The Entropian - The Official Magazine of Project Entropia

I would buy it, for 1 iw ould be willing to pay for a nicely done, printed set of guides, charts and maps. even if it contains alot of the same info on the forums and sites like driecc's chart site. I would do this simply so i can have an offline access to charts that i can have at my side right there whiel im in pe without having to worry about repeted alt-tabbing in and out of PE every few secconds so i dont get disconnected or having to llog out to study somehting in depth.
A Nice poster size map of eudoria and amethera would be nice too especially if it had all the teleporters, outposts and points of interest on it.
I think if it had a poster-map even newbs might buy it to have a nice easy map to help them get to teleporters.
Since this has MA's help and aproval there is also likeley to be more official info and guides based on info that only they have and know for sure and would be part of a way mindark can be more open and communicative with the commuity.

That and its a small run publication with minimal advertisment, mailed to you anwywhere in the world.
All that makes it understandable why it cost that much and is worth the cost.

Again.. remember these will be collectors items too both if PE takes of and stays around for years to come or if it dies out in a year.

In 20 years when PE has come and gone and is all but memories and part of gamaing history (and it is a big part of gaming history) or has changed so so much that it isnt anything like what we have today. these will be worth far more than the $20 you payed for them, as the few left in good condition will be what is there to say how things were once were.

So in a way is it wirth paying a little extra to have a collectors item? one that also is useful for your experience in this universe and is a kinda yearbook too.

by now you can tell i wil get one with next months deposit (sooner if i get an uber hof)

Aio said:

i can buy a copy of PCGAMER for 5.99 quid, or ~ $10. this months issue is... 178pages long.

it contains interesting articles, reviews, guides, hints, tips, culture, indepth insights...

so for 20$ i can buy 'The Entropian' - all of the information inside is already on the forum.

or i can buy 2 subsequent copies of PCGAMER, which is 3x as long (x2 for the double) - so 6 times the pages. for the same price. and i would get 2 DVDs of demos.

im sorry, no offence to svetlana, aziphreal, skam, and whoever else contributed to this guide - yes, i love your forum posts - but there is a little difference between forum posting and professional writing, and for amature text costing 20$ with images i can print screen myself, sorry, but its way, way, WAY over the top.

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Lots of debate in the thread. But I thought I would answer at least the above.

I think you are making presumptions on the content. As I said in a previous posting, firstly the entire magazine is being developed by a professional publishing company based in UK, who do this sort of thing for a living. In fact one of the main editors has had about 12 years experience writing for Gaming Magazines like PC Zone. So no it won't be amateurish as its going to go through the same critique and editorial that any magazine gets.

I probably should also say that my role isn't one of running or owning the magazine as it were in concept. I was brought in because the company needed somebody who knew the game and could them advice about it.

And again as I mention in another thread, MA have opened up their doors to the magazine. We have access to their news, sneak peeks into the next stuff coming in PE, artwork and data. So its also MA's way of letting the world know what happens behing their closed doors.

Its not going to be a rehash of the forums, some of the newbie stuff will be familiar for example but we are trying to cater for everybody and people who don't visit the forums.

We aren't going to force people to buy this magazine. Its your choice, I think you would be missing out on a collectors item but we all have to make our decisions based on our current viewpoint. Its also a piece of history, its the first time a Real Life company is actually selling something directly in Project Entropia.

You should allow the first 10 pages to be downloaded as a pdf for free.

thoreau said:

You should allow the first 10 pages to be downloaded as a pdf for free.

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...or at least index. I must say, I'm little sceptic about what a paper mag could offer that forums and ingame conversations couldn't. Looting system is explained? Every stat in game listed?

150 ped for a magazine ?? Let's be serious now.. I only need one copy, not a carton full...

I hope the mag turns out great. I still hope that MA will post some kind of ingame mag to shortly thou. If they are smart they could do it and make a profit and then they will be as happy as ever. I have a full idea on this somewere...

Aziphirael said:

Lots of debate in the thread. But I thought I would answer at least the above.

I think you are making presumptions on the content. As I said in a previous posting, firstly the entire magazine is being developed by a professional publishing company based in UK, who do this sort of thing for a living. In fact one of the main editors has had about 12 years experience writing for Gaming Magazines like PC Zone. So no it won't be amateurish as its going to go through the same critique and editorial that any magazine gets.

