Phantasy Star Online
Developer(s)	Sonic Team
Publisher(s)	Sega
Platform(s)	Dreamcast, PC, GameCube (PSO Ep I&II), Xbox (PSO Ep I&II)
Release date	JPN November 21, 2000 NA January 29, 2001 EU February 23, 2001
Genre(s)	Action RPG
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen (13+)
Media	GD-ROM, CD-ROM, DVD,GameCube Optical Disc
Input methods	Joystick, Keyboard, Mouse

Phantasy Star Online (PSO) is an online Action RPG title, originally released for Dreamcast in 2000. A bugfix/upgrade edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for the Dreamcast the following year. This version was also later ported to Microsoft Windows, but only released in Asia. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... Sonic Team (ソニックチーム Sonikku ChÄ«mu) is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in 1988 originally known as Sega AM8. ... This article is about the video game company. ... In computing, a platform describes some sort of framework, either in hardware or software, which allows software to run. ... The Dreamcast , code-named White Belt, Black Belt, Dural, Dricas, Vortex, Katana, Shark, and Guppy during development) is Segas last video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... The Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. ... This article is about the country in East Asia. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... North American redirects here. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Further information: Game classification Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay interaction. ... An Action-RPG is a type of computer role-playing game which requires quick action or reflexes from the player. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... A multiplayer game is a video game in which more than one person can play the same game at the same time. ... A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games into suitability-related groups. ... The ESRBs logo. ... GD-ROM is the proprietary optical disc format used by the Sega Dreamcast. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... The Nintendo GameCube (Japanese: ゲームキューブ; originally code-named Dolphin during development; abbreviated as GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the 128-bit era; the same generation as Segas Dreamcast, Sonys PlayStation 2, and Microsofts Xbox. ... For other uses, see Joystick (disambiguation). ... A 104-key PC US English QWERTY keyboard layout The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout A standard Hebrew keyboard showing both Hebrew and QWERTY. A computer keyboard is a peripheral partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard. ... This article is about the rodent. ... An Action-RPG, or action role-playing game is a type of computer and console role-playing game which requires quick action or reflexes from the player. ... The Dreamcast , code-named White Belt, Black Belt, Dural, Dricas, Vortex, Katana, Shark, and Guppy during development) is Segas last video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... Phantasy Star Online ver. ... The Dreamcast , code-named White Belt, Black Belt, Dural, Dricas, Vortex, Katana, Shark, and Guppy during development) is Segas last video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... Windows redirects here. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ...

Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II was later released for Nintendo GameCube and Xbox in 2002, featuring a whole new Episode II alongside with the original Episode I. Consequently, Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution was released for Nintendo GameCube in 2003, including a sole new Episode III with a changed gameplay formula, in the form of a card game. And in turn, Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst, a port of the Xbox version, was released for Microsoft Windows in 2004 through digital distribution, featuring both Episode I and Episode II, and adding a new Episode IV, NPCs, quests, team system and server-side saving system. Bold text Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox. ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... The Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. ... now. ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... Windows redirects here. ... Digital distribution (Also known as digital delivery) is the principle of providing digital information and content over the Internet in the form of products or services. ...

The Phantasy Star Online titles are a sub-series of Sega's Phantasy Star series of games that began in 1987. With the exception of Episode III, the PSO games themselves are simple hack and slash type role-playing games where the player slays monsters, levels up, buys new equipment, etc. The online Phantasy Stars differ from the previous games of the series by offering a real-time -- rather than turn-based -- approach to combat and seamlessly integrating this with the exploration/plot development aspects of the game. This article is about the video game company. ... Phantasy Star (Japanese: ファンタシースター) is the most famous RPG series by Sega. ... HACK/slash is the name of a graphic novel from Devils Due Publishing. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... Phantasy Star (Japanese: ファンタシースター) is the most famous RPG series by Sega. ...

Phantasy Star Online

Communication system

Phantasy Star Online PC boxart

Communication between players is achieved via a combination of direct 2-line text entry, Symbol Chat and Word Select. As PSO servers support international co-operative play, the Symbol Chat and Word Select features encouraged players to attempt communication with others, regardless of language. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x970, 156 KB) This is the cover art for a video or computer game. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x970, 156 KB) This is the cover art for a video or computer game. ...

