Humble Bundle: Is It the One Thing PC has over Xbox 360 and PS3?

[Frybird]

Well, i still prefer Consoles.

I don't care much about mods.
I don't care much about the latest graphics as long as a game is pretty.
I don't care much about Frames per Second.
I sit on a desk long enough per day as it is.
And i'm not enough of a power gamer or an elitist to be a Keyboard/Mouse purist.

No need to install games (well, unless you have a PS3), easy setup, better portability, effortless playing on a tv(/couch) (yes yes, i know i can hook up a pc to a tv and get a wireless keyboard/mouse, it still isn't the same in many things), the initial price is cheaper, the replacement price is cheaper, low maintenance, the need to upgrade is a lot lower and i rarely get into any technical hassle about unsupported drivers.
Also a console tends to be much more portable.

And most of all, there is no Rockband for PC.

I still play PC and wouldn't want to have it any other way (actually, i may buy a high end pc in the future, who knows), but i enjoy it a LOT less than playing on a console.

In the end, it's much more a case of preference than both Fanboy camps like to admit.

 

[Oskuro]

Oh please... Still with the "My System" vs "Other Systems" dick-waving competition?

I play on PC, yet I'd say the console equivalent of the HiB would be stuff like the indie games on XBLA.

PC, Mac, XBox, PS, Wii... Different computer cases with different hardware and publisher preference, but one thing in common: They can all play videogames.

Quit this pointless conflict and go back to enjoying the actual games, rather than argue about the hardware.

 

[Naeras]

PCs have better hardware options and modding capability for games, plus a free-to-play-slash-microtransaction-market that works pretty nicely. They also have strategy games, and a control system for FPS-es(mouse+keyboard) that doesn't suck donkey balls. Oh, and potentially better control options for RPGs. On the other hand, consoles have better controls when it comes to fighting games and platform games.

Other than that the systems are pretty much interchangeable to be honest.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

There is a list of things 5 miles long better about PC's. Mod support. Hardware. FoV fixes. Graphics. Prices. Just about everything that can be done better is. The only problem with it, is that people don't port to it properly.

I mainly play on consoles, I'm just not in denial.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

PCs have better hardware options and modding capability for games, plus a free-to-play-slash-microtransaction-market that works pretty nicely. They also have strategy games, and a control system for FPS-es(mouse+keyboard) that doesn't suck donkey balls. Oh, and potentially better control options for RPGs. On the other hand, consoles have better controls when it comes to fighting games and platform games.

Other than that the systems are pretty much interchangeable to be honest.

But you can just plug a control into a PC and wham, not only do you have equal/better control options, you also have massive choice.

 

[Qitz]

You're just trying to start up a flame war aren't you?

This NEVER ends well. EVER.

 

[Wolfram23]

You're right that consoles can't compete with it right now...

But the only thing PC has over them? The only thing?

 

[drosalion]

It's a thing but I wouldn't say it's the one thing when PCs have a number of other advantages.

^ this

 

[Naeras]

But you can just plug a control into a PC and wham, not only do you have equal/better control options, you also have massive choice.

The control options, yes. The actual games, fuck no. PCs haven't had good 3D platformers since.. well, since Psychonauts. Oh the irony.
And for consoles? I don't think I need to say anything.

And PC fighting games? Well there's Street Fighter 4, and that's about it. Besides, you don't play fighting games for single player, so you bring your friends over and make sure there are enough controllers. And that's honestly easier to do on a console. My TV screen is also bigger than my PC screen, which is pretty neat when there's no split-screen multiplayer to worry about.
Unless we're talking about playing PC fighters online, where most games go over emulators+ROMs.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

But you can just plug a control into a PC and wham, not only do you have equal/better control options, you also have massive choice.

The control options, yes. The actual games, fuck no. PCs haven't had good 3D platformers since.. well, since Psychonauts. Oh the irony.
And for consoles? I don't think I need to say anything.

And PC fighting games? Well there's Street Fighter 4, and that's about it. Besides, you don't play fighting games for single player, so you bring your friends over and make sure there are enough controllers. And that's honestly easier to do on a console. My TV screen is also bigger than my PC screen, which is pretty neat when there's no split-screen multiplayer to worry about.
Unless we're talking about playing PC fighters online, where most games go over emulators+ROMs.

I mentioned that in my other post. Pretty much the only disadvantage PC has is that nobody does anything with it, when it can do EVERYTHING the same or better.

 

[Naeras]

I mentioned that in my other post. Pretty much the only disadvantage PC has is that nobody does anything with it, when it can do EVERYTHING the same or better.

And yet there's still no equivalent to Super Mario Galaxy released on PC. When there is, I'll happily buy it, but there currently isn't, and that means that if you want platformers, you need a console. Sad, but true.
In the meantime, I'll play Mario games, Smash, Soul Calibur and 3rd Strike on console, while I'll stick to Tribes, Heroes 3, Unreal and Company of Heroes on PC.

 

[Araksardet]

Um, yeah, this is an odd suggestion. It's certainly "one" thing, but there are lots of others - mouse and keyboard, plus insane Steam sales, just to name my personal favorites. Also, no need to fork out extra cash for a console and a TV.

The only disadvantage I see with PC is that some (*cough* many *cough*) games simply never arrive on PC, or are terrible ports. Then again, there are some genres that exist mainly on PC, particularly strategy games, so it goes both ways.

 

[Something Amyss]

Much as I dislike Valve, PCs have steam. PCs have a thriving indie scene that Microsoft stifles and Sony only sorta embraces.

 

[Worgen]

Your looking at this from the wrong angle, the only thing consoles have over the pc is the ability to trade in games.

 

[MaxiP62]

Yep, you're exactly right. It's a PC only thing and it's most likely because about half of the games are PC exclusive. And of course, Microsoft barely acknowledges that Indie Games exist on the Xbox.

Yes, I did get the Humble Bundle, I paid £5 towards it. Not all of us can afford to give a lot to charity, but either way I'm saving £95.

 

[loc978]

To hop on the "only advantage?!" train... something I don't think has been mentioned... range of input device support. There's a way to get any gamepad, joystick, steering wheel, et cetera on the market working with most PC games, but no way to get a mouse and keyboard to work for a vast majority console games. Also, they have very limited support for joysticks, steering wheels, et cetera... usually only controllers that are advertised by the game designer or bundled with the game.

As for indie download titles... I honestly don't know. I've always scoffed at online gaming and download titles on consoles. I would never put a credit card number into a computer system I didn't build myself. Not even this laptop.

 

[Aiedail256]

To hop on the "only advantage?!" train... something I don't think has been mentioned... range of input device support.

It's been mentioned, but the fact that that usually comes with completely customizable controls hasn't. The thing that I'm the most flabbergasted the OP didn't consider is MOOOOODDS!! Holy crap, man. I bought Skyrim last Christmas for PS3, and now that I'm building a gaming PC I'm considering buying it AGAIN on Steam solely for the mod support. And have you ever played Minecraft? Mods at least quintupled that game's lifespan for me.

I have, however, never considered, before reading this topic, the fact that PC's have a larger game library than every console ever made combined, plus (through emulators) almost the entire libraries of every console ever made combined! XD

 

[Lovely Mixture]

PC has PC exclusivity... it's not a very good argument.

Yes, the Humble Bundle (and IndieRoyale) are fantastic, but are not the real selling point for PC gaming.
I prefer mods and modding. Pretty much customization.

(also many other things I value that are my own personal preference, like mouse and keyboard, not having to move to the TV to boot up another device every time I want a spot of gaming, lots of stuff)

I wasn't arguing anything actually, just pointing out the facts.