NEW PSU2???

[r00tabaga]

With all of the attention surrounding Phantasy Star Portable 2 lately wouldn't it make sense that a true sequel, not expansion, would be in the works for our beloved PSU??? It appears to me that this generation of consoles is sorely lacking in the action/RPG genre. Secondly, PSU for the 360 was simply a PS2 port due to the fact that is was developed sooo long ago. Imagine if the PSZ AND PS:P2 team could get together and make a game similar to PS:P2 w/enhanced next gen visuals! I don't even have a PSP but am intrigued by how exciting the features are for PS:P2 (including all the PSO stuff).........if there is a God, please let him or her hear me!!!!!!!

[Volcompat321]

No...

[r00tabaga]

No what??? Are you happy with an outdated Playstation 2 port??? More power to you if so, but I am hopeful of a sequel to be announced within the year for all of the "next gen" systems. I would be happy with a PSU sequel. I would be happy with a PS:P2 port w/better graphics. I would be REALLY, REALLY happy for a new PSO game on my PS3 or 360!

:)

[Waki Miko Syamemaru!]

I would love a new Phantasy Star MMO for the PS3/Xbox360. But the thing is whoever they had do the music for PSU should be kicked out. And barred. I want a PSO type or fully orchastrated score. No crap!

[Allison_W]

At this point, I think a true sequel to Phantasy Star Universe would be a necessity, if only to start from a clean slate and tell the PS2 to take a hike--more because modern standards simply prohibit the PS2's no-hard-drive limitation and call for Real Content Updates as opposed to Unlocking Stuff Already on the Fricking Disc than to update the visuals, because as far as I'm concerned PSU's visuals are aging fairly well as it is.

Alternately, instead of a true sequel, it could be an updated but non-expansion version of PSU a la the move from the various console PSOs to PSOBB, though obviously the change would be much more extreme if they were to add all the basic mechanical updates from PSP2 instead of just adding new areas and lewtz.

Agree with Syamemaru that a better in-game soundtrack is called for. There actually are some really good songs in PSU, but unfortunately, the majority of the game doesn't feature them... and the shifting music that PSO used to differentiate between combat and non-combat situations really helped to set the mood.

[Gypsy72]

just so long as my characters and everything i have would transfer over, and the monthly fee would not go up (hopefully go away!)

[Kinako78]

I would love a new Phantasy Star MMO for the PS3/Xbox360.

Putting it on the Wii would be nice, too. It might require a separate server from PS3 and 360, but it'd still be cool. I just don't see myself being able to get a PS3 or 360 anytime soon.

[Allison_W]

just so long as my characters and everything i have would transfer over, and the monthly fee would not go up (hopefully go away!)

I don't think you could transfer your characters between the various versions of PSO, or at least the later ones. I don't know about the original V1 and V2, for instance, but if so they'd probably be better compared to vanilla PSU and AotI anyway.

[Kylie]

I doubt it because I think they want to milk the DLC thing, but I wouldn't object. Hell, I'd even play it.

[Kinako78]

PS3 doesn't have DLC? PSP does.

[r00tabaga]

The music in PSO was beautiful and I would love something along those lines. When I played PSU, I used the 360's HD for all my BGM...usually Conan, LotR, Star Wars type soundtracks.

I agree, the visuals are still holding up, but the PS2 really held it down.

[Allison_W]

I agree, the visuals are still holding up, but the PS2 really held it down.

Agree--it's just important to be mindful that the really revolutionary change in dropping PS2 support wouldn't be in graphics, but in content production, as unlocking instead of adding new content would be simply unnecessary. Admittedly, they might still choose to do it that way, but if they do, bitching immediately becomes valid.

In any case, I'll happily pay the same subscription fee I would for a traditional MMO if they'll give us content updates like those traditional MMOs generally have. Or if they want to move entirely to a Guardians Cash-based model, that would be fine, too--what isn't fine is having subscription fees and game-mechanics-affecting microtransactions at the same time.

[zandra117]

After the recent news that PSP2 has subscription codes it seems that SEGA has decided to support PSP2 as if its the new "major" online game, it even has a PSP2 cash shop etc. It is beginning to look as if we wont get a new non-handeld console PS game for a long time.

[RemiusTA]

I would love a new Phantasy Star MMO for the PS3/Xbox360. But the thing is whoever they had do the music for PSU should be kicked out. And barred. I want a PSO type or fully orchastrated score. No crap!

