Almost 4 years, where are you now?

[DarkShadowX]

So, it's been over 3 years since the US PC/PS2 servers have been shutdown and a bit over a year since Xbox.... What have you been up to since then?

I myself have been busy with work, wife and son, and real life in general. What free time I have now is spent gaming on my PS3.... Unfortunately never played PSO2 since my PC is weaksauce...

Feel free to use this topic to reminisce about your time on PSU, tell stories and post screens.

[Nameh]

Sadly I never had a chance to play on any of the official servers until like last year on the JP Servers

[DarkShadowX]

I never migrated to the JP servers after the US ones shut down.... At that point, as much as I enjoyed the game still, I was ready to hang my hat.... Mainly cause I didn't want to start from scratch again....

I met a ton of amazing people on the PC/PS2 servers and they made the game worth playing even with the lack of updates from Segac (I had to throw that joke in for old times sake).... I'll probably post a list of everyone I can remember just so sort of say 'Thanks' for playing with me and making memories on this game....

[DarkShadowX]

As stated a few days ago, my 3 and a halfish years or so with US PC/PS2 PSU was a great time and I had met a ton of amazing people some who frequented this site at one point or another (some still do!). This post serves as a Thank You for joining me on this amazing journey and giving me fond memories to look back on..... My only regret is that I never took screens of my Partner Cards so that I could thank each one of you, though I will try to remember who I've played with.

This first group of names are the ones I consider, to this day, my closest friends on PSU. We played together just about everyday, whether we met when the game first released, or later on in the game's life. Though some have moved on to other things in life and have sadly lost touch with, and others I still talk to this day I say this..... Thank you, you all were my brothers and sisters in this game, and I love you all for it.... for those who I still keep in touch with, I hope we can stay in touch for years to come and for those who've come and gone, I hope we can speak again at some point..... Anyways, done with this reminiscing rant, on to the names....

Rizen (my PSU Brother, and first friend on this game)
February (My lovely girl <3..... hope I can get in touch again someday)
Keiko Seisha
Wryn (Arande)
Ashley
Sekai
Ryna
Kenjitsu (Mr. Sparkles!)
Parn (The ultimate Boyband Hunter Extraordinaire!)
Fafal (Though your time with us was short before you left, I still think of you fondly)
Byaku (sange)
Kamin
Reina Takahashi
Forever Zero (Running into you again after we went our seperate ways after PSOGC was a joy!)
Rosara (Tigereye, Our legend continues, we've been through thick and thin ever since PSODC)
Teles (Pillan)

This next group of names are players who I've played with fairly regularly, or at one point or another, and who were also really cool people and have left fond memories as well....

Reprisal
Dizzy/Hisui
Rhea (ITS FUDGE AND POTATO TIME!!!)
Meira
Tomeeboy (Big Boss Man, thanks for bringing this site and wonderful community!)
Lovejuice
Skuda
Delsaber (Micro)
Rena
Xaelis
Dragwind
Shalan
Orion Pax
Garland
LegendAim/RadiantAim (RadiantLegend)
Levia (Zorafim)
Chelsea Torn (CelestialBlade)
AC9Breaker
Deja (The penultimate FOCast!)
Shiro Ryuu
Mitsunari Ryuki (OPEN THE GATE!!!)
milka
Logan (EspioKaos)
Kylie
Johanna (Ezodagrom)
Ayane (Para)
Kizeragi
Mysterious-G
SakuraJr
Sylvia (Syl)
Emerald Girl
D.j. SkyEpic
Rider
Uragirimono

And many other..... I know there are more people than this but my memory fails me.... For those who do remember me but I didn't mention, feel free to let me know and I will add your name.

Despite how flawed this game was, and the unused potential it possessed, I enjoyed every moment. I'll probably post some screens sometime in the next week or so.

Again, this topic is for everyone who played this game and wishes to speak about their time with it, post screens to remember the good times (and the bad, if any).

Again, to those I played with and even those I did not but spoke with in the forum, THANK YOU!

