Introducing Calypso Gateway, the new content release from First Planet Company, features a new starting point for colonist newcomers. For many years the Calypso arrivers have started their new life on the busy streets of Port Atlantis, left with nothing but their bare hands and an orange jumpsuit. They have had a world of possibility to explore but at the same time the experience have proven daunting or overpowering. We expect this addition to Calypso to change that.

The Calypso Gateway is a secluded area consisting of an arrival terminal located on an island. It is the first point-of-contact with the game, after the avatar creation process. Calypso Gateway features several introduction missions (“quests”) in which equipment is given to start the Colonist experience. Newcomers will be able to engage in hunting, mining and crafting, using the equipment given. The tutorial-like mission structure allow the newcomers to learn about Calypso, the Real Cash Economy model and the way the basic features work – all within a calm environment. The Gateway is a place where newcomers get at chance to interact and learn, without many of the distractions found elsewhere on Calypso, as the area is off-limits for all other colonists. Once you take the one-way teleporter to go to mainland Calypso you can never go back.

For the veteran colonists who already have arrived and who wants to see this new area, FPC will host an open house event of Calypso Gateway for one week, allowing two-way teleportation to and from mainland Calypso. During this time newcomers will still arrive at Port Atlantis. After the week, the Gateway will be updated, the newcomer starting point till be moved from Port Atlantis to Calypso Gateway and the teleporter will be made one-way-only. Any avatars present at the Gateway will be moved to mainland Calypso during this update. The reason for this is to allow newcomers to take their time and try out things without the stress of traders, chat message spam, a lot of strange terminology, etc.

During the open house period, in order to get the full newcomer experience, we recommend that you put all your avatar gear in storage on mainland Calypso (there are no storage or TT:s on Gateway) and travel to the area and engage in the missions. Your feedback is also welcome and allows us to iron out potential bugs or tweak missions before the newcomers try them out.

Welcome to your new home, Colonist!

Monday the 21st was a very hectic day, to say the least. Entropia Universe update 11.2 was released, featuring vehicles. With it came a gift package of 200 cars that FPC was to distribute among the participants. The conditions were to get the cars out on the release day, during EU/USA time zones. Every time Emma or Simon showed up chaos erupted. I think I know how the iPhone stores felt on release day. At times, the number of simultaneous users online was over 50% of average figures – something we didn’t expect, and it added to the chaos. The cars were delivered in small batches in both settlements and in the wilderness to keep the stock as long as possible, before the reps moved to the next location. The stock was depleted just before 3AM Tuesday Swedish time.

In retrospect, the usage of the word “plentiful” was a mistake and shouldn’t have been used. The reason it was used was due FPC being excited that we this time actually had gifts, with TT values, that we could give out. And in that sense 200 cars was plentiful, compared to how often we have had given out freebies like this in the past. We were eager and excited and missed how the wording could be perceived, thus creating mismatched expectations. The lesson learned is that the next time the actual number of items available will be shown beforehand.

In closing, I would like to send my regards to MindArk who has created a really fun and thrilling system, which adds a new layer to the Entropia Universe, and in doing so, to Planet Calypso. It will be very interesting to see how the vehicles are going to be used in various events and in future landgrabs.

The year 2010 is a turning point for both First Planet Company (the developer of the MMORPG Planet Calypso) and for MindArk (the developer of the Entropia Platform). Beginning with the next version update the releases will further show the separation between the two companies; MindArk will release the familiar VU 10.8 containing systems updates for the platform and FPC will release its first exclusive content release, called 2010|01. The name derives from the current year and which release in order for that year that’s being released.

I want to address three different areas of development in this statement. First I want to take a peek on some new stuff never before seen on Calypso, followed by a status report on old pre-VU10 systems not yet available, and finally share my thought and ideas on what FPC’s grand goal and ambitions are.