You know the exact same composers responsible for PSO EpI, II, and III's score are the ones who did PSU's soundtrack, right? Im guessing the amount of money they paid them for the music simply wasn't sufficient enough, knowing the half-ass bullshit Sonic Team likes to pull.


From what ive seen? PSP2 essentally IS psu2. The amount of system changes to the game far outweighs anything a simple downloadable patch could solve with our console versions -- likely, a new disc would be required. We seem to be a huge distance away from a true 360/PS3 PSU2. Sonic Team spent like 3 years working on the original Phantasy Star Universe. Not like it would take them that long to give us PSU2, but the amount of work required to pimp the graphics, gameplay, and environments would prove pretty significant.

I dont know about you guys, but i would much rather wait 3 years for ST to develop a TRUE console-optimized version of PSU than for them to try to rushjob a "slightly more flashy" version with an equal amount of problems to the one we have now.

[Allison_W]

After the recent news that PSP2 has subscription codes it seems that SEGA has decided to support PSP2 as if its the new "major" online game, it even has a PSP2 cash shop etc. It is beginning to look as if we wont get a new non-handeld console PS game for a long time.

I'm not sure about that, but even if it's true, if PSP2 is good enough and deep enough, it might just tide us over until then.

This is assuming that non-Japanese players don't get dicked over with a refusal to provide updates and such that the Japanese get, as was the case in the original PSP.

[Delete]

I dont know about you guys, but i would much rather wait 3 years for ST to develop a TRUE console-optimized version of PSU than for them to try to rushjob a "slightly more flashy" version with an equal amount of problems to the one we have now.

This.

[Chuck_Norris]

Imagine if the PSZ AND PS:P2 team could get together and make a game similar to PS:P2 w/enhanced next gen visuals!

Actually, the team that worked on PS0 joinned up with PSP2 after they finished their game.

[Waki Miko Syamemaru!]

You know the exact same composers responsible for PSO EpI, II, and III's score are the ones who did PSU's soundtrack, right? Im guessing the amount of money they paid them for the music simply wasn't sufficient enough, knowing the half-ass bullshit Sonic Team likes to pull.


From what ive seen? PSP2 essentally IS psu2. The amount of system changes to the game far outweighs anything a simple downloadable patch could solve with our console versions -- likely, a new disc would be required. We seem to be a huge distance away from a true 360/PS3 PSU2. Sonic Team spent like 3 years working on the original Phantasy Star Universe. Not like it would take them that long to give us PSU2, but the amount of work required to pimp the graphics, gameplay, and environments would prove pretty significant.

I dont know about you guys, but i would much rather wait 3 years for ST to develop a TRUE console-optimized version of PSU than for them to try to rushjob a "slightly more flashy" version with an equal amount of problems to the one we have now.

Hell I'd wait 4 years just so they can iron out all the bugs and whatnot. I'd also love to have more minigames too. Maybe a DDR style minigame or a top-down Raiden-esque SHMUP. Also lots of explosions...and Iron Maiden. But then again that last one is a bit far fetched.

[Tetsaru]

Lol OP, don't get your hopes up anytime soon. Also, I'd change that thread title; the last thing we need is more dumb rumors flying around about yet ANOTHER Phantasy Star title in the works... @_@

Besides, it's wrong to fully pass judgment on the handheld games that haven't even come out yet. Imo, it would be best to see how the non-Japanese gaming demographic takes these new titles first before Sega shells out another flop on the major consoles that won't keep players interested. If they would just LISTEN to their fans more and be more aware of current successful MMO game trends, as well as actually put TIME and EFFORT into their next big title (i.e., not letting Sonic Team make it, lol), I'm sure more people would stick around and be willing to play it. All it would need is some intelligent game design, the good aspects of both PSO AND PSU, a little bit of innovation, a well-written storyline, and some good old Phantasy Star charm and nostalgia.

[Arika]

It is possible, but you just have to wait for some times. I think that they are now concentrate on PSP:2, but after they are done with it for about a year, they gonna concentrate on the next one. It could be console again consider how many game developer in JP like online cash style stuffs. (which they can't do it on PSP)

look at bandai namco did to even offline game http://darkdiamond.net/web-notes/tales-of-vesperia-dlc-lets-you-pay-to-level-up/


(note: actually compare to PSUjp where people pay for GC speed exp mission and kill enemy for lv up, they rather just do it like this for instant lv up lol :P , it is the same, just waste less time. )

[Ffuzzy-Logik]

You know the exact same composers responsible for PSO EpI, II, and III's score are the ones who did PSU's soundtrack, right?Thank God someone else actually seems to know this. And besides, PSU's soundtrack wasn't that bad. I'd actually say it's rather good (though PSO's definitely does have an edge) apart from a select few tracks (I'm looking at you, obnoxious as hell SEED theme).

