265: Punching the Baby Seal of PC Gaming
- Thread starter Chuck Wendig
- Start date
Personally I haven't had PC problems in many many years. I think most gamers problems are buying PCs that are mass produced, Dell for instance. I have a PC shop custom build me a system (good shops will most likely have a website were you can specify what you want easily) or do it myself so I can get that hands-on care in my product. Mine is almost a two year old pc that cost $700 after windows. If there is an issue, its only due to a piece of hardware failing (which just happens over time) which can be replaced without buying a new system (sometimes, if your motherboard goes you might as well buy new memory and cpu)
Love the angry style.
The Fallout 3 installation ordeal reminded me of similar experiences, and indeed with age they start getting very, very tedious.
Take, for example, games that use multiple content delivery platform (I.E both steam, and games for windows live, or an equivalent). They should at least carry a huge red sticker warning us about being extra annoying to install, as in "Caution! You might have to wait a few hours downloading a patch for another program, which will offer you no benefits whatsoever besides being able to eventually play this game".
Forgive my naivety, but Games are supposed to be about fun. If I wanted to waste my time feeling the frustration caused by ridiculous bureaucratic idiocy, I'll schedule an appointment with a local doctor
And, instead of a baby seal, may I offer punching the annoying "read the manual" folks instead? Then you can tell them to go read the manual about stitching facial lacerations.
The Fallout 3 installation ordeal reminded me of similar experiences, and indeed with age they start getting very, very tedious.
Take, for example, games that use multiple content delivery platform (I.E both steam, and games for windows live, or an equivalent). They should at least carry a huge red sticker warning us about being extra annoying to install, as in "Caution! You might have to wait a few hours downloading a patch for another program, which will offer you no benefits whatsoever besides being able to eventually play this game".
Forgive my naivety, but Games are supposed to be about fun. If I wanted to waste my time feeling the frustration caused by ridiculous bureaucratic idiocy, I'll schedule an appointment with a local doctor
And, instead of a baby seal, may I offer punching the annoying "read the manual" folks instead? Then you can tell them to go read the manual about stitching facial lacerations.
Man, I remember having this argument with a friend who told me I should come back to PC gaming (last time I PC gamed was nearly ten years ago now, aside from Rome: Total War). He told me it wasn't as prohibitively expensive to game on a PC as it used to be, and everything was much easier to run.
And his only argument was 'yeah, but PC gaming is so much better!'
How exactly? I hate online play so I won't be using it for that, I don't want to spend hundreds of pounds updating my (brand new) hardware, and almost all of the games I want are avaiable for my HD XBox 360 with no extra installation time anyhow.
'Alright' I said, 'I have very little money, so I'd like to game off my laptop, it's only a month old, HD ready, graphics card up the wazoo, massive amounts of disk space, what can I play?'
Him, 'well you can't play with that graphics card, it won't run anything better than Total War, first you'll have to buy a new graphics card. That'll cost about 60 quid.'
'Alright,' says I, 'so on top of my £400 laptop I'll add 60 quid for the graphics card, now what else will I need?'
'You should probably up your memory as well.'
'This laptop has nothing on it save the basic programs, there are gigabytes of space, what could I possibly need to upgrade the memory for?'
'Well to make sure it runs fast.'
'How much will that cost?'
'Only about £20'
'So that's £80 extra overall, now what?'
'Well you should probably see about your drivers...'
'I think I see where this is going. How about this, I have a 360 that cost me £250 quid and plays eveyr game I want with minimal fuss, hasn't crashed, hasn't red ringed, hasn't broken down, and has given me no reason to doubt its capacity to play games. I could go back to this, or I could add your hundreds of pounds extra to my already hundreds of pounds laptop in order to play games that are available on my console.'
Him, 'well you can't play with that graphics card, it won't run anything better than Total War, first you'll have to buy a new graphics card. That'll cost about 60 quid.'
'Alright,' says I, 'so on top of my £400 laptop I'll add 60 quid for the graphics card, now what else will I need?'
'You should probably up your memory as well.'
'This laptop has nothing on it save the basic programs, there are gigabytes of space, what could I possibly need to upgrade the memory for?'
