PC Gaming is Cool And All... But...

[Kargathia]

Take a PC when you want capability, take a console when you want convenience.

I'm not entirely sure just how exactly this is a topic worthy of any real discussion.

 

[Tanakh]

Consoles (to me) are preferred because they tend to be cheaper to start, and don't need to be upgraded constantly. It takes about 6 years, give or take, before a new generation of consoles is released and takes over the current gen.

Also, and this is where I'll probably lose most people, I think controllers are more natural feeling than a mouse an keyboard.

PC gaming is a little more expensive on the hardware and requires a lot more knowledge to do it right, but nowadays it also takes 4 years or so for you to need to replace your gaming rig if you know what you are doing.

Also i use my 360 controller on the PC for stuff like super meat boy, Prince of Persia, VVVVVV, beat hazard, etc.

At the end of the day, I dont see any advantage for consoles but a little money saved ($200 or so every 4-6 years?) and that requires you a less tech geek points to get started.

Well... that and that most of my gaming friends play console... but eff em!

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Console, PC.

Ain't nothin but forks and spoons. There are things eaten with a fork, things eaten with a spoon, some things can be eaten with either, but no real conflict amongst silverware.

How dare you neglect to include chopsticks in your analogy! What? Are my chopsticks not good enough for this community you utensil elitists?!

 

[zehydra]

Just to point out, cross platform gaming will never be truly balanced because the precision of mouse and keyboard is too far ahead of controllers to keep it balanced.

only really applies to FPS and RTS

and i suppose some MMOs

yeah, FPS to be precise. RTS is almost non-existent on Consoles.

 

[zehydra]

It's my opinion that creating an argument based on the arbitrary differences between the two is like starting an augment on whither Superman or Batman is better. Why does there need to be an argument? Why can't we just be happy with it. What drives such a silly feud? I don't understand this at all. On a side note, I appreciate your opinions and idea but starting any thread that attempts to discuss the issue always ends in tears, unfortunately.

What drives the feud now, is the issue of developers making the majority of their games for consoles, and leaving the PC gamers behind with a Console-port version of the game.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

i dont mind either. like the OP i grew up using consoles, but for some games i prefer the keyboard/mouse combo. it feels better. but with others i prefer consoles.
i also dont want to have to pay a load of money on a PC, then more on better cards and chips and whatnot, then have to open it up and put it in, then install new drivers, then pray to gamer jesus i did it right because my computer is a year too old to play a game.
but i would prefer it if i could install mods onto my console copy of Fallout 3.

 

[Twilight_guy]

It's my opinion that creating an argument based on the arbitrary differences between the two is like starting an augment on whither Superman or Batman is better. Why does there need to be an argument? Why can't we just be happy with it. What drives such a silly feud? I don't understand this at all. On a side note, I appreciate your opinions and idea but starting any thread that attempts to discuss the issue always ends in tears, unfortunately.

What drives the feud now, is the issue of developers making the majority of their games for consoles, and leaving the PC gamers behind with a Console-port version of the game.

No. That's not true. I can guarantee its not true because there are arguments over the subject that revolve around other topics. I think the reason is more psychological and harder to grasp then a single issue. (This also only explains PC gamers hate, not console gamer hate).

 

[Vonnis]

Every day I wake up and hope people just stop talking about pc versus consoles. There are never any real arguments as people are remarkably misinformed about both, there is never any real discussion as most of it boils down to personal preference. I'm not even going to bother correcting your misinformed statements.

 

[migo]

Spend a couple hours on one of the many gaming forums scattered across the internet, and you'll see at least a half a dozen arguments about the benefits of PC vs. Console gaming.

I'm not trying to start an argument here, by the way. So let's be civil, eh?

Anyways, I'm inclined to think that they both have ups and downs.

PC gaming allows mods, better online communities (usually),

If the TF2 community is anything to go by, it's worse.

and if your computer can handle it, better graphics. Or at least a mod to enhance the graphics.

The latter bit is quite nice, although once you hit that point the discussion is moot because everyone has a PC capable of playing games that are old enough to have a mod to enhance the graphics.

For starters, they're machines designed to play all sorts of games and whatnot. And these games that go multi-platform to the PC community, typically look as good, or almost as good as PC games, without the need to buy some new high performance parts every couple of years.

