How would you feel playing online and not experiencing the o

[Saner]

hmmm that would be quite a predicament.


that would be like someone on Earth not knowing anything about what's happened on Earth and how things turned out to be now and stuff.

A "Hey this is where the Civil War was fought."

B "Civil War? What's that?"

A "uh....do you at least know about the dinosaurs?"

B "Dino...what?"

A "o_O; what universe are you from?"

B ">_> <_<"


PSU looks to have a rich story everyone should learn before playing online! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

of course its up to them

but the offline story really serves as the foundation and backbone of the Gurhal Solar System and stuff that makes the whole experience much more grand with depth and history and connections with everything that went on and is going on and stuff! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

so like ya, with that said, there are countless things about the Gurhal system and the cultures and factions and about the VERY RACES you are planning to play as, that fits into the big picture of things. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

So it really helps to experience the offline story first before going online.

but ya not everyone are story/RPG enthusiasts. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/cone.gif

others are purely 'materialists', and that's fine if that's how they have fun. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/pclaptop.gif


but ya, anyone reconsidered and noticed how important the offline story really is?
http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_salad.gif

[Emrald]

YAY I FOUND A FELLOW AN RPG MUST HAVE A GOOD STORY BUDDY!

[RFB]

On 2006-07-22 17:06, coolcat33333 wrote:
YAY I FOUND A FELLOW AN RPG MUST HAVE A GOOD STORY BUDDY!



o_O Jesus Christ, and I thought Saner was a little freaky (no offense intended to any of you two)

Well, they say offline story is important, but we'll have to see about that, we'll have to see how important it really is, if it's just to have an idea of the overall situation of the gurhal system, or rather if the offline mode is the prelude for another story that will take place in online mode.

[DoctorShasta]

I'll probably start offline first but get too impatient and start playing online and then play offline in random intervals.

[Emrald]

ditto

[Rubesahl]

I'll be playing the import version so I'm going to finish the offline story mode before trying to get online http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif When I get the US version I will probably go straight to online XD

[Nitrowolf]

You know what most people will be like. It will be the race to see who gets to whatever level cap first! Then boast about it. I'll be going through the offline mode first though http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[The-King]

Yeah I don't want to play offline until I feel secure about my online level, becuase I don't want to fall behind my team, its like I'm scared to go offline

[Sevenfold]

No offense to Phantasy Star, but I started with PSO, and PSO was online all the way really. Even though PSU might have a fantastic offline story, its far far FAR from the reason Im buying it.

[DrewSeleski]

Totally going through offline mode first.
Maybe twice.
Oh how I love rpgs with a well developed story.

[PALRAPPYS]

Well I'll take online first.... and then when I feel I've had enough or am having free time, THEN I will experience offline!

[Cruisectrl]

Im going pure online no offline. If I want a story line game with premade characters and a designated path I wouldn't be playing PSU in the first place. I know theres gonna be dumb stuff like you have to escape in 5 minutes!!! aaahhh! To me thats borring :S... But that's me

[NightHour13]

At first I strongly wanted to go online, and I didnt give a flying Musk Cat about the offline...

Now, because Im a strongly story oriented demon myself - I want to know about the culture, politics and people of the graal star system before i run into towns blind screaming " WHERE IS THE WEAPON SHOP!??!?!?"

[VR-Raiden]

On 2006-07-22 20:55, NightHour13 wrote:
Now, because Im a strongly story oriented demon myself - I want to know about the culture, politics and people of the graal star system before i run into towns blind screaming " WHERE IS THE WEAPON SHOP!??!?!?"


But running around in circles looking for stuff will be fun! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif at least for me it will, i think ill enjoy figuring out stuff as i go along. I wouldn't be able to force myself to go offline when i can be playing with a group of old friends online http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif. And being able to use my own character, who will actually be cool (unlike ethan http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif) is going to make it even more enjoyable.

[Saner]

well its not like it'll take people over a week to complete the offline story. it's about 30 hours in average length (not counting side things).

I can complete RPGs like that in about 3 days if I play nonstop. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

besides there will always be newcomers, especially those that don't even get the game the first day, or week, or month!

so its not like you will be left behind online. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

besides the game producer is right. completing the offline story mode first does enhance the online experience because you feel more a part of it than if you jumped straight to online.

but ya its just a suggestion. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

we won't chain you to the wall and sing Thundercats lyrics backwards until you change your mind. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[DoctorShasta]

Omg Saner you have a sick mind that is one of the most tortorous things I've heard of http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[Saner]

did I mention we would have a loud stereo playing the Thundercats music in the background while we sing the lyrics backwords over and over? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[NightHour13]

THUNDER CATS ARE MOOSE!!!!

