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Why the PC Should Become The Home Base for Every HardCore Gamer
- Thread starter nbthedude
- Start date
Video game enthusiast?
Arkam
Member
I agree with a lot of what the OP said about PC gaming. And honestly there is no feeling like flexing a brand new build gaming rig on a new game with all settings on max. It is just so sweet. Building PCs is very much like doing drugs, never high enough 
But I do also love the comfort and reliability that is the set top gaming console. No driver issues or hardware conflicts. No one has their A/V setting all the way down to get an exploit online. MUCH less cheating online. Its just so simple and peaceful to operate. Pop teh disc is and keep pressing A until the game starts. Plus they are much cheaper than PCs and tend to last about 5 years before they need an upgrade.
Oh and there is the uncanny fact that it is 10x easier to get a ladies to play xbox or Wii with me than it is for them to play a pc game with me.
So if I were to look into my crystal ball I would see me doing all but my MMO's and RTS games on console for at least the short term.
But I do also love the comfort and reliability that is the set top gaming console. No driver issues or hardware conflicts. No one has their A/V setting all the way down to get an exploit online. MUCH less cheating online. Its just so simple and peaceful to operate. Pop teh disc is and keep pressing A until the game starts. Plus they are much cheaper than PCs and tend to last about 5 years before they need an upgrade.
Oh and there is the uncanny fact that it is 10x easier to get a ladies to play xbox or Wii with me than it is for them to play a pc game with me.
So if I were to look into my crystal ball I would see me doing all but my MMO's and RTS games on console for at least the short term.
CosmicGroinPull
Member
Yes, I assemble PCs for friends and family and it's great fun (to me). Especially if it's my own system, which I upgrade every few years.
And a PC game is great fun when it runs with no issues and everything maxxed.
But... this:
So, PC elitists, please give it a rest.
And a PC game is great fun when it runs with no issues and everything maxxed.
But... this:
So, PC elitists, please give it a rest.
Why would you need bigger GUI elements and controller support if you were going to play on a desk and across form a monitor?
As the name implies Steam "BIG Picture" mode is for HDTV's. And controller support for the entire mode is an admission that KB/Mouse simply flat out sucks balls when you're not on a desk.
Now consoles support controllers far better than any PC without a dedicated OS that's only usable with a controller can.
and most of those overinflated priced titles are released on Greenmangaming for around $37. Plenty of retailers offer steam keys for sale.
And no, you don't have to upgrade individual components every couple of years. You can adjust your settings over the years to suit; the chances are that all but the lowest settings will still look better than the console versions.
As for the last line, I'm not sure what you are getting at. If the PC platform offers a better experience and more freedom than the upcoming consoles, what does it matter where 'x' practice started? I mean, PC's were also the first gaming machines to offer online multiplayer, FPS and RPG's, indie games etc. If you enjoy any of those, does that mean you should switch to PC because that's where they started?
The OP who says that we should all jump onto PCs because as enthusiasts we should love constantly tinkering and customizing, just like the streetrace scene. Never mind that you only build a rig once every four years (once every nine if we are to believe the 'pc is just as cheap as consoles' rhetoric), there's hardly any actual customization going on except for buy off the shelf parts from different vendors, stick them together as per instruction manual, and there's no social scene to speak off that goes with it (your desktop pc has a blue light? Better get a drainage pump installed because them girls be streaming).
Why would you do that?
Member
Consoles provide new gameplay experiences and ways to play, while PC has been mouse + keyboard with the occasional controller for over 20 years now. The tried and true control method is nice, but consoles have more potential than PCs to differentiate themselves from older games. Many hardcore gamers may scoff at Wii Sports, Skyward Sword, Boom Blox, and Zack and Wiki because of "waggle," but they're all highly regarded games that likely wouldn't have been made on PC. Not to mention the often praised dual screen/tablet gameplay like the Game & Watch, DS, and Wii U have.
Consoles are also currently more likely to get games with local multiplayer, something that PC really needs to exploit more. Some PC games hide the multiplayer behind console commands or hacks, or even remove it entirely, making the PC version gimped.
There's the issue of portability. I like bringing my Wii and PS3 to friends' houses, showing them my games, and playing with them. However, I can't do that with some of my favorite PC games like Garry's Mod, Serious Sam 3, and The Sims 2/3. Sure, I could get a laptop, but it would not be worth the price at all to me since they are too big for me.
