For those who refuse to game on a PC, what holds you back?
- Thread starter Hollywood Hitman
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I game on PC sometimes but prefer consoles. There is really no exclusives that are enticing on PC compared to Sony or Nintendo that I want. Also I'm very happy and content with gaming on consoles. Majority of my friends are on there and I never struggle with any tech problems besides my cat jumping on the ps4.
Steam Link is hardwired at home, in one of the flats it is just wireless, but there isn't much interference there so I think I got quite lucky there. Router is the important part of that for wireless too, yet in the flat it is a UK Sky Hub, which is shit, but somehow works out fine.
I am not a great case study for the Steam Controller, as I was one of the early adopters who was really open to trying it out for a while to see where it took me - I think others might just expect it to be great off the bat, which it can be for some but absolutely not for others.
On the fist day I already felt like I could see myself getting used to it, but it did take me about a week of playing different games to feel very happy with it and abandon the ds3. It was best to start with simple games that you know well, like Portal 2 just to get the mechanics down. I actually think it will be a lot easier to get used to now, since bindings are generally pre-made by other users and there seems to be a gradual settling of the type of controls people use for different games. For example for FPS, low friction mode for the rightpad trackball is pretty amazing, much the same for 3rd person games so its easy for long slow turns as well as fast. Also gyro aiming for fine movement works amazingly.
Yep, this is exactly what I look for. 5 years with a mid range laptop and was still able to play many of the latest games well, but then getting my proper machine when I had the time and money was great; moving everything over and taking advantage of those games at a much improved quality.
shinobi602
Member
Well, I don't really have unlimited funds...
I get consoles for exclusives and games still look damn good so I'm not going to invest even more in another machine to play some better looking multiplats.
SynthFetish
Member
I hate windows.
Have no room for anything other than a few consoles and my laptop.
Don't care about the stuff PC gamers do.
Don't like steam.
Money, I'll take my one time console purchase any day.
The cult of pc gamers makes me want to avoid it.
That being said, I'm tempted to build something cheap when I have more room for playing FF14 again.
Have no room for anything other than a few consoles and my laptop.
Don't care about the stuff PC gamers do.
Don't like steam.
Money, I'll take my one time console purchase any day.
The cult of pc gamers makes me want to avoid it.
That being said, I'm tempted to build something cheap when I have more room for playing FF14 again.
GeordieMark
Member
No, that's a fair enough reason, and I think you make a good point. I just wasn't sure what you meant initially, but I get it.
Maybe you are not familiar with Hearthstone, it's a card game. Oh right, it's not on consoles. Ofcourse you haven't heard of it. I can't do anything but wait on the opponents turn. So I rather browse Gaf than just stare at the screen when my opponent takes their sweet time. But yeah for story driven experiences, definitely I'll only use the games own audio. And don't alt tab to browse GAF. But for multiplayer games when there's a respawn timer I might do it. And strategy games like Civilization I might play a podcast on background.
You mean Sony exclusives.
PC has exclusives in spades too. PC isn't a platform for just better multiplats. It's a bonus.
Aztechnology
Member
I think the title kind of threw the thread under the bus. When you create a thread that essentially GAF interprets as "Why do you think Consoles is superior to PC" this is what happens. Something like "What do you believe about PC gaming that's kept you away from it" or something more neutral may have helped. But there was probably no hope to get a chance to clear up misconceptions in a PC thread that is essentially challenging people's choices and putting them on the defensive.
Edit: Nah I don't think it would have made any difference to be honest. I think there's just a lot of people that refuse to believe they can coexist and you can do both. People entrench themselves in camps pretty deep for some silly reason. Just fuel for cognitive dissonance I suppose.
This, graphics are not even a factor for my decision to jump ship. Cheap games, free online, massive library (I don't miss the words "backwards compatibility" at all), using any controller I want, being the main indie platform. Those are the kind of things that made me give PC a proper chance.
