Game consoles to pc?

[lonewhitewolf1]

Ok, so everywhere I see people moving to pc from consoles and I have to ask what really makes the pc more superior to the console? computers have always had more processing power than a game console, but to me, a console should only play video games, having netflix and internet connection is nice but it shouldnt tear us away from games.

I will never game on a pc, I dont get an updated version, I just wait till it dies before I get a new one (or so outdated that it gets slower) but what I want to know is, why do people expect game consoles to be computers? Why all the harassment by both parties to the other? "pc are the best" and "consoles are the best" just because one has better graphics and is faster? I will always say that game consoles are made for games and computers arent really (and laptops to).

and what i really hate: when i say i only have a laptop i get laughed at by people who swear by computer gaming rather than console gaming. and i really wish they would shut up about not getting gta5. last i checked, gta used to be sony exclusive so they are lucky they got it at all! (gta1 and 2 were only on the ps1)

[gigawuts]

Consoles are computers, just with extremely restrictive operating systems.

Just wanted to get that out of the way.

[lonewhitewolf1]

yeah, microsoft proved that point. i actually think they were trying to merge the console and computer with all of thier stuff.

[Polly]

I'm not buying consoles anymore simply for the fact that they just don't interest me anymore. The exclusives just don't seem as worth it to me anymore, save for maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe Nintendo offerings, but even their selections on Wii U are fairly pants. I do loves my 3DS though.

As far as arguing over console vs pc superiority? While there may be definite differences in flexibility and power, it's mostly down to people wanting to justify their purchases or thinking some dumb brand really gives a crap about them.

[lonewhitewolf1]

i know sony and microsoft dont really care about us (ps3, xbox 1), they just want to get all they can out of us. honestly though, i stick with consoles because using a controller is easier for me. yeah i can use a controller on a computer, but since i only have a ps3, i cant play on a computer unless i download a bunch of stuff just to get it to work.

[Kent]

The only legitimate reasons people claim PC gaming is superior is because it's generally cheaper to buy games (try as they might, Xbox Live sales don't live up to what Steam Sales and Humble Bundles are offering) and that developers have a lower cost-of-entry and more freedom than they do on consoles to do whatever they like.

Which, those are quite fair advantages. There's also one more: Any of your stuff that runs on a PC now, is practically guaranteed to be able to run on any future PCs you may own, barring a handful of weird circumstances (some games didn't survive the move onto Vista, for example - though there are ways to get them to run nowadays on Windows 7 and 8). For a lot of people, it's inconvenient to switch consoles in and out of connection with your TV, or manage a huge and ridiculous A/V switch to keep them all hooked up at the same time, leading some people to think that a new console generation is the first step in their current consoles becoming obsolete (which is only true from the perspective of ongoing support).

The "game consoles should only play games" thing is a narrow-minded and obsolete way of thinking, because game consoles aren't just game consoles any more, and they haven't been for at least an entire generation (or two, considering the Dreamcast web browser and DVD movie playback on the PS2 and Xbox). Going into the new generation, games consoles are very specifically home entertainment centerpieces... Which is something PCs are already well-equipped to do anyway.

These, combined with the fact that people still have a ridiculous amount of misconceptions about both upcoming systems (I met someone last week who still thought the Xbox One requires an always-on internet connection, for example), are contributing to a highly-vocal minority of players who feel it's necessary to announce their shift toward being a PC gamer as if they've seen the light of some sort, despite that it's not really that noteworthy and they just want to feel special and get recognition for doing so.

[gigawuts]

I imagine that many of the people vocalizing their shift to PC gaming are many of the same people who vocalized their preference for a specific console.

That is to say, they're the expectable noise in the broader gaming discussion.

[CelestialBlade]

The lines are really beginning to blur between consoles and PCs anymore, especially with next-gen consoles moving to x86 architecture. It basically IS a PC now, but with one big difference--restriction. You're gonna do what it wants to do, on its terms, in its way. Not to mention many gamers have powerful enough gaming PCs to run anything you could put on a console anyway, and doing so has become far cheaper.

