Poll: PC and Consoles. A CIVIL Discussion?

[Ilikemilkshake]

PC for most single player games, typically RPGs like Fallout and Elder Scrolls and dragon age.. because frankly the console ports make me sick.
and PS3 for games which feel more 'consoley' like GTA, sports games, racing games etc... because frankly the PC ports make me sick.

 

[TheBaron87]

I think the thing that puts console users off PCs the most is that they are expensive to buy in the shops, and building one can be quite difficult and confusing without the knowlegde. For instance, I went into the local computer fair and there were all sorts of different PC bits and pieces. Different brands of graphics cards and different kinds of RAM. For instance is a Geforce 9200 better then a 8800, hows it compare to the ATI's. Does your motherboard take DDR, DDR2 or DDR3 RAM? Whats a good firewall/anti-virus?

Whereas on a console, you buy it, stick in a game, a controller and hook it to the TV and your ready to play.

So basically you're saying people don't like PCs because they're either too dumb or too lazy to learn about them?

That's what it sounds like at least, and that's been my experience for the most part. Almost every time I try to get one of my console friends to try PC gaming I hear a lot of false assumptions and misinformation, and those I do manage to get interested almost always convert. I myself was a console gamer until the PS2 era, built my first computer in 2003 after a few REALLY crappy pre-builts, and now I hardly ever touch my consoles.

I think the real problem is that developers and especially publishers are actively promoting consoles because they can squeeze more money out of them. See, there's this problem with PCs. It's called open development. Those millions Microsoft spends to market the 360 pay off much, much bigger in the losses they avoid by keeping people off the product they lost control over. Of course Windows is still their biggest source of revenue by a huge margin, but not because of gamers.

I mean think about it, your customer could buy, from you and for over $300, the mass produced one-trick computer with the cheap wholesale hardware, use your closed OS that only runs software licensed by you, and pay you for what's basically a mandatory service in this age. Or, they could buy quality hardware from 3rd party manufacturers that could easily last 5+ years, give you a measly $100 for the OS you have to leave open to keep people from tearing down your gates with torches and pitchforks, buy and download software that you don't see a penny from, and connect to the internet from ISPs, and to servers, that are almost certainly running a competitor's OS. (Linux, and just to pour salt into the wounds, it's free!)

Which one would you pour your marketing budget into?

It also doesn't help when pre-built computer providers spend so much convincing people that they're doing you a service by selling you such cheap, weak hardware at a premium. You know what building a PC is like? It's like seeing the silhouette of a huge man-eating lion guarding the most delicious cake in the world, and you're not sure if you should try going for the cake because you could lose an arm and a leg (i.e. a bunch of money) trying to reach it. And then your friend Google walks in and pulls back the curtain and it's just a kitten with a flashlight behind it.

Seriously, if you're that scared of learning about PCs you're either lazy and rich or making a mountain out of a molehill.

And just as a qualifier, I have a Wii and PS3. We all know the Wii hasn't seen any worthwhile games besides SMG2 in at least a year, and I've got about 20 PS3 games, the most recent being MvC3. I pretty much just buy fighting games these days because NOBODY WILL FREAKING RELEASE THEM ON PC.

Have always been a console fag since the day I was born, got a laptop a few years back and started to get a taste for PC gaming which was held tantalisingly out of reach due to said laptop being shit.

Finally went ahead and a few days ago bought £550 worth of PC components and built a badass machine that can max everything that's thrown at it.

My Xbox is now in storage, so PC all the way definitely for me.

To all those saying it's expensive as fuck to run a gaming PC.

1) Building it is damn cheaper and you get crazy specs easy
2) Thanks to STEAM and PC game prices in general, you will more than make up for it within a year or two of game purchases,

Talking of cheap I just bought GTA 4 with expansions on STEAM sale for £6, suck that.

Sincerely, happy console convert.

This. Feels good, doesn't it?

 

[BlueFishie]

PC is my platform of choice simply because it's what I'm used to. I've almost never even been in contact with consoles, but the encounters I've had here and there have been pretty fun.

These days I tend to prefer social multiplayer, and I'm too insecure for voice chat, so PC suits me nicely. So bottom line, essentially PC is my platform of choice because of it's versatility. Modding certainly added a lot of extra fun to games, at least a couple years ago.

 

[C95J]

And PC/Console topic number 2791 is here!

Seriously though why do people actually create these topics anymore, just look at yesterdays topic

It seems to becoming a daily thing now...

 

[Koganesaga]

Having the skills needed to understand, maintain, and knowhow in terms of modifications, I'll always take PC's over a console. This isn't to say I don't like consoles, I got a PS3, and Blazblue is all my life when I have friends over, and frankly I would never play Blazblue on a PC, but PC's are my go-to for one reason only: It is the only platform that can pull off RTS well. I understand some of you play RTS on a console, and sure they've come far and made it slightly more managable, but facing fact there is yet to be a console RTS that can beat a PC in terms of ease of use.

Also I'm not a graphic's whore, but when my radeon 5870 gets in gear, shit looks perty.

 

[Moromillas]

Oh, Jesus Christ. Who gives a damn. So utterly pointless. One is inherently better than the other? No, the Software(the games) is the end-all.

