my musings about entropia universe

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 03:38:00 +0000

Here's a quick summary of my hunt skills as tabulated by Entropia Tracker. The real figures are different, but the tracker gets close enough—within +/- 10% of the real PED—which is an acceptable range for reflecting what I've accomplished.

nice stack of hunt skill built

43.53	laser sniper hit	8252	ped
43.47	laser sniper hit	8219	ped
		33	1.5 hr hunt
39.67	ranged laser dmg	6919	ped
39.72	ranged laser dmg	6952	ped
		33	1.5 hr hunt

		16.5	looter/heal/evade	ped 1.5 hr hunt
		82.5	skill
		220	spend
		0.375	% conversion

	11728
	3476
	15204	total	hunt profession laser sniper



36.11	swordsman hit	5047
35.46	swords man dmg	6954
		12001	swordsman skill total

	27205	total hunt skill ped

	3000	how much I want
	24205	new levels to aim at
	0.110273847	% to sell,

This is a spreadsheet excerpt of my toon's PED value. As I keep raising money, I can cycle it back into more skills or use it on other professions. I might even sell the skills, buy deeds, use the deed flow, and then buy the skills back. Feeding on itself is how it grows.

I take the above approach and raise the money I want, allowing me to advance further again. It knocks me back by 11%, but with studied play, it's easy to make it back. I can then use the funds for other things. By using the $300 to generate longer hunts, I make it back at $10 an hour, so in 30 hours, it's back. A few days of 10-hour hunts, and it goes back. As I work past that, I gain better skills and have another $300 to collect. It feels like it throws forever, but striking while the iron is hot makes it all worthwhile.

Maximize Your Mining Profits: Choosing the Right Amp in Entropia Universe

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 02:26:00 +0000

When I consider whether to use a Level 3 Finder amp or a Level 5 with my depth of 520 in Entropia Universe, I understand that depth doesn't significantly influence my amp selection. Here's how I approach it:

Understanding Amp Functionality: I know that amps primarily work by magnifying the find, not by affecting the depth. This means that my choice of amp is more about amplifying the find rather than the depth capability of my finder.
Amp Levels and Strategy: I recognize that higher-level amps, like Level 13, are typically used by players looking to maximize their returns. However, I don’t recommend them for beginners or even intermediate players until they have a clear strategy and understanding of what they’re aiming for. It's crucial for me that the markup of the finds exceeds the markup cost of the amp to ensure profitability.
Managing Variance and Usage: To effectively assess the performance of a Level 13 amp, I find it necessary to use around 144 of them to overcome variance and achieve a balanced average result with a standard TT (Trade Terminal) return. This volume of usage (~$574 of amping in a day) helps me understand the amp's true potential and performance.
Balancing Rarity and TT Return: While I know that amps do influence the TT return more than the rarity of the finds, I maintain a balance between rarities and TT return. Higher-level amps tend to weight TT return more significantly, which means they focus more on increasing the quantity of TT return rather than the rarity of the items I find.

In summary, when deciding on amp levels, I consider my current strategy, the markup of potential finds, and my understanding of amp mechanics. Starting with lower-level amps and gradually moving up as I gain experience and clarity on my goals seems like a prudent approach for me.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:14:00 +0000

Mission statement. To help people transform through the metaphor of gaming.

A journey of discovery where you can find others, and yourself.

Navigating Rescue Missions: Assisting Stranded Players on Calypso

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 04:22:00 +0000

In the game world, rescuing stranded players often occurs on Calypso. This issue arises because the teleports are well-placed on most other planets, preventing players from getting stuck, but on Calypso, it remains a problem. When someone is stranded, they request rescue through chat channels, primarily in Rookie, but sometimes in the Calypso Rescue Team channel /listchannels #CRT. right-click, join channel in-game.

