An Easter Message

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Think this needs an extra 'o'
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I used to love consoles back in the days of the NES/Master system, SNES/Megadrive (Genesis), but don't really see the point in buying something that my PC can do.

At the end of the day, I'll always be upgrading my PC every 2 years anyway, and will generally buy the best hardware I can afford. The last system I bought was a Gamecube, which hasn't really had that much use (still need to get round to playing through RE4). And before that was a Dreamcast - just because it was quite a unique machine ('proper' arcade style games....oh, and Soul Calibur!)

The X360 and PS3 don't really appeal to me, especially since all the A-grade titles are actually cross platform - I think I'd rather wait until the end of the year (PC upgrade time) rather than buying a console now (no doubt I'll end up with both machines towards the end of their life though).

However, I will definitely be buying a Revolution on launch day, just because it's so different, and something my PC can't do...

 

If only we had an award for the most random comment of the year...

<A88>

 

depends on the game I'm playing. I like my fps on a pc and my super smash bros on a gamecube. The cost of owning a 360 is the games and the accseories which are much more expensive than pc ones. Also a pc isn't just a games machine and with a pc you can install mods and edit things.

 

I am a PC gamer. allways have been. My first con. was the NES and I bought my second one, an xbox at a thrift store 11 months ago. That being said I love the 360 and i dont even own one. I find myself driving 52 miles roundtrip across town to play on my budie's box and HDTV. The 360 is a fantastic system if you have the prerequisite HDTV and Broadband internet. I find myself holding off untill I have the TV before I am willing to buy the system.

Will I play games only on the 360 No, i think that there are some things which simply play better on PC, But do i enjoy playing games on the 360 yes, I do.

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On the Xfire vs Live debate, I use/have used both and i can say that the level of intergration of the live service and is overall functionality is lightyears ahead of Xfire. while Xfire is nice and yes it allows you to jump in just like live its still a standalone program that doesn't intergrate WELL with games. Lets Face it messaging while your in BF2 is a bitch with xfire and the little pop up can be a pain. With the LIve system I have never noticed any problems or annoyoing screen jitters like you can get with Xfire.

AS far as PC goes its hard to beat Xfire, ther isnt really any thing else that can do what it does. But Live does it SOOO much better

AS for Hating the Xbox because its a microsoft product, fine if you hate microsoft, stop using their products. BUT to say you hate the xbox 360 because of the parent company is in my view childish, especialy if you havent used it.

 

console-not upgradable
pc-upgradable

console-games come as-is
pc-games are modable, patchable, etc.

console-overpriced limited functionality controllers
pc-any input device i can find (even touchscreen monitor)

console-720p max so far (interlaced output should be banned)
pc-up to 2560x1600 or more if you want to use multiple monitors

hmmm...pc wins i think

 

you forget PC = super expensive. Console - cheapo. and seriously, that's like saying Posche GT Carrera is better then a bicycle because it's faster, and looks cooler... but you forgot to mention it costs 10000% more... therefore more people own bicycles.

I've gotta admit, as a PC gamer my whole 17 years, I'm starting to feel the pressure from consoles.... especially becasue you don't feel "left out" after the new generation of hardware superceeds you....

 

games on the XBox 360 (with the hard drive) are patchable.

 

There is also the fact that on a console Multi player everyone is on a level playing field, there's no better graphics card for a couple of extra FPS, there are no little "tweaks" to make aiming easier etc. Everyone has the same experience of the same product. And to be honest I like being able to not have to patch a game to death.

 

That's one of the best things about a console in my opinion. You know that every game you buy is going to look and play as well on your hardware as anyone elses.

If i see screenshots/video of a forthcoming game I know that's exactly how it's going to look and play - unlike the 640x480 stutter-fest that was F.E.A.R. when I first tried playing it on my system - prior to a costly upgrade.

And it's amazing what happens when developers are forced to produce games for the same hardware for 5+ years... They get pretty damned good at it. Play Black on the Xbox or Res Evil 4 on Gamecube and tell me I'm wrong.

Oh and consoles are sometimes upgradeable... N64 Memory expansion anyone?

