Entropia VU News: Entropia Universe 17.0 Release Notes

Discussion in 'Entropia News' started by EP-Newsbot, Dec 3, 2019.

  1. Platform

    A major overhaul to the graphics engine of the Entropia Universe client is featured in this release. DirectX 11 has been implemented, please see below for associated changes and features.


    While many areas and scenes will show major improvement with regard to lighting and realism, some content has not yet been optimized for the new system, particularly Planet Partner content. Upcoming Version Updates will build upon the additions and capabilities introduced in this release


    These changes to the graphics engine may cause certain textures, items and areas to look slightly different or introduce unexpected graphical issues. Please report any graphics-related issues by submitting a support case under the Technical -> Video and Graphics category.


    • The rendering API now uses Microsoft DirectX 11, which requires Windows Vista or later. Windows XP is no longer supported.
    • Physically based rendering is now used throughout Entropia Universe.
    • Physically accurate falloff from light sources.
    • Gamma corrected output.
    • Filmic tonemapping.
    • Overhaul of the glow and bloom systems.
    • Reworked camera auto exposure.
    • Improved shading for vegetation, water, glass, skin and hair.
    • Brightness slider now applies brightness before tonemapping.
    • Contrast slider has been removed from the options menu.
    • Fullscreen mode is now always windowed fullscreen.
    • A new VR action has been added to the Action Library, which launches Virtual Reality for Oculus Rift. (Note that this system is still experimental and not fully supported).
    • To avoid any issues the graphics settings are reset to default during the update, make sure to select your prefered settings after logging in


    New Features

    • Enhancers inserted into (L)imited items will now break much less often.
    • 100% of the Trade Terminal value of enhancers is now returned in the form of Shrapnel when an enhancer breaks.
    • Increasing the Tier Level of an item during the Tier Upgrade process is no longer dependent on the Tier Upgrader profession. All tiering attempts will now automatically succeed.
    • 100% of the Trade Terminal value of the ingredients required to increase the Tier Level of an item is now always returned, in the form of Shrapnel (none of the required ingredients are returned).
    • A second decimal place has been added to item Tier Levels. All existing items have had a 9 added in the second decimal place. For example, an item that had a Tier Level of 3.9 will now have a Tier Level of 3.99.
    • It is no longer necessary to drag items from inventory to the Tier Upgrade interface. Items from your avatar's Inventory as well as from an open Storage Terminal will automatically be used in the Tier Upgrade interface. Items in storage containers, vehicle inventories, etc. will however not be used.
    • It is now possible to increase the Tier Level of an item in storage.
    • Destructible environmental items now provide loot in the form of Shrapnel. Destructible explosive items that cause damage to nearby creatures transfer their loot to the damaged creatures.
    • The current Trade Terminal value of attached attachments is now displayed in the base item’s tooltip info.
    • For better visibility, common warning messages are now displayed in the middle of the screen rather than in the chat window.
    • It is now possible to “protect” equippable items and attachments, preventing them from being traded, dropped, placed on auction, exchanged with NPCs, or sold to the Trade Terminal. To protect an item, toggle “Protect Item” icon in the Item Info panel. Items that are protected will show a “P” on the item icon status bar.
    • It is now possible to attach and remove attachments and enhancers to/from items without unequipping the base item.
    • The name of equipped weapons and tools with a condition below 10% is now displayed in yellow text in the dashboard.
    • The currently viewing avatar’s name is highlighted in orange text when viewing scoreboards.
    • Added Buy orders to the Entropia Exchange (previously “Share Center”). Buy orders always match the lowest available price first. Buy orders will match older Sell orders first if there are multiple Sell orders with the same price. Buy orders can match qualifying Sell orders regardless of remaining Sell order quantity.
    • Added market history graphs to the Entropia Exchange
    • Added a Transactions tab to the Entropia Exchange -> Holdings view that displays a history of share transactions and revenue payouts. Double click on the company name to view history.