First Planet Company has some very exciting stuff going on for 2010. In mid February the next addition comes to the Planet Calypso colonists – the preview of the Quest/Mission system! This preview will contain a limited number of missions both for us to show what can be done but also allowing FPC to gather feedback in a controlled environment. A few weeks later we intend to release a large number of additional missions and will continue doing so for future releases to come. Missions will come in various forms, some ranging from assignments or jobs (typical MMO “grind” quests) while others focus on the experience, background and storyline of Planet Calypso. The mission system is a very advanced tool that MindArk has developed allowing for some quite interesting and unique-feeling experiences. Expect the complexity and depth of the missions supplied to increase with each new mission expansion release.

Another new system MindArk has shown FPC is one of the most anticipated systems ever (I think it was first mentioned back in 2005!) – The Vehicles system. We have had the opportunity to race through the Calypso underbrush at 60 km/h, jumping off cliffs and skidding into lakes. I personally believe the vehicle system is a great addition on many levels, from the actual experience of driving around, using it as tool for day to day activities but also from a business standpoint; who will become the Henry Ford of Calypso? Vehicles are expected to arrive during the spring.

Going back to the missing systems from VU 9.4, there are currently a few left that have not yet been re-implemented into the VU10 generation. The first of the missing systems to make a comeback is the Beauty system which will come in the Entropia Platform VU10.8 coming in February. Soon the avatars can get their hair done and make those nip/tucks needed after the Christmas festivities. The system next in line after that is the Mindforce system, which will come with additional powers and a new revised vision on what it is supposed to be; which part it will play in the bigger scope of things from player activity to the economy as a whole. The old system has been analyzed quite a bit and you can expect a better balance and more purpose in the new one. The MA devs also promise us that the basic system allows for adding additional powers quite easily, which I personally think is ideal as it brings FPC the ability to expand this area as time goes by.

When it comes to Taming, Mentoring, Makeup, and Beacons, MindArk has promised all of these will be back before the end of the year. Once FPC gets progress reports we will share them with you.

On a larger scale of things FPC is working on a Quality Enhancement Programme. We believe that quality is the key to achieving great entertainment and a fulfilling experience. We will not cut any corners when it comes to polish and the finishing touches on FPC content. The term quality is a difficult one to describe. The way we see it is to add beautiful vistas, great looking visuals as a whole, add to the Colonist Experience in terms of sense of purpose and belonging, adding much more lore, mythos, and background into the mix. To take Calypso to the next level and to make it feel energetic; as an entity that lives and breathes. The work of increasing the quality has already begun (you will see an updated server area in the 2010|01 release – we look forward to your feedback) and will continue during 2010 and beyond.

A very interesting reflection was when the Real Estate Development programme was launched late last year. It opened up options for estate owners to customize their lands and real estate. The programme has been a huge success. This has in turn allowed us to put more effort in quickly adding to it and advance it. As it looks right now we will probably add a new section and hire staff that will work full time with only the Real Estate Development requests and expand on it to allow more customization – I would like to see the option for an apartment owner to completely redecorate an apartment if desired and a land owner to be able to add villages and towns to their land.

I wish to close this statement by thanking each and every one of you who partake in Planet Calypso. Without you we wouldn’t be here. The last couple of months have been a bit rough and we really appreciate your patience and perseverance during this time. Together we can take Planet Calypso to the next level in every aspect of the word.

During 2010 the new Mindforce system is expected to arrive to Planet Calypso. This time the concept is to release a much more complete system than the one available pre-VU10.0. While it is still a couple of months away from release, we would like to check the pulse of the community and see what kind of powers you would like to see in the next generation Calypso Mindforce system? We already have the Teleportation, Nerve Blasts, Firestorms, Wormhole and Resurrection powers, but beyond that? Maybe buffs/debuffs? Damage over time? Mezz/Stuns? Transformations? AoE? Fields? Or maybe you have some unique applications in mind?

Some basic guidelines:
• Please reply in the thread on www.entropiaforum.com.
• Keep each entry short and to the point (very important!).
• Briefly describe the effect the power is supposed to have.
• Motivate why you believe it is a must-have kick-ass power.
• Be on-topic, the feedback is about the powers, not the actual system.
• Do not flame or criticize other entries without constructive motivations or maybe even advance an idea into something new or better or different.

