Do Console Gamers Have More Fun?

[jono793]

I?ve come to favour the console option, which is a surprising turn for me, because I used to be very in to Counter Strike, et al.

The root of the problem is ease of use. You put your cartridge, cd, dvd or blu raydisk into your console, and that?s the end of the matter! The game runs properly within the system specs. With the PC, you?ll almost always run into one inane problem or another before you can get to the fun, if at all. This has always been the case, and as time wears on, it has gotten worse rather than better.

With new games you?ll find that your system specs are inadequate, unless you own the top of the range system of the moment. Conversely, if your system is new, you?ll find that your old classics are no longer compatible with your operating system.

I know that you can download this, or upgrade that. That?s the root of the problem! Most of us want to be playing our games, not fannying about, playing the YouTube generation equivalent of a garage mechanic!

The only thing the PC had on the console format was the internet community. This generation seems to have sorted that out.

 

[geldonyetich]

In the beginning, I was a computer gamer. The PC had the upper hand because you'd soon upgrade your hardware and any hot new console that came out was simply outperformed.

In the last generation or two consoles, I'd say for sure that consoles had the upper hand. The PCs had largely devolved to releasing derivative clones, the console hardware was actually a little ahead of the pack in that the jump to PCIe and DirectX 9 were both rather awkward, and most importantly piracy had gone mainstream and big development money had largely fled to the much-less-pirated console formats.

As of late, I think the PC platform has been undergoing a resurgence. The jump to PCIe is largely over with, and Windows 7's focus on efficiency is giving some hope to the platform as being viable. Indy developers have stepped in and brought originality where big-name developers fear to tread, and digital distribution is somewhat further ahead of the curve on the PC platform. Piracy is still a problem, but (perhaps thanks to the recession) developers really can't afford to be picky, they'll take whatever little money they can get from the platform.

 

[x0ny]

I don't think either gamer necessarily has more fun than the other. I myself would rather play on the PC. The controllers (keyboard and mouse) are dedicated for gaming, what's great is that they cost about the same as an ordinary controller for a ps3/xbox.

Plus my bedroom is warm... living room with tv and ps3 is cold...

 

[Prophetic Heresy]

I agree with the console side of this argument, but only because I don't believe that hardware makes the game. PCs can have the potential for incredible graphics, but that's only if you decide to put forward the investment. Yes, I've built a PC before but it really only costs about the same as an xbox if you think the time you spend finding parts and putting it together isn't worth anything.

There's also a reason Developers are focusing on consoles, and it's not just because they're a larger demographic. If you've made just about anything before, you know it helps if you know what you're working with. The same applies to games. With the myriad amount of possiblities on a PC things get kind of tricky. With a console, the developers know exactly what they're working with. A uniform piece of hardware that they can optimize their game for.

Like jono said, you just put in the game and play. As far as paying for online play goes, you don't have to on the PS3 and the Xbox gives you enough extra features so I don't mind it. It comes down to less than $10USD a month, so I don't see the big deal.

 

[Enigmers]

I've got a PC, a 360, and a PS2. I enjoy PC gaming much, much more. What money I spent on my PC (and I assure you it's not significantly more than a 360) I save because of how cheaply you can get games on Steam, the fact that I don't have to pay for my internet twice, the fact that wireless internet adapters don't cost 100$, the fact that I can get a 500GB hard drive for 60$ (good luck finding one like that for the 360 at a comparable price. Spoiler alert: you can't.) So the base price of a console appears cheaper (or at least, of the 360) but you end up paying a lot more for the accessories and games and stuff, whereas with a PC (and maybe the PS3 as well) a lot of that is included. Oh, and dedicated servers are awesome. And steam is awesome.
Also, PC games retail for 10$ less than console games too (usually).

inb4 "paragraphs"

Edit: my point was supposed to be that either one is enjoyable and whatever circuit-box you choose to connect to a magical moving-picture and waggle your mouse/controller at is your personal preference.

 

[Woodsey]

I read about a paragraph, realised you are incapabale of comparing ("oh well I tried the PC on one game and it was just so boring") and stopped.

 

[Eliam_Dar]

well, I enjoy PC Gaming much more, even when something does not work properly, and I have to start repairing/fixing the problem....

 

[MiracleOfSound]

*feels ripped off after getting "The Bard's Tale" off of Steam, only to find that its slow as fuck even on low*

Pity man, it's a great game. Very funny, very playable send up of RPGs.

 

[chronobreak]

I feel like this is another thinly veiled way to pit console and PC gamers against each other using a flawed-from-the-get-go premise. Obviously it's going to boil down to the individual, as nobody here speaks for gamers as a whole. Next.

rantsnip

It's going to be ok. Take a deep breath. Most console gamers CAN work a server window. Most console gamers CAN install a PC game. Thing is, I can assume they are happy not doing that.

 

[RazerSauber]

Maybe in the late 90's, early 00's, but these days tech is getting so accessable I'd be amazed if you couldn't get a very servicable gaming rig for the price of, say, an xbox 360.

I doubt that, even the flagship elite is £200 now, with games for free. You can't build much of a PC for £200, let alone one that will play games at a console level or above, then there's the OS too, unless you pirate it but that's no fun.