[Yusaku_Kudou]

The lack of instanced songs between combat and non-combat was disappointing. The music was more grandoise than mysterious and that was a bit of a hit. Some of the songs were completely misused and misplaced and some too annoying on repeat (mostly without the change in combat situations, again). I'd love to see a new Phantasy Star online console title, though.

[AzureBlaze]

There will be another console PSU.
The official interview-guy back-handedly confirmed it over in the PSU2 PSP forum. I pulled out his quote too in one of the later posts. He said "not for a while yet" but that isn't a NO or a ITS CANNED or anything. So yeah, it looks like the bug-ironers here have a point and possibly also a wish-come-true as it won't be for a while. Hopefully they're using the time to make it really great.

Yes it's ultra micro news buried on like page 3...but I'm rather grasping at anything by now since PSU on PS2 has such a low population/hardly updates/etc. And really as far as I know this is the first confirmation anyone's heard of another console/pc PSU.

[Proff]

I would love a new Phantasy Star MMO for the PS3/Xbox360. But the thing is whoever they had do the music for PSU should be kicked out. And barred. I want a PSO type or fully orchastrated score. No crap!

Same guy did the music for both. PSO's music was better though.

[Mike]

I wouldn't mind seeing a completely new Phantasy Star game. Not a Universe or Online spinoff (like the portables) but something completely new. New story, new cast, new universe. Maybe even a standard RPG! Anything, just as long as it's new.

[RemiusTA]

Thank God someone else actually seems to know this. And besides, PSU's soundtrack wasn't that bad. I'd actually say it's rather good (though PSO's definitely does have an edge) apart from a select few tracks (I'm looking at you, obnoxious as hell SEED theme).

Not bad, but DEFINATELY not the typical Sonic Team soundtrack work, which is usually quite amazing regardless of the piss-poor quality of the game. (looking at you, Sonic 06.) PSU's soundtrack should have been PSO EpIII quality, which has one of the absolute best soundtracks ive ever heard before.

I really dont know who to blame, though. All i can say is that they wern't given the proper time/tools/money, because the creditability of those composers has been proven FOUR times over (I forgot about Ep. IV.) PSU's soundtrack is pretty medicore though, to tell the truth. At least based off PSO EpI, II, III, & IV. I dont believe there is a single song in PSU i'd even waste my time putting on my MP3 player.

[Cracka_J]

Just in terms of popularity, a PSO2 is much more likely then a PSU2 ever seeing the light of day. PSO still gets a lot of play on private servers from players & fans of the series from nearly 10 years ago now, probably more people play on there now then the official PC/PS2 servers actually have paying subscribers. When PSU dies, I really don't see anyone with the resources wanting to keep it going.

That's not saying it won't happen, just if they were going to make a successor to the series, I think a PSO2 would appeal to a bit wider audience.

[Volcompat321]

PSO 2 with better camera controls. I'm game.

[Powder Keg]

Just in terms of popularity, a PSO2 is much more likely then a PSU2 ever seeing the light of day. PSO still gets a lot of play on private servers from players & fans of the series from nearly 10 years ago now, probably more people play on there now then the official PC/PS2 servers actually have paying subscribers. When PSU dies, I really don't see anyone with the resources wanting to keep it going.

That's not saying it won't happen, just if they were going to make a successor to the series, I think a PSO2 would appeal to a bit wider audience.

I think if a Private server were made for PSU, it'd have a hell of a lot more people than PC/PS2 ever did, probably because all of the content will get unlocked, and proper balances will be made similar to what happened with PSO. Now that'd be awesome.

[Cracka_J]

I think if a Private server were made for PSU, it'd have a hell of a lot more people than PC/PS2 ever did, probably because all of the content will get unlocked, and proper balances will be made similar to what happened with PSO. Now that'd be awesome.

It would be, and I actually like PSU more then I liked PSO (please hate, idc), there's a lot of dislike out there for the game. Which is why I said I don't see the necessary people with the resources to do so making PSU private anytime in the future.

[Allison_W]

It would be, and I actually like PSU more then I liked PSO (please hate, idc), there's a lot of dislike out there for the game. Which is why I said I don't see the necessary people with the resources to do so making PSU private anytime in the future.

