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Out of curiosity: Console preferences?


Scrivener
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I've been a PC gamer since I gave up my Nintendo for games like Arena & The Journeyman Project... and I've never looked back. Until now. Of course, I bought an N64 just for Conker's Bad Fur Day (That game was GREAT), but that cost less than $100 and I could care less about anything else released on that system.

Enter the Xbox. Despite all the negative energy that people seem to direct at Microsoft, I have come to trust MS to create some high-quality products, which they also support rather well. I've seen the PS, PS2, N64, and even the LameCube, and none of them live up to my cutting-edge PC standards. Consoles are just too weak to handle the games I'd consider playing. Xbox dosn't just meet that qualm, but from what I've seen, it surpasses with with jaw-dropping intensity.

PS2 does have some good games on it (Devil May Cry, GTA3, etc), but nothing that I, as a PC gamer, would ever call great. With Morrowind going cross platform, it's a sign that great games CAN reach the console market. And if one great game can be made cross-platform onto the Xbox, then others may be made that are Xbox exclusive.

That's my personal opinion, though. What is everyone else's stance on the battle of the game platforms?

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As far as I am concerned, why buy a console for gaming when you have a PC?

I can play just about ANY game that I WANT to play on this thing, and when it gets old, I don't throw the whole thing out, I pull out the old stuff and plug in new stuff.

Consoles are a waste of money as far as I am concerned, but then again, I was never into Mario, bubble Bobble and all that crud!!

And if I want to play it on the big screen TV, I go buy a video card with the S-Video Output and I'm Gaming like crazy!! LOL

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Well, for consoles I own a PS, and an N64.

I probably will not get any of The Three new ones(PS2, Gamecube, Xbox).

They do have some games I would Like to play for PS2 - MGS2, Soul Reaver2... But if they do a PC port I'll be happy, if not I'll wait till the PS2 sells for $100, and the games for $20.

I prefer the PC because as Jaquar pointed out, the PC is upgradable, the console isn't.

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quote:

...when it gets old, I don't throw the whole thing out, I pull out the old stuff and plug in new stuff.


You are mistaken on one thing. Console gamers typically don't throw their old consoles out. There isn't any reason to. It would be a waste of money to just toss them to the wind. Plus, one couldn't play old games anymore. That's one thing I enjoy about PC games, even though I'm a diehard console gamer. You can play older games on an upgraded system. I still enjoy the crash/update free nature of the consoles, though. When someone creates a console game, they KNOW that they MUST get it as perfect as possible, since a half-hearted attempt on a console would spell doom for that company. This doesn't happen that much on PC. Take any of the longest running games, and notice that they have been patched too many times to be counted, because of the nature of the PC as it grows ever more powerful and different from the next in hardware, software, etc. WW2 online, Anarchy online, etc. are some of the worst examples I can think of.

Anyway, just my opinion. Really meant to only say that console gamers don't throw out their old systems...er, yeah. Can 'o worms, anyone?

Edit: Oh, console preference is GameCube, as I already have a PS2, and Xbox can stay with it's PC brethren...

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: XenoZohar ]

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quote:

Console gamers typically don't throw their old consoles out. There isn't any reason to. It would be a waste of money to just toss them to the wind.

Alright then how do you do that :

- ONE tv

- a Sega Master system

- a Nitendo 8-bit

- a Sega Genesis

- a Super Nintendo

- a Sega Saturn

- a Playstation

- a N64

- a Sega Dreamcast

- a Playstation 2

and more coming in...

So how do you plug everything together? And where do you put everything, including the hundreds of cassettes and CD's?

[ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: Epsilon 5 ]

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What I do, is I plug in the one I want to play, pop in the game, and have fun. Simple, eh? I make the room for the consoles and assorted other things. What do you think drawers and shelves are for? Plus, I don't have them ALL out at once. That's silly. I have only two of the ones mentioned above sitting right here. And before you say, "Why go to the trouble of hooking up another system every time?", I do it because I enjoy the games. Isn't that what it's all about?

Nah, I don't have that many games in total, mainly because I'm very selective in what I buy. All my games could fit in one box, if needed.

Er, in summary, I make the room for the ones I use most, and keep the others around for when I want to play them. They aren't useless enough to be thrown out (disposed of), though, as someone above said. Think of it this way: Some PC gamers keep old hardware around just incase they need or want them for some reason(making a new computer from old parts, as an example). I do the same for my old consoles.

That's just my opinion, though.

[ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: XenoZohar ]

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Well, I dunno about anyone else here, but...

I'm a hardcore PC gamer. I love the PC. You don't get games on consoles like you do on PCs.

But boy oh boy, I would sure like to live without the:

Crashing OS

Compatability problems

Buggy gameplay

Slowdowns due to older hardware

Load times

I am looking forward to buying a PS2 or Xbox. The GameCube is out of it for me because I need a DVD player and it doesn't do that. I'm waiting to see what the Xbox will cost upon its launch. If it is fairly close to the PS2 I'll buy it - mostly for HALO and Morrowind, at the moment. But if is is more expensive I'll go with a PS2.

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Yeah, that's true about (some)PC games being nothing like console games. BCM anyone?

Ah, Panasonic is releasing a DVD player version of the GC (supposedly) shortly after the Nintendo version, so don't rule the GC out because of that.

Anyway, the PS2 has finally gotten some good games, though still not many great RPGs...

