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e consoles took a slamming in The Big Fight Part I because of their lack of multiplayer options. I, for one, found this very hard to swallow. The reasoning mentioned was that you either played split-screen and reduced the graphical quality (something later praised in titles such as Screamer Rally and TOCA), or played with a link-up cable. The writer said, and I quote: "Link-up cables require two TVs, two machines and two copies of the game". I would like to remind him that playing in the same manner on a PC requires two PCs, two monitors, two copies of the game, and two sets of speakers. It's a bit hypocritical to complain about that. PC gamers have the ability to frag people on the other side of the world using the Internet, while consoles simply cannot offer that kind of multiplayer experience. At the time, this was a good point. However, the Dreamcast now has a modem for multiplayer gaming, as will the PlayStation 2. In some games, PC and Dreamcast gamers can even fight against each other. Quake III: Arena has this functionality, although there is a problem. A problem with control. It's fair to say the most popular gaming genre at the moment is the First Person Shooter. The PC was the platform which gave birth to this style of game, and with it's keyboard and mouse combination, the games are so easy to control it soon becomes second nature. Consoles, however, have always been dogged by having to use a gamepad. Even when the N64 gamepad came out with an analogue stick for accurate control, the FPS fans were unconvinced. Anybody who has played GoldenEye multiplayer will know how laborious turning and aiming are. This has been the problem with consoles which has left the PC as the king of its own genre. Trying to rail a PC opponent on the DC version of Quake III was nigh on impossible. This is all about to change, though, as the next-gen consoles feature USB ports, which are ideal for plugging in keyboards and mice. These allow proper control methods for FPS games, and also allow surfing the internet. This is a recurring theme in the PC vs Console battle - the consoles are bridging the gap to the PC where they lagged behind, but are increasing the lead in the areas which they are ahead. The graphical quality is a good example of the consoles fighting back from losing the battle to leading it, as anybody who watches the Game Network (a Sky Digital channel, 223, which is 24 hour computer gaming), will testify.
If you have seen the PS2 in action, you will agree the PC has very little to offer in return. The visuals in Gran Turismo 3, for example, could be recreated with the latest PC 3D graphics cards, but when you realise the frame rate never drops below 60fps, you begin to see just how advanced the console is. The new GeForce 3 PC accelerator costs £380 (PCG99 money pit), whereas for the same price, you can get a PlayStation 2, two dual force controllers, a DVD remote, a keyboard, a mouse, Gran Turismo 3 and Quake III: Revolution (from UKPS2.com). Considering the GeForce 3 requires a decent PC to start with, and PC developers are still creating dull 2D strategy games which take no advantage of all this power, it is easy to see the difference in value. (Waitasec, 'DVD remote'? - Proof Reading Ed) Yes, it's true, the PS2 also doubles as a DVD player (which would set you back £200 for a Sony model). The PC also has this facility, however, watching a DVD on a TV requires taking your entire computer downstairs, plugging in a huge amount of cable, and listening to two heavy duty fans whirr through the entirety of the movie. Hardly 'Home Cinema', is it? Or easy, for that matter. All that work is especially annoying when, while trying to convince your dad that DVD is so much better than VHS, Windows decides to throw up screen savers, shut down your monitor or hard drive, or simply crash and throw up a Blue Screen Of Death. Playing a PS2 requires sitting in the lounge (or lying across the sofa), watching a widescreen TV, and listening to Dolby Digital surround sound, while playing a DVD movie is simply a matter of inserting it into the drive. A region free hack is available on a CD for minimal outlay, allowing NTSC movies to be played as well.
Just a couple more points before we try to draw a conclusion. Have you ever bought a PC game which refused to run on your measly PC? Yeah, me too. Quite a few when I come to think of it. This situation simply does not happen to the consoles, because each and every one is identical in specification. The designers of the game can set a frame rate to aim at during development, and just keep adding functionality and detail to the game, knowing there is no 'minimum spec' to speak of. PC developers always have to compromise between pushing the envelope and maximising their audience. Plus, consoles do not have an Operating System of such diversity (and therefore instability) as the PC. Simply placing the CD in the drive is enough to dive straight into the game. This is even easy enough to do after a decent night out, allowing four player FIFA 2001 in a drunken stupor. Never has a game been so much fun! While the PC allows this, you need three other blokes (or laydeez, if you want to impress them with your computer gaming skills) in your bedroom, huddled around a tiny monitor (invariably in the corner of the room), and each has his own control system. It simply doesn't make for such enjoyment of the game if you can only beat somebody because they were using the mouse.