Once a call for help is made, someone responds, and the stranded player's position (/pos) is provided. A rescuer then uses a planet teleport, followed by a chip teleport or a flight, to reach the stranded player. The rescuer adds the player to their ship's guest list and flies them to a regular teleport for rescue. To add a passenger to the guest list, the rescuer first adds the passenger as a friend. Then, by pressing 'U', the rescuer opens their friends list, left-clicks and drags the friend's name to the vehicle's guest list. This process ensures new players receive assistance when they find themselves stranded

Fruit Walking in Entropia: A Low-Risk, Passive Yield Strategy

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 06:26:00 +0000

Fruit Walking in Entropia: A Low-Risk, Passive Yield Strategy

In Entropia Universe, fruit walking is a zero-cost, low-barrier resource-gathering method that capitalizes on randomized ground spawns. Players traverse the terrain—ideally in third-person view and slow-walk mode—to trigger the appearance of stackable items like Bombardo, Papplon, Caroot, Haimoros, dung, and stones (Brukite, Nissit, Kaldon. Sopur, Trutun, Rutol, ordered find frequency) These resources, while individually low in TT (Trade Terminal) value, can be collected in volume and traded to other players or used in crafting. Prices range from 3 ped to 30 ped per 1k depending on spawn, 20-400 of an item found per spawn.

From a systems efficiency standpoint, fruit walking leverages several key mechanics: spawn rate algorithms, terrain texture randomization (auto-walk, Q key to walk/run, in low graphics mode), and low-player-density zones (less distraction) to optimize yield per hour. While the exact spawn mechanics are not public, anecdotal testing suggests that lower-traffic areas and consistent, linear walking paths (such as those along coastlines or open plains) yield higher returns over time (less distractions). Players may use tools like auto-run and more usually, auto-walk with manual mouse movement to maximize area coverage (3rd person view scrolled out some distance, 30 meters around avatar viewable) with minimal attention cost. Keep the alt- key cursor showing. Use the mouse to only click on the spawn which appears 1-6 times per hour.

Economically, fruit walking offers a passive revenue stream with no PED investment. It’s ideal for new players or those practicing sustainability and bankroll growth. Over time, accumulated fruit, stones, and dung can be sold in bulk to tamers and texture crafting and land area player-owners (dung + growth molecules =energized fertilizer) or traded in auctions at markup—sometimes reaching 120–3300% of TT. You want 1000 items of a fruit walk-find to sell.

When approached with patience fruit walking transforms from a “beginner grind” into a reliable form of micro-profit. The key lies in repetition (devote hours to it), route optimization (free of mobs and distractions), and a long-view approach to value creation (collect loot). It teaches players to operate with minimal input while extracting steady output—a principle that aligns closely with the broader Entropia economy and long-tail ROI mechanics.

In short, fruit walking is slow-yield, but not low-value—for those who walk smart.

Harvesting the Universe: The Spiritual Path of Fruit Walking

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 06:23:00 +0000

In Entropia Universe, "fruit walking" is a methodical practice where players walk slowly across the terrain to discover random spawns of fruit, dung, or stones. While many see it as tedious or low-value, those with an abundance mindset recognize it as a powerful metaphor—and method—for prosperity.

Fruit walking isn't just about collecting resources; it's about engaging with the world patiently and with presence. Every fruit that spawns—be it Papplon, Bombardo, or Haimoros—is a symbol of nature's quiet generosity. With the right mindset, players realize they're not just picking up items—they’re witnessing the game world’s abundance unfold step by step. What others ignore or consider beneath them becomes a steady source of income and mindfulness for those who embrace the grind with gratitude.

The abundance mindset teaches that wealth isn’t always about flashy loot or massive globals. It's about recognizing value where others overlook it. Fruit walkers embody this philosophy by turning empty landscapes into opportunity-rich environments. Over time, a dedicated walker can gather enough to craft, trade, or even fund part of their gear—without spending a single PEC.

This mindset doesn't just yield economic rewards; it cultivates patience, consistency, and long-term vision—traits that compound wealth both in-game and in life. Each session is a reminder: the universe is generous if you move with intention and stay open to unexpected blessings.

In a world obsessed with speed and instant gratification, fruit walking is a quiet rebellion—a way to win by walking, collecting, and believing that even small steps, done often enough, lead to large gains. Through the abundance lens, every fruit on the ground is proof that the Entropian world provides, if you’re willing to walk for it.

Sweating: Entropia’s Humble Hustle

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 02:55:00 +0000

New to Entropia Universe and broke? Sweating on Planet Calypso is your ticket to earning Project Entropia Dollars (PED) without spending a dime. Using the free VSE Mk1 tool, you zap low-level creatures like Ambulimax or Kerberos to gather Vibrant Sweat, a crafting resource sold to players for 0.001–0.002 PED per bottle (1.2-2.5 PED per 1k). Royal Club and Boreas are prime Calypso spots for beginners, offering bustling sweat circles and easy PEDs.

