Category: Phantasy Star Online 2

Good morning! Sakai updated his blog about the character creation demo. Compared to the fiasco yesterday I can take my time writing it today.

 

Character Creation Demo

There's 4 key points about this Demo you can play on April 5th

• Unlike the main game, it works without being connected to a network
• It's the same character creation like the Closed Beta, and you can save your character data.
• You can use this character data in the closed beta test.
• You can use this demo as a benchmark to see how PSO2 works.

Seems like this is a good tool to use to recommend to people who don't know much about PSO2.

This demo is a little over 450MB. You will unzip the file then install the contents inside. (Look for a cute baby rappy icon). As shown above, this demo does not need an internet connection to play. When you start it up you can also change the settings similarly to the main game.

環境設定 (Settings)

• 簡易描画設定 Is a quick way for changing the graphical settings of the game.
• 画面: Allows you to change screen size and interface size.
• 描画: Allows you to change the Texture and Shader settings
• 音声: Allows you to change the BGM and Voice Volume.

You can take screenshots in this version too, it will display a Phantasy Star Online 2 copyright text at the lower right corner. However, in this version screenshots are taken with JPG, but the main game will also support PNG and BMP.

This is the title screen.

 

Demonstration

There's a demonstration where you'll see characters running around the city area, this city area will be introduced in the Closed Beta. They are the four characters who appear in the opening movie, Humar, Fonewearl, RAcast, and Hunewearl.

 

 

If you push the enter key you'll see this screen.

• 動作検証 (Benchmark Test)*
• キャラクタークリエイト Character Creation
• オプション Option
• ゲーム終了 End Game

 

Character Creation

Though it is roughly the same as the Closed Beta, there are some differences.

• Can't choose voices in the demo (The Main game will also have some new voices)
• Casts can't choose Hover. (You can in the main game,)

There are also some changes from Alpha Test 2

• Male and Female Newman Ranger Default Costumes were added
• A few human type face variations were added
• Save / Load character data.
• Checkbox Confirmation of Edits

 

You can also save character data mid-way and load it. When you save your character data, it will be stored under MY DOCUMENTS\SEGA\PHANTASYSTARONLINE2. You can not save a file if there's already a file of the same name so just add a different name to the file. You can not choose the file for a character you are editing if it is a different  race/sex than the one you saved. Class data is not saved in this file either.

After you are done you can proceed to the benchmark test

 

Benchmark Test

Instead of the default HUmar, your character is shown in his place. This allows you to see how your character looks like while in the game and see benchmark scores.

 

When you finish this demo, a score will be shown on the screen.

If your score is less than 2000, it is advised you change graphical settings so that there isn't so much of a load on your system.

2001 to 5000: Your game runs well in this setting, however if you are near the edge of this score, it's recommended you change some settings.

Higher: Your game works beautifully!

As with alpha test 2, you can show this demo to the public, there's no NDA obviously.

The character creation contest details will be revealed at a later time. Tomorrow he's going to discuss the new features in the Closed Beta test.

 

Morning folks, Sakai updated with a very long post. Unfortunately I'm pressed for time today as it's not a usual day the blog updates on.  I covered most of it already in these last three posts but here's what you need to know.

 

Closed Beta details

• In the closed beta test movie it was written that you can go up to level 30. Well Sakai states it is actually level 20, there was a change in the game's balancing so they had to make the adjustment. Sorry for the mistake.
• The character creation demo in April does indeed work offline.
• If you've applied for Alpha Test 1 or Alpha Test 2 or the Email newsletter you are already in the drawing to participate in the Beta test.
•  The closed beta expects to have 100,000 players and already 10,000 new entries were sent in. If you reach level 10, you can get a weapon hologram room item you can use in the Open Beta.
• They understand your concerns for cheaters in F2P games and will do what they can to provide a safe community.

 

As of now, their plans is to start the PC game officially in early summer. The smartphone version uses the same play data as the PC and Vita version. You can play a single player game that includes character creation, raising your character, go on an adventure with your friend's character, check mail from your friends, or confirm sales from the shop. The smartphone version is aiming to start in Winter 2012. Since there will be some interlocking connection to the PC version of the game, smartphone users will undergo a test to ensure quality.

PC/Vita/Smartphone users can download the official game fore free. On each version the  standard game is free. It will be supported by cash items.

Their game policy is to ensure that by playing for free there will not be any restrictions on what class level you can go up to. They will not allow  the direct sales of highly over powerful weapons (and such) for large sums of cash either.

For example, there will be a campaign to receive select game  items from purchasing particular Microsoft and Intel products. These items are not intended to rob the motivation of players since these weapons are not powerful, and the same kinds of items will eventually drop sometime after the official game starts.

