Entropia News: MindArk signs deal for Unreal Engine 5

Discussion in 'Entropia News' started by EP-Newsbot, Jun 30, 2021.

  1. WED, JUN 30, 2021 07:46 CET
    – MindArk and Epic Games have finalized a deal to use Unreal Engine 5™ for the development of Entropia Universe, the world’s longest-running metaverse. Entropia Universe's unique real-cash economy, combined with Unreal Engine 5's amazing graphics and development tools will keep Entropia Universe positioned as the true metaverse of the future, says Henrik Nel, CEO of MindArk PE AB.

    [​IMG]

    MindArk is the Sweden-based developer of Entropia Universe, the groundbreaking and world record-setting real-cash economy MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), running continuously since 2003.

    The partnership with Epic Games will enable MindArk to leverage Unreal Engine 5 as a powerful platform for the future development of Entropia Universe. Entropia Universe’s real-cash economy had over $450 million in transactions in 2020.Migrating to Unreal Engine 5 will be the third graphics engine update in the astonishing 20-year history of Entropia Universe.

    Unreal Engine 5 will allow MindArk’s team to significantly improve and optimize the graphics quality of Entropia Universe, deliver high-quality content updates to participants more quickly, and offer the possibility of creating Entropia Universe clients for a wider array of platforms in the future.

    The Unreal Engine 5 platform enables MindArk to secure the future of Entropia Universe as a bleeding-edge virtual world destination for many years to come and to continue to pioneer development of the world's leading real-cash economy MMORPG.

    – We have been working closely with Epic Games to finalize the special agreement between our two companies, and the deal ensures availability of the latest cutting-edge graphics and development tools that will enable Entropia Universe to continue pushing the boundaries of the open world massively multiplayer online genre, says David Simmonds, Chairman of MindArk PE AB.

    The Epic Games Store currently boasts more than 160 million PC gamers. The console market, with over 143 million current-generation consoles sold to date, along with the worldwide mobile market of 2.2 billion gamers represent vast new market segments that can potentially be tapped via Unreal Engine 5.

    The global games industry revenue for 2020 was $174.9 billion according to Newzoo (October 2020), and is expected to reach $196 billion by 2022.

    About MindArk PE AB
    MindArk is an independent game development company dedicated to establishing the metaverse of the future by converging online games, virtual worlds, and social platforms. The company is based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and has approximately 60 employees.

    MindArk is best known for developing and continuously updating the award-winning
    massively-multiplayer online game Entropia Universe. Building on nearly two decades of experience in managing virtual worlds, MindArk continues to expand its technology and development into the virtual reality space.

    More information about MindArk can be found at https://www.mindark.com

    About Entropia Universe
    Entropia Universe is one of the world’s leading open-world games, with over four million registered accounts since its launch in 2003. In the game’s virtual world, participants create a digital avatar and engage in a multitude of virtual activities. Entropia Universe is one of only a few online worlds featuring a trading system with currency that can be exchanged for real-world money.

    MindArk has also forged partnerships with multiple companies around the world who each develop custom content for Entropia Universe, in the form of distinct planets with unique themes and market their planets to specific audiences in Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and North America. Each partner planet features a unique experience that is accessible to participants via space travel within Entropia Universe.

    About Unreal Engine
    See information about Unreal Engine at https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/nextgen

    Contact person
    Mathias Gustavsson, marketing manager, +46 (0)735152535, mathias.gustavsson@mindark.com

    entropia-universe-unreal-engine-5-pr-4.jpg entropia-universe-unreal-engine-5-pr-3.jpeg entropia-universe-unreal-engine-5-pr-2.jpg entropia-universe-unreal-engine-5-pr-1.jpg entropia-universe-unreal-engine-5-pr-5.jpg
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  2. Entropia Universe Unreal Engine 5 Migration FAQ


    Press Release: MindArk Signs Deal for Unreal Engine 5


    Q: When does MindArk plan on migrating Entropia Universe over to Unreal Engine 5?
    A: Development of the Unreal Engine 5 version of Entropia Universe is already underway. However, no target release date has yet been determined or announced. Keep an eye out for future announcements on the Entropia Universe official website.

    Q: Will the current version of Entropia Universe continue receiving updates during the Unreal Engine 5 development period?
    A: Yes. New content will continue to be developed and released for Entropia Universe by MindArk and the planet partners during the Unreal Engine 5 development period.

