Phantasy Star Online 2! Open Beta now!

[Balding Spider]

http://www.polygon.com/2013/3/25/4146658/phantasy-star-online-2-delayed-in-north-america-sega-confirms

 

Boy howdy I'm getting them Anarchy Reigns feels all over again.

[Sephy]

I didn't know this games was even confirmed to release in the West o.O....In Europe too or just America?

[Balding Spider]

I didn't know this games was even confirmed to release in the West o.O....In Europe too or just America?

 

I have no idea, and like you I didn't even know it was planned to come state side. That's how silent it's been.

[Coral]

That news story is essentially what SoA has been telling us this whole time. They always either respond to questions with a "It's coming" or they delete your comment on the spot. This is nothing new though I do have to wonder what the deal is with this silence. Last year's PAX they were ecstatic to show off SOMETHING whereas now it's like the complete opposite. Either way, the japanese servers ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon so I'm good. :}

 

Pics 'cause why not! You'll notice a jump in quality on the final 2 pics because I recently learned my comp can handle more than minimum settings. :b

I heard meeting your doppleganger can be hazardous to your existence. Also philosophical discussions about Afin's pants.

 

Well, this is awkward.

 

I had a weird bug recently where none of my items or skills showed up. It was just a bunch of clear boxes.

You can imagine how annoying that'd be if it were permanent.

 

Hehee... I'm a block with feet.

 

Chicken admiring the stars in the desert.

[Meta77]

Arvaarda is recruiting for our team *aka guild*

 

Hey there everyone! So we finally have our own team formed and are looking for member's. We need some so we may start making headway in pso2. Atm we are formed on the Japanese servers but when the NA version releases we plan to spread to it as well and run on both. We are currently accepting all levels. We only ask that you know how to speak some English as we are not as fluent in many other languages yet but we are always willing to learn.

We are on ship 2

 

If you would be interested in joining please email the time you could be on and character name to saar again we only ask you be somewhat active in the game
http://www.pso-world.com/forums/member.php?u=78651

 

[Meow]

I'd join but I am on Ship 10 because I switched early on due to A) Ship 2's general bullshit at the time haha (dunno if it is still as bad as it was) and B ) I had friends on Ship 10.

But if anyone is playing on ship 10 let me know. I don't get on too often but I would like to again

Edited April 3, 2013 by Desco

[Meta77]

aw :c well we want to expand eventually. If we get a big enough group up we would love to get people on other ships. Our end goal is to be running on both the NA servers and JP servers

[gato]

Sorry, already taken and I don't have any plans of leaving so far...

 

But thanks anyway for the offer, also for unintentionally reminding me I haven't updated this one in a while, let me see what Overlooked...

 

 

 

This are the contents of the current scratch, better grab them quick because most will be gone after this week's maint.

 

 

 

Article about the (actually fairly substantial) April 10th update. (with video)

 

 

Kind of confused, I thought Jabba was going to be the main boss but the video makes it look like the mid one.

 

Oh yeah, and I'm SO getting that Egg Blaster.

 

 

 

Phantasy Star Online 2: Code Episode 2 announced. (I guess it's a fancy way of calling an update? It has many interesting things but those are going to most likely be spoon-fed to us so I feel like it's going to be like any other update we had so far... Not that I actually mind this that much...)

 

 

 

Announcement of the 7th Livestream. (We might be able to get some new info here so stay tunned! )

 

 

 

 

 

As for screens... Well... I had a pretty fun day last week, some of my aibous needed to do some time attack missions and since I'm such a gentleman I decided to join them, in compensation, the guys went more than a extra mile and invited me to DIDNEY WORL! o/

 

 

 

The happiest place on Earth!

 

 

 

It was so fun! We got to see the light shows and a parade of planes!

 

 

 

 

 

We took a nice tour around the water world!

 

 

 

 

We even visited the greatest mirror hall I've ever seen, quite creepy and realistic.

 

 

 

 

At the end we met with one of those guys in a fur suit who came to greet us.

