PC gaming is dead to me now.

[ElPatron]

See, that's funny, because in 4 years, I've never needed to upgrade any of the parts in my 360 either.

You really botched that part with the ability to be upgraded.

Basically, you only need to change your whole system when you change to a CPU with a different socket. Which happens every few years, but you'll still last longer than a console if you bought the right CPU.

If I wanted to get really pedantic, I could argue with you that in 4 years the X360 was behind the competition both graphically and in terms of processor power. In 3 years there was no technological advancement that could make my PC stutter. But I won't because that's meaningless, you can't even see the differences.








X360 games are about 65-70?, PS3 games are ridiculously overpriced and are about 70-75?. Some go as high as 85?.

That, sir, makes my monocle fly!

If you can get them to work

Again?

If any game is not going to work, it's because I need to download DOS-box or run in Win 95 compatibility mode.

if it doesn't affect the DRM

DRM? Oh, wait. I don't usually play games with DRM.

And when I buy, I just download one of those "fixes" that you can find easily that remove the hassle of DRM.

Steam has games that accept mods fairly easy, such as anything based on the Source or even the Gold Sec engine.

The popular ones don't seem to have dedicated servers, does that mean I shouldn't be playing the popular games?

By "popular" you mean Call of Duty?

It's so-called competition, BF3, features dedicated servers. If any other "popular" game features P2P it's simply not worth it. The only thing with P2P I played "recently" was MW2, and it was released in 2009.

 

[DRes82]

As a side note, I don't know anyone with the PC version of Skyrim who hasn't drained any challenge out of it.

As a front note, now you do.

Also, PC gaming isn't taking the brunt of the industry hate because of in-viability. Its actually a much more versatile and accessible platform than any console available currently. Its because of piracy. Its good to see that the console corporations have brainwashed so many people though. I assume you support SOPA, too?

 

[Nomanslander]

I can see this thread really divided up people here, really it wouldn't be such a big deal if PC gaming was dieing out already. Truth is it will never die, but it's never going to experience much of a revival either.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

You know what I like? Not having to tweak around setting just to get a new game to work on my PS3. Yeah I have to deal with annoying updates from time to time, but most of the time I just pop the game in and start. And for games that require more finesse than a controller can give me, I can just plug in a keyboard and mouse.

Not to rag on PC gamers, but there's just too much updating, and tweaking, and looking up help on message boards that I spend more time getting a game to run than I do playing.

Jesus,same cliches about PC gaming repeated over and over again. If it were this hard do you think ANYBODY would take PC gaming, if at every corner I had to adjust something to play the game at hand?

It's not hard, it's hard for me. PC's are finicky, and mine isn't built for gaming so there is in fact a lot of tweaking I have to do to get newer games on it.
Calm down.

Yes that's fair enough but if you take the time to do it on PC gaming it will always work on that OS. If your PS 2 dies and you can't get another you are fucked unless it is popular enough for something like PSN and given how backwards compatibility went this gen it looks less promising stuff like this will happen unless the game was a massive hit.

So very, very, very untrue. Couldn't be any further from the truth than saying "the sky is blue because I painted it. Clinton paid me to do it."

No it isn't really, really, really untrue. Unless you change something drastically once you get a game to work it will probably always work on PC and I certainly can not think of a time when I got a game working it suddenly stopped at all bar 2 examples Oblivion with some missing textures due to a fucked up mod which resulted in me just copy and pasting textures and realising 4 years later that CoD 2 and 4 need a mic and head phones in to work on Vista.

Also given that all games on PSN are running through software emulation rather than how actual PS 1 and 2 ran back when it was first released it makes it a lot harder to actually make games work on the console. So unless they know that the time they spend on making it work via software emulation is worth it they probably won't release the game.

No console this generation had anyway decent backwards compatibly compared to last gen as there were a myriad of problems PS 3 side with many videos showing the problems on youtube along with xbox games just plain not working on the 360. Now while both have come along since then it is no where near what it was last gen and with the next gen coming(eventually) and this gen having much more complex games and a need to cut down costs in the current economic climate backwards compatibility will suffer. Any that is down will be through stuff like PSN and will most likely all be software emulation with very little hardware emulation done.

