WHY pc gamers?

[TheJwalkR]

The thing about price of PC gaming is that everyone needs a PC for email, web browsing and productivity. People that own consoles probably own a $1,000 media laptop as well. If you spent one grand on a home made computer you would have a kickass gaming platform and a PC for 200-400 dollars less.

 

[Xaio30]

You create console games on computers.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

First off I do have to say this spell checking and proof reading. I can let a couple of mistakes slide but it really makes your post a lot harder on the eyes. A space after the full stop all of the time wouldn't go amiss either.

OT: Neither is better but and I am sick and tired of saying this PCs are less expensive than consoles. It would probably less time consuming if I save this post somewhere but here it goes. A console full pack none this shit of monitors or tvs not included I am including everything. Top of the range of each.

A Xbox 360 elite with 250gb hard drive and kinect on Amazon costs about 412 euro + 200 euro for a LCD/Plasma TV that is roughly same size as monitor. You want bigger you can easily double that. Add in another 60 euro a year for xbox live. Say 5 new games a year(45 ea) over the rough 5 year life of a decent gaming PC. 300 for XBL + 412 for console and kinect + 200 for TV + 1125 for games + 40 for a controller to play with friends. That is 2,077 euro for your "cheap xbox 360 for 5 years.

A Playstation slim + Move is 502.5 roughly going by amazon. No subs. Not sure on price for games but will assume same as I know it is roughly same maybe 5 euro either side. 502.5 for console and move + 200 for TV + 1125 for games + 40 for a controller. That is 1,876.5 euro for the PS3.

A Wii Console, Wii Sports, Mario Kart and MotionPlus - Black costs 190 euro off Argos. No subs. Assuming again same price for games and same volume. Another controller and 2 nunchucks is roughly 80 euro might be wrong on that. So 190 for console package + 200 for tv + 1125 for games + 80 for only 1 set of peripherals( I am not pricing all peripherals for Wii there is way too many). The Wii is 1,595 euro over the five years.

A PC costs roughly 1,000 euro with shopping around for parts. I know this as a friend recently got a PC everything for just under that so depending on how much you want to look or haggle anywhere between 1,000-1,500 euro anymore than 1,200 is really too much. PC games new cost about 30 and sometimes 25 but I will assume higher price. So 1,000-1,500 + 750 is 1,750- 2,250. So in reality a PC can be your second cheapest option. This also completely discounts used games and things like Steam Sales.

 

[loc978]

A PC costs roughly 1,000 euro with shopping around for parts. I know this as a friend recently got a PC everything for just under that so depending on how much you want to look or haggle anywhere between 1,000-1,500 euro anymore than 1,200 is really too much. PC games new cost about 30 and sometimes 25 but I will assume higher price. So 1,000-1,500 + 750 is 1,750- 2,250. So in reality a PC can be your second cheapest option. This also completely discounts used games and things like Steam Sales.

...and that's one expensive PC your friend built. I can make a budget gaming PC for around $600(458 euros)... a middle-of-the-road one for $800-1000(611-764 euros), and a top-of-the-line kick-ass one for $1300(993 euros).

 

[moretimethansense]

some PC gamers seem to be very arrogant about their platform.I cna't remember how many times i've been told by pc gamers that 'their' platform is 'better' than a console. To be honest I have played games on pc and I do see the advantages to it, but, for instance I play team fortress on xbox and on PC and I do like the stuff the updates added I just prefer the xbox version.I just don't like the over complication and I have been told the lag and low screen rate I suffer from are due to my low spec machine but to be frank computers are a HELL OF A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN A CONSOLE. Plus they are more expencive I could just buy an xbox for cheap rather than dish out a ton for a pc

So could we disscuss if the pc does deserve to be top dog, or should it just share the spot with the consoles

Im going to break it down. This is not a complicated argument.

PROS:
Gaming PCs are superior in terms of graphics, player input control and custom content. (also there are a lot of really fun indi games only available on the PC, and there numbers keep growing). Games are also cheaper on the PC.

Consoles are superior in terms of exclusives and price.

CONS:
PCs can be fickle. With so much software from different vendors some times conflicts occur and less savvy users get frustrated.

While console exclusives are a pro, they are also a con in that if you have to choose which console you want to buy. (most peoples answer to this is to just buy all the consoles). Games are also more expensive on consoles, due to companies trying to recover the discount in the system.


I think that most people can agree with both of these statements. Lets be honest, the Xbox 360 is never going to look as good as most PCs games if you have a machine designed for gaming.