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Does this mean I get cheaper postage then as I live in the UK?

https://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=104178#post104178

As pointed out in this post, in the other thread, I used to ship magazines worldwide, are we to get decent packaging on these magazines, or are they just being stuffed into a plastic bag. Don't get me wrong, but if this magazine is being put forward as some sort of collectable, which, being in short supply, I think it is, I expect to get Collectors Quality Packaging, so that the magazine doesn;t get dmg'd in transit. Had more than one magazine in the past turn up ripped.
For $15 I don't expect any dmg, especially if I wanted it as a collectors piece. They are no good dmg'd.

I'll be getting one...its only $20, not much you can do with that IRL so whats the big deal?

Really looking forward to it, hope it doesn't let us all down when it comes in the post though.

Things are moving at an incredible pace within PE at the moment, if there was ever a time to be playing a game like this i think this is it, lets hope they can keep the ball rollin' and keep the new ideas & innovations coming!

Mark

The Entropian Magazine - official feedback

I write from the publisher, MMM Publishing Ltd, in London. We are an experienced magazine publisher, working on this with MindArk. I would like to clarify a few points, and allay a few fears.

Firstly, the fact that lots of you have posted and got involved with discussions is great. The PE community is just that - a community. We, and the magazine, will embrace this, move it forward, help develop it.

So, as Aziphirael has said, this will not be a rehash of forums, or in-game information. This is almost 100% new material, exclusive and expansive. It will move your gaming experience forward, complement it and give you an added insight to all the things you currently can't get.

The magazine will be professionally produced. This is not a fanzine, it is a high-production-value glossy magazine. Why is the cover price relatively high? Because it is a niche publication. News-stand magazines, which you can pick up in any news-stand or newsagent, rely on advertising for a large proportion of their revenue. The ads in The Entropian will be in-game ads, for societies, services, sales and wants etc. They will be there to enhance your PE experience, not to detract from it. You will not find the magazine stuffed with ads for RL items.

In terms of availability and p+p, think about this. What else can you buy for $20, in real life or in game, that enhances your enjoyment of life or the game in the way that The Entropian undoubtedly will? The P+P element is $5, flat rate, world-wide. The world is a big place. The cost is relative. It is less than a pint of beer, a gallon of petrol, or just about anything else that you don't think twice about paying. There is a cost involved in packing and shipping, and the nature of the PE in-game purchase system is such that a flat-rate is the only way to go.https://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=104461#

As Aziphirael has already said, we also publish E-ON magazine for EvE Online. This has shipped to 53 countries world-wide. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Please do not judge until you have received and experienced.

Trust us on this, you will like The Entropian.

I'm probably going to get loads of negative reps...but who cares about rep anyway?

In terms of availability and p+p, think about this. What else can you buy for $20, in real life or in game, that enhances your enjoyment of life or the game in the way that The Entropian undoubtedly will?

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20,000 Rounds of ammo. If I use that in my Jester D1 I can hunt for a month. That is a month of entertainment. Or, a month of DVD rentals from Netflix. That is about 18 hours of entertainment.

The P+P element is $5, flat rate, world-wide. The world is a big place. The cost is relative. It is less than a pint of beer, a gallon of petrol, or just about anything else that you don't think twice about paying.

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It is ironic that you say that the world is a big place then you don't consider how big the world is when you talk about how much $5 can buy. It can buy about 2 gallons of petro in the U.S. It can buy about 16 pints of good beer in Shanghai.

Please do not judge until you have received and experienced.

Trust us on this, you will like The Entropian.

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Is this a money back guarantee?


Now others on this forum will probably post and say that I just like to complain and blah blah blah. However, I think it is odd that someone from the publisher wants to post to tell us how great the magazine will be. I wouldn't expect the publisher to say anything less.

I think the magazine is probably a good idea but it should be available as an ebook at 50% of the cost and no postage.

Entropian said:

Trust us on this, you will like The Entropian.

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If you are so confident of the magazine's quality, then why not do what most magazines do and offer the launch issue at a substantial discount? If it's as great as you say it is then you would surely get more subscribers this way.

ill probably get one just because its the first merchandising in PE...

costs are a bit high but what do you really expect from a limited edition

my guess its around ~1k prints so not comparable at all to normal stuff

this leaves you to at least 10$ for the print only ....

and i think in some cases they will loose on 5$ p+p if they dont send it

via ships lol ..imagine fee for parcel UK->new zwaland

Entropian said:

It will move your gaming experience forward, complement it and give you an added insight to all the things you currently can't get.

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To the things you currently can't get... Wanna make a bet on that ?

Look, Im not at all negative to the magazine, I think it's splendid. But the price... The price... It'll probably and most likley be the worlds most expensive magazine to buy a copy of. How is the price justified ?

