Epic Exec Wants Consoles to Catch Up to PCs

[Epona]

...PCs only win in graphics (let's focus on great gameplay and story first), but people seem to forget it's a trade off
not everyone's into building and maintaining and upgrading (surprised? different people, different hobbies) computers
plus I like my couch in front of my TV with my laptop put aside for the occasional Facebook/Gmail lol

It's not only graphics, PC's have more RAM than consoles. The PS3 has 256MB RAM, the XBox 360 512.

..and I have 6GB of RAM in a Wal Mart purchased PC.

 

[Stall]

Epic might be a bunch of pricks, mainly for betraying their original demographic, but the core message here is still good. There's a reason why people use the whole "PC master race" thing without any traces of irony, you know.

...PCs only win in graphics (let's focus on great gameplay and story first), but people seem to forget it's a trade off
not everyone's into building and maintaining and upgrading (surprised? different people, different hobbies) computers
plus I like my couch in front of my TV with my laptop put aside for the occasional Facebook/Gmail lol

And this is a great example of why people use the term "console gaming peasant" unabashedly and without any trace of irony.

First things first, how the hell does a platform have ANYTHING to do with story? In addition, you can use a gamepad in practically every PC (any GFWL natively supports the 360 controller, and you can very quickly set up the 360 controller for non-GFWL games) if M + K offends you, so clearly gameplay has nothing to do with it. How anyone could consider either of those complaints against PC gaming is beyond me.

Second things second, you don't HAVE to build your PC. There are tons upon tons of businesses that will build PCs for you, and they usually charge only slightly above market price for the parts. Even further, if you don't maintain and upgrade your normal, non-gaming PC, then you are probably an irresponsible individual who doesn't take care of their investments. You should maintain and upgrade your PC regardless of its status as a gaming machine to ensure you can get the most out of your investment. PCs are like cars. Not everyone races in them, but that doesn't excuse you from having to take care of them.

 

[MajorDolphin]

Maybe someone should tell Mark Rein that not all gamers are willing to spend 3000 bucks on a console.

 

[Racecarlock]

So who else read this thread title as "Please flame and insult consoles and console users NAO!!"?

 

[Ghengis John]

Everytime a new console is released it closes the gap between the previous gen consoles and PC's. Why is this even news?


Up Next: Fable creator Peter Molyneux went to the bathroom and had an opinion about seashells and toilet paper!

Is that a demolition man reference thee, Crono?

As for this trailer, and related demands I'm sure Epic wouldn't mind. They have the cash to develop whatever they like. A lot of smaller studios might feel a crunch though.

Not that the Samaritan trailer wasn't gorgeous. Frankly I couldn't tell if I was watching a game or an action movie from the 1980's.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

The problem is, the highest of high end PC's are around $5000 and no console could ever afford to go near that price point. The developers of PC's can always push hardware and graphics in ways consoles couldn't dream of because high end PC's are used in fields that need that stuff that isn't just for video games.

Consoles don't have to compete with 5000$ high end PC's. I have a 3 years old laptop and my laptop has better hardware than a PS3.

Helping prove my point that consoles just can't compete with PC's.

 

[Jake Martinez]

It's like going from HD to 3D: Sure it's nicer, but is the extra prettiness really worth the extra cost?

Why do you people always think it's just about graphics? There are plenty of other uses for the higher cpu cycles/ram/io that a PC can provide over a current console. Like, oh I don't know, running simulations and artificial intelligence for your games.

You know, that part of console games that is always shitty because the console can't run more than "i see player, shoot at him" without turning into a pile of burning plastic.

 

[Epona]

Everytime a new console is released it closes the gap between the previous gen consoles and PC's. Why is this even news?


Up Next: Fable creator Peter Molyneux went to the bathroom and had an opinion about seashells and toilet paper!

Is that a demolition man reference thee, Crono?

As for this trailer, and related demands I'm sure Epic wouldn't mind. They have the cash to develop whatever they like. A lot of smaller studios might feel a crunch though.

Not that the Samaritan trailer wasn't gorgeous. Frankly I couldn't tell if I was watching a game or an action movie from the 1980's.

Good catch, it is a Demolition Man reference. I am personally still trying to figure out the three seashells.

 

[draythefingerless]

Developers and publishers are always complaining about the time/cost of making games these days, and I don't see another graphical overhaul helping with that issue.

