The Best Video Game Shopping Advice Ever

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I saw this over at Kotaku and I just had to share. This is literally the best video game advice I have ever seen...and probably the funniest.
 
For proof, there is also:

videogameflowchart.jpg
 
The topic creator replying "PC" to his own question on page 2 should tip you off that it's a joke.
 
Teitoku said:
The topic creator replying "PC" to his own question on page 2 should tip you off that it's a joke.
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Doesn't mean this isn't the best advice ever....:D

"Just cause it's the theme song from the Jeffersons don't mean it ain't true."
 
You see the last post on the thread?

'Mac....Wait, how did I end up here again?'
 
Love that advice... how much you want to be he doesn't listen to them...
 
Considering the OP said his interest was FPS multiplayer, he definitely got good advice.
 
I'm always torn on this. Yes, you can get better graphics on a computer, but you also have to spend a shitload more money. You buy a console and you know that it will be able to play just about every game that comes out for it, minor accessories might be required. but still in the long run you still come out cheaper. For a computer you start off with something that is good this year, but then will need to be upgraded a few times. Lets look at this, the Xbox 360 came out in 2005, PS3 and Wii in 2006. Since that time, 2 versions of windows came out, to play DX10 games you would have had to at least upgrade to 1 of those. Lets look at hardware. How many gamers still have the same computer for playing games that they had back in 2005 or even 2006? Hell how many still have the same one from 2009?

I see nothing wrong with using a console to play games in addition to your computer. they all have their place in my opinion.
 
Exavior, I really don't think that is the case anymore. I bought my Q6600 build in 2007 and it is still going strong today playing at 2560x1920 res. I don't get full IQ, which is why I'm looking at Sandy Bridge.

Admittedly, I went from an 8800 to a GTX280 (looking back, probably not completely necessary, but hey...)

For the extra money you get the better and more immersive experience the PC brings you. Play the latest COD on a map smaller than the original Quake MP maps, then play Bad Company 2. Tell me if that difference in experience (calling in a helicopter by holding a button, or jumping in a helicopter with 4 of your buddies and firing the minigun yourself) isn't worth the extra $$$.
 
Exavior said:
I'm always torn on this. Yes, you can get better graphics on a computer, but you also have to spend a shitload more money. You buy a console and you know that it will be able to play just about every game that comes out for it, minor accessories might be required. but still in the long run you still come out cheaper. For a computer you start off with something that is good this year, but then will need to be upgraded a few times. Lets look at this, the Xbox 360 came out in 2005, PS3 and Wii in 2006. Since that time, 2 versions of windows came out, to play DX10 games you would have had to at least upgrade to 1 of those. Lets look at hardware. How many gamers still have the same computer for playing games that they had back in 2005 or even 2006? Hell how many still have the same one from 2009?

I see nothing wrong with using a console to play games in addition to your computer. they all have their place in my opinion.
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Er... You do realize that consoles are also running outdated hardware by almost half a decade? Just because something newer and better has not come out does not mean that something should not have come out. That's like saying that a '95 Dodge Caravan that still runs has its place. :rolleyes:
 
TwistedAegis said:
For the extra money you get the better and more immersive experience the PC brings you. Play the latest COD on a map smaller than the original Quake MP maps, then play Bad Company 2. Tell me if that difference in experience (calling in a helicopter by holding a button, or jumping in a helicopter with 4 of your buddies and firing the minigun yourself) isn't worth the extra $$$.
Click to expand...

To some people it is worth it, to others it isn't. That falls to personal taste. However, the next generation of consoles are long overdue and the current ones will continue to hold back gaming. Until Microsoft and Sony decide to finally spend the cash doing development, or the general gaming population realizes their experience sucks (yeah, that'll happen :p) then we won't see anything new for a few more years yet. If people only want to spend $200-300 on their gaming system, that's their loss IMO, but they should at least be able to get $200-300 of good hardware, not crap.
 
