Getting online

[Balter]

I'm a decade late, but I've always wanted to play online in this game. Now that I'm old enough to get the resources I need to get online, what exactly do I need? Let me be more specific: what additional things for the Gamecube do I need to get?

Obviously, I have the game, a Gamecube, and a working internet connection and a router. Do I just need the broadband adapter? Alternatively, is it possible to use the Wii's internet connection to get online?

I apologize if there's a thread or article somewhere detailing this. Thanks!

EDIT: I also read in this one article that there is a cost to play online. Is it safe to assume that this was only during the days of the official servers?

[mecasa]

I do believe you also need a pair of the serial number and access key (all game cases came with their own to use to get online.)
Most servers are free to play on. Only the official ST servers required pay, till they were shut down.

[Kroniedon]

You should probably go pick out a server to your liking and ask there, as each server will have it's own requirements. For example, 2 out of the 4 more known Gamecube servers require a SNAK (Serial Number/Access Key) registration. One requires a specific version of PSO due to a region lock out. Another requires nothing more than the adapter, the GC, and the disk. Some support Wii better than others. These are all things to consider and ask at the forums of the private servers themselves.

[Dongra]

As an alternative, you can play PSO: Blue Burst for free on your computer at many private servers. It's easier than trying to find the necessary resources for GC, has a larger population, and has more content than the Gamecube version.

[Balter]

I have Phantasy Star Online Episode 1&2 Plus (North American version), and the access and serial codes that came with the game. I guess my only question left is if the broadband adapter is required or if an internet connection through my Wii can be sufficient. The adapter isn't cheap! (And I doubt I'm lucky enough to find one at a Gamestop :P )

I'd try Blue Burst if I didn't already have hundreds of hours logged on my Gamecube characters :P

Thanks for the help so far everyone.

[VioletSkye]

Yes it is possible to go online with PSO+ on a Wii but you'll need to google it. It's not a difficult process and once you get the initial setup done you will be good to go :)

[Balter]

And if I wanted to play Blue Burst, how would I go about getting it? The servers are free, but what about the game? I don't even know where it exists.

[Konan]

And if I wanted to play Blue Burst, how would I go about getting it? The servers are free, but what about the game? I don't even know where it exists.

I believe you can download blueburst from a private servers website correct? but last time I checked the private server that had the download had some virus/infection problems so I would avoid it for the time being.

[NegaTsukasa]

I believe you can download blueburst from a private servers website correct? but last time I checked the private server that had the download had some virus/infection problems so I would avoid it for the time being.

The site is currently experiencing a malware attack. specifically 12 trojans. It isn't unusual, but it takes a while to resolve.

If you got Chrome or Firefox, you might not be able to access the page without first going through a warning barrier.

[Balter]

So my options are:
-Go to sketchy site and hope for the best trying to get Blue burst
-Buy a broadband adapter for $40
-Hack my Wii

And maybe in another 10 years PSO2 will come out! I think I'll just bide my time for now.

EDIT: Oh, how could I find out when the site for Blue Burst is ok to use?

[imkenny999]

dude have ur exact problem, always had the game and never went online with it, dont wanna pay for adaptor tho.
I never knew gc servers were still up till today...

[Kroniedon]

So my options are:
-Go to sketchy site and hope for the best trying to get Blue burst
-Buy a broadband adapter for $40
-Hack my Wii

And maybe in another 10 years PSO2 will come out! I think I'll just bide my time for now.

EDIT: Oh, how could I find out when the site for Blue Burst is ok to use?

Yup, this analysis is pretty spot on I'd think. :-P

There is more than one server for Blue Burst by the way. Actually.. there's probably a few dozen of them. As for any of them being ok to use (I know you meant the virus message that pops up on THAT site), well, that's all up to personal opinion. :-P In complete honesty, to cut the bullshit out and go straight to the root, they're all as bad as the next, so take your pick. 8-)

[Rakenson]

I'm also interested in this, started on PSU then PSO2 now I want to go to PSO.

I'm assuming the Blue burst option is easiest so that's probably what I'll do.

[Balter]

Alright, I just downloaded PSO BB from a different source, but now I need to register it. Does the group via which I register determine which servers I have access to?

EDIT: This one guy on a fanpage for this one server is saying that all of the viruses and such have been cleaned up, but Google Chrome keeps giving the warning. Do you think it's safe to register there?

[blace]

The client you download determines which server you'll connect to. Unless you can access the files and change them to find a certain server, it won't really work as most servers have their own encryption and added extras.

[Dongra]

I think ********s registration has been down for a while now actually. I dunno when it will be back up since the admin of that server is a lazy sack of shit that has vanished for months now.