It's just going to drive prices up, for a graphical increase I don't think many of us feel is needed.

not quite. the major investment now will be processing power, not graphical capabilities. what this can do is actually lift many constraints when making a game. so, you like your thousand men battles in Shogun 2? How about hundreds of thousands in a battle? or maybe you want your Battlefield game to have 256 players like mag. sure. processing power allows devs to not constraint their own game so much. as for graphical capabilities, i think for now you wont see much increase as youve seen in the past decade.

If things happen how the Epic guy wants them to happen, the major investment will still be graphical capabilities, which would cause costs to rise.

But it probably won't. I hope it won't, at least.

they will be stopped by basic business rule.

the cost/profit ratio will be too negative for them to invest in graphical advancement.

 

[Neonsilver]

The problem is, the highest of high end PC's are around $5000 and no console could ever afford to go near that price point. The developers of PC's can always push hardware and graphics in ways consoles couldn't dream of because high end PC's are used in fields that need that stuff that isn't just for video games.

Consoles don't have to compete with 5000$ high end PC's. I have a 3 years old laptop and my laptop has better hardware than a PS3.

Helping prove my point that consoles just can't compete with PC's.

Consoles can compete with PC's the same way a PC that ist never upgraded. The problem is that the consoles are completely outdated the day they are released. I have an about 8 years old desktop pc that I rarely use, it has 4 times as much RAM as te ps3 and the CPU and graphic is probably only slightly weaker than a console.

 

[Abedeus]

The problem is, the highest of high end PC's are around $5000 and no console could ever afford to go near that price point. The developers of PC's can always push hardware and graphics in ways consoles couldn't dream of because high end PC's are used in fields that need that stuff that isn't just for video games.

For $5000, I can get at least 3 high-end PCs and monitors for them.

Where the hell do you buy your PC parts? Unless you are buying crap like Alienware, of course.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Oh, silly Epic. You think Consoles are going top use the same tech as a decade ago now, oh ho ho. No they will use modern tech and consoles will be nicer. Silly Epic.

I don't really know what Epic is saying here. Make the next gen better... yeah we get that. How much better it is depends on more factors then "MAKE IT PREETY, PRETTY PREETY FOR ME." If it was always just about how pretty it was then we'd have several thousand dollar super-consoles, but there are other factors at play. Honestly it kind of sounds like they just want to say how pretty their demo was and wave their dicks for a bit while insulting consoles.

 

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

It's like going from HD to 3D: Sure it's nicer, but is the extra prettiness really worth the extra cost?

Why do you people always think it's just about graphics? There are plenty of other uses for the higher cpu cycles/ram/io that a PC can provide over a current console. Like, oh I don't know, running simulations and artificial intelligence for your games.

You know, that part of console games that is always shitty because the console can't run more than "i see player, shoot at him" without turning into a pile of burning plastic.

What I meant was that there's no rush to make new consoles. Sure the new ones would be better quality, but the ones we have right now are not only fine, but still improving in how they're utilized.

I will also have you know that Consoles are perfectly capable of running Real-Time Strategy, Warhammer: Battle March, Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3, and Halo Wars stand as examples. They can also run city builders, Tropico 3; Turn-Based Strategy, Civilization: Revolution; Western RPG's, The Witcher 2, Oblivion; Life Sims, well...The Sims 3; and pretty much every other genre you can think of.

My comment was about how there is still more to be built upon the existing consoles without moving on to the next ones, leaving unknown amounts of untapped potential.

And I'll have you know, as someone who plays and enjoys Paradox Interactive games, such as Victoria, and Europa Universalis, I know all about the fact that there's more to a fucking platform than graphics.

I wasn't knocking PC's, PC's will always be ahead of consoles in many aspects, what I was, in fact, stating, was that we needn't bother looking to the distant future when the immediate future has yet to be written. And for you to turn around and attack Consoles is not only petty, but misinformed and, on a personal level, insulting to my intelligence due to your assumption that I am, in fact, not smart enough to give an article proper consideration.

 

[duchaked]

Epic might be a bunch of pricks, mainly for betraying their original demographic, but the core message here is still good. There's a reason why people use the whole "PC master race" thing without any traces of irony, you know.

