PC vs. Console: Which Type Of Gamer Are You?

[Kent Pribbernow]

A heated debate has spurred recently amongst some friends of mine regarding the gaming scene, with particular regard to the PC's relevance as a gaming platform. Game development is clearly focusing on console platforms. But many of those same game titles are also available on PC as well, or get ported later on. In fact many great console games like Medal Of Honor, started out on PC.

I myself do not own a PS2 or XBOX, nor do I plan to purchase one in the immediate future. Call me crazy, but I still find more than plenty compelling game titles available to keep me glued to my PC. Half-Life 2 and Doom 3 being good examples. :rock on dude!:

So this begs the question...is PC gaming dying off? Have the glory days of mouse-keyboad control and video card upgrades gone the way of the dinosaur? What do you Think?

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/pcvconsole.jpg

[Jason Dunn]

To me, it sort of comes down to this: my Xbox is great for when I have friends over and we want to play games on the big screen TV. So it's good for live multiplayer. Good for action games with simple controls.

My PC is great for Internet-based multiplayer, more complex, RTS-style games.

So I want both, but I play my PC games way more than I play my Xbox games. ;-)

[JTWise]

Based on my Avatar, I guess you can figure out what camp I am in. I have been a gamer in both camps for years. My first console was an Atari 2600, my first gaming rig was a Commodore 64.

I guess that over the years, I slowly moved to the console camp because I got sick of having to upgrade memory, hard drives, video cards, and drivers to be able to play the latest and greatest game.

With a console game, no need to worry about specs, the games just work. It also evens the playing field for online gaming, as everyone's system has the same specs. The games are more expensive, but the consoles are much cheaper than a computer rig. And I really don't mind the so-called "loss" of accuracy using a controller vs a Keyboard and Mouse.

For a console gamer, the ironic thing is that i am contemplating buying a 2nd X-Box to mod it into a Linux computer. These days, the guts aren't much different.

Still, the thing I miss the most about PC gaming is the bargain basement game prices 6 months after the game is released :cry:

My Current Gaming Rigs (in order of play-time, most to least):
1. Xbox
2. Gamecube
3. PC (UT2004 demo ROCKS!!)
4. PS2

Let the FLAME :onfire: WAR begin!!!

[Kent Pribbernow]

...but I play my PC games way more than I play my Xbox games. ;-)

Nice to see I'm not the only crazy one around here. :)

[Gary Sheynkman]

my big beef with PCs is that they constantly need upgrades. One...after another...after another :evil:

Eventually you are trying to keep up with technology that leaps instead of moves along. An xbox will keep you satisfied for quite a long time. Buying a console at the beggining of its life cycle is the smartest move for a gamer who want to keep the same hardware over a period of time

[sundown]

Yea, what they said. I've tried PC games and usually they end up crashing my computer because some driver is conflicting with another driver. So I could spend hours trying to find a more compatible driver, etc., or just pop a cartidge or disc into my N64/Gamecube and be pretty sure it will never crash one me. One exception was Spy Hunter for Gamecube. It always crashes my Gamecube at Level 5 but oh well.

Along with that reason - I don't want the kids messing with my PC - AT ALL. You can't screw up a console. Pop the disc in and power on.

[ctmagnus]

You can't screw up a console. Pop the disc in and power on.

Until the kids install linux on your XBox, that is. :mrgreen:

[stevehiner]

I was a die-hard PC gamer for around 15 years. Maintained a subscription to PC Gamer Magazine for 7 or 8 years.

Then a year and a half ago I bought an Xbox.

Now I only occasionally play games on my PC and it's typically just games I can't get on my Xbox like Ricochet or Revolt (which they should have released for Xbox but didn't).

The PC isn't dead as a gaming platform but now I understand better why all the console fans think it is.

[dean_shan]

I'm mostly a console gamer. It's just nice to be able to sit on the couch and have friends over for a quick game or marithon session. And a lot of games just works better on a console. You don't have to get a new graphics card for each new game that comes out. But computers do have their advantages. RTS games on computer cannot be beat by consoles.

