What IS PC gaming these days?

[wulf3n]

Eh, all PCs are computers but not all computers are PCs.

OTCs will always be what they have always been. A common means of use for dedicated digital software/hardware. There are many devices that can do it's job but for the majority it cannot do it well.

Just like the camera today, the majority of use the camera on our moblie phones however it cannot provide the same quality and features that are needed/wanted by enthusiasts and professionals.

I see what you're trying to imply but video game consoles are a very specialized use computer, rather than the general use desktop we imagine when we say "PC". Consoles do playing video games well and everything else horribly to be honest. This is compared to a PC, which can do what ever the hell you want with it. Playing games included. PCs are used to make most video games for consoles, so naturally, a PC can do gaming just as well, and in some cases better than a console.

Slapping the label of "PC" on handhelds and consoles is just silly. Had you said that they were all "computers" you'd have a point. A "PC"? No. Not if handling an internet browser is a struggle.

The "personal" part of PC basically just specifies that it's size, capabilities, and original sale price makes it useful for individuals. Wikipedia also adds in the "General Purpose" element which I don't disagree with.

I would argue that since the 5th or 6th generation of consoles, they've become less of a specialised computer and more of a general purpose computer.

I wouldn't call the original nintendo a PC, however I use my PS3 video game console for movies more than I use it for games.

 

[charlottehoughton84]

Snip

No idea, but you'll probally get more luck posting your question here. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.166417-Old-Games-you-remember-playing-but-cant-remember-the-name-of?page=209]

OT: As many have said, it's playing a game on a PC as opposed to a console. Technically consoles are PCs, but then the term would have no meaning because every video game would be a PC game. I personally never thought of PC gaming as MOBAs and more about rubbing yourself in graphics, so everyone's perception is different. If it bothers you, you could just explain it like you did here, unless of course your boss has a strict one word answer policy.

thanks ill post it now

 

[Rob Robson]

"PC Gaming" these days seems to have become synonymous with MOBAs like League Of Legends (we actually hosted a LoL tournament in the Gaming Bunker at work not so long ago), World Of Warcraft, and the online RTS scene.

Meh, those games (the Mobas and RTS) are only popular because they just happen to be the only truly balanced online gaming these days.

CoD and BF3 is too full of luck and lacks skill gap to be taken seriously for competitive gaming.
Red Orchestra 2 was too buggy for too long.
Natural Selection 2 has spent too long dialing in the balance (but is probably the strongest online shooter in terms of balance now, and the environment is starting to pick up competitive pace!)

I personally can't stand LoL/ Dota2 or SC2. They are to me the expression of a gaming public desperate to be taken seriously as mathletes, and they'll play any old distilled boredom as long as they look cool on their stream and there is some "balance respect level".



It doesn't have to be about competition. I'm pretty sure World of Tanks (another game I hate for it's knucklebrained simplicity, but still) has by now grown shoulder-to-shoulder with those other games. It's a more casual and emerging audience, but this game is significant because when their audience moves on, it will probably be to the next smash-hit eSports shooter.

You're probably frustrated because for the longest time, the PC gaming audience has been the most fluid and adaptive gaming audience, but suddenly it seems to have 'grown stuck' in what seems like a rut. Unfortunately, we will just have to wait for the right games to inject them with spirit again.

 

[Woodsey]

PC gaming is when you play games on a PC.
It doesn't matter what game it is. It doesn't matter what genre it is.
If you're playing Scribblenauts Unlimited on the PC then you're PC gaming.

Uh huh.

Never understood the increasing fascination to state that PC gaming will cease being X and instead be Y, as if we're all going to throw out our Half-Lifes and Team Fortresses at the first sign of Angry Birds for Windows.

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

Well, any games that don't offend anyone, intentionally or unintentionally, could qualify as being a PC ga...

Oh, wait...you mean "personal computer", not "politically correct". My bad!

Actually...didn't MovieBob do an entire episode [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/2911-PC-Gaming-Is-Dead-Long-Live-PC-Gaming] on this subject?

 

[Weaver]

PC gaming is when you play games on a PC.
It doesn't matter what game it is. It doesn't matter what genre it is.
If you're playing Scribblenauts Unlimited on the PC then you're PC gaming.

