switching to pc gaming
- Thread starter Hollock
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Pros: Much better control, especially for RTSs and FPSs.
More complex and interesting games.
A vast backlogue of old games to buy cheaply (Steam is great for this, as is GoG).
Less annoying kids on microphones, since those bastards ruin it for the rest of us.
Mods.
Cons: Upgrading can be expensive.
Some bad ports.
Lack of fighting games.
Make sure to buy the Orange Box.
More complex and interesting games.
A vast backlogue of old games to buy cheaply (Steam is great for this, as is GoG).
Less annoying kids on microphones, since those bastards ruin it for the rest of us.
Mods.
Cons: Upgrading can be expensive.
Some bad ports.
Lack of fighting games.
Make sure to buy the Orange Box.
It's an absolute clusterfuck to get half of them working in the first place. Main reason I went to the 360.
Seriously, installation time, entering key time, finding out the DRM doesn't like your setup and trying to fix it time, giving up on that and downloading the pirate copy time, installing the pirate copy time, entering the legit key in the pirate copy time, starting the game and fiddling with the settings to get the thing to run properly time...
Vs
Pop the disc in, wait for updates to install, play the game.
Seriously, installation time, entering key time, finding out the DRM doesn't like your setup and trying to fix it time, giving up on that and downloading the pirate copy time, installing the pirate copy time, entering the legit key in the pirate copy time, starting the game and fiddling with the settings to get the thing to run properly time...
Vs
Pop the disc in, wait for updates to install, play the game.
It is a very small minority of people who have to do that to get a PC game working. If all that happened to you, I'm sorry to hear that. Most PC gamers put in the disc, run the install (or wait for the download if you get digital distribution), and play the game. Anyway, here are my pros/consAardvark said:
Pros:
1) Extremely flexible game experience. You have more in-game options to play with, console settings/config files to tweak almost any aspect of the game to your liking, and (free) community made mods. Emphasis on the last point - mods can keep games going long after the original content has been sucked dry.
2) Wider catalog of games to choose from. Every single genre in existence has some kind of presence on the PC, and you can play pretty much every PC game ever made on one system (though you do need a lot of fidgeting to make those old DOS games to work).
Cons:
1) Extremely flexible game experience. Sometimes you just want to sit down and not have to tinker with anything to get the best results. While you certainly can just sit down and play on the PC, it won't always be the best experience it could be.
2) More expensive. Yeah, this one's obvious, but it's actually not as expensive as most people make it out to be. Most of the time, the only thing it takes to turn an office PC into a gaming PC is a $150 video card, and you can do more than just game on a PC, but the point remains: a $600 gaming PC is more expensive than a $300 console no matter how you slice it.
Edit: I totally forgot to mention using the PC's flexibility to fix glitches or bugs or otherwise unsatisfactory circumstances. I got ninja'd by the poster after me.
Pros: fixing stuff with console commands. Example: Fallout 3 the caravans merchant would get themselves injured and not heal up and lose their guards. Then they would get killed like dummies. That's just silly. Why would they limp around like that? Cast a console spell and poof, they have their health and guards back. Even if you don't want to fuss with modding, the console is a nice tool to fix glitches.
Pro: Mass Effect 2 will be coming out on PC and Xbox at the same time. Well, this isn't really a pro, but more like a non-con as compared to Mass Effect 1.
Pro: Mass Effect 2 will be coming out on PC and Xbox at the same time. Well, this isn't really a pro, but more like a non-con as compared to Mass Effect 1.
Mods and graphics, controls aren't really a plus, consoles have done a good job compensating for its limited buttons with the exceptions to rts'.aimhellfire said:
As for that, it's pretty even, go for it.
TBH I really wouldnt go as far to say graphics anymore on a PC. More and more games im playing now are just terrible console ports and really dont run that well. Sure potentially PC will always be the powerhouse but if the game doesnt cater for it then your out of luck.