[Balter]

Ended up modding my Wii after all :P Trouble is, how do I connect to the internet using the Wii? None of the resources I've found online have been any good. If someone could point my in the right direction I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks!

[Balter]

Just thought I'd update all of you that my attempts to get online (via the Wii) have been successful! Now I just need to figure out how the whole online world works :P Thanks for the help everyone!

[NegaTsukasa]

Just thought I'd update all of you that my attempts to get online (via the Wii) have been successful! Now I just need to figure out how the whole online world works :P Thanks for the help everyone!

Can't wait to see you online. Look for the Red FOmar with white hair. ;-)

[TheSouthSideTy]

Alright I Played PSO Ep 1 & 2 on gamecube quite some time ago, I just recently got my gamecube back but missing the adapter to get online. My friends have been telling my that you cant play PSO online on gamecube anymore, but from the looks of it you still can? I just want to get verification that you can still play PSO ep. 1&2 online before i go out and buy a new adapter.

Can anyone reply and let me know if you can or can't, if you can what would be the requirements to play online? It would be very much appreciated =) and if Online is still available I'm looking forward to playing with some of you =) It has been too long. haha

[Dongra]

The official servers have been dead for years but there are private servers you can join.

[TheSouthSideTy]

Ahhh I see, But there is still a way to play on my gamecube threw a private server? what would I need to do to get on it?

[chrisramar]

Ahhh I see, But there is still a way to play on my gamecube threw a private server? what would I need to do to get on it?

gamecube
gamecube broadband adaptor
bba to internet cable

[TheSouthSideTy]

gamecube
gamecube broadband adaptor
bba to internet cable

awsome thats it? pretty simple haha. thanks just gotta get a new adapter.

[Balter]

The whole process is significantly easier if you have the broadband adapter. Then it becomes a matter of finding the right server information.

I, on the other hand, had to do the following to play via the Wii (which I will post here for posterity):
-I modded my Wii to have the Homebrew channel
-I got the Cleanrip app and the Devolution emulator
-Using Cleanrip, I got an ISO of my PSO disc, which made it playable in the Devolution emulator
-Devolution utilizes the Wii's internet connection, so I was able to successfully get online in PSO with it. I of course needed the proper serial and access keys, a working internet connection, and the server information.

If this isn't allowed to be posted here, I can edit that part out or it can be removed by a mod.

I only know of one server, so I assume I'm playing on the one that everyone talks about. I hope to see you all there! Free stuff please ;D

[TheSouthSideTy]

The whole process is significantly easier if you have the broadband adapter. Then it becomes a matter of finding the right server information.

I, on the other hand, had to do the following to play via the Wii (which I will post here for posterity):
-I modded my Wii to have the Homebrew channel
-I got the Cleanrip app and the Devolution emulator
-Using Cleanrip, I got an ISO of my PSO disc, which made it playable in the Devolution emulator
-Devolution utilizes the Wii's internet connection, so I was able to successfully get online in PSO with it. I of course needed the proper serial and access keys, a working internet connection, and the server information.

If this isn't allowed to be posted here, I can edit that part out or it can be removed by a mod.

I only know of one server, so I assume I'm playing on the one that everyone talks about. I hope to see you all there! Free stuff please ;D


Awsome, Well my first step is getting the Broadband Adapter. How should I go about finding the right server info?

Oh wow yeah that is quite a task, but at least you get to play online =D haha

[Balter]

Yep, it was all worth it in the end! I messaged you some info to help you get connected.

[TheSouthSideTy]

Yep, it was all worth it in the end! I messaged you some info to help you get connected.

I would appreciate that alot :-) . right now I have not found anywhere that is selling a bba in any stores near me, so I'm going to have to order one online, so have to wait till I get paid next week before I can do that, Rent comes first and my internet bill haha but yes please mesage me that info if you could. and I would hope to play sometime with you in the next few weeks :-D

[Zipzo]

So my options are:
-Go to sketchy site and hope for the best trying to get Blue burst
-Buy a broadband adapter for $40
-Hack my Wii

And maybe in another 10 years PSO2 will come out! I think I'll just bide my time for now.

EDIT: Oh, how could I find out when the site for Blue Burst is ok to use?

I don't know what you're talking about, PSO2 has already been out for more than a year.

[Dongra]

I think he was referring to an English release and to be fair it's more like PSU2 than PSO2.

[Kevin PSO]

Yes it is possible to go online with PSO+ on a Wii but you'll need to google it. It's not a difficult process and once you get the initial setup done you will be good to go :)
Is this true? I remember hearing it's impossible to play PSO online on Wii.

