Episode 4 Story Discussion

[Stormwalker]

Are we not going to talk about how Regius literally has the power to brainwash people? Isn't that dangerous? He c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶'̶v̶e̶ ̶e̶a̶s̶i̶l̶y̶ has already abused said ability once to send everyone after a witch hunt for our heads.

That asshole never even apologized. :/

There is, actually, a cutscene where he expresses regret over his actions in general during (and leading up to) that incident. He doesn't really apologize directly, IIRC, but it's clear he acknowledges his mistakes

Also, don't you think this is one of the reasons ARKS was reorganized?

[Sirius-91]

Are we not going to talk about how Regius literally has the power to brainwash people? Isn't that dangerous? He c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶'̶v̶e̶ ̶e̶a̶s̶i̶l̶y̶ has already abused said ability once to send everyone after a witch hunt for our heads.

That asshole never even apologized. :/

He did apologize, even offered to step down, but you said don't quit. So with that, you forgave him and he vowed never again.

[CocoCrispy]

Sure, anything. If you want any images from that particular section of either Materials Collection book, just holler.

I might just have to heheh. Some of the kanji on the image was a little blurrier than I imagined but I was able to make a gist of what half of the page says. Some I had to make guesses. You seem to know a little bit of Japanese too judging from the comments in your topic, so any critique on my dictation is appreciated.

This appears to be timeline format of what we learned in episode 2.

Here is what I have. This (http://i.imgur.com/aUFuROD.jpg) image is for reference for Before Light History, 1, 20, 50. This (http://i.imgur.com/lO8wkVQ.jpg) is 200, ???, 500.

I'm sorry in advance for how big this post is. :wacko:

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Japanese

~~~

(光歴以前)

フォトナー、 惑星シオンへとたどり着く。

その場にて、 惑星シオン自身でもある 「考える海」 と遭遇。 全宇宙で初めて対話に成功する。

~~~

光歴

元年

「光歴」 紀元。

粒子 「フォトン」 の存在とエネルギー転用の方法がシオンよりもたらされる。 外宇宙航行の実現。

~~~

20年代

フォトナー、 シオンからの依頼もあったが何よりもフォトナー自身の要望によって、 惑星シオンを外装で包み込んだマザーシップを建造。

~~~

50年代

アークスシップの元となる艦船24艦完成。 外宇宙調査団 「オラクル」 の設立。 外宇宙調査の開始。

~~~

200年代

オラクル、 数々の銀河を巡り版図を急速に拡大する。

~~~

???年代

惑星ウォパルをはじめとしたさまざまな惑星が、 フォトナーの技術によって環境調整などの惑星改造を施される。

~~~

500年代

フオトナー、 シオンを模倣する形でフォトンた意思と演算能力を与えた人造全知存在の創造に着手。

人造全知存在の作成理由は、 全宇宙に版図を広げ肥大化したフォトナーの組織管理を任せるため。

シオンフォトナーの行いの先にあるものに興味を持ち、 その行為を黙認。 撒初の人造全知存在完成。 制御不能のためこれを亜空間に投棄。

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rough translation

~~~

(Earlier Light History)

Photoners reach Planet Xion.

Once there, they confront the Planet Xion itself, a living ocean. They succeed for the first time with interacting with the entire universe.

~~~

Light History

1st Year

The Light History era.

The existing "photon" particle's energy conversion is brought about by Xion. Outer space navagation is realized.

~~~

The 20's

Photoners, upon the direct request by Xion personally, constructed the mothership's exterior wrapped around Planet Xion herself.

~~~

The 50's

Completion of the underlying 24 ARKS ship vessels. Outer Space Research Team, "Oracle," is established. Outer space research begins.

~~~

The 200's

Oracle tours a number of galaxies, rapidly expanding its territory.

~~~

The ???'s

Planet Vopal among other planets are subject to planet remodeling, including environmental adjustments depending on Photoner technology.

~~~

The 500's

Photoners embarked on the creation of a synthetic omniscient presence with the intention of computing the power of photons in a way that mimics Xion.

The purpose of creating the synthetic omniscient presence was for the Photoners to expand their organized control across the entire universe.

Interested in what they accomplish, Xion tolerates the actions of the Photoners. Creation of the first man made omniscient presence is completed.* It is discarded into subspace for being uncontrollable.

*撒初 ???-new. Not sure about the kanji on this one.

[Altiea]

@CocoCrispy Added the last bits of the pre-ARKS timeline in better quality. I also threw on some stuff from the Elder War period since we're talking about additions. Try rotating the images; I took them on my phone and forgot to rotate them before I uploaded it.

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/kn6ghNn.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ta1iMOV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/clASqtl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vbOoxYX.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

[Zeroem]

You are the only one equating playing Hitsugi with council of 6 members and honestly have no idea why.
Cause there is a gigantic difference between average ARKS and Maria, so being better than average ARKS (which are usually shown weak) doesn't put anyone remotely close to Maria.
Just above average ARKS (that have still gone through intense training).

Because everyone in this thread have their different take of what Sierra meant as good. Some people rage that Hitsugi are said to be as good as ARKS. The question is, which ARKS? In fact, that's the another problem. What basis and who did Sierra use as comparison to Hitsugi? Average ARKS? Or someone at high position?

There are 2 intepretations of Sierra's comment.
1. Since the big picture are 'investigation of irregular immigrant ARKS', Sierra's compliment could meant that Hitsugi's photon manipulation is as good as regular ARKS that's not redshirt and not named.
2. Sierra did talked with Casra in somewhat not-formal mannerism, so it's up to speculation whether Sierra directly compare Hitsugi to one of the named ARKS (which might be Reda for all we care :wacko: ), and found Hitsugi is as strong as that person in comparison.

Which one is the case? Well, that........is up to speculations.

[loafhero]

Speaking of the Avis mind control, I find it hilarious that Risa was mind controlled to kill you too even though she's quite possibly the only ARKS op that would have had no problem being told to kill you without having to be brainwashed.

I'm well aware that Avis does not discriminate on who needs to be mind controlled but I just thought that Risa was a poor choice, from a story perspective, for the miniboss fight before the Council fight since there are hints that the PC doesn't like her at all nor are they actually friends with her. She just felt like an unnecessary addition to that specific part of that story. It would have made more sense to have Io or Azanami fighting against the PC instead of Risa since they are on a more convincingly friendly level with the PC. My only guess as to why Risa was involved in that fight (besides the fact that she's popular) is to make her look more sympathetic.

Further hints that the PC probably doesn't like Risa is that during the current released chapter of EP4, when the PC is taking Hitsugi and Aru on a tour on Oracle, Risa was definitely not on the PC's list of people they wanted Hitsugi and Aru to meet. In fact, the PC was probably trying to direct them away from Risa.

[Meteor Weapon]

I don't think the PC was even doing that. Lisa isn't fucked up as she was if you look at her scene in EP3 Chapter 6(or was it 7?), she still has control with her insane self if she attempt to go overboard. You can blame Luther for screwing her up in the first place. Everyone we know in the game deeply hates in him even our character does, even Luther himself says your character deeply hate him when you didn't follow his guide in the story quest inside Double's Inner Universe.

I mean even Aru can sense she was a good person.

[loafhero]

I mean even Aru can sense she was a good person.

That, or its a case of innocence is bliss. Aru's probably too immature to tell the difference between "nice" and "psycho".

[Stormwalker]

That, or its a case of innocence is bliss. Aru's probably too immature to tell the difference between "nice" and "psycho".

But Lisa has a good conscience!

[NephyrisX]

I am still wondering what Support Partners are. Are they Bioroids? Androids? Miniature clones?

[Altiea]

I am still wondering what Support Partners are. Are they Bioroids? Androids? Miniature clones?

Androids are the closest bet, if Google Translate is telling me the right thing. They're structurally different from CASTs, and are controlled by AI.

[loafhero]

But Lisa has a good conscience!

Somewhere, deep inside all that crazy...

But in all seriousness, I do agree that Lisa isn't an inherently bad person.

Back when I played through EP1's story, my opinion of her was that she was no different than Gettemhart and I disliked her as much as I disliked Gettemhart. Then after playing EP2's story, seeing the way Risa interacted with the other ARKS and the way she terrified them (but somehow becoming BFFs with Fourier), I actually found her character a lot more endearing. It was much more fun to see her talk with other characters and see how she evokes different reactions from them.

And of course, there was that time she broke character in EP3's True Ending path but the problem with that scene was that it was treated more as a case of split personality.

[Meteor Weapon]

Cause it is? She did went cuckoo after becoming a CAST, and also mentioned she didn't really remember how she was before becoming a CAST, hence the split personality becoming a thing isn't so farfetched.

[Ce'Nedra]

He did apologize, even offered to step down, but you said don't quit. So with that, you forgave him and he vowed never again.

I won't forgive that fucker for brainwashing mah Lottie though :|

[loafhero]

Cause it is? She did went cuckoo after becoming a CAST, and also mentioned she didn't really remember how she was before becoming a CAST, hence the split personality becoming a thing isn't so farfetched.

No, I'm saying that its a problem because rather than her kindness and compassion being something she's capable of showing in her default personality, its something that's restricted to her other personality. Majority cutscenes of Lisa are of her in her default psycho mode which the PC is more acquainted with. The other side of her is a completely different person we've never met.

[Zeroem]

The other side of her is a completely different person we've never met.

I'm more inclined to believe that mannered-spoken Lisa in 3-7 is the remains of the Lisa before the CAST surgery, or what people would say as Lisa's 'true' personality.

[Tymek]

There is, actually, a cutscene where he expresses regret over his actions in general during (and leading up to) that incident. He doesn't really apologize directly, IIRC, but it's clear he acknowledges his mistakes

Also, don't you think this is one of the reasons ARKS was reorganized?

Yeah, I saw that cutscene, haha. But like you said; it's not a direct apology.


He did apologize, even offered to step down, but you said don't quit. So with that, you forgave him and he vowed never again.

When did this happen? This is the first time I've ever heard of anything like this. :O

[loafhero]

I'm more inclined to believe that mannered-spoken Lisa in 3-7 is the remains of the Lisa before the CAST surgery, or what people would say as Lisa's 'true' personality.

Yup, that's it.

[Zeroem]

When did this happen? This is the first time I've ever heard of anything like this. :O

Episode 2 Chapter 6. A.k.a. where time shenanigans started and many people bowed their heads at your presence as apology.


There is, actually, a cutscene where he expresses regret over his actions in general during (and leading up to) that incident. He doesn't really apologize directly, IIRC, but it's clear he acknowledges his mistakes

Also, don't you think this is one of the reasons ARKS was reorganized?

ARKS management was under consideration to be fully-reorganized in EP2 Chapter 6. Xiao was more on keeping the structure as it was, because he reasoned that: 1)The Six Heroes structure-wise is not bad; and 2) Only Luther and some of the higher ups that was rotten; and the rotten part of ARKS was recently got cut. He and Ulc are still thinking of the merits and demerits of both choice. If you choose to suggest demolishing the Six Heroes system, Ulc actually said that all things considered, it's still not worth, if it happened so suddenly. Well, Xiao also add that further confusion at the moment is not needed. In a sense, Six Heroes become the last foundation that prevent ARKS' total collapse after the dark side of ARKS was exposed.

Perhaps, 2 years after that discussion, Ulc finally saw that ARKS no longer need Six Heroes structure.
Besides, that was also Maria's dream. To demolish the need of Six Heroes.

[jeremycards]

oh, its ON if you badmouth my Lisa D=

Seriously tough, im sure she's a good person. I mean, she likes killing, a LOT, but she never actually hurted a fellow Arks as far as i can remember, she always focuses on killing darkers. I seem to remember that she actually said so once. Im really curious at to what did she say in that recent cutscene where she seemed to get all sweet and regretfull for a moment (since it wasn't translated yet). I do remember tough, that she showed remorse and apologized for attacking the PC after Avis made her do it. I should rewatch those scenes to recall exactly what she said, but its pretty clear that she just enjoys shooting things and tries her best to dont shoot other arks (tough she does kinda want to :P)

[Altiea]

Lisa isn't inherently BAD, but she's pretty insane. There's a fine line between being off your rocker and being a bad person, and she treads pretty close.

[CocoCrispy]

@CocoCrispy Added the last bits of the pre-ARKS timeline in better quality. I also threw on some stuff from the Elder War period since we're talking about additions. Try rotating the images; I took them on my phone and forgot to rotate them before I uploaded it.

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/kn6ghNn.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ta1iMOV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/clASqtl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vbOoxYX.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

Don't got a lot of time but this is what I translated. JP first.

諏多の失敗の果て、 制御可能な人造全知存在の創造に成功。

人造全知存在、 文明末期にあったフォトナーの悪意や欲望を取り込んだ結果、

【深遠なる闇】として覚醒。

傲慢や怠惰、 嫉妬などあらゆる負の感情を得た 【深遠なる闇】、 フォトナー こそが

全てを滅ぼす存在であるとの結論に至る。

【深遠なる闇】、 フォトンを使役する存在に狙いを定め、 自らの眷属 として

「ダーカー」 を生み出し全宇宙規模の戦争を開始。

~~~~~~~~

While successful in creating the manmade omniscient presence, feasible control and several attempts to reason with it ended in failure.

As a result of the Photoners' malicious desires, the artificial omniscient presence awoke as "The Profound Darkness."

Arrogance and laziness, all negative emotions such as jealousy were understood by The Profound Darkness, leading to the conclusion that the Photoners and all of existence must all be destroyed.

The Profound Darkness utilized its essence on a congregation of photons, creating "Darkers." He uses his kin in order to start a war of cosmic proportions.

~~~~~~~~

年代不明

フォトナー、 【深遠なる闇】 の封印を決意。

一人のフォトナーに全フォトナーのフォトンを扱う力を結集。

これを人柱として 【深遠なる闇】 の封印に成功。

しかし封印目前で 【深遠なる闇】 より、 新たな脅威 「ダークファルス」 が誕生してしまう。

さらに封印の代償としてフォトナーはフォトンを扱う力を喪失。

~~~~~~~~~~~

Age Unknown

Photoners decide to seal The Profound Darkness.

Photoners all join forces with a congregation of powerful photons.

This human sacrifice is a success in sealing The Profound Darkness.

However, before the seal could afflict The Profound Darkness, a new threat known as "Dark Falz" was created.

Furthermore, as compensation for creating the seal, Photoners lost the capability to use photons.

~~~~~~~~~~~

ダークファルス、 【深遠なる闇】 復活のため

残されたダーカー統率し戦争を継続。

オラクルの向かう先々にダーカーが出現するようになり、 多くの人員が犠牲に。

フォトナー、 封ダーカー 戦の尖兵となる存在の開発に着手。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awaiting The Profound Darkness' revival, Dark Falz inherited command of the Darkers to continue the cosmic war.

Wherever Oracle travelled, Darkers would appear. There are a number of casualties.

