In Memoriam: Dreamcast Phantasy Star Online

[Reenee]

On September 30th, 2003, the U.S. Phantasy Star Online Dreamcast servers will officially close, thus ending the legacy that this greatly repetitive, yet, addictive game that has brought along the thousands of couch warriors to wield a blade of light, arm a handgun, or block with staves, and embark on an almost plotless quest to figure out what exactly happened to a starship carrying half a civilization and leaving all but one woman alive...

Enter one young man, on May 12th, 2001. It is his birthday today and couldn't decide what to get. Days before, out of sheer mystery, he peered into what is popularly known today as the Versus Books Guide for PSO. He "just" looked at it after seeing it on the magazine stands out of pure curiousity. After reading what he saw, he was very interested. Back to May 12th...he almost didn't get this game (he would've gotten it at a later date) but perseverence enabled him to score some cheese from his old man and nab that sucka'.

And then he read the manual in the car, but he decided to play the Sonic Adventure 2 demo that came with the game first.

Was it just only me or was everyone blown away at the first sight of Forest 1? And the music...damn, it was glorious hearing the piano keys...

We all had made some newbie-ish errors. Me, for example: I sold my Mag, I did the Hunter's Guild quests thinking I would advance to the Caves, I actually quit in the middle of the Dragon (most likely because I didn't have a Mag and it was taking ages...I was 10 minutes into the fight as a RAcaseal and a Rifle and I still hadn't taken away more than half of the Dragon's HP!), not knowing how to combo, being afraid of De Rol Le, continuously playing the Ruins over and over into LEVEL FORTY AND ENTERING A VERY HARD FOREST GAME ONLINE WITHOUT A MAG...

Then we got see our first rare items. The Chain Sawd just...OWNED! I wanted one badly (unfortuneately, the first one I was given was a dupe with 60% Dark, but I never really blazed through the areas like anyone else would). Some git PKed me and stole it, but I had a back-up Chain Sawd (duped, but without percents).

The game is something to see, and it just does things to you. I was able to meet many people on PSO and then e-mail some or meet a couple of others online in a forum or an IM app.

PSO was an addictive pill. We all never stopped playing. I never changed characters much, and if I did, it was mostly because my character file corrupted...*sigh*...so many lost Reenee HUnewearls... *bawls*

Dreamcast PSO will be gone. I wish I could get one more game...on Version 1, but my Dreamcast won't let me. One more time, with everybody I used to know... Now that I think about the close friends I met on PSO, my heart fell. I'm empty from the fact that I'll never see these people again...

The old PSO. Gone. Now it's just a memory.

Farewell, friendly nemesis. I'll miss it all.

*lowers head in respect*

[Scejntjynahl]

So true, so sad. But thanks to DC PSO we all knew that it was possible to have online play without the need of a pc. Thanks to DC PSO it made the way for Gamecube and Xbox to follow with EP I&II. May it rest in peace, for it will not be forgotten.

[Dragon_Knight]

Ei nee es so domine, co ma es in requiem.

Yes it won't be forgoten....at least not in the hearts and minds of those it touched. ~~~>_<~~~ Wahhhhhh!

*puts to rest DC D. Knight, D. Buster, Sarah, and Angel (Angels gone for good this time. X_x)*

???: may their void spots make room for more game saves.

[Hrith]

Over 2800 hours of game Ver1 + Ver2.......... <long sigh>

Bye Deathbringer, Apharmd & Celes, for good http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[AngelAlys]

Hey!!! Turn those frowns upside down http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif Look at the positives, look at the all new PSO for Gamecube and Xbox, with better graphics, new weapons and nostaligic "longe" areas that make you feel you're back on PSO Dreamcast... PSO never died on the Dreamcast, it meanly went into a coccoon and emerged the beautiful Gamecube Butterfly http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gifLong live PSO!


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: AngelAlys on 2003-09-30 09:00 ]</font>

[Hrith]

I would agree if it were on a SEGA console.