Lastly, whether or not a game runs well on your system can sometimes be a game of roulette. My system plays pretty much all console games well except for GTA IV (a poor PC port that many can't get 60 fps in no matter how hard they try) or Just Cause 2 (which runs decently, but definitely poorly compared to other PC games this gen). It isn't a big problem to me, but I am still really bummed about not being able to play GTA IV episodes.
I love my PC, but I really don't think every gamer should have to embrace it as their home base just because the games it get can look better there and are cheaper. There are other important factors, too.
Consoles are also currently more likely to get games with local multiplayer, something that PC really needs to exploit more. Some PC games hide the multiplayer behind console commands or hacks, or even remove it entirely, making the PC version gimped.
There's the issue of portability. I like bringing my Wii and PS3 to friends' houses, showing them my games, and playing with them. However, I can't do that with some of my favorite PC games like Garry's Mod, Serious Sam 3, and The Sims 2/3. Sure, I could get a laptop, but it would not be worth the price at all to me since they are too big for me.
Lastly, whether or not a game runs well on your system can sometimes be a game of roulette. My system plays pretty much all console games well except for GTA IV (a poor PC port that many can't get 60 fps in no matter how hard they try) or Just Cause 2 (which runs decently, but definitely poorly compared to other PC games this gen). It isn't a big problem to me, but I am still really bummed about not being able to play GTA IV episodes.
I love my PC, but I really don't think every gamer should have to embrace it as their home base just because the games it get can look better there and are cheaper. There are other important factors, too.
I don't buy a high end PC for games, I feel that most high end requirement PC games are kinda bland or just not as fun as I'd like them to be and I can always catch up on any important ones I missed in a few years- time is a great way to distinguish what games are classic as opposed to a fad at that moment.
I just have whatever is the modest standard for the time. I have an XP system to play old games and a new PC to play whatever the Humble Bundle gives me. PC gaming will always be the most accessible and have the greatest variety of genres! Long live the PC!
I just have whatever is the modest standard for the time. I have an XP system to play old games and a new PC to play whatever the Humble Bundle gives me. PC gaming will always be the most accessible and have the greatest variety of genres! Long live the PC!
MrCookiepants
Member
Eh. I have a perfectly capable PC. The majority of my gaming time in 2013 has been spent on PS3 (Ni No Kuni, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, MGS: Rising and Dragon's Dogma) and 3DS (Luigi's Mansion 2, Fire Emblem, Pokemon Black 2).
In the near future it's all about The Last of Us and Animal Crossing.
NONE of these games are on the PC. It's good for the occasional multiplat, but PC will never be my primary platform. It just doesn't have the stuff I want.
In the near future it's all about The Last of Us and Animal Crossing.
NONE of these games are on the PC. It's good for the occasional multiplat, but PC will never be my primary platform. It just doesn't have the stuff I want.
Ok, let's see.
Build Your Own Ultimate Gaming Machine -> I already did that back in 2011 and I didn't enjoy it. I only did it because buying a prebuild Dell/HP system feels like stealing your own money.
PC & The Gaming Indie Underground -> I only care about wanky, low budget indie/art games when there aren't any interesting high profile releases. Unfortunately, there are. Even if there weren't, I can find the best of them on PSN or XBL as well.
Know Your Roots: Infinite Backwards Compatibility -> I don't replay old games, because there are too much interesting new releases I haven't played yet. If I want to replay a legendary game in rare occasions, I can hook up my old console to my TV as well.
Third Party: The Director's Cut Version -> Don't care about that either. I just want to play the basic version. I don't have time to go through additional content which is (most of the time) just ex-DLC content designed to generate extra revenues and 'more of the same' gameplay.
A Truly Open Marketplace -> Don't want that either. I want to buy all my games in one store.
But What About the Cost? -> Console gaming is cheaper when I do my sum
I have a gaming PC but it'll never be my home base for the same reason my mobile won't be. I'm a comfy couch gamer. PC gaming doesn't fit how I want to play my games, even if it provides the same content in better visual quality.
And just because I'm sure a few will reply to this with 'but PC can be comfy couch too!' -> If you say that you don't really understand the spirit of comfy couch gaming. Sitting in a comfy couch is just a symbologic summary of what it stands for. Comfy couch gaming is more than that. Comfy couch gaming is a way of life. It's about buying standardised 1,8 TFLOPs hardware 50 engineers thought to be the best to fit in a $399 box that's sold at a loss. It's about having a unified, userfriendly experience. It's about not having to worry about .ini, graphics or input configurations, hardware incompatibility or performance, bugs, driver versions, controller support or not, widescreen support or not. Basically it's about grabbing the controller you are familiar with for over 15 years, lay your lazy ass in the couch, hitting the home button and just play the damn game.
