How does MindArk profit from Project Entropia?

[Wyrm]

This question has probably been asked before, but I just learned about Project Entropia from this article. So, please don't flame me for not searching the forum, as I intend to evaluate the game. What I couldn't find on the official website was how MindArk profits from Project Entropia since the title is provided free of charge. (I'm still downloading the software.)

Is MindArk supported by a bank that holds interest in the cash transfers? Or does MindArk charge a fee for cash transfers? How does MindArk profit from Project Entropia?

Thank you!

 

[Dash Smashing]

MA has said that the only 'profit revenue' that they take out of the game, is from decay..

So when you shoot your gun, the ammo goes into the loot distribution system, but the decay affects the gun, and it will lose some of its 'condition' value.

Once the gun is totally decayed/broken, you must repair it at the repair terminal, and MA has already taken a net of xxx ped (whatever the TT of your weapon was.)

 

[sob]

This question has probably been asked before, but I just learned about Project Entropia from this article. So, please don't flame me for not searching the forum, as I intend to evaluate the game. What I couldn't find on the official website was how MindArk profits from Project Entropia since the title is provided free of charge. (I'm still downloading the software.)

Is MindArk supported by a bank that holds interest in the cash transfers? Or does MindArk charge a fee for cash transfers? How does MindArk profit from Project Entropia?

Thank you!

Yes, yes, yes and yes MindArk profits from all of the above. In addition to decay ect.

 

[ViagraFalls]

Don't forget interest. As soon as you deposit, no matter how long the PEDs will last you, MA starts earning interest on your cash.

 

[SKULL]

from MA too make a profit the deposits got to be greater then the withdrawals
MA does that by make loot smaller then ammo spent+decay
(hunting example) the same goes for crafting etc.
For MA also included in the difference between deposits-withdrawals
are the costs of server hardware/bandwith and programmer/support personell
to give us new content.
and yes they do charge you with each deposit/withdrawal
to prevent endless money transfer

 

[Wyrm]

What is the fee for monetary deposits and withdrawals?

If the interest on cash and cash transfers affects players, how so?

Aside from interest and decay, does MindArk profit from Project Entropia in other ways that directly affect the player? For example, monetary transfer fees directly affect players, but interest (should) not.

Basic questions
What is "decay"?

Is real cash required for PED?

Or can PED also be earned through in-game activities?

 

[ViagraFalls]

What is the fee for monetary deposits and withdrawals?

If the interest on cash and cash transfers affects players, how so?

Aside from interest and decay, does MindArk profit from Project Entropia in other ways that directly affect the player? For example, monetary transfer fees directly affect players, but interest (should) not.

Basic questions
What is "decay"?

Is real cash required for PED?

Or can PED also be earned through in-game activities?

3.5% if I am not mistaking when depositing (with a credit card. Rates differ for other deposit forms). 100 ped or 1.5% when withdrawing. However, I do not believe this fee goes into MA's pocket, but rather is used to cover the transaction costs involved (credit card companies, bank fees and what not).

MA has recently started an advertisement program. This has not been implemented in game yet, so there is no way to see whether this goes to MA only, or trickles down to the players. MA also releases public shares in the company.

Decay is wear. If you fire a gun in real life, you will need to clean it eventually to keep it working at the best performance. Same goes in PE. You shoot a gun, and it will decay slightly. After so many shots, you will be unable to fire anymore (you will receive a message when the limit approaches), and you will need to repair the gun. Same goes for armour you wear and tools you use.

Real cash is NOT required, but highly encouraged. 10 USD should get you started out just nicely.

I'd recommend you to read up a bit in this forum. The Noobies section and sticky posts section ought to help you get started. We are a friendly lot and do not mind answering questions, but like everybody, we might eventually get annoyed if we have to answer the same question over and over again when there's a perfectly working Search option in the forum.

Don't let that keep you from asking anything though

(There are ways to make some cash without depositing. Sweating animals is one, collecting fruit and dung is another, grabbing oil at the oil rig is the third option, and you can always choose to trade. That means you will not have decay, you will not gain skills, but you might make a few PEDs by buying cheap and selling at a slightly higher rate. Do keep in mind all of these tasks are very boring)

 

[Havoka]

i will try to awnser this as best as i can with out linking the post i ahve seen.

Decay is the duribility of your items with weapons it happens each shot/swing. with armor happens every hit, pretty muhc any time u use some thign it gets decay that you will need to use a reapir terminal for in order to fix it. imo very smart idea on MA behalf cause if you lag or get a eitchy trigger finger theres some money for them.

no Real cash is not required for PEDS starting out you can sweat, fruit find/dung find ,so that you may sell what you find to others. but depositeing seems like it is a must to really get a start.

as for the withdrawn i saw a post that said 100 PED and then another that said 1% of what you withdraw. i know withdrawning mim is 10% or 100PEDS. hope this helps and if im wrong please correct me

aww some one beat me to it .

