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Sonic Team have revealed yet another character in the already bursting line-up... well... i say character...
'Pete' as he's been called by Sonic Team of Japan, is part of a new system which makes a big appearance on Phantasy Star Universe, a system known as 'P. Machinery' which i can assume is what we can expect as a replacement to Phantasy Star Online's MAG system. Specifics on what they actually do, i can't translate! But expect them to be around and playing a much bigger role then you got from your trusty MAGs! As the images below which were also released today show, your personal item of 'P. Machinery' hangs around with you a fair bit, and as the last screenshot shows, play alongside you? They can also evolve (Just like MAGs!)... but as the few screenshots of evolution shows, we could be playing alongside featured animals of Billy Hatcher & The Giant Egg! Here's hoping there's a Clippen! ^_^
 
 
 
 
 
 
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There's only 86 days left until Christmas (ZOMFG!!!) & Sonic Team of Japan have let loose details on everything that's coming Japanese Blue Burster's way between now and Christmas:
Looks like it's going to be a great time to be a Blue Burster in the run up until Christmas in Japan! May we experience the same to end of 2005 ^_^ |
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And now for something completely different... A Ragol.co.uk Mario Kart DS Racing League! Yes, you read correctly... The internets Foremost Phantasy Star Online Resource is gearing up for a small set of breaks from all that Hunting, and what better way to relax then to burn some rubber in other racers faces?
Well to celebrate the Nintendo DS going online, Ragol.co.uk Forumer N1NJ4 thought it'd be great to exploit Nintendo's first online Nintendo DS game all over us!
The game and the service is available from November 11th, and since you'll definately be buying Mario Kart DS on that very day (You'd be mad not to!), why not take it online? It's free afterall! (Well, you've got to buy the net thingy, but that's nothing compared to how much you'll be using it!). Nintendo has already got a Nintendo WiFi Connection website up and running with more information appearing soon on all the specific details of how it's happening, at nintendowifi.com - So watch that space! But back to us, and we'll probabily be kicking off our first (And probabily only!) Racing League not long at all after that date! We'll announce more details later on closer to the games release, but for the meanwhile, discuss it with the many other Ragol.co.uk Forumers who are already signing themselves up in this Ragol.co.uk Forum Thread.
And now, back to Phantasy Star news... |
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Sonic Team of Japan are holding a Barbeque on Pioneer 2, and you're all invited to the special quiz they're holding as part of it!
How does it work? Well you simply go across to the particular ships at the particular times, and log into a game titled 'Answer of Quiz' (Password: 'PSO'), and answer the questions to GM give you (Within a 30 minute time limit). Of course with this happening it means only 3 other people can be in the game at any one time to take part, hence the time limit! If you get the questions right, you can win prizes!
 