I get some of that for sure, but Steam auto updates games for me?
I play consoles for exclusives and for FPS games because I like to use a controller. I have trouble with mouse and keyboard because of nerve damage in my hand. I game on PC more than the consoles overall though. I don't even use a mouse or keyboard half the time, just load into Steam big picture mode and go.
Also Steam link is awesome if you have multiple tvs.
Hollywood Hitman
Gold Member
It's an old cliche that just doesn't die sadly. It's like the same type of cliche that people think they're gonna get "huge" just by lifting, the ol "I don't wanna get huge" statement. It's just pure misconceptions and I find it amazing how so many state it as such fact. As If all Pc gamers do is sit and fiddle with settings and drivers lol
LordRaptor
Member
It really is a shame that scrappy doo gets so aggressive at the merest possibility he might not be as good as his unca scooby, so comes in swinging with lemme at 'em
Sephiroth_VII
Member
...but it's not. Not really.
As an example, my GF has seen me playing Cities: Skylines, and taken a liking to it. After a few months watching Let's plays, she asks me if she can try it. Naturally, I show her how to play it remotely on the TV using in-home streaming to our media center, and it works great. Once I debug the streaming service and find out that it isn't asking for ports to be opened correctly, so I have to do it manually.
After that, I just had to sort through my mods and figure out which combination were crashing the game on startup(I hadn't played for a while), and she was good to go... For about two weeks.
Then, the game inexplicably crashed, and has refused to load ever since. I have spent around four hours trying to get it working, deleting local files, re-downloading the game, scouring the Internet for people in a similar position, etc. I found quite a few people with my problem, and quite a few solutions. None of them helped.
I know what my next step is: Deleting the contents of my user's home directory to start fresh. I've tried deleting all of Steam's files already, to no avail. But this machine is also my workstation, I use it for a lot of stuff. I don't want to have to wipe all of my settings just because a game isn't working. So now, we just don't play it anymore. I could probably fix it by creating a new user and letting her play it on that account, but frankly, I don't want to waste more time on it.
That's why I play on console 99% of the time, and prefer it. I have a great pc, which I need to be able to compile my code and render 3D for work, but I don't want to waste time debugging and risk losing access to my main workstation over a game.
I have a strange thing where I seem to concentrate much more on console games and actually complete them. PC games tend to get bought in sales, played for a day and forgotten. Doesn't help that I've associated my PC with being a WoW machine for the past decade mostly.
Also you can rent games on console, and I much prefer console exclusives.
Also you can rent games on console, and I much prefer console exclusives.
Why I prefer play on consoles than PC (me before 2012)
-Ease of use. Just put my game and play.
-Price. PC's are expensive.
-I can trade or change games with my friends.
-We can share controllers, or take the game to a friends house and play.
-It is difficult and expensive to get games in Mexico (with no piracy)
-It is somekind difficult to get parts for a gaming pc
-Exclusives!!! Great exclusives no matter which console you have
-I can play on my big screen!!!
-I can rent games
-Wireless and comfortable controllers
-Local multiplayer
I had some gaming laptops and pc's before that, but always returned to consoles, it was better for me... But then I bought a PS4 (and a Wii U before that)... And here are my reasons why I totally changed to PC
-Long installs on physical games, that totally killed all the purpose of buying discs.
-Prices in Mexico. For some reason Steam changed to mexican currency, and for some reason games are cheaper that way. Sony prices are in US dollars (digital) and is expensive to buy new games on stores (at least we still can buy used games). Nintendo prices are the same as the stores. So, the new Zelda, 60 dollars, thats like 1300 MXN, but because stores sell it on 1500, digital is 1500 too. For reference, I bought Civilization 6 on launch day on Steam for 600 MXN.
-On PS4 and Wii U downloads are eternal!!!! I did download Overwatch Beta on PS4 and PC at the same time. I was playing on PC hours before I could play on PS4.