Exavior said:
I'm always torn on this. Yes, you can get better graphics on a computer, but you also have to spend a shitload more money. You buy a console and you know that it will be able to play just about every game that comes out for it, minor accessories might be required. but still in the long run you still come out cheaper. For a computer you start off with something that is good this year, but then will need to be upgraded a few times. Lets look at this, the Xbox 360 came out in 2005, PS3 and Wii in 2006. Since that time, 2 versions of windows came out, to play DX10 games you would have had to at least upgrade to 1 of those. Lets look at hardware. How many gamers still have the same computer for playing games that they had back in 2005 or even 2006? Hell how many still have the same one from 2009?

I see nothing wrong with using a console to play games in addition to your computer. they all have their place in my opinion.
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I bought an xbox 360 when they came out. Had to buy a new TV as the graphics on my old TV were as shit as my PS2, so that was another 800 bucks. Then the XBOX 360 got a RROD 1 week outside the extended warranty, so I bought another one used. It worked for about 8 months before it got the E74 error, added the fees that came with GOLD membership and it did not work out cheaper than a PC.
 
Exavior said:
I'm always torn on this. Yes, you can get better graphics on a computer, but you also have to spend a shitload more money. You buy a console and you know that it will be able to play just about every game that comes out for it, minor accessories might be required. but still in the long run you still come out cheaper. For a computer you start off with something that is good this year, but then will need to be upgraded a few times. Lets look at this, the Xbox 360 came out in 2005, PS3 and Wii in 2006. Since that time, 2 versions of windows came out, to play DX10 games you would have had to at least upgrade to 1 of those. Lets look at hardware. How many gamers still have the same computer for playing games that they had back in 2005 or even 2006? Hell how many still have the same one from 2009?

I see nothing wrong with using a console to play games in addition to your computer. they all have their place in my opinion.
Click to expand...

To get graphics comparable to 360 or ps3 does NOT cost a shitload these days. i bet you could build a xbox360 killer for less than $400. i'm a few months outta date with the hardware since changing jobs but yeah i bet well under 400 would give you 360 level graphics.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
Exavior said:
I'm always torn on this. Yes, you can get better graphics on a computer, but you also have to spend a shitload more money. You buy a console and you know that it will be able to play just about every game that comes out for it, minor accessories might be required. but still in the long run you still come out cheaper. For a computer you start off with something that is good this year, but then will need to be upgraded a few times. Lets look at this, the Xbox 360 came out in 2005, PS3 and Wii in 2006. Since that time, 2 versions of windows came out, to play DX10 games you would have had to at least upgrade to 1 of those. Lets look at hardware. How many gamers still have the same computer for playing games that they had back in 2005 or even 2006? Hell how many still have the same one from 2009?

I see nothing wrong with using a console to play games in addition to your computer. they all have their place in my opinion.
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Nothing "wrong" with consoles. I still prefer the PS1 version of Doom and Final Doom due to their sound FX and superb musical soundtrack and its easier to have some buddies over, have a few beers and play some Madden on a console.

But its not that expensive to build a gaming PC. You can build a decent rig capable of playing any game at 1680x1050 for $500-600. Yes thats more expensive than a console but when you consider pretty much everybody buys a PC anyway and a basic PC will run $450'ish, all youre really springing for is a GPU. The 4850 is around $90 right now and will run ANY game at max or near max settings at 1680x1050. Throw in to the mix the fact that Steam routinely has just stupid deals on games and Id argue that its CHEAPER to game on a PC than a console.
 
Exavior said:
Yes, you can get better graphics on a computer, but you also have to spend a shitload more money.
Click to expand...

Currently a $60 graphics card produces superior graphics than a console. So if you have a relatively modern PC, or plan to get one, PC gaming is cheaper.

