Who Needs Next Gen When You Have A PC Revolution?

by Stephen Heller Featured 45 Comments 28 Votes 2088 Views 22/05/2012 Back to Articles

Back in the day, comparing PC and console gaming was like comparing apples and polar bears. Trying to get a PC game to run on your obscure 16mb graphics card was half the fun, and console gaming wouldn't have been the same without having to blow into a cartridge until you pass out before enjoying your next session.

However these days the comparisons are rather similar. With most of the PC world now running on a stable operating environment, along with simplistic digital distribution services such as Steam, most people with limited computing knowledge can download and enjoy a game in no time.

All of a sudden console gaming has lost considerable ground when it comes to the accessibility argument. PC gaming will always look better on the surface; increased performance and the ability to customise and upgrade graphical components ensures this, however the gap between PC and console is considerably tighter than in previous generations.

Why am I bothering to make these comparisons? Because everyone seems to be talking about entering the next generation of video games. Coming from a timing standpoint it does make sense; the Xbox 360 is definitely getting old, and Nintendo needed to upgrade their Wii system if they wanted to remain competitive at all.

However entering this next generation isn't going to yield the amazing leap we saw when the Xbox 360 first launched. The updates are going to be fairly minor, particularly when these new consoles launch, leaving gamers with a burning hole in their wallets that will surely leave some wondering "why did I bother?"

When you look at games like Uncharted 3, The Last of Us, Borderlands 2 and Aliens: Colonial Marines, can you really envision the next generation of consoles being THAT much better?

If you can, then you must have some kind of crystal ball that I'd like to borrow for the weekend.

I may be a PC gamer first and foremost, but I'll admit that I love my console gaming too. I'm excited to pickup a Wii U at launch, but that's simply because I'm a Nintendo fanboy. The possibility of a PS4 and Xbox 720 aren't really appealing to me at all, and I'm guessing for the financially conservative gamer out there, they are worrying you a little too.

But I have the answer people, and it's been here all along.

Build a PC.

Chances are you have PC of some kind at home that you can simply upgrade and get the latest games running well, but even if you start from scratch you could build a decent gaming right for a great price.

Then just ride this generation out, and open yourself up to the opportunities that PC gaming truly offers. Embrace the indie scene and experience a nearly endless supply of games that Steam and Origin will be throwing at you every week.

Then when the next, next generation launches, you will have a reason to hand over your cash for something truly unique and worthy.

By Stephen Heller - Bio

Link to us http://PS3.mmgn.com/Articles/Who-Needs-Next-Gen-When-You-Have-A-PC-Re

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Who Needs Next Gen When You Have A PC Revolution? Comments

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Kudos: 210,857

M@ndyz

I'm due for a Real PC. By the end of the year maybe.. I won't be getting the new Xbox or ps3 but I want the wii u

22/05/2012

Add me on steam........... bootie [mmgn] Or raptr.......... bootie101 3024-5457-6221 Japanese 3DS friendcode for Animal crossing

Kudos: 186,154

Heller

My PC is good to go for another 3-5 years I believe, and I'll probably just update the RAM and GPU to keep it going beyond that. I'll be checking out the Wii U but MS and Sony don't interest me too much at all during these early stages.

22/05/2012

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 51,812

Milky

lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

22/05/2012

come on, i only want a cuddle!

Kudos: 24,835

Makra

Milky said: lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

This. And it still confuses me why a lot of people hook their console up to a small computer monitor and play their games sitting on a computer chair.

22/05/2012

ㅈㅈ

Kudos: 210,857

M@ndyz

Makra said:
Milky said: lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

This. And it still confuses me why a lot of people hook their console up to a small computer monitor and play their games sitting on a computer chair.

I have a solution.. I actually have a couch not a computer chair. And an Xbox controller set up so I can lay back and play if I wish.. I can actually lay back and play diablo 3 too with my mouse :)

22/05/2012

Add me on steam........... bootie [mmgn] Or raptr.......... bootie101 3024-5457-6221 Japanese 3DS friendcode for Animal crossing

Kudos: 70,432

Harry

Milky said: lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

Given how easily PCs can be hooked up to modern televisions, I don't really think that's a major issue these days. :)

22/05/2012

Lemonaids.

Kudos: 89,285

Pilkingbod

Harry said:
Milky said: lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

Given how easily PCs can be hooked up to modern televisions, I don't really think that's a major issue these days.