Edit: I just found it is possible, but it's a complex process. It's probably easier just to connect from GC. Funny thing is I've been playing this game solo since I got it (with some occasional split screen play) and I've actually come to like it this way.

[Dongra]

It really isn't complex at all, I was able to get it working right away. All you need is an SD card and to follow the instructions for modding the Wii.

[Kevin PSO]

It really isn't complex at all, I was able to get it working right away. All you need is an SD card and to follow the instructions for modding the Wii.
I'd rather not mod my Wii.

[Seilan]

So, just out of curiosity, are we talking about the p. server that starts with an S and ends with a K (or V)? I figured that is the most populated of them, despite the numbers being pretty low these days.

If there's a "better" one though, I'd love to hear about it.

[DC_PLAYER]

Depends on what you want.

If you like playing with jp players then there is one with far more GC players, if you do not consider that as an alternative then just pick one of the other remaining low pop servers.

Between 1 or 5 players the difference isn't much really.

Also the GC population on the s......k is pretty much doomed, make sure you practice dns changing.

[Seilan]

Depends on what you want.

If you like playing with jp players then there is one with far more GC players, if you do not consider that as an alternative then just pick one of the other remaining low pop servers.

Between 1 or 5 players the difference isn't much really.

Also the GC population on the s......k is pretty much doomed, make sure you practice dns changing.

Ah, well I'm pretty much stuck with the PC version as of right now, so I guess I'll stick with s......k for the time being. It's just sad to see how much the population has nose-dived in the last year or so, but with PSO2 and all, it's not surprising.

Thanks for the response, btw.

[Dongra]

PSO2 did take away some veteran players but the major hit to the population is the administrations incompetence. Account registration has been down for months so no new players can even participate which would help the population.

[gigawuts]

Yeah, there's actually very little overlap with PSO2 and PSO1 in terms of the actual gameplay. I generally prefer PSO1 myself, and I'd probably be playing it if more of my friends were too. Seeing as those players stuck around PSO1 so long, I doubt it was other games that drew them away after all those years. It had to be something internal making them not want to show up.

[Seilan]

Wow, they still haven't got the registration up and running again? I remember reading about that the last time I was on the forums, which was quite awhile ago. What the heck.

[Dongra]

This is the reason I switched back to Gamecube. The server admin just doesn't care about doing anything for the server. There would probably be more life in the server if he had given it to a new administration but that will never happen so long as he is making money off it. It also gives me an excuse to finally get away from all the changes they made to Blue Burst that, in my opinion, made the game worse. Not to say I didn't like all the changes, materials stacking and the second bank were fine, I just wasn't a fan of the new weapons or stat changes that effected gameplay. I do like Blue Burst more than Gamecube but the vanilla experience is what comes to mind when I say that.

[Seilan]

This is the reason I switched back to Gamecube. The server admin just doesn't care about doing anything for the server. There would probably be more life in the server if he had given it to a new administration but that will never happen so long as he is making money off it. It also gives me an excuse to finally get away from all the changes they made to Blue Burst that, in my opinion, made the game worse. Not to say I didn't like all the changes, materials stacking and the second bank were fine, I just wasn't a fan of the new weapons or stat changes that effected gameplay. I do like Blue Burst more than Gamecube but the vanilla experience is what comes to mind when I say that.

Man, I'd actually look into trying to GC version out (considering my friend has an old cube sitting around somewhere), but I'd hate to have to spend 40-50+ dollars for a game that probably didn't even cost that much originally. It sucks how inflated some of the prices become for some of these old games, so many years down the road. I'd also probably need to buy a broadband adapter for it, as I'm not sure he ever had one. I'm just not sure it would be worth the investment, ultimately.

I definitely feel you on disliking some of the changes they made to their version of BB though. A few "quality of life" changes are ok, but I prefer an experience as close to vanilla as possible.

[gigawuts]

If you're patient about it the game may be the only thing you actually pay too much for. IIRC the game launched at 40 or 50 bucks yeah (the + version, anyway), but people jacked prices up to 60 when I rebought my copy a couple years ago and then later on to 75+. I'm not sure what they're at now - hopefully lower.

If you get the GC version I absolutely have to recommend the + version. The online quests being available offline is a big deal for the GC version. Going online involves a whole lot of extra stuff (such as lots of extra read/writes to your memory card, which I'm not a fan of), and being able to just solo the central control tower offline is a nice option. I'm sure you could download some of the quests from certain servers, but a lot of them disable that completely.

