How easy is it to become a PC gamer?

[Cazer]

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/

That's a good place to start looking, either type in the name of the game you want to play or find it in the drop-down bar.

 

[NathLines]

Yeah, buying a computer and all the other stuff you need is pretty expensive. However, if you just buy games on sale from Steam or some other site(like me 8D), it really isn't more expensive than consoles in any way imo.

 

[sir.rutthed]

I bet you could at least run some of the free/indie games on steam. Super Meat Boy should run on just about anything. That said, save up 500 bucks and build yourself a good gaming rig with your brother if he's got the know how. Don't buy Alienware or any name brands, they'll rob you blind. Building yourself a rig is much more economic and you can get exactly what you want from it.

 

[Nostalgia Ripoff]

I think you and I have the same computer. In which case, here are the games I can run:
AaAaAA!!!- A Reckless Disregard for Gravity
Age of Chivalry
Audiosurf
Counter-Strike: Source
Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition
Fallout
Garry's Mod
Half-Life: Source
Half-Life Deathmatch: Source
Portal
Super Meat Boy
Team Fortress 2

I'd like to note that most of these are with lag and/or poor framerate.

 

[Silas13013]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

Don't listen to people like this who don't know the first thing about computers.

My friend runs a $400 Gateway laptop (of all things) and can still run L4D2 with the best of us. Even runs mass effect 2 and Jericho without any trouble. And everyone in my dorm can run SC2 pretty easily as well.

Stick with valve games if you are running an older system since they seem to be very easy on processors, and then expand out from there once you have an idea of what your system is capable of.

 

[Inkidu]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

Don't listen to people like this who don't know the first thing about computers.

My friend runs a $400 Gateway laptop (of all things) and can still run L4D2 with the best of us. Even runs mass effect 2 and Jericho without any trouble. And everyone in my dorm can run SC2 pretty easily as well.

Stick with valve games if you are running an older system since they seem to be very easy on processors, and then expand out from there once you have an idea of what your system is capable of.

Blah, blah, blah. I can run X, Y, and Z. Dude L4D isn't graphics heavy it's more about internet connection than anything. Stop being so freaking defensive. To play games like the Witcher 2, or Crysis you're going to have to drop serious bread on it. That's where they get you. You could play on low settings and focus more on processor power, but when it comes down to it you'll never be able to play with the best graphics unless you buy graphic's cards. Those can range anywhere from 2 to 8 hundred bucks, and then you're not even going to get any rumble or tactile feedback whatsoever unless you plug in a usb controller anyway.

Stick with consoles. They're idiot proof and a lot less hassle in the long term.

 

[blue heartless]

If you download Steam and only buy games when they are incredibly discounted, you will be playing games every weekend.

 

[Smokej]

for the true might of pc games you don't need a highend pc... a GoG account, Gamersgate/Steam (GG is better structured imho) and a budget pc is all you need. I have a 360 and PS3 as well but alot of the AAA games are 60EUR for a 6-8hours singleplayer campaign and the more mature genres are dead on these consoles...

 

[Silas13013]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

Don't listen to people like this who don't know the first thing about computers.

My friend runs a $400 Gateway laptop (of all things) and can still run L4D2 with the best of us. Even runs mass effect 2 and Jericho without any trouble. And everyone in my dorm can run SC2 pretty easily as well.

Stick with valve games if you are running an older system since they seem to be very easy on processors, and then expand out from there once you have an idea of what your system is capable of.

Blah, blah, blah. I can run X, Y, and Z. Dude L4D isn't graphics heavy it's more about internet connection than anything. Stop being so freaking defensive. To play games like the Witcher 2, or Crysis you're going to have to drop serious bread on it. That's where they get you. You could play on low settings and focus more on processor power, but when it comes down to it you'll never be able to play with the best graphics unless you buy graphic's cards. Those can range anywhere from 2 to 8 hundred bucks, and then you're not even going to get any rumble or tactile feedback whatsoever unless you plug in a usb controller anyway.

Stick with consoles. They're idiot proof and a lot less hassle in the long term.

Remember kids, being a console gamer turns you into an idiot.

My $600 desktop could run Crysis at full graphics without a graphics card and only chugged when shot with a rocket due to fire physics. Bought at the same time as the PS3, cost the same as a PS3 then, and is still running to this day, unlike the PS3.

Stick with PC, they run games just as well as consoles of a similar price and, being a computer, can actually do other things. (Which most people tend not to factor in when talking about PC gaming)

 

[Inkidu]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

Don't listen to people like this who don't know the first thing about computers.

My friend runs a $400 Gateway laptop (of all things) and can still run L4D2 with the best of us. Even runs mass effect 2 and Jericho without any trouble. And everyone in my dorm can run SC2 pretty easily as well.

Stick with valve games if you are running an older system since they seem to be very easy on processors, and then expand out from there once you have an idea of what your system is capable of.

