Some info I wanted to tell the community about SEGA & Updates.

[Vashyron]

So thanks to private server makers which I will not mention, "we've just found that the content locking is completely artificial, the counter files for the US servers are the same as JP, that is, v1 missions changed into AOTI missions have that AOTI category in the US counter, and missions that got S3 on JP and not on US have an empty space for the S3 difficulty in the US counter."

If you did not understand that, it basically means;

"Content from the JP servers was on US servers too, just locked away."

"The US mission counter files are the same as JP."

Don't confuse this with disc content;

"Disc content was there from the beginning, what this discovery means is that US had supplemental content for a year."


This is all I'll say. Make what of this as you wish, but I despise SEGA after hearing this.

[Max B]

Wow all I can say really.

[Leilla-chan]

Sometimes it feels like they wanted the US PC/PS2 players on the JP servers so we use GC to reach our old standarts again...
But well i am happy on JP<3

[PKS]

Wow... that's really messed up now.

[Retehi]

Jeez, even that makes me go "wtf man".

[drizzle]

You really had no idea?

[Leilla-chan]

You really had no idea?

well how should I/we?

[Tetsaru]

Wow, Sega. Fucking wow.

For lack of better video and words - the first 6 seconds is all I have to say to them about this:

[spoiler-box]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHBePtcIfY4
[/spoiler-box]

[dragoon-girl]

well how should I/we?

He probably thinks it was all on the disk, or something.

[Powder Keg]

Can't say I'm surprised.

[HyperShot-X-]

http://psupedia.info/AOTI_supplemental_update
"The following information applies only to the Japanese PC/PS2 servers.
All PS2 users will have access to the system file upgrades offered by this update, but they will not receive visual upgrades for new items. However, new items will be available to PS2 users. These items will simply use existing in-game visuals, though the names, descriptions and stats will be unique."

Well, thanks for the discovery on something that was a public knowledge for over a year now.. and to see people's reaction on this thread going "WOAH MAN, WTF".. what is this some group therapy session or something?

[Dragwind]

Can't say I'm surprised.

^

Considering all the content was there and all that had to be done was translation (which let's face it, even the community here could do in a short amount of time), there really doesn't seem to be a real reason why the content was held back from us.

I believe what's being said here is that we've had the supplemental update data downloaded already for a very long time, it was just "locked".

[darthplagis]

thing is SEGA knew they would be doing S3 and above, there was a graphical glitch back in the day which had all of the icons in game and they were on there(it changed your room into the icons and looked very very wrong).

so the structure was always in place for the data to be added at a later date via title updates and content unlocks via server upgrades, hence ps2 players not being able to download the skins for the data added, as skins/textures are client side loaded not server loaded.

so yeah the server infrastructure will have been set up that way probasbly since vanilla PSU, if not then AOTI.

[Rayokarna]

http://psupedia.info/AOTI_supplemental_update
"The following information applies only to the Japanese PC/PS2 servers.
All PS2 users will have access to the system file upgrades offered by this update, but they will not receive visual upgrades for new items. However, new items will be available to PS2 users. These items will simply use existing in-game visuals, though the names, descriptions and stats will be unique."

Well, thanks for the discovery on something that was a public knowledge for over a year now.. and to see people's reaction on this thread going "WOAH MAN, WTF".. what is this some group therapy session or something?

I think this is the key point. PS2/PC World Wide servers never had this download. So the fact this data is already on the CD (or previous download) is the what's worrying.

Well this is Sega, It's not hard to believe after everything our server went through.

[darthplagis]

like i said before, the infrastructure was ALWAYS there, the download for the supplimental update is a small fix to the game (class changes and PA mods) and the bulk of it will be textures/skins for the new weapons (meshes are just reused from a staple of 3 or 4 per weapon type, if that).

the data we already have on disk, most of it we have already (boards and such we still dont have from v1 :() but item data will be stored server side so it will not be included in the download.

[Ffuzzy-Logik]

Considering all the content was there and all that had to be done was translationYou want to hear something really baffling?

The PSO Forest mission from the (JP-only) AoI beta was even on our server, and it even had a localization (Familiar Trees)!




That said, I think the OP might be a little misleading. From my understanding, the only thing that's been seen for sure so far is that missions from the Supplement, or at least their names, were present.

[easy123]

SEGA YOU CHEATING F..KERS LOL

THEY ARE THE 1ST TO TALK WHEN WE CHEAT

[Sinue_v2]

I believe what's being said here is that we've had the supplemental update data downloaded already for a very long time, it was just "locked".

Oh, I'm sure there's plenty of reasons. Good, sane, rational reasons... that's another story. Seems to me that SoA couldn't even fart in the proximity of the regional servers without SoJ's express permission. PSU was their baby, and they wanted total control over it's management... which could have been a good idea were they on the ball... but as it is, it just ties the hands of SoA. This seems to be why it takes so goddamned long for compensation, why GM events are always lame meet & greets, photo-shoots, and why bugs take so long to get fixed. Further, this could explain why even menial fixes/updates can take several hours, as they already get pre-packaged/pre-translated updates from SoJ, and SoA is basically flying blind when it comes to applying it. This is exacerbated by not having the same content release schedule, which can cause problems if the newest update requires content that the JP had when they got the content, but which we don't. So without proper testing, bugs and issues can pop up which cannot be fixed until SoJ writes a patch or permits a suggested fix... which can push it's application back several hours after the servers are back up to perhaps even the next maintenance cycle... giving us the beloved "lolbacks". Not to mention making it cumbersome to clean up sloppy engrish translations, like "Nel Soul" and Rupika's "Four Bells were Lit".