Now I can already hear the PS3 fanboys chiming in, saying that it looks as good / almost as good etc. Hears the problem with PS3. Its not cheap. It costs the same as a gaming PC, yet still comes with the down sides of consoles.

I own both a 360, and a 1k gaming machine. I bought the 360 because it was cheaper than PS3 at the time, and 360 had a HUGE selection of games to pick from. The choice was obvious.

Once I got my gaming Pc I rarely use the 360, expect for console exclusives.

Your analogy would be more accurate for an off-the-shelf PC and a custom job than a console and PC, but to continue your car analogy:

Imagine a car you have had custom made for you with a massively powerful engine, but terrible gas milage, seats that are a sod to get used to, and when you install a cup holder The Witcher needs to be reinstalled...
At any rate if you don't mind having to open up your car to upgrade regularly, give it matainence checks every few days, spend a couple of hours to a couplee of weeks trying to get the sod working again when it breaks then good for you, if you don't want to or don't know how and would rather buy a a nice black luxury sedan that you can replace for the same amount it would take to repair the former, that's fine too.

There is no better, there is merely better for you.

 

[logiman]

It`s like this:

Consoles: Toyota Prius
PCs: Mitsubishi Evo

PCs are more expensive, but fun. They can also be upgraded for even more fun. (if you know how to do it)

-plainly put-

 

[BENZOOKA]

"PC is god. Consoles are crippled ants. Deal with it."

And that's not a flame starter, the original post is more of that sort. I don't have a clue where to begin with why I think of that when the OP states it's a negative thing that PC's are more complex...

I'm just so tired with this topic. Over and over again.

 

[seditary]

I am saddened that so many people wrote serious replies to this thread.

Shame.

 

[strum4h]

The biggest reason why I do not get consoles is because of lack of modding. I loved playing ut2k4 and cs1.6 mods. There are just so many different things that you can do.

 

[Circusfreak]

computers are a HELL OF A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN A CONSOLE

And this is why they are better.

Complexity is not always a plus and can often be a detriment.

For example: Take any tabletop RPG any at all and compare them to F.A.T.A.L, F.A.T.A.L is without a doubt the single most needlessly complex Tabletop RPG ever made to calculate each of your numerous stats with a roll of 4d 500/2 - 1, that's right roll two ten sided dice four times, divide by two and subtrract one, and you must do this for each of your 18 plus stats.
That was the least of the games problems but my point still stands.

Complexity is not good in and of it's self.

you are confusing complexity for complication. complexity is a good thing, its basicly the same thing as depth.

 

[SimuLord]

One word: Mods. Oblivion. Fallout 3 and New Vegas. Pretty much any other multiplatform game you'd care to name.

But beyond that, I'm PC-only because consoles just plain can't give me what I want. You'd never see Europa Universalis or Total War on a console, and if you did it'd be so severely dumbed down and simplified that it would cease to be Europa or Total War. Look at Civilization Revolution, for fucksakes. I mean, I love CivRev on my DS, but it's because I'm grading it against other DS games. CivRev on a PC would occupy the same plane of wrath as SimCity Societies (a game that would've been just dandy had it been on 360 and not on PC. On PC it was like "what the fuck is this, where's SimCity 5?")

I have never in my life seen a deep strategy or simulation game on a console (apologies to Koei, since I loved Aerobiz and Uncharted Waters 2 on the SNES, but games of similar depth level today go for $5 on Steam for a reason. Aerobiz : a good business sim :: Flight Control HD : Microsoft Flight Simulator.) Yes, I know Civilization 1 and 2 both got ported straight to consoles...but those games were an unplayable mess. So was Railroad Tycoon 2 on the PlayStation.

(note: I find no cognitive dissonance in saying I'm "PC-only" then saying I have a DS. I'm not taking a laptop to bed with me to wind down at the end of the day, and I'm sure as hell not going to game on my beastly-awesome desktop from a prone position on a mattress, right?)

 

[loc978]

It`s like this:

Consoles: Toyota Prius
PCs: Mitsubishi Evo

PCs are more expensive, but fun. They can also be upgraded for even more fun. (if you know how to do it)

-plainly put-

Expanded analogy: a PC can be anything from a rebuilt 1990s Geo Metro (far, faaaar cheaper than a Prius... same gas mileage, cheaper maintenance, but more work) to a McLaren F1, depending on your preferences, expertise, and the depth of your pockets. Consoles are set in stone as to what they can be. The Wii is much like your Prius, where the 360 and PS3 are basically mid-grade sports cars. Not slow, but no match for that F1.

