Poll: PC vs Console reasons

[lord Claincy Ffnord]

Personally I have a console and a pc. Most of the time if a game is on the console I'll play it on that but sometimes I'll use the pc

One point that I don't think has been raised yet (sorry if I missed it); if you want to play multiplayer online and use your pc and a console controller unless you are very good you are going to have a hard time against people who are using a keyboard and mouse. In singleplayer it doesn't really matter but for multiplayer its nice to win now and then .

 

[idarkphoenixi]

Your argument is invalid. People can easily us a tv instead of a moniter for their pc and many pc games support the use of a 'gamepad'.

PC can do everything a console can and many more things that a console cannot do due to it's limitations as a platform. There's no question that PC is better, it's just more expensive and perhaps more complicated for the less tech minded people out there.

 

[LilithSlave]

It's definitely true that many console gamers separate out and say they don't like PC gaming for reasons such as that.

But PC and console has almost become a bit of a 'culture war' within gaming. Largely with PC gamers shunning a lot of things they don't consider "true" enough. For instance, many PC gamers try to "shame" the controller or joypad or whatever word or variant that isn't a keyboard and mouse.

Thus leading console gamers to think they're console gamers because they like playing on a couch instead of a desk, or using a controller instead of a keyboard.

I'm a console gamer, because I like jRPGs and Nintendo games.

But as another has stated, I like native controller support, as well. Something PC games often don't get, good controller support. If anything, because a lot PC game fans, complain about games that are too controller friendly. If it's blatantly obvious you can play it without a keyboard, people complain. It's entirely possible that the approval rating of using a controller among PC gamers, is less than the approval rating of piracy.

And there's a multitude of other reasons I like my consoles. I know that PC gamers feel so proud about how they've built a PC, and how easy building a PC is, so much so that they deem people who don't like building PCs as "unworthy of playing video games". But building PCs isn't as easy as people say it us. And not everyone wants to deal with the stress. You have to realize that you need a quality brand and rated PSU. Enough wattage. You have to make sure you don't damage your motherboard during installation. If you have problems installing RAM memory, you have to take out the battery. And the slightest mistake you may have made, can lead to BSoDs and all sorts of stuff. Oh, and let's see, you can't let desktops get too much dust in them. And... yeah.

The majority of PC games are for an operating system that costs $100. It'd be different if most games were for Linux, or Microsoft Windows was cheaper. But it's one hundred dollars, or more. Bleh.

And while it's true that consoles do have some problems. PC gaming has much more in terms of bugs. The amount of things that can go wrong running in the background of the Windows OS is insane.

It might even be possible to label me a PC gamer, under certain, super broad, definitions. Things like the fact, I dunno, I actually spend more time on the PC and even gaming on the PC thanks to emulation and so forth. But lord if the PC gaming community does anything to make most people feel like PC gamers.

Because to a lot of "PC gamers", emulation is piracy is heresy, controllers are heresy, console style RPGs are heresy, all the things I like about PC gaming are heresy. When I think of some of my favourite PC gaming, it's taking video capture of console games I like. I don't know, like what Chuggaconroy does.

 

[SycoMantis91]

I would never personally take this into consideration when making my gaming choices, but I think it has legitimacy. If you can't stand to sit at a computer chair with a keyboard it can totally kill the experience and vice versa for any other form of physical convenience while gaming. We all know when we feel uncomfortable it's damn near impossible to concentrate on anything that doesn't have to do with re-attaining said comfort.

 

[legendp]

Ehhh this thread >_o

So my question is do you think controller or T.V should be reason for playing on console or pc

Should be a ? there my good man; forgive my grammar nazism but as a teacher it's my job and it's a tough habit to break.

In short:
T.V. Yes, under circumstance.
Controller not really no. Find some drivers or splash out on a 360 controller.

Also: please Escapist's don't come at me with Steam, I went over Steam above and I use Steam alongside my consoles. I don't wish to have arguments over Console Vs. PC, it's a waste of time, people like what they like.

So the general idea seems to be that T.V's and PC are in a different room. Yeah I'll agree with that, and I'll admit that installer controller drivers on a PC can be a bit of a hassle. Yes the question was poorly worded wich has probaly led to a more agressive response. I also forgot splitscreen, which for me is one of the best things about owning a console.

However people try to keep the flaming down, I apologise if I have offended anyone, It's just I see the PC vs console debate raised all the time but this side of it rarely gets mentioned

 

[Soxafloppin]

You can go out of your way to do the controller/sofa thing but most don't.

Personally I play on consoles for convenience, Buy a new console every 7-8 years, buy games for it play them, sell on the ones I don't want, buy more games, no upgrades or anything like that.

I'm not saying that consoles are better than P.C, In terms of hardware its no contest but I'm not exactly a super hardcore gamer I just play games so console is the choice for me.

 

[Caffiene]

I can understand the controller being more convenient when youre sitting on the couch...

But for me my TV is my PC (second screen connected to TV card), so sitting in front of the TV or PC isnt much different

 

[VeneratedWulfen93]

Your argument is invalid. People can easily us a tv instead of a moniter for their pc and many pc games support the use of a 'gamepad'.

PC can do everything a console can and many more things that a console cannot do due to it's limitations as a platform. There's no question that PC is better, it's just more expensive and perhaps more complicated for the less tech minded people out there.

