I hope you all are ready to assume the worst has happened for non-Japanese players on PSO2. I know I have! I was looking around the the internet and I found this thing about the Sega ID registration site blocking non-Japanese from registering.
If this post's title didn't make you panic; I now assume you all have panicked from hearing this news. This is horrible because now we are stuck with the confirmed to be terrible US/EU version. You know how it works, no news = THE MOST TERRIBLE NEWS YOU WILL EVER HEAR, therefore the US/EU server will be terrible.
Anyway this ends up being bad news for the anyone outside of Japan that currently plays since it means the English community will slowly deteriorate. That is if it is permanent unless this is some temporary thing while Sega deals with RMT/hacking or something...
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
PSO2 Improvements Planned
Here's another instance where the delayed release of the US/EU version of PSO2 might actually benefit players. Sega has announced that the game will be receiving some upgrades and improvements that have been heavily requested by Japanese players.
One such improvement (which I happen to agree with very strongly) is the reduction in the number of items needed to complete the level cap client orders. This is a great decision by the developers; the level cap orders are incredibly tedious, and any improvement here is welcomed. Currently, the required items drop far less frequently than I would expect for the number needed (90, in each of three different areas). I would suggest that the developers also improve the drop rates of these items, but some progress is better than none. Regardless of what they decide to do with these client orders, US/EU players will certainly appreciate not having to endure these quests in their current states.
Other requests from players include drop rate and rare enemy spawn rate improvements, as well as class rebalancing and system-related fixes. With any luck these fixes will be incorporated into the US/EU game on day one, so players won't know that they were ever a problem! Let's just hope it's enough...
One such improvement (which I happen to agree with very strongly) is the reduction in the number of items needed to complete the level cap client orders. This is a great decision by the developers; the level cap orders are incredibly tedious, and any improvement here is welcomed. Currently, the required items drop far less frequently than I would expect for the number needed (90, in each of three different areas). I would suggest that the developers also improve the drop rates of these items, but some progress is better than none. Regardless of what they decide to do with these client orders, US/EU players will certainly appreciate not having to endure these quests in their current states.
Other requests from players include drop rate and rare enemy spawn rate improvements, as well as class rebalancing and system-related fixes. With any luck these fixes will be incorporated into the US/EU game on day one, so players won't know that they were ever a problem! Let's just hope it's enough...
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Where's the Western PSO2 News?
Back in July, Sega of America revealed that PSO2 would be coming west. However, there has been virtually no news or information about the game since then. As November approaches and we get ever closer to the vague "early 2013" release, I can't help but wonder why Sega has not started to provide players with a taste of what to expect in US/EU PSO2.
I assume that Sega chose not to release PSO2 in 2012 in order to avoid having the game buried in a deluge of other holiday game releases. If that's actually the case, then I would expect the final release of PSO2 to be sometime in January or February (possibly with a short open beta test several weeks prior to test server loads and things like that). In my mind, that means it's time to start reminding players that the game is on the way. Maybe that's why I expected that Sega would have started talking by now. Perhaps they consider "early 2013" to be a bit later than that, though.
Regardless of what's going on with the game right now, it would be nice to see some acknowledgment that it still exists. A more specific release date would be great – maybe not an exact date, but one at least narrowed down to one or two months when we could expect to start playing. At the very least, some new information would probably go a long way in maintaining players' interest in the US/EU version of the game.
I assume that Sega chose not to release PSO2 in 2012 in order to avoid having the game buried in a deluge of other holiday game releases. If that's actually the case, then I would expect the final release of PSO2 to be sometime in January or February (possibly with a short open beta test several weeks prior to test server loads and things like that). In my mind, that means it's time to start reminding players that the game is on the way. Maybe that's why I expected that Sega would have started talking by now. Perhaps they consider "early 2013" to be a bit later than that, though.
Regardless of what's going on with the game right now, it would be nice to see some acknowledgment that it still exists. A more specific release date would be great – maybe not an exact date, but one at least narrowed down to one or two months when we could expect to start playing. At the very least, some new information would probably go a long way in maintaining players' interest in the US/EU version of the game.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
PSO2: (Temporary) King of the Grind
This week's content update for the Japanese version of PSO2 added a new difficulty and raised the level cap to 50. However, apparently not all went as planned – thanks to an oversight on Sega's part, players were in for a nasty shock upon reaching level 41.
The XP required to go from level 40 to 41 is 92,000 – a pretty hefty amount but generally in-line with the game's experience curve so far. (I probably won't make it that far in the Japanese game, so I can only report based on what other players say.)
However, to get from level 41 to 42, a player needs to earn a staggering 2.8 million XP (roughly) – an almost 3000% increase over the previous level! If you thought 20-30 was a grind, then this one's guaranteed to make you jump with joy.
Sega is aware of the problem and has planned an emergency maintenance this evening to correct the error. The issue apparently stems from the fact that the game's experience table was created at launch, with the expectation that the level cap would not need to be raised so soon. That's what Sega says, anyway.
So there's proof that Sega doesn't always screw solely with the English community. In fact, there's a good chance that the English game will never see this little glitch. Yes, the English game is being released several months after the Japanese game, but look at it this way – the Japanese players are helping iron out all the mistakes so that the English game can be perfect! (Yeah, right)
The XP required to go from level 40 to 41 is 92,000 – a pretty hefty amount but generally in-line with the game's experience curve so far. (I probably won't make it that far in the Japanese game, so I can only report based on what other players say.)
However, to get from level 41 to 42, a player needs to earn a staggering 2.8 million XP (roughly) – an almost 3000% increase over the previous level! If you thought 20-30 was a grind, then this one's guaranteed to make you jump with joy.
Sega is aware of the problem and has planned an emergency maintenance this evening to correct the error. The issue apparently stems from the fact that the game's experience table was created at launch, with the expectation that the level cap would not need to be raised so soon. That's what Sega says, anyway.
So there's proof that Sega doesn't always screw solely with the English community. In fact, there's a good chance that the English game will never see this little glitch. Yes, the English game is being released several months after the Japanese game, but look at it this way – the Japanese players are helping iron out all the mistakes so that the English game can be perfect! (Yeah, right)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Xbox 360 PSU Done
As promised, Sega has shut down the Xbox 360 Phantasy Star Universe servers for good.
The servers went down at approximately 2 AM EDT this morning. Some players were apparently not able to enjoy the final hours due to some sort of miscommunication between Sega and Microsoft (the entire PSU experience in a nutshell, I guess).
Now it's on to Phantasy Star Online 2, which launches in the West sometime in early 2013.
Players hoping to jump ship to the Japanese PC version of Phantasy Star Universe are out of luck: that game is going dark at the end of September. Time to start playing PSO2!
The servers went down at approximately 2 AM EDT this morning. Some players were apparently not able to enjoy the final hours due to some sort of miscommunication between Sega and Microsoft (the entire PSU experience in a nutshell, I guess).
Now it's on to Phantasy Star Online 2, which launches in the West sometime in early 2013.
Players hoping to jump ship to the Japanese PC version of Phantasy Star Universe are out of luck: that game is going dark at the end of September. Time to start playing PSO2!
Monday, September 3, 2012
If At First You Don't Succeed...
...try, try again. Or in Sega of Japan's case, try, try, try again.
Folks over at PSO-World are reporting that Sega has attempted to push the much-maligned Windows-breaking GameGuard update for a third time. Not surprisingly, people that have received the patch are reporting unexpected crashes and operating system lockups.
I can only report on what other people are saying because, although I am still playing PSO2, I did not get this patch and never will. If this is actually true, then I can do nothing but sit back and marvel at Sega's unwavering commitment to achieving new levels of incompetence. Truly unbelievable.
Folks over at PSO-World are reporting that Sega has attempted to push the much-maligned Windows-breaking GameGuard update for a third time. Not surprisingly, people that have received the patch are reporting unexpected crashes and operating system lockups.
I can only report on what other people are saying because, although I am still playing PSO2, I did not get this patch and never will. If this is actually true, then I can do nothing but sit back and marvel at Sega's unwavering commitment to achieving new levels of incompetence. Truly unbelievable.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
What Are These Morons Smoking?
Last week the Phantasy Star Online 2 community was in an uproar after Sega of Japan pushed a GameGuard update that caused all kinds of nasty side effects on players' PCs. The update was pulled back shortly after.
So what do you do if you're Sega of Japan and you have this broken GameGuard patch sitting around? Try to push it out again, of course! The update reappeared earlier today and is now wreaking havoc on user PCs for a second time.
The effects of the patch were immediately visible on my PC:
After that, pretty much everything stopped working. I had to do a hard shutdown of my PC because I couldn't even get Windows to reboot!
What the hell is going on here?
There is absolutely no excuse for this level of incompetence. NO EXCUSE. Hell, there is no excuse for this piece of shit GameGuard software to even be allowed to shut down processes without the user's knowledge or permission, especially when those processes are critical to the proper function of the operating system!
