What makes Entropia Universe special

[gmccumskey]

I was just sitting back after reading a number of threads in this forum ... amazed. EU must be the most over-analyzed "game" ever. I was just thinking of it compared to other MMO's.

In these other games, where real money has no real say, you pay your monthly, or once off payment as some are, and don't worry about anything. Economy? What economy? Everytime you go on a hunt your guaranteed a profit. Who cares about economy? If you blow all your in game money on killing things, doesn't matter, theres always selling all those items you looted. There is no real economy in other MMO's.

I'll never forget playing with a friend in one of these other games, and he got quite pissed at me for not looting the little chests that popped up next to the creatures when you killed them. I kept thinking, who cares. Just so that I can have a little more digital, monopoly money. If I was short on cash I'd just go on a deliberate hunt to make money, no problem. None of it actually has any real value.

But throw real life cash into the mix and you get a completely different story. EU does have an economy. And it actually means something at the end of the day. If you fire off a weapon and miss a creature, thats real life money you've burnt away to no effect. If you sell an item way below what it should have been, thats real life money you lost.

No other game is so actively analysed by its community than EU, everything from Mining theories (like people would do in real life) to trading investments, to economical ways of hunting.

Thats why I consider EU my second life. Just the fact that real money is involved makes it more real than any other game out there could hope to be. No other game makes me feel as if I am truly living a second existance like EU does.

Just my thoughts ... it'd be interesting to see what the rest of this vibrant community thinks.

 

[Sonya Heart]

I enjoy EU, it has kinda become my home away from home. There are alot of things people want to work out as it real cash, Everyones after a quick buck sometimes

I think other mmo's kinda ruin EU, What I mean by that is if you played another non RCE game you expect everything to give you funds to play, There can be that expectation here, which in part is due to MA's advertising. It certainly made me think I was gonna be able to make money with ease.

However the ones of us that stay eventually work out the game and have some fun.

 

[Qweeg]

Lol - so this thread is about analysing why Entropia is so over analysed by the players

Seriously though - I have played many other multiplayer online games, but never stuck at one for more than a week, so that in itself speaks volumes in my mind. And what makes this different:

Is it the best coded game ever written - no.
Is it the prettiest game on the market - no.
Do I think I will ever make a fortune playing it - no (but I dream).
Is it the most addictive game I have ever played - without a doubt!

I think the combination of real cash, clever unexplained skillgain methodology (which leads to the analysing you mention), and the open playing / profession choice is what does it for me. And it has a great community.

But then again - maybe I need to go away and analyse things a little more

 

[gmccumskey]

I enjoy EU, it has kinda become my home away from home. There are alot of things people want to work out as it real cash, Everyones after a quick buck sometimes

I think other mmo's kinda ruin EU, What I mean by that is if you played another non RCE game you expect everything to give you funds to play, There can be that expectation here, which in part is due to MA's advertising. It certainly made me think I was gonna be able to make money with ease.

However the ones of us that stay eventually work out the game and have some fun.

Well, I do a fair amount of trading myself in game, but thats only because I'm not a rich person IRL, who can just deposit his way to happiness. And the money I make trding is just to survive in game and for having fun. Again, far more reeal to life than those other MMO's, where you never really "work" at anything. It all is just way to easy.

 

[SB2]

In EU, one is forced to play smart in order to maximise his or her enjoyment. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of the game and requires that the player collect data from multiple sources outside of the Universe in order to make the best decisions. The PR about making money in EU attracts a wide variety of people. But the ones who stay are the ones that embrace the true challenges of the game. This is also what makes the playerbase so loyal.

I also believe that this is what makes some of us so vocal about improving the relationship between MA and its players. EU has some of the most intelligent and knowledgable players I have met in any online game. People who have experienced many other MMORPGs and saw how they succeeded or failed for them. People who can see the huge potential that EU carries, yet also see some of the same mistakes made by other companies being made by MA.

This is what I believe makes Entropia Universe special. That people could care enough about the universe to be so vocal and passionate about making it successful.

 

[Sonya Heart]

In EU, one is forced to play smart in order to maximise his or her enjoyment. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of the game and requires that the player collect data from multiple sources outside of the Universe in order to make the best decisions. The PR about making money in EU attracts a wide variety of people. But the ones who stay are the ones that embrace the true challenges of the game. This is also what makes the playerbase so loyal.