I like PSU more than PSO, too. For all the mismanagement (or, in some cases, management legitimately having its hands tied--an example is that Sony Computer Entertainment America requires all of the game's US updates to undergo two weeks testing before release, which slows regional updates compared to the JP ones), somewhat poorer music, a lack of PSO-style side quests (the thing I miss most myself) and a few mistakes all its own, PSU has better gameplay, a storyline that, while by no means epic, is actually remotely comprehensible without the assistance of illicit drugs, and better customization. (Also better graphics, but that is far and away the least important factor here.) PSO had its own balance issues, after all, like female hunters being doomed to suck towards the end (lol oppressive stereotypes--but perhaps the issue has been fixed on private servers; I dunno). Also, compared to PSU, PSO's battle system just feels like a slow, clunky, lumbering sow (to be quite honest, that was my impression the first time I played PSO, long before PSU was on the horizon).

Honestly, it seems to me like most of the PSO love, PSU hate is nostalgia and a willingness to cut PSO extra slack because of it--combined with the fact that private servers have turned out to often be better at managing it than Sega, which still manages PSU.

Of course, that doesn't mean the PSO love, PSU hate isn't there, and if it does kill post-official-demise private servers, it'd be a damn shame, because said move to private servers would remove much of the reason the PSU hate is there in the first place. Painfully slow content drip-feed? Gone. Imbalance? You can never get rid of that perfectly, but quite possibly eased. Events? There are private servers that do them quite a bit better than Sega's known for, especially with regards to players who aren't from Glorious Nippon. Subscription fees plus Guardians Cash milking your wallet (currently only applies in Glorious Nippon due to painfully slow content drip-feed being severely aggravated outside of Glorious Nippon)? Gone (depending on who's running the server, both might be Gone). Glorious Nippon getting stuff or consideration regional players don't, in general? Gone.

/bitch

[r00tabaga]

I like PSU a lot but clearly PSO was ahead of it's time. The only thing that I like better about PSU is PA's and the addition of the beast race. Here are what sets PSO apart from it's younger brother PSU.
1) Mags......period...I could stop there and end this argument. Nothing was more fun than "mag-farming".
2) SPECIAL WEAPONS!
3) Disk based is more appealing to me than spamming techs,bullets and PA's for hours.
4) Side quests
5) Teleports
6) Battle mode and Challenge mode
7) Photon Blasts

[Akaimizu]

PSU, for me, is pretty nice as well. For me, I think one thing that improves in PSU is the flow of battle and character movement. That, in itself, is a great plus for my enjoyment of the game.

Indeed, PSO had a lot of specific nice parts as well. And yes, Mags could pretty much end the discussion. Needless to say, both had thier share of issues. Mine was that PSO hacking utterly destroyed my willingness to play online with various people. True, I usually go with friends or solo in PSU, but they often have friends which build my list to multiple pages.

In PSO, I think I was friends with maybe 2 or 3 people max, and didn't see incentive to grow that much further. Then again, stuff like NOL pretty much made me very paranoid. It's one thing to potentially lose your equipment (as with certain versions of the game), it's another thing to have your 800+ hour character permanently overwritten.

So, to give them credit, they did avoid one major thing that caused PSO's downfall.

[Zeek123]

I saw mentioned that someone wanted a Wii version. Never in a million years would I wish this for an RPG MMO which people take hundreds of hours building their characters up. Nintendo is just so anal when it comes to online play. Their harddrive is a whopping 512 MB... 'nuff said.

Look at their "answer" to Halo: The Conduit. In no time that game was hacked to death and invincible cheaters were roaming around ruining everyone's game. Without a solid way to support DLC and patching, there's just no way anyone could justify buying and paying fees for this kind of game.It'd be like the PS2 problem all over again, except with more cheaters.

Nintendo just doesn't care about the internet, HD, and most of all its customers. More so than the dreaded Segac (yeah, that's right)

[Ffuzzy-Logik]

In after unwarranted Nintendo hate.



Actually, an online PS-game on the Wii wouldn't be too much of a stretch at all, considering there's a Monster Hunter on the Wii, and PSP was basically SEGA trying to cash in on the success of MH on PSP.

[Kinako78]

Of all the people who could be on my side, I never expected it to be you, Ffuzzy! *hugs*

I didn't know there was a Monster Hunter on Wii, though.

And Zeek, you obviously didn't read my entire post on that subject to say that.

[Zeek123]

I did read your post...

For everyone that's happy they own a Wii; Great, good for you.

