Why don't you play games on PC?

[Risingblade]

I prefer using my wireless controller, and the keyboard and mouse set up is murder on my wrists. The game selection is pretty much the same and none of the PC exclusives interest me enough to bother getting a PC that can play games decently. Beside I can't single task on a computer.

 

[dyre]

There's no need to be pretentious. I haven't touched a console in years, but I've got nothing against people who prefer it over the glorious PC.

Gaming PCs do cost more than consoles, especially if you don't build them yourself, and it's not like you can expect the average person who doesn't know what a CPU is to take the time to figure out how to build a computer.

If people want to play on their couch, it's pretty inconvenient to plug your PC into a TV in your living room every time you want to play video games, especially if you only own one computer and use it to do work, so it's in your office / study room.

Also, I'm pretty sure people don't claim that every input device is the same in terms of effectiveness. It doesn't change the fact that it's a matter of preference though. Unless you play competitively, who cares if you sacrifice effectiveness for comfort and preference? Btw, do you have links to any of the dozens of scientific studies on the superiority of (presumably mouse as the best pointing device) in gaming? I'm shocked so many people bothered to do studies on that subject...in fact, I only recall one article on the topic, and it was more anecdotal than scientific.

It's just so damn frustrating constantly hearing this stuff, especially when I'm sitting in front of a TV using a controller to browse from out of bed and a keyboard for typing since it's more comfortable...

I don't really have anything against people using consoles per se, but all the misinformation pisses me off, PCs are superior machines in about every way, there's other arguments for consoles but there's no way around that...

You'd also be surprised as to what some people claim, I definitely heard that Controllers are supposedly just as good as a Mouse in gaming or even better in more than one of these threads...

As for the studies, I already posted one further up, but here are some:
A paper from the University of George Washington dedicated to measuring input duration or length needed to complete certain tasks: http://gradworks.umi.com/14/67/1467132.html (figures page 34)
There's also been several military studies, for instance: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a531532.pdf (there are some charts and stuff after page 80)

And there's more, I just can't be bothered to look for it right now, but Google will be helpful, it's just objectively false that controllers are better at these tasks xD

Honestly, I mostly only hear that sort of misinformation when console users are defending their choice of platform against PC users, who mostly seem to think that console users are less intelligent.

I'd say at the very least consoles are easier to use and are better for split-screen multiplayer
Also, they have some pretty cool exclusives.

 

[C2Ultima]

I like to play games online with my friends, and none of them play on PC.

 

[Sight Unseen]

consoles are more comfortable to playand don't destroy my wrist after half an hour of playing,

you can play a PC exactly like a console if you wish to, or the standard mouse and keyboard

you don't have to install games to a console therefore there's no limit on how many games you're able to play,

I got a 1.5TB hard driv for like $100 and I wont need to worry about space for years and years

I don't have to worry about shit EA and Activision and such put PC gamers through
fair point

laying in my comfy bed with a controller in my hands is more comfortable than sitting in an uncomfortable chair with my hands stretched out in front of me,

see above

I don't have to constantly dish out money to update my hardware to keep up with game requirements

unless you really built a terrible pc this shouldnt be much of a problem for at least the duration of a console generation.

console games are much easier to find copies of (I really don't like digital distribution, I like to have a solid copy of my games, it feels more like I own it and I don't have to put up with EA's bullshit that they're only 'licensing' it to me),

hate to break it to you but even if you own a physical copy, the companies are still only licensing it to you.

I don't have to wait for ages for my consoles to start up, then wait for ages for the game to load, then wait 5 - 10 minutes for console to shut down like I do with my PC,

good PCs dont have this problem

staring at the monitor hurts my eyes fairly quickly whereas staring at a TV only starts to slightly ache after several hours, you get the idea.

a better monitor would help with that probably

 

[CCountZero]

Wow, a number of my fellow PC gamers are being right asses to the console-exclusive gamers. Really guys? Is it really that important that you prove them wrong? Man, I don't understand why so many people have a stick up their butt about this...

I'm primarily a PCGamer, but I do own an X360, originally intended for the Halo series, but later also for RDR and Rock Band.

But despite having caved and bought said console, I also believe that consoles cause a stagnation in the further development of video games.

You don't improve the tech on consoles, 'cus there's nothing new to work with.

Maybe optimization gets a little boost here and there, but improvements made by virtue of the PC gamers basically counts every damn thing you could think of, and I shiver at the thought of how much faster we could be improving our tech if all the Console gamers would switch over

Not to mention what effect that would have on what's possible in videogames today.

Now, I know many people would say things like "Yeah, but do we really need that?" or "Meh, it looks fine as it is", but I can only ask, what if we'd said the same thing ten, or even just five years ago? Where would we be?

