Josh H

There was some discussion in the top ten games thread about how most members of this forum (and pretty much gamers in general) tend to either be console only or PC only gamers, with a smaller minority of "hybrids" that play both.

I think that's an interesting observation, but not really surprising. Though both are forms of interactive electronic gaming, they really are apples and oranges.

1. They differ in the genres they do best/have the most of. PCs absolutely own FPSs, RTSs, "adventure" games like the old lucas arts games, MMORPGs, "american" rpgs (baldur's gate etc.) sim games etc. Consoles own fighting games, platformers, japanese rpgs (i.e. turn based games like final fantasy, skies of arcadia etc.). Obviously their is overlap, those are just the genres that each platfrom has an advantage in IMO. Genre's left out where either forgotten or considered to have a reasonably balanced offering on both platforms.

2. Vastly different gaming experience. IMO it's a lot different sitting at a computer playing with a keyboard and mouse than sitting on the couch with a controller. It's relaxing to sit on the couch and play a game, it's not to sit at the computer after working on one a good chunk of the day IMO.

3. Different type of multiplayer experience. It's tougher to get friends together for multiplayer PC gaming (i.e. LAN parties). With a console all you need is 4 controllers and your set to go. Online gaming just isn't the same IMO.

4. It's easier for many to buy a console every 5 years or so than to hassle with upgrading their computer (video card, ram etc.) maybe twice during that span to play the latest games at the optimal settings.

5. Hassle. PC games have to be set up, optimized, and have a lot more bugs in general than console games which can just be popped in and played immediately.

Another indicator of the trend of gamers playing one or the other is the lack of magazines that cover both. Next Gen did it and went under. Their apparently isn't a huge demand for mags that cover both or we would see more. I don't want PC gaming in my mags as it's just wasted space as I won't read those sections.

Anyway please don't turn this into a pissing match between which type of gaming is better. Just add any other differences between the two that you can think of that would explain why it seems most gamers are only fans of one or the other rather than both. If you only play one or the other feel free to eloborate on why, just don't go attacking other people's opinions or reasons they play whatever platform.

KrackerBox

Well, it seems like your comments are slightly biased, so to assume that they are objective woudln't be fair. #4 and 5 seem more opinionated, and honestly, for me #3 is the opposite for me, it is easier to get people together at one of those pc lan places then it is for us to play a console at someones house.
#2, if you have a nice leather chair, it isn't uncomfortable, and when your into a game, it is never really relaxing, but more intense. I think it is just a matter of taste. The only answer that seems objective is #1, which, I say is a pretty good comparison of the differences.
I'm glad you started this thread though, and i do agree that it is like comparing apples and oranges. I have been playing both types of games for most of my life, and I really can't say which I like better. I like tons of games on both, and it just depends on the mood. I would add though that pc games have greater potential for the true hardcore/professional gamer, since there are serious competitions for many pc games. Some, if you can believe, make this their living. Not to take away from those who consider themselves hardcore console gamers, but there isn't any real world-wide console competition that is very popular, or that one can make a living off of.

Jackskeleton

Console does indeed own in fighting games then again, Arcade machines own at fighting games over the console. One advantage is that arcades pretty much hand down their games to the consoles. PC's do own fps. I don't care what you say about halo. if it was on the PC you would see and know the difference. The modding community would have been all over it and you would be surprised at what would have resulted from it all.


Depends on your computer area. My computer chair is far more comfy then the couch. The defense might also say.. playing consoles suffers from the fact that you are sitting infront of the tv you watched all day (same idea behind, why play on something you worked on all day) I don't mind playing on it. same machine/ different purpose.

Lan parties are easier to do then have everyone bring their Xbox to your house along with their tv's. etc. If you want a good sized picture when playing Multiplayer games, PC is the way to go. Not to mention the fact that you can play online easier then anything. To play with someone at any given moment you can. You don't have to orginize a party to play online with a large amount of people at pretty much any game possible.

five years? try every 2 now a days. Not to mention buying three different consoles to play everything when in the PC world it's either Mac or PC and well.. stuff usually goes to both. I would say this feature is equel for both pc and console.


Downloading a patch is a lot easier then sending a game back or returning it because the disc has an error reading in the console machine. Update your drivers (which you would normally do for everyday's function) and your good to go. I have never had much problems with PC set up. Main hassel... Control setup and that takes about 5 minutes.

