View Full Version : I hate PC Gaming...
lupin
12-09-2006, 05:43 PM
Maybe its just me, but I hate PC/MAC gaming. It cost way too much to get a top notch PC. Even a PC that will offer XBOX 360 quality graphics is still going to set you back about 1,500 USD. There is always the option of upgrading, but for me thats just as hard. Im a PC guy, I build PCs for fun and cash sometimes. I know them inside and out and am going to be getting an A+ cert soon but when it comes to graphics card its way to hard.
The market is flooded to the point where its almost impossible to know what is mid-level and what is just a budget piece of crap. Sure we all know which one is top notch, its the one costing you $700 alone. But what about people like me who just want to play all the new PC titles but not all full spec maybe just half? In my life I have bought 4 GFX cards that I thought where "mid range" cards and priced as such too ($400) only to get home and find out I got ripped off for a budget priced card. This my friends is why PC gaming is in a sharp decline.
I will admit though on one hand that there has been more uniformity in recent years as far as "will it work on my PC or not". And with Windows Vistas addition of the "Rate my PC" tool (rates you PC based on LCD and then all games carry a rating that is required to play it) this will also go a long way to boost the declining market. But the issues with a flooded market on graphics card still remains a very real and very serious issue.
alexsk8ca
12-09-2006, 05:52 PM
I agree with you. Consoles are just easier. You buy one and know you will be able to play all the new games for at least a few years, and it only sets you back about $500. With the left over $1000 dollars you saved you can buy a decent PC for everything else you need to do.
magunwarrior
12-09-2006, 05:54 PM
I'm a Mac user so I pretty much wait for PC games to be ported to Xbox seeing as how it almost always happens.
masherscf
12-09-2006, 06:02 PM
I read your rant and agree with almost everything you wrote.
But, I don't understand the hate. If there are games that you play on a PC and you have the money to invest, what's the problem. If you prefer console gaming, you don't need to hate PC gaming to prefer that alternative.
PC games are still some of the few things that spur innovation in gaming hardware. The dwindling number of people willing to shell out the big bucks for constant upgrades not only inspires invention, but drives the cost of "older" parts down. This innovation eventually seeps down to the next generation of console games. The gold standard for each generation of consoles is to be more like a PC in performance.
If it wasn't for PC gaming rigs constantly driving expectations upward, you'd still be mashing away at your N64 thinking how rad it is.
gen-x
12-09-2006, 06:13 PM
ya that really does make sense, but not being snobby but its never been a problem for me because im 15 and fairly well off. But something ive noticed is that a lot of of Console games (mainly like sports titles and ps3 titles) have gone from quality gaming to just graphical power houses, sorta gay.
splax
12-09-2006, 06:32 PM
PC gaming just doesn't offer me anything that console gaming can't cover anymore. Sure, there are a couple great looking titles coming out for PC only like Crysis and Hellgate:London but I'm sure I'll cope without them.
lupin
12-09-2006, 07:00 PM
Hellgate London to me makes me wish I had a better rig. That game is to me a throw back to the days when PCs where king (N64 era). Its a revolutionary title that you just cannot get on a console. Here lately PC gaming has become a dry market, and the only new things to come out are crap console ports and random generic RTS's. I didn't mean I hate PC gaming thats why there is the "..." in the title. Signifies that there is more to that statement. I love the great games on the PC (the few that there are) just wish it was easier for me and the masses to access them.
Also, on a personal note, I am in need of a new GFX card. If anyone could hook me up with like $250 decent card. Right now I have a NVIDIA 6600. TIA :D Also, please continue to discuss the current state of the PC gaming industry.
tokenuser
12-09-2006, 07:24 PM
The whole console vs PC gaming debate is an odd one ...
People say "but why would I spend $700 on a graphics card just to do PC gaming" ... after they have just spent $680 on a PS3, $370 for an Xbox 360 Premium ed, or $430 for a Wii (if you can find them at the moment).
