Star Citizen Dev: Consoles Will Lose Advantage to PCs

Steven Bogos

The Taco Man
Jan 17, 2013
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Star Citizen Dev: Consoles Will Lose Advantage to PCs



Veteran developer Chris Roberts predicts next-gen consoles will lose their price and power advantage over PCs.

Chris Roberts, the mind behind the Wing Commander series of space sims, as well as the upcoming Star Citizen [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120716-Wing-Commander-Creator-Raises-6-Million-For-Star-Citizen], predicts that Sony and Microsoft's new consoles will no longer enjoy the price and power advantage they have had over PCs in the past. Roberts cited the rapidly falling costs of PC components and the openness of the PC platform as he responded to claims that the impending next-gen consoles would curb the enthusiasm people currently have for Kickstarter projects like Star Citizen.

"I don't think the console manufacturers are going to have the same advantage, before they were willing to lose millions of dollars on the hardware and making it up on the backend and Sony can't afford to do that and I don't think Microsoft is going to support it that much either."

Roberts also talked about the PC's recent shift to the living room, spearheaded by initiatives such as Valve's Big Picture Mode. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119517-Valve-Brings-Steam-to-Your-TV-With-New-Big-Picture-Mode] He says that people can now build a high-end PC for a reasonable price, that is more powerful than even the most optimistic hopes for Sony and Microsoft's new machines.

Despite his fiery criticisms, Roberts hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of bringing Star Citizen to consoles. He said he would consider it if they became much more open platforms, particularly in regards to the the update-cycle bureaucratic red tape [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/94460-Microsoft-Adds-a-Price-Tag-to-Left-4-Deads-DLC] that PSN and Xbox Live are known for.

These comments seem to mirror those of Valve boss Gabe Newell, who earlier this week trivialized Sony and Microsoft as rivals to its upcoming Steam Box. He claimed instead that Apple will be the linux-based platform's biggest threat. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121815-Newell-Apple-is-Steam-Boxs-Biggest-Threat]

Source: Now Gamer [http://www.nowgamer.com/features/1790576/star_citizen_kickstarter_chat_4.html]

Image: IMDB [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0730932/resumephotos?v=me706404523]

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anthony87

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Aug 13, 2009
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Steam's Big Picture thing isn't spearheading anything, people have been connecting their laptop/PC's to televisions with HDMI cables for years and nothing has changed.
 

VanQ

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Oct 23, 2009
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FelixG said:
Wait, when did consoles EVER have the 'Power' advantage over PC? They had Price and thats about it..
I think it's more like a power:cost ratio that he's referring to. As you continue to spend more money to build a more powerful rig, the power curve tends to depreciate a bit after the ~$1500 mark.

He might be right, I think he has a point but the only thing that will tell is the next console generation itself. Do we even know what kind of hardware the next generation will boast? WiiU already waddled out the door at a walking pace so it's up to MS, Sony and anyone else wanting to enter the race to pick up the slack.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to enjoy my PC to its fullest until there's an exclusive I absolutely can't pass up.
 

thesilentman

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Jun 14, 2012
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FelixG said:
Wait, when did consoles EVER have the 'Power' advantage over PC? They had Price and thats about it..
He's talking standardized power; by which he means that all console hardware is the same. It was worded quite unusually here. (Ninja'd by VanQQish, dammit!

OT- Welcome to Earth. The grass is green. The sky is blue. And PCs have more advantages over consoles. Thanks for repeating something that was known since the beginning of time, Mr. Roberts.
 

The White Hunter

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Oct 19, 2011
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FelixG said:
Wait, when did consoles EVER have the 'Power' advantage over PC? They had Price and thats about it..
I think he may have meant power per unit currency spent. In which case, they usually have had an advantage.

OT: Well if Micrsoft and Sony continue down the route of huge patches, continuous firmware updates, persuing power and nothing else interesting they will eventually fall behind PC's as consumers shift to the platform that's most convenient, making consoles into, as Jim STerling put it, "shit PC's" will inevitably lead to people questioning.

Nintendo are doing something different and offering a product with unique features, puttig themselves in a unique position as a content provider with a unique platform, Sony and Microsoft should really consider doing the same or cultivating new markets for themselves by weaning the more casual crowd into more complicated games or more traditionally challenging genres.

The PlayStation Network and Xbox Live may also want to look at the Miiverse as a social hub for gaming for the next systems, that thing is a real joy to interact with.

Edit: I say this as a user of a low-end gaming PC (i'm poor and unemployed), a PS3 and a Wii U as my mainstays. I think branching out beyond power will become increasingly important as time goes on, and history has told us that as far as consoles go, the most powerful rarely wins. Gameboy, DS, PS1, PS2, all were dominant in their generations and all were weaker than the competition.
 

ron1n

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Jan 28, 2013
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FelixG said:
Wait, when did consoles EVER have the 'Power' advantage over PC? They had Price and thats about it..
My thoughts exactly :/

I guess he possibly meant power relative to their cost? Which is now negligible given the affordability of modern PC hardware.
 

SonOfVoorhees

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Aug 3, 2011
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Well duh. This guy is retarded. Consoles take a year or two in development and thus are out of date when they are released. Now PC's, and we are talking about those that you built and can update whenever, will always be more powerful if you have the money to spend in upgrading.