Photoners began development on a guard to combat Darkers in the war.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

後のアークスシップとなる艦船群の量産が

急ピッチに進む。

オラクル、 ダーカーの追撃を逃れるため全宇宙規模での

放浪を開始。

フォトナー、 自らの肉体を捨て去ることを

考え始める。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mass production on ARKS Ships proceeds at a steady rate.

Oracle, in order to escape the Darkers' pursuit, starts wandering the cosmos.

Photoners begin considering abandoning their own bodies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

198年

ダークファルス 【巨躯】 との決戦。

初代クラリスクレイスおよびクラリッサの力によって、 【巨躯】 は封印される。

アークスは組織維持が困難な状態まで戦力を大きく減じる。

初代クラリスクレイスとルーサーの交渉の結果、 ルーサーの技術協力の下、 アークスとい

う組織の立て直しが行われる。

【巨躯】 との戦いにおいて特に活躍した三名を 「三英雄」 と称するようになる。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Year 198

The decisive battle against Dark Falz [Elder].

Due to the power of the first generation Claris Claes and her Clarissa, Dark Falz [Elder] is sealed.

The stress of the war greatly reduced their numbers. ARKS undergoes reorganization.

With Luther's technical assistance, and negotiations between the first generation Claris Claes and Luther, ARKS begin rebuilding.

Three people that played an active part in the battle against [Elder] are referred to as the "Three Heroes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

レギアスとマリア主導で三英雄に並ぶ三名が選出され、

六芒均衡の初代メンバーが集結。

【巨躯】 との戦いで消耗したアークスの立て直しに尽力する。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With Regius and Maria's leadership, they began an initiative and gathered three elected members together with the Three Heroes to become founding members of the Council of Six.