At Royal Club (/wp [Calypso, 30843, 40282, 143, Royal Club]), daily sweat circles thrive, especially during the Royal Club Entropiafund Sweating Support Event (Mon-Fri 22:30, Sat-Sun 16:00 Entropia Time). Join 20–30 sweaters, supported by healers, and sell 1,000 bottles for 2 PED if you answer a trivia question correctly. Circles are organized, and Ambulimax’s high HP means steady sweat.

Boreas (/wp [Calypso, 74368, 67335, 141, Boreas]) is chaotic but productive, with Kerberos yielding up to 100 bottles in 20 minutes in group circles. Healers often assist, and you can join via rookie chat or catch a ride from Icarus. Solo sweating works, but groups are faster.

Check #calytrade or #sweatcircle for buyers; sweat sells for 2–3 PED per 1,000 bottles. Stack thousands for bulk sales at 120–150% markup. Gratitude keeps you going—journal wins like “500 sweat, 0.1 Evade skill!” Abundance trusts more PEDs are coming. Watch for aggressive mobs and rival sweaters. Sweat at Royal Club or Boreas, thank the universe for free PEDs, and start your Entropia journey

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 02:04:00 +0000

A snapshot of my entropia experience 4 years ago. a notes tab to see where it grows from.

1-1-2016

checklist for entropia activity

for boredom periods, seek something new to do

for continuation of previous days activity do more of that

pattern right now looks like for a day, hunt 1 hour to 2 hours, sweat 1 hour to 3 hours, craft 1 hour to 3 hours

spawnwalk 2 to 3 hours, meaning 12 hours spent in game

log out

check auctions results for overnight

spawnwalk and sweat

crafting for whats going on in real world

hunting for boredom periods

I was thinking so small back then. It is now 4 years later and I've stepped up my game to work and cycle with $300 a day processed. All in the game and internal to it. A long way from sweat days. But started with the above checklist and grew. I see now how stuck in scarcity I was and the notions still bedevil me. But in breaking into abundance and making sense of it for myself I entered into other levels of play.

There are other players have done much the same and may have never had to go through a scarcity mindset stage. Huge opportunities in seeing how to better invest through entropia universe. The virtual entertainment is fun and profitable. I may go on about my scarcity stages for other times and where I am currently for yet more. To let new players know what to play and likely new perspectives from other fellow players.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 04:32:00 +0000

As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The quote above is from the writer of On Self-Reliance. He wrote over 100 years ago but his words still ring true today. I look at Entropia Universe through his lense and see that the trading we do every day all day in Entropia for success relies on principles. One principle is markup, Markup is likely the most important principle of Entropia. The principle is:

Principle: Have more markup coming in than you have going out.

Make your investments there profitable and your avatar is profitable then you become profitable.

Now as for those who make the most of the platform or not.

Principle: There is enough money for everyone.

There is enough money for everyone is a principle I have been trying on for size to see if the principle is true, The principle of money for everyone does seem true. In fact I would assert 80% of the participants make money regularly. Maybe not enough to withdraw $100 but above zero for sure. There are many who have assets there that would go to the $100 withdraw mark. The withdrawal speed at 2-3 months keeps a lot of the money of Entropia within the Universe. With the rate of deposits that can come in daily and the rate of withdrawals that go out in 3 months there is a lot of time to make the most of what your avatar has there.

The rate of deposits goes into how money is created and where it comes from. Because of the real world tie/link/connection to Entropia the real world has unlimited money so Entropia has unlimited money. However because the platform is a business there is accounting and other business concerns done to keep the whole platform going. The business side of an avatar participant also contains losses so losses have to be dealt with. I recommend that all avatars do accounting for their activities in the Universe to see the true picture of how they are really doing. The accounting depends on goals of course because we participants exist in a large and diverse population. The numbers are like x-rays that see what the eye cannot.

That the world has unlimited money seems far from reality but there is another principle to consider. Say you have a $1. You trade that $1 for an item. You then have an item and someone else has $1. You valued the item more than you did the $1. You then can trade that item to someone else for $1.10. You have made $1.10 and no longer have the item. Someone else valued your item more than they valued their $1.10. Very quickly making profitable trades you can achieve any number of items and any number of $1's. The dollar used is still the same dollar you started with but has been used at least 3 times creating $3 worth of value.