Symbol Chat allows the player to define a collection of symbols within a speech bubble, in order to convey an emotion or simple instruction. These symbols could then be invoked via a player-defined shortcut, or accessed via an in-game menu.

Word Select acts as a limited phrasebook, allowing sentences to be constructed through a hierarchy of menus. Once complete, a sentence is automatically translated into the configured language of other nearby players, thus bridging the language gap encountered in cross-cultural multiplayer games. (Word Select was removed in Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst)

Keyboard users can also trigger a number of gestures anywhere in the game by holding down the Alt key and pressing any letter, number or function key. Holding down the Shift key at the same time allows players to perform the gestures of the opposite sex, but only while they are in the Online Lobby. For gestures in computing, see mouse gesture. ... A function key is a key on a computer or terminal keyboard which can be programmed so as to cause an operating system command interpreter or application program to perform certain actions. ...

The Xbox version (Episodes I & II) also allows voice communication via Xbox Live headset. Xbox Live is a subscription-based online gaming service for Microsofts Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. ...

Modes of play

The first two episodes of PSO (excluding the original Dreamcast version prior to the Ver. 2 revision disc) offered the following game modes:

• Normal Mode

This is the plot-driven bulk of the game, in which a player or group of players fight through a number of levels spread over four distinct areas. Each area has a boss at the end. Upon defeating the final boss, the credits roll and in some cases, an extra feature will be unlocked (eg. The next difficulty mode).

In addition to the main story, players can also take Hunter's Guild sidequests, which explores the lives of Pioneer 2's citizens, and further delve into the backstory behind the game. The rewards for these sidequests include a payment of Meseta for the job, the chance to explore the stories behind Pioneer 2's NPC residents, the opportunity to obtain special weapons that can't be found anywhere else (such as the Yamato), and of course, whatever weapons, experience, and Meseta you can get while fighting on these missions. A side-quest, in RPG-genre video games especially, is a smaller mission within a larger storyline. ... A non-player character is a fictional character in a role-playing game whose role is generally created and performed by the gamemaster. ...

In all editions of Phantasy Star Online, normal mode is available to play at four different difficulty levels. Normal is available from the start, while Hard, Very Hard and Ultimate become available once the final boss has been defeated on the previous difficulty. This does not apply to Blue Burst and online play in Ep I & II; instead, there is a specific minimum experience level required to join or create a game for each episode or difficulty level that is different in Ep I & II (eg. Players may not join or create an Ultimate game on Episode 1 unless they have already attained Level 80)

Blue Burst breaks down the main story into separate missions, accessed via a special desk in The Principal's Office or Lab. Each area of the game is divided into 3 or 4 missions that must be completed to progress the story. Items such as weapons and techniques are awarded after certain missions are completed. Other players are able to join the mission at any time, even if the mission is in progress or finished. The final mission in each area is a standard run through the area's levels to the boss battle, essentially 'clearing' the area and unlocking the next one (in the same style as previous incarnations of PSO).

• Challenge Mode

Challenge mode sets all participants to a set level with set equipment at the beginning of each mission (lasting only until the end of the mission), and requires the team to reach a predefined goal in a series of specially-designed levels that are modified versions of areas seen in Normal mode. The aim is to complete the missions in the shortest time possible. New level objects can include laser barriers, buttons, and so on, and sometimes strategically placed enemies/types of enemies. If anyone on the team dies, then the challenge is immediately terminated and the team is returned to the Hunter's Guild, so teamwork is essential if the levels are to be completed successfully. Everyone starts with a 'Scape Doll' revival item in their inventory, enabling them to die once without consequence (the harder the stage, the more scape dolls you get). Once all stages have been completed, players are given a rank based on their total time, with "S rank" being the best. If they achieve this, players are awarded rare weapons which can be customized with an 8-letter name which precedes the weapon's type ("*CHOSEN NAME*SABER", "*CHOSEN NAME*CLAW", et cetera). Challenge Mode is available for Episodes 1 and 2.

