So what is the advantage of a console?

[Bara_no_Hime]

It's easier to buy/set up.
Exclusives.
Locked hardware.
Buying a new end console near release is a lot cheaper than buying a high end PC.

This.

You can play games distributed by major Japanese publishers.

Also this.

And finally - I own a laptop for work. I do not want a ton of random video games on it. Why? Well, first off, it's for work. Secondly, PC games overheat my laptop, meaning that A) playing PC games is actually damaging my work computer and B) I have to set all my games one the worst graphical settings. Mass Effect looks a lot less awesome when you have to turn all the graphics down to the minimum settings just so the game doesn't force a shut-down when I try to talk down the hallway.

So yeah, I'd rather just play on a console because then I know everything will work and I get factory standard graphics (not the best, but not minimum settings either).

Also, I can use my laptop to look up Gamefaqs while playing on my PS3 and TV. If I was playing on my laptop, I couldn't use it for Gamefaqs without minimizing the game first.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

With a console, I can pop in a game and, with near 100% certainty, not have to do anything beyond that to be able to play. With PC games, I constantly have to optimize, fix, patch, etc. to even be able to play at all.

Gotta install patches on all consoles, and gotta install games to play them on PS3. Otherwise, yeah, games not liking your hardware is something we could all live without.
OT: $300 for a system that will play everything made for it. That's about it, really...

We have motion controls! Yeah, how can you beat that?! [small]nope[/small]

I also heard it's physically impossible to sit back and relax on a sofa whilst gaming on a PC.

You do realize that its possible to hook a PC and a tv together? I had a friend who used a fair sized TV as his monitor, and my dad used to use a tv as a monitor, too.
Edit:

I've seen people threaten violence against console users on the Facebook comment pages on Escapist. That pretty much cinced it for me.

Don't know who the fuck does that but... its facebook. Next you'll be complaining that people are mean on Youtube or something.

 

[ElPatron]

[small]Well I'll be damned, because to play games you don't have to do that.[/small]

Isn't it great?

So, the motherboards, cards, processors all install themselves? Fascinating.

>implying inplications

Several stores have a very cheap service that assembles them. I did that because I didn't know (and still don't) how to assemble a computer.

And yes, I know my PS3 can't do it, but if I"m going to invest and be one of you "master race" types, I want to at least have a machine that's past that point of criticism.

The problem is that I am not telling anyone to build a PC, I am just dispelling the myths and lies that I am reading.

If I were you I'd go to the attitude store because you seriously need a new one.

 

[Vagon123123]

If everyone has the same hardware, then it's a lot easier for devs to make the most of what they have without worrying about different permutations.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Also split screen and standardised controllers.

 

[ElPatron]

if you want to take full advantage of the benefits of pc gaming then yes, it is expensive. i mean maybe you have more disposable income than i do (highly likely since i work in theatre which pays way below minimum wage) but would you seriously make the argument that pc gaming is cheaper than console gaming. i spent about $300 on my ps3 and in the time ive had my ps3 i have spent probably between $500 and $800 on computer upgrades.

and yes, i do feel pc gaming requires a decent amount of technical knowledge. certainly more than console gaming does. i know a lot of console gamers who shy away from pc gaming because computer specs are just confusing to them.

I have been taking the "full advantage" (or whatever that is) and I am a complete idiot when it comes to computers. Like I said before I can't even assemble them. And it isn't expensive.

 

[Ljs1121]

The two main ones I can think of are convenience and cheapness. It's much easier to be able to plop down into a chair, turn on the console, put a disc in and go. Plus it tends to be quite time-consuming and expensive sifting through parts to find the best ones to build the perfect gaming computer.

Of course, I've never actually experienced PC gaming so I might have no idea what I'm talking about. I do want to give it a shot at some point, though.

 

[ElPatron]

"Not shopping for games with your mother?"
Are you stupid? Parents BUY GAMES FOR THEIR KIDS. IF you don't comprehend that a parent buying a "360 game" compared to a parent buying a game set to certain specs for a PC is different then I don't know how to help you.

Because only children play videogames.

