Is there hope left for Xbox?

[Sizzors]

Xbox needs no fee. Let me Explain...

Sonic Team charges an online monthly fee for PSO. Like most MMORPG this is totally acceptable for running the online servers. Yet, there was also a fee for PSOX? Not reduced, but the same price. I must ask why? MICROSOFT has online servers and that is what you play PSO on, not Sonic Teams servers! I can understand that updates cost money, but it isn't enough to charge about 9 USD (right?) per month to the people playing it on Xbox! Even if 20 people played it on Xbox , the money from all to other platforms combined should be more than enough to compensate for Xbox updates and the labor for monitering the servers (*chuckles at that statement*).

Now PSU is already confirmed to be charging a fee in JAPAN, not Europe or the U.S. PC is about a 99.9% chance of having a fee, PS2 about 95%. Why would there be a fee for Xbox though? I see no purpose! updates: marketplace on Xboxlive, Servers for online play: Microsoft takes care of that, for game data such as character saves: the revenue from buying the game should be enough to sustain the fees for a LONG time.
I see no purpose for charging a fee for the Xbox 360, and I am hoping that, like Chromehounds, that Sega and Sonic Team(a part of Sega) will decide that the Xbox has no need for a fee and will not charge one.
This is why I believe that a fee is unjust for Xbox, but since I haven't heard anything confirming a fee...we have to sit here spewing out facts as to why they should NOT charge a fee for Xbox. Hopefully it will also rally Xbox PSU users that we shouls start a petition or something if there is a fee.

Edit: TO clarify, ST charging a fee would be optional if they used the XBL servers, ok? They could use a seperate server for character storage and game data(like Halo2 for ranks and game data...aka Bungie.net servers). THE XBL SERVERS ARE FREE FOR GAME PUBLISHERS/DEVELOPERS. If they used their own, they would need to charge because of maintinence. Being smart greedy bastards, they would get the XBL server for free, and charge us the money for themselves!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sizzors on 2006-08-04 14:22 ]</font>

[A2K]

I'm not really so sure Xbox Episode I & II users actually play on Microsoft's servers. The Xbox Live stuff on Episode I & II for Xbox might only be for authentication, which would explain the odd delay in voice chat.

In all likelihood the Xbox 360 version of PSU will charge the full fee, but won't require the user to have Xbox Live Gold (otherwise known as a pay account).

At this point, though, it's entirely speculation. There has been no word of fees for any North American version the game.

[Saner]

you must understand Microsoft can't maintain PSU's server, if they did they can include any updates or patches or anything, because they didn't develop the game, they don't know it inside and out.

but Sonic Team does.

like FF11, PSU's maker's will be maintained by its company's own servers, not Microsoft's.

that's teh difference.

besides I think people with free silver account just has to pay the PSU fee and that's it to play online.

so its only fair to pay for online service.

Xbox Live and PSU's servers are separate from each other. you can use Xbox Live features like friends lists and private chat and stuff like that while playing online, but the servers are still run by another company so that other company needs to get paid, even if you have a subscription with Xbox Live.


Xbox360 owners think that just because they pay for a Gold account means all Xbox360 online games can be played online.



but FF11 and PSU are a different story. their servers are not Xbox Live's servers.

[Kyunji]

Okay, I don't know exactly how the server setup works for Xbox, but either:

a.) Sonic Team runs the game from their own servers, but uses this through the Xbox Live service.

b.) Sonic Team is "hosted" by Microsoft on their own official servers.

In the event of a.), obviously, Sonic Team/SEGA has to pay for the connection, maintainence, ect. Thus, a fee is necessary.

In the event of b.), do you seriously think that Microsoft will just let SEGA use their servers for free? They're going to add on charges, hence, a fee will be necessary.

[Sizzors]

On 2006-08-04 12:56, Saner wrote:
you must understand Microsoft can't maintain PSU's server




Incorrect, for the lobbies and such Microsofts servers are more than capable. If they had a seperate server for game data (Like Halo 2 has for game data storage and the ranking system) than that would work. The money they get from people buying PSU can suffice for the data server. The updates are simple, Sega puts it on the marketplace for set amount of microsoft points or for free since Microsoft would be getiing money for subscriptions paying to play PSU on their servers! Unfortunately your alternative is more likely since ST= Greedy bastards out for more money. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_frown.gif


do you seriously think that Microsoft will just let SEGA use their servers for free? They're going to add on charges, hence, a fee will be necessary.

