Which format for FFXIII?

Burning Eclipse

I always swore that I'd buy all multiplatform games on the Xbox 360, and yet as I'm about to order this game I find myself pausing. The disc-swapping doesn't bother me at all (in fact, I'd welcome it as a form of nostalgia), and I'm not a 'graphics whore', but there are rumblings that the PS3 version will simply look better than the 360 version. Is it wrong to want a graphically superior version?

So, which platform are you guys buying it on? And what is the deciding factor?

Retr0gamer

I'm going to hold off buying it until digital foundry do a comparison. The videos are going to be way better on the PS3 but I have a feeling that it might be the better looking game on the 360. FFXIII pumps out a lot of alpha effects and the PS3 really struggles with these while the 360 excels at displaying them. However lighting and shaders are the strong point of the PS3 and when a developer utilises these to the utmost advantage a PS3 game can look stunning. It might not be pumping out as many polygons or alpha effects as the 360 but it's hidden behind these factors, for example Uncharted 2, and the 360 really can't emulate the effect.

Sephiroth_dude

I preordered the special edition for the ps3 off zavvi.com.

Gummy Panda

What date is it out and what's in the special edition?

I'm buying it on PS3. don't think I'll order from online as I'll probably get caught up in hype and want it now. Though Star Ocean is keeping me happy.

VampiricPadraig

Deffo buying it for the Xbox.

i wasn't prepareed to buy a PS3 JUST for FFXIII

super_furry

I'm leaning towards the Xbox just because the controller is so much better. If they're comparable graphically and performance wise, it'll be the 360.

Burning Eclipse

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'm going to hold off buying it until digital foundry do a comparison. The videos are going to be way better on the PS3 but I have a feeling that it might be the better looking game on the 360. FFXIII pumps out a lot of alpha effects and the PS3 really struggles with these while the 360 excels at displaying them. However lighting and shaders are the strong point of the PS3 and when a developer utilises these to the utmost advantage a PS3 game can look stunning. It might not be pumping out as many polygons or alpha effects as the 360 but it's hidden behind these factors, for example Uncharted 2, and the 360 really can't emulate the effect.

Great reply, and just what I was looking for tbh. I won't be able to play it when it comes out due to other commitments (stupid MSc), so I don't need this on day 1.

Uncharted 2 is the best looking game I've ever played, and really highlighted the PS3 capabilities when a dev puts in the effort.

I prefer the 360 controller, vastly, and I like achievements, but even still, I want to know if this could be another Bayonetta (although obviously not as exaggerated in it's differences). Any idea how quickly Digital Foundry will have a comparison out?

Retr0gamer

Since people are waiting on this one I'd say this could be out on release day or a day after release. Trying to do my PhD thesis myself so won't have much time to play it either

Burning Eclipse

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Since people are waiting on this one I'd say this could be out on release day or a day after release. Trying to do my PhD thesis myself so won't have much time to play it either

Ouch, I can't feel too bad about the masters so

GothPunk

Burning Eclipse wrote: »

I prefer the 360 controller, vastly, and I like achievements, but even still, I want to know if this could be another Bayonetta (although obviously not as exaggerated in it's differences). Any idea how quickly Digital Foundry will have a comparison out?

Just to warn you unlike most games, you will be using the D-Pad for the vast majority of the game. I'm not sure if you have a problem with the 360 D-Pad though as so many people do.

First signs I've seen on NeoGAF point to the PS3 version being superior. That was from a comparison of Square Enix PR shots though - I'm not sure if anyone has compared the game in motion side by side like Digital Foundry will do. It's hardly going to be that big of a deal though, is it? I mean, for the most part they're going to be identical. I could say that I'm getting the PS3 version for the uncompressed sound and video, but I'd probably get the PS3 version anyway because it's the one I prefer - same way when I get Bayonetta it'll be for the PS3 as I prefer the controller.

Another thing to remember is that there's pretty much no loading screen in this game (bar when you first fire up the game) so neither console is going to have one-up on the other in that respect.

Retr0gamer

Those Square Enix PR comparison shots were actually faked by Square Enix. Naughty boys.

Mr. K

PR shots are pretty unreliable at the best of times, an unbiased comparison would be nice. Times like these make me wish Japan didn't hate 360, we'd have our comparison months if they didn't!