Is that about the score so far? Then to hear the OP's revelation compounding this scenario... it's just, pathetic.


http://psupedia.info/AOTI_supplemental_updateWell, thanks for the discovery on something that was a public knowledge for over a year now.. and to see people's reaction on this thread going "WOAH MAN, WTF".. what is this some group therapy session or something?

I don't... think what you wrote is even applicable, as was pointed out by the poster below you. While I can't verify the OP's information, this sort of asinine move seems to fit consistently into SoJ/ST's modus operandi. Considering these guys are asshole deep in reverse engineering PSU's server structure, which includes analyzing both US and JP server data, I believe they are far more informed on the subject that you are. If they are outraged at what has been discovered, I am inclined to believe that there is merit to that outrage.

But I suppose you'd just consider them "hackers trying again to kill PSU" eh?

[RemiusTA]

http://psupedia.info/AOTI_supplemental_update
"The following information applies only to the Japanese PC/PS2 servers.
All PS2 users will have access to the system file upgrades offered by this update, but they will not receive visual upgrades for new items. However, new items will be available to PS2 users. These items will simply use existing in-game visuals, though the names, descriptions and stats will be unique."

Well, thanks for the discovery on something that was a public knowledge for over a year now.. and to see people's reaction on this thread going "WOAH MAN, WTF".. what is this some group therapy session or something?

How does what you posted even equate to "we've known this forever...?" You aren't making any sense. What he is saying is, the "Supplemental update" (most likely the missions anyway) have been in the game data for a while now, just not available to us, regardless of the fact we are struggling for them.

What I read that as was, "the data for the Mission Counters are the same in JP as they are in the US", which means when the JP servers got the supplemental update...so did we. It's just deliberately locked away. Now, the post is pretty vauge, since they don't tell if its translated or not. But im pretty sure the translation ISNT done in Sega of America, since we dont do anything. And its common knowledge the IDEA for S3 missions has been around since V1. Thats not the same as the mission variants being on the game already. I guess that also means that whatever story missions released were also in the US version far before they unlocked them.


So basically, we aren't nearly as far away as we seem to be. They are just continuing to spoon feed us. Well, im glad i heard that. Fuck the update, im never renewing my PSU360 subscription EVER again. Fuck Sonic Team. the 360 version can fail and hackers can ravage the JP servers for all i care. Their work ethic is terrible, and i can't WAIT for the PSU Private Servers to start rolling around so we can stop putting up with them. Not like they do anything right anyway.

I doubt it includes the Weapon models and data, but even if it doesn't, this alone is pretty pathetic. And if this turns out to be as bad as it sounds, im just going to pirate PSP2 again when it comes out over here.

[Arika]

Isn't it something you'd already expected?

C B A S S2 S3 = same thing, just add level of the monsters only. And any change to the lay out can be done within the pattern.

However, JP DLC = real DLC. you never get those weapons/shield/clothes/hair style/GAS/ R missions/ new name of co-op mission in the data from all the previous hackers work.
JP users have to download 100 Mb ~ 300 Mb of files every month.
so I m very sure that you guys US players won't have these contend yet until you guys have to download the same amount of DLC.


(note: R mission and new co-op missions aren't on the disc, but PS2 users can play it, because they only manage the exist data to make a new stage... which mean all area have to be pattern that already exist)

[Zeek123]

Does anyone really care anymore at this point?

New and better games are coming out all the time. Save it as a pleasant memory and move on, people. Sega'll disappoint you again soon enough, don't worry. No need to go kicking what's dead/dying.

[Valencia Superbia]

Can't say I'm surprised.

Have to agree, it's nothing to be really surprised about. Not to mention it doesn't make a difference to me since it's just a game in the end.

[Max B]

Have to agree, it's nothing to be really surprised about. Not to mention it doesn't make a difference to me since it's just a game in the end.

Well, obviously you have not shelled out $ since the begining of this game.
Obviously you do not have a real sense on what money is worth.

[dragoon-girl]

However, JP DLC = real DLC. you never get those weapons/shield/clothes/hair style/GAS/ R missions/ new name of co-op mission in the data from all the previous hackers work.
JP users have to download 100 Mb ~ 300 Mb of files every month.
so I m very sure that you guys US players won't have these contend yet until you guys have to download the same amount of DLC.

It's only a lot because they make you download stuff you've already got before from an archive.. as well as the new things. Or so I have heard..

[Arika]

It's only a lot because they make you download stuff you've already got before from an archive.. as well as the new things. Or so I have heard..


anything that PS2 users can't access = new DLC

anything that they can access = either :
A.
old stuffs to unlock. (which ST said that they unlocked all before supplement)
B.
old stuffs that newly rearrange (this include all the new event and new missions. They have to work on existed texture to make new mission)


so either it is DLC or "B" they have to work to make it happen. If it is A, then they don't have to work.

