Name your price

Games such as Everquest and Ultima Online were revolutionary in a way. They heralded the birth of persistent online worlds and MMORPG gaming. MMORPGs like Evercrack allowed people to role-play their way through massive fantasy realms, constantly

Games such as Everquest and Ultima Online were revolutionary in a way. They heralded the birth of persistent online worlds and MMORPG gaming. MMORPGs like Evercrack allowed people to role-play their way through massive fantasy realms, constantly questing to build their chosen character into the most powerful in the land. Level 50 barbarians, level 55 high elves, level 60 halflings – these characters were all-powerful figures. The Cloak of Flames, the Fungi Tunic and the Flowing Black Silk Sash (three highly sought after Everquest items) – players craved and subsequently acquired all objects rare and powerful. It became an obsession; nothing was beyond contemplation if it would help people acquire an item that would make their character more powerful. Subterfuge, double-cross, PKing and outright war between supposed allies were common as MMORPGs players became ever more desperate to hold the most powerful character in their game.

Somewhere in the middle of all this questing, doublecrossing, killing and acquiring, it was realised that these online characters - these avatars made up of nothing more tangible than a few million 1's and 0's - were worth something in real world terms. Specifically, they were worth money. Lots of money.

Browse through an online auction site such as eBay and you'll find bids running into the thousands for high-level MMORPG characters, especially if they possess many rare and powerful items, wards and weapons. The creators of these games generally don't like the practice of selling high-level characters and items (it's easy to see why – game companies don't get a percentage), but it continues all the same. The desire is there, the need is there. Thus, the market is there and people will continue to make money through auctioning their characters to the highest bidder.

However, there's a new game on the horizon that carries the financial aspect of MMORPGs to a whole new level.

Project Entropia (PE), developed by Swedish company MindArk AB, promises not only the usual persistent online world, but an entire persistent game economy. This economy will allow players to make real world profit out of the actions and transactions they carry out while playing.

Another revolutionary aspect of PE is its cost, or more specifically, a lack thereof. That's right; Project Entropia will cost you nothing to buy. Neither will you need to pay a monthly fee in order to participate, as you must with all other MMORPGs to date. No-one in the game development industry codes for love of the art alone, so how does MindArk plan to make its money? In a word; trade.

Project Entropia uses PEDs (PE Dollars) as its form of currency. Initially, new players will be able to purchase their equipment from MindArk for a fee (using a credit card to transfer their real dollars to MindArk, who will credit them with the appropriate amount of PEDs). As the game progresses and the economy builds, players will be able to trade among themselves.

Everything in PE depreciates. If you buy a sword to use in battle, the sword gradually loses its worth. It may have cost you $10 to purchase, but after a few months of grimly fighting your way through wave after wave of enemies intent on your destruction, it will be worth one heck of a lot less if you were tempted to sell it. Of course, you would do no such thing because by then the sword would hold such a high sentimental value – right?

MindArk will be the bankers and the store owners. Initially, they will hold all the 'assets', selling these to players for differing prices depending on laws of supply and demand. Eventually, players will be able to run their own shops selling goods they make, which opens up a whole new aspect of MMORPGing. Sure, you can be a shopowner in other MMORPGs, but only in PE can you actually make some money out of it on a regular basis. Which kind of makes up for having to stay at home with your virtual wife when all your mates are out killing dragons and winning the admiration of a new maiden every couple of days.

Due to the nature of PE and its real economic system, the game will most likely have an official minimum age of 18. Which kind of sucks if you're 15 and broke, but doesn't really matter if you're 15 and have access to your dad's Platinum VISA card.

Project Entropia is currently in beta, with all participants under NDA. The PE NDA is so strict that current beta testers are restricted from even acknowledging their status to others.

It remains to be seen if MindArk's money making model will work out. There are many potential pitfalls to the PE endeavour, not to mention the ones that will crop up as the game progresses. Bugs will be a major challenge, as any type of game bug will have the potential to lead to fraud and players loosing real money. Which opens up the whole question of legal responsibility on the part of MindArk. Still, whatever happens, Project Entropia is an interesting experiment in the future of persistent worlds and MMORPGs.