Now mister bullshit caller what part of what I said was untrue and come on I know you can do a better analogy than that weak one?

 

[drivel]

Here's a faulty analogy for you, but one that works at a superficial level

Console gaming is like a Honda (for the record I drive a Civic Si). You get in, you turn the key, and you just go. And chances are good, 99 times out of 100, when you want to get in your car and go somewhere, the engine will turn over and you'll be on your way. And the drive isn't great: the plastic pieces in your dashboard will creak, and you'll have some annoying ass vibration in your steering column at 65 miles an hour. But, it zips along OK, and it's nice and reliable.

PC Gaming is like an Alfa Romeo (or BMW). You'll find out about some brilliantly twisty road that you'd love to get out and tear up, and thirty percent of the time, you'll get in and realize the goddamn thing won't start. First it was the alternator, then the starter motor. Then it started, but you couldn't get it into gear, and that damn check engine light was on again. So you swapped the O2 sensor, and lubed the transmission. After hours, days, WEEKS of fixing and/or replacing every last friggin' thing, you wipe the grease off your hands, get in, turn the key, and PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. And when you're out on that road, hitting the apex of every turn, and watching the heads of every Honda owner turn to watch as you blast by. And you think, "So. Freaking. Worth it."

 

[Wintermoot]

wow you must suck at computers
I barely ever had to reformat my PC I like PC gaming no region locks full backwards compatibility and mod support!
and if you don't mind breaking a law even console support!
but I agree PC gaming requires some basic computer skills.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

That's exaclty why I don't play PC games either. I always run into some issue whether minor or major that takes hours of googling to find a solution that someone found on some forum. And, I'm very knowlegdeable about PCs too, I have a Bachelor's in computer networking. I'd rather just pop the game into my PS3, sit on my recliner in front of my TV, invert the y-axis, and get to playing right away without any tweaking. I kinda love tweaking everything on my PC too; I hacked and edited the shell32.dll file on Windows XP for the purpose of changing all my icons. But, when it comes to games, I just want to play. Plus, I hate using a keyboard for movement because keyboards are digital and not analog like an analog stick.

The problem here is the assumption that having a degree in networking means that you're completely aware of every possible thing that goes on with different tasks.

And as I love bursting bubbles, here goes.

Some of the more complex issues that I've had to fix in my time as a engineer are caused by people who either claim to "know a bit about PCs", or have some kind of education in a field that seems connected with PCs. A little (or even a lot) of knowledge is fucking dangerous.

And you've also shot your own argument down. You're happy to fuck about with shell and change icons on your desktop, and "love tweaking everything" on your PC, but you're somehow out of that enthusiasm when it comes to gaming? Seriously, if you loved it as much as you seem to profess, then you'd love it more. Driver tweaks, configs, everything.

Oh, and inverting Y on the consoles is a tweak.

The thing is I'm the type of person that likes to get something running as smooth as possible. So, if there's a little something going on that I don't like, I'll go out of my way to fix it. I already waste a lot of time tweaking other things, I don't need or want to waste hours tweaking a game, I want to play it. It takes me a good month tweaking sliders in MLB The Show to get the game playing the way I want it to play, that's just sliders; if I was able to tweak everything else about the game, it would take me that much longer to actually play it. The consoles have the advantage that the developer just has to make the game for 1 single piece of hardware (or 2 if it's multiplatform). With PC games, they have to be developed so they work with every hardware and software configuration, and that's where a lot of the issues come in. The majority of games are also developed for the consoles 1st and foremost; it's not like Batman Arkham City is going to play any better on a PC, it was designed to be played with a controller (not a keyboard and mouse), the game may look better on the PC but that's it. And, graphical detail quality is the least important thing to me concerning a game, I care most about aesthetics, animation, and a consistent and smooth framerate when it comes to graphics, and of course, gameplay is always the most important part of a game. I don't care if the console version is pumping less polygons or has some jaggies. And, lastly I couldn't care less for 99% of PC exclusives, I don't like RTSs or MMOs and I don't like games like Civilization, Shogun 2, etc. The only PC game I'm actually pretty interested in is The Secret World (because it supposed to do away with everything I hate about MMOs). And, I hate using the keyboard and mouse for game controls, they weren't designed for playing games; using a analog stick for movement is 100x better than a keyboard using WASD and then you need a run button and walk button because the keyboard is digital whereas all movement including walking, normal movement speed, and running can all be done via one analog stick because it's analog and not digital.