You don't have to spend a lot.
 
gaspah said:
To get graphics comparable to 360 or ps3 does NOT cost a shitload these days. i bet you could build a xbox360 killer for less than $400. i'm a few months outta date with the hardware since changing jobs but yeah i bet well under 400 would give you 360 level graphics.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
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You misunderstood my comment there. Not to keep up with the xbox360/PS3, but to keep up with top of the line PC video games and always be able to play every new game at the highest quality settings. The complaint is that console games look like crap and that you can get much better quality in pc games, at the same time a lot of hardcore gamers on pc always want the latest hardware to be able to play games with all graphical settings maxed out. In order to do that, that is what cost a shitload. Spending $1000+ every year to two to keep your computer with the current top of the line video card, cpu and memory. And to at least upgrade past XP. Did you spend more than $500 on your computer hardware since Nov 2005? if so then you spent more to play games on your computer than the people that bought a xbox 360 spent to play games.

I was just trying to point out you bought that xbox 360 / PS3 or whatever when it came out, you spent $X and you know that every game that comes out for that system will play perfectly fine on your console, you might need to buy something like the move controller, kinect or something like that for some games. but regardless the game will play on your console without you needing to check to see if you have enough memory, or a good enough video card... You built a computer back in 2005, you go out today to buy a game and you need to check the system requirements to see if it even meets the min requirments. Even if it does, you won't be ble to get the best possible quality out of the game. So you will probably need to go out and upgrade your video card, and upgrade from XP to be able to use DX10 at least...

I fully agree with you about being able to build a computer for $400 to play games with the same graphics results as a console like that.
 
I spend less. On average, I pay about $24.99 per game I buy. Your typical console gamer spends $50-60 per title. After a dozen games, I've "saved" enough to pay for the hardware to play them. We won't talk about costs of an HDTV.
 
Exavior said:
You misunderstood my comment there. Not to keep up with the xbox360/PS3, but to keep up with top of the line PC video games and always be able to play every new game at the highest quality settings. The complaint is that console games look like crap and that you can get much better quality in pc games, at the same time a lot of hardcore gamers on pc always want the latest hardware to be able to play games with all graphical settings maxed out. In order to do that, that is what cost a shitload. Spending $1000+ every year to two to keep your computer with the current top of the line video card, cpu and memory. And to at least upgrade past XP. Did you spend more than $500 on your computer hardware since Nov 2005? if so then you spent more to play games on your computer than the people that bought a xbox 360 spent to play games.

I was just trying to point out you bought that xbox 360 / PS3 or whatever when it came out, you spent $X and you know that every game that comes out for that system will play perfectly fine on your console, you might need to buy something like the move controller, kinect or something like that for some games. but regardless the game will play on your console without you needing to check to see if you have enough memory, or a good enough video card... You built a computer back in 2005, you go out today to buy a game and you need to check the system requirements to see if it even meets the min requirments. Even if it does, you won't be ble to get the best possible quality out of the game. So you will probably need to go out and upgrade your video card, and upgrade from XP to be able to use DX10 at least...

I fully agree with you about being able to build a computer for $400 to play games with the same graphics results as a console like that.
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You don't really need top of the line hardware to play new games either. I was using a pair of EVGA 320mb 8800GTs's until a couple months ago. I could still be using them, but I wanted to drop down to a single card to save on power and keep temperatures down. I have a friend that is still using a single EVGA 320mb 8800gts, and he hasn't found a game that he can't play. You also have to remember that a PC can be used for a lot more than just playing games. Most people have a PC anyway, throw a $150 graphics card in it and you are good to go.
 
What it comes down to for this guy is the variety of FPS games on each platform and whether he likes the gamepad or mouse/keyboard control scheme better.

Obviously, the PC has the best variety of FPS games and if you are more comfortable with a mouse/keyboard, then going with the PC is a no brainer.
 
