Which Console to Start iM@S: PS3 or Xbox360?

[darkarn]

Hi, I am wondering which console should I start with and while I have found out quite a bit of differences between both consoles, I still need help with understanding some stuff (see underlined):

PS3
iM@S2: Have more songs at the get-go
Cannot produce RK girls "fully" (big issue for me cos' my favourite idol is Ritsuko; Iori is third/fourth of my list and Azusa is at the sixth by the way...)
No access to iM@S 1st Vision stuff

Xbox360
iM@S2: Have less songs and no more DLCs (a good thing?)
Can produce RK girls but in 1st Vision games
Can access 1st Vision stuff
No Takane or Hibiki's renditions of certain songs (big issue cos' Takane is third/fourth of my list)
Is it possible to avoid "Accidents" in Xbox360/PSP games?
iM@S2 Sparkle Pack: Does it have LMG? I am getting mixed reports here... (and yes, I managed to find a place that still sells this version but they too cannot confirm this )

Both
Is it possible to shut off audience sounds in L4U/S4U?
Which console is easier to use capture cards/devices (like Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle?) on?
Or should I just wait for new consoles' announcements? :S

Hope that someone can help with all these questions (have not owned any consoles except the Wii and PSP recently...)... Thanks!

[SakuraMaxX]

If L4U and iM@S 1 are important to you, get an Xbox 360 (JDM 360s are starting to get really cheap, plus the exchange rate is getting really nice).  I'm kindly lonely on the Xbox 360 train now that everyone else is on PS3.  You can avoid accidents by not screwing up parts of your auditions.  It's a bit of chance and a bit of not screwing things up.  The lack of newer DLC is definitely troublesome, but a large amount of the DLC we didn't get on Xbox 360 consists of iM@S 1 songs being brought into iM@S 2.  I believe the "Sparkle Pack" you're referring to is the first print copy.  It'll be a bit harder to find now that they're on the Platinum Collection, but I remember I purchased iM@S 2 with LMG included in October 2011 and that was about 8 months after the initial release.

I do not recall shutting off audience sounds

I have no experience with capture software, but which console you're using should be the least of possible problems and hassles you'll encounter.

I do not recommend waiting for new consoles, since I'm sure both of them will not play disc copies of games from the previous generation.

[animagic4u]

The gameplay in Ps3 and xbox 360 is completely different.

I personally find the xbox 360 gameplay more appealing over all.

The xbox 360 game has free produce which basically makes it so you don't have to do all that BS story stuff like in iDOLM@STER 2. The game flows at your own skill level and ability so you don't get trapped in an annoying loop of force losses when you're already at a decent skill level. You are also free to do single, double, or triple produce based on your skill/preferences.

In PS3, the lessons are easier, but I find the auditions to be a bit more difficult than Xbox 360. The overall "winning conditions" seem to be a little harder than Xbox 360 because there are now more factors in your overall success. In 360, you mostly have to worry about idol rank and image level which are fairly easy to work on although the lessons are harder.


So what exactly are you looking for in the gameplay? Because I find that the biggest difference.

[darkarn]

If L4U and iM@S 1 are important to you, get an Xbox 360 (JDM 360s are starting to get really cheap, plus the exchange rate is getting really nice).  I'm kindly lonely on the Xbox 360 train now that everyone else is on PS3.  You can avoid accidents by not screwing up parts of your auditions.  It's a bit of chance and a bit of not screwing things up.  The lack of newer DLC is definitely troublesome, but a large amount of the DLC we didn't get on Xbox 360 consists of iM@S 1 songs being brought into iM@S 2.  I believe the "Sparkle Pack" you're referring to is the first print copy.  It'll be a bit harder to find now that they're on the Platinum Collection, but I remember I purchased iM@S 2 with LMG included in October 2011 and that was about 8 months after the initial release.

I do not recall shutting off audience sounds

I have no experience with capture software, but which console you're using should be the least of possible problems and hassles you'll encounter.

I do not recommend waiting for new consoles, since I'm sure both of them will not play disc copies of games from the previous generation.

Yeah, this is the main reason I am stuck; I am quite unsure whether I should make the leap of faith and just get it from PlayAsia (they don't stock the Platinum Collection version for some reason :X). I note that iM@S1 songs performed in iM@S2 PS3 tend to be much higher quality than in iM@S1 Xbox360 or PSP versions (obviously).

As for the audience sounds, I asked as I noticed that in NND (and even YT!), some videos managed to silence the audience cheers somehow; I have even seen a capella and karaoke versions of the songs but I think they are a completely different story after some lurking here . And yes, you are right, I think consoles are the least of my problems in terms of capturing video output unless there is some obscure HDMI issue...?

New consoles wise... I dunno, I can wait it out a little cos' right now, I need my cash elsewhere but am asking as I have been thinking about them for some time... (sweat)

The gameplay in Ps3 and xbox 360 is completely different.

I personally find the xbox 360 gameplay more appealing over all.

The xbox 360 game has free produce which basically makes it so you don't have to do all that BS story stuff like in iDOLM@STER 2. The game flows at your own skill level and ability so you don't get trapped in an annoying loop of force losses when you're already at a decent skill level. You are also free to do single, double, or triple produce based on your skill/preferences.

In PS3, the lessons are easier, but I find the auditions to be a bit more difficult than Xbox 360. The overall "winning conditions" seem to be a little harder than Xbox 360 because there are now more factors in your overall success. In 360, you mostly have to worry about idol rank and image level which are fairly easy to work on although the lessons are harder.


So what exactly are you looking for in the gameplay? Because I find that the biggest difference.