And while we're on the topic of DRM... Steam, I still love you. Enough that all of my installed games are added as non-Steam games. So much more sense using a single area to launch everything from, instead of hunting through the Start Menu..

You act like you're PC expert, and you can't even bother to group all your games in 1 folder on the the Start menu and like Steam because it does it for you. All you need to do is create a Games folder on the Start menu, and move all your game shortcuts to that folder and Bam! all your games are in one spot, it probably even takes less time than installing Steam. Or when you install a game you can tell it where to install, and install it to the folder where all your other games are in.

 

[DarkRyter]

Oh man. Somebody's having computer problems.

That has never happened before.

 

[LiquidSolstice]

See, that's funny, because in 4 years, I've never needed to upgrade any of the parts in my 360 either.

You really botched that part with the ability to be upgraded.

Basically, you only need to change your whole system when you change to a CPU with a different socket. Which happens every few years, but you'll still last longer than a console if you bought the right CPU.

I'm not understanding what you're not getting. I have not needed to upgrade any parts in my 360 to play current 360 games.

If I wanted to get really pedantic, I could argue with you that in 4 years the X360 was behind the competition both graphically and in terms of processor power. In 3 years there was no technological advancement that could make my PC stutter. But I won't because that's meaningless, you can't even see the differences.

And again, you fail to understand, I'm saying jack fucking squat about "graphics" and "processoer power". You're thinking in PC gamer terms, I'm thinking in just video game terms. The same Xbox I bought 4 years ago still plays Xbox games that come out today. That's all that matters for the argument of upgrading.

X360 games are about 65-70?, PS3 games are ridiculously overpriced and are about 70-75?. Some go as high as 85?.

I don't know where the fuck you live, but on standard new day releases, I pay about $63 including all taxes to buy a console game brand new. The accepted price for games here on launch day is $59.99. That's only about 38.9 GBP. If you really are paying 70 GBP (which is almost $108!) then you're getting sorely ripped off.

If that's the case, it's just a geographical difference and we can't doanything about it.

If any game is not going to work, it's because I need to download DOS-box or run in Win 95 compatibility mode.

Yes, I'm sure it's that cut and dry.

DRM? Oh, wait. I don't usually play games with DRM.

Right...

And when I buy, I just download one of those "fixes" that you can find easily that remove the hassle of DRM.

Oh look at that. You have to get a cracked version of your game to play it the way you want to. Do you know what console DRM is? Let me outline it for you.

Do you have the disk? Yes? Good. You get to play.

Done.

Steam has games that accept mods fairly easy, such as anything based on the Source or even the Gold Sec engine.

Yes, seeing as 90% of all the Valve games that Steam is popular for are nothing more than Multiplayer mods of Half Life 1 or 2, I'd believe that.

By "popular" you mean Call of Duty?

I didn't specifically say that, but yes, Call of Duty is one of them. Oh wait, I forgot, in the realm of PC gaming, it's a cardinal sin to be playing any Call of Duty game. You're not allowed to like it.

It's so-called competition, BF3, features dedicated servers. If any other "popular" game features P2P it's simply not worth it. The only thing with P2P I played "recently" was MW2, and it was released in 2009.

Ah. Right. P2P games are so terribly evil because Host Migration might happen! Because OMG it might happen just once or twice a day and that's soooooooooooooo bad. I've been playing all of the Call of Duty games for years now, and the whole Host Migration bullshit is so overplayed that I don't even notice. Most of the time, when it happens, it takes less than 10 seconds to pick a new host.

Sometimes I wonder if it's really just me who never seems to have online issues with all these games that people ***** about.