So this is the bottom line: until Sega of Japan gets their shit together and fixes this problem, I am done with PSO2. Since I'm an American, I realize they probably don't care about what I do, but I'm confident that there are plenty of Japanese players saying the same thing.
In the meantime, I will spend my time looking for a way to play PSO2 without running GameGuard. I am tired of putting up with this shit and I will not tolerate it fucking up my PC anymore.
Also, I sincerely hope that Sega of America is watching this debacle and taking notes. If this situation is allowed to repeat itself on the US/EU version, then fuck it – I won't play. And I'm probably not the only one saying this, either. GameGuard is a renegade piece of shit malware program and should be wiped off the face of the earth forever.
Rant over. I'm out of here.
So what do you do if you're Sega of Japan and you have this broken GameGuard patch sitting around? Try to push it out again, of course! The update reappeared earlier today and is now wreaking havoc on user PCs for a second time.
The effects of the patch were immediately visible on my PC:
After that, pretty much everything stopped working. I had to do a hard shutdown of my PC because I couldn't even get Windows to reboot!
What the hell is going on here?
There is absolutely no excuse for this level of incompetence. NO EXCUSE. Hell, there is no excuse for this piece of shit GameGuard software to even be allowed to shut down processes without the user's knowledge or permission, especially when those processes are critical to the proper function of the operating system!
So this is the bottom line: until Sega of Japan gets their shit together and fixes this problem, I am done with PSO2. Since I'm an American, I realize they probably don't care about what I do, but I'm confident that there are plenty of Japanese players saying the same thing.
In the meantime, I will spend my time looking for a way to play PSO2 without running GameGuard. I am tired of putting up with this shit and I will not tolerate it fucking up my PC anymore.
Also, I sincerely hope that Sega of America is watching this debacle and taking notes. If this situation is allowed to repeat itself on the US/EU version, then fuck it – I won't play. And I'm probably not the only one saying this, either. GameGuard is a renegade piece of shit malware program and should be wiped off the face of the earth forever.
Rant over. I'm out of here.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
GameGuard Rollback
After the PSO2 GameGuard update earlier this week, I posted a small rant about GameGuard's incredible ability to protect users from their own PCs.
It turns out that not being able to open Volume Mixer was the least of my worries. Other PSO2 players reported BSODs and frozen computers. The update apparently even caused Windows to report itself as "not genuine" in some cases.
Thankfully, Sega noticed the problem. A GameGuard update was issued today that appears to roll back this week's Windows-breaking change. Sega is encouraging players that experience problems with GameGuard to send a report; details can be found by clicking the link above.
I'd like to hope that this is the first step in getting GameGuard removed entirely, but I'm not holding my breath.
It turns out that not being able to open Volume Mixer was the least of my worries. Other PSO2 players reported BSODs and frozen computers. The update apparently even caused Windows to report itself as "not genuine" in some cases.
Thankfully, Sega noticed the problem. A GameGuard update was issued today that appears to roll back this week's Windows-breaking change. Sega is encouraging players that experience problems with GameGuard to send a report; details can be found by clicking the link above.
I'd like to hope that this is the first step in getting GameGuard removed entirely, but I'm not holding my breath.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Yes, GameGuard Still Sucks
Last night I decided that I would listen to other music while playing PSO2 for a change. Unfortunately, I was having a hard time hearing the game's sound effects over my music, even after cranking the sound effects up to 100% in-game. So I thought I'd go into the Windows Volume Mixer and turn up the game's master volume. Easy enough, right?
Nope. A recent GameGuard update now blocks access to the Volume Mixer while PSO2 is running. Attempting to open it generates the nifty window you see above instead.
It is still a mystery to me as to why online games continue to use the piece of shit that is nProtect GameGuard. It's well documented that GameGuard is useless, and the recent NPC incident is further evidence of that. In fact, GameGuard seems to do a better job of blocking innocuous programs (like Volume Mixer) than malicious ones.
Companies like Sega that produce multiplayer online games need to wake up and find a solution that is better than GameGuard. An in-house developed anti-cheat system that is integrated into the game software would probably do a much better job. In fact, anything would.
Alternatively, I implore developers of antivirus software to take notice of GameGuard and do something about it. It has all the characteristics of a common computer virus, so why not label it as such? Maybe then companies that use GameGuard will think twice about using it in their next game.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Everybody Relax
Earlier this week, Sega of Japan apparently updated the Terms of Service for Phantasy Star Online 2 to mention that connections to the game servers from outside Japan were no longer allowed (including via proxy). This sent the PSO-World forums into a panic and caused people to invent all kinds of crazy rumors about IP bans.
To make matters worse, gaming blog Kotaku apparently picked up on this community freak-out and posted their own poorly-worded take on the issue.
Here's the bottom line: despite what Kotaku and the folks on PSO-World would have you believe, nobody has been banned from the game servers for living outside Japan. So log on and play (after downloading the huge content patch), have fun, and RELAX!
To make matters worse, gaming blog Kotaku apparently picked up on this community freak-out and posted their own poorly-worded take on the issue.
Here's the bottom line: despite what Kotaku and the folks on PSO-World would have you believe, nobody has been banned from the game servers for living outside Japan. So log on and play (after downloading the huge content patch), have fun, and RELAX!
Friday, July 27, 2012
So Long, Phantasy Star Universe
When it was announced that the Xbox 360 Phantasy Star Universe servers would be shut down, many expected that they could simply jump over to the Japanese PC servers. If Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst was any indication, the PSU servers in Japan would stay up long after the US/EU servers shut down.
Not this time.
Sega of Japan has announced that the PC servers for Phantasy Star Universe will be shut down on Thursday, September 27, just three weeks after the Xbox 360 servers go down for good. This will end all official online support for the game worldwide.
After Sega gradually phased out PSO support in the United States, Europe, and Japan, the end of PSU seems rather abrupt by comparison. Perhaps this is an admission that the game was not as good as Sega had hoped it to be. In any case, this means that the focus will now be on Phantasy Star Online 2 only, which hopefully translates into regular content updates and better support.
The Phantasy Star Universe era is about to come to an end. Hopefully the era of PSO2 will be more enjoyable and far less frustrating!
Not this time.
Sega of Japan has announced that the PC servers for Phantasy Star Universe will be shut down on Thursday, September 27, just three weeks after the Xbox 360 servers go down for good. This will end all official online support for the game worldwide.
After Sega gradually phased out PSO support in the United States, Europe, and Japan, the end of PSU seems rather abrupt by comparison. Perhaps this is an admission that the game was not as good as Sega had hoped it to be. In any case, this means that the focus will now be on Phantasy Star Online 2 only, which hopefully translates into regular content updates and better support.
The Phantasy Star Universe era is about to come to an end. Hopefully the era of PSO2 will be more enjoyable and far less frustrating!
Sega Reveals First-Month PSO2 Statistics
Sega of Japan has released some statistics for the first month of official Phantasy Star Online 2 service.
According to an announcement post on the official Japanese Web site, over 730,000 people have registered to play the game as of Thursday, July 26. Approximately 200,000 of those accounts were registered after the game was released in Japan.
In addition, Sega says that the number of concurrent connections to the game peaked at over 91,000 players on July 7, three days after the game officially went live.
Because of this, Sega says that they are considering expanding Phantasy Star Online 2 service into other countries. The game has already been announced for release in the United States and Europe early next year.
Not mentioned was the number of accounts paying for premium content, though the announcement seemed to indicate that Sega is pleased with the free-to-play strategy so far. Hopefully the US/EU release will see similar success.
According to an announcement post on the official Japanese Web site, over 730,000 people have registered to play the game as of Thursday, July 26. Approximately 200,000 of those accounts were registered after the game was released in Japan.
In addition, Sega says that the number of concurrent connections to the game peaked at over 91,000 players on July 7, three days after the game officially went live.
Because of this, Sega says that they are considering expanding Phantasy Star Online 2 service into other countries. The game has already been announced for release in the United States and Europe early next year.
Not mentioned was the number of accounts paying for premium content, though the announcement seemed to indicate that Sega is pleased with the free-to-play strategy so far. Hopefully the US/EU release will see similar success.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Comparing Western PSO2 and PSU
Now that official confirmation of region-separated servers has been made public, there's been a lot of debate in the community as to whether or not Phantasy Star Online 2 is doomed to be a repeat of PC/PS2 Phantasy Star Universe in terms of content and support.
Obviously there's no way we'll know the answer to this until the beginning of next year, when the servers go live. Still, I'm inclined to believe that support for PSO2 will be much better than it was for PSU.
First, consider the fact that PSO2 is free to play. This is the most important point because it drastically increases the pressure on Sega to provide a product that is well supported and fresh content-wise.
In a subscription-supported game such as PSU, players can look at the lack of updates and/or support and question where the money is really going. Players that feel the service is inadequate can cancel their subscriptions, though they lose the ability to play the game. This might result in a small subset of players that continue to pay the subscription in the hope that things will get better, despite the fact that they aren't really getting what they are paying for.