I think for someone looking to just play games, nothing else, then a console is a better option. Any fool can put a disk in a console and press the on button. Playing online is just as easy.
I don't think it is about the price. Nowadays you can get a half decent PC without needing to break into Fort Knox but unfortunately PCs are still not user friendly enough for Joe Blogs to buy one instead of a console.
I think a device like the Amiga A500 would be great. A closed platform that could go all the computer type stuff (web browsing, creating document, burning CDs etc) with strong easy to use gaming would be great. Apple certainly missed an opportunity with their Mac computers.
A mac or macbook priced around £400 without screen, with the same library of games as PC&Console would do really well. The iPhone and iPad are moving things in the right direction and maybe in the future Apple might decide it is time to make a proper push into the gaming market.
 
I also agree that consoles have their place. I bought a ps3 just over a year ago. Then a month later, upgraded my PC. I've bought 3 games for it: Heavenly Sword, Uncharted 2, and Bayonetta. Then I discovered Netflix. There went the gaming :) I've also bought a few blu-rays (Inglorious Basterds was the first.) Still haven't finished Uncharted or Bayonetta, still mostly game on the PC.
 
Gym Rat said:
The 4850 is around $90 right now and will run ANY game at max or near max settings at 1680x1050.
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No it won't. My GTX260 is quite a bit faster than a 4850 and it still struggles with "high-ish" settings in some games (Mafia 2, Crysis, Metro 2033, STALKER, etc.) at 1680x1050. Of course, low settings on a PC are still going to look better than a console anyway. ;)
 
Sports, racing and many RPG's ( not MMORPG's ) I believe are best on a console. FPS, RTS and MMORPG are best on a PC. Thats my opinion.

Price aside I'll say the same thing I always do in console vs PC gaming.

#1. Expandability.
--- Once you have a good PC platform, each new gaming generation is $200 - $300 away for a CPU and GPU upgrade to stomp a console. If you started with a good CPU like those lucky early adopters of the E6600 and especially Q6600, your upgrade is only $150 - $200 for a better gpu.

#2. Modability.
--- PC has long owned the console front in the ability to mod games and create and freely distribute new content. Sure there are downloadable maps and weapons n stuff for the X360 and PS3 but sometimes you have to pay for it when you can get the exact same thing on PC for free and my favourite example are the maps. literally hundreds of user made maps available for CoD4 and you only get a few on console.
 
I don't get why one group of gamers wants the others to die out... why not just have consoles AND PC? The only crap part about that, is most of the game devs think PC gaming is dead (far from it, if you actually spent one hour on the net you'd know there are millions of PC gamers on 24/7 ... check the steam stats and that's not even all of them!)

There needs to be more PC game developers... Its a huge, money making market, yet it seems EA and friends in the game industry want to move onto consoles for some lameass reason.

MANY, MANY types of games blow ass on console.... FPS for sure is better on PC without a doubt. As well as RTS type games. Those 2 generes alone have millions of gamers on the PC, so I don't see the how these morons and fat cats are saying PC gaming is dead.. its obviously FAR from dead.

And PC games, yes, always look better since hardware constantly changes. Consoles look good for one year and then we are forced to have shit outdated graphics for the next 2-5 years before the next generation console comes out. :rolleyes:
 
All we need is a GOOD BROWSER (ps3 blows, wii really blows, xbox doesn't have one?) on the console and a top-o-the-line GPU and we will get a killer console. Throw in hardware upgrades every 3 years and the console will never die out. A moddable, upgradable part console with a legit, full HTML browser... that's all we want Microsoft and Sony, get with the fucking times you R&D people.
 