-On the years I played on consoles, if some piece is broken I can't repair it. My wii U disc reader is broken and I can't get the proper reader easy. And Mexico is not a good place to call Nintendo technical support. When my PC gives troubles, I know what to do and I can get all I need to fix it. I need to make an special mention to Microsoft. When my Xbox 360 gave problems, they repaired it to no cost and fast. Microsoft has one of the best custommer support services in Mexico since Classic Xbox days.
-I can play Rocket League, and other games, with my friends who doesn't have the money to buy a new PC or another console.
-I can play some Ps4 games with a 2012 PC (And my PC was "outdated" on 2012)
-I can play with my Xbox controller against my friend on a PS4 controller on local multiplayer.
-I can be working or watching a video.. alt tab and play some Street Fighter 5 matches, alt tab and keep doing what I was doing. My PS4 was in a far away place to change discs.
-Civilization 6... and 5, 4, 3 and Alpha Centauri (and yes, I love Civilization Revolution too, on my Xbox 360)
-Storage. I have a 500 gb hard disk on pc, same as PS4... But the PS4 disc get full really fast!!! I don't know why!
-Paid online sucks, really. And the "hundreds of dollars value on free games" are mostly garbage.
-Freedom of choice!!! I can choose my controller, my graphics settings, my peripherals, my online store (steam is the best, but not the only one).
-I can play some old games with no need of a "remake". (Skyrim is the only exception, and I remember if you had the standard edition before enhanced edition was launched, they gave it to you for free)
-Loading times.
I sold my PS4 and with that money I'm buying a better PC (note, that money is only to buy the new CPU, sad). Here are some things I'm missing
-Share button. I hate that for personal reasons, but I think it is fantastic that you can share or stream a video of your gameplay with one button. There are many more options on PC, but the accesibility on consoles is great.
-PS4 exclusives... really sad
-Ease of use. Just put my game and play.
-Price. PC's are expensive.
-I can trade or change games with my friends.
-We can share controllers, or take the game to a friends house and play.
-It is difficult and expensive to get games in Mexico (with no piracy)
-It is somekind difficult to get parts for a gaming pc
-Exclusives!!! Great exclusives no matter which console you have
-I can play on my big screen!!!
-I can rent games
-Wireless and comfortable controllers
-Local multiplayer
I had some gaming laptops and pc's before that, but always returned to consoles, it was better for me... But then I bought a PS4 (and a Wii U before that)... And here are my reasons why I totally changed to PC
-Long installs on physical games, that totally killed all the purpose of buying discs.
-Prices in Mexico. For some reason Steam changed to mexican currency, and for some reason games are cheaper that way. Sony prices are in US dollars (digital) and is expensive to buy new games on stores (at least we still can buy used games). Nintendo prices are the same as the stores. So, the new Zelda, 60 dollars, thats like 1300 MXN, but because stores sell it on 1500, digital is 1500 too. For reference, I bought Civilization 6 on launch day on Steam for 600 MXN.
-On PS4 and Wii U downloads are eternal!!!! I did download Overwatch Beta on PS4 and PC at the same time. I was playing on PC hours before I could play on PS4.
-On the years I played on consoles, if some piece is broken I can't repair it. My wii U disc reader is broken and I can't get the proper reader easy. And Mexico is not a good place to call Nintendo technical support. When my PC gives troubles, I know what to do and I can get all I need to fix it. I need to make an special mention to Microsoft. When my Xbox 360 gave problems, they repaired it to no cost and fast. Microsoft has one of the best custommer support services in Mexico since Classic Xbox days.
-I can play Rocket League, and other games, with my friends who doesn't have the money to buy a new PC or another console.
-I can play some Ps4 games with a 2012 PC (And my PC was "outdated" on 2012)
-I can play with my Xbox controller against my friend on a PS4 controller on local multiplayer.
-I can be working or watching a video.. alt tab and play some Street Fighter 5 matches, alt tab and keep doing what I was doing. My PS4 was in a far away place to change discs.
