Lack of Comunication

[Nuclearranger]

I am not really trying to break this game down but...

If you watched the two 10m videos and read the translation of the first its quite obvious that this game wont really be as much of an online game as we want.

It's also quite obvious that there is no typing feature at all. You will write what your saying or you will be quiet lol.

lastly... Online mode just matches you with 3 other people eliminating lobbies.
and while your online you can't even use your visual chats.... only preselected things

[Akaimizu]

You can also macro all kinds of stuff, for chat.

Visual Chats are allowed, but only among those on your friend's list. They basically stop the use of visual chat only when doing an online game where you can encounter strangers. They limit you to a choice of various useful standard sayings so you can communicate what you need. Yeah, it does remove some ability for light RP if you want to give your character a distinctive flavor of communication, but it certainly works better than any failed censorship, in the past. Forcing to communicate on their terms takes all that vulgar stuff people tend to use any chance they get across the internet.

[Segya]

They limit you to a choice of various useful standard sayings so you can communicate what you need. .

Let's hope that these sayings will be enough... It doesn't stop people from spamming though, so it seems somewhat pointless to me...

They better make options for creating free games and options to join only games with certain options selected (Like loot distribution, level range, wanted classes, wanted area/mission, etc.)

[Shadix]

Yeah, looks like Nintendos stupid Wi-Fi policy is going to be the break with this game :|.

[Risingsun]

It wont break the game at all. If your playing with strangers you use gestures and pre selected communications. If your playing with friends you have full use of visual chat. The game is on the DS and is aimed a broad audience. Like it or not strangers can be dicks, and little kids dont need strangers drawing dicks on their screen.

[Saphion]

As much as it pains me to say this, I can perfectly understand why the whole Friend Code system has been implemented. Not that it matters to us, really. There's an entire community of Phantasy Star fans here.

It'll matter even less if you can persuade friends and family to get the game as well. I've already convinced 2 of my friends, and one of them has convinced another 2 friends besides!

The only question remaining is; can you join a game in which you have only exchanged Friend Codes with one person, I wonder? And then, could the remaining two slots be joinable by people with whom you have not exchanged Friend Codes with, but your original Friend has? If EVERYONE in a team has to have already exchanged Friend Codes with all three other players before they can play together, well, that just seems a little archaic to me. Hopefully this is not the case.

If my theory is correct, I imagine there'll be an option to instantly add the other people to your friends list (or exchange Guild Cards with, as it were) without the need to input that long ol' code.

EDIT: And if you want to see the horrors of unmodded, uncensored anonymous internet gaming, well, just play any Xbox Live game. My god, Microsoft should get government money for keeping these people off the streets.

[Segya]

Like it or not strangers can be dicks, and little kids dont need strangers drawing dicks on their screen.

How about normal chat? I don't see people complaining about mmorpgs aimed at younger people.

Besides,how do you keep in touch with skilled people you played with in the free mode? Or nice people? You can't find new friends with this game... this is supposed to be in line with PSO?

[Jonty]

I'm not too worried about the whole friend code business with PS0, like Saphion said we've got a host of people to play with right here, and I've got quite a few friends persuaded to boot.
Meanwhile (apologies if I've just missed this), there is local wireless play right?

[Saphion]

Meanwhile (apologies if I've just missed this), there is local wireless play right?

Yep! I'm actually buying this for my 8-year old sister as well when this inevitably gets a UK release. It makes me glad the friend code system is in place, to be honest.

[MinscTFA]

The friend codes may be a pain but in the long run I believe they will be the best solution. We just have to learn to work with them.

If I want to meet new people I'll simply use free play and add whomever I come across to my friends list. Later I'll screen out the dicks in friend play. I can't say how well this works in practice as I don't have much experience with the friend code system.

When the eventual cheating starts I'd say the friend codes will be a life line. If you don't have any of those kinds on your friends list you'll have no worries of them ruining you're enjoyment of the game. :)

[Segya]

If I want to meet new people I'll simply use free play and add whomever I come across to my friends list.

How is this supposed to work? Unless you are somehow able to post numbers with the premade phrases...