Or at least that's what I thought they said. Then some kindergardener told me they were saying Thundercats are Loose.

LOOSE?!!? WHY NOT MOOSE!!!

[EnixBelmont]

I'll be beating the japanese version's story, then going online ASAP with the american version. Too bad I won't know WTF they are saying, unless some divine being makes story mode have english subtitles.

[Disasteroid]

Why pay full price for half a game?

Gotta play both.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Disasteroid on 2006-07-23 02:36 ]</font>

[AeraLure]

I look more and more likely to import the JP version, playing offline until the US version comes out and then going online with that. At some point down the road I might then go back and play the offline US part for story. Why they dont launch internationally at the same time is beyond me, but no one ever said we had to wait. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Story in RPGs is very important to me, but I view PSU as two completely seperate games. I dont believe having played the offline part will have any impact on enjoyment or understanding of the online part, and the main reason I am getting PSU anyway is the legacy of PSO and continuation of that play style, much as I loved the original PS series.

[Saner]

well ya we have to wait a bit because they are really polishing the online networks and stuff. testing and simulating servers handling 80,000 players (the beta had a little over 10,000 players during the time).

[Sev]

The reason I'm playing Offline is because I want my character to be part of PSU. Could you imagine people playing PSO without knowing about Black Paper or Kireek? Or Elly? What the hell... I'm going Offline first. I'll have vacation... I can sleep the day before I go back to work.

The whole day.

[Saner]

On 2006-07-23 21:57, Sev wrote:
The reason I'm playing Offline first is because I want my character to be part of PSU.

Could you imagine people playing PSO without knowing about Black Paper or Kireek? Or Elly? What the hell... I'm going Offline first. I'll have vacation... I can sleep the day before I go back to work.

The whole day.



WOW YOU SAID IT PERFECTLY! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif


That was the point I was trying to explain.
And how the offline story does truly enhance the online experience 100% http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saner on 2006-07-23 22:14 ]</font>

[VR-Raiden]

On 2006-07-23 22:13, Saner wrote:


On 2006-07-23 21:57, Sev wrote:
The reason I'm playing Offline first is because I want my character to be part of PSU.

Could you imagine people playing PSO without knowing about Black Paper or Kireek? Or Elly? What the hell... I'm going Offline first. I'll have vacation... I can sleep the day before I go back to work.

The whole day.



WOW YOU SAID IT PERFECTLY! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif


That was the point I was trying to explain.
And how the offline story does truly enhance the online experience 100% http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif




<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saner on 2006-07-23 22:14 ]</font>

Eh..not for me, I really couldn't care less about the story. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif I just wanna chill with friends and stuff http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[Sev]

I said it perfectly because... Well... Among other things I'm just awesome like that.

It's true though, in just about everything I get into I like to indulge myself fully. It won't always seem like it, and of course out of character talk is all well and good. Still though, it's nice to have a complete overall persona for my characters, and therefore I have to play through Offline. Not only that, but didn't anyone read that Ethan is a complete monster? Why wouldn't you wanna play as him just once to see what it's like?

To each their own though. If you wanna be in the Universe, you need to know what's going on in it. And for those of you too lazy to play through, I'm sure at some point alot of the ingame information will be up somewhere completely out and the open. So it's not like you have no chance of learning about it.

[Carlo210]

I hope singleplayer is epic. Epic-ness rox my sox. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Saner]

ya if a single class is a cadet and dual class is an elite, that makes Ethan a Super Elite! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

but ya its not only that, of course, it's been years that Phantasy Star has gotten a story and experience as strong and character driven and epic since PSIV.

plus everything like the cultures, histories, and everything about the races, planets, factions, everything everything everything, is unlocked by experiencing the Story Mode. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

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

even people that aren't story fanatics, can find some passion and appreciation for what they experience and learn through the Story Mode. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif


and even if people don't want to play 'as' Ethan, they can at least pretend their whole time playing the Story Mode, is like a dream of the past, and once they complete that dream and see and learn everything, they wake up in their Room online and then their own adventure begins. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[VR-Raiden]

Of course eventually I'll do the story, but i'm only gonna feel like doing it when no one else is online...which will be like...never http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif

And to me Ethan is just some stupid kid; your average, everyday main character http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif I know i haven't played the game yet etc. but i just dont like his character design. I'll be much happier playing as my cast. I might not even be able to stop myself from skipping the intro (if there is one before the title screen) before jumping online XD

[Kers]

I'm going online to experience the first day or two of the servers being active, then doing the offline story before I get into the online play. Best of both worlds.