If you want to prove that any of the new mission is "A" (stuff yet to be unlocked) Then you have to ask any hacker to release any new mission before JP server get it.

You can't simply judge that the mission is already on the disk by just seeing "mission name/rank" It can be empty list too.
As far as I know, ST already prepare to have up until rank S5 since the start of v.1 (there was a picture of that since old time)

[dragoon-girl]

anything that PS2 users can't access = new DLC


I'm not saying the first time you update it's not new.. I mean, after that, each month. Some of it is stuff you already got before... D: Of course there's the new clothes in it to. I don't know if it has to be like that or what.. but I'm just saying, it's not a lot because every update is huge... it's just they push stuff from an archive of things to. :s

[Valencia Superbia]

Well, obviously you have not shelled out $ since the begining of this game.
Obviously you do not have a real sense on what money is worth.

Either you're getting defensive or you're being argumentative for no real reason. Regardless...

Video games are a luxury, not a necessity. I have been paying money for this game for quite some time and am aware what it is worth. I'm simply stating that the game is just a game, and I'm going to stop playing it when I can't pay for it or when I don't care for it anymore. However I sincerely doubt the former will happen.

I don't know what your issue is but don't start getting argumentative when I post my opinion and I am not directing it at any person or group.

Also, just because I am satisfied with what I currently have does not mean I am not aware of what money is worth. My length of time playing this game is completely irrelevant.

[darthplagis]

the thing with the JP updates is there hae been a big chunk of them to add new clothes and game features like new GAM options and such like, all which have to run from the client (user) side, that includes new meshes and textures for hairstyles and costumes since they are completly new and dont use existing ones, i imagine there are a few new meshes for coming weapons too, as some dimentions will be different (glasher for example is not a normal hand gun). (for those that dont know meshes are the wire frame that the texture/skin sits on, be it clothes, hair or weapon). the actual weapon data and description will not take up much room in the client side data and probably will be in the form of an updated item library which would overwrite any previous one, which is why PS2 on JP side gets the item but not the skin.

the data that the server holds and manages is the important stuff like game mechanics, drop rates and such like, as well as the core of the online world you are playing on. this is what gets updated during maintainence, anybody remember the debug mission the devs left up for an afternoon back in the day? ah the serafi fiasco, these are all server side and have no client access other than lobby/mission selection. this section of the game (client side) is what is updated in title updates, enabling you to access new content. i think this is the part that people are assuming SEGA had implemented since the start, contary to that it is the one area of the game the hackers have the hardest time with as it is server controlled and not easy to re engineer.

thats why the basis of the missions and the counters/lobbies are already on the disk, they always have been and if they were not there in v1 they have been added as the need arises, thats not saying the data that you (the client) ultimatly accesses(be it a map or weapon) has been there since the start, mearly the means to access that have been there.

[desturel]

Okay maybe I'm not understanding the outrage, but the supplemental update isn't about the new missions or the new stats which can always be modified on the fly by the server admins, but the new graphical content which has to be downloaded. While they could easily make new missions and modify data that already exists, they can't add in the new data that is included with the update.

To put it another way, they can add Gold Bars to the items shop at any time and they can make a new mission whenever they feel like it, but they can't add in new weapons, clothes and items without the update.

I thought this was a given that everyone understood. Photon art levels have always been variable. Remember when the slicers were nerfed? That didn't take a new system download. So really, you are getting upset by things that should have been obvious from the beginning.

OMG! We could have had new missions without the update!? Well of course we could have. You didn't need a downloadable update when Firebreak, 1up, Lightning Carnival, or Shred the Darkness began did you? It's all the same enemies in a different layout, heck, there are still a ton of maps on the original disk that are still unused. Check out the offline game, there are maps available in offline PSU that we don't have access to online.

The only thing you would need to download would be, new clothes, new creatures (reskins of old creatures along the lines of Naval/Nava Ludda), new maps (reskins of older maps along the lines of demons above/sakura blast), new weapon graphics, new hairstyles, basically anything that you would SEE as being different. Any game data that you can't see can be modified on the fly.

[darthplagis]

Okay maybe I'm not understanding the outrage, but the supplemental update isn't about the new missions or the new stats which can always be modified on the fly by the server admins, but the new graphical content which has to be downloaded. While they could easily make new missions and modify data that already exists, they can't add in the new data that is included with the update.

To put it another way, they can add Gold Bars to the items shop at any time and they can make a new mission whenever they feel like it, but they can't add in new weapons, clothes and items without the update.

I thought this was a given that everyone understood. Photon art levels have always been variable. Remember when the slicers were nerfed? That didn't take a new system download. So really, you are getting upset by things that should have been obvious from the beginning.

OMG! We could have had new missions without the update!? Well of course we could have. You didn't need a downloadable update when Firebreak, 1up, Lightning Carnival, or Shred the Darkness began did you? It's all the same enemies in a different layout, heck, there are still a ton of maps on the original disk that are still unused. Check out the offline game, there are maps available in offline PSU that we don't have access to online.