 

 

 

 

We beat the crap out of him and stole all his stuff, we felt pretty accomplished about that.

 

 

 

 

It was a great trip! We made many memories and had tons of fun, best vacations I had in like forever. :,D

 

[Meta77]

I could posted those updates as this theread is pretty dead.

[gato]

Pretty much my fault (and the lack of interest on the game, or at least the JP version of it), please feel free to do so if you have some time.  

[Meta77]

Ah anytime. Though I dont see why its ignored. Its a great mmo.

[redhellc]

Yeah it's great. But for me it's always I pain to keep up with the updates. Also it doesn't help that I don't understand the story.

 

So I don't play it that often. Still I play from time to time.  

[Meta77]

They have files online with story translations. Ive watched enough anime and know enough japanese friends to translate some.

[Coral]

Well I'm certainly not opposed to seeing some new faces in this topic! Share pics too. I'm already part of a team myself (which is actually more of a club of friends, so it's smallish), but feel free to say hi if you ever see me around. I'm a loudmouthed pink and purple caseal named Arle. :}

 

Really looking forward to the update this coming week you don't even know! Those egg blasters look so good made by Eggsman himself. The ranger and gunner skills look just as deliciously op as I expected them to be too. Wonder if I'll ever run outta pp after this.

 

Pics once more! We have chicken shenanigans this time as well as me facing off against Gato's clone after he went to didney worl and some first meetings with chrome dragon after the EQ (I missed the first round of those).

Everyone digs the chicken suit! Whenever I'm spotted, there's suddenly plenty of chickens to go around.

 

 

I think this one is kinda cute. :3

 

Meeting with an enraged Gato that prolly got overcharged entry. He was srs bsns. Followed me around for the next 3 stages I went in. It was crazy! I'm not even the ticket lady. >:|

 

 

 

I woulda just demanded a refund.

 

And finally chrome. If that first meeting wasn't enough... well...

He called in his rare form the second time through. Talk about overkill.

This is my new wallpaper by the way.

 

Com Girl knows where you live.

 

Bonus

Taming of the Chrome

[Meta77]

I really should have jumped on this team thing early on haha. So hard to find people but yea I tend to record stuff.

[gato]

The story is quite easy to understand considering there are translation patches available. This one is the patch that translates most of the game (and is quite easy to install) and this is the one that translates the story (be warned though, this one is quite heavy if you want the whole thing and doesn't update with the same frequency as the game translation patch, still pretty frequent though) both are compatible with each other and there shouldn't be any problems using them at the same time. Of course, it doesn't beat an official translation (mostly because, manual patches kind of suck and you have to be mindful of keeping backups and all that stuff XD).

 

There was a launcher translator that kind of automated the process but I can't seem to find it.

 

 

 

Also I find amusing all those screens of my clone are with techer (when I got cloned a few days ago with hunter >_>).

 

 

 

Anyway! We have updates! Have http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=QkmFEf5trk8! http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=rJAC6OpXzxc! http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Pxhqs2EtqHQ! And finally, http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=LTYZNGmRIwk. (Finally, I'll be able to see Dudumans first hand)

 

Bumped is making a big post regarding all of this.

 

I have to say, I'm in love with the Dragon Altar music trailer <3, if that's the place's BGM then I can't wait to soil sacred ground and do countless blasphemies towards dragon kin with it! o/

 

And I want those samurai mask/helmet and blindfold so freaking much! Shame I'm poor as hell and I'll never be able to afford all of those. T_T

 

 

 

 

 

Also, in June we will have some blue rat I'm sure no one here cares about:

 

 

"SOOOOONIC HEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEES!!!!1!"

[gato]

 

 

 

So... What happened on the PSO2 world while some of us weren't looking you say?

 

Plenty, this is what you need to know right now:

 

- Dragon Altar (field) was released.

- Miku collab scratch came and went.