What? I don't understand it completely either, but that sounds like every game not published by MGS would have an online fee!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sizzors on 2006-08-04 13:08 ]</font>

[PandaMasterX4]

Companies need a way to make money. Microsoft isn't going to pay Sega for the online service. Playing FFXI on Xbox also requires you to pay SE for the game because it's their server and their service. If a company doesn't charge monthly fees, then they have to rely solely on sales of software.

Most companies see MMOs as a goldmine thus they charge. Consider selling 7 million units worldwide at $50 dollars a game. That's already $35,000,000 from the game alone. Granted most games don't sell that much but that's just an estimate. Now take into account 5 million of those buyers play online for $10 a month. That's 5 mill a month just from one game.

Microsoft wouldn't be willing to pay a near amount for that to sega so sega has the right.

[hypersaxon]

That's like saying FFXI players shouldn't have to pay for the FFXI service if they're already paying a monthly fee for WoW. Does that make any sense at all?!

Sonic Team is NOT Microsoft, they're another company. Do you think they're going to let people play their game on Xbox 360 for free just because they're paying for another service from another company? That's just stupid.

[Sizzors]

On 2006-08-04 13:32, PandaMasterX4 wrote:
Companies need a way to make money. Microsoft isn't going to pay Sega for the online service. Playing FFXI on Xbox also requires you to pay SE for the game because it's their server and their service. If a company doesn't charge monthly fees, then they have to rely solely on sales of software.

Most companies see MMOs as a goldmine thus they charge. Consider selling 7 million units worldwide at $50 dollars a game. That's already $35,000,000 from the game alone. Granted most games don't sell that much but that's just an estimate. Now take into account 5 million of those buyers play online for $10 a month. That's 5 mill a month just from one game.

Microsoft wouldn't be willing to pay a near amount for that to sega so sega has the right.



I know, you said it in your post, MMO's are goldmines, companies charge. They don't usually have to charge. For PC they need to charge, CG, DC, and PS2 they should charge. Xbox has Xbox live though, its own servers that we already pay for! Companies don't need to charge, they just do it for the money! For PSU where the data and characters are stored server-wise, money from consumers purchasing the game should be enough! I'm not saying they can't charge us for online pay, because every publsihing company can! It's just that MMORPGs on Xbox don't need to be charged! I am just hoping whats left of the greed obsessed ST would at LEAST not charge full price for Xbox.


That's like saying FFXI players shouldn't have to pay for the FFXI service if they're already paying a monthly fee for WoW. Does that make any sense at all?!

Sonic Team is NOT Microsoft, they're another company. Do you think they're going to let people play their game on Xbox 360 for free just because they're paying for another service from another company? That's just stupid.

That makes no sense! Microsoft lets game publishers use their servers for free. Why? Because people pay them to play the games they publish online.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sizzors on 2006-08-04 14:11 ]</font>

[Xenofobia]

well if we wont pay we would not get events or updates for the game. who want to work for free? and Xbox live have nothing to do whit the server the game is on.

[PandaMasterX4]

I'll state this part one more time. Microsoft isn't willing to pay ST for updates or anything just about. Besides Xbox live is 50 dollars a year. That's 4.16 a month. Other companies publish games that have online capabilities but they don't have to monitor the game once it's out.

An MMO on the other hand requires the company to have GMs (General Managers), server updates, debuggers, and testers just about all the time. Microsoft will not pay ST's workers. Honestly, if you don't like having to pay for Xbox live and PSU, then there should be two solutions.

1. Don't buy PSU
2. Cancel your xbox live and only pay for PSU.

It was your choice to purchase a system that charges for it's online usage. Either deal with it or actually do something about it because complaining won't change the world.

[Kers]

This has been disscussed and it's assumed you will be able to play PSU with a Xbox Live Silver subscription.

Silver level requires Xbox 360 storage device and broadband connection. Xbox Live Marketplace downloads and MMO games may require an additional fee. - from Xbox.com

Silver subscription does not require a fee.