For the BBA, wavebirds, etc. you can usually find them fairly cheap shortly after someone else has traded them in at a Gamestop. They automatically list the BBAs for 99 cents - yes seriously. Wavebirds get mixed in with ordinary controllers for the wii all the time, too. I grabbed five for anywhere from 18 to 5 dollars depending on the store over the course of a couple years, all pretty great condition. Even the worst looking ones with that disgusting layer of filth buildup were in great shape after just a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. They're definitely made of Nintendium.

Then there's the topic of screen resolution. Most gamecubes won't have component cable compatibility. The very first generation of gamecubes - before the Metroid Prime/GC bundle - did actually have a port for a specialized cable that only Nintendo could make. Nintendo put half of the hardware required to process the higher resolution video in the cable itself, then patented it, and refused to let third parties make any imitations. Then they only sold it on their website without advertising it. Great right? Practically nobody knew it even existed (I had a compatible gamecube AND a compatible TV, and I sure didn't). They're pretty rare and go for anywhere between 80 and 120 dollars depending on what the market is doing. Gamestop stocks them for 5 bucks if you can find them. The game does actually look a bit nicer with it, so I recommend trying to have Gamestop ship one to you from elsewhere. Make sure they double check that it's the right cable they have - several were mislabeled when I went to get one. Godspeed.

[AlexCraig]

While I've had no internet over the past... month and a half I think... I've been playing PSO+ on Gamecube. Now that I have internet again, I'm heading back to my BB server.

[Seilan]

If you're patient about it the game may be the only thing you actually pay too much for. IIRC the game launched at 40 or 50 bucks yeah (the + version, anyway), but people jacked prices up to 60 when I rebought my copy a couple years ago and then later on to 75+. I'm not sure what they're at now - hopefully lower.

If you get the GC version I absolutely have to recommend the + version. The online quests being available offline is a big deal for the GC version. Going online involves a whole lot of extra stuff (such as lots of extra read/writes to your memory card, which I'm not a fan of), and being able to just solo the central control tower offline is a nice option. I'm sure you could download some of the quests from certain servers, but a lot of them disable that completely.

For the BBA, wavebirds, etc. you can usually find them fairly cheap shortly after someone else has traded them in at a Gamestop. They automatically list the BBAs for 99 cents - yes seriously. Wavebirds get mixed in with ordinary controllers for the wii all the time, too. I grabbed five for anywhere from 18 to 5 dollars depending on the store over the course of a couple years, all pretty great condition. Even the worst looking ones with that disgusting layer of filth buildup were in great shape after just a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. They're definitely made of Nintendium.

Then there's the topic of screen resolution. Most gamecubes won't have component cable compatibility. The very first generation of gamecubes - before the Metroid Prime/GC bundle - did actually have a port for a specialized cable that only Nintendo could make. Nintendo put half of the hardware required to process the higher resolution video in the cable itself, then patented it, and refused to let third parties make any imitations. Then they only sold it on their website without advertising it. Great right? Practically nobody knew it even existed (I had a compatible gamecube AND a compatible TV, and I sure didn't). They're pretty rare and go for anywhere between 80 and 120 dollars depending on what the market is doing. Gamestop stocks them for 5 bucks if you can find them. The game does actually look a bit nicer with it, so I recommend trying to have Gamestop ship one to you from elsewhere. Make sure they double check that it's the right cable they have - several were mislabeled when I went to get one. Godspeed.

Yeah, I wasn't even checking for the "Plus" version. Looks like most of them are going for well over 100 dollars. Insanity. Looks like I'll be sticking with BB.

[Overlord Zenon]

PSO+ retails here (used copies) for around 70$ since its apparently a rare and sought after game

[AlexCraig]

It is. I was fortunate to get mine, brand new, at a VERY good price of $20. But that is all of the rare to find. But if you're not getting BB, then I strongly recommend considering PSO+

[o0Kais0o]

So I'm torn, get BB or see if my old cube still works and grab the game and an adapter...

[AlexCraig]

Why not both? Start off on some gamecube, then shift things over to BB?

[gigawuts]

I have my GC for when the BB servers are inevitably taken down. Don't get me wrong, those guys have had something up for literally as long as I've been into PS (Which is quite a feat, considering how long most fan servers last for most games), but that human element is still there. Someday something might happen, and it'll just disappear - probably with no warning.

It IS possible to set up your own server software though. Just get it and run it on your own PC. But then again you'll be solo so there's that.

[AlexCraig]

I kinda play on a small out-of-the-way server for BB. Sometimes there's 1-2 people on, sometimes it's just me. But when we do have people on, it's always a nice community with good people on it.

[laz305]

Come join me in Mopping up the Forest in Ult :-o