The Console Gaming Epidemic - Games

eddiiiit: Holy shit, you people really need to read the op before posting. This is not some PC elitism post. I explain how consoles also affect PCs. Oh boy, wall of text. Please don't click away. I spent some time writing this, and I believe it should be read by some non-PC gamers. Video game consoles. They’ve been around for so long now, but have only really fully taken over the gaming market around the mid-6th generation of consoles. While many see them as an easy and inexpensive way to enjoy video games, the silent minority of computer gamers must sit back and watch as the progression of video game technology is slowed to a halt, dragged down by these machines. Console fanboyism is childish and futile, as each side just whines and boasts about how much better their console is than someone else’s. PC gamers have every reason to be enraged, and this is something many do not see. There is absolutely no reason why any moderate to hardcore gamer should ever be playing on a console over a PC. Below I will talk about why console gaming is drastically slowing down the advancement of gaming, why a console’s advantages over a PC are slim to none, and how PC gaming may be able to redeem itself as a major competitor in the video game market in the future. As technology progresses more rapidly every year, console video games tie the entire industry down into a hole that can only slowly climbed out of…until the next generation arrives, while other technology such as phones and mp3 players continue to flourish in advancements with each new design. The technology is locked by a non-upgradeable or adjustable console, and it is stuck crawling at a snail’s pace until several years when the next generation of consoles releases, repeating the same process again. Because of this, developers look only to create games with aging technology, while PC games have much fewer investors, meaning much fewer developers who risk developing a PC exclusive game, an example of such being Crysis, a 2007 game with graphics that still blow away any current generation PlayStation 3 exclusive. These advancements aren’t limited to graphics alone, improved AI, better physics and such are also being locked down, having way too many calculations for any console to handle. Companies like Nvidia have been releasing 3D PC drivers for a good amount of time now. As usual, there are no developers who wish to spend the time and effort making a game for those 3D graphics until now, when consoles are finally taking that leap into 3D gaming. To make matters even worse, due to the less than pleasant economy, the current generation of consoles don’t plan to go anywhere any time soon, meaning even more time stuck in a technology gap; awesome! PCs are upgradeable and adjustable. Even if a PC becomes outdated, the graphics can simply be turned down. Because Pcs aren’t locked to generations of aging hardware, developers have no restrictions to worry about when developing a game. That doesn’t bother you much, you say? How about the constant video game mechanics made to cater to console gamers, with their limited game controllers that make games less and less enjoyable for hardcore PC gamers. Console games have brought upon us horrible mechanics such as the button bound melee, making melee fights in video games unenjoyable and sluggish, as two people rub up against each other clicking in their controller sticks until one guy’s melee finally connects, instant killing the enemy. Or how about the “You can only carry two weapons.” mechanic. No longer can a player carry a wide selection of guns. No, no. Consoles apparently don’t have a set of number keys, so pausing the game to bring up a radial menu, especially in multiplayer just doesn’t work that well. There is a good reason why Valve games aren’t fun on consoles. Valve does not try to cater to their crowd. Valve games do not have button bound melee. Valve games don’t restrict you to two weapons. There is a reason why Valve only first hit mainstream console success with Left 4 Dead (and Portal, moderately.) The game features both button bound melee and the two weapons mechanic, with Portal requiring neither. We PC players are dismissed as pretentious snobs. Why? Is there not good reason for our snarky remarks? Why should we sit back while console gamers ruin it for us? Why can’t they all just make the switch to PC? Well, let’s tally up the advantages for both PC and console. PC: - Precise and smooth controls with a wide selection of buttons that do not restrict gameplay. - Highly moddable games with a dedicated and passionate community. - Beautiful graphics - Adjustable settings - (Mostly) Mature and respectable online community - Free Online Play - Developers can easily release patches for games - Downloadable game services - Game mods & inde games (not to be confused with point 2.) - More that I cannot think of at the moment. - More immersive with your face closer into the screen Console: - Easy setup. - Always guaranteed your system will run it. - Large TV to play on. - Able to relax in a couch or bed while playing - Controller is better for game types such as platformers. - Console multiplayer - Cheap Now, these console advantages seem nice and all, but it is a shame that PCs can do almost all of these. - Easy Setup. Let’s face it, people are incredibly lazy. They whine and whine about how hard it is to build or buy a gaming PC. When really, it is incredibly easy, all it requires is the tiniest morsel of effort. Considering the massive benefits of PC gaming, it is highly worth it. - Always guaranteed your system will run it. PC graphics can be adjusted to increase performance, and unless you’re using your Dad’s 1998 compaq, I don’t see why you won’t be able to find a suitable graphics setting to play at. - Large TV to play on + Able to relax in a couch or bed while playing Hey, take that wired 360 controller