 

[LiquidSolstice]

As to your decision to go console-exclusive... You won't find any peace and quiet in these waters, I'm afraid. Consoles are turning into living-room dedicated and entertainment-focused computers as it is, and the fairly sturdy hardware of yesteryear's all gone in favour of cheaply produced hardware and software that locks up, gets corrupted or locks the user out mistakenly just as much as any other PC.

If you're expecting to find solace with a controller in your hands, you'll be sorely mistaken.

There's so much proof for these claims that I'm mindboggled. Oh, wait....

 

[him over there]

And this is why console gaming isn't totally condemned yet. Not because it's cheaper, which it isn't. Or because of any other reason console players can pull. As gaming becomes more mainstream and consoles are able to do other things like play bluray and browse the internet (not very well but some people like the novelty of youtube on the big screen. don't give me you can hook up your pc to your tv because most people can't figure that out.) Consoles are fueled in the eyes of the general public by being an uncomplicated, user friendly, zero experience necessary unified platform.

 

[Dfskelleton]

Quick question: Why did you make this thread? I guess you wanted to tell why you stopped playing games on PC, but did you make it expecting any response from people other than "HOW DARE YOU PLAY GAMES ON A DIFFERENT SYSTEM THAN ME! STOP IT, YOU NEED TO LIKE WHAT I LIKE!"
I play games on console and PC, and honestly I see little to no difference between the two, save for different exclusives. I guess some people just prefer one controller type over the other, and I'm truly indifferent as to whether I use a mouse and keyboard or a controller, because that's literally one of the only huge differences I can see.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

There's so much proof for these claims that I'm mindboggled. Oh, wait....

Alright, here goes:

We're in 2012. Could we really consider that any current-gen console that has the potential of locking up or of displaying fatal errors (see RRoDs) to be satisfactory? Or how about the fact that nudging your Xbox while a game is spinning in the tray can lead to horribly scratched discs? Is that the new status quo we should just swallow or cover with white sheets? The PS3 has its own cases of extreme malfunctions (see YLoDs) - which were fairly crippling, back in the console's early release. Imagine buying a PS3 in the first month of the console's existence, only to have it freeze on you. Would you like that?

The fact is, consoles have become more complex and now share the same overall unpredictability as PCs. Case in point, no two generations of the Wii have used the same manufacturer for the disc drive. Anyone who's tried to chip or softmod their console could tell you about this.

For more info, look at the following:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_ring_of_death#Three_flashing_red_lights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_light_of_death#Yellow_light_of_death

Not to mention that previous-generation consoles weren't subjected to problems such as database hacking. This is an entirely new problem that's only cropped up since consoles started sharing something else in common with PC users - which is always-on high-speed Internet access.

So are consoles more reliable than PCs? Absolutely not. Is one platform superior to the other? Again, no. It's all a matter of taste, as you're just stating that you're willing to put up with things such as the PlayStation Network hack when you go console. On the other hand, going PC means you're willing to cope with malware, potential viruses and the twice-per-decade performance gateway that's become common, or, more recently, the probability that losing your Steam credentials could lock you out of several thousand dollars' worth of digital property you legally obtained.

Honestly, the last generation where consoles were superior to PCs in terms of reliability was the previous one. The GameCube and PS2 could exist in their own little ecosystem and had no need to be slotted in with the household's Wi-Fi capable items. The idea of consoles with an online access is what's responsible for last year's security debacle.

 

[Bat Vader]

Does it really matter what someone plays their games on? If someone wants to go from one type of platform to another they should be able to and not be chastised for it. At the same time I don't believe it needs to be announced that someone switched from one gaming platform to another. All that really does it cause fights and flame-wars and those are bad.

 

[ElPatron]

Ah. Right. P2P games are so terribly evil because Host Migration might happen! Because OMG it might happen just once or twice a day and that's soooooooooooooo bad. I've been playing all of the Call of Duty games for years now, and the whole Host Migration bullshit is so overplayed that I don't even notice. Most of the time, when it happens, it takes less than 10 seconds to pick a new host.

Sometimes I wonder if it's really just me who never seems to have online issues with all these games that people ***** about.

