PSU - Illuminus quick impressions
Kendrick Kerwin Chua
Crossposted to ag.ps for what I hope are obvious reasons... I'm playing
the PS2 version, which has the enhanced offline content with cutscenes and
new music. I don't plan to get the 360 version, which is download only.
Some quick impressions on Ambition of the Illuminus, the expansion to
Phantasy Star Universe. First of all, the PSO missions areas (Forest,
Caves, Mines) aren't available yet and aren't even scheduled to be
unlocked until some time into December. With that caveat out of the way,
it's worth mentioning that the game is more rewarding overall for all
players. It's easier to level up, it's easier to earn class mission
points, and it's easier to make money. The challenge is now mostly in
combat and tactics, and this is feeling pretty worthwhile to me.
If you play the new expansion missions on Parum, you'll see some familiar
monsters in the new areas. I saw Grass Assassins as the sub-boss in the
ruined city, and I'm told that some rare Mines enemies are also present if
you hit it at the right time of day. My impressions are based on the
online game, as I haven't played the offline story mode yet. I'm guessing
that the PSO dungeons might be available offline, but I won't know until
I've gotten through the whole offline story mode.
Anyway, I'm going to lose some sleep over the next few days and play
through as much as I can. I'll post again on Friday with some more info.
-KKC, who's up too late as it is...
--
-- Universal survival rule #109 - Chicken nuggets must be served -- kendrick
in a quantity that is also a prime number. Failure to do so will -- @io.com
result in a geometric disturbance conducive to the resurrection of Cthulhu.
Disregard this rule if the meat in the nuggets is not actually chicken.
SoReal
news:b4WdnV0xULAg49ba...@io.com:
Hey, KKC. Hope I didn't miss you. I just found this newsgroup, and it's
refreshing to know that there are some other people who not only post
intelligently about PSU, but play it as well. You do, unfortunately, get -
10 points from your score due to playing the PS2 version. From everything
I've heard and seen myself, the Xbox 360 version (which I play on) is far
superior in every way except for dependance on Microsoft and your
aforementioned "extras" on the AOTI disk.
Anywho, you mentioned the PSO areas like Forest, Cave, Mine, etc. and
wondered why they weren't playable in AOTI yet. Well, in the 9 months since
you've posted, an event has run on the servers called Maximum Attack G.
Truly hardcore fans of PSO should have creamed their pants reading that
statement alone.
Details on the (now concluded) event at http://www.phantasystaruniverse.com
and, as a side note, the missions themselves are still up on the servers,
but the server-wide rewards have already been determined and finished.
Kendrick Kerwin Chua
SoReal <soreali...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Kendrick Kerwin Chua <kend...@nospam.io> wrote in
>news:b4WdnV0xULAg49ba...@io.com:
>
>> Crossposted to ag.ps for what I hope are obvious reasons... I'm
>> playing the PS2 version, which has the enhanced offline content with
>> cutscenes and new music. I don't plan to get the 360 version, which is
>> download only.
>Hey, KKC. Hope I didn't miss you. I just found this newsgroup, and it's
>refreshing to know that there are some other people who not only post
>intelligently about PSU, but play it as well. You do, unfortunately, get -
>10 points from your score due to playing the PS2 version. From everything
>I've heard and seen myself, the Xbox 360 version (which I play on) is far
>superior in every way except for dependance on Microsoft and your
>aforementioned "extras" on the AOTI disk.
Technically superior, not under dispute. But we're not exactly pushing
great big numbers of polygons here. My experience with the Xbox demo was
that both versions suffered equally from the same kind of lag in the same
environments. The PS2 version wins out by using the same account data as
the PC version, which means maximum portability.
>Anywho, you mentioned the PSO areas like Forest, Cave, Mine, etc. and
>wondered why they weren't playable in AOTI yet. Well, in the 9 months since
>you've posted, an event has run on the servers called Maximum Attack G.
>Truly hardcore fans of PSO should have creamed their pants reading that
>statement alone.
Been playing MAG while it's been running. I liked seeing the old PSO
environments, but the maps weren't exactly perfect. I also didn't like
that the Dark Falz battle was a variation on the Del Rol Le fish battle
instead of the giant hoop platform fight you got in the real PSO.
I understand that the PSO levels are available as what they call 'rare'
missions, which show up randomly on each of the three planetary
environments. I play solo a lot, so I haven't seen one of the random
missions pop up in my selection list yet. So the PSO dungeons are
available still, just not in a predictable way. In any case, it's not like
the homebrew servers aren't still running for people who really still want
to get their PSO on.
-KKC, who can't believe he just used 'get their XXXX on' in a sentence.
--
-- "Oh, we are the Buddy Bears, we always get along! | kendrick
Each day we do a little dance and sing a little song! | @ io
If you ever disagree, it means that you are wrong! | .com
Oh, we are the Buddy Bears, we *always* get along!" |
SoReal
> In article <Xns9B03BB0D...@69.16.185.247>,
> SoReal <soreali...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>Kendrick Kerwin Chua <kend...@nospam.io> wrote in
>>news:b4WdnV0xULAg49ba...@io.com:
>>
>>> Crossposted to ag.ps for what I hope are obvious reasons... I'm
>>> playing the PS2 version, which has the enhanced offline content with
>>> cutscenes and new music. I don't plan to get the 360 version, which
>>> is download only.