"PS3" or "Xbox"

is easier to remember than

4 GB Dual core
Radeon ATI 7500 card
etcetera and so forth.

Write in a piece of paper or take those pills for memory enhancement.

So if a guy can MAKE money, making a configuration file don't you think that's credence to the fact that maybe it's not very accessible? That most people aren't going to bother and try to figure out something like dosbox.

If you're using Dos games and making an argument on how hard retro-compatibility is, take into account that consoles might not even give you that option.

This shit isn't accesible to the averag gamer. If it were, people would not be able to make money off of it. So to say that "Backwards compatibility" for the PC is a boon is a joke becuase it's not accesible, particularly not if you have an obscure game.

Yeah, have you heard the whole spiel about Sony fucking up their retro-compatibility? The "average gamer" was not able to install those games without having someone explaining him how.

Not everyone uses Steam.

Your point being?

What you do or do not do is irrelevant. What's at issue is whether the console or the PC is more affordable. The basic Console rig is more affordable. There are sales on the console just as there are on the PC. There is the option to trade in games on the console, which is NOT on the PC.

1. My PC was cheaper than a console when I bought it, and I think that the PS3 is still more expensive in my country.

2. If Steam sales are so comparable to retail sales, then why is everyone bitching about Steam devaluing games? Retail sales have nearly no sales, most times they are only at certain times of the year (unlike Steam) and our prices drop much slower (Duke Nukem Forever of PC: 50? - still at launch price).

3. It was deemed legal by European courts to resell PC games. We might have a resale business in the future.

And what game is this?
Games are priced at what the market can bear. If a game is priced at 70 quid it's because someone is willing to pay that price to buy it.

Oh, so it's the consumer's fault?

First, that's ridiculous. Second, prices are jacked up because of distributors, not because of the market.

Any console game will range from 60-70? at launch (my Max Payne 3 for x360 was 70?) but PS3 can achieve 80?.

Hahaha, "Pretty Graphics don't make stories any better" yet you're probably someone who in another thread would say that "PC is better because of the graphics, durr".

If you really knew me you would understand that I don't care about graphics. But I am not going to repeat myself because you're being a jerk.

I'd insult you back but I don't need a ban right now.

Either way, whether you care about Blu Ray or not doesn't matter. Other people do.

Fair play to them. I said I didn't like Blu-Ray, not that I care about what others do with them.

My point was that Blu-Ray is completely worthless to me which means I never found the PS3 cheap.

And one doesn't need top graphics to play a game, in your post you also say you can still play BF3 with your rig. I'm betting it's not at full settings. So why do you say it helps your argument to play with shitty graphics on your PC, but when a console plays with shitty graphics on a TV it's a bad thing? You can't have it both ways.

Stop insulting my rig, please. I can play 1680x1050 high/medium settings, no AA.

I bought a 720p Sony Bravia for the low price of 700?. Full HD models were over 1000? which translated to dollars is "a lot".

I've played dozens of games on a 360 and without the benefit of a HD TV and I don't give a rat's ass.

I play 360 on a really old TV.

But low def TV defeats the usefulness of a cheap blu-ray player.

Oh, so your computer actually cost 430 quid not 250 right? Because you know, you sort of needed a monitor am I right?

Read again.

"By the way, I had (and still have) a Samsung SyncMaster 226BW that I scavenged from my previous computer. It was 180?, which at that time was a steal and much cheaper than 720p TVs."

I also used the same peripherals including sound system.

PC Gamers always talk about upgrading when they talk about the cost their gaming takes, but you have to take the perpsective of someone who's never had a gaming rig in the first place

>mfw you don't have a PC screen

And no, a guy's not going to hook his computer up to a TV. I've never met anyone who does that. I'm sure someone out there does, but that cannot be used as justification for saying the PC is cheaper.

Of course not. TVs are expensive.

Yeah I'm sorry but live interaction trumps all of those.

Oh, you meant "real" social, not "internet" social.

I'm sorry, but I have a 360 and that's the least "real" social thing in my life. For starters my gaming is a pretty lonely habit and the fact that I am not a kid anymore doesn't help. I don't know many people around me that play console (I don't know a lot of people around me, period. Most are old people and Asian immigrants I can't understand).

