Phantasy Star Universe

[raydeen]

Coming out on the 24th. I'm looking forward to it mainly for the single player game. We'll see if the multiplayer will rope me in as well. I went snooping on YouTube and found this gem. It's apparently all (or most) of the ingame emotes. It gets a bit creepy about 3 minutes in at the music change when the avatar (male) starts doing very obviously female emotes. I lol'd. An enterprisiing group of sick individuals could probably put togethor the gayest boy-band ever and make comedy gold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7RAjotiqDM&mode=related&search=

[stray]

I'll be getting it too. Unfortunately, I don't have a 360, so I'll get the PC version (will see if I need a gamepad or not). I'm pretty sure the PS2 version will be bleh.

From what I've read, I'm not particularly excited about the multiplayer features. Sounds highly-instanced and forced group-ish. On the plus side, it probably won't have shitty combat (or shitty quests).

[NiX]

The 360 beta started today. WHEE!

[stray]

I didn't know the 360 was that far behind. Thought all the platforms versions were being released simultaneously.

How did you get in anyways? Did you download through XBL or something?

[Velorath]

I didn't know the 360 was that far behind. Thought all the platforms versions were being released simultaneously.

How did you get in anyways? Did you download through XBL or something?

It's not really a beta, it's one of those marketing things.  It was available for download for a couple of days from what I heard, and the "beta" lasts a week.

I'll probably pick this up, but with a $9.99 monthly fee I don't expect to play multi-player much, especially with NWN2 coming out around the same time.

[stray]

Like I said in the NWN thread, I'll buy it, but I still have my reservations. I thought NWN was the worst thing Bioware ever did.

But it's still Bioware. Gotta give them a chance.


Ultimate Alliance is coming out too. That'll be fun for.....3 days.

[NiX]

It's still available for download. They delayed it for this weekend and it ends on the 18th I believe. Something like that. Haven't booted it up.

[Rasix]

Like I said in the NWN thread, I'll buy it, but I still have my reservations. I thought NWN was the worst thing Bioware ever did.

But it's still Bioware. Gotta give them a chance.

It's not though. It's developed by Obsidian.

[schild]

I was in the press beta for this. It was... interesting. My computer ran it like ass though, so I'm gonna play the 360 beta before posting my thoughts.

Also, you'll want to play the PC version with a gamepad and remap all the keys so they make sense.

[Fabricated]

Is it basically like Phantasy Star Online but better? If it is, I'm sold.

[Strazos]

I thought PSO was incredibly bland and repetitive.

[Fabricated]

I thought PSO was incredibly bland and repetitive.

Your avatar is incredibly bland and repetitive.

[Velorath]

PSO appealed to me in much the same way that Diablo did.  Damn my inner loot whore.

[Kail]

I liked PSO all right once they got some of the more insane exploits and glitches ironed out.  The original release was like frustration crystalized and spun into a CD.  And then they released it four more damn times and charged full price for each one.

Can you play the single player game free, or do they still have that wierd system from the XBox version where you have to pay a monthly fee and have an internet connection to even play offline?  That was a deal-breaker for me.

[raydeen]

I liked PSO all right once they got some of the more insane exploits and glitches ironed out.  The original release was like frustration crystalized and spun into a CD.  And then they released it four more damn times and charged full price for each one.

Can you play the single player game free, or do they still have that wierd system from the XBox version where you have to pay a monthly fee and have an internet connection to even play offline?  That was a deal-breaker for me.

Single player is free and 40 hours of gameplay if I recall. You just need the Guardian Liscence if you're going online ($9.99 mo.)

[stray]

Also, you'll want to play the PC version with a gamepad and remap all the keys so they make sense.

I might buy a 360 controller then. All I have is a crappy PS1 clone gamepad.

Has anyone used the wireless 360 gamepad with a PC? Do I need some kind of infrared port, or does it come with something?

[stray]

Damn my inner loot whore.

Supposedly there is more crafting involved in this game (down to player run shops), and less drops.

Good news for me, but perhaps bad news for you.

[edit]

Then again, it's not really a "world-y" game as far as I can tell. Highly instanced, small dungeon based, no traveling, no pvp, no guilds, no real point for widescale interaction and economy -- It's just a game centered around adventuring with small parties. In just about every respect, it's still PSO. So the crafting thing might be a bad idea.

[stray]

One other thing (sorry for the triple post  ):


PC users can only play with PS2 and other PC users.

360 users can only play with each other.

[NiX]

Is there a fee for 360 users? I can't find anything confirmed about this. From what I've heard there isn't one because you're already paying for the live fee.

[stray]

Some stuff in the FAQ about a "Guardians" license.

A GUARDIANS License is a monthly subscription service that allows you to go online to play Phantasy Star Universe. It costs $9.99/month (in US Dollars). Your credit card will be billed automatically every month on the same day as when you registered.

You can purchase it through XBox Live somehow.


Also, if you buy an XBox account, the login info won't work on PC's or PS2's (while PC and PS2 accounts are interchangeable). Just like you won't be able to play with PC and PS2 people. The XBox version is practically a different game.

[Margalis]

PSO *is* basically a multi-player Diablo. I don't understand why more companies don't make console Diablo games, a controller makes a lot of sense for the control scheme and it has a console type of feel.

Diablo does have much better loot variety though.

[stray]

Yeah, that's weird. I really wasn't a big fan of Diablo per se (or the various PC clones), but I love that shit on a console. BG:DA, those recent X-Men games.....Hell, I even liked the Everquest one (but it was made by the BG guys, so....).

[Rhonstet]

I'd heard that the 360 version was going to be free to play online with a micropayments model (XBL points) for things like exotic items and added character customization for the multiplayer only aspect.  I'm willing to accept that as a load, but since Sega did exactly that with Chromehounds, it didn't seem impossible. 