• Battle Mode

This is a deathmatch mode. In this mode, players are permitted to attack each other. A team may play while being able to attack allies (as well as monsters) to create their rules, or they may play one of several predefined sets of battle rules. Deathmatch (abbreviated DM) is a widely-used gameplay mode very well integrated into first-person shooter computer games. ...

• 1 Player Mode

Exclusive to Blue Burst, this mode essentially allows Blue Burst players to play the offline mode online, complete with Episode I & II's side story quests (Blue Burst lacks a true offline mode). As of July 27th 2006 there are two 1-player quests available for the Blue Burst-exclusive Episode 4; "Black Paper's Deal" (requires the 'Photon Crystal' item to complete) and "Pioneer Spirit".

• Additions to Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 and 2 Plus (GameCube)

1.'Central Dome Fire Swirl' is available offline in Episode 1

2.The GBA downloads in 'The Fake in Yellow' in Episode 1 are now available offline

3.'Seat of the Heart','East Tower' and 'West Tower' are available offline in Episode 2.

4.The Episode 2 Challenge Mode is now available offline. Users who have the original release of Episode 1 and 2 can only play Episode 2 Challenge Mode while online.

Fictional timeline

• After Unification War, (A.U.W.) 3060 - Endless warring on the homeworld of Coral is so devastating to the environment, it becomes uninhabitable. The Alliance of Nations, a group of 10 of the most powerful nations on Coral, bands together to plan a mass exodus to another planet. The search for a suitable world begins, and an intricate plan known as the Pioneer Project is mapped out to construct a hyperspace vessel to transport colonists to their new home.

• A.U.W. 3068 - Out of the countless unmanned probes sent into space to search for an inhabitable suitable new world to colonize, only one finds a suitable match. The Alliance of Nations names this new world "Ragol" and the construction of the first of the colonization vessels, Pioneer 1, begins. The main purpose of the maiden voyage of Pioneer 1 is research and planetary trailblazing.

• A.U.W. 3076 - Pioneer 1 takes off for Planet Ragol.

• A.U.W. 3077 - Pioneer 1 lands on Ragol. The scientific research team investigates the planet's surface, and deems it to be suitable for colonization. Construction begins on the preliminary habitat foundation, and the Central Dome is set up as the headquarters for the budding colony. Rico Tyrell is assigned to the Surface Exploration Team , which is in charge of survival planning and terraforming opportunities.

• A.U.W. 3081 - The Alliance of Nation's power base continues to weaken due to the unending wartime carnage on Coral.

• A.U.W. 3082 - Construction of the Central Dome and the fortification of the surrounding colony area is completed. The colonists contact the homeworld, and send the message to clear the second colony ship to head out for Ragol. Also during this year, Heathcliff Flowen, the Deputy Commander of Pioneer 1 's military forces, mysteriously disappears, and is declared dead by the military command.

• A.U.W. 3083 - Upon receiving the transmission from Pioneer 1, Pioneer 2 is launched for Ragol. An alarming number of violent outbursts increases near the Central Dome amongst the local wildlife, including new forms that are unknown to homeworld scientists. Rico Tyrell and her companions are the first to form the Hunters, a self-defense group that seeks to find the cause of these incidents and to ensure the safety of the colonists.

• A.U.W. 3084 - Pioneer 2 enters orbit around Planet Ragol. However, just as the ship makes contact with the Central Dome, an enormous explosion occurs within the Central Dome itself. After teleporters are installed on the planet's surface, the Principal sends the first round of Pioneer 2 's Hunters to investigate the surface of Ragol. (Episode 1 begins)

Offline vs online play

Despite the 'online' in the title, all games in the Phantasy Star Online series except Blue Burst may be played offline, allowing the player to develop their character between online sessions, although at a lessened rate. Some versions (PSO Episodes I&II) also support split-screen offline multiplayer modes, but these suffer badly from reduced clipping distances, awkward camera movement, and in some cases, the inability to finish certain sections of the game (sometimes, a team cannot get to the end of the game without already having been there). The Xbox version of PSO Ep. I&II requires the user to have an Xbox Live gamertag to play the game, both online and offline. The gamertag does not need to be active though for offline play. In telecommunication, the term off-line has the following meanings: 1. ...