> <snip>
<snip>
> Technically superior, not under dispute. But we're not exactly pushing
> great big numbers of polygons here. My experience with the Xbox demo
> was that both versions suffered equally from the same kind of lag in
> the same environments. The PS2 version wins out by using the same
> account data as the PC version, which means maximum portability.
>
Yeah, you've got me there. I probably would have ended up with the PC
version anyway, if not for my mates, who convinced me to join them on
360.
> Been playing MAG while it's been running. I liked seeing the old PSO
> environments, but the maps weren't exactly perfect. I also didn't like
> that the Dark Falz battle was a variation on the Del Rol Le fish
> battle instead of the giant hoop platform fight you got in the real
> PSO.
True, the platform fight at the end of PSO was a lot of fun, but I
personally prefer the PSU variation, simply because the strategy of
working with teammates and moving the platform to get to DF was pretty
cool.
> I understand that the PSO levels are available as what they call
> 'rare' missions, which show up randomly on each of the three planetary
> environments. I play solo a lot, so I haven't seen one of the random
> missions pop up in my selection list yet. So the PSO dungeons are
> available still, just not in a predictable way. In any case, it's not
> like the homebrew servers aren't still running for people who really
> still want to get their PSO on.
Something like that. I haven't seen any of the PSO dungeons pop up,
either, but I've only had the game for about a week now, and have spent
most of the time since getting it being run through MAG. Now that it's
over, I look forward to getting to really see the rest of Gurhal.
Also, you're exactly correct. I recently got my Blue Burst out again and
started another character on one of the homebrew servers. In the two
years since I sold my gamecube and last copy of PSO I&II, I'd forgotten
how much damn fun that game was.
Kendrick Kerwin Chua
>> I understand that the PSO levels are available as what they call
>> 'rare' missions, which show up randomly on each of the three planetary
>> environments. I play solo a lot, so I haven't seen one of the random
>> missions pop up in my selection list yet. So the PSO dungeons are
>> available still, just not in a predictable way. In any case, it's not
>> like the homebrew servers aren't still running for people who really
>> still want to get their PSO on.
>
>Something like that. I haven't seen any of the PSO dungeons pop up,
>either, but I've only had the game for about a week now, and have spent
>most of the time since getting it being run through MAG. Now that it's
>over, I look forward to getting to really see the rest of Gurhal.
My favorite missions are on Moatoob, where one in particular ends in a
great big valley that forms a natural fighting arena. Your party just
rolls forward through a horde of fire-breathing monsters, and you have to
have a buffing, healing spellcaster in tow to have any sort of chance.
Playing as a Force means I spend a lot of time on Neudaiz too, so I can
get the right item and resource drops.
>Also, you're exactly correct. I recently got my Blue Burst out again and
>started another character on one of the homebrew servers. In the two
>years since I sold my gamecube and last copy of PSO I&II, I'd forgotten
>how much damn fun that game was.
The lesson is, never sell game hardware. You don't win in the long run;
even with Wii backward compatibility, there's no network compatibility
there. Even though the server is down now, I'm hoping that the original
Xbox version of PSO Episode I and II ends up on the backward compatibility
list some day. Yeah, and winged primates may emerge airborne from my
backside.
-KKC, enjoying the new Conan game.
SoReal
> In article <Xns9B03C672...@69.16.185.250>,
> SoReal <soreali...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>Kendrick Kerwin Chua <kend...@nospam.io> wrote in
>>news:a66dna3vr4zTPS3V...@giganews.com:
>>
>>Something like that. I haven't seen any of the PSO dungeons pop up,
>>either, but I've only had the game for about a week now, and have
>>spent most of the time since getting it being run through MAG. Now
>>that it's over, I look forward to getting to really see the rest of
>>Gurhal.
>
> My favorite missions are on Moatoob, where one in particular ends in a
> great big valley that forms a natural fighting arena. Your party just
> rolls forward through a horde of fire-breathing monsters, and you have
> to have a buffing, healing spellcaster in tow to have any sort of
> chance. Playing as a Force means I spend a lot of time on Neudaiz too,
> so I can get the right item and resource drops.
Haven't spent much time on Moatoob, aside from grinding my Tenora
weapons. I'll have to check out some of the missions there.
I really should be spending more time on Neudaiz, too. I just went
Acrotecher a few levels ago, and I was wondering why I wasn't getting any
FO-geared synth stuff or drops.
>>Also, you're exactly correct. I recently got my Blue Burst out again
>>and started another character on one of the homebrew servers. In the
>>two years since I sold my gamecube and last copy of PSO I&II, I'd
>>forgotten how much damn fun that game was.
>
> The lesson is, never sell game hardware. You don't win in the long
> run; even with Wii backward compatibility, there's no network
> compatibility there. Even though the server is down now, I'm hoping
> that the original Xbox version of PSO Episode I and II ends up on the
> backward compatibility list some day. Yeah, and winged primates may
> emerge airborne from my backside.
