Steam vs PS3 version

[Zzyl_tsw]

Hello everyone,

(and yes I know a similar titled discussion exists, but it is 4 months old, and my questions are not the same xD)

Ok, so I have a PS3 ( a slim one, not modded, EU version).

I have a PC (obviously), that may be considered (um, um.. ) as old, more precisely 5 years old with : an i5 3570k (OC at 4 Ghz), a SSD, 16 Go DDR3 Ram and a GTX670 DC2 2Go.
This seems to be a bit under recommended spec (GTX770) in term of GPU.

As ToCS 1 & 2 are currently on sales on PS3 (8 and 10€ respectively), i wonder if I should buy them.

My first question would be : would someone know how it will run on my pc ?
My second : how did it run on PS3 (or what are the difference)
For info, i wont upgrade my pc before mid/ end of next year at least (waiting for next nvidia gen)

Thanks !

[Zzyl_tsw]

Ok, so from the top pinned discussion (yes, i should read more but too many sales at this period xD)

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This is a PC port done by XSEED; the games were previously released only on PS3 and PS VITA. This version will be able to run at an increased frame rate, where the console versions had noticeable slow-downs at times. This version will also have an increase of 50% extra voiced lines, taking the previously 10,000 voiced lines to 15,000! This PC version also has the 'Turbo Mode' feature, which its console counterparts are lacking.

Here is the official Trails of Cold Steel I website as created by XSEED: http://www.trailsofcoldsteel.com/cs1/
--

[Captain Deadpool]

the steam version is the better one in terms of graphiscs and in addition to the 5'000 more eng voiced line you can also get the ♥♥♥ voices

you should be able to run it with 0 problems

[Zzyl_tsw]

Thanks for the answer ,)

[devSin]

The only thing you need is a GPU that supports DX11 (which you have).

PS3 version has an older script (since they can't make updates for it), fewer voiced lines, worse graphics (though they use the same assets, PC version has arbitrary resolution support, HBAO, MSAA, options for shadow quality, quantity, and the option to eliminate distance culling), and no turbo mode.

Depending on options, you may be good for 60 fps in most areas, but you should never drop below the PS3's 30 fps (and you'll undoubtedly still be running at a higher resolution).

[Dhalsim]

Dont forget the PC version has auto saves :)

[Cold_Reverie]

Here's a bit extra from that thread. ;)

Q. What is the port quality like?

A. This is a fantastic port! XSEED has contracted Peter Thoman, better known as Durante, to handle this port. If you don't know who Durante is: Peter "Durante" Thoman is infamous for taking PC ports that are of a low or average quality and improving them substantially. He is best known for essentially 'fixing' the Dark Souls PC port.

XSEED hired him to do this port and he began his work on it this May. In his own words he stated: "In all seriousness, I fully intend for it to be the best PC port of a JRPG of all time."

You can read 3 of his official blogs regarding his work on the games-

- here[xseedgames.tumblr.com] (his first Cold Steel blog) and here[xseedgames.tumblr.com] (his second Cold Steel blog) and here.[xseedgames.tumblr.com]

In short, a few of the things this port provides are: A feature-rich launcher that provides a clear and concise explanation of what every tweakable feature does, 400 save slots laid out in a grid pattern, four options related to the quality of dynamic shadows including: shadow resolution, casting, distance, and filtering, the game's setting also fully support 30 FPS and 60 FPS and there is an option for unlimited FPS, Adjustable Field of View (FOV), anti-aliasing options affect everything, unlimited draw distance, which completely eliminates any form of pop-in, and only 2 second long loading times--at most! This port also introduced Turbo Mode to the series, which gives the option to speed up portions of the game to your liking.

And yes, an auto-save feature was also added to this version of the game after its initial release. I believe it defaults to saving every 15 minutes, but this is changable in the configuration tool, if I'm remembering correctly.

The console versions of the game ran well enough, but the PS VITA version had worse slow-downs and more noticable lag in certain places. The PS3 version ran better, but it also had occasional slow downs and lag at certain places. The console version of the games ran perfectly fine most of the time, but there is definitely some lag when there are lots of things/people on screen. This is even more true for Trails of Cold Steel II.

Another perk that PC will most likely have in the future, is being able to carry over saves to Trails of Cold Steel III and Trails of Cold Steel IV: The End of Saga. These titles will only be available on PS4, meaning you cannot carry over your save data from CS II to CS III, but if and when they get localized, they will almost certainly be ported to PC and will not have that problem.

And the one other thing in PC's favor is that all the other Trails games either are or eventually will be available on PC, with some titles only available on PC. So if you end up liking this game and want to continue the series, you're gonna have to play the others on PC anyway.

So I would personally highly recommend the PC version of this game, and all the Trails games for that matter, as the PC version of the Trails games are by far the definitve version.

[Zzyl_tsw]

Hello,

Thanks for all the answer !
I think I will then get the PC version.

For info, i know a bit the Trails Serie, as I finished some month ago "Trail in the skies FC" and have SC in my inventory list ,) when I get some time to play it ,)

[Craig78]

And if you prefer ♥♥♥ dub, thank to a mod you can have them on pc. But i prefer english voice.

[ZWabbit]

CS1 and 2 are being ported to PS4.

[chibikaji]

Originally posted by ZWabbit:

CS1 and 2 are being ported to PS4.

They are, but no word if we'll get those.

[Sugoi]

Originally posted by chibikaji:

They are, but no word if we'll get those.

Part of me wonders if they'll delay CSII's PC release to launch it alongside the PS4 versions of CSI and II in the west. It would be more efficient to do that as a coordinated marketing push, after all.

I hope not, but it certainly would make sense for raising awareness of the series.