    Changes

    • The Share Center has been renamed to the Entropia Exchange and can be accessed by right-clicking on the PED Card or via the Action Library.
    • Global and Hall of Fame loot values no longer display decimals.
    • It is now possible to toggle the display of private messages in the Main chat tab.
    • Smoke trails have been removed from spaceships.
    • Creatures killed by automated turrets, drowned, or despawned by the system will return loot in the form of Shrapnel, when appropriate.
    • The Tier Upgrade icon is now only displayed in the Item Info panel if an item can be tiered.
    • It is now possible to deal and receive damage of values less than 1.
    • Added visual and sound effects to the Codex when gaining a new rank.
    • Improved the display of information in the Global Events List.
    • Added icons for and improved the display of Codex notifications.
    • Improved the tooltip information provided for Action Library icons.
    • Prices and markup are now displayed in the tooltip when hovering the mouse over items in a shop or shopkeeper.
    • Damage over time effects no longer cause creatures or the targeting reticule to flash.
    • Tier Upgrader skills are no longer gained when increasing the Tier Level of an item.
    • The arrival safe animation has been removed.


    Fixed Issues

    • Fixed an issue causing unexpected results when using sorting options in the Codex.
    • Fixed an issue causing message tabs to not reliably highlight when receiving a private message.
    • Fixed an issue preventing crosshairs from updating properly after entering a mothership.
    • Fixed an issue causing avatars to be unexpectedly removed from dynamic Mayhem instances in certain situations.


    Known Issues

    • Avatars will sometimes glow unexpectedly after receiving a skill boost. Going into first person mode and back to third person will fix this.
    • Certain modeled terrain features, such as the roof of the second Gauntlet, display unexpected bright borders between detail textures.
    • The Polished Chrome Texture does not display correctly.
    • Codex rewards can only be chosen when opening the Codex interface via the Codex action icon.
    • The effect of “Tier increase rates” is currently not working as intended with the tiering changes.
    • When adding an attachment to an item with another attachment on it, the effect of the originally attached attachment is not applied until the item is re-equipped.

    MindArk and the Planet Partners strive to ensure a smooth and problem-free Version Update. Nevertheless, even after extensive testing some issues may arise after release. Such issues are often addressed via mini-patches directly after a release and in subsequent patches. If you feel that the possibility of encountering minor issues or bugs directly after a Version Update affects your gameplay to an extent that Entropia Universe is not enjoyable, please wait until the mini-patches have been released and any last minute issues have been resolved.

    Source
     
  2. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    montage.jpg
    Had a bit of a play around at night and managed to get some reasonably cool pics. The update is interesting. Clearly a "we moved to DX11 and wanted to have something to show for it" thing. On a first go I'd say it has basically rejigged where the problems were. It used to be if my avatar faced into the sun then face was like a dazzling ghost, so best appearance was off to the side slightly or in shade. Now the opposite is true. Avatar looks OK in direct sunlight but like Second Life character when facing away from the sun.

    In other news I tried swimming with the wrecked control system.... clearly they forgot about swimming. It was nigh on impossible to move around easily. At one point every time I pressed forward backwards all I did was go up and down even though my avatar was looking/aiming straight forward.

    Sigh... of the shots I think this one was my favourite. I wonder what Jamira will think of these.

    Untsdfsitled.png
     
  3. Fan_boy99

    Fan_boy99 Ignore Spawn and San they are Sheeples

    Wisty please can I ask you? WHO is that lady in those photos?? 99.99% of Mindark ''females'' (i mean Entropia….) are males but if you post things I think I and public are allowed to know if your male or female. Single or married???
     
  4. NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    HOLY SHIT
     
  5. So did anybody try virtual reality yet?
     
  6. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Not yet. My Windows hard disk died about a year ago and I've been super lazy about getting everything set up again (didn't even sort out an email client yet haha). I'm taking this as an "impetus" to try and get the DK2 up and running again but it's quite the arse. I think I have the old driver somewhere (that I need to use because my CPU is too old and fails the hardware check on the modern driver). The process is to install that, let it self patch, and keep fingers crossed that everything continues to work.