>
> -KKC, enjoying the new Conan game.
Heh, I usually don't. That's the funny part. I sold my GC, along with a
bunch of other games I didn't play anymore, for store credit that paid
for 90% of my 360.
We can dream, you know. Even though there is probably a better likelihood
of winged primates flying out of your rectum, we can still hold that
modicum of hope that PSO won't be entirely forgotten by the gaming
industry.
Or the gaming industry could crush all of our hopes, dreams, and memories
by completely ignoring the celebration of a milestone in gaming history
and a time-honored example of how far we've come. Who knows?
BelPowerslave
> even with Wii backward compatibility, there's no network compatibility
> there. Even though the server is down now, I'm hoping that the original
> Xbox version of PSO Episode I and II ends up on the backward compatibility
> list some day. Yeah, and winged primates may emerge airborne from my
> backside.
Problem is, even if it does make the compatibility list, the servers
have been dead for a long while now. :(
Quick Question: If I have never owned PSU, can I Just skip the first
version and go straight to the "Illuminus" version? Does it have
everything the original did?
Also, I noticed that it's download-only on the 360...does one have to
own PSU in order to download the new version?
I have PSU on the PC, but haven't installed it yet(this was before I had
the 360)...if "Illuminus" is the same thing, I guess I could just sell
it off and go with that one(on the PC or 360).
These classic PSO levels, are they online only, or can you play them
offline?
Just a quick reminder to anyone with the 360 version: An Xbox tech told
me that, for some odd reason, if you only have an Xbox Live Silver
account, you can play PSU online for free. He said he's not quite sure
how Sega didn't catch that, but that it works. My one month Gold trial
is up next month, I may attempt to verify this...
> -KKC, enjoying the new Conan game.
Is that the beat'em up? If so, I've been playing the demo a lot on the
360. The graphics...I hate to say it, suck ass, but it's still a lot of
fun. I wouldn't mind picking it up for around $20 at some point.
Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/
"Nautical nonsense be something I seek"
- Me
Kendrick Kerwin Chua
BelPowerslave <b...@whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>> The lesson is, never sell game hardware. You don't win in the long run;
>> even with Wii backward compatibility, there's no network compatibility
>> there. Even though the server is down now, I'm hoping that the original
>> Xbox version of PSO Episode I and II ends up on the backward compatibility
>> list some day. Yeah, and winged primates may emerge airborne from my
>> backside.
>
>Problem is, even if it does make the compatibility list, the servers
>have been dead for a long while now. :(
PSO on the Xbox has offline multiplayer, and the entire solo quest is
still present. That's not a complete experience, but there's still way
more game there than a lot of comparable titles offer, IMO.
>Quick Question: If I have never owned PSU, can I Just skip the first
>version and go straight to the "Illuminus" version? Does it have
>everything the original did?
>
>Also, I noticed that it's download-only on the 360...does one have to
>own PSU in order to download the new version?
The original PSU has Episode 1, which is Ethan Waber's story, and Extra
Mode, which is essentially the whole online environment but offline. If
you go online, you get Episode 2, which puts a character of your creation
into the story interacting with all the NPCs you encountered playing as
Ethan.
Here's where it gets complicated. Illuminus omits Episode 1, but gives you
Episode 2 offline. If you get the PC or the PS2 version, there's extra
content and FMV segments that the 360 version doesn't have. If you take
Illuminus online, you get access to Episode 3, which is the follow-up and
introduces all the new characters.
In order to play Ambition of the Illuminus on the 360, you do have to own
the original PSU in order to play. It's technically an expansion that
requires the base code to play.
>These classic PSO levels, are they online only, or can you play them
>offline?
So far they're online only. You see them randomly as bonus levels if you
complete missions on each of the three worlds, and then you also see them
all at once as part of the Maximum Attack G game events.
>> -KKC, enjoying the new Conan game.
>
>Is that the beat'em up? If so, I've been playing the demo a lot on the
>360. The graphics...I hate to say it, suck ass, but it's still a lot of
>fun. I wouldn't mind picking it up for around $20 at some point.
It's a God of War clone. I wouldn't have even noticed it if I didn't pick
it up on discount for $10. I think it's already down to $20 at Best Buy.
And yeah, the graphics are low-rent because of the multi-platform
requirement, but you don't need that many polygons to make wireframes for
boobs. :)
-KKC, who can't make time to play tonight...
BelPowerslave
> still present.
True. Up to 4 players too.
> That's not a complete experience, but there's still way
> more game there than a lot of comparable titles offer, IMO.
I agree. I've played it with another person, on the same Xbox, it was
actually pretty good. I can't imagine doing more than one other person
though, unless you've got a REALLY large TV...and even then, Sega just
couldn't be bothered to make the game widescreen(pisses me off to no end).
> The original PSU has Episode 1, which is Ethan Waber's story, and Extra
> Mode, which is essentially the whole online environment but offline. If
> you go online, you get Episode 2, which puts a character of your creation
> into the story interacting with all the NPCs you encountered playing as
> Ethan.