Hop along to the following ships:
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October 7th (22:00 - Midnight)
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October 8th (22:00 - Midnight)
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October 9th (19:00 - 21:00)
Just remember this is only for the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst though! Hopefully we may get something like this soon... but i wouldn't go placing bets... Neato idea however! That Sonic Team eh? |
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The Yahoo! Cup has now finished! After being extended for 1 week, the grand total of kills came to: 31,286,271. Thats a lot of blood to get cleaned up. All prizes will be delivered to entrants soon if you earned any, and everyone who took part gets to take advantage of the free Yahoo! Cup MAG and Nice Shot rare, while everyone takes advantage of the limited time Doubled Rare Drop Rates (Which i must note, only occurs in quests!). As far as interesting statistics go, HUmars got the most kills from everyone who participated, by slaying over 5 million enemies altogether, while the least popular characters used in the MA challenge were RAcaseals only managing just under 880K. The most popular day for kills was the very first day, racking up a nice starting total of 2429320. The fastest time Maximum Attack, Version 2 was completed in, was by 'WARMACHINE' and 'Hikari A.' in a 2-Player game in an amazing 5 minutes and 51 seconds!!! Finally the highest amount of single character kills was from 'Ardney' who finished with JUST under 400,000 kills with a total of 399341 (How annoying that must have been!). The winning Blue Burst Team prize goes to Team 'OSGuild' with an average kill total of 92068.89 per member (9 members - must have left an arm or something!) while Team 'Ragol.co.uk' finished in 21st position with an average kill count of 22702.53 per member! |
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There will be server maintenance on the Nintendo Gamecube Phantasy Star Online servers during September 27th 2005 between the times of 14:00 & 17:00 (Japanese Time).
During this time please do not attempt to connect to the servers as if maintenance is happening on your corresponding servers at that time then you will be automatically disconnected after connecting. If you happen to be playing during these times please disconnect otherwise at the time when maintenance starts you will be disconnected from your game no matter what! You are given 10 minutes warning via. constant on-screen messages counting down until the time the upgrades start. This affects all players of the following Nintendo Gamecube games:
- Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II
- Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II Plus
- Phantasy Star Online, Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution
Please reconnect after these times where service continues as normal.
I bet you're saying "OMFGWTFISGOINON" since it's been a long, long, long time since i last made a news post concerning server maintenance of any activity on the greatness of Nintendo Gamecube Phantasy Star Online. Well, it's that time of year when the leaves change colour, and they're doing the exact same thing on the Gamecube as Autumn lobby decorations go up. They will be around to until October 11th (Server Maintenance TBA). Enjoy! |
• Drop Rates Doubled!
(Lee_yoshi - September 25 2005 - 4:20 PM) |
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The 30 Million Point Mark has been reached after the extension of the Maximum Attack Yahoo! Cup. Because of this, all Drop Rates have now been doubled (In quests only), effective of RIGHT NOW! 
What an achievement, and well done to everyone who contributed to the total as it stands at the moment. The Cup ends on Tuesday... think it's possible for... nah nevermind ^_^ Hats off to Ragol.co.uk Forumer Sebastian who obviously never misses a Blue Burstin' Beat! |
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GameTrailers.com show off their attendance at the Tokyo Games Show in the best possible way now, as i bring to you... not really any news of Phantasy Star Online/Universe relevance, but of something much hotter!
That's right! Booth Babes and CosPlay were the meals of the days of the weekend of this years Tokyo Games Show, and you can view all the lovely hot action in one very nicely made video by GameTrailers.com TV by clicking here! But who am i to judge if you wish to watch this video or not... ^_^;;
 
 
 
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• Ladies & Gentlemen... Welcome to the Super SEGA Show! - It's the Hunters Gazette!
(Lee_yoshi - September 23 2005 - 10:32 AM) - Comments (0) |
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Whats that? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, it's the Hunters Gazette... with possibly the worst intro ever this fortnight!
The Tokyo Games Show 2005 was where SEGA shined the most this year, giving it everything they had, quite literally, with every game being revealed bigger then ever! In this fortnights edition of the Ragol.co.uk Hunters Gazette, we show you just why it was the greatest SEGA show!
 Hunters Gazette - The Super SEGA Show!
Click Here to go the the Hunters Gazette
This edition of Ragol.co.uk's finest also comes with possibly the biggest eBay listings ever... there's some great items on sale, so don't miss out! |
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Sonic Team of Japan have unveiled 6 more new characters to add to the total line-up of characters available to see in Phantasy Star Universe which is quickly nearing its release across the otherside of the world in Japan!
The first set are both Guardians alike Ethan. To the left is Licaim Nav, while to the right is Ohbell Dallgun, a man who looks like he is in quite a powerful position!
Next up are Izuma Rutsu and Dohgi Mikuna. Both of these characters are of the same class as the female newman Mirei Mikuna who acts as a Guardian Affiliate. Mirei of course acts as the communion of the Gurhal system.
Last but not least are Kanal Tomrain (Knowledgable elder) and Hal. Both of these characters will be seen later on in the gameplay of Phantasy Star Universe, categorised under the heading of 'Everyone Else'! All 6 of these characters will be revealed in more detail hopefully soon as the game nears its release, with according to SEGA of Japan's Universe website, there being only one other character left to reveal! |
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SEGA of Japan are praising the recent Phantasy Star Universe showcasing at this years Tokyo Games Show after bringing in a lot of talent and getting a lot of great feedback from the show! A new article published on SEGA of Japan's website today talks about the demo given and gives a little bit more insight into the game itself. First of all, they say that 6 people altogether can play in the online mode (The over 100 people obviously being the lobby limitations and not the game limitations, which is only 2 more then Phantasy Star Online!). At least, that's what the demo revealed.  During the games showcasing, games producer 'Good Fortune P' Tanaka and Sakai Satoshi (History Developer - Sitting from the right as pictured, left!) discusses elements of the game with Rie Tanaka (Relation to GF?) dressed as Phantasy Star Universe's Karen Erra! Nice ^_^
Being a fan of CosPlay myself (While not participating, obviously!), let's have a look at how she compares. You decide, because i can't help but have gazes of interest: 
Rie also has her own website with her own personal history of work, obviously working closely with SEGA before. To see it, go to rie.bird.to (English). Not much else was said at the show that you shouldn't already know (By which of course, if you don't know much about Universe, visit our super-ultra-mega-PSU info-rich article!), with the real-time gameplay on the big 'SEGA' screen being of the 6 in-game characters killing the Dragon boss. SEGA have a video of parts of the event which you can see by visiting this part of their website! Here's a few snapshots of the event in progress just to finish off:  
 
