PC/Console gaming segregation

[TelHybrid]

"Which platform are you getting? PS4 or Xbone?"

"Oh I'm just building a new PC"

"GTFO!!! THIS IS A CONSOLE THREAD!!!"

Or even subtle stuff like:

"Oh this game is Xbox exclusive"

"But it's on PC"

"Still Xbox exclusive... it's Microsoft" <- by the way people with that logic are stupid.

What's the deal? I mean unless you're predominantly a Nintendo owner, most of the games you buy will be multi platform these days. Everyone owns some form of PC, some people add a couple of hardware upgrades for games, others buy separate devices for games. Some like to tweak and tinker with their games with mods, others like a hassle-free plug and play.

Oh and for god sake... stop assuming every PC gamer is an elitist!

EDIT: I can't believe I have to even type this but no, I am not encouraging "vs" threads or any sort of console or PC superiority complex. Wow...

 

[Hazy992]

Can't we have both? I'd love nothing more than for me to have all three consoles and a PC. Why? Because I just love games, and I want access to as many of them as possible.

I mean it may not transpire that I get a particular console, or at least not straight away (looking at you Xbox One), but there you go.

 

[shrekfan246]

Oh and for god sake... stop assuming every PC gamer is an elitist!

To be completely fair to the people who throw out those complaints, it's a little hard to stomach the "not-elitist" excuse when you turn around and see tons of forums flooding with people saying they refuse to buy a 2D platformer because it potentially runs at 30 FPS instead of 60. Not even talking about a precision platformer like Super Meat Boy, just normal platformers. It sucks that it might arbitrarily be locked because the development team just isn't that good with PC development, but 30 FPS is still perfectly playable on a PC.

Also, it's probably a bit of a persecution complex. Particularly in such PC-centric forums like The Escapist, it's a little obnoxious to see all of the constant complaints about how games get "dumbed down" because of the console market, as if the people who play on consoles are somehow stupider than the people who buy for PC. Something a lot of people don't seem to realize is that the complexity of the control scheme doesn't equal depth of gameplay.

I mean, if you want to get really pedantic here, you're encouraging the PC/Console segregation yourself by telling people to stop accusing PC gamers of being elitists while not telling people to stop accusing console players of being massive scrublords who need their hands held every thirty seconds.

Anyway, console wars are nothing new. PC getting roped into the mix pretty much just comes with the territory now that so many games are multi-platform. The most predominant cause of the behavior likely involves insecurity about one's purchases when they see that same product questioned extensively by random strangers, and they feel the need to justify their purchase of said product. Of course, you also have people who are inexplicably "loyal" to a certain brand, and I can't really explain that one since putting your "loyalty" in a big multi-million dollar mega-corporation just seems silly to me.

 

[Thr33X]

My eternal opinion about PC Nazis as I like to call them...because they are the ones who continually harp on about being the "Master Race" and such is this that the last folks who referred to themselves as being above all others got thoroughly thrashed in the end, so the very reference to those individuals is the most idiotic thing ever. For a smart as some PC Gamers claim to be, obviously they didn't pay attention in history class. Hence I refer to said elitist as PC Nazis, because they THEMSELVES refer to themselves as such.

Secondly, it's nice and all that PC Gamers can play games at their "optimal" settings, but another thing they fail to realize is that a lot (and by a lot I mean a vast majority) of players really don't care about having the most detailed texture maps, dynamic lighting effects and all the rest of this other technical jargon that's used simply to make one sound like they're so adept. The people who incessantly whine about framerates and the like are in a certain extreme of individuals who really have nothing better to do with themselves but be anal. The rest of us could care less if a game is 30 FPS or not. Is it really affecting the gameplay or the gaming experience?

Lastly, I say this anytime there is a discussion about PC Nazis to their console counterparts. A PC Gamer bragging about his PC to those who are talking about consoles is like a male pornstar walking into a lesbian bar. He might have an above average "package" and the urge to brag about it whenever possible, but nobody in the building cares.

 

[votemarvel]

Most PC gamers do run their games at the optimal settings for their PC. Optimal doesn't mean the highest setting but the one that works best for your hardware. An optimal setting could be the lowest one, it all depends on the PC.

To be honest I've encountered very few PC elitists, certainly no more than I have console fanboys, and most who call themselves "the glorious PC gaming master race" do so in humour and not because they believe it to be true.

Despite your insults I do have to agree that I've never understood the fascination with frame-rates. As long as the game runs smoothly, who cares if it runs at 30fps or 60fps.

However I don't believe that frame-rate obsessives are exclusive to PC gamers. A quick browse of any console gaming forum will show you people complaining about frame-rates there too.

 

[WeepingAngels]

"Which platform are you getting? PS4 or Xbone?"

"Oh I'm just building a new PC"

"GTFO!!! THIS IS A CONSOLE THREAD!!!"

Or even subtle stuff like:

"Oh this game is Xbox exclusive"

"But it's on PC"

"Still Xbox exclusive... it's Microsoft" <- by the way people with that logic are stupid.

What's the deal? I mean unless you're predominantly a Nintendo owner, most of the games you buy will be multi platform these days. Everyone owns some form of PC, some people add a couple of hardware upgrades for games, others buy separate devices for games. Some like to tweak and tinker with their games with mods, others like a hassle-free plug and play.

Oh and for god sake... stop assuming every PC gamer is an elitist!

Is it ok to call people stupid on this site?