- Maid and Buttler scratch also came and went

- New Time Attack Quest added (Amduscia 2, happens on altar and it's quite short if you have a group so you can grab some quick meseta from there)

- New Team Room design (Forest, a little jumping mini game of sorts where you can get some Meseta and even Grinders )

- New Team Counter assistants added, now you can have things like a buttler or a Rappy handling your team orders.

- Many campaigns around clearing Emergency Quests and Client Orders happened (and still are, more info on this bellow)

- Mag lvl cap was raised to 175. So you'll have to keep an eye on your partner's DIETO once again.

- Limited time quest, ARKS Grand Prix Preliminaries, just listing this here for the heck of it since this quest will be completelly useless for the majority of the players, there is nothing to gain here, no drops, no EXP, no Meseta, it's just for people who are going to take part on the Grand Prix (a live event to happen at the Festa on Japan) so they can get some practice runs. 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the news are a bit more up to date so I'll link to the corresponding Bumped posts and videos.

 

 

PSO2 users are getting a new costume (yet sadly, no new cast parts D: ), new weapon cammos, new weapons, some room accessories and a special EQ where you get to fight Cougar NX as a boss! Also, if you log in to BB.net you'l recieve PSO2 theme emblems and Nicknames.

 

BB players on the other hand, will receive weapons like Banshee's Roar, Rappy Cannon, Tigredor and Guild & Millia (hilariously, we haven't gotten that weapon yet XD), also if they log in to PSO2 they'll get Border Break theme posters and emblems.

 

 

 

 

 

There was a livestream during this thread's comatose period and we got another secret word, what are secret words you ask? Well, during this streams a word is picked by the viewers and the winner becomes the "secret word" you have to post this word in chat at any point while you are playing and you'll get some little prizes, the first secret word gave us voices, the second gave us some accesories, this campaign will give us voices again.

 

The secret word this time is うしたろう, remember, just post it in game chat at any time before the campaign is over and you'll get the voices after the servers maint.

 

 

 

 

 

Extreme quests were released and some other interesting changes to the game, you can see the changelog here. The most important thing to note is that now there is a chance of 2 EQ's happening at the same time (both on the same planet so far, I've seen them happen at Naberius and Amduscia) Also, the new EQ is awesome and you should play it as soon as you can (it's like a boss fest with a high chance of rares and there is a big chance of getting Umbra at the end).

 

 

 

 

 

Current Scratch, the collab with the Shinning Series.

 

Current campaigns going on.

 

Next update scratch and features, including church themed costumes, some creepy accessories (love the sarcophagus XD), new Advance Quests and new Extreme Quest levels.

 

 

 

 

 

Last, but not least, have a little sneak peak at the upcoming SEGA All-Stars and Sonic scratch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might have noticed I didn't talk much about Extreme Quests, well this is mostly because I haven't played them yet, but most people seems to agree they were kind of a let down (especially since you are limited at how much you can play them), also, it seems like Ricardo might add a post in detail about them later on so I'm waiting for that.

 

As for screens, I don't have much. Just some random designs I went through as the days went:

 

 

 

Man! I felt FAB using this set!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there is this little creeper...

 

 

 

 

[gato]

Pretty chaotic times are being had, yesterday we had another update, new Advance Quests, new Extreme Quest, new Scratch, new campaigns/events and all the shinnies that usually come within this scenario.

 

But something else happened and SEGA ID Access page borked, what does this mean? Well, everyone is now rendered unable of doing things like:

 

- Purchasing AC

- Register new SEGA IDs

- Receiving authentication codes (this are used whenever you log in from a different PC)

- Manage your SEGA ID (changing passwords and the like)

- Access to the new One-Time Password system they are trying to implement.

 

Which... Kind of sucks (especially the first 3 items), hence we are having a special maint today.

 

 

 

Not much else to talk about, so have some screens:

 

BEHOLD! THE RAPPY INVASION!

 

 

Only three?... Well...

 

 

 

 

 

 

OH-OHHH-WAI-WAI-WAI-WAI-WAIT! HOW DID THAT ONE ENDED UP HERE!? O_O

 

...

 

...

 

...