[Saphion]

I doubt you can invite people to be your friends from the Freeplay mode, but I highly suspect you can invite friends of friends from the other modes.

E.g; A friend invites you to their party, and then he invites two of his friends that you don't know into the same party. Chances are you'll be able to add those two players to your Friends List through a simple menu option, or if needs be, trading Friend Codes there and then.

We don't know for certain yet, but... the above just seems so logical.

[dragoon-girl]

With it being on the DS, was you really expecting anything else?

[Nuclearranger]

Well half of the enjoyment for MANY fans of the PS series was the fact that they could chat and make online friends ect on a game that is also real time.

As its set right now for those who don't know about PSO-W and buy the game it will be like playing with NPCs all the time... if you cant chat.

[Seority]

As much as it pains me to say this, I can perfectly understand why the whole Friend Code system has been implemented. Not that it matters to us, really. There's an entire community of Phantasy Star fans here.

It'll matter even less if you can persuade friends and family to get the game as well. I've already convinced 2 of my friends, and one of them has convinced another 2 friends besides!

The only question remaining is; can you join a game in which you have only exchanged Friend Codes with one person, I wonder? And then, could the remaining two slots be joinable by people with whom you have not exchanged Friend Codes with, but your original Friend has? If EVERYONE in a team has to have already exchanged Friend Codes with all three other players before they can play together, well, that just seems a little archaic to me. Hopefully this is not the case.

If my theory is correct, I imagine there'll be an option to instantly add the other people to your friends list (or exchange Guild Cards with, as it were) without the need to input that long ol' code.

EDIT: And if you want to see the horrors of unmodded, uncensored anonymous internet gaming, well, just play any Xbox Live game. My god, Microsoft should get government money for keeping these people off the streets.


I think it'll be stuck with this.
Free Mode will randomly chuck you into an on going party, or have you host one I'm guessing. Even if your friends join up, you still are limited to what Free Mode has.
In the Friends Mode, you probably have to know their code first before you play with them, even if they are friends of a friend.

As far as having people become your friends on Free Mode, I hope there is things like Guild Cards you can give them so that they become your friends, but nothing has been stated about this right now, as you probably know x3

[Shadix]

The inherent problem though is it takes the social experience out of the game. You can't just make buddies with people like you could in the previous games.

[ShadowInferno119]

Friend Codes, as it stands are semi-pain. It would be easier just to use your Character name, and add people through that. This is very possible, since in the game N+ You have a username/password, and not a friend code.

However its true there is a lot of people on games that are just down right annoying. But I usually just don't pay them any attention. The whole conflict, where you want to add, people that are skilled might be solved, since there are ways of adding people after a game. (Like in Metroid Prime Hunters, and most new WiFi games, called Rivals)

However there are so many PSO forums, you can easily add people from there, and that are skilled.

Oh, and to the user that was talking about having one friend. who hosted a game, and he has two other players that your not friends with, you still be able to connect. Infact in Animal Crossing Wild World, there was a register button, and you just clicked who you wanted to add. But even if you didn't register them, you can still talk/interact with them. (I'm about 99.9% sure it will be something close to this)

P.S. this is my first post on this site. ^.^

[Nuclearranger]

Welcome to PSO-W,

Im hoping it turns out all right but there is a lot of room to make this retarded here>.>

[Nuclearranger]

Even if you start adding Fcodes to your DS from forums they could very likely be quite annoying lol

[the_importer_]

The way I see, if people have something important to say, they'll take the time to write it down and anything else, they won't waste their precious time doing so, which is a plus in my case since the way I see it, around 3/4 of things said in Online games are useless crap anyway.

[Niered]

It's also quite obvious that there is no typing feature at all. You will write what your saying or you will be quiet lol.

lastly... Online mode just matches you with 3 other people eliminating lobbies.
and while your online you can't even use your visual chats.... only preselected things

Writing > Typing. Do you know how dammed hard it was to type using the digital keyboard in PSO? Now i can just shorthand write, or use images to communicate. Typing is completely superfluous in this system.