you got there. You see that usb at the end of it? Yeah, that can be plugged into a computer. A computer can also be plugged into a TV with the purchase of a few inexpensive wires. Also, if you really want to use a wireless controller, you can buy some special usb device that connects to the xbox controller after you plug it in. - Controller is better for game types such as platformers. See above. - Console multiplayer Let’s face it, how many times do you ever really play together on one console with friends? With online multiplayer and all social community services, you are always connected to your friends through the internet. Even console developers have started to realize this, and have stopped really supporting this. I’m sure this will break the heart of the 1.6% MW2 players who love playing on a little tiny corner of a screen with four other people alone in a team deathmatch game. - Cheap This one is my favorite. “Oh no! Gaming Pcs cost like 1000s of dollars oh no!” No, they don’t. That is why building a PC is so nice. You can buy parts for cheap and easily assemble a computer for a drastically reduced price than most retailers carry them for. My PC which cost me $600 and is nearing two years old still runs every new game out with either max to moderately high graphics. You also must remember that you are not just buying a video game playing machine here, you’re buying a computer. The same people who scream about PCs being overpriced go out and buy some awful mac for 1000s of dollars that can run absolutely nothing and aren’t even upgradeable. I believe there is still hope for us as a gaming community to rise to the center of attention once more. “But wait!” you say. “Piracy is like totally destroying PC gaming!” That’s cool man. Just like how video tapes were going to destroy the movie industry, or how song piracy was going to destroy the music industry. Not to mention, console piracy is growing and become much easier, and so console piracy will become just as rampant as PC piracy. PC companies do not need to shove out ridiculous RDM to earn the sales of gamers. They need to develop a respect and a trusting bond with their customers, the kind of mentality a company like Valve or Bethesda supports; Both companies highly encourage the modding community with tools like Valve’s Source SDK and Bethesda’s programs like G.E.C.K. Valve does not believe in shitting out a new multiplayer game every six months, having their customers hop back and forth like they have the attention span of a two year old. Counter Strike 1.6, a game over 10 years old is still one of the most played games on Steam. Also, CS:S has finally taken back the #1 spot from MW2, which loses more players every day, and will continue with these trends as long as Activision offers players recycled maps for almost the same price as Team Fortress 2. Not to mention, Valve gets ton of free advertising from all the loving fans making things like Garry’s Mod comics, fan art and such. A loving community always repays a loving developer back. PC developers like Valve really need to step up their marketing, maybe somehow to entice some console gamers to try out PC. They could try making commercials offering a free, older Valve game (something like CS or HL2: Deathmatch) with the download of steam for a limited time. A console gamer who finds the large amount of modding ability along with the great PC controls may then buy more PC games, or invest in a better computer, greatly expanding the PC audience. I’m no businessmen, but I think a trusted company like Valve could really pull over some gamers, increasing our voice in the industry. Thank you for taking the time to read this. PC gamers can be easily misunderstood and more people need to realize why we are so frustrated with the direction gaming is going in. [QUOTE=FlakAttack;22696069]Before consoles took the larger end of the market, there was a lot of innovation in games. Now, with AAA games requiring multi-million dollar budgets, the companies investing in them prefer to invest in a "sure thing". Essentially, they only invest in what they know works. Innovation has taken a back seat to profit, and now, we are here: every game is a Gears/MW/Halo copycat, every game has the same brown/grey look, every game tries so hard to be edgy and cool but are simply boring, uninspired titles that are REALLY feeling old.... then the only indie games that seem to make it are the overly pretentious pieces of shit like Braid. Honestly, I have more fun with my Atari 2600 than I do with most current-gen console games. Now that's fucking sad. Why? It's all same-fag shit. It's all been done before a hundred times. When the hell am I gonna get something new? Oh, I just have to look at PC. Holy shit, Total War? Wurm Online? Battlefield 1942? Mount & Blade? Freelancer? Homeworld? Arma 2? Supreme Commander? Let alone fucking awesome classics, like Doom, Quake, Thief... meanwhile, consoles are largely not backwards compatible, meaning those PS1 classics you loved (like Final Fantasy Tactics, perhaps?) OH LOL YOUR PS1 BROKE? TOO BAD. Fuck that. I'm going to mod my games (Natural Selection, Desert Storm, and a hundred others come to mind), I'm going to play old AND new games, and I'm going to do it with whatever controller I want. PC gaming means freedom from bullshit online modes (that they can turn off later, like the original X-box), proprietary tech, over-priced peripherals, hard copies... you can back up all your data without voiding warranties, you can use whatever network and voice software you want (Hamachi, X-Fire, Steam, Teamspeak, Ventrilo, etc).... it's all about options. I have 2 terabytes of storage on my PC (not including any external drives), and it didn't cost me $200 per 120gb like an X360. It cost me $69 per TB. Can you do that on your console? What do I regret most? Buying a PS3/X360. Fuckers are collecting dust. They suck dick.[/QUOTE]