 
A great show for SEGA altogether at this years Tokyo Games Show, with there being just about 365 days til another one! Why take all the displays down? |
• Bid High! SEGA rares up for auction for charity!
(Lee_yoshi - September 22 2005 - 11:52 AM) - Comments (4) |
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Ragol.co.uk's Hunters Gazette regular, eBay Chao has been going crazy today, and can't keep this news to himself. So, demanding this be posted as news ahead and outside of the Hunters Gazette, here's what our Chao has got to say for himself...
Aparently, SEGA of Europe's SEGA City has put loads of amazing SEGA merchandise up for auction on eBay.co.uk. Why? Well it's all in the name of charity and funding!
"Later this year three intrepid SEGA employees will be packing their bags and waving farewell to SEGA HQ for a few weeks. The next time we'll hear from them is likely to be a chilly phone call from the top of Kilimanjaro.
The SEGA team scaling one of the world's highest peaks and raising money through auctions, collections and sponsorships for the games industry charity ESC. All proceeds are going to some great and wide ranging causes including funding schools in near Kilimanjaro, working with disabled youngsters in the UK and giving street children in Tanzania chance for a better life."
So in support of the games industry's charity, ESC, we command you to at least look at what's up for auction! Come on... it's all for a good cause.
Don't be fooled by the low prices, the auction's have only just started! For more information on the charity, go to www.takinages.com, oh, and our best wishes to the SEGA crew going on the climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro later this year! Certainly a more challenging way of raising money then sitting yourselves down in a bath of baked beans! All prices are correct as of 22nd September Afternoon BST. |
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According to Computer & Video Games, SEGA are to start up their very own Animation Development studio's next year!
Aparently SEGA announced earlier today that in April 2006, an all-new department created specifically for developing computer graphics will be opening up to meet the company's demand for compelling high-spec artwork used for next generation video games, aswell as being around for the animated movie business.
If you weren't aware already, SEGA is now the 3rd games company to make such a move, with both Square-Enix and Nintendo having done the same thing previously.
This is certainly interesting to see SEGA moving up in the ranks to create amazingly graphical next generation games, and also with them making a move to the movie business too, how long will it be before we see some great SEGA franchises on the big screen? Sonic the Hedgehog, and maybe even Phantasy Star Online the movie? We're one step closer... |
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 After having just a general browse around on the world wide web, i decided to pay a visit to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's website, and over on their PlayStation website, they have a very early release date for Phantasy Star Universe! If anyone's got a release date on a game, it's probabily them, and they've got it listed for a January 2006 release! If it's true this is incredibly close to the games Japanese 'Winter 2005' release, and should therefore probabily not be taken quite so seriously, as UK press has the game down for an April-ish release. Interesting stuff though. The games very brief overview can be seen on this webpage at PlayStation.co.uk.
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• One Phantastic Universe Tokyo Games Show Trailer!
(Lee_yoshi - September 20 2005 - 3:36 PM) - Comments (0) |
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Fresh from Tokyo Games Show 2005 to Ragol.co.uk Downloads Page goes the latest Phantasy Star Universe trailer, and we've got it super-sized! This amazing new 3 minute long trailer shows off much space action, while bringing the action of the 3 planets of the Graal Solar System aswell as featuring many of the newly revealed characters.
Click Here to Download this Trailer [20.68Mb - .wmv file in .zip package]
Also just to give you a little glimpse of why you should download and watch this trailer if you haven't already are a few simple snaps:
   
