Console gamer experimenting with PC gaming

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

Duckman5

i went into pc gaming from console. For me its a love/hate relationship . Some really cool things about it for me. it can be cool to have awesme high end graphics . But there is so much to deal with .

I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming.

Duckman5

It doesn't matter whether you're any good. Playing games is about fun.

Be a console AND PC gamer then you can have more fun either way.

If you find being competitive and honing skills in multiplayer to be part of the fun then remember that enjoying the fact that you suck initially and sticking with it is not only more FUN, it helps you to actually gain a bit of skill in the long run.

FUN FUN FUN. There's fun to be had everywhere.

Say the word 20 times every morning and you'll be well on your way to being a pro PC gamer.

Careful, there are some elitists lurking in the shadows TC. I would recommend entry into PC Gaming, especially if you admire a rts like Company of Heroes. There are learning curves, but the end result is very satisfying.

Well theres plenty of games to last you awhile, alot games tend to be better on Pc then on consoles graphically, controls, custom content, multi-purpose usage too. Can use controllers if you really want too. Much more MP type games too. But if you need a good gaming Pc , This Prebuilt is the best I've seen in awhile http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4485017&Sku=S445-10025

Your "friend" is an ass.

You should do both like one poster said above, but I wouldn't let your friend discourage you from trying pc gaming. It can be a headache sometimes to get a game to run properly, but when you do, it can be a very rewarding experience. You'll love mouse control. It's more accurate than the right analog stick. It'll take time for you to get used to keyboard input though in place of the left analog stick. I'm still trying to get used to it. I've gone over from ps3 to pc, and I don't regret it. Finished Crysis a few days ago. It was a great game. Went online with it, and got owned really bad. I only had one kill, but I think it was because that player sucked as much as I did. Oh well. I won't give up. It was my first time. Don't let anyone tell you you'll be a failure at pc gaming. It's simply not true.

Your "friend" is an ass.

MyopicCanadian

I play both console and PC and the main difference is the feel of the game. Playing on a PC is much more intense and responsive, whereas on the console, it can be just as fun, but is much more relaxed. You can sit on your couch, lean back, and enjoy the game. PC gaming requires your full attention being most of the time, PC games require more skill than console games, and as such, you'll get your arse kicked if you don't pay attention.

There is a learning curve,unlike a gaming pad which you can just pick up and play, it takes a bit getting used to when switching to K/M. Going back from K/M to gaming pad will be painful though. Just give it time, enjoy your games and get plenty of practices, you will better. Dante2710

[QUOTE="Dante2710"]There is a learning curve,unlike a gaming pad which you can just pick up and play, it takes a bit getting used to when switching to K/M. Going back from K/M to gaming pad will be painful though. Just give it time, enjoy your games and get plenty of practices, you will better. Iantheone

[QUOTE="Iantheone"][QUOTE="Dante2710"]There is a learning curve,unlike a gaming pad which you can just pick up and play, it takes a bit getting used to when switching to K/M. Going back from K/M to gaming pad will be painful though. Just give it time, enjoy your games and get plenty of practices, you will better. Dante2710

[QUOTE="Iantheone"] Ya, i had a hard time aiming. I usually ended up using my movement for half my aiming :|Dante2710

[QUOTE="Dante2710"][QUOTE="Iantheone"] Ya, i had a hard time aiming. I usually ended up using my movement for half my aiming :|OoSuperMarioO

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

Duckman5

I think its safe to say most of us here were big console gamers at one point, and some of us still play consoles from time to time. Ignore your friend and build a gaming rig.

Don't listen to your friend. The hardest thing about picking up PC gaming is the cost to entry (PC gaming rig is far more expensive than a console) and the sheer amount of computing knowledge needed to get and keep everything working. However, if you're like most people on this forum you probably know a good deal about computers. As long as you're able to act as your own tech support you'll be fine.

As far as gameplay goes, PC gaming isn't too different. The mouse/keyboard setup for shooters takes getting used to if you're used to a controller, but after awhile you'll find that the mouse is leagues above controllers when it comes to aiming speed and accuracy. The big difference between PC gameplay and console gameplay is multiplayer and niche games. Online multiplayer tends to be a lot harsher on the PC than on consoles, especially for games that have been out for a very long time like UT2K4, Counter-Strike, and Warcraft III. The PC also has a lot more niche games that cater to a small set of hardcore genre fans, and as a result you'll find that a sizeable number of PC-exclusives have massive learning curves (such as X3: Terran Conflict and really just about any RTS or flight sim).

