Ken Levine: The Future of Gaming Is In the PC

[BehattedWanderer]

Ok? Well done him, for having an opinion. Innovation comes in many forms, and the PC might be spearheading some innovation, it's had little of the mainstream innovation in the past few years. Both motion technology and 3D, the apparent current focus of the industry, are bypassing the computer. And while they may or may not be a fad or a trend period, they are innovation. And while the PC pushes things in every range of graphics, most of the graphical styles are remarkably the same; design innovation happens more on the consoles than anything else. And is it just me, or does anyone else see an inconsistency here:

"As a gamer, I'm a PC. I like the kind of games you can play on it. I like that designers know they have your full attention, so they feel comfortable EXPECTING your full attention," he wrote. "I like the ergonomics of the thing, the mouse and keyboard, the effortless transition from gaming to browsing to typing. I'm an alt-tab kind of guy."

If they have your full attention, why are you constantly switching back and forth, apparently too separate from the game to be immersed? If they require your full attention, why is your attention wavering back in forth in an "alt-tab" manner? There is a distinction between multi-tasking and doing things just because you can. Doesn't seem that it requires your full attention after all.

But, this isn't an anti-PC post. This is just me picking apart an opinion I don't necessarily agree with. Personally, I prefer consoles. PC has it's merits, but I prefer the ability to sit back in a couch, elbows at my sides, rather than on a desk. But hey, takes all types.

 

[Effyou12345]

PC is the future of gaming! That's why 2K didn't want to port Minerva's Den or any other Bioshock2 DLC to the PC, until PC gamers freaked the eff out, right? Right?

 

[Electrogecko]

The mouse keyboard combo is intended for navigating files and typing. It's not a comfortable or intuitive control mechanism.

Minecraft and all the other indi devs are on pc, atleast 98% those that can't afford there games to get microsoft.
And thats where Innovvation comes from.

Ahahahahahahahaha... good stuff.

What about Nintendo, Capcom, Square Enix, Sony Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, Rockstar, Insomniac, Atlus and Sega? Console developers first. But I guess they don't count because they don't fit into his argument.

This guy is talking out of his ass.

Nintendo innovative? For every innovative game you get 10 itterations.

Nintendo is easily one of the most innovative major developer out there in both hardware and software.

OT: The keyboard mouse combo is intended for navigating files and typing. While it works well as a controller, something about using it makes games less fun for me. Having to contort your left hand awkwardly to reach buttons on the keyboard and a complete lack of apposable thumb use make the layout uncomfortable and easily improvable.
I suppose there are available peripherals that can help....

 

[GiantRedButton]

On a console you have to buy a development kit a license pay the microsoft or soney money for approving your game, if it's to unusual they won't. And then you have to pay them to approve every patch they do.
And you are not allowed to do a free game.
+ the hardware is 7 years behind.
You can start making something new right now on the pc. Like the colleague guys that did the portal prototype.
Try to make a 360 or ps3 game and get it up on xbla/Psn.
Consoles are nice, but no place to try something radicaly new without risking (and having) a company.

Nintendo innovative? For every innovative game you get 10 itterations.

On top of the fact that GiantRedButton never once used the word innovative, Nintendo is easily one of the most innovative major developer out there in both hardware and software...r u dumb?
[/quote]
no u? I usually don't talk on that level but i think thats wit appropriate for the question.
I said that for every innovative game (Pikmin etc) They do a ton of thoughtless itarations like Zthe 15th Zelda game with a hookshot

 

[Tim Latshaw]

I definitely see the validity of some of his points, but I also get a chuckle out of how he says designers are "EXPECTING your full attention" then goes on to praise how you can so easily fly about alt-tabbing and multi-tasking.

"We will have your full att--oh, you're going on FaceBook now? We'll wait."

EDIT: BehattedWanderer noted upon this first. Good show!

