Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release?

Kendrick Kerwin Chua <kendrick.DeleteThis@nospam.io> wrote:
>-KKC, who is also on the fence about getting a Gameboy Micro.

I can think of no good reason (besides price, maybe) to get one of
those. In pretty much every other respect, I think a DS Lite is better.
Well, maybe if you really need a GBA-type device that can use the link
cable...

--
"The subjects of every state ought to contribute toward the support of the gov-
ernment, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities;
that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the
protection of the state," -- Adam Smith, THE WEALTH OF NATIONS (1776)
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

> You know how Toys R Us is doing that buy-two-get-one-free deal this week?
> Some guy is going around town buying up every copy of PSU, presumably so
> he can resell the free copy at a profit. I managed to snag a copy by going
> across the river to the bad side of town and buying from the Toys R Us
> there.

Man, these people. I'll bet he's going to try to sell it on ebay...

Speaking of, you hear about all this stuff ebay is doing to people who
are trying to sell a PS3 on ebay? Cracks me up...

> I don't think we can blame this on Sega. I'm pretty sure that the
> different games are pressed in different factories, to the point where
> they're shipping separately too. It's not unusual for different parts of
> the country to get shipments at different times of day, depending on what
> distributor you're counting on.

I don't know man, I just can't see anyone to blame here other than
Sega. There's just no excuse for them saying that it's "now available
for PS2, PC and Xbox 360" when they *know* the PS2 and PC versions will
be the only ones shipped out at that point. I mean, have you seen the
360 version on the shelves yet? I haven't read *anywhere* that anyone
has.

As if all the stunts they've pulled with PSU on the 360 weren't bad
enough(the beta getting pushed back, then cut a day early, etc), we get
kicked with this one...but that's not the final stunt:

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12076/SEGA-Ships-Phantasy-Star-Universe/

"Players can purchase a GUARDIANS License for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2
system and PC online users for $9.99 a month. The GUARDIANS License
will also be available at a discounted rate of $49.99 for six months of
online play on the PlayStation 2 system and PC."

Isn't that great? Everyone gets the six months discount but the 360
users! Awesome!!!

At this point, if I were Microsoft, I'd shoot a quick letter over to
SOA/SOJ that went something like this:

"Hey guys, we really appreciate your...um, "efforts" on the 360 and
all, but at this point we're revoking your license to work on the
system. You can take Sonic and feed him to the PS3 users, we're quite
fine here. Thanks, Microsoft"

> Oh, incidentally? I'm trying to run my PS2 copy now and it looks like the
> PlaySega servers are overloaded. They don't seem to be able to process
> logons right now. Reminds me of the early days of PSO all over again.

Actually, it should remind you of something a bit closer:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6157065.html
(the PS2 Japanese launch, where the game was only up for *3* days
before they had to shut the server down)

Man, it almost makes me want to cry, just how shitty Sega is
nowadays...I'd almost break down and do it too, if I the unbelievably
powerful hate I feel for them would let me.

> -KKC, who can't decide what to do for dinner.

A salad is always nice.

Bel
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

> >Isn't that great? Everyone gets the six months discount but the 360
> >users! Awesome!!!
>
> That's Microsoft's fault, not Sega's. Xbox Live doesn't have any kind of
> mechanism to handle a bulk discount for an external MMO connection
> license. That's the price everybody has to pay for using the Live billing
> system to gather that revenue.

Yeah, I see what you mean...problem is, what about when Sega used to
make people sign up for the license over the net, on their site? See,
that could be done to allow 360 users to get the discount...I mean,
since Sega is hosting the game themselves(they are right?), they could
use the data you put in on their PSU "Guardians" site when you connect.
I mean, MS doesn't care if you have a Guardian's License or not when
you connect to the game, once you get in, that's Sega's problem, you
know? I just don't understand how, when you're running your own server
for the game, how stuff like this could be different over the various
platforms.

> >> -KKC, who can't decide what to do for dinner.
> >
> >A salad is always nice.
>
> In the spirit of the PSO I may skip dinner if I ever get connected. I
> remember when PSO first fired up, I must have gone 72 hours without eating
> or bathing.

Oh yeah, when I first got PSO on the DC, everything else just went
right out the window. Man, it was one of the greatest gaming moments in
my life, my first online gaming experience. I'll never forget it...