To me, looking at consoles and saying "Yeah, I'm satisfied" is to look at horse-drawn carriages and go "Meh, why did we ever invent the car?"

(Or to look at Earth and go "Meh, we don't need no Spacemen.")

 

[Ophiuchus]

Gaming is just a pass time to me, something to waste away some time when I'm not working or going out or sleeping. It's not my life. I prefer to just turn on a console and play. Simple as that.

Yeah, pretty much this. I accept that it's possible to get a better experience on a capable gaming rig, but I don't have anything that even resembles a capable gaming rig (I can just about get away with World of Warcraft on medium settings, anything current is a big no) so right now I'm much better off to just throw a disc in one of the consoles and get going. Also, my internet connection is pretty shoddy, always slow and drops out whenever it feels like it, so downloading games is a pain at the best of times.

Having said that: this computer has developed a horrible rattling noise which occasionally gets so loud that it needs a good hard slap to make it stop, so I'm thinking it won't be too long before I need to get a new one. If someone could give us some pointers towards building a reasonably capable machine for somewhere in the region of £500-600 (which, according to PC enthusiasts every single time this topic comes up, is absolutely possible), it'd be appreciated.

 

[Riki Darnell]

I prefer having a controller.

I can easily start a game without having to wait for my console to start up everything.

On a console I can't die because my virus scanner opened and decided to minimise my game.

OMG I can't how many times that happened when I used to play WoW. Or something that stupid "gunna restart in 10 min" thing would pop up, but because I was playing full screen it wouldn't flash or make a noise.

 

[JasonKaotic]

you can play a PC exactly like a console if you wish to, or the standard mouse and keyboard

Maybe, but there's the issue that my computer is just pretty shit.

I got a 1.5TB hard driv for like $100 and I wont need to worry about space for years and years

I'm 17 dude, I don't have $100.

see above

My computer and bed are on opposite corners of the room.

unless you really built a terrible pc this shouldnt be much of a problem for at least the duration of a console generation.

I do though, heh. I didn't build it, my mum's ex did.

hate to break it to you but even if you own a physical copy, the companies are still only licensing it to you.

That was a minor point, my main point is I like to have physical copies I can hold instead of just an icon I click on. Feels more gratifying.

good PCs dont have this problem

Bad PCs do.

a better monitor would help with that probably

That would involve using money when I can stick with my TV and console (;

 

[TorqueConverter]

Is this come sort of joke thread? Every reason listed in this thread for why these people do not game on a PC has either been outright lies, half-truths or pure fiction with the exception of price. PC are expensive.

I know your Xbox and Play Station only came with one control type, but why in the hell do you people think the PC is only able to use keyboard and mouse? Who told you that? It's a control neutral platform.

You can plug a PC into a television. You can pug it into your home theater system. You can put netflicks on the damn thing. Local multilayer? Create a sever with a password and give the password to your friends. Split screen? That's legit. Very few games on PC are split screen.

Have to upgrade every year? Lets not confuse "have to" with "are able to". Just because the the consoles are a closed platform with no ability to upgrade doesn't mean they do not age. It' absolutely mindboggling how ignorant some of you console gamers are to the PC platform. How are you getting these ideas in your heads? Whoever is telling you things needs a good beating.

Just say it. "I don't game on PC because I don't know any better, have no idea how PC gaming works and have no desire to learn." There is nothing wrong with being content with the only platform you have.

The reasons you people have come up with are just plain wrong.

 

[Sight Unseen]

Gaming is just a pass time to me, something to waste away some time when I'm not working or going out or sleeping. It's not my life. I prefer to just turn on a console and play. Simple as that.

Yeah, pretty much this. I accept that it's possible to get a better experience on a capable gaming rig, but I don't have anything that even resembles a capable gaming rig (I can just about get away with World of Warcraft on medium settings, anything current is a big no) so right now I'm much better off to just throw a disc in one of the consoles and get going. Also, my internet connection is pretty shoddy, always slow and drops out whenever it feels like it, so downloading games is a pain at the best of times.

Having said that: this computer has developed a horrible rattling noise which occasionally gets so loud that it needs a good hard slap to make it stop, so I'm thinking it won't be too long before I need to get a new one. If someone could give us some pointers towards building a reasonably capable machine for somewhere in the region of £500-600 (which, according to PC enthusiasts every single time this topic comes up, is absolutely possible), it'd be appreciated.

I used mostly this site, it helped a lot and I'm very happy with the result I got from it. They even have recommended builds for several price ranges.

http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/

 

[BreakfastMan]

Wow, a number of my fellow PC gamers are being right asses to the console-exclusive gamers. Really guys? Is it really that important that you prove them wrong? Man, I don't understand why so many people have a stick up their butt about this...

