PSZ to PSO

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

who thinks psz will be better then PSO or as good i personally think it will be about as good.

[Quintus_The_Force]

BETTER

and whats the "tp" stand for in the topic? lol

[Kyrith_Ranger_Pso]

woops i meant to say PSZ TO PSO

[Mike]

woops i meant to say PSZ TO PSO
I think you can edit the thread title, try that.

[DChip]

Phantasy Star Zero it's looking like it's going to have the same feeling as PSO, so I could call PSZ as a spiritual prequel of PSO.

[Dragwind]

I think it'll be good for a while, but I don't think it will come close to PSO for me.

[Quintus_The_Force]

@ Control,

I think Dragwinds title says it all

[Akaimizu]

I've played the Japanese version. It probably wouldn't have anywhere the same impact as PSO given that most people consider PSO to be the way it was by the Episode 1 & 2 package. It'll be more close to PSO version 1 Dreamcast, for no real surprising reason. The overall content is more in line with that. While it doesn't have something cool like Sinow Beats, it does have some interesting unique monsters in it. Some of them, rather entertaining to watch.

There's more areas and content than PSO version 1. The areas are more akin to the flat levels found in PSO version 1, but the number of different area styles is closer to Episode 1 and 2.

The system is different, you have to get used to the limited button pallette settings (again, more like PSO version 1 where you're rather limited in what you can have set at a time, with no simple shortcut other than going into full menus to switch stuff in and out). The GOOD aspect of PSZ is that you get two techs for the price of one, for any tech you have set in your pallette. So your Foie and Ra-Foie can be activated with the same exact attack icon, just that in one case you need to hold down the button longer to activate it. It does slow down the rate you can span Ra or Gi spells, but when you know the interface (and the way Photon Blasts are activated) you start to realize why that system is in place.

The game design is intelligent about the DS hardware limitations and plays pretty well in 4-player multi. At least in my random sessions with folks in Japan. Not bad for someone on the practical opposite side of the earth from Japan.

I would've liked to see a larger amount of total Mags, but you still have the opportunity to raise quite a few. They are still the good way to insta-switch (like PSO) your character total stats based on what kind of build you want for your particular class.

Character balance is definitely not perfect. The game is balanced so that everybody can succeed, but it definitely favors some over others. Then again, this is also more like PSO v1, in that regard. What does kick butt is its different take on the PSO style gameplay and some combat engine additions unique to PSZ. You also have the interesting ability to upgrade certain weapons in a new way. Gameplay-wise, I do think they did some pretty nice things with Rangers. Some of the new Photon Arts for them are fairly entertaining to see pulled-off. I still think they could've tweaked the balance for them, a bit better. However, given the way PSZ handles weapon access, it does give everybody alternatives that might work better for them, in a given situation.

[Burnsro]

the game doesnt feel like pso. sorry. youre delusional. sorry. its not. its awful gameplay. its not comparable in the slightest. ps0 is a mess. it should be proof enough that everyone who already has ps0 doesnt play it nor do they trade items or ply together. its awful. its painful to play. you zelda loving nintendo ds loving wii obsessed children are sick.

I also heard PS0 doesn't put the toilet seat down and let's it's cellphone go off during a movie.

[Zero Revenge]

Character balance is definitely not perfect. The game is balanced so that everybody can succeed, but it definitely favors some over others. Then again, this is also more like PSO v1, in that regard. What does kick butt is its different take on the PSO style gameplay and some combat engine additions unique to PSZ. You also have the interesting ability to upgrade certain weapons in a new way. Gameplay-wise, I do think they did some pretty nice things with Rangers. Some of the new Photon Arts for them are fairly entertaining to see pulled-off. I still think they could've tweaked the balance for them, a bit better. However, given the way PSZ handles weapon access, it does give everybody alternatives that might work better for them, in a given situation.

I'm assuming Forces have that "favor" over others? Since they get the best Tech's available, and can charge them to be even more powerful? And that their atk pwr is based off of their MST for weapon damage?

I want to play a RAmar first, what sort of nice things do Rangers have in Zero?

[Akaimizu]

Mainly Photon Arts as opposed to just their typical regular attack patterns. It's not a whole lot of features in number, but it is a brand new feature for gunners and does allow them an actual venue to showoff and perform special attacks with the guns. Basically, it adds the flash of photon arts (typically reserved for hunters) to rangers. Some resemble the John Woo gun ballet stuff.

[Zero Revenge]

I see. Sounds pretty good, thanks Akaimizu.

[Niered]

For me, and many other forum goers here I would assume, there is no possible way that PSZ will have the same "fun factor" PSO did. Even if PSZ was everything we had hoped for and more, the simple fact is that PSO was amazing to us not just because it was a great game, but because it also filled a certain period of our lives. For me, it was the first online game I had ever played with that level of Co-op. Thats what made it so much damn fun, it just was way too great to be able to pop into a game of people that you could assume were great guys, even if you didnt know them and then do a few casual runs of some areas. Maybe an online quest or two, ask if somebody had that rare youd been tracking for months, etc. etc.

Rose colored glasses are a powerful thing, and Im not saying that PSO doesnt demand the respect and adoration we give it, but truth be told, does anyone here that grew up playing pso in there teenage years (I got DC v.2 when I was 13, didnt stop playing some form of PSO online until around 17) really think that there will be another game that will come around and make you say "Geeze, this is even more fun than that time I stayed up until 4 am to fight Dark Falz on ultimate with my freinds, and I had work the next morning!"?

For me at least, I doubt it. I sincerely doubt it.


EDIT: But I'm still looking forward to Zero with baited breath, dont get me wrong.

[DChip]

Being 17 myself, and starting to enter the PSO universe (not the universe series, I don't like it) I feel that PSZ will be my iconic PS experience, but the more PSO that can be put in PSZ, the better!

Also, Niered, you are right, some games have just being a big part of our lifes, that not even new ones will replace them, even if they feel the same.

[Arikado]

PSZ is definitely the way i'd like to see the Phantasy Star "Online" games in the future.

... The PSU direction just isn't appealing to me.

PSO -> PSZ -> Win!

PSO -> PSU -> Fail.