A PC gamer's confession (+xkcd link)

[carpenter20m]

Finding myself in financial hardships, unable to afford a new gaming PC and unable to even think of using the controller for games (I just can't...it's a disability of mine), I decided to do this:

http://xkcd.com/606/

Well, maybe not so drastic. But staying behind a couple of years in games is OK, I guess. It's not that I have any gamer friends, so I won't be jealous for not being able to play the games they are playing.

The program has just started. I am a big fan of Bioware and of RPGs and loved the first Dragon Age. But I haven't preordered the second one, nor will I buy it the moment it comes out. I will wait until the Ultimate Edition and will buy it at a discount most probably. My current PC can most probably handle the game, but not that great, so I might as well wait a bit. But...it's...so...hard...

I am sorry if this belongs in a blog or something, but I had to say it to someone to give me pros and cons of my idea and this seemed like the best place to do it.

 

[jamesworkshop]

considering how even low end kit runs todays games it's not even a trade off, hell by the looks of it my 9800gtx (2008) is still gonna be used into 2013.

 

[BioHazardMan]

It's not really a pro/con thing, play the game you like/ can afford.

 

[Fishyash]

I do this tbh. All my newest games on the PC aren't that new...

 

[Wolfram23]

There's plenty of good older games to play, but at the same time, mostly due to console hardware, most new games are playable on older hardware. If you make an upgrade now to a new, good PC, you won't have to upgrade for at least several years.

 

[carpenter20m]

But I can't afford a good PC now. I live in Greece, where a decent gaming PC costs more than I make a month and more than the minimum wage (and I only work 7 months a year). I may be able to afford one this summer, but I'd rather wait a bit more and see where that takes me. My PC can still handle most games even though it only has an early Core 2 Duo (oc'ed @ 2.56 GHz) and a 4850 gpu.

Besides, the decision is supported by TF2...if all else fails, I'll always have TF2 to play!

 

[Nietz]

I used to do this back in the day(before the turn of the millennium). Back in those days, the bargain bin/sale prices were the only ones I could afford. I was actually great fun looking scavenging through the piles. Now-a-days I find it harder though. I think it's either the market going a bit more stale these days, OR, the more likely scenario of me growing a bit to old to be as starry eyed about games as I used to be. *sigh*

I still do the occasional bargain scav, but it's getting harder and harder finding games that appeal to me and games that I haven't already played.

But I can't afford a good PC now. I live in Greece, where a decent gaming PC costs more than I make a month and more than the minimum wage (and I only work 7 months a year). I may be able to afford one this summer, but I'd rather wait a bit more and see where that takes me. My PC can still handle most games even though it only has an early Core 2 Duo (oc'ed @ 2.56 GHz) and a 4850 gpu.

Besides, the decision is supported by TF2...if all else fails, I'll always have TF2 to play!

Want a tip? If you're on a tight budget, upgrade slowly. Exchange like one part every other month or so. And by the end of the year, your PC won't be top-shelf gear, but it will still be a great PC. Heck, I'm on a tight budget(supporting a family of three), but I still get to have a decent computer.... But my chassis is seriously like ten years old. Thank Jebus for full-towers.

 

[Continuity]

...

I typically run on a 2-5 year lag anyway, not really intentionally its just that I want to play so many games it takes me that long to get though my list!!
I imagine by the time we get to 2030 I'll be on a 5-10 year lag ^^

Seriously the older you get, the more games go on your list and the less time you have to play them.

Then there are games like DAO2 and FO-NV which I won't touch with a barge pole as I know perfectly well they will have lots of DLC, and that I can get the whole lot bundled at a reasonable price in a couple of years.