I also believe that this is what makes some of us so vocal about improving the relationship between MA and its players. EU has some of the most intelligent and knowledgable players I have met in any online game. People who have experienced many other MMORPGs and saw how they succeeded or failed for them. People who can see the huge potential that EU carries, yet also see some of the same mistakes made by other companies being made by MA.

This is what I believe makes Entropia Universe special. That people could care enough about the universe to be so vocal and passionate about making it successful.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to SB2 again.

I'll catch you next time round.

 

[Redster]

EU is my first experience with online multiplayer games. I have always been a first person shooter gamer. <other games content> Then I saw the article about ND buying CND, I became a CND child and jumped into the game. I am so addicted I wont divulge the money I have deposited but it scares me that I could be having so much fun. The complete interaction and all the friends I have met,, it is a world unto itself that forces me to log on everyday and play. I have as much fun chatting with everyone as I do throwing bombs away, the variety, the options, the challenges. What a game. Even with all the bugs,, thank you MA

 

[forty]

well, when you ask what makes this one special...don't forget to mention us players

- relatively 'old' playerbase
- giant playerbase (yeah, i know i know, noone actually knows how many are still active

 

[JackFree]

In EU, one is forced to play smart in order to maximise his or her enjoyment. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of the game and requires that the player collect data from multiple sources outside of the Universe in order to make the best decisions. The PR about making money in EU attracts a wide variety of people. But the ones who stay are the ones that embrace the true challenges of the game. This is also what makes the playerbase so loyal.

I also believe that this is what makes some of us so vocal about improving the relationship between MA and its players. EU has some of the most intelligent and knowledgable players I have met in any online game. People who have experienced many other MMORPGs and saw how they succeeded or failed for them. People who can see the huge potential that EU carries, yet also see some of the same mistakes made by other companies being made by MA.

This is what I believe makes Entropia Universe special. That people could care enough about the universe to be so vocal and passionate about making it successful.

This sums my opinion up better than I could... Well said SB2! +rep

 

[Erinome]

In EU, one is forced to play smart in order to maximise his or her enjoyment.

I believe the word you want here is funds and not enjoyment. To maximize my enjoyment, I do not play smart.

 

[SB2]

I believe the word you want here is funds and not enjoyment. To maximize my enjoyment, I do not play smart.

Well, enjoyment is a subjective term...

 

[black_rain13]

My answer to this thread is the same as it has been in other similar threads.

I am here for fun and I don't mind paying a little REAL money to entertain myself. What keeps me spending money in the EU and keeps me coming back here, rather than other games, is the people who participate in the EU.

For the most part, I don't care about making a profit, or even saving all my pennies from buying low and selling high. I am here and will continue to be here, just for the friends and "family" I have here.

Other "games" out there claim to have their society-type of atmosphere, but none of them have ever been as caring and "brotherly" as the people here in the EU are.

Perhaps the "real money" issue of the game is part of what binds us all together in such unity (except the occassional scammers). I know that I can feel someone else's loss when they get scammed, or they lose all their money in a loot-free hunt. It is this mutually shared component that makes us all bond together as a family.

Without the real money involved in the game, it is very likely that we wouldn't care as much and we wouldn't bond together and share in each others victories and defeats, but ultimately in my mind it is still the community that is the best thing about EU.

 

[HardBlade]

I was just sitting back after reading a number of threads in this forum ... amazed. EU must be the most over-analyzed "game" ever. I was just thinking of it compared to other MMO's.

In these other games, where real money has no real say, you pay your monthly, or once off payment as some are, and don't worry about anything. Economy? What economy? Everytime you go on a hunt your guaranteed a profit. Who cares about economy? If you blow all your in game money on killing things, doesn't matter, theres always selling all those items you looted. There is no real economy in other MMO's.

I'll never forget playing with a friend in one of these other games, and he got quite pissed at me for not looting the little chests that popped up next to the creatures when you killed them. I kept thinking, who cares. Just so that I can have a little more digital, monopoly money. If I was short on cash I'd just go on a deliberate hunt to make money, no problem. None of it actually has any real value.

