What's the big deal about PC games?
- Thread starter kikon9
- Start date
Yes. Less money than the average gamer spends on games in a year.A Mad Monk 2 said:
My PS3 died after a month of use and the guy who fixed it said there were a rash of problems with the power supply. Plus there's the Blue Screen of Death on the XBox as well. And if there is a problem with the game, getting it patched is a pain in the ass compared to doing it with a PC.
The know-how and the time? Most people I know. At least, most people I know that also have the know-how and time to play games at all. And the money, as I said, could probably be spent as frequently and as much as for buying new consoles when they are released while remaining on the same level of power as consoles.The Unworthy Gentleman said:
And as for the fact that new products keep comming. I don't see the problem. Well, I do see it, but I don't see how it exists less on consoles. Spending some money on a gaming PC and knowing that people who wait some time then spend the same money will have a more powerful machine is no different than spending the same amount of money on a console, and knowing that people who wait some time then spend the same money on a gaming PC will have a more powerful machine than me.
Three things, mainly.
First of all, I mainly play adventures, RPGs and strategy games. There's a lot more of those on the PC than elsewhere.
Second, I can't handle controllers. Can't really get my head around how they work. Usually, I end up dropping them, or forgetting what the buttons do. And my reflexes are atrocious anyway.
Third, customizability. I love modding games.
And, I guess: I already have a high-end laptop for work, couldn't afford a console as well.
First of all, I mainly play adventures, RPGs and strategy games. There's a lot more of those on the PC than elsewhere.
Second, I can't handle controllers. Can't really get my head around how they work. Usually, I end up dropping them, or forgetting what the buttons do. And my reflexes are atrocious anyway.
Third, customizability. I love modding games.
And, I guess: I already have a high-end laptop for work, couldn't afford a console as well.
I'll admit tyhat wasn't well phrased, Dosbox and it's ilk are emulaters they alter a system or trick sowtware in to believing it'll work.DazZ. said:
Technicly it's a hack, though legally different it takes a system that can't run something and forces it to do so.
It's making a machine do something it wasn't made to do, EG a toaster can not normally play games, just because someone made a nintendo out of one does that mean we should hail toasters as gaming platforms?
My point is that PCs are often NOT backwards compatible, no matter how many people fiddle with it.
In my eyes that means the system failed but the fanbase succeded.
Though I am the type of person that gets mad when someone mentions mods as though they are a selling point.
No they aren't. I'm tired of this argument and I'm convinced it's coming from people that don't do both, or have spent an inordinate amount of time on PC games. Mouse and keyboard is more accurate when shooting. That's it. And this will make all the difference in many situations, for sure. Still though, the total control package goes to the 360 controller, hands down.Amphoteric said:
I'm not much of a "hardcore" gamer, though I appreciate a good game, and I got through Halo 3 on the hardest difficulty and saw the special forerunner planet ending. However, playing Deus Ex on normal is giving me Savieloaditis. Headshots and pinpoint crossbow shots are easy, but the moment I need nuanced control (maybe because I alerted someone) things get ugly. It's not that big a deal, but I would say there's a 20% decrease in my ability to dexterously control the character (whereas with DE:IW on XBOX, I didn't have to load unless I decided I wanted to go through a situation differently). If you're going to be doing TONS of gaming, then I suppose that PC ONLY is the way to go. If you're not putting in more than three hours a week, then the 360 is the way to go, mostly. Don't get me started on the PS3's crappy controller.
So why play PC games?
Because not everything is made available on a console. RTS, space sims, Deus Ex, and many good RPGs are ONLY available on PC. Deus Ex alone is leaps and bounds ahead of everything else even today. Though with each passing year the graphics get uglier. AND NO I WON'T MOD IT! What about Gothic 2?
And what about Memorpiguhs? Kidding, they're basically heroin and I wouldn't advise anyone to go anywhere near them.
Anyway, yeah, as soon as developers start making everything for the consoles, I'm done with PC gaming. But I'm sure there are kickbacks and other corruption going on behind the scenes that keep certain things exclusive to PCs. The processor industry would stall without PC gaming.
1st: There are a lot of games that just work better on the PC. Economy games being the first that pop to mind. Stuff like Dawn of Discovery or Patrician. RTSs also just work better on a PC, and even if games like halo wars was fun on 360, it will never achieve the success or popularity of games like Dawn of War or Starcraft2.
2nd: PCs will always have a higher graphical limit. That is to say, that if you have the money, when new graphics technology comes out, you can get it early and be ahead of the curve for when developers start making games that use it. Also games made for PC usually have super high settings with a lot of cool lighting effects that beefy machines love.
3rd: Depth and Complexity. Before games starting to migrate to consoles, PC gaming was much more niche than it is today. PC games were made for that niche in mind, not the lowest common demononator that todays gaming companies produce for.
All this said, there are some games that work better on consoles. Fighting games and Racing games. Also strange hybrid games some times work better on consoles for which they were specifically designed. I have both a Gaming PC and a 360, but if a games is made for both, I will ALWAYS buy the PC version.
2nd: PCs will always have a higher graphical limit. That is to say, that if you have the money, when new graphics technology comes out, you can get it early and be ahead of the curve for when developers start making games that use it. Also games made for PC usually have super high settings with a lot of cool lighting effects that beefy machines love.
3rd: Depth and Complexity. Before games starting to migrate to consoles, PC gaming was much more niche than it is today. PC games were made for that niche in mind, not the lowest common demononator that todays gaming companies produce for.
All this said, there are some games that work better on consoles. Fighting games and Racing games. Also strange hybrid games some times work better on consoles for which they were specifically designed. I have both a Gaming PC and a 360, but if a games is made for both, I will ALWAYS buy the PC version.
