I miss PSO2

[Grave]

I wish they would have just added content to base PSO2 instead of trying to move everyone over and splitting the population. :(

[VanillaLucia]

The main problem with this is that on the Japanese side where the development was still active (Global was on a fast-forwarded rollercoaster ride catching up the entire time so they never actually had very much that was "new") - Sega already had stopped developing and making content for Phantasy Star Online 2. In the CEDEC 2022 presentation when the developers were talking about their workflow and making content for Phantasy Star Online 2, it was effectively described as a technical nightmare trying to both "keep up" with modern games and to keep the game functional while battling with developer tools that were meant for Dreamcast-era games and a Dreamcast-era mindset.

New Genesis "needed" to happen for Sega to catch up to what people were already doing in the mid-2010's, but it's still not quite complete enough for Sega to do what they seemed to want to do. But I do agree in a sense, that I would have ultimately preferred that Sega swiped over and washed over Phantasy Star Online 2 with a significant quality-of-life refresh instead of completely isolating the old game and creating a separate entity alongside the game that tries to emulate what came before it. But a lot of this is ultimately because the older game refused to have balance patches and balance tweaks that actually solved and reshaped classes and the gameplay (almost all of this was pushed to a new grind/higher-level content players had to get new equipment for that would fix problems) and ultimately was built on foundations of technical debt that really needed to be cleaned up as opposed to being added onto.

But as it is, New Genesis is very much in that same position of having "content islands" that can be dead as soon as they drop when people get what they want or until the next best thing comes around just like Phantasy Star Online 2 had run with for nearly a decade.

[UrbanMech]

The story was over and sega actively wanted to dumb down the game. It wasn't going to happen.

[Alligo]

Me too.

[Rogue]

Problem is your "everyone" is not everyone. If a person really want to play PSO2, he will play PSO2 as the game is still there and playable. Otherwise that someone has moved on to new content, either NGS or other games.

This ends up with the same issue for all games. You want "new" content and you want it now. That's all. Your premise is fake.

There are real game loyalty though, for example I still play some of my old dos games like World of Xeen, I circle around and play some of my past favorites. Dropped a bunch, due to "significant" changes, those online ones, like DCUO got spoiled due to it becoming F2P and have some really F-up monetization (Imagine you have to pay real money to access your fake money/meseta in PSO2 terms)... While others literally died, RIP Marvel Heroes Omega.

Man, I'll also continue playing DCUO if it doesn't change its business model and there's no new content. No problemo. Create new characters from scratch, raids with friends, etc. Circle back, having a hiatus, as it's a fun game, heroes today, villains tomorrow.

[VanillaLucia]

Originally posted by Rogue:

Problem is your "everyone" is not everyone. If a person really want to play PSO2, he will play PSO2 as the game is still there and playable. Otherwise that someone has moved on to new content, either NGS or other games.

This ends up with the same issue for all games. You want "new" content and you want it now. That's all. Your premise is fake.

I would disagree about this, specifically for Global's Phantasy Star Online 2. The game's progression being tied to FOMO-exclusive mechanics such as the older Mission Pass and its deeply campaign-heavy and fast-forwarded nature makes it extremely difficult for new players to jump in and "enjoy." There are things I would recommend for new players to do, but this is absolutely not a game you can just jump into and play as a new player while alone and without finding someone else to play alongside you due to how unfriendly the game has become in the very long run towards solo players for the game's early "chores" and overly long "tutorial" phase.

New Genesis has definitely taken a much nicer approach to this because the game is ultimately solo until players are "qualified" to enter group content but this is the other way around in the older game where you have to be "qualified" for the actual rewarding solo content and are expected to be in a group until then.

The Japanese version of the game still has a middleground where you can make progress solo, reasonably collect equipment that is "good enough" if not still top-tier (the CRAG Affix combo is still possible there regularly without the incredible hassle and grind that Global now has to go through), and you have a market spanning much of the game's cosmetics over the game's history over a variety of means that Global has never had. If anything, I would love for Global to get closer towards what the Japanese version has in regards to access to equivalent equipment (for example getting the special fifteen-star weapons catered towards altering the Successor classes or the ones that outright alter class mechanics like the Chaval series and Adel series of weapons) or to get easier access to the Rinza/Rinser series like the Japanese version has.

If I could add to it, I would love to have even more of the weapon camos that the Japanese version has in their Weapons Badge exchange shop as Global previously added an extremely small amount of them in preparation for the Slayer's release (such as "* Sounds of Rock" which was previously a Japanese-exclusive recolor of "* Concert Master"). We have been getting more PSO2es-exclusive weapon camos via keyword campaigns - but I would love to have a way for players who aren't around all the time to get these weapon camos as well.

At least for me, it is not the case of "I want new content" but rather I would love for Global to experience more of what the Japanese version of the game had. As what is done is done, we can only ultimately hope that New Genesis continues to shape up and do more as I would rather see new things rather than "more" Phantasy Star Online 2.

