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.

 

[Phrozenflame500]

It's console wars. Don't expect any kind of logic among the blind fanboyism and buyers remorse.

 

[TelHybrid]

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

1. 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 a precision platformer like Super Meat Boy. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

1. That's a thing?! I mean I'm fed up of PC ports being really poorly done as much as the next PC enthusiast (recently acquired GTA4 in a sale and it's awful on PC), but that's a thing? Holy crap!

2. To be honest that's more of a problem with the industry than the players. From a personal standpoint, I find it retarded if a developer doesn't make PC the lead development platform for a multi-platform game. It simple gets better results with PC as the lead (see Battlefield 3).

3. I've honestly not seen PC players accusing console players of that in a very long time, especially not on escapist.

4. Yeah... I learned the hard way that brand loyalty is stupid. I grew up playing on SEGA consoles. XD

 

[shrekfan246]

Snip

To clarify my position: You're perfectly entitled to avoid buying a game because it doesn't meet your standards. You're also perfectly entitled to bring the points that kept you from buying a game up when other people ask for recommendations.

But for the most part, people aren't going to be in the same situation where it's actually uncomfortable for them to play a game at 30 FPS. They're simply going to see that it's locked to that because the developer doesn't have a lot of experience, and they're going to rage and whine about it on forums and dissuade other people from buying what might be a perfectly good game otherwise. And that's what I have a problem with. Especially, as in the case of my original post, when it's a genre that doesn't hinge on precision gameplay in any form whatsoever. A 2D platformer that doesn't require lightning-reflexes and pin-point reaction time like Super Meat Boy or I Wanna Be The Guy doesn't require 60 FPS to play. Whether or not it's comfortable for the end-user is something they should determine for themselves, not because a whole bunch of other people started bitching about it on the internet.

In other words, if you can't play a game at 30 FPS, fine. Just don't frame your position like it's hard fact and nobody else should purchase a game if it doesn't run at 60, because you don't know if they'd be able to handle a framerate that you can't.

1. That's a thing?! I mean I'm fed up of PC ports being really poorly done as much as the next PC enthusiast (recently acquired GTA4 in a sale and it's awful on PC), but that's a thing? Holy crap!

Yup. And flame wars about FPS rage through here every now and then. Hell, I can see the sparks of one striking up in this very thread.

2. To be honest that's more of a problem with the industry than the players. From a personal standpoint, I find it retarded if a developer doesn't make PC the lead development platform for a multi-platform game. It simple gets better results with PC as the lead (see Battlefield 3).

I don't disagree, but when people start accusing things like Crysis 2 of being "dumbed down" because they put in keybindings for the nanosuit controls instead of making you open up the radial menu, I find it hard to sympathize. (And yes, that really happened too.)

3. I've honestly not seen PC players accusing console players of that in a very long time, especially not on escapist.

You haven't looked hard enough... though I do have to admit it's been slightly better the past few months.

4. Yeah... I learned the hard way that brand loyalty is stupid. I grew up playing on SEGA consoles. XD

I miss the Genesis/Megadrive...

 

[thiosk]

I don't let teenagers noisy opinions about which mega corporation they have chosen to deify dictate my PC hardware upgrade schedule.

neither should you.

 

[LAGG]

but 30 FPS is still perfectly playable on a PC.

I don't care for the best graphics, in fact I always run all games on the low or lowest possible graphical setting.
But saying 30 is perfectly fine? Not unless the game is very slow, like turn-based strategy or puzzles.

You can always go to this website http://frames-per-second.appspot.com/ and try these settings http://imgur.com/BqYgZz1 and see the difference.

 

[Miss G.]

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

"Oh I'm just building a new PC"

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

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!

They make it hard to believe that they're anything but, especially when they come talking about their PCs, sometimes in graphic detail, in threads that are specifically about consoles and not game platforms in general- as in, its not pertaining to them and they should've gathered that from the thread title. While I wouldn't have used an expletive or something to convey that, don't get mad at the people pointing out the obvious to them because, apparently, it was warranted.

I liken it to a scenario in which we are all pet owners on a site for such:

- I put up a thread about getting my first pet, a kitten, and set up a poll of my top 3 picks; Ragamuffin vs Himalayan vs Japanese Bobtail expecting some extra insight from people who have personal experience with and/or care about those specific cat breeds. At first, I get some nice poll results and some posts about general kitten care and specific needs for each breed, or advice from people who have all 3. I might even get posts on breeds that are very similar to them and may be more affordable/easier for a new owner to handle, so even though its not exactly what I asked for, its still good to know in case I can't get any of my top 3 for any reason. Things are going well. Then, sooner or later, a bunch of dog-owners come in and try to make the discussion about why dogs are so much better and can do so much in comparison (you know how this goes) or just "I'm not getting any of 'em, I'm getting a new puppy", as if I'd asked for their rather topically irrelevant opinions in response to my OP in the first place. Not only is their talk beside the point, but if I'd not received enough info for my decision by then, the whole thing will turn into a war, more than likely between two or 3 groups of long-time posters to the site (and more than likely gonna happen in this thread, too), and I'll be lucky if the conversation gets back to what I needed help with in a timely fashion.

The point is if I cared about _____, I would've asked about _____ and if its ok to assume everyone on the site can read English, they should know by my OP and/or thread title that I don't and I definitely didn't, but the conversation will probably shift in that direction at some point anyway.

EDIT, sorry for the long post but I needed to get this out, no more for me to say in regards to this 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.

If its on one console but still has a PC port, it is still considered a console exclusive when/because its available on that console and not the others. e.g Titanfall is on the 360, Xbone and PC, but still not on anything Sony or Nintendo, so as a console gamer (if I cared about FPS/multi-player/gritty realism) and wanted to pick it up, I'd have to get an Xbone (eww) or 360 (eww) to play that game, lending to its Xbox exclusivity. Also, Microsoft does count it as their exclusive, so it's kinda mean to call people stupid for saying such.

but if it is a console thread then why the fuck would you post about your pc? even if they may have a pc it's still a console thread so what drove you to start posting about your pc?

What the hell is wrong with a "neither" option on a thread? Why is it such a travesty to say "I'm building a PC instead of buying a new console?"

If the question didn't ask anything besides one console or the other(s), 'Neither' is a fine answer (doesn't really add much discussion value to the topic at hand, though) if you feel you absolutely must post something and the poll option is not there (though why that last part should matter is beyond me), but unless you're under duress, you can ignore the thread entirely. Its just like my site for pet-owners scenario; yes, its a site for pet owners and dogs are pets as well, but if the thread is about cats, unless you're talking about cats, your posts, even benign ones like "Well, I'm getting a puppy", are literally uncalled for.

PCs are used as gaming devices. This is a video game forum. Therefore, if people want to talk about their PC where relevant, and one's choice of gaming platform is pretty damn relevant, then why should one demographic get a big "fuck you"?

That isn't the problem. 'Where relevant' would be in general gaming threads that don't specify one platform or another. The likely reason why PC gamers get the flak is because they will more than likely post PC- related or elitist stuff in threads that don't concern their preferred platform when they could've done as I stated above and simply went about their business or discuss a console(s) if they happen to use one (or more) as a supplementary gaming platform(s). Likewise, if I see a PC-centric discussion, I don't jump in and expect to post about consoles without stirring up some kind of negativity, I go to one either pertaining to my platform of choice or a more general thread (like this one) and decide what to do from there.