The Enhancement Pack

*drumroll please*

After a good sixth months of tinkering, I'm pleased to announce that the PSO Ver.2 Enhancement Pack is complete!

The pack is available for both PC and Dreamcast. For PC, there is a patch available in the PC downloads section of my site. For the Dreamcast, I have compiled a new disc which has the EP as well as the Offline Map Pack. A Torrent is available in the main downloads section of the site.

The Enhancement Pack makes multiple changes to the game; here are the main categories:

1. New Drops: The drop rate modification is included to fix the terrible chances of getting 90% of the items in the game. Now all drops should be obtainable, and some drops have been shuffled around from one location to another, as well as some drops being removed from the charts so that those items can be used as quest rewards. A chart of the new drops is available on my site.
   
2. Ludicrous Mode: Ultimate mode has been increased in difficulty, so that even when characters have maxed their stats and have good equipment, the enemies still put up a fight. The Ludicrous enemies are significantly more difficult than their Ultimate counterparts, so low level players may not want to use the EP until they are strong enough to not get killed. A general list of requirements for surviving Ludicrous mode is ~700+ base ATP, 20%+ rare weapons, 500+ HP, and Shifta/Deband/Jellen/Zalure 14+. Such stats would allow characters to survive Ludicrous Forest, though they would get 1 hit KOed by critical hits. If playing in a team though, it would become much easier to survive, especially if Forces and droids were present to provide Technique and trap support.
   
3. Revised Item Statistics: The stats on many weapons, armour, shields, and units have been altered. The drop mod allows for previously unfindable rares to be obtained, but many such weapons are from Ver.1 and consequently were designed by Sega to be effective in Very Hard mode. These weapons have been upgraded to work in Ludicrous mode, and many of the lackluster Ver.2 weapons have also been improved so that they are useful as well. Some shields have had their level requirements changed, and many units have also been improved. A list of the new item statistics is available on my site.
   
4. Fixed Item Text (PC Only): Sega gave many item names typoed names as well as several items erroneous descriptions; since PSO PC uses the same format as BB for its item text, I was able to rebuild the text file to fix many of these errors. Since the item stat mod also changed some weapon specials and item requirements, these changes are also reflected in the new item descriptions. Unfortunately there is no tool to edit and rebuild the Dreamcast's text file, so no changes have been made to its text.

A note: the contents of the pack are separate modifications to drops, enemy statistics, and item statistics, but they are all designed to be used together. I specifically designed the patches with this in mind, and I do not condone people attempting to install only some of the EP. I realize that I have no power to stop anyone from doing so, but I ask that if you want to use it, please honour the spirit of my work and install either the whole thing or don't install it.

I have long awaited the chance to make these kinds of changes to PSO and be able to, in my eyes, improve its gameplay. I do not claim that these changes will be perfectly balanced (for one thing, the drops are easier than I had imagined), but I do think that they will make PSO Ver.2 more enjoyable. I also do not expect these changes to make people flock back to the game; I merely hope that they will make it more fun for those of us who still like it. That being said, I hope that the fruits of my labour will bring at least a few people other than myself some happiness.

One final note:

Spoiler:

Yeah!

Man, you're just on a roll with the awesomeness today.

I know I said I'd never switch off of v1 for the DC, but now I'm tempted to.

Congratulations on finishing something you've been laboring on for the longest time! Must feel great. ^_^

Indeed. I just did my first run of Ludicrous Forest. n.n I would post screenshots, but I'm uploading the Dreamcast image. Pray that this works and my DSL doesn't retrain. D:

*edit*

The Dreamcast image has been uploaded.

*installs everything but the enemy buffs*

Nah i wouldn't do that really. Not going to until i reach about level 110, because i still struggle with ult forest (partly because i havn't found any red handguns with nature %s). If i were to install the patch, i'd have to revert to very hard mode; and i believe you didn't alter the enemies there am i right?

EDIT:

Any word on the increasing item %s feature for quests? And will this allow you to put % hit ratios on weapons without a % for that stat? it just doesn't show up on the item menu for most weapons, whereas it should just show 0%.

If you can't handle Ultimate Forest, don't install the patch yet. Ludicrous Forest is akin to Ultimate Ruins. In a team you can handle it at lower levels, especially if you have a Force, but alone you'll get raped.

As for the shop quest, see this topic.

Aleron Ives wrote:If you can't handle Ultimate Forest, don't install the patch yet. Ludicrous Forest is akin to Ultimate Ruins. In a team you can handle it at lower levels, especially if you have a Force, but alone you'll get raped.

As for the shop quest, see this topic.

Well i wouldn't say 'struggle' exactly... i meant it is just harder than it should be at my level. Ult caves is actually easier than forest for me because i have a red handgun with 35% A.Beast to work with. Plus those Monests and hildebears (can't remember what the ult one is called) you can take a lot of damage. But the enemies on caves are relatively straightforward. Ludicrous mode is a no go for me for a while then.

I might back up the files and install the patch just to try it out

What do the modem and Power VR do? I'm guessing they're mag cells, and if that's the case, modem is probably for Dreamcast, but PSO world didn't have any info on them (in the items database at least).

Join parts I'm curious about too, but if I recall correctly, they had something to do with the Lavis Cannon?

Or are they all going to be used in a future quest? I'm excited any way it's put.