The only thing you would need to download would be, new clothes, new creatures (reskins of old creatures along the lines of Naval/Nava Ludda), new maps (reskins of older maps along the lines of demons above/sakura blast), new weapon graphics, new hairstyles, basically anything that you would SEE as being different. Any game data that you can't see can be modified on the fly.

why could'nt i put it like that :) that made more sense than what i was trying to say LOL

and on the offline maps side of things, the FIRST mission you do in parums wetlands was amazing yet never used, and the frozen moatoob... again never used. absolute zero promises frozen/corrupted neudiaz but yeah that was on disk on day of release too.

stop complaining about what could have been, cos we cant change it.

[Arika]

Yup, and to modify the old stuffs to make the new one => category B in my post.


they need to work to make that happen, so I won't call it as a locked-content.

[Tetsaru]

Well, as long as Sega keeps screwing things up, I think we as non-Japanese gamers have every right to complain. They just keep reinforcing the fact over and over again that they just can't do anything right these days, and if they do, it's usually too little too late. Regardless of whether or not the content was already there to begin with, Sega should've had their developers working round the clock to give players something to do (especially for endgame level veterans) and keep them satisfied, instead of taking the cheap, lazy way out and usually just reskinning old things and then boosting the hell out of every class and item drops to make the game even more easy. As much as I liked PSU, I refuse to pay money to towards the company that made it if they can't keep up with standards in online RPG's these days, and that's why I cut my subscription to it nearly a year ago. Sure, I could play for free on the JP servers if I wanted to, but if I'm not getting the full experience, and if there are private servers in the works too, there's just no point.

E3's coming up next week... I'll be keeping an eye on what Sega pulls out of their ass for it. And sure, PSP2 will probably be out in the US this fall, but I really doubt I'm going to buy a PSP system just for one game, just to get online and play alongside old friends - I'd rather save my money towards other games.

[desturel]

Well, as long as Sega keeps screwing things up, I think we as non-Japanese gamers have every right to complain. They just keep reinforcing the fact over and over again that they just can't do anything right these days, and if they do, it's usually too little too late.

My point is that you guys are inventing things to be upset about. Leave the faux outrage based off of paranoia and misunderstandings to religion and politics. It shouldn't be in gaming. There's no conspiracy. Laziness? Maybe. Ineptitude? Certainly. But malicious deviousness as alluded to in the initial post? Hardly.

[Tetsaru]

My point is that you guys are inventing things to be upset about. Leave the faux outrage based off of paranoia and misunderstandings to religion and politics. It shouldn't be in gaming. There's no conspiracy. Laziness? Maybe. Ineptitude? Certainly. But malicious deviousness as alluded to in the initial post? Hardly.

Fair enough, but it's still enough to piss people off. If Sega truly wanted PSU to be focused on solely in Japan, then imo they shouldn't have released it elsewhere, plain and simple. It just makes more sense to me to isolate it to one region and focus all efforts on it there, than releasing it elsewhere and just half-assing it to everyone else. :disapprove:

If I wanted to "invent" something to be upset about, it'd be that Sega is the new 4-letter "S word" and simply saying it is offensive to people. :wacko:

[buzyb77]

I have Said that all they are doing is UNLOCKING for our updates for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGG time and all it Got me was Banned from the offical Boards and Fanboys telling me I was wrong....BTW welcome to My Dec 2006

[dragoon-girl]

I have Said that all they are doing is UNLOCKING for our updates for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGG time and all it Got me was Banned from the offical Boards and Fanboys telling me I was wrong....BTW welcome to My Dec 2006

Well you was probably saying it's all on the disk.. so you were technically wrong. >.>
Just it turns SOA already had the JP updates, untranslated and untested yeah (There's not really a lot to translate in any of them anyway unless its a story mission).. but really it makes a lot of the big gaps in updates seem kind of pointless. (Remember after MAG? D: )

[Vashyron]

Some of you need to understand this isn't just about the Supplemental Update.

[darthplagis]

Well you was probably saying it's all on the disk.. so you were technically wrong. >.>
Just it turns SOA already had the JP updates, untranslated and untested yeah (There's not really a lot to translate in any of them anyway unless its a story mission).. but really it makes a lot of the big gaps in updates seem kind of pointless. (Remember after MAG? D: )

there has been NO proof that the actual mission data is there, only the means to access the data (meaning the slots are open in the counters and have been for a long time, but the data has not been added to access the mission), which is NOT new, we have knew this since v1 PSU was hacked back when it was released.

and yeah this goes beyond Sup update, it really is not as big a deal as its made out to be.

[Vashyron]

Yup, and to modify the old stuffs to make the new one => category B in my post.


they need to work to make that happen, so I won't call it as a locked-content.

What work? Your confusing stuff. Only "work" would be translating & testing, which both SEGA do bad at anyway.


there has been NO proof that the actual mission data is there, only the means to access the data (meaning the slots are open in the counters and have been for a long time, but the data has not been added to access the mission), which is NOT new, we have knew this since v1 PSU was hacked back when it was released.

and yeah this goes beyond Sup update, it really is not as big a deal as its made out to be.

Could you explain what we "knew since V1?" Or are people again confusing that this was on the disc? It isn't.

