Tag Archives: Entropia

With video games, virtual economy equals real money – USATODAY.com Article

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With video games, virtual economy equals real money – USATODAY.com.

“A recent survey by Park Associates found that while only 5 to 10 percent of the player base of social and free-to-play games regularly pays out of pocket, those who do pay are generous. The average Facebook gamer who spends money on games spends about $29 per month, according to the report. And those who pay for virtual goods and upgrades in free-to-play games average about $21 per month.”

Interesting statistics!

Planet Postmoderna will be using an active virtual currency within the game and virtual world. Entropia Universe has been using a real cash economy for quite some time. Amazing that the concept is just catching up and through casual games.

Planet Postmoderna Kickstarter Project Press Release – 03212012

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PRESS RELEASE
Press Contact:
Laura Ettinger, The Bellandi Group, a member of Colorado Springs Marketing Group
+1 719-231-7202
laura@bellandigroup.com

Local Startup Planet Postmoderna Launches KickstarterTM Campaign to Fund Online Game Phase 1

Indie game producer prepares to create first cash economy-based, virtual world game
to come out of Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs, CO, March 22, 2012 – Every day, thousands of online warriors, explorers and adventurers take to online games and virtual worlds to conquer, slay and compete against each other and to build their online personas. The cities, planets, worlds and constructs in which they participate are as diverse and creative as the players’ characters. The latest newcomer to the gaming scene, Planet Postmoderna, is currently in development. Game producer Alan Morgan and the Planet Postmoderna team have launched a KickstarterTM campaign to garner funds for the creation of Chapter 1 of the Online Game World of Planet Postmoderna.

“Project Planet Postmoderna is truly an ‘indie’ and an organic project,” said Morgan. “The concepting and initial ‘fleshing out phase’ was made possible through negotiating sponsorships and partnerships with several companies and lots of volunteer hours.” The KickstarterTM campaign aims to raise $200,000 in donated funds from supporters. The dollars raised through KickstarterTM will fund software, systems and time and support of the programmers and modelers on the demo-design team and will additionally pay for the marketing expenses needed to promote the game. “We estimate the demo will take 6-9 months to complete with the team working on it full-time. The final entry-level game (once investor funding is attained) will take a little longer but not by much,” said Morgan. “Our hopes, if we proceed with the initial plan, are to build Postmoderna as an additional planet within the game Entropia Universe under their Planet Partner Program, and that will take a little under 12-18 months to finish and launch.”

Postmoderna has been in the works since September of 2005, with most of the art and model work being accomplished over the last year. The game is set against the backdrop of exploration, discovery and colonization of a newly discovered alien planet–the first habitable one since long-distance space exploration was made possible and feasible. The fate of the colony is tied directly to both the efforts of individual users as well as the community as a whole.

The free-to-play, MMO (Massive Multi-player Online) game is based on a cash economy. Essentially, though the game is free to players, goods and property may be bought and sold with real money (similar in concept to Monopoly™ and a real-world economy). The Postmoderna world is planning to leverage the technology of the already existing, successful cash economy virtual world: Entropia Universe. “Postmoderna is a sci-fi game and virtual world designed with a tree of sub-worlds that are based on historical content married with historical fiction and unlimited sub-plot potential that will fun to explore and can even be used indirectly to learn about history in an entertaining way,” said Morgan. “Overall planet development and growth is based on the activities of the overall player base. If more players farm, then agriculture develops; if more build objects and equipment, engineering develops.”

The full goal to launch Planet Postmoderna and bind a planet contract with the makers of Entropia Universe is $1.8 million. Notes Morgan, “The Kickstarter campaign is Step One in the process of making Planet Postmoderna a reality.” He also adds, “the success of this project could also potentially put Colorado and Colorado Springs on the Media Arts and Games Industry Map.” For more information about Planet Postmoderna and the KickstarterTM campaign, go to: www.kickstarter.com and search for Planet Postmoderna.

About Planet Postmoderna, LLC
Led by game producer Alan Morgan, the Project Planet Postmoderna team is comprised of a talented pool of volunteers who have been involved in this pre-production since early 2008. They come from all over the world and all walks of life, with experiences and skill sets that range from 3D modeling and animation, writing, film, programming and coding to marketing and sales and even archeology and research. The team is crafting each piece of Planet Postmoderna from scratch for the prototype. They drive the project in a way that even just being part of it is an educational experience. For more info visit: www.planet-postmoderna.com or about the parent game, Entropia Universe, www.entropiauniverse.com

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Free to play is it!

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In a recent post on LinkedIn, Reinout H.M. te Brake of iQU.com talked briefly about the state of Casual Games and about Free to Play Games.

“- F2P is it! Everyone is going for this model, but monetization is really difficult. If 20% of your paying users are doing 80% of your revenues, where do you find these users and if you move on, can you cross promote them to other games within your portfolio? Where are your paying users moving on to? ”

This is something I was already aware of with regards to the player-base in Entropia Universe and the F2P game universe in general. There is a dense layer of players that like to play for free and the bulk of the player revenues come from a smaller sector of the player-base. In any case, the market represents a lot of potential especially if a game takes good care of of its players and does a good job of engaging and communicating with them. In our project, Planet Postmoderna, this is a priority.

Interviewing artists

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The work never ends. In addition to continued networking and trying to meet with — and email — people to help me find investors, I continue to talk to potential artists and recruit for the TEAM.

Today alone, I met with two new people. One is a potential level designer and the other, a 3D artist from the Savannah College of Art and Design, who conveniently, lives here in Colorado Springs. The meeting with the 3D artist went great! We talked for over 3 hours and covered a lot of creative territory. I think he will be a great addition to the team. Actually, both of them will be. The Level Designer will be spending some time researching Entropia Universe. What I mean by that of course, is “playing” in Entropia Universe. That still qualifies as market research. :)

Oh, I forgot. Yesterday, I also talked to a team member/programmer (graduate of the Full Sail Game Design Program) who will be helping me evaluate an additional option for the project.

Outside of these meetings I want to welcome back an “original” team member, John “Plunk” Zercher. He will be coming onboard again for the next few months to help with some Story and Quest Design. I am really excited and very grateful to be working with him again. He is a pretty outstanding musician and father too! I had throw that in too in case his kids and friends are reading this.

Lastly, I have an appointment next week with the head of Archeology at the University of Northern Colorado. If all goes well, he will be an extremely valuable addition to the Planet Postmodern team.