Cheating

Unlike most MMO games, all versions of PSO before PSO Blue Burst store the player's character, inventory and other information locally on a memory card or similar storage device instead of on a server controlled by the game studio. This method of saving is required to allow the player to play offline with the same characters. This makes the player data more easily accessible to hackers, and as a result, cheating is much easier in PSO than in a conventional MMO game.

Phantasy Star Online ver.2

Phantasy Star Online ver.2 Dreamcast boxart

Phantasy Star Online ver.2 is a video game that was released for the Sega Dreamcast and PC on 6 July 2001 in Japan, on 24 September 2001 in North America and on 1 March 2002 in Europe. This game was intended to be released as a patch for the initial Sega Dreamcast release, Phantasy Star Online. Namcos Pac-Man is one of the most popular video games ever made. ... The Dreamcast , code-named Dural, Dricas and Katana during development) is Segas fifth and final video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. ... A stylised illustration of a modern personal computer A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... North American redirects here. ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... In computing, a patch is a small piece of software designed to update or fix problems with a computer program or its supporting data. ...

Online capability

Phantasy Star Online ver.2 allowed users to connect to the internet via SegaNet and on either an OEM 56k modem or the BBA (Broadband Adapter). When the SegaNet servers were terminated in June of 2003, all SegaNet subscribers/PSO users were stripped of their medium to Phantasy Star Online. SegaNet was a short-lived internet service operated by Sega, geared for dial-up based online gaming on their Dreamcast game console. ... Original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, is a term that refers to containment-based re-branding, namely where one company uses a component of another company within its product, or sells the product of another company under its own brand. ... 56K modems are analog modems capable of speeds near 56 kbit/s when connecting to a service that has a digital connection to the phone network. ... For other uses, see Modem (disambiguation). ... In information technology, a server is an application or device that performs services for connected clients as part of a client-server architecture. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In retaliation, dissatisfied gamers began hosting Phantasy Star Online ver.2 via independent servers. This article is about gamers - people who play games. ...

Contrast

The second version of Phantasy Star Online functions as either an expansion, or a stand-alone game for the Sega Dreamcast. Expansion can have several meanings, including: In physics: Expansion of space In computer hardware: an Expansion card In computer programming: In-line expansion In computer gaming: an expansion pack See also: Wikipedia:Requests for expansion This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... AStand-Alone program is any program that can run without being installed. ...

In contrast to the first release, ver.2 offers many new features:

• The maximum character level was increased from 100 to 200.
• An online battle mode with several different rule variations was added.
• A challenge mode was added, requiring players to work together as a team to solve each area. If the player finished all nine stages under a certain time limit, they were given the opportunity to choose a weapon and name it.
• An "Ultimate" difficulty was added with considerably stronger monsters than the previous three.
• The addition of many new weapons with considerably higher stats in contrast to their Ver.1 counterparts. It was very difficult to do substantial damage to Ultimate level monsters with the older weapons online.

Server Termination

Although the US servers were terminated in 2003 the European and Japanese servers were still online, in fact SOJ even told users it would want their users to play forever announcing the Japanese servers will stay online "forever", a few months after this announcement SOJ announced they will be terminating their servers for all consoles on April 1st 2007. However, the termination didn't go as planned. The server went offline then back online a few times before finally being taken offline.^[1]

Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II

Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox in 2002. An online hack and slash RPG, its focus is online gameplay rather than storyline. Offline mode is also available, for single player and multiplayer. Multiplayer split-screen mode can be played with up to 4-players, though the framerate and visibility range is much lower than offline single-player and online modes. Playing online on Xbox requires an active Xbox Live Silver account. Check Phantasy Star Online on "See also" for more details. Namcos Pac-Man is one of the most popular video games ever made. ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... The Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation. ... HACK/slash is the name of a graphic novel from Devils Due Publishing. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Xbox Live is a subscription-based online gaming service for Microsofts Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles. ...

