How is well Sega doing?

[Chdata]

Just a few weeks ago, I was reading stuff about how sega doesn't balance things well or the whole 'sakai team focus on AC dress up for our lolis' thing and basically, they weren't doing well.


However with SH, it seems like things are Pretty Good. At least to me.

Edit: Lol dat title

[MetalDude]

Well...

Taking things at face value here, they're doing a better job of releasing more meaningful content. Delving into the system though, the core setup is horribly flawed and I don't think any amount of content is ever going to fix it.

[GuardianGirth]

Gotta admit lowering some enemy damage and focusing on speed helps. As well as re balancing PA's that are slow or weird to do stupid damage is nice. Just need the other areas honestly, the first 5 are dead boring and FC can only last so long itself.

Truth be told this game just needs more weapon types (slicers/twin swords comes to mind) and non TA quests that cover multiple areas/enemy types. Random or otherwise.

[Railkune]

Like Metal said, there is no denying they are doing better. However, there are just things wrong with certain systems that messes up a lot of the experience. I could get into that more, but to stay on focus, yes they are doing alright for now.

[Zenobia]

Game needs Endurance mode and not have stuff locked behind RNG and or a time limit.

Half of the areas and EQ's ppl don't even do anymore.

Also I like how Brave Escape gives KC more leeway to go about increasing its dps nice move on Sega I give em that.

[Zyrusticae]

Indeed, SH is a big improvement over VH, and they are at least putting in some effort into balancing the PAs (even if it's kind of hit-and-miss and I'm still miffed about them not doing so retroactively). It's just kind of a shame that the actual developers aren't very good at the game... which translates to some weird off-the-cuff decision-making.

[MetalDude]

If I had to ask for anything, it's quests. Quests, quests, quests. I'd be okay with ignoring most of the other issues for a while if questing wasn't so weak. I want more TA-like quests with fantastic spawns, guaranteed rewards, boosted effects, and on and on. The layers of RNG is the game's biggest flaws and having some really good quest content would help so much.

[Chdata]

Wish they'd reboost shop buy prices for random weapon drops.

[Zyrusticae]

I just want a super awesome pure survival mode.

Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is nothing but survival, and I could play that game forever. (And I would, if it had character creation like PSO2...)

[Zenobia]

I just want a super awesome pure survival mode.

Mass Effect 3's multiplayer is nothing but survival, and I could play that game forever. (And I would, if it had character creation like PSO2...)

So if you had to re-create one of your PSO2 chars(including Mass Effect had the stuff PSO2 has) which one would ya create :3?

I choose the middle option also nice new sig.

[Railkune]

I want more TA-like quests with fantastic spawns, guaranteed rewards, boosted effects, and on and on. The layers of RNG is the game's biggest flaws and having some really good quest content would help so much.

I don't know if this means anything at all, but at the slim chance that it does...

I'm sure I read on Bump'd that they are doing this showcasing on the 15th etc on Nico Nico, and that they'd like the players' input on what they'd like to see in the game or something. MAYBE if enough people requested it?

[jooozek]

those niconico votes is just bullshit stuff like "do you play a female character" or sometimes "what emergency will we run at midnight jst"

[Gardios]

I personally think the game would be a lot better if they didn't shy away from completely redoing existing content (skills trees, 1-15 PAs, monster AI of H/VH etc.). The recent releases show that they know better what works and what doesn't, but that doesn't help with already existing stuff.

[pkemr4]

SH mode was a step in right direction. maybe $ega will adjust grinding and affixing some and maybe some day make the beauty salon cost meseta instead of AC....

[gigawuts]

I personally think the game would be a lot better if they didn't shy away from completely redoing existing content (skills trees, 1-15 PAs, monster AI of H/VH etc.). The recent releases show that they know better what works and what doesn't, but that doesn't help with already existing stuff.

This is the whole problem. You can't just add content, find out it's imbalanced, and then do basically nothing about it until you add more content which will be just as lopsided except in reverse.

This creates a pretty big problem for newbies, as the skills that balance a class will be near the end of their respective branches (hi Fury Combo Up), and it creates problems where skilltrees are what balances a class's low damage weapons instead of actually addressing the weapon's damage - meaning the higher damage skills can be gotten on a subclass (hi hunter being best sub for everything but force).