[Carlo210]

And the memories of your 342 trips to the Parum Fields to fight the Dragon Boss are just dreams!

I dunno how you can really roleplay in a game like this. Morrowind and Oblivion, sure.

[Saner]

Well imagination and creativity go a long way. pretty limitless! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

haven't you ever grown up watching shows like
the Muppet Babies?

roleplaying is only limited by one's level of imagination they allow themselves to see.




um hey but 342 trips? the offline story you only need to fight the dragon once. unless you lose. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

but online, I said people might roleplaywise treat the offline story as a dream of the past. I didn't say online would be a 'dream'.

now you confused the subject. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif






<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saner on 2006-07-23 22:44 ]</font>

[Sev]

It would probably be best to juggle both on and Offline. Finish a few levels Offline, then head Online make your character, explore a little. Maybe join a game. Level up a little bit, then go back Offline. It shouldn't be too hard to get through Offline though. So I'll have to think about what I'm going to do further. I do wanna know where I stand in the world however, so I plan to have some Offline knowledge first.

Plus it helps when people aren't just learning how to fight when they're in your group.

[Saner]

aaaah I don't criticize that style of play but I can't stand playing back and forth offline and online. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

that's like watching a movie then suddenly after the first 10-20 minutes of watching it, then playing a game online. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

I like to experience a story in one big gulp. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/sprite.gif

going on and off can make you forget things or wonder where you left off, what's going on, etc.

it's like living two separate lives back and forth. it's too mind boggling. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

besides the offline story is like 30-40 hours. shouldn't take even a week to complete it if I play nonstop.

AND after completing it, the REST OF THE TIME, ALL THE TIME, I would play online.

wouldn't that be better!? of course!!! ^^



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saner on 2006-07-23 22:59 ]</font>

[VR-Raiden]

Well I wont have all the time in the world to play. I'm gonna be in highschool again with a job (psu took too long >:/ ) With the small amount of time i'm gonna have to play, I am definately going to try to have as much fun as possible, which for me will be going online as much as possible.

[-Klaus-]

I'm going straight online.

And no, Saner, that wasn't a very good example... considering people on the PSOW forums know a considerable amount about the offline already... and it's not even released.

Eh, everyone has thier own cups of tea.

[Jife_Jifremok]

Part of the magic of being a newbie is not knowing what I'm doing. I'm totally going online first so I can feel that newb magic. Unless the server's first days are connection hell, then I'll just start offline.

My character's an RPG amnesiac so not knowing the world is par for the course. Of course I'll be going offline in the Adventures of Ethan Weber training simulator/recent historical account from time to time to help guide me through the strange new(?) world.



On 2006-07-23 22:40, Carlo210 wrote:
And the memories of your 342 trips to the Parum Fields to fight the Dragon Boss are just dreams!

I dunno how you can really roleplay in a game like this. Morrowind and Oblivion, sure.



That's a LOT of dragons hunted and killed, and just for one person. It's a wonder they haven't yet gone extinct. At least the dragon hunters in this game (hopefully) won't be chopping dragon tails off, carving them and running off without even finishing the dragon.

My next post will feature roleplay in Morrowind! (separate post to reduce clutter)

[Jife_Jifremok]

Roleplay in Morrowind, to respond to the second half of Carlo's post. (if you don't give a rat's ass about Morrowind, feel free to skip this post.)