I'm primarily a PCGamer, but I do own an X360, originally intended for the Halo series, but later also for RDR and Rock Band.

But despite having caved and bought said console, I also believe that consoles cause a stagnation in the further development of video games.

You don't improve the tech on consoles, 'cus there's nothing new to work with.

Maybe optimization gets a little boost here and there, but improvements made by virtue of the PC gamers basically counts every damn thing you could think of, and I shiver at the thought of how much faster we could be improving our tech if all the Console gamers would switch over

Not to mention what effect that would have on what's possible in videogames today.

Now, I know many people would say things like "Yeah, but do we really need that?" or "Meh, it looks fine as it is", but I can only ask, what if we'd said the same thing ten, or even just five years ago? Where would we be?

To me, looking at consoles and saying "Yeah, I'm satisfied" is to look at horse-drawn carriages and go "Meh, why did we ever invent the car?"

(Or to look at Earth and go "Meh, we don't need no Spacemen.")

I disagree with your entire premise. If consoles cause stagnation, the entire game industry should have ground to a halt by now, since A: consoles have been around nearly as long as video games have and B: ever since the NES have been the main place where most people play their games. And there have been many great games that have used their limited tech to great effect. Ever wondered why the Silent Hill devs choose to use so much fog? It is because the PSX had a crappy draw-distance. Seriously, that idea only makes sense if you are talking about graphics tech, the increase cost of which has not exactly been kind to the market.

 

[drednoahl]

I used to play consoles exclusively and only moved to PC quite recently. I didn't want to make the switch because I thought console gaming was cheap and convenient, but in the last couple of years I was getting more and more concerned about the direction that Sony and Microsoft are taking their consoles. I personally think that some consoles have become a real pain in the backside - after another twenty odd minute update I got rid of my PS3; my 360 a few months later after it started advertising rubbish at me.

I built a test PC out of parts from charity shops and ebay. It cost about 50quid and I built it following guides off youtube (being generally clueless about PC construction.) I never expected results as good as I got and certainly never expected a PC I'd built myself to compete with consoles. I didn't think PC games could compete with the prices for used console games, but with the likes of Steam sales it turns out that PC wins again. Now, for the longest time I was convinced that console gaming was cheaper and more convenient than on PC, and I was seriously upset when I found through experience that I had been wrong.

I'd prefer to be a console gamer, but whatever demographic console makers are aiming their machines at these days isn't me; I wish I'd made the move to PC years ago.

 

[Sight Unseen]

-snip-

Fair enough. BTW though I'm only 21 and in university so I'm not exactly rolling in it either, and I'm in Canada where things are more expensive generally.

If you ever get enough saved up though to make the initial investment, it does pay for itself if you want to play lots of different games from lots of different eras, steam is incredible.

 

[TephlonPrice]

-I have a laptop, so I'm kinda limited in what I can run, though it's still a good bit.
-I'm really used to console game controls, having played console games FAR more than PC games.

 

[Ophiuchus]

I used mostly this site, it helped a lot and I'm very happy with the result I got from it. They even have recommended builds for several price ranges.

http://www.build-gaming-computers.com/

Nice one, looks pretty handy. I'll give it a proper read when it's not 4am, haha.

 

[CCountZero]

Yes. Because if people aren't as good with computers as you are then they are tards.

Being unable to work a PC doesn't make you a tard.

However, far too many people look at PCs and go "I will never learn how to make that work", and that's complete BS.

It has a learning curve for sure, but that's the same for everything. That's not an excuse.

When the guy says something like that, does he strike you as a magical PC wiz-kid, who was born with an extreme technical aptitude?

No. He simply took the time to learn it, as anyone else can do.

To paint the picture:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/203/problemsolving.gif/

 

[scar_47]

Ease of use and the avialibility of games. I played a few games on pc and had issues with a few of them theres nothing worse for me than trying to get something to work when it should just work without me having to diagnos the issue and then figure out or look up how to fix it. It also doesn't help that a few of my favorite franchises aren't on pc. I've been thinking about getting into but your essentially buying another console that tends to have more issues I understand the upsides but there just not that big of a deal for me.

 

[Chased]

I like both. My first console was a SNES and my Dad also had a computer, primarily for work, that had a decent amount of games on it (Wolfenstein, Keeno Blaster, Duke Nukem, some platformer called Captain something or other). As of now I have a Macbook, which I play games on from time to time especially at Uni and while at home I'll play on my PS3 or Wii.

Both consoles and PCs have their pros and cons. I'm surprised at how many people in this thread are dismissive of one or the other.