I like my PC, my consoles and especially my handhelds. First party exclusives make perfect sense, they sell hardware.

 

[TehCookie]

I know what's best for everyone and _____ is better. Either that or they have some spite against the other platform because it has something they want (mods, exclusives, etc).

Though in a lot of your examples, it is annoying for people to go offtopic. Especially if they're the kind of person who says the stuff I wrote above. While not all PC gamers are elitist, there still are some and they tend to say things along the lines of what I've written above. Nice PC gamers are happy with their choice and don't mind others getting what works for them.

 

[Weaver]

I own every current gen console AND handheld AND I have a fantastic gaming PC. I think I have a problem x_x.

 

[Thr33X]

refuse to buy a 2D platformer because it potentially runs at 30 FPS instead of 60.

Sorry what? What does that have to do with elitism? I have standards to which games have to adjust or I won't buy them. I can see the difference between 30 and 60 FPS, it is clear as night and day for me. I gamed my entire life on 60 FPS and if a game dev can't be bothered to optimise a game to a semi decent standard then I won't support it (there are a few exception to this rule). Same goes to Field of View (hey, I get physical sideffects from low FoV).

I won't buy a book if the print is unreadable, why should I shell out money for a game that is just unpleasant to play? Explain to me what this has to do with elitism.

As I type this, I'm still unsure as to whether or not what I just read was real. To answer your question, you're basically saying "I want it done my way or I don't want it all". Your self-imposed standards are the only driving point to you, otherwise you deem a game unpleasant or unplayable for the most minuscule of reasons. I wouldn't call that elitist, but it sure is pretty snobbish if you ask me.

 

[shrekfan246]

refuse to buy a 2D platformer because it potentially runs at 30 FPS instead of 60.

Sorry what? What does that have to do with elitism? I have standards to which games have to adjust or I won't buy them. I can see the difference between 30 and 60 FPS, it is clear as night and day for me. I gamed my entire life on 60 FPS and if a game dev can't be bothered to optimise a game to a semi decent standard then I won't support it (there are a few exception to this rule). Same goes to Field of View (hey, I get physical sideffects from low FoV).

I won't buy a book if the print is unreadable, why should I shell out money for a game that is just unpleasant to play? Explain to me what this has to do with elitism.

but 30 FPS is still perfectly playable on a PC.

Unless you play every single game with a program like Fraps running all the time, I'd also like to question how you're absolutely positive that every single game you've ever played in your entire life was running at 60 FPS all the time. Particularly because a lot of games from the 80's/90's didn't run at 60 FPS, even on PCs and especially on consoles (the framerate for Ocarina of Time was 20 in NTSC locales, 18 in PAL territories, just as an example).

I can tell the difference between 30 and 60 as well. 60 is noticeably smoother and more responsive and generally feels better. I won't dispute that.

But it sounds particularly snooty and dismissive to outright state "I refuse to purchase this game because it doesn't run at a particular and arbitrary level of smoothness."

30 FPS is a "semi-decent" standard. Unless you're the type of person who's shelled out the money for a 120Hz monitor, 60 FPS is generally going to be the absolute maximum your PC will display anyway.

 

[Thr33X]

As I type this, I'm still unsure as to whether or not what I just read was real. To answer your question, you're basically saying "I want it done my way or I don't want it all". Your self-imposed standards are the only driving point to you, otherwise you deem a game unpleasant or unplayable for the most minuscule of reasons. I wouldn't call that elitist, but it sure is pretty snobbish if you ask me.

Then elaborate as to why I should spend my money on a product that is from a technical standpoint unpleasant for me to play.

There's no need to elaborate anything. If for whatever reason YOU deem is unpleasing then it's YOUR choice on whether or not it's worth YOUR time. However, just because it's YOUR opinion doesn't take away the fact that it's a snobbish opinion, based on the fact that a game could be aesthetically excellent in terms of story, gameplay or a myriad of other factors, but you'd dismiss it on something as trivial as framerate.

The message is loud and clear...however...it labels you as snooty. It is what it is.

 

[Vegosiux]

Can't we have both? I'd love nothing more than for me to have all three consoles and a PC. Why? Because I just love games, and I want access to as many of them as possible.

Well no, realistically, many of us cannot have all and have to choose one, because we can't afford all, both time-wise and money-wise.

 

[TelHybrid]

"Still Xbox exclusive... it's Microsoft" <- by the way people with that logic are stupid.

Is it ok to call people stupid on this site?

I like my PC, my consoles and especially my handhelds. First party exclusives make perfect sense, they sell hardware.

I sure hope it's okay to call those people stupid. If I can play a game on a platform that isn;t an Xbox, then it isn't an Xbox exclusive.

I have both too. It's got to the point where I have more games than I'll ever finish. XD

 

[ohnoitsabear]

I sort of have to agree with you, op. PC gaming is bigger than it ever has been, and what's been going on in PC gaming in the past few years has been greatly influencing the next generation of consoles (free to play, catering to indies, and a rise in digital distribution are just a few notable examples). It's something that just can't be ignored when discussing the new gaming consoles.

Also, somewhat related, people really need to stop caring so much about what platforms other people are using. Worry about your own experience, and don't care about what somebody else is doing. This doesn't seem to be too bad on this site for whatever reason (although I haven't really been around for a couple of months, so what do I know), but it's still a big issue with the gaming community as a whole, and something that needs to change. The platform wars should be fought by the platform holders, not by idiots yelling at each other over the internet.