 

Oh well, have something awesome to compensate.

 

 

 

 

 

EMERGENCY! CODE: EDIT

 

 

Bad news everyone! Yesterday's maint was cancelled!

 

...

 

Huh? You think that's good? Well it happens that it was moved for today!

 

 

 

 

 

And you won't believe me, but for once we actually have news that could be related to the NA version of this game!

 

Having said that, it doesn't look like good news either. As I'm posting this PSO-World is throwing a fit because Asiasoft has a less than stellar reputation on how they handle games (one of more posted complaints is how they punished a player for reporting a hacker and how they made Ragnarok Online 2 harder so the cash shop would become more of a necessity... Having said that, most people I know wouldn't  mind a harder PSO2).

 

Buuuuut, the article clearly states we are talking about the SEA version (which makes me wonder why would they make it in English.... Probably missing something here), we still aren't 100% that Asiasoft is handling the NA version but it's certainly setting off some alarms.

 

Also, this really doesn't mean anything since they still haven't announced a date.

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT: 06/03

 

Just a quickie, we are getting a "boost week" of sorts. Yesterday and a bit of today we are getting a boost on Meseta droprate (200%). In a few hours (00:00 JST of the 4th) we'll change to a 50% EXP boost! (which I recommend you use as much as possible) and later (00:00 of the 7th on Japan) we'll get a 50% of droprate bonuses (and while this doesn't sound like a lot, it could be used with some tickets and boosters to make something that feels like an improvement >_>).

 

At the moment we aren't entirely sure if this is going to be something regular nor why are they doing this right now (it was announced before their hardware problems so it isn't a compensation).

 

 

 

Also, for all that's good great awesome outstanding amazing! Check this out!

 

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MESETA!

Edited June 3, 2013 by gato

[Meta77]

 

 

New updates incoming.

In the update for June 12 we're getting Sonic's anniversary lobby, collaboration items for AC or FUN scratches from puyo puyo, valkyria chronicles, 7th dragon 2020, virtua fighter, and border break union, the Arks Bingosystem, a limited time quest that has a boss based in border break, lvl 60 Dark Falz Elder with freezing attacks, and something related to a Kuna concert?

Also new falz is a sceduled eq and not random.

[gato]

I want to see how the Kuna concert thing plays out.

 

 

 

Anyway! E3 is coming and I found quite fitting that the team behind this game would make something of their own. (but not for the same reasons, just 2 events happening on suspiciously similar dates).

 

The Phantasy Star Fan Thanks Festa was an event held... A few hours ago! XD (I went to sleep while it was going and I just woke up) It celebrated the first year of this games life, they had numerous events and giveaways but the most important things were:

 

 

- The ARKS GP (where numerous players competed for big AC prizes... With... Varying degrees of success...)

- Episode 2 information finally revealed.

 

 

Needless to say, I bet most of us are more excited about the later right? And luckily for all of those who missed it, Ricardo got us covered and made a recap! So, what are the most important details?

 

(as per usual, my commentaries are green colored and they don't reflect this handsome blog author's opinions in any way)

 

 

 

Phantasy Star Fan Thanks Festa 2013 Recap

 

* To commemorate surpassing over 500,000 players on the PSVita version, all players will receive a Triboost+100% if they logged in between June 12th through July 31st (not clear if this was meant for all the players or just the Vita ones)

 

* Musical instruments are coming to the FUN Shop

 

* 6/26 A Limited-time Burning Rangers themed E-Quest “Arks Ship Burning Catastrophe”

 

* 6/26 PSPortable 2 and Kuna Idol Costumes

 

* Phantasy Star Online 2 Project Dream Arks Drama CD (Xeno, Echo, Afin) releases July 24th. (Sometimes, I forget drama CD's are a thing in Japan)

 

* PSO2 Drama CD: Initial release includes item code tickets for Afin, Xeno, and Echo battle voices.