There are losses on risked trades. It happens and happens often. Profits can come just as often. Even more profits than losses.

There is a night and day difference between profit and loss. The losses set the brakes on accumulation of the desired items and dollars. With enough profits, profitable trades and accounting to see where the profits come from, you can succeed with a business there.

Using principles of business and investment and abundance the world opens up. I speak as a participant who really cares about who's there and how we're doing.

Have fun! Good luck. :)

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 22:59:00 +0000

Virtual world real cash economy, VWRCE. A virtual world, collectables, business and investment, game themed world, Just what is entropia universe? A MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) place to play, collect, and invest in a virtual world. There are countless opportunities to interact with the virtual world itself and to trade and socialize with other avatars. We have had to form our own communities and standards given the platform Mindark has given us,
There are many paradoxes to Mindark's Entropia Universe. The world is free to play in but has the most expensive options to interact of any other MMO, The massive multi-player aspect makes EU full of people. Where there are people there will be trades. So trade we do. We trade the many kinds of loot we generate by practicing the professions of Hunting, Mining and Crafting. Most items, collectables and investments are found and enter the world through the players' actions, There are as many ways to trade as there are players to trade with. We all have different goals and ways to interact with the virtual world environment. As you find your way into our world and ways of doing things, be on your toes, adventure, explore, and find yourself.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 22:39:00 +0000

new article outline and ideas
A how-to for people to evaluate and act on opportunities in Entropia Universe
that's it.
topics should include

1. budget, depending on goals? how much ped do you need to do what you want to do?
2. eco/level, how efficient are you at doing what you do in entropia?
3. markup, the fine line crossed that makes all the difference in a Real Cash Economy MMO.
          The difference between profit or an ever-sinking PED card.
          How much markup do YOU get for your goods?

Then on to the specific ways and means to play and profit in Entropia Universe.
All with an eye to evaluating your activities for opportunities.
I will attempt to tackle:
         Sweating
         Mining
         Hunting
         Crafting
         Trading

Cursory thoughts on the above are :
1. Sweating, for how long can you sweat and how much can you get for the sweat and sweat products?
2. Mining, choices to make, time, and how much ped to spend?
3. Hunting, mob choice, loot profiles, and returns?
4. Crafting, blueprint choice, blueprint sales, and item sales?
5. Trading, what to trade choices, highly liquid items, quick sales, suitable markup margins?

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:32:00 +0000

Virtual Tycoon for Entropia Universe is a incredibly useful tool available on Android's marketplace. I get almost everything I need as a crafter to play entropia on the go. With construction interface, storage interface, and auction interface; common tasks that used to take a few minutes now get done in seconds.
I set up a crafting run before I drive for the fun of it, then while I drive my phone is busily crafting away in entropia. There are a few problems with download and startup times. Also some problems with changing power hooks and crossing in and out of wi-fi zones. But when it works it is great. Virtual Tycoon lets me take maximum advantage of time I have during the day and night to play entropia in a meaningful way. By doubling (for me) the number of devices I have to play entropia I can play even more than before and have other things to do on the spare device (such as read blogs and forum posts). The freedom to play anywhere anytime increases entropia's utility to me double fold and more. So if a player wants to take crafting seriously, Virtual Tycoon is THE tool to do crafting with.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:44:00 +0000