-Civilization 6... and 5, 4, 3 and Alpha Centauri (and yes, I love Civilization Revolution too, on my Xbox 360)
-Storage. I have a 500 gb hard disk on pc, same as PS4... But the PS4 disc get full really fast!!! I don't know why!
-Paid online sucks, really. And the "hundreds of dollars value on free games" are mostly garbage.
-Freedom of choice!!! I can choose my controller, my graphics settings, my peripherals, my online store (steam is the best, but not the only one).
-I can play some old games with no need of a "remake". (Skyrim is the only exception, and I remember if you had the standard edition before enhanced edition was launched, they gave it to you for free)
-Loading times.
I sold my PS4 and with that money I'm buying a better PC (note, that money is only to buy the new CPU, sad). Here are some things I'm missing
-Share button. I hate that for personal reasons, but I think it is fantastic that you can share or stream a video of your gameplay with one button. There are many more options on PC, but the accesibility on consoles is great.
-PS4 exclusives... really sad
therealbigrich
Member
About a year ago I bought one of those HP rigs with a 980 ti to try and get into PC gaming . Its nice to have the power and not have to pay for online. Free games are a plus . I use it mainly like a console hooked up to my TV and with a controller. It is pretty nice but I still mainly game on my xb1. Maybe I need a little more time but way it's looking I'd rather go Scorpio and PS Pro cause only thing PC offers me personally now is the power .
Company of Heroes 2 is much more recent, but I refer to the series as a whole. There are plenty of games like it, but this is designed around PC interface and controls, but very easily can move beyond them. Anyway my point was, that that is just a tiny sample, but you already seem quite clear on what this "console experience" supposedly is. I think that is a rather arbitrary way to look at it, when consoles do have very similar games already without issue. But each to their own
This is completely optional. All it is is flexibility. You can just pick "low" "medium" or "high" presets and run with it, or let your graphics cards application automatically do it for you. Yes that requires a couple of clicks once - but hey, that's what all that flexibility is going to give you. If you don't even want to contemplate the idea, no problem; if you apparently can't even bare the thought of someone else doing it on their own system - well that's up to you too I guess
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
Personal preferences are one thing. Personal problems are another.
Neutral conversation will never be achieved on both sides (despite the fact there shouldn't be any sides, it's all video games anyways). People love shitting on other people for their purchasing habits far too much.
shinobi602
Member
Yes but I've found I don't really care about PC exclusives for the most part. Haven't seen much that has caught my interest. Star Citizen looks great though.
tiebreaker
Member
Lazyness. I'm playing Trails in the Sky at the moment, and my game stutters at some maps, like really badly. I just don't care enough to troubleshoot anymore.
I also like to have physical discs.
I also like to have physical discs.
Guardian Monkey
Member
Lol yeah if your playing on one screen your right.. once you move to steam link things work generally well but start to show a little roughness..
Of course I was running a 4K tv as my main monitor, a Vive, and steamlink hardWired to 1080p tv. Things got weird sometimes at I would need to troubleshoot. But honestly some of that's my fault because I go a little crazy with hookking shit up. If you have just a simple PC and Steam link configuration you probably would not run into any issues hardly at all.
Warnen
Don't pass gaas, it is your Destiny!
tried to play Bio shock on my last PC and could never get it to work, sound just didn't work. The fix on the forums was to mess with drivers and still couldn't get it to work.
Also had the issue with the Xbox One controller fucking windows when you exited a Ubisoft game. The fix was installing an old driver because they pushed a bad one.
Both happened in 2016
There is no problem with this. Not even sure why it needs to be questioned
Hollywood Hitman
Gold Member
Well I don't know what to tell you. I haven't experienced anything like that since the days of my 25mhz packard bell pcs. I'm not lying either, I haven't heard of anyone in years mention a game that just flat out refuses to load after working for a few weeks without figuring it out rather quickly.
