69774d21   
   XPost: alt.games.phantasy-star   
   From: bel@whipassgaming.com   
      
   > You are partially correct. If you're playing on the 360, a silver   
   > membership is sufficient (i.e. no Gold required to play online), but   
   > you still must buy a GUARDIANS license to play online, which is $9.99   
   > a month. In my opinion, still a better value than most MMOs on the   
   > market, such as paying $15 a month for WoW or EVE, and $10 for FFXI.   
      
   Hmmmmm, perhaps he meant the two month trail the game comes with? It   
   does come with something like that, doesn't it(no matter the version)?   
      
   > Yeah, it was pretty decent, the only downside to playing on the same   
   > box being that you don't get the full experience of other people   
   > having items you don't and so forth. The Xbox PSO was fun while it   
   > lasted, but really, the private PSO servers that are out now pretty   
   > much surpass it in every way, save for the fact that most (none?) of   
   > them support integrated voice chat.   
      
   The private servers are only available for the DC and PC versions of the   
   game though, correct? It'd be nice if there was a way to connect to one   
   with the Xbox version.   
      
   > It's really all up to preference. With the PS2 version, you need only   
   > buy the AOTI disk, and you can play AOTI without the original PSU   
   > disk, but then you have to switch disks to play the original PSU.   
   > Whether that's an inconvenience to you or not, I have no idea.   
   >   
   > With the PC version, I believe (note: I don't play PC PSU, so this is   
   > half conjecture, half wiki) that you install AOTI from a disk or an   
   > online download, and it's just like any other expansion pack. You   
   > start it up, and it gives you the option of starting PSU or AOTI,   
   > depending on which you want to play.   
   >   
   > With the 360, you purchase the PSU disk (which IS required to play   
   > online), then download the AOTI expansion from the marketplace for   
   > 1,600 MS points ($20). Then, when you start up the PSU disk, it will   
   > give you the option of starting up AOTI instead of PSU.   
      
   I just wish Sega would have put out AOTI on an actual disc for the 360.   
   The fact that the 360 version is missing so much is just enough to drive   
   me back to the PC version again.   
      
   > Again, all up to preference. The 360 servers do occasionally have   
   > their lag spikes, but are a pretty good platform nonetheless. The PC/   
   > PS2 servers (one would think) would probably have less players, since   
   > they are region-locked, as opposed to the 360 servers. It's still $10   
   > a month regardless of which platform you choose.   
      
   I could see doing the trial period...but man, $10 a month is almost   
   rape. I remember back on PSO v2, on the DC, it was roughly around $9 per   
   three months. Those were the days...   
      
   > Also, yes, if you played the PC version, you would be able to play   
   > with KKC. The PC and PS2 servers are linked, allowing cross-platform   
   > play on the same servers. The 360 servers are just for 360 players,   
   > since they are hosted by Microsoft.   
      
   I don't really want to have to play it through on the PC, but having it   
   hooked up to my HDTV and then using a 360 controller wouldn't be too   
   terrible. I just can't put any money in to the 360 version knowing how   
   AOTI is neutered because Sega couldn't be bothered to put out a disc   
   version. The PS2 version...well, fuck Sony.   
      
   > Either way you slice it, and no matter which platform you get it on,   
   > it's a great game. Of course, that's all opinion, but anyone who   
   > disagrees can politely stuff it.   
      
   A buddy of mine has played through PSU on the PC and has the same   
   opinion. I want to give it a go, but I don't want to do it until I   
   *know* I have some time to play it. I'd hate to waste my 2 month trial,   
   you know? I wonder if, when one gets AOTI, they offer you another 2   
   month trial...   
      
   Bel   
   --   
   Whip Ass Gaming: http://www.whipassgaming.com/   
      
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