A few questions about PSU-online, before I start...

[WhyteTyger]

I will try and keep this as concise as I can, but it is late, the expansion has me all a twitter, and I'm a rambler from way back.

First up, this is for the Xbox360 version, and I have just about completed the Story Mode, so I know some basics about the game. I'm eager to try it out online, but before I do; questions.

1. I don't much care for playing as Rangers or Forces, but from the little I have tried, it seems like the targetting for them is horrible. I didn't care for them in PSO, but it seemed like I didn't have any trouble hitting things then at least, but now, even with the lock-on it seems I shoot about 45 degrees away from my target unless I spend a lot of time getting them in my sights. And with both technics and guns taking 'ammo' now, I can't just shoot willy-nilly. Am I just imagining this, or was this for challenge's sake?

2. The most important question, so I should have asked it first, but it doesn't bug me (yet) as much as the former. My xbox 260 sometimes hates PSU's disc, and will lock up saying ti cannot 'read' it. This never happens during the 'Beta Test' since that does not require the disc. If I got the full online version, would it hit the disc? It mostly crashes during 'loading' screens, but that'd be too annoying to bother paying-to-play for.

3. I hate (HATE) the Free Missions in Story/Extra MOde, since they are simply dungeon crawls with no real 'point'. As pointless as the PSO Hunter's jobs were, at least you met a client and took their job for them, and felt a sense of accomplishment when you completed it. Is this ever true online? I know I have heard the 'Story' from Story Mode is continued there, but was not sure in what way.

4. Having mostly played Extra and Story MOde, I'm used to getting my alternate PA's from s-Rank trials from my Partners. How will I get them Online? I got an amazingly nice single-dagger one I'd hate to have to give up.

5. Again, I've only played online in the 'Beta' available on XboxLive, but I wondered if the meseta/synthesizing grind ever got more bearable? I'm finding more items to synthesize then I did in Story Mode, but money is so tight, I can't imaging feeding my PM any excess items, and even when I do, it levels so slowly.

6. I've grown kind of skittish of playing online games with other people, since the original Diablo both introduced me to that concept, and abolished it in one setting. Will I be too terribly handicapped playing solo a lot? Are there plenty of good people to hunt with, even if I am starting at level 1(ish)?

7. Is there much of a use to using a one handed weapon, when there is a 'double' variety available? I chose double sabers since it looked 'cool', and I sincerely love my double daggers, but I don't use handguns much, so I can't imagine wanting to use single handed versions; should I? I know the expansion adds 'mags', but in the meantime...?

Well I think that is all of them. Sorry to be so nosy, but my strange brand of question so rarely seems to end up in a FAQ...

-KEvin

[pineapple]

1. Targeting for rangers is easy, you just can't lock on like with hunters. In first person mode you don't have to be exact at all. Offline guns have a lot less pp than online ones, so you don't run out as quickly in online mode. Techs do take some getting used to though, but as they level you can be less accurate.

2. Network Mode uses the disk, so you might want to refinish it or something if there are scratches.

3. Most of online mode consists of free missions. Some of them are more challenging and interesting than others though. When you are with other people they aren't as boring.

4. Buy them with money or PA fragments. I think the online mix is a little different than off.

5. Maybe... if you enjoy grinding for money. Seems to be much easier at higher levels though.

6. I mostly solo, really. Some classes are much better at this than others. When you decided to group up you should be able to find people, but not necessarily for every mission.

7. Depends on your class. Straight up melee, maybe not. PAs and off-handed weapon choices should help you decide this. I don't have a ton of melee experience in this game.

[NPCMook]

1 - Most likely it was

2 - Some people seem to have issues with whole lobbies or missions, Hopefully you wont

3 - Episode 2 takes place online where you and Laia Martinez are the ones running the missions

4 - You can buy them with Meseta earned

5 - The Beta yeah its gonna take you a while, but the full version has much better rewards for some mission, including many more missions. Synthing however is still a pain

6 - Yes, plenty of us will be willing to help you out!

