Why so console, son?

[PsykoDragon]

It's understandable that not many PC games are ported to consoles. The PC is more flexible in terms of programming & has a default mouse & keyboard setup which strategy games depend on & make action games easier.

But many console games can do just fine on a PC. Fighters such as Soul Calibur, or more recently, BlazBlue need a joypad? I can get a good one down the street for $5. Ace Combat for the PC? Again either the joypad, or a joystick for $10. Any racing game? Yet again either the joypad, or a steering wheel & pedal set for $20. Best of all, you can do all this with a laptop for some portable gaming when you're on a trip or hanging out with friends.

Is it marketing? Do they think that PC gamers aren't as interested in these games as console gamers? Is it to promote the console(s) they are released on? Are there technical difficulties?

I've played several ports. A 2D fighter called Melty Blood (using joypad), Devil May Cry 4 (joypad), Psychonauts (KB&M), & I've played many games both ancient & not-so-ancient on emulators with no problem, nay with greater joy in fact. So just... why?

 

[Curtmiester]

I think it's because not every company wants their games on PCs. It's not like PCs are gods of gaming.

 

[FallenRainbows]

*sigh* I envision the approach of PC fanatics. the WORSE kind of fanboy, they don't think they are.

Okay, for me, and enough people to matter, the controller is much more comfortable, and for me particularly for me because I have VERY shaky hands. Want proof? without my spell checker there were 20 different spelling mistakes in this sentence. Also A good controller for $10? Umm not where I live but okay. Even so if one guy on here is a PC fanboy I will scream at them.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

I've always liked console gaming more than PC gaming. Don't know why, I just do. Partly because I'm not that used to the whole keyboard & mouse thing, but mostly cause I have a wireless mouse that works like a guitar with half the strings cut off when playing FPS's.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

If there were no console exclusives, there would be minimal demand for consoles.

 

[atomictoast]

PC's are more expensive, require constant software updates, and take more tech savy types of gamers. A casual gamer usually can pick up and figure out Xbox Live for finding friends than anything like Steam or Xfire.

 

[wrecker77]

I would be all over pc if mine werent a piece of crap. One of the major reasons I like consoles is because when you buy a game for tha pc, its always a little gamble. Your never sure the game will perform smoothly if at all. On consoles, its all the same.

 

[TaborMallory]

PC's are more expensive, require constant software updates, and take more tech savy types of gamers. A casual gamer usually can pick up and figure out Xbox Live for finding friends than anything like Steam or Xfire.

Right on the money, except for the constant upgrading part.

You see, if you want the best beautiful graphics constantly, thats when you upgrade constantly. You see the correlation? There are tons of people who will settle with average graphics while upgrading every few years.

---

PC gaming is primarily for people with a firm grasp on their machine. Using a console is easy, fast, and doesn't require a lot of knowledge of technology, but it isn't as versatile.

 

[Akai Shizuku]

I hate having to upgrade my PC; I can't play any current-gen games on it. Or even last-gen.

 

[Spektre41]

I prefer console gaming because I prefer the warm glow to my TV and my comfy bed as opposed to squinty on my crappy PC's screen furiously typing away.

inb4 "PC gamers are gods" Yahtzee quote.

 

[Meado]

Because the vast majority would rather buy one thing that is easy to move around and doesn't cause any hassle. PCs need to have their parts replaced constantly to keep up with it's games, are more expensive, are more complicated to set up, and once you've dealt with those problems, it might not even play the brand new game you just bought because of a small compatability issue.

For all the downsides you just mentioned, consoles keep everything simple, which is what people want.

 

[blankgabriel]

Because the vast majority would rather buy one thing that is easy to move around and doesn't cause any hassle. PCs need to have their parts replaced constantly to keep up with it's games, are more expensive, are more complicated to set up, and once you've dealt with those problems, it might not even play the brand new game you just bought because of a small compatability issue.

For all the downsides you just mentioned, consoles keep everything simple, which is what people want.

you are wayyyyyyyy off. You do NOT need to upgrade as much you claim you have to. You can get a decent computer that'll run for a good 5 years before you have to do anything with it.

 

[Nincompoop]

*sigh* I envision the approach of PC fanatics. the WORSE kind of fanboy, they don't think they are.

Okay, for me, and enough people to matter, the controller is much more comfortable, and for me particularly for me because I have VERY shaky hands. Want proof? without my spell checker there were 20 different spelling mistakes in this sentence. Also A good controller for $10? Umm not where I live but okay. Even so if one guy on here is a PC fanboy I will scream at them.

jsut stfu you halo fanboy! HHAAH!

Joke aside. PC is the best and can only be, if you think about it. 360, PS3, Wii etc. are all stock products, whereas a PC can be customizable. It does not matter what beast of a console you buy, you can ALWAYS get something bigger and better on a PC.