The main advantages of gaming on a PC are being reduced with every evolution of the console market, but there are still things which console owners have to do without. One small thing which they have had to put up with is the requirement of a memory card to store savegames and settings. These usually don't come cheap, but the PS2 has a new device which plugs into your PC and allows you to use your PC Hard Drive as a giant memory card. Of course, your PC must be both switched on and in close proximity to your PS2, but the ability is there if so required. If not, then the memory card is the only option, and the games require a lengthy saving process to make sure your gaming position and settings are not lost. Also, console owners often cite the gigantic rift in price between the two platforms as the main reason why their machines are better. But the largest factor in the price of a PC is the ability to quit from your quick game of Quake III and run your business. All manner of programs are available, allowing you to sort out your finances, write letters or organise your appointments. The problem is, almost every palmtop released nowadays involves these applications and more, while costing a lot less and being portable. In gaming terms, though, the biggest advantage of PC gaming is backward compatibility. When you do buy that Pentium 4, you can still be confident that it will play Doom. Never has a console offered backward compatibility... until now. Yes, you guessed it, the PlayStation 2 will play all original PlayStation games, and by flicking a switch in the menu, will boost the resolution and texture definition up to acceptable levels. Oh dear. The PC has been beaten at its own game.
If you have seen the PS2 in action, you will agree the PC has very little to offer in return. The visuals in Gran Turismo 3, for example, could be recreated with the latest PC 3D graphics cards, but when you realise the frame rate never drops below 60fps, you begin to see just how advanced the console is. The new GeForce 3 PC accelerator costs £380 (PCG99 money pit), whereas for the same price, you can get a PlayStation 2, two dual force controllers, a DVD remote, a keyboard, a mouse, Gran Turismo 3 and Quake III: Revolution (from UKPS2.com). Considering the GeForce 3 requires a decent PC to start with, and PC developers are still creating dull 2D strategy games which take no advantage of all this power, it is easy to see the difference in value. (Waitasec, 'DVD remote'? - Proof Reading Ed) Yes, it's true, the PS2 also doubles as a DVD player (which would set you back £200 for a Sony model). The PC also has this facility, however, watching a DVD on a TV requires taking your entire computer downstairs, plugging in a huge amount of cable, and listening to two heavy duty fans whirr through the entirety of the movie. Hardly 'Home Cinema', is it? Or easy, for that matter. All that work is especially annoying when, while trying to convince your dad that DVD is so much better than VHS, Windows decides to throw up screen savers, shut down your monitor or hard drive, or simply crash and throw up a Blue Screen Of Death. Playing a PS2 requires sitting in the lounge (or lying across the sofa), watching a widescreen TV, and listening to Dolby Digital surround sound, while playing a DVD movie is simply a matter of inserting it into the drive. A region free hack is available on a CD for minimal outlay, allowing NTSC movies to be played as well.
Just a couple more points before we try to draw a conclusion. Have you ever bought a PC game which refused to run on your measly PC? Yeah, me too. Quite a few when I come to think of it. This situation simply does not happen to the consoles, because each and every one is identical in specification. The designers of the game can set a frame rate to aim at during development, and just keep adding functionality and detail to the game, knowing there is no 'minimum spec' to speak of. PC developers always have to compromise between pushing the envelope and maximising their audience. Plus, consoles do not have an Operating System of such diversity (and therefore instability) as the PC. Simply placing the CD in the drive is enough to dive straight into the game. This is even easy enough to do after a decent night out, allowing four player FIFA 2001 in a drunken stupor. Never has a game been so much fun! While the PC allows this, you need three other blokes (or laydeez, if you want to impress them with your computer gaming skills) in your bedroom, huddled around a tiny monitor (invariably in the corner of the room), and each has his own control system. It simply doesn't make for such enjoyment of the game if you can only beat somebody because they were using the mouse.
The main advantages of gaming on a PC are being reduced with every evolution of the console market, but there are still things which console owners have to do without. One small thing which they have had to put up with is the requirement of a memory card to store savegames and settings. These usually don't come cheap, but the PS2 has a new device which plugs into your PC and allows you to use your PC Hard Drive as a giant memory card. Of course, your PC must be both switched on and in close proximity to your PS2, but the ability is there if so required. If not, then the memory card is the only option, and the games require a lengthy saving process to make sure your gaming position and settings are not lost. Also, console owners often cite the gigantic rift in price between the two platforms as the main reason why their machines are better. But the largest factor in the price of a PC is the ability to quit from your quick game of Quake III and run your business. All manner of programs are available, allowing you to sort out your finances, write letters or organise your appointments. The problem is, almost every palmtop released nowadays involves these applications and more, while costing a lot less and being portable. In gaming terms, though, the biggest advantage of PC gaming is backward compatibility. When you do buy that Pentium 4, you can still be confident that it will play Doom. Never has a console offered backward compatibility... until now. Yes, you guessed it, the PlayStation 2 will play all original PlayStation games, and by flicking a switch in the menu, will boost the resolution and texture definition up to acceptable levels. Oh dear. The PC has been beaten at its own game.
