PC Gaming Alliance Will Bring the Noise in 2011

[Radelaide]

So... It's a bunch of elitists going on about how the PC community is better than everyone? Bleh, next please.

 

[Jeffro Tull]

I finally got an HDTV so one of the first things I did was hook my PC up and play some Oblivion. I first played Oblivion on the 360 and when I finally did get it on PC, I wished I could use the 360 controller. I thought that with the HDTV and wireless keyboard and mouse, I could just sit back and relax while playing (like I could on the 360). Nope, as it turns out the mouse and keyboard are hard to use on the couch and I spend a lot of time repositioning them. I really only use a few buttons to play Oblivion, I could easily map them to the 360 controller if the game would allow it (I know I can download software to do it and I might just do that).

So if they are going to promote PC gaming, they could promote the other features like improved graphics, custom-ability, that PC's can use controllers as well as the standard keyboard and mouse.

You're kind of new to this huh? The things that you listed can already be accomplished on the PC. In fact it's the reason I went to PC gaming. All it really takes is a bit of research and some cash every now and then. I guess the idea of being able to use a controller for all games could be something that would possibly get worked out. However, many of the games that you have the ability to play (even most console ports) greatly benefit from the keyboard/ mouse control scheme, because for the most part you have greater control over the character and camera (especially the camera). It takes a while to get used to using this method of control, but once you get used to it you'll have a hard time going back to a controller.

I have a similar setup as you do and play games on my couch all the time with a wireless keyboard and mouse. If you have an optical mouse it might be easier to set it directly on the couch cushion, if not use a book with the mouse pad. There are also certain computer trays that you can put on your lap. These are relatively inexpensive and make it so you can have your keyboard at a comfortable angle no matter where you sit in your living room.

OT: It's kind of funny that PC gaming kind of takes a dip a couple years back, due to the fact that everyone is blinded by the simplicity of consoles nowadays. I am seeing that more people are getting into pc gaming as of recent. I suspect that either consoles are going to more and more PC-like (a trend that we are already starting to see), or there are going to be enough PC gamers that come out of this gen that the PC will be a substantial platform again market-wise.

 

[aldowyn]

@Garak you need a better chair if you can't sit in it for that long...


Anyway, from what I can tell (I don't remember seeing anything about them before), it looks like they've been collecting facts so they can have hard evidence for their pronouncements.

 

[MattPloyhar]

Hi Everyone -

Great discussion thread. These are the types of comments I've been following on a few different forums these past three months. (Rough crowd!) <-- However; I like that! Honestly; this is the kind of feedback, both negative, & positive, that helps guide my decision making process.
I'm a long time PC Gamer. I'm extremely passionate about it. I'll do my best to ensure that I give the PCGA the best shot I can.

I really believe the PCGA is better served by being more transparent. So yes.. we will be a little more outspoken moving forward. I don't want to bring 'Noise' though. We've had enough of that in our ecosystem in the last decade. I'd rather work towards inserting a little more sanity if at all possible. This may seem a bit insurmountable; and frankly some if it likely will prove to be just that. However; there are definitely some low hanging fruit things that I think we can all start addressing that hopefully we can get some traction on. Just understand though that these things do take time. I don't have a magic wand. (Wish I did)

This leads to what's our vision? Honestly I just want to make PC Games better & more ubiquitous than they are today. If we do the right things & execute then we'll rise to the top; and hopefully start seeing more AAA content on our favorite gaming platform!

What's new for 2011? This is going to be a big year of change for us. As I've mentioned in other posts being quiet on most things hasn't served us well. So it's time to do the opposite. (When appropriate). I'm going to be forming a 'Tech Advisory Board' comprised of very key architects in the PC Gaming Ecosystem. <-- This group will help flesh out our organization from being really what it is today - the PC Gaming Research Alliance - to the PC Gaming Alliance. This is likely to create some churn in our org. Some members want to call it 'mission accomplished'; I believe we're far from that. IF that churn overwhelms us then at least I know I gave it my best shot. The sentiments on this forum; and others like it, echo very similar sentiments. It's time to take a stance and be bold. It'll be interesting to see if that works or not. The vast majority of current members, & those we have coming on board support my new vision.

