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I remember the day when the PC was the true hardcore gamer's machine. It could do things that consoles could only dream of, games came out thick and fast, and the range of genres far outweighed the console market. Now the tables have turned...
Firstly, consoles have severely increased in power- the PSX being the first console to completely destroy the idea that PCs would always be one step ahead of the game.
Consoles have stolen many of the PC's greatest games and genres, leaving a precious few exclusive to the PC. Of course FPS, RTS and simulation games are an up for PC gamers, but not much more can be added to the list.
Most importantly though, the popularity of consoles is immmense. Why would developers not want to tap this market over the PC?
And now, to cap it all off, Microsoft- the big boy of the PC world- has released its Xbox. Based on PC architecture it is a clear invitation for PC developers to jump ship. Add to that MS's buying of PC developers Bungie and a few others, and the future looks bleak.
So, where will PC gaming go from here?
Well, the attraction of PC games always used to be that they were simply the best, most ranging games around. Now they're not. Instead they are a highly specialist hobby- the price of a decent PC with regular upgrade making the market seem impossible to crack.
The games too have become more specialist- narrowing into very select genres groups. Surely it is enenitable that the consoles will get these games in time. Ok, so they may need a couse and keyboard, but it'll happen with the new age console-PC set-top-boxes.
So, is the day of the PC gamers over? I think it's been looking that way for years now.
Sonic
Firstly, consoles have severely increased in power- the PSX being the first console to completely destroy the idea that PCs would always be one step ahead of the game.
Consoles have stolen many of the PC's greatest games and genres, leaving a precious few exclusive to the PC. Of course FPS, RTS and simulation games are an up for PC gamers, but not much more can be added to the list.
Most importantly though, the popularity of consoles is immmense. Why would developers not want to tap this market over the PC?
And now, to cap it all off, Microsoft- the big boy of the PC world- has released its Xbox. Based on PC architecture it is a clear invitation for PC developers to jump ship. Add to that MS's buying of PC developers Bungie and a few others, and the future looks bleak.
So, where will PC gaming go from here?
Well, the attraction of PC games always used to be that they were simply the best, most ranging games around. Now they're not. Instead they are a highly specialist hobby- the price of a decent PC with regular upgrade making the market seem impossible to crack.
The games too have become more specialist- narrowing into very select genres groups. Surely it is enenitable that the consoles will get these games in time. Ok, so they may need a couse and keyboard, but it'll happen with the new age console-PC set-top-boxes.
So, is the day of the PC gamers over? I think it's been looking that way for years now.
Sonic
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Solskjær_24 wrote:
> Look at games like the Half-Life series, Max Payne, and the on-line
> capabillities! The PC won't be finnished with for a long while yet!
Yes these are great games, but they are avaliable for the ps2, more games need to just be made for the pc. If most of the great pc games avaliable can be bought on consoles then it is a more inviting offer to buy a new console for a few hundred pounds, rather than buying a whole new pc for around a £1000, or spending the money to upgrade your current pc for the more sophisticated games.
I enjoy online games then most, and i think it gives much more life to a game, and something to do once you have completed the single player mode. But as the new consoles will have modems avaliable for them, i fear that the popularity of the consoles will increase even more than it is already.
To make pc gaming more popular again, i think that games should be designed just for pc's, and not to be made for consoles too. Personally i enjoy pc gaming more anyway, but if console gaming is the better option then i would say i'd change to buying them.
> Look at games like the Half-Life series, Max Payne, and the on-line
> capabillities! The PC won't be finnished with for a long while yet!
Yes these are great games, but they are avaliable for the ps2, more games need to just be made for the pc. If most of the great pc games avaliable can be bought on consoles then it is a more inviting offer to buy a new console for a few hundred pounds, rather than buying a whole new pc for around a £1000, or spending the money to upgrade your current pc for the more sophisticated games.
I enjoy online games then most, and i think it gives much more life to a game, and something to do once you have completed the single player mode. But as the new consoles will have modems avaliable for them, i fear that the popularity of the consoles will increase even more than it is already.
To make pc gaming more popular again, i think that games should be designed just for pc's, and not to be made for consoles too. Personally i enjoy pc gaming more anyway, but if console gaming is the better option then i would say i'd change to buying them.
Joby,, I've never had a problem with games caused by Windows, it's generally hardware faults. Anyway, give me a console that I can mod and tweak and I'll think about switching..
Tony_Blair wrote:
> well whip me on a pc and call me extinct! BY George
I am really get peed off with this guy.
First he spams dozens of topics saying "Spiced orange" and now he's in my topic with his random comments...
Surely he should be banned
Sonic
> well whip me on a pc and call me extinct! BY George
I am really get peed off with this guy.
First he spams dozens of topics saying "Spiced orange" and now he's in my topic with his random comments...
Surely he should be banned
Sonic
Tony_Blair wrote:
> well whip me on a pc and call me extinct! BY George
I am really get peed off with this guy.
First he spams dozens of topics saying "Spiced orange" and now he's in my topic with his random comments...
Surely he should be banned
Sonic
> well whip me on a pc and call me extinct! BY George
I am really get peed off with this guy.
First he spams dozens of topics saying "Spiced orange" and now he's in my topic with his random comments...
Surely he should be banned
Sonic
In regards to games, Linux is worse, but I finally have UT! No zealousism here, I have to honestly say that UT is about twice as fast in 800x600 under Linux than the very same game at 640x480 in Windows. If only it weren't so bloody hard to get going!
Its because windows is crap.
Thats the main reason. If soooo many people didn't have soo many problems with specs and the operating system in general, more people would be currently using them for gaming. As it is at the moment. The PC market is not doing very well.
Thats the main reason. If soooo many people didn't have soo many problems with specs and the operating system in general, more people would be currently using them for gaming. As it is at the moment. The PC market is not doing very well.
...or lack thereof. Having said that though, I'm extremely pleased there's a Dual Shock rip off finally! Now I might get better at UT finally!
it's the controllers mainly
Look at games like the Half-Life series, Max Payne, and the on-line capabillities! The PC won't be finnished with for a long while yet!
But it is true that many people prefer to play console games, and find they're better at them, and that they're easier to use! That includes me.
But it is true that many people prefer to play console games, and find they're better at them, and that they're easier to use! That includes me.
There will also be PC gamers and there will always be games on the PC that are better than console ones. The two are seperate and the one doesn't really affect the other, especially now with new hardware where the developers are getting more and more freedom. However, the PS2 is the first real competition for the PC in terms of graphics, and soon the GC and Xbox. It'll be interesting to see how PC gaming is in 5 years. I predict it'll be less, but not by much.
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