Having said that, consoles are cheaper relative to their hardware, and is a simpler medium that does not demand previous exposure to electronic products.

What makes me tick about PC, is probably the mice and keyboards (tick is used positively). I also do like to use my PC for other things than media, but I could live without it. I just don't get why they don't integrate mice and keyboards into games. I mean, when they've already went the distance to make GTAIV fit for PC, which includes making it acceptable to both mouse and keyboard, why not make a patch for the consoles to handle this as well?

I prefer PC, and probably always will. But I could easily live without it, if console games would be able to use mouse and keyboard.

 

[Meado]

Because the vast majority would rather buy one thing that is easy to move around and doesn't cause any hassle. PCs need to have their parts replaced constantly to keep up with it's games, are more expensive, are more complicated to set up, and once you've dealt with those problems, it might not even play the brand new game you just bought because of a small compatability issue.

For all the downsides you just mentioned, consoles keep everything simple, which is what people want.

you are wayyyyyyyy off. You do NOT need to upgrade as much you claim you have to. You can get a decent computer that'll run for a good 5 years before you have to do anything with it.

Alright, so upgrading it isn't as much of a problem. Still leaves a list of downsides, including discomfort and the fact that PC gaming is a lonely pasttime. That is, unless you shell out for a PC(+internet/lan setup) for each person, whereas you can fit four people on a single 360 for a fraction of the cost.

 

[PsykoDragon]

Spoiler

Because the vast majority would rather buy one thing that is easy to move around and doesn't cause any hassle. PCs need to have their parts replaced constantly to keep up with it's games, are more expensive, are more complicated to set up, and once you've dealt with those problems, it might not even play the brand new game you just bought because of a small compatability issue.

For all the downsides you just mentioned, consoles keep everything simple, which is what people want.

Spoiler

you are wayyyyyyyy off. You do NOT need to upgrade as much you claim you have to. You can get a decent computer that'll run for a good 5 years before you have to do anything with it.

Alright, so upgrading it isn't as much of a problem. Still leaves a list of downsides, including discomfort and the fact that PC gaming is a lonely pasttime. That is, unless you shell out for a PC(+internet/lan setup) for each person, whereas you can fit four people on a single 360 for a fraction of the cost.

But that's just another thing that's weird isn't it? Why can't you have 4 joypads connected to a PC in the same way? I've done it when playing Melty Blood. I haven't seen many splitscreen games on the PC, but a few exist, & I don't see why there couldn't be more.

The average monitor might be rather small, but it's fairly common nowadays for most graphics cards to have TV-out &/or HD-out support, & quite a few people are using large HDTV's as their main monitor for a PC, therefore abolishing the small screen problem.

But yeah, I do agree that PC's are more complicated, that's for sure. In my case I'd say that these complications have taught me how to use a PC better, but that's just me.

Wouldn't it be nice if, instead of all these complications, there's a new system for PC's, basically making it a makeshift console? A simple, single system on which all games can be played on just by placing the disk in the drive. Think Steam, only more autonomous.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Usually Console manufacturers make the developer sign a contract saying they won't port the game to anyone else, or the game doesn't sell enough to warrant the cost of doing a port.

Something like Ace Combat would bomb royally on the PC, even against very old more arcade flying games like Crimson Skies it still falls flat. The same applies to a lot the racing games, which are no different to things pc players have had available for years, although Gran Turismo PC would be nice...

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

I've never payed even one cent for a console... I have a ps2 that a buddy of mine game me to use because he doesn't anymore... I have a SNES and a NES and a PSX(PS1 original for those not as knowledgeable) the latter i found with a free sign and 5 games in the lobby of an apartment building i lived in for awhile... the SNES and NES were gifts from my uncle... oh and handhelds i had a gameboy colour which i got as a christmas present... and a gameboy advance i got as a birthday gift from my grandmother... suprised me alot... and over the 10 or so years i've played games on a pc... I think i've spent a grand fat total of $3000 on parts... not bad since I can play all the latest games fine on my pc and the current build is 2+ years old and coming up on a new build soonish... so yeah maybe the knowledge of good places to get parts and the last 8 years or so of experience helping other people get their pcs running... and assembly/testing duties gives me an edge... but way i figure it if you get to know one pc rather well it takes less and less adaptation to become knowledgeable about other systems... especially if they're windows based since microsoft seems to build tons of similarities into every OS they produce...

*pant* *wheeze* ok I'm done /end rambling

 

[TheCameraman]

Some games are better for consoles, some games are better for PC. Platformers, adventure and sports/racing games are usually better for console, FPS and strategy games (And point and click games, R.I.P) are better for PC. At least, this is my opinion.

Also, if a company ports to another platform, the console loses some potential customers, think this might have something to say.

An extra note to any fanboy whizzing around, stop thinking the other side is so much worse than yourself, you are all silly.

 

[Dr. Wily III]

The exclusives, father, the exclusives!