The Council of Six is commited to rebuild ARKS after their numbers were consumed in the battle with [Elder].

~~~~~~~~~~~~

「六芒均衡」 の発足。 メンバーは次の六名。
ー、 レギアス
ニ、 マリア

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Council of Six is inaugurated. The following six people are members:
1, Regius
2, Maria...
(3, Casra
4, Atosa
5, Claris Claes
6, Wolf)

[Meteor Weapon]

Considering Elder was such a major threat in the first generation, it's funny how Elder got swatted like a fly during the third generation ARKS era and other Falz not doing anything major during Elder's seal for 50 years until the current timeline.

[CrossOmega]

Considering Elder was such a major threat in the first generation, it's funny how Elder got swatted like a fly during the third generation ARKS era and other Falz not doing anything major during Elder's seal for 50 years until the current timeline.

Except maybe Oldpprentice destroying an ARKS ship? But that is probably not that major?

[Meteor Weapon]

50 years and that's the only thing they did?

[Sirius-91]

Considering Elder was such a major threat in the first generation, it's funny how Elder got swatted like a fly during the third generation ARKS era and other Falz not doing anything major during Elder's seal for 50 years until the current timeline.

Elder was considerably weaker when he possessed Gettemhart, overcome by his desire to fight and start conflict and plus the player character and matoi's ability to siphon nega photons.

[oratank]

apprentice - only interest in her own beauty she won't like to do anything major except revenge matoi who take away her beauty

double - don't know about them may be have fun with other planet?? when they are the only one that has true purpose for being pd henchman but still didn't eat other falz on sight?? well maybe their fun have much more important than resurrect their master

loser - well he can't do thing luther is in control

[Zeroem]

Considering Elder was such a major threat in the first generation, it's funny how Elder got swatted like a fly during the third generation ARKS era and other Falz not doing anything major during Elder's seal for 50 years until the current timeline.

Falz got swatted like flies on third generations of ARKS are due to:
- On Story Mission, [Elder] strength are limited to its host. Well, until [Persona] butt in and let [Elder] access his original power. Us sucking his negative photons (unknowingly) are not helping either.
- [Elder] are one of the 'impure Dark Falzes', quoting [Double]. If he went full force, I'm sure that [Elder] would gave us serious trouble......for a while. Just too bad that his host just love to fight, not love to win.

Other Falzes are most likely gathering minions and power (and for [Double]'s case, playing around and nom-ing everything). In fact, kind of funny that the only 'serious Dark Falz' we've met is [Double], while the rest are 'impure Dark Falzes'. Just imagine if [Elder], [Loser], and [Apprentice] are not affected by the host's original personality and worked as a single mind toward the revival of [Profound Darkness].

[CocoCrispy]

Yeah I don't see any mention of other falzes besides Elder in this timeline. Did they exist at this point or are they also spawn of Elder?

[Altiea]

Between the Elder War and App. I's ship raid, Falz activity was effectively dormant until the PC got involved.

[jeremycards]

Also, kind of ironic that the only pure Falz was the easiest to beat since we just destroyed them in the story and didn't have an EQ like the others :P lol

[Meteor Weapon]

That's because Matoi intended to go all out to "kill" them instead of "defeat" them.

[NephyrisX]

Keep in mind the DF Elder and Apprentice are affected by their hosts' personalities as well.

[Zeroem]

Also, kind of ironic that the only pure Falz was the easiest to beat since we just destroyed them in the story and didn't have an EQ like the others :P lol

Considering that we and Matoi collect negative photons without our knowing, we're indirectly gnaw [Double]'s photon storage like a parasyte while we and Matoi were inside. Don't forget that all those Kuronians we're fighting are [Double]'s creation as well.

It's fair to say thay by the time we face them on 3-6, [Double] spent more photons than they expected and weakened.

[loafhero]

oh, its ON if you badmouth my Lisa D=

Seriously tough, im sure she's a good person. I mean, she likes killing, a LOT, but she never actually hurted a fellow Arks as far as i can remember, she always focuses on killing darkers. I seem to remember that she actually said so once. Im really curious at to what did she say in that recent cutscene where she seemed to get all sweet and regretfull for a moment (since it wasn't translated yet). I do remember tough, that she showed remorse and apologized for attacking the PC after Avis made her do it. I should rewatch those scenes to recall exactly what she said, but its pretty clear that she just enjoys shooting things and tries her best to dont shoot other arks (tough she does kinda want to :P)

No, she says that she dislikes people but she just so happens to hate Darkers more. A few cutscenes of Lisa has her mentioning that she has gotten into trouble with the higher ups several times because of complaints about her friendly firing.

She also never apologized to the PC for the brainwashing thing. She actually thanked the PC for a good fight. Yes, the fight that was both an emotionally and physically harrowing experience for us was "fun" for her.



In fact, kind of funny that the only 'serious Dark Falz' we've met is [Double], while the rest are 'impure Dark Falzes'. Just imagine if [Elder], [Loser], and [Apprentice] are not affected by the host's original personality and worked as a single mind toward the revival of [Profound Darkness].

Seems rather fitting for PSO2's theme and as an MMO overall; Overcoming powerful but divided forces of evil through teamwork and trust.

[Meteor Weapon]

No, she says that she dislikes people but she just so happens to hate Darkers more. A few cutscenes of Lisa has her mentioning that she has gotten into trouble with the higher ups several times because of complaints about her friendly firing.

She also never apologized to the PC for the brainwashing thing. She actually thanked the PC for a good fight. Yes, the fight that was both an emotionally and physically harrowing experience for us was "fun" for her.



Seems rather fitting for PSO2's theme and as an MMO overall; Overcoming powerful but divided forces of evil through teamwork and trust.

I don't even remember her said she dislikes people, she just dislikes taking direct orders in general. In the 3-7 matterboard tho she said she hates both Darkers and Photoners, tho I'm asuming the Photoners she hates are a group of scientist who claimed themselves Photoners who are also under the lead of Luther, who was the real photoner himself.

[ThePageofHeart]

So can I get a brief recap on what's been happening in Episode 4? Was wondering what's been up before the Yamato update.

[Altiea]

So can I get a brief recap on what's been happening in Episode 4? Was wondering what's been up before the Yamato update.

It's not translated, but I'll try to sum it up based on what this thread's been told.

You get up from Cold Sleep, and it's been two years since EP3. Matoi's out of commission, Xiao's gone for a while, and Ulc's in charge. Ulc says that there are weird ARKS running around lately, so you tag along on this kid named Hitsugi's mission. You get attacked by mysterious shadow, but Hitsugi is an idiot and breaks things, so you purify her with photons, but she logs out of PSO2 and creates Al on Earth. Phantoms show up, so you save her and all that jazz.

Then Hitsugi's equally-idiotic friend Kouri shows up, and they do Slice of Life stuff. This guy, Hagito, who's head of a popular company, shows up to be creepy, then goes home. While Hitsugi is figuring out how to use PSO2 as a portal, she gets attacked by Phantoms (again), and Kouri, being the easily manipulated type, drags her to Tensei's field. Surprise, Hagito is actually evil and Kouri is his pawn. She gets saved by plot power (read:makes her own Katana), and then you show up on an ARKS Ship and save her again while Hagito runs home with EMARUDO TABURETO. Also, Hitsugi and Al are now on the ship, and the anime is remotely relevant now.

There's also something about Mother Cluster in there, which is somehow linked to ESC-A and connects various characters together in a way that hasn't been translated yet.

[Tymek]

It's not translated, but I'll try to sum it up based on what this thread's been told.

You get up from Cold Sleep, and it's been two years since EP3. Matoi's out of commission, Xiao's gone for a while, and Ulc's in charge. Ulc says that there are weird ARKS running around lately, so you tag along on this kid named Hitsugi's mission. You get attacked by mysterious shadow, but Hitsugi is an idiot and breaks things, so you purify her with photons, but she logs out of PSO2 and creates Al on Earth. Phantoms show up, so you save her and all that jazz.

Then Hitsugi's equally-idiotic friend Kouri shows up, and they do Slice of Life stuff. This guy, Hagito, who's head of a popular company, shows up to be creepy, then goes home. While Hitsugi is figuring out how to use PSO2 as a portal, she gets attacked by Phantoms (again), and Kouri, being the easily manipulated type, drags her to Tensei's field. Surprise, Hagito is actually evil and Kouri is his pawn. She gets saved by plot power (read:makes her own Katana), and then you show up on an ARKS Ship and save her again while Hagito runs home with EMARUDO TABURETO. Also, Hitsugi and Al are now on the ship, and the anime is remotely relevant now.

There's also something about Mother Cluster in there, which is somehow linked to ESC-A and connects various characters together in a way that hasn't been translated yet.

That's it.
That's the story.

[Sirius-91]

It's not translated, but I'll try to sum it up based on what this thread's been told.

You get up from Cold Sleep, and it's been two years since EP3. Matoi's out of commission, Xiao's gone for a while, and Ulc's in charge. Ulc says that there are weird ARKS running around lately, so you tag along on this kid named Hitsugi's mission. You get attacked by mysterious shadow, but Hitsugi is an idiot and breaks things, so you purify her with photons, but she logs out of PSO2 and creates Al on Earth. Phantoms show up, so you save her and all that jazz.

Then Hitsugi's equally-idiotic friend Kouri shows up, and they do Slice of Life stuff. This guy, Hagito, who's head of a popular company, shows up to be creepy, then goes home. While Hitsugi is figuring out how to use PSO2 as a portal, she gets attacked by Phantoms (again), and Kouri, being the easily manipulated type, drags her to Tensei's field. Surprise, Hagito is actually evil and Kouri is his pawn. She gets saved by plot power (read:makes her own Katana), and then you show up on an ARKS Ship and save her again while Hagito runs home with EMARUDO TABURETO. Also, Hitsugi and Al are now on the ship, and the anime is remotely relevant now.

There's also something about Mother Cluster in there, which is somehow linked to ESC-A and connects various characters together in a way that hasn't been translated yet.

Mother Cluster is the Organization behind ESC-A. After discovering photons on earth (they call it ether), they decided to market it, which they later seem to have discovered its latent ability as a potential energy source for everything.

This later fuels their new goal, which is your typical thing of world domination. The YMT corporation, ESC-A, and Mother Cluster spread out their collective influence by setting up ESC-A towers all over Earth, to better control photons.

It's hinted that the Phantoms on Earth and the lack of Darkers despite the Profound Darkness being reawakened are linked in someway, possibly suggesting that those in Mother Cluster are essentially the new Falzes.

[Altiea]

Mother Cluster is the Organization behind ESC-A. After discovering photons on earth (they call it ether), they decided to market it, which they later seem to have discovered its latent ability as a potential energy source for everything.

This later fuels their new goal, which is your typical thing of world domination. The YMT corporation, ESC-A, and Mother Cluster spread out their collective influence by setting up ESC-A towers all over Earth, to better control photons.

It's hinted that the Phantoms on Earth and the lack of Darkers despite the Profound Darkness being reawakened are linked in someway, possibly suggesting that those in Mother Cluster are essentially the new Falzes.

Ether is Photons? That... actually makes a lot of sense.

[NoobSpectre]

Ether is Photons? That... actually makes a lot of sense.

Well, in some RPG series, Ether is the item that recovers MP/mana/BlueBar/WhateverThatIsNotHpButAlsoImportant.

Considering the equivalent PP is Photon Points (is it?)... Yeap, gonna agree on that one.

[loafhero]

Ether is Photons? That... actually makes a lot of sense.

Agreed. It wouldn't have made sense if the Earthlings coincidentally called it Photons too.

I guess the only reason Earth isn't as advanced as the PSO2-verse despite both having the same energy source is cause PSO2 had Xion.

[Zeroem]

I guess the only reason Earth isn't as advanced as the PSO2-verse despite both having the same energy source is cause PSO2 had Xion.

Well, Photoners got like years of tweaking with Photons. Not to add the wars with Darker that force them to speed-up their research.

If Earthlings develop something similar to Xion, no doubt Earth's technology will advanced quite rapidly......which almost likely the setup for Mother Brain.

[Sirius-91]

Well, Photoners got like years of tweaking with Photons. Not to add the wars with Darker that force them to speed-up their research.

If Earthlings develop something similar to Xion, no doubt Earth's technology will advanced quite rapidly......which almost likely the setup for Mother Brain.

It's actually hinted that the AI that Mother Cluster used is related to Phantom appearances and the whole world domination shtick.

[loafhero]

If Earthlings develop something similar to Xion, no doubt Earth's technology will advanced quite rapidly......which almost likely the setup for Mother Brain.

The only way the Earthlings could even think of making a Xion is if they had a Xion in the first place to come to them and teach them how to make another Xion as well as a giant mothership of their own to traverse the galaxy.

Of course, there is that theory that Mother Brain is Earth's version of Xion. Plus, Earth isn't completely made of water and is arguably a far more hospitable place to live in than all the other planets ARKS has visited before so Earthlings probably have less interest in leaving their planet.

... speaking of planets, its been 2 years now in the story and Oracle apparently still hasn't colonized any planets aside from mining bases on Lilipa. I've never played the first PSO and PSU but didn't those two game's universe already colonized planets?

[黒雪Yacchi]

PSU didn't colonize but they were considering it by the time of PSPo2. and PSO was about people from Choral (or however it's spelled) colonizing Ragol since Choral was going to shit. The prospect of colonzing also crops up in the original PS story line as well, at least somewhat following the destruction of Palma (one of the main planets of Algol)

[loafhero]

PSU didn't colonize but they were considering it by the time of PSPo2. and PSO was about people from Choral (or however it's spelled) colonizing Ragol since Choral was going to shit. The prospect of colonzing also crops up in the original PS story line as well, at least somewhat following the destruction of Palma (one of the main planets of Algol)

Well, at least that's some progress with colonizing.

[oratank]

... speaking of planets, its been 2 years now in the story and Oracle apparently still hasn't colonized any planets aside from mining bases on Lilipa. I've never played the first PSO and PSU but didn't those two game's universe already colonized planets?

arks was created by photoner to fight against darker. they have no intend to colonize planet in the first place

[nephie]

... speaking of planets, its been 2 years now in the story and Oracle apparently still hasn't colonized any planets aside from mining bases on Lilipa. I've never played the first PSO and PSU but didn't those two game's universe already colonized planets?

mining base isn't colonization. it is specially made to keep "using" apprentice power so they can keep her from being awoken. before TD4 event, Aurora asked if the mining site work as intented because she can feel something is strange with the sealed apprentice.

[NoobSpectre]

arks was created by photoner to fight against darker. they have no intend to colonize planet in the first place

But Oracle Fleet is indeed finding any inhabitable planet for colonization. Fourier said that one of the ARKS objective is to make first contact with local intelligent species. (EP1-4, story mission, 2nd/earlier part.)

But then again, they freaking waste 40 years on a mostly green biome planet for survey, survey, more survey, and put new Arks for a trial test. Well, that is before people realized Dark Falz Elder is sealed within the planet, not to mention Proufound Darkness keep reemerging later in EP3

[Zeroem]

The only way the Earthlings could even think of making a Xion is if they had a Xion in the first place to come to them and teach them how to make another Xion as well as a giant mothership of their own to traverse the galaxy.

Of course, there is that theory that Mother Brain is Earth's version of Xion. Plus, Earth isn't completely made of water and is arguably a far more hospitable place to live in than all the other planets ARKS has visited before so Earthlings probably have less interest in leaving their planet.

Err, Xion is a planet capable of making advanced calculations. In a sense, Xion can be referred as mother computer. A living one. Earth's making their own Xion doesn't meant that they need to be in contact with planet Xion. What they have to do.......is just create Skynet a.k.a. a mother computer with installed A.I. and a degree of sentience. After all, that is how Photoners created PD, a corrupted man-made Xion.

....I thought that was an obvious conclusion.


... speaking of planets, its been 2 years now in the story and Oracle apparently still hasn't colonized any planets aside from mining bases on Lilipa. I've never played the first PSO and PSU but didn't those two game's universe already colonized planets?

Lilipa isn't colonized. Mining base are what's on the surface. In reality, mining base was used to seal [Apprentice].
Planet colonization used by ARKS, back then when AP calendar system created until today, as a mask to ARKS' true goal.
Eradication of [Profound Darkness].

[yoshiblue]

Seems we're pretty much like Star Trek during the DS9 era. Used to be focused on peace, science and exploration; but after experiencing some losses are now focused on warfare.

[Tymek]

Agreed. It wouldn't have made sense if the Earthlings coincidentally called it Photons too.

Guess some people have different taste in naming, huh. :P


The only way the Earthlings could even think of making a Xion is if they had a Xion in the first place to come to them and teach them how to make another Xion as well as a giant mothership of their own to traverse the galaxy.

Of course, there is that theory that Mother Brain is Earth's version of Xion. Plus, Earth isn't completely made of water and is arguably a far more hospitable place to live in than all the other planets ARKS has visited before so Earthlings probably have less interest in leaving their planet.

... speaking of planets, its been 2 years now in the story and Oracle apparently still hasn't colonized any planets aside from mining bases on Lilipa. I've never played the first PSO and PSU but didn't those two game's universe already colonized planets?
During 3-8, Aurora mentions that before they created the Profound Darkness, they tried creating yet another new Xion-ish thing, but it was a complete failure, so they just sealed it away somewhere.

It's possible that said 'failure' is, in fact, Mother.

[Zorak000]

I thought they tried to make a new Xion, but it got corrupted by the photoner's bad feelings and became the profound darkness; making Xion kinda like The Great Light in a way

[untrustful]

But Earth has darkers!

I fought a zesh!

[NephyrisX]

But Earth has darkers!

I fought a zesh!
You can blame that little Nyau shitstain for bringing a darker onto Earth.

Seriously, why is it that it's mostly Darkers (in particular, Dark Ragne) that comes to the aid of Nyau? Is Nyau secretly a Darker agent?

[Zorak000]

oh yeah im guessing the PD connection here is probably related to how phantoms have those pallet-swapped boosters on them; if the mother cluster members are the falz equivalents, then that ought to make phantoms not-darkers, and PD might want to take their power for it's own

[loafhero]

Err, Xion is a planet capable of making advanced calculations. In a sense, Xion can be referred as mother computer. A living one. Earth's making their own Xion doesn't meant that they need to be in contact with planet Xion. What they have to do.......is just create Skynet a.k.a. a mother computer with installed A.I. and a degree of sentience. After all, that is how Photoners created PD, a corrupted man-made Xion.

....I thought that was an obvious conclusion.


No one made Xion. Xion made herself... somehow. Photoners wouldn't even think to create a Xion copy or have the means of doing so if they didn't meet the original. They tried to make a Xion copy and we all know how that worked out. There is no way Earth, at least at its current technological state, could possibly make a Xion copy with their current technology let alone create sentience unless they came into contact with Xion or a Photoner rip-off of Xion.

[untrustful]

Actually that would be amazing if mother cluster was the discarded Xion clone.

[Meteor Weapon]

But then again, they freaking waste 40 years on a mostly green biome planet for survey, survey, more survey, and put new Arks for a trial test. Well, that is before people realized Dark Falz Elder is sealed within the planet, not to mention Proufound Darkness keep reemerging later in EP3

Council of Six knew about Elder's sealing, and trying to colonize that planet is a massive risk to everyone on Oracle. Every civilian on ARKS probably asked the same thing why not just colonize the damn planet, but it's classified information and Luther doesn't really care about it anyway on colonizing, I'm still not sure what was Luther's motives in the act of unsealing Elder through Gettemhart. Being on ARK Ship alone is vulnerable enough to get Darker invasion and it never stopped even in the Anime, ARKS within the current time is in constant threat with Darker attacks despite Zeno in early game said the opposite.