[Rogue]

Originally posted by VanillaLucia:

Originally posted by Rogue:

Problem is your "everyone" is not everyone. If a person really want to play PSO2, he will play PSO2 as the game is still there and playable. Otherwise that someone has moved on to new content, either NGS or other games.

This ends up with the same issue for all games. You want "new" content and you want it now. That's all. Your premise is fake.

I would disagree about this, specifically for Global's Phantasy Star Online 2. The game's progression being tied to FOMO-exclusive mechanics such as the older Mission Pass and its deeply campaign-heavy and fast-forwarded nature makes it extremely difficult for new players to jump in and "enjoy." There are things I would recommend for new players to do, but this is absolutely not a game you can just jump into and play as a new player while alone and without finding someone else to play alongside you due to how unfriendly the game has become in the very long run towards solo players for the game's early "chores" and overly long "tutorial" phase.

New Genesis has definitely taken a much nicer approach to this because the game is ultimately solo until players are "qualified" to enter group content but this is the other way around in the older game where you have to be "qualified" for the actual rewarding solo content and are expected to be in a group until then.

The Japanese version of the game still has a middleground where you can make progress solo, reasonably collect equipment that is "good enough" if not still top-tier (the CRAG Affix combo is still possible there regularly without the incredible hassle and grind that Global now has to go through), and you have a market spanning much of the game's cosmetics over the game's history over a variety of means that Global has never had. If anything, I would love for Global to get closer towards what the Japanese version has in regards to access to equivalent equipment (for example getting the special fifteen-star weapons catered towards altering the Successor classes or the ones that outright alter class mechanics like the Chaval series and Adel series of weapons) or to get easier access to the Rinza/Rinser series like the Japanese version has.

If I could add to it, I would love to have even more of the weapon camos that the Japanese version has in their Weapons Badge exchange shop as Global previously added an extremely small amount of them in preparation for the Slayer's release (such as "* Sounds of Rock" which was previously a Japanese-exclusive recolor of "* Concert Master"). We have been getting more PSO2es-exclusive weapon camos via keyword campaigns - but I would love to have a way for players who aren't around all the time to get these weapon camos as well.

At least for me, it is not the case of "I want new content" but rather I would love for Global to experience more of what the Japanese version of the game had. As what is done is done, we can only ultimately hope that New Genesis continues to shape up and do more as I would rather see new things rather than "more" Phantasy Star Online 2.

Everyone, right... I'm one of the "everyone". This game is niche, if a fomo mechanic drives you to play a game, you better think really really hard about your life. Stay away from social places, your anxiety will goes through the roof because you are missing out on fake stuff or relationship. Seek help, don't believe me... Just do an internet search about fomo with regards to mental health and self esteem.

I'll stick to ease of play, reasonably good combat mechanics, nice game music, varied and occasional challenges like Phaleg or UQ/boss fights, divide quests, 100 Masquerade depth dive. Never fomo. The only thing going for the "Global" version and audience, 1 year pacing to force feed 8 years worth of content(emm development).

I can even predict at least 80~90%+ of players will abandon the PSO2 Global if it's like the initial release of Japan PSO2 where they spend several years only running the exploration zones doing episode 1/2.... E.g https://pso2blog.wordpress.com/matter-board-general-guide/ this is really barf worthy.

[Crystal Sharrd]

Originally posted by GhostBear:

The story was over and sega actively wanted to dumb down the game. It wasn't going to happen.

Would've been nice if we at least got a wedding scene with Matoi.
And there's still a ton of first-party content unnecessarily exclusive to Japan they still need to localize.

[Maple Medic]

Originally posted by Rogue:

Originally posted by VanillaLucia:

I would disagree about this, specifically for Global's Phantasy Star Online 2. The game's progression being tied to FOMO-exclusive mechanics such as the older Mission Pass and its deeply campaign-heavy and fast-forwarded nature makes it extremely difficult for new players to jump in and "enjoy." There are things I would recommend for new players to do, but this is absolutely not a game you can just jump into and play as a new player while alone and without finding someone else to play alongside you due to how unfriendly the game has become in the very long run towards solo players for the game's early "chores" and overly long "tutorial" phase.

New Genesis has definitely taken a much nicer approach to this because the game is ultimately solo until players are "qualified" to enter group content but this is the other way around in the older game where you have to be "qualified" for the actual rewarding solo content and are expected to be in a group until then.

The Japanese version of the game still has a middleground where you can make progress solo, reasonably collect equipment that is "good enough" if not still top-tier (the CRAG Affix combo is still possible there regularly without the incredible hassle and grind that Global now has to go through), and you have a market spanning much of the game's cosmetics over the game's history over a variety of means that Global has never had. If anything, I would love for Global to get closer towards what the Japanese version has in regards to access to equivalent equipment (for example getting the special fifteen-star weapons catered towards altering the Successor classes or the ones that outright alter class mechanics like the Chaval series and Adel series of weapons) or to get easier access to the Rinza/Rinser series like the Japanese version has.