[Ash1ey]

What a sweet post, I had some great memories on PSU with you, and many of the people that you listed :3 I do miss those times a lot. I'm still around, just working mostly... I do play PSO2 but mostly casually. Life is probably better then it ever has been for me, as I'm finally able to do many of the things I needed to/wanted to do

Its nice to see you still around, and I see no reason why we can't continue to be great friends for many years to come :D

[Topic Cheese]

This was one of my favorites.

Back in the semi-early days of PSU, someone put an 8/8 (or 8/10, forgot which) Agito Repca in the shop for a little less than 10k. I was like "OMGIMGONNATOTALLYGOGETTHAT" (later realized he was scamming, but still decided to try my luck.) He was obviously new at it, because he was standing REAL close to the counter.

He didn't switch it to however much meseta I had in time, and I swooped it from him.

He was like "Hey! Give it back!" and I was like screw off scammer.

Now I am on PSO2.

[voodlar]

Hello all. This is a nice post to encounter (especially on Thanksgiving). I played PSU on the PC/PS2 servers for 2.5-3 years. It was another life for me! My brother bought me the vanilla PSU as a birthday present and I was off and running with it. Sadly he passed away this year at a young age from heart disease but I'm pretty sure he knew that was one of this best gifts he could've given me. If he's reading this now from up there --- Thank's Mike!!! You actually gave me another world with that one! PSU provided me with an escape from this very stress-filled world. I took advantage of that escape every chance I could because it was so enjoyable. On the PC/PS2 servers; almost everyone I met was cool. I could even jump into random parties often and there was mutual respect. I'd love to have a server up and running again, even if there was no new content. Offline is so drab and lonely. I almost capped one char and ran out of gas on two others. Rare maps are almost non-existent. I did get a Holy Ray rifle. But no Delnadians or Spread Needles.

One strong memory for me was the fun I had on Moatoob runs in search of Forest of Illusion. It was the only rare mission at the time. A nightly exercise was to come home after bowling and get a couple hours in (in party of 4) on Mine Defense, Desert Terror, Tunnel Recapture, Ice Caves, Awoken Serpent -- is that all 5? then rinse and repeat.) Sure enough someone would get FOI right as I needed to go to bed. Which, of course, kept me up past midnight.

Thanks for the memories!!!!! (I am sorry I can't remember too many ids.)
Johnny CD81 / Mr Landscaper
Xellos
SMI
Ms Sandi
Spawn
Vulcadi
Khoi
Klinkklunk

...there were many others... I feel so bad I never took a screen shot of my contacts either... thanks again for soooooo much fun!

MY chars: Butane, Ororo, Kill Me, MaxDamge(Pbot)

[BWS-1]

Nothing much, working nights and sometimes days. Haven't had a week without staying up for 24 to 30 hours, but it's alright, I can study and play in the meantime (learning Russian is... quite something).

I went from 6 years of Quality Assurance... to private security. There's a lot of quality assurance involved, but also a bit of ''getting some blood on your hands'' from time to time. And no not entirely from getting into confrontations, I've had more blood on my hands from people I've patched up as a first respondent to some silly accident than from undesirable behaviors being handled with force.

I've lost hope with the Phantasy Star franchise. I'm even still considering Final Fantasy: a Realm Reborn. But so far I simply don't have the time to put on many games. I'll probably get back into the 'game' when/if it ever comes here, and when/if there is ever the semblance of a solid system built to convince me it will last more than a year or two. Not to mention that right now, I am trying my hands with Warframe ( https://warframe.com/ ) and, 200+ hours in, I'm still loving it and it's getting more and more content from one month to another.

I've found the PSO/Unreal/Gunz that I never thought I would find and I'm quite happy (They even have ''mags''... that attack! though they can be destroyed too, but hey they can respawn with you!). I think I'll stick to that game until its end, unless the devs go nuts along the way, which so far they haven't really. But since they are Canadians, and we're such a bunch of good guys, I think it will be a memorable ride! (They have the game translated in so many languages already... it makes me not want to think about PSO2 too much; they accepted help from fans in closed and open beta for both testing and localization and, damn, it paid off!).

Sooo yeah, I know Russian alphabet, but I kick more asses in Warframe... I guess I should switch the amount of time I spend in there and maybe I'd learn Russian faster. Ah, but I'm a bit of a gamer what can I say. The name in there is the same as in PSO, BWS-1, so drop me a PM if you're down for a game or two, or if you're looking for a clan to taste some delicious clan-tech researches. (PM me here since, well, I'm not one to accept random friend requests in-game: I like to have at least SOME vague idea of who I'm dealing with).