Hmm... I am confused cos' from what I am reading, you seem to be comparing iM@S1 in Xbox360 with iM@S2 in PS3 rather than iM@S2 in both consoles :X

[SakuraMaxX]

If you know anyone in Japan (there are services for it too), you can buy the First Print Edition here.  Pretty cheap too.  Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of iM@S 2 are more or less the same with the exception of Chihaya not being overpowered in the PS3 version and extra content including the RK extra stories and DLCs.  I'm personally more fond of iM@S 1 and SP's gameplay than iM@S 2's.

[animagic4u]

Hmm... I am confused cos' from what I am reading, you seem to be comparing iM@S1 in Xbox360 with iM@S2 in PS3 rather than iM@S2 in both consoles :X

Ahh I'm sorry I must have misinterpreted the question. ^_^;;

Yeah, this is the main reason I am stuck; I am quite unsure whether I should make the leap of faith and just get it from PlayAsia (they don't stock the Platinum Collection version for some reason :X). I note that iM@S1 songs performed in iM@S2 PS3 tend to be much higher quality than in iM@S1 Xbox360 or PSP versions (obviously).

There are other retailers that should have them. I got my Xbox 360 Platinum Collection version of 1 from Yes! Asia.

[darkarn]

If you know anyone in Japan (there are services for it too), you can buy the First Print Edition here.  Pretty cheap too.  Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of iM@S 2 are more or less the same with the exception of Chihaya not being overpowered in the PS3 version and extra content including the RK extra stories and DLCs.  I'm personally more fond of iM@S 1 and SP's gameplay than iM@S 2's.

Ahh I'm sorry I must have misinterpreted the question. ^_^;;

There are other retailers that should have them. I got my Xbox 360 Platinum Collection version of 1 from Yes! Asia.

Hmmm... I don't know, sounds like it is better to just get both systems but I won't have the time to play both (or even just one of them...?) :O

[SakuraMaxX]

Another factor to look into is what other games each system has to offer.  I imported a Japanese Xbox 360 knowing a PS3 version was coming a few months later, but I kept in mind that I still wanted to be able to play my Cave STGs and Forza Motorsport while the PS3 didn't have any exclusives that I absolutely wanted to play.

[darkarn]

Another factor to look into is what other games each system has to offer.  I imported a Japanese Xbox 360 knowing a PS3 version was coming a few months later, but I kept in mind that I still wanted to be able to play my Cave STGs and Forza Motorsport while the PS3 didn't have any exclusives that I absolutely wanted to play.

Thing is, I don't have other console games to look out for though :X

[Cael K.]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the next Im@s game is probably going to come out for a Sony console system. Not too sure about a Microsoft system. Just my gut feeling here, but Microsoft got stabbed in the kidney last game. So, I'm going to boil down what I'm looking at here - No current console, and no interest in other games.

XBox360: Three games, possibility that there will be no more games for this series on this system.
PS3: One game, with extras you won't find on the XBox360 version, and the possibility of... maybe one more game on this system, if it doesn't go towards the launch of the next Playstation or something.

My advice is to look up how much it'd cost for each option, look at the difference in price and see if it's worth it. Intuitively I think it should be about the same somewhere in triple digits, but I think the only person who can decide if it's worth it in the end is you.

[darkarn]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the next Im@s game is probably going to come out for a Sony console system. Not too sure about a Microsoft system. Just my gut feeling here, but Microsoft got stabbed in the kidney last game. So, I'm going to boil down what I'm looking at here - No current console, and no interest in other games.

XBox360: Three games, possibility that there will be no more games for this series on this system.
PS3: One game, with extras you won't find on the XBox360 version, and the possibility of... maybe one more game on this system, if it doesn't go towards the launch of the next Playstation or something.

My advice is to look up how much it'd cost for each option, look at the difference in price and see if it's worth it. Intuitively I think it should be about the same somewhere in triple digits, but I think the only person who can decide if it's worth it in the end is you.

Ah yes, you can say so (unless you count a Wii but that's another story for another day) Man, this is going to be a tough one, some great deals (and more money) should be able to tip the balance... But then again, since stuff released on the new consoles can't be played on these older consoles, wouldn't that be kinda... irrelevant? Maybe I should take a more careful look at the DLCs so far? :S

[Setsuna]

From a cost benefit point of view, the PS3 is the better of the two versions - getting more content for the same price, as well as being able to source the PS3 locally.

In terms of im@s history, if you like first vision, then pick up the Xbox 360 version for Live for You and im@s1.

In terms of new consoles... well, I'd hold off from jumping to conclusions for a bit. There's a few interesting things coming into play.

[SakuraMaxX]

From the thread in the welcome center, darkarn lives in Singapore, meaning his local Xbox 360s should be fine too.

[darkarn]

From a cost benefit point of view, the PS3 is the better of the two versions - getting more content for the same price, as well as being able to source the PS3 locally.

In terms of im@s history, if you like first vision, then pick up the Xbox 360 version for Live for You and im@s1.

In terms of new consoles... well, I'd hold off from jumping to conclusions for a bit. There's a few interesting things coming into play.

Ah I see... Hmmm... So it's a matter of 1st Vision stuff v.s. 100% chance of LMG and other iM@S2 goodies... Tough choice is tough

From the thread in the welcome center, darkarn lives in Singapore, meaning his local Xbox 360s should be fine too.

Yep, ours seem to be NTSC-A or something; confirmed to be working with those copies imported from Japan (getting the DLCs is another separate issue though)...

[SakuraMaxX]

Getting the DLCs on Xbox 360 involves getting a Japanese Microsoft account (easy) and buying a Japanese Microsoft Points card from whoever sells them.  I think PS3 DLC is more or less the same.