Hello, this is a media and information collection center for this game, which i feel will rival World of Warcraft and other key games of the past, such as AC and EQ as land mark Online games. So im trying to get more interest on these forums for this game. In fact im hoping this will be the game that will make me quit WoW. I will cite where i get some of the information and pictures from as to not totally try and rip off other peoples finds. If you have any information to add, say so.

http://www.pso-world.com/
http://www.phantasystaruniverse.com/index.php



Storyline:

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The stage is the Gurhal Star System, which consists of three planets. Each planet has its own unique culture that is formed by its inhabitant races.

The history of the Gurhal Star System is filled with conflicts amongst the different races. However, after the Final Conflict 100 years ago, a union was formed amongst the three planets. The led to the birth to the Allied Army, and ultimately to peace for the Gurhal Star System.

At this time, the 100th year anniversary of the Gurhal Star System Alliance is being celebrated. The main character, Ethan, and his sister, Lumia, were both enjoying the ceremony which featured the space fleet - the pride of the Allied Army. However, the fleet was destroyed one-by-one by an incoming meteor shower. Even the lands were enveloped in flames! In reality it wasn't a meteor shower that caused the destruction. Instead, it was a space life form that would later be called SEED whose goal was to lead Gurhal to its destruction. Invasions occurred after SEED's landing and soon darkness covered the land.

Even the Guardian Colony fell into panic when it was suddenly attacked by the mysterious lifeform. In the midst of the confusion, only Lumia remained in the rubble as the Guardians fell one by one. To save his sister, Ethan would borrow the strength of the Guardians and start out on his first life-or-death mission.

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The three planets that make up the Gurhal System are populated by humans and three other races born of the humans--Newmans, Beasts and CASTs.

Wars between the races raged for 500 years, but the races eventually settled into a moderately peaceful coexistence. But now, after a century of peace, certain devastation arrives ...

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Waber and his sister Lumia were attending the grand ceremony commemorating the centennial of the Gurhal System's Tripartite Treaty when suddenly a mysterious alien species known as the SEED launched a surprise attack. The Alliance Military's armada was completely unprepared for the sudden invasion and was all but destroyed as the ceremony's attendees succumbed to panic. In the ensuing chaos, Lumia is left behind in the rubble.

In order to save his little sister, Ethan borrows some equipment from a Guardian named Leo, and for the first time in his life, he's flung into a dangerous battle of life and death...

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Human
This is the most prosperous and important race in the Gurhal system. Humans are well-balanced and possess all-purpose skills. Since they are not weak to any one thing, humans can handle almost any job. On the other hand, they do not excel in any one particular area. Humans mainly live on Parum.

Background:
Even though Humans are the most prosperous race, their social status is not that high. At the end of the 500 Year War, each planet had a race that won the right to rule the planet. At that point, Humans simply chose to coexist with the other races. The other races did not praise humans as being the original race, but thought of them as being the "general race with poor abilities."



Newman
Newmen are the product of an effort to create a Human-based super race. They are stronger with mental abilities, but have inferior physical strength. Since Newmen are superior psychologically, they are skilled with techniques. Due to their physical weakness, Newmen lack close-combat skills. This race mainly lives on Neudaiz.

Background:
Newmen were created after Humans tried to make a super race based on themselves. Eventually the Humans succeeded in making Newmen's reaction time, thoughts, and memory process superior. To keep things balanced, their strength was reduced to be lower than the average human. Newmen have been oppressed because of the mental inferiority/physical superiority complex that Humans hold. Eventually, Humans made Neudaiz the home for both planets and both sides agreed to a nonagression treaty.
Generally, Newmen are very good at working with other people. However, they tend to be a very exclusive race. As a result of their heightened mental abilities, Newmans are able to read other people's feelings better than Humans. As such, they have a tendency to avoid contact with strangers whenever it is possible.



Beast
This race has had its genes altered to adapt to the harsh environmental conditions seen in resource mining. Their excellent strength makes them great at close-combat. On the other hand, they do not have the concentration required to properly use guns and techniques. Beasts also possess a special ability called "Nanoblast" which allows them to transform into a form with even greather strength. Beasts mainly live on Moatoob.

Background:
Beasts were originally made by Humans to mine natural resources in harsh conditions. As such, they were treated as slaves by Humans for a long time. However, Beasts were able to use their physical strength to escape from clutches of the Governing Committee. After that, Beasts began to deal in resource trade and attained equality with the other races.

Even though Beasts are well known for their warm affection towards one another, they can be very moody. As a result of their violent temperament, many Beasts are involved in illegal trading and pirating. Also, Beasts have strong bonds with family and other members of their race. Accordingly, there is a tendency for Beasts to be very open with each other. On the other hand, they have ill-feelings towards Casts after being discriminated against and placed at the bottom of the social ladder for such a long period of time.

Since Beasts are a proud, hot-blooded race, there are always fights going within the cities. Therefore, there is a law which forbids any transformation within the cities. This law has very strict punishments associated with it.



Cast
Casts were originally made to help to Humans and are currently controlled by the Parum-based Governing Committee. This race has lower psychic abilities when compared with the other races. As a result, they are not very skilled with techniques. However, Casts make up for this deficiency with high accuracy and skill with guns. They also have the ability to use gigantic "SUV-Weapons". Casts mainly live on Parum.

Background:
Casts were initially created to be used exclusively by Humans. That plan had to be altered after human rights issues arose when thought-possessing Casts were created. At the end of the Casts battle for independence, an organization was created to control the Cast race.

After this organization was established, a period of peace was soon arose. Such a period had not been seen since the Humans divided the land into several nations. However, at the height of the battle of independence, Humans statesmen talked about "the dangers of being controlled by the machines". Ironically, the opposite happened and Governing Committee (who is Human-based) was welcomed by the large majority of the people who desired peace.



SEED
The enigmatic life-form known as "SEED" suddenly assaulted the Allied Military Force's most bragged about fleet of space ships during their air show at the 100th anniversary celebration of the Gurhal System's Alliance Treaty. The SEED infestation spread out along the outskirts of the site where they landed. Their flowers started to grow tree stumps and scattering corrosion-causing pollen. The calamity caused by SEED is not only harming the soil of where it landed, but is also causing primitive life-forms to become ferocious.

Background:
When the kernels of Seed fall to the ground, they rapidly grow root-like treestumps. They then settle on to the ground, covering it. Furthermore, flower-like things bloom from these kernels. These blooms emit corrosive cells like pollen. These cells have no effect on the bodies of higher-level lifeforms like humans. The SEED core that is attached to the ground develops a special barrier called a Blume (means flower in German).

Regular weapons have no effect whatsoever on Blume. Firepower at the level of the A.M.F. is required to be able to destroy a SEED infestation. Accordingly, the Guardians developed special tools called the "Photon Eraser" and "Photon Reflector." However, even these weapons cannot directly attack the Blume. Instead, by exposing a SEED's stem (essentially its roots), these weapons can make the Blume wither. A special attack can then be launched against the real form of the SEED core. Items such as goggles can be used to discover things like stems and Photon Spots that would normally be invisible to the naked eye.