That's the theory yes, in practice it's not working out like that. Newer games are starting to run into hardware limitations, with stuttering and tearing showing up on consoles. Devs want more power, and it seems like they're largely not content with sticking to the 10 year console lifespan, also, given by 2012 almost anyone could have a Quad-core Direct X 11 capable system for under $500... why would you get a console?

Consoles have the advantage when they're brand new, and their performance matches that of a $1500 gaming PC. Eventually PC hardware catches up and eclipses it, and it always goes in waves. Right now we're at a point where buying a PC really is the better option, maybe in 2013 when the next gen systems start being available, it'll shift back in the console's favour.

Also, and this is where I'll probably lose most people, I think controllers are more natural feeling than a mouse an keyboard.

Depends entirely on the game. Some games are better with a flight stick, some better with an arcade stick, some better with a gamepad, some better with a steering wheel, some better with motion controls and some better with keyboard and mouse. The advantage of the PC is that you have all these options. You can play most PC games with a 360 controller. A good number of PC racing and flying games have supported head tracking for better immersion for quite some time. If you really prefer for whatever reason playing an FPS with a controller, you have that option on a PC, but you can't (except for UT3 on PS3) play a console FPS with keyboard and mouse. More options always beats a better default.

 

[migo]

Console, PC.

Ain't nothin but forks and spoons. There are things eaten with a fork, things eaten with a spoon, some things can be eaten with either, but no real conflict amongst silverware.

There would be if you had to spend over $500 on a fork or spoon, and your omelette that you bought to be eaten with a fork would keep sliding off your spoon even though logically it should work just fine.

 

[Waaghpowa]

Yeah, I don't know where the idea that you need to "constantly" upgrade your PC comes from. If you bought a gaming PC at the beginning of this console generation that outperformed those consoles, it's still going to outperform them today. And then when the next generation comes along, all you generally have to do is upgrade your GPU at around $250 for a top-of-the-line. Meaning that it ends up cheaper than buying that new console at $500+.

As to whether controllers feel more natural or not, that's irrelevant. You can use any console controller with a PC, and/or buy other gaming controllers designed for the PC. Then you still have the accuracy and customization options that a keyboard/mouse give when you feel they're appropriate.

Let's not dance around the issue here: a PC is a better gaming platform than any console. It can do anything a console can do and more. The only down side is that there is a bar for entry. You have to be a decent amount more tech savvy to build/use a gaming PC over a console. And that's why it isn't for everyone.

Basically this. I don't get why we need to constantly tell people shit like this, you figure after saying it 100 times people would remember.

I would also like to mention that Gaming PC's are NOT game dedicated boxes that cost more money. They're our personal computers that just so happen to play high end games as well. Therefore a gaming pc will always cost slightly more, but we didn't go out and buy an overpriced prebuilt computer that can do little more than mundane tasks.

 

[No_Remainders]

That said, consoles are cheaper initially but are outdated and have to be completely replaced. PCs cost more at the start but upgrading can be cheaper.

Let's put it this way.

I got my xbox 360 for ?250. I could buy a top-of-the-range gaming PC for about ?750/800.

If you're to upgrade your pc, say, every 3 years with new a gfx card, you're still spending more than a console in the long run, as I've already had my xbox for almost six years, and it doesn't look like I'll have to be shelling out for a new generation of console any time soon, probably not for at least two or three more years.

Edit: I'd like to add in, before anyone goes "OH BUT BUILDING YOUR OWN PC FROM THE BEGINNING IS CHEAPER HERP DERP!", it's always more expensive in Ireland because we get taxes up the arse on electronics of all kinds.

 

[darksomos]

Coming from an ex-console diehard, the thing that
won me over (finally) from a joystick to keyboard/mouse
is when I picked up a copy of Gears of War for PC and
a Xbox360 controller for PC. One day I accidentally forgot
my controller, and I started playing with keyboard/mouse.
At the time, I was crap at GoW for some reason, but I
noticed that, hey, I seemed much more accurate with a mouse.
That is what finally won me entirely over. I still say
that some things are better with k/m, and some are better
with a controller. Depends on the game.

In the end, PCs can play their own games and emulate
everything else. So, PCs win.

 

[VGC USpartan VS]

Consoles vs. PCs

Both are good at their own things.

The end.