They either don't understand this due to inexperience, or don't care.

[TaigaUC]

I don't really see the recent updates as "doing better" because they've had a lot of this stuff planned out for a long time now (see the roadmap).
They've just been sitting on it to keep the game alive and milk profits.
That wouldn't be so bad if most of the content wasn't the same thing over and over.

What we need is totally different fresh stuff that doesn't rely on items and progression.
Gameplay modes like endurance mode, for example (as mentioned above). Boss rush, etc.
Stuff that you'd want to mess around with for fun, not for rewards.

All the reward motivated stuff is doing the same thing over and over for tiny improvements that take forever to earn and become obsolete quickly.
I dunno about everyone else, but that's just not fun to me.

Probably the simplest and best thing they could do is add lots more completely different classes and weapons, and allow us the freedom to experiment with them.
Not going to happen, though. They have to keep that pay wall in place that prevents most of us from messing around.

[Lostbob117]

They should focus more on the graphics, they seriously need to be updated. Also, they really don't focus on the outfits. Accessories are terrible with a lot of different outfits, a lot of outfits are just recolored anyways. Just like weapons.

[Edson Drake]

I think the graphics are quite nice, especially when you factor the F2P aspect, gotta have a broad demographic y'know.

But yeah, plenty of acessories suck and there's the issue with no-clip with clothing and weapons as well.

But compared to other big name F2P games I play, this one seems to be the most sucessful, hands down, considering it could be even better, if only Sega would make it easier for us to buy AC.

[Chdata]

The need to add clipping and compatibility between a lot of accessories. Remi can't wear her bow without it hiding inside her hat ;c

[Lumpen Thingy]

They should focus more on the graphics, they seriously need to be updated. Also, they really don't focus on the outfits. Accessories are terrible with a lot of different outfits, a lot of outfits are just recolored anyways. Just like weapons.

if your system is a pos then of course the graphics will look bad kid

[MetalDude]

... I'm pretty sure he's talking about graphics at the maximum settings.

[blace]

Cardboard cutouts of bushes, grass, trees and so on. Even the textures on rocks look like they came from early PS2/GC era.

Minor set backs.

[Kietsu]

The only one of those that actually bugs me is the floating spheres in Santuary.

[Rosel]

They're doing horrible.

[Rosel]

if your system is a pos then of course the graphics will look bad kid

This game looks like a 360 launch title at max and that's being very generous.

Even the most "pos" system can run this dated game. In fact, PSO2 could run on most modern mobile phones.

[Zyrusticae]

if your system is a pos then of course the graphics will look bad kid
There's being defensive, and then there's being stupid.

This is the latter.

Clarification: I run the game with a Core i5 2500k at 4.5 GHz with 16GB of DDR3 and two GTX 670s (the 4GB versions) in SLI, with 4x SGSSAA, forced driver horizon based ambient occlusion+, and SweetFX on top of it all... and the game still only looks acceptable, not great. That's bad. That's really, really bad.

One of these days they need to do an Aion/EVE Online style graphics update, because it is already long in the tooth - and it's only going to get worse as the next generation takes over.

[Kietsu]

As someone with a POS laptop, I appreciate that I can run the game.

It's a game, not a movie. It doesn't have to look pretty.
(That said it's barely better looking than PSU. :I)

[Lumpen Thingy]

This game looks like a 360 launch title at max and that's being very generous.

Even the most "pos" system can run this dated game. In fact, PSO2 could run on most modern mobile phones.

that's pretty funny coming from a guy that defends PSU

[Rosel]

that's pretty funny coming from a guy that defends PSU

That doesn't even make sense or have to do with the subject...

[BIG OLAF]

They're doing horrible.

So is your material.

http://yoursmiles.org/ssmile/sad/s0730.gif

[Arkanoid]

lol the guy who continues to claim that the only thing ever added or changed to this game is costumes has nothing to say about the new update other than "horrible", what a surprise.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

What was the last game besides Sonic released in the US I forget

In terms of PSO2, I guess they're doing better.
That wave mode is gonna be great.