The FAQ (http://phantasystaruniverse.com/support_faq.php) says that you get a 360 'Guardians Liscense' from the Marketplace.  Since I haven't seen that yet, it looks like I'll be paying for my subscription with Points, rather than just with my card.  Which I think I actually prefer, given how fast and easy the Marketplace works compared to some websites and how much easier voice chat works with the 360 then with teamspeak. 

[schild]

Server is unaccessible right now due to high load. Seems more than 100,000 people already downloaded it given some numbers accessible in game (you have a character # and I can only assume given the model of the number that we were number 66,000 and change).

Depending on cost, I'll be playing this one on the 360.

[Moaner]

I'm a sucker for Phantasy Star, so I'll probably be playing this.  Probably on the 360 as well.

[stray]

Y'know, I'm not going to bother until (read: IF) I get a 360.

I don't know anyone else who's going to play the PC version. It'll be all pickup groups. Fuck that. I already don't like LFG lobbies (in any game) to begin with, and I'm definitely not going to like it if the primary means of communication is voice. If I'm going to group and talk with people, it's gonna be you guys or other friends.

[Signe]

I reckon I'll play it on the PC.  It's not a good enough game to buy a whole 360 for and I've still not seen anything all that compelling to make me want one, anyway.  There will be only one 360 server, no?  I wonder how populated it'll be?  There was a time when I'd buy something like the 360 just to have it.  Suddenly, I don't need to have everything that comes out.  Ultimately, they disappoint me, anyway.

[Fabricated]

Wait, so there's a monthly fee to play PSU online? Fucking weak.

[stray]

I reckon I'll play it on the PC.  It's not a good enough game to buy a whole 360 for and I've still not seen anything all that compelling to make me want one, anyway.  There will be only one 360 server, no?  I wonder how populated it'll be?  There was a time when I'd buy something like the 360 just to have it.  Suddenly, I don't need to have everything that comes out.  Ultimately, they disappoint me, anyway.

Chromehounds and Test Drive are compelling reasons for me to get a 360....But I still want to wait a bit.

[Velorath]

Y'know, I'm not going to bother until (read: IF) I get a 360.

I don't know anyone else who's going to play the PC version. It'll be all pickup groups. Fuck that. I already don't like LFG lobbies (in any game) to begin with, and I'm definitely not going to like it if the primary means of communication is voice. If I'm going to group and talk with people, it's gonna be you guys or other friends.

I'll probably be picking up the PC version as will a few other people I know.  Don't own a 360 yet, and probably won't get one until they drop the price and a few more good games come out.

I'd heard that the 360 version was going to be free to play online with a micropayments model (XBL points) for things like exotic items and added character customization for the multiplayer only aspect.  I'm willing to accept that as a load, but since Sega did exactly that with Chromehounds, it didn't seem impossible. 

The FAQ (http://phantasystaruniverse.com/support_faq.php) says that you get a 360 'Guardians Liscense' from the Marketplace.  Since I haven't seen that yet, it looks like I'll be paying for my subscription with Points, rather than just with my card.  Which I think I actually prefer, given how fast and easy the Marketplace works compared to some websites and how much easier voice chat works with the 360 then with teamspeak. 

So far, official word is that the cost is $9.99 a month for the 360 version, same as the PS2 and PC (the PS2 and PC also have a 6 month sub for $49.99).  The Guardian license is supposed to be available starting on the 24th.

[raydeen]

This is my favorite item from the FAQ:

Which version of the game should I get?(2-5)

That depends on you, but each has their own advantages. PC users and PS2 users from the same country can play together in the same Phantasy Star Universe world! Xbox 360 users will be able to play with their Japanese counterparts and also use the Xbox headsets for voice chat capabilities. It just depends on what you're looking for, and where your friends are… Maybe you should just get them all!

Best. Marketing. Line. Ever. And someone will do it too.

[geldonyetich]

I'm crossposting because it's easy.

I was looking at some user uploaded Phantasy Star Universe videos over on Gamespot, and three things were apparent:

1) Single player mode (the only mode shown in the videos) is very, very dialogue heavy.  I'm talking long stretches of 20 minutes or so of nothing but talking to various NPCs tagging along.  So it seems PSO single player has a heavy story orientation.

2) All the futuristic JPop you can stomach.  Trains running on laser tracks, active Phantasy Star-esque backdrops, and at least one prepubescent chibi cat girl.

3) Episodic format.

That said, I wonder how much emphasis was placed on the multiplayer game if there's so much focus on making this dialogue heavy, episodic single player game.  Will players who go online (facing a $10/mo fee, yet) be confronted with a multiplayer game inferior to the original Phantasy Star Online?

[geldonyetich]

In other news, There's a Wiki on PSU.

[Kitsune]

Stray, don't buy a wireless 360 controller, they aren't compatible with PCs yet.  Buy a normal wired 360 controller and just plug it into a USB port, it'll download the driver from MS if you let it go online to do so.

I've preordered PSU and am feverishly (no seriously, I'm sick and have a fever) hoping that it doesn't turn out to suck.  But from everything I've seen, it's PSO with more awesome and thus can't go wrong, as I loved PSO.  All it takes is for me to get some little elf-eared chick kicking ass with lightsabers and I'm happy.  The trick, as with all online multiplayer games, is to get a posse.  Running around with random people you don't know is just sad.

But you can give friends some kind of ID card so they can find you when you get online; so all we have to do is hook up the F13 people in the game for long enough to exchange those cards, and it should be easy from there on out to group up.

[geldonyetich]

To plug the Wiki again (although it's a laggy muther because I don't think the machine it's on can handle the load) this page is fairly awesome for PSO players who want to see how PSU stacks up.