[TheAstarion]

All v1 areas and enemies are on the disc.
All v2 enemies and areas are on the disc/download, and are all in fact reskins (or at least remodels) of v1 counterparts, apart from PSO things.
Anyone could just create a Protectors-style mission by choosing any progression of maps within the game data, say Linear Line from the first offline mission, then the Colony battle map from the last ep 2 story mission, then the Falz arena where you fight Howzer the last time... and just add enemies and spawns and specific/unique drops to their hearts' content. As long as the server tells your disc to load this and that in this and that order, your disc will do it, so by necessity it has to be in the data.

When we get new things, they're either cloned from an existing original item (/C, /P /G and /D items) with different stats, which load from the disc after a minor title update to make room in the weapons list for that particular mesh/skin/stat/name/firing mode combo, or they're going to be given a new mesh (Koncuc, Shag Goagg, etc) which we'll need a somewhat bigger title update for.

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Some things were planned, and have placeholders there. Remember when the four Masterclasses were leaked, with their garbage weapon proficiencies? Everyone had double sabers? Acromaster had a bunch of B ranks on there? Masterforce had no tech weapons? Yeah, it's garbage data meant simply to be modified later by minor updates when it's been tested and ready to use.

As for S5 missions, I remember reading there was a problem with player character and monster stats above level 200, and S5 monsters by extension would probably be intended to have levels much higher than 200 in most current missions. This may have been subverted entirely, with even JP not having had a level cap increase since Supplemental, and indeed the entire GAS system may be a way of diverting our attention away from "When can I hit 200? When can I get to 201 to be better than my PSO dude? When can we do a mission where fifteen level 250 Magashis, two lv270 Helgas and a lv300 Howzer with lv100 Megid spawn all at once to eat players alive?"

...sorry, I got sidetracked. TL,DR: Data is always available, and that which is not available at launch is usually witheld for testing or post-release tweaking.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

Related threads working correctly on this one. If only in Thread name.

"Sega, Another Blunder!" circa 2001

[Vashyron]

All v1 areas and enemies are on the disc.
All v2 enemies and areas are on the disc/download, and are all in fact reskins (or at least remodels) of v1 counterparts, apart from PSO things.
Anyone could just create a Protectors-style mission by choosing any progression of maps within the game data, say Linear Line from the first offline mission, then the Colony battle map from the last ep 2 story mission, then the Falz arena where you fight Howzer the last time... and just add enemies and spawns and specific/unique drops to their hearts' content. As long as the server tells your disc to load this and that in this and that order, your disc will do it, so by necessity it has to be in the data.

When we get new things, they're either cloned from an existing original item (/C, /P /G and /D items) with different stats, which load from the disc after a minor title update to make room in the weapons list for that particular mesh/skin/stat/name/firing mode combo, or they're going to be given a new mesh (Koncuc, Shag Goagg, etc) which we'll need a somewhat bigger title update for.

Right.



I don't see what all the fuss is about. Some things were planned, and have placeholders there. Remember when the four Masterclasses were leaked, with their garbage weapon proficiencies? Everyone had double sabers? Acromaster had a bunch of B ranks on there? Masterforce had no tech weapons? Yeah, it's garbage data meant simply to be modified later by minor updates when it's been tested and ready to use.

The Fuss is that these missions were all ready & SOA had them locked away and at most, most of them needed just to have translations for mission details, those "updates" that you listed required some "work" at least.

Please note it does not take over 6 months to translate a little box with mission details & even if it was more than mission details, like a story mission. It still wouldn't take 6 months (Or however behind JP we were.) As that was all that was truly needed besides "testing." (You've all seen how good SEGA is at "testing" & translations.)


As for S5 missions, I remember reading there was a problem with player character and monster stats above level 200, and S5 monsters by extension would probably be intended to have levels much higher than 200 in most current missions. This may have been subverted entirely, with even JP not having had a level cap increase since Supplemental, and indeed the entire GAS system may be a way of diverting our attention away from "When can I hit 200? When can I get to 201 to be better than my PSO dude? When can we do a mission where fifteen level 250 Magashis, two lv270 Helgas and a lv300 Howzer with lv100 Megid spawn all at once to eat players alive?"

...sorry, I got sidetracked. TL,DR: Data is always available, and that which is not available at launch is usually witheld for testing or post-release tweaking.

Level 255 is the max (8 bytes Yes.), though wouldn't know if stats are defined over 200 as that is probably where they will stop.

[RemiusTA]

My point is that you guys are inventing things to be upset about. Leave the faux outrage based off of paranoia and misunderstandings to religion and politics. It shouldn't be in gaming. There's no conspiracy. Laziness? Maybe. Ineptitude? Certainly. But malicious deviousness as alluded to in the initial post? Hardly.

Sorry sir. But anything that involves me giving you money and you fucking me over is fair game for outrage. This isn't anything amazingly surprising, but it aint nothing gleeful about it either. And besides, we know its no conspiracy -- they know that we know that they know we've paid them for far more than they've given us in return. They just dont care -- majority of the dipshits back at the official forums get all "OH WOW I CANT BELIEVE IT SEGA IS FINALLY BACK ON TRACK IM READY" as soon as they announced the supplemental update, just like the asinine little fuckers get all uppity every single time they announce a Sonic the Hedgehog game and say its a "return to classic roots", or "SONIC'S EPIC COMEBACK!". (And notice they've been saying that shit since 2004.)