No.

The thread isn't about defining the act of gaming on a PC - that would be pointless. We are trying to unveil the essence of PC gaming of the day, as a standalone subject. This involves more than pointing out the obvious fact of what an individual is doing when performing the physical act of gaming on a PC, as if the Being of a thing were determined only, and fully, by the way it is brought to presence.

Normally I wouldn't be bothered refuting posts like this, but it's far too common to see people writing simplistic "/thread" answers which shut down all thinking before the question has a chance to be asked.

The title of the thread is "What IS PC Gaming these days?"
The OP then wrote a disjointed post skirting the topic

"PC Gaming" these days seems to have become synonymous with MOBAs like League Of Legends (we actually hosted a LoL tournament in the Gaming Bunker at work not so long ago), World Of Warcraft, and the online RTS scene."

Firstly, this is not correct, and why I wrote what I did.
Just because his internalized schema of what PC gaming is seems to be MMOs, MOBAS and RTS games does not make that what PC gaming is. Consoles do not have a lockdown on FPS and TPS games, you can play these on a PC.

The essence, as you put it, of "PC gaming of the day" is playing goddamn games on a PC. That's what it is. That's what the "essence" of it is. MOBA's are big now, but they don't define the platform. Nothing does and that's the beauty of it all, isn't it? I own consoles mainly to play JRPGs. Does that make the "essence" of consoles JRPGs? Of course not.

OP then goes on to conclude:
"So yeah. As "PC Gaming" seems to have gravitated more and more towards an online field that I have no interest in, what's left for that world apart from the independent stuff?

Which is wrong. Firstly, the PC has always had games with an online focus. It's always had all the MMOs, it's always had all the tournament shooters. Until recently, when consoles have also started going more and more online. Nothing, really, is different now than it was 13 years ago; besides the emphasis on digital distribution.

What's left on PC that isn't online? Considering 95% of console games also release on PC, I'd say nearly all of the AAA market that has a single player campaign, and a massive back catalog dating back to 1981 (or earlier if you want to put in the work).

 

[itsthesheppy]

Steam has thousands of games. Surely they don't all bore you?

 

[panosbouk]

PC gaming is when you play games on a PC.
It doesn't matter what game it is. It doesn't matter what genre it is.
If you're playing Scribblenauts Unlimited on the PC then you're PC gaming.

This one here.

Just to sum it up.
PC gaming is all the games in the market except console exclusives

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

The "personal" part of PC basically just specifies that it's size, capabilities, and original sale price makes it useful for individuals. Wikipedia also adds in the "General Purpose" element which I don't disagree with.

I would argue that since the 5th or 6th generation of consoles, they've become less of a specialised computer and more of a general purpose computer.

I'm just going to go a ahead and say it before someone else does. Wikipedia's description is not the end all reference point for a PC. And a PC these days can vary in size, capabilities, and price.

Even if consoles are becoming less specialized, they are only becoming more specialized in their field. They are classified as "entertainment machines". Playing movies, music, and games is just about all of what a console can do well. None of them have good internet browsers. You can't hold a video conference on a console. You can't create documents of text, etc, etc.

Consoles only scratch the surface of what a PC can do because they were not built for general purpose. This is why your comparison of the two is only valid by the single thread. That thread is, they can both entertain in the same ways. But there are many was a PC can entertain that a console can not. The are many functions a PC has that or not entertainment related and a console has no way of doing anything well outside entertainment.

A console wouldn't be able to come to this very website and access the forums with the ease of a PC.

I wouldn't call the original nintendo a PC, however I use my PS3 video game console for movies more than I use it for games.

Playing movies on a console doesn't make it a PC. That's a base point. It still flies under the functions of what an entertainment machine does. Consoles have very little general purpose use. If you still have to leave the console to come to debate this topic, your console is not a PC.

Better yet, I've yet to see people bringing their PS3s and 360s to class to get some work done. Nor have I seen someone send their project to their professor via the 3DS they completed it on. Until that day comes, consoles are not PC. They are computers.

