, though of course I won't vouch for something I haven't seen myself.

I see the late 2007 as a pinnacle of EU, and 2008 as a start of a long slow decline, despite the SGA and everything, with an ultimate disaster in Aug '09 (I lost 14 of 17 soc members in a day, never saw them back; was this close to stopping playing myself). That 2013 was the best since vu10 - that I can believe in.

Edit: I wasn't here in 2005 or 2007. However, I do know that Caly (and EU!!) is many times bigger than it was then (which reduces the number of people at any one spot).

Of course, but still there are places that are good indicators of activity. The trade hubs of all planets together won't make up for the old PA alone. Atlas Haven, Argus, Jason, Phoenix - each of them was more populated than Twin Peaks of today, and all of them today are dead.

 

[Farmer Smurf]

[h=3]State of the Universe Address 2014[/h]

Greetings Entropians,


Premium Accounts - Still in the early design stage, MindArk is planning to offer premium account upgrades for a small monthly cost. Benefits of the various premium account types are still being decided, but may include such features as increased storage limits and increased number of simultaneous auctions. We are also considering making premium account upgrades available via daily mission tokens as well as special lootable items.


Best regards,

David Simmonds
CEO MindArk PE AB


Originally Posted Here

Please for the love of all that is EU. Let development of this concept take as long as taming.

 

[SanSiim]

State of the Universe Address 2014

• Average TT returns were increased across the board for hunting, mining, crafting and other activities.

In what universe did that happen?

 

[Spawn]

I think you are exaggerating, or do you actually have numbers?

Edit: I wasn't here in 2005 or 2007. However, I do know that Caly (and EU!!) is many times bigger than it was then (which reduces the number of people at any one spot).

Yes exaggerating.
If you go to the gateway theres lots of new Players going through thule.

 

[sav]

[/LIST]

In what universe did that happen?

This must be for either ubers or noobs. Imo for the general public I call BS.

 

[SoReal]

Originally Posted by Bertha Bot View Post
State of the Universe Address 2014

Average TT returns were increased across the board for hunting, mining, crafting and other activities

[/LIST]

In what universe did that happen?

Im sure I remember crafting returns dropped to ~30% or has this nothing to do with TT returns

 

[John B Knight]

Helpfully adding last status to space in here, so it can be copied into 2014 roadmap in case there is nothing new to add to it

[h=3]State of the Universe Address 2013[/h] Greetings Entropians,
...
Space
In the State of the Universe Address 2012, we mentioned plans for expanding and improving space. Several other projects received higher priority in 2012, resulting in the plans for space development being pushed forward to mid-2013. The early focus will be on addressing several issues that currently allow for practically risk-free travel between planets. Space combat and weapons will also be adjusted to improve hunting space creatures and ship to ship PVP combat. Towards the end of the year, we hope to implement several completely new features to space, perhaps even space mining.
...
Originally Posted Here

 

[Joat]

Some interesting features there in the roadmap, hopefully they will be so ingame too.

I hoped for some info about Space too, but maybe it's included in these three:

PVP - Lots of improvements and enhancements to player vs. player (PVP) combat are planned for the second half of 2014.
Legacy Systems - Progress is ongoing for the reimplementation and refinement of various legacy systems.
New Systems - Several other interesting new systems are in the early development stage, and are planned for release in Q3 and Q4 of 2014 depending on prioritization of the other projects mentioned above.

[/LIST]

In what universe did that happen?

It can be right, they do say in average, that doesn't mean everyone will benefit from it,
some might lose from it.
Might even be so that some few gain a lot, while many of us lose a little?
Maybe it's even more important to "do it right" now than it was earlier?

 

[atomicstorm]

Originally Posted by Bertha Bot View Post
State of the Universe Address 2014

Average TT returns were increased across the board for hunting, mining, crafting and other activities



Im sure I remember crafting returns dropped to ~30% or has this nothing to do with TT returns

I think you're using return as a substitute for success rates. I've never had a tt return on crafting lower than 70 percent unless I'm very unlucky with a limited pattern condition or the obvious 1 click condition. If you're getting that low of a tt retuen, you're doing it wrong.

Subsequently with hunting, I've only had 50 percent a few times... 500 ped run of aurli and about a half dozen instance runs with MM. What makes crafting and hunting unbearable isn't the tt return necessarily as it is the lack of MU on items. Oils below brain oil are all sub par. Most wool types are tt food. Unless you are farming something, I find hunting not even worth it.

 

[Guarana]

lol no wonder the CEO got fired from his last position.

So identical marketing he is doing from his old job. Saw where that took him.

 

[Menace]

Thanks for another year of 'forgetting' to mention space on the initial 'state of the universe statement' ...

Space is only important to the ONE person who's bought multiple motherships in their attempt to "get rich" in EU.

Menace

 

[Stormdancer]

Space is only important to the ONE person who's bought multiple motherships in their attempt to "get rich" in EU.

Menace

false there are two of us and i don't have a mothership

 

[Stefan 008 Bond]

Well it's here - an ok address but would have preferred to see more direct mention of taming and space development. Some indication of rebalancing hunting loot to make it more interesting as well as having better mu% (by more interesting I simply mean adding things like Kango masks and other fluff back in loot pools) would have been nice to see.

I do agree the game is a bit more populated now than say 3-4 years ago at least. Congrats to MA on that.

But premium accounts? Absolutely NO. Don't get me wrong I am salivating at the idea of extra storage space (something that should have been addressed around the time other planets, tiering and enhancers came about ) you will have us pay for this???

I would like to see these enhancements be achievable through skills, attributes, missions and achievements not by plunking down ped.

You already have tons of premium accounts and they have plenty of benefits (massive depos, huge bankrolls, land areas, motherships, gear that cost a fortune.) in any case I actually like the high markups and values of items and believe it should stay that way. It is the returns and mu% that need to improve therefore allowing players to keep cycling and working towards the expensive high value items. Devaluing über items is not the way to go imo. Things lose value very quickly and raise in value very slowly.

Here's to an exciting 2014!

~008

 

[Fanan]

Veteran Appreciation/Cost to Play

• As promised in the 2013 State of the Universe Address, MindArk implemented several changes and features that helped to reduce the overall cost to participate in Entropia Universe, including:
• Average TT returns were increased across the board for hunting, mining, crafting and other activities.
• Increased the unlimited item tiering speed.

Are we really playing the same game MindArk ?!

[insert picture here]
Your lying factor is over 9000!!!​

 

[EMW]

Are we really playing the same game MindArk ?!

[insert picture here]
Your lying factor is over 9000!!!​

They are we aren't!

 

[Kombinator]

As far as SOU go, very week and uninspired one.

Tiering is still as much of a joke as it has been,

Not a single fucking word about taming, except possibly if we imagine they are calling it a Legacy system.

Seems they are still pursuing the strategy of putting in unwanted and unneeded crap, refusing to address actual desires of the client base and generally being piss poor game developers...so status quo is maintained, awesome, nothing to see here, moving on.

 

[Xen]

Is anyone really going to believe anything they say about taming at this point anyway? They were probably afraid to even mention it.

 

[Kombinator]

Fair point, they have lost any shred of credibility long time ago, and they will have to work very ver hard to get it back from the older player base. I guess a possible solution is to try very very hard to make all the old players quit and then they can just screw the new wave for years.

BTW in terms of premium accounts, not really a bad idea in principle if done correctly...so in case of MA likely will be an unmitigated disaster.