This will not be the case with PSO2. If players feel that they aren't getting the proper level of service and/or support, they can stop paying for premiums and continue to play the game. That subset of unhappy subscribers in the first scenario is gone—people won't pay until things get better. Thus, Sega can only continue to bring in the money if they keep players happy from the start. This also means that the majority of the money generated from the Western game should be "reinvested" in the Western game, not funneled to the Japanese servers.
Then there's the issue of PSU itself. Sega's history of managing the PC/PS2 side of PSU is well documented and well understood by all. Surely Sega knows that players are not likely to be fooled again with PSO2. Any sign of a prolonged slip-up, or an increase in the content gap, and it's straight back to the Japanese servers for most. Again, this problem is easily solved by managing the game properly and keeping players happy from the start.
The beginning of 2013 will be an exciting time for all PSO2 players. Hopefully Sega will rise to the occasion and deliver a service that makes the game popular and profitable in the United States and Europe. The important thing to remember is that the PSO2 community needs to at least give the US/EU version of the game a chance. All of us are skeptical (and we have every right to be) but there's no point in making a final judgment before the game even gets here. Wait and see what happens... we might all be surprised!
Obviously there's no way we'll know the answer to this until the beginning of next year, when the servers go live. Still, I'm inclined to believe that support for PSO2 will be much better than it was for PSU.
First, consider the fact that PSO2 is free to play. This is the most important point because it drastically increases the pressure on Sega to provide a product that is well supported and fresh content-wise.
In a subscription-supported game such as PSU, players can look at the lack of updates and/or support and question where the money is really going. Players that feel the service is inadequate can cancel their subscriptions, though they lose the ability to play the game. This might result in a small subset of players that continue to pay the subscription in the hope that things will get better, despite the fact that they aren't really getting what they are paying for.
This will not be the case with PSO2. If players feel that they aren't getting the proper level of service and/or support, they can stop paying for premiums and continue to play the game. That subset of unhappy subscribers in the first scenario is gone—people won't pay until things get better. Thus, Sega can only continue to bring in the money if they keep players happy from the start. This also means that the majority of the money generated from the Western game should be "reinvested" in the Western game, not funneled to the Japanese servers.
Then there's the issue of PSU itself. Sega's history of managing the PC/PS2 side of PSU is well documented and well understood by all. Surely Sega knows that players are not likely to be fooled again with PSO2. Any sign of a prolonged slip-up, or an increase in the content gap, and it's straight back to the Japanese servers for most. Again, this problem is easily solved by managing the game properly and keeping players happy from the start.
The beginning of 2013 will be an exciting time for all PSO2 players. Hopefully Sega will rise to the occasion and deliver a service that makes the game popular and profitable in the United States and Europe. The important thing to remember is that the PSO2 community needs to at least give the US/EU version of the game a chance. All of us are skeptical (and we have every right to be) but there's no point in making a final judgment before the game even gets here. Wait and see what happens... we might all be surprised!
It's the end of the world!
First we had hacking (with some cool drama on the side) and now confirmation of the PSO2 servers being separate.
Clearly it is then end of Phantasy Star outside of Japan. I mean just look at a few of the topics popping up over at Sega's forums. First we have this one with the terrible servers aren't global news where someone suggests to not support the game at all. I for one think this is a great idea. I mean Sega gave some pretty bad support for PSU and clearly we all know they can't change so we shouldn't even give them a chance. Plus this is the perfect way for us to say to Sega: "please don't bother bringing these types of games outside of Japan." Who likes playing games in a language they can understand? Nobody that's who! This is a brilliant plan with no way it could ever backfire.
Also you already have other posts where people have already decided to stay with the Japanese version of PSO2. We all know we can't trust Sega of America right guys?! (or maybe they already bought a crap load of Ark's Cash).
Now to be positive for a moment:
On the other hand... what if Sega can really pull it off? With the servers separated maybe we'll see AC prices adjusted. Sure with the Japanese version we have to take in account of the poor exchange rate but the pricing is pretty bad; you want $16 for a month of the premium set? Nope. Plus if the servers were global Sega would probably be lazy and just make 1 USD / 1 Pound / 1 Euro, etc = 100 AC which would make it slightly cheaper but still not be all that great. Now if Sega can get the premium set price under $10 (5 would be ideal) and lower the pricing for that AC lottery deal we could have a real winner here.
Then maybe we could see PSO2 on Steam and maybe even take advantage of Steam trading (Sega already has a free to play game that uses it too). It would help the game get some much needed publicity.
Sure it may not be perfect but you know what? I don't want to jump through all these hoops to play and pay for a game in language I can't read (in addition to the the whole price/exchange rate thing I said earlier). As long as I get some entertainment out of the English version of PSO2 I won't be too disappointed. Probably.
Clearly it is then end of Phantasy Star outside of Japan. I mean just look at a few of the topics popping up over at Sega's forums. First we have this one with the terrible servers aren't global news where someone suggests to not support the game at all. I for one think this is a great idea. I mean Sega gave some pretty bad support for PSU and clearly we all know they can't change so we shouldn't even give them a chance. Plus this is the perfect way for us to say to Sega: "please don't bother bringing these types of games outside of Japan." Who likes playing games in a language they can understand? Nobody that's who! This is a brilliant plan with no way it could ever backfire.
Also you already have other posts where people have already decided to stay with the Japanese version of PSO2. We all know we can't trust Sega of America right guys?! (or maybe they already bought a crap load of Ark's Cash).
Now to be positive for a moment:
On the other hand... what if Sega can really pull it off? With the servers separated maybe we'll see AC prices adjusted. Sure with the Japanese version we have to take in account of the poor exchange rate but the pricing is pretty bad; you want $16 for a month of the premium set? Nope. Plus if the servers were global Sega would probably be lazy and just make 1 USD / 1 Pound / 1 Euro, etc = 100 AC which would make it slightly cheaper but still not be all that great. Now if Sega can get the premium set price under $10 (5 would be ideal) and lower the pricing for that AC lottery deal we could have a real winner here.
Then maybe we could see PSO2 on Steam and maybe even take advantage of Steam trading (Sega already has a free to play game that uses it too). It would help the game get some much needed publicity.
Sure it may not be perfect but you know what? I don't want to jump through all these hoops to play and pay for a game in language I can't read (in addition to the the whole price/exchange rate thing I said earlier). As long as I get some entertainment out of the English version of PSO2 I won't be too disappointed. Probably.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Oh Well: PSO2 Will Have Region-Separated Servers
Many players were clinging to a shred of hope that Sega would make the right decision in this case, but it was not to be.
Gaming website 4gamer.net has posted an extensive interview with Phantasy Star Online 2 producer Satoshi Sakai regarding the development of the game and its future in Japan and abroad.
The unfortunate news comes at the end of the interview, where Sakai mentions that players in the United States and Europe will be on the same servers, which will not be linked to the Japanese servers.
This is definitely disappointing, but I suppose that it might not be much of an issue if the regional servers get regular content updates and proper support from Sega. A repeat of Phantasy Star Universe will be unacceptable; the players that went through that mess know better now, and will surely jump ship at the first sign of neglect. If Sega wants PSO2 to be successful in the West, it simply cannot afford to treat its US/EU players like second-class citizens.
Of course, Sega may be able to handle PSO2 differently thanks to the lack of console support (especially Xbox 360, which would have been a major stumbling block). But we won't know for sure until the game actually goes live.
This news isn't all that bad, though. When the US/EU PSO2 servers inevitably close prematurely, we can all just go back to playing the Japanese version of the game!
Gaming website 4gamer.net has posted an extensive interview with Phantasy Star Online 2 producer Satoshi Sakai regarding the development of the game and its future in Japan and abroad.
The unfortunate news comes at the end of the interview, where Sakai mentions that players in the United States and Europe will be on the same servers, which will not be linked to the Japanese servers.
This is definitely disappointing, but I suppose that it might not be much of an issue if the regional servers get regular content updates and proper support from Sega. A repeat of Phantasy Star Universe will be unacceptable; the players that went through that mess know better now, and will surely jump ship at the first sign of neglect. If Sega wants PSO2 to be successful in the West, it simply cannot afford to treat its US/EU players like second-class citizens.
Of course, Sega may be able to handle PSO2 differently thanks to the lack of console support (especially Xbox 360, which would have been a major stumbling block). But we won't know for sure until the game actually goes live.
This news isn't all that bad, though. When the US/EU PSO2 servers inevitably close prematurely, we can all just go back to playing the Japanese version of the game!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Sega of Japan has announced that the Phantasy Star Online 2 servers will be undergoing emergency maintenance this evening to deal with an exploit that caused various NPCs to be moved to unreachable locations within the lobbies.
Excerpts of some lobby chat transcripts being posted around the Internet appear to incriminate English-speaking players in the incidents. Some of the posted logs show a group of people talking about "punishing" Sega for not providing internationally linked servers.
Please explain to me how this accomplishes anything. Sega hasn't even said anything one way or the other on the topic of linked servers. And if the idea is still being considered, the actions of these script kiddies will probably convince Sega not to have them, if nothing else. I guess most of these people don't have the brains to realize that, though.