PSU does.

= Xbox 360 users will pay the same monthly fee for PSU as a PC or PS2 user will.

[Kyuu]

Sega is going to be running their own servers and providing their own updates. Microsoft will not be doing the maintenence nor providing any other service for the PSU servers. Ergo, why wouldn't Sega have a fee for PSUX?

Oh, and there's a 100% chance all the platforms will have a fee.

Further, PSOX's history has little relevance. You don't know what the support will be like for PSUX, so ranting about how Sega shouldn't charge a fee based on the service they will provide is foolish. Wait until it's actually out and you actually see whether or not they provide good support before worrying about it.

[DevilsArm]

its like FFXI for 360, if im not mistaken they pay an online fee and they only need silver, so its no big deal ill still have gold and play PSU simply because i think $50 a year for gold is cheap and then PSU is going to be so good that ill pay like i did for PSO GCN.

[l3iohazard]

look im playing on my uber pc k? and im like paying 9 USD a month that's not fair that they dont charge the rich 360s kids too right?

[Saner]

um aren't Uber PC owners 'rich kids' too? http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Sinue_v2]

For PSOX, Microsoft did indeed host the servers (IINM), but they did not provide updates, patches, or quests. Sega still had to patch the servers, upload quests, trigger events, and all that other good stuff. So Sega still had to recieve a monthly payment for the game to cover the work (what very little there was done) which they did. Microsoft didn't recieve payment for PSO at all, but instead still had to charge their monthly fee for Xbox Live to keep it running with every other game out there.

If you were just using Xbox Live for PSO - then yeah, it would be a bit of a ripoff. Otherwise, I see no problem with paying both fees.

[Saner]

I wonder if they'll screw the Microsoft system's version again this time. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[HyperShot-X-]

the chance of screwing PSU 360 is very slim this time around, thx to the better technologies like server side saving, downloadable patches, n Game Guard protection on Sega's server to keep all the hacks free, combined w/ Xbox Live Gold subscription for user rating/feed back system to keep the community healthy n acct. banning when if necessary for those problem individuals to control online pollution, etc. And as long as the user population increases at steady rate, ST will keep provide updates n downloadable new contents to keep everyone happy.

so, yeah, things change for better n you'll get ur moneys worth after all these yrs, i bet.

[physic]

fact is if i were sega, and i wasnt going to get any money for providing service to xboxers, why develop on that? you pay a development fee, you have to update and maintain it, and you wouldnt get paid? Even if Xbox hosts your servers, you still have to develop and maintain the servers. and your server costs arent high once you make your initial investment into developing the structure. they are already paying to run servers, adding an xbox adress to that is not as big a deal.

Basically economically its just illogical to develop for xbox if your gonna do it for free

[Saner]

well either way I think the quality and welcoming aspects of that version is more important than how early it's released.

I avoided PSO-X because it had all those downsides that you would mostly never see back then in DC PSO v1.

[HyperShot-X-]

On 2006-08-05 15:17, Saner wrote:
..
I avoided PSO-X because it had all those downsides that you would mostly never see back then in DC PSO v1.



?, the only downside for Pso-X ep.I&II compared to DC Pso i can think of is that u can't FSOD other players if u were a hacker. Pso-X was an upgraded n improved version in all aspects. Not sure whacha talkin'bout ?

[Sinue_v2]

What downsides are you reffering to?

[Saner]

like like needing a Live account to play offline.

what if players out there don't have online at all? break into a libraby just to sign up for a Live account? that would require extra money to get too. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

oh ya and I heard there was some voice chat issues people were complaining about. stuff like that. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

[HyperShot-X-]

almost every1 back then played PSO to play online & for those small fraction of ppl playing offline only or don't have broadband internet, they either choose PSO on gamecube or burrowed friend's gamertag on a mem card transferred to log-in on their xbox to play PSO offline that way.

Even a laggy voice chat was better than nothing on DC PSO or GC PSO, so it wasn't really a downside but an enhanced option avail only on xbox exclusively.

Geez, must i remind u that article on the home page a while ago about PSOX: One of the Best Games You Never Bought:

http://www.pso-world.com/article.php?sid=1525&mode=thread&order=1&thold=0

[Saner]

oh ya well it did have its upsides and all.