As of April 1st, 2007, the online servers for the GameCube release of Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II have officially been shut down.

As of April 1st, 2008 the notice that on April 30th, 2008, the online servers for the X-box release of Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II will close was given. source

Changes

Aside from the new areas, there were many changes made from this game's Dreamcast iterations.

• Three new character classes were added.
• Several aspects of the game such as weapons, armor, and enemy stats were significantly re-balanced.
• The amount of experience points needed from levels 1 to 200 was significantly reduced.
• Other classes outside Force cannot use Grants and Megid unlike the Dreamcast version.
• Four new areas were added.

Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus

Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube on November 27, 2003 in Japan and on September 15, 2004 in North America. An online hack and slash RPG, its focus is online gameplay rather than storyline. Offline mode is also available, for single player and multiplayer. Multiplayer split-screen mode can be played with up to 4-players, though the framerate and visibility range is much lower than offline single-player and online modes. Check Phantasy Star Online on "See also" for more details. Namcos Pac-Man is one of the most popular video games ever made. ... The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendos fourth home video game console, belonging to the sixth generation era. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... North American redirects here. ... HACK/slash is the name of a graphic novel from Devils Due Publishing. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Improvements and additions not in the Dreamcast and PC versions of Phantasy Star Online

This installment of PSO features an entirely new episode that includes 5 new regions to explore: Temple, Spaceship, Central Control Area (consisting of the Control Area, Jungle, Seaside and Mountain), Seabed, and Control Tower (Control Tower is available in Online mode and in the offline Episode II Plus version quests). This installment also adds 3 new character class/race combinations, many new items, many new creatures, and some added cheat protection (however, cheats and glitches were still found and exploited, rarely being addressed by Sonic Team). You can also play online with the Gamecube if you have a broadband adapter or modem adapter. Data between the previous Gamecube version and the Plus version is completely (and instantly) transferable. Sonic Team (ソニックチーム Sonikku Chīmu) is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in 1988 originally known as Sega AM8. ...

Differences Between Phantasy Star Online I & II and the Plus Version

Early in the effort to run unsigned code on the GameCube, people found that when playing PSO and connecting to a server using the GameCube Broadband Adapter (one of the very few games that use this technology), a regular PC could be made to pretend it was a server, thus fooling the game. After making the connection, data could be streamed back to the GameCube. Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus was released to fix this problem. The other incentive to getting this version was the inclusion of exclusive content in the disc, while beforehand this data was only in a downloadable form. Also, the East Tower and West Tower quests for Episode II was added in the Plus version. In the normal version, those quests were only available online. Bold text Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox. ... The Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter (commonly known as the GameCube BBA) is a broadband modem for the Nintendo GameCube console. ...

Phantasy Star Online Episode III

It has been suggested that Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

See main article: Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution

Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... now. ... now. ...

Phantasy Star Online Episode IV

Episode IV was exclusively designed for PSO: Blue Burst, only available on the Windows operating system. Episode IV features brand new enemies, maps, and items, in addition to those included with previous episodes. The new maps include Crater Routes, Crater Interior, and Subterranean Desert. Like other Blue Burst episodes, the normal mode has a series of plot-driven missions to work through, as well as some exclusive Hunter's Guild quests.

Episode IV is notable for being slightly less difficult than the other chapters of Phantasy Star Online. This is due to the addition of new, easily obtainable weapons and items that drastically boost the player's performance.

Version list

¹ Demo included on January Issue of PC Gamer (UK) is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 61st day of the year (62nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

² Contained a serious item duplication bug, fixed in ver 1.1 in Japan, and discovered before the North American and European versions were mastered. Owners of the older version have been able to ask Sonic Team to send them the updated version since 2002-11-25. [1] Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

³ The GAME retail group had an exclusive deal, allowing them to distrbuite the game from the 11 June 2004 in the United Kingdom. In other European countries it was released on a different date, and sold everywhere from the very beginning. is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

⁴ Episode IV expansion pack included with the North American and European versions of Blue Burst