Yes, but holding a controller is a hell of a lot less fiddly than having a keyboard and mouse to operate as well.

22/05/2012

Melting pot of friendship

Kudos: 70,432

Harry

Pilkingbod said:
Harry said:
Milky said: lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

Given how easily PCs can be hooked up to modern televisions, I don't really think that's a major issue these days.

Yes, but holding a controller is a hell of a lot less fiddly than having a keyboard and mouse to operate as well.

Ah, that's true. Although you can use your PS3 / 360 controllers to game on PC. Although I suppose by that point the only added benefit is all the other multimedia and browsing abilities PCs have over consoles. I'm not sure how large the graphical advantage is when an image is being upscaled to fit a TV screen. [MOG]

22/05/2012

Lemonaids.

Kudos: 71,217

Kerosanak

I used to be on the console side of things.

-Comfort
-Ease of use
-So on

Then I actually built The Period and got into PC gaming some more and the price of games, even from Steam, not to mention just buying Steam keys from websites is enough to trump it all for me.

Plus my computer chair is comfy as shit [MOG]

22/05/2012

I'm still kind of a big deal in the Capital Wasteland.

Kudos: 67,284

Leasha

Just set your comp up in your lounge? Easy fix :P
Most entertainment centres ( cupboards- slim lines) have heaps of room to house a comp tower :D

22/05/2012

In your house stealing your stuff..

Kudos: 186,154

Heller

As others have said, it's easy enough to hook your PC up to a TV (mine has HDMI on my GPU) and then just plug in your 360 controller and off you go.

I've played loads of games with nothing but a 360 controller on my PC. Stacking, Alan Wake, A Virus Named TOM. I always prefer a keyboard, but when I'm feeling lazy and just want to lounge on the couch it does the trick nicely.

22/05/2012

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 51,812

Milky

I'm too lazy to PC game. I'd rather pay more for games than have to worry about whether or not my computer can handle the game. I know for a fact that I wouldn't upgrade when I need to and that'd just lead to problems. Plus the controller is such a lazy device, perfect for me. Keyboard uses too much brain power haha.

22/05/2012

come on, i only want a cuddle!

Kudos: 10,518

LMA0

Lol look at those nerds in that pic.

22/05/2012

Outer West Sydney aka The Ghetto

Kudos: 84,548

renagadez

LMA0 said: Lol look at those nerds in that pic.

Poor overweight bastards.

22/05/2012

Sydney, New South Wales

Kudos: 28,368

W84NO1

PC's cost too much to keep constantly up to date to play the latest games at full grunt, Its a never ending cost! [Shifty]

With consoles you just buy the console, games and accessories "if needed" and thats it ur set for the life of the console.

22/05/2012

It's not the destination, but the journey you take to get there that matters.

Kudos: 358,710

Guyver

Harry said:
Pilkingbod said:
Harry said:
Milky said: lol no thanks, couch and bed will always be infinitely more comfortable than a computer chair.

Given how easily PCs can be hooked up to modern televisions, I don't really think that's a major issue these days.

Yes, but holding a controller is a hell of a lot less fiddly than having a keyboard and mouse to operate as well.

Ah, that's true. Although you can use your PS3 / 360 controllers to game on PC. Although I suppose by that point the only added benefit is all the other multimedia and browsing abilities PCs have over consoles. I'm not sure how large the graphical advantage is when an image is being upscaled to fit a TV screen.

lol you pretty much responded to the above comments the same way I would have.
If I ever feel the need to play a console type game I can either use a keyboard and mouse while sitting at my desk or reach a few inches to my right and pick up my 360 controller.
I have the option to play these games across 3 monitors or plug my computer into my LED TV that's within reaching distance of my computer. Best of both worlds.

W84NO1 said: PC's cost too much to keep constantly up to date to play the latest games at full grunt, Its a never ending cost!
With consoles you just buy the console, games and accessories "if needed" and thats it ur set for the life of the console.

I'm an upgrade junkie because I love new tech but even I haven't upgraded anything for over a year. My graphic cards are 2 generations old and they still rip up the new games.
Think about the inflated costs you pay for console games then look at how cheap games get on the very frequent Steam sales. Buy enough games at that price on Steam and then compare that to what you pay for console games.

22/05/2012

right meow?