>
> Here's where it gets complicated. Illuminus omits Episode 1, but gives you
> Episode 2 offline. If you get the PC or the PS2 version, there's extra
> content and FMV segments that the 360 version doesn't have. If you take
> Illuminus online, you get access to Episode 3, which is the follow-up and
> introduces all the new characters.
>
> In order to play Ambition of the Illuminus on the 360, you do have to own
> the original PSU in order to play. It's technically an expansion that
> requires the base code to play.
Hmmmm...so it sounds like the best way to do it would be the PC or PS2
version, then, right? I mean, you install PSU, play it, then install
PSU:Illuminus and play through it. I wonder if, on the PC version, once
you install PSU:I that it considers them both one title and you don't
actually have to exit one to start up the other(kind of like installing
an expansion pack for say, Doom 3, does)...
I appreciate this info. I keep seeing PSU on the 360 for around
$10...but as I have the PC version(and got it new, for $5) I've just
sort of been waiting. Hooking the PC up to the HDTV isn't that tough,
and the fact that it'll immediately recognize my 360 controller makes it
that much more enticing. Maybe I will just play it through on the PC.
Does this mean that I could play online with you?
> So far they're online only. You see them randomly as bonus levels if you
> complete missions on each of the three worlds, and then you also see them
> all at once as part of the Maximum Attack G game events.
I hope they offer them as downloadable content at some point. I mean, I
guess that wouldn't help the PS2 owners, but at least the PC owners
could get it.
> It's a God of War clone. I wouldn't have even noticed it if I didn't pick
> it up on discount for $10. I think it's already down to $20 at Best Buy.
> And yeah, the graphics are low-rent because of the multi-platform
> requirement, but you don't need that many polygons to make wireframes for
> boobs. :)
Wow, I may have to hit BB and pick it up then. I've never played GoW,
but Conan just has something going for it...be it the extreme violence
and blood, or the beefy combat engine, but damn it's good stuff. Just
wish it looked better. Quite honestly, it's gotta be the only non-Live
Arcade title that I've seen on the 360 that is just, well...ugly.
Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/
"Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream...whoa, I think my dingy
hanging out!"
- Lo Wang, Shadow Warrior
sorealit...@gmail.com
>me that, for some odd reason, if you only have an Xbox Live Silver
>account, you can play PSU online for free. He said he's not quite sure
>how Sega didn't catch that, but that it works. My one month Gold trial
>is up next month, I may attempt to verify this...
You are partially correct. If you're playing on the 360, a silver
membership is sufficient (i.e. no Gold required to play online), but
you still must buy a GUARDIANS license to play online, which is $9.99
a month. In my opinion, still a better value than most MMOs on the
market, such as paying $15 a month for WoW or EVE, and $10 for FFXI.
> I agree. I've played it with another person, on the same Xbox, it was
> actually pretty good. I can't imagine doing more than one other person
> though, unless you've got a REALLY large TV...and even then, Sega just
> couldn't be bothered to make the game widescreen(pisses me off to no end).
Yeah, it was pretty decent, the only downside to playing on the same
box being that you don't get the full experience of other people
having items you don't and so forth. The Xbox PSO was fun while it
lasted, but really, the private PSO servers that are out now pretty
much surpass it in every way, save for the fact that most (none?) of
them support integrated voice chat.
> Hmmmm...so it sounds like the best way to do it would be the PC or PS2
> version, then, right? I mean, you install PSU, play it, then install
> PSU:Illuminus and play through it. I wonder if, on the PC version, once
> you install PSU:I that it considers them both one title and you don't
> actually have to exit one to start up the other(kind of like installing
> an expansion pack for say, Doom 3, does)...
It's really all up to preference. With the PS2 version, you need only
buy the AOTI disk, and you can play AOTI without the original PSU
disk, but then you have to switch disks to play the original PSU.
Whether that's an inconvenience to you or not, I have no idea.
With the PC version, I believe (note: I don't play PC PSU, so this is
half conjecture, half wiki) that you install AOTI from a disk or an
online download, and it's just like any other expansion pack. You
start it up, and it gives you the option of starting PSU or AOTI,
depending on which you want to play.
With the 360, you purchase the PSU disk (which IS required to play
online), then download the AOTI expansion from the marketplace for
1,600 MS points ($20). Then, when you start up the PSU disk, it will
give you the option of starting up AOTI instead of PSU.
> I appreciate this info. I keep seeing PSU on the 360 for around
> $10...but as I have the PC version(and got it new, for $5) I've just
> sort of been waiting. Hooking the PC up to the HDTV isn't that tough,
> and the fact that it'll immediately recognize my 360 controller makes it
> that much more enticing. Maybe I will just play it through on the PC.
> Does this mean that I could play online with you?
Again, all up to preference. The 360 servers do occasionally have
their lag spikes, but are a pretty good platform nonetheless. The PC/
PS2 servers (one would think) would probably have less players, since
they are region-locked, as opposed to the 360 servers. It's still $10
a month regardless of which platform you choose.
Also, yes, if you played the PC version, you would be able to play
with KKC. The PC and PS2 servers are linked, allowing cross-platform
play on the same servers. The 360 servers are just for 360 players,
since they are hosted by Microsoft.
