Month: August 2011

Phantasy Star Online 2 Global Concerns + Alpha Test Status Report

Ricardo 13 Comments

Alpha Test Status Report (NEW!)

Bonko didn't really sound so happy about yesterday's test. There was a high load on the server which caused considerable lag. Because of this they are not considering adding new participants to the 23rd test at this time. This only leaves those who were not selected to wait until the 26th and 27th to participate. 

 Relay updated below in Orange Text.

Previous Information

Earlier this morning Bonkohara, the assistant producer answered questions regarding if there is going to be a Global / English release of the game. Since her text was translated from Japanese to Engrish, we have rewritten the Q&A to a proper format.

Q: IS PSO2 going to be released in every country?

A: We would like to release the game all over the world but we have not decided on a schedule

Q: Are you not making an English page?

A: There are no plans right now for making an English page.

Q: Why doesn't the PSO2 Facebook page post English updates often?

A: We would like to do it but the Staff is sometimes not good enough to fully understand English. We will try our best to post a status update in English.

 

Hello Facebook friends! I am Bonko :)! Now it is 6PM and the second day for the alpha test has just started now! Well, actually I was playing the game last night with everyone! 😀 Hiding from the eyes of the producer Sakai! Haha!

I am so busy tonight, but if I have a chance, I would like to play the game. Even if you can not receive an alpha test invite, you still have a chance to receive additional announcements if the α test goes well. I will update report of the alpha test at twitter. please follow us!

[Thanks TierrenZX]

Alpha Test Status Report

So what's going on in the alpha test? Well Bonkohara tweeted that there has been lag when users are connected to certain blocks in Ship 1 (Server). If you experience lag in picking up items and such you should move to another block.

In another tweet, she reports the number of simultaneous connections to PSO2 has crossed over 2,200.

In another tweet, she wrote the server will be extended by two hours today. So it will start from 5 AM to 12 PM EST instead of 5AM to 10AM EST. There's also going to be maintenance at 8 AM to 8:10AM EST.

 

Today's Relay

  • Ranger Skill Tree
    • Dive Roll >  Dive Roll Advance
    • Weak Bullet > Bind Bullet
    • Tool Mastery > Poison Trap > Poison Trap Custom
    • Ability Up 1 > Ability Up 2 > Ability Up 3 > Reaction Up 1
  • Ranger Gameplay
    • Rangers utilize Assault Rifle to fire rapid fire shots. They also have something like a burst shot for their PA button.
    • Assault Rifle also has a heavy burst like shot, it has a blast similar to a grenade explosion. In the same video the "Grenade Shell" PA was spotted in the log. Most likely that is the name of the PA.
    • In a ranger video, at the end the player reaches to the next block that says "Multi Party Area" (As the official site shows, there's a Multiparty area and a Multiparty Quest. So we wonder how multi party areas sync up.)
  • Force Skill Tree
    • Flame Mastery > Photon Flare > Flame Tech S Charge >  Flame Mastery 2
    • Mirage Escape
    • Ice Mastery > Freeze Ignition > Ice Mastery 2 > Freeze Tech Boost
    • Bolt Mastery >PP Convert > Bolt Mastery 2 > Bolt Tech PP Save
    • PP Up 1 > Tech Up 1 > Mind Up 1 > PP Up 2 > PP Regenerate
  • Item Menu
    • 倉庫へ送る (Send to Storage) You can send items to storage while you are in the field.
  • Items Listed
    • Monomate 
    • Dimate
    • Trimate
    • Moon Atomizer
    • Star Atomizer
    • Telepipe
    • Photon Drop
    • Anti
    • Sub / Ad Wall
    • Sub / Saquinde ?
    • Gunslashes: Gun Slash |  Alva Slash
    • Assault Rifles: Rifle |  Alva Rifle
  • Weapons
    • Any weapon of any type can have elements attached.  For example there were several swords, one had Dark 18 attached. A wired lance had 27 fire. A Rifle had 21 dark attached.
  • Player
    • When a player dies they can choose to return to the start point. (In a demonstration they returned to Camp Ship)
  • Enemy
    • Enemies will pursue you, if you run away and jump on a high ledge, they will also try to jump and reach you.
    • Burned Enemies turn orange.
    • Underneath the enemy's name is the kanji for 弱点 weak point. Most enemies in the forest show the fire icon, but the icon is way off to the right.
  • HUD
    • When your character's HP is low, your screen turns red and an audible warning is heard.
    • When you target another player you can see their Actual HP / Max HP
  • Settings Screen
    • Language Settings Spotted. Right now currently selected as Nihongo (Japanese) 
  • Controller Support
    • A play tester linked from 2ch said the game worked very well with the Xbox 360 controller (for windows). Though for other controllers  button placement wasn't very intuitive.

 

Phantasy Star Online 2 Server Open + IGP Winners

Ricardo 5 Comments

Congratulations, the alpha test has now started! Today and tomorrow the first chosen participants will play the newest era in the Phantasy Star series. Currently the client has to be patched before playing.

Update: Today the official Sega Twitter page announced it will (break its previous schedule…) and add more people to the alpha test. So check your emails today to see if you were added. You will be placed in tomorrow's test.

