Question: Why isn't Calypso being developed?

[Einstein]

I too have the feeling not alot has happened the last year. MA gave us some new features, but from FPC side not that much has happened.
The rate of redesigning all areas is not fast enough to be ready before the platform moves to CE 7, especially not if they will make a new unneeded LA's every christmass.
There are some nice quests, but nothing incredibly impressive either. Half of them are iron man, wich can be made in 10 seconds.
The highly anticipated event was imo one big joke. I was extremely dissapointed with that one ...

So far I'm not impressed with FPC.

I hope 2011 will be better

 

[remontoire]

Right now we're doing some small fixes that needs to be done. For example one of our guys are currently looking at what animations needs a retouching. As for server areas right at this moment we don't have a large project going, but we'll get back to you with more information about our plans a little later on such is clarified.

Hmm.. could you look at / have somebody look at the new in-game location banners? The Minopolis one warns about the ferocious Araneatrox beast to the north, and Atlas haven one talks about newcomers and Daikiba spawns Its mostly coming up with a short descriptive text about the locations taht don't have one. "This is a structure" for example, is no good, it would be better if all otherwise anonymous outposts had the "This is an outpost that federal empire provides yada yada" description. But please leave us at least one 'Nus Lul' with description talking about zoology professor.

 

[Hanne|SDS]

Hmm.. could you look at / have somebody look at the new in-game location banners? The Minopolis one warns about the ferocious Araneatrox beast to the north, and Atlas haven one talks about newcomers and Daikiba spawns Its mostly coming up with a short descriptive text about the locations taht don't have one. "This is a structure" for example, is no good, it would be better if all otherwise anonymous outposts had the "This is an outpost that federal empire provides yada yada" description. But please leave us at least one 'Nus Lul' with description talking about zoology professor.

Yeah that's definitively something we need to fix.

 

[MRmP]

Lack of Calypso Storyline development:
Missing creatures (e.g. kerberos)
The Kerberos needs a redesign before we'll consider letting it back out. Right now its sharing its look with the Osseocculum, which is no good. The other missing mobs will also be reviewed and potentially re-implemented.

Bear in mind we're a 14 man team in total at FPC, and that number includes those of us who don't design either.

What about publishing a SDK kit, where we can help the design improvement of mobs.
Tbh. most of the "renewed" mobs does neither look like it should be cry2 approved. (both texture and poly. count)

 

[toad]

The robotattacks in the old days were great, they just suddenly apperd somewere and people were calling each other and telling there was an attack going on somewere, things like that should not take to much resources, i think it needs to happen small things between the big events to keep people intressed and happy

 

[hojlund]

Bear in mind we're a 14 man team in total at FPC, and that number includes those of us who don't design either.

OMG fire some of them so we can have more loot!

 

[xX Gently Xx]

OMG fire some of them so we can have more loot!

think Hanne is ready for a sacrifice?

 

[XeroX2]

What about publishing a SDK kit, where we can help the design improvement of mobs.
Tbh. most of the "renewed" mobs does neither look like it should be cry2 approved. (both texture and poly. count)

what he said.... if you can´t do it... let us do it.

 

[Smoerble]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Smoerble: I think you are seriously underestimating the resources and time it takes to create content to a game.

Having been an avid gamer myself for years, in many different MMO's included, I can mention very few games that actually have such an every-changing story that you describe where leaving for 1 month will have drastically changed the storyline, and that during your presence in the game you'll always feel like something about to happen.

Hm, I didn't mean drastic changes. I try to explain down a little more detailed. [30 minutes later] I wrote about 5 pages of text... and you definately don't want to read that much . I will rephrase it and make a more structured posting in a few days I think .

Summary:
I think, FPC has the tools and processes to give us something we feel in the backgroudn while we play. Something we experience. Something we want to discuss in our soc channels. Something we can even tell our gaming friends that never played EU but play other MMOs. And I am not talking about _the big event machine_ .

