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"Simplicity of Consoles - good or bad?"

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Mon 26/02/01 at 19:24
Regular
Posts: 787
In my opinion, the future of gaming isn't in consoles, but in PC's. I feel that consoles are too linear - on button, off button. I know you are thinking, "PC's can be very unstable, give yourself too many variables to adjust, and you cause a lot of problems." But I believe having the option to adjust certain things, maybe to improve performance in Consoles, say, lower the sound rate quality to improve the refresh rate, could be something to consider.

PC games offer MOD's and other exciting enhancements, which is why, I think games on Consoles cannot improve. Imagine downloading extra magic and weapons for Final Fantasy 8, or downloading new cars for Gran turismo. I know the NG consoles are now becoming online, and provide multiplayer action, but there are limitation I guaranteed which will be available.

My point is, I think someone should make a console that gives the user a simple BIOS interface, for them to experiment with. Like Microsoft's Direct X software, there should be frequent updates available for download which enhance the coordination with Software and Hardware. And if Hardware upgrades are going to be a likely story with the NG consoles, then surely there should be some control over how it operates. I know people might want to "just play games." But it could be an interesting experience for people that want to learn more about how computers and consoles operate.

This may be a day dream, but just an idea :0) :0)

Please feel more than welcome to contribute with some opinions.
Mon 26/02/01 at 23:20
Regular
"Fishing For Reddies"
Posts: 4,986
I think the simplicity of consoles is great, I mean with a PC you have to start up and log on and then you have to load the game but with a console say the Nintendo 64 I believe that the fact that you can be playing any game withing 25 seconds is great, there are no real loading times and although I am going back on my word here the Playstation 2 games don't take as long to load as the Playstation games and even some PC games.

Another factor is the speed of the computer you're on. It is all very well if you have a top-of-the-range PC but if you struggle with a 266 with no graphics card then consoles are you gaming life line. so in some respects PC games are only good for some people where as you don'treally have faster Playstation 2's that other people. Unless you have a Mod chip you both experience the same thing.

Having said this even say a old-ish 450 like this PC can run great games and from my desktop I can be playing GTA-UK in about 10 seconds. I think it depends on lots of things whether your PC is off, or on...and whether your console is fast and up-to-date or a 4 year old machine with bitty graphics. PC's depend upon the hardware so in some respects the best bet is to stick with consoles as they are all the same and prince and pauper alike can experience the magic from a Playstation 2 or Dreamcast. But having Said this with on-line gaming becoming ever-so increasingly big, PC's enable you to use your £10 a month connnection and going on-line to play addictive games such as M-SR and PSO can cost you money as the Dreamcast insists you use a certain connection.

Both PC's and Consoles are great for games, PC's are way a head with regards to speed and power but the simplicity of consoles is something that attracts the millions and millions of increasing customers each year! I would go with consoles, I think that you can experience a wider array of games and genres and plus with Developers like Rare and Retro on the console side of things I think that consoles will lead the Future of gaming even if nothing else does! Although I wouldn't trade online Quake 3 Arena on my PC for a couple of levels of Spiderman PSX to hastily!

The Game
Mon 26/02/01 at 22:59
Regular
"everyone says it"
Posts: 14,738
Future of games in PC's???

ummm.. lets see, PC sales have gone down so much many games are no longer released for them!!

MAC FOR EVER!
Mon 26/02/01 at 22:50
"High polygon count"
Posts: 15,624
> Like Microsoft's Direct X software, there should be
> frequent updates available for download

Good grief, no. Frequent updates = rushed products = bugs = crashing programs = favourite games rendered unplayable.

This remains one of my biggest fears about the X-box.


> which enhance the
> coordination with Software and Hardware.

The coordination with software and hardware is never better than when a developer knows *exactly* what they have to work with.

I certainly do not want to be in a position in, say, ten years time, I have just flashed my PS4's BIOS to the latest version, and 'that great game I bought last month' has to go back to the shop because it no longer works. I have enough of that on my PC, thankyouverymuch.
Mon 26/02/01 at 21:12
Regular
Posts: 16,558
Simple to mechanics and elctronics cronies only.
Mon 26/02/01 at 21:11
Regular
"Copyright: FM Inc."
Posts: 10,338
Not everyone can tweak a BIOS, EVERYone can hit an 'On button'.

If you want a console that sells well in a competitive market, it's got to be easy to use. Many people don't actually own PC's because they are just to frightened of them, as well as the prohibitive costs.

The MegaDrive stands out as one of the simplest consoles in the world to use that sold in a mass market, along with the NES and SNES of course. Just two buttons: On/Off and Reset.

If it had been more complicated, like having some sort of interractive programming language built into it, do you think they'd have sold so well? I don't think as many parents would have bought one for their 8 year old kids if that was the case.

Mon 26/02/01 at 21:06
Regular
Posts: 16,558
Consoles are quite simple machines sometimes if you just have processors and sound cards, but when it comes to deciding on what to use it's hard.
Mon 26/02/01 at 20:58
Regular
"smile, it's free"
Posts: 6,460
Consoles are different from PC's for a reason. You give a console modifiable setting and a BIOS (which I might add, is not something you 'experiment' with, if you value your PC...) and then what?

Then you have a console with a BIOS, a keyboard, mouse, internet access and a Hard Drive.

Then it follows "Why not let it have other software too? It would be really easy to implement."
Shortly followed by "What we need to improve this is some sort of GUI interface......."

Simple is good. Simple does not require £1 a miniute phone calls to technical support (or in my case, my dad. Campuslink call costs aren't that different, however.).
Simple means no worry about upgrading hardware, separate cards and boards which go in different slots.

The thing about consoles games as opposed to PC games is that the programmers know exactly how the game is going to run on anybody's machine. Supposedly then, there should be no need for making compromises on frame rate, detail, sound, resolution and so forth. With any luck, these things have already been optimised.
Mon 26/02/01 at 19:24
Posts: 0
In my opinion, the future of gaming isn't in consoles, but in PC's. I feel that consoles are too linear - on button, off button. I know you are thinking, "PC's can be very unstable, give yourself too many variables to adjust, and you cause a lot of problems." But I believe having the option to adjust certain things, maybe to improve performance in Consoles, say, lower the sound rate quality to improve the refresh rate, could be something to consider.

PC games offer MOD's and other exciting enhancements, which is why, I think games on Consoles cannot improve. Imagine downloading extra magic and weapons for Final Fantasy 8, or downloading new cars for Gran turismo. I know the NG consoles are now becoming online, and provide multiplayer action, but there are limitation I guaranteed which will be available.

My point is, I think someone should make a console that gives the user a simple BIOS interface, for them to experiment with. Like Microsoft's Direct X software, there should be frequent updates available for download which enhance the coordination with Software and Hardware. And if Hardware upgrades are going to be a likely story with the NG consoles, then surely there should be some control over how it operates. I know people might want to "just play games." But it could be an interesting experience for people that want to learn more about how computers and consoles operate.

This may be a day dream, but just an idea :0) :0)

Please feel more than welcome to contribute with some opinions.

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