But what consoles have over PCs are that you know the games you buy will play at the highest your console can show 100% of the time. With PC's, most games are aimed at the middle PC crowd and those games that are aimed at the high end pcs are not that much different at all. I played Crysis 2 on 360 and it sucked, better graphics will not make that game suck less. An thats the problem, many PC people see graphics as the only measuring stick when its in fact the least of your issues.
 

AzrealMaximillion

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Jan 20, 2010
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Console sale have already been staggering lately. Same with console game sales unless you're game is Call of Duty. No one wants to pay $60 for console games anymore.

Same could be said in the smartphone vs. handheld comparison. Phone games are getting bigger and better. They're cheaper than the $40-$50 bucks a game costs on handhelds. And the features that the handhelds are gaining are just better on phones without costing $160-$250 for the hardware.
 

Scars Unseen

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May 7, 2009
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SonOfVoorhees said:
An thats the problem, many PC people see graphics as the only measuring stick when its in fact the least of your issues.
True, graphics are not the only measuring stick. Thing is, PCs beat console in every single category of measuring stick except in two, where it could be argued in either platform's favor: convenience and game availablilty. If you love JRPGs, platformers or fighting games, PC really is a poor choice. Both platforms have their exclusives, and both have certain titles that work out better on one platform or the other. Consoles have the advantage of unified and automatic firmware updates, but that isn't directly related to gaming itself(except of course when a game won't work until you upgrade drivers).

But more direct issues? Mid-level PCs win every time. Better processing for AI. More RAM to minimize loading(since RAM is dirt cheap right now). More compatible peripherals to customize your gaming experience. Better sound processing. No lockdown of digital purchase methods. Upgradability. Mods, mods, mods. The list goes on. The only reason, really, to own a console instead of, or in addition to a gaming PC is the obvious: there are games you want to play on it that you can't get elsewhere(and granted, this is a very powerful reason). I own a PS3 for that very reason, though I have far less games this generation than I did for the previous two.
 

ben-

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Jan 17, 2012
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I can put my xbox controller into my PC. Hey i got a console! and its playing music, posting to facebook, burning a movie, and more, all at the same time!
 

blackrave

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Mar 7, 2012
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GunsmithKitten said:
DVS BSTrD said:
Consols are made of weak sauce, PCs are made of open sauce.
Only if you've got the cash, connections, and technical know how.
Meh.
Minimal requirements one need to "build" decent gaming rig is

*some cash (at least as much as average console + TV costs)
+
*minimal tech skills+Youtube+other Internet resources
or
*buy a bear to a friend who is good with comps
=
gaming rig that is much better than any current console
 

weirdee

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Apr 11, 2011
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building a pc has always just been "stick things into things" and "hope there aren't any hidden conflicts"

the rest is just planning
 

blackrave

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GunsmithKitten said:
blackrave said:
*some cash (at least as much as average console + TV costs)
+
250$US

If you show how I can get a ground-up rig that'll run Sleeping Dogs (I pick it since it's a fairly graphic hoggy game) at 50FPS or better WITH the HD patch on max settings and no issues, I'll publically burn every console I own.
250USD???
For a new X360 and a new TV???
Maybe that's US prices (although I really doubt that- could you give me some links for US e-stores?)
quick glance at local stores gave me ~800USD (4GB X360+cheapest TV)
Maybe you could bargain for 700USD if you search for cheapest offers, but that's about it
and for 700-800USD I can build you really good PC (good enough for Witcher2 to run on high or even ultra-I'm not familiar with Sleeping Dogs)

weirdguy said:
building a pc has always just been "stick things into things" and "hope there aren't any hidden conflicts"

the rest is just planning
Don't give our professional secrets away, dammit!
 

Shadow-Phoenix

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Mar 22, 2010
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Honestly regardless of what he says consoles will still be consoles and PC's will still be what they are as both parties will still have their consumer base and the world will keep on spinning since not everyone will automatically hop from consoles to PC's any time soon.

I've almost finished building my own rig and it has taken me time and even then there is a risk of it not outputting to "my" expectations whereas my Xbox 360 still continues to play games straight off the bat without any problems and I can still enjoy both without having to alienate the other.

That and I'll be damn happy when I get myself a Wii U knowing all the fun I will have regardless of what anyone claims it being inferior and such because saying it's inferior to me makes no great difference and in essence is a massive waste of time to do so.

That and I'm unemployed so making the rig has taken around a year if not more to construct it with little knowledge and not much help.
 

Doom972

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Dec 25, 2008
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GunsmithKitten said:
DVS BSTrD said:
Consols are made of weak sauce, PCs are made of open sauce.
Only if you've got the cash, connections, and technical know how.
Not really:

It doesn't cost much more than a console, and sometime even less. Take the price of a reasonably priced gamer PC (which means not Alienware) and subtract the amount you'd normally for a regular PC (because you'd get a PC for non-gaming needs anyway), and you'll see that it doesn't cost that much more (less if you can find a good deal) than getting a console.

As for connections, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Technical know how? Just get one of the more recent models of the Dell Studio XPS series (or any similar brand) and you're set. The only computer skills you need are the ones that you probably have.

OT: I like how this guy gets all the console fanboys angry every time he opens his mouth. I might have to get this game based only on that.