PSO2 Tidbits Thread.

[Suzuki Yu]

- Sakai announces PSP2, and people get realised that most of the things on the PSP (Phantasy Star Portable) series was made almost by Alfa-System, and not really by Sega(Sakai);

no STORM! you're wrong!

Alpha-systems had a very little things to do with the portable titles

PSP2 credits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTqvy-Wk ... age#t=314s

and as what Sharky said, no one gives a crap about story-line in PSO.
maybe for a proper Sequel for the original franchise would make more sense but not for an online game

[ezodagrom]

Everyone keeps mentioning how the portable games are an improvement.  How so?  I decided to give PSP2 a shot on my friends PSP and it immediately dumped me in Plains Overlord(a mission I never want to see again).  It also played exactly the same as PSU.  Am I missing something?

Let's see...
Dodge, guard, chain system, customizable classes, more aggressive enemies and bosses, ...
Those might seem like small things, but they change the experience of the game quite a bit.

Then there's also a few new areas, even though they gotta be unlocked first while doing the story. I especially like the snow area and the area for the final chapter.

[Sharky]

As ezodagrom said the gameplay has been improved greatly and the enemy AI is far, far better for a start. The new areas are a lot more interesting even if it does have the old ones too...

Pretty much everything is better and its free to play!

As for the 'moe' stuff, I doubt it is going anywhere but dude... It isnt as if you HAVE to dress like that. There is NOTHING wrong with choice in your MMO if you want to play a game and dress like a badass bounty hunter or you want to dress like a frilly pink girl... Any game that has enough choice to let you do that is great.

If you look at the real world, people dress in all kinds of ways... Choice is key and you can choose to dress how you like in PSU.

[Radrappy]

I'm going to have to disagree and say it hurts the credibility of the world.  It has a major impact on the tone of the game and it's not as if I can ignore it when major npcs are decked out in Victorian garb and lingerie.  Part of what made PSO so memorable was its convincing setting.  The aesthetic guidelines were rigid and in turn made the whole scenario believable.

This is not Second Life.  Shit needs to go.

[CrazyT]

Who cares about credibility when going online. It's all about having fun. If you don't like it, you can always look the other way right?Avoid them with your life :lol:!!

Edit: Or you could play offline forever

[Sharky]

Radrappy, I can walk though my town and see a vast number of people wearing some seriously stupid things... The goths, the emos, the chavs, the big fat mothers in jogging pants, the skanky mini skirts, the summer dress, the winter jacket/mitten combo, fur coats, steel tip boots, sandals, high heels, trainers.

It would be less realistic if they all stuck to similar dress code. People express themselves in the game just like they do in real life... The reason you'll see someone dressed as a pink frilly girl or a badass ninja is because on the other end of that character there is a real person that wants to enjoy the game and is expressing their own personality though the character. Restricting that only means you're restricting peoples creativity.

Finally, PSO or any MMO for that matter is never going to have an immersive world... There are to many people walking around talking as if it is a game, asking for NAKED PIX PLOX and all sorts... If you want immersive, play an offline RPG.

[Radrappy]

I don't think people expressing themselves in a mall is the same as what you'd expect to see on the surface of a hostile planet.  I'm pretty sure a goth ninja fighting alongside a ballerina in a life threatening situation is as unrealistic as it gets.  

Restricting that only means you're restricting peoples creativity.

An online game is not an outlet for creativity or expression by default.    

PSO or any MMO for that matter is never going to have an immersive world...

But PSO succeeded wonderfully at this and it's one of the reasons it is superior to PSU in almost every way.

[Sega Uranus]

I entirely agree with Radrappy. Letting players do whatever they want can only hurt the overall experience of the setting and potentially if it gets too out of hand, some of the overall structure of the game. If people want to make their own universe... Then they should make their own stuff. Too much resources will be wasted in character design if the player is able to be a barbarian or a ballerina with everything else in between. They should stick to a specific style and run with it, but nothing like PSU was, that was just stupid. If PSO2 is anything like that, I will never ever get it.

PSO could have used a few more choices, but I entirely feel the options that you were given to make your character were fine. PSU literally went out of it's way to make the most awkward character designer ever. You could not even make a mustache, just queer sole patches and stuff.

[Radrappy]

I'm just saying, be consistent with your chosen setting.  If it's a sci- fi atmosphere, keep it that way.  

Also with regards to "moe" aesthetics, that has a lot more to do with the depiction of female characters.  The women in PSO were dressed pragmatically as opposed to the heaving bosoms and whimpering expressions the female characters sport now.  Karen from PSU was actually fine.  Everyone since then though has been either a stripper or a school girl.  

entirely agree with Radrappy. Letting players do whatever they want can only hurt the overall experience of the setting and potentially if it gets too out of hand, some of the overall structure of the game. If people want to make their own universe... Then they should make their own stuff. Too much resources will be wasted in character design if the player is able to be a barbarian or a ballerina with everything else in between. They should stick to a specific style and run with it, but nothing like PSU was, that was just stupid. If PSO2 is anything like that, I will never ever get it.