i didn't all that but I am just going to say consoles are for stupid people who don't now how to use a computer and crap and think they are pro. I still think they are good just most people who play console don't now how to play on the computer well. [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Didn't read OP, trolling" - Dragon))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=nikola631;22695583]i didn't all that but I am just going to say consoles are for stupid people who don't now how to use a computer and crap and think they are pro. I still think they are good just most people who play console don't now how to play on the computer well.[/QUOTE] I own both a computer and console, and the reason I own a console is because I want to play the games that are only for the console. You are a fucktard.

[QUOTE=Dylan Clayton;22695625]I own both a computer and console, and the reason I own a console is because I want to play the games that are only for the console. You are a fucktard.[/QUOTE] I too own both a computer and console. The only reason I still have it is because of my friends.

[QUOTE=Dylan Clayton;22695625]I own both a computer and console, and the reason I own a console is because I want to play the games that are only for the console. You are a fucktard.[/QUOTE] I own a console for the same reason. That does not make it any more enjoyable. Exclusive games are a plague.

Reading this brought back memories of how many hours I've poured into community-made Half Life content (i.e. mods, maps, etc). Wonderfully written.

Going to have to agree heartily.

Your dumb. [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Your dumb" - Dragon))[/highlight]

PC's are the best gaming platform. Some people just prefer consoles because they are lazy and want something easily accesible, with no setting up or options to worry about.

I like consoles because I move around the house a lot, and I travel all the time during the summer, so I don't have to lug around a big, clunky computer and set that up everywhere I go. My opinion is you care too much, if people want to play on their consoles let them. No idea what you're talking about with the whole "YOU CAN ONLY CARRY TWO WEAPONS" idea, games like GTA IV, RDR, Saints row 1 and 2, hell even the orange box on 360 work just fine with that, i've never heard and complaints about it except from you. I don't see why a casual-moderate gamer should switch over from their easy to use console to a PC where they'll be clueless on how to build, is more expensive(It is, deal with it) and they're just generally unfamiliar with.

[QUOTE=HyperTails;22695720]Your dumb.[/QUOTE] *you're

Stop making these threads people, you aren't going to convince anyone. Why do you care what other people do if it doesn't affect you?

[QUOTE=HyperTails;22695720]Your dumb.[/QUOTE] You're making a stupid joke, correct?

[QUOTE=OutOfExile;22695763]Stop making these threads people, you aren't going to convince anyone. Why do you care what other people do if it doesn't affect you?[/QUOTE]

i don't even have to read this and i know it's some "pc gaming master race" guy whining about how consoles are destroying gaming.

[QUOTE=Ownederd;22695691]Reading this brought back memories of how many hours I've poured into community-made Half Life content (i.e. mods, maps, etc). Wonderfully written.[/QUOTE] Thank you man. People like you are why I love the PC community. You breathe life into old games and keep their community flourishing for years and years. [QUOTE=OutOfExile;22695763]Stop making these threads people, you aren't going to convince anyone. Why do you care what other people do if it doesn't affect you?[/QUOTE] Hey, thanks for not reading the thread. [QUOTE=Owner3;22695811]i don't even have to read this and i know it's some "pc gaming master race" guy whining about how consoles are destroying gaming.[/QUOTE] Try actually reading, thanks.

My computer is outdated by at least 3-4 years. That's why I play console games.

[QUOTE=_Junkie_;22695812] Hey, thanks for not reading the thread. Try actually reading, thanks.[/QUOTE] I read it. They make exclusive console games for a reason.

[QUOTE=HyperTails;22695720]Your dumb.[/QUOTE] What about his dumb?

But do we want the people from Xbox live ruining it for us?