'Well to make sure it runs fast.'
'How much will that cost?'
'Only about £20'
'So that's £80 extra overall, now what?'
'Well you should probably see about your drivers...'
'I think I see where this is going. How about this, I have a 360 that cost me £250 quid and plays eveyr game I want with minimal fuss, hasn't crashed, hasn't red ringed, hasn't broken down, and has given me no reason to doubt its capacity to play games. I could go back to this, or I could add your hundreds of pounds extra to my already hundreds of pounds laptop in order to play games that are available on my console.'
And his only argument was 'yeah, but PC gaming is so much better!'
How exactly? I hate online play so I won't be using it for that, I don't want to spend hundreds of pounds updating my (brand new) hardware, and almost all of the games I want are avaiable for my HD XBox 360 with no extra installation time anyhow.
I like this article, it was very entertaining, and I stopped and thought about it.
My thoughts go out to you, I tend to have lots of crashing or, perhaps worse, subtle annoying things that are not game breaking at all but REALLY bug me. Like for instance, on any source game for both my laptop and desktop, I cannot save some setting changed. For example, setting sound mode to headphone. If I do it in a game, nothing happens. If I do it in a menu, it goes back to two speakers when I join a game. I have tried many solutions, it never goes away.
ANYWAY, back on topic. Wonderful article. I too, am looking forwards to Civilization Hexagons. I mean Civ V.
My thoughts go out to you, I tend to have lots of crashing or, perhaps worse, subtle annoying things that are not game breaking at all but REALLY bug me. Like for instance, on any source game for both my laptop and desktop, I cannot save some setting changed. For example, setting sound mode to headphone. If I do it in a game, nothing happens. If I do it in a menu, it goes back to two speakers when I join a game. I have tried many solutions, it never goes away.
ANYWAY, back on topic. Wonderful article. I too, am looking forwards to Civilization Hexagons. I mean Civ V.
I bought a 360 and moved away from PC gaming after being a self identified PC gamer all my life. Then, a little before Dragon Age was released, I wondered if maybe I shouldn't get it for PC... I mean, it was "that type of game", right? Tycho posted a link in one of his news posts to a character builder that had been released before the game, and I happily downloaded it and installed it. Then it crashed my laptop. Oh, that's right... now I remember why I hate PC gaming.
My 360 version never crashed once, by the way.
My 360 version never crashed once, by the way.
Fallout 3 you need to install a couple user-made mods to get it to actually run. It would also help if you removed GFWL from the game, since GFWL causes its fair share of problems as well.
Yeah, PC gaming is a pain in the ass sometimes. It also doesn't help that publishers and developers are making things worse with shitty ports and stupid-ass DRM schemes. Which I wouldn't be surprised if those caused at least half the problems...
Yeah, PC gaming is a pain in the ass sometimes. It also doesn't help that publishers and developers are making things worse with shitty ports and stupid-ass DRM schemes. Which I wouldn't be surprised if those caused at least half the problems...
Anger tends to be ignorant of logic. The elitist computer perps need to calm down.
I use a pre-built computer - gateway dx4200-9 - which works fine. There are times that I want to buy and built a new computer but I don't have the time to do that. I'm fairly sure I can do it. I have upgraded a few things but I just don't have the time to familiarize myself with all the different terms and building designs to make buying hardware as easy as 20 seconds to 2 hours a day. It would be more like an year at this point.
For example:
Why would a negative pressure system for an air build have a problem with dust? Wouldn't micronic air filters and flapper check valves catch all the dust trying to enter system? Especially if you took the time to seal off all the tiny little holes and cracks in your system?
How come we don't just build refrigerators around our gaming computers?
I know of servers banks that are immersed in cooling non-conductive liquid which is then sent to air/liquid heat exchanger to transfer the heat... are those better than the mess of adding piped liquid cooling?
How much that thermal paste should I use? What happens if I use too much or too little?
Would your air cooled system be cooler if you just took two big fans and placed them on both sidewalls?
One blowing air while the other sucks it out.
Why is Geforce coding their PhysX drivers in a way so that it fucks with people that got Radeon hardware? Does anyone know their company head's home phone so I can ask him why he is being such a douche?
