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Console v Pc gaming

1

100Bullets

Member
When I was younger I could never imagine playing games on anything other than a console but now that I'm in my mid twenties I find myself leaning more toward Pc gaming than console gaming. I'm more interested in strategy/RTS games, rpgs that are customarily found on Pc, and the like. I'm stoked about 360 and even have my pre order in place and close to the three hundred mark but I find myself wondering if it will be a worthwhile purchase. So, I'd like to hear from others who are having the same thoughts and maybe I will stop believing that I'm going insane if I read about other like minded individuals.
 
You aren't the only one. Mid 20's here as well and I've gone exclusive to PC. Less games, but better quality.
 
Over the past generation, so many unexpected things popped up and blew me away. Good Western console game developers? A mediocre Zelda? Sega's decline?

Things can sway either way at any given moment, really, so I'm going to stick with both. Like always.
 
siege said:
You aren't the only one. Mid 20's here as well and I've gone exclusive to PC. Less games, but better quality.
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I wouldn't be so quick to say that. I've been gaming on both consoles and PC's ever since the XT, and the PC has seen it's fair share of shit titles. I would say the percentages are about the same. 90% crap. 8% good. 2% Excellent.
 
I still stand behind the fact that PC gaming is generally.. complete crap.

Couple awesome FPS, MMORPGs, or strategy games a year? Joy.

With the next gen MMORPGSs will become big games on consoles as well, leaving PC with FPS and strategy games, really.

And when you look at how big Halo 2 is, it's not like PC has a hold on that genre anymore either. HL2 is great but I know some people found it disappointing and everyone thought Doom III was disappointing.

Consoles just have more variety and FAR more quality games. Don't know how anyone could think otherwise unless they only like FPS or strategy games.

Oh, and flight sims. Can't forget the flight sims.
 
I've always been mainly a PC Gamer.

It's mainly about different genres. Certain types of games are better on the different platforms.

I've always tried to become more of a console gamer because of the sometimes costly PC hardware... but I always come back to the PC.

For the first time I bought 2 consoles this generation (GC,XB). I don't plan on doing that again. PC and PS3 should do it.
 
Exact same position as the thread creator. With console games, I was buying games that would last me a few days, and then move onto another game that would last me a few days. I no longer have the time, free cash, and desire to this anymore. Instead I usually just stick to one PC game that I play for months, even years. The games are just that much deeper, and that suits my gaming wants.

And when you look at how big Halo 2 is, it's not like PC has a hold on that genre anymore either. HL2 is great but I know some people found it disappointing and everyone thought Doom III was disappointing.
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For me, PC FPS will always be superior particularily in the multiplayer because of the gobs of auto aim developers throw on console titles. In Halo 2, the multiplayer was a joke. It was all about whoring the biggest baddest weapon, and there was no point in me dedicating any serious play time to it because from day 1 I was as good as I was going to get at it. As for your HL2 and Doom III comment, I'm sure many found Halo 2 to be disappointing as well. In fact, despite being disappointed with Doom III, I would say the title still is still superior to Halo 2. And it doesnt seem to me you have played any of these titles either.

Consoles just have more variety and FAR more quality games. Don't know how anyone could think otherwise unless they only like FPS or strategy games.
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Thats great, but how long do these "quality" titles last you? A few days? Most of my PC titles last me a month at the minimum. I guess our definitions of "quality" differ. To you, it seems to be any title that offers you some amusement even for a limited amount of time. To me, a quality title is a title thats interesting and satisfying enough for me to play it for quite an extended period of time. Going by my definition, I would say there are more "quality" titles on the PC.
 
Before this turns into an uber flamewar (if it hasn't yet), I'm kind of the opposite; first had a computer (Amiga), THEN an NES, and I never had a decent PC until 2 years ago, so it's pretty much gone from computer to consoles, then stayed that way all my life (CS was fun though for a little while).