 

[Kpeters]

If the team don't have time to remake whole areas just remake the cities then focus on the wilderness! Like Jason and Minopolis they need attentions!

Also where is my PA apartment on one of those skyscrapers?

 

[Smoerble]

The robotattacks in the old days were great, they just suddenly apperd somewere and people were calling each other and telling there was an attack going on somewere, things like that should not take to much resources, i think it needs to happen small things between the big events to keep people intressed and happy

Exactly this is one of the things I don't understand why it's not happening.

 

[Steve_saber]

think Hanne is ready for a sacrifice?

Naw, go for the money at the top. We'll miss you Marco.

I kid, I kid.

 

[das]

Nice storys about storys but I don't see any action ingame that has anything to do with it. (I don't call adding 10 temp bot spawns a story based event.. srry).
About kerb, they ALWAYS looked like osseo's & none cared.. Now you take them away & use a lame excuse to not bring them back. Why didn't FPC leave them ingame while working on the looks of the mob? (read as more income)
About mob animation, maybe stop screwing with basic stats that are working ok (for example, I can't let an armax run to me anymore & slash it with a bicak kek couse it's too far away from me, just like I heard rumors of the same changes on longu & ambu)
True, you added +-200 Quests, but most of the ppl here realise how many of those are boring iron/bronze challenges wich takes what, 5-10 minutes to create since you made 1?
If you think most ppl stay on calypso for FPC or what they done to calypso then I think you're wrong.
The day MA makes sure there is a 'closed working economy' on the other planets, you might see what I mean.
Srry if this all looks negative, but it's just the way I feel about FPC atm.
Only possitive notes seem to be for PIONEER, for the way he managed to communicate during Mayhem.

 

[Mikass]

Seems to me Calypso has taken a back seat again as the staff are busy developing upcoming planets for SEE e.g. planet michael.

Think you`ve nailed it with this Planet Micheal statement. I bet this has highest priority for the new FPC since there`s more interest for a MJ planet than for some future sci fi with no established branding.
We`ve seen the massive stir planet MJ managed. It has achieved more attention with 3-4 press releases than Entropia/Calypso managed in 5years. Moneywise Planet MJ is better cow to milk atm.

 

[mastermesh]

The robotattacks in the old days were great, they just suddenly apperd somewere and people were calling each other and telling there was an attack going on somewere, things like that should not take to much resources, i think it needs to happen small things between the big events to keep people intressed and happy

Yep... build up the anticipation... then when the big event happens, make it a really, really, really "big event" not just a flop like the harbinger thing was, even though they were neat looking.

For instance... those orbs and the various story behind that... instead of simply having the professor "tell" the story, it would be better, in this INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT, to have the participants interact in ways that cause the story to unfold... the quest system is part of that, but only one part of it.

All of the past storylines are like that. It is nice that Shelly's avatar does exist and she comes out to play on occassion, but there's still lots more interaction that could be happening on a day to day basis... Having Carramone killing all those bots long ago while standing on the bridge at Zychion was something cool, and very memorable event that I and others that were there will always remember... Has Humpty's avatar ever really been in game? I have never seen it? What about every other NPC mentioned in the storyline? Why aren't those NPC avatars in game more often on occassion, interacting with the masses? The Mission system is cool, but it's only one small part of what's possible. Why not give some or many of the NPCs the ability to actually move around and not just stand there like a shopkeeper or auctioneer? Put some AI in to the NPCs... We know the AI is there, at least on some level since the mobs would be standing in one place forever like the NPCs otherwise. There's various factions and companies in the quest system already on some level... integrate more of that in to the game, and actual game play.

I am glad to hear that cities will start looking more unique sometime. Please do fix the bugs and other glitches affecting various locations. That upside down booth in Omegaton's Beta tower has been there since vu 10! ... That and the various estate bugs that keep going on and on and on are probably keeping people uninterested in buying estates (not to mention, that may be one of the indirect factors that let Medusa sell for so little as the bugs were going on while that deed was on auction)

(*and yes, that has been mentioned in a couple of support tickets*)

 

[Oleg]

Missing creatures (e.g. kerberos)
The Kerberos needs a redesign before we'll consider letting it back out. Right now its sharing its look with the Osseocculum, which is no good. The other missing mobs will also be reviewed and potentially re-implemented.