I use a pre-built computer - gateway dx4200-9 - which works fine. There are times that I want to buy and built a new computer but I don't have the time to do that. I'm fairly sure I can do it. I have upgraded a few things but I just don't have the time to familiarize myself with all the different terms and building designs to make buying hardware as easy as 20 seconds to 2 hours a day. It would be more like an year at this point.
For example:
Why would a negative pressure system for an air build have a problem with dust? Wouldn't micronic air filters and flapper check valves catch all the dust trying to enter system? Especially if you took the time to seal off all the tiny little holes and cracks in your system?
How come we don't just build refrigerators around our gaming computers?
I know of servers banks that are immersed in cooling non-conductive liquid which is then sent to air/liquid heat exchanger to transfer the heat... are those better than the mess of adding piped liquid cooling?
How much that thermal paste should I use? What happens if I use too much or too little?
Would your air cooled system be cooler if you just took two big fans and placed them on both sidewalls?
One blowing air while the other sucks it out.
Why is Geforce coding their PhysX drivers in a way so that it fucks with people that got Radeon hardware? Does anyone know their company head's home phone so I can ask him why he is being such a douche?
Whenever I see a written-piece on how many awful experiences people have gaming on their PCs, I but the blame squarely on them.
I have been PC gaming for 10 years. In that time I've had one hard drive die on me. That's one major problem. No game has caused my computer to spontaneously combust, or has crashed so many times it's unplayable, or ever presented a problem - should one occasionally arise - that I could not fix with a bit of time and use of Google.
If it doesn't work, chances are it's your fault.
I have been PC gaming for 10 years. In that time I've had one hard drive die on me. That's one major problem. No game has caused my computer to spontaneously combust, or has crashed so many times it's unplayable, or ever presented a problem - should one occasionally arise - that I could not fix with a bit of time and use of Google.
If it doesn't work, chances are it's your fault.
Och, Mr. Wendig. Your rant is... understandable. PC gaming is often abominably esoteric - but I wouldn't have it any other way. Using a computer to game seriously is like belonging to an exclusive club - few can enter and be masters, but those who do receive great rewards and are invariably more skilled than the proles who can only dream of being half as proficient. Patience is a necessary attribute - infinite gamers - in both skill and devotion. For example, not even the most skilled Halo players could hold their own against the god gamers of Counterstrike - who have perfected their skills over years of matches.
Wow, some people really aren't getting this article are they? Comedy, guys, comm-uh?-dee. Exaggerating a fairly regular complaint for the sake of laughter, with a possible side-effect of providing social commentary? Anyone?
I really liked it, the pathos especially- what the PC fanboys aren't seeing is that Chuck is one of them. Against all his better judgement, all his common sense, against his instinct for self-preservation (let alone seal preservation) he will return to PC gaming. If that's not dedication, affection, motivation, then what the hell is? Only a true interest in something can inspire such vitriol. Me, I couldn't give a shit about overclocking (whatever the hell that is), how clean my freaking drives are (seriously?), and all that jazz because when it comes to PC gaming I'm the one with the COLD DARK HEART. I'm sorry Chuck, but you're in love!
-Bim
I really liked it, the pathos especially- what the PC fanboys aren't seeing is that Chuck is one of them. Against all his better judgement, all his common sense, against his instinct for self-preservation (let alone seal preservation) he will return to PC gaming. If that's not dedication, affection, motivation, then what the hell is? Only a true interest in something can inspire such vitriol. Me, I couldn't give a shit about overclocking (whatever the hell that is), how clean my freaking drives are (seriously?), and all that jazz because when it comes to PC gaming I'm the one with the COLD DARK HEART. I'm sorry Chuck, but you're in love!
