The gaming world moves with consoles, so why do I NEED a gaming PC?

Its a question I've often wondered... folks be very passionate about how epic it is being a PC gamer as opposed to being a console gamer and I can see the hotness in having a crystal clear resolution and 60fps etc etc etc... but when all is said and done, is the juice worth the squeeze? This industry does not move in cycles based on the PC, meaning games dont evolve from generation to generation based on PC only games, but rather by the consoles... so in short, while admittedly the PC offers a premium performance for a premium price, my gameplay experience moves with the console generation and filters through or along side what PC is doing.

Now Im sure this will all be misunderstood by the system wars ilk, but I stand by it. If PC offered a new style of gaming that was a must have experience, id be first to jump, but again console development is what moves te generation forward.

"If PC offered a new style of gaming that was a must have experience..."

It doesn't, pure and simple. PC Gaming is the most conservative, traditional platform out there. 10 years ago the majority of us played with Keyboard and Mouse. Today, the majoirty of us play with Keyboard and Mouse. 10 Years from now, we will most likely be playing with Keyboard and Mouse.

Is that bad? No. We don't have to worry about motion controls being a hit and taking over how we control our games.

Consoles offer new experiences in gaming because companies have to market themselves as different than other compeitior consoles. Motion controlls being a hit? Yes.

Is that a bad thing? No, motion controls are pretty good when done properly.

Because the PC has so many good exclusives, the most out of any system in fact, and it has significantly superior multiplats. As well as mods to make games even better. And keyboard/mouse support.. etc.. And much better graphics than consoles...

Another person who thinks the only benefit of PC gaming is the superior graphics... *sigh* :roll:C_Rule

I hear that. If they only understood that everytime they act as if the line stops at visuals, they truly kill their own argument.

The games.

Same with every other platform out there.

[QUOTE="C_Rule"]Another person who thinks the only benefit of PC gaming is the superior graphics...

*sigh* :roll:TheEroica

Id rather sya that they move in Tandem.

PC usually have a steady evolution across several years, its not a jump but rather a constant, so it can be hard to see it, if you do no look for it specifically.

Then a Console comes out gathers what the last 5 (randum number) of years of PC development have yielded, and puts into a console finetuning the development, and it creates a leap from th last console generation, altho the PC would have similar looking games at that point.

Then consoles begin to stagnate, while the PC side of games keeps slowly evolving, just like now. We see the PC putting out that this gen of consoles are not at all capable off, then the next gen of consoels, will take this stuff it into thier next box, and make a leap again from the last console.

This cycle generally is how the industry seems to work. this is why consoles seem to move in "leaps" while the PC is seeminginglyalmost organically evolving.

The main problem becomes when you see something like this console generation, where most games are multiplat, and thus the PC can only evolve through exclusives. Since multiplats must be built so they can in some way or form scale back so it can fit on console. But that scaling comes at a huge expence.

If the industry continues to do this, the PC will stop evolving, because it is a prisoner of the consoles hardware, and the consoles will not be able to "leap a generation" because there has been no development on the PC, hardware AND software wise.

If that happens gaming really grind to a halt, there will be no next console, because it would be pointless, and hardwarewise, the PC industry would almost die out, since new hardware would not be sought after.

So basicly what we usually sees is this tandem development, but what we may see is that gaming will stop evolving entirely. Stagnate so hard that it will all crumble. I think this is part of why you see so many devs begin to work with PC as lead or exclusive again, to push tech, and what we think we are able to do.

The games.

Same with every other platform out there.

Lto_thaG

exactly that. I dont see any decent RTS games on consoles there hence why i play only on pc ( which also covers nicely my RPG, FPS and driving needs ) Also alot of niche and indie games like galactic civilizations and space rangers are among the best games i played

Mods an Graphics are also a very nice bonus especially mods

Id rather sya that they move in Tandem.

PC usually have a steady evolution across several years, its not a jump but rather a constant, so it can be hard to see it, if you do no look for it specifically.

Then a Console comes out gathers what the last 5 (randum number) of years of PC development have yielded, and puts into a console finetuning the development, and it creates a leap from th last console generation, altho the PC would have similar looking games at that point.