Either way you slice it, and no matter which platform you get it on,
it's a great game. Of course, that's all opinion, but anyone who
disagrees can politely stuff it.
- SoReal
BelPowerslave
> membership is sufficient (i.e. no Gold required to play online), but
> you still must buy a GUARDIANS license to play online, which is $9.99
> a month. In my opinion, still a better value than most MMOs on the
> market, such as paying $15 a month for WoW or EVE, and $10 for FFXI.
Hmmmmm, perhaps he meant the two month trail the game comes with? It
does come with something like that, doesn't it(no matter the version)?
> Yeah, it was pretty decent, the only downside to playing on the same
> box being that you don't get the full experience of other people
> having items you don't and so forth. The Xbox PSO was fun while it
> lasted, but really, the private PSO servers that are out now pretty
> much surpass it in every way, save for the fact that most (none?) of
> them support integrated voice chat.
The private servers are only available for the DC and PC versions of the
game though, correct? It'd be nice if there was a way to connect to one
with the Xbox version.
> It's really all up to preference. With the PS2 version, you need only
> buy the AOTI disk, and you can play AOTI without the original PSU
> disk, but then you have to switch disks to play the original PSU.
> Whether that's an inconvenience to you or not, I have no idea.
>
> With the PC version, I believe (note: I don't play PC PSU, so this is
> half conjecture, half wiki) that you install AOTI from a disk or an
> online download, and it's just like any other expansion pack. You
> start it up, and it gives you the option of starting PSU or AOTI,
> depending on which you want to play.
>
> With the 360, you purchase the PSU disk (which IS required to play
> online), then download the AOTI expansion from the marketplace for
> 1,600 MS points ($20). Then, when you start up the PSU disk, it will
> give you the option of starting up AOTI instead of PSU.
I just wish Sega would have put out AOTI on an actual disc for the 360.
The fact that the 360 version is missing so much is just enough to drive
me back to the PC version again.
> Again, all up to preference. The 360 servers do occasionally have
> their lag spikes, but are a pretty good platform nonetheless. The PC/
> PS2 servers (one would think) would probably have less players, since
> they are region-locked, as opposed to the 360 servers. It's still $10
> a month regardless of which platform you choose.
I could see doing the trial period...but man, $10 a month is almost
rape. I remember back on PSO v2, on the DC, it was roughly around $9 per
three months. Those were the days...
> Also, yes, if you played the PC version, you would be able to play
> with KKC. The PC and PS2 servers are linked, allowing cross-platform
> play on the same servers. The 360 servers are just for 360 players,
> since they are hosted by Microsoft.
I don't really want to have to play it through on the PC, but having it
hooked up to my HDTV and then using a 360 controller wouldn't be too
terrible. I just can't put any money in to the 360 version knowing how
AOTI is neutered because Sega couldn't be bothered to put out a disc
version. The PS2 version...well, fuck Sony.
> Either way you slice it, and no matter which platform you get it on,
> it's a great game. Of course, that's all opinion, but anyone who
> disagrees can politely stuff it.
A buddy of mine has played through PSU on the PC and has the same
opinion. I want to give it a go, but I don't want to do it until I
*know* I have some time to play it. I'd hate to waste my 2 month trial,
you know? I wonder if, when one gets AOTI, they offer you another 2
month trial...
Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/
"Now lets rob the bank, give the money to the poor, then rob the poor
and shoot the money!"
- Billy The Kid, The Simpsons
SoReal
> Hmmmmm, perhaps he meant the two month trail the game comes with? It
> does come with something like that, doesn't it(no matter the version)?
Two month trial? I don't believe it comes with anything like that...
At least, not on the 360 version. If it does, then I got screwed. xD
> The private servers are only available for the DC and PC versions of the
> game though, correct? It'd be nice if there was a way to connect to one
> with the Xbox version.
That would be nice. The xbox version was pretty decent and, since it
was modeled off of Blue Burst, the graphics were much improved over
previous versions of PSO. Plus, voice support would be sweet. But
yeah, as far as I know, the only private PSO servers out there are for
the DC, GC, and PC versions of the game.
> I just wish Sega would have put out AOTI on an actual disc for the 360.
> The fact that the 360 version is missing so much is just enough to drive
> me back to the PC version again.
Meh. Personally, I don't think any of the extras that were included on
the AOTI disc are worth the trouble. I definitely prefer the 360's
method of content distribution where one purchases the original disc,
then downloads the expansion, over a two-disc distribution method. But
again, it's all a matter of preference.
> I could see doing the trial period...but man, $10 a month is almost
> rape. I remember back on PSO v2, on the DC, it was roughly around $9 per
> three months. Those were the days...
Yeah, the price of online gaming has certainly gone up in the last few
generations of consoles. It's sad, really. But when you think about
it, the falling value of the dollar nowadays coupled with the costs of
maintaining servers capable of running a next-gen game such as PSU
(which far surpasses it's predecessor in terms of processor strain, no
argument) means that the costs were bound to go up eventually. It's
basically a form of inflation.