Compatibility issues are coming more and more common (ie. Bioshock and Mass Effect arnt playable on a lot of configurations)
I think the cheaper games and more access to games (ie. Steam D2D) is far better than consoles. Can do everything which the consoles online services can do but better and of course most importantly NO MATCHMAKING! client/server based multiplayer.
Compatibility issues are coming more and more common (ie. Bioshock and Mass Effect arnt playable on a lot of configurations)
I think the cheaper games and more access to games (ie. Steam D2D) is far better than consoles. Can do everything which the consoles online services can do but better and of course most importantly NO MATCHMAKING! client/server based multiplayer.
Control is obviously a plus if consoles have had to compensate...theshadavid said:
I'll try to find things not mentioned.
Pro:
- Games are usually cheaper, might not be that way for long though with Activision around.
- Dependant on your rig you get faster load times.
- Most games won't need a DVD in the drive, so not going to be fiddling around with disks much.
- More immersive, but that's heavily my personal opinion.
Con:
- Might take some fiddling about for some games to work.
- Might not be able to run newer games as well as consoles can.
- Games need installing (unlike most consoles)
- No Splitscreen. Think I've seen it in 2 PC games I've ever played.
Pros: Crysis and Oblivion, plus mods. Strategy games are meant for PC, that is the truth. Um... if a game has an option to undo fullscreen, you can watch pornography during boring cutscenes.
Cons: Technical mayhem. I was clearing out annoying mods for Oblivion and I must have deleted something essential, so now I can't uninstall it. Not that I'd want to, however.
You should probably listen to someone else, but in general: 360 for FPS, PC for RTS, and RPGs are just so awesome you can probably just play them inside your mind.
Cons: Technical mayhem. I was clearing out annoying mods for Oblivion and I must have deleted something essential, so now I can't uninstall it. Not that I'd want to, however.
You should probably listen to someone else, but in general: 360 for FPS, PC for RTS, and RPGs are just so awesome you can probably just play them inside your mind.
Pros: Half-Life 2
Cons: ????
But seriously.
Pros:
Great games (Half-Life 2, StarCraft, stuff like AudioSurf, etc.)
Universal controls (Mouse+keyboard for shooters, X360 controller for console ports, Novint Falcon for rich fags)
Pretty much absolute reverse-compatibility (not counting games that were made to run on Windows 3.1, etc.)
Mostly better prices ($50 is normal for "big" PC games)
Digital distribution (like Steam and... uh...)
Everything on the same platform (why have a console, a TV, and a PC when you can just play games and watch shows on your PC?)
Mods/User-made content (some of which is actually good)
Cons:
Some games have DRM (but are easy to steal, so maybe it's a pro, I dunno)
Upgrading is expensive (though not as expensive as some think)
You can't rent PC games (though, again, it's easy to just steal them)
Install times
It's more of a "hobby" than console gaming. You have to know your PC, you have to know what parts you want, and then you have to assemble them (though any number of helpful internet folk can help you with that).
Edit:
Cons: ????
But seriously.
Pros:
Great games (Half-Life 2, StarCraft, stuff like AudioSurf, etc.)
Universal controls (Mouse+keyboard for shooters, X360 controller for console ports, Novint Falcon for rich fags)
Pretty much absolute reverse-compatibility (not counting games that were made to run on Windows 3.1, etc.)
Mostly better prices ($50 is normal for "big" PC games)
Digital distribution (like Steam and... uh...)
Everything on the same platform (why have a console, a TV, and a PC when you can just play games and watch shows on your PC?)
Mods/User-made content (some of which is actually good)
Cons:
Some games have DRM (but are easy to steal, so maybe it's a pro, I dunno)
Upgrading is expensive (though not as expensive as some think)
You can't rent PC games (though, again, it's easy to just steal them)
Install times
It's more of a "hobby" than console gaming. You have to know your PC, you have to know what parts you want, and then you have to assemble them (though any number of helpful internet folk can help you with that).
Edit:
No way, me too! Left 4 Dead and Watchmen, right?D4zZ said:
