arcade vs PS3/Xbox 360 vs PSP vs Xbox Live vs Steam versions

[joeybuddy96]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlazBlue:_Calamity_Trigger#Home_version_features
"The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions includes all content from the arcade version, along with content exclusive to the console versions."

Big list of things that were added to the Xbox 360 and PS3 version:
"New music, animations, backgrounds and a console-exclusive story mode.
Theme songs done by kotoko (Ao-Iconoclast) for the OP, Hironobu Kageyama (Omae no Tettsui ni Kugi wo Ute) for Bang's Fūrinkazan Theme, and a song by Noel's VA 'Kanako Kondou', titled 'Love So Blue', which plays at various points during story mode.
The ability to switch between Japanese and English voices.
Online multiplayer supporting up to six players, where 2 players play at a time and the remainder are able to watch the battle as spectators.
Special "Unlimited" versions of characters, which grant boss-like properties similar to the Gold and Black forms in Guilty Gear. Unlimited versions of ν-13, Ragna, Rachel, and Hakumen can be fought and unlocked in the game's single player modes, while the rest are downloadable content. In the game's European release, all of the game's characters have an Unlimited version.
Unlockable Astral Heats for all characters. Astral Heats require a full Heat gauge and the opponent to have 20% or less of their health, and can only be performed during the final round of a match (i.e. the third round of a best of three match). Successfully using an Astral Heat will result in what is known as an Astral Finish, in which the opponent is instantly defeated."
"On January 14, 2010, Arc System Works announced a downloadable patch for both the 360 and PS3 versions of the game. This patch is stated to correct several bugs, such as the odd volume glitches regarding Rachel's lightning attacks and "Omae no Tettsui ni Kugi wo Ute!" (the former being occasionally too loud, and the latter suddenly becoming very quiet when Bang is hit during the Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan). It will also update the netcode for smoother online play, and will allow players to join games which are already in progress. It will also allow system updates to be made to the game. To coincide with this patch, a second set of downloadable color packs will be released, as well as the brand-new Unlimited characters from the PSP version." It's not clear whether or not the 360/PS3 versions have the Oh No remixes.

The Xbox Live PC version:
"is a direct conversion of the Xbox 360 version, and contains cross-platform compatibility via the Games for Windows - Live service." "additional color palettes for each character can be purchased through the Xbox Live Marketplace" "Unlimited versions of Ragna, Rachel, Hakumen and ν-13 may also be purchased in favor of unlocking them through the game. Also, you are able to purchase the Unlimited forms for the other characters through the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network." This means that Ragna, Rachel, Hakumen and ν-13 can be unlocked in the Xbox Live PC version without buying the Xbox Live DLC. It is not clear from this whether or not the other characters can be unlocked without buying the Xbox Live DLC. For the 360 and PS3 versions, they could only be purchased. It's not clear whether or not the Xbox Live PC version includes the "brand new Unlimited characters from the PC version" and the "second set of downloadable color packs"whether unlockable or for purchase from Xbox Live. It's not clear whether or not the Xbox Live PC version has patch fixes, special remixes from Oh No, and other console-exlusive features from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. The one thing the Xbox Live PC version has that the 360 doesn't is the remixes from Oh No; otherwise, the 360 and PS3 versions are superior to the PC release.

Steam:
"the game was ported to Steam with its Games for Windows - Live features removed and thus the online multiplayer along with it." Apparently includes nothing more than the bare arcade version: no color pack 1 or 2, no Oh No tracks, no console-exclusive features, no Unlimited versions of any characters, no patches, and no netplay. The Steam version does have the 360 and PS3 version's Astral Heats and Japanese voice packs. The Steam version has no advantages over the Xbox Live version or 360/PS3 versions. Tell me I'm wrong.

[shirpo]

You do know cse is out on steam there is literally no reason to buy this game I only own it to support later titles getting ported to PC

[lostsomething]

Sure there is. This game is $2.50, that one is $22.50.

[The Wizard of Hok]

Reasons to buy CT:
-Story mode
-Cheap

[tricosahedron]

In the Steam version, the extra color palettes are available from the beginning, and unlimited chars can be unlocked by finishing arcade mode. In the console versions, you had to pay extra for both.

Also, the Steam version comes with the OST.

Can someone confirm whether the Steam version has "no patches"?

@Shirpoナノ: CT has quicker matches due to increased damage output, and faster special gain, which some people prefer.

[joeybuddy96]

I was trying to figure out if I should buy on Steam while it was on sale, rather than find out afterward that I'm missing out on features or that the game is broken and unplayable (like Wind Warriors--I have dozens of games that don't work without hours of patching and modding, not counting non-Steam games). The difficulty in getting the Steam Windows Live multiplayer mod to work is not possible with Win8.1 at the moment, but the Live non-steam version has it by default. I wish they'd do the same thing Dark Souls did by porting everything to Steamworks. Based on tricosahedron's comment, sounds like the Steam version has everything but Live features. I'd rather stick with something that works and that has a multiplayer base--that way the achievements are gettable--probably have to ask around to find out which platform has that available multiplayer user base (360 is my guess, based on the Live port).

[Caligo Clarus]

GFWL works fine on Win 8 if you install the latest GFWM from xbox.com. The monline community (not that one exists anymore) is the same between Xbox 2 and PC, and it is one of only 2 (iir) games ever that have cross platform play.

[joeybuddy96]

I have 8.1, not 8. Stuff that works with 8 usually works with 8.1, but otherwise I'd have to be the first person to experiment with it, which I want to avoid. What you're saying is that there is no online play at all (or that there are no people playing online, which is not something that can be patched), but others have reported that it can be enabled with a patch with Win7, but not 8 or 8.1. No one has said what the online multiplayer community is like with the PS3 version, whether there are people that regularly play online or not. From what I've read, PC multiplayer is not just low population with the Steam version, it's not available at all due to licensing or software support.

[Caligo Clarus]

I was abbreviating 8/8.1 is irrelevant, it's a rolling release OS which is why they stopped calling it "service pack 1, service pack 2, etc." like in previous Windows. The new GFWM client from xbox.com works.

Separately, online play via GFWL can be enabled with the mod I made on Win 7 (or lower), but one user said my mod doesn't work on Win 8, which I don't have so can't test. He posted an alternate method for Win 8 in the comments.

I said multiplayer is dead because no one is playing. It's cross platform vs. with Xbox 360, but players there moved on long ago too.

Long story short, if you want to play Blazblue online on PC, get the new game, not this one. Anyone who already has this game from before, can rig up online if they want, but will need to arrange matches to meetup on their friends list.

edit: I loaded up the game just now, and there was in fact 1 player waiting in Ranked Match versus.

[joeybuddy96]

Does the mod you made work with Win10? It's on sale again. I'm still interested in getting any version of the game that supports achieves of some kind, and really only interested in multiplayer if it's something required by one of the 'chieves.

[Caligo Clarus]

Probably. I haven't tried it in Win 10, but apparently GFWL still functions for people who know how to set it up, so it should still be fine.