[Voodoochild]

R.I.P. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_cry.gif

[Garm]

and how about offline mode?

[Axispoint]

Well, with the servers going, I'm converting my character (HUcast lvl 83 named CreepyDave to Version 2) and finally go see Ultimate. I have Episode 1 and 2, but my HU is my oldest character and most played (over 100 hours). I wish besides that console gamers place there was a way for me to convert my pictures to a seeable format on computer myself so I could still take pictures and finally put them online (had no other means to being with because that upload site for Sega never worked for me and donuts will never be back (is it even listed in search engines anymore? I never bothered to look :-/). I can get the files on my computer fine (that's the dandy of emailing yourself), but otherwise, I dunno what I can do with them http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif.

Anyway, I played for a long time yesterday evening into this morning. It was fun while it lasted and I think I can be happy with how it ended for me (I even got my DC reset by an idiot during that time...lol...just like old times http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif). I even kept the Varista I found with my RAmar, lol (momento). I gave away a lot of things to people and gave a friend Reicule a Celestrial Shield I found in Ruins (actually, gave him/her several things). It was fun, tho.

Maybe one of these days I can finally find another job, find my debit card (just gotta love people who put your things away and then you can't find them :-/), and sign up for GC PSO (since I have it). Until then, off-line play for me http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif.

[zimmk2vgc]

http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif Europe still on http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif look whos crawling back now... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[fury02]

Amen...

[Drayma]

I lost a Japanese friend who was so nice. If she had the money she would get a gamecube to play with her American friends.

[Android8968]

On my version 2 I got to level 200 by beating falz in ult. 5 mins later after saying good bye to my friends I was dissconected from the Obreon.
Baburay runs a private server ask him for details my friends said its cool.

[SageOfChaos]

Ah, good times on the DC... good times...

[Kuai]

Dreamcast version sucked

[Jason]

On 2003-09-30 16:38, Kuai wrote:
Dreamcast version sucked


That sickens me of you to say that.

[Kuai]

On 2003-09-30 16:47, Jason wrote:

On 2003-09-30 16:38, Kuai wrote:
Dreamcast version sucked


That sickens me of you to say that.

Sorry you can't accept the truth

[Axispoint]

I have to agree with Kuai in the context of now. In about two hours, I had my DC reset twice, my character corrupted, was in a game where someone was NOL'd, and watched someone casting techs on Pioneer 2. What about that does not suck?

[DarkShinjaru]

Now everyone is gonna say how great it is; just like if you badmouthed FF7.

DC PSO was very boring offline; I woulda still played online but I went the broadband way, broadband adapters for Dreamcast were a waste. Only thing I remember fondly is fighting the Sil Dragon for the first time in ult v2, lvl 86. I had an ancient saber, red handgun, and flowen's sword. I did about ~50 damage per hit..you can only imagine how long that took.

[Axispoint]

On 2003-09-30 20:12, DarkShinjaru wrote:
Now everyone is gonna say how great it is; just like if you badmouthed FF7.

I prolly didn't make myself clear enough (and honestly, I could care less if people badmouth FF7, lol). To quote myself: "I have to agree with Kuai in the context of now." Now, when you have to spend most of your time playing passworded games, even on the last day the servers are on...it's pathetic. But from hearing from people that played when it first started, PSO didn't always used to be like this, so I can't comment on how it used to be and that's prolly the memory a lot of people have. I just know now that it's not good at all and that pretty much I wasted my time playing it. I played most of the time by myself anyway and then when I'd go and try to socialize I'd just get RSOD, so really, it was pointless.

I'm glad that people have fond memories and for what of the time I wasted, I at least made two friends I still talk to. I just wish it had been a friendlier environment that promoted socialization http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif.

But that's just my view and people always seem to hate what I have to say anyway.

[Jason]

It's true that the DC versions were such a pain. But I had some good times out of it.