Kudos: 28,368

W84NO1

Guyver said:

W84NO1 said: PC's cost too much to keep constantly up to date to play the latest games at full grunt, Its a never ending cost!
With consoles you just buy the console, games and accessories "if needed" and thats it ur set for the life of the console.

I'm an upgrade junkie because I love new tech but even I haven't upgraded anything for over a year. My graphic cards are 2 generations old and they still rip up the new games.
Think about the inflated costs you pay for console games then look at how cheap games get on the very frequent Steam sales. Buy enough games at that price on Steam and then compare that to what you pay for console games.

Ye true and get what ur saying but i like having a physical copy and like paying that bit more for the smexy special editions, Plus PC games are allways updating..Server maintenance and other nightmare..ish problems, Other than Diablo3 i've never been able to just put a game in my PC and play it straight away, thrs allways some fustrating reason it wont play or wont play smoothly, Not like console u get the disc put it in and play no worries!
And get a updates every now and then with rarely having servers shutdown for maintenance.

Am now more of a console gamer with the exception of Diablo and the classic Counter-Strike and Day-of-Defeat steam games :P

Each to thr own i guess ;)

22/05/2012

It's not the destination, but the journey you take to get there that matters.

Kudos: 128

Axe99

I run both at the moment, and my PC's beefier than my PS3, but if I've got a choice I'll _always_ go console (OK, almost always, if itá s a rubbish PS3 port - may well play F:NV on PC). Bunch of reasons:

- I started off gaming on PC before mice were standard. Back then you didn't have the noob-it-up over-control of a mouse that turned shooters into point and click adventures. I can and do play CS:S on occasion (because competitive MP with a gamepad on PC is suicide), but compared with a gamepad it feels I'm playing a the equivalent of the farmville of shooters - aiming, turning and control is just far too precise relative to how firearms actually handle. Less of an issue for pure arcade shooters like TF2, but watching the lack of inertia when aiming a tank in ArmA 2 with a mouse makes you wonder just how much of a gap there is between what PC gamers think realistic military simulations are, and actual military ops. KZ2 on PS3 is still the best rendition of simulated military movement in a videogame to date (although clearly other mechanics are as arcade as hell, but it didn't claim to be a realistic military shooter).

- Games on console (the vast majority of at least) just run. On the other hand, it took me four hours to get ME1 off the bat, half an hour for Hearts of Iron 3 and four hours for Victoria II. These are _not_ isolated examples. Not quite the majority, but a pretty big minority.

- Gamepad controls on console are (almost!) always solid (they'd want to be). BC2 is an example of horrendous gamepad controls on PC, and it's not alone.

That said - I highly recommend having both platforms. There are some great games on PC you won't find on console, and if you're looking for the quick and easy alternative to playing shooters, then a mouse/kb is definitely the easiest control method :).

22/05/2012

Kudos: 14,287

abujaffer

@Axe99 I find your arguments a bit random. We're not playing shooters expecting to reenact a military battlefield, just like we don't play platformers expecting the characters to jump the average vertical jump for a human being. The fact that the Killzone franchise in general is realistic is a personal choice, not a technical one.

Your second point has merit, but besides the odd issue experienced during the holiday season (lot's of rushed games) it's pretty rare to face any problems. Not to mention I'd rather spend half an hour getting Skyrim to run on my PC than spend an hour going to the local shop and back to buy it.

And finally, gamepad issues are being wiped out as we speak; Steam is already implementing recommended standards for these things, and developers have already caught on. FIFA, for example, fixed its control issues (no more than 3 controllers at one time- [WTF]) this year.

Anyways, Microsoft could easily cash in on both fronts if it tried (which it isn't doing), but it'll have to alleviate its console front to do so. Both Sony and Nintendo have console IP's that just work; most, if not all, of Microsoft's exclusives would work much better on PC, and they know it; Halo and Alan Wake are proof of that. (*)

23/05/2012

3D world... where everything, even flat stuff, are in 3D.

Kudos: 128

Axe99

@ abujaffer

Sorry - other half dragged me off to bed halfway through that post, so it is a bit more random than I'd like! Agree that shooters aren't meant to be realistic (well, other than ArmA - that's it's whole selling point and I was very disappointed how otherwise sensibly realistic mechanics had been obviously casualised to cater to mouse/kb users).