In the meantime, Sega has banned the accounts of at least 75 users confirmed to be cheating. It's nice to see that swift action is being taken to deal with the problem.
If you see script kiddies running around on the servers, take screenshots and report them!
The topic of linked servers for PSO2 has sparked a lot of good debate and discussion. We've mentioned it several times on this blog. The community has engaged with Sega on Twitter, Facebook, and in online petitions in an attempt to make the argument for international servers. And if Sega chooses not to have them, there's no excuse to throw a temper tantrum about it. People are allowed to be upset, but ruining the game experience for other players as a result is just plain sad.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Here We Go Again, Maybe
As we've already posted, today was the day – Sega has officially announced a Western version of Phantasy Star Online 2, the official web site is now live, and Edward was hinting at a PSO2 announcement after all.
But we won't see the game in English until sometime in 2013. How exactly are players supposed to respond to this news?
A 2013 release is, in the best case, six months away. That gives players six months to progress through the Japanese version of the game, develop character(s) and enjoy the latest content, and decide that the English game is not worth their time. That's also an implicit indication that the game servers will not be linked internationally. It's a possible (and probable) gap in content between the English and Japanese servers.
Of course, six months is only the minimum. The release will probably be further away than January.
Did Sega learn anything from Phantasy Star Universe?
Of course, absolutely no detailed information was provided about the game, so for all we know, linked servers are still possible (though I wouldn't hold my breath for it). And, in a post on the official PSU forums, Edward mentioned that Sega is trying to figure out how to address content gaps that appear when the game goes live in the West. So I guess there is hope.
Though I'm happy that an English version of PSO2 has been announced, I'm extremely nervous that the 2013 release will kill the game before it even gets here. A lot of people (myself included) are already playing the Japanese version—will any of those people care enough to start all over again six months (or more) down the road? Will their money be saved to buy premium content on the English servers, or will it be spent on the Japanese servers where it will do more good?
If Sega wants to keep players interested in the English version of Phantasy Star Online 2, they should start talking.
But we won't see the game in English until sometime in 2013. How exactly are players supposed to respond to this news?
A 2013 release is, in the best case, six months away. That gives players six months to progress through the Japanese version of the game, develop character(s) and enjoy the latest content, and decide that the English game is not worth their time. That's also an implicit indication that the game servers will not be linked internationally. It's a possible (and probable) gap in content between the English and Japanese servers.
Of course, six months is only the minimum. The release will probably be further away than January.
Did Sega learn anything from Phantasy Star Universe?
Of course, absolutely no detailed information was provided about the game, so for all we know, linked servers are still possible (though I wouldn't hold my breath for it). And, in a post on the official PSU forums, Edward mentioned that Sega is trying to figure out how to address content gaps that appear when the game goes live in the West. So I guess there is hope.
Though I'm happy that an English version of PSO2 has been announced, I'm extremely nervous that the 2013 release will kill the game before it even gets here. A lot of people (myself included) are already playing the Japanese version—will any of those people care enough to start all over again six months (or more) down the road? Will their money be saved to buy premium content on the English servers, or will it be spent on the Japanese servers where it will do more good?
If Sega wants to keep players interested in the English version of Phantasy Star Online 2, they should start talking.
ITP: I complain about PSO2 client orders
The optional client orders don't bother me too much, since you know, they're optional. I don't mind kill x amount of monsters or collect x amount of yellow boxes that waste inventory space. Although I am still not too fond of the collecting orders (more on this later). The ones that annoy me are the ones to unlock content aka Koffee's client orders.
Lets start with the orders that unlock free orders. I know this could very well be just me but I've never been a fan of this whole time attack thing. I enjoy taking my time playing rather than rush through to make the time limited. Then to top it off beside having to finish a mission or two with a time limit you need to collect two random items which also in a way is not really that fun. Almost forgot about it but the order to unlock hard mode is a bit silly as well, with having to defeat bosses on the different planets 5 times. If I meet the level requirement to play the levels I should be able to play them without having to run around to complete this time waster.
Next are those collect items unlock stuff orders like the one to get a Mag, expand weapon palette and sub palette, and to increase the level cap. Holy crap these are the worst and I haven't even gotten to the worst of the worst yet. These fetch the useless items quest just flat out suck when used to unlock new features.
The order to unlock the Mag took a while but at least common enemies dropped the items needed. While the order for the weapon palette expansion is annoying since the item only drops from that stretch snake boss. I haven't played the game much but so far I beat that thing at least 10 times since accepting the order and only found 2 of the 3 items needed. I haven't even gotten to the order for the sub-palette yet and I'm not looking forward to it.
The most ridiculous one is the order to increase the level cap from level 30 to 40. While I haven't reached level 30 yet I assume (please correct me if I'm wrong) this order becomes available once you hit level 30. Sound like a terrible idea, lets hit level cap, require collect of absurd amount of worthless items so you get no EXP during the whole thing. And seriously 90 items per planet, that's a bit much, yes? This doesn't really sound fun to me and I can only imagine that each new level cap order will be worse than the last.
Bonus complaint:
While this has nothing to do with the client orders I must say I really hate "Code: Collect." It seems like it exists only to annoy, requires too much backtracking, and feels worthless compared to the other Code events. That is all.
Lets start with the orders that unlock free orders. I know this could very well be just me but I've never been a fan of this whole time attack thing. I enjoy taking my time playing rather than rush through to make the time limited. Then to top it off beside having to finish a mission or two with a time limit you need to collect two random items which also in a way is not really that fun. Almost forgot about it but the order to unlock hard mode is a bit silly as well, with having to defeat bosses on the different planets 5 times. If I meet the level requirement to play the levels I should be able to play them without having to run around to complete this time waster.
Next are those collect items unlock stuff orders like the one to get a Mag, expand weapon palette and sub palette, and to increase the level cap. Holy crap these are the worst and I haven't even gotten to the worst of the worst yet. These fetch the useless items quest just flat out suck when used to unlock new features.
The order to unlock the Mag took a while but at least common enemies dropped the items needed. While the order for the weapon palette expansion is annoying since the item only drops from that stretch snake boss. I haven't played the game much but so far I beat that thing at least 10 times since accepting the order and only found 2 of the 3 items needed. I haven't even gotten to the order for the sub-palette yet and I'm not looking forward to it.
The most ridiculous one is the order to increase the level cap from level 30 to 40. While I haven't reached level 30 yet I assume (please correct me if I'm wrong) this order becomes available once you hit level 30. Sound like a terrible idea, lets hit level cap, require collect of absurd amount of worthless items so you get no EXP during the whole thing. And seriously 90 items per planet, that's a bit much, yes? This doesn't really sound fun to me and I can only imagine that each new level cap order will be worse than the last.
Bonus complaint:
While this has nothing to do with the client orders I must say I really hate "Code: Collect." It seems like it exists only to annoy, requires too much backtracking, and feels worthless compared to the other Code events. That is all.
PSO2 heading west
In 2013. Nice to hear this news but there goes any hope of global servers. Now I wonder how updates for this game will be with such a large gap from the release of the Japanese version.
In a post on the official Sega forums Edward@Sega commented about the gap in content between the two versions:
In a post on the official Sega forums Edward@Sega commented about the gap in content between the two versions:
"There is already a focus in addressing the content gap. It was absolutely a problem for PSU. We want to make sure that it doesn't happen again."Sorry I'm fairly pessimistic about this after playing PSU; as much as I want things to work out I'll believe it after I see it happen.
Monday, July 2, 2012
PSO2 Open Beta Ending
Sega has announced that the open beta test for the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Online 2 ends this Tuesday. Regular game service begins with the formal release on Wednesday.
Incidentally, the game will be receiving its first official content update in the maintenance leading up to the final release. A new field will be added, the level cap will be raised to 40, and additional story elements will become available.
Sega has also announced payment options for purchasing Arks Cash. Curiously, major American credit cards are accepted, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
Unfortunately, there was no such announcement for an English version of the game. Now would be a perfect time for Sega to surprise everyone!
Incidentally, the game will be receiving its first official content update in the maintenance leading up to the final release. A new field will be added, the level cap will be raised to 40, and additional story elements will become available.
Sega has also announced payment options for purchasing Arks Cash. Curiously, major American credit cards are accepted, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
Unfortunately, there was no such announcement for an English version of the game. Now would be a perfect time for Sega to surprise everyone!
Friday, June 29, 2012
The News Trickle Continues
Sega of America finished the Phantasy Star series review today with a posting for Phantasy Star Portable 2. A related post on the official forums mentioned that there would be more news next week, so the speculation will continue for another weekend.
Though we still don't know what the secret is, we're learning more about what it is not. On the Phantasy Star Facebook page, Sega has come out to debunk the theory held by some that Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity is the big announcement:
The pieces are slowly coming together. In addition to the hints given so far, many people in the community have now noticed that pso2.com, the presumed official site for Phantasy Star Online 2 in the United States and Europe, redirects to the Sega website.