 

* Phantasy Star Online 2 es Closed Beta Test: Begins this summer

 

* Phantasy Star Online 2 es: Android 2.3+

 

* PSO2 es CBT: Recruitment begins June 9th through July 16th

 

* PSO2 es CBT: Taking in around 50,000 players

 

* PSO2 es CBT: If you reach level 20 in any class you’ll get Sato Cap, Triboost+50%, Fun 500 Ticket at a later time.

 

* PSO2 Episode 2 Dewmans new Race (New weapons look like Katana and Bow) (we already knew this BTW, but formal announcements are always nice to see)

 

 

Albino Pirates are so last decade! Now you can be a Unicorn Vergil! (also, those are some.... Simple costumes)

 

 

* The Dudu shirt sold out? (LOL)

 

* Hair Project: Onion style hair

 

* They had a battle between Vol Dragon and Dark Ragne, and Vol Dragon lost. (not surprising,. Ragne's disk attack does a nice number on other bosses)

 

* New Class: Braver

 

* New Weapon Category: Katana and Bullet Bow

 

* New Planet: Wopal with 3 different times of day. Wopal is a planet covered in water.

 

 

inb4Seabed

 

 

* New Boss: Bal Rodus or Bal Rhodes (Rhodes is an island, it could be what they’re referencing since it matches up with the katakana)

 

 

Oh hai there De Rol Le!

 

 

* Subclass gaining a small amount of EXP (FINALLY!)

 

 

 

* Episode 2: Begins July 17th, 2013

 

* Episode 2: Supported through updates for the rest of the year. (so yeah, this is pretty much a regular update with a big name, not that I really mind about it)

 

* Episode 2: Continues where the story left off.

 

* Episode 2: All characters are given a “Mini Room” (my room is mini enough already >_>)

 

 

 

* Dewmans: Dewmans have heterochromia

 

* Dewmans: They focus on attacking (like every other minmaxed class right now lol)

 

* Dewmans: You can change their skin color from pale to pale dark blue tint.

 

* Dewmans: They have demon or unicorn style horns.

 

* Dewmans: New character slot for free! (YES! GONNA MAKE ME A NEWMAN XD)

 

 

 

* Planet Wopal: Beach (Planet covered in water.)

 

* Planet Wopal:Neptune type enemies

 

* Planet Wopal:Boss: Bal Rodus

 

* Planet Wopal:The third darker type is birdlike. (Ryuda Sorcerer/Luda Sorcerer)

 

 

That's an ugly chicken...

 

 

* Planet Wopal:Enemies behave differently based on the time of day.

 

 

 

* Braver Class: New Weapon Category: Katana and Bullet Bow

 

* Braver Class:Katanas can guard attacks (o.o)

 

 

 

Roadmap

 

July: Support Partner and Arks Lord

July: Planet Wopal

July: New Class (Braver) New Race (Dewman) New Categories (Katana and Bullet Bow)

 

September: New Field

 

October: Super Hard difficulty and Level 65

 

November: New Field

 

December: 12 person quest and a new system update for item customization. (12 person quest? Isn't that any MPA? >_>)

 

 

 

You can tell this is going to end in a bloodshed, that Rappy is too street.

 

 

 

 

In other news, you can win a Sato hat if you take part of the ES version Beta test.

Edited June 9, 2013 by gato

[Meta77]

well not the best quality   but still

http://youtu.be/-lOt4eSD6xw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3QjFoU-X_4

[gato]

I feel like I'm watching doubles... XD

 

Aaaaanyway! Ricardo made another blog post detailing what we've seen from EP2 so far.

 

 

 

But there is something else that I wanted to talk about that probably went over most people's radars, and is that we are having more "boost days"... Right now in fact!

 

 

Certain content will see a boost on the following days:

 

Targeted Days

* June 10th @ 00 ~ 24:00 JST (Meseta Up +200%)

* June 11th @ 00~24:00 JST (EXP Up + 50%)

* June 14th @ 00 ~ 24:00 JST (Rare Drop Boost + 50%)

Notice that everything is scheduled on JST, which means the Meseta boost actualyl started almost 8 hours ago from this post's publishing.