Like I said, both PCs and Consoles are computers, but they are clearly not the same thing.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

You can't hold a video conference on a console. You can't create documents of text, etc, etc.

Don't say that to the 10 or so people with launch model PS3s that are still running Linux distros on them, you'll never hear the end of it.

 

[wulf3n]

Like I said, both PCs and Consoles are computers, but they are clearly not the same thing.

Of course they're not the same thing, but they're still both PC's.

I think you're lending too much credence to "specialised".

While most people today see PC as only a Desktop or Laptop computer, the actual definition is much more broad.

Deny it all you want, your current gen console is just a PC with a shitty software library

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

Like I said, both PCs and Consoles are computers, but they are clearly not the same thing.

Of course they're not the same thing, but they're still both PC's.

I think you're lending too much credence to "specialised".

While most people today see PC as only a Desktop or Laptop computer, the actual definition is much more broad.

Deny it all you want, your current gen console is just a PC with a shitty software library

Your definition of what a PC is way too broad.

In fact, you barely stated the difference between a console and a PC other than throwing up a Wikipedia page. And that link has made my point easier to make.

Your definition would fall more into the "they are both computers" argument. I can't dispute that and neither can you. But when you have 2 different kinds of computers that are built for two different purposes. One, solely to entertain. The other, can be used to do hundreds of thousand of things well, including entertainment purposes. Saying that they are the same thing is an extremely flawed argument considering the consoles can't do anything outside of entertaining you at all. And if it can, not nearly as well as a damn smartphone.

Your console is not a replacement for a PC in anything that isn't entertaining. Your bosses work files are not kept under his desk in a PS3. He's not using the PSN to send emails to his employees. He's not using the Eye Toy to hold a video conference. And he's not using the PS Move in PowerPoint presentations.

If I were to use the logic your argument display, we could say that a microwave is a PC because it can tell time, just like a PC can. Maybe we should start calling cell phones the same thing as digital cameras because they share about two functions.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Playing...games, on a...computer...? I'm not entirely sure what the question is. Even if you're emulating games from other consoles or playing indie games or something, it's all-encompassing.

I think there's an implication that you tend to tamper with the settings and/or content of a game more than the average person, upgrade your PC regularly and you have more genres to practically choose from, but that's about it.

 

[wulf3n]

Your definition of what a PC is way too broad.

The definition not my definition.

In fact, you barely stated the difference between a console and a PC

I wonder why that is... That's right it's because I'm saying there isn't a difference. It's like saying there's a difference between a granny smith apple and an apple. One's a specific type of Apple the other is a term to encompass a bunch different types of apples.

PC is just a term to reference the set of computers that can run a variety of software types. As opposed to computers that are hard coded with a single/set of purpose(s) or Super computers that are inaccessible to private users.

You like most, seem to be confusing PC with Desktop PC and/or Laptop

Your bosses work files are not kept under his desk in a PS3.

My bosses work files aren't kept under a desk on a laptop either doesn't mean it's not a PC

If I were to use the logic your argument display, we could say that a microwave is a PC because it can tell time, just like a PC can. Maybe we should start calling cell phones the same thing as digital cameras because they share about two functions.

Depending on the Microwave/Phone/Camera your not far off. A lot of modern house hold appliances run the Android OS and can run software not designed with the original functionality in mind. If you were so inclined you could write a file server, you could write a word processor, you could write an email client and you could do all the things you do on your "PC". The same goes with video game consoles.

You claim my definition is too broad. I claim you're definition is too narrow.

The difference being I'm citing an existing accepted definition whereas you're citing your own bias.

 

[Strelok]

Technically every form of Video Game is run on a "PC" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer]

Your XBOX360 yep, that's a PC.
PS3 yep.
3DS that's a pc to.

Don't you just hate definitions

Statements like this just make me cringe, and think that the Escapist crowd is in serious need of a technical dictionary.

http://www.techterms.com/definition/pc

http://www.techterms.com/definition/console

There is a distinction because a game console is still very restricted to small scope of uses compared to a PC, regardless if you browse the web, use Facebook or watch movies on them.

 

[babinro]

I'm a PC gamer because I have a good enough computer and the games are cheaper to buy digitally then via console.
It's all about price.