. . .

About my PSU experience. It was cut in half. I got it a month or two after it came out, then I felt cheated for how it turned out to be, stopped until literally one day before they announced PSU PC/PS2 was to be cancelled in the month of April... So I had paid for a month which ended up not really kicking in since the game became free then. I was then given a copy of AOI by a kind player since I couldn't find a copy anywhere and was hoping to at least be and play with... pretty much everyone at that time (like, who ONLY had PSU before the end of PSU?) I recreated my original BWS-1 and, with the meseta I had saved, I bought the HUcast frame from the PSO series. Now it felt a bit more like PSO again... spent some moment with a few players that I didn't get much of a chance to meet often or even play, or even get to know... but in the last moments of the PSU PC/PS2 servers days, we shared our memories of the game, of the franchise, and - whether it is how they felt on their end or not - it almost felt like we had been playing since day 1. A strange feeling of closeness, a bond that transcended both the concept of time and memory, for we had neither spent time or had shared memories together, yet I didn't feel like they were strangers, they didn't seem like ''unknown new friends'' in my friendlist. I still felt like I had a weird feeling of loss kicking in, as if I had been playing since day 1 but I know I hadn't. I didn't care much for most of the mid-life of PSU.

The loss of PSO ver2 hit me hard, and when I saw early on that PSU was far from what I expected, I detached myself, wanting to avoid getting attached again, but when I went back into it, it seemed like it had gained a lot of what PSU was missing originally, I was caught off-guard there as well, since my renewed love for the game came just before the announcement of its end. So much for not wanting to get attached. I felt as though those I would no longer have the chance to play with for those last moments were almost as dear a loss as those I had spent time playing with from PSO ver1 to PSO ver2. It's a strange feeling indeed. Perhaps I'm just being too sentimental, I tend to get stupidly emotional about, well, about nostalgia I guess.

I made a mixtape in the final moments on a site called 8tracks... I then made it play for the final hour... ah and yeah I called it ''Final Hour''. I hope all the songs remained as they were, the tracklist of some other mixes I made once got ''confused'' and some other tracks needed to be re-uploaded for some reason, anyway, I hope you enjoy:

http://8tracks.com/odinismymiddlename/final-hour

I know it's cheesy, but this is what I spent my last time sending PMs left and right and dancing by people in Rappy costumes in the Dark Falz memorial area... given the bittersweet cheerfulness of the crowd that night, I wanted to have music that would match the atmosphere, and give me a sense of hope for the future, no matter how grim or non-existent as it seemed for me at the time (well, Phantasy Star Online/Universe-wise... I'm not THAT depressed... well, no really I'm not)

O but before the Dark Falz memorial, I did spend some time by the shops on Parum, in a bar on the ship, about 20-15 minutes before the end. Before that a bunch from PSOW met by a fountain for a group-picture, met with Tomeeboy, won some inflatable rappy from PSZ (which I left to a friend and coworker still working at that QA place). I wish I could have stayed with all my friends, even my new-found friends, but I had no way to split myself so, well, I know you know we were all together when it ended, but ''I wish I was there too'' by your side, again more cheese gah. Oh well, this thread is about the memories so there you go, most of my good and only memories sadly are from the beginning of the end of PSU.

Here's a link to the screenshots of my final moments on PSU PC/PS2 servers:

http://www.pso-world.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1700

[Noblewine]

Man, I miss psu. I pre-ordered psp2 after I loved the other one hoping the network mode would be good but was utterly dissappointed. The gameplay in psp2 is horrible and the changes piss me off. PS02 looks its recieving the same treatment as psu and I'm finally decided to not even bother regardless that SoJ is moderating game.
If I could play online I probably would play psz more since I liked it.

[UMVC3_Wolverine]

All of those people on your list with girly female names are all doods lmao.

