Resolution: For a long time PC's have been much better at this because a normal television had what was compared to a 512x384 resolution. Not so any more with HDTV. And since the FCC has it that all broadcasters should be transmitting digital signals by May 2006, it's inevitable that more and more people are going to be buying HDTVs.
Keyboard and mouse: There's the argument that certain games (eg. MMORPG, FPS, RTS, and TBS) only make sense on the PC because the need for a mouse and a keyboard. First off, I have to say that Halo for the XBox has been one of the most successful first-person shooters ever and it didn't require a mouse and a keyboard. Even if it did, there are keyboard and mouse set-ups for XBox and PS2. So, you can't really go with the keyboard and mouse argument anymore.
Hard drive storage: You can buy Final Fantasy XI with a 40 GB HD for $100. XBox2 is looking like it won't have a HD at all compared to the 10 GB HD in the present XBox. The whole point of consoles is just to play games and not store a bunch of songs and other data even though mod'rs for XBox have been hooking up to 140 GB HDs to their XBoxes. Some games know that they need to utilize some storage space such as FFXI and that's why they have 40 GB HD. Developers for XBox weren't doing this, which may be the reason they won't have a HD in XBox2. Either way, I don't think this will be a factor in console sales.
High-end computers: How much does it cost to build a high-end computer and how does that compare to an XBox, which you can buy at $150? A high-end video card for a PC can range anywhere from $150 to $500. That's just the video card. How many games are out that utlize the potential of these high-end computers? Very few. Why? Because there are very few people who have these high-end computers because of the price issue. Better graphics in itself does not make better game. Don't get me wrong, I love the advancements in this area. I just don't think the performance issues outweigh the difference in cost. I think the main advantage of having a high-end computer is to brag with the "my computer is better than yours" mentality and with consoles, the argument is just which console is better than the other. Hard to say the my XBox is so much better than yours, unless you have done some real serious mod'ng.
Now, let's go to why game developers are moving to consoles.
1. PCs are still relatively painful to use. It may not be for you or me, but you do know at least one person who asks you or someone else to fix his/her computer and finds out that there are 50+ spyware, DDOS clients, and other crap that are being loaded on start-up of their computer. And when you do get a game, you have to install it. Knights of the Old Republic can take up to 30 min to install on a 2.8 GHz machine. You don't have to wait for installing on a console. Consoles are relatively much easier to use compared to computers.
2. Copyright protection/piracy. Some developers are getting tired of seeing their work being hacked an cracked and sent all over the internet for free. I'm not saying you can't still do that with consoles, but it's more difficult than a game that developed for the PC. People that own consoles don't normally go look for warez sites to find a cracked console game.
3. Personal computer vs. public television (no, I'm not talking about PBS). How many people will let a 4 year old play on their Nintendo GameCube? Probably most people. How many will still let them play on their computer? I think not many. You aren't going to hook up 4 game controllers or 4 sets of keyboards to your computer to play a game with your pals. You have to have 4 seperate computers and some kind of networking to play each other.
4. QA/Tech support. It's easier to support one or two consoles than to support a wide array of hardware parts that a PC can be made of. Usually, when a game ships for a console, you know it works. You have to test it on only one architecture. This makes it so much easier for developers.
5. Support from the console makers. Nobody cares if you are making a game for a PC. The console makers do care because they know that your game can increase their console sales. It's hard to track PC sales for a given game. Consoles makers will help match funds with the developers to produce a game. In the PC market, you may get funded by a publisher, but they will definitely get their money back first before you see any of your own profits. Console makers also provide many tools for free to help the developer out in making a game for their console.
I don't think PC gaming will go away. I do think that console gaming is going to grow bigger and bigger just because of the price, ease of use, and developers find them easier to make games for consoles.
Originally posted by Frank_Mathew If u think about, computers for mmorpg's, are always going to be better. For two reasons, 1) For some games it like FFXI u pay 100$ to get somthing to play the game, when on the computer, ur only paying around 45$. 2) When playing an mmorpg, it is good to interact with other people, since that is a huge part of the game, going around with them and talking to them, how fast can u talk to someone typing with a ps2 controller, it just can't be done to fast.