No lobbies? Why would you expect the game to HAVE lobbies? Its obvious this thing is pushing the limits of the DS, drawing the individual 3D avatars of upwards of 30 people is not something that it can handle, especially without dedicated servers. And thank God their arent, because then SEGA would have the possible excuse of charges. Unlikely as that is.

And as so many posters have already mentioned, the inability to use anything but preselected visual chat when playing without friend codes is really just negligible. There are obvious reasons why Sega and Nintendo feel that this is a requirement (Biased Media coverage being the main, poor parenting being the 2nd.) But more importantly, it shouldnt hinder the gameplay a bit.

Ive actually played the only DS ORPG that doesnt require FC's (Dungeon Explorer, crappy game, but it does bear mentioning for obvious similarities) and you know what? You have to use preselected text when not partying with friends, but it never gets in the way.


Look, if your really going into PSZ thinking that the Multiplayer is going to be the social experience that PSO and PSU are, then you are delusional. The fact is that the DS simply cant do the things that a Dreamcast, Gamecube, or PS2 can/could. But what we are getting is an amazing package, the first spectacular looking Diablo-esque Action RPG for the DS that has 4 player multiplay, customizable characters, and impressive gameplay mechanics. The communication system makes excellent use of the stylus, and the lack of typing is, as I said earlier, an obvious design choice based on redundancy.

[Risingsun]

a little harsh but well said.

[ShadowInferno119]

Writing > Typing. Do you know how dammed hard it was to type using the digital keyboard in PSO? Now i can just shorthand write, or use images to communicate. Typing is completely superfluous in this system.

No lobbies? Why would you expect the game to HAVE lobbies? Its obvious this thing is pushing the limits of the DS, drawing the individual 3D avatars of upwards of 30 people is not something that it can handle, especially without dedicated servers. And thank God their arent, because then SEGA would have the possible excuse of charges. Unlikely as that is.

And as so many posters have already mentioned, the inability to use anything but preselected visual chat when playing without friend codes is really just negligible. There are obvious reasons why Sega and Nintendo feel that this is a requirement (Biased Media coverage being the main, poor parenting being the 2nd.) But more importantly, it shouldnt hinder the gameplay a bit.

Ive actually played the only DS ORPG that doesnt require FC's (Dungeon Explorer, crappy game, but it does bear mentioning for obvious similarities) and you know what? You have to use preselected text when not partying with friends, but it never gets in the way.


Look, if your really going into PSZ thinking that the Multiplayer is going to be the social experience that PSO and PSU are, then you are delusional. The fact is that the DS simply cant do the things that a Dreamcast, Gamecube, or PS2 can/could. But what we are getting is an amazing package, the first spectacular looking Diablo-esque Action RPG for the DS that has 4 player multiplay, customizable characters, and impressive gameplay mechanics. The communication system makes excellent use of the stylus, and the lack of typing is, as I said earlier, an obvious design choice based on redundancy.
I don't understand why people are freaking about the communication in "FREE MODE" really look where you are now, at a PSO forum, for guess what, "talking with other PSO players".

I mean you will most likely add/share f/c's on this site, along with a few others like GameFaqs, or Neoseeker or User made forums. (There are plenty of sites for sharing f/c's for online DS games, If you need help finding some just ask. But there isn't a need since this site, has a good community)

So I guess what I'm trying to get at is, you shouldn't concern yourself so much over free mode, when you can be playing with friends.

Plus I'm pretty sure the preselected messages are going to be reasonable, and they're gonna have what you need.

Only thing I worry about is the fact if you import its going to be in Jap, lol, how are you going to know what to say, or what they're saying. Then again, I'll be in Friend Mode.

[Segya]

I don't understand why people are freaking about the communication in "FREE MODE" really look where you are now, at a PSO forum, for guess what, "talking with other PSO players".

I mean you will most likely add/share f/c's on this site, along with a few others like GameFaqs, or Neoseeker or User made forums. (There are plenty of sites for sharing f/c's for online DS games, If you need help finding some just ask. But there isn't a need since this site, has a good community)

So I guess what I'm trying to get at is, you shouldn't concern yourself so much over free mode, when you can be playing with friends.