We'll be watching closely for more next week.
Though we still don't know what the secret is, we're learning more about what it is not. On the Phantasy Star Facebook page, Sega has come out to debunk the theory held by some that Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity is the big announcement:
Right now there aren't plans for Infinity in the West. I know there are fans so I hope some day it is something we can do. I don't want to string anyone along with it though, just letting you know. :) Thank you for the support!
The pieces are slowly coming together. In addition to the hints given so far, many people in the community have now noticed that pso2.com, the presumed official site for Phantasy Star Online 2 in the United States and Europe, redirects to the Sega website.
We'll be watching closely for more next week.
Monday, June 25, 2012
PSO2 Announcement Possible This Week
For the last week, Sega of America has been publishing a Phantasy Star series retrospective of sorts on Facebook, Twitter, and the official Phantasy Star Universe forums.
Today, the trip back in time continued with Phantasy Star Portable. Sega's Twitter posting for this game included a not-so-subtle message and another possible hint:
If Sega sticks to the Phantasy Star games released in the US, then there should be only two left in the retrospective: Phantasy Star Zero (tomorrow) and Phantasy Star Portable 2 (on Wednesday). Players with an interest in an English version of Phantasy Star Online 2 should keep an eye on the official forum thread beginning Thursday afternoon.
Of course, even if PSO2 does get an official English release, there are still some details that will affect whether people actually play it. Will the game have international servers? Will it receive regular, consistent content updates? Will it be given the same level of support as the Japanese game? Many players will probably stay away unless these questions are answered (or unless they're answered correctly). Hopefully Sega will provide the answers later this week.
And for those of you that aren't so sure Sega is building up to a PSO2 announcement... do you really think they would go to all this trouble to promote the shutdown of the PSU servers?
Today, the trip back in time continued with Phantasy Star Portable. Sega's Twitter posting for this game included a not-so-subtle message and another possible hint:
PSP on the PSP! http://bit.ly/Q6c6lh If you're keeping track that's one PS game every day, in order, starting from the first. Hmmm.....
If Sega sticks to the Phantasy Star games released in the US, then there should be only two left in the retrospective: Phantasy Star Zero (tomorrow) and Phantasy Star Portable 2 (on Wednesday). Players with an interest in an English version of Phantasy Star Online 2 should keep an eye on the official forum thread beginning Thursday afternoon.
Of course, even if PSO2 does get an official English release, there are still some details that will affect whether people actually play it. Will the game have international servers? Will it receive regular, consistent content updates? Will it be given the same level of support as the Japanese game? Many players will probably stay away unless these questions are answered (or unless they're answered correctly). Hopefully Sega will provide the answers later this week.
And for those of you that aren't so sure Sega is building up to a PSO2 announcement... do you really think they would go to all this trouble to promote the shutdown of the PSU servers?
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Is This Another Hint?
Last week, PSU GM Edward announced that the Xbox 360 Phantasy Star Universe servers would be shutting down in September. It was hinted at the time that despite this news, there was more in store for Phantasy Star in the near future.
Now, a thread has appeared in the official PSU forums chronicling the history of the series and providing links to Sega's Phantasy Star Facebook and Twitter pages.
There seems to be a purpose behind this. Call me crazy, but I think an English Phantasy Star Online 2 announcement is imminent. I don't see any reason why Sega would do anything like this right now unless the end result was an announcement of some kind. And as I mentioned before, PSO2 is probably the only Phantasy Star game that Sega could announce (or even hint at) that players would even care about at this point.
We'll be watching for developments over the next few days (and probably playing some of the PSO2 open beta too, come Thursday).
Now, a thread has appeared in the official PSU forums chronicling the history of the series and providing links to Sega's Phantasy Star Facebook and Twitter pages.
There seems to be a purpose behind this. Call me crazy, but I think an English Phantasy Star Online 2 announcement is imminent. I don't see any reason why Sega would do anything like this right now unless the end result was an announcement of some kind. And as I mentioned before, PSO2 is probably the only Phantasy Star game that Sega could announce (or even hint at) that players would even care about at this point.
We'll be watching for developments over the next few days (and probably playing some of the PSO2 open beta too, come Thursday).
Saturday, June 16, 2012
PSO2 Open Beta Begins Next Week
The countdown to the Japanese release of Phantasy Star Online 2 continues. Sega has announced that the open beta test will begin on Thursday, June 21.
Sega had previously announced that the game would enter open beta fairly quickly if the "pre-open" beta was successful. The announcement of the open beta test came before the "pre-open" test even closed, so I guess Sega was pleased with how things went.
Characters created during the "pre-open" beta test will not transfer to the open beta. However, characters created during the open beta test will be carried over into the release version of the game.
Based on this statement, I expect that a lot of English-speaking players will be calling the Japanese servers home permanently beginning next week. That might not be such great news for a future English version of the game (something that Sega of America likely knows about, but won't mention)...
Sega had previously announced that the game would enter open beta fairly quickly if the "pre-open" beta was successful. The announcement of the open beta test came before the "pre-open" test even closed, so I guess Sega was pleased with how things went.
Characters created during the "pre-open" beta test will not transfer to the open beta. However, characters created during the open beta test will be carried over into the release version of the game.
Based on this statement, I expect that a lot of English-speaking players will be calling the Japanese servers home permanently beginning next week. That might not be such great news for a future English version of the game (something that Sega of America likely knows about, but won't mention)...
Saturday, June 9, 2012
...And While We're At It... PSO2 News!
Sega has announced that the "pre-open beta" test will be held for two days beginning Friday, June 15. The servers will be open for five hours each day. While this may not seem like much, Sega has also announced that if all goes well during the "pre-open beta" test, the real open beta test will begin shortly after.
The price structure for the "premium" content has also been announced. "Premium" content includes the My Room feature, increased storage space, trading functionality, and other features. Sega is offering 30, 60, and 90 day subscriptions. Users can get a slight discount on the monthly rate by purchasing the 60 or 90 day options. (Prices in USD are based on the exchange rate as of June 9, 2012.)
Obviously, for Americans this price will vary, but $16+/month is a little bit pricey. It is possible to play without making this purchase, though. These features might be nice to have, but not having them shouldn't stop anybody from enjoying the game.
That's it for now. More news as it becomes available.
The price structure for the "premium" content has also been announced. "Premium" content includes the My Room feature, increased storage space, trading functionality, and other features. Sega is offering 30, 60, and 90 day subscriptions. Users can get a slight discount on the monthly rate by purchasing the 60 or 90 day options. (Prices in USD are based on the exchange rate as of June 9, 2012.)
- 30 days: 1300 AC (¥1300 = $16.36 USD)
- 60 days: 2500 AC (¥2500 = $31.45 USD)
- 90 days: 3600 AC (¥3600 = $45.29 USD)
Obviously, for Americans this price will vary, but $16+/month is a little bit pricey. It is possible to play without making this purchase, though. These features might be nice to have, but not having them shouldn't stop anybody from enjoying the game.
That's it for now. More news as it becomes available.
More on the PSU Server Shutdown
As mentioned earlier today, Phantasy Star Universe will be done for good in the United States and Europe when the Xbox 360 servers shut down on September 7. This move should not come as a surprise to anybody, given the fact that the online game has basically stagnated despite the introduction of the "supplemental update" two summers ago.
For hardcore Xbox 360 players, this announcement might be difficult to take. However, Phantasy Star Online 2 players should be celebrating.
Out of this shutdown announcement came the strongest indication yet that PSO2 is coming stateside. PSU GM Edward had this to say in his post on the official forums:
While players in the PSO2 alpha and beta tests have unearthed some hints of an English release, Sega has not said anything one way or the other. Although Edward's post did not mention PSO2 by name, it's hard to believe that Sega of America would be focusing on anything Phantasy Star-related that's not PSO2 at this point. I think they are well aware of how much the US/EU community is clamoring for the game.
The next few months should be exciting, as there is hopefully some big news on the way for PSO2 players in the United States and Europe. Stay tuned!
For hardcore Xbox 360 players, this announcement might be difficult to take. However, Phantasy Star Online 2 players should be celebrating.
Out of this shutdown announcement came the strongest indication yet that PSO2 is coming stateside. PSU GM Edward had this to say in his post on the official forums:
There is more news yet to come for Phantasy Star, and there will be much to be excited about in the coming weeks and months.
While players in the PSO2 alpha and beta tests have unearthed some hints of an English release, Sega has not said anything one way or the other. Although Edward's post did not mention PSO2 by name, it's hard to believe that Sega of America would be focusing on anything Phantasy Star-related that's not PSO2 at this point. I think they are well aware of how much the US/EU community is clamoring for the game.
The next few months should be exciting, as there is hopefully some big news on the way for PSO2 players in the United States and Europe. Stay tuned!
Stick a fork in it. It's done.
PSU outside of Japan that is. Yes, that's right the Xbox servers are shutting down. I don't think anyone was really surprised after seeing how the game's updates were handled and that it still continued to fall behind the Japanese version of the game. I guess that the closure of the PC/PS2 server wasn't a "huge opportunity" to catch up after all.