I'm personally growing extremely tired of console wars and with the coming x86 architecture I expect PC ports to grow exponentially, because it would be fairly simple to do so. The PC market seems to be moving in the opposite direction of the console market, and it's a no-brainer when you look at the myriad of restrictions on next-gen consoles versus the freedoms you have with Steam.

[NoiseHERO]

I dunno...

To me it seems more understandable to make handheld costumes take over the portable entertainment market.

But I don't want my xbox taking control over everything I do in the living room. Being able to play DVD's was conveniant. literally every thing else added is "Most people already have computers, cable service and smartphones wtf."

But it does sound futuristic from a 80's-90's kid perspective...

One machine that just does everything instead of having 5-8 machines do that. But that path coming from videogames just rubs people the wrong way. (especially "gamers")

But looking at company's like microsoft and sony. That's probably what they've been all about from the beginning. Maybe XBOX and Playstation is easier to go with than some new device called "SONY HOME" and "WINDOWS SANCTUARY" or something even if they were previously known as only videogame consoles.




Yeah... consoles and I guess arcade machines used to be computers designed around running a game. Now they're computers designed around taking over all entertainment and communication when everyone stopped paying close attention.

[Sp-24]

[spoiler-box]
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/5132/ej6o.jpg
[/spoiler-box]

Not only are modern consoles the same, hardware-wise, as PCs, the specs of those next-gen consoles that aren't even out yet are similar to low-end computers that we have right now.

That's not the only reason why I believe consoles are in trouble. In fact, there are so many, that I'd rather list the advantages of consoles instead: they have exclusive games. Take Nintendo, that paid Platinum for Bayonetta 2 to be a Wii U exclusive, for an example. Or Sony, that paid an indie dev so that the sequel to their PC game would be a PS4 exclusive.

[Zysets]

Personally. I think the "console wars" and "PC vs console" arguments are useless. People like what they like for their reasons. Their reasons may not appeal to someone else because they like different things. I personally prefer PC's, but I still have my good old PS2 and PS3. The only thing that turned me off with the Xbox was that you had to pay for online, which is fair, but I don't have the funds to do so. It's all opinionated and the argument is sort of pointless. Someone prefers Xbox, cool. Other person likes Playstation, good for you. PC? Alright. All that matters is that the console matches what they want.

[Blue-Hawk]

Image not spoilerbox'd for added emphasis.

Not only are modern consoles the same, hardware-wise, as PCs, the specs of those next-gen consoles that aren't even out yet are similar to low-end computers that we have right now.

That's not the only reason why I believe consoles are in trouble. In fact, there are so many, that I'd rather list the advantages of consoles instead: they have exclusive games. Take Nintendo, that paid Platinum for Bayonetta 2 to be a Wii U exclusive, for an example. Or Sony, that paid an indie dev so that the sequel to their PC game would be a PS4 exclusive.
Care to share your pc specs to get a 4K image?

[Outrider]

I play a lot of games on PC these days for the following reasons:

1.) I needed to get a quality PC to do artwork, so I made sure it could play games as well.

2.) Steam sales make it so games that I would otherwise get on the Xbox 360 are incredibly cheap on PC.

3.) Additionally, most PC games let me just play them like I would on a console by simply plugging in a 360 controller.

4.) PLUS I have my computer hooked up to my TV specifically for gaming which means the experience makes it so I may as well just be playing them on a console.

If I didn't have other reasons for having a gaming-capable computer, I wouldn't. If the games weren't cheaper than on consoles I wouldn't buy them. If I couldn't play most of them with controllers, I likely would skip a lot of them. (The TV hook-up is actually the one item I think I could give or take. It's nice, but eh, not a deal breaker.)

So now I have my Nintendo consoles and my PC. Assuming nothing is announced on Xbox One or PS4 that blows me away (and nothing has done so yet) I think I should be fine for a little while just waiting around for the cross-platform games to make their way to PC.