Yeah, I totally get not being able to afford a gaming PC, let alone one on top of a console. I'm operating under the assumption that most posters here have some kind of PC from within the last six years or so, which would be enough to dabble in less-demanding games, but that may be an outdated assumption! And it could be that you aren't interested in lower-tech games or older games.
Just want to make it clear that there are a lot of good-ass older PC games that are worth playing that can run on anybody's junky old tower or laptop. Or MacBook for that matter.
For the Games I like to play on PC, I need a mouse and keyboard for full enjoyment.
Yes there are ways to map a controller, but Im stubborn on the Plug and Play method.
For the games I play on Console, my PC isn't powerful enough to exceed the quality I get there.
Also its way easier for me to go from Point A (sitting down) to Point B (playing the game) on console than [my] PC
Yes there are ways to map a controller, but Im stubborn on the Plug and Play method.
For the games I play on Console, my PC isn't powerful enough to exceed the quality I get there.
Also its way easier for me to go from Point A (sitting down) to Point B (playing the game) on console than [my] PC
Because it's far too often seen that people ignore the existence of PC exclusives because they aren't your typical console AAA shooter or AAA game in general therefore they don't count.
You're right though, it probably shouldn't be questioned.
Guardian Monkey
Member
Long gone are the days of irq settings or manual adjusting ini files etc. As a kid that was an interesting endeavor.
RichiRamjag
Member
Just go to the steam discussion page for most games lol. Many people don't have major issues, but sometimes people do. I don't get why we're trying to act like that isn't the case. Even on console.
Aizen.S.Kennedy
Banned
You don't have to tell them anything. Just acknowledge that this is a reality and it happens to ppl even if you don't experience it. And maybe stop posting that it doesn't happen when ppl keep posting their real life accounts of it.
Mihos
Gold Member
.... the only positive is graphics?
I play everything, but the lists of positives on PC 'especially' multiplayer, is immense. Everything from flexibility and inclusion of playstyles (mobile to vr to endless peripherals to more exclusives per year than a console has in its limited lifetime to game prices). I play on everything, but to pigeon hole PC like that is a little misleading
Ironically enough, I don't really care about the graphics that much, mainly because I play on the projector or GPD WIn / Shield portable type devices most the time, and I avoid the PS4/Xbox community like the plague for online. (I will play some guild based PC MMOs, although it has been awhile, maybe an occasional Mario Kart with remote family)
People play consoles because their friends play on the same console, convenience, and because a game they like is restricted to only that platform. That is pretty much it, and it is perfectly fine.
I hate when people talk about exclusives like it is some defining great property of the hardware, it is a fake firewall put in place to force you into that systems ecosystem.
Setting up sound in DOS was the best. Choosing the correct IRQ and DMA and hearing glorious sound as a result was a reward itself.
Aren't you the one constantly in PC threads defending Microsoft for their UWA garbage?
Cost and effort.
As it is, I only have space for a laptop (which is on the dining room table), as the PC area is occupied by my girlfriend's system. A decent gaming laptop would cost multiples of my ps4, and on a comfort level is a massive step backwards from a recliner couch+tv+console simplicity.
As it is, I only have space for a laptop (which is on the dining room table), as the PC area is occupied by my girlfriend's system. A decent gaming laptop would cost multiples of my ps4, and on a comfort level is a massive step backwards from a recliner couch+tv+console simplicity.
Walking into a store and just picking up a console versus my lazy butt doing that.
Aizen.S.Kennedy
Banned
You know why.
Hollywood Hitman
Gold Member
Yea people would of lost their mind. Irq settings were the devil, purely the devil
RichiRamjag
Member
Exactly this.
True, but I'm trying not to be rude lol.
How can you possibly say that with any certainty? You don't know this for sure.