I have a somewhat decent computer that could play games, but I'm too accustomed to playing with a controller instead of a keyboard. I'm sure both types of platforms have their share of incredible games, alright games, overhyped crap, and flat out turds for every genre.

Whatever you play, have fun gamin'.
 
PC games make up about 20% of my collection but I still end up playing them 80% of the time. I think the fact that I can still boot up WC3 or TFC and easily find people to play with speaks for itself.
 
honestly pc gaming has become a bit depressing lately. too many games rushed with bugs, poor console ports, cookie cutter fps's...
 
The only games I buy on PC are the ones that are done better and are generally exclusive to the PC - RTS/strategy/sim. And now with console games moving to HD (more legible text) and widescreen, I hope the RTS PC games come along with it so I don't have to game on my computer at all.
 
golem said:
honestly pc gaming has become a bit depressing lately. too many games rushed with bugs, poor console ports, cookie cutter fps's...
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It's always been that way. There are 500 FPS released a year, but only a couple of them are worth buying and usually you know which.

I dunno what it is about console games. It seems like everyone is always looking forward to the next game. When I buy a quality PC game, I'm usually absorbed into it for months - not even paying attention to what has been or will be released. They just typically have a lot more depth and staying power than console games.
 
I started out with consoles, working my way up from Atari, but now I've become pretty much a PC gamer. I used to LOVE console gaming but I don't know what happened. Every time I try to get back into console gaming, I end up only selling(Dreamcast, GCN, PS2, GBA) the console a few months later. I'm gonna try to get back in with Revolution and I currently have a DS. I'm waiting for DS to get some RPGs as I've had it for maybe a month now and only have Meteos. Come to think of it, since it can play GBA games, maybe I'll pickup the Fire Emblem since I enjoyed the first GBA version.

I think another thing that put me off from consoles are the price. Once $299 as a launch price became the standard, my interest in them pretty much died down a lot. When I weigh the two, I figured a PC would be a better investment seeing as how it does a lot more than just play games. I also believe PC games have stronger legs(replaybility) than console games because of the mod communities that form around a game. Like someone said above; you can fire up a game like DOOM and still find people online to play against.

Speaking of console prices, if PS3 or X-Box360 really does see a launch price greater than $299, I'll probably become even less interested in consoles. One of a console's strongest selling points as opposed to a PC should be it's price. If they keep up this blasphemying( :lol ) by adding computer-like features to a console(highend graphics chips, broadband adapters, USB ports, harddrives, etc.), well, you're not gonna really have a game console any more. You're gonna have watered down PC with a bloated price.


EDIT: My only regret leaving console behind are Japanese RPGs. I really love Japanese RPGs, especially ones with 2D sprites or a mix of sprites and polygons(Xenogears, etc), but sadly they are almost non-existant on PCs. It would be nice if Japanese devs who make PC games would bring them over to the U.S. There's a HUGE untapped market there.
 
I greatly prefer console gaming. And I started out a primary PC gamer.

I just think that the variety of games is now so much better on console. Plus it's the home of the best Japanese support, and I love Western games, but I'm not going to do without Japanese developed game software.

I also think most of the natural advantages are leaving....online support, hd usage, high definition graphics, etc. The only positive it retains is modding, which is very hit or miss. The biggest negative is all is that only barbarians keep their pc in their living area with the comfy couch and giant tv. For the last few years I haven't really enjoyed the online support on PC, and voice support is abysmal. Consoles will have comparable stats for that soon as well.

When you think about what the cost of a next-gen system compared to a top of the line PC is for gaming (come the new graphics cards) psshh, there is no comparison really.

So my preference has switched, and I see no reason for it to ever return in it's favor. Kudos to those that enjoy it more, though.
 
From 95-99 I wouldn't touch a console, but them days are done.

Over any other quality, I respect that a console game just gets up and running right now, instead of the installations and configurations (which I take to an insane degree, you don't even know) needed for PC gaming.

Consoles are where I go to play something for a night or two; PCs are where I spend over a week on one game.