[NoiseHERO]

If you take out budget

Sxclusives are literally the only thing worth consoles...

For some reason exclusives didn't mean much to me last gen. But this gen I already want a PS4.

Common sense: Just buy whatever you need to play whatever games you need to depending on what works out best for your needs/shit you want.

Fanboy sense: "NO, ONE HAS TO BE BETTER THAN THE OTHER"

[Zalana]

Technology and gaming in PC's is just far superior than a console. The only advantage some consoles have is exclusive titles and that their cheaper in some aspects (aka the system), heck you can mimic a console on a pc that's how powerful they are [emulator].

There's just more advantages to pc gaming imo but, downfall is that you have to shell out some cash.

[Sp-24]

Care to share your pc specs to get a 4K image?
That image isn't mine, I got it off the internet.

And while admittedly, my friend's GTX 680 alone was more expensive than than XOne will be, it also offered performance similar to what we are being promised now over a year ago.

[Crazyleo]

I've been gaming for over twenty years and I've ran the gamut of systems through out the years.

When I first started gaming, I started off on an Atari 800XL. From there, I purchased a Game Boy with an NES following shortly after. With the NES, I discovered several styles of game play that I gravitate towards; even to this day.

But then; it was around 03 that I started turning towards PC games when I started to play a little known game called Dark Age of Camelot. It was that game that started me down the road of MMOs.

Then around '10, I got rid of all consoles systems and mainly play games on handheld systems. (Primary reason was I didn't have the physical space for a console system and a TV).

Now, I mainly game on a PC and on a iPad. Mostly because I can't afford to buy games on any type of gaming console (both home and handhelds).

[Emp]

I kinda blame it on pc mobas and other free to play mmos. With the emergence of Sony requirement to be a playstation plus member to play online multiplayers on the PS4, ppl are getting more and more tired of having to pay to play. Gamers will always support paying if the server infrastructure is more safer and stable for the gamer but paying to play a game you love is still a bit outrageous to me.

[RenzokukenZ]

I feel that the biggest, and arguably most important, reason that separates consoles and PCs is the cost. Yes, developer-wise, its cheaper to invest in the PC market and gain more profit, but consumer-wise, its more expensive. For the standard price of a new console, you would have to pay double that amount (or if you're really serious about your gaming, maybe triple) for a good gaming-centric PC. Not only that, but since technology is always advancing, you would have to keep spending more for upgrades, such as RAM, video cards, sound cards, additional hard drives, etc., whereas the console comes as-is with the optional peripheral, so you wouldn't have to worry about upgrading until the next generation.

That alone can be considered the consoles' main advantage, although some members of the gaming community have taken that to mean that consoles are inferior because they're cheap.

[Sp-24]

Consoles used to have an advantage of having obscure, but universal hardware. Serious, responsible game development for PCs (by which I mean no Sega bullshit) isn't exactly easy, as you need to keep in mind thousands of pieces of hardware and software and their combinations, and be wary of any issues that may arise. There was an interview with a developer of Titan Quest, where he complained how one of the reviewers said that their game was a broken piece of crap because it wouldn't run on his PC. After talking to him, it turned out that some ancient piece of hardware literally prevented the game from working, and removing it fixed the issue.

Now that consoles are almost literally the same as PCs hardware-wise, there's even less of a reason to not make a multiplatform game instead of sticking to just consoles, or, even worse, one console.

[lonewhitewolf1]

I just dont like gaming on pc because I just see a keyboard as something to type on. I have tried to use it (saints row the third), but i suck at it. the other thing in think people are going to pc, its easier to mod on and torrent games with (lets not pretend everyone is an angel and actually buys all thier games)

edit: I dont really trust emulators much, take the ps1, i have had so many problems with it for each game and i had to keep tweeking the settings. and ps2 couldnt even run on my laptop (dont start an argument its not for gaming)

[Outrider]

I just dont like gaming on pc because I just see a keyboard as something to type on. I have tried to use it (saints row the third), but i suck at it.