Plus I'm pretty sure the preselected messages are going to be reasonable, and they're gonna have what you need.

Only thing I worry about is the fact if you import its going to be in Jap, lol, how are you going to know what to say, or what they're saying. Then again, I'll be in Friend Mode.

I don't use forums usually, since they can be quite time consuming. I like to concern strangers with random events of my life though.

[ShadowInferno119]

I don't use forums usually, since they can be quite time consuming. I like to concern strangers with random events of my life though.
That's interesting, well I don't think you need to spend much time on a forum, just exchange a few f/c's and your all set.

[jmanx]

FC just causes kids to get strangers FC's more dangerously. They get online and goto forums and chat sites to get other peoples FCs. And kids who knows how to play a DS online which most likely know how to do that. Which will make them either gives that stranger their messenger or e-mail. Now if your in a game that can communicate right off the back, you guys will mostly be talking about things in the game and not even bother about getting each other messengers or email because you already can communicate. Now tell me how many people emails you had of a random person if they played pso online in like just 1 little party. You usually have someones email or messenger on pso either for trading or you usually play with them. But that is just my Theory.

[Niered]

FC just causes kids to get strangers FC's more dangerously. They get online and goto forums and chat sites to get other peoples FCs. And kids who knows how to play a DS online which most likely know how to do that. Which will make them either gives that stranger their messenger or e-mail. Now if your in a game that can communicate right off the back, you guys will mostly be talking about things in the game and not even bother about getting each other messengers or email because you already can communicate. Now tell me how many people emails you had of a random person if they played pso online in like just 1 little party. You usually have someones email or messenger on pso either for trading or you usually play with them. But that is just my Theory.

Sound argument, and I do agree, it may have its tradeoffs. However, you need to look at it from Nintendo's viewpoint.

The DS's target audience is for all intents and purposes, casual gamers, and youth. This isnt to say that it is lost on 'hardcore' gamers (I disdain that term) but it does have a large userbase dedicated to those players.

Now considering this, its much easier for Nintendo to shrug off the blame of subjecting someone to objectionable content if they have a strict, and obvious, system to control it. In this case, the infamous Friend Code. If Nintendo is blamed for what you have conjectured, then they can easily brush it off with the fact that the person in question actively tried to get around their system.

If Nintendo had not built the FC system, and isntead used the arguement "We HAD an idea for a security system, but decided that the pro's outweigh the cons and it could be easily subverted" it still looks like in the public eye that they did nothing.

Thats why, although I dislike FC's, I still understand why Nintendo requires them. And as Ive said before, I do believe that their minimal input into PSZ is the best example yet of keeping a game fun, while still requiring anonimity.

[jmanx]

dah never thought of it that way DX. D:< they still should join the darkside of the 360. Well putting in voice chat option or keyboard should be added if they can add all 3. Which will balance with the FC

[Seority]

dah never thought of it that way DX. D:< they still should join the darkside of the 360. Well putting in voice chat option or keyboard should be added if they can add all 3. Which will balance with the FC
Yes, the DS is made for portable gaming, but I always carry a keyboard with me! Wait no, scratch that, I'll just carry my whole computer with me when I go to Taco Bell! =D


Even if you start adding Fcodes to your DS from forums they could very likely be quite annoying lol

You can also delete them ;)

Yes, Neired, it's much nicer to write things then type, I guess, but with both comes the issue of acctually reading it. Remember in high school when you saw other peoples hand writing, or even your own. It looks like the person just had a seizer with a pencil in his hand. You just can't read it! Yes, it's annoying when people don't use good grammer on forums, but what is worse is bad grammer and handwriting, no, just bad handwriting.
You can write out things if you wish, but I think the best thing you can do is make pictures, just like symbol chat on PSO. There are many cultures with many languages, but everyone can reconize things by images. This then goes to, "OMG I R TERRIBLE ARTIST. I CANT DRAW TREE!!!" Even though the pics we saw on the preveiws were very good, it doesn't mean that you have to do it the same. Now, everyone can make stick figures. ("Unless they don't have hands." If they didn't have hands, they can't play this game. HAR HAR) Let's say you want someone to get a key.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h106/Seority/key.jpg
Or get a switch.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h106/Seority/swtich.jpg
Or stand on a switch
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h106/Seority/stand.jpg
Or attack.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h106/Seority/attack.jpg
Or heal.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h106/Seority/heal.jpg
These are simple shapes anyone can do.
In free mode there are preselected things to say and read. No typing/write required. If you can read it, they can read it. If you can't read it, might I sudjest getting in touch with your 2nd grade teacher and slap her in the face.

