PS3 or PC?

[Shadowtrek]

I play on PC but have wondered how it is on PS3. Are there any really noticeable differences in loading, graphics, etc? Are the controls easier or more difficult to manage? Which do you prefer?

[makii]

Considering ps3 has 7 year old harware there's bound to be some differences in loading time and graphics, unless you're on some god forsaken old pc to begin with.

[eyloi]

Pretty much what Makii said.

Also, I'm told it's harder to heal using a controller, so if you plan on picking up the PS3 version, check and see if you can attach a m&kb.

[makii]

And, well, not that it matters to everyone, but I run this game on 2560x1400 resolution, and when I checked out my friends ps3 copy, well let's just say it wasn't enjoyable. It looked like someone had smeared butter all over the screen.
But it all depends on what you're used to I guess.

[DenzelTaru]

Pretty much what Makii said.

Also, I'm told it's harder to heal using a controller, so if you plan on picking up the PS3 version, check and see if you can attach a m&kb.

it is harder yea but i use gamepad on pc lol.. i used to be able to do m+k on ffxi but 5 years break took that out of me lol

[Rivienne]

My take playing on both: I much prefer healing on controller on PS3, whereas I moderately prefer DPS on keyboard. I am told many people are the opposite, though I don't know why. Tanking on either scares me.

The controls are different, but I find them very natural for me once I get a good layout. The only annoying thing is how when you upgrade from CNJ to WHM it resets all your bars so you have to spend 10 minutes resetting them up before you save your new gear set.

Also, absolutely you still want a mouse and keyboard. Mouse for the configuration UI and the occasional odd things. Keyboard for setting up macros, and of course chat.

Load time is slower than on PC if you are using the stock hard drive. I haven't tried on the 12GB PS3 which uses flash so I don't know if that one has the same issue but others report SSD solve the loading problem in any case. That said my PC also has crappy load times, so it would not surprise me at all if at all came down to the old harddrives.

My PS3 is better quality graphics than my PC which is at low settings, but of course it will be worse graphics than the PC if you have any graphics setting above midline. The PC high end graphics are amazing compared to the low end PC graphics I have, so I usually stick with my PS3. But I am really looking forward to PS4 so I can get the awesome.

[Shiken]

If you have a high end gaming PC, use it. If you are more of a console gamer, stick with PS3/PS4. I myself play on the PS3 and have no real issues that are not also present on the PC, and it is a blast. Making the game playable for the PS3 wasn't to make one version better or worse than the other, it was to broaden the audience so that players that were not interested or couldn't afford a good gaming PC could still play.

So in short, a PC can do anything a PS3 can do and then some so stick with PC if you have a good one. If you prefer consoles or your PC is a little dated and don't want to upgrade just yet, play on the PS3. I used to play MMOs on the PC and playing this on the PS3 isn't any less enjoyable so you should be fine with whichever you decide.

[Chitsune]

PS3 have long loading time and slow loading model other members in party after CS, not to mention graphic. Heal with controller in party are fine but have problems with heal other PCs during FATE.

[Zfz]

Also, on the PC you're quite free to play with the profile data files to copy your hotbar settings, HUD settings, gearsets, etc to other characters and make backups and so on. (Although this function will be built-in to the game in future, as devs already announced their plans to add it.)

Plus, the PS3 version is likely only be able to use add-ons that have been screened and approved by Square Enix; however, on the PC you're likely going to be able to use any and all add-ons you can find. So there's likely to be more freedom on the PC.

Likely. Because there have been little to no info on add-ons, only that it'll come out in future updates.

The PC also opens the door to third party tools like video capturing and so on, which isn't that straight-forward on the PS3.

Control-wise, you can use the gamepad on the PC and the keyboard on the PS3 anyway (although I'm not sure if it's possible to use only keyboard-mouse mode on the PS3 version, anyone?) There's nothing inherently "less controllable" on the PS3.

If you are looking to buy a PS3, then, I'd say hold off your horses and wait for the PS4. Play with whatever hardware you have now on the PC. (Note, however, that when the PS4 lauches, there will only be the beta version of FFXIV:ARR for the PS4. Details are slim and I'm not sure if that "beta" allows you to already participate in the current live servers.)

[Curagaja]

Control-wise, you can use the gamepad on the PC and the keyboard on the PS3 anyway (although I'm not sure if it's possible to use only keyboard-mouse mode on the PS3 version, anyone?) There's nothing inherently "less controllable" on the PS3.

After searching for quite some time on PS3 menus I found that there absolutely no way to play with just a keyboard/mouse. PS3 menus are missing the Display tab under Hotbar Settings which would allow us to use a keyboard for abilities/spells. Because it is missing we are forced to use a controller unless we want to go to the Actions and Traits menu and manually select every ability/spell we want to use. In other words, a keyboard can only be used to type and run around on a PS3.