PCs have more horsepower, the graphics are mind blowing, but they tend to be more personal games than team/coop play games.
Its different market, and when it comes down to it - if you have a console, there is a good chance you have a tricked out gaming PC as well ... even if all you do is surf for porn.
My main PC is now a laptop. Is is a great business tool, but lousy for games, so I have my Xbox (original /w mod chip) to satisfy my infrequent gaming needs.
But I will say one thing about PC gaming ... at least its not a Mac or Linux box :)
lefrenzy
12-10-2006, 04:14 AM
I somewhat agree with the thread. I remember back in 2002 when I built my first PC, I was excited that this was "mine mine mine" and after a few months, I put in an used ATI Radeon 9700 Pro. How happy I was, to play all my favorite games, thinking how amazing they looked, and how graphic demos ran smoothly on it.
Unfortunately, time flies fast in the world of PC gaming, and soon enough my PC was once again outdated. I can't afford to just drop $1500 every year or 2 simply for a new machine to run games.
I got my first laptop about 2.5 years ago, and while it won't run games, it's portable, and I can take it on the go, whether for work or studies.
My Playstation 2 cost me $330 in 2000/1 along with Gran Turismo 3. That baby while no longer in my possession (left it for the little brothers), still running great. Whenever I stop by to visit parents, there's my good ol' copy of MGS3 or Devil May Cry 3. Close to now 7 years old, and it's still kicking. It was an excellent gaming investment. You buy a machine that pretty much needed no major upgrading, and had fun with all the latest games.
I think the most I spent on a videocard for my PC was about $200? I could never see myself spend about $600 like some of these newer ones. $600 are you nuts? I could buy a PS3 for that, or a Xbox360+Wii.
If you have the budget, by all means spend it like there's no tomorrow, but whether I look at a $600 graphic card, I look at its opportunity cost.
noxdineen
12-10-2006, 04:45 AM
I just hate the ergonomics of PC gaming. I've been playing console games since I was old enough to hold the Colecovision controller, console controllers just feel so right in my hands. (We'll find out how I cope with the Wii on Monday, when I start working at a tech startup that offers both Xbox 360 and Wii for employee relaxation!)
I generally build myself a stupidly powerful computer every year or so, optimized for video and photo editing (and thus it ends up being fairly sweet for gaming, with a shitload of RAM and the best video card I can get my hands on - and I have a weakness for server processors).
Even though I could easily run just about any game, they're never much fun on a PC.
My main PC is now a laptop. Is is a great business tool, but lousy for games, so I have my Xbox (original /w mod chip) to satisfy my infrequent gaming needs.
I've got pretty much the exact same setup - most powerful machine is my business laptop, also have a 4 year-old Dell PC that I use to hold iTunes and the wife uses for work and an original modded XBox that satisfies my gaming needs.
It's borderline sad, my admitting this, but I firmly believe that the golden age of gaming (specifically PC gaming) is way behind us now. I can't recall anything coming out recently that has excited me as much as I used to get when I shuffled down to Babbages to blow my allowance (saved for a month or two) on the newest LucasFilm or Sierra adventure title.
There's just no "magic" in games anymore...I want the days of Monkey Island, Police/Kings/Space Quest, Day of the Tentacle, and Grim Fandango back. Unless you're into FPSs or MMORPGs, there's hardly reason to even own an up-to-date gaming rig anymore. Kudos to The Longest Journey series and Indigo Prophecy for trying to keep the spirit alive, but I think it's all for naught. :(
Overall, I agree with the sentiments that staying at the top of the PC power-spectrum is too costly to not just buy a new console instead, especially considering they'll likely support USB keyboards/mice anyhow (if you like the control scheme so much). I'd go even further to say that there's too much of the same going on with PC games to even want to do so.
klitzy
12-10-2006, 12:56 PM
I just hate the ergonomics of PC gaming. I've been playing console games since I was old enough to hold the Colecovision controller, console controllers just feel so right in my hands. (We'll find out how I cope with the Wii on Monday, when I start working at a tech startup that offers both Xbox 360 and Wii for employee relaxation!)