Then consoles begin to stagnate, while the PC side of games keeps slowly evolving, just like now. We see the PC putting out that this gen of consoles are not at all capable off, then the next gen of consoels, will take this stuff it into thier next box, and make a leap again from the last console.

This cycle generally is how the industry seems to work. this is why consoles seem to move in "leaps" while the PC is seeminginglyalmost organically evolving.

The main problem becomes when you see something like this console generation, where most games are multiplat, and thus the PC can only evolve through exclusives. Since multiplats must be built so they can in some way or form scale back so it can fit on console. But that scaling comes at a huge expence.

If the industry continues to do this, the PC will stop evolving, because it is a prisoner of the consoles hardware, and the consoles will not be able to "leap a generation" because there has been no development on the PC, hardware AND software wise.

If that happens gaming really grind to a halt, there will be no next console, because it would be pointless, and hardwarewise, the PC industry would almost die out, since new hardware would not be sought after.

So basicly what we usually sees is this tandem development, but what we may see is that gaming will stop evolving entirely. Stagnate so hard that it will all crumble. I think this is part of why you see so many devs begin to work with PC as lead or exclusive again, to push tech, and what we think we are able to do.

Maddie_Larkin

You don't NEED one. You never NEEDED one.

Depends on the person I guess. My computer is more convenient for me and the games run better (which is important to me).

im not a fan of baseball, so we dont need the MLB???....what?TH1Sx1SxSPARTA

Its a question I've often wondered... folks be very passionate about how epic it is being a PC gamer as opposed to being a console gamer and I can see the hotness in having a crystal clear resolution and 60fps etc etc etc... but when all is said and done, is the juice worth the squeeze? This industry does not move in cycles based on the PC, meaning games dont evolve from generation to generation based on PC only games, but rather by the consoles... so in short, while admittedly the PC offers a premium performance for a premium price, my gameplay experience moves with the console generation and filters through or along side what PC is doing.

Now Im sure this will all be misunderstood by the system wars ilk, but I stand by it. If PC offered a new style of gaming that was a must have experience, id be first to jump, but again console development is what moves te generation forward.

TheEroica

[QUOTE="TheEroica"][QUOTE="C_Rule"]Another person who thinks the only benefit of PC gaming is the superior graphics...

*sigh* :roll:C_Rule

[QUOTE="C_Rule"]

[QUOTE="TheEroica"]

modsTheEroica

[QUOTE="TH1Sx1SxSPARTA"]im not a fan of baseball, so we dont need the MLB???....what?TheEroica

I was a PC gamers since early 90s and it actually sucks lately, thats why I bought a PS3 two years ago. Too many great games are console only or the PC ports suck.

The FPS and the resolution are for me a major factor, purely because I'm used to 1080p in every game and 60FPS+. It's hard to play a blurry/jagged looking game at 30FPS or less. It's like eating scraps of beef leftover when you've been used to eating fillet steak.

Aside from that, the PC has the most games, the most highly rated games and the best versions of any multiplatform game.

On top of that the modding community has created endless enjoyable hours out of my favourite games. The Stalker games for instance, one of my favourite games/franchises ever has endless mods all 3 games. These drastically improve an already excellent game and in all sorts of ways. There are entire mods that create entirely new experiences/stories for the game you can play through. Imagine being able to play your favourite game over and over again with free new content and additional extras that people make randomly.

Another prime modding example are the Fallout or Oblivion games. People create huge mods, adding characters fully voiced, entire stories, campaigns etc etc. It just goes on and on.

Honestly the advantages are so endless, it is for me in a different league. However as with anything, it depends of course upon the individual. The PC is at the forefront of gaming and it always will be. The advancement of technology in gaming is driven by the PC, not the consoles.

PC gaming is not what it once was. Before, it was consoles trying to mimic the pc experience. The xbox was full of half baked pc experiences. Considering how powerful the pc format has become, it is rather baffling that games are actually LESS advanced than they were in the early 2000s.

Lol, what?

Seriously, you have to be pretty ignorant about the gaming biz to say something like this.

HD gaming, FPS, Western RPG's, Mods, Digital distribution, Online gaming, the entire model of game development in the indie scene, AND with the big guys too.

ALL of that started on the PC.

Heck many of the developers you know in the console scene either grew up playign PC games, or started out making games on the PC. And they continue to influences most modern game play.