They both offer me something: Consoles offer super solid action games and fighters. PCs offer me enthralling experiences with unmatched detail.
 
As odd as it is, the more I think about it, I've really enjoyed freeware stuff on the PC. Just look at Kenta Cho's games, or Nethack.

They both offer me something: Consoles offer super solid action games and fighters. PCs offer me enthralling experiences with unmatched detail.
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It can be the same case for me, at times, though I still get plenty of great action games on the PC.
 
Dr_Cogent said:
I wouldn't be so quick to say that. I've been gaming on both consoles and PC's ever since the XT, and the PC has seen it's fair share of shit titles. I would say the percentages are about the same. 90% crap. 8% good. 2% Excellent.
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The same could be said for console games too. Each system has at most 5-10 good games while the rest is crap.
 
Tain said:
I still get plenty of great action games on the PC.
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But very different types.

There's no Contra or Devil May Cry on the PC. PC action titles generally take a looser approach then the japanese games with super locked-in combat systems.
 
To elaborate I became attracted to a Pc because of games like NWN, Diablo 2, and the like but now those companies are developing for consoles so it really is a hassel to try to keep up with console and pc games. I spend way too much on games and alot of them especially the console ones are traded in so quickly that it seems like a waste buying them in the first place.
 
Ill probally never get back into computer gaming. I can't see myself dropping $1800 plus on a gaming rig. Thats just entirely too much money for a game machine.

Id rather purchase my PS3/360 and a handful of games and be happy. I dont purchase anymore than 15 games per console, so its a great deal cheaper for me than PC gaming. Plus I refuse to pay full price except for AAA titles, I wait for them to show up at blockbuster.

My little 900MHZ presario suits me just fine.
 
About 75% of my gaming is on PC, but I own all consoles of this generation and nearly 30 console games.

I think I have like 10 PC games total.

I've played warcraft III more than pratically all my current gen console games combined.


90% crap. 8% good. 2% Excellent.
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That's true, but that 2% has sooo much lifetime.

I'd consider God of War a good to Excellent console game. Played it for something like 10 hours...done.

Warcraft 3...probably somewhere about 1000 hours.

I could also play WoW all the time, but I value my life too much.
 
With the exception of adventure games, the games I like work better on consoles than on computers. And since the adventure genre has been stagnant since 1997, I don't buy many computer games anymore.

I don't have the patience for real time strategy games. Wolfenstein 3D and Doom were mindless fun, but I lost interest in first person shooters when they started requiring thinking (read: aiming weapons). Computer RPGs too often bogged down with minutiae for me to enjoy them.

Besides, it's more comfortable to sit back in a chair, bed, or couch than to hunch over at a computer desk.
 
100Bullets said:
When I was younger I could never imagine playing games on anything other than a console but now that I'm in my mid twenties I find myself leaning more toward Pc gaming than console gaming. I'm more interested in strategy/RTS games, rpgs that are customarily found on Pc, and the like. I'm stoked about 360 and even have my pre order in place and close to the three hundred mark but I find myself wondering if it will be a worthwhile purchase. So, I'd like to hear from others who are having the same thoughts and maybe I will stop believing that I'm going insane if I read about other like minded individuals.
Click to expand...
When I was younger I could never imagine playing games on anything other than a PC, but now I find myself leaning more toward console gaming than PC gaming.


I'm opposite you :lol
 
between multiplayer FPS's, MMORPGs, RTS's, and the occasional other title I could be very satisfied with PC gaming alone. Hell, valve, blizzard, and ea(westwood) alone could keep me satisfied. Its just too nice owning all the systems though.
 
PCs have all the good RPGs and puzzle games, consoles have everything else. As someone mentioned I just really hate the attitude of releasing games full of bugs and relying on the customers to do their testing for them..
 
I think that since quality and quantity of western development for consoles has increased dramatically this past gen, the console wins hands down. I just hope we see more western RPGs on the 360/PS3. I have very little interest in most Jpns RPGs.
 