User Relay Updated: 9:07PM EST

    • Over 1600 people were connected to the alpha test.
    • The Flow of starting a mission, the main lobby > quest area > camp ship > mission.
    • Healing items look like canisters on the field. Monomates, Star Atomizer, Photon Crystal, Photon Drop were spotted.
    • Each weapon type has their own specific icon when they are on the ground. Rods have a rod icon, gunslash has it's own gunslash icon, etc
    • Shift is the auxilliary action but it performs different things on different weapons. For example, when you have a Sword and have the Guard skill you press SHIFT to guard. When you have a Gunslash you press SHIFT to change from attacking to shooting.  However the original combo (right mouse button) already has its own agenda.
    • You can lock weapons so you don't discard them.
    • Music is very light and airy and BGM transitions from calm to battle. Music transition is very quick.
    • You can use technics within your physical attack  combos. (Normal atk > Normal Atk 2 > Foie)
    • PA Discs look like CDs when on the ground.
    • You can attack without weapons.
    • When enemies have status effects, their colors change, "Poison" Status effect changes their color to purple.
    • Healing pads look similar to the way they did in PSO.
    • NPC "Dynal"  in missions drop boxes with healing pads from his aircraft. Player described this event as very FPS like
    • Alpha test has 4 character slots but there's a space for a fifth one but it looks disabled.
    • Weapons icons (looks like sword) drops on the ground.
    • You can continuously use "Step" or "Jump" without any cool down (I'm sure they'll probably change this aspect later on)
    • Interrupt Event: An NPC named Prigita, tasked the player with defeating the hovering enemy, Vriahda (Briahda).
    • Transitioning to different blocks actually look like heading off to a new area instead of just warping.
    • Sub Classes were removed from the Skill Tree.
    • You can cut trees down with your sword, we even saw the blades of grass get cut.
    • You can guard with your sword.
    • Forces can teleport or warp to evade attacks.
    • A player reported during evasion (Mirage Escape) as a Force he was completely invincible.
  • Alpha Test invites Sent
    • More reports of them sending out new candidates for the alpha test.

 

Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity Teaser

Next week for PSP2i, the winners of the Infinity Grand Prix will release their designed weapons.

 

As for PSU Japan, the beach mission will release with the original arrangement of the BGM, we now know the name of the song is "Naked Sky."

Phantasy Star Online 2: Players Site Opens

Ricardo 10 Comments

Getting ready for the alpha test, the Phantasy Star Online 2 Players Site is now open. We are seeing tweets about a downloadable client. In addition Sega has launched the official Twitter page. You can add @sega_pso2 to twitter for the latest news!

 

 

 Start Screen

Player Feedback Furage!

The following information is based on users relaying information on what they see within the site. Information is collected from 2ch, twitter, and Japanese blogs and comments.

  • Alpha Test User Info
    • nProtect Gameguard is utilized in the Alpha test version of Phantasy Star Online 2.
    • "It is forbidden to disclose information to any outside websites, forums, video sites, twitter, etc."
    • Mags, My room, and the Item Trade Functions are not available in the Alpha Test.
    • PSU Lobby Actions are temporary, they have plans to implement new lobby actions in the future.
    • Auto Word implemented, also a new Chat Feature is coming in the future.
    • Manga Iconography (ex. Sweat Drop) can be placed below text balloons.
  • Alpha Test Restrictions 
    • Class Level up to Level 20. Alpha test gives access to some skills.
    • Only 5 weapon categories with access to some PAs and some Technics.
    • Can't change your class while in the Alpha Test (After you've chosen initial class or While you are in a field?)
    • Can't change your Costume, or form while in the alpha test (After you've made the character or While you are in a field?)
    • Interrupt Event, only some patterns and variations are available.
    • There will be a minimum amount of explanation regarding the general setting of PSO2 in the alpha test. As for the story elements, this won't be featured in the alpha test. In the future,they have plans to have a full fledged story.
  • Available Features
    • Three Races, Three Classes to choose from.
    • Multiparty System, Random Field, Photon Sensitive Effect.
    • Forest field and later the Volcano Caverns Field
    • Quest Counter, Skill Counter, Item Shop, Weapon Shop.
    • Friend, Black List
  • Alpha Test Save Data
    • After the Alpha Test is over,  save data is reset and is not transferred to future tests.
  • Photon Arts
    • Twister Fall (Wired Lance? PA?)
  • Force Skill Tree
    • Flame Mastery > Photon Flare > Flame Tech S Charge
    • Ice Mastery > Freeze Ignition > Freeze Tech Boost
    • Mirage Escape
    • Bolt Mastery > Bolt Tech PP Save
  • Gamepad (3 Sources)
    • Official Site listed Recommended Gamepads.
    • Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller for Windows 
    • ELECOM USBtoPS/PS2 Gamepad Converter
    • BUFFALO USB Gamepad 16 Button
    • Logicool PC GameController GPX-500
    • Rumble Gamepad F310
    • Rumble Gamepad F510
    • Wireless Gamepad F710
    • EXA PSU AOTI Official Gamepad

Class Specific Evasion Actions

So far it was discovered through screenshots that there are class specific evasive actions. In previous screenshots it was revealed Hunters have "Step", in today's screenshot it was revealed Forces have "Mirage Escape" and later on a screencast revealed that rangers do indeed have a ability called "Dive Roll."

  • Hunters: Step
  • Rangers: Dive Roll
  • Force: Mirage Escape

Mirage Escape lets forces warp short distances to evade attacks. Videos also show that Rangers can indeed dive to the side just like in Phantasy Star Portable 2 series.

 Also of note, Hunters seem to have exclusive use of Guard. The force skill tree so far doesn't seem to have that skill.

PSO2 Concepts

PSO2 Fomarl Concept!

 

PSO2 FOnewm Concept

After reaching 2000 Likes, Bonkohara revealed the next concept images!