More broadly, though, even gamepad mechanics are hardly realistic but, and it's a big but, the higher level of skill required to achieve the same level of accuracy and speed of aiming with a gamepad slows down shooting engagements on console to a speed that better approximates actual engagements IRL, even in arcade shooters like CoD/MW. On PC, after hearing so much about how tactical Counter-Strike was, playing it felt like playing an arcade shooter compared the deeper amount of tactical depth afforded in SOCOM:Con, partly due to the use of a gamepad slowing everything down a little to more realistic speeds (indeed, I'm yet to find a PC game that can match the top console tactical shooters, for a tactical experience).

So I don't mind PC shooters that are clearly arcade (TF2's a great example), but when I want to get my tactical (SOCOM) or even realistically-themed but arcade mechanics shooter on (CoD, BF, Bioshock 2, you-name-it) I find the slower pace of engagements brought about by the use of the gamepad more enjoyable.

Agree that gamepad support is improving, but it's a _long_ way from being standard, and it will likely never be for online games. Pretty much the only games with solid gamepad support outside of the Witcher 2 are ports or from console, and while I'm sure SP games are moving towards broader gamepad support, we're years away from it being broad-based, quality gamepad support. In the meantime, Xpadder can cover most games (but not all - eg; Fable and Xpadder don't play nice), but it's pretty fiddly having to set up a new profile for each game. And, of course, because gamepad support on PC is still in its infancy stage, anyone wanting to play a lot of PC games (that aren't already available on console) will have to use a mouse/kb for back-catalogue titles.

Then, of course, there's the ergonomics issue - I'm yet to find the mouse/kb setup that's anywhere near as less RSI-inducing than a gamepad. I can play far longer on console without having to rest the hand/arm muscles than I can on PC.

Note: I'm _not_ criticising mouse/kb as a control method here, beyond the ergonomics (although I do raise an eyebrow at people who suggest it's a more hardcore method, when it's the opposite) - it's a good way of controlling games. But the heritage of PC shooters in the likes of Quake and Doom mean that even supposedly 'milsim' games like ArmA2 can't go all the way because of what mouse/kb users are used to using, and I have a soft spot for more realistic shooters, so I prefer my shooters with a gamepad.

As for issues getting games to run, I had trouble with Hearts of Iron 3 more than three years after it's launch, Metro 2033 more than 2, Victoria 2 about 2, Mass Effect about 2, Gary Grigsby's World at War (not CoD) around 5 - it's not an issue with time since launch, or rushed holiday games, but rather with a combination of:
- the challenge of developing for multiple operating systems and hardware (this is usually the main reason for me, as I don't jump on many PC releases at launch).
- a far greater habit of releasing fast then patching on PC, vis-a-vis console. It's still an issue on console, but nowhere near as big a one. ArmA2 might be clunky now, but it was a mess at launch.

They're the two big reasons I prefer consoles when I have a choice.

23/05/2012

Kudos: 27,527

OllyEbbz

" and I'm guessing for the financially conservative gamer out there, they are worrying you a little too.

But I have the answer people, and it's been here all along.

Build a PC."

Financially conservative people and you say the solution is to build a gaming PC costing upwards of £1500 then to constantly maintain and upgrade it? Lol
Plus with the time some people have on their hands these days people just want to switch on a device and game not faff about with drivers and such or suffer fatal errors requiring formats or time consuming error checking and resolving.
PC gaming just isn't a viable option for most and never will be imo.

23/05/2012

Lives in the United Kingdom.

Kudos: 358,710

Guyver

Dicky said: " and I'm guessing for the financially conservative gamer out there, they are worrying you a little too.
But I have the answer people, and it's been here all along.
Build a PC."
Financially conservative people and you say the solution is to build a gaming PC costing upwards of £1500 then to constantly maintain and upgrade it? Lol
Plus with the time some people have on their hands these days people just want to switch on a device and game not faff about with drivers and such or suffer fatal errors requiring formats or time consuming error checking and resolving.
PC gaming just isn't a viable option for most and never will be imo.

wow you make out like firing up a game on a PC is like defusing a bomb...
Yes PC gaming is not for everyone.
Yes sometimes things goes wrong, and it happens to ALL technology. You just deal with it.
For the most of the time if I want to play a game on my PC it's a double click on my Steam list. The game loads up in seconds because like many people my computer is already on.

23/05/2012

right meow?