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• Yahoo! Maximum Attack has been extended!
(Lee_yoshi - September 20 2005 - 9:33 AM) |
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To compensate for the recent server issues, Sonic Team are extending the Maximum Attack Challenge by 1 week to give us all another fighting chance to get to that all important 30Million point milestone! If we get there, all droprates are doubled across all the episodes (For 1 month starting at the time the challenge finishes)!
The Yahoo! Cup finishes on Tuesday September 27th at 3am. This nice find was uncovered by Ragol.co.uk Forumer Sebastian! |
• Tokyo Games Show Universe Characters & Online Explosion!
(Lee_yoshi - September 18 2005 - 9:42 AM) - Comments (5) |
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What with it being Tokyo Games Show time n'all, Sonic Team have really revealed everything we've wanted to know more about with Phantasy Star Universe, and today we bring you more on new characters, and the online aspects of the game!
First up, the new characters - There's 4 in total this week:
To kick off, we've the lovely Maya Shidow, a guardian to help alike Ethan & Co. while secondly to the right, is another Cast who goes by the name of Fullyen Curtz. Fullyen is a follower of Renvolt Magashi, helping him out in his plots!
Next up are Dr. Dorson and Karam & Norphe. The Dr. part of Dorson pretty much tells you his play in the game, who you'll encounter a few times throughout the play of the game, not just in the doctoring field. Karam & Norphe are a more seen together duo encountered during gameplay of the storyline of the main game.
Now you've been introduced to another 4 characters of this big games setting, lets move you into the world you know a little better from Phantasy Star - The online parts! To start off, we've a few more snapshots from the Character Creation mode, which Sonic Team of Japan demonstrate how custom your online characters can be if you choose a more robotic lifestyle!
 
 
 
 
 
Next up for online play, Sonic Team reveal how the lobby system works. As you can tell from these snapshots, the chat bubble system is still kept from Phantasy Star Online, but with a much more colourful approach. Again alike PSO, the lobbies let you roam around freely within the main building of the planets as revealed in earlier news posts.
 
 
 
Finally, Sonic Team have shown off your personal room area's! Look at how big these places are! It's been a while since they've last mentioned anymore about how these work, but basically your room acts as your personal area where you can not only access certain menus, but you can also use to sleep, perform certain actions, and as if that wasn;t enough, you can decorate your room with wallpapers, carpets, and items which you can trade with other people and find on your journey across the landscapes of Universe in a more Animal Crossing-esque style!
 
 
 
Very Groovey! You can find all the info as always in our massive PSU article! |
• A Revolution in the Palm of your Hand!
(Lee_yoshi - September 18 2005 - 8:35 AM) |
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Friday morning and the biggest announcement everyone was waiting for finally came when Nintendo showed the world what would be revolutionising the gaming world when Nintendo release their next generation console next year.
You've probabily all seen it by now, but we've got the images to show you anyway, of the new Nintendo Revolution controller - styled in the way of a DVD remote!
 