 

[Woodsey]

Ok? Well done him, for having an opinion. Innovation comes in many forms, and the PC might be spearheading some innovation, it's had little of the mainstream innovation in the past few years. Both motion technology and 3D, the apparent current focus of the industry, are bypassing the computer. And while they may or may not be a fad or a trend period, they are innovation.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/3d-vision-3d-games.html


At least put in some mild research before you start making claims. It's hardly a little known fact that Nvidia have been pushing their 3D tech. As for motion gaming, the majority of people I've seen on this site and those like it don't want it. Of course, you could always use your Wii mote with some PC games if you really wanted to anyway.

PC is the future of gaming! That's why 2K didn't want to port Minerva's Den or any other Bioshock2 DLC to the PC, until PC gamers freaked the eff out, right? Right?

If it didn't matter they wouldn't have bothered after the complaints.

You can sort of see where he is coming from. I think the fact that the PC is less mainstream allows the developers to be more experimental and take risks, without having to worry to much about a loss of sales

Playstation Network would like a word with you.

Still less open then releasing on the PC.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Ahahahahahahahaha... good stuff.

What about Nintendo, Capcom, Square Enix, Sony Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, Rockstar, Insomniac, Atlus and Sega? Console developers first. But I guess they don't count because they don't fit into his argument.

This guy is talking out of his ass.

You're missing the point when he talks about 'developers'

He isn't talking games companies, but the actual programmers that do the work of making the games for these systems.

Now, let me ask you a simple question... If a programmer is learning how to make games, what system do you think they start with?

For that matter, what system do you think actually gets used for the coding of games even when they're on a console?

The point is, if you want to make a game for a console, you need a dev kit for that console (expensive and hard to get hold of), at least 1 pc, and a whole lot of money.

Want to develop a PC game though? All you need is at least 1 PC, and some freely available tools.

There's also the hardware itself; Most of the time, PC hardware has a performance edge over consoles.
Ergo, if you want to experiment with the latest techniques, it's only really feasible on a PC (unless it's very early on in a console cycle.)

This statement just points out the simple fact that anyone who knows how to make games has probably created PC games at one point or another. (even if they were crap and never publicly released.)

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Ok? Well done him, for having an opinion. Innovation comes in many forms, and the PC might be spearheading some innovation, it's had little of the mainstream innovation in the past few years. Both motion technology and 3D, the apparent current focus of the industry, are bypassing the computer. And while they may or may not be a fad or a trend period, they are innovation. And while the PC pushes things in every range of graphics, most of the graphical styles are remarkably the same; design innovation happens more on the consoles than anything else. And is it just me, or does anyone else see an inconsistency here:

"As a gamer, I'm a PC. I like the kind of games you can play on it. I like that designers know they have your full attention, so they feel comfortable EXPECTING your full attention," he wrote. "I like the ergonomics of the thing, the mouse and keyboard, the effortless transition from gaming to browsing to typing. I'm an alt-tab kind of guy."

If they have your full attention, why are you constantly switching back and forth, apparently too separate from the game to be immersed? If they require your full attention, why is your attention wavering back in forth in an "alt-tab" manner? There is a distinction between multi-tasking and doing things just because you can. Doesn't seem that it requires your full attention after all.

But, this isn't an anti-PC post. This is just me picking apart an opinion I don't necessarily agree with. Personally, I prefer consoles. PC has it's merits, but I prefer the ability to sit back in a couch, elbows at my sides, rather than on a desk. But hey, takes all types.

Err, every new Nvidia graphics card supports 3D gaming. Motion-control gaming, on the other hand, is just a less accurate attempt at copying the mouse. So yea, advantage PC there.

Advantage none. The mouse is no better than the analog stick. Same tracking system, same two dimensional means of vision/targeting direction over a three dimensional perspective image. Motion controls do the exact same thing, merely changing the way the user moves and changes the graphics being observed. The only difference between the mouse, analog stick, and motion controls is hand position and associated movement--the analog is the simplest, requiring only the thumb to move. Next is the mouse, moving only the wrist or elbow, then comes motion controls, moving wrist, thumb, elbow, and occasionally even shoulder.