Hollywood Hitman
Gold Member
I never said it can't happen, I'm simply stating that it doesn't happen anywhere near as often as people want to believe and or try to convince others of
supernormal
Member
It's actually a pretty daunting task when building your first PC. There are so many variables. If you ask for help on forums people will agree and disagree on different configurations and you don't know who to listen to. This is especially tough if your spending a lot of money and you want to make sure you made a worthwhile investment.
Then there's also the fact that new parts are coming out all the time, and you get sucked in to the waiting game.
Consoles have provided a better sense of security for the buyer with a very viable, hassle free system.
Then there's also the fact that new parts are coming out all the time, and you get sucked in to the waiting game.
Consoles have provided a better sense of security for the buyer with a very viable, hassle free system.
Pretty much. I have always been a console guy going back to the Atari 2600 and that is just what has stuck with me. But these days they are more PC-like than ever, but with all of the benefits of being optimized, with no fiddling around required. It's just what I prefer.
Good old config.sys!
Code:
SWITCHES=/f
DOS=NoAuto
DOS=high,umb
BUFFERSHIGH=40
FILESHIGH=20
FCBSHIGH=1
LASTDRIVEHIGH=m
DEVICE=c:\windows\himem.sys
DEVICEHIGH=c:\windows\emm386.exe ram auto
EventHorizon
Member
You were the one who said that one of the reasons why the ports weren't done was because some of the games were too old/not worth the effort. I was agreeing with you. Your whole economics set of arguments are self defeating. If the games would sell on the consoles, then it would be economical to port. If they won't sell, console gamers don't care about them, so the fact that they aren't ported has no impact.
To sum up, you listed many games that console gamers would not buy as a reason why console gamers should be upset that they can't buy them. I can't buy diarrhea flavored ice cream, but I'm not upset that either.
LordRaptor
Member
There's often an undercurrent of people visiting Playstation (or Xbox) oriented gaming sites only seeing titles aimed directly at that platform thereofre nothing else exists.
There are a bunch of titles I only know about via console list wars when they appear as "must have exclusives!" because I don't visit dualshockers or whatever.
Cost, ease of use, and exclusives.
I don't know how PC only players survive on just 3rd party content. I know it comes down to taste, but I was raised on a diet of PlayStation exclusives like Wipeout, Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Ridge Racer, Jak and Daxter.
Then there's Nintendo exclusives.
Plus I want to game on my sofa with a controller..and not worry about upgrading this or that. I feel like you'd always be worried about what to upgrade next in a never ending hardware cycle if you had a PC. No thanks.
Edit: I also don't understand AT All the people who spend thousands on a really high end graphics machine...and then play it on a tiny 22" monitor. Like, what?! I game on a 55 inch TV and I wouldn't dream of using a monitor. Ever.
I don't know how PC only players survive on just 3rd party content. I know it comes down to taste, but I was raised on a diet of PlayStation exclusives like Wipeout, Gran Turismo, Uncharted, Ridge Racer, Jak and Daxter.
Then there's Nintendo exclusives.
Plus I want to game on my sofa with a controller..and not worry about upgrading this or that. I feel like you'd always be worried about what to upgrade next in a never ending hardware cycle if you had a PC. No thanks.
Edit: I also don't understand AT All the people who spend thousands on a really high end graphics machine...and then play it on a tiny 22" monitor. Like, what?! I game on a 55 inch TV and I wouldn't dream of using a monitor. Ever.
Guardian Monkey
Member
You know that makes me wonder though. Looking back comparatively PCs are pretty much plug-and-play. So when you do you have to do a little bit of troubleshooting it's minimal at best. So many maybe would probably now think it is really a nonissue and adjusting graphics settings is normal. It may be part of a divide as far as what people are growing up and use to nowadays. I'll be the first to admit that no console has ever been more difficult to set up than a PC. And without any type of background in this people probably just don't want to mess with it. Where people in their late 20s and up are more used to this type of thing and maybe are more likely to accept this? At the end of the day though everyone's point is valid for themselves. It really comes down to what your preferences are and what you want to deal with and actually what you want to do.
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