 

The Various Forms of Cash Items

System type items

• Storage and Skill Tree expansion (Instead of skills costing money, you could acquire a new skill tree.) Add-ons like allowing you to set up a My Room/My Shop, and expanded features in Item Trade services, etc.
• (Clarifying note:  Sorry, since it was causing confusion, I incorrectly worded the sentence.  The basic sentence was to say that these are features that you add or expand upon your game by purchasing these services. )

Consumption Items

• The sales of some consumption items like Scape Dolls. You can of course revive other players for free by using moon atomizers.
• Some cash items can have larger effects on health restoration.

Limited Time Effect Based Items

• Items that can increase the success rate of grinding, drop boosts, and experience rate. And drop  and experience rate boosts will have an effect for a limited time.

Avatar Items

• You can purchase items that affect your character's appearance, including variations of clothing and accessories and costumes. Only certain areas of the makeup counter will be charged.

Some cash items are available in  "Arks Scratch". It appears to be some kind of lottery game. With items you acquire from "scratch" you can sell most but not all these items in your player shop and even use them in meseta transactions. There are two styles of scratch. The cheap version consists of various cash items including clothing and accessories. In the slightly expensive version, it only consists of clothing and accessories. (As explained above, weapons are not included here.)

 Tomorrow he wants to talk about the Character Demo releasing on April 5th.

PSO2's higher quality main visual designed by Mizuno
who also did artwork for PSP2 and PSP2i.

At the end of April, 2012, you will be allowed to play the Closed Beta test for Phantasy Star Online 2. Since the previous version, several improvements have been added based on user feedback. In addition, some new elements have been added to the game. Applications for the Closed Beta will begin today, Monday, March 26th, 2012 at 16:00 JST!

If you participate in the Closed Beta test, if any of your characters reach level 10 in any class level, you will receive special gifts when the Open Beta starts. This gift is a room item called "Weapon Hologram". In the open beta test, your character data is saved and ported to the official game.

The weapon hologram will display a hologram
of a weapon you have obtained.

Phantasy Star Online 2 will be released on 3 platforms, Windows PC, Vita, and Smartphones. Each version will be a free download, and the standard game will be free to play. Some items will be cash items.

As with previous tests, the closed beta will compromise of discovering bugs, adjusting game balance, and to completely increase the satisfaction of the game towards its users.

The closed Beta test will mainly focus on these two areas:

• To test the basic game system. This includes testing new elements such as the Matter Board, Client Orders, and Emergency Quests. To discover bugs, and receive feedback.
• The implementation of the system to purchase Cash Items, and to purchase them with the in game currency known as Arks Cash. The price of the Arks Cash items are not finalized in this version. All players will receive 10000AC to use freely on whatever they desire.
  

The details about the OPEN beta test will be revealed after the Closed Beta Test.

• The closed beta test data will be deleted and will not be used in the official game.
• You can not use the data from the second alpha test in this version either.

Closed Beta Test Recruiting Time

•  3/26/2012 16:00JST  ~ 4/16/2012 18:00 JST

Participants

• 100,000 people

Recruitment

• Japanese Residents
• Minimum Requirements Met
• Those who played Alpha Test 2, and got their class level up to 10. Except those who violated the agreements laid out in Alpha Test 1 or Alpha Test 2.
• Those who didn't register for either tests can register for the Closed Beta
• You must register for both a SEGA ID, and PSO2 service that's included in the signup process.

Beta Test Starting Date

• End of April. (Dates revealed later.)

Winner Announcements

• Winners will be announced before the closed beta starts through emails.

Special Gift

• Those who take part in the closed beta will receive a special room item called the "Weapon Hologram" at the Open Beta Test.

Those who win will be notified by email. Emails will be sent out over the course of a few days to avoid download congestion. You can not download the client until you receive the emails.

 

Closed Beta Minimum Requirements

• OS: Windows XP/Vista/7  32 bit OR Vista/7 64 bit
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
• RAM: Windows XP：1.5GB or more
• RAM: Vista/7：2GB or more
• HDD: 8GB or more
• RESOLUTION: 1280×720
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 7800GT  or similar or more.
• SOUND:  DirectX 9.0c or higher

The closed beta minimum requirements are different from the official game.

 

Signup

To signup for the closed beta you must create a SEGA ID and complete the registration for Phantasy Star Online 2. You can signup for a SEGA ID at this site and complete registration. Please note you should have some Japanese knowledge with Katakana if you need to enter a captcha. If it asks that it needs a Japanese enabled browser to continue, in Firefox go to Tools > Options > Content > Languages (Choose) > Add Japanese to the list.

 

After signing up select Phantasy Star Online 2 Registration button.
Phantasy Star Online 2 Closed Beta section is highlighted in purple here.

 

Reaching this page may require you to enter Japanese CAPTCHA.
Here you will register for the Closed Beta.

 

If you have already registered for Alpha Test 1 and Alpha Test 2 there is no need to register for a SEGA ID or register for PSO2 again.