Entropia/Chinese to create Mammoth Virtual World Options

[King Buzzo]

MindArk, makers of Entropia Universe along with the Beijing Municipal People's Government supported online entertainment company Cyber Recreation Development Corp. (CRD) announced a deal to create a Real Cash Economy virtual world for China today. In the deal aimed at permitting up to "7 million concurrent users" and generating "over $1 billion annually in commerce" it is clear the Chinese and Swedish partners have some lofty goals in mind.

According to the Press Release, "The technology introduced with this project will enable other companies within media, film, music and gaming industries, or other content providers, to acquire their own planet within Entropia Universe. In turn, this will provide a diverse, entertaining and interesting three-dimensional virtual universe of vast proportions for participants to explore. A number of the world's largest corporations within the aforementioned business sectors are currently in negotiations to purchase their own planet within Entropia Universe."

With Entropia currently having one Planet and a rather generously estimated 10 thousand concurrent users, this project is grand indeed. The ramifications here, should everything come to fruition as designed are catyclysmic. Seems like those exclusive two year bank licenses might pay off after all.

Reportedly, MindArk and Entropia Universe beat our other bidders, most notibly Second Life for this grand partnership.

[SB2]

It remains to be seen whether or not the current universe will be integrated into the new universe... If so, it will indeed prove to be cataclysmic...

[Knuckles Mode]
Maybe this is the reason that MA declined Aura's SL project... To maintain face with the Chinese....
[/Knuckles Mode]

This post has been edited by SB2: May 30 2007, 05:54 PM

[Erasmus]

I don't think it has much to do with EU as we know it. Sounds like a licensing deal to me, although a potentially very lucrative one for MA, which in turn is good for the health of EU.

I vaguely recall the scope of that revolutionary IBM processor and it's still a very long way to handle 7 millions concurrents users ... by an order of magnitude or two.

But what do I know, I only deal with virtual reality, not virtual vaporware.

[SB2]

Marco just posted on EF.... Saying that EU will be one universe not shards.....

[Domochevsky]

Holy Batman on a Stick! ™ O.o

Now that i call big O.o
(the Wording is pretty down to earth, too)

Though i wonder how MA is going to do it (and when, of course)

[Svetlana]

I vaguely recall the scope of that revolutionary IBM processor and it's still a very long way to handle 7 millions concurrents users ... by an order of magnitude or two.

Article here: IBM Blazes Forward. The IBM processor has been introduced, but the thought is that IBM may utilize it themselves for the creation of their own unique virtual platforms.


7 million concurrent users would be remarkable. These are the sorts of technologies that will push the industry ahead, enabling a chain of events with the possibility of broad ramifications. As with regards to EU, the expansion should prove to be phenomenal in a very grand way. Numbers alone should allow for a greater expansion of EU with regards to everything, from the economy to the infrastructure to support, etc.

The press release includes the Gotheborg ship's journey to Shanghai last year, signifying the time at which MindArk began to communicate/negotiate the deal, showing yet again how difficult it is to gauge companies until all is said and done. The release itself should also be positively noted by many, likewise.

This post has been edited by Svetlana: May 30 2007, 06:19 PM

[Epictetus]

WOW!

No wonder Marco was excited. If this is an official state project of China (and I can't believe I just typed that) then this is big bucks! The press release says this will generate 10,000 jobs and allow people to work in their homes! I can't even imagine what all of this means. Where do I go to apply and what positions will be available?

The million dollar question is, will this be self-contained or will we all be able to fly to these planets? Perhaps Marco can answer that question here. EDIT: I guess it will be one universe....your world just got WAY bigger folks!

Let's work on parsing this all out. Item values go up, geography takes a hit (many many more land areas and shops, people). Hangars become incredibly valuable. Keep going...

This post has been edited by Epictetus: May 30 2007, 06:21 PM

[SB2]

It opens all sorts of issues regarding economy & gameplay... It will be interesting to see if gameplay, as it is now, still exists in the new universe...

and wither unlimited items? Will they become "ancient"? or will hunting, crafting & mining be phased out of this brave new world... Leaving only the social and business functions?

How will MA/China develop the business and trade functions in this new universe that are currently extremely lacking ...?

will Calypso be marginalized in a flood of "corporate" planets?

It's definitely apocolyptic...

This post has been edited by SB2: May 30 2007, 06:27 PM

[Erasmus]

Reading through the crd.gov.cn site, it is obvious that these people have big plans with MANY partners. It is great that MA is going to be one of them. The very big numbers in the PR relate to the scope that the partners of both CRD and CBD can potentially tap into. They each are going to end up with a slice of the pie, some tiny, some pretty big.