They're gonna fuck it up with SH AQs tho

[Sacrificial]

SH is an improvement. Its the first time since release i felt weak(on ranger class, others still meh) and unable to solo(as ranger). I got chased by Sets the whole map long while walking backwards and shooting the shit out the mob group following me. (new pierce shot ftw)

[Rosel]

What was the last game besides Sonic released in the US I forget

Probably "Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F".


lol the guy who continues to claim that the only thing ever added or changed to this game is costumes has nothing to say about the new update other than "horrible", what a surprise.

You think SH mode deserves praise? After several months of pre-patched bikini updates :wacko:

[Lumpen Thingy]

That doesn't even make sense or have to do with the subject...

Well lets see lets make it make sense. You say that PSO2 looks like a 360 launch title at best yet there were plenty of other games that looked like HD xbox games like perfect dark zero that look awful. Also I think its funny you rip on this game for looking dated yet you seem to think it was ok for PSU to look worse than PSO in almost every way possible. PSU looked like a HD PS2 game at the very least but even then it looked dated on PS2. Finally I find it funny that you even post in these sections when you hate PSO2 so why even post here when all you do it bitch and moan about one thing or another about this game.

Anyways on with this subject I think Sega could do better but its a good start with the new difficulty actually being challenging to a degree as well as some noticeable PA improvement just really wish some of the trees could be improved.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

All Phantasy Star games are graphically behind

[ShinMaruku]

They're doing horrible.

Sega has 1.8 Billion dollars in the bank. :P

[Zyrusticae]

Finally I find it funny that you even post in these sections when you hate PSO2 so why even post here when all you do it bitch and moan about one thing or another about this game.
There are way too many people that do this.

I still think there has to be something fundamentally wrong with your psychology if you're hanging around here just to spew hate everywhere you go.

[ShinMaruku]

There is a bunch of people who are not right in the head always walking around. They key is for them to get help.

And nobody should ever ask how Sega is doing. They never over market shit, their big games sell on name alone everybody knows their name. It should not be little wonder they have 1.8 BILLION dollars in the bank. Where as Capcom has 150 million. :P Which company you thought was more alive?

[Cyron Tanryoku]

Nintendo

There are way too many people that do this.

I still think there has to be something fundamentally wrong with your psychology if you're hanging around here just to spew hate everywhere you go.
I think there is something fundamentally wrong with everyone here
So I don't see the need to use that like an insult

[gigawuts]

All Phantasy Star games are graphically behind

And, at least back to PSO, they always have been. What they've done instead is use the graphics they do have to present a visually entertaining environment with good atmosphere and an interesting setting.

Or maybe just PSO.

PSU didn't do any of that for me...

Anyway, Super Hard is a great addition to the game. Many of the improvements should be retroactively applied to the rest of the game (I'm seeing this thought a lot actually, which I'm glad about). Enemies are more interesting to fight, much more active, and since they can cancel attacks sometimes but not other times it makes fights much faster paced. You also don't get 1shotted nearly as much, which has always been my main complaint with the combat.

Some weapon options are actually approaching a level of balance. Sega has discovered the 2-stat system on some weapons, in the form of good damage vs. good PP recovery. On katanas, anyway.

What needs the most attention now is either the RNG or the skilltree system. Since I doubt the RNG will get any attention, that leaves the skilltrees.

tl;dr doin good with new stuff, but old stuff is still in need of fixing

[Arkanoid]

Are we saying PSO1 was graphically behind? O.o that game was not graphically behind much of anything at the time.

I think enemies look good in PSO2 but the environments could use some work. Actually I think the environments would just look a lot better by not having those cheap-looking destructible trees and stuff that look out of place and get a diagonal slash through the bottom after you punch the top of them.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

Environments need to be smoothen out and have better textures for higher settings

[pkemr4]

theres something wrong when you need abient oclosion (i know i spelled that wrong) and SweetFX to make the game look good

[Chdata]

Wait, if PSO2 is graphically behind, what games aren't?

[Cyron Tanryoku]

The ones that pushed an 360 and PS3 to their limits

So a lot

[Zyrusticae]

Wait, if PSO2 is graphically behind, what games aren't?
Is that a serious question? Because if I answered this seriously the list would simply be too large for me to post.

[Kondibon]

Wait, if PSO2 is graphically behind, what games aren't?PSO2 isn't just graphically behind, it's graphically behind games that are older than it like Vindictus. Then when we compare it to games like Tera, Blade and Soul, and Final Fantasy XIV then there's a noticeable difference in fidelity.