[hypersaxon]

Voice lag won't be that much of an issue on 360 since all games use the system UI for voice chat during games. Back on regular Xbox devs had to program all that stuff themselves, which is why PSO had bad voice lag (plus Sonic Team probably didn't take as much time to test that sort of thing out).

And as most people know, Microsoft doesn't require games to be hosted on their servers anymore. Now it's up to the developer to decide whether they want their game ran on the MS servers or not. PSO unfortunately came out before Microsoft had their change of heart, which sucked because all the updates for the game had to be approved by Microsoft before they could be uploaded. Now, Sonic Team will have a lot more freedom with their servers and hopefully all those problems will be a thing of the past.

[Saner]

ya that would be great if 360 version has no drawbacks.

[DoctorShasta]

I'm sure you could ask them what the justification is and they could tell you. I payed the fee for the Xbox version of PSO it is only $8-9 that is not that much, and I don't even have a job and I can say that.

[hypersaxon]

If you pay for the yearly subscription of XBL, it's more like $5-$6 a month.

[Saner]

just cancel your Cable TV. that'll save you more money each month. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

nothing but the same 'ol junk on TV these days anyways. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[Fleece]

Its called the gaming Industry for a reason. No Offense.

[Natrokos]

I have a 360 and I don't really see the problem....(Granted I have a silver account.) Xbox live is set up differently then PS2 or pcs. I don't like having to pay a monthly charge, but if the 360 is going to be seperate from the pc/ps2 gaming community then a monthly charge has to be expected.....Get mad at Xbox not PSU. I mean, pc users have to pay for internet charges and they have to pay the PSU monthly charge...xbox gold users can pay for internet charges and PSU aswell....

[Natrokos]

I have a 360 and I don't really see the problem....(Granted I have a silver account.) Xbox live is set up differently then PS2 or pcs. I don't like having to pay a monthly charge, but if the 360 is going to be seperate from the pc/ps2 gaming community then a monthly charge has to be expected.....Get mad at Xbox not PSU. I mean, pc users have to pay for internet charges and they have to pay the PSU monthly charge...xbox gold users can pay for internet charges and PSU aswell....

[Cross]

(Hooray for long posts! Sorry, there isn't much better to do at 5am.)

I think people are confused about the nature of Xbox Live. Game servers, in the strict sense, are not and have not ever been hosted by Microsoft*. Live provides mainly matchmaking servers for games that are hosted by the client. When you play, say, Halo 2 online, Xbox Live is providing the servers that match you up with other people to play, list your created games online for other people to see, etc. Once you actually start to play a game, the server is hosted on your connection, and other players are connecting to you (or vice versa if you join an existing game).

Live provides:
- Matchmaking services so the developer doesn't have to maintain a matchmaking server. This basically includes an update checking server, so patches and other updates are basically mandated by the system
- A unified account system (which is why you can look on your friends list and see when they're playing a different game entirely). With the 360, this includes Acheivements, Leaderboards and the like.
- Storage for patches and other updates to the game so the developer doesn't have to maintain a fileserver.



The vast majority of online games on the Xbox and Xbox 360 are 100% client-to-client aside from the matchmaking. That means that as long as Xbox Live exists, theoretically you can play any game even if the developer and publisher go bankrupt, or shut down and start selling tarot cards instead of video games or something. Obviously some games won't be playable once nobody's actually playing them, but the servers will still be there. I can still play Whacked! and MotoGP online now, and I'll be able to play them the day before they release a third-generation Xbox.
To contrast, the PS2 has a lot of online games, but no overarching service for matchmaking. Neither did the Dreamcast. Even though almost all of PSO DC except for the lobbies and quests is client-side, they had to shut down the servers (as well as basically every other DC game that was online). On the PS2, EA shuts down the servers for every sports game when there's a new version available**, and games like SLAI that don't sell enough copies to be worth maintaining servers have their servers canned eventually.