Technical analysis of entropia calypso markets. The idea to be explored here is one item or a small group of items represent the whole market of 3000+ items in entropia universe. The items I choose to look at are basic sheet metal, metal residue, and sweat related items. They meet criteria for; widely traded in entropia terms, nearly a commodity, enough volume to represent a significant part of entropia's economy, and easily tracked (one of each needs to be kept in inventory to check prices with market value tab).
Basic Sheet Metal will vary between $500-$5000 a day. I find it depends on time of year and current demand, and often, time of week. Markups are also high on basic sheet metal reflecting the cost of materials to make it. As a day-to-day trading item it is difficult to trade profitably. Manufacturing basic sheet metal, then selling it, is the way to go. The high markups leave room for some profits on inefficiencies in manufacturing, buying and selling basic sheet metal. Most items do not have the markups needed at 5%+ margins. Basic sheet metal does. The volume is among the highest in the universe.
The technical analysis part is in comparing other component commodity items to basic sheet metal. For example, metal mountings, standard plate, basic sensor, simple i plastic springs, simple i conductors, and a few others. As basic sheet metal moves so do the others. Say you notice basic sheet metal over a few days. The markups are heading up at a 1% more a day. There is a safe assumption that other items markups are also heading up around 1% also. Then the markups start heading down 1% a day. The other items will also be showing a downward pressure. When following the maxim of buy low and sell high, knowing where the items' trend is, can be useful.
Personally the price moves affects how much I am willing to pay for resources to make the basic sheet metal. On market highs I am more cautious as I know the price can fall fast over just a few days. That affects how much I price my basic sheet metal at. For low periods of markup I look for better deals on resources to make basic sheet metal. There are profits to be had being concious of the price and markup variations. As for setting price that is a another discussion.
So on to Metal Residue. Markups are low, it is a commodity, as a day to day item there are usually several orders for $1000 or more of residue. The volume varies but is usually at least $5000 on up to $10000 and $15000 per day. It meets the criteria as a barometer of the entropia economy. Tracking residues prices' shows how much of limited (L) items are being made. The technical analysis part is not so much that residues can be traded, though they can be, but that the sale and purchase of them represents the level of activity in end-user items where the residue is used. Markups on residues are fairly stable and won't vary more than 10% over long periods of time. A 1/4 percent to 1% move is most common on day to day markups. There are profits in residue trading but they are slim and better used to make end-items.
Considering the above three items, their markups, volume, and prices can be used to compare the same features as the 1000's of other items in entropia universe. The same things can be said about the other items as about the above three items. The markups, prices, and volumes do this, and markups, prices, and volumes, do that. They are like individual markets to themselves for each item, though they can all be compared, aggregated, and made to get a clearer picture with comparison and contrasts of the entropia universe economy through technical analysis.
So to summarize, one aspect of technical analysis that can be applied to entropia markets is one item or a small group of items can represent a wealth of information about all items in entropia universe.

calypso population estimates

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Other ways to gauge active population on calypso. Active population is at least 200000 people at a time. Take samples from the radar map. Go to a busy area such as port atlantis or nea's place. count up the green dots on the radar. typically in the two areas, I count 40-200. And the average would be (40+200)/2 or 120. Now add in swamp camps, areas close to the first two, and twin peaks. Twin peaks is it's own place with typically 100-300 at a time. And from sampling different times of day, (every 3 hours is what I did, on 5 separate days) there is not much variation for an average of 200 people in twin peaks. Count people in buildings with auctioneers also. Surrounding areas amount to another 100 people per area. For 80 areas of high population averaging 160 people per area. Which brings the total estimate to 12800 active players at a time for populated areas.
Now for the less populated areas, such as outposts, mining grounds, hunting grounds, and wide open spaces. Take there are at least 2 active players at a time in a desolate area. Yourself and one other player. Sometimes three and sometimes 4 even. Which average is 2.5 players for out of the way and on most of the planet, areas.
To figure the total areas under consideration consider the area of calypso as a whole. 1500 square kilometers in all. Consider 10% is water though sometimes that counts also, a lower number over the whole 150+ square kilometers of water, leviathan hunting is fun, 1 person per radar area. The other 1350 square kilometers includes the low areas of 4.5 players per radar screen and the high areas of 160 people per radar area. So take out 80 times a radar area or 10000 square meters (I took this from range of my Murdand Groover) for a radar area.
Now convert that to square kilometers, for .01 square kilometers. For 80 times 0.01 or .8 square kilometers of high population of 12800 people. 1500 sqaure kilometers minus 0.8 sq. km. leaves 1499.2 sq.km. to account for. Water is another 150 sq.km. at 2.5 people per radar area or 15000 radar areas and 37500 people. Now for the rest. What is left is 1349 sq.km. at 2.5 players per radar area or 134920 radar areas and 337300 players at a time. Add the figures up (12800+37500+337300) and get 387600 players active at a time.
Seems incredible that many at once. But yet the figures are there. Don't like the estimates? Cut them in half, still 193800 players active at a time. Take out times there is no one but yourself. Another 30% trim and still 135660 people at a time. So I have some confidence in saying there are at least 130000 people active at a time, anytime, on planet calypso and more likely over 200000 active people. Similar figures can be obtained for other planets and areas. The figures only go up during busy seasons and special events. Hope you enjoyed this estimate of population on calypso and hope to see you sometime, (right now) www.entropiauniverse.com on planet calypso.