The remote (As it stands in its current version, released at the TGS - It is still being tweaked so may look different at official release) contains the standard buttons of an 'A' button, 'a' and 'b' buttons, D-Pad, 'Start', 'Select', and 'Home' (Probabily used with Nintendo's new Wi-Fi Online Service launching later this year for NintendoDS, or to control DVD playback), and a 'Standby' button so you can switch the console on and off without leaving the chair! However what may seem a little crappy at first soon gets turned upside down as the controller also comes packed with all new 3D environmental sensors. What this means is basically when you move the controller, the same effect moves onto the game. For example if you wave the controller to the left, the effect on the game at that time will move left (E.g. Sword swipe to the left). You can move the controller all around to affect whats going on in the game! Whether you're moving left, right, up, down, or even closer and further away from the console, you've affected the game in some way or another! Thats what the blue bar on the console is all about - That is the sensor, and can sensor upto four controllers at the sametime, to make for truely great and somewhat active multiplayer madness!
The Controller could also be turned on its side to work alike a NES/SNES controller, which is what many believe could be used to play previous games from Nintendo's past which players will be able to download at the touch of a button.
If that isnt enough, well there's still more this thing can do - At the bottom of the controller is a slot that you can fit attatchments to, such as the Nintendo64-esque 'Nunchuk' attatchment which has an analogue stick you can use to control the action, while on the reverse, having a trigger button, ideal for FPS games probabily. Nintendo say that aswell as this, more attatchments will be made so they fit the gaming action perfectly.
The whole thing runs off AA batteries (Alike the Nintendo Gamecubes Wavebird Controller does now) and also comes with built-in rumble-pak styled force feedback.
So what do you think to this new way to play? Join in the discussion on our forums! |
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The Xbox360 is only 11 weeks away from its release! How do we know, well because at last Microsoft has released the exact dates their brand new console will be hitting the streets all across the world!
For us here in Europe, we'll be treated to the 2nd batch of Xbox360's, as we see the console arrive in our stores on December 2nd, while the Japanese recieve Microsofts latest thirdly on December 10th. America however gets the console for about 2 extra weeks with the machine getting a November 22nd release date! It's expected the launch games list and more will be revealed at the Tokyo Games Show in their Press Conference early tommorrow at the very start of the event! |
• SEGA @ Tokyo's Games Show & Everything About It!
(Lee_yoshi - September 15 2005 - 7:14 AM) - Comments (4) |
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 Computer hardware developer 'MSI Computers Japan' are partnering up with SEGA of Japan to help them out with their PC needs when they show off their games at this weekends Tokyo Games Show! The PC's will be used for the showing of the PC versions of Phantasy Star Universe and another MMORPG's of SEGA's entitled 'RF Online'.
 In addition to all the games and the huge booth they'll have at the Tokyo Games Show, SEGA of Japan will also be holding several big-time presentations showing off some of the things they'll be bringing to the next generation of consoles!
In shows they've named 'SEGA, the Future! SPECIAL' and 'Beat! And Groove! SEGA The Future!', the shows details what SEGA will be possible of with all these new machines! In the first set of shows, they show off the amazing graphical content possible, while the second shows off the audio possibilities (Hence the 'Beat! And Groove!').  
Aswell as this, there are also special presentations for their other main goods they'll show off in more detail to 'WOW' the audiences. However for these presentations, you'll need tickets which i believe anyone can obtain. If you're at Tokyo this weekend, below are the key times you'll need to make a note of so you know when to be at the SEGA Booth! SEGA the Future! SPECIAL 17th September, starting from 13:00 & 15:15 18th September, starting from 13:00 & 15:15
Beat! And Groove! SEGA The Future! 17th September, starting from 11:00, 12:00, 14:15 & 16:00 18th September, starting from 11:00, 12:00 & 14:15
RF Online Phantasy Star Universe 17th September, starting from 14:45 18th September, starting from 14:45
クロムハウンズ (Tentative Name) SEGA's X-Bleach Project Where do babies come from? Where do babies come from? Grand Finale
That's not all though! SEGA are supporting the NintendoDS's Download Play at the event, so if you take your NintendoDS console down to the SEGA booth, you'll be able to try out some great new games on your own hardware: - Sonic Rush
- Play through Zone 1 - Act 2 using Sonic!
- Play through Zone 2 - Act 1 using Blaze!
- SEGA's X-Bleach Project
- Where do babies come from?
- How much love can you give?
And finally... yes, there's just a little bit more (SEGA are really giving it their all at this years TGS!), you'll be able to grab some AMAZING free games merchandise at the SEGA booth, as if you didn't have a reason to go there already! For Phantasy Star Universe, they've got special 'Photon Bracelets'! Ooooooh! Check some of this great sh*t out!   
  
