Phantasy Star Universe

[geldonyetich]

Yeah, the wand takes the one-handed melee slot so you can put a one-handed ranged weapon in the other slot.

I'm planning on going Figunner, and the main reason I want the Technics is just for the buffs.  Being able to apply boosts to my offense or defense can be pretty handy.  Should be pleanty of room for the buff technics and my bullets.

I've been following Margalis' advice about the grinding and, while it's really no match for a full start upgrade, it does help to bridge the gap a bit.  Grinders are pretty cheaply manufactured (the boards make 5 at a time and grinder bases are common loot) and help the weapon a bit.  So far I haven't broken any, but then, I haven't risked grinding on anything less than a Very High chance of success.

[Kitsune]

Figunners can't use techniques.  Only Forces, Guntechers, Fortechers, and Wartechers can use techniques.  This is not, unfortunately, a FF5-ish job system where once you learn something from one job you can still use it in another; if you aren't one of those four classes you can't use techniques at all.

[geldonyetich]

I know, but I got the name wrong :P.  I meant a Guntecher - the one that gets S-Rank dual pistols and machinegun in addition to Force access.  (Naturally, with the PSU Wiki being ever lagged, it was too much effort to verify earlier.)  I hear some people saying that hybrids < focused classes, but considering the way S-Rank weapon access works in PSU I'm not so sure that's the case.

So far I've been enjoying this game more than NWN2, although I haven't got too far into NWN2's storyline yet and PSU Network mode is pretty damn grindy.  I've probably put about 20 hours of effort into my Ranger and am putzing around at level 11-12, with mission level 1 or 2 Ranger, and a level 0 Partner Machine.  I took a 55% chance of synthesizing a Stellaline Line Shield and succeded, but all my other gear is far behind my stats.  I only have four Photon Arts - ice/fire bullets for my machinegun and the dagger and saber photon arts.  No worries that access to Expert Classes aren't out yet, it'll easily be a month before I reach mission level 5 ranger, mission level 3 force.

[Rhonstet]

Gamespy has one of the few reviews (as well as the most lengthy) I have seen thus far for the game.  They gave it a 2.5 out of 5.  And that came from a PSO fan. 

http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/phantasy-star-universe/746420p1.html

[AcidCat]

" It's like a training simulation for obsessive compulsive disorder, not a game you'd actually play for enjoyment."

Nice quote. I really enjoyed PSO back in the day, but this game seems rather outdated, and certainly offers nothing to take me away from WoW.

[Kitsune]

The third planet was unlocked today, along with a new batch of missions and all of the weapons and armor unique to Tenora Works.

[geldonyetich]

That was sooner than I anticipated.  Hrmph, I think I'm still stuck at Ranger level 2, but then I've been a tad distracted from PSO this week, what with my old video card exploding and being replaced by one that suddenly makes things run far too smoothly.  It's like I have nothing to live for anymore.

[schild]

I'm gonna get back into Phantasy Star after The Shiny of Christmas Gaming wears off.

[Kitsune]

The advanced classes and weapons are being released onto the US servers on the 8th, with Sega promising weekly releases of content from there on out.  Whether they can deliver or not remains to be seen, as they haven't been providing weekly content to the Japanese servers as far as I know.  I suspect we'll be seeing 'weekly content' of things like a new color of shoe in the clothing store after the first couple of months.

[schild]

Hm. With enough quest areas, the game could very well become Very awesome. My only real gripe was... well, aside from the grind, the repetition. I expect it to be more varied than the ones before it.

[Kitsune]

Turns out that they also did the Christmas update with that patch, so now there're trees all over the colonies, pink rappies that drop tree decorations for rooms, and seasonal stuff on the room decor vendors.  Good stuff.  And next week's update has been announced, four S-rank missions unlocked.

[geldonyetich]

Did they ever get around to tweaking mission rewards so it's worth moving on to doing level 15 missions instead of just grinding the De-Ragon over and over again ad nauseum?

[Kitsune]

Yes, some of the newer missions work out to have better rewards than grinding on the dragon.  Of course, that just means that people are grinding on those missions instead.  Yay, let's ruin the fun by grinding the same mission over and over to level 60 so we can... um... do nothing.  More people should just play and let the levels and cash come as a secondary thing rather than a goal.

[stray]

So what do you predict? Will this game have some actual "content" by the end of 2007? Will it be a game or just remain a skeleton of a game?

[Kitsune]

So what do you predict? Will this game have some actual "content" by the end of 2007? Will it be a game or just remain a skeleton of a game?

Can't really say.  A lot was added this last week, but next week is only some S-ranks for existing missions.  They say they'll be adding stuff every Friday, so there're two more 'content upgrades' before the year's out.  If they actually put out new missions in any of those upgrades, the game will be in decent shape, I think.  This last patch had the first story mission, with things like dialogue and plotline, and those are definitely a step up from the missions without.  Unfortunately only the first story mission is currently available, so it doesn't go very far.