I generally build myself a stupidly powerful computer every year or so, optimized for video and photo editing (and thus it ends up being fairly sweet for gaming, with a shitload of RAM and the best video card I can get my hands on - and I have a weakness for server processors).
Even though I could easily run just about any game, they're never much fun on a PC.
Make sure you post your xbox live gamertag when you get it...
lupin
12-10-2006, 01:00 PM
I love XBOX Live. It is the complete online experience on a console. The closest thing the PC has is Steam which has gotten better recently but still is nowhere near as sharp as Live. I dont know why Microsoft didn't do 100% Live integration with the RTM of Vista and then let all other PC game publishers choose if they wanted to use Live instead of their own crap for online. That would of been a big shove in the right direction.
striker1211
12-10-2006, 01:10 PM
Well when you're buying a PC you're also getting something to use thousands of applications on and you'll feel the performance boost in all those applications. If you buy a 400$ 360 what do you have? Video games and chat? I do agree that gfx cards are very expensive but i disagree about the "i cant tell how good it is" point. If you use newegg and read those reviews or even google it and look at the review dates you can tell how good a card is. Never ever ever ever buy a card from a brick and mortar store on a whim or on a salespersons word. I wouldn't even buy one at all. At least around here the PC stores have very expensive and old cards because they can't get them out the door fast enough to make a profit. Also, Games develop quickly on the pc and since there is no console specs holding programmers back PC gaming is the cutting edge. However, this does allow them not to optimize their code and get sloppy lol... 360 developers have to make the game look as good as they can with what they have.
[ps, sorry if that came off like a rant or has bad grammar, i woke up at 6am... not a morning person]
robertallen
12-10-2006, 02:00 PM
I was a hardcore PC Gamer for many years, and left the console universe last year when I sold my PS2. I felt that the games were cheaper and looked better on a PC...Madden 2007 is great on a PC running a great vid card...but now with the graphical engines coming out on the new consoles along with the lack of games on a PC I'm going to be making my way back to the console market.
valleyvampiress
12-13-2006, 04:55 AM
Well when you're buying a PC you're also getting something to use thousands of applications on and you'll feel the performance boost in all those applications. If you buy a 400$ 360 what do you have? Video games and chat?
Exactly what I was going to point out. Having a good graphics card on a PC gives you more than the opportunity to play the latest games with great graphics. You want to do some video editing? Your vid will keep things zippy. You want to do some 3-D model rendering? Your good vid card will definitely help you out on this. You want to play games with a machine with great graphics but will behind in graphics in 2 years? Get a console.
I'm not bashing consoles "fun-factor" (I own a Wii and previously had an XBox and GC), I am saying however, if you want the latest greatest graphical games that will not go stale, you will need a PC gaming machine. That is after all, where the "ideas" for the next-gen systems come from as someone else pointed out.
schalicto
12-13-2006, 04:57 PM
Maybe its just me, but I hate PC/MAC gaming. It cost way too much to get a top notch PC. Even a PC that will offer XBOX 360 quality graphics is still going to set you back about 1,500 USD. There is always the option of upgrading, but for me thats just as hard. Im a PC guy, I build PCs for fun and cash sometimes. I know them inside and out and am going to be getting an A+ cert soon but when it comes to graphics card its way to hard.
The market is flooded to the point where its almost impossible to know what is mid-level and what is just a budget piece of crap. Sure we all know which one is top notch, its the one costing you $700 alone. But what about people like me who just want to play all the new PC titles but not all full spec maybe just half? In my life I have bought 4 GFX cards that I thought where "mid range" cards and priced as such too ($400) only to get home and find out I got ripped off for a budget priced card. This my friends is why PC gaming is in a sharp decline.