    Q: What exciting new features will be included in the Unreal Engine 5 version of Entropia Universe?
    A: MindArk plans to release numerous previews and sneak peeks during the Unreal Engine 5 development process. Stay tuned to MindArk’s various communications channels for more info.

    Q: What will the minimum system requirements be for the Unreal Engine 5 Entropia Universe client?
    A: While the final system requirements for the Unreal Engine 5 Entropia Universe client are not yet determined, MindArk is aiming for the following: Windows 10 64-bit, Quad-core Intel or AMD processor 2.5 GHz or faster, 8 GB of RAM, DirectX 11 or DirectX 12 compatible graphics card. Some features or options may require better hardware for optimal performance.

    Q: Can I continue using the current Entropia Universe client after the migration to Unreal Engine 5?
    A: Once the Unreal Engine 5 client is released, the previous (current) CryEngine2 client will no longer be active or available.

    Source
     
  3. A: All old features will remain in the game, so you will continue to get stuck on trees, walls, rocks and so on. Mindark is working hard to make sure they still happen this way, even the Unreal 5 Engine removed them.
    During this time mobs will continue to fly to get unstuck, while flying mobs will fly underground to keep the cheating spirit of entropia universe alive....
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  4. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    [​IMG]

    So long and thanks for all the fish. I'm not "up"(read "down") grading to Windows "looks worse, runs worse, is harder to use, restricts you more, breaks in uninformative ways" 10, just for Entropia.

    Still, this is Mindark. Chances are, by the time they've done it, something newer and flashier will have come along and UE5 will be on version 7 or forgotten entirely and Windows 12 will have been released. If CE2 was anything to go by it won't be feature complete for at least a year or more after release either.

    I think it speaks volumes that the first news they put out about this is a press release. We all know how much they love their press releases. Get the hype up for virtually zero effort. Anyone else would keep their mouths shut till they actually have something worth showing.

    In short, holding my breath I won't be.

    Wistrel
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2021
  5. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Joking aside (and this isn't even a joke - it's a statement of likely accuracy), a new engine won't solve any of these problems. Just because an engine has certain capabilities it still requires a capable artist/programmer to wield them something MA has proven beyond a shadow of doubt over the years that they simply don't have. They never utilised Gamebryo to it's fullest degree as evidenced by others who did. Same with Cryengine2. While I grant they pulled off an impressive mod to convert it from a "level based" engine to something capable of spanning a much larger distance and even shoe horned it to have a notion of space, so much remains unutilised. Case in point did you ever see rain, physics or a whirlwind in Entropia? Cause I didn't...

    https://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/...nreal-engine-5-prnewswire.282453/post-3766797

    https://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/...nreal-engine-5-prnewswire.282453/post-3766801
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2021
  6. Liu

    Liu

    Thanks for sharing the topic, I didn't even bother checking on their official forum , my mistake.
    I just wonder how they managed to pay for it and hire competent people to deal with the engine...thus my question about change of ownership ?
    We all know how it's going to end..... : badly.
     
  7. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Saw this on the other forum :D Reading some of the posts there... I'm beginning to see what @McCormick means about some of the people there... it's like some sort of bizarre gaslighting where some (not all) people seem to be blisfully unaware or in denial that there are problems with Mindark. The amount of CE2 blaming going on as well... even when you cite specific examples of things that CE2 does that entropia could use but doesn't or point out that some bits of Entropia look nice people go "oh yeh the engine is too hard to use to make the rest of the game look nice"... @McCormick would say it's a form of sickness... I'm beginning to wonder if he is right. The whole announcement defo reminded me of his video where Mindark keep announcing "the next great thing" and everyone just runs to it and forgets the other things.

    im great at parties.jpg
     
  8. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Yeh we got a thread going on the announcement post harvested from the web and some discussion too on the one about hiring some person who seemed to be making good progress on 3d design (it diverted - such is life). Anyhow that comment from the ex dev is interesting...

    cesar leon - Principal Software Engineer - HARMAN International | LinkedIn

    Actionscript.... ewww! That explains a lot about the laggy/clunky UI in Entropia. Did Crytek have a studio in Mexico at one point too? I have a weird feeling they did... (they had quite a few studios at one point but many were closed during "the troubles")
     
  9. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    Sorry, couldn't resist sharing this one too that someone made... too perfect!