You know, you have a serious problem understanding me. You really shown you have a problem understanding the difference between pounds and euros.

And you shown that all you care for is trying to insult me.




I never said host migration was the spawn of the devil, like you want to make it look like. Wow, making me look bad in front of, say, 1000 other escapists just because it's the way you roll. Really mature.



The problem is that many games DON'T even have host migration. Even if they do, it takes nearly 30 seconds to find a new host, and another minute because people started disconnecting/the host search failed.


It's not fair to let hosts have an advantage.


I'm not saying P2P is bad altogether, I am saying that P2P is a half-assed solution that only benefits the developers.


EXCUSE ME TO WANT THE BEST IF I WAS "CONDITIONED" TO ENJOY THE BEST.



And thanks for the "HURR DURR COD IS BAD SO I AM STUPID" argument. If you cared to open your eyes I said I did play MW2 on PC.

It was so awful I joined IWnet and saw that a bunch of people who programed on their free time could come up with a better solution than Infinity Ward themselves.

As for games "not worth it", I mentioned games that did NOT need a multiplayer mode. The devs just squeezed one in with deathmatch and capture the flag modes because every single game needs a MP mode. Or so they try to make me believe.

 

[ElPatron]

See, that's funny, because in 4 years, I've never needed to upgrade any of the parts in my 360 either.

You really botched that part with the ability to be upgraded.

Basically, you only need to change your whole system when you change to a CPU with a different socket. Which happens every few years, but you'll still last longer than a console if you bought the right CPU.

I'm not understanding what you're not getting. I have not needed to upgrade any parts in my 360 to play current 360 games.

Neither did I. That's my point. My point is, when you have to buy another console, I can invest in another mobo and a new CPU, and add a new gfx card later if I want to. Or not. The modularity allows you to not have to buy a new PC unless you really want one.

If I wanted to get really pedantic, I could argue with you that in 4 years the X360 was behind the competition both graphically and in terms of processor power. In 3 years there was no technological advancement that could make my PC stutter. But I won't because that's meaningless, you can't even see the differences.

And again, you fail to understand, I'm saying jack fucking squat about "graphics" and "processoer power". You're thinking in PC gamer terms, I'm thinking in just video game terms. The same Xbox I bought 4 years ago still plays Xbox games that come out today. That's all that matters for the argument of upgrading.

"PC GAMER TURMS, HURR"

Excuse me? The console wars in the last 10 years were about processing power and graphics - and they are certainly related to consoles too BECAUSE console games are also made in computers.

AND I SAID THAT YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE! Your only point is trying to make me look bad.

X360 games are about 65-70?, PS3 games are ridiculously overpriced and are about 70-75?. Some go as high as 85?.

I don't know where the fuck you live, but on standard new day releases, I pay about $63 including all taxes to buy a console game brand new. The accepted price for games here on launch day is $59.99. That's only about 38.9 GBP. If you really are paying 70 GBP (which is almost $108!) then you're getting sorely ripped off.

59? is the accepted price for a game with not as much notoriety as Halo, Uncharted, CoD, whutevurs - it's still expensive, BUT NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS 59 GBP BECAUSE NOT EVERY EUROPEAN COUNTRY USES POUNDS

If any game is not going to work, it's because I need to download DOS-box or run in Win 95 compatibility mode.

Yes, I'm sure it's that cut and dry.

It is. So far the only games that didn't work out of the box were Freedom Fighters and Hitman: Codename 47, because IO interactive games have problems with modern CPUs and need some tweaking.

DRM? Oh, wait. I don't usually play games with DRM.

Right...
Yeah, right. Steam is already enough DRM, and I don't buy EA games.

And when I buy, I just download one of those "fixes" that you can find easily that remove the hassle of DRM.

Oh look at that. You have to get a cracked version of your game Making me look bad again? I did not say I had to download a cracked version of the game, the game is untouched, it only requires a fix that does not mess with game files and bypasses DRM - I used it on GTA IV for a myriad of reasons - HENCE IT IS NOT A CRACKED VERSIONto play it the way you want to. Do you know what console DRM is? Let me outline it for you.