[Hrith]

On 2003-09-30 16:31, Android8968 wrote :
On my version 2 I got to level 200 by beating falz in ult. 5 mins later after saying good bye to my friends I was dissconected from the Obreon.
Baburay runs a private server ask her for details my friends said its cool.

OK ? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[zimmk2vgc]

Does this America cant get online now? (prepares celebration)

[HighElf9310]

Ah, I remember getting PSO right after it came out. I got a FOnewm and I haven't changed yet ^-^. I just look back and I see how much I didn't know compared to how much I know now about the game. It was so good. The only sad part was that I got rid of my hunters lisence shortly after version 2 came out because of the cheating. I really can't complain though, because I played when the servers were still good, and it was really fun ^-^. Yes, it did go onto the GC, then XBOX, but really it isn't the same thing. I know that it looks better and everything, but it isn't the same to me as version 1. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. *cries*
Now off to play PSOX!

[Android8968]

The DC was gaming history, it was the first home console to go online. PSO was the best. Yea cheating may have screwed it up but you guys never looked at the good side. Many people were decent, they just wanted to play the right way. The DC brought back good memories, the first booma i killed, from when I got to level 200. How can you not foget about it? I think the people who said the DC sucked were people who said that based on what they have heard. You guys are complete f*** @$$ h01#$.

[Jason]

Well said.

[Forever Zero]

I'm currious, what message do you get with the US version when you try to log on now? I'd check, but I have the import that can still go online.

[StarWrath]

I will miss the good times and the hundreds of hours on PSO Dreamcast. I will miss all of my friends on there, especially the ones in foreign countries. I did go on Tuesday night to say goodbye to a couple of friends on Europa. I then went to Oberon where I was fsod once and rsod twice. I will not miss the hackers that ruined Dreamcast. I am on Xbox now and even though it looks great and the speed is amazing on load times, I will miss my Dreamcast PSO. Rest in Peace.

[Axispoint]

On 2003-10-01 06:35, Jason wrote:
It's true that the DC versions were such a pain. But I had some good times out of it.



I just wish the good times had been more numerous. It got boring after a while because it wasn't easy, at least for me to meet new people. And my last day on the servers, I got corrupted, RSOD'd more than once, was in a game where a person was NOL'd, and entered a game where someone was casting techs on Pioneer 2. All inside two hours. This was my reward for going public. Why people think that this sort of thing is so great, I don't know. If you're refering to before all the little "L337 hax0rs" were unleashed on the game, then you may have a point (I didn't get to play back then, so I'm not going to assume I know how that was).


On 2003-10-01 18:46, Android8968 wrote:
I think the people who said the DC sucked were people who said that based on what they have heard. You guys are complete f*** @$$ h01#$.


Is everyone who doesn't agree with you always a "complete f*** @$$ h01#$"? And btw: you first sentence above is wrong. See all the opinions I have? They're based on my experiences playing the game, so maybe when you grow up, you'll learn to use fact to base your flames on, not what "you think."

[Sailor_V_64]

r.i.p dc pso

you gave me plenty of friends which i still talk to without you i sincerly doubt i would be where i am now.

Even though pso is gone we are still here and it is our friendship that will keep pso alive in out hearts!

AS LONG AS WE REMEMBE RPSO IS NEVER TRULY GONE!

[AxemPunanny]

Just to pay my respect to DC PSO.

Tonight I wandered into the old DC lobbies on PSOX; such a nostalgic feeling. I'll miss those days. Not much I can say now; feelings & memories speak for themselves.