Build Your Own Ultimate Gaming Machine -> I already did that back in 2011 and I didn't enjoy it. I only did it because buying a prebuild Dell/HP system feels like stealing your own money.
PC & The Gaming Indie Underground -> I only care about wanky, low budget indie/art games when there aren't any interesting high profile releases. Unfortunately, there are. Even if there weren't, I can find the best of them on PSN or XBL as well.
Know Your Roots: Infinite Backwards Compatibility -> I don't replay old games, because there are too much interesting new releases I haven't played yet. If I want to replay a legendary game in rare occasions, I can hook up my old console to my TV as well.
Third Party: The Director's Cut Version -> Don't care about that either. I just want to play the basic version. I don't have time to go through additional content which is (most of the time) just ex-DLC content designed to generate extra revenues and 'more of the same' gameplay.
A Truly Open Marketplace -> Don't want that either. I want to buy all my games in one store.
But What About the Cost? -> Console gaming is cheaper when I do my sum
I have a gaming PC but it'll never be my home base for the same reason my mobile won't be. I'm a comfy couch gamer. PC gaming doesn't fit how I want to play my games, even if it provides the same content in better visual quality.
And just because I'm sure a few will reply to this with 'but PC can be comfy couch too!' -> If you say that you don't really understand the spirit of comfy couch gaming. Sitting in a comfy couch is just a symbologic summary of what it stands for. Comfy couch gaming is more than that. Comfy couch gaming is a way of life. It's about buying standardised 1,8 TFLOPs hardware 50 engineers thought to be the best to fit in a $399 box that's sold at a loss. It's about having a unified, userfriendly experience. It's about not having to worry about .ini, graphics or input configurations, hardware incompatibility or performance, bugs, driver versions, controller support or not, widescreen support or not. Basically it's about grabbing the controller you are familiar with for over 15 years, lay your lazy ass in the couch, hitting the home button and just play the damn game.
I have been PC gamer all my life, it's pretty close to life of video gaming and I still can't wrap my head around how delusional some PC gamers sound... It kinda hurts even (><)
They somehow assume that most people don't have gaming PC, when I'm sure that most gamers have. Also they assume that if you have gaming PC you don't need anything else, including tabletop games, handhleds and consoles. PC is your master! Well no, it isn't!
There are genres, popular ones that have very little presence on PC if at all, lately even emulation isn't really an option, seeing as we still don't have working PSP emu, and PSP is almost ten years old let me remind you.
If you are a strategies or sims of all kinds gamer, you are happy being PC only for example, although you miss almost all tactical RPGs Japan makes and even some sims. Diversity is the key! You have much more options (given you have that much time) owning many gaming devices than one.
So, can you kindly stop assuming PC is true master of human race and we have to serve it and only it? Pretty please! It is embarrassing how bad it is nowadays.
They somehow assume that most people don't have gaming PC, when I'm sure that most gamers have. Also they assume that if you have gaming PC you don't need anything else, including tabletop games, handhleds and consoles. PC is your master! Well no, it isn't!
There are genres, popular ones that have very little presence on PC if at all, lately even emulation isn't really an option, seeing as we still don't have working PSP emu, and PSP is almost ten years old let me remind you.
If you are a strategies or sims of all kinds gamer, you are happy being PC only for example, although you miss almost all tactical RPGs Japan makes and even some sims. Diversity is the key! You have much more options (given you have that much time) owning many gaming devices than one.
So, can you kindly stop assuming PC is true master of human race and we have to serve it and only it? Pretty please! It is embarrassing how bad it is nowadays.
lost cause, I know
I agree with this. My favorite games are always console only.
Always-honest
Banned
Yep. And, for the people that seem dramaticly crushed by the idea of OPINIONS, ofcourse it's all personal taste and there certainly are PC exlusives that i'd love to play, but my fav. games are console exclusives right now.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
Which is why the topic's rather pointless. If you like playing fighting games for example, there's no reason to look to the PC.
Witchfinder General
punched Wheelchair Mike
I've been a self-built, ultra-powerful comfy couch PC convert ever since my 360 broke for the second time and last year's horrific E3 conference. It's a revelation.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
Me too, I agree with the OP 100%. I've been a PC gamer technically since my first C64 back in 1986. I've bought several consoles over the years, but not a single one since the Dreamcast died. Something about Sega's awesome pure gaming machine getting forced out really sat bad with me.