Last generation, if you wanted to know what console gaming was going to be for this gen, everyone said - just look at PC for a glimpse of the console future. And that 100% correct.

About the only thing that is innovated on the consoles are JRPG's, 2D platformers and motion controls.

And even that latter isn't without it's PC counterpart. Razers motion control might not be that popular, but it uses a unique method of achivieng pretty much 1:1 motion control on the PC. And of cours,e we just recently got official drivers for Kinect.

And the PC continues to be a source of innovaiton in the business, and a windows to the future of consoles.

Digital distribution, the phenomenom of MMO's, the free to play model, the social aspect of the online world coming together with gaming, the technology that drives modern graphics, AI, physics, it's ALL on the PC first, and it's all tested on the PC first, and it continues to evolve on the PC, and eventually, sometime down the line, it makes it to consoles.

And then people like the TC can pretend that it was consoles that brought all of this stuff about.

Because I don't enjoy the framerates and resolutions getting lower and lower each passing year on a console. Because I actually like play games with decent framerates.

I personally would rather game with my feet than a mouse and keyboard, but thats a preference thing...TheEroica

PC gaming is not what it once was. Before, it was consoles trying to mimic the pc experience. The xbox was full of half baked pc experiences. Considering how powerful the pc format has become, it is rather baffling that games are actually LESS advanced than they were in the early 2000s.

Heirren

It's not baffling at all, PC games i.e. multiplaform games at least, were dumbed down in order to run or be suitable for consoles and the younger console gaming generation. This is because console gaming took over PC gaming economically. However with the popularity of DD games growing exponentially in the last couple of years this is now changing. The console market is now contracting and the PC market is growing. Right now in 2011 the PC game sales market is larger than any single console and that is excluding MMO games and social/casual games. If you include MMO and casual/social games the PC gaming market is actually larger than all the consoles combined. If this trend continues, as is expected. over the next five years you will see game developers/publishers catering to PC gamers more. This will lead to greater complexity, openness and maturity in games.

You need a PC to play WoW

Lol, what?

Seriously, you have to be pretty ignorant about the gaming biz to say something like this.

HD gaming, FPS, Western RPG's, Mods, Digital distribution, Online gaming, the entire model of game development in the indie scene, AND with the big guys too.

ALL of that started on the PC.

Heck many of the developers you know in the console scene either grew up playign PC gmaing, or started out on the PC. And their gaming influences most modern game play.

Last generation, if ou wanted to know what console gmaign was going to be for this gen, everyone said - just look at PC for a glimpse of the console future. And that 100% correct.

About the only thing that is innovated on the consoles are JRPG's, 2D platformers and motion controls.

And even that latter isn't without it's PC counterpart. Razers motion control might not be that popular, but it uses a unique method of achivieng pretty much 1:1 motion control on the PC. And of cours,e we just recently got official drivers for Kinect.

Kinthalis

edit, wow, on the final dig... when did you start gaming? how old are you out of curiosity?

[QUOTE="TheEroica"]I personally would rather game with my feet than a mouse and keyboard, but thats a preference thing...Heil68

[QUOTE="Kinthalis"]

Lol, what?

Seriously, you have to be pretty ignorant about the gaming biz to say something like this.

HD gaming, FPS, Western RPG's, Mods, Digital distribution, Online gaming, the entire model of game development in the indie scene, AND with the big guys too.

ALL of that started on the PC.

Heck many of the developers you know in the console scene either grew up playign PC gmaing, or started out on the PC. And their gaming influences most modern game play.

Last generation, if ou wanted to know what console gmaign was going to be for this gen, everyone said - just look at PC for a glimpse of the console future. And that 100% correct.

About the only thing that is innovated on the consoles are JRPG's, 2D platformers and motion controls.

And even that latter isn't without it's PC counterpart. Razers motion control might not be that popular, but it uses a unique method of achivieng pretty much 1:1 motion control on the PC. And of cours,e we just recently got official drivers for Kinect.

TheEroica

edit, wow, on the final dig... when did you start gaming? how old are you out of curiosity?

You're being very vague.

What exactly is this ebb and flow? And how exactly are console controllign it?

As I mentioned, the PC was the innovator of most things people associate with consoles now a days. And it's the innovator of the things that will eventuall find their way to the console.