A few Xbox Live-enabled games, and a few more 360 games, still have basic matchmaking and the like hosted by Microsoft, but have the option to (if they choose to) include extra features that they maintain themselves. Steel Battalion: Line of Contact had a semi-MMO game mode that was hosted (and eventually closed) by Capcom, and Halo 2 has the online stats/ladder stuff hosted by Bungie (pretend for a minute that Bungie isn't actually just a subsidiary of Microsoft). On the 360, Project Gotham Racing 3 has the Gotham TV feature (and I think maybe a few others) hosted by the developers, Burnout Revenge has the Revenge feature hosted by the developers, and Chromehounds has a semi-MMO server (very similar to Line of Contact's) set up that's hosted by Sega. Some games (currently just FFXI, but in the future PSU and probably some others) completely eschew all of the XBL Gold features, and host their own servers entirely, and thus don't need more than a Silver account.

Anyway, the point of all this (aside from hopefully being interesting enlightenment for some) is that the Xbox 360 version of PSU is absolutely no more and no less justified in charging a monthly fee as the PC and PS2 versions. The servers won't be hosted by Microsoft, because that's not the service that Live provides. My opinions on the necessity of a fee on any version have been hashed out in excruciating detail in the other thread around here, but: If the PC or PS2 'should' require a fee, then the 360 version 'should' by the same logic.



* PSO Xbox might have been an exception. That whole game was one gigantic oddball. I have no idea offhand how the hosting was set up there, but it's not the game you want to use as a model for the way XBL works.
** For most of the Xbox's life, Microsoft was adamant about keeping Live an absolutely closed network. This was a point of contention with EA, who wanted to host their own servers specifically so they could close them down once their game was updated. On the 360, this isn't so true, although at the moment I can't recall exactly what the situation is between EA and Microsoft with regards to their sports game servers (if they exist). I'm inclined to say that PSOX's server situation is related to this, but that game is so much of a clusterfuck that I don't even want to look into it.

[Saner]

client side? do you think all players can really handle hosting PSU themselves? imagine how much more lag there would be and hard it would be to find a lobby that's 99% or even 50% lag free.

this isn't UNO (AND EVEN THAT CAN LAG ONLINE) http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[Cross]

That's... Actually exactly what I didn't say.

[HyperShot-X-]

On 2006-08-19 06:42, Cross wrote:
That's... Actually exactly what I didn't say.



...another long paper consuming whole lot of time n effort for ever1 that ends up w/ not much substance but maybe more confusions to majority of ppl, basically after 6 long paragraphs of anlayzing thru pointless comparisons on end results of current n past onilne game services that u don't fully understand the actual processes of how they work, just to conclude at the end the same point that's been agreed by most of ppl 10 days ago already regarding monthly fee for PSU 360...

and after all that load of K*, u have no clue how exactly PSOX worked and u got no clue how PSU will work on X360 for that matter, most ppl w/ common sense already sees that PSOX server was under MS Live and ST only provided updates and if that's an exceptional case as u stated, then u cannot ignore the chance PSU will do the same in a sense that 360 version will have its own separate server w/ monthly fee maintained by ST along with XBL Gold features intact(optional, not required) on top of Silver acct accessibility, not like other case on X360 namely FFXI.

Learn to take advices from others n don't waste ur talent on a dead thread that will only confuse others at its best, that's not how forum works.
Do ever1 else favor for those who don't have a sand bag to punch instead of some1's face after reading thru "unofficial FAQ on how X Live works' by some1 who got nothing better to do to kill time n assumes ever1 else to be in the same shoes as they r.

[Cross]

On 2006-08-19 09:17, HyperShot-X- wrote:
...another long paper consuming whole lot of time n effort for ever1 that ends up w/ not much substance but maybe more confusions to majority of ppl

That post was under 1000 words. It sure as shit didn't take me long to write, and if it took you very long to read, then let's face it, you need the practice.

Also, I didn't 'come to any conclusions'. It was nearly 100% stated, verifiable fact. A lot of people are under the mistaken impression that Xbox Live involves hosting game servers, and that's just not true. It's easy to make the mistake if you don't take an active interest in things like onling game infrastructure. I imagine there are people who are curious as to the reasons behind having to pay a fee on top of their XBL subscription fee, instead of hearing "There's gonna be a fee; deal with it." That post was for them.

