Old thread, And maybe I'm 15 years to late with some answers, but here gos nothing!.
The EUPDK is basically a slightly modified version of the CryEngine2 Sandbox2, if you put the EUPDK and the base Crytek CryEngine2 Sandbox2 side by side it would be hard to tell them apart at a glance, the EUPDK has a few modifications mostly based around a Entropia Universe architecture, particularly when it comes to map export features wherein its vastly different to the base Crytek CryEngine2 Sandbox2. The EUPDK comes shipped with some basic demo levels and all the content from Planet Calypso. Textures, Meshes, Sounds, ect, and software plugins for studio tools like 3ds Max. To my understanding, what I have just described about the EUPDK is all a Planet Partner has access to, they do not have access to MindArks inner sanctum, being the thing everyone seems to be interested in the 11 secret herbs and spices recipe of loot, once a map is modified or completed by a Planet Partner it is exported into MindArks server. The EUPDK on its own is useless, what I mean by that statement is, If you are not a part of a studio of talented, skilled game developers and artists with the soul focus of making your own planet within EU then having access to The EUPDK is pointless, the engine is clearly defined in its functions. My time with the EUPDK was limited, though it was prone to crashing and had some broken features, from what I have heard through the grapevine, such issue have been fixed and the engine is in a better updated state these days, What the MindArk/Crytek technicians did in converting the base Crytek CryEngine2 Sandbox2 into the EUPDK is really astonishing and then rebuilding and Importing Entropia Universes systems and assets, the sheer amount of hard work, time and effort that went into that process still boggles my mind. My suggestion to anyone thinking, "If I only had access to the EUPDK I could create my own planet", download the base Crytek CryEngine2 Sandbox2, you can find it packed with Crysis as the engine is nolonger available online from Crytek, Make a few maps, learn to make your own 3d assets, learn to create animations for creature assets ect, learn to code and with this new found knowledge, hopfully it will give you an idea of how much focused hard work, time and effort gos into making a Planet, then ask yourself again, Is having the EUPDK and making a Planet something you really want to do?.
As for my Opinion on the conversion to the Unreal Engine, It is long overdue, I specifically recall when the announcement came that EU was updating to the Cryengine2, I wondered why MindArk had chosen the Cryengine2 and not Unreal Engine3 that was superior in my personal opinion, having made many maps and mods for unreal tournament 99,2004,3 over the years I had a good understanding of what the Unreal Engine was capable of, but, I like most players in EU was excited for the update nevertheless. Geuss what! we have come full circle, and it is totally not a surprise to me that Entropia Universes next home is Unreal Engine5, bravo! MindArk bravo!.
Here is a screenshot of the Crytek CryEngine2 Sandbox2 vs The EUPDK for those interested, Sandbox2 is on the top, the EUPDK is on the Bottom. Hopefully I shouldn't get into too much trouble shearing the image of the EUPDK as it's just for informative purposes only.
Crytek CryEngine2 Sandbox2, Top - EUPDK, Bottom. Somewhat but almost identical.
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