A PC is more expensive, because you can do more things. I can't see a calculator on my playstation, or xbox/PC exclusives. PC's tend to get 95% of all games, the gamer is happy with that. Add to the fact you can use mouse and keyboard for most games or but a controller if you need to and you're not seeing much for the consoles argument, aside price and ease to set up. I don't know many 8 year olds that can make a valued decision on components then stick them together. They'd rather jam some wires in and watch it work

 

[ejb626]

Well, PC games have much steeper learning curves when it comes to controls not to mention I've never been particularly fond of people who have them a troll once said

"Yeah but I'm not limited to a controller with like three buttons, I have a whole keyboard not to mention PCs have better grpaphics and bigger matches, plus I can do anything on a PC you're limited to a dashboard"

That eltist prick tainted my view of PC gamers forever. It just seems a lot of people who have them think they're hot shit, and make sure that with every post they shove that fact in your face, "Sorry, I know this is an X-box thread but I don't know anything about X-box, I'm too busy playing awesome games with rad graphics on my super awesome mecha-powerful 50X gaming PC version 2.0"

 

[Iron Mal]

Take a deep breath. Most console gamers CAN work a server window. Most console gamers CAN install a PC game. Thing is, I can assume they are happy not doing that.

You are very much right there, there seems to be an automatic assumption that because console gamers elect to not play PC games that a) they are unable to (usually due to stupidity or technological ineptitude) and b) that this automatically makes them inferior because they've made the 'wrong' choice.

Like you said, it's just a different way of doing things (not nessercarily better or worse).

I choose not to install and play PC games not because I'm unable to or think they're worse, but because I simply feel more comfortable playing on a console (and most of my friend's play on consoles so it means I can play with them).

 

[Nex-Falx]

I used to play just on my friend's PC, and now I just play on my beloved Xbox... (Red Rings and all)

I'd say I have more fun now... so it's a positive for me.

 

[Amarok]

Maybe in the late 90's, early 00's, but these days tech is getting so accessable I'd be amazed if you couldn't get a very servicable gaming rig for the price of, say, an xbox 360.

I doubt that, even the flagship elite is £200 now, with games for free. You can't build much of a PC for £200, let alone one that will play games at a console level or above, then there's the OS too, unless you pirate it but that's no fun.

Okay, I'll admit it's been a while since I bought an Xbox, at the time it was about £300 for the system, £50 for the wireless peripheral, and another £50 for a year of internet access on the thing.

Still, £1000 is far far more than is needed for a decent gaming rig.

 

[ajw2255]

I havent used my PC for serious gaming in a long while, over 12 months really. In that time i got my ps3 which i use a lot, and also my PC has decided to be next to useless. Its about 4 years old and i dont feel the need to upgrade it when i can get most new games i want to play on ps3. The only exception being Football manager which is becoming very laboured on my pc so havent bought it for a couple of years.

Basically cost is the issue for me. I miss mods for games like fallout but the much greater reduction in bugs and crashes compensates it

 

[Disaster Button]

I'm not sure why PC games are more fun but I deffintiely think they are except for maybe Call of Duty. I've never tried that on a PC but to me it might fel a bit awkward.

But anyway, whenever I try to go back to palying console games it takes me ages to get back into it and enjoy it.

 

[dududf]

I feel like this is another thinly veiled way to pit console and PC gamers against each other using a flawed-from-the-get-go premise. Obviously it's going to boil down to the individual, as nobody here speaks for gamers as a whole. Next.

rantsnip

It's going to be ok. Take a deep breath. Most console gamers CAN work a server window. Most console gamers CAN install a PC game. Thing is, I can assume they are happy not doing that.

*Gets paper bag*

*Breaths deeply in and out*

Just freaks me out when I see people saying that PC's are hard to use. That's the reasons why they gotta change my freaken dedicated servers, that's why they just make ports from console to PC.

All of the console world will cry as I'm playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat. PC exclusive

[sub] I'm joking about the paper bag, and the rant is just me naming off opinions from what I know of PC [/sub]

 

[geon106]

Different strokes for different folks.

PC games can achieve the same level of "community" you speak of, and in many ways it can achieve more. Steam helps me a lot with this, as well as this very forum.

Unless you get ripped off every step of the way there is absolutely no way a good gaming PC is going to cost you £1000. Maybe in the late 90's, early 00's, but these days tech is getting so accessable I'd be amazed if you couldn't get a very servicable gaming rig for the price of, say, an xbox 360. Keeping them updated is easy (ok, maybe upgrading hardware every few years is a task, but hey) and maintaining them is not only simple, but fun too! (Getting a little rubber thingy of compressed air to just squeeze over the computer every few weeks, it's a barrel of laughs!)

Ultimately, PC Gamers enjoy a greater sense of control and freedom. In my mind, both PCs and consoles are perfectly valid ways to enjoy one's hobby, it just comes back to the phrase I mentioned at the start of this post.

Edit: As for the simpler question the title alone poses; my brother plays xbox 360 and he's always screaming and moaning about something or other, so probably not.

Agreed 100% with you there matey.

My Gaming PC has these specs:

AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.0Ghz oc to 3.2ghz
4GB 667Mhz DDR2
NVIDIA 8800GTX XXX Edition GPU
X-FI Fatal1ty Champion Pro soundcard
2000Mhz FSB SLi Mobo
500GB Western Digital Black Caviar 32MB Cache SATAII HDD
Logitech G15
Impact 3200dpi gaming mouse
22.5" LG 1080p 2MS 50,000:1 Gaming Monitor
DVD+-RW
850W PSU
Xbox 360 for Windows Controller

This PC at the end of 2007 cost me a total of about £700 for the whole lot, tbh a gaming PC doesn't cost much. If you upgrade it rather than get a whole new one it works out much cheaper

 

[BaldursBananaSoap]

There's a much better feeling of community on PC. And they're not all twelve year olds. You act like the PC doesn't have parties and invite systems. It does, maybe you should play more.

 

[Misaek]

Ive always been a console gamer but I'm making the transaction to PC gamer now that I have FINALLY upgraded my RAM and video card so I can actually play games now. And so far while I do enjoy the security of knowing a game will work on the console, the console does not hold anything even resembling a candle to the PC, for me at least. But for some reason, for now if I can get a game on the console and computer I will choose the computer and I don't know why this is.