Blah, blah, blah. I can run X, Y, and Z. Dude L4D isn't graphics heavy it's more about internet connection than anything. Stop being so freaking defensive. To play games like the Witcher 2, or Crysis you're going to have to drop serious bread on it. That's where they get you. You could play on low settings and focus more on processor power, but when it comes down to it you'll never be able to play with the best graphics unless you buy graphic's cards. Those can range anywhere from 2 to 8 hundred bucks, and then you're not even going to get any rumble or tactile feedback whatsoever unless you plug in a usb controller anyway.

Stick with consoles. They're idiot proof and a lot less hassle in the long term.

Remember kids, being a console gamer turns you into an idiot.

My $600 desktop could run Crysis at full graphics without a graphics card and only chugged when shot with a rocket due to fire physics. Bought at the same time as the PS3, cost the same as a PS3 then, and is still running to this day, unlike the PS3.

Stick with PC, they run games just as well as consoles of a similar price and, being a computer, can actually do other things. (Which most people tend not to factor in when talking about PC gaming)

Remember kids being a PC gamer turns you into a liar. I doubt anyone could play Crysis on full settings with a six-hundred dollar PC. Unless you just know a freaking guy who can get your stuff dirt cheap, and by cheap I mean illegally.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

Depends on how easily you can spend $700-$1100 on a new gaming rig. Also depends how quickly you can adapt to mouse and keyboard controls. Playing an FPS on M+K after playing console shooters for a decade is extremely tough, but it gets easier with practice. I'm not particularly good yet, but after about 6 months I can hold my own in TF2 usually. I'm still nowhere near as good as I am (was) on a 360 shooter though.

 

[Kukakkau]

I have so far been a console gamer since I first became interested in gaming, partly because I sucked at using keyboard controls on the few games I tried on PC. Mind you, I sucked at just about everything back then so I reckon with practice I could now get the hang of it. However, I've recently been thinking about trying to get into PC gaming, firstly because there are some good games, such as Counter Strike, that as far as I know are not on consoles (or at least no-one else plays on consoles). Secondly because I'm sick of the endless PC vs Consoles war that everyone and their dog on this site seems to think is important and I want to prove that it is possible to like both. But that's another story...

Trouble is I'm not sure the computer I have at the moment is good enough to run Steam and some of it's best games. I don't know exactly what model it is, but it is a relatively new Dell that uses Windows 7 and that cost a lot of money. However, it's not designed for gaming and is only a laptop, and according to my brother (who's a much bigger tech head than I am) says that there's no point in me even installing Steam let alone buying any of the things I want from it.

So is he right? Is there no way my laptop is powerful enough to run games like Counter Strike, Team Fortress 2 (I'm not even going to think about Crysis) well, and how much would it cost to get one that can? (I still want a laptop if that's possible as they're so much more convienient for work.

I'd say he's probably right - Dell laptops are notoriously bad for gaming. Hell I'm using one right now that has reasonable specs, but it still almost caught fire trying to be Team Fortress 2. No I'm not kidding - I could smell burning plastic.

If you want to PC game I'd suggest getting a desktop designed for it - what I'm doing in the summer so I can play Shogun 2 higher than cardboard cut out resolution.

 

[de5gravity]

Going to put no, especially on a laptop, most have integrated graphics which essentially it probably won't run games unless they are more than like 5 or so years old.

Edit: From your list above, half-life 1 and Counter-Strike will pretty much work on anything, very old games tend to require little to no power.

I game on a laptop and my laptop kicks ass

 

[Taxman1]

Dont listen to those who say nothing but strategy games are on the PC. Its not a nightmare to play on the PC if you are smart enough. Dells are notoriously overpriced hardware which really shouldn't be your choice of prebuilt (I don't really recommend prebuilts at all really) when you are planning to get a new PC. That being said they're a shit ton of games on steam that runs on shitty PCs. For a RPG get the original fallout series and Morrowind. For a FPS anything on the HL1 engine and Team Fortress Classic. For strategy, some of the older Total Wars and maybe Civilization. They are many other choices and these are the ones off the top of my head. When all else fails, Minecraft and Quake Live.

 

[binvjoh]

Well I can't really say how hard it is getting into PC gaming, I've been one since a kid.

However, if you're interested, I can offer a Counter Strike: Source guest pass through Steam so you can see if you're able to run it?

 

[Silas13013]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

Don't listen to people like this who don't know the first thing about computers.

My friend runs a $400 Gateway laptop (of all things) and can still run L4D2 with the best of us. Even runs mass effect 2 and Jericho without any trouble. And everyone in my dorm can run SC2 pretty easily as well.

Stick with valve games if you are running an older system since they seem to be very easy on processors, and then expand out from there once you have an idea of what your system is capable of.

Blah, blah, blah. I can run X, Y, and Z. Dude L4D isn't graphics heavy it's more about internet connection than anything. Stop being so freaking defensive. To play games like the Witcher 2, or Crysis you're going to have to drop serious bread on it. That's where they get you. You could play on low settings and focus more on processor power, but when it comes down to it you'll never be able to play with the best graphics unless you buy graphic's cards. Those can range anywhere from 2 to 8 hundred bucks, and then you're not even going to get any rumble or tactile feedback whatsoever unless you plug in a usb controller anyway.