...PCs only win in graphics (let's focus on great gameplay and story first), but people seem to forget it's a trade off
not everyone's into building and maintaining and upgrading (surprised? different people, different hobbies) computers
plus I like my couch in front of my TV with my laptop put aside for the occasional Facebook/Gmail lol

And this is a great example of why people use the term "console gaming peasant" unabashedly and without any trace of irony.

First things first, how the hell does a platform have ANYTHING to do with story? In addition, you can use a gamepad in practically every PC (any GFWL natively supports the 360 controller, and you can very quickly set up the 360 controller for non-GFWL games) if M + K offends you, so clearly gameplay has nothing to do with it. How anyone could consider either of those complaints against PC gaming is beyond me.

Second things second, you don't HAVE to build your PC. There are tons upon tons of businesses that will build PCs for you, and they usually charge only slightly above market price for the parts. Even further, if you don't maintain and upgrade your normal, non-gaming PC, then you are probably an irresponsible individual who doesn't take care of their investments. You should maintain and upgrade your PC regardless of its status as a gaming machine to ensure you can get the most out of your investment. PCs are like cars. Not everyone races in them, but that doesn't excuse you from having to take care of them.

apologies, I was VERY imprecise and generalizing when I typed that (was coming out of a food coma)

I won't argue with you because you're probably right on the fine details. tho do note not everyone drives cars either (especially in countries with less road space than America)

edit: and to clear things up, my roommate and I game on both console and a PC we built (ok, he built, I invested). G510...I will note it was somewhat more costly than my previous console exploits

it's not that I prefer either or, it's just I don't think it'd be fair to say either one (in this case consoles) shouldn't exist. wouldn't exactly be the kind of attitude for making and keeping friends

 

[Ghengis John]

Good catch, it is a Demolition Man reference. I am personally still trying to figure out the three seashells.

You don't know how I've wracked my brain over them. Kudos to whoever dreamed that up.

 

[duchaked]

...PCs only win in graphics (let's focus on great gameplay and story first), but people seem to forget it's a trade off
not everyone's into building and maintaining and upgrading (surprised? different people, different hobbies) computers
plus I like my couch in front of my TV with my laptop put aside for the occasional Facebook/Gmail lol

Well, I can play a console game, with a wireless XBOX 360 controller or a PS2 controller (USB adapter) on PC with better graphics and better load times while on the couch. PC's hook right up to HDTV's ya know.

Of course, I can also use a wireless keyboard and mouse too.

http://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/image?c=03AHJ_VuvLcLVH_3Uakgd6rn8TKpZEQyQUYM_M1GauUvXEOHl8Gny0xmlCP7x4sTdb0t_a_0aGeJSvq-jYwWvs2T01plECJdT9idhkGk3eyi78uJsHq321ElOJt-nolI0cDiLCIRkOtcUgqVx1BSeN3te_urwUNu34nA


How the hell can I type this?

lol no I know you can, and I'm not saying consoles can match with PC (gahh curse my way too quickly typed post that's drawing a lot of fire)
I game on both consoles and a pretty nice G510 (I didn't build it, had a friend help ok? lolz) that suffices, but I just don't think I'm ready to adapt an attitude of elitism or stuff

but really I just don't want to be THAT guy who says things like "consoles shouldn't exist cuz they suck!" haha...wouldn't be very endearing to my friends...
then again one might argue with a nice enough PC you don't NEED friends but no that's untrue lol

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

The problem is, the highest of high end PC's are around $5000 and no console could ever afford to go near that price point. The developers of PC's can always push hardware and graphics in ways consoles couldn't dream of because high end PC's are used in fields that need that stuff that isn't just for video games.

For $5000, I can get at least 3 high-end PCs and monitors for them.

Where the hell do you buy your PC parts? Unless you are buying crap like Alienware, of course.

Sorry, that is not what I have.

That is what Totalbiscuit, who says he has to have that monster for his undisclosed job, has.

 

[duchaked]

And this is a great example of why people use the term "console gaming peasant" unabashedly and without any trace of irony.

and please, calm down. I'm sorry I was so vague, but that attitude and tone is really unfit for anyone who appreciates PC gaming.

 

[The Lugz]

Developers and publishers are always complaining about the time/cost of making games these days, and I don't see another graphical overhaul helping with that issue.

It's just going to drive prices up, for a graphical increase I don't think many of us feel is needed.

and that, right there is the great console / pc divide if it's worth it to you you'll pay the extra, if it's not you wont