Kudos: 14,387

Foetoid

This post should have been called: Who needs the current-gen when you have a PC revolution. I saw no point in the 360 or Ps3 when i had all my HD gaming needs on PC so this gen i happily went PC/Wii as my gaming combination. I got 99% of all the HD games on the HD consoles for my PC, and the console with the most A+ exclusives this gen.

23/05/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 14,387

Foetoid

Dicky said:
Financially conservative people and you say the solution is to build a gaming PC costing upwards of £1500 then to constantly maintain and upgrade it? Lol
Plus with the time some people have on their hands these days people just want to switch on a device and game not faff about with drivers and such or suffer fatal errors requiring formats or time consuming error checking and resolving.
PC gaming just isn't a viable option for most and never will be imo.

Constantly maintain and upgrade it? I'd probably buy a new PC part every 6-9months, maybe, and even then i'd sell the old parts for a good price. I run CCleaner once a week, check new graphics drivers once a fortnight, and thats all the "constant maintenance" i need. I spend more time maintaining my car than my computer, easily.

23/05/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 186,154

Heller

Dicky said: " and I'm guessing for the financially conservative gamer out there, they are worrying you a little too.
But I have the answer people, and it's been here all along.
Build a PC."
Financially conservative people and you say the solution is to build a gaming PC costing upwards of £1500 then to constantly maintain and upgrade it? Lol
Plus with the time some people have on their hands these days people just want to switch on a device and game not faff about with drivers and such or suffer fatal errors requiring formats or time consuming error checking and resolving.
PC gaming just isn't a viable option for most and never will be imo.

Where are you getting your prices from? Can build a mid-range PC for well under $700 here that will at least run all the current games. $1000 will build you something pretty damn good too.

23/05/2012

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 27,527

OllyEbbz

All i'm saying is an Xbox requires you to go to your local games store and purchase the console along with any accessories required plus some games which is far less daunting than buying the parts to build a PC and cheaper.
No further purchases required, no drivers or updates to look for, no errors that can be hard to figure out. Just one purchase, access to all the leading titles, easy to use online features (think of people with no PC knowledge or kids). Basically no hassle.
No one at least on a large scale are gonna come back from the pub and sit around the desk to play WoW or something no they'll sit around the telly and play CoD or Fifa.

23/05/2012

Lives in the United Kingdom.

Kudos: 63,926

Zekuromu

too much effort to build a PC.

I just use my laptop, and I have games such as Team Fortress 2 etc, but I always find console games to be more appealing.

23/05/2012

SSBB (NTSC) FC: 1850-3764-4050; QLD

Kudos: 84,548

renagadez

I can see where Heller is coming from and I agree with him to a point. However, we don't know what to expect from the next-gen systems of Microsoft and Sony so that's a big hole. BUT if it is just an improvement in graphics, then I hardly see the point of next-gen as well seeing as PC will always be ahead of the curve in that aspect....besides having exclusives I guess.

23/05/2012

Sydney, New South Wales

Kudos: 128

Axe99

Foetoid said:
Constantly maintain and upgrade it? I'd probably buy a new PC part every 6-9months, maybe, and even then i'd sell the old parts for a good price. I run CCleaner once a week, check new graphics drivers once a fortnight, and thats all the "constant maintenance" i need. I spend more time maintaining my car than my computer, easily.

Still a whole lot more maintenance than I have to do on my PS3 (and you've missed out on a lot of great games by sticking to PC/Wii only on that note - you can get a lot of 360 'exclusives' on PC, but there's a stack of experiences you can only get on PS3). But you don't even need to do that - I just buy a reasonable range PC every 3-4 years, and cope with it being a bit old down the track. Buying new hardware every 6-9 months is a bit of a drag if your focus is on gaming rather than keeping the tech up-to-date.

Heller said:Where are you getting your prices from? Can build a mid-range PC for well under $700 here that will at least run all the current games. $1000 will build you something pretty damn good too.

A decent GTX 560 Ti (and I wouldn't bother go lower if I was looking for something materially better than a PS3/360, and would generally recommend higher if the idea is to one-up current gen consoles) costs $250-300 - if you want a decent hard drive, decent ram, solid CPU (again, something clearly better than the current consoles) and the like as well, you're looking a decent amount over $1000. $700 will get you something that plays games almost as well as a $400 console, and if gaming is the interest rather than gaming using an office productivity interface, consoles are better value for money. Or, if you want something that really has an edge, it will cost you more than a PS3, 360 and Wii combined.