This should be high priority. Some of these mobs have been missing for over a year. If you need to redesign them, fine, get it done asap please

A mob's relaunch is also a good opportunity to tie it to a new mission, so you get two content additions for the price of one

 

[Einstein]

Think you`ve nailed it with this Planet Micheal statement. I bet this has highest priority for the new FPC since there`s more interest for a MJ planet than for some future sci fi with no established branding.
We`ve seen the massive stir planet MJ managed. It has achieved more attention with 3-4 press releases than Entropia/Calypso managed in 5years. Moneywise Planet MJ is better cow to milk atm.

MJ PLanet will be the biggest fail of the century. 100% sure...

 

[00Dan]

I may like kerbos but what happened to my umbras? They never even made it into VU 10.

 

[00Dan]

MJ PLanet will be the biggest fail of the century. 100% sure...

My opinion on this is that it will attract alot of new players from the initial hype, possibly to loose most of them after they figure out the cost of this game. As for existing players its already an epic fail.

 

[Legion]

Lack of Calypso Storyline development:
We're adding quests in nearly every update we have, we have well over 100 quests right now that we have implemented since we released the first batch of missions in ...February? March? 2010. I believe about a third of these are storyline-driven.
We recently had the Harbinger event quite recently where we met Shelly Nakajima and dug up the Typhon. We are constantly developing the storyline, and will continue doing so.

As for the quests, you should show them better somehow, a questionmark over the head of the quest npc.

Also most quests that atleast follow a storyline should end up in a questhub where you easily can see new questnpc's. As it is now you have to run around and look for what npc has quests and also run around to different towns without knowing if it actually has a quest or such there.

 

[Mikass]

Missing creatures (e.g. kerberos)
The Kerberos needs a redesign before we'll consider letting it back out. Right now its sharing its look with the Osseocculum, which is no good. The other missing mobs will also be reviewed and potentially re-implemented.

[

What about legionaires and troopers? Nothing different there besides different paintjob. They share exact same design just with different painjob.

Have you considered creating different mobs by applying different paintjobs such as in the case of trooper/legionaires? New mobs with different loots should be way easier to introduce this way.
Maybe Medusa could have sold for way better price had you acted along similar lines.

...also what about those grand formidons? Don`t they share design with normal formidons. I believe they look pretty much the same.

 

[SODERD]

think Hanne is ready for a sacrifice?

You wanna sacrifice Hanne? thats not leagal in Sweden.

 

[billairboy]

Well, i think they did a good job on the new PA

The truth is that FPC are a small team right now, we are to few players right now to support more, but hopefuly we will get more players and a bigger FPC team later. I also believe FPC are a bit limited in their game development because they can't alter the software, they only can use the tools they have from MA to create the game.

We i would like to know:
Any news on the "sell" of Calypso?
Are FPC going to do any marketing soon? Last week i saw a tv commercial for a free " i have never heard about" game on Swedish tv. I thought "why can't FPC do something like that"?. Okey i know tv commercials are expensive, but at least do something.

 

[xX Gently Xx]

You wanna sacrifice Hanne? thats not leagal in Sweden.

she could be relocated to the mexican outsourcers any minute

 

[mastermesh]

As for the quests, you should show them better somehow, a questionmark over the head of the quest npc.

Also most quests that atleast follow a storyline should end up in a questhub where you easily can see new questnpc's. As it is now you have to run around and look for what npc has quests and also run around to different towns without knowing if it actually has a quest or such there.

exactly... Sure you can just say, go look up the quests at entropedia... but what if 711 decides to stop flipping the bandwidth bill on that and poof it's gone tomorrow? How do we know where the mission brokers scattered all around the countryside are after doing those first few quests in PA?!? Some of the quests tell you where to find the next broker, but not all of them do... Might be nice if one npc at PA just handed out all the Iron man challenges instead of having them scattered all over the place - maybe Carl since he handed out the Mayhem mission?