Most of my friends are not in my area and they also have the habit of not liking them games I like/having PS3 instead of xbox.

"Split screen competitive"? Fuck off. Don't stack questions to avoid obvious answers that would otherwise defeat it. Howabout ANY multiplayer that you can play in the same room at the same time:

That includes a truckload of side-scrolling fighting games, which also exist on the PC.

I asked competitive because they take advantage of the split screen (instead of 4 Mario characters sharing the same screen) and the multiple controllers.

If you want to include co-op there is a metric fuckton of PC games that use the same keyboard.

I'm talking about GAMERS playing.

Travel back to me and some of my friends in the 90's/early 2000's. We have been there, done that.

I go to my brother's house, the kids play multiplayer games on the Wii. Dancing games. Racing games. Lego Star Wars games. etcetera and so forth.

Amazing. The problem is that it implies that one person has to buy one of those games/console beforehand.

Gave a damn about Lego back when they were new, but that ship sailed long time ago. Don't like racing games, I prefer driving a real car (which isn't something I like a lot). I respect the Wii but can't give a single damn about it.

I don't own any party game past PS2-era and I don't know anyone who does except my girlfriend. She has Singstar or whatever for PS3, but for some reason when I'm at her house I am not interested in videogames.

So yes, consoles are more social because you can get PEOPLE IN THE SAME ROOM playing the same game.

Yeah, excuse me for not knowing exactly what you mean from ONE word. Said word is also used for anything these days.

 

[ElPatron]

I ain't the one copping a superiority kick and designation of "master race" based on what toys I play with.

I ain't the one either. Next.

Then why did someone have to cite AUCTIONS to meet the 300$ price range I threw out?

Because 300 bucks is a ridiculously tight budget - and someone was able to clear that challenge so my hat is off. Try 300?. My PC was 250? with all the discount prices, 238? would force me to ditch an important component.

With 300 bucks you can buy a console in the US, but not here. Ours are priced in Euros which makes them more expensive. For some reason.

 

[Hawk eye1466]

Well for me the biggest advantage is I can go out and buy any xbox 360 game I want without worrying that my computer isn't 100% up to date in every category.

 

[fangface]

Well I never have to worry about my console not being able to run a game.

No DRM. Heck a few weeks ago my internet went away and I was unable to access any of my PC games with DRM but all of my consoles games were just fine(I couldn't access multiplayer but I was ok with that).

And the final advantage : Exclusives (nuff said)

 

[Joccaren]

So I have to bid on it?

Close, but still no cigar. I'm not rolling dice on my prices.

Confirmed prices then?
Alright.
The motherboard from the Previous was "Buy Now" - hence, fixed price. No bids, just a straight online purchase. $53.50.

RAM:
http://www.megabuy.com.au/gskill-4gb-ddr3-1333mhz-sodimm-memory-p144447.html
$16.50

Graphics:
http://www.arc.com.au/pub.php?pid=41822&p=product
$155

CPU:
The original link I proposed, http://www.microcenter.com/product/371961/PHENOM_II_X4_840_Boxed_Processor
$66.50

Totals to 53.5+16.5+155+66.5 = $291.50

Geforce 9800 GTX ~ 55 bucks
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Athlon II X2 260 ~ 40
2 gigs ram ~ 15

Got a place I can get those at those prices? Someone cited EBAY's, and I ain't counting that since I'll have to bid on the prices.

Ignoring the fact that I have each of those parts and would sell them to you for a rather low price [If I can be bothered finding them], links:
9800GTX:
http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-512-P3-N871-AR-GeForce-9800GTX-Graphics/dp/B0016BL5M4
$50, $5 lower than he suggested.

Intel Core 2 Duo:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0036FS3YQ/ref=sr_1_8_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346818709&sr=1-8&keywords=Intel+Core+2+Duo+E6600&condition=used
A couple for $45, which is $5 higher. There are higher prices there, but you're looking for cheap so...