23/05/2012

Kudos: 128

Axe99

renagadez said: I can see where Heller is coming from and I agree with him to a point. However, we don't know what to expect from the next-gen systems of Microsoft and Sony so that's a big hole. BUT if it is just an improvement in graphics, then I hardly see the point of next-gen as well seeing as PC will always be ahead of the curve in that aspect....besides having exclusives I guess.

And control methods for online gaming (while a lot of current games have gamepad support, the precision of a mouse/kb means you'd be nuts to use a gamepad for online gaming), if you're not into playing shooters with an interface designed for spreadsheets, word processors and graphic design ;).

23/05/2012

Kudos: 14,387

Foetoid

Axe99 said:
Foetoid said:
Constantly maintain and upgrade it? I'd probably buy a new PC part every 6-9months, maybe, and even then i'd sell the old parts for a good price. I run CCleaner once a week, check new graphics drivers once a fortnight, and thats all the "constant maintenance" i need. I spend more time maintaining my car than my computer, easily.

Still a whole lot more maintenance than I have to do on my PS3 (and you've missed out on a lot of great games by sticking to PC/Wii only on that note - you can get a lot of 360 'exclusives' on PC, but there's a stack of experiences you can only get on PS3). But you don't even need to do that - I just buy a reasonable range PC every 3-4 years, and cope with it being a bit old down the track. Buying new hardware every 6-9 months is a bit of a drag if your focus is on gaming rather than keeping the tech up-to-date.

Which is why i'll be getting a Ps3 when the price drops further lol. That being said, if i had a Ps3 instead of a Wii, i'd be missing out on the stack of experiences that you can only get on Wii. So either way i lose lol. Got my Wii launch night, have never regretted it, will get a Ps3 when the price falls further. And its only 1 piece of hardware every 6-9 months on average, and usually the only reason for my upgrade, is because a friend or family member has an awful computer, so i sell them 1 or 2 bits out of mine and spend a only a little money buying a new part. For example i'm giving my brother my Phenom 555 Cpu for his birthday, but selling him my gigabyte board and 4gb ram for $200. I'll spend a further $300 total on top of that $200, to get a new Am3+ Sli board, 16gb of 1600 mhz ram, and an FX-8150 top range 8-core cpu. Won't need to touch that again for well over a year.

23/05/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 128

Axe99

Foetoid said:Which is why i'll be getting a Ps3 when the price drops further lol. That being said, if i had a Ps3 instead of a Wii, i'd be missing out on the stack of experiences that you can only get on Wii. So either way i lose lol. Got my Wii launch night, have never regretted it, will get a Ps3 when the price falls further. And its only 1 piece of hardware every 6-9 months on average, and usually the only reason for my upgrade, is because a friend or family member has an awful computer, so i sell them 1 or 2 bits out of mine and spend a only a little money buying a new part. For example i'm giving my brother my Phenom 555 Cpu for his birthday, but selling him my gigabyte board and 4gb ram for $200. I'll spend a further $300 total on top of that $200, to get a new Am3+ Sli board, 16gb of 1600 mhz ram, and an FX-8150 top range 8-core cpu. Won't need to touch that again for well over a year.

Aye, deffo lots of unique experiences on the Wii as well - I had both at one stage, but Ninty's game design never really agreed with me, so after Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime I let it go. But for people that get into the SMGs, Metroids and Zeldas, then the Wii is deffo the console to start with :). You've almost definitely played it, but if you haven't, Lost Winds and LW:Winter of the Melodias are, in my (probably warped ;)) opinion, the best games on the system, and well worth a play.

23/05/2012

Kudos: 14,387

Foetoid

I've been meaning to take a look at those 2 but never got around to it. My favourites include Muramasa: The Demon Blade, the highest-reviewed game so far of 2012: Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, both Pikmin Wii Editions, both Zeldas, New Super Mario Bros and Metroid Prime Trilogy. Kirbys Epic Yarn gets a special mention for being so clever. I got heaps more but those are favourites.

23/05/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 27,527

OllyEbbz

Xbox 720 and PS4 have huge potential imo.