I think it sounds pretty exciting. Thanks to user ID "Entropian" for having the guts to come here and address the player base.

If you don't like it don't buy it.

Aio said:

i can buy a copy of PCGAMER for 5.99 quid, or ~ $10. this months issue is... 178pages long.

it contains interesting articles, reviews, guides, hints, tips, culture, indepth insights...

so for 20$ i can buy 'The Entropian' - all of the information inside is already on the forum.

or i can buy 2 subsequent copies of PCGAMER, which is 3x as long (x2 for the double) - so 6 times the pages. for the same price. and i would get 2 DVDs of demos.

im sorry, no offence to svetlana, aziphreal, skam, and whoever else contributed to this guide - yes, i love your forum posts - but there is a little difference between forum posting and professional writing, and for amature text costing 20$ with images i can print screen myself, sorry, but its way, way, WAY over the top.

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I know of a place where you can get "War & Peace" for under a buck and that is OVER 1000+ PAGES. Wannna tip?

on the other hand, when noobs joins the game they think that only a complete idiot would pay $5,000 (or whatever the cost) for shadow armor, gues what lots of them have it now.

Price is relative - like the cost to play PE versus Any Other Game - and we paying it! Why? according to your post we should go and play Wow or something, since that would be only $20 per month...

fresco said:

According to your post we should go and play Wow or something, since that would be only $20 per month...

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Yeah, but where's the fun in that ? I played closed beta of wow, back in the summer 2004, maxed out everything in a few weeks. Then what? Only thing missing was a screen saying: "Congratulations, you finished the game" followed by a ending movie end credits text.

e-lite said:

Yeah, but where's the fun in that ? I played closed beta of wow, back in the summer 2004, maxed out everything in a few weeks. Then what? Only thing missing was a screen saying: "Congratulations, you finished the game" followed by a ending movie end credits text.

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Thats my point!

ViagraFalls said:

Or perhaps they are the people who actually see this as a game; a fun experience; an interesting addition to a life where one is nothing but a slave to the mortgage.

How often do you eat at McDonalds? (Not related to anything in PE really, but meant as an example). If you go there say, twice a week? If you'd cook at home you'd save the same 20 bucks you're complaining about now.

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I don't ever eat at McDonalds. But before I go proving my point instead of yours, I'll admit I eat regularly at much more expensive places. That being said, and adding to it that I consider PE under 'entertainment' expenses, which includes spending well over $100 for a night at the club, I still think $20 is a bit much for a magazine, just like I wouldn't pay 150% for lysterium ingots, or 200% on wool, even if it is only a few ped which is only a few dimes.

My two pecs, already spent on blueprints... lol

-Remmie

Silver di Avlo said:

I´d love to see people dress up like their avatars

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ISSUES!!

Silver di Avlo said:

I dont think 150 peds is too much. Its what a 68-page full high-color magazine costs, and remember that this is for the "fan"..

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Here in the states I can get a years subscription to almost any popular monthly magazine for about $25. That's about 2 bucks an issue.

Granted these magazines have lots of advertising, but nevertheless, this influences the expectations of your audience in respect to pricing.

Yes, there are several high end magazines for artists, photographers and other niche groups that tend to hover around the 15.00 dollar price point. These volumes are usually much bigger than 68 pages, even if you subtract the ads. They are usually flat bound and many contain some of the finest printing and paper available.

It's also very possible that the low quality of the 'the gate' coupled with it's price point of zero dollars is also coloring people's expectations about the Entropian.

I really hope the Entropian is a huge hit. I'm just afraid the price is gonna greatly reduce the circulation to just a few players.

Business is business. I'm sure the publisher isn't going to budge on this, given their success with other volumes, I just can't shake the feeling that if they were to reduce the cost by 50%, readership would increase by 500%.

truantduck said:

Business is business. I'm sure the publisher isn't going to budge on this, given their success with other volumes, I just can't shake the feeling that if they were to reduce the cost by 50%, readership would increase by 500%.

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makes sence.

however - some math

100ppl at $20 = $2,000 at $10 (500% increase) = $5,000
(very modest estimate)

well, a decent brochure of 1 page will cost more just for the layout...