PC gaming is totally worth it though. Along with handhelds it's the only platform left that still has a lot of innovative games released for it. And when you factor in mods even the most mundane game can become pretty interesting.

I was first PC gamer and then console gamer. Now I am both and it is perfect :)

I'm definitely a PC centric gamer (very hardcore about it lol) but I do have a PS3 for those certain games that I can only get on the PS3 as well as Blu-Ray. Yes, PCs have a learning curve, but for me it's ended up being more satisfying. The multiplatform games tend to be better and a bit cheaper on the PC, even if the only options from the console versions are just resolution, AF, AA options. The games I like the most are very PC friendly and centric (FPS).

Also the other reason I love PCs (and especially laptops for this particular bit) is the sheer multimedia ability of being able to go directly out of a game to other media such as music, movies, etc very quickly and even at the same time as other things are going on. If you're on a laptop (of course one that satisfies one's gaming needs) it's even better because it's portable. Yes, there is the learning and cost curve, but there is boundless reward well beyond what I've already explained.

As far as the cost of PC gaming, think of it this way: you go out spending a few hundred dollars on a decent desktop computer for practical use, and for less than $100 you can outfit it with a graphics card that will blow either the 360 or PS3 graphically out of the water, and let you enjoy higher resolutions, better graphics, a bit cheaper prices, not to mention keyboard and mouse and enjoying those much better implemented media features. Being able to game and listen to music at the same time is so nice on a computer, they run together fantastically usually, and typically you can easily alt-tab out to choose music or just skip ahead assuming your keyboard has media buttons on it. I really like media-buttons for that purpose. You could get a pretty decent laptop with good gaming capabilities for under $800 quite easy, and it's still a quite practical computer. If you need a larger screen, laptops these days come standard with HDMI ports.

[QUOTE="Duckman5"]

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

RossRichard

I think its safe to say most of us here were big console gamers at one point, and some of us still play consoles from time to time. Ignore your friend and build a gaming rig.

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

Duckman5

Best decision you have made in a long time. Get a good enough PC and play Crysis, follow that with some games like Deus Ex, Commandos, which are old but totally awesome.

You will discover that PC gaming is very very satisfying.

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

Duckman5

Well Your Friend is dumb bcuz I switched to Pc Gaming less than year ago.

I think your friend just wants to make sure you dont end up paying for a gaming PC that you will later not find as much fun. Console gamers shouldn't have too hard of a time to play PC games unless they rarely use the internet for other things on a PC. Since you are posting here I would have to assume you know how to use a keyboard and mouse properly. The big difference is knowing how to use the keyboard comfortably in a PC game.

I find that I have more control with the movements in shooter games mostly because the primary genre aside from RTS was shooters while using the mouse/keyboard. Strafing is an important aspect of shooters on the PC. I want to say that many console games have auto-aim more often than not. I have noticed that my crosshair was not right on target using a game controller and the target was shot. That is one area you might have a problem with is getting frustrated with needing an accurate aim. I have to say I kept feeling like I had some aim bot while using consoles for a long time. In other words I felt like I was cheating while playing a shooter in a console game. :)

The fact that you have a pc gamer friend is a good sign because he should be able to give you some pointers. When it comes to real time strategy games boredom will never happen because there are so many things to do in an RTS PC compared to a console RTS. For instance, Civilization Revolution on the X360 has very limited capabilities compared to Civ4 on the PC version. I kind of like the X360 version more because I don't have to work so hard with so many options and scenarios.

Company of Heroes was an awesome game! I just wish I had time to finish it a few years ago. I definitely need to revisit it sometime.

It takes more skill and a significant time investment to become good at PC games, but it is very rewarding. I think you should keep trying, although keep in mind RTS is one of the hardest genre's to get good at in comparison to FPS games or other action titles.

So I'm a big console gamer but I am interested in gaming a bit on PC. I wanted to build my own rig for Christmas but my friend (who is a PC gamer) insists that because I am a console gamer, I will never be good at PC gaming. I have already bought Company of heroes and I really like it even though I'm not that good at it and my current PC can barely run it. Should I give up trying PC gaming like my friend says or ignore him and build a gaming rig?

Duckman5