[Neith]

I'm mainly on PSO2 now, but to be honest I only play it because there's nothing else that interests me. The game really doesn't interest me as much as PSO did. With PSU although I didn't think much of the game, I had a lot of friends who made it fun. Unfortunately many of them don't play PSO2 because of various reasons. I stick with one or two friends who do play it and just try to stay interested, which admittedly is becoming harder and harder. I did try going back to that well known private server for PSOBB but I can't play it anymore. It feels so ancient and clunky that I think I'm done with it. Hopefully PSO2 improves over time but it's as flawed as PSU, if not worse.

I recognise a lot of the names in that list, not really people I played with but fairly well known. I think the EX missions in the 1UP cup were some of the highlights but overall I look at PSU as a massively flawed game that was only fun because of a group of friends. I didn't realise it'd been that long since the servers closed to be honest.

[AC9breaker]

Hey dood, I'm glad you mentioned my name. If I played with you on the often it was probably because I too enjoyed your company and thought you where a great person to game with.

These days I don't game as much. Barely have time to keep up with the hottest releases. I was playing PSO2 for a bit but I've been kinda away due to my work duties and have trying to catch up on other releases. I just recently got back from some humanitarian work in the Philippines and now I'm getting ready to head back to my parents home in Jersey and spend the Holidays with them and the rest of my family and friends. So my gaming time is pretty shot. Hopefully once my life slows down abit I'll be able to get back into the gaming scene like I use to be, but for now I just have to settle for Warhammer 40k novels and Omnibuses to get my nerd fix.

[neilp4453]

All this time and still nothing about PSO2 (and Vita variations).

It is highly frustrating and disappointing. I'm playing FFXIV but I still miss Phantasy Star.

We are so late into the cycle that we would never reach the content that the JP servers get to either. But I still hope they manage to get this out to us ASAP! Though there doesn't seem to be much hope....

[DarkShadowX]

All this time and still nothing about PSO2 (and Vita variations).

It is highly frustrating and disappointing. I'm playing FFXIV but I still miss Phantasy Star.

We are so late into the cycle that we would never reach the content that the JP servers get to either. But I still hope they manage to get this out to us ASAP! Though there doesn't seem to be much hope....

Yeah. I dabble on PSO2, but mainly on FFXIV now. Really hope they can get their act together and localize PSO2 with a substantial amount of updates...... But I doubt it.

[Seany1990]

More men play video games than women

Why thank you for that piece of information.

[Dracos]

Wow, it has been a while. I remember discovering PSU by downloading the demo before the game was out and was instantly hooked. I already had so much time on that demo before it was released. The game came out my freshman year of high school. I played it on the xbox for a majority of the time before it was shut down. I had a lot of good times with the people I met and played with on there. I remember staying up all night for the day of the expansion too. I was a male CASTs named Dracos.

When I played I was in high school, since then I've now done some college and joined the Marines. Had a lot of changes in life since then and I'm really happy with where I'm at.

Now a days I just started playing PSO2 this month. I'm on Ship 2 and my characters name is Xardocs. Send me a friend request if you'd like to play. Always looking for more English players to run with.

[Squall179]

Heh, I remember when this came out, I was in college at the time, and snatched up the PS2 version the day it came out. had gotten a copy reserved at the local gamestore. I had to wait two weeks before I could get online and once I did, I had to have my PS2 hooked up to the router through a five foot long cable in the living room of the family home (Lived at home to save money at the time), using an old gamecube portable screen with some video adaptors hookedu p so I could use it! had it beside my computer heh.... Played like that for over a year until we moved and I got a longer cable. Guh rambling, sorry, anyway....

Played this from the moment I got in till the servers went down for that NA PS2/PC version. Litterally didn't touch anything else till then heh. been through a lot in the time since, but when PSO2 went Open Beta I was in as soon as possible.

No regrets with life though, gotta keep going and do the best one can right?

[DragonForce]

So what has Jet been doing?

1. Sucking and hating life with a passion in the U.S. Army.
2. Rocking games at max settings on my badass PC.
3. Staying fit
4. And most importantly, NOT MISSING A GOD DAMN PERSON FROM PSU!!! :D

[Jinagic]

Well...Since the PSU server for the XBOX 360 shut down, I've took my GCSE exams, passed all of them.