  
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Just a quick news post to say that for anyone enjoying the Japanese service of Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst, there will be a server downtime between the times of (September 22nd) 17:00 & (September 23rd) 22:30. This is because of a legal inspection which is aparently required after a few power surges! |
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SEGA have announced all the games they'll be showing off this weekend at the Tokyo Games Show... the Japanese equivilent of E3, and SEGA have a lot to show off! - Project Rub 2 (NintendoDS)
- Sonic Rush (NintendoDS)
- Puyo Puyo Fever 2 (NintendoDS, Sony PSP, PlayStation2)
- Super Monkey Ball DS (NintendoDS)
- Bleach DS (NintendoDS)
- Gunstar Super Heroes (GameBoy Advance)
- Sonic Riders (Nintendo Gamecube, PlayStation2, Xbox)
- Shadow the Hedgehog (Nintendo Gamecube, PlayStation2, Xbox)
- Initial D Street Stage (Sony PSP)
- Power Smash New Generation (Sony PSP)
- Sega Rally 2006 (PlayStation2)
- Phantasy Star Universe (PlayStation2)
- Ryuu ga Gotoku (PlayStation2)
- Sega Ages: Panzer Dragoon (PlayStation2)
- Sega Ages: Vol 21 (PlayStation2)
- Sega Ages: Vol 22 (PlayStation2)
- Killzone (PlayStation2)
- Shooting Love: Trizeal (PlayStation2)
- Chrome Hounds (Xbox360)
As you can see, there really is something for everyone! New games announced recently that'll also make an appearance as listed include Sonic Riders & Super Monkey Ball DS, and they'll also be showing off one of their first Xbox360 games (Chrome Hounds). What we're really interested in though is of course Phantasy Star Universe, which will be in a playable form at the event. If anyone is going to the TGS after going to this years E3, then you'll be pleased to know that the version of Universe on show is different to the E3 playable demo... lucky b#?%#rds. |
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Sonic Team of Japan may be busy at the Tokyo Games Show this weekend, but some people are still hanging around at the Blue Burst offices, getting ready to add more great quests and events onto the servers for all the hungry Japanese Blue Bursters on September 20th!
 
Back to the seaside at night time as you go in search of someone elses dreams! Ignore the evil father, retrieve this young boys present which is said to be on Ragol as he saw in his... dreams? This quest is playable for 1 - 4 human players.
- Maneuvering 'Jishi' - Episode IV
 