Look, all I'm saying that the Wii is a lonely experience.
Nintendo doesn't ever admit that a game they produced or licensed might have something wrong with it. Thus they don't allow patching. Which would enable hackers to render the game un-enjoyable.

Not only that, but it would lead right back to one of the biggest complaints about PSU now:

No new content. I am sick and tired of game developers asking people to buy things that are already on the disc. Street Fighter 4 even gets knocked for people paying for extra costumes that are on the disc.

And in my honest opinion, I think that MH should be a hand held game. It's just my opinion, don't hate me for it.

Anyway, I'd really like to know your opinions on why we should get a Wii MMO? Honestly, if developers could make one that works, and is fun, I'd be all for finally plugging my Wii back in. It feels like a huge waste of money right now.

[Will_Nonheim]

To answer the initial question : No, it wouldn't make sense to give PSU a sequel on a console. PSU is a flop, commercially speaking, in the end. As far as non-japanese markets go, anyway. PSP was therefore a logical conclusion for the japanese market-- and it turned out good, AND sold well over here. Thus PSP gets PSP2, whereas PSU gets the boot.

If, however, you implied that SEGA should make the jump once again-- like the one from PSO to PSU... But this time from PSU to the next generation, which could easily offer the best of both PSO and PSU and more, then yes. I'm all for that now.
Personally I think in many ways PSU is a big upgrade over PSO. Sure it may lack a bit of novelty but then again PSO was the first console MMORPG, it's not like they're going to be able to make that happen again. They could, however, listen to the criticism on what is good and what isn't and work on adding that. PSP2 has the infamous Human/Newman SUV that the community kept bitching for, isn't that a fun addition? But how about adding back MAGs? Stuff like that could do nicely. ...This is turning into one of those "Oh gawd they should change this and that" blah blah blah posts, so... Let's stop that there.

Bottom line :
PSU2 : Naw.
Next generation of online PS games : Yay.

[HsBlaze]

I hope a their a psu 2 in the making and they bring back a lot of stuff from pso like MAG BATTLES MODES! I guess I get a psp and get ps:p2

[Seira7]

I am hoping that one of the reasons SEGA is focusing on handheld titles is it is a way to test out new ideas w/o spending tons on a console PSU2 that may be another flop. Also its a way of keeping the series alive and people interested in it while they test out new concepts for the new PSU. I think we will see a sequel, but not for a long while which is fine with me because Id rather they take their time.

[DAMASCUS]

Phantasy Star online games have been a bit of an oxymoron. On one hand you have some cutesy enemies and characters with rooms to decorate with flowers and even select music to set it to. Those things might be very attractive to young girls and what young boy wouldn't want to smack around some ugly beast with a press of a button while the team leader covers your back?

As has been mentioned before its impossible to guarantee the content of online interaction. What parent would allow their child to play a game where people can flash obscenities made with keyboard symbols and even some vile( but inventive ) stop motion stick figure shows. Not to mention some people will do anything for attention and will do what they can to get around word censors.

A game targeted to kids that cannot be sanctioned for kids...what a conundrum.

This is why it wouldn't make it on Wii which is targeted to family gaming. Their are mature titles but the intent on those is very clear. They took a chance with PSO GC and regret the parental shitstorm that they recieved; not fact just very likely considering that symbol chats promoted much creativity.

One possibility is if they brought back auto-phrasing and had a parental locking function that would block them from seeing unsolicited chat. Most kids don't type much anyway and that could make it easier for them to ask for free rares ;)

With some smart choices they could actually launch a successful(and safe) marketing strategy for a game that should be much more popular then SEGA has allowed it to be. More revenue means better support, bottom line.

[RedRaz0r]

Uh, i want psu2. But I think if there was a near future release they would have mentioned it.

[ThePendragon]

This is what the game really needs. A full sequel that adds more story, tightens up the gameplay and the way missions/loot works to force people to spread out more and fix a million more little issues that could make this into one of the best MMO's out there. A visual update would also help a lot in getting more people to play of course. That said, a sequel would be a GOOD idea, so it's not going to happen. This IS SEGA after all.

[seanNOLA]

I've been saying this for a while, but if SEGA wants to put Phantasy Star on the PS3, they should retool the original Phantasy Star Online, uprez it, maybe reconfigure the camera, and release it as a free-to-play PSN game, charging $10 per episode. If it sticks, over time they could make new episodes and release them, and people could simply buy the ones that interest them, and skip the ones that don't.

On another note, when I went to renew my hunter's license, and it asked what versions of PSU I owned: The options were PC, PS2 and PS3. Typo or trickiness? You tell me!