On GC Sega decided to dumb-down the system evolution process. On Ver.2, you actually get the CPU's and other components of each system to evolve them.

Glory in the Past -> Mark III + Sound Source FM -> Master System + Parts of "68000" -> Genesis + SH2 -> Saturn + SH4 + Modem + Power VR -> Dreamcast. The Power VR is the Dreamcast's graphics chip. That's why all the textures are .pvr.

Joint Parts was rumoured to be the necessary instrument by which you could transform a Lavis Blade into a Double Cannon and fuse Handgun:Guld and Handgun:Milla into a Guld Milla. I decided to honour that old rumour, so you can use it for that purpose.

When online, the drops are dictated by the party leader correct?

So a mixed party of ludicrous/ultimate mode users means that even though the enemies vary in stength, the drops are still the same right (i.e. depending on what mode the party leader is using)?

Just curious as to whether i should start playing online again. Levelling up is so slow offline (and it gets boring, i normally get halfway through forest 2 and decide to quit game lol)

Yes, drops are created by the team leader, so even if you don't use the EP you can leech drops from other players, assuming they want you to join. If you're using Ludicrous mode so that the enemies aren't so boring anymore, you probably don't want non-EP users in your team because they'll be able to destroy the enemies at normal speed. x.x It's more noticeable in Forest and Cave, of course.

I'll install it!... As soon as I beat Ultimate!... Which will take forever!
Edit- *gets shot for necropost*

hey Ives are you sure that I have the right requirements to survive Ludicrous mode because I have about 850 base ATP, Lv 15 S/D, and a 25% Native Stag Cutlery and yet, I still can't do any damage to any enemies on Ludicrous mode

what am I missing?

EvilMag wrote:hey Ives are you sure that I have the right requirements to survive Ludicrous mode because I have about 850 base ATP, Lv 15 S/D, and a 25% Native Stag Cutlery and yet, I still can't do any damage to any enemies on Ludicrous mode

what am I missing?

I'm not sure if the EP drastically increased the Stag Cutlery's ATP, if it didn't, don't use that weapon in ult, at least not with those stats. If you had a higher base ATP and higher monster percents, it would be more effective, but the stag pales in comparison to the other rares you will find like the Red Handgun and Imperial Pick. And I find that the enemies attack too fast in ult for a double saber to be effective, you would need a God/Battle, then step into an attack 1-2 steps away from the enemies to give yourself more time without being hit.

But then again, if the stag is your best weapon to deal damage with in forest, you may need some help from a force to get started. Red Handguns are pretty easy to find, if you can get a force to help you with a few forest runs, you are bound to come across one.

EvilMag wrote:hey Ives are you sure that I have the right requirements to survive Ludicrous mode because I have about 850 base ATP, Lv 15 S/D, and a 25% Native Stag Cutlery and yet, I still can't do any damage to any enemies on Ludicrous mode

what am I missing?

Zalure, lol. With Zalure you would do damage. I was able to hurt enemies with less ATP than that, so 25% should be fine. However, I would recommend upgrading to 30% if you want to maximize your potential.

@ Gilgamesh

I upgraded all Ver.1 rares that are unique, i.e. everything except the basic rares like Club of Laconium, DB's Saber, and the other "rare" weapons that drop tekked and use the basic models. Stag Cutlery is strong enough to do damage in Ludicrous mode. (I use one on both my RAmar and my RAcast.) I am able to do damage with a 30% Stag Cutlery on my RAmar, and he has about that much ATP, but it's not very effective. It works much better on my RAcast, since he has so much more ATP. I've still got almost 200 ATP to max my RAmar, though...

well I guess until I improve on my Zalure, its best to spam Rafoie on the Bartles

...Haven't you bought level 14 from the shop yet?

still have like lv 8 Zalure xD trying to improve on it

sometimes the shop doesn't want to sell it

Does this make it harder for a cast to solo?

I think it might be impossible unless you have an S-rank that has Zalure Special on it

Gilgamesh76 wrote:Does this make it harder for a cast to solo?

...That's odd, I never saw this reply. Silly forumotion.

It's easy for droids to solo if you have the right equipment. I sped up the rate of PB/Create so if you use two of them, you can use Mylla & Youlla quite frequently. I also enabled S-Red's Blade for Rangers, so RAcast and caseal have access to low level S/D always, and I let everyone use Prophets of Motav for low level J/Z. As long as your weapons have percentages, you do just fine.

It recently came to my attention that the DCISOZone link has disappeared, and rather than go to the trouble of trying to upload the image again, I've instead created a Torrent for it. If you already have the EP .zip file, please help seed! The .torrent is in the downloads section of the site.

Does the Enhancement pack include the Resistance Mod? I noticed that there is no resistance mod download in the pc download section.

The Enhancement Pack has Ludicrous mode, which deprecates the Resist Mod.

Thanks Ives, my wife is starting to get pissed off doing only 80 hits with level 30 grants in the ultimate ruins (with Serena), while I do 800 hits sometimes with the Elysion (albeit with Shifta 30 and Zalure 30) (with Usagiiiii), so to even it out a bit, we'll probably switch to the EP.

You'll definitely appreciate her support in Ludicrous mode, and she should appreciate hitting 400-700 damage with her Techniques.