RAAH! I am the mighty warrior KILROCK! I will smash everything with my mighty SWORD! RAAAHAHAHA!
*walks up to a mudcrab standing still and swings his sword*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
Uhh...is this a phantom sword or something?
*sword goes through mudcrab and hits, but mudcrab still lives*
Oh, it is solid material. Then why did it only hit once?
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword hits mudcrab and it finally dies*
Yay! I killed it! Another one now...
*swings sword at next mudcrab*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword finally hits the damn mudcrab*
Fetcher.
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
FETCHER! You Divines-damned fetching Dagoth Ur-fetching Nordic Dwemer fetcher, HIT THE FETCHING MUDCRAB!
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword goes through mudcrab but does nothing*
*sword finally hits mudcrab, it finally dies*
*runs away from mudcrab*
If I fetching need to gain a buncha fetching levels just so my swords can become fetching subject to the laws of basic fetching physics, I'm fetching outta here.
*takes a boat to Cyrodill (goes to play Oblivion)*

[Saner]

lol ya Morrowind was pretty silly. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[xMutex]

*GASP!!!* morrowind was godly :'(

[Saner]

aaah I didnt say it was bad.

and try not to use religious names in vain that way. it might offend someone. >.>

[UltimateCarl]

I personally thought Morrowind was boring and had a silly leveling system.

RPing in Morrowind and such... Yeah, I do that. I'm not sure why, but I do. RPing in offline games is sort of like when you were a kid and playing make-believe but none of your friends were around: it was fun for a while but then it gets boring and you realize how pointless it is.

RPing in online games is, to me, like acting in a theatre. You assume a role, as do other members of the cast, and while not everyone there participates in creating the story with you, many many people can simply watch it happen. But even if your "play" is completely improv (like RPing) you'd still need to know the basic background and such for your play or else your improv will come out completely silly and mismatching.

Horrible analogies aside, though, I don't see why people wouldn't want to play offline first. The game developers seem to really REALLY want you to play it, it seems like it has a good story, Ethan is a different and unique playing experience from online characters, it serves as a gameplay tutorial of sorts, it gives story background info on the planet for RPing, fanfic, or even just curiosity purposes, plus there's no monthly fee to it. By the time PSU is out, I'm going to be in college. My college happens to cost about $10,000 a year more than I can afford, so if the offline mode can keep me entertained for a month or two before I give in and start paying for a HL, I'll be happy.

But, y'know, to each his own, so! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[Kupi]

Personally, not only will be I be playing offline first, but I'm also going to make a written record of any significant canonical statements made therein. It'll be my gift to the role-playing/fan-writing community; either the thing itself or the project (if other people join in).

[Saner]

oh ya! Im thinking of plugging my VCR and recording all the cutscenes on VHS! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

I did that for many RPGs.

it's a great form reference than dozens of save games before each cutscene. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif plus its quicker to fast forward to cutscenes or watch the whole story on tape in sequence, kinda like watching a movie. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

but for PSU it might be trickier knowing when to press record, since the way it will trigger cutscenes and text-based conversations, I might have to do some guessing or quick reflexes pressing record on time. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif I dont want to record all the while I'm playing. it would take countless video tapes to record 40_+ hours of gameplay,
I would just record the main text conversations, cutscenes and plot points and stuff like that. I doubt there is a "new game+" type of thing to make the 2nd story playthrough faster and easier, that's why either multiple saves or VHS recordings are a great way to experience those cutscenes, etc. again without starting from scratch again. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[Cruisectrl]

oh ya! Im thinking of plugging my VCR and recording all the cutscenes on VHS!

That's rediculous... You're insane

[trida]

PSO EP1 and 2 didn't exactly have huge stories, yet I still played it for hundreds of hours. PSU will hopefully be the same, but with an added offline mode (with what looks to be a pretty good story). I'm not sure which I'm more excited for - online or offline, but having no offline story wouldn't be a major problem for me.

[Zelutos]

I don't plan on playing the offline story mode unless I get bored of online play, or there's no one online to play with...or my internet goes down...or if i got on a trip and don't have access to the internet.


So i'll feel fine not playing Offline for awhile.

[Zinsian]

straight to online mode.. learn as much as possible online and go straight to battles and missions...wont touch story mode untill about a week since multiplayer and single player wont having any thing to do with each other...

[Carsten84]

I don't know if I will ever play through the single player. Similar to an earlier post, I started with PSO DC and that game had next to zero story. I am in no way "excited" about the single player campaign. If I get bored one day with the online component, I will give the single player a shot.

Also, every game that has an online component has that "rush to be the first to do whatever" and you just need to accept that and have fun playing at your pace!



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Carsten84 on 2006-07-27 09:39 ]</font>

[Saner]

PSO is no excuse!

PSU's story will be far deeper and is rich with the foundation of everything PSU and the solar system and components that is even linked to the online's state of being!

but ya, people who prefer online first and stuff, that's their choice.