 

[Palademon]

I hate the idea of the computer gaming master race. It seems a bit arrogant to claim their platform as the best because it's not purely designed for gaming. On the other hand because you have to update your computer is does help filter out the crap (i.e. childish, screaming, unsportsman-like people) for the most part. However I prefer a specialised controller to a board with generic buttons that I can't tell the difference between without looking down or trying to touch type with my basic understanding of the layout of a keyboard.

 

[mindlesspuppet]

some PC gamers seem to be very arrogant about their platform.I cna't remember how many times i've been told by pc gamers that 'their' platform is 'better' than a console. To be honest I have played games on pc and I do see the advantages to it, but, for instance I play team fortress on xbox and on PC and I do like the stuff the updates added I just prefer the xbox version.I just don't like the over complication and I have been told the lag and low screen rate I suffer from are due to my low spec machine but to be frank computers are a HELL OF A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN A CONSOLE. Plus they are more expencive I could just buy an xbox for cheap rather than dish out a ton for a pc

So could we disscuss if the pc does deserve to be top dog, or should it just share the spot with the consoles

Truth be told, I think it's because PC gamers are kind of bitter, I know I am.

It's depressing how many people find PCs, as you said, "complex". It seems to be the general consensus that PCs are "complicated" -- I honestly can't wrap my head around this. I find it irritating that average gamer is this dimwitted; that they understand so little about technology in these times.

The this bothers me because that this group of people has, over the years, became the target audience for almost all developers. Games are being dumbed down for these people. Too few games these days target an intelligent, hardcore crowd.

I digress, I could rant for pages about this. In the end, PC gamers are bitter, because they are quite aware that the glory days of PC gaming are in the past. PC gamers get ignored because the average gamer is too lazy or too stupid to understand the platform.

Combine this frustration with the fact that PC gamers generally can't even have an intelligent discussion with console gamers, and their attitude comes off as arrogance.

Edit: Also, don't lie, no one prefers the console version of Team Fortress.

 

[moretimethansense]

computers are a HELL OF A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN A CONSOLE

And this is why they are better.

Complexity is not always a plus and can often be a detriment.

For example: Take any tabletop RPG any at all and compare them to F.A.T.A.L, F.A.T.A.L is without a doubt the single most needlessly complex Tabletop RPG ever made to calculate each of your numerous stats with a roll of 4d 500/2 - 1, that's right roll two ten sided dice four times, divide by two and subtrract one, and you must do this for each of your 18 plus stats.
That was the least of the games problems but my point still stands.

Complexity is not good in and of it's self.

you are confusing complexity for complication. complexity is a good thing, its basicly the same thing as depth.

Sorry but Complexity =/= depth by default, take Okami, a damn simple game that has a very deep story and back story despite being a game about a magic dog in ancient Japan killing a giant eight headed snake.

Alternatively Poker or Blackjack, both very simple games with huge amounts of depth

 

[CCountZero]

PC Pros:
- Easy to upgrade
- Highly customizable
- Mouse and Keyboard native ( opinion: Best controls for FPS and RTS games )
- Mod Communities ( for games such as Oblivion and Fallout )

- Might chance that to "easier", as I doubt your average joe would call it plain "easy".
- Customization comes at a price though, which is having to research how-to's, etc.
- Moreover, most games nowadays has support for X360-style gamepads.
- Mod communites RULE! (And that's what makes PCs win out for me)

PC Cons:
- Price
- Rate of advance ( to stay on top, you have to upgrade often )
- Non-uniform hardware ( software has to conform to several hardware layouts, extending dev time and increasing bug count )
- Ease of Piracy ( easier to pirate on PC than it is on Console )

- Price is an iffy subject. I'll touch upon that at the bottom.
- To stay on top, you have to pay. If you don't pay, you'll have the same as a console. So where's the problem?
- However, in my experience, the mods on PC usually fix bugs faster than the Devs. No offence.
- DRM is generally non-invasive these days though. Long as you're connected.

Console Pros:
- Unifom Hardware
- Low Pricepoint
- Native Control system ( comes with Uniform hardware )
- Easier to transport

- See above.
- See bottom of post.
- Perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that.
- Can't argue with that, although if you're by car, it makes zero difference.

Console Cons:
- Minimal upgrades ( most all of which void warranties )
- Not as easy to customize ( and most will likewise void the warranty )
- Higher retail cost on games

- Average Joe might consider that a Pro.
- 100% true.
- I pay 40% more for a Console game than a PC game. I swear, my PC has been bought and paid for by the savings.

----------------------------------------

So, the price issue...

Thing is, a gaming PC can do much more than just play games.

Everyone has a PC. Maybe a cheap one, but it's there. Maybe it's a Netbook. That's the price of a Netbook chopped off your gaming rig pricetag right there.

