your pro's and con's of pc/console gaming?

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jc6699

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based on your pro's and cons of both platforms who do you think has the advantage and where do they go from here?
 
PC pros: Better graphics, more intense/complicated games, more control options, FREE MODS!!! free online

cons: dont know if game will run smooth, patches, driver installs, crashes

Console: pros: just put game in tray and go, no tweaking, XBL is awesome, psn is getting better

Cons: not upgradable, pay for extra content (sometimes) doesn't do well on some game types (rts, hardcore sim etc)
 
I was a PC gamer for over 20 years and just went console last year. I was tired of dealing with making games work on my PC for the most part. I was tired of doing constant, expensive upgrades just to play the latest games.

I was tired of games not scaling right to dual display (game would be on one screen, but mouse would go off to second screen and screw game up, or forcing a resolution change that affected all my other open windows).

I was mostly tired of games crashing and the bugs. I've run across bugs in console games, but never any that flat out crashed the console or screwed things up. Too many PC games just had issues that drove me nuts, from random rebooting and lock ups to crashes back to the desktop.

I was tired of sitting in my office hair hunched over a keyboard, trying to find buttons in the dark (I use 4-5 different style keyboards a day, so I can't get too accustomed to mine).

I went to console games because it simply made the game easier and more simplified. Graphic differences don't bother me (I've been a gamer since Infocom and Hercules/CGA days, I care more about gameplay and story). I like being able to lay down and relax on my couch with a simple controller that I can always find the correct button on. I like being in an open environment where friends and family can watch me play or help. My office is down stairs for cooling and privacy (I author books, need small and quiet office) so I can't really share my experience with others (and I don't play online).

I love playing games with my son, who can work the basics on a computer, but doesn't know how to read, yet. But, he knows "blue button" and "yellow button" and can play all the way through Kung Fu Panda and other kid games.

I like games on my big screen, where I can even do side-by-side picture-in-picture to have a game and strategy guide next to each other, which I still fight with on my computer dual display.
AssassinsCreedMap4.jpg
 
Very top level.

PC

Pros
Graphics
Free Content
Free Online play
Game pricing

Cons
Cost
Driver issues
Troubleshooting crashes
Usually confinded to a workstation/desk
Variety of games

Consoles

Pros
True Plug N Play gaming
No troubleshooting
Cost
Games optimized to run on hardware, ensuring peak perfomance for all users
Comfort gaming (couch)
Party gaming
Online gaming
Variety of games

Cons
Hardware limitations
Limited control peripherals
Game pricing
 
I cant stand console controllers. to many years using mouse and keyboard I guess. I just *cant* play them. too many console-only titles FTL as well :(
 
I have a gaming PC, 360, Wii and PS3. This generation is getting closer to selling closed hardware PCs disguised as game consoles which is both good and bad. You can already see PC pulling away from consoles graphically and by the time everyone can play Crysis on a lower end PC the cycle will start all over again.

PROS -

PC: Far more options to customize your experience. Don't like the Oblivion gates in Oblivion? Get the mod that disables all but those you need. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. running kind of slow? Check out the float32 mod that improves the rendering path. PC titles usually push the boundaries of what you can do in games. Free content.

Console: Put it in the disc and go. I play it on a larger TV with better surround sound than my office. A lot of my friends only have consoles so I can play them online now that they are out of PC gaming.

Cons -

PC: Upgrade cycles, incompatible games, inconsistent interfaces, buggy patches, DRM

Consoles: Nickle and Diming consumers. Not allowing content on PC to be used on consoles, Paying for p2p online gaming. Stealing PC exclusives.
 
Pro's

Console to play JRPG's alone for hours becuase I'm a loser

PC to play games online so I can pretend I have friends


Con's

Console doesn't give me the illusion of friends

PC only gives me an illusion of friends
 
Console

Pros:

The GO TO platform for good fighters, japanese RPGs, Racing, and other gamepad centric games like Beat-em-ups.

Cost effective compared to a mid to high end gaming PC

Low maintenance(when's the last time you had to ban your idiot cousin from using your console because he loaded it down with adware laden programs and Myspace/facebook apps?)

Can provoke social interaction(remember when you used to invite all your friends and whoever they wanted to bring over for bigass halo/Street Fighter/Marvel vs. Capcom/POWERSTONE!!!!!! matches? yeeeeeeaaaah)

PC

The GO TO platform for RTS, FPS, Western RPG, MMOs, Sims, and has a myriad of availiable controllers and the like.