[untrustful]

I'm still not sure what was Luther's motives in the act of unsealing Elder through Gettemhart.

Woah woah woah

Gettemhart and Luther were in communicado during episode 1's story? They worked together?

[Sirius-91]

Woah woah woah

Gettemhart and Luther were in communicado during episode 1's story? They worked together?

No, Elder used Gettemhart as a host. Luther was still in command at the time, and despite knowing what happened, allowed Gettemhart to unseal elder.

As for Luther, he's still was a photoner and wanted to find a way to seal PD forever. He wanted to become all knowing, so he could achieve that. However that was his undoing, as he desired to do so at any cost.

[NephyrisX]

I am curious, what is Darker's Den and why does the architecture in it try to imitate the ARKS cities?

Where is the place even suppose to be anyway, since we occasionally crash land on it?

Do ARKS Clones copy everything from their original or are there caveats? I mean, Melphonsina's clones seems to retain the memories of her.

[Meteor Weapon]

Darker Den is probably an ARKS Ship completely mutated.

[Meteor Weapon]

No, Elder used Gettemhart as a host. Luther was still in command at the time, and despite knowing what happened, allowed Gettemhart to unseal elder.

As for Luther, he's still was a photoner and wanted to find a way to seal PD forever. He wanted to become all knowing, so he could achieve that. However that was his undoing, as he desired to do so at any cost.

I though Luther was just doing it for the sake of...well...for the sake of it?

Regius asked what was Luther planning to do when he obtained it, and this was his answer. Luther is just total nuts just like Luthor.

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12938329_1151860654838416_5517807811090280303_n.jp g?oh=e2bc7a867f054b57cfc28f9662843ce3&oe=57A75BE0

[TheszNuts]

Council of Six knew about Elder's sealing, and trying to colonize that planet is a massive risk to everyone on Oracle. Every civilian on ARKS probably asked the same thing why not just colonize the damn planet, but it's classified information and Luther doesn't really care about it anyway on colonizing, I'm still not sure what was Luther's motives in the act of unsealing Elder through Gettemhart. Being on ARK Ship alone is vulnerable enough to get Darker invasion and it never stopped even in the Anime, ARKS within the current time is in constant threat with Darker attacks despite Zeno in early game said the opposite.

Well the track record for Phantasy Star isn't that good for colonization because in PSO1 EP3 they're still asking why Ragol hasn't been colonized and that takes place years later.

[Tymek]

Well the track record for Phantasy Star isn't that good for colonization because in PSO1 EP3 they're still asking why Ragol hasn't been colonized and that takes place years later.

20 years later. In total it took them like, what, 20-30 years to colonize Ragol? It's a very ridiculous situation.

[Sirius-91]

I though Luther was just doing it for the sake of...well...for the sake of it?

Regius asked what was Luther planning to do when he obtained it, and this was his answer. Luther is just total nuts just like Luthor.

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12938329_1151860654838416_5517807811090280303_n.jp g?oh=e2bc7a867f054b57cfc28f9662843ce3&oe=57A75BE0

In later Ep3, he tells you why he did it.

[TheszNuts]

20 years later. In total it took them like, what, 20-30 years to colonize Ragol? It's a very ridiculous situation.

Actually they never did, it was a key plotline as to why it hasn't been done yet.

[Zorak000]

yeah in the time between ep4 and ep3, dark falz and olga flow kept reviving; so it wasn't safe to colonize yet

[untrustful]

Where's that info at?

I never knew falz and olga reformed repeatedly. I just assumed they were one time situations. You mean to tell me they come back after defeat?

[CocoCrispy]

Where's that info at?

I never knew falz and olga reformed repeatedly. I just assumed they were one time situations. You mean to tell me they come back after defeat?

Yup. It was a plot point in PSO Episode 3. Olga and Dank reincarnated so much that if they continued they woulda been all powerful, so instead of kicking back and relaxing, Flowen and Rico made the 2 monsters resonate and explode. The explosion killed Olga and DF once and for all, and created Endu and Great Shadow.

This was the image still from Endu's ending where this was revealed.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/phantasystar/images/1/11/Ep3D_22-1_ED_Endu02c.png

[loafhero]

Luther's goal was to attain omniscience as part of his desire to become all-knowing. Its why he obsessed over Xion, a goddess in his eyes, so much although at the same time he was rather emotionally attached to Xion. You could say he loved her but it was a very twisted form of love.

By EP3, he's placed in Double's inner dimension. He's... actually physically okay in there. However, he is definitely suffering a form of ironic hell. Double's dimension contains a buttload of valuable knowledge which would have been heaven for Luther only for him to realize that knowledge is worthless if it can't be shared or used. He also has no desire to escape Double's dimension despite knowing exactly how to do so because he sees no value in a universe without Xion. Luther also sounds like he's losing grip with his sanity which is a given since he's isolated from the entire world so it won't be long before he becomes something like Gollum from the Lord of the Rings.

[untrustful]

Yup. It was a plot point in PSO Episode 3. Olga and Dank reincarnated so much that if they continued they woulda been all powerful, so instead of kicking back and relaxing, Flowen and Rico made the 2 monsters resonate and explode. The explosion killed Olga and DF once and for all, and created Endu and Great Shadow.

This was the image still from Endu's ending where this was revealed.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/phantasystar/images/1/11/Ep3D_22-1_ED_Endu02c.png

:-o crazy stuff

[untrustful]

Luther's goal was to attain omniscience as part of his desire to become all-knowing. Its why he obsessed over Xion, a goddess in his eyes, so much although at the same time he was rather emotionally attached to Xion. You could say he loved her but it was a very twisted form of love.

By EP3, he's placed in Double's inner dimension. He's... actually physically okay in there. However, he is definitely suffering a form of ironic hell. Double's dimension contains a buttload of valuable knowledge which would have been heaven for Luther only for him to realize that knowledge is worthless if it can't be shared or used. He also has no desire to escape Double's dimension despite knowing exactly how to do so because he sees no value in a universe without Xion. Luther also sounds like he's losing grip with his sanity which is a given since he's isolated from the entire world so it won't be long before he becomes something like Gollum from the Lord of the Rings.

The way that he was fascinated with double's replicative abilities gave me the impression that he might try to replicate Xion in the future.

[Zeroem]

No one made Xion. Xion made herself... somehow. Photoners wouldn't even think to create a Xion copy or have the means of doing so if they didn't meet the original. They tried to make a Xion copy and we all know how that worked out. There is no way Earth, at least at its current technological state, could possibly make a Xion copy with their current technology let alone create sentience unless they came into contact with Xion or a Photoner rip-off of Xion.

.......Seriously? *facepalm*

No one said that Xion was made by someone. Xion is, in a sense, can be compared as a superior mother computer. Earth's making their Xion doesn't meant that they create another Xion. They would juat need to made a super-advanced mother computer, give it A.I, and it can be passed as Earth's Xion.

Xion is being used as figure of speech on my previous posts, not literally.


The way that he was fascinated with double's replicative abilities gave me the impression that he might try to replicate Xion in the future.

Well, to be fair, any remains of Xion (if there is any remains left) inside PD would be surrounded by negative photons. Unless there is miracle (or plot magics), all Luther would accomplish by replicating Xion......is making another PD.

[loafhero]

.......Seriously? *facepalm*

No one said that Xion was made by someone. Xion is, in a sense, can be compared as a superior mother computer. Earth's making their Xion doesn't meant that they create another Xion. They would juat need to made a super-advanced mother computer, give it A.I, and it can be passed as Earth's Xion.

Xion is being used as figure of speech on my previous posts, not literally.


You're just assuming Earth has the means of creating advanced sentient AI when their own technology doesn't come close to the Photoners or Oracle. Even if they could pass off their own super computer as Xion, it wouldn't be as intelligent or as sentient as the original Xion.

The Earthlings associated with Mother Brain would never follow the orders of a super computer made by them. It only makes sense if Mother Brain had alien origins similar to Xion.

[Zeroem]

You're just assuming Earth has the means of creating advanced sentient AI when their own technology doesn't come close to the Photoners or Oracle. Even if they could pass off their own super computer as Xion, it wouldn't be as intelligent or as sentient as the original Xion.

The Earthlings associated with Mother Brain would never follow the orders of a super computer made by them. It only makes sense if Mother Brain had alien origins similar to Xion.

If Hagito can create an green admiral based on Ether-enhanced artifact, AI should be an easy feat by now. Besides, YMT Corporation (and Mother Cluster) helped the Earth technology to rapidly advance. From simply played 'PSO2' in front of computer to adopt VR in 9 months.

Ether itself are already discovered for 10+ years in Earth (recall the anime episodes when Itsuki stalking Aika).

Also, Photoners did banished failed Xion imitations before they finally created PD. Not a really that far of a jump if Earthlings found one of these failed copies and reverse-engineed these failed copies and made an A.I based on it.

[oratank]

Earthlings found one of these failed copies and reverse-engineed these failed copies and made an A.I based on it.

to think about time line when photoner kicked their failed xion to another dimension. reverse-engineed from failed copy that would make more sense than use the failed copy as a mother com. but result should be the same :p

[loafhero]

Also, Photoners did banished failed Xion imitations before they finally created PD. Not a really that far of a jump if Earthlings found one of these failed copies and reverse-engineed these failed copies and made an A.I based on it.

That's what I'm saying. The Earthlings would have needed some kind of alien source to develop the Ether-based technology and them having come into contact with Photoner tech (a discarded Xion copy is most likely) makes the most sense.

The mysterious woman that Kohri was seen talking with after Hagito's escape was probably empathizing with Kohri's feeling of abandonment. If the discarded Xion copy is canon, it makes sense that she'd have abandonment issues and wants revenge.

[Shear]

That ... actually makes an awful lot of sense if you think about it.
It would also explain why some Humans can properly use Photons, if they are exposed to the Photon based Ether it would make sense that some that are more compatible actually gain powers from it (you know because Photons :p )
Also it would explain the Game connecting to the fleet, in that Earth connecting to the real Oracle Fleet might have actually been the Games purpose.
... why do I see a Earth Players against Real Arks Story part in the future? -.-

Then again this all assumes that Sega actually thought so far ... and well ... <.<

[Petunia]

So wait, I'm confused. Do we have a legit answer as to why the game lets Earthlings enter Oracle? And how it works, or who made it?

[Shear]

No, just assumptions going by one thing mentioned in the Story, it just sounds kinda plausible.

[Sirius-91]

So wait, I'm confused. Do we have a legit answer as to why the game lets Earthlings enter Oracle? And how it works, or who made it?

I;m guessing we won't have a clear answer until late EP4.

[Tymek]

I;m guessing we won't have a clear answer until late EP4.

Same probably goes for how the "Illegal Immigrant ARKS" are created.
What's keeping Ulc from building that wall?
#MakeOracleGreatAgain

[Sirius-91]

Same probably goes for how the "Illegal Immigrant ARKS" are created.
What's keeping Ulc from building that wall?
#MakeOracleGreatAgain

So earth is sending their rapists and drugs, and other criminal acts?

And they're going to pay for it?

[Flaoc]

So earth is sending their rapists and drugs, and other criminal acts?

And they're going to pay for it?

When the earth sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending secondaries that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us.

[Petunia]

There's also the issue of who made the game.
If there's a PSO2, there MUST be a PSO. So did that game connect the human world to the universe of PSO?

It just seems so sloppy. "Oh yeah the video game is actually a portal to another dimension where your character is magically created and can interact with the real beings in that world. But you don't know that so you think they're really advanced AI NPCs."
Like, what happens when a PC dies? Are they just down till Moon'd? Can the PCs ever be in a position where their character is killed for good? What happens if this isn't the case and real ARKS see a dead PC ARKS come back like nothing happened?

This whole thing just gives birth to too many questions. Waiting till later to answer them isn#t a good idea, either. The longer they wait, the more questions will arise and the fewer they'll be able to answer.

[wahahaha]

http://i.imgur.com/UfYU1iu.jpg

Have fun

[Zorak000]

Io has a birb

[Zeroem]

That woman with braided black hair and curly side.......hmmmmm.

Most likely the lady that contacted Kohri back in 4-2

[loafhero]

So Io changes to the Summoner class?

Would be funny if turns out that Sara and Claris Claes III never intended to wear matching outfits with different colours, kinda like in Matter Board 3-8 where they had intended to give Naberius flowers to Matoi independently from each other instead of doing so together :D

[Altiea]

So, are they gonna film a movie about the Phantoms and claim it's fictional? CHANGE THE WORLD is a very uninspired title, too. Can't be worse than THE LINER, though.

[loafhero]

Maybe Claris Claes III will finally stop saying "kisama" now? :D

[Zeroem]

Maybe Claris Claes III will finally stop saying "kisama" now? :D

Nope, she's still saying 'kisama'......but at least in somewhat friendly way? And only to us, since....well you know, keeping the gender suffix ambiguous per RPG-with-character-creator-for-MC standards.
....Well, she did call Hitsugi 'chibi' though.

But overall, she's matured. She can now talk about her circumstances quite openly, even to a total stranger like Hitsugi and Aru.

Also, wow. This update's story mode actually quite an information dump.

[loafhero]

Nope, she's still saying 'kisama'......but at least in somewhat friendly way? And only to us, since....well you know, keeping the gender suffix ambiguous per RPG-with-character-creator-for-MC standards.
....Well, she did call Hitsugi 'chibi' though.

But overall, she's matured. She can now talk about her circumstances quite openly, even to a total stranger like Hitsugi and Aru.

Also, wow. This update's story mode actually quite an information dump.

Yeah, I just recently watched her cutscene debut.

[Zeroem]

Finally finished making sense of the new story mode events. Beforehand, all hail Fuhrer Casra for the info dump.

- 2 big event flag connect between Earth and Oracle. 12 years ago, and 2 years ago prior to EP4. 12 years ago did not refer to something in ARKS, but refer to discoveries of [Ether] at 2016 AD on Earth. As of 2 years ago......
- 'Illegal immigrant' ARKS start to pop up in Oracle 2 years prior to EP4. Remember what happened that time? Revival of [Profound Darkness]. Something else on Earth also happened, but both Hitsugi and Information division's intel have no idea what happened 2 years ago on Earth side.
- As some suspected, 'Photons' and 'Ether' are similar, at least in nature and particle structure. Sierra was unsure about the differences, but Ether is good at information configuration according to Sierra.
- Ether are described by Sierra as...empty, so that it can be shaped according to image projected to it. Speaking of which, Hitsugi's katana is 「天羽々斬」. Aru answered that this katana is the one from Izumo mythology, the sword that chopped 八岐大蛇 (Yamata-no-Orochi)
- Mother Cluster recruitment methods are random, since any potential member are directly contacted by Mother to join SNS.
- Code: Olympia infer with Oracle's information gathering, at least on the Earth side. It acted more or less like jamming.
- Phantoms only appeared near people with potential to 'configure' Ether. Phantoms also hard to be totally eradicated, since everyone's definition of 'bad image' is different.

As for Sara........well, Sara still in contact with Xiao. And let's just say we and Sierra secretly sailing SaraxXiao ship.

[Zanverse]

Was cruising through PSO2Wiki.net for something and I landed on the Train Ghidoran page. I noticed in the story-related spoiler box, the text mentioned something about "Olympia Angel", "Jupiter" and Mother Cluster...

[loafhero]

Kinda disappointed that the rest of the PC's tour of Oracle for Hitsugi and Aru were made into a voiceless montage sequence. I was looking forward to meeting Pati and Tia again.



As for Sara........well, Sara still in contact with Xiao. And let's just say we and Sierra secretly sailing SaraxXiao ship.

Ugh, no, just no. They were presented to us as having a sibling-like relationship when Xiao was first introduced in EP2 which makes them more like the sibling duo from the Spy Kids movies (because they can read each others minds). My impression of Sierra's teasing is that despite how much Sara argues with Xiao, she does care about him like a brother but she's too much of a tsundere to be more honest about it yet Sierra and the PC sees through this easily. Maria was mentioned too so I'm assuming that Sara is being tsun tsun over the fact that she really misses the two people who are like family to her.

Sara's breasts also seem to have gotten bigger too... just saying.



- Ether are described by Sierra as...empty, so that it can be shaped according to image projected to it. Speaking of which, Hitsugi's katana is 「天羽々斬」. Aru answered that this katana is the one from Izumo mythology, the sword that chopped 八岐大蛇 (Yamata-no-Orochi)
.

Wait, so Hitsugi's katana is technically a Phantom creation too?

[NephyrisX]

Wait, so Hitsugi's katana is technically a Phantom creation too?
Makes sense really. None of the ARKS has the ability to create a weapon out of thin air, and Ether has creation properties.

[Zeroem]

Ugh, no, just no. They were presented to us as having a sibling-like relationship when Xiao was first introduced in EP2 which makes them more like the sibling duo from the Spy Kids movies (because they can read each others minds). My impression of Sierra's teasing is that despite how much Sara argues with Xiao, she does care about him like a brother but she's too much of a tsundere to be more honest about it yet Sierra and the PC sees through this easily. Maria was mentioned too so I'm assuming that Sara is being tsun tsun over the fact that she really misses the two people who are like family to her.

I was being hyperbolic. Still, if you read the lines Sara spouted (Xiao implied to ask about Sara's condition, Sara's asking Xiao if he's okay, talk about when he's going to go outside formally with a not-Sara like tone, etc), it's easy to see that there is more than sibling tension between those 2 now. 2 years is a long time for some development, after all. Besides, those 2 are not blood related; and as far as JP goes, it's A-Ok :wacko:

And Maria have no part in this lol. Maria asked Sara to visit Sierra and deliver the report Maria requested to Sierra.


Wait, so Hitsugi's katana is technically a Phantom creation too?

Phantom is, in a sense, byproducts of Ether. Ether reacted strongly to people's image. Think Ether as a formless Play-Doh which exist everywhere. As long as people realize about this, and have a solid image of what they wanted, these Ether can make it become reality. Just like Hitsugi's katana.

[loafhero]

I was being hyperbolic. Still, if you read the lines Sara spouted (Xiao implied to ask about Sara's condition, Sara's asking Xiao if he's okay, talk about when he's going to go outside formally with a not-Sara like tone, etc), it's easy to see that there is more than sibling tension between those 2 now. 2 years is a long time for some development, after all. Besides, those 2 are not blood related; and as far as JP goes, it's A-Ok :wacko:


That's just wishful thinking on your part.

[Ezodagrom]

- 2 big event flag connect between Earth and Oracle. 12 years ago, and 2 years ago prior to EP4. 12 years ago did not refer to something in ARKS, but refer to discoveries of [Ether] at 2016 AD on Earth. As of 2 years ago......
While I guess it wasn't referenced, when it comes to the ARKS, 12 years prior to EP4 was Apprentice's attack to an ARKS ship, when Matoi almost became Profound Darkness and was brought 10 years into the future.

[Zeroem]

That's just wishful thinking on your part.

Wishful thinking, or indeed implied ship written by SEGA themselves?
Well, still up to each individual's perception.


While I guess it wasn't referenced, when it comes to the ARKS, 12 years prior to EP4 was Apprentice's attack to an ARKS ship, when Matoi almost became Profound Darkness and was brought 10 years into the future.

That........makes sense. And yeah, Sierra say nothing about 12 year ago in ARKS side.

[yoshiblue]

How are the weaponoid side stories looking so far?

[Sirius-91]

How are the weaponoid side stories looking so far?

They're a bit grindy, but they're cute.

[Meteor Weapon]

Which part of the timeline PSO2es's story fit in and their importance in the PSO2 universe? Does our MC in the main PSO2 story have anything to do with them at all?

[Sirius-91]

