When it comes to online RPGs we simply assume that you fork out your ten bucks per month and then it's off to the races. The folks at Mind Ark have different plans however with their upcoming online RPG, Project Entropia. Instead of going out and buying the game, then paying the monthly fee players will be able to download the game for free, then players can go out and earn their Project Entropia Dollars in the game world to get their adventuring goodies. An ambitious project to say the least. MindArk Marketing Manager, Patric Sundstrom, was kind enough to answer some questions regarding the RPG. So here's what he had to say.

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Project Entropia Q&A

Conducted by Mr. Nash

1. With the thorough backstory in Project Entropia, will there be scripted events in the game world to further the narrative?

Yes, everything that happens in the Project Entropia world will be written into the history books, which will then influence future scenarios. Worth remembering is that the citizens of Calypso will take part in the continuous development of Project Entropia.

2. Will there be additional weapons, items, areas, etc. added after the game is released?

The continual evolution of Project Entropia is a critical part of our overall plan. As a part of this evolution, new weapons, equipment, protective clothing and other objects will be added after release, and it will also be possible for users to acquire the ability to create new items, complimenting the continuous development by MindArk.

3. Will there be any non-PvP servers for those particularly afraid of being bumped off and losing the items they bought, or will the game stick to using safe zones?

Project Entropia will consist of one huge world, which will be located on multiple inter-linked servers. This is to ensure that everybody is in the same world without having to think about which server he or she has to connect to.

Calypso will have safe and unsafe zones. The risk of encountering a Player Killer should be limited by the penalty such players will receive - PK players will be classed as outlaws allowing other players to attack them without penalty.

4. Will Project Entropia have regional servers, or will some sort of translation technology similar to what was seen in Phantasy Star Online be used to allow anyone to play together despite not speaking the same language?

As stated earlier, Project Entropia will be a single global world that everybody can log in to, regardless of where they are in the world. The language barriers that exist can be addressed, but our approach to this is something we are not prepared to reveal right now.

5. What, if any, steps are being taken to encourage people to work as a team?

There will be various elements in Project Entropia that will encourage people to work in teams. One example is quests, where people work together in order to solve particular challenges. This does not mean all quests will require groups, but it does give an example where teamwork will be advantageous.

Another option will be to become involved in a group or society, where you will have friends to support you. A society can act as an organization or as a company - building towns or cities for themselves as an example.

Exploring will be safer with companions. Should you come across an undiscovered robot base for example, you’d definitely want your team with you, otherwise you’d be best advised just to flee and hope for the best.

6. What has been the easiest/hardest part of developing Project Entropia so far?

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To answer both parts of the question at the same time, the actual building of this world has proven to be a very dynamic task. Nothing is easy when it comes to developing a complex venture like Project Entropia. It’s built on technology that simply hasn’t existed before. Elements that seem easy one day can present unforeseen problems the next. Generally however, work has progressed well, even if it has taken a little longer time than was anticipated at the beginning.

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7. With the game allowing people to cash out their in-game currency into real money is there any risk that the game can be classified as a form of gambling under some countries' laws, potentially limiting the game's audience as minors are left out of the loop?

Considering how many countries there are in the world, and their diversity of regulations, this is beyond our control. However, we definitely believe it would be incorrect to classify taking part in Project Entropia as gambling. We expect that some users will participate in the world and take real money out without ever putting any money in. To us, this means there is no mandatory risk, which means it’s not gambling.

8. Although players can buy weapons and items, will there be any special items and weapons that can only be found through exploring?

Yes, there will be a range of unique objects that will exist either as completely unique items or in small numbers. Some will be found out in the wilderness, and anybody that finds one can almost certainly count on receiving a very good price for it at one of the auction houses - assuming the finder wishes to sell it, that is.

9. Will there be any sort of ethical alignments for characters, ie. an evil player can aid the robots instead while a good player fights the robots?

Good or evil, black or white, yin or yang, everything has its own balance. To achieve balance on Calypso, people will have to fight the robot menace together since the robots’ sole purpose is the destruction of Mankind. To enter an alliance with these robots would be suicide from a human perspective, and there are much better ways of accomplishing that on Calypso - humans have always been very good at fighting each other.

For more info on Project Entropia check out our preview or visit the game's official site.

We'd like to thank Patric for taking time out to answer our questions and for shedding some more light on the game.