But enough about economics. I still think that $10 a month for a game
of PSU's caliber is very fair. Much more fair than paying $15/mo. to
play a far inferior game such as WoW, at least. ^^
> I don't really want to have to play it through on the PC, but having it
> hooked up to my HDTV and then using a 360 controller wouldn't be too
> terrible. I just can't put any money in to the 360 version knowing how
> AOTI is neutered because Sega couldn't be bothered to put out a disc
> version. The PS2 version...well, fuck Sony.
It sounds like you've got your mind pretty much made up then, hmm?
Although I will agree with your view of the PS2 version (although for
completely different reasons, namely, the PS2 was simply not built for
online gaming), I'll politely disagree with your view of the 360
version, just because I play it and have no problems with it and (as
far as I know, I COULD be wrong...) it's the only platform for PSU
that supports voice chat. So there. xP
> A buddy of mine has played through PSU on the PC and has the same
> opinion. I want to give it a go, but I don't want to do it until I
> *know* I have some time to play it. I'd hate to waste my 2 month trial,
> you know? I wonder if, when one gets AOTI, they offer you another 2
> month trial...
Yeah, it's pretty tricky. The thing is, a lot of the things you do in
PSU don't really take up too much time. Aside from running missions,
that is. My friends and I are able to work in PSU sessions around full-
time work, college, and a social life. I'd say pay for the first month
(unless you get a trial which, again, I doubt PSU has) and just give
it a go. Wort that could happen is you have some fun with it, find out
you don't have time for it, cancel your subscription, and your account
(and characters) are saved on the server until the next time you
activate your account again.
Also, if you decide to play on the 360 servers, shoot me an email, and
I'll give you my gamertag. Me and my buddies can help show you the
ropes, just as I'm sure KKC would be willing to do if you joined the
PC/PS2 servers.
- SoReal
BelPowerslave
> At least, not on the 360 version. If it does, then I got screwed. xD
Hmmmmm, my buddy was saying something like that, but perhaps he was
wrong. I didn't find anything like that in the PC version of the game,
but I figured it may have been offered the first time you try to get
online. Man, no trial at all...that really blows.
> That would be nice. The xbox version was pretty decent and, since it
> was modeled off of Blue Burst, the graphics were much improved over
> previous versions of PSO.
I agree. To me, the simple addition of voice chat made the Xbox version
the absolute best one out there, period. I hated having to stop to type
something out all the time back on the DC version.
> Plus, voice support would be sweet.
Using something like Ventrilo or one of the other free VOIP things could
clear up the issue for BB, I'd imagine(but only once you got in to your
game, it'd be too much of a pain to do the entire lobby).
> But
> yeah, as far as I know, the only private PSO servers out there are for
> the DC, GC, and PC versions of the game.
I have the install file for BB and have *always* wanted to play it, but
just never have looked in to what it'd take to get on to one of the
private servers. BB is Episode 4, yes?
> Meh. Personally, I don't think any of the extras that were included on
> the AOTI disc are worth the trouble.
Well, if you've got the time and don't mind, could you break it down for
me? KKC mentioned "enhanced offline content with cutscenes and new
music." for the things missing from the 360 version of AotI. I really
enjoy cinemas in game, and quite honestly I feel the soundtrack is a
HUGE part of the experience, so hearing that some of that was cut is
really depressing...but I guess I could go with out, assuming the
offline content he was talking about isn't that great. I tried looking
around for some detailed info on what's actually missing, but I can't
seem to find anything. If you, or KKC, want to elaborate I'd be more
than willing to listen. :)
> I definitely prefer the 360's
> method of content distribution where one purchases the original disc,
> then downloads the expansion, over a two-disc distribution method. But
> again, it's all a matter of preference.
I don't mind disc swapping, but having the expansion on the HDD would be
nice...if A) they wouldn't have cut stuff out and B) the 360 came with
something more than a shitty 14.1GB HDD. :(
> Yeah, the price of online gaming has certainly gone up in the last few
> generations of consoles. It's sad, really. But when you think about
> it, the falling value of the dollar nowadays coupled with the costs of
> maintaining servers capable of running a next-gen game such as PSU
> (which far surpasses it's predecessor in terms of processor strain, no
> argument) means that the costs were bound to go up eventually. It's
> basically a form of inflation.
I know a lot my problem with it is, and it's the same problem most
people had with PSO Ep1&2 hit Live, why do we have to pay to play it
online when it's *MS* hosting the server. You'd think because it's them
doing it, that PSU's online play would be free when you've got a Gold
account.
> But enough about economics. I still think that $10 a month for a game
> of PSU's caliber is very fair. Much more fair than paying $15/mo. to
> play a far inferior game such as WoW, at least. ^^
To me, the fact that these people want us to *pay $40+ for the game* AND
THEN another $10 to $15 a month is just sickening. To me, if you're
going to force the player to have to connect to your server just to play
the game at all, the game should be free. This is exactly why I have
never attempted EQ, WoW, etc. To me it just seems like legalized rape.
> It sounds like you've got your mind pretty much made up then, hmm?
Maybe. If I ever get another PC, I would already be playing this with my
old PC hooked up to the HDTV, but sadly I'm still rockin' the P4 3Ghz
with Hyperthreading. ;) With that said, though it's not that big of a
deal to hook the thing up to the HDTV and use the 360 controller to play
it, it'd just be easier to do it via the actual 360...and I'd have
better luck getting others to join me.