Anyway, the servers are closing September 7th this year. Also there will be no free play like the PC/PS2 version had. I assume it has to do with some sort of rule from Microsoft since Xbox silver users can play the game online. I can't see the servers being to populated with this news; if the PC/PS2 servers required its monthly fee in the months before it closed I know I wouldn't have bothered coming back.
But on the bright side there may be a hint of good news. At the end of Edwards post he says:
From that statement I guess we can expect some news about PSO2 coming west soon. The sooner it's announced the better (still hoping for global servers).
Anyway, the servers are closing September 7th this year. Also there will be no free play like the PC/PS2 version had. I assume it has to do with some sort of rule from Microsoft since Xbox silver users can play the game online. I can't see the servers being to populated with this news; if the PC/PS2 servers required its monthly fee in the months before it closed I know I wouldn't have bothered coming back.
But on the bright side there may be a hint of good news. At the end of Edwards post he says:
We look forward to taking our memories and the lessons learned from this game as we prepare to move into the future. There is more news yet to come for Phantasy Star, and there will be much to be excited about in the coming weeks and months. For now, please feel free to share your memories of this game and know we look forward to sharing more adventures with you in the future!
From that statement I guess we can expect some news about PSO2 coming west soon. The sooner it's announced the better (still hoping for global servers).
Friday, June 1, 2012
PSO2 Not Part of Sega's Announced E3 Lineup
Here's a shocker: On Wednesday Sega posted a list of games that they will be showing at E3, and Phantasy Star Online 2 was notably absent.
Over the last few months it has been widely speculated that PSO2 would be getting an English release, and while there have been some subtle hints, there has been no official announcement of such a release by Sega.
So, as you might expect, players took to Sega's blog (where the information was posted) asking about the lack of PSO2 news. No responses from Sega staff have been posted as of yet.
Of course, this doesn't mean an English version of PSO2 is doomed. Sega could be saving it for a surprise announcement at E3, or they may just announce it sometime closer to a US release.
However, if Sega is in fact planning an English release of PSO2, they should announce it soon. The closer we get to a Japanese release without an announcement, the more likely it is that players in the US and Europe will just choose to play the Japanese version.
In any case, we'll see what happens in the coming days. E3 2012 begins Tuesday.
Over the last few months it has been widely speculated that PSO2 would be getting an English release, and while there have been some subtle hints, there has been no official announcement of such a release by Sega.
So, as you might expect, players took to Sega's blog (where the information was posted) asking about the lack of PSO2 news. No responses from Sega staff have been posted as of yet.
Of course, this doesn't mean an English version of PSO2 is doomed. Sega could be saving it for a surprise announcement at E3, or they may just announce it sometime closer to a US release.
However, if Sega is in fact planning an English release of PSO2, they should announce it soon. The closer we get to a Japanese release without an announcement, the more likely it is that players in the US and Europe will just choose to play the Japanese version.
In any case, we'll see what happens in the coming days. E3 2012 begins Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Japanese Social Gaming Companies Revisiting Gambling Games
The recent PSO2 closed beta test demonstrated various features of the Arks Cash system. Among those was an "Arks Scratch" game, which apparently allows players to use real money to purchase tickets that can then be used to gamble for in-game items.
This type of thing is apparently common in Japanese social games, but according to a Reuters report, that could soon change.
Some of Japan's largest social gaming companies announced today that they would begin phasing out gambling games. The announcement came amid an investigation by Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency into "complete gacha" games, which essentially charge players for an opportunity to win in-game rewards.
These games are evidently a huge source of income for these companies. Gree Inc, one of Japan's biggest social gaming companies, tripled its operating profit in the past quarter, according to the Reuters report.
Presumably, these games have caught the attention of regulators because they are targeted towards a younger demographic. Then there's the issue that you don't really own anything you win from these gambling games—at the end of the day your reward is still on the company's server, with the stipulation that it could be deleted at any time at the company's discretion. Now imagine spending your money with the hope of getting a really rare item, only to get the same junk reward over and over. That's not an investment I'm interested in making.
In any case, it will be interesting to see whether the PSO2 developers revisit the "Arks Scratch" concept in the wake of this news. It would be nice if they could find a way to make that content accessible to players without having to gamble for it.
Source:
Japan's social media heavyweights scrap gambling games [Reuters]
This type of thing is apparently common in Japanese social games, but according to a Reuters report, that could soon change.
Some of Japan's largest social gaming companies announced today that they would begin phasing out gambling games. The announcement came amid an investigation by Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency into "complete gacha" games, which essentially charge players for an opportunity to win in-game rewards.
These games are evidently a huge source of income for these companies. Gree Inc, one of Japan's biggest social gaming companies, tripled its operating profit in the past quarter, according to the Reuters report.
Presumably, these games have caught the attention of regulators because they are targeted towards a younger demographic. Then there's the issue that you don't really own anything you win from these gambling games—at the end of the day your reward is still on the company's server, with the stipulation that it could be deleted at any time at the company's discretion. Now imagine spending your money with the hope of getting a really rare item, only to get the same junk reward over and over. That's not an investment I'm interested in making.
In any case, it will be interesting to see whether the PSO2 developers revisit the "Arks Scratch" concept in the wake of this news. It would be nice if they could find a way to make that content accessible to players without having to gamble for it.
Source:
Japan's social media heavyweights scrap gambling games [Reuters]
Friday, April 27, 2012
PSO2 Closed Beta Extended
According to the official Phantasy Star Online 2 blog, the closed beta test has been extended until Monday, April 30. Players will be given additional Arks Cash to play with until the beta ends.
In other news, some players are reporting that "hackers" have appeared in the beta test. Normally I would not approve of this kind of thing, but here we seem to have a situation where the script kiddies' lack of intelligence may actually benefit the game in the long run.
This is a closed beta test after all. And because these guys decided to try out their "hacks" (I use that term very loosely) now, the developers should have plenty of time to figure out what's going on and make the appropriate changes before the game goes live. This would also be a great time for the developers to test out their GM/admin tools!
Of course, since this is the Japanese beta test there are bound to be a lot of opinions regarding English-speaking players (who are likely behind much of the mischief). However, the developers (and Japanese players) hopefully will remember that the behavior of a handful of morons should not be considered representative of the community as a whole.
In other news, some players are reporting that "hackers" have appeared in the beta test. Normally I would not approve of this kind of thing, but here we seem to have a situation where the script kiddies' lack of intelligence may actually benefit the game in the long run.
This is a closed beta test after all. And because these guys decided to try out their "hacks" (I use that term very loosely) now, the developers should have plenty of time to figure out what's going on and make the appropriate changes before the game goes live. This would also be a great time for the developers to test out their GM/admin tools!
Of course, since this is the Japanese beta test there are bound to be a lot of opinions regarding English-speaking players (who are likely behind much of the mischief). However, the developers (and Japanese players) hopefully will remember that the behavior of a handful of morons should not be considered representative of the community as a whole.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
It's closed beta time!
So as luck would have it I was accepted into the closed beta after signing up last minute and I must say I find this game quite enjoyable. It maybe just me but the beta for PSO2 has given me a great impression of the game compared to the release of PSU, although I'll have to see how the cash shop really plays a role in the game once it launches.
Anyway I have come with screenshots from some of the time I've spent with the beta.
First up is the lobby of the shopping area. I'd post the main area but apparently I never bothered to take a picture of it. Oops! Anyway I like that it's all condensed to one lobby to start missions unlike PSU with all those sub lobbies. Pictures (click to enlarge):
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| This place is pretty big, it's easier to just jump down than to use the stairs. |
They even got the the intro to the game playing on
screens around the lobby, I guess they'll change it up and display
different things for events or something.
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| This must be punishment for always skipping the intro. |
A few area shots:
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| Hello rappy, I see you are still up to you're old tricks. |
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| How did a nice walk in the forest turn into this!? |
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| Oh glorious red box! |
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| Oh man this is gonna be good! |
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| Seven stars. Neat. |
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| That sure took a lot of screenshots to get the pose I wanted of that gun. |
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| What? Ownership? |
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| See that red triangle? I'm sure we'll all learn to hate it soon enough. |
Well back to the beta for now.
Monday, April 16, 2012
The PSO2 Beta Client Has English Credits, Apparently
A couple of videos appeared on YouTube today showing that the Phantasy Star Online 2 closed beta client apparently has both Japanese and English credits.
In addition to the language difference, the Sega logo at the end of the English sequence is slightly different than the one used in the Japanese sequence. Recent datamining efforts found that the English logo is actually installed inside a hierarchy of folders that could potentially be used for region-specific media and other files.
Despite this apparent find, we shouldn't forget that Sega still has not announced any release dates for any region but Japan. However, I don't know why anyone would waste time localizing the credits if an English release was not planned.
I think the United States and Europe will almost certainly get PSO2 at some point. However, the more important issue is (and always has been) whether the game will get international servers, and Sega hasn't even hinted at the answer to that question...