Yeah I agree with you about practically everything you wrote catisfit.
I just hope that consoles don't end up with all sorts of add-on packs eg. N64 expansion packs. I don't mind some, but the ridiculous number of PC upgrades that are available that claim to revolutionise your gaming experience by adding an extra 150 MHz to your processor, 64 Mb of RAM or 5% extra polygons in your 3D environment do NOT belong on consoles. Consoles are for people who play games as well as people who are computer geniouses. You don't need to know the ins and outs of Ping, Baud Rate, Lag, MMX technology etc.
The rate at which the computer industry increases the power of PC's just serves to render PC's that are slightly out of date obsolete, when if you played Quake 2 etc. on an older computer whilst ignoring the poorer quality graphics etc. you'd still enjoy the game and possibly realise that there was no reason, other than keeping up with the industry, to upgrade your PC so much. Developers seem to ignore the fact that they could quite easily still develop lower spec. games for those who don't need to be at the cutting edge of technology with their PC's, whilst developing higer spec. games for those who don't have the will power to resist the industries stream of increasingly powerful products that make very little difference for the amount of money that they cost.
Also, the devices that claim to be Plug'n'Play compliant broadcast that feature like it's something amazing. Everything in a console is plug'n'play. The ability to sit down put in a CD/DVD and press a button to access great games is far more appealing than switching on, logging on, finding, loading and hoping that your system doesn't display an 'internal error' message and finally accessing a program only to find you've missed the first five minutes of Buffy, like on a PC.
I'm not saying that computer gaming is rubbish, far from it. All I'm really saying is that the cost and number of potential problems prevent many people from having access to good, reliable PC gaming like you would get on a console.
Impaler_12
I just hope that consoles don't end up with all sorts of add-on packs eg. N64 expansion packs. I don't mind some, but the ridiculous number of PC upgrades that are available that claim to revolutionise your gaming experience by adding an extra 150 MHz to your processor, 64 Mb of RAM or 5% extra polygons in your 3D environment do NOT belong on consoles. Consoles are for people who play games as well as people who are computer geniouses. You don't need to know the ins and outs of Ping, Baud Rate, Lag, MMX technology etc.
The rate at which the computer industry increases the power of PC's just serves to render PC's that are slightly out of date obsolete, when if you played Quake 2 etc. on an older computer whilst ignoring the poorer quality graphics etc. you'd still enjoy the game and possibly realise that there was no reason, other than keeping up with the industry, to upgrade your PC so much. Developers seem to ignore the fact that they could quite easily still develop lower spec. games for those who don't need to be at the cutting edge of technology with their PC's, whilst developing higer spec. games for those who don't have the will power to resist the industries stream of increasingly powerful products that make very little difference for the amount of money that they cost.
Also, the devices that claim to be Plug'n'Play compliant broadcast that feature like it's something amazing. Everything in a console is plug'n'play. The ability to sit down put in a CD/DVD and press a button to access great games is far more appealing than switching on, logging on, finding, loading and hoping that your system doesn't display an 'internal error' message and finally accessing a program only to find you've missed the first five minutes of Buffy, like on a PC.
I'm not saying that computer gaming is rubbish, far from it. All I'm really saying is that the cost and number of potential problems prevent many people from having access to good, reliable PC gaming like you would get on a console.