PCs can be used for much more than gaming and viewing media. They can also be used to CREATE it.

Mods. 'Nuff Said.

Free Online.

Can build it yourself and make it your own personal PC. Limitless customization.

Can almost always look better equivalent console titles on a capable PC.

Much much higher development of online gameplay. While console gamers are slogging around at max 16 player matches PC players are pulling max 32 or even 64.

Thats all I got...
 
I haven't had a desktop computer in around 3 years. My laptop can't do much in regards to gaming, so I bought a 360.

I REALLY enjoy being able to game in the same room as my fiancee (she's usually on the couch reading, knitting, or working on her business). She will also join in with me on some games, from time to time. If I have my PC, it will have to be in my office which right now is a room full of boxes near the back of the house. Meaning I'm 'secluded' while I game, which I don't enjoy, nor does my fiancee.
 
Consoles are better for getting to the game much quickly (though my PS3 has seen it's fair share of installs lately), and you don't have to go through the hassle of drivers, formatting, or any hardware-related problems (unless you have a 360, lol, see sig). Also most developers nowdays design games to be multi-platform which means they're shooting for the lowest common denominator (i.e. 360/PS3) which really limits how much better the game can look on the PC.

PC offers better graphics (though COD4 looks plenty impressive on my PS3 even if it's just 720p), more obscure titles, a better user interface (i.e. keyboard&mouse).

I've been a PC&console gamer since the early-mid 90's but I mostly stuck to consoles until Quake came out (been about 50/50 since).

Riftsaw said:
Much much higher development of online gameplay. While console gamers are slogging around at max 16 player matches PC players are pulling max 32 or even 64.
Click to expand...

Nowdays consoles games do up to 40-60 players in match (i.e. Halo 3, Resistance, Warhawk, etc). Even the ones that do less (like COD4 which is only around 20) the maps were designed to be for that amount of people so it never feels empty.

stevedave said:
Pro's

Console to play JRPG's alone for hours becuase I'm a loser

PC to play games online so I can pretend I have friends


Con's

Console doesn't give me the illusion of friends

PC only gives me an illusion of friends
Click to expand...

ROFLMAO
 
theNoid said:
Very top level.

PC

Pros
Graphics
Free Content
Free Online play
Game pricing

Cons
Cost
Driver issues
Troubleshooting crashes
Usually confinded to a workstation/desk
Variety of games

Consoles

Pros
True Plug N Play gaming
No troubleshooting
Cost
Games optimized to run on hardware, ensuring peak perfomance for all users
Comfort gaming (couch)
Party gaming
Online gaming
Variety of games

Cons
Hardware limitations
Limited control peripherals
Game pricing
Click to expand...

I'll agree with this, although I personally enjoy tweaking games and solving issues with my system. Actually building a pc and configuring the software is many times more entertaining to me then actually playing games.
 
<pc_gamer> omg, console games cost $10 more, thats a lot of money! *turns around and buys $500 video card*

</pc_gamer>
 
I wonder what the average amount of time that a) these type of threads last before the lock b) passes before another thread just like this shows up again.

I'll say....

a) 2 day
b) 2 weeks
 
damonposey said:
<pc_gamer> omg, console games cost $10 more, thats a lot of money! *turns around and buys $500 video card*

</pc_gamer>
Click to expand...

Actually they cost about $20 more on average, and PC games usually drop in price much much quicker than console games, thus making them significantly cheaper if you want to wait a month or two before purchasing them.

If you happen to be the kind of gamer that purchases 10 games or so per year, then that can amount to savings of $200 per year.

Multiply that by 5 (over the course of the consoles lifetime) and we're talking about a $1000 savings.

Even if you take the conservative approach and only purchase 5 games per year, that's still a savings of $500, equaling the cost of that super high end graphics card.

Oh, and by the way, a $150 graphics card today (in the form of an HD 4850) is more than enough to spank any console around in the graphics/performance department, and still leave you with enough money to spare to purchase a few games. ;)
 
These threads can be informative to those that are considering a new gaming rig or console for gaming. Thread was decent and lacked flames, but no need to ask for them. So I will do you all a favor and close it now. I hope you got some good insight OP.
 
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