(huggles Dreamcast & PSO v.1,2)

~~~~~PSO Forever~~~~~~

[SungKwon]

I never played PSODC... but I read several articles on it in different gaming magazines, and the context of what kind of game it was inspired me to get PSOGC, not knowing of the difference then.

But, I'm posting to say something about the cheating. All online games wherever you play, will have hackers, cheaters, whining 12 (even younger) year olds, etc. You can't get around it.

Furcadia has hackers who ping the server to go down.
Runescape has multi-equips, max stats, (sounds like PSO) and dupes.
Starcraft has hacks, helpers, etc.
Diablo II has dupes, hacks, cheaters, etc.
WC3 has hackers....

notice a pattern here? All the good online games have a bunch of people who can't play who cheat. And their excuse is "Oh after getting all the rares, level 200, I got bored and decided to hack."

And Kuai, to me, seems to be able to always PMS on something.

*bows his head in silent prayer for the PSODC*



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: SungKwon on 2003-10-03 08:45 ]</font>

[CronoEBM]

On 2003-09-30 16:38, Kuai wrote:
Dreamcast version sucked



Newb, shut the **** up

[BWS-1]

Working on hacking my way to either the EU or JP servers ... shouldn`t be too hard.


*hacks hacks

[Link00seven]

Well well well, I guess it seems PSO DC has finally gone..

Man, its a shame. I remember the first time I loaded up PSO, November 2001, one month after I got my Dreamcast. I was astonished. I logged in, and was in heaven. Not playing many online games until PSO, (being mainly a console gamer) I just picked up my controller and leveled a bit. First time I seen forest, WOW! Hell, even the lobby the first time I seen it was astonishing.

Then I got Version 2 once month after Version 1 (Dec, 2001) and thats when my PSO legacy started. I had met a load of cool people by that time, I was about Level 40. I remember going online and seeing the christmas decorations. It was just...

Well, thats my story of PSO DC. I cant say I ever truly quit PSO DC, hell, I still played it even after getting Episode I&II. I guess unless a private server is made, I really am done with PSO DC forever.

R.I.P
Phantasy Star Online Version 1 & Version 2
2000-2003
May the memories, and the legacy that was started, live on forever!

[incognito32]

despite better judgement...

for those wanting to know what looks like to try to connect with US disc.

http://www.freewebs.com/embyr_/US.txt
http://www.freewebs.com/embyr_/JP.txt if you happened to be in JP setting. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

yes, zimmk2vgc, celebrate. celebrate for some few with US disc in EU, if they still wanted to try to play.

this one has no lost feelings toward oberon. it is sad it was last thread keeping US discs attached to other servers. if it were not oberon, it would be another...

[ahriakan]

It's a shame that it finally had to come to this, the US DC servers going flatline as of 10/1/03. And I'm well aware that many people on here experienced PSO when the hackers/dupers/cheaters started to come on in full force. It wasn't always that bad though. I had signed on maybe 2 weeks after the US launch date, and there were no problems at all for a good few months before all the problems started
I'd like to take this moment to personally thank all of the hackers/dupers/cheaters for consigning the DC servers to the bloody deep. Had to prove how bad-azz you were eh? Thanks, fellas, now you ruined it for all of us (go ahead and chalk this us as a whiney post if you wish, but we all know ST would have kept the servers running had people not gotten sick of the nonsense and moved on to greener fields)

[Drayma]

On 2003-10-03 22:32, ahriakan wrote:
It's a shame that it finally had to come to this, the US DC servers going flatline as of 10/1/03. And I'm well aware that many people on here experienced PSO when the hackers/dupers/cheaters started to come on in full force. It wasn't always that bad though. I had signed on maybe 2 weeks after the US launch date, and there were no problems at all for a good few months before all the problems started
I'd like to take this moment to personally thank all of the hackers/dupers/cheaters for consigning the DC servers to the bloody deep. Had to prove how bad-azz you were eh? Thanks, fellas, now you ruined it for all of us (go ahead and chalk this us as a whiney post if you wish, but we all know ST would have kept the servers running had people not gotten sick of the nonsense and moved on to greener fields)



word
I bet ST never tried banning very many people. It was sad to know most people were afraid of going online with their favorite character.