Impaler_12
I know this sounds weak minded, but I couldn`t read that without at least ten more paragraph breaks, and the beginning of the first sentence added. Looked like an informative post though :-)
e consoles took a slamming in The Big Fight Part I because of their lack of multiplayer options. I, for one, found this very hard to swallow. The reasoning mentioned was that you either played split-screen and reduced the graphical quality (something later praised in titles such as Screamer Rally and TOCA), or played with a link-up cable. The writer said, and I quote: "Link-up cables require two TVs, two machines and two copies of the game". I would like to remind him that playing in the same manner on a PC requires two PCs, two monitors, two copies of the game, and two sets of speakers. It's a bit hypocritical to complain about that. PC gamers have the ability to frag people on the other side of the world using the Internet, while consoles simply cannot offer that kind of multiplayer experience. At the time, this was a good point. However, the Dreamcast now has a modem for multiplayer gaming, as will the PlayStation 2. In some games, PC and Dreamcast gamers can even fight against each other. Quake III: Arena has this functionality, although there is a problem. A problem with control. It's fair to say the most popular gaming genre at the moment is the First Person Shooter. The PC was the platform which gave birth to this style of game, and with it's keyboard and mouse combination, the games are so easy to control it soon becomes second nature. Consoles, however, have always been dogged by having to use a gamepad. Even when the N64 gamepad came out with an analogue stick for accurate control, the FPS fans were unconvinced. Anybody who has played GoldenEye multiplayer will know how laborious turning and aiming are. This has been the problem with consoles which has left the PC as the king of its own genre. Trying to rail a PC opponent on the DC version of Quake III was nigh on impossible. This is all about to change, though, as the next-gen consoles feature USB ports, which are ideal for plugging in keyboards and mice. These allow proper control methods for FPS games, and also allow surfing the internet. This is a recurring theme in the PC vs Console battle - the consoles are bridging the gap to the PC where they lagged behind, but are increasing the lead in the areas which they are ahead. The graphical quality is a good example of the consoles fighting back from losing the battle to leading it, as anybody who watches the Game Network (a Sky Digital channel, 223, which is 24 hour computer gaming), will testify.
If you have seen the PS2 in action, you will agree the PC has very little to offer in return. The visuals in Gran Turismo 3, for example, could be recreated with the latest PC 3D graphics cards, but when you realise the frame rate never drops below 60fps, you begin to see just how advanced the console is. The new GeForce 3 PC accelerator costs £380 (PCG99 money pit), whereas for the same price, you can get a PlayStation 2, two dual force controllers, a DVD remote, a keyboard, a mouse, Gran Turismo 3 and Quake III: Revolution (from UKPS2.com). Considering the GeForce 3 requires a decent PC to start with, and PC developers are still creating dull 2D strategy games which take no advantage of all this power, it is easy to see the difference in value. (Waitasec, 'DVD remote'? - Proof Reading Ed) Yes, it's true, the PS2 also doubles as a DVD player (which would set you back £200 for a Sony model). The PC also has this facility, however, watching a DVD on a TV requires taking your entire computer downstairs, plugging in a huge amount of cable, and listening to two heavy duty fans whirr through the entirety of the movie. Hardly 'Home Cinema', is it? Or easy, for that matter. All that work is especially annoying when, while trying to convince your dad that DVD is so much better than VHS, Windows decides to throw up screen savers, shut down your monitor or hard drive, or simply crash and throw up a Blue Screen Of Death. Playing a PS2 requires sitting in the lounge (or lying across the sofa), watching a widescreen TV, and listening to Dolby Digital surround sound, while playing a DVD movie is simply a matter of inserting it into the drive. A region free hack is available on a CD for minimal outlay, allowing NTSC movies to be played as well.
Just a couple more points before we try to draw a conclusion. Have you ever bought a PC game which refused to run on your measly PC? Yeah, me too. Quite a few when I come to think of it. This situation simply does not happen to the consoles, because each and every one is identical in specification. The designers of the game can set a frame rate to aim at during development, and just keep adding functionality and detail to the game, knowing there is no 'minimum spec' to speak of. PC developers always have to compromise between pushing the envelope and maximising their audience. Plus, consoles do not have an Operating System of such diversity (and therefore instability) as the PC. Simply placing the CD in the drive is enough to dive straight into the game. This is even easy enough to do after a decent night out, allowing four player FIFA 2001 in a drunken stupor. Never has a game been so much fun! While the PC allows this, you need three other blokes (or laydeez, if you want to impress them with your computer gaming skills) in your bedroom, huddled around a tiny monitor (invariably in the corner of the room), and each has his own control system. It simply doesn't make for such enjoyment of the game if you can only beat somebody because they were using the mouse.
