Above image seems to be anti img taggable
Console guide

I found it funny, but I hardly consider PC gaming the epitome gaming experience.

PC lost that position when Sims 2 and WoW was released. Since then almost everything that comes to the PC is Sims 2 expansions, MMOs and remade FPS.

I can think of more: strategy games, Valve + Steam, Crytek.

Sure, PC isn’t THE gaming platform any more, but hey - it’s still the best platform for some genres.

evilhellsatan - 11 March 2008 09:18 AM

I can think of more: strategy games, Valve + Steam, Crytek.

Sure, PC isn’t THE gaming platform any more, but hey - it’s still the best platform for some genres.

Exactly, RTS for one. And I personally have always considered first-person shooters better on the PC because of the control scheme which I simply don’t have on a console, although there really needs to be more innovation besides better graphics with FPSes.

I can’t see the PC dying when it comes to games because consoles simply can’t do certain types of games really well. What continues to stump me is what many say is the biggest complaint about PC gaming, which is the need to upgrade hardware to run the latest stuff. Just doesn’t seem to be as true anymore as you look at hardware these days. The Mac Pro I bought almost 2 years ago compared to the latest ones, the CPU speeds haven’t changed drastically. Keep adding more and more cores, sure it may have some performance boost to certain applications, but for most games it’s not really a big deal. Graphics cards manufacturers such as AMD/ATI or nVidia have a huge interest in selling their latest cards most of which probably are gobbled up by PC gamers, so I could maybe see the upgrading the video card every so often as more games are tuned to make better use of the GPU. That really that leaves nothing but the OS. (Frustration with Windows?) I’m sure Microsoft themselves knows that Games for Windows competes with its own Xbox 360 division, and Windows is still after all, their biggest money maker so they still try to emphasize it as a platform.

I do understand consoles are leading the way for some AAA titles lately, leaving any PC version as an after-thought for later. Could be because of piracy reasons, money or target player base, whatever. But when it comes to consoles, I’m thinking console owners are just as willing to shell out large sums of money for console accessories even if it’s just for 1 or 2 specific games. Just look at Rock Band as an example. Companies are noticing this and you’ll likely see more of this trend in the future.

I’m willing to bet, my 360 friend has more invested in his 360 setup (accessories, games, controllers, etc. not to mention buying a second 360 when his first one red-ringed around the time Halo 3 launched), than I have with my Mac Pro, which is more productive for me both as a gaming machine, for internet, and other applications. I’ve played many of his 360 titles, but only a very small few ever really captivate me. Traditionally this has always been my console experience. Buy a few select titles, beat them, play some occasional multiplayer, and then never touch them again. Same is true for him, he doesn’t often finish most of those games because the majority of them are really more of the same. He’ll buy them new, play it for a few days, get bored and never touch it again. Save for a few select titles that the rest of the XBox community continues to play the most (Halo, CoD4, Rock Band, Orange Box, etc.) Since I only play a select few titles on the computer which have alot of replay value (BF2, WoW, War3, UT) I figure it’s more of an investment for me to get the computer every 5 years over a console because I can do other things on the computer as well.

Not to call you out but I have hard time believing he paid over $2700 for his 360s (even if he’s an avid game buyer), and that said you still buy games for your Mac/PC.

Two 360s: $800 + $600 (10 games) + $150 (3 controllers) + $175 (Rock Band) + $25 VGA Cable + $125 (Steering Wheel) = $1875   I just started tacking stuff on at the end that normal people probably don’t have. He’d have to have another 14 games to come to your Mac Pro’s cost.  That’s not even accounting for you owning a single game.

I’d much rather have a Mac Pro but let’s be honest with each other. The value for gaming entertainment on the 360 is absurdly better than a Mac Pro.

I agree with Greg, I’ve spent more on my G5 than on my 360, Wii AND projector setup. I need count the reciever and speaker to possibly break it, but I’m not sure it’s enough. PC gaming probably isn’t helped by that the high end graphic cards cost more than a full console these days. Building a decent gaming PC would probably cost me more than a 360 Elite and PS3 together. Building a high end one (the ones people like Jep drool over) would allow me to buy a new DLP projector to go with the consoles.

While I definitely prefer RTS games on the computer, I have started to live with FPSes on the consoles… after all they don’t control much different from Marathon back in the day. While a computer FPS is more precise, it doesn’t have to mean more fun. I have still to encounter a RTS that controls as intuitive as a computer one though…

Greg - 11 March 2008 09:39 PM

Not to call you out but I have hard time believing he paid over $2700 for his 360s (even if he’s an avid game buyer), and that said you still buy games for your Mac/PC.

Two 360s: $800 + $600 (10 games) + $150 (3 controllers) + $175 (Rock Band) + $25 VGA Cable + $125 (Steering Wheel) = $1875   I just started tacking stuff on at the end that normal people probably don’t have. He’d have to have another 14 games to come to your Mac Pro’s cost.  That’s not even accounting for you owning a single game.

I’d much rather have a Mac Pro but let’s be honest with each other. The value for gaming entertainment on the 360 is absurdly better than a Mac Pro.

Well… my friend is possibly the odd type. I shit you not. You see, take everything you mentioned above, add another 20+ games, another steering wheel, 2 DDR dance pads for 360, another two guitars (before Rock Band he had bought Guitar Heros 2 and 3 which came with a wired and wireless one respectfully. That’s 3 guitars total with the Rock Band one), a 120 GB HD upgrade, the Wireless adapter, 1 MSN messenger keypad thingy for the controller, the HD-DVD addon which he unfortunately paid full price for before Christmas, and if you let me take a longshot and say add in the HDTV to enjoy the true XBox 360 experience in HD….

But like I said, he is quite possibly the outlier. There’s really no guarantee any of those accessories he’s purchased will work with the next XBox, whatever that may be. Consoles have typically been more closed and proprietary until more recently, and in some cases still are when it comes to connectors and memory cards, etc. Especially more so with the 360 than the Wii or PS3.

In the last year I’ve bought 2 PC games, Battlefield 2 DVD (includes 3 expansions) and Unreal Tournament 3 for Windows because a Mac port wasn’t announced by any publisher at the time. I will likely sell off UT3 to another friend, and use that towards the purchase of UT3 for the Mac when it ships, because I rather like not needing to boot into Windows XP and trying to support the Mac platform when and if possible. I typically do not buy as many games. Such was the case when I owned NES, SNES, Genesis, N64, PS1, Gamecube…. I’ve owned more consoles than computers, I just ended up selling the console at some point past its prime having purchased no more than 10 or so games for each. I guess it came down to usefulness over pure enjoyment. I knew at somepoint I would have to buy another computer, which I did in 2006 and it’s fine for a gaming box too but does more. I just shed the expense of buying a console for games alone. I just live without the exclusivity of some games on my current platform of gaming choice (PC), and don’t think I’m really missing too much. But hey, I take advantage of those missed titles experience when I can with friends who pore out their cash for their personal enjoyment on a console.