2Gb RAM:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0019MI1CW/ref=sr_1_2_olp?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346818777&sr=1-2&keywords=2Gb+RAM&condition=used
$10 for the cheapest two, $5 under what he suggested.

So that's $105, leaving you with $200 to find anything else you'd need, like possibly a new motherboard along the lines of this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0055Q88EO/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

And I also have to know how to tweak ini files?! Cripes, man, after all that "it's so easy!" talk that the PC'ers love to throw around. Besides, I said on MAX settings with the HD add on at 50fps minimum. I want to sacrifice absolutely nothing.

You don't need to know how to edit ini files unless you want to modify the game for even better graphical fidelity. Without editing the ini file you will be playing it on Maximum settings, and with the HD patch should you install it, but that may not be all the game is capable of - only the options that the devs gave to you.
Games will generally include options like Level of Detail for Long Distance Viewing that will be raisable to a certain extent, but you can always push it further than that if you want even better graphics than what the game offers. It is a form of modding and can make the game unstable if done poorly.
Changing the settings to higher than Ultra, however, in most games is a case of openning the game, picking the highest settings, applying, quitting, going into the settings.ini file and changing the numbers next to any fields that have the same names as graphical fields to a number 1 or more higher. If it crashes, the game likely gave you its actual maximum possibility with the options. If not, its either well coded enough to revert back to the highest, or you just boosted your graphics easily.
There are also step by step modifying walkthroughs online for game's ini files. I know Nvidia definitely did one for Skyrim - which was linked here about a year back, though I'd struggle to find it now, and there is one just sitting on its forums for Sins of a Solar Empire.

I've seen people threaten violence against console users on the Facebook comment pages on Escapist. That pretty much cinced it for me.

I've seen fanboys from almost everything threaten violence against some person or other somewhere on the internet. Does that mean that all those franchises/brands/TV shows/W.E fans can just be written off?
No. Its the Internet. People will be assholes regardless of whether they play on a PC or console.

I ain't the one copping a superiority kick and designation of "master race" based on what toys I play with.

Neither is, well, anyone I've seen in this thread, unless of course you count telling people that you don't have to pay $2000 to get a gaming computer, and you don't have to upgrade it 3 times a year, and it does look and run better when playing on a PC as being elitism.
However, a prevalent attitude that can be seen across much of the Internet, and comes through in your posts like this, is one against all PC gamers because they state the advantages of their platform. You rarely see this anywhere else, you don't see SD TV people calling everyone who watches a HD TV a HD TV Elitist who has a superiority complex 'cause of how much they paid for their TV, so why does this happen to PC players?
As has been pointed out before, we didn't even inevent the "Glorious PC gaming Master Race" label. Hell, I think Yahtzee did, and I'm semi-sure he was using it to poke fun at PC players more than anything. Every time I see it used its used as a joke. Nobody takes that crap seriously.

Then why did someone have to cite AUCTIONS to meet the 300$ price range I threw out?

I didn't HAVE to cite auctions. My reaction was "Oh, Gunsmith's still got that going? Ok then. www.google.com : Cheap Phenom II. Oh, Ebay, that's generally a good place for cheap stuff". I do five minute searches for these things, its not like I traversed half the Internet looking for something that could come in at under $300 and finally resorted to Ebay as my last hope. Even in my first attempt I just Googled "Cheap Quad Core Processor" to get the parts.

 

[Henry Emerson]

One thing I havent seen anyone mention regarding the price point:

Most console gamers own PCs (Or Macs) as well.

PC gamers typically only really need their PCs.

It's something to consider.

 

[popa_qwerty]

Snip

Quoted for Having the best avatar and would like to ask if there is an Alphonse Elric version of it

OT As a person coming from ps3 I would have to say true offline gaming


BTW I am not a brony just love how I think that would look

 

[Dark Prophet]

First of all price, my new custom built PC cost nearly 1000 euros you can have all the current consoles for that.
Next is the software hardware compability issues, I imagine it's pretty hard to develope for platform that has so many differencrs in hardware and software.
Which brings us to games and the fact that a lot of them are developed only for consoles.