Bel
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

> >Yeah, I see what you mean...problem is, what about when Sega used to
> >make people sign up for the license over the net, on their site? See,
> >that could be done to allow 360 users to get the discount...I mean,
>
> Except that you can't buy a 360 Guardian's license on the Sega site. You
> must use the Xbox Live Marketplace and have an active Silver or Gold Live
> account. You don't have the option to buy the 360 license in any other
> way, as far as I know.

Ah, ok. Well hell, that would have worked out nicely if they just kept
doing it the old way...and in fact, are they making PS2 and PC users
sign up for the license on the game's server, one some sort of in-game
sheet?

> BTW, I've been poking around the PSU web boards. The entire country is
> subject to the delay of the 360 version, but I'm still pretty sure it's
> not Sega's fault.

Yeah, I don't know man...when two out of the three versions get sent
out at the same time, yet magically that third one just somehow misses
it? Just seems like Sega, the people publishing the game and all,
should have had a handle on it.

>On the other hand, nobody's been able to register and
> buy a Guardian license yet in the States, so the time difference isn't
> really making a difference.

Yeah, but like you mention below, at least PS2 and PC owners can play
it offline if nothing else. I don't know, I don't know why I get so
upset with Sega's poor execution of the PSU launch/beta/Guardian's
License thing...I don't even own, nor plan on getting(anymore), a
360...

> >Oh yeah, when I first got PSO on the DC, everything else just went
> >right out the window. Man, it was one of the greatest gaming moments in
> >my life, my first online gaming experience. I'll never forget it...
>
> And it was free. Couldn't beat that.

True...but even then, when they went to v2 and it was only around $9
for three month's access, that wasn't bad at all(in fact, I'd go so far
as to say it was totally acceptable). I hear that, in Japan, V2 on the
DC/PC is now free online...would be nice if Sega would allow this to
happen for the PC/GC/Xbox(yeah right, they'll skip Xbox as usual)
versions of Ep1&2 at some point.

> -KKC, who will settle for the offline game for now.

Be sure to post some thoughts...though my buddy will be getting it
whenever Sega decides to "grace" the 360 owners with the game, I'm sure
he'll mostly be doing the online stuff.

Bel
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

In article <1161815995.291976.165040.RemoveThis@f16g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
BelPowerslave <bel.RemoveThis@whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>
>As if all the stunts they've pulled with PSU on the 360 weren't bad
>enough(the beta getting pushed back, then cut a day early, etc), we get
>kicked with this one...but that's not the final stunt:
>
>http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12076/SEGA-Ships-Phantasy-Star-Universe/
>
>"Players can purchase a GUARDIANS License for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2
>system and PC online users for $9.99 a month. The GUARDIANS License
>will also be available at a discounted rate of $49.99 for six months of
>online play on the PlayStation 2 system and PC."
>
>Isn't that great? Everyone gets the six months discount but the 360
>users! Awesome!!!

That's Microsoft's fault, not Sega's. Xbox Live doesn't have any kind of
mechanism to handle a bulk discount for an external MMO connection
license. That's the price everybody has to pay for using the Live billing
system to gather that revenue.

>> -KKC, who can't decide what to do for dinner.
>
>A salad is always nice.

In the spirit of the PSO I may skip dinner if I ever get connected. I
remember when PSO first fired up, I must have gone 72 hours without eating
or bathing.

-KKC, scheming a way to get an IPSEC tunnel from his workplace so he can
play PSU there.
--
--From the top ten reasons to end war in the Middle East: | kendrick @
9) No more awkwardness buying the good olive oil in the | io.com
Lebanese restaurant. 6) Cool new "A-Team" TV show based |
on modern special ops soldiers. 2) Sexy archaeology under Babylon, baby.
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

In article <1161818896.160495.169420.RemoveThis@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
BelPowerslave <bel.RemoveThis@whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>> >Isn't that great? Everyone gets the six months discount but the 360
>> >users! Awesome!!!
>>
>> That's Microsoft's fault, not Sega's. Xbox Live doesn't have any kind of
>> mechanism to handle a bulk discount for an external MMO connection
>
>Yeah, I see what you mean...problem is, what about when Sega used to
>make people sign up for the license over the net, on their site? See,
>that could be done to allow 360 users to get the discount...I mean,

Except that you can't buy a 360 Guardian's license on the Sega site. You
must use the Xbox Live Marketplace and have an active Silver or Gold Live
account. You don't have the option to buy the 360 license in any other
way, as far as I know.