In response to #1:
A high end pc costs anywhere from $1200-$2500...so yes you need to pay $100 for the game on PS2, but you end up saving thousands of dollars on the end
In response to #2:
I'm sure that you will be able to buy a keyboard and mouse for a PS2 or Xbox...if not already. Also my arguement was in 5 to 6 YEARS there will be more people playin mmorpgs on consoles than pc's, not currently....Thanks...Xaldor
Versatility, Most people that would own a console system do or will own a computer, simply becuase of the things they can and do do with that PC system outside of gaming. Will Consoles ever die? Doubtfull. Will Games ever stopped being developled for home PC's? No, heck every OS I can think of comes with some games installed already. Which one will control the larger market share? I.E. who's gonna be on top? Does it matter? As long as they keep developing great games and mmorpg's then who cares.
But, in my opinion, PC's will always be superior to consoles for a few reasons.
1. Superior graphics quality vs Price (its much cheaper to get a 19" or 21" flat glass CRT monitor than a comparable HDTV).
2. Versatility (you can't wordprocess, program, or track you finances with the current console systems)
3. Adaptability (Third party software to work in conjunction with the games you are playing. To modify the GUI, provide convient macro capability, etc.)
4. DL Free Trials (as far as I know, you can't DL and play trials on any of the consoles that are on the market, although you can rent games for the console and not a PC.)
I don't see why you couldn't just have both. Until I can cheaply and easily play pc games on my sofa, six to ten feet away from the screen, I will probably continue to buy consoles. I for one think it's nice to be able to buy a game, then stick the disk in and play (as opposed to immediately download a patch because of some issue with processors who's serial number is divisible by three can't play on tuesdays). But here's why I think consoles are here to stay.
1) Non-evolving hardware(for the most part). The expandablity and possiblilities for pc's are a double edged sword. The console has one standardized spec allowing for developers to squash game bugs instead of making their game compatible with all possible combinations of hardware.
2) Ease of upgrading. You know to upgrade your console because the next generations is out and the company no longer makes games for your old console. On the PC, it's much more nebulous. Also PC's are upgraded much more often as well.
3) Price. You have to purchase the cheap console and have a tv. I would rather have a $200 console over a $500 e-machine. Much more budget friendly means that those with fixed incomes will continue to buy consoled.
4) Ever been to college? Compare how many of your dormates go "OMG that game looks fun can we play too?" when you are on a computer to when you are using a console. These impromptu multiplayer matches can be started quickly too due to the generally more simplified controls. (On a sidenote, I made a lot of friends when I was playing Mike Tyson's Punchout with my door open.)
Don't get me wrong, my computer was down for a week and I was flipping out, but it will never replace a console in my heart. A plain old car is a more overall useful thing than a motorcycle, but it doesn't necessarily make it more fun.
-------------------------------- Games Played - Too many to list~ Games Currently Playing - City of Heroes, and WoW Open Beta. Favorite Game So Far - Lineage 1 ^^
I also answer to "Peeler", "BigPeeler-RMX", "BiggerPeeler", BiggiePeels", "BP" and "Snake". Yes, I rather like "Snake"...
By the way. For future Reference, i do NOT have stairs in my house.
"Leave me here in my stark, raving, sick, sad little world!"
Originally posted by Able72 2. Versatility (you can't wordprocess, program, or track you finances with the current console systems)
only in america and eu....the original famicon (NES to us) was able to do a handful of other nongaming releated activities in japan (even think it had some online capabilities, i remember reading some article a long long time ago about stock trading w/ famicon)
What is this the umpteenth million thread on this subject?
1.Consoles will always be around to say that they wont is just stupid.Yeah there dying out thats why theres a PS3 coming out and a xbox2.Gosh these 2 companies are just wasting millions of dollars on the development of console gaming.I cant beleive it dont they know that noone is buying those any more?Oh wait maybe they dont?OMG someone should really tell them.
2.Yeah a PC is better,so what.
The final argument that cannot be wrong?