Most AAA games these days (and even many indie games) support wired Xbox 360 controllers by default. With a little bit of messing around, you can also get most games to work with a PS3 controller just like you are playing the game on a console. I've been playing Saints Row the Third with an Xbox 360 controller and the experience is basically indistinguishable from playing on my actual Xbox 360. Steam will actually list out games based on what kind of controller support they include. It's really nice not having to deal with keyboard and mouse on games that clearly shouldn't be played on a keyboard and mouse.

[gigawuts]

It may just be my current setup, since it wasn't always the case, but these days I honestly prefer playing most games with my xbox 360 controller. Even FPS games, which I used to prefer M&K for by a longshot. It also helps that there are programs I can use to massively customize my inputs if I ever dislike something, which used to be a big reason I hated using controllers. Jump button in the wrong place, use button in the wrong place, etc.

[lonewhitewolf1]

i dont have a 360 (used to but sold it, i had to sell most of my stuff due to money issues) so i cant play using a controller. and the ps3 controller is just to much plus we dont have internet so i cant get anything to use.

[Aeris]

edit: I dont really trust emulators much, take the ps1, i have had so many problems with it for each game and i had to keep tweeking the settings. and ps2 couldnt even run on my laptop (dont start an argument its not for gaming)

PS1 emulation is not even hard to set up, i set it up once for all plugins and every game i throw at it just plays fine at full speed without no issues, PS2 needs a really good cpu in order to play back fine (2nd gen intel i5/i7 or later or 2nd gen amd (A-series and later) to play back at nice speed) not all games will play back at full speed for PS2, some do have issues until they get fixed.


i dont have a 360 (used to but sold it, i had to sell most of my stuff due to money issues) so i cant play using a controller. and the ps3 controller is just to much plus we dont have internet so i cant get anything to use.

Then get a 3rd party one wired, might not look or fell the same but better than no controller at all but they are usually cheap anyway.

[gigawuts]

Don't get third party. Get official, but maybe used. Save up maybe? I dunno, I just have really bad experience with third party.

You can get a wired official controller for something like 40 bucks. It's a bit much, but the quality shows, and it'll have fewer issues with drivers and games. Like Outrider said, LOTS of games these days are automatically compatible with Xbox 360 controllers. I have a wireless one with a wireless receiver for my PC and it's great.

You can customize what it does more with those programs you mentioned for the PS3 controller. They're not very complex. It's no less complex than learning any program, really. It really opened the gates for my PSO2 binds. I have all kinds of bizarre button combos to do things I want to be able to do without touching my keyboard. Pretty much everything but actually typing, honestly.

[Nemos]

I don't know if this was posted before but GTA1 was developed on dos then ported to ps1 windows and gameboy color.

Also the pc is a better platform for gaming in terms of hardware. Consoles will never be better due to the fact that a console is unable to be upgraded and is seen as somewhat of a baseline for people to develop on.

This has its ups and downs. If you have a baseline it is easier to optimize to when developing games for the platform. The PC platform is the wild west in terms of tech specs. Due to this developers don't know what kind of system you're running and give you options to increase or decrease settings for the game.

I personally don't really care about the graphics or modding capabilities. It's all about the games I want to play.

That being said I HATE the policies of game consoles which has steadily become the nickel and dime bullshit(excuse my language) that is supported with today.

This is because console os and marketplaces are created by the maker of the platform and restrict the ability to use anything else. It's a monopoly that forces you into their policies and creates higher priced games and the ability for them to charge you to get online.



Bottom line play games however you want. Pay as much as you want. But in the end the PC is the only flexible platform to game on and in turn is more powerful.

[lonewhitewolf1]

honestly, i am just tired of the whole "pc/consoles are superior because" when clearly, they are all ment for gaming. well pc you actually have to get one that can play up to date games

[Zalana]

You get more out of the PC experience if it's done right as in it's not a doo doo port of said game. Btw I prefer Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2 controller over the official 360 controller at least whenever the game accepts both.