[Esther Reagan]

PSU gave me a lot of wonderful years. I went from the PC to the PS2 to the the Xbox servers (due to my old PC shooting the poop and them closing the PC/PS2 servers shortly after).
Safe to say, I loved playing that game no matter what system or new friends.

Nowadays? I graduated college back in '11 with my B.A in Music and Theater. I am currently composing music for a videogame that one of my best friends is currently in the process of creating with some of his buddies down in South Carolina, US and I still write my own music. I got a promotion last year to Manager at the job I've been at for a couple years now on and off from the new owner (it's an ice cream shop). I just recently received a bigger promotion for that same place. I'm now the operating Manager of the store. The owner bought the place last year but wants to go back to the police force so is letting me run the business in his absence (obviously he will come to visit and work whenever he can). I appreciate all he is doing for me. He's giving me a lot of opportunities and experience to strengthen my resume and whatnot. He's also become a very good friend of mine since he's only 3 years older than me (He's 28; a young owner of a business).

As far as gaming goes, I found myself playing League of Legends for a long time. Since the near end of season 1 in fact. As of now, it has gotten boring to me. The company has flawed the game in so many ways and the community has become rubbish.

My PC is too weak to play PSO2 on the JP servers. I was holding out for the western release (still am for some reason) to be able to join all you lovely people on this site. By the way, I enjoy the atmosphere of these forums better than any other forum I've ever been on. Must be the Phantasy Star way :P

Wishful thinking tells me something good will come from Sega this year. Either way, I loved PSU and I never regret spending all the money I did for subs on that game.

[indescribably]

On PSO2 now. I'm Odessa from PSU 360. Left US servers for JP servers in 2010 to TA and get more content. Life has changed. People have left. Some things will never change.

On Ship 2 on PSO2 as a manager for Night Arks. If anyone remembers my JP PSU era, come hit me up. ^^ Much love.

[XGalvatronX]

Man, do I miss this game.

I can't believe it been so long. It was such a different time for me. I miss playing with the group I use to play with. We had some unbelievably fun times. We would go on runs for HOURS. BigRigatoni, PSUDemon, SwiftMeerket, CaptainNintendo, Ruben. Thanks for some fantastic memories that I still think of and reminisce about fondly. Some of the happiest gaming moments of my life. Sadly, things will never be like that again.

Don't know if this topic makes me sad or happy. I just wish I would have realized more how great those hours of PSU truly were and my life during that time.

I heard this quote on The Office before it ended and for some reason, it reminds me of my time on PSU, my time at that point in my life, and all the people in it at those very great moments:

"I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them."

[Squall179]

Don't know if this topic makes me sad or happy. I just wish I would have realized more how great those hours of PSU truly were and my life during that time.

I heard this quote on The Office before it ended and for some reason, it reminds me of my time on PSU, my time at that point in my life, and all the people in it at those very great moments:

"I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them."

I know that feeling Galvatron. I know that feeling. That quote is.... Perfect.

[voodlar]

@Galvatron: Absolutely...that quote is spot on! (I agree with your whole post and couldn't have said it better.) Nice job!

[KunoTatewaki]

playing pso2 and other stuff :p

[XGalvatronX]

Thanks guys!

Truly miss this game.

[hoppimike]

Oh erm, this and that, trying to make some money, moving around too much, growing a bit as a person.

I do miss PSU though!

[Vickie]

PSO2 baby! come check me

[Dragwind]

I certainly have mounds and mounds of stories and images from the PSU days, and I sure miss them.

Since PSU has shut down across the board, I've been busy raising a daughter by my lonesome, moved a couple of times, and have been focusing much more on overall improvements to self in all aspects. I suppose this should go without saying, but gaming has only been cut down a bit but still very present.

[Galax]

I'm now an uncle, in college, and an aspiring writer. Though I often look back on my days playing PSU, and I realize something every time...

For the last year or so of my time on there, I was utterly alone. Everyone I knew had quit. My Card list was a flat line of offline players tipped with NPCs. I cannot remember this game without immense regret and sadness.

[xXJoshXx]

Ive been workin alot still playin mmo's. I often think about psu and start feeling an empty feeling :(((. I got to play pso2 to lvl 14 then my computer crashed bout month after release ;-;.. But ill be back soon!