Burning Eclipse

GothPunk wrote: »

I could say that I'm getting the PS3 version for the uncompressed sound and video, but I'd probably get the PS3 version anyway because it's the one I prefer - same way when I get Bayonetta it'll be for the PS3 as I prefer the controller.

For the love of god no...

Bayonetta is great btw, well worth picking up. Quickly, get to zavvi. The price won't be beat!

And yup, still on the fence! Richard Leadbetter, where for art thou?

GothPunk

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Those Square Enix PR comparison shots were actually faked by Square Enix. Naughty boys.

The original ones were yes, I'm talkkng about the batch that came out after that cock-up.

Gummy Panda

Burning Eclipse wrote: »

For the love of god no...

Bayonetta is great btw, well worth picking up. Quickly, get to zavvi. The price won't be beat!

And yup, still on the fence! Richard Leadbetter, where for art thou?

that's a great price for bayonetta. Might have to bite when some of backlog is cleared.

Headshot

ill be pre-ordering it for the ps3

concerning the xbox version ,I rather not hear an airplane while playing it

Gummy Panda

What's in the special edition?

Is it a fancy box?

Burning Eclipse

Headshot wrote: »

ill be pre-ordering it for the ps3

concerning the xbox version ,I rather not hear an airplane while playing it

Why? Is your Xbox 360 in a different house, near an airport?

Headshot

Burning Eclipse wrote: »

Why? Is your Xbox 360 in a different house, near an airport?

na

the airport would probably be quieter than an xbox 360 :pac:

Mr. K

Headshot wrote: »

the airport would probably be quieter than an xbox 360 :pac:

Installing games solves that issue!

Headshot

Mr. K wrote: »

Installing games solves that issue!

no it doesnt and iv a jasper xbox 360

just a pleasure sitting down and playing my ps3 without any noise from it compared to the 360

Mr. K

Headshot wrote: »

no it doesnt and iv a jasper xbox 360

Really?! I know the noise levels vary from console to console, but mine is pretty close to silent when I install games. I assumed they'd all be like that, apparently I was wrong.

On a side note, this is my 1000th post!

Headshot

Mr. K wrote: »

Really?! I know the noise levels vary from console to console, but mine is pretty close to silent when I install games. I assumed they'd all be like that, apparently I was wrong.

On a side note, this is my 1000th post!

oh I see now

makes up lies about your quite xbox to get your 1000 post, do you not have any shame man :P

Xluna

360 by default. Probably no difference between the versions. I wish they had just made the damn thing turn based.:mad:

Creamy Goodness

ps3.

i have all current gen consoles but i just can't warm to my xbox, it's gathering dust. it's too noisy and i find the whole OS of the damn thing such a pain to use in my opinion.

but that's for another thread.

carbonkid

PS3, only new gen console i have.

Im sure it makes no difference which console you use. If i had both i guess id still get ps3 just because FF have more experience dealing with the PS platforms...but ive nothing to back that up, just a guess.

Xluna

Headshot wrote: »

no it doesnt and iv a jasper xbox 360

I've started to install games and it's silent for me.

landsleaving

Installing games helps a lot but it's still louder than the ps3 and I've a jasper. I'm running out of HD space on the 360 though, damn DLC

super_furry

Yep gotta say installing games has the console all but silent for me

GothPunk

Latest news from NeoGAF (via the guy from Digital Foundry who posts there) is that the 360 version runs at 576p upscaled to 720p, whereas the PS3 version runs at native 720p and dithering is more noticable on the 360 version. It's looking like the PS3 version is the 'superior' version if you care about this sort of stuff.

That's not taking into account the 1080p video the PS3 version has versus whatever the 360 version has - the PS3 version has something like 34GB of video so if you have an HD TV you'll probably notice a difference between uncompressed (PS3) and compressed (360).

tl;dr: PS3 version has better resolution, less noticable dithering and superior audio and video.

OT: About the 360 noise, I find that my 360 (a Jasper) is pretty quiet when I have installed a game but the power brick is quite noisy. Is that normal? Installing games is such a great feature.

carbonkid

When you guys talk about installing games on the 360 is it like with the ps3, some games install so much of the game or can you install the whole game and throw away the disc?