 

[Delusibeta]

Ahahahahahahahaha... good stuff.

What about Nintendo, Capcom, Square Enix, Sony Santa Monica, Naughty Dog, Rockstar, Insomniac, Atlus and Sega? Console developers first. But I guess they don't count because they don't fit into his argument.

This guy is talking out of his ass.

All console developers started on a PC operating system. Consoles are just simplified PCs. And that's what he's saying here. All of the big developers we'll be seeing in the future will have gotten their start on the PC as well. It's an unrestricted medium for new ideas, whereas consoles tend to play it safe and re-hash game concepts.

Dude, that's not even close to what he's saying. That's what you think, and as such, it's what you interpret from his comments.

No, that's pretty much what he said. Read the linked article.

The PC is the place where great game developers are born, even?and maybe especially?where great console game developers are born. Halo, Mass Effect, Call of Duty?PC developers first. And it's on the PC where the leading-edge ideas form, primarily because the barrier of entry is low and you can have an idea that goes like this:

"Hey, I've got an idea!"

"Cool! Who do we need to approve this idea?"

"Umm?nobody?"

 

[samsonguy920]

It really shouldn't be a question of which is better, but which can serve Your gaming needs best. Some people prefer console for the games it can serve(and it can't serve all of them) and others, like me, prefer the PC for what it can offer(and granted there are some games that just don't work on the PC as well as it would on a console).

Now I am going to go play some Starcraft 2 and continue saving money for Civ 5.

 

[The Austin]

The answer is very simple: where does games on consoles are made from? PC's !

What's the only platform that delivers Mods for FREE: PC's !

i don't need to go further...

What's the only platform that you can sit on the couch and play..... Consoles.

What's the only platform that can be operated by a monkey...... Consoles.

OP: Wasn't BioShock only on 360?

Edit: Okay, I'm sick of you people quoting me. I've gotten about 20 quotes of people explaining how a monkey could use a computer.Those are funny, because those people clearly get the joke.

But I've also gotten about 5 quotes telling me how thick I am and how superior PC's are. I've even got one guy who's such a raging PC fanboy he's telling me I that I need to "supplement my education, and go work at McDonalds." These are the people who clearly don't see the sarcasm behind two very bad examples and the phrase "A MONKEY CAN DO IT."

So if you're going to send me more funny videos of monkeys? Please do!
But if your going to tell me how I'm and idiot and need to go work at McDonalds, than YOUR the one who needs to learn how to understand "Context clues."

 

[Upbeat Zombie]

Well I'm glad I recently bought a nice new gaming pc then.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

The only sensible person on the entire planet.
ALL HAIL KEN LEVINE!!

 

[sir.rutthed]

I think it's also important to keep in mind that community made mods are much more likely to happen and be widely played on PC. Just look at all the user made contend for the original Neverwinter Nights, all the great Garry's Mod stuff, and DOTA, not to mention the fantastic Indie games like Cave Story. What do consoles have, Little Big Planet and Xbox Live Arcade and you can get a lot of the XLA games online anyways? The community and Indie developers are the ones who really push innovation forward, and PC is much more friendly towards them than any console.

 

[The Austin]

The answer is very simple: where does games on consoles are made from? PC's !

What's the only platform that delivers Mods for FREE: PC's !

i don't need to go further...

What's the only platform that you can sit on the couch and play..... Consoles.

What's the only platform that can be operated by a monkey...... Consoles.

OP: Wasn't BioShock only on 360?

Wrong on count number one. You can just as easily hook your PC up to your TV and then connect a 360 controller or Wiimote to it. And subsequently play from the couch.

I'm not sure your second point is a positive for consoles...

I have Bioshock installed on my PC now.

I'm basically just saying Consoles are easier.