You do realize that your very post screams that this will become just that. You bring up the difference and you state your idea and view of them.. you will get a reaction.. not to mention your phrase:


One last note. Gaming community. With PC gamers, they are united. you get clans like you are just starting to get with games like Socom. Those clans have been around for a looong time. The modding community is big. You can't "hack" into a game and change it around like you can in the PC world. Look at Battlefield 1942, the modding community has played with it and man you have Desert combat. I am surprised with its success. It looks, plays and feels great. you can fly modern planes and tanks and it is just great. Not to mention Half-life's successful mod Counter strike, Day of defeat and many others.

kvrdave

I am a hybrid type.

When PC games are good, they are better than anything that consoles can do, but that tends to be strategy, etc. X-Com, Dune II, etc. don't translate well to consoles and I have tried them all. Tony Hawk will always be better on a console, imo. I have never found a controller for the PC that does as good of a job as a console controller.

Agree that PC games are more prone to bugs etc. They also come down in price nicely.

Ralph Wiggum

I have very little interest in the genres which PCs have traditionally done better (FPS, MMORPG, RTS, American RPG, Sim ____ ).

Mods are a fantastic idea and the ease of online play is also great. For me they are more than balanced out by the hassle/expense of upgrading PC components, system optimization and patching games.

Online console gaming is starting to catch up finally. Within the next year or so I'll be able to play Mario Kart, Street Fighter and baseball online. That's what really counts for me.

A good deal of my multiplayer fun comes from having people over who aren't necessarily gamers like myself being able to pick up Super Monkey Ball (Mario Kart, SSB:M, etc.) and have fun. Especially girls. With my game inclined friends then I can enjoy co-op Contra or Halo in addition to the SMBs. This isn't really possible with a single PC in the living room.

LAN parties seem like a pain for console or PC so that point is moot.

Console gaming is much better. For me.

zig

I enjoy both PC and console gaming. The only difference, IMO, is the genres, as you pointed out. I'm in a dorm, so I use the same chair to play a console game on the TV as I do to use the computer. Granted, a console controller is a lot more comfortable to use than a keyboard and mouse, but if it really bothered me I could buy a gamepad for my computer. And I enjoy messing with computers, so I don't mind when a game is having a problem. I'm not really into multiplayer gaming very much for PCs or console games, offline or online, so I can't really compare there.
A problem I'm finding with PCs is a lack of good games. Maybe I've become jaded, but I haven't been willing to shell out the cash for a PC upgrade the last year or so because there's really nothing I want to play. That will probably change when Deus Ex 2 comes out, but it's hard to justify an expensive computer upgrade for a few games, whereas a 150-200 dollar console isn't too bad.

darkside

I've done both and enjoyed both. I like console gaming, but I really loved the point and click adventure games that were once so common on the PC. When that genre died off so did my interest in PC gaming.

If you look at the current popular games many are titles that appeal to both a PC or Console audience. I think both gamer types have come together in many respects.

sentineles

I play both actively. I think sports games are far better on consoles so that's what I play mostly on my console. Some games are better on consoles and some games are better on PC. I think we might be closer to the all in one gaming machine. But neither can perfect it just yet. I still prefer my mouse and keyboard for FPS and RTS. I'd rather have a controller for sports games. PC does not have a great controller for sports game just like the consoles have not perfected the mouse and keyboard feel for FPS and RTS games. And it's hard to console makers to keep up with the power of the PC industry. So at least for the time being, there's not one perfect choice.

Josh H

By the pissing match comment, I didn't mean that you couldn't state reasons why you only play one or the other or both. I just don't want this thread to turn into back and forth arguing about which is best.

I only play consoles and most of my post reflected that. I was just urging people not to bicker back and forth. Just post your observations on the differences (including your preferences if you wish) and don't bother refuting others opinions and starting fights.

Oh and the "wasted space" comment wasn't meaning in general. I just meant that I don't want PC game coverage in a magazine I pay for because it's "wasted space" to me in the sense that I won't even skim it over.

Michael Corvin

#2 is the clincher for me. I have the most comfortable couch in the world. Don't get me wrong, I got a new office chair and it is very comfy, but it is no couch. Prop my feet up, get going on my wireless controller, 57" HDTV. No comparison. Not to mention Wiggum's post. Most genres PCs excel in I'm not interested in. Plus I am a Mac user and the term Mac Gamer is an oxymoron. Although I did enjoy The Sims for a while.

Josh H

Another difference I just thought of.

PC games are always a step ahead of consoles in terms of graphics. At least for those with high end systems. For example, from videos I saw on tech TV, Morrowind on a high end system blew away the x-box version graphically. Especially the water effects.