Eventually this rig will be out of date and I'll likely switch back to consoles until I can justify a legitimate upgrade.
I'm not versed enough in computer hardware to build a gaming rig with $300.00 on my own so they typically set me back $1000-$1200.

 

[Colt47]

I'm a PC gamer because I have a good enough computer and the games are cheaper to buy digitally then via console.
It's all about price.

Eventually this rig will be out of date and I'll likely switch back to consoles until I can justify a legitimate upgrade.
I'm not versed enough in computer hardware to build a gaming rig with $300.00 on my own so they typically set me back $1000-$1200.

Eh, playing core games on the PC has always been an expensive through fare. I remember back in the 90s when someone had to upgrade their graphics card at minimum to play the next iteration of Ultima, let alone System Shock 2 or Quake. These days we can get away with using the same graphics card and PC for a comparatively long time: I don't see the 7970 getting outdated given the specs on the next console generation for a good long while.

This is assuming that the person in question isn't a computer enthusiast that loves cranking settings to the max just to see the best eye candy humanly possible. I've actually tried it, but found that most games look pretty good period at recommended settings, and most of the settings past that point are kind of window dressing.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

snip

I'm bowing out of this debate after this post. If you're going to say that your link a Wikipedia article is the end all definition of what a PC is and not even have your own points to argue, then there's no point in talking any further about this.

What's funny about your argument is that doesn't support your reasoning for why a PS3 or a 3DS is a PC. You just pasted the link and defined it as true. Which its not. Because using your asinine argument style I could stick the link up to the Wikipedia page for video game console your point is nullified by the simple fact that it states the differences between the 2 in the definition:[link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_console#Differences_between_consoles_and_personal_computers[\link]

This is the way you argue so I may as well use it against you.

Now I won't be replying to any more of your retorts unless you can actually debate, with your own reasoning, why gaming consoles are the same as PCs. You Wiki link debating has been contradicted by another article and you've said nothing yourself on the matter.

 

[LAGG]

It's using this

To play this.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/212680/

And thinking that it's perfectly reasonable.

You laugh, but the next major purchase I want to make for my home theater is an HD Projector. Once I get that, you can guarantee I'll be playing some FTL on it XP

OT: Are you a gamer who uses his PC to play games? Then congratulations, you're a PC gamer. Mobas may be insanely popular right now, but they're not exactly a pre-requisite for being a PC gamer. For that matter, you said you play indie games. That's about as PC as it gets. Sure, the consoles have indie games, but the variety isn't there just yet for it to reasonably make up the majority of what anyone plays. Not anyone who has gaming as a major hobby, anyway. PC Indies, on the other hand? You could spend the rest of your life just playing the good ones that are currently on the market, and probably be pretty happy with it. There's just that many games out there with that much variety.

What's better than a glaive beam?

WATCHING A GLAIVE BEAM TEAR APART YOUR ENEMY ACROSS AN ENTIRE WALL!


Also totally serious, that's my PC

Seriously? Nice. Although I'm kind of surprised with a projector like that you have it set up at a desk -- my plan involves a couch, a tray table, and a wireless keyboard and mouse

That's exactly how I play on weekends, and it's awesome!

Except there's no tray table, just keyboard on my lap and this mouse on the couch:
http://www.bestpcdeal.com.au/images/Logitech%20Trackman%20Wheel%20Trackball.jpg

But soon I planning to get one of these, then everything will be perfect:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/485185897/revolve-goes-wireless

 

[wulf3n]

Because using your asinine argument style I could

No need for insults, and here I was thinking I was arguing with someone more mature.

Statements like this just make me cringe, and think that the Escapist crowd is in serious need of a technical dictionary.

http://www.techterms.com/definition/pc

http://www.techterms.com/definition/console

There is a distinction because a game console is still very restricted to small scope of uses compared to a PC, regardless if you browse the web, use Facebook or watch movies on them.

Checking...Checking...Checking...Checked!

if you use a computer at home or at work, you can safely call it a PC

So according to Tech Terms if I use my Console [a computer] at home I can safely call it a PC.

Thanks for the links