    5f2kky.jpg
     
  10. NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    I hope MA realizes that out of the 160 million gamers on the Epic Store, most likely 159.5 million of those are just there for the free games.

    Then again, even in this press release they stick to their "Registered accounts" metric. 4 million apparently now. Here's some quick Googling on that.

    2006: 500k accounts
    2009: 820k accounts
    2011: 1m+ registered users
    2012: 1m+ accounts (Calypso only)
    2017: 3m registered accounts
    2018: 3m+ registered users
    2021: 4m+ registered users

    Sources:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/news-...stone-With-Over-500-000-Registered-Users.html
    https://venturebeat.com/2009/03/18/...se-now-has-a-legally-sanctioned-central-bank/
    https://news.cision.com/ericsson/r/online-gaming-gets-vocal-with-ericsson,c2246051
    https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-05-entropia-universe-hosts-USD2-5-million-land-deal
    http://www.entropiaplanets.com/thre...counts-all-data-here.11667/page-3#post-129671
    https://www.the-blockchain.com/2018...veteran-mindark-launches-ico-for-ip-exchange/
    https://www.mindark.com/press/press-releases/MindArk-signs-deal-for-Unreal.pdf

    If you follow the 2017 link (The EP one), McC already questioned the sharp increase between 2012 and 2017. And I will stick to my earlier statements that registered users means dick all. If MindArk ever wants to be taken seriously, they should start publishing the number of monthly active users. Although they never will, because that would make it blatantly obvious the active playerbase for their game is pathetically low. If they'd also get rid of alt accounts, people would start noticing they are forever stuck with their overpriced items, as no new rich players are joining in order to take their bits and bytes off their hands.

    A change in engine isn't going to make a difference, unless the underlying game mechanics are also updated. CandyBox had crap graphics, but went viral and the people playing that greatly exceeded the number of players EU has ever seen. EU is still boring and repetitive, but hey, it looks great!
     
  11. When the same handfull of highly questionable gam(bl)ers, either payed by Mindark or heavily involved with the company business in the background, keep acting like little children (on purpose)...like...seeing a videogame for the very 1st time...

    ...everytime Mindark makes a random announcement on the forum about their giant scam machinery...then and only then it must be real...it must be...unreal...

    With a highly trustable "company" like Mindark in the background...and all those fishy things that happened by now...lets set sails, lets head towards the (new) land of broken promises, lies and scams, where "friends" simply steal of their "friends"...where so called "events" always end with toxic accusations, thievery and player bans. History repeating.

    A land, where the community actually "enjoys" getting fed with lies. Since about a decade.
    Because they simply cant afford to loose their previous investments. (and ofc future investments)

    Let the good times roll ! There will be better days, right ?

    Everything will be better with Unreal Engine 5 now...of course...

    And keep in mind, it is not allowed to talk like this on the official forum, because the very same community that got fucked so often, will dislike you in a blink of an eye...because they know its true, but will ignore it. Thats actually the saddest part here, having to deal with mental issues regarding gambling AND having to face the truth...

    Anyway...

    Im so excited !!!1 x'D







    unreal EU.jpg upload_2021-7-1_16-36-26.png
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2021
    • Winner Winner x 1
  12. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    HEhe I thought you'd like the opportunity for a new word pun @McCormick unreal times ahead indeed for Untropia

    Wist

    PS that video is exactly the one I was thinking of. Now shut up and enjoy your Eomon migration everyone ;)
     
  13. NotAdmin

    NotAdmin Administrator

    That video is most likely the best representation of MindArk there ever will be. And any potentially new planet partners who do their research and somehow end up here are more than welcome to reach out.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1


  14. Mindark always use the same reciepie, who ever is CEO....
     
  15. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    I was wondering... are there any of the original programmers who first wrote the game left?
     
  16. godmode on. HOF that bankrupts the game next 5 years. Done.

    Yes, you know it shouldn't happen but we will See... You know Mindark's great history of showing their ability to test everything before it's live.
     
  17. Looks like EUs upgrade to UE5 is actually going to happen then.
     
  18. Wistrel

    Wistrel Kick Ass Elf

    one day
     
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