Available as part of the 1 Player mode in Episode IV's storyline, you're to take a trip down to the lowest depths of the deserts underground, after hearing that a base is indeed in construction down below the surface from the Governor-General. Go it alone in this adventure that really questions your fighting skills. What awaits you at the end?
- Autumn Leaf Lobby Decorations
It's that time of year again when the leaves turn orangey brown, and then fall of the tree's, only to end up being rustled by you and your fellow hunters feet as you hustle your way through the lobbies and levels! That's right... Autumn is here! |
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  If you're a SEGA City citizen, SEGA of Europe's newest hotspot, then there are 6 'new & exclusive' Phantasy Star Universe snaps for you to check out! However after looking through the few available, if you regularly check out our new screenshot news posts, you'll only find about 2 new ones, which you can see thumbnails of beside this post!
We're only showing you thumbs of them though, because we respect & love the city of angels! If you want to see them up close and personal, you'll need to go to SEGA City. |
• Universe Interview - New Bits Revealed! Plus... More Phantasy Star?
(Lee_yoshi - September 12 2005 - 11:52 AM) - Comments (2) |
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The Tokyo Game Show is nearing, and for everyone who goes to the public show, there may be a chance for you to get hands on with the latest version of Phantasy Star Universe! With that said, IGN has gone to Japan to get in on the Japanese TGS action. They went early though and made a few stops to TGS - With one of those stops being at SEGA of Japan, being able to grab an interview with the Creative Manager of Sonic Team, Takao Miyoshi, who knows everything of everything so far in the Universe! Here's a few interesting tidbits revealed:
"IGN: Moving on to gameplay, what is the most important change you made to Phantasy Star Online when creating Phantasy Star Universe?
Miyoshi: The biggest difference that we made for PSU concerns the lobby structure. The structure in PSO was just a lobby where you would go to chat with other members, but in PSU we've created an entire city whose sole purpose is to meet up with other people and to communicate. In a way it feels like a MMO (massively multiplayer Online game) where you have a city with tons of people roaming around, exchanging items, chatting and hooking up with parties to go on quests or head out to dungeons."
Aparently the amount of people you'll be able to play with online at any one time will be at least 100, with all the lobbies... or cities as they're now known and styled in Universe divided into several floors, which you can travel between using escalators and lifts! The 1st floor is a meeting place (Maybe alike a park), 2nd floor being more transportation orientated (With players even able to travel between planets in the lobbies/cities), 3rd floor having many shops, and the 4th floor holding the Guardians Headquarters (So the interview reads).
Also uncovered is more of a reason as to why Phantasy Star has moved platforms to PlayStation2. Aparently when Phantasy Star Online was developed for the next generation of consoles (Current now, i.e. Gamecube & Xbox), it was made with the Nintendo Gamecube in mind, with that console also being selected as Sonic Teams main focus of development. The Xbox version of Phantasy Star Online is a port of the Nintendo Gamecube version. The PS2 version comes as a plot simply to reach a wider audience. Universe also has a chance to be released on the next generation consoles, but this is to be decided at a later date, with IGN being more quizzical over an Xbox/Xbox360 version of the game. If an Xbox360 version of the game is made, it is because the console is much more a success oversea's then it is in Japan.
The release date is still undecided (Possibly a Christmas release!), and the PlayStation2 and PC versions of Phantasy Star Universe will hold all the same resources and elements of gameplay. Saying this the PC version will come with a higher resolution and better graphics, while the game has been developed mainly around the PlayStation2 control system. There are no plans for the game to get any kind of proper updates after it's completed and final release, so that the two versions of the game always stay the same (Hopefully allowing for console and PC owners to play together). This means no patch updates, etc. There will however saying this, be downloadable quests, etc. when the game is released.
Gameplay-wise, all that is new that's been revealed is that there will not be a team system of any kind alike Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst, but the game will see the continuation of Guild Cards, so you can always stay in contact with your mates! Other little bits unvieled are that a new Phantasy Star title is being planned for the next generation of consoles, but everything else hasn't been decided yet (I.e. system, gameplay, etc.). Takao Miyoshi however did laugh at the IGN interviewer when he asked of a Phantasy Star Online on the Sony PSP! Oh well...
For the full interview, head over to IGN.com's article (Click Here), which also includes various images from SEGA of Japans headquarters and Sonic Team of Japans display cabinets of video gaming history on pages 3 and 4! |
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 For those who didn't realise it, yesterday was the 6th Anniversary of the SEGA Dreamcast!
Launching on the 9/09/1999, SEGA launched the Dreamcast on this something of a specially selected date, which in the end couldnt help the poor console as it lost out in the next generation wars after the release of the other games machines from Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony. 2 years after it's launch, SEGA announced that all production of the hardware had been ceased, and instead SEGA had a new strategy to focus mainly on sales of software, by selling their produce on other companies hardware.
However, the SEGA Dreamcast was anything but a failure, after bringing internet gaming around, mainly in the form of... yup, you guessed it, Phantasy Star Online!
6 years to the day... someone call 999, we've been robbed! |
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Sonic Team of Japan have been going overtime with their updates this week as far as Phantasy Star Universe unveilings go! Of course with the Tokyo Game Show so near you can hear the ticket booth doors opening and closing, SEGA have something special they'd like to get across to the public, and that is, Universe rules! In this weeks updates, firstly Sonic Team at last confirm the PC version of Phantasy Star Universe will be completed alongside the PlayStation2 version of the game (Hopefully meaning that console and PC players will be able to interact with one-another), plus we finally see the three planets held within the Graal Solar System:  
 