All the best to my fellow PC Gamers!!!

Sincerely
Matt Ployhar (Pres - PCGA)
PS: Advance apologies but I likely won't get time to come back to this forum for awhile. Next 3 weeks... with GDC etc are going to be nutty for me.

 

[Jeffro Tull]

I finally got an HDTV so one of the first things I did was hook my PC up and play some Oblivion. I first played Oblivion on the 360 and when I finally did get it on PC, I wished I could use the 360 controller. I thought that with the HDTV and wireless keyboard and mouse, I could just sit back and relax while playing (like I could on the 360). Nope, as it turns out the mouse and keyboard are hard to use on the couch and I spend a lot of time repositioning them. I really only use a few buttons to play Oblivion, I could easily map them to the 360 controller if the game would allow it (I know I can download software to do it and I might just do that).

So if they are going to promote PC gaming, they could promote the other features like improved graphics, custom-ability, that PC's can use controllers as well as the standard keyboard and mouse.

You're kind of new to this huh? The things that you listed can already be accomplished on the PC. In fact it's the reason I went to PC gaming. All it really takes is a bit of research and some cash every now and then. I guess the idea of being able to use a controller for all games could be something that would possibly get worked out. However, many of the games that you have the ability to play (even most console ports) greatly benefit from the keyboard/ mouse control scheme, because for the most part you have greater control over the character and camera (especially the camera). It takes a while to get used to using this method of control, but once you get used to it you'll have a hard time going back to a controller.

I have a similar setup as you do and play games on my couch all the time with a wireless keyboard and mouse. If you have an optical mouse it might be easier to set it directly on the couch cushion, if not use a book with the mouse pad. There are also certain computer trays that you can put on your lap. These are relatively inexpensive and make it so you can have your keyboard at a comfortable angle no matter where you sit in your living room.

OT: It's kind of funny that PC gaming kind of takes a dip a couple years back, due to the fact that everyone is blinded by the simplicity of consoles nowadays. I am seeing that more people are getting into pc gaming as of recent. I suspect that either consoles are going to more and more PC-like (a trend that we are already starting to see), or there are going to be enough PC gamers that come out of this gen that the PC will be a substantial platform again market-wise.

Me? New to computers? LOL, I have been using computers for 20 years and gaming on computers just as long. I have been gaming with controllers for longer though, dating back to the Atari 2600. I had a C64 and played with joysticks on there too. It isn't that I am new to this, it's that the keyboard mouse combo is not my preferred control scheme except in RTS games.

I have a laser mouse and it works fine on the couch but when I let go of it, it slides into my leg and I have to reposition it. I use a pillow to allow the keyboard to sit flat on my legs but when I let go of it, it slides towards me. It's better than sitting at a desk for hours playing a game but it is not better than a controller.

I already know the strengths of the PC. I play a superior version of Oblivion on the PC because of mods, improved graphics and faster loading but I would still prefer to use my 360 controller. Luckily a lot of new games are coming with controller support. Fallout 3 did for example.

I do think though that k/m controls should be implemented better than they did in Oblivion. This is something the PC Gaming Alliance can get behind.

Oh, I see what your sayin' now. Sorry I must have misread your original post. Controller V. K/M is a debate I have with my friends a lot. I don't really see how they could necessarily be implemented any better than they are right now. For the most part game developers tend to use many of the same commands for similar actions. You do get those games every once in a while that map the keys in a way that doesn't really make much sense(GTA:SA was one of those games, so was Shank), but I have yet to find a game that's unplayable. I will admit that controller do work really well for racing games though ( I'm not into racing games enough to spend the cash on one of those steering wheel sets).

I'm hoping their research will counteract companies tendencies the pull a PC version from their development plan. Honestly, It's getting damned annoying to get excited over a title and find out about a month before it drops that the PC version will not be released. I am getting so sick of that bullshit.