The item tier and enhancement system has been heavily debated amongst the community. Many participants have questioned the second item ingredient. We would like to share our view and motivation behind the selected design.

We are confident that the system gives the participants who choose to use it more options to customize their items and game play. For casual players it is quick to pick up limited items and just use them as normal as the tiers come automatically and it is very easy to add enhancers that feels right. On the other side of the spectrum are the hardcore players who devise charts and strive for best econ and optimal game play at every instant. They now have a big system to immerse themselves with and explore.

As most of you probably have discovered, enhancers improvement is calculated as a percentage, meaning an enhancer will provide greater benefit on a high end item than on a low end item. E.g. a weapon damage enhancer will give more extra damage on a high damage weapon than on a low damage weapon. To keep the balance, the upgrade cost must be proportional to the actual gain. By including a secondary item as ingredient, the item markup becomes part of this cost. It is up to you to determine if upgrading an item to a certain tier is worth the cost or if you want to ignore the options available.

By adding the secondary item as an ingredient we also get a drain in the economy concerning unlimited items. Drains are essential to have in the Entropia economy system. With a drain in place we have more ability to adjust the balancing and increase drop rates of unlimited items; something we believe is good for the community as a whole.

Another goal of the tier and item enhancements system is to give more participants access to interesting, challenging and more powerful items. For limited items you quickly get to higher tier levels free of charge while the tier upgrade progress with unlimited items takes a lot longer and involves additional costs. At the same time you will add options to a more personal item you could potentially use forever. We wanted to avoid a linear system in which all unlimited items quickly would have 10 enhancers connected as it would have a very high impact on the overall balance.

Upgrading high end items involves a significant investment. As such it will not cater to everyone. However, we foresee that some participants will choose to work as professional tier upgraders, and will offer upgraded items of various tiers for sale.

Enhancers are designed and balanced for being a mass-market item, especially at lesser tiers, but also on higher. The flexibility given by the various enhancers gives you, the player, greater control over how you want to participate. It is also open for additions in the future with new kinds of enhancers, without disrupting the existing market.

Item tier and enhancers is a major system that has significant impact on core activities in Planet Calypso and other Entropia planets. The MindArk balancing team is monitoring the system, analyzing statistics and fine tuning. We are also following forum discussions and reviewing support cases. Your input is much appreciated.

Regards,
The Entropia Platform development team.

I hope to shed some light into the UnL-item Tier upgrade process introduced in VU10.6, as it is currently under speculation.

Let me start with that I have received information from MindArk that there is currently a bug present which blocks the skill and profession associated with the action of upgrading UnL-items. It will be fixed in a mini-update next week.

Please view the Tier Upgrade User Interface. When attempting to upgrade an unlimited item to the next major tier, a profession check is made against the Tier Upgrader profession. If the check is within the Success Rate percentage range the item is upgraded to the next major tier. The Secondary item (the copy of the upgraded item) is salvaged fully (meaning you get to keep the item). The rest of the ingredients are consumed. A percentage of the TT value of the consumed ingredients is added to the TT value of the upgraded item and any excess is returned as residue.

If the check is over the Success Rate percentage but within the Salvage Rate percentage range the item is not upgraded to the next major tier. The Secondary item is salvaged (you keep the item). The rest of the ingredients are consumed. A percentage of the TT value of the consumed ingredients is returned as residue.

If the check is over the Salvage Rate percentage the item is not upgraded to the next major tier. The Secondary item and the rest of the ingredients are consumed. A percentage of the TT value of the consumed ingredients is returned as residue.

One of the many cool new things we’re working on right now is the items upgrade and enhancement system, due for release soon.