When is that future that the Omegaton Description is talking about????... There's still lots of empty shops around that no participant has ever owned.... some of which even give an error if you check out the estate terminal now. There's lots of "Omegaton" items in game... where's that factory that's going to be set up in the center of town to give out quests and missions to avatars looking for jobs in that future?

 

[Nihilist]

this is a city

 

[dargonstar]

Oh, and Achivements -we're working on Achivements too.

hanne, i can personally tell you that unless your achievements system gives the players rewards, i would just can the system right now.

in a game were players dont need to worry about a hunting run bringing in enough loot to pay repairs and cover ammo, getting a little graphic pin in your profile saying you killed 10k dinosaurs can be cool.

in entropia its going to look like, this person had way to much time and disposable income, or this person is getting all the loot that alot of other people deserved.

i can already see this system causing more grief then good.
and if it does give prizes i would recommend yah give worthwhile gear, not diplomas. (unless diplomas start giving bonuses such as skill gain increases.)

i don't want to kick a system before its even in game, but we have people in our comunity who get angery when someone posts they got a 50 ped global from a snable snot, ubers who complain when a non uber gets a big hof, or people who just want someone to snap at because they got a 20 ped return off a 1k ped ammo run.

i stress that you need to be really careful implementing this system, if not its going to be like piranhas on a helpless cow trying to cross a river.

 

[mastermesh]

(unless diplomas start giving bonuses such as skill gain increases.)

That is an idea... IQ bonus maybe?, or some other attribute bonuses?... Strentgh for Mayhem if you were in longblade class, something else if in rifle, etc...

While at it, lets buff up some items that already exist...?

http://www.entropiawiki.com/Info.aspx?chart=Decoration&id=364

Books are a useful source of information.

If they are useful, why are they now just a decoration? Some sort of skill buff if they are on avatar inventory might be good...

Maybe make the bat wings and angel wings allow gliding to safety or at least falling without fall damage?

Maybe a certain bar won't let you in unless you have a halloween gift equipped somewhere? Make it part of a new goth quest system or something?... no costume and the NPCs shoot you or some such thing, maybe NPC makes some sort of big dog attack avatar or something if you don't come dressed right... take that idea and expand... can't go to the formal ball without certain types of clothes?... all sorts of different directions things can go....

 

[Talania]

That just sounds soooo wrong


Actually, Hanne, I think you guys should talk about this. I think that one of THE most important things is to bring back landmarks and unique features, even if they are totally useless (desert tower, skeleton with sign, signs with graffiti, being able to enter the small room at Twin Peaks mine...) since that brings with it such an atmosphere and feeling without even being so much work for you!

Also, the old battlefields could start resurfacing again, with crashed ships and robot 'corpses' and stuff

EDIT: BTW the term you are looking for when talking about girl germs is 'cooties'

This goes right along with "Bring back the old Music!" thread that also is another missing element to feeling a deeper connection in a real world. Details add memories to players. Mindless landscape with nothing there but the same thing over and over creates no memories to bond players to the world. Same with lack of mood music that helps make you forget your wasting RL money while playing.

 

[Zeke Sirrus]

Yay well done for what you achieve with a 14 person team......

Ummm what??? Hang on......

FPC is 14 people????

So how are you actually going to increase the size of this team to get all your ideas done in a reasonable time? What is your plan to achieve your ideal constantly evolving MMO?

Where are you planning to source the extra income to pay for (lots) more people?

If you think it's going to come from us there will be problems. We as a community are already fed up with paying the amount we do (many times over the cost of virtually every other MMO), there has already been backlash with LG and Medusa.

I'm truly shocked, I have been giving you guys too much credit. The light at the end of the tunnel for Calypso suddenly dimmed a bit in my mind.