1/ 1080p maybe 60fps gaming as standard on all titles
2/ Higher detail and lighting
3/ Bluray support for 360
4/ HDD as standard for 360
5/ Bigger HDDs
6/ Bigger push for DD with more Steam like pricing
7/ Better Indie support
8/ Mod support

Sounds a bit like a wish list but if Sony or Microsoft made it happen it would further crush PC gaming.
I love PC gaming, i have a rig myself but for PC gaming to take centre stage? not gonna happen.

24/05/2012

Lives in the United Kingdom.

Kudos: 14,387

Foetoid

Dicky said: Xbox 720 and PS4 have huge potential imo.
1080p maybe 60fps gaming as standard on all titles
Higher detail and lighting
Bluray support for 360
HDD as standard for 360
Bigger HDDs
Bigger push for DD with more Steam like pricing
Better Indie support
Mod support
Sounds a bit like a wish list but if Sony or Microsoft made it happen it would further crush PC gaming.
I love PC gaming, i have a rig myself but for PC gaming to take centre stage? not gonna happen.

Seems as thought from the latest batch of information coming through, that all 3 next-gen consoles will be smoothly playing 1080p native (finally). Assassins Creed 3 is reported to be running 1080p 60FPS on the WiiU which has reportedly had a GPU upgrade to the 6770 while the Ps3/360 versions run 720p. The Xbox 720 is meant to wield a 6670, but is a faster machine overall than the WiiU by maybe 20%, with the Ps4 running a 7670 but also an AMD Apu so it has 2 GPUs. I can't see how 1080p native isn't going to be the norm next-gen, so the console war will come down to exclusive content, online services, non-gaming services like Netflix, controller interfaces and price. Its going to be very interesting indeed :D

23/05/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 71,661

Silence

See, it'd be a billion times easier if all games were ported to PC, even if it's not a good port. And considering that gaming is a fairly low priority compared to the other things I use it for, I have no problem with maintaining drivers or whatever.
The only advantage a console has, in my opinion, is that you can boot it up and go straight into a game without having to navigate menus or worry about updates. Well, that was their advantage until the current gen [MOG]

23/05/2012

I'm from the Internet. Nothing I say is original.

Kudos: 14,387

Foetoid

Silence said: See, it'd be a billion times easier if all games were ported to PC, even if it's not a good port. And considering that gaming is a fairly low priority compared to the other things I use it for, I have no problem with maintaining drivers or whatever.
The only advantage a console has, in my opinion, is that you can boot it up and go straight into a game without having to navigate menus or worry about updates. Well, that was their advantage until the current gen

Most gamers have their computer on all the time, and its a case of opening Steam or clicking the on-screen icon, so its often faster than a console.

23/05/2012

Sunshine Coast

Kudos: 128

Axe99

Foetoid said:Most gamers have their computer on all the time, and its a case of opening Steam or clicking the on-screen icon, so its often faster than a console.

Not all of them ;). Budget-conscious gamers may want to save on power/money (as PCs can chew through the juice, even when idling), and gamers that run both consoles and PC likely won't have them all on at the same time (unless they really don't like money!) Sleep mode is good, but I find that on Win 7, it's also horrendously unreliable, with the PCs sometimes having the odd nightmare and waking up at odd times, so leave my machine off when it's not on gaming or other duties. They don't take long to boot on Win 7, deffo a leap forward from the smelly pile of poo that was Vista.

And make sure you play Lost Winds/LW:Winter of the Melodias! They're both pretty cheap, and not that long :).

23/05/2012

Kudos: 71,661

Silence

Oh yes, my computer's always on too. However I don't have the hard drive capacity nor internet allowance to have my entire library completely up to date and ready all the time. Plus there's the fact that a game needs to be installed before you can play it. That is (was) the console advantage. Plug in and play, so to speak. Straight into the action.

23/05/2012

I'm from the Internet. Nothing I say is original.

Kudos: 358,710

Guyver

Silence said: See, it'd be a billion times easier if all games were ported to PC, even if it's not a good port. And considering that gaming is a fairly low priority compared to the other things I use it for, I have no problem with maintaining drivers or whatever.
The only advantage a console has, in my opinion, is that you can boot it up and go straight into a game without having to navigate menus or worry about updates. Well, that was their advantage until the current gen

Most of the time it's like that but there's been many occasions where I've fired up a PS3 game and have had to either update the firmware or the game to be able to play online simply because I haven't played the console for a couple of weeks. I wish it would auto update all of that like Steam does. Probably the best thing about the Wii it's the only console that is "power on and play".

