Viewing Thread:
"Phantasy Star Online - worth releasing here at all?"

Bear with me for a moment, this isn't just an attempt at getting my message read with a controversial topic name.

Does anyone know how much the Dreamcast Internet connectioncosts? I don't know how much 'local call rate' is as I don't even pay that for phone calls. Living in Hull under the glorious Kingston Communication I only pay 5.5p for a local call regardless of how long it lasts and it's the same for off peak net access.

I'm asking because, as an action RPG lover, I'm very much looking forward to Phantasy Star Online but I'm worried that the game will be cack as a single player adventure. If the cost when playing a game is timed like net access then there's no way I'm playing it online - but will this defy the main point of purchasing the game? Just how good can it be playing a game with 'online' in the title on you're own?

Even the few times I've tried PC gaming over the net I've just dialed a mates local number directly and spent as long as a game can last (2 hours+ on Total Annihilation) safe in the knowledge that I've spend barely 5p for the pleasure. If PSO offers the option to directly dial someone elses DC then this would be fine for me but I doubt this option has been included.

Ignore this. I'm checking to see if my name is back in capitals or not.

Apparently it's OK now. I wonder what was wrong.

On my last message I was getting an error saying that it hadn't been written properly. It suggested I removed any foul language or used fewer capitol letters.

All I removed was the link to the Kingston Communication web site and it worked. I'll try again on a shorter message. Are SR refusing to let web addresses on these boards?

www.kingston-comms.com

FantasyMeiste® wrote:
> I think you have to live in the Kingston Communications catchment
> area (Hull, basically) to get their service.

That is true I'm afraid, although the cover is expanding. So far it covers quite a bit of East Yorkshire and they are apparently looking to expand almost as far as Leeds. I don't know if that helps anyone here at all.

My ISP charges are free after 6pm (until 8am the next day) weekdays, all day weekends and only 2p/min daytime but £9.99 a month. This used to be £15 a month for no timed call charges at all - just the 5.5p. This was changed when too many people took advantage of it and stayed on all the time.

PSO does sound great and I don't want to miss out on it. What's this about Dreamkey 2? Does the 'choose your ISP' apply here?

PS Thanks for the 'good guy' comment!

PPS I think I'll stick around a bit more often in future.

PPPS The SmokedKipper WILL be back for breakfast!

I think you have to live in the Kingston Communications catchment area (Hull, basically) to get their service.

Here's the pricing:

Normal local calls. From BT, this is c. 6p/min daytime. c.1.25p/min after 6pm. c.1p/min at weekends.

BTs surftime does not apply, because that is only for various ISPs, so which Sega's is not, and can never be one (you need a download to get the offer).

Until BT make local calls free (like in America and from other companies- ionica used to di it before they became bust), it's too expensive for me to use PSO online... and that's most of the game!

Can u give be a link to the kingston comunications site? It's deal sounds v. good.

SonicRav

HE went off for a decade.

Back to the original topic here, apparently PSO will have some 50 quests that can be completed offline, and 50 online, so it should be a worthy game in the offline mode too.



meka_dragon PQMS8/00

I remember smoked_kipper, he's one of the good guys.

Well doesn't anyone remember smoker_kipper? HE used to come here more often!