Rockband - PS3 or X360

[tholly]

My fiancee is buying me Rockband. Do I want it on the PS3 or the X360? My buddy already has a copy on the PS3.

My main question is with the USB connections. The X360 has 3 (with one of mine being used for the camera.) There are however achievements, though I can't see myself getting many of them. The PS3 has 4 USB ports (one for the mic, drums, guitar, and the second guitar I would get at some point.)

How would you use the X360 version with 4 instruments? Or should I just get the PS3 version?

Can you play the PS3 version online on the same band (me and my buddy one 2 different systems playing as the same band)?

Please advise......

[jcalder8]

Having just bought this I know the answer to one of your questions. Rock Band for the 360 comes with a 4 port USB hub.

[carlcarlson]

The PS3 version has a wireless guitar, while the 360 presently does not. You can use Guitar Hero guitars on the 360 version, but can't (for now) with the PS3 version. I don't know if there are any differences in downloadable content, but you could take that into consideration as well.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

If your fiancee already has Guitar Hero II or III for 360 (and likely a 360 guitar or two) I'd reccomend the 360 version.

While I personally own the PS3 version, I bought it with the understanding that Harmonix and Activision were playing nice with each other and were going to allow for cross-over usage of instruments. This is not the case.

You can not use the PS3 Guitar Hero guitars (any of them) on Rock Band and/or vice-versa.

You CAN use the 360 Guitar Hero guitars (both of them) on Rock Band, which is nice if one person wants to play Bass and the other Lead Guitar.

The drawback to the 360 version? The included USB hub requires that it be plugged into the wall, and the Rock Band guitar is wired.

The pro of the PS3 version - the guitar is wireless, and most PS3's have 4 front USB ports.

Still, the 360 and it's multi guitar compatability seems to trump the PS3 version at the moment, wires or no wires.

[norkusa]

I say 360, just because you can use Guitar Hero guitars with that one. The RB guitar is alright but it's a pain in the ass to play anything on Expert with it (buttons are too stiff & wide). I wouldn't be able to pass half of the songs on Expert if I wasn't able to use my Xplorer.

[Mr. Smashy]

For Rock Band, I'm a fan of the PS3 version. I really like the wireless guitar (as is evident with my rank of 87 for solo guitar career score on the leaderboards). The online integration is great, too. Not having to mess around with a USB hub is a nice bonus. A buddy of mine has played both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game and claims that the PS3 even has better load times (which actually seems a little odd).

For Guitar Hero III, I picked the Xbox 360 version.

[diskoboy]

360.

2 words - Achievement Points.

[Oobgarm]

Got both systems? Go for 360. You don't seem concerned with achievement points, but they're there if you want them as an added bonus.

Sure, the guitar is wired, but you'll be able to use Guitar Hero guitars as well, which is great in the event that the RB one bites the dust and you need a replacement.

Not having to drop $27 on the hub is nice, too.

[youruglyclone]

The PS3 version has a wireless guitar, while the 360 presently does not. You can use Guitar Hero guitars on the 360 version, but can't (for now) with the PS3 version. I don't know if there are any differences in downloadable content, but you could take that into consideration as well.

actually thanks to OXM the 360 has 3 extra songs over the ps3.

Personally I started off with the PS3, but before the launch I switched over to the 360 version...in hindsight that was a good decision (Thanks to the GH3 compat issues.)

[tholly]

Okay, as it see it, both versions offer positives and negatives:

PS3 +

wireless guitar (important since my tv is 56" and I want to sit far away)
free online service (especially if i ever stop renewing my live subscription on the 360)
no need to deal with a USB hub - 4 on the front
my buddy already has it, so we can play online

PS3 -

3 less songs
no achievement points (although i wouldn't be able to get most of them anyway)
can't use the GHIII controller currently (although i wasn't planning on buying GHIII)
hdmi video vs. my 360s component video


Also, when will second wireless guitars be released for sale for the PS3 version?


X360 +

i have plenty of live points to buy extra songs
achievement points (although I wouldn't be able to do what is necessary to get most of them)
can use GHIII controller (if i decided to buy that at some point)

X360 -

wired guitar (huge negative for me)
usb hub (don't really want to deal with this)
version that my friend doesn't have
component video vs. my ps3's hdmi


Wow, both version have things I like and things I don't. I'm not completely sold on either yet.

[Oobgarm]

Based on your replies, PS3 is going to be the bst bet for you, it seems.

Last I heard, EA is looking to have additional peripherals in store sometime in February. Can't be 100% on that info, though.

[RevQuixo]

Probably not a huge deal, but 360 gets their DLC on Tuesday while PSN has to wait for Thursday.

The hardcore RB fanatics will no doubt tell you that waiting those two extra days are brutal.



...goes off to download Oasis DLC.

Oh and in terms of the wired vs wireless guitar...the wireless GHIII guitar at least eats batteries like mad, so having a wired guitar saves a little on cost (and the environment :P)

[jcalder8]

Based on your replies, PS3 is going to be the bst bet for you, it seems.
Exactly what I was thinking.

[tholly]

Looks like I'll probably go with the PS3.

I really like the fact that the guitar is wireless, almost enough to make my decision for me. (I'll just get some rechargable batteries.)

DLC doesn't really concern me ... I wouldn't get most of it, and the amount of time I have to spend on video games is limited, so waiting two days isn't going to kill me as I will have other stuff to do (especially since this is my final semester of my Master's program.)

I won't be getting it until February, so I can just be the extra PS3 controller once it is available then.

[tholly]

Final Question...

Since the instruments are all USB, and they sell the games without the bundle, if I bought the PS3 bundle for the wireless guitar, could I potentially buy the single Xbox 360 game and use the PS3 bundle instruments for both systems, were I so inclined to do so?

[Matt-El]

There's security measures for using microsoft's wireless. No one has really cracked that. So, you would not be able to use your wireless PS3 guitar on your 360, no.

[DJ Daishi]

360 -there's a lot more people playing it on xbox live than PS3 online.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

360 -there's a lot more people playing it on xbox live than PS3 online.

While that may be true numbers-wise, I've never since day one encountered an instance since day one where I haven't been able to find online bandmates at any hour of the day.

And, with the (very frustrating) "random matchmaking" (you rarely get to be "leader" and pick songs for the group) that Rock Band's online play has it doesn't really matter which one has "more people" playing...you're still going to get slapped together randomly, unlike Guitar Hero III where you can view rooms / users before attempting to play with them.

[otaku]

Not sure if online play is as awesome on ps3 but I'd say go ps3 for one big reason: I'm constantly worried my 360 will die (it already acts up regularly via the disc drive in regards to rock band)

[DJ Daishi]

Not sure if online play is as awesome on ps3 but I'd say go ps3 for one big reason: I'm constantly worried my 360 will die (it already acts up regularly via the disc drive in regards to rock band)

i dunno...that's obviously an isolated case. I never had this problem on my 360 in regards to playing RB on my 360