But then, I've also been coding my own games since that first C64 as well. After a summer with The Bard's Tale and Gunship and Zork, I started dabbling in Basic making my own text adventures. Then I taught myself assembly and started making more involved games. To this day I'm still teaching myself C++ and Java and playing around coding my own games, so yeah, it's a real hobby for me. Truly through and through. I've never made a game worth a damn, but I dabble at it just for the fun of it. I love learning HOW games work.
So the PC is my platform of choice, always.
Dota 2 is my sports game.No matter how hard I try, I just can't get into sports games
I fail to see the confirmation bias you mention. The OP simply posts keypoints which are, in his opinion, major advantages that explain why he prefers a PC as a primary platform. And I'm fine with that.
But why should I be forced to share his view on these keypoints when in reality I would rather classify them as indifferences or even disadvantages in my opinion?
Is it so hard to understand that not every hardcore gamer has the same desires?
I don't see many PC gamers taking offence with my opinion, it tells me more about you.
It's not a lost cause and even the OP has pointed that out in FAQ: "This thread is not intended as a "PC vs. Console" fight to the death. I am not arguing that anyone should ignore consoles or they have no validity. Hence the reason the thread title is that PC should be the "Home Base" for Hardcore gamers, not the sole platform."
dark_prinny
Banned
No thanks. I abhor PC gaming.
one could say that the way microsoft and sony kept this generation going for too long,
therefore causing stagnation, is by itself a reason that everyone should go for pc base.
one companys best interests and best profit margins does not equal to the interest of gaming in general. rather the contrary.
after 2010 if you had a gaming pc you would not think to play the game on 360 or ps3, as the experience was different. but consoles did not go 1080 when they could, because it was profitable for them to stay and milk you more.
thats about 3 years of inferior gaming. you judge that as you like.
of course for gaming pc, one factor is the initial cost thing, especially for younger fellas, but you are getting better deals in gaming prices and probably accessories too, so in the course of 2 year period you compensate a lot, and if you buy many games & accessories, maybe pc cheaper mid-term.
for this next generation, we can almost see that those companies have even worse plans to stranglehold your games, your habits and your wallet. plus their hardware is not as exiting when compared to previous generations.
everybody should put things on a piece of paper and figure it out for his own habits/wallet.
imo consoles this generation might not be automatically "the best thing for games".
therefore causing stagnation, is by itself a reason that everyone should go for pc base.
one companys best interests and best profit margins does not equal to the interest of gaming in general. rather the contrary.
after 2010 if you had a gaming pc you would not think to play the game on 360 or ps3, as the experience was different. but consoles did not go 1080 when they could, because it was profitable for them to stay and milk you more.
thats about 3 years of inferior gaming. you judge that as you like.
of course for gaming pc, one factor is the initial cost thing, especially for younger fellas, but you are getting better deals in gaming prices and probably accessories too, so in the course of 2 year period you compensate a lot, and if you buy many games & accessories, maybe pc cheaper mid-term.
for this next generation, we can almost see that those companies have even worse plans to stranglehold your games, your habits and your wallet. plus their hardware is not as exiting when compared to previous generations.
everybody should put things on a piece of paper and figure it out for his own habits/wallet.
imo consoles this generation might not be automatically "the best thing for games".
He presents his points, no need to go after him.
Reasons?
dark_prinny
Banned
I Don't want to be obsessed with graphical matters.
I Don't like to build nothing or work with my hands.
I Dont want to tweak graphical settings.
At this point of my life all I want is to sit, relax and play. I used to be a PC Gamer but not again.
RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
The key with any platform are the exclusive games. I have a Steam account, but only 2 games and another maybe 4 on my wishlist total. I've dumped the most time into La Mulana, a Japanese indie game.
Capcom, SquareEnix, Sega, Konami, Namco, Atlus, NIS and others do not put their best games on PC. Then what ends up happening is I buy a console for their exclusives, so when a multiplatform game does come to PC it’s easier for me to just buy it for the platform I already own.
I can see the appeal of PC gaming. While it would be a lot more money, work, and time for me to invest than I do with consoles, I would make that tradeoff if it had the games.
Capcom, SquareEnix, Sega, Konami, Namco, Atlus, NIS and others do not put their best games on PC. Then what ends up happening is I buy a console for their exclusives, so when a multiplatform game does come to PC it’s easier for me to just buy it for the platform I already own.
I can see the appeal of PC gaming. While it would be a lot more money, work, and time for me to invest than I do with consoles, I would make that tradeoff if it had the games.