 
We're also treated to 2 new characters, Tonnio Rhima & Liina Sukaya: 
Liina Sukaya is another Rogue following under the order of Tylor, while Tonnio Rhima is a fellow Guardian who you encounter further along in the storyline of Phantasy Star Universe playing as Ethan. However this weeks updates also see's the opening of voice samplings! If you head over to the Official Phantasy Star Universe website (Click the Characters link), you'll be able to hear just what all the characters sound like (In Japanese!). They all sound a bit strange at first, but they'll fit in more when you play the final version of the game! Coming later on in this weeks updates are images of the SEGA & Phantasy Star Universe Tokyo Game Show booth aswell as a new movie trailer straight from the show! Watch this space... |
• Record Breaking Max. Attack - Now those were the days... It's the Hunters Gazette!
(Lee_yoshi - September 8 2005 - 6:43 PM) - Comments (0) |
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Looky Looky, it's another outstanding edition of Ragol.co.uk's Hunters Gazette! With the current Maximum Attack challenge nearing an end on the English version of Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst, i think we can all easily say that the figures are easily dissappointing. Not only is Phantasy Star Online as we know it dieing, but it doesn't even seem like Sonic Team of America are going to try anymore. However, saying this, there is one amazing side of Sonic Team that we haven't been able to experience. That side is known as Sonic Team of Japan! With every competition held on Phantasy Star Online in Japan, comes amazing prizes that get delivered straight to your door instead of your computer! Although Phantasy Star Online is showing its age now, with even the latest Blue Burst competition not getting as far as they would have liked (Although still recieving MASSIVE feedback!), there was a time when all they could talk about is PSO. I'm talking about SEGA Dreamcast days, and Nintendo Gamecube days. In this edition of the Ragol.co.uk Hunters Gazette, we take a look at what was possibly the biggest Maximum Attack challenge ever... the 3rd Maximum Attack Cup held on the Japanese version of the Nintendo Gamecube Phantasy Star Online, Episodes I & II from Janurary 2003. This competition was so successful, the developers had to extend the inital prize targets, and were so amazed with the response of the competition, they even played the game a little themselves at the end so they could thank the players themselves in-game! The numbers made it into the Guinness Book of Records for crying out loud! And i bet one reason were the prizes they were giving away... Hunters Gazette - A Record Breaking Maximum Attack! Click Here to go the the Hunters Gazette |
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Sonic Team of Japan have unvielled a little more info regarding the Rogue race which will be seen as some of the enemies you'll encounter when playing through Phantasy Star Universe.
 However, because it's all in Japanese, i can only assume it's nothing we don't already know, especialy if you've read the latest edition of our Hunters Gazette, detailing the evil side of Universe. Click Here if you haven't, or click here to go to the article detailing EVERYTHING we know regarding Universe so far now including the recent Hunters Gazette details. One things for sure, Universe is a VERY big game!
Still reading this wishing you know something new? Well we can show you what the Rogue ship looks like! Pictured left is the rogue ship 'Landeel' captained by the main man himself, Alfort Tylor. |
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The English Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst servers are currently down for maintenance for about another 2 hours (8-9pm BST). Being added incase it had slipped your mind is Challenge Mode!
Stages 1 - 5 for Episode I will be made available, with the remaining stages being added for all to complete at a later date.
If you're brand new to Challenge Mode, why not get some self-tuition in quick by reading our beginners guide to Challenge Mode here! We've also got Time Attack guides should you have a team already prep'ed and ready to roll on for super fast times in order to grab yourselves a brand new S-Rank weapon when the remaining stages are made available! All our guides can be found right here, neatly organised into the stages.
Good Luck, and Happy Hunting! |
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Of course I have! 
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