In addition to the language difference, the Sega logo at the end of the English sequence is slightly different than the one used in the Japanese sequence. Recent datamining efforts found that the English logo is actually installed inside a hierarchy of folders that could potentially be used for region-specific media and other files.
Despite this apparent find, we shouldn't forget that Sega still has not announced any release dates for any region but Japan. However, I don't know why anyone would waste time localizing the credits if an English release was not planned.
I think the United States and Europe will almost certainly get PSO2 at some point. However, the more important issue is (and always has been) whether the game will get international servers, and Sega hasn't even hinted at the answer to that question...
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Report: PSO2 Will Have "Room Rental" Fee
A news report from Japan posted today on the PSO-World forums suggests that Sega will charge Phantasy Star Online 2 players a fee to "rent" room space.
It was already known that players would have to purchase the ability to use certain game features. However, no details were provided on exactly how those transactions would work. We speculated that Sega might fall back on a PSU-style subscription model for PSO2:
If the report is correct, then it looks as if this is exactly what Sega will do. According to that report, players will be charged for room privileges and other "system" features on a 30-day recurring basis. No speculation on fee schedule or other pricing was announced.
In other PSO2 news, Sega announced today that the closed beta test will begin next Thursday, April 19. E-mails are being sent out to players that have been selected for participation in the beta. The test will run for approximately nine days, ending on Saturday, April 28.
It was already known that players would have to purchase the ability to use certain game features. However, no details were provided on exactly how those transactions would work. We speculated that Sega might fall back on a PSU-style subscription model for PSO2:
Another possibility is that the items are offered as timed DLC, meaning you'll have to periodically buy them again to continue enjoying the "premium" features of the game. This is pretty much the "free course" and "premium course" model used by PSU at the moment. Don't be surprised if Sega chooses this model for the final product.
If the report is correct, then it looks as if this is exactly what Sega will do. According to that report, players will be charged for room privileges and other "system" features on a 30-day recurring basis. No speculation on fee schedule or other pricing was announced.
In other PSO2 news, Sega announced today that the closed beta test will begin next Thursday, April 19. E-mails are being sent out to players that have been selected for participation in the beta. The test will run for approximately nine days, ending on Saturday, April 28.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Download the PSO2 Character Creator Now
As promised, Sega has released the Phantasy Star Online 2 character creator and benchmarking tool for public download.
The installer can be downloaded from the official PSO2 Web site here. Your download speed may vary due to high volume.
For those people who haven't participated in either of the previous two alpha tests (myself included), this should be a great chance to play around with one of the most highly demoed and discussed features of the game. Created characters can be saved to disk, and can apparently be uploaded to use in the closed beta once that begins later this month.
The benchmarking tool portion of the application outputs a score that you can use to tweak the game settings so that PSO2 will run optimally. Sega has provided the following suggestions depending on your benchmark score:
The installer can be downloaded from the official PSO2 Web site here. Your download speed may vary due to high volume.
For those people who haven't participated in either of the previous two alpha tests (myself included), this should be a great chance to play around with one of the most highly demoed and discussed features of the game. Created characters can be saved to disk, and can apparently be uploaded to use in the closed beta once that begins later this month.
The benchmarking tool portion of the application outputs a score that you can use to tweak the game settings so that PSO2 will run optimally. Sega has provided the following suggestions depending on your benchmark score:
- Below 2000: Graphics settings should be adjusted down
- 2001 - 5000: Minor changes may be needed to play optimally
- Over 5000: No problems; use whatever settings you want
I'm interested to see how my laptop performs, though I'm pretty sure the desktop PC I eventually buy for this game will blow it out of the water.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Don't Panic Just Yet
If you've been following the development of Phantasy Star Online 2 and have been hoping for a Western release (who hasn't been?) then you probably panicked yesterday following a wave of bad news from Sega.
First, news of massive losses prompted the company to announce that it would be canceling some games in the United States and Europe. The list of games was not provided, though Sega did state that profitable franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Football Manager, Total War, and Aliens would not be canceled.
Second, following this announcement, Sega of America was hit with massive layoffs. According to IGN, the majority of layoffs were QA-related, though other positions also got axed. Obviously, it's never good to see things like this happen and we hope the people affected can get back on their feet quickly.
As you might expect, this news made Phantasy Star Universe players uneasy. On the official PSU forums, GM Edward assured players that near-term events would go on as planned, but couldn't provide any insight as to what the future holds for the remaining regional servers. We'll be watching this situation unfold in the coming weeks to see if Sega considers the Xbox 360 version profitable enough to continue. Stay tuned.
As for PSO2, the game has not been canceled in Japan (and likely won't be). The closed beta test is scheduled to begin at the end of April, with an open beta and final release likely to follow in June or July. The game has not currently been announced for the United States or Europe. However, I don't think this means that the game should be considered "canceled". The four "surviving" franchises that Sega listed in its press release should not be considered an all-inclusive list of titles that have not been canceled.
In fact, no definitive list of canceled titles was even provided (parts bolded for emphasis):
In other words, anything said about specific canceled games right now is pure speculation, so until Sega actually says that the Western markets won't be getting PSO2, there's no reason to panic.
Also consider the fact that Sega appears to be considering mostly digital distribution for PSO2, which could save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on packaging and pressing discs. Hopefully Sega could recoup the costs of localization and other maintenance expenses through the sale of items in the cash shop.
If all else fails, we'll just have to play PSO2 on the Japanese servers—but right now we just don't know what the fallout will be from this news. All we can do is sit tight and hope for the best!
First, news of massive losses prompted the company to announce that it would be canceling some games in the United States and Europe. The list of games was not provided, though Sega did state that profitable franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Football Manager, Total War, and Aliens would not be canceled.
Second, following this announcement, Sega of America was hit with massive layoffs. According to IGN, the majority of layoffs were QA-related, though other positions also got axed. Obviously, it's never good to see things like this happen and we hope the people affected can get back on their feet quickly.
As you might expect, this news made Phantasy Star Universe players uneasy. On the official PSU forums, GM Edward assured players that near-term events would go on as planned, but couldn't provide any insight as to what the future holds for the remaining regional servers. We'll be watching this situation unfold in the coming weeks to see if Sega considers the Xbox 360 version profitable enough to continue. Stay tuned.
As for PSO2, the game has not been canceled in Japan (and likely won't be). The closed beta test is scheduled to begin at the end of April, with an open beta and final release likely to follow in June or July. The game has not currently been announced for the United States or Europe. However, I don't think this means that the game should be considered "canceled". The four "surviving" franchises that Sega listed in its press release should not be considered an all-inclusive list of titles that have not been canceled.
In fact, no definitive list of canceled titles was even provided (parts bolded for emphasis):
We conducted detailed reviews of earnings projections for titles targeted toward the U.S. and European markets and decided to narrow down sales titles from the following period and after to strong IPs, such as “Sonic the Hedgehog,”, “Football Manager”, “Total War” and “Aliens” which are expected to continue posting solid earnings. In accordance with this, we are canceling the development of some game software titles.
In other words, anything said about specific canceled games right now is pure speculation, so until Sega actually says that the Western markets won't be getting PSO2, there's no reason to panic.
Also consider the fact that Sega appears to be considering mostly digital distribution for PSO2, which could save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on packaging and pressing discs. Hopefully Sega could recoup the costs of localization and other maintenance expenses through the sale of items in the cash shop.
If all else fails, we'll just have to play PSO2 on the Japanese servers—but right now we just don't know what the fallout will be from this news. All we can do is sit tight and hope for the best!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
More Cash Shop Details
After revealing that Phantasy Star Online 2 would be free to play, Sega today expanded on some of the details of the "Arks Cash" system that will be used in place of a monthly subscription fee.
Some folks at PSO World spotted a post on the official PSO2 blog which elaborated on the kinds of things for which players will be forced to shell out real money. Among the items listed are Scape Dolls, drop rate boosts, and clothing/appearance changes.
Also listed as part of the cash shop are "system" upgrades. These include (but will probably not be limited to) expansion of storage space, the ability to open a room and shop, and the ability to trade items.
The "system" category of items is intriguing because it essentially means that the "premium" version of the game will not be free to play. This is a reasonable decision—Sega has to recoup development and server costs somehow—yet it depends on how the developers choose to implement these items that determines whether the pay model for PSO2 will do little more than resemble the current model for Phantasy Star Universe in Japan.
If the "system" items are offered up as typical DLC (download once and you have them forever), then players will wind up paying a small amount up front to enjoy the game free forever (at least until Sega finds more "system" related items to charge for). That wouldn't be such a bad deal, though it really depends on how much they wind up charging for everything.
Another possibility is that the items are offered as timed DLC, meaning you'll have to periodically buy them again to continue enjoying the "premium" features of the game. This is pretty much the "free course" and "premium course" model used by PSU at the moment. Don't be surprised if Sega chooses this model for the final product.