Sentenza
Member
But of course none of these points strikes to you as a plus, and some are even detrimental to your enjoyment, because as many others in this thread you are absolutely sure PC gaming has nothing to offer to you: you don't care about power, versatility, user generated content, outstanding exclusives, etc. ALL you care about is that small and *constantly shrinking* selection of games that are available just on consoles. Outside of those, there's nothing for you.M°°nblade;59955305 said:
Fine, I'll make an effort to believe that you are not just going for a confirmation bias.
I guess people with extremely narrow tastes exist even on gaming forums.
Thats such stupid argument that should be bannable. How spending 1-2 minutes from 10,20 or even 100h game can even bother anybody. Changing contrast on TV can take longer than setting up graphical options in games.
You realize your case is in the extreme minority, right? The KB/Mouse have no place in the living room, and they never will.Well, you already know I use my PC on a TV (where I am typing this).
That's exactly what this thread is saying, without realizing that for most people any game that can be played on a console > PC version because of convenience. And that is a REAL problem, whether you care to admit it or not. Any device that requires a keyboard/mouse will never be popular in the living room. Never.
WarMacheen
Member
That's some cold hard facts you got there, thanks for sharing lol
Ardenyal
Member
It's constantly in your mind if you don't have a rig that can max every setting and still run 60fps throughout the game. When you settle on settings you like at the beginning of the game you might encounter situations where the frame rate tanks and you go back and tweak some more.
Felix Lighter
Member
So better to rip the options away and play at low-mid settings at 720p and 30 fps with awful image quality. There are many arguments that I can follow when people choose not to use the PC platform but this one I will never understand.
How could someone be so obsessed with getting the best possible graphical quality and maintain a solid 60 fps on PC but suddenly not give a damn about it when they switch to consoles?
Ease of use, Japanese catalog, even the desire to play on the couch in every and all situations with a controller are all things that I get, but this argument, which has popped up several times, is beyond me.
And really, if the response to OP is I don't want to deal with settings or building or do anything beyond throwing a disc on the tray and play, then the OP isn't really about you. I do get why the hardcore label is a poor word choice in the title because it carries so much baggage.
1st Course
Member
He does have a point though.
Minecraft snd Tetaria were both PC exclusives for a very long time, they run pretty much on any toaster, and both of them were affordable for a very cheap price (Tetaria was once $2 on Steam). And despite all of that, they still sold very well on consoles. It really doesn't matter how powerful or affordable PC gaming is. Some people simply just don't see the PC as a gaming platform, they just want a $200 box that can be connected easily to the TV and can play anything they want without worrying about settings, specs, controls etc.
Thats a problem, but playing in subHD, with framerate drops to 20fps and input lag is not?
If You can accept console quality gaming, You can accept setting some options down and playing it on PC.
dark_prinny
Banned
I recommend you to relax and stop asking for bans dude. If You are unable to understand people's preferences and conviniences is your problem not mine.
Er, I don't do any of these things. I have an iMac that I spent twenty minutes installing Windows 7 on and I'm currently playing PC games pretty much exclusively. Sometimes I don't even have to boot into Windows!
Edit: The one thing that actually upsets me are all the comments indicating that a large group of people don't like using a keyboard and mouse to play first-person shooters. It's no wonder studios like id and Epic won't take risks on a deep, competitive deathmatch game when what may be a large portion of the audience plays with a massive handicap.
Its not preference or even convenience, its made up argument that doesnt have any base in reality.
dark_prinny
Banned
It is MY preference and MY convinience not to choose PC as a gaming platform. I Don't even need any arguments to back up this choice but I have enumerated some of them in my post.
PoweredBySoy
Banned
Don't worry, Jerry, I'll be embarrassed for you.
PoweredBySoy
Banned
AnbaLeumas
Banned
If I had the money, I would have been playing on a PC a while ago. Maybe one day.
Really the best part about PC gaming is you click on a game and it starts.
No waiting for a console to go through it's lengthy boot cycle, no navigating clunky UI's to get to my game, no swapping discs, and the ability to remove all the startup logos that play every time you want to play a game.
Add in a SSD to kill loadtimes and I am in the game faster than the PS3 I use for video streaming can even boot up.
No waiting for a console to go through it's lengthy boot cycle, no navigating clunky UI's to get to my game, no swapping discs, and the ability to remove all the startup logos that play every time you want to play a game.
Add in a SSD to kill loadtimes and I am in the game faster than the PS3 I use for video streaming can even boot up.
Tragicomedy
Member
It already is. It already is.
marjo
Member
I don't agree. If I spend 95% of my time playing multiplats, then it makes more sense for me to choose the platform that has the best version of the multiplats, even if it means losing out on a few exclusives.