-Bim
Oh you'd be suprised heavily. Try pro grade photography for example, where ridiculously expensive gear gives up on you regularly no matter which brand you choose. You have to personally pick up one lens that works good with YOUR dslr body (other six on the same shelf might be getting slightly out of focus for example), when you choose the right one you have to return it a month later because it refuses to work. Sometimes without a reason and sometimes from a 15 cm drop on your matrass (true story). You need to gather epic amounts of knowledge, patience and expertise. You cannot simply expect something to work "just because" you've paid a few thousand dollars for it.chuckwendig said:
And them cars keep breaking as well, your brand new washing machine burns holes in your new pants despite setting a proper program (true story as well). My phone keeps acting stupid. My mp3 player had to be formatted out of the blue. A screw falls of a 400$ pocket knife. 100$ sunglasses get weird cracks all over their lenses while lying on a desk. All true cases proving that these are trying times and everything is manufactured in "buy it and fuck off" fashion, not only PC games. Ever heard about them legendary console crashes making them bricks?
Yep, back in the day things seemed to work better. Only my g-shock watches endure (a Luminox died on me after 5 months of mild use).
But I still play on my PC, I simply cannot imagine gaming without a mouse and a keyboard.
All gaming platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. Sure the open-ended hardware and software environment of PC gaming makes it harder for engineers to adapt a game to the specific needs of any given system, but I'll gladly take that liabilty to have an alternative to the mass market, "one-size-fits-all" approach of most console developers. Console games may be more reliable but they're also more homogenized.
I sympathize with the problems people have getting PC games to function but I've been playing PC games for over twenty years now and have yet to experience anything like the frustrating obstacles that some critics of PC gaming seem to encounter. Maybe I've just been lucky, or maybe I'm just more attentive to details. I wouldn't presume to tell anyone else that it's worth the extra effort for them to get into PC gaming, but for me and millions of other gamers, it absolutely is.
I sympathize with the problems people have getting PC games to function but I've been playing PC games for over twenty years now and have yet to experience anything like the frustrating obstacles that some critics of PC gaming seem to encounter. Maybe I've just been lucky, or maybe I'm just more attentive to details. I wouldn't presume to tell anyone else that it's worth the extra effort for them to get into PC gaming, but for me and millions of other gamers, it absolutely is.
Getting GTA4 Lost & Damned working properly on my PC from the last Steam sale was really infuriating. Mostly due to GfWL but also due to the stupidly long load times and problems configuring the game for performance. The end result was an experience much better than I could of had on consoles so I'm not too bitter about it.
Most games, I don't really have many problems with. Crashes are pretty rare these days with a few exceptions for badly coded games, of which Crysis might be one, but since I don't like that sort of game I wouldn't know. It's not the wild west days of DOS and Windows 9x any more.
Most games, I don't really have many problems with. Crashes are pretty rare these days with a few exceptions for badly coded games, of which Crysis might be one, but since I don't like that sort of game I wouldn't know. It's not the wild west days of DOS and Windows 9x any more.
While I fully agree that PC Gaming can be a pain in the arse (I'm currently sat with a 7 inch fan freezing my feet to stop my power supply overheating) its worth it because it has the best community. Everyone who sticks with PC gaming seems to develop a bit of a bunker mentality of "We're all in this shit together so lets help each other out" which you don't really see in console communities. I personally am more then happy to debug and troubleshoot my mates PCs and there are lots of things online to help people made by the fans for free. The other week I decided to play Theme Hospital again, but it wouldn't work on my version of Windows. I looked online and within the 1st 5 google links I found a fan made patch with simple to follow instructions. I suppose needing the patience of a saint whenever you try and install a new game helps to bring out the helpful and positive side in people
But I want to play a GAME and have FUN, not do WORK. Do you see the difference there?dochmbi said:
When you do everything correctly (updated drivers, spyware/virus free, well above minimum specs) and the game still doesn't work? Give me my money back. I'll go do something that is fun, not spend my minimal free time trying to troubleshoot a game that probably will end up pissing me off anyway.
That being said...
The Knights of the Old Republic MMO will probably suck me back in. Bastards.
Agreed.generic gamer said:
If a user puts up such a thread/post he could get ban-hammered(has happened before)...
I haven't had any problems with the games he mentioned exept Crysis, becaue it wont run (smoothly), so I don't even think about installing
I simply keep my drivers up-to-date, defrag my HD's every week and don't install malware...
Consider this before punching a baby seal. ;-)