And please excuse my language, guys. It really has nothing to do with this situation in general, its just the fact they do it, and nothing we say or do will fix it. They seem to just not care, and I dont see this changing anytime soon, even if they do release another game. The Japanese version will always be superior and 10 steps ahead, and the US version will always be treated like the ugly retarded younger adopted brother. Just wait until PSP2 releases over here, you'll see.


All we need is a translation. Thats really all it takes. They've been translating games for YEARS but can't seem to get this one right. And with it being so easy to give us stuff, there's no clear way to tell if they're holding out on us on purpose or not. You know, SoA doesn't do anything anyway, so why not just charge them $10 a month and pay the employees to update the servers every OTHER week instead. Sounds like a little bit of extra revenue to me.


So it is what it is. I expect to be super hyped if they announce another PS MMO (as long as its like this one and not that PS0 kiddie nintendo cliche bullshit), and i expect to be disappointed when i finally play the full product 2 years from now. I also expect our servers to be garbage compared to the JP ones. Its just what i get from this company now.

[xBULLYDOGG]

Wait im confused. Does this mean that at some point the private servers can have exactly what the JP servers have in like, a few days basically?

[GreenArcher]

Sounds like it

[darthplagis]

Wait im confused. Does this mean that at some point the private servers can have exactly what the JP servers have in like, a few days basically?

the thing most people are not getting, like has been pointed out a few times.

the basic data and routes to access it has been there since V1 or at least AOTI with newer stuff being unlocked with sup update (the 3 main steps of content release)

all it takes is for the guy in control of the server to say "this counter triggers this map, with these monsters and that item dropping from there" just like when they left up the test mission back in the day. so yes if the data is there the server admin could say lvl 1 pannon to drop ely sion 100% dark or soul banisher drops from area box #12

this is how event missions are implemented, and how certain people can run private servers with content that 'could' be upto date.

the difference is title updates, they give the client new commands that allow the user to access the newly updated server systems..... hence using possibly 'locked' content by using new system commands.

[xBULLYDOGG]

I always knew that the content was on the disk, but what I'm enjoying the most is that the person operating the private servers, at their will I believe can just say "screw it, it's all unlocked" and if that is true I guess I'm going to have to try it out when the ervers come out of their alpha build.

[Max B]

I always knew that the content was on the disk, but what I'm enjoying the most is that the person operating the private servers, at their will I believe can just say "screw it, it's all unlocked" and if that is true I guess I'm going to have to try it out when the ervers come out of their alpha build.

You misread this all he was saying was we have the supp update content all along. This has nothing to do with the original content on the disk.

[darthplagis]

You misread this all he was saying was we have the supp update content all along. This has nothing to do with the original content on the disk.

NO max you have it wrong, we have the potential to access the higher grade missions that is all, all of the item data including meshes, skins and actual menu descriptions are to be implemented with the download we will get in a few weeks.

the data we have is the doorway to the missions and the missions layouts and monsters. they have not been programmed onto the server yet, that is what they do in the maintainence periods.

i will point it out again, the ITEMS from the supplimental will have to be provided (released to the client in form of the download) before they can be used and there is NO way to reverse engineer these without translating the JP client, the maps however have the potential to be released NOW without the update and given certain enemy restrictions always have been, the title update we will be getting will implement the class and PA adjustments, these technically could be done by the admin of any private server.

[dragoon-girl]

I think he means we could of had it by now... as in the actual download.. When did it come out in Japan again?

[malhese]

basically when title updates were released and we had to download the data that was the item packs and such. just because we had all the other stuff all along doesnt mean it was in its proper place necessarily does it?

[Max B]

NO max you have it wrong, we have the potential to access the higher grade missions that is all, all of the item data including meshes, skins and actual menu descriptions are to be implemented with the download we will get in a few weeks.

the data we have is the doorway to the missions and the missions layouts and monsters. they have not been programmed onto the server yet, that is what they do in the maintainence periods.

i will point it out again, the ITEMS from the supplimental will have to be provided (released to the client in form of the download) before they can be used and there is NO way to reverse engineer these without translating the JP client, the maps however have the potential to be released NOW without the update and given certain enemy restrictions always have been, the title update we will be getting will implement the class and PA adjustments, these technically could be done by the admin of any private server.

Did you even read what Bulldog said I think not.

[Max B]

I think he means we could of had it by now... as in the actual download.. When did it come out in Japan again?

Wow at least someone understands...

[darthplagis]

Did you even read what Bulldog said I think not.

no max it was to you that i was intending....

you said that we have had the content all this time. we have not :) the supplimental content will be given to us when we get the download, we currently have no content other than v1 11/12* boards and the counter markers for s2+ that will be unlocked after the update, it will all be new stuff that we dont have now thats why its a big update. i dont include new missions in that list as anyone who has played offline mode knows its all in the v1 disk with exception of PSO levels.

but i do feel there is a lot of mis understanding going on in this thread :) i will go back again to the initial post and see if it is me or you who is misunderstanding.