[Segya]

I'd still like to have a software keyboard on the touchscreen...

And what's the point in drawing stuff that you could probably express with the premade phrases/images/whatever? How do you want to have a conversation with pictures alone?

[Seority]

The way I see, if people have something important to say, they'll take the time to write it down and anything else, they won't waste their precious time doing so, which is a plus in my case since the way I see it, around 3/4 of things said in Online games are useless crap anyway.

As Importer stated, during fights people aren't going to be chatting it up usually, so use for quick understandable things are needed. You want to sit there and neatly write your thoughts out during Falz? Something quick, simple, easy to understand is what's needed. When you are in the lobbies, you have all the time you want to make perfect looking letters with good gramer or a lovey little peice of art and chat like that. Sure it wont be as quick as typing, but screen typing is even slower then just writing it.
I wouldn't scrunch up my panties too much over this. In picto-chat there is a "typing" feature so you can actually type things on it and I'm supposing you'll be able to use it in PSZ as well.

[SuperChoco]

Every time I see an online game comes out for a nintendo console, I compare it to Brawl. At LEAST we are able to talk and know the people we're playing with.

[Akaimizu]

Communication will always be a stickler. I've seen for pretty much any machine which has regular communication without a degree a censorship get hit hard with folks spouting vulgar stuff, or trying to get as much of it through. The only ones that seem to be mostly free of that stuff are games that aren't quite so mainstream. Even on the PC. You go to the somewhat or slightly more obscure (smaller, but tighter communities) to avoid that stuff.

i.e. You'll find more people behave on Tabula Rasa than a World of Warcraft or especially Guild Wars.

[Seority]

Then again, you'll find thousands more people on WoW then Tabula Rasa.
I'd rather play a more populated game then one with censorship and 10 other addicts on it.

[Vanzazikon]

Man I suck at picto-chatting and I'm left handed meaning I can't run around and draw at the same time. It's going to be really hard for me, so be patient when I stand still... ^^;

[Saphion]

Oh damn, I'm left-handed too. I hadn't thought about that.

[Vanzazikon]

We're both screwed >.>

[Frokko]

Haha, there is probably left handed-choice for you guys. ^^

[ShadowInferno119]

Haha, there is probably left handed-choice for you guys. ^^
I doubt it who wants to run around on the "a/b/x/y" keys? or use the d-pad for attacks. i just think you guys should use alot of macro's.

[Kent]

I doubt it who wants to run around on the "a/b/x/y" keys? or use the d-pad for attacks.
People who are left-handed.

Quite a few DS games that rely on using both the touchscreen and the face buttons are either symmertrical (such as the best game currently on the system, The World Ends with You) or offer "normal" and "southpaw" variations on the control schemes (e.g. first-person shooters).

[ShadowInferno119]

People who are left-handed.

Quite a few DS games that rely on using both the touchscreen and the face buttons are either symmertrical (such as the best game currently on the system, The World Ends with You) or offer "normal" and "southpaw" variations on the control schemes (e.g. first-person shooters).
Yes see I do realize that, such as Metroid Prime Hunter, Call of Duty 5, etc, But neither of those games are Action RPGs, (twewy is, but you don't use Face buttons for attacking, except the D-pad or A/B/X/Y) I don't know since I never tried it, but it seems a bit wierd to me using the D-pad as your attacking buttons, then again it could be perfectly fine.

Either way though, if your fighting, your not going to be writing paragraphs, so you can just simply hit your macro'd "Heal" or what not. When your in the lobby you can switch hands.