A PC can serve as a hub for TV signals. This essentially means that your PC can be used to watch, record and forward HDTV to other places on your local area network, such as other PCs, an Xbox console, a Mediacenter Extender or it's likeness.

Software is cheaper. If you buy a game every two months, by the time your PC hardware needs renewing, you'll likely have saved a fair bit of cash.

For those reasons, and I'm sure someone can come up with more, I don't really feel that one can definitively say that consoles are cheaper solutions than PCs.

----------------------------------------

Worthy of note:
I currently run four Cable TV-tuners on my gaming PC, and use my X360 with media center functionality to watch recorded or live TV on my livingroom system. This solution bombs TiVo and other such boxes back to the stone age.
It is entirely possible to run as many Tuners as your motherboard has PCI slots to accomodate, with many PCI cards having more than one Tuner installed.
It is even possible to imitate a Slingbox solution by computer software, allowing you to watch TV from home when abroard, via an IP address.

 

[Voodoomancer]

Basically:

PC:
You can decide how powerful your machine is. Also, it can multitask, and it has the advantage of a mouse (good for hi-accuracy aiming and such) and a keyboard, with a ton of buttons. Games can be more easily modded.
However, with a high variety of possible rig setups, the probability of something being incompatible rises a lot, and sometimes performance and graphics take a hit because of insufficient hardware. Games require installing, which can be take quite some time, and be a nuisance.

Console:
Console games can be tailored to the console, because every machine has the same specs, hardware and software wise, meaning games can run with very high framerates while being very pretty. (Usually) no install required.
However, consoles for other things than games (or movies/music) is inconvenient at best. Aiming with a joystick is is rather uncomfortable.

There is a lot more to be said. Both have their pro's and cons. There are many other arguments that I didn't think of and/or left out. but basically:
It's a matter of preference and arguing over it is a waste of time

I personally prefer the PC, but I have a PS3 and many games a more fun to play on that.

Also, I'm mostly leaving out the "PC's can do more than gaming" because it's another matter entirely I'm lazy.

/rant.

 

[moretimethansense]

One word: Mods. Oblivion. Fallout 3 and New Vegas. Pretty much any other multiplatform game you'd care to name.

But beyond that, I'm PC-only because consoles just plain can't give me what I want. You'd never see Europa Universalis or Total War on a console, and if you did it'd be so severely dumbed down and simplified that it would cease to be Europa or Total War. Look at Civilization Revolution, for fucksakes. I mean, I love CivRev on my DS, but it's because I'm grading it against other DS games. CivRev on a PC would occupy the same plane of wrath as SimCity Societies (a game that would've been just dandy had it been on 360 and not on PC. On PC it was like "what the fuck is this, where's SimCity 5?")

I have never in my life seen a deep strategy or simulation game on a console (apologies to Koei, since I loved Aerobiz and Uncharted Waters 2 on the SNES, but games of similar depth level today go for $5 on Steam for a reason. Aerobiz : a good business sim :: Flight Control HD : Microsoft Flight Simulator.) Yes, I know Civilization 1 and 2 both got ported straight to consoles...but those games were an unplayable mess. So was Railroad Tycoon 2 on the PlayStation.

(note: I find no cognitive dissonance in saying I'm "PC-only" then saying I have a DS. I'm not taking a laptop to bed with me to wind down at the end of the day, and I'm sure as hell not going to game on my beastly-awesome desktop from a prone position on a mattress, right?)

I keep my PC right by the head of my bed for comfortable gaming and late night browsing /Sloth

Also if you use a DS you are not a PC exlusive gamer, you are primarily a PC gamer,
Exclusive = The exclusion of all others.

 

[koriantor]

Well of course think they PC is better. It's because it is better.

Seriously though, I have a PC, I've had it for a while now, and I love it. Everything I love about it has been mentioned previously in the thread, but to have my PC only slightly more expensive than a brand new console, be able to play any game I want to, new, running beautifully, plus being able to switch on the fly to working on something productive such as that paper I need to be writing, PLUS being able to browse the internet and find really cool stuff, PLUS being able to work on something creative such as photoshopping Santa going down that capitol building's chimney or making some sort of music. It's quite literally everything I ever want all in one workspace. Why would I go play a console? Everything I need is right here.

Not to mention, the games I play, PC controls better anyway (FPSes, RPGs, and RTSes), and let's face it, out of all the publishers out there, Valve is the nicest to their customer's.

The reason we sound so smug is because "PC gaming is awesome. Why haven't you switched yet? Why won't you see the light?" Now, we don't think that, but that's the attitude behind it.