Stick with consoles. They're idiot proof and a lot less hassle in the long term.

Remember kids, being a console gamer turns you into an idiot.

My $600 desktop could run Crysis at full graphics without a graphics card and only chugged when shot with a rocket due to fire physics. Bought at the same time as the PS3, cost the same as a PS3 then, and is still running to this day, unlike the PS3.

Stick with PC, they run games just as well as consoles of a similar price and, being a computer, can actually do other things. (Which most people tend not to factor in when talking about PC gaming)

Remember kids being a PC gamer turns you into a liar. I doubt anyone could play Crysis on full settings with a six-hundred dollar PC. Unless you just know a freaking guy who can get your stuff dirt cheap, and by cheap I mean illegally.

Alright internet tough guy, for someone who knows so very little about computers, you sure do pretend to know a lot about computers.
Key words "I doubt". You doubt because you don't PC game. You doubt because you don't know anything about how a computer works and you doubt because it is convenient for your laughably incorrect argument and inability to comprehend that your experience is either wrong or ignorant. I'm going to go with ignorant.

Every PC game I played, including Crysis, I could run at full without a graphics card until DX11 came out. Then I upgraded to compensate for the new directX (not that it is really required yet)

So in sort kids, remember that not all console or PC gamers and idiots, just the one I keep quoting.

 

[Inkidu]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

Don't listen to people like this who don't know the first thing about computers.

My friend runs a $400 Gateway laptop (of all things) and can still run L4D2 with the best of us. Even runs mass effect 2 and Jericho without any trouble. And everyone in my dorm can run SC2 pretty easily as well.

Stick with valve games if you are running an older system since they seem to be very easy on processors, and then expand out from there once you have an idea of what your system is capable of.

Blah, blah, blah. I can run X, Y, and Z. Dude L4D isn't graphics heavy it's more about internet connection than anything. Stop being so freaking defensive. To play games like the Witcher 2, or Crysis you're going to have to drop serious bread on it. That's where they get you. You could play on low settings and focus more on processor power, but when it comes down to it you'll never be able to play with the best graphics unless you buy graphic's cards. Those can range anywhere from 2 to 8 hundred bucks, and then you're not even going to get any rumble or tactile feedback whatsoever unless you plug in a usb controller anyway.

Stick with consoles. They're idiot proof and a lot less hassle in the long term.

Remember kids, being a console gamer turns you into an idiot.

My $600 desktop could run Crysis at full graphics without a graphics card and only chugged when shot with a rocket due to fire physics. Bought at the same time as the PS3, cost the same as a PS3 then, and is still running to this day, unlike the PS3.

Stick with PC, they run games just as well as consoles of a similar price and, being a computer, can actually do other things. (Which most people tend not to factor in when talking about PC gaming)

Remember kids being a PC gamer turns you into a liar. I doubt anyone could play Crysis on full settings with a six-hundred dollar PC. Unless you just know a freaking guy who can get your stuff dirt cheap, and by cheap I mean illegally.

Alright internet tough guy, for someone who knows so very little about computers, you sure do pretend to know a lot about computers.
Key words "I doubt". You doubt because you don't PC game. You doubt because you don't know anything about how a computer works and you doubt because it is convenient for your laughably incorrect argument and inability to comprehend that your experience is either wrong or ignorant. I'm going to go with ignorant.

Every PC game I played, including Crysis, I could run at full without a graphics card until DX11 came out. Then I upgraded to compensate for the new directX (not that it is really required yet)

So in sort kids, remember that not all console or PC gamers and idiots, just the one I keep quoting.

Yeah, I'm the internet tough guy? Who used his magical armor of anonymity to call someone he didn't even know an idiot? Well it sure as heck wasn't me. Also, someone's a little too tied up about the I doubt. Especially when it could have been used a dry, sarcastic or snarky tone? Which contrary to what your grammar teacher says is entirely doable in grammar. Yeah, I'll admit the last game I got for my PC was oh, wait Civilization 5! Nice assumption there. Why don't you inform the nice internet as to how you got this cheap PC that can run everything except the second coming of Jesus Christ and then we'll see if you're a liar or not... I doubt it.

 

[Silas13013]

Don't, it's a lot of money. Unless you just have to have the latest strategy and RTS games save your money.

snip

Yeah, I'm the internet tough guy? Who used his magical armor of anonymity to call someone he didn't even know an idiot? Well it sure as heck wasn't me. Also, someone's a little too tied up about the I doubt. Especially when it could have been used a dry, sarcastic or snarky tone? Which contrary to what your grammar teacher says is entirely doable in grammar. Yeah, I'll admit the last game I got for my PC was oh, wait Civilization 5! Nice assumption there. Why don't you inform the nice internet as to how you got this cheap PC that can run everything except the second coming of Jesus Christ and then we'll see if you're a liar or not... I doubt it.

Civ 5? I can run that on my calculator. As for my PC, I went into a store, talked to the manager, haggled my way down from $650 to $600, paid for my computer and left the store. So I guess you got me. I do have a friend who gets me stuff for cheap... oh wait anyone can do that at nearly any store, my bad.