Which part of the timeline PSO2es's story fit in and their importance in the PSO2 universe? Does our MC in the main PSO2 story have anything to do with them at all?

Pre Ep4 near End of Ep3 to now.

I like to think that the PSO2es MC is different.

[loafhero]

By the way, has Sara officially became an ARKS? She technically wasn't an ARKS in the past EPs. While I don't think Sara's combat abilities are special enough to earn a recommendation (though she's far from incompetent), 2 years have gone by now in the story and it was said that 2 years is the standard amount of time needed to become an ARKS.

[Meteor Weapon]

I don't see her getting mentioned not an ARKS, she was under Maria's supervise and having a Partner Card already indicates she's already an ARKS to begin with. If she isn't an ARKS she wouldn't even get permission to join the Tournament in EP1

[AutumnChronicle]

By the way, has Sara officially became an ARKS? She technically wasn't an ARKS in the past EPs. While I don't think Sara's combat abilities are special enough to earn a recommendation (though she's far from incompetent), 2 years have gone by now in the story and it was said that 2 years is the standard amount of time needed to become an ARKS.

She has ARKS stickers on her uniform now, so definitely.

Also,
https://media.giphy.com/media/Ek61AvsTykm6k/giphy.gif

[loafhero]

I don't see her getting mentioned not an ARKS, she was under Maria's supervise and having a Partner Card already indicates she's already an ARKS to begin with. If she isn't an ARKS she wouldn't even get permission to join the Tournament in EP1

She got into the tournament by sneaking into it and pretending to be an ARKS since she secretly wanted to take part in the fun. Huey and Maria found out about it though but let it slide since they knew she didn't mean any harm and just wanted to have fun. Its even implied that she only got in because Maria pulled strings to allow it but Sara never knew this. Plus, Huey was impressed with Sara's combat prowess (even though Sara tired out pretty quickly fighting him) and that alone was enough to earn his silence.



She has ARKS stickers on her uniform now, so definitely.


Ah, good point.

[Zeroem]

Well, Sara still working under Maria. And now officially on the record.
Sara is Maria's official right hand on her division as of EP4.
[spoiler-box]http://i.imgur.com/1wLSoi5.png[/spoiler-box]

[Petunia]

I know this is a bit old, but what's the story with Magatsu?
I've scoured through the cutscenes over and over again and I literally can't find the point in the story where Magatsu is released, or why there's multiple Magatsu and stronger versions of Magatsu.
The only cutscenes I can find about it are where you have to hold off several waves of enemies so whatsherface can fix the seal.

[AutumnChronicle]

I know this is a bit old, but what's the story with Magatsu?
I've scoured through the cutscenes over and over again and I literally can't find the point in the story where Magatsu is released, or why there's multiple Magatsu and stronger versions of Magatsu.
The only cutscenes I can find about it are where you have to hold off several waves of enemies so whatsherface can fix the seal.

If I recall the cutscenes correctly, a portion of Magatsu supposedly escaped before Sukunahime could repair the seal, so what we're fighting isn't the real deal? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong :P

I've never seen any explanation for Sai though.

[mickbis]

If I recall the cutscenes correctly, a portion of Magatsu supposedly escaped before Sukunahime could repair the seal, so what we're fighting isn't the real deal? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong :P

I've never seen any explanation for Sai though.

That correct, and I think Double also eat that portion and replicated it.....
Magatsu Sai is like when its loss and escape from us so we decided to chase it... with AIS

[ShinMegamiSensei]

Yeah, double was somehow able to clone it like they did the entire Harkotan race, so what we fight are just clones of Magatsu. The real one is still sealed/never seen.

[loafhero]

Magatsu's origins, as described by milfSukunahime, is surprisingly similar to Profound Darkness.

Apparently, due to the wars fought on Harukotan in the past, the amount of rage and sorrow generated from the inhabitants back then eventually formed to create Magatsu, a being of pure hate and rage that desires nothing more than to kill everything and is arguably much more powerful than Sukunahime, the most powerful Harukotan on the planet. Sukunahime sealed it several years prior to the events of PSO2. When Double damaged the seal in EP3, Sukunahime fixed the seal just enough that only parts of Magatsu are released (hence, why we fight 3 more Magatsus in Phase 2). The process of fixing the seal and helping ARKS fight against Magatsu remnants weakened Sukunahime enough that her OPness doesn't end up resolving the main plot of EP3 too quickly.

Turns out, Magatsu wasn't even in its final form. Who knows how powerful Magatsu could be if it was whole again?

Both Magatsu and PD were made from negative photons but the difference between them is that, besides Magatsu having never been a supercomputer before, Magatsu was made from wrath while PD was made from a mix of sloth and vanity courtesy of the decadent Photoners. Story-wise, PD is still more powerful and certainly more intelligent thanks to it being originally a failed Xion copy.

[Meteor Weapon]

Wasn't there another Magatsu that got datamined? Probably that I guess?

[Cyber Meteor]

Wasn't there another Magatsu that got datamined? Probably that I guess?

Yeah, it was back in July 2015, a "Magatsu Heri" was datamined along with PD textures if you remember :-P. I'm still hoping for the EQ to show up some day :-D

[sparab]

Magatsu are named after sanzu river. Sai is the name of its riverbank where dead people pick up stones and build weapons towers to repent their sins, but only to have their effort destroyed by more powerful weapons demons.

Sukunahime simply mentioned magatsu extraction felt annoyed and used its remainder to build a golden badness instead of another hundred of clones

[kiakan]

I might be misremembering this, but I recall Sara and Claris Claes saying they're both the same number in the council/pillars back when we went to find Matoi. So she's council, or what's left of it. As mentioned, she is part of the new council divisions. The ARKS star might be signifying she finally joined them.

[mickbis]

I just finished Itsuki and Rina questline until Itsuki get his Awakened form

I use google translate and only half understand important part
so I'm not sure if it is Itsuki in his Arks form
or just his game avatar using his awakened form costume ...

anyone can confirm this?

[Zeroem]

I might be misremembering this, but I recall Sara and Claris Claes saying they're both the same number in the council/pillars back when we went to find Matoi. So she's council, or what's left of it. As mentioned, she is part of the new council divisions. The ARKS star might be signifying she finally joined them.

Well, while Sara did play a big part in EP2, she's still unaffilliated as of EP3. As for that 3-7 scene, it's not that they share the same council number, but more like a symbolism that they both would fill the position that's called Council Number 5 properly in the future. After all, by now we all knew Sara and Claris Claes III's circumstances.

I guess SEGA did remember this scene and made Sara promoted to Council divisions (also with similar costime design as Claris Claes III). It's almost like SEGA wanted a twin to be in Council position.

[SteveCZ]

I don't know where to ask, so maybe I just ask here.

So... SORO is actually Rina, and Rina is now aware of the PSO2 world... so how the hell there's SORO and Rina in the ship? ^^;

[EspeonageTieler]

I don't know where to ask, so maybe I just ask here.

So... SORO is actually Rina, and Rina is now aware of the PSO2 world... so how the hell there's SORO and Rina in the ship? ^^;

SORO is one of rina's characters

they can still log into pso2 like its a game

[SteveCZ]

Okay I don't get it at all, maybe I'm missing some part. I thought so Rina is a single entity now since she's aware of it.
Like Rina is Rina, and not Soro/Rina as in the characters she created.
It's just funny if based on this condition, Rina "transformed" into Soro in the PSO2 world.

[Zeroem]

It's just funny if based on this condition, Rina "transformed" into Soro in the PSO2 world.

It's not really surprising if this is the case. If Ether can be shaped into whatever weapon the user imagined (and Itsuki's own awakened form), not really a stretch if at one point Rina would imagine that she's wearing her old SORO suit and 'awakened' as SORO.

Too bad RINA exist, so we can't see that potentially-glorious scene.

[mickbis]

Okay I don't get it at all, maybe I'm missing some part. I thought so Rina is a single entity now since she's aware of it.
Like Rina is Rina, and not Soro/Rina as in the characters she created.
It's just funny if based on this condition, Rina "transformed" into Soro in the PSO2 world.

Itsuki state at the end of Anime that he cannot go inside Arks anymore
maybe because he used all his photon on Stargazer attack

so there're two possibility that I also want an answer
1. Both of Itsuki and Rina used game to communicated with us
and get the actual real info by Aika in real life
2. Itsuki and Rina start to get their power back at the end of questline
or Itsuki just used his Awakened costume as his in game costume

[Dugs]

Well, story wise, we're also hovering above earth. So it shouldn't exactly be as hard as it was before to get there.

[SteveCZ]

If Itsuki and Rina gets into the PSO2 world using their characters and not themselves (and both), then what is Aika on earth? A doll?
I'm pretty sure Casra has answered this before, but his answer just lead me to believe that Itsuki and Rina bring themselves (as real living humans) to PSO2 alternate world after realizing his presence.
Based on this, I just find it funny to have the Itsuki (the one with default outfit) and SORO in our game / as our NPC, especially Rina in her SORO character, unless it is Rina literally wears SORO suit.

[mickbis]

If Itsuki and Rina gets into the PSO2 world using their characters and not themselves (and both), then what is Aika on earth? A doll?
I'm pretty sure Casra has answered this before, but his answer just lead me to believe that Itsuki and Rina bring themselves (as real living humans) to PSO2 alternate world after realizing his presence.
Based on this, I just find it funny to have the Itsuki (the one with default outfit) and SORO in our game / as our NPC, especially Rina in her SORO character, unless it is Rina literally wears SORO suit.

Arks can appear on Earth physically ( Aika and PC )
Earth Human can connect to Oracle using "Non-register Arks" aka Game Character

In Itsuki Rina and Hitsuki case
they're the one who awakened to photon in some form (Mainly Ether in Hitsuki case?)
so they can use the Arks method to travel between 2 place at will
but Itsuki state in last episode that he loss his ability to travel to Oracle.. ( So before Aika show up he cannot go back and check Aika status after the last battle )

[Zanverse]

Guys, it's not that deep... not every collab has to tie into the story...

[SteveCZ]

Earth Human can connect to Oracle using "Non-register Arks" aka Game Character


OOookay. This one makes sense.


Guys, it's not that deep... not every collab has to tie into the story...

I'm fine with any other collab cause they are definitely not tied with the game.
But these are "real" characters from anime that has something to do with the story we're playing.
SEGA do care up to these details on when they will or will not show characters depending on your story progress.
Or maybe like you said, SEGA just treated Itsuki and Rina as literally just anime collab, and will not have any relation (any longer) to the game, except Aika, since they are placed on the spot (and within limited time) for anime collab partner cards...

[Zeroem]

Code: Olympia is probably the best explanation as of why Itsuki (and Rina) are stuck in the game for limited time.

Remember that this code 'jam' Oracle's contact with Earth from 'PSO2'. It shouldn't be a problem for us (you know, gateship and all), but Itsuki (and Rina) didn't have those. Well, haven't played the rest of the Itsuki's CO, so no idea if there's something more than meets the eye.

......Of course, this might also meant that SEGA want to put Itsuki and Rina in the box of failed stuff, so they give us something to close their storyline, and leave the partner card as a parting gift.......something along those lines.

[Tymek]

Someone should probably translate the CO dialog for Itsuki and SORO/RINA so we can get a better idea of what the hell is going on with that exactly

[ShinMegamiSensei]

The Rina NPC is definitely her game character and not her person. Her character is named in capital letters. (R I N A)

She simply logs out and switches characters by the time you return with the completed COs. :p

[SteveCZ]

The Rina NPC is definitely her game character and not her person. Her character is named in capital letters. (R I N A)

She simply logs out and switches characters by the time you return with the completed COs. :p

That's why I find it funny cause even when she's already aware of PSO2 world, she's still "playing" PSO2, which contradicts the anime.
But oh well, I guess SEGA really make these two here for us but not in regards of how the story goes.

[Zeroem]

That's why I find it funny cause even when she's already aware of PSO2 world, she's still "playing" PSO2, which contradicts the anime.
But oh well, I guess SEGA really make these two here for us but not in regards of how the story goes.

Well, unlike Itsuki, Rina didn't get invitation to Oracle. And thanks to Code: Olympia, Sierra was on the edge regarding Earthlings (even though she can just ask Aika nearby for confirmation. Wow, I found plotholes).

[ShinMegamiSensei]

Wait why can't she play pso2 as a game after the anime ended?

I mean, Koa (forgot his real name) was aware of it too and he logged in to help out as well.

[Zeroem]

I mean, Koa (forgot his real name) was aware of it too and he logged in to help out as well.

Kota is aware of Oracle, but not 'awakened'.

[ShinMegamiSensei]

I know they can't return to the game as themselves in awakened form after the anime ended, though. I'm just wondering why that means they can't log in anymore and use their virtual characters like I assume the current event NPCs are.

[loafhero]

I know they can't return to the game as themselves in awakened form after the anime ended, though. I'm just wondering why that means they can't log in anymore and use their virtual characters like I assume the current event NPCs are.

The end of the anime showed that while they can't enter PSO2's universe directly any more, they can still play it as a game like they normally did as shown by scenes of them still playing PSO2 as a game.

[mickbis]

They never explain why both Itsuki and Rina cannot access Oracle physically at the end of Anime .. ( They also never said the effect is permanent ) so we can only speculate for now...

First maybe both of them used their entire Photon on the final attack to the point it run dried
Second Aika specially ask higher up to block their access to the Oracle seeing Matoi can forcefully send both Itsuki and Rina back to Earth the blocking should be easy task... if knowing their photon pattern

but judging by the position both of them're in as a limited NPC.... look like they already out of the story
and Aika would never let them participate in her current mission

[Tymek]

hey what if mother cluster has something to do with mother trinity and the MOTHER System from phantasy star online episode ii

[loafhero]

hey what if mother cluster has something to do with mother trinity and the MOTHER System from phantasy star online episode ii

Mostly as a reference.

[SakuRei]

Now that Ep.04 Chapter 1 is translated... Thought so Casra/Casura is still a total asshole.

In Ep. 01 he knew everything on what's happening on the ruins, left Zeno alone from Dark Falz Elder (Hunar Form) and told you and Echo that he doesn't know if he made it alive or not (which you saved Zeno in one of Ep. 02's matterboard)

and on Ep. 02 he's on Luther's side and bought some time to [SPOILER]have sexy time on Xion's body absorb Xion and to save his own skin.

And on the PSO2 the Animation and Ep. 04's storyboard, he kept everything he knew about Earth a secret as well and Sierra doesn't know anything about Earth until you were awakened in-game. And I'm guessing Aika is also being used by him too, man he's more manipulative than Luther. Though I want to see his explanations in the latest chapters...[/SPOILER-BOX]

[loafhero]

Now that Ep.04 Chapter 1 is translated... Thought so Casra/Casura is still a total asshole.

In Ep. 01 he knew everything on what's happening on the ruins, left Zeno alone from Dark Falz Elder (Hunar Form) and told you and Echo that he doesn't know if he made it alive or not (which you saved Zeno in one of Ep. 02's matterboard)

and on Ep. 02 he's on Luther's side and bought some time to [SPOILER]have sexy time on Xion's body absorb Xion and to save his own skin.

And on the PSO2 the Animation and Ep. 04's storyboard, he kept everything he knew about Earth a secret as well and Sierra doesn't know anything about Earth until you were awakened in-game. And I'm guessing Aika is also being used by him too, man he's more manipulative than Luther. Though I want to see his explanations in the latest chapters...[/SPOILER-BOX]

While I agree that Casra's kind of a dick;

[SPOILER-BOX]In EP1, the entire point of The Three Heroes keeping Elder being sealed a secret was to prevent battle hungry and arrogant morons from thinking that they could actually have a shot at killing Elder permanently. Sure, maybe telling the truth would have been better but Gettemhart's actions kinda proved The Three Heroes point.

As for how they handled the splitting up thing, even with both Casra and Zeno fighting together they were still no match for Elder's current form at that time (Casra's specialty isn't direct combat). As Elder inherited his host's (Gettemhart) hatred for Zeno, and with neither of them capable of beating Elder, rather than both of them die it seemed more reasonable for at least one of them to survive so Zeno willingly lured Elder away. Casra never forced that choice on Zeno.

In EP2, he never collaborated with Luther. That was a ruse. He was secretly working with Quna to expose all of Luther's atrocities. The time he bought was to give Quna the opportunity to broadcast her message, not to save his own skin. [/SPOILER-BOX]

Also, after recently playing through EP2, in non-cutscene conversations with Zeno and Quna (only available when starting Matter Board 2-6 and no longer available when selecting succeeding Matter Boards), I learned some interesting new things that went on behind Matter Board 2-5:

[SPOILER-BOX]In a non-cutscene conversation with Zeno, turns out the real reason Echo was unaffected by Avis was because Zeno (using his new position as a Council member) used Avis on Echo. His "order" to Echo was basically telling her to decide for herself.

With Quna, it turns out that Quna had asked the assistance of Patty and Tia (off-screen) to help her acquire the top secret information that she eventually exposed in Matter 2-5.[/SPOILER-BOX]

[Tymek]

so apparently hitsugi is a member of mother cluster
well what do you think of that

[Poyonche]

Looks like she isn't considering herself as a Mother Cluster member anymore.

Except if she is a TRAITOR. *dramatic effects*

[Zeroem]

It's funny how most of us kind of missed that Mother is already mentioned by Hitsugi in EP4 chapter 1.


.....Except if she is a TRAITOR. *dramatic effects*
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/OTvcEYtSCDuVouSR0p_3RGq2XOLHK1oyisIDa32l4Z-2DMGr3v83Ko2GVWikk_db_Tzn_TfuByvHrU3KcWYq5ju_X2lEw i7lV3Tjgew=w260-h195-nc

[Sirius-91]

Looks like she isn't considering herself as a Mother Cluster member anymore.

Except if she is a TRAITOR. *dramatic effects*

[SPOILER-BOX]http://i.imgur.com/OXv2FUn.jpg[/SPOILER-BOX]

[loafhero]

What I don't understand is, what does being a member of Mother Cluster even mean? Is it some kind of cult?

[mickbis]

What I don't understand is, what does being a member of Mother Cluster even mean? Is it some kind of cult?

[Mother Cluster] is a group of special people personally selected by [Mother]
their surface goal is to make PSO2 "bug free"
and their usual job is to monitoring PSO2 for strange behavior and report to ESC-A
The strange behaviors included"how NPC act different than programing
and seem like this Mother cluster also given 'advice' by [Mother]

among them there a special type of [Mother Cluster] that gift with Power ...
most likely the power to manipulate "Ether"
and they use it for their personal gain just like Hagito and his YMT company

in the case of Hitsugi I think she cannot listen to Mother anymore after she decided to explore Oracle
Kohri even ask Hitsugi "why she betrayed [Mother]"

but looking at both Hagito and Kohri I don't think [Mother] told them her goal either...
the bug free PSO2 sound like a really bad new consider what that bug is suppose to be

[Meteor Weapon]

A theory is that [Mother] is the failed copy of Xion that was sent into the subspace, and that subspace is coincidently that Earth's dimension. Matoi's time and space interference when Persona stabbed her somehow woke up [Mother] and began emitting ether.

EP1 introduces the existence of Falz
EP2 Introduces the Tyrant Ruler who manipulates the very Civilization our MC live in.
EP3 Introduces the purpose and origin of Falz, The Profound Darkness
EP4 Introduces the the once mentioned copy of a perfect system that was supposed to help humanity and yet in the eyes of the ancients a failure, The Mother Brain.

Dark Falz Apprentice might have a connection with EP4 due to its involvement in TA, and that one in Naberius trying to possess Hitsugi, is most likely non other than Apprentice.

[CrossOmega]

What I don't understand is, what does being a member of Mother Cluster even mean? Is it some kind of cult?

It means they are enemies and we are oblidged to beat them up :-P

[Rakurai]

If the goal of Mother Cluster is to remove "bugs", that makes me feel even more convinced that the end boss is going to be Mother Brain/Trinity.

[Zeroem]

If the goal of Mother Cluster is to remove "bugs", that makes me feel even more convinced that the end boss is going to be Mother Brain/Trinity.

Well, anyone familiar to the PS lore would be surprised if the endboss of the Phantom arc isn't PSO2 version of Mother Brain/Trinity.

[Tymek]