[Tom W.M.]

Well, I'm not a big gamer, but based on my experience, each has its place. The console is good for RPGs, racing games, and other titles that don't require sophisticated input. Things just work, and you don't have to worry about crashes (most of the time—just don't scratch the disc!). I would never be able to stand sitting in front of a computer for extended periods of time playing FinalFantasy IX (yes, IX—I told you I wasn't a big gamer), but the couch is great for it. The PC, on the other hand, is good for games like Civilization III and Age of Empires (I still play the first version--again, I told you so :) ), which require the quick, precice control that a mouse provides.

By the games that I play, you can probably tell that I haven't exactly been sucked into an endless upgrade cycle, huh? :fadein: Just take it slow....

[dean_shan]

The PC, on the other hand, is good for games like Civilization III and Age of Empires

Yes, CIV3 rules. I love it so much that I bought both the Mac and Windows versions.

If you have a PocketPC you should get Age of Empires for it. It is well worth the money. I love to be able to pull it out and play one of my favorite games on the go.

[foldedspace]

The last console I owned was a Nintendo...no, not a Gamecube, not 64, not Super...just the original box. The one where you had to blow on the games to get them to work. I also had a Sega Genesis (Dune on Sega was a *great* game...very similar to Argentum). The controllers were small, and had 4 or maybe 6 buttons and a directional. The Xbox controller is fricken *huge* and has upteen buttons and joysticks. Sometimes more isn't better.

....use to get calluses from the directional on my Nintendo. Nowadays I guess it would be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

[ux4484]

I'm not really a gamer, but both my kids are Gameboy and PC game lovers...and they were quite happy with that. Then something terrible and wonderful happened...
A bud with a series 1 Xbox (with the DVD drive problem) ditched it for a PS2 and gave me his Xbox. After opening up and cleaning the over-greased DVD drive (clear grease sprayed on the lens and spindle was the source of this particular boxes problems) we have our first console ever...

The games seem much more difficult to play at first, but we all (including the Mrs) think it's pretty slick. One of the first titles we got for the Mrs and myself were the Midway/Namco arcade hits...so we can re-live our late teen years. :D ;)

Each has it's place in our house also, but I think our PC game buying habits for the kids (other then educational) will be reduced.

[Suhit Gupta]

I definitely play PC games a lot more than console games though over the years I have tried a lot of consoles and currently I play my XBox when I am really bored and there isn't anyone around to play UT2K4 or Quake III with.

Suhit

[piperpilot]

For me, it's a question of utility. I don't have a console and I play games on my PC rarely, mostly because until recently, I had a very old computer. Now that I have a new PC with the latest and greatest video card and a lot of memory, I am looking at PC games again. Nevertheless, my device of choice for games is my Pocket PC because I can play anywhere--my favorite time to play is during boring staff meetings at work (sound off, of course). To me, a console would serve no purpose. If I want to play a game at home, I'll play it on my PC. Why have two devices that do the same thing in the same place?

[Mark (NL)]

I own a pc that is specially rigged for gaming (Ati 9800XT, 1gb ram) but I also do own an xbox and a gamecube, both of those are great for the kids to play on since after I had learned them how handle the discs it is kind of plug and play and I don't want them on my pc... I myself prefer pc gaming 8)

Playing a lot of FPS (Far Cry at the moment) RTS (still AOE II, since there isn't anything better) And Sim City 4 Rush Hour... all games you never could play on a console, so my choice is kinda obvious... I like platform games with the kids though... Vexx, Sponge Bob and Mario on TV and console controlers rule for that... Also Sport games rule on the XBOX while playing with friends... it gets real competative soon though <lol>

Guess every game has it's own platform...

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

I find the part about PCs needing upgrades so often to play the latest games a myth. It should read as PCs needing upgrades every 6 months if you insist on running on maximum eye candy (you know, 1600x1200, FSAA and the works).

If not (and games nowadays look good even with some eye candy off), you certainly can play a lot of games. I had a blast with Knights of the Old Republic on a 2.5 year old system.