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by Sugoi:

Part of me wonders if they'll delay CSII's PC release to launch it alongside the PS4 versions of CSI and II in the west. It would be more efficient to do that as a coordinated marketing push, after all.

I hope not, but it certainly would make sense for raising awareness of the series.

They almost certainly won't. CS II will probably be ready for it's PC release within the coming months. And Xseed usually prefer to release a game as soon as it's ready.

That and the fact that the PS4 versions of CS I and II aren't even out yet in Japan, and CS II's PS4 versions isn't coming out until the end of April. It wouldn't surprise me if CS II's PC port is ready in the next couple months. And if that's the case, Xseed wouldn't wait to release it.

Another thing is that it is very unlikely that Xseed could even bring them over until after they get released in Japan. Xseed would also have to see if there is anything that could prevent them from bringing those versions of the games over. Remember that there were PS3 versions of the Sky Trilogy, but Xseed couldn't bring those over and we know that Sony (at least Sony America, iirc?) has strict policies for straight PSP to PS3 ports that don't feature Trophies. Meaning if the PS4 ports run into similar problems, Xseed might not even be able to bring them over at all. And they certainly wouldn't delay CS II's PC port for something that might not even work out for them.

I'm also not entirely sure it would help them to announce a PS4 port and a PC port of the same game at the same time, as I think less people would buy the PC port in that case, and announcing CS I and II PS4 ports together would motivate people to buy them as it is.

(Also my optimistic theory is that they will announce Crossbell localization news when they give a release date for CS II PC, which would give them all the awareness they could hope for)

[Gearhart]

Originally posted by Cold_Steel_III:

Originally posted by Sugoi:

Part of me wonders if they'll delay CSII's PC release to launch it alongside the PS4 versions of CSI and II in the west. It would be more efficient to do that as a coordinated marketing push, after all.

I hope not, but it certainly would make sense for raising awareness of the series.

They almost certainly won't. CS II will probably be ready for it's PC release within the coming months. And Xseed usually prefer to release a game as soon as it's ready.

That and the fact that the PS4 versions of CS I and II aren't even out yet in Japan, and CS II's PS4 versions isn't coming out until the end of April. It wouldn't surprise me if CS II's PC port is ready in the next couple months. And if that's the case, Xseed wouldn't wait to release it.

Another thing is that it is very unlikely that Xseed could even bring them over until after they get released in Japan. Xseed would also have to see if there is anything that could prevent them from bringing those versions of the games over. Remember that there were PS3 versions of the Sky Trilogy, but Xseed couldn't bring those over and we know that Sony (at least Sony America, iirc?) has strict policies for straight PSP to PS3 ports that don't feature Trophies. Meaning if the PS4 ports run into similar problems, Xseed might not even be able to bring them over at all. And they certainly wouldn't delay CS II's PC port for something that might not even work out for them.

I'm also not entirely sure it would help them to announce a PS4 port and a PC port of the same game at the same time, as I think less people would buy the PC port in that case, and announcing CS I and II PS4 ports together would motivate people to buy them as it is.

(Also my optimistic theory is that they will announce Crossbell localization news when they give a release date for CS II PC, which would give them all the awareness they could hope for)

lol id rather have cs3 and 4 confirmed for NA release then news of crossbell to be honest.

[randatt]

I'm trying to read as little as possible about CS3 to avoid spoilers, but one thing that is often mentioned is that CS3 requires prior knowledge of both CS1/2 and Crossbell, so I'm not sure releasing CS3 first is a good move. Personally I'm not willing to play CS3 if it spoils every major event in Crossbell.

[Cold_Reverie]

Originally posted by Gearhart:

lol id rather have cs3 and 4 confirmed for NA release then news of crossbell to be honest.

CS III and IV fully expect the player to have played all previous games in the series. So I wouldn't go hoping for CS III and IV if I were you/

Originally posted by Ynairo:

Personally I'm not willing to play CS3 if it spoils every major event in Crossbell.

It... kind of does, to be honest. I think there is like 2 twists that CS III doesn't spoil and a whole bunch of others ones it does.

Cold Steel III spoils nearly every game in the series. And, yes, that also includes the Sky games. It expects the player to have played through all the other Arcs and has no problem spoiling the plot of those games.

Here is a quote from Omgfloofy (a very trustworthy source who has played all the games in the series):

"that Sen 3 spoils the heck out of the Crossbell arc."

This is correct. The villains and the plot twists of the Crossbell arc are pretty much flat-out stated in a "you should know this already" sort of manner. And I suspect it'll get worse with Sen IV, once more players start getting involved in things.

And it will get even more interconnected for CS IV. Here is a quote from Kondo, the President of Falcom, regarding CS IV:

"Sen no Kiseki IV will be an important entry in the 14-year-old series, something they've been working to since FC. The logo therefore contains elements of all prior games."

So I'd be hoping for Trails to Zero and Trails to Azure first. CS III is also the biggets game in the series to date, and CS IV is confirmed to be even bigger. Falcom also doesn't let companies start localizing their games until they are already out, and then there is the negotiating and the actual getting of the rights to work on it. So if they wanted to do CS III first, they might not even be able to start translating it yet, compared to Zero which, for all we know, could have started a localization before Trails in the Skky the 3rd even released.

All there is is speculation until we hear something from Xseed anyway, but I'm hopeful of Crossbell's chances. Xseed have also always had a Trails game announced since 2015, which is why I think they will announce something Trails related before CS II's PC port releases, or at least shortly after. Even if it's just a localization announcement of something like Nayuta no Kiseki or something, that would be good enough for me.

EDIT:

Originally posted by Ynairo:

but one thing that is often mentioned is that CS3 requires prior knowledge of both CS1/2 and Crossbell.

And all the Sky games.