General

[earonk]

I've been a gamer since the original atari and got into computers when they first started popping up thanks to my dad. but once PC's came down in price and what not i loved pc gaming more than console games which back in the early days it was easy to see why IMO. to this day i still consider myself more of a pc gamer(FPS/strategy). Now the kicker is i've been in the gaming industry since the early early/mi 90's and it still amazes me how much more emphasis is put on console games. i was lucky enough to be part of the original F.E.A.R team a few years back which was a dream come true to a degree and even last year worked on World in Conflict. Both games all the PC people working on it knew it was going to be good and what not and they both sold relatively well but as a whole they weren't considered to be the "money Makers" for the company that year. they were banking on the console stuff. i think its the publishers that dictate who things which is dead and what not.

[TrojanMan]

Nothing will ever replace PC gaming - the PC will always be on the cutting edge of gaming - and it will never be the most popular. Both because of cost.


If there is any thoughts that consoles are pushing PC gaming to the side, it is only because the current generation is still new. Once the hardware gets a little stale in a few years, you'll see all the people that want to stay on the cutting edge switch back over to PC.

[Deus Machina]

I basically refuse to play multiplayer on a console, unless I can do it with someone else in the room. PC's the only thing for that, in my opinion.

Consoles are for RPGs, racing, and platformers, none of which I have any desire to play against anyone I can't joke around with and throw cigar butts at.

Hell, I can't even play FPS online much anymore, for the squeakers with aimbots and the lisping thirty-five years olds that play every waking moment with their weapons permanently locked at face height.

[Steelrat]

I used to be a die-hard PC gamer, and had been since my old Atari 800.

However, when I was looking at replacing my current rig, I figured out that I was going to end up spending $2000 to play a couple of $50 games. So I went and bought a 360 instead, and have never regretted it. The online play is seamless, and the games are really fun, if not as deep as PC games.

[Twisted_Mister]

The industry is partially to blame. Some reasons:
As previously stated, a good video card will cost as much as a PS3!
Publishers are jumping ship as well. There just isn't enough roi in pc gaming right now.
Consoles are running in HD now.
Consoles graphics and performance are closing in on the average gaming pc with a better price point.

The showstoppers are the mouse/keyboard control and the raw horsepower of the pc.

How long do you think it will take for the consoles to get those nailed down?

The PC gaming market will never die, but it is hurting right now.

[usagi_tetsu]

Originally Posted by Sir Brass

But you can't build a sub-$1k system that can decently run today's PC games.

That's the kicker.

No, you're wrong, you can build a sub-$1k system that can run today's PC games. Like I said, take the monitor and speakers out of the equation - because you already own them (and the console gamers don't count their TVs and stereos in their "savings" diatribes) - and don't go for extreme top of the line, as I've found there's this oddly huge price gap at certain levels of all hardware, but only a small gap in performance at the same point. I built my current system for around $1000 back in January of '04 - and I mean everything: case, PSU, monitor, speakers, keyboard, mouse, EVERYTHING - upgraded it recently with a new vid card, PSU and monitor for about $300-$400, and it plays BioShock very well. Admittedly, you can't turn on EVERY bell and whistle in BioShock on it, but it still looks far better than any other FPS I've ever played (or any other game, for that matter), and with no appreciable lag. You have to do some research to find the parts, but it is possible.


My comp specs off the top of my head:
ASUS P4P800 mobo
Enermax 500w PSU
2.6Ghz P4 CPU
1.5GB PC3200 DDR2 RAM
HIS Radeon 2600XT vidcard
LanBoy Case
SoundBlaster audio card (can't remember which one, but it was spiffy 4 years ago)

[Twisted_Mister]

I agree, but the graphics aren't even up to the 360 with a cheap video card, and at 1000 you are still Waaaaaaaayyy over the price of the 360.
I am an old school pc enthusiast, but I am a realist as well.
Again, pc gaming won't die any time soon, but when Sony and M$ tie the keyboard/mouse to the games it is going to be bad for pcs.

[GratefulWood]

Originally Posted by Sir Brass

But you can't build a sub-$1k system that can decently run today's PC games.

That's the kicker.

PC games are killing themselves from the less absurdely affluent (or monetarilly foolish who will dump $$ into their computer before other more important things), while consoles are filling that area that PCs used to dominate, but at the next-gen level of gaming and quality.

I can build a machine that runs from 400-1000 that would run every game perfectly. 600$ will build you a creaming computer.

As someone who has spent the last two years of his life dealing exclusively with computer networks that are setup for large scale gaming , on top of working with every current console , I find your reasoning for failing PC sales to be a bit bias.

I think , most of all , the reason for the success of console gaming has to do with the ease of use. Americans are willing to "dumb it down" for quite simply, added convenience. By dumb it down , I dont mean intelligence factor so noone be offended. I mean simply , quality of gaming and gaming experience.
In the end , you end up spending close to if not far beyond the cost of a computer for a console. But you cant upgrade a console when it becomes dates. Youre forced into buying a next gen.

Anyone who honestly thinks console gaming is top of the line has never spent time with a PC. That may be my opinion of an opinion , but being a huge nerd for the last decade has given me moxie to make that statement.

So .. what is so great about consoles that America favors them ?
-Are they superior in hardware and visual output ? no
-Are they more cost effective ? no
-Are they "quality" no (how you could say console gaming is quality , is far beyond me. I bought 10 xbox 360s less than two years ago and 3 of them had red ring of death , 1 had a critical error and cannot be repaired. I bought one PS3 and it failed miserably before damn near destroying my electrical system)
-Are they easier ? YES

Theyre much easier to deal with. You take it home from wal mart , plug it into the wall and boom , youre golden. Plug it into a modem to get online and have mayhem with friends.
Its pretty hard to argue against that.
One top of the line next gen console - 400-600
10 games @ 60 a piece - 600
Controllers , wires , a sick high def TV to play on ...

The time has past when PC gamers were looked at as nerds with too much money.
I wish people would just open up their computer and realize its maybe half a dozen parts that connect like legos. Once this trend of laziness subsides in America , you will see the nerds unite.
Its the same reason people spend hours building their own RC cars instead of buying a TYKO from Toys R Us. Quality with patience ... some people still appreciate actual quality.

Anyone building their own rig right now to play some games , or just building up so you can melt it down , please , keep doing what youre doing !

[incynr8]

HI Gw, nice to see you amoungst the living again.....

I find my biggest challenge lately is keeping the Amiga properly emulated on my quad core so I can play Powermonger and marble madness and the old Psynosis games............ powermonger still runs at like 40times the game speed, almost there though.......
motorOwla.

really the only games I play on my Linux boxes are ETQW and the oldies.

[NLMark1983]

Why doesnt microsoft make a console that can be used as an entertainment centre has, office on it and software to manipulate pictures, and is designed to be operated with a mouse and keyboard?