The hardware is more than capable of running the way older hardware can, but usually the OS doesn't like the way the program is talking to the hardware, so would installing an older OS onto newer hardware count in your eyes as backwards compatible?moretimethansense said:
wtf? PCS aren't backwards compatible? Give me a break and comment on the subject when you have used a PC.DazZ. said:
And in terms of backwards compatibility, the 360 and PS3 are not fully backwards compatible either.
I think that if I can get an old copy of MOOII for Windows 95 to run in Windows XP or 7 its way more backwards compatible than any console today. (not to mention companies like Nintendo that change there dam format every generation making the notion of backwards compatibility the least of your problems).
Actually that would be in my eyes equivelent to running a ps2 game on a ps2, granted a ps2 with more power than a ps2 could ever need but a ps2 nonthelessDazZ. said:
Seriouesly that's a little harder to judge, but I'd say not really (see above), PCs were designed to be upgradable where as a console is not, but let me ask you, Is a new OS equvelent to buying a new console?
One other poimt, correct me if I'm wrong but most older OSs can't support newer Hardware, can they?
Not to me, I see computers as being able to run computer programs, different OS's are like an interface option that usually bring support for better hardware (obviously not that simplified though), whereas PS2 to PS3 is like tape players to CD players, different pieces of kit altogether because of how locked down they are.moretimethansense said:
Might take a bit of work in some cases but it's going to be possible.
First off, getting a new OS is not like getting a new console. Even at its most expensive windows 7 is like 150-200 bucks. Im guessing the next generation of consoles that come out, will be close to 500-800 bucks based on the last gen. Also all my games that ran on windows XP will run just fine on windows 7. Thats more backwards compatibility than you can expect from the PS4 or the Xbox720.moretimethansense said:Actually that would be in my eyes equivelent to running a ps2 game on a ps2, granted a ps2 with more power than a ps2 could ever need but a ps2 nonthelessDazZ. said:
Seriouesly that's a little harder to judge, but I'd say not really (see above), PCs were designed to be upgradable where as a console is not, but let me ask you, Is a new OS equvelent to buying a new console?
One other poimt, correct me if I'm wrong but most older OSs can't support newer Hardware, can they?
Second off, WHY WOULD YOU INSTALL AN OLD OS ON NEW HARDWARE?! New hardware for a gaming Pc is like 600-2k. Your telling me that you can afford to pay that, but you cant pay the small 150-200 fee for windows 7? That argument makes even less sense than an new OS running on old hardware. Also there is quite a bit of grey area in this regard. The only practical application of what your suggesting is with graphics cards. If you put a card that can run DX10 or DX11 in your windows XP box. You simply will not be able to play games with DX10 or DX11 because XP does not support it. However there should not be any reason why you cant keep playing DX9 games so long as the graphics card company made a driver for it. (which I see no reason why they wouldnt).
One, I never saiod it was, I was asked a question and I countered with one, also this arguement began when it was claimed that ALL PC games regarldless of age would work on modern systems, which is blatantly untrue.darkcommanderq said:First off, getting a new OS is not like getting a new console. Even at its most expensive windows 7 is like 150-200 bucks. Im guessing the next generation of consoles that come out, will be close to 500-800 bucks based on the last gen. Also all my games that ran on windows XP will run just fine on windows 7. Thats more backwards compatibility than you can expect from the PS4 or the Xbox720.moretimethansense said:Actually that would be in my eyes equivelent to running a ps2 game on a ps2, granted a ps2 with more power than a ps2 could ever need but a ps2 nonthelessDazZ. said:
Seriouesly that's a little harder to judge, but I'd say not really (see above), PCs were designed to be upgradable where as a console is not, but let me ask you, Is a new OS equvelent to buying a new console?
One other poimt, correct me if I'm wrong but most older OSs can't support newer Hardware, can they?
Second off, WHY WOULD YOU INSTALL A NEW OS ON OLD HARDWARE?! Sure you may have a valid point that you cant install windows 7 on hardware from 20 years ago, but who on earth would do such a thing?! But you should specify how much older. Windows XP, Vista and 7 can all use the same hardware just fine.
Two, 'tother way round mate, old OS new hardware, try reading before commenting next time eh?
Dam your two quick. I fixed it right after I posted when I realized that.moretimethansense said:One, I never saiod it was, I was asked a question and I countered with one, also this arguement began when it was claimed that ALL PC games regarldless of age would work on modern systems, which is blatantly untrue.darkcommanderq said:First off, getting a new OS is not like getting a new console. Even at its most expensive windows 7 is like 150-200 bucks. Im guessing the next generation of consoles that come out, will be close to 500-800 bucks based on the last gen. Also all my games that ran on windows XP will run just fine on windows 7. Thats more backwards compatibility than you can expect from the PS4 or the Xbox720.moretimethansense said:Actually that would be in my eyes equivelent to running a ps2 game on a ps2, granted a ps2 with more power than a ps2 could ever need but a ps2 nonthelessDazZ. said:
Seriouesly that's a little harder to judge, but I'd say not really (see above), PCs were designed to be upgradable where as a console is not, but let me ask you, Is a new OS equvelent to buying a new console?
One other poimt, correct me if I'm wrong but most older OSs can't support newer Hardware, can they?
Second off, WHY WOULD YOU INSTALL A NEW OS ON OLD HARDWARE?! Sure you may have a valid point that you cant install windows 7 on hardware from 20 years ago, but who on earth would do such a thing?! But you should specify how much older. Windows XP, Vista and 7 can all use the same hardware just fine.
Two, 'tother way round mate, old OS new hardware, try reading before commenting next time eh?