23/05/2012

right meow?

Kudos: 10,518

LMA0

I use a Mac so that makes me cool [MOG]

23/05/2012

Outer West Sydney aka The Ghetto

Kudos: 14,287

abujaffer

Dicky said: Xbox 720 and PS4 have huge potential imo.
1080p maybe 60fps gaming as standard on all titles
Higher detail and lighting
Bluray support for 360
HDD as standard for 360
Bigger HDDs
Bigger push for DD with more Steam like pricing
Better Indie support
Mod support
Sounds a bit like a wish list but if Sony or Microsoft made it happen it would further crush PC gaming.
I love PC gaming, i have a rig myself but for PC gaming to take centre stage? not gonna happen.

1. If the Wii U has already been confirmed (back at E3 2011) to do this, the other consoles will 100%.
2. Graphics? Obviously getting improved.
3. Who knows? Most likely yes, they'll at least meet it (like the Wii U).
4. 360? Anyways, I doubt it - keeps price low.
5. Isn't that what 3rd party HDD's are for?
6. If this generation is any indication, it's only going to get better next generation.
The other two do sound like a wish list though... doubt it'll take down PC gaming though. It's not like current PC's will get any weaker... I doubt a PC gamer is going to give up his high-end PC just to play on a decidedly inferior console, even for next-gen consoles. =_=

24/05/2012

3D world... where everything, even flat stuff, are in 3D.

Kudos: 27,527

OllyEbbz

abujaffer said:
1. If the Wii U has already been confirmed (back at E3 2011) to do this, the other consoles will 100%.
2. Graphics? Obviously getting improved.
3. Who knows? Most likely yes, they'll at least meet it (like the Wii U).
4. 360? Anyways, I doubt it - keeps price low.
5. Isn't that what 3rd party HDD's are for?
6. If this generation is any indication, it's only going to get better next generation.
The other two do sound like a wish list though... doubt it'll take down PC gaming though. It's not like current PC's will get any weaker... I doubt a PC gamer is going to give up his high-end PC just to play on a decidedly inferior console, even for next-gen consoles.

1/ Ok i didn't know that ;)
2/ Yeah no doubt
3/ Bluray or something to match it is a must
4/ I meant Xbox in general and both nextgen consoles will have HDDs as standard, be silly not to otherwise developers won't be able to code with one in mind.
5/ Microsoft and 3rd party HDDs are you kidding? this is Microsoft were talking about here :D maybe for PS4. I was meaning what came with the package though (a 500GB/1TB model etc)
6/ No i can't see the PC gaming crowd getting any worse but i can't see it growing back to the days of old. Mod support and better Indie support isn't too crazy a thought and must be something they would consider again at least on PS4.

24/05/2012

Lives in the United Kingdom.

Kudos: 128

Axe99

Dicky said:6/ No i can't see the PC gaming crowd getting any worse but i can't see it growing back to the days of old. Mod support and better Indie support isn't too crazy a thought and must be something they would consider again at least on PS4.

Only way this'll happen is if they can keep reduce piracy on PC - it was piracy that drove devs and pubs to consoles (people like to get paid, after all), and it's Steam's approach that has helped reduce piracy that's bringing them back to PC. I doubt PC will ever be as big as console again, but it should keep going strong - there are plenty of genres that work better on PC than console, like strategy and flight sims, and then there'll always be people who want to pay extra for higher res textures and faster framerates at higher output resolutions (these guys are the people that keep the 'console gaming with mouse/kb' component of the PC market going strong) :).

24/05/2012

Kudos: 49,065

Jubilee

I've never been much of a console gamer, but when I entered the world of hardcore PC gaming I've never looked back. Once you upgrade to a fairly competitive build, then you don't need to worry about it for a couple of years as games will need to maintain compatibility with mid-range systems.

I also love how the PC is the central point for everything. You can chat with people on Steam while you game, and browse a walkthrough on the internet while your game is right there in the background.

Also, you absolutely can't beat the prices of games which are digitally distributed these days. When you can buy the same game for $5 on PC (Bioshock 1) during a steam sale, while it is about $40-50 on sale second hand, there's no contest.

Overall I'm proud to be a PC gamer and have never looked back. :) not to mention our wonderful community at MMGN.

25/05/2012

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