 

I'd say I'm a half-half. I enjoy how consoles never go out of date with the games-they must always comply to the hardware. No upgradeing the hardware and such. And when the hardware becomes too much of a limitation, the developers strive to optimise the experience. Halo 2 must be a good example. It's a georgeous looking game running on relatively old hardware. Black is also being developed for the xbox and anyone that has seen the screenshots would've drooled. If black were being made for the PC, probably a lot of people would have had to upgrade their 1 year old computer hardware, just to play a game at a decent resoloution.

The multiplayer system on it is quite well-integrated, in my opinion, even though there are a myraid of modders and the occasional racist or xenophobic the ruins part of the experience, Live has some very cool people on it. The friends list can be accessed without the dreaded 'alt tab', or so to speak, and messages easily are left or sent The feedback system also helps a lot in banning cheaters, even though it isnt an instant thing.

And yes, consoles are relatively cheap, for what you get.

PC's, on the other hand, are in constant need of updating/grading and at risk of being infected with malicious software. The graphical elements of games on the PC are admittedly better and improvements to the game(modifications) are creatable by fans and alike. It offers more expansionability for games. Counter-strike must be the classic example.

There are certain types of games that dont offer the best experience possible when playing on a console. Aiming with joypad while playing an FPS (as Wil said) is a different,but not a bad experience. The controls of a generic PC game are generally more customizable and easier to control (can you say, wasd?). Consoles dont really offer te amount of customization that PC games offer. While this may be a limitation, others find it a blessing. They just start up the game and play.

I'm looking to buy the x360 for the famed hitchless onLive experience, if not for the games themselves.

 

I'm up for a bit of BF2...of course, I'll have to go buy it first but I've been waiting for an excuse.

At the moment I can't justify buying a 360, the games are just too expensive (I already have a decent pc so the 360 vs expensive hardware argument is void). Speaking of pricey 360 games my mates dad walked into a charity shop the other day and found a copy of PGR3 for £2 (which he assumed was a demo). Nope. Full game. Bit mean spirited he didn't tell them it was worth more!

 

I Agree

 

Some interesting points in the article. I have been wondering the future fate of PC gaming with the price of a decent gaming PC rising as they are. Console prices are doing the same, but I can still by a console for less than a weeks pay. A gaming PC is more on the order of months of pay.

Here is my analogy, the supercar vs the superbike. Both go fast, the right ones handle well, and arefun to own. But the superbike has a much nicer price point. I'm starting to feen the same way about gaming PCs vs consoles. Right now, it seesm the PC market has a number of gamers willing to pay just about anything for their rigs, but I wonder how long the market can sustain this.
Consoles have their problems, but should the PC fan base get displaced and find itself using consoles, the demand for a decent FPS control system and game mods *should* cause the market to change. Look at online gaming on the xbox consoles now, and consider Microsoft's releasing what looks like a reasonable SDK for xbox development.

I'm not saying it will happen, only that the potental now exsists that it could happen, both from a technical and economic standpoint.

 

Consoles perform the task they need to perfectly well for years, and don't need upgrading, just replacing.

What Biggles said + more attention is put into the final release of a console game because patching isn't as prominant as it is in PC games, so the developers are more focussed on 'getting it right' first time. And don't forget- PCs get infected, crash an awful lot more and require an OS before you can even think about putting games on them.

Yes, that's true, although you're making up for the money saved on the console when you purchase a controller. Also, the quality of the input devices on a console is, in my opinion, usually far greater than the PC alternatives (unless of course you take the USB Xbox 360 controller). Keyboard + Mouse setups would make FPS games much easier on a console, but when you consider that they were designed for living rooms, sometimes with many people jammed on a sofa playing at once, the 'one controller does everything' solution seems a little more sensible. Don't forget of course, whilst PC controllers are cheaper, you often need a wider range of them than on a console controller.

So whilst your Xbox360 is guaranteed to run any game you put in there at 720p, you'd need a terribly pricey SLI setup to get any game to play 1/2 smooth 2560x1600 on a PC. Whilst the ultimate hardcore gamer might still prefer to spend 4-5x as much on a higher res solution, consoles aren't designed for people like them, they're designed to be an all-in-one, simple solution to playing games without the worry of getting a virus or have to upgrade your graphics card every 6months.

<A88>

 

You forgot that there's only one platform to code for on a console (as such)... there are thousands if not millions of diifferent "platforms" for developers to cater for on the PC front.

Multiple OS's, multiple graphics cards, multiple memory configs, multiple processor types/speeds and that's only touching the edge. How many of those operating systems are using the same build of the OS they're using, with all of the latest security patches installed?