    No idea if it still will. I'll give it a go at some point, but right now I have so many other things I need to do!

    Anyone seen the Calumasoids yet?

    Wistrel
     
  7. This is the way,
    to make the blind go yay !

    And a big sorry again, to all those "old PC users", that cannot deposit...uh...cash out on a daily basis anymore, because of some useless random shaders, we all cried for since ages. x'D

    Enjoy your broken VR and the broken graphics, you got on top of with it, while your items are protected from your alcoholism/insomnia...if you dont forget to click "protect" before, that is.

    But I SEE, Entropia is now on its way to get fully repaired. Its the little things in life, right ? x'D
    Trust into MindArk getting restored ! Ready for the next PR scam and lots of re-appearing fails.
    History repeating, since 2009 !

    If thats enough to make you stay and support this company again...be it that way...I will lean back and enjoy the show, even if its not worth my time anymore. But this psyched community is just too entertaining.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2019
  8. Jamira

    Jamira Samurai Girl

    Hehe, VR with Oculus Rift eh? I doubt that will work. But hey, I will test it. Although it's pretty worthless for me meanwhile because I'm not really interested in EU anymore. And: "(Note that this system is still experimental and not fully supported)"
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2019
  9. Jamira

    Jamira Samurai Girl

    Well, the loading screen looked way more professional than before.
    upload_2019-12-5_2-11-39.png
    Download speed was okay: nearly 5MB/s via WLAN. Smoked three cigarettes during the process.

    "VR action has been added to the Action Library". Okay, how can I open the action library? Can't remember after more than five years ... but got it:
    upload_2019-12-5_2-17-36.png
    Now let's see what happens.

    Oculus started but nothing happened. I saw a 4:3-picture with failors at the right and left border in front of me. And an old Windows sand clock turning over and over again. I neighther could move nor do anything. After 15 minutes I removed my headset and gave up. Something like this was what I had expected. So far its just for toggle to VR of your current field of view at an oldschool 4:3 format. Pretty lame!
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2019
  10. Jamira

    Jamira Samurai Girl

    Sorry dear, I'm not sure what you ask for. This picture of your avatar in EU isn't a good picture.
    My standards are way higher meanwhile.
    Horizon Zoro Dawn (flat, UHD):
    upload_2019-12-5_3-1-47.png

    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (flat and VR HD):
    upload_2019-12-5_3-4-50.png

    The Elder Scrolls Online (flat, HD)
    upload_2019-12-5_2-54-38.png

    Red Dead Redamption II (flat, UHD):
    upload_2019-12-5_3-25-54.png

    Assassin's Creed Origin (flat, UHD):
    upload_2019-12-5_3-33-15.png

    Compare them to this one (taken today):
    upload_2019-12-5_3-19-54.png

    The new graphic mode produced blurred pictures for me. I don't like it at all. I will deinstall Entropia from my new computer.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2019
  11. NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    RDR2 does look fantastic. I bought my PS4 just for RDR2. Pondering buying it on PC, too, because it just was awesome.
     
  12. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Will isn't this thread full of misery bins today? Let me see, I have another rant about the shit controls and broken graphics, not admin makes a sarcy remark about the new feature that has been asked for for years, I comments that I can't really be arsed to install VR but might try and get round to it... and you laugh at us for "getting psyched"?

    Heck... if that is psyched to you, you need to play more wolfenstein... using a floppy disk... (try it - you'll be getting psyched for "quite a while").

    Ah well Jamira.. I tried. Obviously not your cup of tea. Ah well... I go with what I can manage in Entropia. No one ever said it was modern graphics.

    Untitled.jpg
    (this is how bad most of the lighting/appearances are now - sorta "11 year old trying out unity for the first time" bad)

    Wistrel
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  13. NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    I think that comment was directed at the PCF crowd ;)
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  14. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Roger
     
  15. Jamira

    Jamira Samurai Girl

    Sooo ... I was searching for reports about real VR-games and got this:
    upload_2019-12-21_3-31-29.png

    Embarrassing.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
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