New Phantasy Star Online 2 Game Information

Shougai PSO has posted a summary of the latest Phantasy Star Online 2 information from the July 27th edition of Famitsu Connect! On and July 28th edition of Famitsu. This summary includes important information about the game servers and game mechanics. Credit goes to EspioKaos for providing the following translations:

Game Server Information

• There will be several servers, each known as a "world."
• Each world is independent of the others.
• Different worlds cannot interact with each other.
• Essentially worlds are as they were in PSU. (EK note: Though they are now known as "entrances," originally they were called "worlds.")
• When you start the game, you can choose the world you want to belong to.
• You can create characters on multiple worlds.
• They are considering the ability to move a character from one world to another as a future possibility.
• If you want to play with your friends, make sure you all decide on a world to start on!

Races

• There are three races, however...
• Sakai says, "this is an online game, after all, so we could always decide to increase that number."

Skill Tree

• This system is used to learn class skills.
• EXP earned goes toward increasing your class level.
• You accumulate points by leveling up.
• By using these points, you can learn class skills.
• Class skills can only be used on the class you learned them with.
• For example, a skill learned as a Hunter cannot be used by a Force.
• Even if you max your class level, you cannot learn all skills.
• You will have a limited number of points to put toward skills, so individual skill combinations will vary.
• The ability to redo learned skills is under consideration.

Wired Lances

• This weapon cannot be used to throw larger enemies.

Rods

• You can link three techniques to a rod.
• Only linked techniques can be charged (for stronger attacks).
• A technique's power, range and effect change when charged.
• PP cost does not change for charged techniques.

Photon Arts and Techniques

• Disks are used to learn photon arts and techniques.
• Disks have certain learning requirements.
• Requirements are stat-related, for example, one may require 50+ TP.
• Unlike PSU, there will not be a limit on the number of PAs or techs you can learn.
• It is undecided if you will be able to return a learned PA or tech to its disk form.
• The ability to transfer disks to other players (such as through disk restoration) is under consideration.
• Disks will appear with the level they teach displayed. For example, "Razonde (LV3)."
• High-level disks will of course be very powerful.
• High-level disks can be obtained as enemy drops.
• Low-level disks will include tutorials.
• Low-level disks can be bought at shops.

Jumping

• You can perform common and just attacks while jumping.
• It is unknown how photon arts will work while jumping.
• Techniques and original combos will change while jumping.
• Range changes will occur while jumping, for example with original combos.
• You can jump on the backs of enemies.
• Most enemies have a weak spot on their back.
• There are some enemies that, if not knocked down, you will not be able to jump on their backs.
• On the other hand, there are other enemies that, even if not knocked down, you can still jump on their backs.

Original Combos

• You can set different photon arts to the three parts of a combo.
• Combined PAs will let you pull of three-part combos. For example, Tornado Break to Spinning Break to Gravity Break. Also, you can perform normal attacks between all of those.

Interrupt Events

• Event occurrence locations are not set in stone.
• There are some rare events which can occur.
• Due to the wide range of enemy levels you will encounter, expect drastic changes between difficulty levels.
• Even if you fail an event by not meeting all of its conditions, you will not suffer a penalty.
• You will receive items and so forth for successfully completing an event.

Death Penalties

• If you are incapacitated, your individual grade will fall.
• Results are on a character-by-character basis. For example, if Mr. A dies, Mr. B's grade will not be affected.
• In short, you don't have to worry about being blamed for giving your party a bad grade!

PSE and PSE Burst

• There is a new component known as "photon sensitive effect."
• There is a fixed probability of PSE occurring while you continuously defeat enemies.
• Attack power, drop rates and Meseta drop quantities are all boosted for a fixed period when PSE occurs.
• If you acquire an "evolved drop" (details unknown) from killing an enemy, you get even more boosted attack power, drop rates and Meseta payout.
• If consecutive PSEs occur, you can perform a "PSE burst."
• Bonuses from a PSE burst last for one minute and include even higher drop rates and highly increased number of enemies that appear.
• You can extend the PSE burst's duration by killing more and more enemies.

Multi-Party Areas

• Certain areas allow for up to 12 people to play together simultaneously.
• However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you are limited to three parties of four people each.
• For example, 12 individual solo players can all gather in these areas.
• It is possible to reorganize your party in a multi-party area.
• For example, if you have three parties of four people each, players from each party can transfer from one party to another.
• At first you can have the following parties: A1 A2 A3 A4 / B1 B2 B3 B4 / C1 C2 C3 C4
• But you can swap players around like so: B1 C2 A3 B4 / C1 A2 B3 C4 / A1 B2 C3 A4
• In multi-party areas, support techniques will only affect your party.
• There are some techniques that have cross-party effects, however.

Items Drops

• Drop items are decided on a character-by-character basis.
• Each character can get different drops.
• Item drops are based on real luck.
• The system is similar to that of PSZ and PSP2i.

Units

• Units exist in this game.
• They can be equipped to your arms, back and legs.
• Units can be additional costume parts for your character.
• When equipped, units can change certain visuals of your costume.
• Units can boost abilities such as defense and attribute rates.

Mags

• Mags exist in PSO2 as living, evolved protectors.
• Details on them are scarce at the moment.
• Unfortunately, they will not appear in the alpha test.

EXP

• Whether or not you receive EXP is determined by your range to an enemy.
• If you are within the enemy's range, you will receive EXP.
• If you are out of an enemy's range, you will not receive EXP.
• This may be a counter-measure for multi-party leveling.

Visual Lobbies

• Event billboards will be in the lobbies.
• There will also be a large screen theater.
• Motion pictures of some sort can be played on the theater screen.
• This feature will be active during the alpha test.

Player Rooms

• A feature similar to PSU's room will be in PSO2, but details are unknown.

Reincarnation System

• A system of this sort does not exist. No comment was made as to if it would be added later.
• Note: The Reincarnation System is a game feature from Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity. After reaching the maximum level, you could reincarnate your character at level 1 and start with higher base stats.

That is quite the information dump! You can share your comments on this new information in this forum thread.