Kellehair

I enjoy both forms of gaming. For me I think the difference is that I have more "fun" with console games but I get more addicted to PC games. I think that has a lot to do with the genres that each does well. For example I'll have a ton of fun with Mario, Zelda, GTA, ect. but I'll put a lot more hours into PC games like Alpha Centauri, SimCity, Europa Universails 2, etc. Off the top of my head I can think of 6 PC games that I've spent over 100 hours each playing. I don't think I've ever spent that much time on any console game.

You're looking at this the wrong way. It's an advantage that PC games can be set up, optimized, and updated. Most times you don't have to do any of that stuff if you don't want to but it can make the experience a lot better.

Groucho

This might be true for college students, but once you and your friends are married, have a family, etc. online is the most convenient. Just plug and play. The nice thing about this is now consoles are going online. I'm just waiting for wireless networking to go down in price.

I'm a hybrid gamer. I play console games for relaxing, "lite" mindless gaming. It's great for that. And I've never been able to get into certain genres on the PC...especially racing and platformers. On my PC I prefer more cerebral entertainment...strategy games and RPG's. I also prefer PC for FPS games, although there have been a few gems in the console world for this genre as well (Goldeneye and Halo, for instance).

Josh H

This was the kind of thing I figured we'd find out in this thread. What one person disliked about one platform would be viewed as a strength by others. Pretty interesting It's really just totally subjective, which is why I don't want this to turn into a pissing match. Who cares what someone else prefers or what their reasons for prefering it are? I'm interested in seeing why people who only play one or the other do so, but I can't see why some people get upset over these sort of things.

For you being able to fiddle with the settings is a plus, for me I don't like having to fool around to get the best setting (which I always did with the few PC games I played either out of necessity because the default wouldn't run on my system or out of desire to get it running as good as possible). You like the flexibility to customize and optimize, I like to just pop it in and play the game as the developers intended right from the get go. Neither of these views are "looking at it the wrong way" it's just a matter of personal preference.

Jackskeleton

morrowind's graphics are soooo six months ago.. look at Unreal 2 on any high end computer...

Josh H

Exactly Jack.

That's the advantage PC games have. The hardware advances at a quicker pace, and so do the graphics. The 4-5 year life span of each console slows the advance of console graphics, giving PC the clear advantage here.

KrackerBox

Thats fine, i just think that maybe you should of added that these reasons you posted about the differences was your opinion, not what you believe as an objective view, which, at least to me, seemed like what you were trying to attempt after setting the tone with your #1. anyway, good topic to discuss, i'm glad someone brought it up.

Jackskeleton

actually, it's a larger gap then you think. first of all you have to consider the graphics as dated as when the system was in it's concept stage. so add another 1 to 2 years to how dated those consoles are just on the basis that they take time to go through testing and production.

gcribbs

I am a gamer. If I enjoy a game then great. I can care less if it is on a console or a PC. I upgrade my PC all the time.

For games? No. For the fun of it

I have a nice overclocked Athlon XP system now with a Geforce 4 Ti4600 video card and i am still looking at upgrades.

Do I need them no. Do I want them. Yes!!

Consoles are becoming more PC. so in the future do not be surprised if you are using a mouse and Keyboard with your internet browsing console while listening to MP3's playing off the console speakers and burning a dvd-r of your saved games and a few downloaded mods.

soon the console will be hard to tell from a PC.

Of course I bet some will long for the good ole days

Trigger

We did this thread last year. :/

Anyway - IMO - PC games are better. I've played nearly every console that has ever come out and the Xbox was the first one to come out that was worth buying (except for the $50 Dreamcast). Consoles have really stepped up to the plate in the last few years and for the first time in almost 10 years, PC games are kinda taking a back seat. I'm confident that there will be another surge of PC gaming soon (as there always is), but now that consoles are such a strong force - I don't think PC gaming will ever be as dominant as it once was... at least not for the next few generations.

That all said - I still don't see this as apples and oranges. Video games are video games just like music is music... what you play games on isn't important, it's what you play. Those who like Everquest seek out others who like the same game... console or PC - doesn't matter. Tomb Raider is still Tomb Raider whether it's on the PC or the MAC or the Dreamcast. Some people eat with knives and forks and others eat with chopsticks - it's all food just the same... I wish this debate would go to hell.

Kromax

You can lie down when playing console games.

Lastblade

If I want to play a good wargame, flight sims, RTS, FPS, I will upgrade my computer (online or solitaire).