9 days until Bethor. I wonder if that update will finally have some new things.
Datamining-wise.

[mickbis]

I hope Bethor Zelazny will not be pathetically smash like Hagito....
EP4 still need "better mid boss".....

[黒雪Yacchi]

Like the Story difficulty spike we got with Falz Angel, I'd welcome a new challenge, also If I remember correctly, we didn't even get to fight Hagito.

[loafhero]

Like the Story difficulty spike we got with Falz Angel, I'd welcome a new challenge, also If I remember correctly, we didn't even get to fight Hagito.

Hagito came off to me as a spoiled rich guy who has never been in a fight in his entire life and considering the fact that he's rich, he's probably used to making others do his dirty work. His most significant physical feat was slapping a highschool girl hard enough to the point that she fell unconscious but that could easily be partly due to said highschool girl being physically weak.

Bethor (judging from what I've seen of him from the trailers) seems to be a "make others do my dirty work" type like Hagito too. Maybe we'll get a Mother villain that's more of an up close and personal type like Gettemhart/Elder later on.

[Zeroem]

I hope Bethor Zelazny will not be pathetically smash like Hagito....
EP4 still need "better mid boss".....

Well, even if he's disappointing; there's still that one female Mother Apostle; (possibly)crazier Kohri going yandere toward Hitsugi; and Mother herself.

[Poyonche]

From broadcast thread



Concerning the Mother Cluster "apostles", so far we have :
char18_hg (Hagito / Hagito Phemut, it has attacks named ExplosionMissile and it appears in some Yamato files, so I assume its him)
char19_bt
char19_bt_camera
char19_bt_fan
(I think it is Bethor Zelazny because of camera and fan :wacko: )
char20_flg (Kohri or mysterious girl talking to Kohri at end of Ch2, idk, anyway it appears to love kicking people because its attacks are SomerSault, PhoenixKick, HeelDrop and ShortSpin and WarpCombo too)

I think we will get to fight Bethor. :wacko:

[NephyrisX]

I doubt Bethor would be that much of a threat. The biggest thing we know he can conjure up is Train Ghidoran, and Train Ghidoran is hardly the most threatening thing out there.

[Meteor Weapon]

Inb4 he summons a Godzilla equivalent.

[NightfallG]

Train Ghidoran also wasn't even his 'Yamato', just a random mook he conjured up.

I think Bethor might have something much more exciting in store for us.

[Poyonche]

Inb4 he summons a Godzilla equivalent.

I wouldn't even be surprised, as this one seems to love movies.

[sparab]

Bethor the expendable villain is revealed 4 months before the next field update.
I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow summons...Odin.

[Great Pan]

Next up, Phantom Statue of Liberty!

[MightyHarken]

For me, the fact that Bethor is a cinema dude is already a bad start. I just wish ep4 ended and we got ep5 with real PSO content.

[Meteor Weapon]

inb4 this earth thing drags till EP5

[loafhero]

inb4 this earth thing drags till EP5

Or becomes a trilogy story arc like with EP1 to 3 was... :no:

[Tymek]

Welp, more Mother Cluster apostles.
That's a total of 8, then.

[Imca]

Lore wise how do summoners work?

[Zeroem]

Welp, more Mother Cluster apostles.
That's a total of 8, then.

At the very least people will looking forward to fighting the surgeon.
Because........Dio.

[loafhero]

Can anyone list out the occupations of those new Mother Cluster members?

[Tymek]

Lore wise how do summoners work?
There's nothing lore wise.

Mother Cluster Apostles

Och Miller
Prodigy Mathematician (CV: Manami Numakura)

Phul J Lasswitz
Global Best Selling Author (CV: Yui Ogura)

Aratron Tolstoy
Archeologist (CV: Chō)

Ophiel Herbert
Surgeon with godly hands (CV: Takehito Koyasu)

There was also a fifth one in one of the Live Broadcast trailers, but they're hooded and unknown and whatnot.

[starwind75043]

Lore wise how do summoners work?

I head cannoned as photon beast created when enough positive photons are brought together. Or something similar to the way darker are created


Welp, more Mother Cluster apostles.
That's a total of 8, then.

I betting at least a few will be jobbers. and by the end of summer we will be down to two and the mother cluster.

[loafhero]

Mother Cluster Apostles

Och Miller
Prodigy Mathematician (CV: Manami Numakura)

Phul J Lasswitz
Global Best Selling Author (CV: Yui Ogura)

Aratron Tolstoy
Archeologist (CV: Chō)

Ophiel Herbert
Surgeon with godly hands (CV: Takehito Koyasu)
Thanks! :-) Nice to see that Mother Cluster's members aren't exclusively Japanese. They wouldn't seem so influential if their reach extends only to Japan... even though most of Earth's events occur only in Tokyo.

... Wait


Ophiel Herbert
Surgeon with godly hands (CV: Takehito Koyasu)

Oh, I see what they did there :-D


Lore wise how do summoners work?
I like to think that the Rappy pet for Summoners is the culmination of all the Emergency Codes ARKS ops had to do that involved beating the living the shit out of Rappies and capturing them for ARKS to experiment on. Its hilariously fucked up that you can make a Rappy pet attack its own kind :-D

[Sirius-91]

Lore wise how do summoners work?

Manipulating photons to create and summon a pet.

Pietro and Sierra go into detail about how they work in the Story Board scenes for EP4.

[Imca]

I head cannoned as photon beast created when enough positive photons are brought together. Or something similar to the way darker are created


See this is what I thought given that the pets just appear out of thin air, float, disobey physics, and are t-attack based....

But I also thought CASTS were robots, and apperntly one of the invents involving Lisa says there not. :-?

Hopefull some are really AI still....


Manipulating photons to create and summon a pet.

Pietro and Sierra go into detail about how they work in the Story Board scenes for EP4.

Ahhh, okay so it is pretty much confirmed?

[Sirius-91]

See this is what I thought given that the pets just appear out of thin air, float, disobey physics, and are t-attack based....

But I also thought CASTS were robots, and apparently one of the invents involving Lisa says there not. :-?

Hopefull some are really AI still....



Ahhh, okay so it is pretty much confirmed?

Yes, CASTs in PSO2 are more akin to cyborgs than steel automatons. We still have biological parts inside of a mechanical frame. I'm guessing they take the best parts of our bodies and enhance the weaker parts using a CAST body.

Maria and Regius are shown to have expressions and sounds of old age, one could say that's character, but I beg to differ.

As for Summoners, yes it's pretty much confirmed. I can't detail how as Sierra details something in the plot and draws a comparison, but they have the power and ability to create using photons.

[Imca]

I wonder if any are still AI though, does the specific dialog preclude that, or does it just mention specific casts?

Also while not really episode 4, how are duemen made?

[Cyber Meteor]

Also while not really episode 4, how are duemen made?

Dumans are made by mixing DNA of Human with dragon DNA (very likely the Chrome Dragon DNA), and that's basically it

[Imca]

Dumans are made by mixing DNA of Human with dragon DNA (very likely the Chrome Dragon DNA), and that's basically it

So there dragon girls? That.... instnatly makes the a whole lot more awsome then I thought they were. ._.;

[ZerotakerZX]

I wonder if any are still AI though, does the specific dialog preclude that, or does it just mention specific casts?

Also while not really episode 4, how are duemen made?

Maria said to Theo that casts aren't scary, cause they got their mechanical bodies due the fact that their original ones were weathering because of photon overflowing withing them. So Casts bassicaly like Dumans - former humans and newmans. And no word about some of them being comletely robotic. Kinda sad really.

[Sirius-91]

So there dragon girls? That.... instnatly makes the a whole lot more awsome then I thought they were. ._.;

Without getting too spoiler heavy (as this is EP2 spoilers), Chrome Dragon is made of Darker and Dragonkin DNA.

The Deumen are the finalized creation from these experiments.

As for CASTs, Lisa drops hints about cast bodies, as you know, that suggest that when transferring to the frame, certain defects may occur, like Lisa's memory and recollection of events. Though that entire scene is weird as suggests that her memory is fragmented since she was transferred and doesn't remember much unless something sparks a memory trigger in her subconscious.

[SilkaN]

There was also a fifth one in one of the Live Broadcast trailers, but they're hooded and unknown and whatnot.

The player character!

[loafhero]

On the topic of origins, what exactly is Sierra? Could Sierra actually be the first actual sentient robot in the story?

Based on the translated Chapter 1 of EP4, she was apparently created by Xiao and Ulc and that happened 2 years before EP4 started but was somehow given enough intelligence to compensate for her lack of experience. However, she never actually clarified what exactly is she.

[NightfallG]

On the topic of origins, what exactly is Sierra? Could Sierra actually be the first actual sentient robot in the story?

Based on the translated Chapter 1 of EP4, she was apparently created by Xiao and Ulc and that happened 2 years before EP4 started but was somehow given enough intelligence to compensate for her lack of experience. However, she never actually clarified what exactly is she.

What? Sierra is, as far as I know, a CAST. CASTs are sentient robots/cyborgs. CASTs are also in the story, especially if your MC is one.

[Altiea]

What? Sierra is, as far as I know, a CAST. CASTs are sentient robots/cyborgs. CASTs are also in the story, especially if your MC is one.

I would like to know where it's mentioned that she's a CAST. I've seen it being talked about, but I don't have a way to confirm it.

[Sirius-91]

On the topic of origins, what exactly is Sierra? Could Sierra actually be the first actual sentient robot in the story?

Based on the translated Chapter 1 of EP4, she was apparently created by Xiao and Ulc and that happened 2 years before EP4 started but was somehow given enough intelligence to compensate for her lack of experience. However, she never actually clarified what exactly is she.

The english patch doesn't do her name justice, they missed the crucial part of her name; Xiera.

Both Dengeki (http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/205/1205236/) and 4gamer (http://www.4gamer.net/games/120/G012075/20160121059/) use Xiera, and not Sierra.

What does this mean? She follows the trend/pun with Xion and Xiao.

Not to mention in the first part of the story, she says she's 2 years old and created by Ulc and Xiao.

[Zeroem]

On the topic of origins, what exactly is Sierra? Could Sierra actually be the first actual sentient robot in the story?

Based on the translated Chapter 1 of EP4, she was apparently created by Xiao and Ulc and that happened 2 years before EP4 started but was somehow given enough intelligence to compensate for her lack of experience. However, she never actually clarified what exactly is she.

Sierra(or Xiera) is a CAST made as exclusive operator for GUARDIAN division 2 years prior to EP4. Her personality are based on Ulc, and one of the elements created (along with the staff reformation) to takeover Xiao's previous roles while he's busy with calculating course needed to eradicate PD for good. Based on what she does, she's taking over Xion and Xiao's role back in EP1 through 3.

And all CAST are sentient afaik.


The english patch doesn't do her name justice, they missed the crucial part of her name; Xiera.

Both Dengeki (http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/205/1205236/) and 4gamer (http://www.4gamer.net/games/120/G012075/20160121059/) use Xiera, and not Sierra.

What does this mean? She follows the trend/pun with Xion and Xiao.

Not to mention in the first part of the story, she says she's 2 years old and created by Ulc and Xiao.

No wonder. Looking back at the JP kanji, Xiera follow the theme more than Sierra.

シオン = Xion
シャオ = Xiao
シエラ = Xiera

though, to be fair, シ is actually read as 'shi' (i guess that means Xion would be Shion; and Xiao would be Shao); and most media translate シエラ as Sierra. There's even a car model with this name
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSRvgN4HquHECTBGlUf7qfLDux7k-vSxvOImqxENZtIYWm12Sq3rHki5LIF

[Altiea]

The english patch doesn't do her name justice, they missed the crucial part of her name; Xiera.

Both Dengeki (http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/205/1205236/) and 4gamer (http://www.4gamer.net/games/120/G012075/20160121059/) use Xiera, and not Sierra.

What does this mean? She follows the trend/pun with Xion and Xiao.

Not to mention in the first part of the story, she says she's 2 years old and created by Ulc and Xiao.

Pretty much this. I was very confused when everyone took the mundane name over the one that made more sense.

[Anduril]

So basically Xierra is like a more advanced Support Partner?

[Meteor Weapon]

Xierra is a CAST, a full sentient android variant CAST. Any CAST in the game could either be a android variant or a cyborg variant. Why are people making a big deal out of this?

[loafhero]

And all CAST are sentient afaik.
Yeah, I know that but all CASTS we've seen before (and specified in the game's lore) were formerly Humans or Newmans. As in, every CAST was formerly an organic being before turning into a CAST. CASTs are more like cyborgs than robots. Robots are machines in the first place.

This kinda makes Sierra/Xierra unique among CASTs in that she wasn't a person made of flesh before. She was born a CAST complete with a human-like behaviour. I'm pretty sure that in PSO2, there has never been a CAST that was actually born as one in the first place.

And I don't think Support Partners count as having actual sentience since not only can they be hacked, they can also have their personalities radically changed if their masters wishes it and I'm pretty sure the basic requirement of sentience is free will.

[Zeroem]

To be fair, we don't really have the insight of how recent CASTs were made. Is it still from human bodies and its variation (Newman and Deuman)? Or they can build artificial body with photon affinities now post-timeskip?

[黒雪Yacchi]

Considering how Xiao made Sierra, I would assume so. She's a full artificial CAST.

[ZerotakerZX]

Can someone pls explain me how PSO2 universe became a game for little kids on our real-time modern Earth. How exactly two are connected? Like when a child creates a char in PSO2 new Arks is born on Oracle? Was it always that way?:-?:???:

Considering how Xiao made Sierra, I would assume so. She's a full artificial CAST.

Really? I thought she is human-sized pet.

[黒雪Yacchi]

She was made around the time the player character went into cold sleep.
http://pso2.swiki.jp/index.php?%E7%99%BB%E5%A0%B4NPC%2F%E3%82%A2%E3%83% BC%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B7%E3%83%83%E3%83%97%E7 %AE%A1%E7%90%86%E5%AE%98%20%E3%82%B7%E3%82%A8%E3%8 3%A9

[Imca]

Considering how Xiao made Sierra, I would assume so. She's a full artificial CAST.

Oh so there is still that option, thanks so much.

Welp, headcannoning it as that is what my lady is. >.<

[Altiea]

Can someone pls explain me how PSO2 universe became a game for little kids on our real-time modern Earth. How exactly two are connected? Like when a child creates a char in PSO2 new Arks is born on Oracle? Was it always that way?:-?:???:

Ether. No, really. This is the actual explanation.

The detailed version is that after the whole PD shenanigans, Earth was able to use Ether to establish a connection to our (ARKS) dimension, and created a video game, PSO2, to infiltrate ARKS. I believe. Since ARKS made through PSO2 are "created", they show up to real ARKS as unregistered. Naturally, this causes problems, which is why you get unfrozen.

[ZerotakerZX]

Ether. No, really. This is the actual explanation.

The detailed version is that after the whole PD shenanigans, Earth was able to use Ether to establish a connection to our (ARKS) dimension, and created a video game, PSO2, to infiltrate ARKS. I believe. Since ARKS made through PSO2 are "created", they show up to real ARKS as unregistered. Naturally, this causes problems, which is why you get unfrozen.

Inflitrate? Some mastermind broke dimension boundries so kids can play? I didn't got something, or it's just still unxplained? Why infiltrate arks? Or they like sabotuering someing? Ingame Hitsugi didn't do anything wrong as far as I can tell.

[Altiea]

Inflitrate? Some mastermind broke dimension boundries so kids can play? I didn't got something, or it's just still unxplained? Why infiltrate arks? Or they like sabotuering someing? Ingame Hitsugi didn't do anything wrong as far as I can tell.

There's still much we don't know, since there are three chapters currently untranslated. There was that one time where a Dark Falz abused the system to try and find a vessel, but no one really cares about that part.

[ZerotakerZX]

There's still much we don't know, since there are three chapters currently untranslated. There was that one time where a Dark Falz abused the system to try and find a vessel, but no one really cares about that part.
aha, I see. Let's see if it's gonna make more sense in the future.

[Poyonche]

From what I understood :
-For most of the Earthlings PSO2 is just a game
-Mother Cluster members know that it leads to another dimension
-Mother Cluster members's objective is to make PSO2 a bug-free game
-The bug in question is NPC consciousness

I'm not 100% sure though.

[starwind75043]

From what I understood :
-For most of the Earthlings PSO2 is just a game
-Mother Cluster members know that it leads to another dimension
-Mother Cluster members's objective is to make PSO2 a bug-free game
-The bug in question is NPC consciousness

I'm not 100% sure though.

So basically enslave the arks?

This sounds like this has the potential to go very poorly for them.

[SPOILER-BOX]Mother cluster infected by the Darker anyone?[/SPOILER-BOX]

[ZerotakerZX]

Making the game is bug-free is Sega's job :roll:

So basically enslave the arks?

More like wipe them out. iether one is bad.

[Meteor Weapon]

Not sure if they're ignoring the PD part or it was Mother Brain's plans after all to piss off PD or merging with it by manipulating everything behind. She was after all abandoned by photoners for her incompleteness.

[Keilyn]

Sierra reminds me of PSU's Vivienne.

Internalized Role in trying to make Casts to be more than they really are...and having a focus on it too among the fanbase.

[黒雪Yacchi]

Vivienne was my all time favorite partner from the PSP games

[Meteor Weapon]

I'm still not sure what's the difference with Vivienne and other cast personality wise, I mean...only a few cast I've seen in PSU are plain robotic in personality.

[CocoCrispy]

Vivienne was a prototype cast built specifically to analyze human emotion and process them like a living human would. In pso and psu, most casts were emotionless or they understood emotion but did not understand why humans would react to situations based on emotion without logic. There's some exceptions to this, like the humanoids in pso episode 3 such as the rockstar Hyze and Stella with her goofy jokes.

Sierra just seems like a typical Koffee figure to me, but I haven't paid as much attention to story text as I should :wacko:

[ZerotakerZX]

May I remind that Viv was a machine, since clones aren't really considered as true casts. But "machine with a heart", as Lou said. As for Xierra - she doesn't have any id problems, as far as I can tell. She's just a mix between ulc and Xiao.

[Zorua]

Not sure if they're ignoring the PD part or it was Mother Brain's plans after all to piss off PD or merging with it by manipulating everything behind. She was after all abandoned by photoners for her incompleteness.

Wait, we know stuff about Mother Brain? I thought we didn't know anything at all yet. Would you mind filling me in? These recent story chapters have left me painfully confused.

[CocoCrispy]

May I remind that Viv was a machine, since clones aren't really considered as true casts. But "machine with a heart", as Lou said. As for Xierra - she doesn't have any id problems, as far as I can tell. She's just a mix between ulc and Xiao.

I guess if you're technical about it, all casts are machines. Living machines with a free will, although for some reason they find most emotions pointless. Hence the casts being elected into office as the majority on Parum.

Vivienne was built in Helga's likeness to be used as a spy anyway, so the emotion thing was a bonus.


Wait, we know stuff about Mother Brain? I thought we didn't know anything at all yet. Would you mind filling me in? These recent story chapters have left me painfully confused.

We've had some snippets of timelines posted from Altiea that came from the materials collections. They gave us some interesting origin information about PD, oracle and artificial omniscient presences in pso2. All Japanese but we've been speculating based on rough translations from this new information compared to what we know in the game.

I went back and looked for my old posts. Big wall of text incoming that I'll separate in spoilers.

[SPOILER-BOX]
Ok so I found my answer by doing a google search (http://www.pso-world.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219860) with the kanji.

For anyone that's curious, the pso2 timeline likes to change its names a lot.

AP 0: A new timeline is forged - The Arks Military calendar

We know AP is called After Photon in the game, however, it's also formally known as 新光歴, or "New Light History" era, which is kinda the same way of saying after photons.

What the game hasn't clarified is what the time before AP 0 is called. In the artbook, it's simply 光歴, or Light History era.

https://media2.giphy.com/media/Y2nbrJyAR6RiM/200_s.gif[/SPOILER-BOX]

Altiea's original materials collection scans: http://www.pso-world.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3345948&postcount=6

First wave of info dump
[SPOILER-BOX]
I might just have to heheh. Some of the kanji on the image was a little blurrier than I imagined but I was able to make a gist of what half of the page says. Some I had to make guesses. You seem to know a little bit of Japanese too judging from the comments in your topic, so any critique on my dictation is appreciated.

This appears to be timeline format of what we learned in episode 2.

Here is what I have. This (http://i.imgur.com/aUFuROD.jpg) image is for reference for Before Light History, 1, 20, 50. This (http://i.imgur.com/lO8wkVQ.jpg) is 200, ???, 500.

I'm sorry in advance for how big this post is. :wacko:

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Japanese