 

[Sud0_x]

I grew up on PC and consoles, started out with the NES, I was born in the early '90s but my parents always got stuff second hand because we were never that well off, having a disabled father and my mother being the sole earner. I had a DOS box 'til I was like 11. And loved it. King's Quest? Leisure Suit Larry? Frogger? Monkey's Island? Man I actually had a shit ton of games, most of them were small time wasters like "Brick" or "Generic space shooty thing" I can't remember half of them... Kinda makes me bummed about the way used games sales are going at the moment. These days I still have a PSX in great working order and I replay my favourite JRPGs and whatnot for nostalgia.

Saved up money all by myself and bought an original XBOX when that came out, it was cutting edge shit to me back then because I'd always been a few years behind the times due to financial restrictions. Got a 360 to continue what I'd started and had 2 of them crap out on me, these days my PC is the only medium I use for games and I prefer it anyway (plus I can upgrade when I have to since I'm an adult who makes a reasonable wage and I can save money through knowing my shit and doing the labour myself after the years of tinkering with old junk and growing up with my best buddy and his dad being PC fanatics).

I don't have as much time for games as I used to but I still enjoy it, I'm not some one way street arrogant prick either, I'm giving considerable thought to the upcoming Nintendo system, I'm well aware the rumoured hardware is far from amazing, I'm certainly not one to be bothered by this, and they're just going to make another Zelda, Mario, Metroid? Well that's what I'm counting on. I LOVED the originals, I haven't played one for years, having read thus far you might guess that I grew up on that shit and as long as they're well put together and somewhat fresh and interesting, fuck it, as long as they're FUN, I'm as good as sold.
As long as I don't have to use some kind of dickish touch screen/motion thing... But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

-Peace and happy gaming to all

 

[Vault101]

oh....but playing a FPS with a gamepad? thats just fucking retarded

hahah well in all honesty I dont mean any offence

but for the love of god I CANNOT use dual joysticks makes me "retarded"

 

[Echo136]

When it comes to PC vs Xbox vs PS3, theres no such thing as civil, just like PC vs Mac.

But as long as the topic is being discussed, I would vote PC, except my main gaming computer has been broke for almost 6 months now, meanwhile I've been finding much enjoyment from my PS3, dispite having fewer games for it.

 

[ZtH]

I'm mainly a PC gamer for some of the reasons stated in posts above, but sometimes I yearn for the simplicity of a console. No more buggy installs and command prompt workarounds, it would be great.

Most PC gaming doesn't need those workarounds but sometimes companies put out shoddy workmanship which requires all manner of tweaking, ie. Dragon Age Origins.

 

[Echo136]

Oh, Jesus Christ. Who gives a damn. So utterly pointless. One is inherently better than the other? No, the Software(the games) is the end-all.

Actually, that's not the whole truth, or even a large part of it.

Y'see, there is no modding going on with consoles.

I'm a huge fan of Bethesda, and I do mean HUGE fan. I rate Oblivion and Fallout 3 as the two best games ever. But y'see, Oblivion is really quite mediocre in some retarded ways, but that can be fixed with mods. With mods, it's absolutely fucking great.

Fallout 3, while not all that retarded, can just be spiced up with mods that give you better textures, extra weapons, the ability to use scrap metal to repair stuff, more variety of enemies etc, making it an even more awesome game than it already is.

So, it's not just in the game, it's also in the community support for the game, with mods and unofficial patches fixing stuff that the companies can't be bothered with.

Now, I have a 360, but I wouldn't play any games on it if they are greatly improved by mods on the PC, as I want the best gaming experience possible.

That doesn't mean the 360 is bad at all, it's just one bit where the PC has the upper hand.

Not everyone has that same view, sir. I have enjoyed literally thousands of hours on Oblivion, and the only mod I ever gave it besides the official DLC was a portal mod to put in the mage guild halls that eliminates fast traveling to towns. I never once found the need to mod Fallout 3 and I put hundreds of hours into that game.

 

[Echo136]

Not everyone has that same view, sir. I have enjoyed literally thousands of hours on Oblivion, and the only mod I ever gave it besides the official DLC was a portal mod to put in the mage guild halls that eliminates fast traveling to towns. I never once found the need to mod Fallout 3 and I put hundreds of hours into that game.

Uhm...yes?

Is there a point to your post? Other than that you don't mod your games? Not entirely sure why you feel the need to point that out, because I'm fairly sure nobody cares.

All Im saying is that PC's may have the edge with modding, but not everyone cares about that. I can enjoy the game perfectly fine with no mods. I thought I made that pretty clear.

 

[beema]

And PC/Console topic number 2791 is here!

Seriously though why do people actually create these topics anymore, just look at yesterdays topic

It seems to becoming a daily thing now...

Yeah, I don't get it either. No matter how noble the intentions it always devolves in to a dick-waving competition with everyone ignoring everyone else and shouting their opinions at the top of their lungs.
The best that can happen is that no one takes it seriously and I get to see a lot of funny gifs.

 

[dementis]

I use a PC for guild wars and a select few other RPGs that only ever came out on PC, but I grew up on consoles and playing Halo for the first time round a friends on split screen co-op with a broken controller is still one of the most fun gaming experiences I've had, I've never been able to sit comfortably and play split screen co-op on a PC and Split screen has always been a very fun form of multiplayer as you can punch your friends when they beat you

 

[ramboondiea]

its a toss up between my 360 and my DS because i play them about the same.

i dont like playing games on PC atall, my main computer now is a net book which i use for uni and internet ingeneral, but games can stay the hell away from it

 

[Sebenko]

Civil discussion?

In the immortal words of TF2's heavy:
IS NOT POSSIBLE!