The Phantasy Star Discussion Thread

[DezoPenguin]

On 2006-08-04 21:09, DarthMegatron wrote:
Thanks, that's awesome! What's a Text Adventure. A friend told me about them. Are they kind of like those old Choose-your-path Books? I have a classic Transformers and Indiana Jones one. For example, do you want so-and-so to this or this, if so turn to page x or page y, etc. And there are multiple different outcomes throughout the book.

Not quite. More like the classic PC games like Zork or the like. Or, for a reference for people who were born on this side of the NES, like a text-based MUD. Actually, that's very similar since there's a limited menu of commands.

In the PS text adventures, basically you get a room description. You can move to adjoining rooms through available exits, pick up items, use items, attack monsters, and so on. The only "graphic" component is the picture of your character and occasionally...I think...a picture of a monster. Been too long since I played one to remember.

Oh, and Naflign translated and converted both "Nei's Adventure" and "Amia'a Adventure" to be played in English on the PC (in several variations for several OSes, actually) (Amia is Anna in the Japanese PS2, btw. Ironically, Amy's original name is Anne, so they got flipped as well as slightly altered). I have no idea if they're available on the web, still, but they used to be.

[DezoPenguin]

I guess this goes here...never posted it over at the PSDB because it got lost in my PSO notes file.

THE TOP TEN CULTURAL OBSERVATIONS FROM THE SPACESHIP NOAH XENOBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT

10. "Perseus, Medusa, centaurs, manticores, sphinxes, titans...is anyone else getting the idea that coming here was not a coincidence?"

9. "They must be a highly advanced civilization. Their fast food is actually nutritious!"

8. "Tell me about this Alis Landale person again." "One girl in all the world, she alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of evil..."

7. "This Motavia planet is a desert being settled by foreign colonists that are displacing the nomadic locals? Are you sure there isn't any oil here?"

6. *FOOM* "All right, who thought the baby dragon would make a cute pet?!"

5. "You know, after seeing some of the insect life down there, I'm thinking it was a bad idea to develop the Noah's vermin-exterminator robot into Mother Brain."

4. "Somebody call Psychotherapy. When the DeBeers rep heard that the natives use diamonds for armor plating, he went catatonic."

3. "What do you mean all three planets are inhabited already. Didn't anyone think to call ahead and make reservations?"

2. "I don't think the military department is going to be all that worried about the native defense capacity. Their high-powered, armor-piercing plasma cannons are about half as effective as a really good sword."

And the #1 cultural observation from the Spaceship Noah Xenobiology Department...

1. "So every 1000 years, a demon appears and tries to destroy the system and everyone in it? At least anything we screw up can't be worse than that."

[PrinceBrightstar]

Ok, i'm gonna have to stop ya on #1. They contained Dark Force inside Pandora's Box.

Also they wouldn't have known it was 1000 years because they were only just setting up shop at that point i guess.

[Saner]

with PSIV coming to Genesis Collection, I wonder what Sega has considered to do with the PS1 and PS2 remakes? is Sega AGES still developing remakes? maybe they are waiting for them to complete PSIV remake before selling those 3 remakes over here later on?

besides it wouldn't make sense to release them here this year since iit would interfere with PSU's sales and vice versa.


but anyways PSIV doesn't need a remake. it's already perfect the way it is.

although I would like to play the first PS remake since the original Master System version is just....too painful on the eyes.
I mean Alis with bushy black hair and holding a sword out while wandering around towns like some killer frenzy psycho.....not a pretty picture.

[Sinue_v2]

The PSIV remake is on permenant hold the last I heard.

Shortly after the PSII remake was released, Sega basically fired 3DAges because of the unsatisfactory job they were doing with the licences. Sega then brought development of the 3DAges collection in-house and rearranged the lineup. Nothing much has been heard of it since then AFAIK.

[OnnaWren]

Well, even if the remake of Phantasy Star: End of the Millenium is kaput (a very small part of me wants to cheer at that news, because I couldn't tolerate a Wren/Demi character redesign), what of Conspiracy Games' English ports/compilation? Is it/are they, too, kaput? Or have the licenses for such passed to yet another company?

[Sinue_v2]

Conspiracy, as a company, folded AFAIK. None of their US ports ever saw completion - and Sega had to release it's own compilation of Sega Ages remakes in the Sega Classics Collection released last year. I've heard rumors of Sega Classics Collection II - but so far nothing.

The only other thing I've heard about the subject, was a small rumor from quite awhile ago that said the development of the PSIV remake was brought inhouse to Sonic Team after 3DAges lost their contract. At first, it was thought that Sonic Team (or another in-house developer) would finish the trilogy and release it along side Phantasy Star Universe. Perhaps a few weeks before, or after, release to help maximise it's sales. Perhaps even a PSU/PSG bundle for 10-15 bucks more.

The bundle rumor was soon replaced with the notion that Sonic Team had intended to include the PSG (Phantasy Star Generations) trilogy with PSU as hidden mini-games which can be unlocked by completing certain online or offline quests satisfactorally. An expansion on the mini-game idea they implimented in PSO Ep I & II for the NGC.

Though, I've yet to find any solid evidence to back up these rumors. The only reason I even mention them is that rumors often start with at least a small kernel of truth - just as the rumor about a new PS MMO managed to come to fruition in the form of PSU several years later.

Oh.. and not to play Devils Advocate or anything - but what has Rieko and Tohru been up to since the Wow/Overworks merger? They've kinda fallen off the face of the planet despite Skies of Arcadia being a rousing success.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sinue_v2 on 2006-08-21 15:53 ]</font>

[Saner]

whaat? from the pics and videos I seen of the remakes, PS1 and II looked really good. I mean poor character redesigns aside, it still looked and played out pretty great! that's so mean of Sega to fire Sega AGES like that.

sure they screwed up Golden Axe, but the Phantasy Star remakes looked and sounded really professional and in some ways better than the originals.

its too bad they might not release them over here, or anytime soon. and I don't like importing. I guess Sega chosen to release the original PSII, III and IV on the Genesis Collection instead.

so ya, although I already have it, even IV by itself is far more valuable than 2 remakes, in this case I think they make a good call, I was worried they lost the PSIV source code and was unable to port it to current consoles.

[Sinue_v2]

I was worried they lost the PSIV source code and was unable to port it to current consoles.

Which is still entirely possible, and another often heard reason for why PSIV is always the hang-up in compilations or remakes of the series. PSIV's inclusion in the Genesis collection doesn't mean that they haven't lost the source code. Obviously they still have the compiled version, and it's most likely that all the games on the disk will simply be running through emulation. For that number of games, it'd be impractical to expect Sega to modify them all to run on PS2 hardware. It would be far easier to just write an emulator for the hardware - and then tweak it to offer greater compatability. Sega Smash Pack collection on the Dreamcast, for example, ran all of it's games through emulation.

The Phantasy Star Collection for the GBA, on the other hand, was at least partially recoded for the GBA hardware. It does not run through emulation. Hence part of the reason why Rieko Kodama was personally involved in supervising the project - and why there are numerous small changes to the games.


[EDIT]: Does anyone happen to have, or know where I can find screenshots or concept art from Phantasy Star IV: The Return of Alis? I would like a little something for the Wiki - but I haven't been able to stumble across anything yet. I don't think even the Compendium mentions it.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sinue_v2 on 2006-08-22 00:51 ]</font>

[OnnaWren]

AFAIK, only EGM covered that little nugget, but I can't remember which year it was... sorry. -_-;