[QUOTE=Super_Poo;22695821]My computer is outdated by at least 3-4 years. That's why I play console games.[/QUOTE] A simple graphics card or processor update isn't too pricey. Obviously, if you're shooting for top of the line, you'll need some deep pockets. You don't need max graphics. [QUOTE=HyperTails;22695838]I read it. They make exclusive console games for a reason.[/QUOTE] The post you quoted has nothing to do with "exclusive games" In my post, a dedicate a large portion explaining how exactly console games DO affect us greatly.

[QUOTE=_Junkie_;22695812]Thank you man. People like you are why I love the PC community. You breathe life into old games and keep their community flourishing for years and years. Hey, thanks for not reading the thread. Try actually reading, thanks.[/QUOTE] The entire point of your thread was you trying to convince people that consoles were holding us back and should be, essentially, shunned. He said that you weren't going to convince anyone; I'd say he read the thread pretty thoroughly.

[QUOTE=Xionasis;22695866]The entire point of your thread was you trying to convince people that consoles were holding us back and should be, essentially, shunned. He said that you weren't going to convince anyone; I'd say he read the thread pretty thoroughly.[/QUOTE] The part of his post I was targeting was "affecting me" and due to a large portion of the post being dedicated to that fact I'd say he didn't read the post.

Some people think bigger screens is better, ie TV > monitor. I disagree, having my face a foot away from a monitor gets me totally immersed in what I'm seeing, way more than the biggest TV possibly could.

[QUOTE=HyperTails;22695838]I read it. They make exclusive console games for a reason.[/QUOTE] Yeah, they're too lazy to port them and are having nightmares about piracy or something. One thing I really hate is that all games that are playable on PC and consoles are always showcased on consoles, even if its ugly/the controls suck/ there are rediculous "PRESS X TO RELOAD LOLOLL" on the screen. Its just fucking lame edit: Good example would be Medal of Honor. On the beta gameplay at E3 the guy couldnt aim for shit and there were annoying pop-ups. And then there's stupid shit like how Crysis 2 was shown on a console.. I mean REALLY? It didnt even look good

[QUOTE=nikola631;22695583]i didn't all that but I am just going to say consoles are for stupid people who don't now how to use a computer and crap and think they are pro. I still think they are good just most people who play console don't now how to play on the computer well.[/QUOTE] I own both a pc and console. i play a console more than a pc, just because i prefer it to pc. Does that make me the scourge of the earth like most of you pc elitists? most people DO own a gaming rig and a video game console, and some of them DO prefer to play the console. and OP, i can understand your arguments. but console gaming IS NOT impeding technological progress when it comes to pc gaming. they are helping it. think about it. also i didnt read it all, i am sure i read it all before. p.s. i aree with OUTOFEXILE [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Didn't bother to read OP before posting" - Dragon))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=Dirty_Ape;22695945]Some people think bigger screens is better, ie TV > monitor. I disagree, having my face a foot away from a monitor gets me totally immersed in what I'm seeing, way more than the biggest TV possibly could.[/QUOTE] I believe an IMAX style screen for gaming would be amazing. Like in that shitty movie "Gamer".

[QUOTE=antme;22695959]I own both a pc and console. i play a console more than a pc, just because i prefer it to pc. Does that make me the scourge of the earth like most of you pc elitists? most people DO own a gaming rig and a video game console, and some of them DO prefer to play the console. and OP, i can understand your arguments. but console gaming IS NOT impeding technological progress when it comes to pc gaming. they are helping it. think about it. also i didnt read it all, i am sure i read it all before.[/QUOTE] I miss the smartness system. :sigh:

I was actually pondering getting a PS3 for its exclusive games(Killzone, Uncharted, even RDR because its console exclusive), free online, etc but from previously owning a gimp-machine(XBOX 360) theres no way im going to get another console unless I have all the sexy computer upgrades/games for PC I want.

[QUOTE=antme;22695959]I own both a pc and console. i play a console more than a pc, just because i prefer it to pc. Does that make me the scourge of the earth like most of you pc elitists? most people DO own a gaming rig and a video game console, and some of them DO prefer to play the console. and OP, i can understand your arguments. but console gaming IS NOT impeding technological progress when it comes to pc gaming. they are helping it. think about it. also i didnt read it all, i am sure i read it all before.[/QUOTE] What I'd like to ask is what exactly do you prefer about console gaming that CANNOT be done by PC gaming? Also, please provide evidence on how console gaming isn't impending technological progress by forcing developers to constrain their games within the limits of constantly aging hardware.