~~~

(光歴以前)

フォトナー、 惑星シオンへとたどり着く。

その場にて、 惑星シオン自身でもある 「考える海」 と遭遇。 全宇宙で初めて対話に成功する。

~~~

光歴

元年

「光歴」 紀元。

粒子 「フォトン」 の存在とエネルギー転用の方法がシオンよりもたらされる。 外宇宙航行の実現。

~~~

20年代

フォトナー、 シオンからの依頼もあったが何よりもフォトナー自身の要望によって、 惑星シオンを外装で包み込んだマザーシップを建造。

~~~

50年代

アークスシップの元となる艦船24艦完成。 外宇宙調査団 「オラクル」 の設立。 外宇宙調査の開始。

~~~

200年代

オラクル、 数々の銀河を巡り版図を急速に拡大する。

~~~

???年代

惑星ウォパルをはじめとしたさまざまな惑星が、 フォトナーの技術によって環境調整などの惑星改造を施される。

~~~

500年代

フオトナー、 シオンを模倣する形でフォトンた意思と演算能力を与えた人造全知存在の創造に着手。

人造全知存在の作成理由は、 全宇宙に版図を広げ肥大化したフォトナーの組織管理を任せるため。

シオンフォトナーの行いの先にあるものに興味を持ち、 その行為を黙認。 撒初の人造全知存在完成。 制御不能のためこれを亜空間に投棄。

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rough translation

~~~

(Earlier Light History)

Photoners reach Planet Xion.

Once there, they confront the Planet Xion itself, a living ocean. They succeed for the first time with interacting with the entire universe.

~~~

Light History

1st Year

The Light History era.

The existing "photon" particle's energy conversion is brought about by Xion. Outer space navagation is realized.

~~~

The 20's

Photoners, upon the direct request by Xion personally, constructed the mothership's exterior wrapped around Planet Xion herself.

~~~

The 50's

Completion of the underlying 24 ARKS ship vessels. Outer Space Research Team, "Oracle," is established. Outer space research begins.

~~~

The 200's

Oracle tours a number of galaxies, rapidly expanding its territory.

~~~

The ???'s

Planet Vopal among other planets are subject to planet remodeling, including environmental adjustments depending on Photoner technology.

~~~

The 500's

Photoners embarked on the creation of a synthetic omniscient presence with the intention of computing the power of photons in a way that mimics Xion.

The purpose of creating the synthetic omniscient presence was for the Photoners to expand their organized control across the entire universe.

Interested in what they accomplish, Xion tolerates the actions of the Photoners. Creation of the first man made omniscient presence is completed.* It is discarded into subspace for being uncontrollable.

*撒初 ???-new. Not sure about the kanji on this one.[/SPOILER-BOX]

Second info dump
[SPOILER-BOX]
Don't got a lot of time but this is what I translated. JP first.

諏多の失敗の果て、 制御可能な人造全知存在の創造に成功。

人造全知存在、 文明末期にあったフォトナーの悪意や欲望を取り込んだ結果、

【深遠なる闇】として覚醒。

傲慢や怠惰、 嫉妬などあらゆる負の感情を得た 【深遠なる闇】、 フォトナー こそが

全てを滅ぼす存在であるとの結論に至る。

【深遠なる闇】、 フォトンを使役する存在に狙いを定め、 自らの眷属 として

「ダーカー」 を生み出し全宇宙規模の戦争を開始。

~~~~~~~~

While successful in creating the manmade omniscient presence, feasible control and several attempts to reason with it ended in failure.

As a result of the Photoners' malicious desires, the artificial omniscient presence awoke as "The Profound Darkness."

Arrogance and laziness, all negative emotions such as jealousy were understood by The Profound Darkness, leading to the conclusion that the Photoners and all of existence must all be destroyed.

The Profound Darkness utilized its essence on a congregation of photons, creating "Darkers." He uses his kin in order to start a war of cosmic proportions.

~~~~~~~~

年代不明

フォトナー、 【深遠なる闇】 の封印を決意。

一人のフォトナーに全フォトナーのフォトンを扱う力を結集。

これを人柱として 【深遠なる闇】 の封印に成功。

しかし封印目前で 【深遠なる闇】 より、 新たな脅威 「ダークファルス」 が誕生してしまう。

さらに封印の代償としてフォトナーはフォトンを扱う力を喪失。

~~~~~~~~~~~

Age Unknown

Photoners decide to seal The Profound Darkness.

Photoners all join forces with a congregation of powerful photons.

This human sacrifice is a success in sealing The Profound Darkness.

However, before the seal could afflict The Profound Darkness, a new threat known as "Dark Falz" was created.

Furthermore, as compensation for creating the seal, Photoners lost the capability to use photons.

~~~~~~~~~~~

ダークファルス、 【深遠なる闇】 復活のため

残されたダーカー統率し戦争を継続。

オラクルの向かう先々にダーカーが出現するようになり、 多くの人員が犠牲に。

フォトナー、 封ダーカー 戦の尖兵となる存在の開発に着手。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awaiting The Profound Darkness' revival, Dark Falz inherited command of the Darkers to continue the cosmic war.

Wherever Oracle travelled, Darkers would appear. There are a number of casualties.

Photoners began development on a guard to combat Darkers in the war.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

後のアークスシップとなる艦船群の量産が

急ピッチに進む。

オラクル、 ダーカーの追撃を逃れるため全宇宙規模での

放浪を開始。

フォトナー、 自らの肉体を捨て去ることを

考え始める。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mass production on ARKS Ships proceeds at a steady rate.

Oracle, in order to escape the Darkers' pursuit, starts wandering the cosmos.

Photoners begin considering abandoning their own bodies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

198年

ダークファルス 【巨躯】 との決戦。

初代クラリスクレイスおよびクラリッサの力によって、 【巨躯】 は封印される。

アークスは組織維持が困難な状態まで戦力を大きく減じる。

初代クラリスクレイスとルーサーの交渉の結果、 ルーサーの技術協力の下、 アークスとい

う組織の立て直しが行われる。

【巨躯】 との戦いにおいて特に活躍した三名を 「三英雄」 と称するようになる。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Year 198

The decisive battle against Dark Falz [Elder].

Due to the power of the first generation Claris Claes and her Clarissa, Dark Falz [Elder] is sealed.

The stress of the war greatly reduced their numbers. ARKS undergoes reorganization.

With Luther's technical assistance, and negotiations between the first generation Claris Claes and Luther, ARKS begin rebuilding.

Three people that played an active part in the battle against [Elder] are referred to as the "Three Heroes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

レギアスとマリア主導で三英雄に並ぶ三名が選出され、

六芒均衡の初代メンバーが集結。

【巨躯】 との戦いで消耗したアークスの立て直しに尽力する。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With Regius and Maria's leadership, they began an initiative and gathered three elected members together with the Three Heroes to become founding members of the Council of Six.

The Council of Six is commited to rebuild ARKS after their numbers were consumed in the battle with [Elder].

~~~~~~~~~~~~

「六芒均衡」 の発足。 メンバーは次の六名。
ー、 レギアス
ニ、 マリア

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Council of Six is inaugurated. The following six people are members:
1, Regius
2, Maria...
(3, Casra
4, Atosa
5, Claris Claes
6, Wolf)

[/SPOILER-BOX]

[loafhero]

Ingame Hitsugi didn't do anything wrong as far as I can tell.

Its possible that Hitsugi didn't know she was being used as a spy to sabotage ARKS. After all, she innocently thought that Mother was simply trying to make PSO2 "bug-free".

Based on translation of the first chapter, Hitsugi is somewhat aware that PSO2 isn't a game and is a real universe... I think. I'm not really clear on just how much Hitsugi knew that PSO2 was real seeing as how she thought bugs could exist.