> Although I will agree with your view of the PS2 version (although for
> completely different reasons, namely, the PS2 was simply not built for
> online gaming),
They almost had it going when they released the HDD, but when Sony
quietly swept that under the rug I knew it was pretty much over. My God,
the amount of cheating that goes on in any given PS2 game online is
enough to make one puke blood. No way to fix it either, since they can't
patch the games...(idiots)
> I'll politely disagree with your view of the 360
> version, just because I play it and have no problems with it and (as
> far as I know, I COULD be wrong...) it's the only platform for PSU
> that supports voice chat. So there. xP
Word, and that's a lot of what's causing this whole dilemma. The ease of
use plus integrated voice chat...the way PSO/U *should* be played.
> Yeah, it's pretty tricky. The thing is, a lot of the things you do in
> PSU don't really take up too much time. Aside from running missions,
> that is. My friends and I are able to work in PSU sessions around full-
> time work, college, and a social life. I'd say pay for the first month
> (unless you get a trial which, again, I doubt PSU has) and just give
> it a go. Wort that could happen is you have some fun with it, find out
> you don't have time for it, cancel your subscription, and your account
> (and characters) are saved on the server until the next time you
> activate your account again.
Let me ask you this: Does 360 PSU allow for split screen co-op, or is
that a Live thing only?
> Also, if you decide to play on the 360 servers, shoot me an email, and
> I'll give you my gamertag. Me and my buddies can help show you the
> ropes, just as I'm sure KKC would be willing to do if you joined the
> PC/PS2 servers.
Ok, will do. I see PSU on the 360 for $10 a lot of the time, and even
though I have it on the PC(un-played) I have been seriously tempted. I
am really interested in the offline mode. After playing PSO for so long,
and the offline mode of it pretty much mirroring the online mode, it'd
be nice to see an actual, original single player quest for PSO/U.
Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/
"We'll meet again...in Hell"
- Cobra, The Space Adventure
Kendrick Kerwin Chua
BelPowerslave <b...@whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>
>I have the install file for BB and have *always* wanted to play it, but
>just never have looked in to what it'd take to get on to one of the
>private servers. BB is Episode 4, yes?
It's a subset. Blue Burst is really Episode 1 and 2 with extra content and
new monsters. Episode 4 was released as an expansion to Blue Burst and was
playable only on PC, and then only online. I'm not sure if Schthack or
anybody else is supporting Episode 4 content, since it continuously dials
home for account verification during play.
>> Meh. Personally, I don't think any of the extras that were included on
>> the AOTI disc are worth the trouble.
>
>Well, if you've got the time and don't mind, could you break it down for
>me? KKC mentioned "enhanced offline content with cutscenes and new
>music." for the things missing from the 360 version of AotI. I really
<snip>
>seem to find anything. If you, or KKC, want to elaborate I'd be more
>than willing to listen. :)
You're not really missing out on a whole lot. There are a few short
segments where you see Laia Martinez in action as a hunter, and there are
news segments from Gurhal Channel Five (yes, it's an intentional homage.)
It adds to the atmosphere, but doesn't really give you any new information
that you don't get from the game engine cut scenes included in both
versions.
>To me, the fact that these people want us to *pay $40+ for the game* AND
>THEN another $10 to $15 a month is just sickening. To me, if you're
>going to force the player to have to connect to your server just to play
>the game at all, the game should be free. This is exactly why I have
>never attempted EQ, WoW, etc. To me it just seems like legalized rape.
I don't dispute your logic, but I will say that I find valuation of games
to be a little skewed by the price wars of the 32-bit era. We expect new
releases to be around $50 or $60. That's what, three nights out to eat at
a good restaurant? Movie tickets for six people? One good bottle of
Sangria? Two cases of cigarettes? $10 a month is nothing if you're
measuring it as a fraction of your income, especially if you can afford to
have a game console in the house to begin with.
-KKC, downloading the Armored Core 4 demo.
--
-- A class action lawsuit has been settled against | kendrick @
Paypal for $3.5 million. Read the full notification | io . com
at http://www.steelesettlement.com/ and see if you |
are eligible for class membership and payment. | http://www.io.com/~kkc
SoReal
> It's a subset. Blue Burst is really Episode 1 and 2 with extra content and
> new monsters. Episode 4 was released as an expansion to Blue Burst and was
> playable only on PC, and then only online. I'm not sure if Schthack or
> anybody else is supporting Episode 4 content, since it continuously dials
> home for account verification during play.
Yeah, Schthack is supporting Episode 4 content. The thing is, you have
to download a patch that goes with whatever version of the game you're
using. The PC BB players just download a patch, and the DC and GC
players have to put in an Action Replay code or something. But anyway,
the patch allows it to connect to the Schthack servers for updates,
and since the Schthack team has some skilled programmers anyway, they
occasionally release patches and content releases for BB. It's pretty
cool.
By the way, Bel, the site (in case you haven't figured it out by now.
xP) is www.schthack.com, and that is (in my opinion) the best private
server available for PSO. Check it out if you have the time. Free PSO
> a lot of stuff.