The main advantages of gaming on a PC are being reduced with every evolution of the console market, but there are still things which console owners have to do without. One small thing which they have had to put up with is the requirement of a memory card to store savegames and settings. These usually don't come cheap, but the PS2 has a new device which plugs into your PC and allows you to use your PC Hard Drive as a giant memory card. Of course, your PC must be both switched on and in close proximity to your PS2, but the ability is there if so required. If not, then the memory card is the only option, and the games require a lengthy saving process to make sure your gaming position and settings are not lost. Also, console owners often cite the gigantic rift in price between the two platforms as the main reason why their machines are better. But the largest factor in the price of a PC is the ability to quit from your quick game of Quake III and run your business. All manner of programs are available, allowing you to sort out your finances, write letters or organise your appointments. The problem is, almost every palmtop released nowadays involves these applications and more, while costing a lot less and being portable. In gaming terms, though, the biggest advantage of PC gaming is backward compatibility. When you do buy that Pentium 4, you can still be confident that it will play Doom. Never has a console offered backward compatibility... until now. Yes, you guessed it, the PlayStation 2 will play all original PlayStation games, and by flicking a switch in the menu, will boost the resolution and texture definition up to acceptable levels. Oh dear. The PC has been beaten at its own game.
If you have seen the PS2 in action, you will agree the PC has very little to offer in return. The visuals in Gran Turismo 3, for example, could be recreated with the latest PC 3D graphics cards, but when you realise the frame rate never drops below 60fps, you begin to see just how advanced the console is. The new GeForce 3 PC accelerator costs £380 (PCG99 money pit), whereas for the same price, you can get a PlayStation 2, two dual force controllers, a DVD remote, a keyboard, a mouse, Gran Turismo 3 and Quake III: Revolution (from UKPS2.com). Considering the GeForce 3 requires a decent PC to start with, and PC developers are still creating dull 2D strategy games which take no advantage of all this power, it is easy to see the difference in value. (Waitasec, 'DVD remote'? - Proof Reading Ed) Yes, it's true, the PS2 also doubles as a DVD player (which would set you back £200 for a Sony model). The PC also has this facility, however, watching a DVD on a TV requires taking your entire computer downstairs, plugging in a huge amount of cable, and listening to two heavy duty fans whirr through the entirety of the movie. Hardly 'Home Cinema', is it? Or easy, for that matter. All that work is especially annoying when, while trying to convince your dad that DVD is so much better than VHS, Windows decides to throw up screen savers, shut down your monitor or hard drive, or simply crash and throw up a Blue Screen Of Death. Playing a PS2 requires sitting in the lounge (or lying across the sofa), watching a widescreen TV, and listening to Dolby Digital surround sound, while playing a DVD movie is simply a matter of inserting it into the drive. A region free hack is available on a CD for minimal outlay, allowing NTSC movies to be played as well.
Just a couple more points before we try to draw a conclusion. Have you ever bought a PC game which refused to run on your measly PC? Yeah, me too. Quite a few when I come to think of it. This situation simply does not happen to the consoles, because each and every one is identical in specification. The designers of the game can set a frame rate to aim at during development, and just keep adding functionality and detail to the game, knowing there is no 'minimum spec' to speak of. PC developers always have to compromise between pushing the envelope and maximising their audience. Plus, consoles do not have an Operating System of such diversity (and therefore instability) as the PC. Simply placing the CD in the drive is enough to dive straight into the game. This is even easy enough to do after a decent night out, allowing four player FIFA 2001 in a drunken stupor. Never has a game been so much fun! While the PC allows this, you need three other blokes (or laydeez, if you want to impress them with your computer gaming skills) in your bedroom, huddled around a tiny monitor (invariably in the corner of the room), and each has his own control system. It simply doesn't make for such enjoyment of the game if you can only beat somebody because they were using the mouse.
The main advantages of gaming on a PC are being reduced with every evolution of the console market, but there are still things which console owners have to do without. One small thing which they have had to put up with is the requirement of a memory card to store savegames and settings. These usually don't come cheap, but the PS2 has a new device which plugs into your PC and allows you to use your PC Hard Drive as a giant memory card. Of course, your PC must be both switched on and in close proximity to your PS2, but the ability is there if so required. If not, then the memory card is the only option, and the games require a lengthy saving process to make sure your gaming position and settings are not lost. Also, console owners often cite the gigantic rift in price between the two platforms as the main reason why their machines are better. But the largest factor in the price of a PC is the ability to quit from your quick game of Quake III and run your business. All manner of programs are available, allowing you to sort out your finances, write letters or organise your appointments. The problem is, almost every palmtop released nowadays involves these applications and more, while costing a lot less and being portable. In gaming terms, though, the biggest advantage of PC gaming is backward compatibility. When you do buy that Pentium 4, you can still be confident that it will play Doom. Never has a console offered backward compatibility... until now. Yes, you guessed it, the PlayStation 2 will play all original PlayStation games, and by flicking a switch in the menu, will boost the resolution and texture definition up to acceptable levels. Oh dear. The PC has been beaten at its own game.