 

What A88 said.

Console - Games work first time, every time, and look as good as they should on every system.
PC - I'm not sure that I've EVER had a PC game work (or in some cases even install properly) first time, except for Flash stuff.

Console - Malware?
PC - Malware. Especially when you're installing patches and mods.

Console - Controllers all work alike (there is such a thing as third-party if you think that the official kit is overpriced).
PC - Crossed fingers that the drivers for your new input gizmo work properly on your system, and with your game.

Console - Made the most of fixed resolutions, such as having things like full-screen AA and full reflections as standard streets ahead of PC kit.
PC - A recent trend seems to be for developers to develop for imaginary vapour-ware computers from the future so they can have the sexiest-looking screenshots possible on the box. Hope you don't have any life outside of your PC (or scads of cash) if you want to afford the upgrades.

Seems like a swings and roundabouts situation to me.

Nezuji

 

www.plastk.net - the guy's playing quake3 with a gyro mouse thing, looks fun!

With the whole 360 vs pc price point argument I reckon in the end the price probably evens out: folks buying a PC anyway who know they will want to game on it will spend the extra £300 or whatever to buy a decent gaming rig, which is around the price of a 360.

 

I must say, I agree with much of this in *theory*. But the step forward with HTPCs has made me love consoles less and less. As emulation becomes more potent and more software is released simultaneously for PC and Console, I've just got less use for a console.

For those who talk about playing in their living room... a wireless keyboard and mouse hookup allow just the same thing, and in my opinion that's MUCH preferred to a console. Hook your computer into your TV and blast away....but also get all the added benefits that an HTPC has to offer. Is it more expensive? You bet. But it also does the job of your entire bit of kit that sits underneath your TV now.

I dunno...in a lot of ways, the games I loved to play in front of the TV are gone now, off to the land of emulators (as it's almost difficult to find a working NES system anymroe). But I can fire up my HTPC and play with a wireless joypad....and play every game I ever liked, from NES to PS1, and PS2 is getting better. Most things out on XB360 I can buy for a PC. But when I'm done, I can fire up a movie that's stored on my hard drive, or the latest episode of "thief" that I recorded from the other night.

I'll care more about 'next gen' consoles when the games they offer have no real equivalent on PC. For instance, Katamari, or Culdcept. But by that time, there will be emulators for them.

 

I enjoyed this article a lot and agree on many levels.

I have an x360.. it was my major return to the console arena after the SNES. Dont get me wrong I played Ps1, Ps2, N64, Xbox and all those.. quite frequently actually. But It was always either my brothers, a roomates or a friends.

As is with you (and many people) I find that after working all day in front of a PC, hanging out on a couch is where I want to be. I cant say I like a controller more than a mouse and keyboard.. but its a sacrifice I'm willing to make in order to maximize comfort and relaxation. If only a console would come out with a keyboard/mouse combo like the Phantom had planned .

Oblivion actually works really well with a controller as its not crucial to have pinpoint accuracy.

Once the new chip platforms are released I'm hoping to upgrade my PC again. Its been nearly four years! I'm one of thsoe people who drop 3k on a computer and use it for the long haul with minmal upgrades. My computer still runs games, but not very well (p4 3.0ghz, Nvidia 5900 Ultra, 2BG ram). Already saving up now and hopefully this fall/winter I'll have around 4,000 for a complete upgrade (i want a 24" widescreen LCD as well) to enjoy all those great RTS's planned as well as all the other great PC games I see coming around the corner. Then my current system can retire to a full-time MCPC with some minimal upgrades

Just a quick comment to degos point that HTPC's and PC hookups to TV's making consoles obsolete.. thats true, but a PC will never have the "plug n' play" ease of use nor the fully integrated design and feel where every function has a purpose in line with what it was designed for that you get with consoles. I do see your point and agree.. my next PC rig will have a hookup to my TV so I have the option to play from my couch if I want (gotta love monocable.com) However that doesnt negate the place of the console in the living room just yet as they still provide very different experiences to the general user.

Back on track, yes.. x360 is an awesome piece of hardware. I fully recommend it and I have the feeling we're going to be blown away at e3 this year.

 

Now there's finally enough of the damn things so that you can go in and just buy one off the shelves without having to spend £500 on ludicrous bundles from Ebay



So true. I felt like doing this after a while