PSO could have used a few more choices, but I entirely feel the options that you were given to make your character were fine. PSU literally went out of it's way to make the most awkward character designer ever. You could not even make a mustache, just queer sole patches and stuff.

For the life of me I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

[Sega Uranus]

I was not being sarcastic.

[CrazyT]

Radrappy, I can walk though my town and see a vast number of people wearing some seriously stupid things... The goths, the emos, the chavs, the big fat mothers in jogging pants, the skanky mini skirts, the summer dress, the winter jacket/mitten combo, fur coats, steel tip boots, sandals, high heels, trainers.

It would be less realistic if they all stuck to similar dress code. People express themselves in the game just like they do in real life... The reason you'll see someone dressed as a pink frilly girl or a badass ninja is because on the other end of that character there is a real person that wants to enjoy the game and is expressing their own personality though the character. Restricting that only means you're restricting peoples creativity.

Finally, PSO or any MMO for that matter is never going to have an immersive world... There are to many people walking around talking as if it is a game, asking for NAKED PIX PLOX and all sorts... If you want immersive, play an offline RPG.

I think you worded it nicely. It indeed gives the person you're playing a lot more "character". That's how I always kinda felt with the first PSO as well. The way someones character looks would actually have effect on how I would interact with them. I think expanding on that is a pretty good idea. You're playing with actual people. The character one person makes is his avatar, the guy is representing himself with his avatar. No matter how freaky or weird he looks, he is one of the so many unique persons within the game.

Beside all of that, I love customizations in general. You'll see me pour almost an hour in getting my character looking great. I also love it when you get a lot of choices to tweak your character throughout the game itself. Buy clothes and such. Room custimization in Psportable 2 was really awesome too which was another aspect of "representing who you are".

I understand that some things would take away credibility. For instance, it wouldn't make sense having a clown looking character beside you fighting this big ass giant monster boss. But the beauty is that he is also just "one" person in that universe. So experiencing something like that in a game you might pour hundreds of hours in just adds to the feel of having a different experience each run. One day you battle that giant boss with 4/6 buff looking guys, the other day you fight the boss with clowns (lol).

[Sharky]

An online game is not an outlet for creativity or expression by default.

Maybe not, but most people I talk to that play MMOs always say that character customisation is one of the top things they look for... I think it speaks for itself.

But PSO succeeded wonderfully at this and it's one of the reasons it is superior to PSU in almost every way.

That is nostalgia talking, PSO lobbies were full of people using the game as a fancy looking MSN. There were hundreds of characters running around that looked like Dragon ball Z characters, the hacking was EVERYWHERE you'd see people glitching into the walls. Hacked weapons and weapon names like 'Cum shot' were everywhere. Plus there was always the chance someone was going to NOL you and ruin your entire experience.

Not to mention class spesific clothes were arse, if you wanted to be a male force you HAD to look like a cross dressing tit.

So if some people want to dress like a solider, some like a ninja, some in frilly dresses... Let them... If you don't want to, don't.
Because that shit is the LEAST of your worries if this game is going to be like PSO.

[Radrappy]

That is nostalgia talking, PSO lobbies were full of people using the game as a fancy looking MSN. There were hundreds of characters running around that looked like Dragon ball Z characters, the hacking was EVERYWHERE you'd see people glitching into the walls. Hacked weapons and weapon names like 'Cum shot' were everywhere. Plus there was always the chance someone was going to NOL you and ruin your entire experience.

Not to mention class spesific clothes were arse, if you wanted to be a male force you HAD to look like a cross dressing tit.

So if some people want to dress like a solider, some like a ninja, some in frilly dresses... Let them... If you don't want to, don't.
Because that shit is the LEAST of your worries if this game is going to be like PSO.

touché.  

Look all I'm suggesting is that the clothes and such should be kept within certain aesthetic perimeters.  A clear vision in terms of design is what makes something memorable.  

Otherwise, you end up with terrible shit like this that looks like it could be from any japanese franchise ever made.  

[Sharky]

Sorry but, I'm pro choice.

[Radrappy]

Sorry but, I'm pro choice.

This game should not be an anime fashion show.  I'm all for having choices, but make them fit the universe that you've already established.  People love phantasy star for its mythology and world, not because they associate it with self expression and being fabulous.  There can still be plenty of choices involved.  Tasteful choices.  Perhaps choices even that don't pander to the teenyboppers of the internet.  

Also, would it be terrible if clothing altered your statistics in some way?  Otherwise, customization is purely cosmetic and adds nothing to the gameplay.