fcda20ca   
   XPost: alt.games.phantasy-star   
   From: bel@whipassgaming.com   
      
   > Two month trial? I don't believe it comes with anything like that...   
   > At least, not on the 360 version. If it does, then I got screwed. xD   
      
   Hmmmmm, my buddy was saying something like that, but perhaps he was   
   wrong. I didn't find anything like that in the PC version of the game,   
   but I figured it may have been offered the first time you try to get   
   online. Man, no trial at all...that really blows.   
      
   > That would be nice. The xbox version was pretty decent and, since it   
   > was modeled off of Blue Burst, the graphics were much improved over   
   > previous versions of PSO.   
      
   I agree. To me, the simple addition of voice chat made the Xbox version   
   the absolute best one out there, period. I hated having to stop to type   
   something out all the time back on the DC version.   
      
   > Plus, voice support would be sweet.   
      
   Using something like Ventrilo or one of the other free VOIP things could   
   clear up the issue for BB, I'd imagine(but only once you got in to your   
   game, it'd be too much of a pain to do the entire lobby).   
      
   > But   
   > yeah, as far as I know, the only private PSO servers out there are for   
   > the DC, GC, and PC versions of the game.   
      
   I have the install file for BB and have *always* wanted to play it, but   
   just never have looked in to what it'd take to get on to one of the   
   private servers. BB is Episode 4, yes?   
      
   > Meh. Personally, I don't think any of the extras that were included on   
   > the AOTI disc are worth the trouble.   
      
   Well, if you've got the time and don't mind, could you break it down for   
   me? KKC mentioned "enhanced offline content with cutscenes and new   
   music." for the things missing from the 360 version of AotI. I really   
   enjoy cinemas in game, and quite honestly I feel the soundtrack is a   
   HUGE part of the experience, so hearing that some of that was cut is   
   really depressing...but I guess I could go with out, assuming the   
   offline content he was talking about isn't that great. I tried looking   
   around for some detailed info on what's actually missing, but I can't   
   seem to find anything. If you, or KKC, want to elaborate I'd be more   
   than willing to listen. :)   
      
   > I definitely prefer the 360's   
   > method of content distribution where one purchases the original disc,   
   > then downloads the expansion, over a two-disc distribution method. But   
   > again, it's all a matter of preference.   
      
   I don't mind disc swapping, but having the expansion on the HDD would be   
   nice...if A) they wouldn't have cut stuff out and B) the 360 came with   
   something more than a shitty 14.1GB HDD. :(   
      
   > Yeah, the price of online gaming has certainly gone up in the last few   
   > generations of consoles. It's sad, really. But when you think about   
   > it, the falling value of the dollar nowadays coupled with the costs of   
   > maintaining servers capable of running a next-gen game such as PSU   
   > (which far surpasses it's predecessor in terms of processor strain, no   
   > argument) means that the costs were bound to go up eventually. It's   
   > basically a form of inflation.   
      
   I know a lot my problem with it is, and it's the same problem most   
   people had with PSO Ep1&2 hit Live, why do we have to pay to play it   
   online when it's *MS* hosting the server. You'd think because it's them   
   doing it, that PSU's online play would be free when you've got a Gold   
   account.   
      
   > But enough about economics. I still think that $10 a month for a game   
   > of PSU's caliber is very fair. Much more fair than paying $15/mo. to   
   > play a far inferior game such as WoW, at least. ^^   
      
   To me, the fact that these people want us to *pay $40+ for the game* AND   
   THEN another $10 to $15 a month is just sickening. To me, if you're   
   going to force the player to have to connect to your server just to play   
   the game at all, the game should be free. This is exactly why I have   
   never attempted EQ, WoW, etc. To me it just seems like legalized rape.   
      
   > It sounds like you've got your mind pretty much made up then, hmm?   
      
   Maybe. If I ever get another PC, I would already be playing this with my   
   old PC hooked up to the HDTV, but sadly I'm still rockin' the P4 3Ghz   
   with Hyperthreading. ;)  With that said, though it's not that big of a   
   deal to hook the thing up to the HDTV and use the 360 controller to play   
   it, it'd just be easier to do it via the actual 360...and I'd have   
   better luck getting others to join me.   
      
   > Although I will agree with your view of the PS2 version (although for   
   > completely different reasons, namely, the PS2 was simply not built for   
   > online gaming),   
      
   They almost had it going when they released the HDD, but when Sony   
   quietly swept that under the rug I knew it was pretty much over. My God,   
   the amount of cheating that goes on in any given PS2 game online is   
   enough to make one puke blood. No way to fix it either, since they can't   
   patch the games...(idiots)   
      
   > I'll politely disagree with your view of the 360   
   > version, just because I play it and have no problems with it and (as   
   > far as I know, I COULD be wrong...) it's the only platform for PSU   
   > that supports voice chat. So there. xP   
      
   Word, and that's a lot of what's causing this whole dilemma. The ease of   
   use plus integrated voice chat...the way PSO/U *should* be played.   
      
   > Yeah, it's pretty tricky. The thing is, a lot of the things you do in   
   > PSU don't really take up too much time. Aside from running missions,   
   > that is. My friends and I are able to work in PSU sessions around full-   
   > time work, college, and a social life. I'd say pay for the first month   
   > (unless you get a trial which, again, I doubt PSU has) and just give   
   > it a go. Wort that could happen is you have some fun with it, find out   
   > you don't have time for it, cancel your subscription, and your account   
   > (and characters) are saved on the server until the next time you   
   > activate your account again.   
      
   Let me ask you this: Does 360 PSU allow for split screen co-op, or is   
   that a Live thing only?   
      
   > Also, if you decide to play on the 360 servers, shoot me an email, and   
   > I'll give you my gamertag. Me and my buddies can help show you the   
   > ropes, just as I'm sure KKC would be willing to do if you joined the   
   > PC/PS2 servers.   
      
   Ok, will do. I see PSU on the 360 for $10 a lot of the time, and even   
   though I have it on the PC(un-played) I have been seriously tempted. I   
   am really interested in the offline mode. After playing PSO for so long,   
   and the offline mode of it pretty much mirroring the online mode, it'd   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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