But throw real life cash into the mix and you get a completely different story. EU does have an economy. And it actually means something at the end of the day. If you fire off a weapon and miss a creature, thats real life money you've burnt away to no effect. If you sell an item way below what it should have been, thats real life money you lost.

No other game is so actively analysed by its community than EU, everything from Mining theories (like people would do in real life) to trading investments, to economical ways of hunting.

Thats why I consider EU my second life. Just the fact that real money is involved makes it more real than any other game out there could hope to be. No other game makes me feel as if I am truly living a second existance like EU does.

Just my thoughts ... it'd be interesting to see what the rest of this vibrant community thinks.

+ rep
This Is Why I Consider EU My Second Life Too.

 

[Noggin]

Mystery and speculation add a hell of a lot of depth to a game. People make it their mission to find out the deepest darkest secrets, and I think that's a lot of the reason people find a fascination with EU... It's not just all laid out in front of you. You have to dig to find out things.

As far as I'm aware, no other game quite has the veil of mystery and intrigue that EU does. Definitely something going for it. The mystery also gives it an element of addictiveness... Also I think the 'trust' factor brings people a little closer than they would be otherwise, not that I like the way that's dealt with particularly.

There are so many elements of EU that make it special, yet so many which prevent it being even more great. Mostly MA's attitude I find... However, it was a great idea, and it's most certainly being exploited to full financial effect.

 

[Status]

Same and ditto

pretty much what other players have said,
Its a mix of many things from the community to the challenge.

Project Entropia was my first MMO, before that it was just regular games and some multiplayer sessions on some servers.

Since discovering PE, and batteling with strange emotions i was getting because of a game, i seached for others, mostly because of money reasons.
After trying a few, and even buying one to play with IRL friends, nothing could feel the same.
Its not the loot or a gambeling thing like some say is the reason for addiction here, its the whole thing.
The real money does add a little more excitement and does make other MMO's seem like monopoly money. Aside from the money there are alot of technical things about EU (NOT THE PROGRAMMING) that make it special. The One world Idea, the "must learn on your own" scenario, i mean, there is no instruction book for life is there So when arriving on Calypso, they managed to give me that feeling of being on another planet with no clue on where to start, because there is no "start". The way the creatures are, not all over the place but in areas and in the wilderness is nice, theres no levels on them and you kinda either learn by dieing or doing some research Just so many things, heck even the interface is "Easy" to read and understand, not loaded with tooo much info, also a nice balance of what you need and dont. And finally there is the community...if you are here and still playing, then i dont even need to explain what i mean

But in the end its a serious LOVE/HATE with Entropia, the hate part mostly because of MA but I am hoping that will change.

 

[Helius]

Well to quote myself from a similar post a long time ago:

1. Real cash economy - no monthly fees, depositing is more like investing (or gambling) than simply "pay to play", cash can be withdrawn, possible to play for free.

2. One world wide server - no separate severs, or instances.

3. Real time combat/interactions - more like a FPS than a RPG, with the ability to easily go back and forth between first and third person and actually play in either perspective.

4. Evolving universe - constant upgrades, adding onto and refining the already existing world, rather than abandoning the game and releasing a sequel like most other companies.

5. More mature player base

6. Pioneering, cutting edge nature of Entropia Universe

 

[gmccumskey]

Just to add to my first comments...

EU was my first MMO. I fell in love. But after a few months, I got a bit disillusioned somehow. I felt alone.

So I left for a few months and tried another game (which I wont mention here so no worries mod's, lol). That game was fun in a different kind of way, but it really didn't have the same feeling as EU, I remember starting out with this new game having created my character and spawning the first time .... then not having a clue what to do.

When I asked in Entropia Universe when I first landed what the hell I was supposed to do, I got three responses almost instantly, and even a very nice chap come over and helped me out. The community was so good to me when I started out.

In this other game, however, a similar request for help fell on deaf ears. Everyone was just to concerned with kill kill kill, level up level up level up to bother with a noob.

When I decied to return to EU after my break, I also decided to get more involved with the community. I started posting regularly in EF, as anyone who checks my posting history will see, as well as finding myself an awesome society, so that that "alone" feeling no longer was an issue.

I have once again fallen in love with EU, because of how I feel I have a second life and how close I am to so many people.