In those games, its different cause you rely heavily on both screen, and face buttons.

[the_importer_]

I doubt it who wants to run around on the "a/b/x/y" keys? or use the d-pad for attacks. i just think you guys should use alot of macro's.

Well if it was touch screen with direction, I would, but if I have to use both the D-pad and buttons, then it really doesn't matter if you're left or right handed, you have to let one hand go in order to draw, might as well leave the buttons the way they are and use your writing hand.

[Kent]

Yes see I do realize that, such as Metroid Prime Hunter, Call of Duty 5, etc, But neither of those games are Action RPGs, (twewy is, but you don't use Face buttons for attacking, except the D-pad or A/B/X/Y)
...Those are the face buttons. >_>

And yes, you do actually use them for attacking. In fact, you use them to perform all controls for the character on the top screen.

[ShadowInferno119]

...Those are the face buttons. >_>

And yes, you do actually use them for attacking. In fact, you use them to perform all controls for the character on the top screen.

I meant to say you don't use "both' face buttons, and yes you use only one. Either the D-pad, or The a/b/x/y, but I guess your not seeing my point here. If your going to comment on that error.

The fact that you the d-pad "In My Opinon" would seem wierd to use in an action RPG as the attack buttons. And I don't think it would be necessary enough to switch the setting's, so I could write chat, since you won't be writing much in the game.

Where as in TWEWY, or MPH, they rely heavily on the touch screen, which I ALSO mentioned earlier.

[NEOxSNIPER]

We're both screwed >.>

your not alone, as i too am a leftie:D

[Ogni-XR21]

If you join a random game of PSO/PSU nowadays most of the communication will be:

- Hello!
- Thanks!
- No Problem.
- Congratulations!
- Good bye.

If there is any communication at all, so I don't see a problem with no pictochat in free games...

[PepperCat]

I R LEFTIE 2...

[Dragwind]

I'll be content with just the simple greetings and such over random wifi.

Meeting new people to pictochat on PSZ here...now that will be interesting. :wacko:


It would interesting if they brought back the "rival" setting of the other Wifi games so you could at least re-party with others you met via random play.

[Epically Leet]

As much as it pains me to say this, I can perfectly understand why the whole Friend Code system has been implemented. Not that it matters to us, really. There's an entire community of Phantasy Star fans here.


Yeah, exactly.

[:Floda:]

If I may jump of track for a bit, I was curious if they were going to add some sort of "rival" options (In metroid prime hunters you could play strangers and if you enjoyed your game with them save them under rivals to play with them again in friends matches, then they could type to you and offer you their friend code), what this did was strangers could talk to you with a keyboard and were censored with filters, therefore satisfying Ma' and Pa', but you could also send people your friend code over it, It's pretty useful.

Don't get me wrong altogether this was an endeavor as convenient as shaving your head with a rubber spoon, but it did the job.

[mandriod z 2.0]

Yeah, exactly.
i really think that if zero has all the otions it says it does it will be a very sucessful game what with the friend and rival mode plus its portable

[mandriod z 2.0]

thanks epically leet

[Epically Leet]

Wait, what have I missed here? What are you thanking me for?

[Frokko]

i really think that if zero has all the otions it says it does it will be a very sucessful game what with the friend and rival mode plus its portable

Yeah I hope so too.

All I ever wanted is to play Wifi with my friends and that's going to happen, so I'm happy. ^^

[Saphion]

Wait, what have I missed here? What are you thanking me for?

You might say that there's been...
...(wait for it)...
...a lack of communication!

*ba-dum-dum-tschh!*

*Silence*

Sigh, I'll get me coat.

[Epically Leet]

Saphion....


Holy crap that was funny. xD

[Aumi]

Hey, this article (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170836) (brought to you by Risingsun) clears a few things up. An interesting statement is, that you, in free play, are "only allowed to chat via the in-game keyboard -- none of the PictoChat-style "visual chat" functionality is available."

Well, if this is true, it would solve most controversies in this thread.

[Saphion]

Nice!

There's an in-game keyboard?! The interesting thing about this is that it brings up the possibility of Word Select...