BTW, I've been poking around the PSU web boards. The entire country is
subject to the delay of the 360 version, but I'm still pretty sure it's
not Sega's fault. On the other hand, nobody's been able to register and
buy a Guardian license yet in the States, so the time difference isn't
really making a difference.

>> In the spirit of the PSO I may skip dinner if I ever get connected. I
>> remember when PSO first fired up, I must have gone 72 hours without eating
>> or bathing.
>
>Oh yeah, when I first got PSO on the DC, everything else just went
>right out the window. Man, it was one of the greatest gaming moments in
>my life, my first online gaming experience. I'll never forget it...

And it was free. Couldn't beat that.

-KKC, who will settle for the offline game for now.
--
--From the top ten reasons to end war in the Middle East: | kendrick @
9) No more awkwardness buying the good olive oil in the | io.com
Lebanese restaurant. 6) Cool new "A-Team" TV show based |
on modern special ops soldiers. 2) Sexy archaeology under Babylon, baby.
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

In article <1161820632.774668.92130 DeleteThis @f16g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
BelPowerslave <bel DeleteThis @whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>
>> >Oh yeah, when I first got PSO on the DC, everything else just went
>> >right out the window. Man, it was one of the greatest gaming moments in
>> >my life, my first online gaming experience. I'll never forget it...
>>
>> And it was free. Couldn't beat that.
>
>True...but even then, when they went to v2 and it was only around $9
>for three month's access, that wasn't bad at all(in fact, I'd go so far
>as to say it was totally acceptable). I hear that, in Japan, V2 on the
>DC/PC is now free online...would be nice if Sega would allow this to

I don't think this is entirely true. I don't believe any Dreamcast PSO
servers are still running anyway. However, Dreamcast PSO was released so
late in the EU region that Sega of Europe decided to throw their customers
a bone and make V1 and V2 completely free there. You might be thinking of
PSO Blue Burst, which was essentially PSO episode two-and-a-half with more
character classes.

>happen for the PC/GC/Xbox(yeah right, they'll skip Xbox as usual)
>versions of Ep1&2 at some point.
>
>> -KKC, who will settle for the offline game for now.
>
>Be sure to post some thoughts...though my buddy will be getting it
>whenever Sega decides to "grace" the 360 owners with the game, I'm sure
>he'll mostly be doing the online stuff.

I find the protagonist surprisingly charming. Ethan Waber is young and
arrogant like any other JRPG hero, but he has a surprising streak of
humility that lets me forgive that. I've only played through to the first
save point, but already a lot of questions I had during the Xbox Beta test
have been answered. The online game appears to occur during the events of
the offline game, in that Ethan experiences all the environments first and
the online missions are mop-up actions afterwards.

-KKC, who will break soon for Mythbusters.
--
--From the top ten reasons to end war in the Middle East: | kendrick @
9) No more awkwardness buying the good olive oil in the | io.com
Lebanese restaurant. 6) Cool new "A-Team" TV show based |
on modern special ops soldiers. 2) Sexy archaeology under Babylon, baby.
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

Kendrick Kerwin Chua wrote:
> Checking at Toys R Us for Phantasy Star Universe, the clerk told me
> something interesting... Apparently they're getting only the XBox 360
> version this week, and the PS2 and PC versions don't arrive until two
> weeks from now. Is this happening at any other retailers?

Most likely it's more confusion with the Final Fantasy XII date
(10/31).

PSU for the PS2 shipped on Monday, the PC version on Tuesday and teh
360 version on Wednesday.

- Jordan
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

In article <l2U%g.8222$hK.4716@trnddc02>,
BelPowerslave <bel RemoveThis @whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>
>That buddy of mine was wondering: Do you always have people with you?
>And if so, do they help you fight and whatnot? I assumed yes and
>yes...but all of the videos on the net seem to only show the online
>version of the game.

Okay, there are actually two offline games... Ethan Waber's stuff is
called 'Story mode' and by playing you unlock content for use in 'Extra
mode' which is essentially like PSO offline. Story mode puts NPC
characters in your party as the plot demands, but Extra mode allows you to
play your own created character. It's the online game, except not online.
So you can join up with NPC characters that Ethan has met, or you can
venture out to the planets and play alone as you prefer.

This is getting cooler and cooler. Oh yes, and the PSU admins have
admitted that the logon servers and down and that people can't sign on
tonight. I'm gonna try again tomorrow before work to see if I can get an
account going.