Do you have the disk? Yes? Good. You get to play.

Done.

ITT: Implying that making a google search is already too much work, and that I have to bypass every game I buy

ITT: Implying DRM only affects computers

By "popular" you mean Call of Duty?

I didn't specifically say that, but yes, Call of Duty is one of them. Oh wait, I forgot, in the realm of PC gaming, it's a cardinal sin to be playing any Call of Duty game. You're not allowed to like it.

Referring to the part I said I played it?

Basically, your point in this thread is disproving any "personal opinions" and arguing against the cold hard fact that P2P is inferior to dedicated servers.


I really hope you enjoy your gaming, I enjoy mine. I simply do not try to ruin others' fun because "THEY HAVE TO TINNKER WITH THEIR GAMES TO WORK, AHAHHA I HAVE TO UPDATE MY CONSOLE TOO, AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP THEIR DRIVERS UP TO DATE, SO I AM BETTER THAN THEM".

Or the usual PS3 disc installs.


Face it, a console is a computer. It's as "complex" as PC gaming.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Exactly. The last time booting up one of my consoles was less of a hassle than booting up my PC, Eternal Darkness was hot new shit. Nowadays, the hardware differences are so negligible that you routinely hear about study groups using nested consoles like crunching farms (e.g. The Army, or Sony's partnership with the Folding@Home project) and about softmodding procedures requiring modified firmware updates. Something which was already common in hardcore PC enthusiasts, in such cases where the vanilla BIOS doesn't offer sufficient overclocking options.

As far as the guts of any given system is concerned, there's no factual difference between PCs or consoles. If any argument of "superiority" needs to be levelled because the stereotypes of the bragging PC or console gamers apparently both need to be assuaged - it'd be in platform exclusives.

So there. PC gamers get Diablo 3, Wii users get the latest Mario bestseller, 360 users get their Halo and Gears of War exclusives, while the PS3 has its Uncharteds. These are the only solid arguments in favour of any system whatsoever. Seeing as they all are preferential choices, who honestly gives a fuck?

Solstice, you're lacking info. If you were willing to actually try and game as a PC user for a few months, you might get most of your facts straightened out. The need for physical media in consoles equals the use of DRM, seeing as the consoles THEMSELVES have started embracing digital distribution. The only reason why you still need to buy pressed silicon discs is because the physical medium *supposedly* functions as a decent DRM measure, and because it's far too easy to access Store games or Arcade games you haven't actually purchased - in some cases, without softmodding or jailbreaking your console.

Any Google search on piracy statistics will tell you this. If anyone's dedicated enough to jailbreak their PS3 and keep their library of games on a separate external hard drive, they can circumvent the need for physical media. Similarly, the 360 can be coaxed into loading games installed to its hard drive *without* having a disc in the tray.

OP, I rest my case. You won't find things to be any easier on the console market. You're just trading one set of problems for another.

 

[Corporal Yakob]

Op looks like I've got to pick a side in the war.

Or not because I have a PS3, Xbox 360 and a reasonably good PC.

Score 1 to Yakob!

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Op looks like I've got to pick a side in the war.

Or not because I have a PS3, Xbox 360 and a reasonably good PC.

Score 1 to Yakob!

The actual use of owning one of each type of gaming platform is that it gives you perspective. I've got a four year-old PC, a PS3, a Wii and an Xbox 360. Of the four systems, my PC sees far more use, but this is mostly because I can switch from working on my thesis to killing Draugr in Bleak Falls Barrow with a few mouse clicks.

On the other hand, if I feel like digging up a bucket from some abandoned water well and cross my fingers so Nate Drake doesn't end up having to drink his own pee; I gotta schlep my ass to the basement. Lazy is as lazy does, so...

Based on my personal experience, the PC is geographically superior. Stairs are hard, maaaan.

Seriously, though, I hope I'll be able to keep buying one of each console and that I'll be able to keep my rig updated, as I like having access to the quasi-full spectrum of gaming. I'd maybe throw a few hundred bucks down on a handheld, but I'd be concerned about it gathering dust after a few weeks of intense use.