[SULTANofSW1NG]

I'm gettin' a lil off topic here, but:

Let me make sure I'm getting all this... the majority of you say that the 360 user's will pay additional fees, and from what I can tell, your justification for this is because the game will be run off of Team Sonic's servers, rather than Live's, correct? Well, if that is infact true, then why the hell wouldn't PSU for the 360 interconnect with the PS2 and the PC's servers? Seeing as they're all using Team Sonic's servers in the first place.

[Saner]

cause I dunno Xbox360's community in general are spoiled by voice chat features
and the whole 'silver platter treatment' so Sonic Team might be convinced at throwing away connection with the other systems for supported Xbox360 features of that version.

[HyperShot-X-]

On 2006-08-19 11:16, SULTANofSW1NG wrote:
I'm gettin' a lil off topic here, but:

Let me make sure I'm getting all this... the majority of you say that the 360 user's will pay additional fees, and from what I can tell, your justification for this is because the game will be run off of Team Sonic's servers, rather than Live's, correct? Well, if that is infact true, then why the hell wouldn't PSU for the 360 interconnect with the PS2 and the PC's servers? Seeing as they're all using Team Sonic's servers in the first place.



Because, simply they just can't do that without killing off Live Gold features in the game, and that is just not the producer's original plan to release PSU on X360 to target for the majority of X360 user base who are Live Gold audience,

http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=116331&forum=20&start=60

...gosh, i don't know how long i can go on repeating the same thing over n over again for every newbies jumpin in to this site, God help me,...no offense to u tho,

*Cross, see what u just done here, this is exactly what i was talking about. Sometimes it's just better to leave the dead thread as is, instead of trying to make ppl understand why things r the way they r, u r just bringing up more confusions with krap load of nonsense explanation that no one really understands at the end but ur own self.
Just let them see it for themselves as the thread is self-explanatory w/ the vote results, & save ever1's conscious on this civilized forum consisting mostly of intellectuals.

You just cannot be so careless on posting ur own thoughts ignoring all the past discussions on this fourm regarding sensitive matters invloving monthly fees, server linkage, & Live membership requirement issues, not helping in giving clear directions to all uninformed ppl on what the current stances and the issues are so far up to now.

[Dingo]

All hail Hypershot! EL SAVIOR ! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime1.gif

[phunk]

Doesn't matter to me.

Single Player: X360 for Achievements

Online mode: PC because I want to play on a server with more than 200 people; sorry 360 T T

[Dingo]

Just playing a single player game on X360 for achievements? It's kinda weird, just because microsoft is telling us it's important to have lots of achievements it's something we want to pay attention to? Can someone please explain the use of 'achievements' on xboxlive other than looking cool by racking up higher scores for people to look at because microsoft tells us it's important? Sorry if I sound overly cynical, not my intention.

[Saner]

Gamescore is useless.

even showoffs don't bother looking at your gamerscore. some just aim at increasing their own.

I seen people with 10000+ gamerscores and it doesn't change who they are.

achievements are just "markers" that highlight some activities/challenges in the game you will be awarded for with points if you accomplish those requirements.

in some cases achievements give people more to do but even without those achievements those accomplishments are still in the games, they always have been in all games. "complete this level. get a high score, etc. etc."

Xbox360 simply uses an achievements system to give casual players 'more things to do', but in fact those things are already in the game even without 'achievements'. Some are just too lazy to notice or come up with their own challenges/goals based on what the game has.


so basically, achievements are like girlscout badges. They are really there to show off and 'prove' you accomplished those things in a game. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Saner on 2006-08-19 22:23 ]</font>

[phunk]

True, achievements and gamerscore alike are useless (for now).

There's been talk about MS eventually doing something with them, but I like the achievement function. It sort of makes the game have a bit more replay value when you go back and try to complete a certain achievement or whatnot.

It isn't a bad function at all, its in there, and I don't see a thing wrong with it. The Playstation Network Platform have been rumored to be adapting the Achievement function for PS3 as well.

There's been talk about MS doing something with Gamerscore and Achievement points with Vista or micro-transactions over the Marketplace.

We'll have to wait until next year to see I suppose.