-KKC, who should go to bed now.
--
--From the top ten reasons to end war in the Middle East: | kendrick @
9) No more awkwardness buying the good olive oil in the | io.com
Lebanese restaurant. 6) Cool new "A-Team" TV show based |
on modern special ops soldiers. 2) Sexy archaeology under Babylon, baby.
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

> I don't think this is entirely true. I don't believe any Dreamcast PSO
> servers are still running anyway. However, Dreamcast PSO was released so
> late in the EU region that Sega of Europe decided to throw their customers
> a bone and make V1 and V2 completely free there. You might be thinking of
> PSO Blue Burst, which was essentially PSO episode two-and-a-half with more
> character classes.

Hmmmm, yeah, I must be thinking of another version...I wonder which one
it is. I guess if it really is BB, I'd actually pick it up. I've always
wanted to check out "Episode 4".

> I find the protagonist surprisingly charming. Ethan Waber is young and
> arrogant like any other JRPG hero, but he has a surprising streak of
> humility that lets me forgive that. I've only played through to the first
> save point, but already a lot of questions I had during the Xbox Beta test
> have been answered. The online game appears to occur during the events of
> the offline game, in that Ethan experiences all the environments first and
> the online missions are mop-up actions afterwards.

That buddy of mine was wondering: Do you always have people with you?
And if so, do they help you fight and whatnot? I assumed yes and
yes...but all of the videos on the net seem to only show the online
version of the game.

Bel
--
Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/

"Time to rub your face in it...with my ass. I'm so much better than you."
- Trixie, Outlaw Volleyball
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

> >That buddy of mine was wondering: Do you always have people with you?
> >And if so, do they help you fight and whatnot? I assumed yes and
> >yes...but all of the videos on the net seem to only show the online
> >version of the game.
>
> Okay, there are actually two offline games... Ethan Waber's stuff is
> called 'Story mode' and by playing you unlock content for use in 'Extra
> mode' which is essentially like PSO offline. Story mode puts NPC
> characters in your party as the plot demands, but Extra mode allows you to
> play your own created character. It's the online game, except not online.
> So you can join up with NPC characters that Ethan has met, or you can
> venture out to the planets and play alone as you prefer.

Cool, thanks for that! Yeah, I had heard something about the PSU
Online/Offline mode, but I didn't know much about it past that. I'll
forward this along to my buddy, I'm sure he'll appreciate it.

> This is getting cooler and cooler. Oh yes, and the PSU admins have
> admitted that the logon servers and down and that people can't sign on
> tonight. I'm gonna try again tomorrow before work to see if I can get an
> account going.

Ah, the Japanese release all over again...

Bel
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

In article <1161900195.979617.225580.DeleteThis@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>,
BelPowerslave <bel.DeleteThis@whipassgaming.com> wrote:
>
>> This is getting cooler and cooler. Oh yes, and the PSU admins have
>> admitted that the logon servers and down and that people can't sign on
>> tonight. I'm gonna try again tomorrow before work to see if I can get an
>> account going.
>
>Ah, the Japanese release all over again...

They got the servers working at 2:00 this morning, so I was able to sign
up for my Guardian's license around 4:00. Been playing all afternoon, and
once I finish working I'm probably going to be on all night.

-KKC, cursing the invention of remote access...
--
--From the top ten reasons to end war in the Middle East: | kendrick @
9) No more awkwardness buying the good olive oil in the | io.com
Lebanese restaurant. 6) Cool new "A-Team" TV show based |
on modern special ops soldiers. 2) Sexy archaeology under Babylon, baby.
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release? 

Jordan wrote:
> Kendrick Kerwin Chua wrote:
>> Checking at Toys R Us for Phantasy Star Universe, the clerk told me
>> something interesting... Apparently they're getting only the XBox 360
>> version this week, and the PS2 and PC versions don't arrive until two
>> weeks from now. Is this happening at any other retailers?
>
> Most likely it's more confusion with the Final Fantasy XII date
> (10/31).
>
> PSU for the PS2 shipped on Monday, the PC version on Tuesday and teh
> 360 version on Wednesday.
>
> - Jordan
>

Figures we get it here in Yurop around a month later than y'all. 24th of
November, apparently. It won't hurt you to wait up to two weeks; we've
gotta wait a flippin' month! >_<

I cry inside ._.

--SpuD
 >> Stay informed about: Phantasy Star Universe - staggered release?