Which also means tomorrow we'll have the EXP boost and later this week the Drop boost.

Also, yesterday's stream secret word is なまたろう , use it on chat to get some earrings.

Edited June 9, 2013 by gato

[gato]

SONIC AND SEGA ALL-STARS... Scratching?

 

The new scratch has arrived, where you can get things like Sonic themed masks and costumes (and some accesories) from Puyo Puyo, Virtua Fighter, 7th Dragon, Valkyria chronicles and last but not last, Border Break.

 

It's also worth mentioning that the FUN store had a special add on that will last for this anniversary event, things that used to cost millions like the instruments delivered on the Sympathy concert now can be acquired here, you also get 2 exclusive lobby actions that can't be found anywhere else (dancing with neon lights, this are pretty much designed so you can party on the upcoming Kuna concert)

 

 

It also added the crossover quest with the last mentioned series, where you can fight the Cougar NX and gain many weapon camos (I haven't been able to beat it yet, and I don't see myself soloing it unless I'm playing Force >_>).

 

For more changes, check this post. (some of this made me curse my muscle memory)

 

 

 

But maybe the most interesting feature is the ARKS Bingo! Think of it as a Matter Board but with more interesting rewards (in the short term) and more annoying objectives, the first one is simple enough and I believe you could complete it by doing simple tasks and pretty much playing the BB crossover quest, but the second one is another matter entirely. For example, you will be requitred to do things like getting +5 risk on Forest AQ, clear 20 XQ floors, defeat a lvl 55 Quartz (AQ), defeat Dark Falz, defeat the new Dark Falz and clear the first SP quest for ALL classes (which, requires you to get them to at least lvl 30 IIRC).

 

Trying to be positive, I call it the great pre-episode 2 time waster. But yeah, some of this objectives annoyed a lot of my aibous.

 

As a more tangible positive, the prizes are quite interesting and every point you gets go to a collective pulled from pretty much the entire game, this right here is the score list and the prizes we can get, I'm expecting Ricardo to do a translation of this later on but you can tell most of them just by looking at the pictures.

 

EDIT: Here is Bumped's post regarding the bingo.

 

 

 

 

 

Having said that, have some screens:

 

 

Excuse me sir, can you spare some time for the Great Light?

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think you understand, you don't really have a say on this matter...

 

 

 

Onomnomnomnom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooooooooooooooooooooohohohohooooooooooo!

 

Edited June 14, 2013 by gato

[Candescence]

The in-universe pop idol Kuna is holding live stage events. The next one is in 2 hours, 40 minutes, so, yeah. Apparently, there's a chance of something interesting occurring if you hang around after a concert ends, but that hasn't happened with the first concert, unless it's on a block-by-block (or server-by-server) basis.

 

I managed to get to the first one. It was an interesting diversion from the norm, you don't get stuff like this in your normal MMO.

[gato]

Pretty much, bu it's also worth pointing that we aren't only getting the Kuna event but we are also having a boosted Dark Falz event.

 

 

 

Buffed Dark Falz Emergency Quest Schedule

 

Japanese Standard Time Schedule

 

June 20th through 25th: 1:00 and 20:00 JST

June 26th: 1:00 JST

 

 

 

Eastern Daylight Time Schedule

 

June 19th: 12:00 Noon

June 20th: 7:00 AM  12:00 PM Noon 

June 21st: 7:00 AM  12:00 PM Noon 

June 22nd: 7:00 AM  12:00 PM Noon 

June 23rd: 7:00 AM  12:00 PM Noon 

June 24th: 7:00 AM  12:00 PM Noon 

June 25th: 7:00 AM  12:00 PM Noon 

 

Starting June 20th, the DF EQ will occur everyday at 7 AM and 12:00 Noon EDT until June 25th.

 

I've heard boosted Falz showed up after a Kuna concert and some JPs are claiming they got something after the concert too, Iguess we'll have to wait and see til we start getting something concrete...

Edited June 19, 2013 by gato