So, no one is going to need super-duper servers to handle 7 millions chinese at once. And being that MA is like the baby of the lot, even a itsy-bitsy tiny slice of that would do wonder to EU.

Also in the news (check BBC), the Chinese government is trying to cool down stock trading by raising the stamp tax from 1% to 3%. Their biggest problem right now seems to be to slow down all that burning money. At the rate the chinese middle class is taking on investment risks, if EU was known in China already, we might have had 10,000 bidders on those bank licenses ... along with 100,000 rogue banks operating from the sidewalk :rolleyes:

[Epictetus]

My guess is that the planets will be similar to the existing one - a couple continents, which allow hunting and mining (possible with unique creatures or minerals), as well as towns with crafting and auctions.

So let's say an entertainment company like Disney purchases a planet. Will they be able to design the theme? Or will they be given "pre-made planet 27?"

Will playing Entropia now be a matter of keeping track of a vast physical space like Second Life?

What about the auction? Still linked between every planet or will you have to visit a particular one to use it?

Imagine having a blueprint that requires 6 Marconium from the planet Virgin Megastore and 5 Ugglisium from the planet Cingular Wireless?!?!

[Xulfer]

I wonder how the massing robot forces of Akbal-Cimi will take to the news...

[SB2]

I wonder how the massing robot forces of Akbal-Cimi will take to the news...

Haven't you heard? Akbal-Cimi has been purchased by the iRobot Corp and all the drones have been made into Roombas....

This post has been edited by SB2: May 30 2007, 06:40 PM

[Epictetus]

Hehe, a hilarious reminder that the storyline of EU is gone.

"Colonists have discovered 50 nearby planets that were previously hidden by robot interference!

It seems the nefarious robots have given them names borrowed from ancient Earth history - Coca-cola, Nike, and Doritos!"

[Marco|MindArk]

It seems the nefarious robots have given them names borrowed from ancient Earth history - Coca-cola, Nike, and Doritos!"

rofl!!!! In the absurd way this was about the most hillarious I have read for a long time.

As to the storyline, I have some ideas together with Frank. We will see...

[Svetlana]

It seems the nefarious robots have given them names borrowed from ancient Earth history - Coca-cola, Nike, and Doritos!"

rofl!!!! In the absurd way this was about the most hillarious I have read for a long time.

As to the storyline, I have some ideas together with Frank. We will see...

LOL Epic, that was pretty good. It does take a healthy dose of comedic relief at times.

As to the storyline, it will be interesting to see what becomes of it. But really, the beauty of any epic tale is that there are always twists and turns of fate that can easily be applied and manipulated.

Erasmus- as to the Chinese decision to cool down stock trading- it's a very interesting thing. As we've discussed here before, the growing middle class in China is becoming very powerful, and obviously they are anxious to get involved in ventures beyond their region. I was recently speaking to a friend about the growth of online virtual worlds and they didn't quite understand when I attempted to explain how current geo-political affairs can be greatly altered by online usage and virtual worlds. The world seems trapped into believing that the predominant purpose of online usage is for chatting... that will change, and this venture w/ the Chinese will be one stepping stone on the path to a more integrated East and West.

This post has been edited by Svetlana: May 30 2007, 07:03 PM

[Com]

I wonder how the massing robot forces of Akbal-Cimi will take to the news...

To refresh your memory:

The massing robot forces of Akbal-Cimi were surrendered by "Lord Telephone" months ago. Five ubers got new super-uber armor, and NEVERDIE got an egg that still hasn't hatched.

This post has been edited by Com: May 30 2007, 07:13 PM

[Rob]

Ah....the egg.....

[Aziphirael]

Time to learn some Chinese methinks ;-)

[Aura Lily]

Time to learn some Chinese methinks ;-)

This post has been edited by Aura Lily: May 30 2007, 09:30 PM

[Epictetus]

It seems the nefarious robots have given them names borrowed from ancient Earth history - Coca-cola, Nike, and Doritos!"

rofl!!!! In the absurd way this was about the most hillarious I have read for a long time.

As to the storyline, I have some ideas together with Frank. We will see...

Thanks!...does this qualify for some forum-based Hall of Fame? (IMG:http://virtualmindhive.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/lol2.gif)

I can imagine the evil Akbal-Cimi Base Matrix making the following transmission:

"Attention all robot forces! It doesn't matter where you are on the chain of command, every robot from Drone Generation 1 to Big Bulk must now sign up to receive Lord Telleton's "Learn Chinese In a Week" DVD training program. Failure to become proficient in Chinese will not be tolerated!

Have a nice day and death to all humans."