Ifurita writes, "More Details! "

You may click here for the original story and here for the Babelfish translated page. You may also click "Read More.." for the full details.

Ultimate mode - minimum level required is 80. Monsters will not only be stronger, but have smarter AI. Current level 100 players will start at 100. This means any current accumulated experience points after level 100 is NOT carried over.
Battle mode - as mentioned before, 1-vs-1 or 2-vs-2. Players' levels can be set to be the same, thus negating difference in levels. If set at level 1, then default weapons or items will NOT be provided. Players will need to pick up items during combat. However, players will learn every technique. The player goes up 5 levels everytime he/she dies. Battles may have a time limit. Players can set four kinds of traps: ice, confuse, slow, and sensor. The sensor trap acts like a burglar alarm. Making loud noise when an enemy approaches. Players get five of each traps to set. Map does not show other players' icons. No lock on(???). Option available to choose whether to drop or not weapons and meseta(!!). Seven known battle fields available.
Challenge Mode - Many different stages available for quest. There is a required started level. Every member of the party starts at same level. No initial equipment, everything is found during the quest. If any member dies, the challenge is considered a failure (for that member?). Grave marker will be surrected at the spot. The deceased member's will is recorded. This mode provides extra experience points.
Soccer - No specially detailed rules. The ball has many variations and it is changed every 80 beats. It is expected to show a score somewhere. Soccer ball may include Sega characters. Some are bigger than the players.
Mode is selected at the team create at the lobby.
The quick item/technique/weapons select menu is activated using R trigger than Y button, and then using the triggers to turn pages.
New Save System!! Items in Bank and on the person won't get lost! (from BSOD??). Items are saved instantaneously upon deposit.
Symbol Chat can be exchanged. Can capture other's symbol's. (without persmission??)
New weapons! 70 different kinds. Expected will be grenade launcher, shotgun (with shells ejected), quarter staff, darts, umbrella, fan, 3 point claw(??), polearm(??), shields will show up on screens.
More traps and switches in the dungeons.
The special Sega Mag is suppose to evolve!?!?
SG1000 -> MK3 -> Master System -> Mega Drive (Genesis) -> DC
New character colors, faces, can be changed at the dressing room
Max Mag level is still 200
Thew! That was a lot. Enjoy!
Ifu

At Sega's Game Jam, there were a couple people dressed up in PSO cosplay (ie costumes of PSO characters). You can check them out here:
http://www.sega.co.jp/dreamcast/gamejam/16_01.html

Woah! check out the J chick with the frying pan

HI there, Myau1 here. My brother, who works for Sega called me a few nights ago with some disturbing PSO news. The first he told me was that PSO version 2 is coming to the U.S. but that it will not be arriving until fall of this year. Apparently the buzz around there is October. The second news was about PSO 2. According to him, PSO 2 is currently in development for the Playstation 2 and is schedueled for a fall 2002 release. While all this news came from a Sega employee, it should be taken with a grain of salt for now, but the news does seem to make a whole lot of sense.

As long as PSO2 remains in development for the DC it's not an issue.

TST-leader writes, "At GameJam today Yuji Naka announced that PSO ver.2 will be delayed about a week to improve anti-cheating measures. The new Japanese release date is May 31 instead of the previously announced May 17."

Update: Swirlvision.com seem to be reporting the same news. Looks like even the importers are out of luck for a bit longer ^_^

Manami writes, "Yesterday, thegia.com posted a 21 second promotional movie of PSOv2. It seems that it came from one of Japanese game review shows. It combines two review footages of 10 seconds each together.. it sure look awesome. You can find the link here."

Manami was the first to write in about this, thanks..

Ifurita writes, "hkdreamcast.com has revealed more cool nifty tid bits! (along with screenshots)
http://www.hkdreamcast.com/News-April01.htm

1) Grave Marker - when a player dies on Ragol and is revived on Pioneer 2. The spot where the victim died at is marked with victim's name, level and information of the murderer! Teammates can avenge for the victim by hunting down the monster!
2) Change room - as mentioned by PSO Maneuver, 100,000 meseta a pop.
3) More interesting NPC dialoge - NPC dialogue will be different base on time. Or user is using a pirate copy, the NPC may say: "Why do you want to use a pirate copy?"
4) More flexibility in co-op play - multiple-door-opening switch pads are replaced by one giant pad. Eliminates getting stuck when there aren't enough players. Also, more situations requiring teamwork will be added, such as blow up granite boulders that are blocking the way as a team.
5) More monsters - new types: laser-shoot ivy, unicorn??, as well as more variations of existing monters.

Woo hoo! "

watashiwa writes, "Apparently, Sega could be out patrolling your PSO games. A friend of mine mentioned to me earlier that during one of his games, a translucent (see-through) white HUmar was seen on Pioneer 2 as well as Ragol with them. This was in addition to him being in a full game. So therefore, number of players is 5. (If we're counting the HUmar as a player.) The HUmar didn't say anything, but just walked around and came and went. This is important news. If true (and I don't see why my friend would lie to me, never has before and has always been trustworthy), this could mean Sega is trying to catch cheaters in the act. The process of duping, using hacked items (not all have been filtered out), etc,. would all get you caught.

Thanks to Sengson for this information. He mentioned it in the general board, but I felt it should be posted here.

If anyone has any follow up on this, by all means post it.

I just wanna see this white HUmar and say hi to him. It'd be kinda neat. "

watashiwa writes, "PSO servers have been updated to include Easter additions! Additions include but maybe not limited to:

Eggs on Pioneer 2, New Pioneer 2 music, more rares!

Reports have indicated that in Ruins 3, more than just a few people have found a couple of Lavis Cannons and Bazookas. (Could be rumors, I'm out looking for some right now. I will keep you posted!)

Pictures can be found at http://www.project-douraku.com/psoshots/easter/ and the music which has been MP3'd by yours truly can be found at http://www.project-douraku.com/psoshots/PSO_-_Easter.mp3

Happy hunting, my fellow PSO addicts."

RedVento writes, "Well it seems that Daily Radar has some new screen shots of PSO v2.. It must be nice to have the luxery of being able to report old news.. Gee.. I seem to remember seeing this info someplace else.. where was that?? Oh yeah.. here... This is the pathetic link their pathetic update :
http://www.dailyradar.com/previews/game_preview_1427.html "

Youch, Red proving once again he doesn't take this sort of thing lightly.