However, I don't think increasing fidelity alone would make PSO2 look much better, I would love for the textures to be updated and for the game to natively support a lot of missing graphics options, but there also has to be something done about the actual designs of the areas.

[gigawuts]

Texture resolution on the environment is a major factor in PSO2's graphics being subpar. The world feels like weathered, deteriorating cardboard at times, especially with how intent they are on making it use such bland colors so often.

But that's only part of the problem. The models themselves are pretty poor quality and they won't add LOD models for us. My computer could handle considerably more, and it's pretty old now. I'm still entertained when things less than a grid away won't render because it's "too far" and then POOF, they suddenly appear when I walk an inch closer.

[Kondibon]

Texture resolution on the environment is a major factor in PSO2's graphics being subpar. The world feels like weathered, deteriorating cardboard at times, especially with how intent they are on making it use such bland colors so often.

But that's only part of the problem. The models themselves are pretty poor quality and they won't add LOD models for us. My computer could handle considerably more, and it's pretty old now. I'm still entertained when things less than a grid away won't render because it's "too far" and then POOF, they suddenly appear when I walk an inch closer.

Well I'm not disagreeing with you, but would caves and the tunnels look any less bland even if they had better fidelity? ._.

EDIT: For the record I find the ruins and quarry to be the best designed areas, but as you've said your self the Ruins are pretty cluttered (though I personally like that about them).

[gigawuts]

Yes, actually. I played with higher contrast a while ago and good lord, the lava jumps off the screen. It really was a huge improvement. Right now it looks like molten orange pastel crayon, not lava.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

pastel crayon
Did you say my name twice

[gigawuts]

Did you say my name twice

cyron

that's three times

I'll be in my bed when you get here

[Kondibon]

Yes, actually. I played with higher contrast a while ago and good lord, the lava jumps off the screen. It really was a huge improvement. Right now it looks like molten orange pastel crayon, not lava.

That's not really a graphical limitation seeing as how you can do that with your monitor. ._. I guess it's a difference between looking "good" and looking "interesting" for me though. Ruins and the Quarry have a lot more going on and to look at, particularly in their backgrounds.

[gigawuts]

Ah, that's what you meant. Then no, caves would need a bit of an overhaul. Caves, desert, and forest need some...additions to get bumped in line with coast and quarry. Ruins is good, aside from the overly busy flower spam everywhere. Overgrown plant life is good for the setting, but these tiny flowers of all different colors covering everything is too visually noisy. The wreckage, stuff in the distance, glowing pools, all that's great. It's just those flowers and tiny webbed vines between them man.

[Zyrusticae]

Texture resolution alone can make a huge difference. Just look at how (http://uppix.net/2/a/5/106fb900da4bda26bc204585a500e.jpg) much (https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=WUf95td-emkItM&tbnid=Z8JyPtXBHCLdHM:&ved=0CAIQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi272.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj j161%2FWulfen1%2Fdoom%25203%2FDOOM32010-09-2216-27-48-31.jpg%3Ft%3D1286115513&ei=0Q5eUtPLFuL92QXO2oH4DQ&psig=AFQjCNF99KjxroFTVXxgzNQcIUlD1Kpuqg&ust=1381982261834407) better (https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=YVArLfRnVUrqUM&tbnid=eSdtmLU99ABUgM:&ved=0CAIQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.seedoff.net%2Fs1e4451f493c8ad 702b7228498c58bda8269a5b9cc.jpeg&ei=GQ9eUr7JD8KM2QXgmIGQDA&psig=AFQjCNF99KjxroFTVXxgzNQcIUlD1Kpuqg&ust=1381982261834407) DooM 3 (http://www.pcgames.de/screenshots/original/2011/07/doom_3_vergleich_1.jpg) looks with high-res textures (though admittedly a lot of that is also in the parallax and material shaders).

But then again, look at Morrowind (http://static.max99x.com/morrowind/vmr1.jpg) for a closer example to PSO2 (lol, seriously sad that you can directly compare an Xbox game with PSO2's environment graphics).

They'd really need to go through and do a material shader pass over the levels to actually get them to look good, however. The fact that the terrain isn't normal mapped is a travesty.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

cyron

that's three times

I'll be in my bed when you get here
what are we going to do on the bed

pomf=3