Newbie freeplay question

[bamf226]

I received Phantasy Star Zero for my birthday a few weeks back. I was pretty excited because I knew it had online play which is something I've been looking for in a game. I've gone through the first quest in solo mode and played a few freeplay sessions and I'm really wondering what the point of the online mode is.

From what I can tell as a complete newbie to Phantasy Star in general and this game, freeplay is just taking you through a random dungeon to one of the level bosses just like in story mode. So why do people play freeplay? I suppose I'm just ignorant, but I don't find there to be much difference between AI teammates and real life folks except real folks will heal you and rez you if you die.

Can someone shed some light on the Phantasy Star online experience? Sorry if I sound so stupid.

[warrior5061]

They can be a lot more intelegent and they deal more damage in higher difficulties than the useless AI

[zeital]

trust us, once u get good people in ur FC list u will hate doing things offline, it is so much more fun running around online with ur friends, most people dislike freeplay cuz u can't talk as much, but once u get to like lv15 u will start to see just how much the AI's suck

[bamf226]

But you have to beat the bosses on story mode before you can really get into those levels in freeplay. Why go through a level in story mode and then keep going through it in freeplay with other people? Having never played a Phantasy Star game before, what am I missing? Is this just a culture thing between east and west RPGs? Do JRPGs expext you to play the same levels over and pver with your friends instead of experiencing a story?

[zeital]

i have never played any other PS game either, i don't infd it boring at all to have to make the same boss runs over and over again, wat makes it fun is wat u get out of doing it that way, u always 'find' something make make u want to play with game more, if u have only just gotten it give it more of a try b4 u start hating it outright

[bamf226]

I'm not hating the game at all. I like the game (except for some mildly annoying camera controls). I guess I just don't get the repetition approach to playing the game. I don't know what is available to get. Is the point to collect certain weapons or armors? Perhaps if I knew what I was trying to accomplish I would see the game in a brighter light. The instruction manual certainly doesn't offer any assistance to new players.

I am used to story driven RPGS and co-op quests in MMORPGs. Is freeplay basically like a raid in an MMORPG so you can get some sort of great weapon to show off when you play online the next time.

[leviayurashyguy]

how to describe the PSZ experience.... it's definitely not the story. PSZ is about finding rares, trading, and chatting with friends. yes, PSZ forces you to run the same levels online that you do offline which may seem kinda repetitive, but there are subtle differences between online and offline play:

1) drops rates are increased
2) mobs are stronger
3) human players are more competent

if you're familiar with MMO's then you can describe PSZ as Instance>Boss>Leave>Instance>Boss>Leave. you can break the mundane with chat's but rares aren't awarded to players that chat more. you don't need team speak to set a game plan to beat the dragon because the dragon is easy enough if everyone just does what they are suppose to do: DPS and don't die

this game can get repetitive but there are many games that are repetitive, examples being Disgaea, Etrian Odyssey, Dark Spire, Shiren the Wanderer, where one has to do repetitive battles inorder to get the best characters or best gear. unlike many of those games, PSZ has online so you can share experiences with other players around the world.

maybe this game is geared towards the "hardcore," those who will play a game for hundreds of off hours to get all the best gear and make the strongest characters. those that would break the laws or repetitiveness with determination. but that may be only a select few, i don't think Mario Kart levels are any different online or offline.

[Kootei]

Basically the point of this game is simple.

It's sold as a DS RPG with a story and as an accessory, a Wi-Fi mode, but it's NOT !


This game actually IS a MMORPG, with an accessory mode "story" to play alone =)


The story really isn't the important part in PSZ, in all PS games, the goal is to make your character the stronger you can. And to find rares items, rare maps, rares monsters, well, it's exploration ! That's why you got to do the same dungeons over again..

As you noticed, the box drops item regarding what kind of monster you killed, and sometimes (almost not in normal but often in Hard/SH), you'll see RED items which are RARE, and makes all the fun in PS.
In PS games, you're always looking for the best of the best of the rarest of the rarest item to make your friend jealous.
You don't have friends on PSZ ? That's why we're here =)

[Sleeper]

THe online is the key figure whereas the story mode is just for people who don't have wifi or wanna lvl up charecter.

Even in free play you recieve assistance from stronger players to help you get stronger and they will occassionaly leave the better drops for u to take, kinda like a community spirit.

[zeital]

sleeper u do know they we all get our own drops?

[NabsTheCracker]

Also: Good friends don't shoot Explosive Boxes when you're low on HP...
Sigh, Ogi... Sigh.

[HeartBreak301]

Hey, thats a lie. Good friends have blown me up before. And guess what, they're RAcasts. So its like having Ogi there all over again! (I do it too for fun.) :wacko:

[chibiLegolas]

Have friends to goof around with while doing something repetitive. Sometimes it's not all about getting the super rare gear. It's checking out all the different weapon types + perticular photon arts that you might find fun to use. Not all photon arts/weapons are great for damage. But to find friends to back you up cause of the lack of DPS while having FUN is where it's all at. At least for me.

And of course, discovering new tactics with certain gear/PA combo that you never knew existed.

Oh, and Chain COMBOS! They're deadly on any mobs! But are impossible to pull off with NPCs. You'd need teammates who play with chain combo stradegies rather than PA spam. You'd need to learn this on harder difficulties.

Plus, ability to trade items.