The Pc is the playground of developers, publishers, engineers. It's where ideas are tested, developed, evolved.

PC IS the driver of many of the things we associate with gaming. Just because console then embraces them (they would be stupid not to), doesn't mean the consoles are somehow the ones who desrve credit.

On the PC you cna enjoy a multitude of AMZAING free games, a ton of MMO's to please just about any gaming taste. It's the only place you can pre-download a game and have i digitially ready to go at midnight, day of release. It's the only place where you ca see mods turn into franchises. It's the only place you cna see what cutting edge technology can pull off.

There are MANY reasons why it's a fun, egaging, and interesting gmaing platform over consoles. I relaly don't see your point.

By the way I'm 30, started gaming on a super nintendo back in the late 80's.

[QUOTE="Kinthalis"]

Lol, what?

Seriously, you have to be pretty ignorant about the gaming biz to say something like this.

HD gaming, FPS, Western RPG's, Mods, Digital distribution, Online gaming, the entire model of game development in the indie scene, AND with the big guys too.

ALL of that started on the PC.

Heck many of the developers you know in the console scene either grew up playign PC gmaing, or started out on the PC. And their gaming influences most modern game play.

Last generation, if ou wanted to know what console gmaign was going to be for this gen, everyone said - just look at PC for a glimpse of the console future. And that 100% correct.

About the only thing that is innovated on the consoles are JRPG's, 2D platformers and motion controls.

And even that latter isn't without it's PC counterpart. Razers motion control might not be that popular, but it uses a unique method of achivieng pretty much 1:1 motion control on the PC. And of cours,e we just recently got official drivers for Kinect.

TheEroica

edit, wow, on the final dig... when did you start gaming? how old are you out of curiosity?

And what is this high price PC to you?

[QUOTE="TheEroica"]

[QUOTE="Kinthalis"]

Lol, what?

Seriously, you have to be pretty ignorant about the gaming biz to say something like this.

HD gaming, FPS, Western RPG's, Mods, Digital distribution, Online gaming, the entire model of game development in the indie scene, AND with the big guys too.

ALL of that started on the PC.

Heck many of the developers you know in the console scene either grew up playign PC gmaing, or started out on the PC. And their gaming influences most modern game play.

Last generation, if ou wanted to know what console gmaign was going to be for this gen, everyone said - just look at PC for a glimpse of the console future. And that 100% correct.

About the only thing that is innovated on the consoles are JRPG's, 2D platformers and motion controls.

And even that latter isn't without it's PC counterpart. Razers motion control might not be that popular, but it uses a unique method of achivieng pretty much 1:1 motion control on the PC. And of cours,e we just recently got official drivers for Kinect.

Kinthalis

edit, wow, on the final dig... when did you start gaming? how old are you out of curiosity?

You're being very vague.

What exactly is this ebb and flow? And how exactly are console controllign it?

As I mentioned, the PC was the innovator of most things people associate with consoles now a days. And it's the innovator of the things that will eventuall find their way to the console.

The Pc is the playground of developers, publishers, engineers. It's where ideas are tested, developed, evolved.

PC IS the driver of many of the things we associate with gaming. Just because console then embraces them (they would be stupid not to), doesn't mean the consoles are somehow the ones who desrve credit.

On the PC you cna enjoy a multitude of AMZAING free games, a ton of MMO's to please just about any gaming taste. It's the only place you can pre-download a game and have i digitially ready to go at midnight, day of release. It's the only place where you ca see mods turn into franchises. It's the only place you cna see what cutting edge technology can pull off.

There are MANY reasons why it's a fun, egaging, and interesting gmaing platform over consoles. I relaly don't see your point.

By the way I'm 30, started gaming on a super nintendo back in the late 80's.

[QUOTE="TheEroica"]

[QUOTE="Kinthalis"]

Lol, what?

Seriously, you have to be pretty ignorant about the gaming biz to say something like this.

HD gaming, FPS, Western RPG's, Mods, Digital distribution, Online gaming, the entire model of game development in the indie scene, AND with the big guys too.

ALL of that started on the PC.

Heck many of the developers you know in the console scene either grew up playign PC gmaing, or started out on the PC. And their gaming influences most modern game play.