1000ppl at $20 = 20,000 at $10 = $50,000

I have friend/client who is a publisher "Computer Technology Review", "Storage" Etc. - magazines about computer stuff, well the at-the-stand cost of a "Computer Technology Review" is $12.50 and that is not even a magazine - 40 or so pages of a on half of regular news paper size, printed on glossy paper. and even with that his income is from advertisers in it, his target is 300,000-500,000 per issue in ad revenue... when the business was down after .com bubble burst he was pulling only 150,000-200,000 per issue - he almost shut down the publication - was barely enough to cover editorial and publishing costs...

it is a common thing to ignore what it takes to bring anything to the customer and the only thing that is constant "can we have it for less?"

I like it!

Aziphirael said:

This is to annouce the pre-sale of The Entropian, the Official Magazine of Project Entropia. This magazine is an Real Life magazine (So best make sure your contact details for your account is up to date ;-) which will be published on a quarterly basis. We've already got quite a good lineup of articles and information for the magazine, which has been contributed by members of the community.

If you have any questions or feedback then please let us know. I'll be on hand to answer them as many as possible. I'm essentially running the role of editor and community representative in conjunction with Zapatero. The Publishers (www.mmmpublishing.com) will also join in the debate as the user Entropian.

And just in case you are wondering what this is all about, then heres the official annoucement

PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW!

Calypso is an ever-changing world; new items appear every month, herds of creatures migrate across the plains followed by eager hunters and the rich and famous parade new clothes and new lands. Now the events and people that shape your favourite online world will be chonicled forever and the means to succeed will be revealed to you in a new magazine that will close the gap between Project Entropia and the real world.

The Entropian is the official magazine of PE, and is produced very much in conjunction with MindArk. Written and designed by proffesionals from within the Calypsan community and beyond, The Entropian will offer 68-pages of full-color artwork, in-depth features, the latest news, player guides and competitions. Issue #1 will be published late 2005, with future issues following every three months thereafter.

At 150 PED (plus 50 PED p+p worldwide) for a single issue, The Entropian is available to pre-order now via the in-game auction system as a straight buy-out. Discounts are available for those wishing to take out a yearly subscription – 560 PED (plus 200 PED p+p worldwide).

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I get a subscription ASAP!

Their is no more "The Entropian" auctionned how can i do to buy it ?

first off im looking forward to the magazine and ill surely buy a copy second its not 20$ for the magazine its 15$ which for me here in denmark is relatively high but not much higher than the price of a special magazine imported also note that this magazine is offered in relatively low ammounts i bet most other gamemagazines with as low printruns would get canceled and the fact that this will most likely be without any RL adveticement i can live with the price but as others said hopefully they will be able to sell at reduced cost later

Thug Life said:

Their is no more "The Entropian" auctionned how can i do to buy it ?

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No more copy's???

And i didin't log on just yet to bye a copy! Aja..... I want one.. But can't bye one untill monday.

Please tell me that Thug Life was wrong (or that there was a "bug" when he was online. Nothing personal Thug... )

Hi all, yes the Entropian should be on sale from Monday

Just wanted to also say thanks for all the feedback and PM's. Happy to hear from people who have ideas for contributions, artwork, fiction, thoughts etc... Its been quite good to see the debate, both positive and negative.

Currently heading away for the weekend. But I'll try and see if I can answer some of the common queries here.

i'm sorry i'm to busy to read the whole thread. I just want to say 1. I"m going to be at least trying to buy a copy if i can get scrounge enough money around before it sells out.

2. I think the whole debate is kinda pointless on this forum. Because i dont think that the people of the forum are the target market. There is a lot of people that play PE and are not on forums. I would say double or triple whats on this forum. Just becasue i know that only 25% of my friends IN pe are in EF or EP. I could be wrong though. But people that will love this publication are people that dont have time for forums and would like to have something they can read on the bus or on the crapper.

So i think it's going to be a huge sucsess and i'm scared i'm not going to get a copy.

I won't be online this week :'( Try to keep one for me

I am the proud owner of a year's subscription. Looking forward to cracking it open.

Come on people get out there and buy this thing! I know Mudkicker is with me!

Remmie said:

$15-$20 for a magazine?!?!??!?!?

Perhaps those of you in Europe can enlighten me, but in the US that is OBSCENE!!! And my time in western europe tells me the same. Do you Swedes just pay obscene amounts of money for print or is MA losing touch with reality on the price of this?

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Us swedes pay obscene amount of money for everything, however, $20 for a magazine is an insane price wherever it is.

And I guess I'm insane as well since I bought the damn thing.

bought one with my Opalo profits

today it showed value 10peds in my inventory. I looked at description and it read - when the magazin is shipped the value becomes 10ped. So does it mean they already shipped me a copy? cool...