So thanks to private server makers which I will not mention, "we've just found that the content locking is completely artificial, the counter files for the US servers are the same as JP, that is, v1 missions changed into AOTI missions have that AOTI category in the US counter, and missions that got S3 on JP and not on US have an empty space for the S3 difficulty in the US counter."

If you did not understand that, it basically means;

"Content from the JP servers was on US servers too, just locked away."

"The US mission counter files are the same as JP."

Don't confuse this with disc content;

"Disc content was there from the beginning, what this discovery means is that US had supplemental content for a year."


This is all I'll say. Make what of this as you wish, but I despise SEGA after hearing this.

ok from the above quote, there is NO mention of supplimental content at all. only that what we knew back in v1. that mission counters have ALWAYS had the possibility to go upto S5 and that the option to switch the missions to expansion only was ALWAYS there.

i will say again, WE HAVE KNOWN THIS FOR YEARS.

[Max B]

no max it was to you that i was intending....

you said that we have had the content all this time. we have not :) the supplimental content will be given to us when we get the download, we currently have no content other than v1 11/12* boards and the counter markers for s2+ that will be unlocked after the update, it will all be new stuff that we dont have now thats why its a big update. i dont include new missions in that list as anyone who has played offline mode knows its all in the v1 disk with exception of PSO levels.

but i do feel there is a lot of mis understanding going on in this thread :) i will go back again to the initial post and see if it is me or you who is misunderstanding.


ok from the above quote, there is NO mention of supplimental content at all. only that what we knew back in v1. that mission counters have ALWAYS had the possibility to go upto S5 and that the option to switch the missions to expansion only was ALWAYS there.

i will say again, WE HAVE KNOWN THIS FOR YEARS.

I meant to say we could have had. I was saying that to Bullydog because he thought we were talking about disk data. Proper grammar will save us.

[FirefoxKyuubi]

It's sega, are we really that shocked? I been paying and playing PSU for 4 years and this stuff I already knew they was going to treat PSU:US servers like shit. I think it's no supprise that we are far behind due to laziness. I mean come on my friends.

Honestly I don't really care. The game is a game and I notice some people are on there high horse thinking high and mighty since they are playing on japan servers. All I can do is laugh at you too, fact is we are going to have to deal with this if we like the game we play. I'm planning on sticking around til the US server ends on the 360 and I'm done with PS series all around.

Of corse I can bitch at the fact that we are getting nothing and I mean nothing from Sonic team/Sega but at the end of the day this is what I choose to spend my money on. If some people don't like it then just stop paying for PSU and play better games. Or go to sega and do something about it? Which doesn't matter. We can all see from the unfair locks/updates it isn't going to change any time soon.

I'm sure privite severs will be much better the day it comes. Til then we just have to deal with the BS that's given to us that or just simply quit.

[dragoon-girl]

no max it was to you that i was intending....

you said that we have had the content all this time. we have not :) the supplimental content will be given to us when we get the download, we currently have no content other than v1 11/12* boards and the counter markers for s2+ that will be unlocked after the update, it will all be new stuff that we dont have now thats why its a big update. i dont include new missions in that list as anyone who has played offline mode knows its all in the v1 disk with exception of PSO levels.

but i do feel there is a lot of mis understanding going on in this thread :) i will go back again to the initial post and see if it is me or you who is misunderstanding.

I think he means Sega of America had it and probably could of given it much sooner, same with many updates but for what ever reason had it delayed.. I don't know what goes on Sega side but I can't see much reason for many things to be delayed so long other than Sega of Japan said so..



ok from the above quote, there is NO mention of supplimental content at all. only that what we knew back in v1. that mission counters have ALWAYS had the possibility to go upto S5 and that the option to switch the missions to expansion only was ALWAYS there.

i will say again, WE HAVE KNOWN THIS FOR YEARS.
Well we know the counters are able to be expanded but what I think was found in them was the names of future missions, translated (I think they were translated anyway) and things.. maybe those were there from the start? I don't know, but the names in the mission counters do come from server side.. as some say it could of been a place holder, but with the name and things.. I dunno. :/
It's just possible that some of the data, even for missions before sub, were already on the server and delayed for no real reasons..

I don't know if I even make sense. x_x

[Vashyron]

ok from the above quote, there is NO mention of supplimental content at all. only that what we knew back in v1. that mission counters have ALWAYS had the possibility to go upto S5 and that the option to switch the missions to expansion only was ALWAYS there.

i will say again, WE HAVE KNOWN THIS FOR YEARS.

If your talking about we knew they could go to S5 because of these icons: http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t265/EspioKaos/psu4180.jpg

I would believe that is wrong, they have never used icons for mission ranks only text, those were most likely for scrapped idea of higher S rank weapons being S2 and etc.

[Arika]

it is common for developer to plan something far ahead but ignore the idea later.

they might plan PSU to be much bigger at first, but ,with the fund they have, they change the idea.

[dragoon-girl]

Oh er wow, do I see xbox icons in that? o_o
Talking about the mic thing.

