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Drivers wanted on Planet Calypso

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Planet Calypso

Planet Calypso is an odd sort of virtual world, a free-to-play game that allows players to exchange in-game money for real cash. It's gearing up for the auction of the new Medusa's Head islands, which contain a variety of services and species for the enterprising landowner. And in anticipation of just that, a new update has offered the perfect vehicles for running through an unspoiled tropical paradise -- high-powered combat tanks, helicopters, and warboats bristling with deadly armaments.

Along with three new Nordic-named vessels -- the Megingjord tank, the Naglfar boat, and the Gungnir helicopter -- the update brings with it a variety of updates to the use of vehicles. Commissioning has been removed, and a weapon mounting system has been added to help facilitate the addition of aforementioned deadly armaments. Even if they're not planning on bidding on the brand-new islands, Planet Calypso players should be able to enjoy the environment in their vehicles of choice.

Drivers wanted on Planet Calypso originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entropia's Club NEVERDIE sets new record for most expensive virtual item sale

Jef Reahard — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Culture, MMO industry, News items

If you're a frequenter of Entropia Universe, chances are you've heard of Club NEVERDIE, the virtual night spot purchased by John "NeverDie" Jacobs in 2005 for the tidy sum of US $100,000. The club, located on a giant asteroid orbiting the planet Calypso, was history's most expensive virtual item for a number of years until it was surpassed by the purchase of the Crystal Palace Space Station in 2009 (a US $330,000 sale).

Now, an Entropia Universe fansite is reporting that the remaining portions of Club NEVERDIE have been sold to a gamer named John Foma Kalun in a transaction valued at US $335,000. Jacobs had previously sold zones of the asteroid, known as Biodomes in game terms, for US $300,000. Read all about it at EntropiaPlanets.com.

[Thanks to Peter for the tip.]

Entropia's Club NEVERDIE sets new record for most expensive virtual item sale originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entropia Universe expands with treasure hunting on Planet Arkadia

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Business models, News items, Free-to-play, Virtual worlds

Planet Calypso is one of the more interesting concepts in the free-to-play arena, as it's a game in which you can theoretically make real money from playing the game. It looks like the concept is expanding a bit with the announcement of Planet Arkadia, an environment for virtual treasure hunters. Part of the same overarching concept and universe as Planet Calypso, the game will be a chance for players to enjoy the thrill of treasure hunting without the actual logistical issues of stealing things and then selling them.

The game is going to bear another similarity to its predecessor, however, in that the treasures being unearthed will potentially be worth real-world currency. That should provide players of the game with a little added incentive, along with concept art by Feng Zhu and the promise of an immersive virtual world. Tentatively set for release in early 2011, Planet Arkadia already boasts a site with preview images and more information on the game environment. So if you've always wanted a chance for your virtual treasure to translate into real money, your dream might be closer to fruition than you think.

Entropia Universe expands with treasure hunting on Planet Arkadia originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Planet Calypso

Beau Hindman — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Sci-fi, Business models, Economy, Events, in-game, Previews, PvE, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Roleplaying, Virtual worlds, MMOFPS, Planet Calypso, Rise and Shiny

Planet Calypso is another one of those titles that has a perplexing reputation. Granted, in the past I have actually slammed the game -- and I mean slammed it -- but for different reasons. Normally -- and I have seen this over the last week as I told people about the game -- people bring up that they have "heard" that the game is nothing but a gambler's paradise, filled with thieves, liars, and the addicted.

Back then, I had an issue with the revamping of the game. I tried it on the day after release, bugs and all, and it was so unplayable that I couldn't move. Taking my own advice of looking back on games that we might have tossed aside, I can now say not only that the game has proved to be one of the most beautiful games I have played, but that the stereotype of the Planet Calypso player seems completely baseless. I looked, trust me, but all I found were nice people.

Of course, I did only play it over six days or so.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Planet Calypso

Rise and Shiny recap: Planet Calypso originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The robots are rising on Planet Calypso

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, Virtual worlds, Planet Calypso

It's not one of the largest games out there, so most people might not know what you're talking about if you mention Planet Calypso. Those who do might well only think of the highly publicized auctions and trades, in which players have spent large amounts of real-world money to purchase land and facilities (which bring in plenty of real-world money themselves, for the record). But beyond that there is an actual game world, complete with an ongoing storyline. As spotlighted in the newest game newsletter, that storyline is being turned up by a new event -- an ominous approach by robots.

The last major assault by the robots left the previous capital city a smoking ruin, and not coincidentally coincided with the game's graphical update to CryEngine 2. This time, the colonists have begun decoding messages sent by the robots, and defenses are gathering to ensure that a repeat of the last event doesn't take place -- even as the robots field a new technology known as "Hydra." Several helpful links for information may be found within the newsletter, which promises plenty of enjoyment for the players in Planet Calypso.

The robots are rising on Planet Calypso originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Planet Calypso aims to attract new players with starting area

Jef Reahard — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Planet Calypso

Planet Calypso, the long-running real-cash economy MMORPG from First Planet Company and MindArk, will soon offer a new and dedicated starting area for new players. Previously, player colonists were at the mercy of the title's veteran residents and were thrown right into Planet Calypso's considerable learning curve with little in the way of an introduction.

Now, newbies can partake of the safe starting area (restricted to new players), learn the game's basics, and grab missions in the new Calypso Gateway. Players will hunt, mine, and craft using starter equipment on the secluded arrival island, and they will not be able to return once they've completed the tutorials and traveled to mainland Calypso.