skill implants sales item limit discussion

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:09:00 +0000

The sales item limit is a problem when there are 100+/- skills that can be implanted or chipped out. Multiple sizings and number of different skills encourage specialization in professions; hunting profession skills, mining profession skills, and crafting profession skills. With approximately 33 skills per profession, the item sales limit of 30 at a time is reached. And selling multiple skill implants of the same skills limits the scope of activity further. And the actual practice of each profession is also limited when doing skill trading. Too many profession items and skill items for sale and not all the items can be sold at once.
On another note, skill trading is a key part of the effort expended, benefit created, and compensation for lost PED balance, in playing.
A colonist/settler trying to raise PED has many options that spill over from real life to entropia life. I will try and stay with the in-game ways to make or earn PED. Stuff for the budget minded includes sweating. For time constraints, depositing is the most perferable. For people with time, sweating is preferable. Mining in the game, when beginning, is not recommended because mining has a 25% hit rate. If an avatar catches the wrong swing of luck, mining will be a bust and it's back to sweating. Hunting however is a bit more reliable though low margin for loot returned. It becomes a game of break-even to: I lost a little less this time than last time.
Skills are being built however, but cannot really be cashed in until reaching high enough skill levels to overcome what I call market frictions.
The 10PED limit on empty skill implants is one friction. The implant will pack in as much as you specify of skill and if there is any left-over, it returns the amount below 10PED as PED and not another ESI. A loss of the, usually, x7 to x8 markup. The uncertainty and calculations that go into making filled skill implants are somewhat complex but can be done cautiously. So to do a good count with skills trading, there is a website that does wonderful for figuring the numbers needed. jdegre.net/pe/unlocker.php
Auction fees and ESI decays when filling them are another friction shaving another 10% of the potential amount gained.
But that's for when the avatar's skills are high enough to chip out and you properly see, hear, read or know how much goes into each. Sweating builds enough skills to chip out. (but not sweat gathering skill). Skills such as athletics, courage, dexterity, alertness, and evade can be chipped out. A sufficient amount takes a lot of sweating. Becoming a skills trader is difficult as the 20%+ of market frictions means an avatar needs to have greater than, markup, higher than 20% times whatever implant is being sold.
Say the implant is a Courage implant at 5 PED. Marked up x25. Puts it at 125 PED market value. Then once it's out or in, turn around and how much can it be sold for to first; breakeven?, then make money?, then lose less money? Market frictions reduce the implant to 100 PED value. So with current markup would have a TT value 4 PED implant. Started at 5 PED. The way to make the money back is sell at a higher multiple of the PED TT value which would be x31 markup.
That's how to break-even and recover 125 PED spent on it. Right at x31 is breakeven.
Above x31 markup and profits are possible.
Anything below would be a loss. The way to lose less next time around is play skill markets like a real market. Buying low and selling high. It takes time but can be done. Inefficiencies also exist but because of the financial world equivalent which I call: market frictions, the spreads, of 20% or more, limit the number of profitable transactions that can be done. Overcoming market frictions, then the sales item limit is a concern with skill implants.
Be careful, be smart, and your time and money may multiply when a player in entropia universe.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:29:00 +0000

Sales item limits and implications. I ran into the maximum saleable items barrier on entropia's auctioneer. Not really knowing I had run into it until the pop up window says, you cannot place more items on auction. Please remove items or ? At least that's what I remember. Soon after the message I began to think about how the item sales limit affects what a settler/colonizer does to raise PED.
It makes professions, more professional. It encourages specialization. It sets limits to auction spam. It limits which items to concentrate on to sell. It makes reselling more limited. It makes person to person trades more important. It makes time demands that shape how the economy goes, personal, local, and global. It levels the playing field of newbs vs ubers considerably. It creates opportunities that would not exist without the limits.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:56:00 +0000

been working on some articles about 30 item sales limit at auctioneer and how to profitably understand and use the knowledge to more efficiently and profitably play entropia.