I'm relatively tech minded and believe I could put a good PC together. I could also afford one. I just prefer console gaming, its how I've been gaming since the 90s granted acknowledgement that obviously a PC is a more powerful system which I do play occasionally but only on strategy games like DoW 2. Its not that people "can't" build a PC its normally because they don't want to. Saying that every person who doesn't play PC is poor and has no knowledge of how a PC works is just plain ignorant.

 

[anaphysik]

Ha, I'm backwards on this:

-> I hate most modern controllers, particularly the 360 one. I prefer a keyboard.
-> I have no couch, only a substitute futon, which isn't as comfortable as my chair+ottoman.
-> I already need a PC for school/work/goofing-around-time. Games are sort of like a bonus. A console is basically only good for playing games.
-> For some reason, even my laptop's shite integrated graphics (Intel HD) are good enough for playing the games I'd care to play (e.g.: lags a bit on ME1, but plays ME2 & ME3 just fine). (Unlike the stereotypical PC gamer, I've never been a graphics whore, so what's it matter?)

That being said, I do occasionally play me some consoles - just not from this generation. My N64, Gamecube, and second-hand NES and PS2 still get some love.

 

[Popadoo]

I sit on my coach to use my gaming PC.
All bow to me!
Just kiddin'.
OT: Keyboard and Mouse are better tools for controlling what's going on on-screen in my opinion, but I understand if people want to use a controller, that's fine I guess.
But the coach thing doesn't make sense, since you can plug any computer into a TV.

 

[babinro]

Yes, the argument is perfectly reasonable and valid.

People are familiar with setting up their gaming room or living room with a t.v and couch. Everything is designed to suit the decor of the room.

Not all families like the idea of placing a computer in the picture. In addition things are inherently more complicated when you incorporate the computer into the setup. The living room is designed for people of all ages, not just the gamer or the tech savvy.

The PC game pad has also been a very poor experience in general. I seldom have a PC game where the game pad will immediately function half as well as a console controller without calibrations or troubleshooting. Perhaps it's because my PC gamepad was old or not the 'right' one at the time.

A PC can replicate the experience of a console, but there are barriers to entry in terms of decor and ease of use.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I think the main thing is money vs modding. You can't do anything to a PS3 or Xbox game (well, not anything outlandish), but I like being secure in the knowledge that I only have to buy a console once and they have to make the games for it, not the other way around. I also like a controller better, but mouse is more responsive and more accurate, so at the end of the day, I think it's all habitual. That said, I'll always be a Playstation user. Unless they pull that BS with the used-games and backwards compatibility and the Xbox 720 does have those features. In which case I'll switch to PC (f*** you Microsoft, I'll never pay for online. ).

Oh and Armored Core is my favourite game/series of all time, so I'd like to stay with Playstation if possible.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Why bother with splitscreen when everything is on-line anyway? The only reason people use splitscreen was because internet access wasn't universal. However, 20 years later, internet is widely used.

No. Just no. Online is NOT a replacement for splitscreen. Can you really say that playing aginst some faceless guy who may or may not even be on a mic is equal to playing against someone sitting next to you? Not all gamers are antisocial enough to not have any friends they can bear to be in the same room as.

Or you know play with friends who you know online instead of having to move stuff between houses all of the time. Just putting it out there.

You do...know what splitscreen is, don't you?

 

[idarkphoenixi]

Your argument is invalid. People can easily us a tv instead of a moniter for their pc and many pc games support the use of a 'gamepad'.

PC can do everything a console can and many more things that a console cannot do due to it's limitations as a platform. There's no question that PC is better, it's just more expensive and perhaps more complicated for the less tech minded people out there.

I'm relatively tech minded and believe I could put a good PC together. I could also afford one. I just prefer console gaming, its how I've been gaming since the 90s granted acknowledgement that obviously a PC is a more powerful system which I do play occasionally but only on strategy games like DoW 2. Its not that people "can't" build a PC its normally because they don't want to. Saying that every person who doesn't play PC is poor and has no knowledge of how a PC works is just plain ignorant.

If you want to make it a matter of personal opinion then someone else might say they prefer gaming on a DS, or playing on iPad apps. A debate like that will lead nowhere since you're essentially just going in circles. What I'm saying is that from a technical standpoint the pc is capable of everything that a console is and more. Fantastic games like the TW series are not put onto the console because it simply can't handle it and is limited by not having a keyboard and mouse.
At a logical point of view, the pc is better and most likely always will be simply because of what it's capable of. But we will always have personal preference and theres nothing wrong with that, some people like pepsi and some like coca cola.

 

[The White Hunter]

So the general idea seems to be that T.V's and PC are in a different room. Yeah I'll agree with that, and I'll admit that installer controller drivers on a PC can be a bit of a hassle. Yes the question was poorly worded wich has probaly led to a more agressive response. I also forgot splitscreen, which for me is one of the best things about owning a console.

However people try to keep the flaming down, I apologise if I have offended anyone, It's just I see the PC vs console debate raised all the time but this side of it rarely gets mentioned

I concur, it's an interesting thing to discuss and explore, but I always get fed up when people flame over it and start throwing around accusations of being a "fanboy" and other such nonsense ):

Drivers arent a huge issue for me, though it was a pain finding drivers for a dualshock 3 and then diving through the settings buried deep in the game to make it recognise it as a 360 controller.

[Edit] So, what's up with that OnLive? (; From what I've heard it's a pretty good alternative to a huge hardware investment and you can do that on whatever you darn well please, StormDainProductions on youtube is midway through a mini-series on it.

Give it a few years to flesh out and for internet speeds in my area to actually be passable for it and it's the future.