Third strike no CD version

[klee123]

Anyone own this version? What's the difference between this and the CD version other than the obvious convenience factor?

I'd imagine assets such as music would be worse perhaps?

 

[GoldenGlover]

There are no graphic, gameplay or sound differences with the Japanese NoCD version and it’s CD version counterpart (I have a NoCD battery version of this), you simply can’t rewrite the game…choosing this in the test menu goes nowhere.

The Asia 3rd Strike has certain censored speech samples but otherwise plays like all the other versions.

 

[jassin000]

I'd imagine assets such as music would be worse perhaps?

You are assuming assets differ between versions due to some size limitations?
This is NOT the case, as @GoldenGlover pointed out, only censored removals exist no content was "cut for size".

Both versions (CD vs No CD) use the same number/type/size of SIMMs, both versions have the same amount of storage space available.

 

[klee123]

Good to hear about the overall lack of difference between the 2 versions. Thanks all

 

[MetalliC]

Good to hear about the overall lack of difference between the 2 versions. Thanks all

it would be more correct to say: there is no any special "NO CD versions" at all. all the games contents are 100% same, but just different one or few bytes in BIOS.

 

[twistedsymphony]

I'd imagine assets such as music would be worse perhaps?

it's not like a video game console where it "streams" content from the CD. the CPS3 copies 100% of the assets into the SIMMS and then the game plays without using the CD at all. (NAOMI works in a similar fashion). The No CD version simply has the SIMMs pre-programmed.

 

[klee123]

it's not like a video game console where it "streams" content from the CD. the CPS3 copies 100% of the assets into the SIMMS and then the game plays without using the CD at all. (NAOMI works in a similar fashion). The No CD version simply has the SIMMs pre-programmed.

Thanks for the explanation. I was kinda eyeing the no CD CPS3 setup of Third Strike on Surugaya, and really CPS3 wise, it's the only game I'll probably bother to play on the hardware so a Darksoft setup is not really that high on my wants.

My biggest concern would be the battery though since I hear these CPS3 cart batteries are an absolute pain to replace and I don't think there is a batteryless solution unless you go to the Darksoft multi route.

 

[twistedsymphony]

I hear these CPS3 cart batteries are an absolute pain to replace and I don't think there is a batteryless solution unless you go to the Darksoft multi route.

That is correct. There is also currently no way to revive a 3S cart to factory spec if the battery dies either (only thing you can do is reflash it as a Darksoft cart)

 

[nem]

Well, yes and no. The 2nd Impact cart works without a battery and you can convert the 3S iso to work on the 2I cart.

 

[twistedsymphony]

Well, yes and no. The 2nd Impact cart works without a battery and you can convert the 3S iso to work on a 2I cartridge.

I'm talking about the 3rd Strike cart specificly. But yes there are lots of options if you don't care about things being 100% original.

Honestly, unless you plan on using this hardware as a tournament unit where Darksoft releases are not allowed and it's going to be inspected by Judges/competitors then there's no good reason to spend the extra cash on a battery backed 3S cart. buy the cheapest CPS3 board set you can find, pay $50 to get the cart re-flashed and then set it up to play whatever damn game you want without worrying about the battery.