Check out the official site for all the details.

Planet Calypso aims to attract new players with starting area originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Planet Calypso and Entropia Universe unveiling vehicles

Jef Reahard — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Patches, News items

Entropia Universe, the long-running virtual world from MindArk, has announced the introduction of in-game vehicles in their 11.2 patch which is tentatively scheduled for today. Ground-based vehicles are the tip of the proverbial iceberg, as MindArk has plans to implement boats, aircraft, and spacecraft in the near future.

"With this new system, the whole community now has the opportunity to build vehicles. The features included in today's release are just the beginning of the vehicle system content. The development teams are already working with upcoming features [including] boats. It will soon be possible to cruise the lakes and oceans on the planets of Entropia Universe. Several different types of boats will be available," MindArk said in a press release.

Check out the news posting over on the official Entropia Universe website.

Planet Calypso and Entropia Universe unveiling vehicles originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Who wants to buy a virtual spacestation?

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Culture, Economy, Events, in-game, News items

You sir! Can I interest you in this pristine virtual space station? No? Ma'am! Over here ma'am! How would you like to live amongst the stars in a brand new virtual space station?

If you think this post is a silly post, then think again. Planet Calypso (formerly Entropia Universe) really is auctioning off one of their virtual space stations to their players, making this the third time that a major piece of Calypso property has been auctioned off to a private party. This time it's the Crystal Palace Space Station that's up for auction, one of Calypso's long time prime off-world hunting grounds.

What makes this auction so newsworthy is the fact that it will be conducted through Planet Calypso's auction systems using PED (Project Entropia Dollar), which basically makes the virtual space station worth real money, as the PED needs to be purchased by the player with real world currency.

Continue reading Who wants to buy a virtual spacestation?

Who wants to buy a virtual spacestation? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Planet Calypso, formerly Entropia Universe, converts to CryEngine 2

Seraphina Brennan — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Entropia Universe, Business models, Economy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Launches, MMO industry, Patches, Server downtime, News items, Virtual worlds

In just two days, Planet Calypso, formerly Project Entropia and Entropia Universe, will be shutting down for a major patch of epic proportions. The game will be undergoing a graphical refit, moving from their old graphics engine to the new CryEngine 2 -- the same engine that powers Crysis and upcoming virtual world Blue Mars. Old and busted, meet the new hotness.

The new version of the client, version 10, is now available for download before this whole conversion process takes place. The servers will be shut down on Sunday night/Monday morning at midnight UTC as version 10 is deployed to the servers. The servers will be unavailable for a few days, as the First Planet Company does a full diagnostic on the servers to make sure everything is good to go.

Continue reading Planet Calypso, formerly Entropia Universe, converts to CryEngine 2

Planet Calypso, formerly Entropia Universe, converts to CryEngine 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entropia Universe bidding war leads to $12,000 payout for newbie

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Events, in-game, News items, Virtual worlds

How would you like to wake up and find that you made $12,000 overnight? Seems like a dream, doesn't it? How would you like to have that $12,000 come from a single drop you found one day while farming in your favorite MMO? Now it seems even more like a dream.

But this is the reality for Timon "Stuka" Miles, a relatively new player to Entropia Universe, the game where the fictional currency is linked to real world money, akin to Second Life. Stuka's fortune stems from a piece of DNA from the extinct "Letomie" monster -- an item that can resurrect the creature if all of it's DNA fragments are found inside of the game. After a brief placement on the Entropia Universe forums, Stuka moved the auction to the official in-game auction house where it attracted the attention of Zachurm "Deathifier" Emegen, owner of the 26,000 real world dollar Treasure Island, and Jon "NEVERDIE" Jacobs, owner of the 100,000 real world dollar space station.

Continue reading Entropia Universe bidding war leads to $12,000 payout for newbie

Entropia Universe bidding war leads to $12,000 payout for newbie originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entropia Universe learns three new languages

Samuel Axon — Sat, 31 May 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Entropia Universe, MMO industry, News items, Virtual worlds

Microtransaction-based Entropia Universe is set to expand into new markets, as developer/publisher MindArk has announced the completion of translations of the Entropia client into three new languages -- German, French, and Spanish. Previously, the virtual world was only accessible to English-speakers.

The translations were performed by a company called Lionbridge. MindArk rep Frank Campbell said his company made the move to increase market penetration, address users' needs, and increase the company's credibility.

Entropia is a Sci-Fi-themed virtual world. It's an unusual combination of MMO-style combat and crafting, and Second Life-esque e-commerce. MindArk suggests to potential users that they can make money -- or even a living -- within the virtual world. Unsurprisingly, though, a substantial investment of real funds and time is required to become competitive.

Entropia Universe learns three new languages originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Without a clue - why there isn't more competition for Second Life

Tateru Nino — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Second Life

Actually there's quite a few reasons that there's little competition to Second Life in existance or planned - at least the sort of competition that a Second Life user would think of as a competitor to Second Life (hint: They don't think TSO is, or Kaneva, or Red Light Center, or Project Entropia or IMVU. Many don't count Active Worlds or There as competition either).

One of those reasons is that even people who think they're in the same industry or who are pundits and commentators on the industry don't have any idea what Second Life is. They don't use it, so they don't know what people are getting out of it. So when they come to build a 'Second Life Killer', they build something that does not (as far as the average user of Second Life can see) have much of anything that competes.

Continue reading Without a clue - why there isn't more competition for Second Life

Without a clue - why there isn't more competition for Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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