If I could add to it, I would love to have even more of the weapon camos that the Japanese version has in their Weapons Badge exchange shop as Global previously added an extremely small amount of them in preparation for the Slayer's release (such as "* Sounds of Rock" which was previously a Japanese-exclusive recolor of "* Concert Master"). We have been getting more PSO2es-exclusive weapon camos via keyword campaigns - but I would love to have a way for players who aren't around all the time to get these weapon camos as well.

At least for me, it is not the case of "I want new content" but rather I would love for Global to experience more of what the Japanese version of the game had. As what is done is done, we can only ultimately hope that New Genesis continues to shape up and do more as I would rather see new things rather than "more" Phantasy Star Online 2.

Everyone, right... I'm one of the "everyone". This game is niche, if a fomo mechanic drives you to play a game, you better think really really hard about your life. Stay away from social places, your anxiety will goes through the roof because you are missing out on fake stuff or relationship. Seek help, don't believe me... Just do an internet search about fomo with regards to mental health and self esteem.

I'll stick to ease of play, reasonably good combat mechanics, nice game music, varied and occasional challenges like Phaleg or UQ/boss fights, divide quests, 100 Masquerade depth dive. Never fomo. The only thing going for the "Global" version and audience, 1 year pacing to force feed 8 years worth of content(emm development).

I can even predict at least 80~90%+ of players will abandon the PSO2 Global if it's like the initial release of Japan PSO2 where they spend several years only running the exploration zones doing episode 1/2.... E.g https://pso2blog.wordpress.com/matter-board-general-guide/ this is really barf worthy.

You do know which game you are talking about right? Both PSO2 and NGS are built around FOMO, the reason they are so profitable is that they constantly have a revolving door of items that are accessible and preying on people to shell out money or they miss out, they probably have that carved into a plaque and shown off in their lobby as their motto. It really is funny how you trash talk to someone about how they are so afflicted about FOMO while also playing a game that 90% of its content is literally gamble or you miss out. That is like saying you respect women while stanning for Bill Cosby.

Also PSO2 was supposed to be first and foremost a game about grouping and group play, even if you had no friends you could always join into some rando group and play everything. The PSO2 of now is not the PSO2 of before even if they are the same game. I mean you sure can play it alone and you can say you are having fun but fun does not pay the bills.

[Crystal Sharrd]

I play PSO2 for the story, the multiplayer aspect is generally unappealing.

[Terrence M. Delawgan]

Originally posted by Grave:

I miss PSO2

You have no idea how much I miss it too... =/

Originally posted by GhostBear:

The story was over (...)

As someone who has "lived" the story since Day 1 (July 4th, 2012) I can assure you it has clearly been rushed during EP7. At least 2 or 3 more EP could have been done otherwise.

[Gilver Redgrave]

Originally posted by Terrence M. Delawgan:

As someone who has "lived" the story since Day 1 (July 4th, 2012) I can assure you it has clearly been rushed during EP7. At least 2 or 3 more EP could have been done otherwise.

Well they wanted to get NGS done in time (which also failed horribly) so yeah EP7 was clearly rushed. For example Mitra was completely being left out of the story until the moment she suddenly appears at Shivas side as one of her 2 henchmen. Before that we dont see her at all while we clearly see Varuna plenty of times. Hell Varuna was even completely conscious this whole time fully knowing who he is and what he is supposed to do.

On top of all that we also miss a clear flashback of the time Shiva was created and who she once was which was a heavy setback in her character development. We also dont get those for Mitra and Varuna they just tossed those 3 at us completely at random and said "there are your final Villains have fun." Elder had more character development then them.

I mean we even have to google up informations from interviews and other sources because they didnt add them to the game. I mean how many of you even know what "Shiva" means ? Hint :" Its NOT her name." Another hint :" The "V" is a roman number not a letter.

[Luxaeterna]

Old school players are even insisting PSO2 itself should shutdown and reopen PSU servers insisting it would be more popular in 2023+.

[Grave]

Originally posted by Luxaeterna:

Old school players are even insisting PSO2 itself should shutdown and reopen PSU servers insisting it would be more popular in 2023+.

They aren't wrong. I just played on the PSU Clementine servers a bit and there's often at least 5-10 maps open to join and grind with people in. Meanwhile in PSO2 base AND NGS, I cannot find anyone to play with. PSO2 just has no one running anything, and NGS is such a mess with no clear way to play with other players that are actually doing anything, that it feels super dead.

[Neosiotype]

I miss when NGS scratch ticket stuff was affordable. The market is broken now. Even with PSO2 cradle I could buy stuff because I could just run cradle.

The only people dropping 10 million on a single cosmetic are the 'business' players and the people making real life purchases and selling.

[chill out]

Only solution imho is offline/player run PSO2 classic version. Sell the complete 1-6 package and all content rebalanced with party scaling, reasonable for 1~4 players, local LAN coop play, and simple listen servers and p2p hosting with offline saves.