Server shutdown dates

• Phantasy Star Online Ver. 1 and 2 (US) - 31 October 2003
• Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution Trial Edition - 15 September 2003
• Phantasy Star Online/Phantasy Star Online ver. 2 (North America) - 1 October 2003
• Phantasy Star Online (Microsoft Windows) - January 2004
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II ver. 1.0 - 26 March 2004 [2]
• Phantasy Star Online Ver. 1 and 2 (PAL & JP) - 2 April 2007[3][4]
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (GC Ver. 1.1 and Plus Version) and Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution - 01 April 2007 [5][6][7]
• Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst (US) - 31st March 2008
• Phantasy Star Online (Xbox JP) - 31st January 2008
• Phantasy Star Online (Xbox US) - 30th April 2008 12am PST

• Presumably the official servers for the Dreamcast version of Phantasy Star Online were to be shut down when the servers were officially closed. However, the Dreamcast servers were still accepting connections, except the connections would be dropped after some period of inactivity. Those servers were shut down on April 1, 2007, no longer accepting any connection, the same time the servers for the Gamecube version was shut down. There is no record of this, however, it is a myth that recurs when asking those who would be involved in the running of bots on the various SEGA servers (illegally, further lessening the probability of such actually occurring).

• SEGA has terminated support for the Japanese XBOX version of Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II on January 31, 2008. This has had no effect the European PAL versions of the game, which will presumably still be up for quite some time to come.[8]

is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Free Month

A couple of months before the SEGA servers (for Phantasy Star Online for the Gamecube) were shut down, Sega had announced that they will host a "free month," which would allow all users to log in, and play for free to enjoy the last month of activity.

The specifics involved that you would not be allowed to pay for, or create a new account on their servers after January 29th. Paying on the 29th allowed one to play during the month of February.

Nearing the free month, users started to notice that the free month would be only available to those who had already paid for the month of February, requiring one to pay for one month in order to get the "free month" for free. In this frustration, one user, who remains unknown to this day, found a method to crash any user logging into the servers, which would potentially corrupt any saved data. Users were urged to not go online by many fan sites (such as pso-world) to lessen the hardware problems users would obtain when going online. The cause was resolved to be a "crash bot," which was patched later on in the free month, running on Sega of Japan's login server. The method was later leaked after the SEGA servers went down. It involves simply sending a piece of data, known to cause a crash, while logging in. For some unknown reason, the servers allowed communication of clients during the log-in phase, which resulted in all clients logging in to be affected by this piece of data. That reasoning behind the attack had caused a small uproar, leaving users wondering what kind of server allows unmonitored communication at a critical phase when logging in.

Server Rebirth

In the wake of the server shut-downs, un-official servers have arisen from the ashes Sega had left behind. Supported as Phantasy Star Online Versions 1 and 2 as well as Blue Burst. The unique thing is that these servers are free registration at no charge whatsoever (although some sites politely ask for a donation). Platforms supported are Dreamcast, Gamecube and PC (a hacked Xbox could get in). These servers are also region-free, so someone from Brazil using a GC version could be in the same server as someone from the US on a Dreamcast or PC.

External links

Official sites

• Official Phantasy Star Online homepage
• Official PSO fan site 'Minhiro'
• Official PSO Episode III Website
• Official PSO Blue Burst Website
• Official Phantasy Star Universe Website
• Sonic Team Website
• SEGA of Japan Website
• Official Private Schthack Server
• Dreamcast Onlineconsoles
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II at MobyGames
• PSUtopia - Phantasy Star Image Uploader

Fan sites MobyGames is a website devoted to cataloging computer and video games, both past and present. ...

• InfamousNugz.com - Free Hack server
• PSO World - Oldest and largest PSO Community site
• Phantasy Star Online Manual
• Phantasy Star Wiki
• Official images from PC PSO Japan and Taiwan Server 2003
• PSUtopia
• PSO Planet
• Ragol.co.uk
• PSU.it - the first Italian-language fan site for PSO and PSU
• PSOBR - the only Brazilian fan site for PSO and PSU
• PSO-Dream - Communauté Française sur PSO & PSU
• PSO Hungary - the first and the only Hungarian fan site for Phantasy Star, PSO & PSU