Last generation, if ou wanted to know what console gmaign was going to be for this gen, everyone said - just look at PC for a glimpse of the console future. And that 100% correct.

About the only thing that is innovated on the consoles are JRPG's, 2D platformers and motion controls.

And even that latter isn't without it's PC counterpart. Razers motion control might not be that popular, but it uses a unique method of achivieng pretty much 1:1 motion control on the PC. And of cours,e we just recently got official drivers for Kinect.

NoodleFighter

edit, wow, on the final dig... when did you start gaming? how old are you out of curiosity?

And what is this high price PC to you?

You don't 'need' a gaming pc, it, just like the consoles, offers other exclusives that you may or may not like. No matter how much anyone wants, unless you have m/kb, you can't play certain button/percision heavy games on console, and you'll never see them on consoles.

[QUOTE="TH1Sx1SxSPARTA"]im not a fan of baseball, so we dont need the MLB???....what?TheEroica

It's sarcasm.

my problem with pc is that game play wise it never changes. Its always keyboard and mouse with better graphics. Yes i know you can add a controller if you want to. But unless the game is made with custom controls in mind it wont be that innovative.

my problem with pc is that game play wise it never changes. Its always keyboard and mouse with better graphics. Yes i know you can add a controller if you want to. But unless the game is made with custom controls in mind it wont be that innovative.

dontshackzmii

[QUOTE="Kinthalis"]

[QUOTE="TheEroica"] not saying that PC didnt usher in a lot of fantastic standards in the current video game climate, but what I am saying is that the eb and flow of the industry follows the consoles (which now also do online, DD, HD, FPS, WRPG etc etc etc etc...) and to this end, it limits the overall value of making the investment into the high priced rig...

edit, wow, on the final dig... when did you start gaming? how old are you out of curiosity?

TheEroica

You're being very vague.

What exactly is this ebb and flow? And how exactly are console controllign it?

As I mentioned, the PC was the innovator of most things people associate with consoles now a days. And it's the innovator of the things that will eventuall find their way to the console.

The Pc is the playground of developers, publishers, engineers. It's where ideas are tested, developed, evolved.

PC IS the driver of many of the things we associate with gaming. Just because console then embraces them (they would be stupid not to), doesn't mean the consoles are somehow the ones who desrve credit.

On the PC you cna enjoy a multitude of AMZAING free games, a ton of MMO's to please just about any gaming taste. It's the only place you can pre-download a game and have i digitially ready to go at midnight, day of release. It's the only place where you ca see mods turn into franchises. It's the only place you cna see what cutting edge technology can pull off.

There are MANY reasons why it's a fun, egaging, and interesting gmaing platform over consoles. I relaly don't see your point.

By the way I'm 30, started gaming on a super nintendo back in the late 80's.

Lots of these threads recently :roll: we get it you don't have a gaming pc because its a personal choice... why the need to justify it though?

No one NEEDS a PC, ever.siLVURcross

Lots of these threads recently :roll: we get it you don't have a gaming pc because its a personal choice... why the need to justify it though?

SapSacPrime

you have to remember... this is system wars. Folks are fairly hilarious here. A person can state objective things they enjoy about the PC but i've noticed there threads also come up stating either Pc has no X game, PC is too expensive, PC does not innovate, mystery statement now of "ebb and flow", all pc games are "niche" therefore they are worthless, PC gamers are elitist. Every weekend these threads appear lol..

Actually it's PC that drives the changes in the industry. Most trends and gameplay ideas are born there. Console gaming is always couple steps behind PC, instead focusing on mainstream and generally being averse to taking chances.

[QUOTE="SapSacPrime"]

Lots of these threads recently :roll: we get it you don't have a gaming pc because its a personal choice... why the need to justify it though?

jedikevin2

you have to remember... this is system wars. Folks are fairly hilarious here. A person can state objective things they enjoy about the PC but i've noticed there threads also come up stating either Pc has no X game, PC is too expensive, PC does not innovate, mystery statement now of "ebb and flow", all pc games are "niche" therefore they are worthless, PC gamers are elitist. Every weekend these threads appear lol..

The "eb and flow" is just a term i used to describe the development of games within the industry... for example, the same genres and designs are present in both platforms and my point is that besides a few features like mods and super high performance the development of video games follows the consolesTheEroica