 

[Stall]

The whole "PC gaming is more expensive than consoles" is nothing but a myth, and indicates an incredible amount of misinformation and ignorance. A mid-tier gaming PC capable of playing most modern games on medium to max will only set up back about 400-600 dollars. Which isn't much more than a console, given the fact that you'll be using your PC MUCH more for... everything. The cost becomes even more apparent given the fact that PC games are usually about 10 dollars cheaper than console games, and once you factor in Steam sales, then it is honestly outright WRONG to argue that console gaming is cheaper than PC gaming.

Consoles are barely even more convenient anymore. It's easy as piss to install most PC games, and you rarely have to fuck with .ini files anymore. There are plenty of sites that will build your PC for you, and they charge only a little more than market price for parts. Upgrading PCs is easy as hell too, AND something you should do already be doing to your non-gaming PC to extend its lifespan.

Hardware is factually superior... you can't argue that. I had a PC as powerful as most of the current gen consoles in 2005 (maybe even earlier). Even low-end PCs have more raw power than consoles. You can also play EVERY PC game with a controller if that's your cup of tea, so you can't say "you prefer a controller" (some games don't have in-built controller support, so you just require a third party program to map key functions to your controller... it's easy though).

A PC's library of games is better too. Not only do PCs have most games that come out on consoles, but we also have a handful of AAA titles as well. The PC also has an extensive amount of indie games (this includes flash games, mind you), as well as infinite backwards compatibility, and a strong backlog of older console games.

QED, PC is objectively a better gaming platform. You are entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't mean your opinion cannot be wrong. You can like consoles better than PC gaming, but that doesn't mean PC just isn't the factually superior platform.

Oh, and PC gaming isn't dying. It's a myth perpetuated by the fact that Steam and other digital distribution platforms do not publish information on their sales, and given the fact that a vast majority of business is conducted via digital distribution, it only APPEARS that PCs have weaker sales simply because its biggest platform of sales doesn't get counted. So please don't tell me PC gaming is dying, because it just isn't.

 

[White Deer]

I like the PC better because A: I grew up with a computer and without a console and B: since I live in a country that's near Russia we get Russian versions of the games on the PC,but not on consoles.The Russian versions are seriously cheaper English MW2 costs about 25.99$ but the Russian MW2 costs only 2.50$.

 

[No_Remainders]

That said, consoles are cheaper initially but are outdated and have to be completely replaced. PCs cost more at the start but upgrading can be cheaper.

Let's put it this way.

I got my xbox 360 for ?250. I could buy a top-of-the-range gaming PC for about ?750/800.

If you're to upgrade your pc, say, every 3 years with new a gfx card, you're still spending more than a console in the long run, as I've already had my xbox for almost six years, and it doesn't look like I'll have to be shelling out for a new generation of console any time soon, probably not for at least two or three more years.

Again, why would you have to upgrade every three years? They only have to be upgraded every time a new console generation is released, and that's only if you want to outperform consoles. $250ish for a new GPU vs. $500ish for a new console. Between that and the lower cost of games, gaming PCs do beat out consoles in cost over time. Initially consoles are cheaper.

Over here the price difference for games is about 5 euro, so that's gone. Oh, and 500 dollars for a new console? Impressively expensive console you got going there.
And what happens when your new GPU needs a new motherboard as well, which won't be compatible with your CPU and HDD?

Then you'll be fucked over.

 

[Richardplex]

Despite how much superior PCs are to consoles, consoles still do good for PCs. It stops developers making games only playable by the top 1% of computers for example. And for the record, I grew up on consoles, but after a couple of PC games their superiority is blatant.

The tech savvyness is also pretty significant. There's a reason I don't have mods on any of my games, it may or may not have something to do with the fact that when I come to technology, I am a moron. And when it comes to arguing too, depending on your view.

 

[Waaghpowa]

And what happens when your new GPU needs a new motherboard as well, which won't be compatible with your CPU and HDD?

Then you'll be fucked over.

Modern GPU's use PCIe slots, which pretty much any motherboard from the last 10 years have.

 

[No_Remainders]

And what happens when your new GPU needs a new motherboard as well, which won't be compatible with your CPU and HDD?

Then you'll be fucked over.

Modern GPU's use PCIe slots, which pretty much any motherboard from the last 10 years have.

And a newer, more efficient form of connector will be made, after which you'll need to replace shitloads of things.