PSU US Release

[Sydz]

For anyone that hasn't seen it yet
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170662

[Neith]

Loving the first paragraph:

Phantasy Star fans take note: Sega has confirmed the newest game in the series, Phantasy Star Portable, will be released in North America at long last in March 2009. The game takes place after the disappointing Phantasy Star Universe, which I think most of us have agreed to pretend never existed.

Now, tell me which online gaming magazine sponsored a certain PSU event?

[EspioKaos]

Thanks for the tip, Sydz! I've front-paged this news.

[Chibi_psu]

Great news

[Risingsun]

I think i might get this, it will fill the gap nicely until Phantasy Star Zero comes out.

[Clunker]

*reads news*

*examines Preview tab on PSP on 1up*

...GUYS! There's an interview with the developer of PS...

"1UP: Phantasy Star Portable's based on Phantasy Star Universe, but you had to make some changes. It's not fully 3D -- you get 2D character art during conversations with NPCs -- and you switch between the areas via 2D menus instead of walking around PSU's 3D world. I haven't gotten very far into the game, but what kind of concessions did you have to make because of the PlayStation Portable hardware?

Satoshi Sakai: The universe and the environment is the same as Phantasy Star Universe, but because it's on a handheld -- the PSP -- we wanted to make it easier and more convenient to play. So the cut-scenes, which were in 3D prior, are now in 2D along with the maps and environments.

1UP: Did you do this more because of loading-time considerations rather than hardware-based decisions?

SS: We definitely moved to 2D because we felt restricted by the internal hardware. It was more [about] trying to change the expression and style of the game. We wanted the cut-scenes to be properly expressed despite being on a PSP. If we had gone with 3D, you would probably think that compared to the PS2, the characters don't look as good. Because of the size of the PSP's screen, it's difficult to draw them out in full detail. It's just easier to see, and we have more artistic freedom, using 2D.

1UP: Were you able to retain all of the armor, weapons, and items that were available in the Xbox 360/PS2 versions?

SS: Yes, everything from PSU is in there as well as everything from Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus. Also, there are new items just for Phantasy Star Portable.

1UP: The main appeal of games like this and Monster Hunter is the ability to customize your character and play with your friends. Your equipped gear shows how successful you are in the game. That said, one thing I noticed about the characters in the PSP version is that they're a little bit smaller than I thought they would be. Is that because you had to keep it in proportion to the original scale of the game.

SS: I don't really think they're that small. We tried keeping the size comparable to titles like Monster Hunter. Maybe you were just using a character who was naturally tiny? Anyway, as you customize your characters, their physique grows larger. When your character reaches his customization max size, he's the same as what you'd find in other games. When you start out, the character may seem a bit smaller just because he hasn't been customized yet.

1UP: Can you explain the functionality between the PS2 version and the PSP version and how it works?

SS: Unfortunately, that won't be incorporated into the Western version. But just to describe what it does: You'll be able to take your character from the PS2 version, download it from the network, and upload it on to your PSP, complete with that character's weapons, armor, facial features, and everything.

1UP: Why isn't that in the U.S. version?

SS: Because of technical difficulties.

1UP: But PSU servers are still running in the U.S., right?

SS: Yes.

1UP: What is the reaction so far in Japan to Portable? Last time I checked, Phantasy Star Portable was quite successful. Have you achieved the kind of results you were hoping for?

SS: Yeah, it's been a tremendous success here in Japan, and it's certainly exceeded everyone's expectations. About 700,000 [copies] have shipped so far in Japan, so for the Phantasy Star franchise and as a Sega RPG, we believe it's doing very well.

1UP: Wow, 700,000. Are you driving a Ferrari now?

SS: [Laughs] That doesn't mean my salary goes up.

1UP: Sony just announced that all ad-hoc playable games are now playable over infrastructure mode via your PS3. Did you know about this in advance? And how do you feel about the ability to now play pretty much any ad-hoc PSP game over the Internet with the PS3? If you did know about it, would it have changed anything concerning communication or functionality in the game?

SS: We didn't know about it beforehand, but if we had known, we would've wanted to include it in the game. I learned about the announcement [recently] along with everybody else, and I'm looking forward to incorporating that functionality into Phantasy Star Portable.

1UP: How do you think playing wirelessly when it wasn't actually designed into the game is going to affect people? The game's designed for four people sitting around saying things like "Help me out!" to each other. But if I'm playing with you, and you're in California, and I'm in New York playing via the PS3, it's hard to make those kinds of communications.

SS: We are concerned that players won't be able to physically communicate with one another. So as of now, there's no way to communicate when you're playing multiplayer. But using the PS3, there should be opportunities for voice chat via the Bluetooth headset or just regular typed chat. We are looking forward to those possibilities.

1UP: Since the game has been very successful in Japan -- I don't know what the PS2 or 360 sales were like -- but since the handheld version's so successful, I'm sure you'd like to capitalize on that success with sequels. If that's part of the plan, do you think Phantasy Star Portable sequels will be dependent on a console version existing first, or will you be able to create sequels independent of console versions?

SS: It was just announced yesterday that Phantasy Star Zero is currently being developed solely for the DS, so in a sense, yes, we believe the Phantasy Star titles can exist on the handheld, developed for the handheld. But the Phantasy Star franchise is meant to bring gamers together via networking and co-op play. That's what it's about. So I'd like the majority of gamers who have bought Phantasy Star Portable -- and [those] who will buy Phantasy Star Zero -- to take advantage of the co-op play these games give then, ultimately, to come back to the console and really enjoy the network-play experience.

1UP: So the console versions will continue to be developed regardless of how successful the handheld versions become.

SS: Yes, we're just expanding into handhelds as well.

1UP: If the handheld versions become much more successful than the console versions, would you look into making the handheld versions the main focus of the series?

SS: Definitely not. We'll always have both. I think it's great that we're expanding into the handhelds, but it's just that: an expansion. Our main focus remains on the console. "

[deso123]

My bro has a magazine I don't know if it's the official Playstation magazine but it came out last year or early this year I believe in which it featured a small part on Phantasy Star Online Dreamcast saying how good it was and siad that there has been not much like it since. I was all like, ":3."

[Akaimizu]

Loving the first paragraph:



Now, tell me which online gaming magazine sponsored a certain PSU event?

I had to laugh at that. You put forth the effort to sponsor an event on a game you don't like? Something doesn't compute.

[Sydz]

I had to laugh at that. You put forth the effort to sponsor an event on a game you don't like? Something doesn't compute.

Yeah, it's kinda funny. If you listen to the Retronauts Podcast on Phantasy Star, Shane can't stand PSU, and Jeremy has never played the series to begin with. They both had NPCs in 1up!

On that note, I'm not quite sure reviewers get the full experence, due to the fact that most of the games content is locked online at the time of release.

[BigGoldRobot]

I hope they continue to develop the series on consoles like that interview said.

It appears to me like they are getting back to what made the franchise sucessful, Im really looking forward to this now that its getting localized. But the no communications thing kinda bugs me. Half the fun of PSO was talking to my friends. Mabye they will use the PSP-3000s integrated mic.