The Ragol.co.uk Hunters Gazette Delivering brilliance in one short article!   February 25th 2005 PSO Portable | Handling | Sony PSP | Nintendo DS | 1011000111100101 | "Blah Blah Blah" | Conclusions | Got something to say? | On This Day | Links | Credits Welcome to the Hunters Gazette - New and Improved! Look at the new shiny featurettes, articles, and things that make you go "wow"!

PSO Portable

Its rumour heaven as we consider the point of Phantasy Star Online on a handheld console! Speculation at the ready!

We start off the pile with the recent interview held between Yuji Naka (Of Sonic Team fame - he's the president!) and Nintendo Official Magazine UK:

"I want to keep the Phantasy Star Online series going. We've got Blue Burst coming out on another format later this year. There's nothing in the pipeline yet, but there will be more of PSO in the future."

As far as Handheld stating goes, he says... well he says nothing, but he does say that PSO will not stop at his command. There maybe nothing in the 'pipeline', but that doesnt mean theres any undercover workings going on here ;) SEGA are always one to keep tightlipped on projects. Lets look at how much Sonic Team have revealed about Phantasy Star Universe recently, and also how little he stated about it in answer to that interview question! Although it may not technically be Phantasy Star Online, but Phantasy Star "Universe", its not the point, unless they're moving it into the same line of spin-off series...

Handling

Both consoles are most likely capable of handling a straight port of the SEGA Dreamcast version of Phantasy Star Online, the PSP more so then the DS for obvious reasons.

Sony PSP

The Sony PSP has the graphics power to handle the game aswell as Wi-Fi capabilities to take the game online, however the difference in controls wont mean a straight over port, but instead some tiny alterations. It'd pretty much be the same game. However, PSO's record on the Playstation consoles arent great, and its proven that PSO performs best on the Nintendo systems due to the Gamecube's version instead of the Xbox's version. There have been no Phantasy Star games here at all for Playstation gamers, so in light of the fact Sonic Team are unlikely to give up the 'Hunters Liscense' system for payment, its most unlikely the game will make an appearance here.

Nintendo DS

Nintendo's DS may not have the exact power to match the SEGA Dreamcast, as the graphical capabilities is that just higher of the Nintendo64's, but with a slighty toned down version, and menu swapping (Making use of the 2nd screen), you could see it as the ideal system for the game. An interactive menu system constantly appearing on the bottom screen, for items such as Shortcuts, Weapons, and Chatting, leaving the top screen free and buttons free for the main game, giving it a very "Handheld" feeling.

Making use of the Nintendo DS's Wi-Fi system would also be great to see, including features such as 'Download Play/Game Sharing', or even Online play. Nintendo have said the Nintendo DS will be going online 'earlier then we think' on many occasions, so it'd be very cool to see this taken advantage of with PSO - PSO of course kicking off online gaming with not just the SEGA Dreamcast, but also in the current console generation wars with the Nintendo Gamecube version being the first online consoles and games!

1011000111100101

Stepping back from speculation to total rumour, Cubed-3.co.uk recently noticed this item online which could be the key to sending the Nintendo DS online. If its the real deal, then what you'd use it for is to plug that into your Broadband Internet modem at home (Or anywhere else you have one at your disposal ;-)) and play away. The Nintendo DS's Wi-FI signal would be transmitted to this Wi-FI Card (Connected by USB plug to your Broadband Modem) which would then transmit your actions to anywhere in the world online. Also itd recieve actions of others in the same way, transmitting what it recieves back onto your Nintendo DS wirelessly.

Of course i keep stating Broadband, because thats most likely the only way online gaming would work in the near future and beyond, with games becoming so demanding.

Once again, thats rumour, and Nintendo have not made any statements towards this image, the DS's online capabilities, and is unlikely to do so until the big bang of E3!

"Blah Blah Blah"

Keeping on with this rumour trend, it is also believed that a PSO game is most likely to be released for the Nintendo DS because of so many website reportings online not long after E3 last year. Amongst the hopes were rumoured announcements of an added accessory release with PSO - a Nintendo DS Headset communicator.

This rumour lead to believe that PSO being released would see online chat changing from keyboard to voice, much like that of PSO on the Xbox. The Headset would fit around your head (Dur!) with the microphone securly attached, just like that of an Xbox Live communicator/headset, and work in the sameway online. You chat to your friends using that instead of the already included DS Mic holes, maybe believed because its clearer for you to be heard by others, and for you to hear others better directly through the earphones.

This accessory would be made to fit into the hole beside the headphone socket on your Nintendo DS. If you have a Nintendo DS console, looking inside the instruction manual will tell you the ports are 'Headphone/Microphone connectors'. Nintendo havent made any announcements about any such additional microphone to my knowledge, so why is it detailed like that, and there anyway if theres already a mic hole in the actual DS?

Conclusions

Wrapping this up now, as thats all that can be found about the possibilities of a handheld PSO, it would seem as if PSO on the Nintendo DS is more likely then the Sony PSP handheld console. If its online, its most likely to be a near enough port of seperate versions of the SEGA Dreamcast Phantasy Star Online games, leaving it open for extra episodes on seperate released game carts, even meaning future episodes could get a release sometime (Yes, that could include Episode IV and any other Blue Burst expansions released).
Online would also work the same way it also does, with a Hunters License system working the same way it always has (As i personally doubt we'll see that go from SEGA's eyes anytime soon!), including the use of online chatting lobbies, working in the way the Xbox version of Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II works with Xbox Live, especially with voice communication. Online would most definately be Broadband only because of this.

Thats the end of the speculation anyways, because NOTHING is confirmed, and i doubt it will be until they let something go for Universe, E3 earliest. Until that time, let us all speculate happily!

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