[SPOILER-BOX]Mother cluster infected by the Darker anyone?[/SPOILER-BOX]

I think their all just assholes who are playing with fire since all Darker infections does is make its victims more aggressive and over time, lose their sense of reason. Besides, do they even know PD or Dark Falzes exist? If they didn't, then their just arrogant and ignorant of the bigger picture. If they do know, then their just morons.

Also, did Casra give any reasonable excuse for why he kept the Earth and all the incidents occurred there a secret? Apparently, Sierra informs the player that Casra, along with his entire intelligence division, have been keeping Earth's existence a secret. Not even Ulc knew which is why she had Sierra bring the PC out of cryo sleep to investigate the issue. More suspicions against Casra's division developed when Sierra notes that the cloaking technology (based of Quna's cloaking tech, her Mai Daggers) used to hide ARKS from civilian view on Earth was developed long before Sierra found out about Earth which seemed way too convenient. It was said by Sierra that any issue that concerns all of ARKS should be discussed with all divisions together with the Commander (Ulc) so Casra is obviously breaking protocol here seeing as how Earth and the unregistered ARKS are definitely an issue concerning all of ARKS.

[Zorua]

-snip-

You're confusing me even more, Chocolate Crispy Man. I.. uhh.. This is the stuff Luther taught us while we were inside of [Double]. I thought Mother Brain was the entity leading Mother Cluster, those weird guys that seem to be about as illogical and incompetent as SEGA.

[CocoCrispy]

You're confusing me even more, Chocolate Crispy Man. I.. uhh.. This is the stuff Luther taught us while we were inside of [Double]. I thought Mother Brain was the entity leading Mother Cluster, those weird guys that seem to be about as illogical and incompetent as SEGA.

I'm a breakfast cereal. Crunchy chocolate with a hint of coconut. Not for the faint of heart!

I have no idea what Mother Brain is in pso2. Are you talking about Xion the water planet?

From my limited knowledge of the pso2 story is, people found Xion and wanted to create something in her likeness. Usually their failed efforts would result in something bad happening cause lol human stupidity. Profound Darkness was one of them. Perhaps Mother Brain is another. Mother Brain is what I'm assuming controls Earth's ether (which is earth's name for what are called photons in the oracle dimension). She uses ether to give people the ESCA network, which produces a modern day communication revolution cloud os. Everyone has comps with pso2 installed, which they're led to believing is a video game. Mother Brain appoints special people that are granted the power to enter pso2 to help her make the game "bug free," which is another way of saying "rid pso2 of anything breathing."

[Zorua]

I'm a breakfast cereal. Crunchy chocolate with a hint of coconut. Not for the faint of heart!

I have no idea what Mother Brain is in pso2. Are you talking about Xion the water planet?

No no no, the new antagonists for EP4 are known as Mother Cluster, and they're being lead by some mysterious entity referred to as the Mother Brain.

http://www.bumped.org/psublog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mother-Cluster.jpg

[CocoCrispy]

Ok so then I confused their names. This Mother Brain is leading the Mother Cluster group to perform genocide on oracle because it's "a glitched game."

[Zorua]

Is that all we know about the brain right now?

[CocoCrispy]

That's all I know. I haven't delved deeply into episode 4's subtlety or lore.

[Meteor Weapon]

Mother Brain existed in the past game,

Phantasy Star 2 Mother Brain ruled the entire Algol system and caused stagnation to the entire humanity.

Phantasy Star Zero, Mother Trinity caused the destruction of Coral and caused the Great Blank, turning the entire civilization back to stone age.

Phantasy Star Universe- not sure about her, other than the fact that she got infected by SEED.

In PSO2 The thing leading the Mother Clusters is probably the failed Copy Xion that was thrown into some subspace by the Photoners. Profound Darkness was the perfect copy Xion that fell into corruption, while this Mother Cluster thing is the other Copy Xion that lost control and was probably behind the earth incident. Still a theory so far

[Gestriden]

I kind of believe Mother Cluster group is aiming to be the "Mother Trinity" of PSO2, with mother Brain being of course the PS2 reference.

I took note of this for a while but never wanted to psot about this until we saw the next major EQ boss. But Yamato Factor and Yamato itself was an indication that we will be getting three different variant of bosses to me.

Yamato Factor's only use (for now) is that it's R-ATK is a bit better than a fever. While Yamato EQ itslf is a pretty R-ATK type boss when you think about it.

The Mother Trinity also separated themselves in this way, there was a Shot Mother, a Blade mother and a Force Mother. (R-ATK, S-ATK, T-ATK) in which case ift it does end up being the case. We'll be seeing a factor aimed towards Strikers, and one towards Tech users in the nearby future. (And maybe even something special might happen for having all three, when affixing similar to ability III? As the three Mother's combined to make Heaven Mother in PSZ)

That's all straight speculation though.

[CocoCrispy]

I am liking the psz trinity analogy. That's a pretty interesting theory.

[Meteor Weapon]

After reading a little, I'm a bit confuseed. How many of these man made Omniscience Presence these photoners created? More than one?

[CocoCrispy]

I'm thinking only 1 which was PD.

シオンフォトナーの行いの先にあるものに興味を持ち、 その行為を黙認。 撒初の人造全知存在完成。 制御不能のためこれを亜空間に投棄。

^That is talking about an artifical thing being created, which would be PD.

諏多の失敗の果て、 制御可能な人造全知存在の創造に成功。

人造全知存在、 文明末期にあったフォトナーの悪意や欲望を取り込んだ結果、

【深遠なる闇】として覚醒。

傲慢や怠惰、 嫉妬などあらゆる負の感情を得た 【深遠なる闇】、 フォトナー こそが

全てを滅ぼす存在であるとの結論に至る。

【深遠なる闇】、 フォトンを使役する存在に狙いを定め、 自らの眷属 として

「ダーカー」 を生み出し全宇宙規模の戦争を開始。

^That could be assumed to be a continuation of the previous entry that goes more into detail about PD absorbing malicious desires which leads photoners to discard it to subspace only for it to return with an army of darkers, created by using its energy on a congregation of photons.

[Sirius-91]

In PSO2 The thing leading the Mother Clusters is probably the failed Copy Xion that was thrown into some subspace by the Photoners. Profound Darkness was the perfect copy Xion that fell into corruption, while this Mother Cluster thing is the other Copy Xion that lost control and was probably behind the earth incident. Still a theory so far

Nope.

PD was the failed copy. Luther talks about this while inside double.

Using Xion's power, he sought to gain enough knowledge to seal it forever. But he also wanted to use whatever means necessary, including using a Falz power.

The subspace that the full power of PD is contained in, you see it in the cutscenes when you load into the campship, and immediately after when it's reversed and forced back in, before using Persona's power of time travel.

But PD is definitely behind Earth's sudden discovery of Photons.

To quote from the upcoming story patch:


That world mainly manufactures low-end technology, but their communication technology is top notch!


Their communication speed and infrastructure environments are leveled similar to ARKS.


...Somehow, this feels distorted. Strange, it's like an abnormal evolution. I think it's all part of an act.

[CocoCrispy]

So then it could be assumed PD is Mother Brain and is reenacting Phantasy Star II's story all over again but on earth this time. Or worse, he created Mother Brain! I'd actually like the latter more. Can never go wrong with more evil.

[ZerotakerZX]

Not EP4 related, but why not to ask.
If you playing as duman - how can you exist if dumants werent around till EP2?

[CocoCrispy]

Not EP4 related, but why not to ask.
If you playing as duman - how can you exist if dumants werent around till EP2?

http://www.mememaker.net/static/images/memes/4498564.jpg

[loafhero]

Seen some of the new story content. To summarize to the best of my understanding:

- Hitsugi returns to her dorm on Earth and after talking with who I assume to be her dorm supervisor, an explosion occurs in her older brother's dorm. Also, I think it was said that Kohri never returned to her room.

- Bethor reveals himself and BOY is he even more hammy and over-the-top than Hagito and is more entertaining too :D. Apparently, Bethor blew up Hitsugi's brother's dorm. After a barrage of gratuitous Engrish and flamboyant poses by Bethor to hammer home that he's a bad guy (also, he's a member of Mother Cluster), Hitsugi is pissed and she prepares to fight with the PC joining in later (again, with the Coat Doublis as their default cutscene weapon). Bethor summons mostly animal Phantoms. The PC and Hitsugi win and Bethor retreats... while still being hammy so I assume he doesn't consider it as his defeat yet.

- Hitsugi is sad over her brother's death... I'm not sure why Hitsugi isn't bothering to go to the site of the explosion to confirm if her brother is dead or not :???: ... but nope, she's pretty much assured that her brother is totally dead and couldn't possible be alive for plot purposes, right? :roll:

- Back at Oracle, Hitsugi is depressed about her totally not alive brother and who better else to be able to console a person over the loss of life?... why none other than the fan favourite murder-happy psychopath who has absolutely no value for living things and enjoys taking life more, RISA! Hitsugi feels a bit better after talking with Risa... surprisingly.

- Sara and Claris Claes III has a cutscene. Don't understand most of it but like with Risa, they offer their condolences to Hitsugi for the loss of her definitely dead brother. Seeing Sara and Claris Claes III together on-screen makes me like their matching outfits more though at the same time, it makes me miss Sara in her old Heart Breaker outfit.

- A short sub-plot of Pietro happens. His bird pet, named Josephine goes missing and Pietro panics. Turns out, Josephine flew over to Io and is apparently quite fond of her. Pietro finds Josephine but she refuses to go back. Io persuades the pet to go back to Pietro but assures it that she'll be around the same place she's always at if Josephine ever wants to visit. Pietro glomps Josephine in happiness. I think at this point we can pretty much get the impression that the reason Pietro's pets don't like him is cause he's probably too clingy. I actually enjoyed this sub plot. Pietro continues to be my favourite new character of EP4 with his personality XD

- Last cutscene has Hitsugi and PC taking on Bethor's Train Ghidoran. Upon its defeat, no cutscene occurs so that's the end of this update's story content. Weird way to end this part of the story.

[Raujinn]

Yeah between that and the Yamato thing ending with not even the remotest of resolution or acknowlegement from the story this is seriously pissing me off. Seriously give us SOMETHING to indicate what we did had any impact at all. Even a "Hagito falls to his knees all BAKANA ;A;" or something in the style of "I'll get you next time, Gadget! Next tiiiime!" as the villain runs away with his tail between his legs. Anyhing! But fuckit no. We just handed Belthor's pride its own ass and all we get is a cut to black.

Fuck I didn't think this would annoy me this much!

With that said, Belthor is fucking amazing and I love everything about him.

[Cyber Meteor]

Well, we'll get the next part of Bethor the June 22nd, hope you got some patience for him ^^;

[Meteor Weapon]

I swear whatever occupation background cliches those Mother Cluster's have and their arrogance on not seeing the bigger picture just really annoys me. I can really see my MC's face who showed up to rescue Hitsugi was like "Do I really have to get involve with all this Earthling crap?" Well then again its just me...

[loafhero]

I swear whatever occupation background cliches those Mother Cluster's have and their arrogance on not seeing the bigger picture just really annoys me. I can really see my MC's face who showed up to rescue Hitsugi was like "Do I really have to get involve with all this Earthling crap?" Well then again its just me...

Admittedly, this whole Mother thing does not nearly feel like as big of a threat as Profound Darkness and its Dark Falzes. With everything the PC has gone through, this whole Earth thing feels like an overly long warm up exercise for the PC. Still, just taking our character out of the story and have Hitsugi take all the spotlight wouldn't have been a good idea either.

What would make things more enjoyable is if our character was given a little more dialogue options with the Apostles. Maybe have some dialogue options where our character can poke fun at Hagito or Bethor since those two clearly aren't the kind of villains meant to be taken seriously.

[Poyonche]

During the cutscenes with Hagito and Bethor, I had the feeling to be a wall, like they continue to talk to Hitsugi but ignore me. D:

However, Bethor mentions the MC when summoning Train Ghidoran.

[loafhero]

During the cutscenes with Hagito and Bethor, I had the feeling to be a wall, like they continue to talk to Hitsugi but ignore me. D:

However, Bethor mentions the MC when summoning Train Ghidoran.

Our character has always been cursed with being the greatest listener ever.

[AnikaSteinberg]

Yeah between that and the Yamato thing ending with not even the remotest of resolution or acknowlegement from the story this is seriously pissing me off. Seriously give us SOMETHING to indicate what we did had any impact at all. Even a "Hagito falls to his knees all BAKANA ;A;" or something in the style of "I'll get you next time, Gadget! Next tiiiime!" as the villain runs away with his tail between his legs. Anyhing! But fuckit no. We just handed Belthor's pride its own ass and all we get is a cut to black.

Fuck I didn't think this would annoy me this much!

With that said, Belthor is fucking amazing and I love everything about him.

I would really like something like a pop-up event in the storyboard in much the same way as how they did it last EP1-3 with the major EQ bosses
(Alternatively, does this mean his Phantom Yamato wasn't actually considered a major boss story wise?)



I swear whatever occupation background cliches those Mother Cluster's have and their arrogance on not seeing the bigger picture just really annoys me. I can really see my MC's face who showed up to rescue Hitsugi was like "Do I really have to get involve with all this Earthling crap?" Well then again its just me...

Speaking of arrogance, it feels as if Hagito did not even consider the possibility of a bigger retaliation from ARKS (The "fantasies from the sky" *cue in main theme*) when he suddenly decided to become a much bigger blip in their radar.

Then again, this rich boy doesn't really look like the tactical or strategic type I guess.

[Poyonche]

So i rewatched the late June update about the new Mother Cluster apostles and i decide to watch closely the hooded apostle :

Is that blond hair ?
http://i.imgur.com/2GApoMZ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Vwmvpy6.jpg[/spoiler-box]

So it might not be Kohri, unless she used [S]Ethera hair color.

[ratatosk]

I knew we couldn't trust aru he started as a mother cluster he stay a mother cluster member

Anyways i don't see the blond hair i actually see blueish hair but im kinda blind so >.>

[sparab]

Like we can't tell that dorm master is going to be EP4 final boss.

Obvious camera angle is too obvious.

[Cyber Meteor]

I knew we couldn't trust aru he started as a mother cluster he stay a mother cluster member

Well, unless Aru grows boobs through Ether/Mother Cluster powers, i don't see how it can be Aru in this pic :-P. Btw, you're not blind, there is no blond hair at all, if anything, it's the ear and maybe some black hair

[Poyonche]

If not blond, white or light Pink, or blue. :v

When looking at this, I removed the idea of the ear because it looks too "lower" imo.
She could have a big head and some black hair tho.

Or it could just be nothing. :wacko:


Like we can't tell that dorm master is going to be EP4 final boss.

Obvious camera angle is too obvious.

Inb4 she is the one who appeared at the end of Chapter 2.

[ratatosk]

That lady looks like xion i wonder if its motherrrrrrrrrrrrrr ://///////////

[Meteor Weapon]

Aru is Dark Falz Apprentice that went dormant, as far as theory goes.