[jt]

"bury deep stasis sword!" payin my respects to PSODC... started the legacy for a great game with crappy security, but hey! its still addicting!!! may PSO LIVE ON FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!

but it is about time the dam game was shutdown...

[Hunter_Ken]

Pso was the first online game I ever played. I remember how much trouble it was to get online with version 2. But when the time came, (after 8 calls to SEGA..) and I finally got online, I was ecstatic. Just to be able to play such a great game with people all over the world, and finally beating Dark Falz in ultimate and hearing the ending song with the words displayed, "You are the hero!" on the top of the screen..Finding weapons you never even knew about and the dreaded challenge mode; fun, yet still angering when one player died and you had to start the whole challenge over again. Encountering my first hacked weapons, and eventually dropping all of them and quitting, staying legit.It was amazing. May the Dreamcast live on in our memories forever.

[Xion810]

If any DC'ers wish to get their stuff back to convert to GC, speak with me and I'll see what I can do.

[StarWrath]

It is sad indeed but sometimes change can be a good thing. At least the are no player killers anfd the like on the newer versions on xbox and Gc.

[Getintothegame]

Nicely done Reenee.

I meant to go online the last day...
I couldn't. Not because of how sick I was, or anything like that, but because of al the memories from the game I had.

I'm glad with my decision. For some reason, it was hard to let go.

[HellrazerX]

I'm kinda glad that its finaly over this way all the freinds I had on the DC versions will finaly have to move onto either the GC or XB versions. It was fun while it lasted but I think the newer versions are better having one character per VMU was horible I must had like 10 characters and all on VMUs not the 4x cards but VMUs so it was hard to tell which was which. I like the newer versions better anyway the after using the DC controler for so long when I finaly moved to the GC version it was so much better the lack of keyboard in the begining was a drag but when I finaly got one I was so happy the one from the Japan is the better one and if you know where to get its not very expensive. Not to mention that its realy convinent haveing all both versions on the same disc and the graphics are much better at least I think so some people disagree with me but I used the VGA cable from the begining on the DC version so it was hi-res but so are the new systems with the right cables. I have played the XB version and its better because of the voice comunicator but there are some real jerks on the XB version that like to scream at you and other nasty things just because they can. Over all both versions are great and well worth the $$ especialy if you were addicted to the DC version. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[TinyGrendel]

*Sigh*

my life in PSO is now officially over..

I have no plans to get another version, nor do i have any other...

http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif

[WootHinkInc]

Eh, that was not nice. Actually the GC version is better if you take out all of the dupes. But it's more then that.

You have to respect DC, because it started everything. The memories on it. It's where it all began. Our game that we love so much, first started out there, in the Forest, with the biggest Dragon you have ever seen, getting whooped by it because you didn't know how to use your combos. The memories would be the reason most of us want to go back there, because the good memories far exceeds the want to play a newer version. Wanting to go back and relive the times you had on it...being bored and just watching the Phantasy Star Online logo move around on your VMU. Good times. R.I.P DC Phantasy Star Online. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_cry.gif

About the server I hear that someone made for the DC. I think it's cool, but for me, I want to move on.

[HairProneHalo]

On 2003-10-01 18:46, Android8968 wrote:
The DC was gaming history, it was the first home console to go online. PSO was the best. Yea cheating may have screwed it up but you guys never looked at the good side. Many people were decent, they just wanted to play the right way. The DC brought back good memories, the first booma i killed, from when I got to level 200. How can you not foget about it? I think the people who said the DC sucked were people who said that based on what they have heard. You guys are complete f*** @$$ h01#$.