Consoles are good at what they do.
A PC is good at what it does.
Try to find a hole in that.
This subject is a dead and/or dying horse.
Want to ENJOY an mmo?
Dont start a guild and dont be a leader or volunteer to be coleader or captain.
Comments
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Boy, you best watch your six-dollar ass before I make change.
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Let's go over some of the main arguments again:
Resolution: For a long time PC's have been much better at this because a normal television had what was compared to a 512x384 resolution. Not so any more with HDTV. And since the FCC has it that all broadcasters should be transmitting digital signals by May 2006, it's inevitable that more and more people are going to be buying HDTVs.
Keyboard and mouse: There's the argument that certain games (eg. MMORPG, FPS, RTS, and TBS) only make sense on the PC because the need for a mouse and a keyboard. First off, I have to say that Halo for the XBox has been one of the most successful first-person shooters ever and it didn't require a mouse and a keyboard. Even if it did, there are keyboard and mouse set-ups for XBox and PS2. So, you can't really go with the keyboard and mouse argument anymore.
Hard drive storage: You can buy Final Fantasy XI with a 40 GB HD for $100. XBox2 is looking like it won't have a HD at all compared to the 10 GB HD in the present XBox. The whole point of consoles is just to play games and not store a bunch of songs and other data even though mod'rs for XBox have been hooking up to 140 GB HDs to their XBoxes. Some games know that they need to utilize some storage space such as FFXI and that's why they have 40 GB HD. Developers for XBox weren't doing this, which may be the reason they won't have a HD in XBox2. Either way, I don't think this will be a factor in console sales.
High-end computers: How much does it cost to build a high-end computer and how does that compare to an XBox, which you can buy at $150? A high-end video card for a PC can range anywhere from $150 to $500. That's just the video card. How many games are out that utlize the potential of these high-end computers? Very few. Why? Because there are very few people who have these high-end computers because of the price issue. Better graphics in itself does not make better game. Don't get me wrong, I love the advancements in this area. I just don't think the performance issues outweigh the difference in cost. I think the main advantage of having a high-end computer is to brag with the "my computer is better than yours" mentality and with consoles, the argument is just which console is better than the other. Hard to say the my XBox is so much better than yours, unless you have done some real serious mod'ng.
Now, let's go to why game developers are moving to consoles.
1. PCs are still relatively painful to use. It may not be for you or me, but you do know at least one person who asks you or someone else to fix his/her computer and finds out that there are 50+ spyware, DDOS clients, and other crap that are being loaded on start-up of their computer. And when you do get a game, you have to install it. Knights of the Old Republic can take up to 30 min to install on a 2.8 GHz machine. You don't have to wait for installing on a console. Consoles are relatively much easier to use compared to computers.
2. Copyright protection/piracy. Some developers are getting tired of seeing their work being hacked an cracked and sent all over the internet for free. I'm not saying you can't still do that with consoles, but it's more difficult than a game that developed for the PC. People that own consoles don't normally go look for warez sites to find a cracked console game.
3. Personal computer vs. public television (no, I'm not talking about PBS). How many people will let a 4 year old play on their Nintendo GameCube? Probably most people. How many will still let them play on their computer? I think not many. You aren't going to hook up 4 game controllers or 4 sets of keyboards to your computer to play a game with your pals. You have to have 4 seperate computers and some kind of networking to play each other.
4. QA/Tech support. It's easier to support one or two consoles than to support a wide array of hardware parts that a PC can be made of. Usually, when a game ships for a console, you know it works. You have to test it on only one architecture. This makes it so much easier for developers.
5. Support from the console makers. Nobody cares if you are making a game for a PC. The console makers do care because they know that your game can increase their console sales. It's hard to track PC sales for a given game. Consoles makers will help match funds with the developers to produce a game. In the PC market, you may get funded by a publisher, but they will definitely get their money back first before you see any of your own profits. Console makers also provide many tools for free to help the developer out in making a game for their console.
I don't think PC gaming will go away. I do think that console gaming is going to grow bigger and bigger just because of the price, ease of use, and developers find them easier to make games for consoles.