I will admit though on one hand that there has been more uniformity in recent years as far as "will it work on my PC or not". And with Windows Vistas addition of the "Rate my PC" tool (rates you PC based on LCD and then all games carry a rating that is required to play it) this will also go a long way to boost the declining market. But the issues with a flooded market on graphics card still remains a very real and very serious issue.
I spent about 1K on my last computer, and it is totally pimp. Sure that is more than twice the price of my 360, but in order to game online with a 360 you have to pay a monthly service fee! Well, I'm not about to pay a monthly service fee for anything, let alone gaming online when I can always do it for free on my PC.
PC gaming is teh awesome. Mouse and keyboard is the way to go. No monthly fee for gaming. Word.
-Josh
klitzy
12-13-2006, 05:09 PM
You also can play free games online but that doesnt stop you from purchasing games does it?
schalicto
12-13-2006, 08:19 PM
You also can play free games online but that doesnt stop you from purchasing games does it?
True, and I also kinda suck at gaming and I have this terrible compulsion for playing the same game. So one $60 Tony Hawk game can last me a long long time.
-Josh
striker1211
12-13-2006, 09:25 PM
Only bad thing about pc games are hacks... can they hack on the 360?
noxdineen
12-14-2006, 04:12 AM
Make sure you post your xbox live gamertag when you get it...
Oh I will. It won't be until spring, though. I just got a job an an office with a Wii and a 360, and I'm seriously loving the Wii much harder.
originx
12-14-2006, 04:45 AM
Oh I will. It won't be until spring, though. I just got a job an an office with a Wii and a 360, and I'm seriously loving the Wii much harder.
Wait, you got a job where you have video game consoles there?
Holy shit!
I didn't even bother to read the first post. I have been a PC gamer for 7 years now, without any consoles around. In the end it's worth the money. There are more games, even ones that are for the PS2 (3) and Xbox etc. On the computer the online component is easier to use and there are more mods and customizations you can do. Even with the single player there is.
Dual screens maybe, makes things cooler. There is too many good things about PC gaming.
On the computer the online component is easier to use...
I agree with this, to an extent, but you really wouldn't know for certain seeing as how you've likely never experienced Xbox Live (which I must admit, while $50 a year is pretty darn slick).
I'd say the overall multiplayer experience largely depends on the game/application.
valleyvampiress
12-16-2006, 07:54 AM
I'd say the overall multiplayer experience largely depends on the game/application.
And who you're playing with. I've had some bad experiences playing online and some really good ones. Mostly bad ones though because I was playing on a public server and I am a girl (a lot of people doubt this).
I agree with this, to an extent, but you really wouldn't know for certain seeing as how you've likely never experienced Xbox Live (which I must admit, while $50 a year is pretty darn slick).
I'd say the overall multiplayer experience largely depends on the game/application.
I have experienced Xbox Live many times (friends have it), but I don't see much greatness out of it. And everything always depends on the game/application.
hurt911gen
12-16-2006, 10:42 PM
I grew up on CS and Enemy Territory, those were the days. then I stopped playing PC after I got a ps2 and an xbox 3 months later. I bought a 360 in October and can't see myself going back to PC (gears of war; vegas).
I remember back in summer 2004, when I bought the ps2, everyone kept telling me that if I were to switch to consoles, I would never be able to play online again. boy were they full of shit.
noxdineen
12-17-2006, 08:25 PM
Wait, you got a job where you have video game consoles there?
Holy shit!
If my job (http://www.cambrianhouse.com/) was a person I'd have sex with it. A lot.
I am going to get in deep trouble when GTA comes out for the Wii and I'm using the Wiimote to beat up hookers while screaming obscenities. But it's got to be done.
I grew up on CS and Enemy Territory, those were the days. then I stopped playing PC after I got a ps2 and an xbox 3 months later. I bought a 360 in October and can't see myself going back to PC (gears of war; vegas).
I remember back in summer 2004, when I bought the ps2, everyone kept telling me that if I were to switch to consoles, I would never be able to play online again. boy were they full of shit.
CS was amazing and still is. I wish I still played it as much as I used to.