On the subject of subscription fees, today's blog posting makes it a point to mention that PSO2 will be free to play and free to download. Based on that premise, I can't understand how the game will survive in the United States and Europe with regional servers. Of course, it really doesn't matter if players choose not to use the cash shop—in which case Sega's got much bigger problems.
Some folks at PSO World spotted a post on the official PSO2 blog which elaborated on the kinds of things for which players will be forced to shell out real money. Among the items listed are Scape Dolls, drop rate boosts, and clothing/appearance changes.
Also listed as part of the cash shop are "system" upgrades. These include (but will probably not be limited to) expansion of storage space, the ability to open a room and shop, and the ability to trade items.
The "system" category of items is intriguing because it essentially means that the "premium" version of the game will not be free to play. This is a reasonable decision—Sega has to recoup development and server costs somehow—yet it depends on how the developers choose to implement these items that determines whether the pay model for PSO2 will do little more than resemble the current model for Phantasy Star Universe in Japan.
If the "system" items are offered up as typical DLC (download once and you have them forever), then players will wind up paying a small amount up front to enjoy the game free forever (at least until Sega finds more "system" related items to charge for). That wouldn't be such a bad deal, though it really depends on how much they wind up charging for everything.
Another possibility is that the items are offered as timed DLC, meaning you'll have to periodically buy them again to continue enjoying the "premium" features of the game. This is pretty much the "free course" and "premium course" model used by PSU at the moment. Don't be surprised if Sega chooses this model for the final product.
On the subject of subscription fees, today's blog posting makes it a point to mention that PSO2 will be free to play and free to download. Based on that premise, I can't understand how the game will survive in the United States and Europe with regional servers. Of course, it really doesn't matter if players choose not to use the cash shop—in which case Sega's got much bigger problems.
Monday, March 26, 2012
PSO2 Closed Beta Signups Underway
Sega has announced that they are now accepting signups for the closed beta test of Phantasy Star Online 2 in Japan. Interested players can sign up at the official site, which also provides a brief overview of the next round of testing. Players who registered for the previous alpha tests don't need to register again.
The closed beta test itself is scheduled to begin sometime at the end of April. For those who want to get a head start on creating characters, the character creator will be made available for download beginning next Thursday (April 5). This standalone application will apparently also provide benchmarking tools for those people interested in tuning their PC to play nice with PSO2. The system requirements do not appear to have changed since the alpha tests.
In addition to general gameplay and balance testing, the developers also plan to test their implementation of the "Arks Cash" system by giving players 10,000 AC to play with once the test begins. As we previously mentioned, Sega has announced that Phantasy Star Online 2 will be free-to-play, with "Arks Cash" being the method by which players can blow their real-life money on the game. I'll reserve judgment on this feature for another day; needless to say we probably need to see more details on how "Arks Cash" will work.
The official closed beta signup site also provides some information about a potential release date. According to Sega, official service is scheduled to begin in the "early summer", so we're probably not more than three months away from the release (assuming Sega keeps their word). Of course, this is only for Japan. No release date has been announced yet for the United States or Europe.
Despite the lack of news on a stateside release, there may be indications that Sega is planning for one. Some groups datamining the latest PSO2 alpha client have found media files possibly intended for a US version. Could Sega already be working on a localization of the game?
The closed beta test itself is scheduled to begin sometime at the end of April. For those who want to get a head start on creating characters, the character creator will be made available for download beginning next Thursday (April 5). This standalone application will apparently also provide benchmarking tools for those people interested in tuning their PC to play nice with PSO2. The system requirements do not appear to have changed since the alpha tests.
In addition to general gameplay and balance testing, the developers also plan to test their implementation of the "Arks Cash" system by giving players 10,000 AC to play with once the test begins. As we previously mentioned, Sega has announced that Phantasy Star Online 2 will be free-to-play, with "Arks Cash" being the method by which players can blow their real-life money on the game. I'll reserve judgment on this feature for another day; needless to say we probably need to see more details on how "Arks Cash" will work.
The official closed beta signup site also provides some information about a potential release date. According to Sega, official service is scheduled to begin in the "early summer", so we're probably not more than three months away from the release (assuming Sega keeps their word). Of course, this is only for Japan. No release date has been announced yet for the United States or Europe.
Despite the lack of news on a stateside release, there may be indications that Sega is planning for one. Some groups datamining the latest PSO2 alpha client have found media files possibly intended for a US version. Could Sega already be working on a localization of the game?
PSO2 on PS Vita, iOS, and Android + Free to Play
We are a little late to the party here with the PS Vita news. And there isn't much to say on it. All I really care about is that as long as the Vita version does not delay updates to the PC version I'm fine with it. I'll wait for more information before saying anything more. If you can't wait for more information I guess you could get mad and try "protesting the vita" if you want; I haven't fully read that topic but I'm sure it's a fun read.
Now I think the iOS/Android announcement is pretty interesting. Sounds like it will be a single player game that has community features that link to the PC/Vita versions. I didn't really expect Sega to do something like this; I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it.
Lastly there is that free to play thing. It's also the thing that worries me the most. I just hope it isn't one of those games that gimp the game so much where you are forced to use the cash shop (and spend more than what a monthly fee would be). I hate those games that have tokens or some sort of currency required to even play missions, they give you some for free that may only last a few hours then you have to pay or wait a day to get more for free. I guess it could be worse if they even require cash shop purchases to craft or upgrade equipment as well.
I'm sure Guardian's Cash on the Japanese version of PSU gave us a glimpse of what PSO2 cash shop could sell. I just hope it says more towards optional things like costumes, room objects etc. I'm expecting some missions to require payment but I'd rather not see it at all. I'll wait to see what Sega announces for the whole free to play thing but I still have a bad feeling about it.
Now I think the iOS/Android announcement is pretty interesting. Sounds like it will be a single player game that has community features that link to the PC/Vita versions. I didn't really expect Sega to do something like this; I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it.
Lastly there is that free to play thing. It's also the thing that worries me the most. I just hope it isn't one of those games that gimp the game so much where you are forced to use the cash shop (and spend more than what a monthly fee would be). I hate those games that have tokens or some sort of currency required to even play missions, they give you some for free that may only last a few hours then you have to pay or wait a day to get more for free. I guess it could be worse if they even require cash shop purchases to craft or upgrade equipment as well.
I'm sure Guardian's Cash on the Japanese version of PSU gave us a glimpse of what PSO2 cash shop could sell. I just hope it says more towards optional things like costumes, room objects etc. I'm expecting some missions to require payment but I'd rather not see it at all. I'll wait to see what Sega announces for the whole free to play thing but I still have a bad feeling about it.
Moving towards the future
Yes, we are still alive. Even If there haven't been many posts as of late. Anyway you may have noticed the lack of PSU related posts and I can easily explain: neither of us play PSU anymore. Plus I think it's safe to say outside of Japan PSU is dead (you know with being a year and a half behind the JP version, etc).
Moving on from that: this blog with change a bit to focus on the future online Phantasy Star games, starting with PSO2. Although things may be still be slow until I actually get a chance to play the game although once I do I'm sure I'll find many things to complain about and if you are anything like me you should be looking forward to that.
And finally to signify the change: for the first time since July 2008 when I created this blog I shall change the theme to a different yet similar theme. Also our glorious blog description: "Up to date complaints about everything that's wrong with the online game Phantasy Star Universe", shall be updated to reflect this change as well.
Update: I'm sure no one cares but I've condensed some PSU specific labels. I'm adding a general "Phantasy Star Universe" label as well as a new condensed label for the old PSU events.
PSU: Events label replaces: Absolute Zero, "GBR, Great Gurhalian Cup, MAG, Maximum Attack X, Mission Spotlight (even though I am sure we can all agree this hardly qualifies as an event), Shred the Darkness, The Great Arms Race, and Winter Mission Carnival.
The "Guardian types" label was removed and filed under Phantasy Star Universe.
Also I've (finally?) added a search box to the blog which might make it easier to find some old posts, probably.
Moving on from that: this blog with change a bit to focus on the future online Phantasy Star games, starting with PSO2. Although things may be still be slow until I actually get a chance to play the game although once I do I'm sure I'll find many things to complain about and if you are anything like me you should be looking forward to that.
And finally to signify the change: for the first time since July 2008 when I created this blog I shall change the theme to a different yet similar theme. Also our glorious blog description: "Up to date complaints about everything that's wrong with the online game Phantasy Star Universe", shall be updated to reflect this change as well.
Update: I'm sure no one cares but I've condensed some PSU specific labels. I'm adding a general "Phantasy Star Universe" label as well as a new condensed label for the old PSU events.
PSU: Events label replaces: Absolute Zero, "GBR, Great Gurhalian Cup, MAG, Maximum Attack X, Mission Spotlight (even though I am sure we can all agree this hardly qualifies as an event), Shred the Darkness, The Great Arms Race, and Winter Mission Carnival.
The "Guardian types" label was removed and filed under Phantasy Star Universe.
Also I've (finally?) added a search box to the blog which might make it easier to find some old posts, probably.
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