Partner Machinery (Update)

[OdinTyler]

This information comes from an interview Electronic Gaming Monthly had with a ST designer:

PSO had mags—weird little robots that boosted your stats in exchange for a little tender lovin’ care. PSU ditches mags in favor of hardier metallic buddies called partner robots. These pumped-up bots won’t increase your abilities, but they provide a host of other services. “Each player customizes his own partner robot by feeding it items and buying it parts,” Designer Shintaro Hata explains. Your robot performs some crucial item-management functions, plus it can actually accompany you on missions as an A.I.-controlled fightin’ machine. “In PSU, you can have several characters in an online mission, but you can fill empty slots with partner robots,” says Hata. We’re not quite sure how these seemingly cute little ’bots will fare in the heat of combat....

Guess this means my dream of a 12 person team is out. Dammit, I was really hoping that would happen. I hope they change their minds.

[Dhylec]

Well, that was informative. At least we know a bit more about PM..
It's reasonable to have PM fill in the needed number for whatever mission. A 12-member team can make it too easy, overkill even. Now, how good will the AI be?

[OdinTyler]

Wow, a mod replied to a post of mine. Can I get credit on the home page?

[Quo]

That's not the same EGM article from this spring is it?

[Dhylec]

OdinTyler wrote:
Wow, a mod replied to a post of mine. Can I get credit on the home page?

If this information is new & fresh, and the site updater used it for the front page, of course, you will be credited.

[PrinceBrightstar]

The AI would probably be the same level as your offline characters.

[Rion772]

Mags replaced with Partner Machinary, as well as characters online...1/2 of it sucks and 1/2 is good. The good half is mag replacement and character replacement is nooo good at all.

[PhruitBaskit]

Great Update. I like how you can buy new parts for them, but the fact that they fill up an A.I. spot just doesn't fly with me. Mags were closer to little pets, and I must say that I would kind of prefer PMs to be that way too. I just don't find it right for PMs to be like team members.

ST, you're making a mistake! I don't care though, PSU will kick some hella ass and nomatter what!

[OdinTyler]

TY Phruit. The anticipation is getting to me, as Im sure it is to everyone who's really gung ho about PSU. Sometimes it pays to surf for an hr or 2 as you never know what youll find. You tend to find some good material when you least expect it. If PMs can create materials for us (stats), Im gonna make ALOT of Hit Materials. They were taken out of GC (HUGE mistake). If we are going to rely on the search for materials, taking out the factor of improving accuracy (especially for rangers) is a no no. Especially now w/the added 1st person shooting, ATA Im sure will be a high priority w/quite a few players.

[Kupi]

In every version of PSO that I can think of, soloing online is a chore at best and a near impossibility at worst for anyone of an appropriate level and equipment set for the area and difficulty setting. And let's face it, sometimes you just can't get into a good party (off hours, all the rooms are full, whatever). In those cases, I would much rather be able to have even a dinky little AI player to back me up than have to go it alone. It sounds like PMs will (or can) only replace players so long as there aren't enough players to fill the player slots. This makes them very much like the henchmen from Guild Wars; freely available AI characters there to fill party slots when other players aren't around. I see nothing wrong with that, except if players can use PMs to exclude other players from their games-- and that's a mistake that Sonic Team hasn't made yet.