If I want to play arcade action games, sport games, japanese style RPGs, fighting, or quirky titles (like music, puzzler, etc), or against/with someone sitting next to me, I play console games.

AgtFox

I'm a hybrid gamer as well, although over the years the favoritism has gone from consoles to computers and now back to consoles. Back in the Atari/NES days I did not have a computer, so I was dependant on consoles and only played computer games at school after I was done with homework and the teacher allowed it.

In the late 80s I received my first computer. This started the trend of me playing lots of computer games while the consoles took a back seat. Any new Wing Commander game that came out saw me getting a new computer. It gets expensive!

Then I went to college and kept on with the computer playing, this time playing on-line for the first time with LAN games in the lab (I worked there). Then I found the Playstation and have been leaning towards consoles ever since.

Nowadays I only buy RTS games (like WarCraft III), other strategy games (like Civilization III), fun games (like the Rollercoaster Tycoon seires) and the Sims games for my wife on the computer. I may buy an RPG here or there for the computer, but I enjoy console RPGs much more.

I barely play computer games anymore. That may change if I go broadband and have the chance to play on-line. If I had the money to buy a new computer and did so chances are I would lead myself back into playing more computer games. Nowadays my computer just doesn't cut the mustard anymore.

Console and PC game development is an interesting thing. With console development, the team doing the game has a system that will not change (unless an upgrade is planned...i.e. Memory Expansion Pack for the N64) and the development time usually takes a lot less time on console games (though not always). This also hinders the developer as there is a ceiling that they cannot pass, although it may take a couple years to actually reach that ceiling.

With the PC, the developers have to create a game that can work on a wide range of technical requirements. FPS games push the envelope of graphics and in order to get the best graphics and speed you must upgrade your graphics card to a higher one that you already have (for several hundreds of dollars). You may also have to upgrade your whole machine in order to play the game you want to play. Then you are in the thousands of dollars to be able to play the new game coming out. Now this is mostly only for FPS-type games, but I have seen some high system requirements on some recent RTS games as well. This crutch is not necessarily the developers, but for the end-user (us).

In order to have the best in the console world today you would have to spend a minimum of $550 to get all 3 consoles. You may have to buy extra controllers (~$30/ea.), memory cards (~$20/ea.) and other accessories. Then you also have the games which are $50 a pop at the start unless you get first-party Sony titles for PS2 ($40). Game prices do not go down as fast on console titles as they do on PC titles also. Most console life cycles are 5 years (or reported to be), we shall see if that is true.

I won't get into the amount to have the best PC gaming platform because there are literally tons of combinations of things you can put in a PC that will greatly change the amount it would cost to own one. The flexibility of the PC is that if you have a 533MHz P4 board in your system it will probably work with very little in the way of upgrading (graphics?) for hopefully several years. However, Intel has been really pushing new speeds of microprocessors lately. We're already over 3GHz and I think it took less time to get from 2 to 3 than it took to get from 1 to 2, but I could be wrong. PC games generally go down in price, although the initial price point for top-tier games is in the $50 range. Most top-tier games also have a "Collector's Edition" of some sort that will cost a little more. The chances of finding a sale are much greater so that you can get the game for less.

Anyway, these are just some things I had to share. I do not think I buy as many console games nowadays as I used to buy computer games (I was literally getting 1 or more per week there for a while). I would say the computer has cost me more, but generally the games are longer on the computer (especially strategy ones) and in most cases far more addictive than console games can be. That's all from me...I've probably written too much.

Barney1234

PC Advantages:

*I'm more accurate with my mouse than with a controller.
So, Precision.

That's just me.

*Tweaking, you can tweak alot more things on the PC.

*Updates galore.

Don't get me wrong, I don't even game on my PC anymore since my Xbox and Live.

Sloth911

I think the main advantage of a consoles is use of a controller. PC gaming is often limited to a key board/mouse (and some flat surface!), or a POS controller that can never be mapped the way you want it.

i love FPS, and despite the short falls of Halo, the controller setup is the BEST i have ever run into for a FPS. the benefits of a controller (IMO) far outweigh the configurability/graphics of a PC.

i do wish that more game would be like the n64 version of quake where you can configure every single button (like a pc) and you are not limited to 1-10 various preset configs (almost all console games)

graphics are always nice and shinny, but very often they DO NOT make the game, the game has to be "fun" and fun is not always equal to good graphics.

while a mouse is accurate, daul sticks can be almost as good, and often the controller is easier of the wrists!