Well said.
In response to #1:
A high end pc costs anywhere from $1200-$2500...so yes you need to pay $100 for the game on PS2, but you end up saving thousands of dollars on the end
In response to #2:
I'm sure that you will be able to buy a keyboard and mouse for a PS2 or Xbox...if not already. Also my arguement was in 5 to 6 YEARS there will be more people playin mmorpgs on consoles than pc's, not currently....Thanks...Xaldor
Versatility, Most people that would own a console system do or will own a computer, simply becuase of the things they can and do do with that PC system outside of gaming. Will Consoles ever die? Doubtfull. Will Games ever stopped being developled for home PC's? No, heck every OS I can think of comes with some games installed already. Which one will control the larger market share? I.E. who's gonna be on top? Does it matter? As long as they keep developing great games and mmorpg's then who cares.
But, in my opinion, PC's will always be superior to consoles for a few reasons.
1. Superior graphics quality vs Price (its much cheaper to get a 19" or 21" flat glass CRT monitor than a comparable HDTV).
2. Versatility (you can't wordprocess, program, or track you finances with the current console systems)
3. Adaptability (Third party software to work in conjunction with the games you are playing. To modify the GUI, provide convient macro capability, etc.)
4. DL Free Trials (as far as I know, you can't DL and play trials on any of the consoles that are on the market, although you can rent games for the console and not a PC.)
Just my $0.02
I don't see why you couldn't just have both. Until I can cheaply and easily play pc games on my sofa, six to ten feet away from the screen, I will probably continue to buy consoles. I for one think it's nice to be able to buy a game, then stick the disk in and play (as opposed to immediately download a patch because of some issue with processors who's serial number is divisible by three can't play on tuesdays). But here's why I think consoles are here to stay.
1) Non-evolving hardware(for the most part). The expandablity and possiblilities for pc's are a double edged sword. The console has one standardized spec allowing for developers to squash game bugs instead of making their game compatible with all possible combinations of hardware.
2) Ease of upgrading. You know to upgrade your console because the next generations is out and the company no longer makes games for your old console. On the PC, it's much more nebulous. Also PC's are upgraded much more often as well.
3) Price. You have to purchase the cheap console and have a tv. I would rather have a $200 console over a $500 e-machine. Much more budget friendly means that those with fixed incomes will continue to buy consoled.
4) Ever been to college? Compare how many of your dormates go "OMG that game looks fun can we play too?" when you are on a computer to when you are using a console. These impromptu multiplayer matches can be started quickly too due to the generally more simplified controls. (On a sidenote, I made a lot of friends when I was playing Mike Tyson's Punchout with my door open.)
Don't get me wrong, my computer was down for a week and I was flipping out, but it will never replace a console in my heart. A plain old car is a more overall useful thing than a motorcycle, but it doesn't necessarily make it more fun.
that's some mighty fine grave digging
almost 8 months old
--------------------------------
Games Played - Too many to list~
Games Currently Playing - City of Heroes, and WoW Open Beta.
Favorite Game So Far - Lineage 1 ^^
I also answer to "Peeler", "BigPeeler-RMX", "BiggerPeeler", BiggiePeels", "BP" and "Snake". Yes, I rather like "Snake"...
By the way. For future Reference, i do NOT have stairs in my house.
"Leave me here in my stark, raving, sick, sad little world!"
--------------------------------------
What is this the umpteenth million thread on this subject?
1.Consoles will always be around to say that they wont is just stupid.Yeah there dying out thats why theres a PS3 coming out and a xbox2.Gosh these 2 companies are just wasting millions of dollars on the development of console gaming.I cant beleive it dont they know that noone is buying those any more?Oh wait maybe they dont?OMG someone should really tell them.
2.Yeah a PC is better,so what.
The final argument that cannot be wrong?
Consoles are good at what they do.
A PC is good at what it does.
Try to find a hole in that.
This subject is a dead and/or dying horse.
Want to ENJOY an mmo?
Dont start a guild and dont be a leader or volunteer to be coleader or captain.
Just play the damn game:)