Bonkohara tweeted that they are starting to send out the Phantasy Star Online 2 Alpha Test winner emails. Check your email box and spam folders to see if you got in. If you were invited you can sign into the PSO2 Alpha Test Login site here.

A second round of emails were sent in today  (jan 24th), meaning most of us foreigners should have gotten in by now, specifically those who lost out on the first alpha test.

Sakai plans to announce the dates of when the Alpha Test 2 will start later this week.

Image Guidelines

• You must write （C）SEGA in all of your screenshots that you release to the public.
• In addition if you are posting images on a site, please write something like, “These screenshots are from “Phantasy Star Online 2 Alpha Test 2″, since this game is currently under development, the contents may not reflect the final version. Additionally, such contents may be improved upon in the future. Phantasy Star Online 2 Official Site http://pso2.jp”
• You can crop and resize your images, as well as photo manipulate them to censor the names of your character and player ID names.
• If you use the in-game screenshot feature it will automatically append Sega’s copyright text for you. In fact, please use the in-game screenshot feature because there is a function that lets you remove your name/id and interface from your screenshots.

Video Guidelines

• In your videos please add the copyright notice （C）SEGA for more than 2 seconds at the beginning and end of your video. 
• In your video description you are required to put the Japanese notice first: 「『PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2』α2テストにおいて撮影された実機動画です。開発中のため、正式版とは異なる内容であり、今後改良される可能性があります。」『PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2』公式サイト http://pso2.jp/
• In addition you can add a description like, “The following video contains footage of “Phantasy Star Online 2 2nd Alpha Test”, since this game is currently under development, the contents may not reflect the final version. Additionally, such contents may be improved upon in the future. Phantasy Star Online 2 Official Site http://pso2.jp”
• You are prohibited from altering your PSO2 Alpha Test 2 footage where you use other videos and music or change the playback speed.
• However you may modify the footage to obscure your player names and ID and append the notice as previously mentioned.
• If you are live streaming, it is recommended you get consent from other players featured in that footage before you start streaming.

Other

• When other player character names, player ID names, and chat logs are displayed in your screenshot/movie, you can either obscure them before you show it to the public or get the other player’s permission.

Japanese Requests

• One person requested PSO2 should have voice chat.

Morning! Sakai updated today. As you know, the Alpha Test 2 signup ended Jan 17th @ 18:00. He thinks you could expect emails to be sent sometime around the beginning of the week. So just be patient until they arrive.

Sakai did some play testing with the development staff last weekend. He used a laptop he purchased 2 years ago. In the first alpha test, it didn’t work, but in alpha test 2 it ran properly, though some frames were lost. (It will be interesting to see how far low the specs will go by the time the game launches.)

The Alpha Test 2 version of the game also includes the opening movie, expect to see it before the title screen and on the monitors in the Arks Lobby.

 

Fan Briefing Characters

Remember a while back where Sakai said he’d feature characters created at the Fan Briefing? Well here’s a few he picked out!

 

Hakase’s character features cute pigtails.

 

Hisui Douji’s character is a newman force who looks like a samurai.

 

Enurin’s character’s color choices are neatly organized.

 

 Opportunity’s character is very macho and unique.

 

Karin’s character, it’s the default Fonewearl with a slight color change

 

Musashi’s character “an experienced warrior”

 

Shiera’s character’s paid fine details in customizing his face.

 

DHIC’s eye accessories are impressive.

 

Jugem is a cast, her scars, sunglasses,
and skin color makes her into a cyborg soldier.

 

Rubed’s character is simple but her red military outfit is cool.

 

Peste’s character is pretty short, but he looks very interesting.

 

Fan’s costume is like a mandarin dress.

 

 

Thinker’s outfit coloring is impressive.

 

CoralXV is a pink sexy female cast.

 

He plans to show these characters on the video monitors in the latter half of Alpha Test 2.

So here’s a surprising change in store, in the previous test you were not allowed to show off any images or information until they lifted the NDA. In this test you are allowed to talk about information you discover to the public. Images, videos, and articles are OK, but there are guidelines you need to read before you do this. 

 

Drop Icons

The drop icons in Alpha Test 2 are more distinct and easier to see than before. The drop icons match the color of their respective type (striking, ranged, tech) Units and Disk drop symbols were changed to make them easier to see.

 

Weapons, Units, and General Item Icons

 

Rare Red Box icons will certainly return.

Well we can expect some activity next week. He surely will not keep you waiting like last time where we had to wait several months before people could actually play the alpha test. More details about when the test officially starts will be revealed later. See you next time!

 

Staff Favorites!

Today Bonko posted a brief recap of the news on today’s blog post. Around 500 characters were created at the Fan Briefing in which she also helped Sakai narrow down the choices. However there were a few designs of honorable mention that did not make it to today’s post.

 

 

Today Sakai talks about the Shining Blade and Shining Hearts Collaboration with Phantasy Star Universe. Shining Blade is a new Playstation Portable game coming out later this year. In addition, they are creating a Shining Hearts anime that’s expected to release sometime in 2012 by Production I.G.

 

Mistral’s “Siren Songstress Dress“

 

Xiao-mei’s “Black Tail Kempo Uniform“

 

Maxima’s “Noir” and her Caduceon weapon.

 

Lastly, the outfit below isn’t a part of the Shining Series. It’s from Project Cute, and is the 4th outfit released from the series.

PopScore

 

We’re expecting the announcement of the actual date of when the PSO2 Alpha test 2 winners will be revealed. With 50,000 people to be added, will any of us foreigners make it in?