Actually, I think Genesis was the first console to have online capabilities.

[Android8968]

yea but it didnt have online games, it just let you surf the internet and use email.

[Andvaranaut]

Though PSO's DC roots have been conviently discarded, they need not be forgotten. The fact that the lot of us can reminisce about the DC days is a testimony to PSO's longevity as a game...and our complete and utter addiction to it.

Yes, while Freylise, Deckard, Lykka, and Cybill (versions 1.0-2.0) are now relegated to strictly offline play whenever the mood strikes me to futz with that oversized controller, they can live on in "newer," more "forward-compatable" versions. They haven't changed - only the hardware has.

Even when ep.3 is released, wether or not character data will be transferrable (I haven't bothered to find out as of yet), we can always recreate them in the new medium with the same name, same looks, etc. that made playing them so damn addictive in the first place.

But enough of my waxing poetical grabage - I've got a Soul Banish w/ hit% to find, and I'm wasting valuable hunting time...

Long live Freylise/Deckard/Lykka/Cybill v.3...er, 4...er, 5! CURSE YOU, VEGA!!!

[WootHinkInc]

Andvaranaut: we can always recreate them in the new medium with the same name, same looks, etc. that made playing them so damn addictive in the first place.

I have had my character Andrew since day 1 on DC. ^_^ He has always looked the exact same since then, even today on GC he does. And I am gonna be making him on Ep. 3 when it comes out.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: WootHinkInc on 2003-10-07 20:07 ]</font>

[toxic_420]

long live Clone.31, my level 195 HUnewearl who lives in my dreamcasts VM.
i went back to say goodbye to her last night, it was so good. i did an ult forest run, for old times sake, whooshed through in no time, seeing all my old weapons again, my heart of poumn, my lavis blades, my s-rank "CLONE TWIN +99", all cutting through the bartles and gulgus's! id clear a room and the ground would be carpeted in varistas, gae bolgs, flowens swords and db sabers! my angel wings mag, my brightness circle, state/maintenence..... sniff.....

but on a positive note, sonic team should be congratulated for polishing and balancing the game for GC and XB! all the weapons are balanced more nowadays, and offline multi mode rules for those of us with no BB. and episode II! new enemys, new locations, new weapons....

the dreamcast started it all, the legacy that will always live on in our hearts and minds. forever.

[Mystil]

People that I miss very much from PSO DC:


Surami(real name)
Jason(real name)
Proto
Jennara
Ariel
Alexander
K-Nurtz and his pal whos name I can't remember.
Andrea/Kassandra
Vidoku
JAG(my best friend in that version..)
Millenia
SSJ Gohan 22...
Promethius
Darth
JAMMING(he gave me my first mag.(Churel))
The three level 100s that took me on my first trip to ruins.
Shujo Kaze(another very good friend)
Latonya
Juggernaut :gives respects to the CK'ed Legit Players Guild, all 55 of them:

The last person to see me on DC version 1 was Jennara. June 6th 2002. The only person that I know from the DC days that is left is Uncle Bob(Beta on DC). (What I'm gonna miss you when I see you here everyday? =P)

R.I.P to Cordelia Block 12. My "home" block/ship.

While I have bad memomeries from that game. These people provided some of the best memories. Hope to see atleast some of them in Episode three. I've had no luck in EpI/II..finding the others..

Yea, all good things must come to an end indeed.

[Fain]

I am saddened by the loss of Phantasy star online. I would be interested in a newer version, but I havel already moved on to PC gaming. Planetside is my new passion, but It's like a whole world I know has suddenly stopped living. Anyways... I wish to thank all my friends I met online and I waish you all the best.

[Cerris]

we should make this a sticky

[anwserman]

I don't have the DC version online (well, bought it used anyway) but I saw a screenshot that said that you can't connect to the servers, possibly due to maintainence.

[BrickTop]

DC PSO Gone. It's Definetly Sad. But time to move on to the gamecube where you can at least play it offline without having to have Xbox live.(No Disrespect to all the Xbox Peeps out there. It's Gnarly!!!)

*Bows Head In respect, then gets up to play his Gamecube* http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[Krank40oz]

Yea DC PSO was the shyt. I dunno I remeber playing it my first time b/c I got Nfl2k1 just so I could get the 50 free hours. I played the dc ver till the day it ended and i was very pleased without the game lasted that long!