Hope that adds a bit more meat to my original starting post

 

[Fin]

Same and ditto
But in the end its a serious LOVE/HATE with Entropia, the hate part mostly because of MA but I am hoping that will change.

But actually most of what we like about EU is also because of what the MA folk have dreamed up and achieved. I think we can sometimes forget that

 

[SB2]

But actually most of what we like about EU is also because of what the MA folk have dreamed up and achieved. I think we can sometimes forget that

Fin -

I don't think anyone forgets that the originality and non-scripted nature of Eu is something to be applauded... In fact, I believe many people make reference to it... That is the LOVE part of the relationship that Status described.

It's also that originality and open ended nature that keeps many of us striving for improvement in the nature of our relationship with MA... There is so much potential in the future of this universe.

 

[Doer]

I just have to say that several of these posts sum up my thoughts on the matter very succinctly. +rep to a buncha ya.

 

[gmccumskey]

The One world Idea, the "must learn on your own" scenario, i mean, there is no instruction book for life is there So when arriving on Calypso, they managed to give me that feeling of being on another planet with no clue on where to start, because there is no "start".

Thats a very good point. Most MMO's have a start and end (sort of). You could play other MMO's forver, but your satisfaction is then dictated by what "quests" the developers decide to add on for the Uber players enjoyment.

MA don't need to do that because of the open ended nature of it. One little thing I'd like to point out that could make a big difference however, is, as someone mentioned before in EF, the creation of a Questing system for societies, as this allows society leadership to create quests of a sort for their members with rewards, etc. Doing this will help add a more "targetted" approach yet still keep that open endedness that we all love so much.

Yup MA, you've gotten me here to stay

 

[Epictetus]

Totally agree...the structure is ingenious, the gameplay is fun, and the thrill of the Real Cash Economy (RCE) is what makes this game unique among thousands of games.

Long live EU!

 

[Snuggins]

Great thread. I agree that the RCE element brings a feeling of reality that is hard to match. In other games the developers are simply making software to entertain, so at times it can feel contrived. In EU the game mechanics must balance large sums of real money as well as present an entertaining experience. The result is much more immersive. Your fate is feels more uncertain.

Mystery and speculation add a hell of a lot of depth to a game. People make it their mission to find out the deepest darkest secrets, and I think that's a lot of the reason people find a fascination with EU... It's not just all laid out in front of you. You have to dig to find out things.

This is an excellent point. I wish people could remember the value of the mystery when they are asking for more information to be listed on items, etc.

 

[Donald]

This is an excellent thread, I must say. If I were to analyse what makes the EU special, I would have to start with the playerbase. This is the first mmorpg where I actually interacted with others. Even now, during my recent LOA, I began to development two characters in another universe, but all I did there was mine, mine, mine... ad infinitum. Oh! And train. Let's not forget that. The only interaction I had with others was through the market, but that was indirectly.

Here everything is different. You might wonder, should you have an interest in the topic, why I have not yet told my wife about my return to Calypso. It is because of the social aspects of EU. I have told her too much about my associations here. I have had to 'buy out' time from her in order to participate in certain events... The latest 'Catch Me If You Can' episode comes to mind.

She knows that in that other game, all I do is sit and stare at an asteroid, whereas in Entropia, I might very well be talking to an actual person, maybe forming a friendship- who knows! There is a danger there, perhaps, in her eyes. I only learned last night that one of my friends in the EU is seriously involved with one she met in-universe! I have a notion that this may be more common here, than elsewhere but I can't prove anything...

Anyway, the universe itself has a very particular charm. I even love the music, although I could wish for more control over it. Before I took a little time off, I was blown away by the new and old landscapes, and the beauty of it all. Today, I am a bit nonplussed, as it seems to have changed somewhat for the worse. I won't go all negative on you; here's hoping things turn around and the graphics return to their former splendor. I have noticed that the branches on the trees now sway in the breeze. Have they always done that? Funny, I did not notice before...

And lastly, there is that money thing. Love it or hate it, it really does make a huge difference. I can only suggest that it makes everything you do much more critical. At some point I need to remember that I am still but a newcomer, and sit down, and see what I can figure out. It's all very confusing to me still.

Sincerely,
Donald