 

[Merel]

What is the fee for monetary deposits and withdrawals?

3.5% iirc

Aside from interest and decay, does MindArk profit from Project Entropia in other ways that directly affect the player? For example, monetary transfer fees directly affect players, but interest (should) not.

People have to pay "upkeep" for the use of an appartment if they buy one, and they can buy landarea's and (sometimes) spacestations from MA . Apart from that I can't come up with any money streams right now.

Basic questions
What is "decay"?

When you use a weapon or tool it's condition degrades. Once it has reached 0% you will have to repair it in order to use it again.

Is real cash required for PED? Or can PED also be earned through in-game activities?

In the long term you are better off to deposit real cash than to try to get the PED's in-game. For low-lvl avatars it is possible to gather "Vibrant Sweat" for free, which can be sold and everyone can take a shot at finding dung, fruit, and oil at the oilrig, but all of those activities are highly boring. If you ask me the same does for trading (which requires an initial investment to get things started), but some people seem to like it My IRL saary is much better than anything I could make in-game, so I'd rather work a bit for my deposit.

 

[xedin]

MA never say that they take all decay. In case all decay is MA proofit then all melee weapon user does not contribute to loot pool. and in one thread Marco state that if there will be only melee hunters there will be loot. So MA take only some % from the decay.

 

[ViagraFalls]

MA never say that they take all decay. In case all decay is MA proofit then all melee weapon user does not contribute to loot pool. and in one thread Marco state that if there will be only melee hunters there will be loot. So MA take only some % from the decay.

Melee weapons decay. Quite badly, I might add. There's a reason why skilling up to unlock Martial Arts and Melee Damage Assesment with my Katuschi Honor made my PED card go from ~1.5k back to ~500 PED. Also, when fighting Melee, you take damage on your armour. You need to FAP.

Melee is probably the single most profitable form of hunting for MA.

However, you might be right in assuming MA does not take 100% of all repairs made. But that's something I doubt we will ever find out.

 

[Ateush]

I want to add that Marco answered me some time ago on EP forum, that % fee for deposits and withdrawals are only bank costs and MA doesnt profit from them.

 

[Stryker]

How does MA profit from PE?

*Raises hand

 

[Einstein]

However, you might be right in assuming MA does not take 100% of all repairs made. But that's something I doubt we will ever find out.

Marco once stated on EP that they only take a % (He said this after the new loot system and the average loot got raised, some people wondered how this was possible )

 

[Heptapod]

Trick question

Are you kidding? The question should be, how does MA not profit from Project Entropia?

Use of every item in PE costs money, in one of these forms:

1) ammo (sold only by MA)

2) decay (your item degrades until it finally breaks, unless you repair it. Guess what, only MA can repair your item)

3) Auctions cost 1ped (US 10 cents) a listing, and you cannot group items into one auction (e.g. set of armor)

4) Manufacturing needs various resources, which you (or someone else) can only acquire by spending ped for hunting and mining (see 1, 2).

 

[Fiona Simmons]

Are you kidding? The question should be, how does MA not profit from Project Entropia?

Use of every item in PE costs money, in one of these forms:

1) ammo (sold only by MA)

2) decay (your item degrades until it finally breaks, unless you repair it. Guess what, only MA can repair your item)

3) Auctions cost 1ped (US 10 cents) a listing, and you cannot group items into one auction (e.g. set of armor)

4) Manufacturing needs various resources, which you (or someone else) can only acquire by spending ped for hunting and mining (see 1, 2).

Ammo, probes for mining and ressources spend on crafting go back into the system and paid out as loots. The Auction fees proably go into Mas pocket but i dont know this for sure.

A interessting Question would be, what about Taxes on Land areas ? Someone make Monney from it but when i understand it right mindark its only allowed to use this system because they dont make a penny with and just gain monney from decay. But people make monney with the loot system now and MindArk owns the Plattform they make it. People also make lotterie like competetions where you can win stuff. I think that is gambling and someone make monney with it. But i belive the Swedish Goverment owns like in germany the monopoly on gambling. Im curious how the law would interpreted if someone bring this to discussion.

 

[DaveJ]

Side note: ingame fapping has nothing to do with masturbation. FAP stands for First Aid Pack.

 

[DaveJ]

MindArk only say they make money from decay for legal reasons.

How they make money is quite simple:

(1) From interest from the money invested in PEDs

(2) From the fact that there are less withdrawals than deposits (remotely linked to decay, but in reality related to ammo, bombs, probes etc. as well)