I'm such a console Jedi!!
The only thing i like on the PC are games that are quite impossible to play on console as of now, like RollerCoaster Tycoon series.

I prefer consoles because there's more action games and platformers. I don't really like FPS and RTS wich is the force of PC gaming. I also don't like (read hate) MMORPGs.
I also feel my hardware is more worth my money because they push it more with the console. Devellopers use the same hardware for 5 years and they really have to learn how to optimise and use it well. Also the fact i'm not buying new hardware within five years is also very interesting compared to the PC gaming where i could pay the price of a console for a graphic card only AND each 2-3 years.

Console forever.
 
I started out as a C-64 kiddie .. then moved into console only (16 bit until this generation). Now I am going back to the PC. The games (while not as many) are just much deeper on a PC. With a quaility PC game I can get 100-200 hours of playing time (sometimes, like HL1 mods .. infinite). On a console game, I am lucky to get 40-50 hours (Most times gameplay is only stretched by collect-athons or mini-games).

I don't necessarily think that PC games are perfect. But with patches, player-made mods and online capabilities it really stretches these games out for years. You just don't have that option on consoles. You are beginning to see signs of it with Halo 2 .. but Bungie is a special exception. Maybe that will change with the new generation.
 
I've been playing mainly pc games for the past 2 years. Console gaming doesn't interest me much anymore.
I bought GTASA, GT4, MGS3, a few GC games and I haven't bothered finishing them, each of those games has recieved less than 10 hours gameplay.
I recently bought a new VGA card too, so it should keep me going till at least 2007.
BF2 and COD2 will keep me happy.
I will consider whether to upgrade my PC or purchase a PS3 in 2007. :)
 
Since H:CE I stopped to upgrade my pc, almost every FPS that I want to play in a 150$ piece of hardware (before that I bashed the consoles because the control scheme, but with H:CE I was eating crow)
 
Well if playing the best games the way that they were meant to be played didn't cost thousands of dollars I would be a PC gamer too. But with consoles you spend $300 and some extra money on extra stuff and that's it.

Console gaming for life. :)
 
PC gaming is all but dead. I'm a big fan of both and I have always prefered the consoles since the NES day. I'm not a fool posting I know where the power is between them both. But the lack of A-games are really hurting the PC. Half-Life 2 is great, but besides that you get alot of console shit ports and alot of medicore games. Someone posted a while back PC has less games but more quality games...not true. Go to Gamespot or IGN and look at the the ammount of games with 8.0-10s compared to consoles...big difference.

While I'm not bashing the PC at all, I have a Radeon X800 and can play anything to date with settings 100% up. I would love to see more original A-games come here. I hope it can get back on its feet and deliever what it once could with games like Baldur's Gate, Starcraft, Warcraft, Myth, Half-Life, Quake, even up to Jedi Knight 2. That was PC's best days.
 
I'm going to get a new computer that won't be capable at all of playing games.

These last few years I've been only a PC gamer. These days, PC games just don't float my boat any longer. On top of that, I'm getting very tired of PC games being demanding all the time and that I need a better computer. No more. Also, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Revolution and PS2 are really getting me attention. Sooo... in a few months (or years) I'll say goodbye to PC games.
 
I've always been in favor of PC gaming until this generation. It's not just that first person shooters don't interest me much (I loved halflife 1 and day of defeat), but I can't find my favorite genre's on PC anymore and I'm still having the most fun of multiplayer in 4 player splitscreen.
 
I've been equally a pc and console gamer for quite some time, but lately I've been more of a console gamer. Not enough variety for me on the pc (I got sick of online first person shooters when Quake 2 was out). The only thing I play on PC now is MMORPGs.
 
SanjuroTsubaki said:
PC gaming is all but dead.
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Yeah, that's why World of Warcraft has 3.5 million subscribers, BF2 a million in a short amount of time, and a ton of people still play CS.

PC gaming is far from dead. We just don't buy the shitty games like people do on consoles.
 
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