Remember most console games run at 720p (1280x720). Even a fairly basic PC can run a game with max settings at the resolution with a decent framerate.
Very few console games run at 1080p. In fact some console games run at sub 720p (Halo and COD spring to mind) and rely on the TV to upscale.
I think it was be very easy to build a PC that game run any game at 720p at a decent framerate and just output the game to your HD TV.
Its not the cost or the power that puts people of PC gaming. Its the PC itself and all the complexities that come with it. Unless you are fairly computer literate or have a nerdy computer friend to help you, your PC will start getting slower and more problematic over time, causing games to not work as well or not at all.
You never have the issue with consoles.
Until Microsoft/Apple/Google can come up with a bullet proof, secure but usable OS, consoles will continue gaming choice for the masses.
Personally I have always had a "computer" and a games console. That way I can have the best of both worlds :)
PC gaming great is you have tons of free time. I remember spending all day at weekends just playing Dungeon Keeper 2 or Commander and Conquer etc.
But now I am older and have 3 young kids, a wife and a full time job, my free time is much more limited. Console games are great for a quick hour or two of fun.
I personally couldn't spend hours playing an online game like WOW because my wife would leave me :)
 
Dylan80 said:
All we need is a GOOD BROWSER (ps3 blows, wii really blows, xbox doesn't have one?) on the console and a top-o-the-line GPU and we will get a killer console. Throw in hardware upgrades every 3 years and the console will never die out. A moddable, upgradable part console with a legit, full HTML browser... that's all we want Microsoft and Sony, get with the fucking times you R&D people.
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Yeah that would be a killer product. Not sure an upgradeable console would work. History has shown that console upgrades don't do well (Megadrive CD spring to mind)
Just make it powerful enough in the first place so that you wouldn't need to upgrade too often.
360 is 5yrs old now and still going strong and holding its own against the supposedly more powerful PS3 (don't mean to start a flaming war)
Only the Wii is showing its age as it really just a upgraded Gamecube. But it is the biggest selling console on this generation so it proves you don't need to have a superpowerful console to sell. You just need to have the special "something" that appeals to the general public.
 
compudocs said:
Sports, racing and many RPG's ( not MMORPG's ) I believe are best on a console. FPS, RTS and MMORPG are best on a PC. Thats my opinion.

Price aside I'll say the same thing I always do in console vs PC gaming.

#1. Expandability.
--- Once you have a good PC platform, each new gaming generation is $200 - $300 away for a CPU and GPU upgrade to stomp a console. If you started with a good CPU like those lucky early adopters of the E6600 and especially Q6600, your upgrade is only $150 - $200 for a better gpu.

#2. Modability.
--- PC has long owned the console front in the ability to mod games and create and freely distribute new content. Sure there are downloadable maps and weapons n stuff for the X360 and PS3 but sometimes you have to pay for it when you can get the exact same thing on PC for free and my favourite example are the maps. literally hundreds of user made maps available for CoD4 and you only get a few on console.
Click to expand...

your wrong consoles sucks for all games, PCs rule wait.. crap wrong arguement. ;)

agree each have their place, and yes games are easier to modify for the pc. I myself have a wii, xbox360 and PC for gaming and use all of them and do like the freedom i have on some pc games that is lost on the console versions. One flaw with your and other's people thought, and maybe mine for not clearifying myself better in my comment. Is that us and the average joe is different. WE can upgrade a video card or toss in some more memory and be fine in some cases. WE might have a decent pc before to start with and not have to worry much. But the average joe wouldn't fit that category. They would have to go out and buy a new PC, they would need to buy a higher end pc than the $300 walmart black friday special one that most of them probably have. So for them it will be $600 every few years to keep up with decent hardware to play games at ok settings. I know that i myself have spent about $2500+ on hardware and OSs since mid 2005. My xbox only cost me $350. My sig is behind and that is actually my older hardware that i purchased back in 05 with a few upgrades having been done. since then i upgraded to a AMD 9950 quad core, 4 GB ram, but still have the 8800 GTS. Need to ugprade that as while i am able to play the games i own ok, i can't play them all on high settings, but i'm waiting for elder scrolls V to come out and then will ugprade then.

Saying shitload of money might have been an exageration, but still it will cost more for the average joe to upgrade their computer over and over again during a lifetime of a console, and even for some of us if you want to keep up with the best graphics all the time, to be able to play any and all games that come out than it would for them to buy a console then keep that for the 6 - 8+ years life span that it would have.
 
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