Almost all items can be upgraded to new tiers, and the tier system allows for the connection of a number of enhancement chips that can slot into an item. It works like this: you take an item that you want to improve and begin using it. With usage you increase the item’s tier – like when you get normal skill experience. Every new stage (Tier 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 etc) one additional socket slot opens up on the item. For limited items the progress is fully automatic while for unlimited items you need to manually upgrade the tier when it reaches a new stage.

An enhancement chip can be connected to a socket. Chips have different functions (weapon chips may add damage, range, accuracy or durability, while armor chips add defense, and mining finder chips add range or search depth – to name but a few examples) and can be mixed in order for a player to create their own customized version of their favorite item – would you focus on maximizing your damage, or maybe add range and thus creating your own sniper rifle, or maybe be more economical and reduce ammo burn and deterioration? Or a mix – you decide! And if your current mix is unsatisfactory, you can always disconnect and connect other enhancement chips to the slots.

Enhancement chips manufacturing is a new branch in the crafting system. To create the actual enhancement chips, you need blueprints as well as ingredients. Using them, you can create the chips that you can use yourself or sell on to others.

This addition to Planet Calypso will expand the usability of items, making them better and more dynamic than before, making it an easy system even for beginners. It also introduces a high level game to improve the best items to even higher levels, making the enhancement system something for both newcomers as well as veterans.

FPC is adjusting Land Areas, Malls, Shops and Apartments to a more streamlined experience as well as making some areas more in-line with how it was pre-VU10.0. A big chunk of these adjustments will be released in VU10.3 while some will come later. Furniture and decoration tweaks is planned for VU 10.6.

Please note that while we aim for an experience similar to the one pre-VU10.0, some areas is altered changed and some conditions are changed, meaning not everything will be exactly like it was before.

Both VU10.3 and 10.6 is expected to come before Christmas.

Post updated

I am very happy to announce First Planet Company’s new Creative Director Andreas Roman. His extensive experience will help FPC achieve the high set goals for the future and I feel he will be a great asset for the already dedicated FPC team.

Andreas has worked with copywriting and scriptwriting, dramaturgy and game design for the video game industry and helped with the launch of Microsoft’s first generation Xbox by developing one of the earliest first-party titles for Xbox and Xbox Live. He has since worked with publishers such as Sony, Electronic Arts, Dreamworks and Warner on lead brands like Terminator, Battlefield, Mirror’s Edge, Shrek and Midtown Madness.

He led the creative team at Digital Illusions CE AB, known today as Dice EA, on Microsoft’s Midtown Madness and thereby helped create one of the titles that established Xbox Live as a stable platform for online gaming consoles. After Midtown he worked on the Battlefield concept for console, but was offered the task of leading the creative development of Dice EA’s new IP. Andreas directed the title until December 2005 when he left Dice. This title was eventually released in late 2008 under the name Mirror’s Edge.

Between 2006 and 2008 Andreas was the Creative Director at HiQ Interactive, a studio that uses games as a teaching aid. He was involved in training for companies like Volvo AB, Volvo Trucks, Intersport, JC and Astra Zeneca and won an award for best e-learning in 2008.

He started at Grin AB in June 2008 as a story director for Terminator: Salvation for the PS3 and Xbox 360. He was promoted in early 2009 to Creative Director at Grin and worked on a non-advertized title for a Japanese publisher, but left Grin when it went into receivership in June 2009.

Andreas’ main areas of expertise are leadership in creative environments and project management, molding ideas into practical, saleable results, game design and game dramaturgy plus writing scripts and script editing. Apart from video game design, Andreas pursues a parallel career as a novelist and his stories are published in several countries. Two of his novels are currently in production to become feature films.

Like stated in this post VU10.1 is split, in order to advance the release of the much sought after Mindforce teleportation system. However, this means that the apartments system is pushed roughly two weeks after VU10.1.

Also, VU 10.2 is expected to come by the end of October.

And – as a sneak peek, for the Gateway readers, behind the FPC walls – we are currently working with one of several new content systems. One of the first to come is… “quests”, or missions as we call it! I feel very excited about this and other new systems in the pipeline.