Sweating in entropia experience

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Sweating in entropia. There are many planets to choose from. Calypso is my favorite and among the most populated. I haven't been anywhere else because I'm so tied to Calypso. Whether it was sweating at old swamp camp or old, old swamp camp, then new swamp camp, then on to Nea's Place, then on to the fert at Nea's Place, then to Limnadian District, a stop off near a castle and boars, then then punies around Port Atlantis, then after a year (and another 4 years before that) I was done with sweating.
I still sweat out of habit sometimes. There were days without thinking I logged in, I was already around sweatable creatures, and pressed the toggle auto-use button and sweated away. I was hard-pressed to get in 3 hours of sweating a day and goal of 1000 sweat daily. Though most of the time I reached it and many times exceeded it. For more dedicated players more is possible. Once the excitement of Calypso's markets and the scope and beauty of the planet made its mark on me, I calmed down, and proceeded to make my way.
The journey is tremendous. Nowhere else in the world provides entropia's opportunity and rates of return for such a low cost. Even when the ped balance reads 0.00 there are ways to raise it by bootstrapping, something I do not have the patience for. There is still time for a new player to make it solely on sweat. A Herculean task, in my opinion, for I have tried and succeeded on some level. Depositing however amplified my strategy and saved me time.
Time is the most important commodity there is. Everyone gets the same amount. And money can be traded for time. If not for the tradeoff between time and money there would be no markets. Skills in your avatar are usually the return of all the sweating and money spent. And those skills acquired represent more than money. They represent time.
Choose your time wisely in Calypso if you are sweating. Choose your time even more carefully when you are depositing. May your times in Calypso and the other planets bring, success, wealth, and happiness. Good luck and maybe I'll see you there.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:51:00 +0000

Sweating the days away. I remember when I first found out about 'toggle auto-use tool' under the action menu (press 'y' default key), then 'control' tab along bottom of action panel, then the '>>' in the middle of the bottom of the action panel, then over three times '>>'. then there on the lower right is the 'toggle auto-use tool' icon/button. Setup a keymap to get this icon mapped to (I prefer) a number key such as '0'.
Then when wanting to continously use a tool, equip the tool, press the '0' and away it goes, no clicking. Aim the tool and go clickless (click to aim) I should say.
If I had known about auto-use years ago, not 4 years in, my life would be a lot less clicky. I logged some 300,000 some clicks sweating before wising up to 'toggle auto-use tool'. Clicks not wasted as I still have A LOT of the sweat looking for better prices in better neighborhoods. And I have sold about as much as I have left. (takes some entropia math to understand that, 1/2 of 1 is 1/2, start with 200,000 sweat, sell 100,000, have 100,000 left)
Now one of the complaints I've seen about 'toggle auto-use tool' is that auto-use makes avatars look like they are controlled by bots. Botting, being a automated way to play other mmos and usually against those other mmo's rules. But in entropia 'toggle auto-use tool' is a boon, a clear plus, and saves much sanity from fleeing mice and keypads. And auto-use is within the rules of entropia as 'toggle auto-use tool' is included in the action panel list.
The inclusion of auto-use goes a long way towards making entropia gaming A LOT more fun and less demanding. There are a few problems still as it applies to sweating but on the whole 'toggle auto-use tool' is a keymap tool to use that I cannot live without. Hope you have found auto-use and good luck.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Sweating is about connecting the beginner entropians with the experienced entropians. A sort of one feeds the other and everybody's happy in the end. A mutual agreement to produce and buy/sell from each other.
As sweaters collect their sweat and turn it into welding wire or mind essence, the free-to-players produce something for the space and vehicle owners/operators. Still low-cost for either. The difference is measured in $100's of dollars, sometimes $1000's but really the amounts connecting are low.
A low-end stock for comparison might sell $100,000 in a day in a few seconds, no problem. In entropia moving that amount would have a huge effect on whichever market it was in. In stocks, a 5-10% blip of $1,000,000 or more is in a typical day (minute) and does not have much effect. (need a chart and trade records to show this, an IBM ticker symbol on a finance site and some sample trades)
Sweaters collectively, however, can approach I would guess $200-$500 a day (24 hours). That's the pool of demand available. It varies but generally within $100 up or down in market volume. Split that by who knows how many sweaters to arrive at a typical sweaters' experience. I would guess some 200 sweaters in a day. Large enough however to fuel a lot of play.
Keeping in mind the $1 per hour cut, sweating can still be profitable as outlined in an earlier post.
As the spaceship owner/operators need welding wire the sweaters will be there to provide it even at breakeven or a loss as 'it's just a game', 'sweating is free', and 'sweating builds skills'. The three reasons most cited, particularly skills, give the new player an opportunity to connect with the spaceship owner/operators who are buying and selling goods between planets. Also to mainly build their own avatar's skills. The sweat sold contributes to keeping the spaceship people with operating spaceships.
Sweaters are connected to the in-game economy in important and satisfying ways as other professions are connected to sweaters in satisfying and important ways. Join the sweaters. Join entropia universe.