[HyperShot-X-]

this is getting way off topic here but saying 'gamescore is useless' or 'just to look cool' is somewhat like saying all the character levels in PSO(including cmode lvls & battle scores) are meaningless. Sure, for those lvl 200 hacked chars and non-legits running around all the time maybe it is, but at least u can't cheat to get the achievement scores and it means hell lot more than just for show-offs like u could tell how much experience they had w/ diff games and what type of gamer they r(like hardcore vet pro gamers from more casual noobish recreational gamers).

[Dingo]

So you're saying that a high level in PSO is like having a high gamerscore? With a level 199 I can do some serious damage and in that way help out my party having a good time playing the game. Gamerscore just doesn't seem to do ANYTHING. Or am i wrong? :|

[Saner]

On 2006-08-20 12:42, Dingo wrote:
So you're saying that a high level in PSO is like having a high gamerscore? With a level 199 I can do some serious damage and in that way help out my party having a good time playing the game. Gamerscore just doesn't seem to do ANYTHING. Or am i wrong? :|




yes Gamerscore does nothing at all. just a number that increases as you do achievements. http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

[HyperShot-X-]

Dingo, that's ur own words, u r taking my anology as an example and interpreting in ur own way to justify ur own opinion that achievement doesn't do anything, in the same sense i can say what BU-EI in comde is good for other than show off if they don't choose to help out other newbies?

Seriously, what more do u expect out of Gamescore to do other than it serves it's purpose?


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: HyperShot-X- on 2006-08-20 15:04 ]</font>

[Dingo]

I'm not trying to justify anything :|. And I don't believe I twisted your words around that much :|. I'm sorry.

[phunk]

Gamerscore is exactly like a player's level in a way, more than any other purpose it serves as a player's bragging rights and the amount of work put into the gamer/character.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: phunk on 2006-08-20 13:24 ]</font>

[ulyoth]

Which keeps it competitive, which keeps people playing and buying.

[phunk]

If you can't afford it then don't play, the price is going to be universal, whether it be on PS2, PC or X360.

I'm not too sure about this, but I don't think PSU will be held on MS' servers, XBL just serves as a gateway to ST's servers as it does with FFXI and Square-Enix's, ye?

[Eclypse]

Who cares if they charge a fee, you will either pay to play it or you won't it's that simple. I personally wish they would just pull a FF11 and link all three but that would be to perfect in the unperfect world. I will probably go with the PC or the Xbox version, with the Xbox version possibly leading since I love voice chat without the use of a 3rd party program etc etc. The one downside to not having the large player base that the PC/PS2 combo his is also a blessing for the Xbox because we won't have to deal with the snotty kids and the people that just love to play the game for the sake of being annoying etc etc.

[Roxasheart]

Maybe off topic but.... How do I play this on Xbox 360... can't figure it out yet.. any help is good. Also if I need a link then... gimme!!!

[Miphesto]

if u cant afford online fees, than get a job i'd pay up to 30$ a month to play a good game...if u cant afford it, then you probably dont deserve to play anyways

[Nekomimi]

Uh...this whole poll fails, because Sega runs their own servers for PSO and they will for PSU as well. I've already seen it stated in multiple places that you don't need a Live Gold account to play, which means the game doesn't run on Live!. If you have Live! Silver (free) and Broadband, then you can still play PSU online as long as you pay Sega's monthly fee.

[Xx3of19xX]

Most games on XBox Live only use Microsoft's servers for matchmaking. The actual gameplay is hosted locally on one of the players' Xbox.
PSU's Lobby servers are much more than just a matchmaking service and hence cannot run on the normal Live servers.
Also Sega wants to keep PSU alive for a long time and develop new content. Look at World of Warcraft as an example, or even look no further than PSO. Adding new areas like Control Tower (which I unfortunately never had the opportunity to play) or Episode 2 challenge mode was only possible due to an online fee. WoW charges a monthly fee, but they add a ton of new content every two months or so free of any additional charge.
I guess you could pay for new content by putting it on the Marketplace and charging for the downloads, but you'd still need to pay upkeep for the Universe servers. On top of that you also have the servers for character storage. Oh and backup servers for those at an off-site location to prevent character loss. It just adds up and if you expect this to be payed from the revenue of the game sales, dream on.

(Just a question here, when you go out on a mission, is one player hosting the thing or is it actually played on the PSU server? IIRC PSO's sessions were hosted locally.)