[darthplagis]

yeah those icons were not ultimatly used, but probably were intended for weapons.

if i remember right from back in the day, it was common knowlege that s rank missions would scale. and it was a bragging point that they would have upto 8 ranks of mission.

[RemiusTA]

it is common for developer to plan something far ahead but ignore the idea later.

they might plan PSU to be much bigger at first, but ,with the fund they have, they change the idea.


Its okay to do that with games you buy on release and play through. Games you continuously pay for that fail to deliver what they promise is very, very bad work ethic.

People who still play on 360 pay them $10 a month for less than $5 of service. They dont even update your servers every month, but you pay them the same amount as you pay the Japanese. It isn't fair, and if this was anything other than an MMO im almost sure you could take legal action against them, lol.

[Arika]

Because they don't really care 360 side (as much as JP) to begin with. I m sure that they are pretty impressed by now when they see how many players still paying here.

I have posted something in the past mentioned ahead that situation in JP server already make them handful, because of how demanding JP players are. Population dropping every months until the new supplemental update(not the first one) The population is more steady now, but they will have to give update weekly or it will drop again.. (weekly JP = no update US, because you can usually notice that US only get update when JP not get update)

They survive nowadays by 3 aspect : free course, GC, and weekly update.

(the reason why they care JP server more? racist ? no... it is obviously because the money from JP server will go directly to SoJ, while money from US server go to share SoA )

[helix.hex]

So thanks to private server makers which I will not mention, "we've just found that the content locking is completely artificial, the counter files for the US servers are the same as JP, that is, v1 missions changed into AOTI missions have that AOTI category in the US counter, and missions that got S3 on JP and not on US have an empty space for the S3 difficulty in the US counter."

If you did not understand that, it basically means;

"Content from the JP servers was on US servers too, just locked away."

"The US mission counter files are the same as JP."

Don't confuse this with disc content;

"Disc content was there from the beginning, what this discovery means is that US had supplemental content for a year."


This is all I'll say. Make what of this as you wish, but I despise SEGA after hearing this.

would happen to have a batch to bypass it do you? or the private server location?

[dragoon-girl]

(the reason why they care JP server more? racist ? no... it is obviously because the money from JP server will go directly to SoJ, while money from US server go to share SoA )

I wish they'd give SOA more power to do things to it for that reason...
I still can't help but feel there's some racism going on though.. >_>

[Sinue_v2]

I wish they'd give SOA more power to do things to it for that reason...
I still can't help but feel there's some racism going on though.. >_>

Eh... I think this does play a component role, but not overtly significant like many seem to make it out to be. It's more like an unconscious perception that manifests as a bias... and I also think that nationalism is a proportionally larger contributor to this bias than out & out racism.

We're all racist to varying degrees, and you really can't help it. That's just how we are. Even if you don't see it yourself, others can pick it up by the biases in your behavior.

[RemiusTA]

I dont really blame them. Does SoA even have a branch that creates games anymore? Sonic Team USA (Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic Adventure 2) doesn't exist anymore. Last game i remember with SEGA of America's name on it was Shadow the Hedgehog......

...yeah. I dont blame them.

[unicorn]

As long as they're separating JP players from the rest of the population, PS games will only do well in Japan. US/EU/rest of the world, always get neglected at some point.

I don't see why ST can't just hold off release dates for a couple more months to translate content. I dont see why playing on the same server is a problem, JP players will generally play in another in-game server anyway.

This is why I'm not getting PSP2 in US, since its not going to get half the DLC the JP version is going to get.

All this speculation for a new PS game, if its released in JP first, with no intention of merging JP servers with US, I will just import.

[Lolitron]

This should come as no surprise. I don't think they "developed" anything new besides the stuff from the user contests and the stuff made by the PSP2 team.

They probably had AOI and GAC done (or mostly done) since the release of PSU. PSU definitely felt incomplete and lets not mention all the then useless PA's/skills/abilities that now have some use thanks to GAC.

[Tycho]

(the reason why they care JP server more? racist ? no... it is obviously because the money from JP server will go directly to SoJ, while money from US server go to share SoA )
The icky thing is, you'd expect them to grab all low-effort profit hands-on.

What surprises me is that many seem to blame this on racism. Come on people, this isn't some spiteful kid we're talking about, it's a company.
Something definitely seems to be wrong inside of Sega, but remember this poll by ClumsyOrchid asking what new content users would like best (no promises)? That's a trade-off there. It's figuring out how profitable any of the choices would be for SoA in terms of customer satisfaction versus resources.
"Resources? But surely the non-story content costs zero effort to localize?" - Yup. That's why resources doesn't mean localization efforts/costs here; it sounds more like SoJ is charging them an internal price like a licensing fee for each bit of content so SoA could buy/reject based on whether they feel the increase in subscriber cash would be worth it.
Does this story really fit their corporate structure? I know it implies they function as separate business entities (i.e. with separate owners), but I'm having trouble making sense of the hits on Yahoo Finance (particularly Sega Sammy ADR/ORG), so I don't have evidence.

Currently I'm more worried about Monster Hunter Tri though, as it's turning out they're too cheap to get us much Arena content as well. At least I could play the series in Japanese instead, but it'd suck losing even more localizations to this bullshit. -_-