7 - Well... online there are more advanced classes which you must reach using the base classes, if you like double sabers then you will have to level Hunter to 5, and Ranger to 3 unlock Fighgunner which is the ONLY class that can use Double sabers. Single handed versions are great too! Some bosses will kind of force you to use a ranged weapon at one point or the other. and the Madoogs(mags) are a Left handed force weapon, and Shadoogs(Mags) are basically a ranged weapon

Hope that answers your questions

[DEM_CIG]

Whtye Tyger wats ur gametag ill help u out if u need it

[DurakkenX]

from the little you said...you prolly shouldn't play this online...you most likely wouldn't like it.

[DEM_CIG]

lol no i like it i just dont like to get to deep in dicussion....

[Ethan-Waber]

I think he was talking to the person who posted the topic.

[DEM_CIG]

On 2007-04-12 05:28, Ethan-Waber wrote:
I think he was talking to the person who posted the topic.


yeah i was

[A2K]

3. Free missions on the network are more akin to, say, a Forest to Falz run in PSO, although it's structured a lot differently. Inbetween missions, instead of returning to the city automatically (as you would after a free mission offline in PSU, or after an area in PSO) you'll be placed in an interim field lobby. You can do pretty much the same things in these lobbies as in the main city lobby: there's a vendor selling items, you can charge your PP, set up parties, etc. From these lobbies, you can access missions further down the line.

First Mission -> Field Lobby -> Second Mission -> And so on...

Some of the "end of the line" lobbies can be rather unique and contain things such as hot springs or waterfalls. Paths can branch from field lobbies as well.

Story Missions continue the storyline with Laia Martinez. At the moment there's only one mission like the type you described with a "client", and that's Bruce's Dungeon.

4. Most photon arts are available at the shop. All of the striking-weapon skills you can find and buy offline (save one) will be purchasable this way. (All elemental bullets are available for purchase as well.) Certain "ultimate" photon arts, however, require you to trade in "PA Fragment" items for, which can only be obtained from S and S2 free missions as well as A-difficulty story missions.

5. It takes some work, but at high levels money is much easier to come by, especially with the rewards S2 missions give. On the way there be sure to check player shops for deals.

6. There should be some fine people here who can assist you. It is much, much more efficient (and fun) to be in a party than it is to solo for resources, though.

7. Certain enemies can only be targeted with ranged weapons. That said, the point of dual-wielding right now is to play two weapons off of each other--allow one to regenerate PP while you make use of the other.

In general, taking in account the different types of skills you can use regardless of weapon type, control of enemies' movements by way of tossing them into the air and whatnot versus damage is something you should take into account.

Of course there's always simple preference for single over double or vice versa as well. Mix and match for what suits you the best.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: A2K on 2007-04-12 05:41 ]</font>

[WhyteTyger]

Excellent, I appreciate all of the information.

DEM_CIG I only have the Beta trial right now, but my UserName is ReluctantlyHuma

There is a chance I might not like playing online very much, and I have to admit a lot of my enthusiasm is based solely on the stuff I'm seeing from the expansion, and by the time that comes out here I'll likely have moved on anyway.

I had forgotten about the First Person view for shooting, and that does make it a bit easier. My main complaint with shooting is that when I attempted it in Story Mode against the flying bosses, it didn't seem like I could hit them then, which kind of defeats the purpose, to me. That being said, I was only using a handgun, so the range might have been my problem.

The thing I ultimately don't appreciate with the two single handed weapons, is the choice limitations. If I could do two sabers, but only use one at a time, or even a saber AND a wand, I'd like it more. As it is, I don't much care for projectile weapons much (if you could not tell), so that being my only real option seemed kind of pointless to me.

I am intrigued at the idea of playing with other people, but not having a USB keyboard makes it harder for me, since I like to communicate so much, and speaking into a headset kind of unnerves me. Also, I always feel like I'm not 'good' enough to be part of a party, since I always assume everyone else will be more knowledgable and will have spent more time 'mastering' the game, than I have.

I'm going to try and get my disk replaced, to see if that solves my crashes, and if it does, I might just join the unwashed masses online, and see how much more I like it. Thank you all again for the information.

[DEM_CIG]

mhmm... if u need any help from me my gamertag is KorruptAura83... i have the game but since i haven't got my 1st paycheck im stuck playing the demo... until then if u want my advice mail me over Xboxlive or over the web... ill be happy to help...

[WhyteTyger]

Excellent, I just might do that. I just got paid today, so I may go for the 'full' thing tonight.

[JAFO22000]

Post 4-8 of this thread is an INSTANT classic!!