sidenote: annualizing the average sweat demand over a year is $127,750 of sweating per year. and by 200 sweaters about $1-$2.50 per sweater per day.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:20:00 +0000

Population estimates after some more crafting, more basic sheet metal, and a server change from being on too long, then being logged out. what happened? I don't know. I wondered if the population numbers would change? from searching the player register i got an average of 3-10 players or 6.5 players per page. For 30 pages times a maximum permutation of 15 results a page, a 1.4% active players per three letter permutation. Those are players who are online at any given moment.
There are some 17500+ three letter permutations when searching the player register. Of those 1.4% will be active. 450 players per search. and 1.4% of that is: 6.5 players. then multiply that by 17500 permutations of three letter search terms for ta-da-da-da: 113,400 players active at any one time. My sample size is small. Less than 20 but more than 10 searches. So the confidence level is likely around +/- 20,000 players. Just a guess. This is but one of many ways to gauge the active population on entropia, particularly Calypso. With such a population and active auctions and private trade, Calypso's peds flow greatly day after day, week after week, pull after pull. Be part of and enjoy your time on Calypso.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Playing entropia on calypso, again. I turn on my computer. Among the first things I pull up is the client. without thinking I am nearly seamlessly in the world. Check some auction prices and market activity. Then after a few purchases and recording of sales, I craft. For hours. It's awesome. The amounts of money that flow in the virtual landscape still amaze me. And the money does flow to my bottom line with a lot of dips and highs along the way. Past a certain level it is possible to have the downswings mean less as they are quickly recovered within a day or two. Across the three (four sic sweating) professions; hunting, mining and crafting. Favorable buyers and a good reputation are also some keys. Be ye not afraid. There is enough activity for all.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:43:00 +0000

The wonder that is the entropia universe. The planet beckons and calls. An irresistable urge to play and be played. How much? How much time? Endless. An entertainment like no other. Always something to do. A productive player is a happy player. Efficiency matters. From the splash screen of the game load from the client. The ships displayed and the planet are all explorable by an avatar. The scope is breath-taking. The actual play creates hard-core players by the thousands. I am an entropian colonist, a settler, and a crafter. Join entropia, they say. Do some sweating, they say. Become a pioneer in this new world. And find yourself as well as others who share in the destiny of the online worlds.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:05:00 +0000

After sweating for a year on calypso I collected some 140,000 sweat. that's 3 hours per day for 4-5 days a week off and on over a year. More concentrated effort would have yielded more but then i wouldn't have time to write blog posts or live like a pauper. anyway i have a huge amount of sweat left that i slowly convert into mind essence and welding wire. The effects of all the time spent I offset with healing and hunting and scanning. Paying the piper so I can dance to the tune.
Is this a success story? Not yet, but I feel the story is on the way. Perhaps others could succeed faster, better, and more by reading the few bits of knowledge in these posts. Drop a comment and I'll see what I can do for you and the wonderful world that is Calypso.

noreply@blogger.com (stellarjoe) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:27:00 +0000

have been playing entropia on planet calypso at a different level now for a week. really stepped up my spend and sold figures from $80 working capital to $300 working capital. cycled roughly twice per day. which when i think about it is amazing for some data on a server visually represented then enjoyed by 10's of 1000's of people.
remains to be seen how succesful i can be as my play style with crafting is hands off for the most part. though other professions may involve doing more on one screen i find that crafting is perfect for multitasking. attended to when needed but largely hands free. i still do superstitious clicks and mouse moves to make the majic of crafting gods turn my way.