> Bel:
> Using something like Ventrilo or one of the other free VOIP things could
> clear up the issue for BB, I'd imagine(but only once you got in to your
> game, it'd be too much of a pain to do the entire lobby).
Yeah, but there would have to be some sort of integrated voice chat
program to make it worth the time to use. Ventrilo is a perfectly good
solution, but the fact remains that everyone would be on one server,
so it would be really hard to single out the people who are in the
same room with you to talk to and hear only them.
> KKC:
> You're not really missing out on a whole lot. There are a few short
> segments where you see Laia Martinez in action as a hunter, and there are
> news segments from Gurhal Channel Five (yes, it's an intentional homage.)
> It adds to the atmosphere, but doesn't really give you any new information
> that you don't get from the game engine cut scenes included in both
> versions.
That's what I read, too. I mean, if you're really into the PSU
atmosphere and setting, Bel, go for it. You'll probably enjoy it a lot
more. Otherwise, look up the extra content online and watch it on your
computer for free. Same difference.
> Bel:
> To me, the fact that these people want us to *pay $40+ for the game* AND
> THEN another $10 to $15 a month is just sickening. To me, if you're
> going to force the player to have to connect to your server just to play
> the game at all, the game should be free. This is exactly why I have
> never attempted EQ, WoW, etc. To me it just seems like legalized rape.
Exactly why I stayed away from most popular MMOs. I mean, I tried WoW
on a private server because I heard it was fun, but I didn't want to
pay for it. I will tell you right now, though: from the perspective of
someone who has been around the block a few times (when it comes to
MMOs, at least), that not WoW, EVE, Requiem, CABAL, EQ I & II, SWG
(pre and post CU), LOTR Online, Conquer Online, Guild Wars, Silkroad,
or any of the other (I'm sure numerous) MMOs I've played were able to
hold my attention long enough to warrant me playing past my trial (or,
in the case of the F2P games, for more than a month).
PSU is the first MMO I've played that (I think) is worth the (already
low in comparison) subscription price and (once again, my opinion) is
far superior to any other MMORPG I've played. Take that, MMO creators.
Quit making the same EQ and WoW clone over and over, and maybe I'd buy
some of your games, too.
> KKC:
> I don't dispute your logic, but I will say that I find valuation of games
> to be a little skewed by the price wars of the 32-bit era. We expect new
> releases to be around $50 or $60. That's what, three nights out to eat at
> a good restaurant? Movie tickets for six people? One good bottle of
> Sangria? Two cases of cigarettes? $10 a month is nothing if you're
> measuring it as a fraction of your income, especially if you can afford to
> have a game console in the house to begin with.
Yeah, the prices of games nowadays are beginning to get insane. That's
another reason why PSU was one of the only MMOs I wanted to pick up.
Every other MMO was charging at least $30 for the program itself, on
top of the subscription fee. I got my copy of PSU for $10.
On top of that, I think that spending $60 on a new release is simply
ludicrous. I understand that games are getting more and more
complicated to make, and require the use of bigger companies, more
employees, and better machines, but seriously, I don't pay more than
$50 for a game. I think $50 is a fair compensation for a game
developer's time and work, and I certainly don't mind waiting a month
or so for the price on a game to go down before I commit to buying it.
> Bel:
> Let me ask you this: Does 360 PSU allow for split screen co-op, or is
> that a Live thing only?
Heh. Good question. Unfortunately, to those of you who loved playing
PSO split-screen on the original Xbox, the lack of split-screen in
it's successor is a rather large disappointment. I suppose I can
understand, though, since the story now revolves around one central
character, as opposed to the random, raw recruit one was allowed to
make in PSO.
> Bel (again):
> Ok, will do. I see PSU on the 360 for $10 a lot of the time, and even
> though I have it on the PC(un-played) I have been seriously tempted. I
> am really interested in the offline mode. After playing PSO for so long,
> and the offline mode of it pretty much mirroring the online mode, it'd
> be nice to see an actual, original single player quest for PSO/U.
See, here's the kicker. The story mode *continues* in PSU online. Yes,
I'll clarify that. If you get PSU online, you can play through
Episodes 2 and 3 of the story mode! Well, you have to buy AOTI to get
episode 3, but why wouldn't you anyway?
In many ways, PSU reflects PSO a lot. The gameplay is pretty much the
same in the online and offline modes for both games. But the
difference is that in PSU, the depth in the actual game, and the sheer
number of extra things to do (plus the fact that SonicTeam is running
a lot of server-wide events) is GARGANTUNORMOUS! (Okay, it's not THAT
big, but whatever. There's still a lot of stuff to do compared to the
offline mode.)
Also, if you were planning on getting gamerpoints for playing the 360
version, you might want to hold off on playing the story (unless you
don't mind playing it again). Almost all 1000 of the gamerpoints for
PSU are acquired through the story mode, with the extra 250 tacked on
with AOTI being available online. Just something to keep in mind.
- SoReal
> > > I know, this post was a little choppy. I was responding to both of your posts, though, and it was hard to keep my thoughts together. xD