Good luck with whatever console you get.

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Well i have N64 and NES and i like playing them. Total for i have about 15 games. I of don't have any problems switching systems considering i mostly play N64. The reason i get would get a console(a new one) is because of the kind of games that come out on consoles. There are just some games that play better on consoles, like fighting games and most racing games.

As for this generation i will probally get a PS2 becuase it has games that interest me more than the other systems (except Rouge Squardron). Those games would inculde Zone of Enders, Grand Theft Auto 3, Ace Combat 4, Kinetica, and some other games bound to come and peek my interest. I would not buy a console just to play ported PC games, that is what i have built my already expensive PC for.

As for graphics all of the next generation consoles have equal better graphics compared to high end PCs running high end games. But you also have to take into acount the low res of a TV.

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Price comparisons (After launch):

Xbox: $299.99

PS2: $299.99

GC: $199.99

Each comes with 1 system and 1 controller.

The Xbox comes with a built-in DVD player, harddrive, broadband, and progressive scan (HDTV support). The GC dosn't have any of those. The PS2 supports DVD through an add-on that dosn't really work all that great (The PS2 was NOT designed to play DVD movies). It will have a modem and HD as expensive add-ons. Since they are add-ons AND expensive, don't expect a lot of game support, since a tiny percentage of PS2 owners are likely to buy them. Since it's standard on the Xbox, everyone will be taking advantage of them (Except for EA, who just ports their stuff around like a whore named Susan).

Dolby 5.1 digital. The PS2 flaunts 5.1 support, but they don't tell you it's only during movies/films. The PS2 does NOT support in-game 5.1 audio. The Xbox does.

The GameCube has a VERY weak launch lineup (Rogue Leader exempted) and very little third party support. Nintendo's GameCube is setting itself up for a repeat of the Dreamcast launch. GC is now, officially, the ultimate kiddie system. But since the Xbox has built-in parental controls, the folks can completely control what shows up on their screen. So that's a complete solution.

The controller: I've seen lot's a people who have never touched the Xbox complain consistently about the controller, hailing their PS2 as the god-system of gaming. Those same people have turned their opinions 180 degrees after a few minutes with a display system and NFL Fever 2002 (Which simply kicks Madden's directly PS2-ported ass).

[ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: Scrivener ]

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My take:

I'm not a HUGE gamer. I would say that I'm more of a passing one. Which means that games have to be something special for me to play them. PC games are typically better games because there are so many options when it comes to controlling them. Try to layout BCM on a console controller. Or most other PC games. In fact, when PC games are ported they are gutted in order to accomodate the interface. They are also gutted because consoles don't have the RAM required for truly large areas.

For instance, Deus Ex is going to be released for the PS2 -- the area sizes will be HALVED. Part of the reason I like that game so much is due to the massive area sizes. Oh, and can you imagine trying to play an FPS on a console? Not good. I've played Medal of Honor for the PSX for over an hour before I got somewhat aquainted with the controls, an even then it was difficult to aim on a 3-D plane.

Could you imagine them trying to port a game like OpFlashpoint over to a console. What a disaster that would be....

That said, there is some room for console games out there. I don't own a PS2 and probably won't until the price falls to something reasonable. I still play some PSX games -- Madden 2002, NBA Live 2002, NHL 2002, Triple Play, Gran Turismo ... see a pattern forming here (yes, I'm a HUGE sports fan -- go Bucks, Packers, Brewers)? Consoles are AWESOME for sports gaming. There's nothing like laying on my sofa and running my 2 minute offense. And the multiplayer can't be duplicated on the PC. Me and 7 of my friends can fire up a game of Madden or Live -- from within the same room, sharing the same twelve pack. Without having to have a TON of separate hardware.

So, I think there's a place for both. There are a few good console games that don't fall into the sports category as well. The Resident Evil series kicks some, for example. Colony Wars was a cool shooter. Metal Gear Solid was an innovative action/RPG-type of game. And, of course, the Final Fantasy series (I'm a sucker for RPGs).

The computer can do more, and it effectively does more. But I won't abandon the console just yet -- there are some cool games out there worth playing. And any time that a game is on the PC but is equally impressive on a console (usually games that are made for consoles than are ported to the PC), I'll get it for my console.

I'd rather sit on the sofa than at my computer desk to play games.

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However, you are forgetting what allows console to still exist... The very reasons why we are computer gamers...

Consoles are:

1. Simple to use...

2. No upgrading...

3. Put in the game, play...

4. Appeal much better than a box with a smaller screen

5. VERY simple controls (most of the time)

*SIMPLICITY*

I agree, computer gaming allows you to do much more than anything else. Not to mention that you get more uses other than just games... Nothing like playing Counter-Strike w/ Voice... Cant do that on a console!

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quote:

Originally posted by Scrivener:

The Xbox comes with a built-in DVD player, harddrive, broadband, and progressive scan (HDTV support). The GC dosn't have any of those.

The Gamecube is progressive scan, although in the US it requires the purchase of component cables to use (as well as a display device capable of progressive scan).

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The thing is, we're not simple. Most Console fans would probably have a hard time getting used to glitches and whatnot. And then there's the learning curve of some games that throws them away.

Back on Subject:

Scriv, I personally don't have a preference. I don't see any good games coming out for the PS2, X-Box, or Gamecube that are catching my attention at the moment. I'm just waiting for some RPGs to come out. I just might get a PS2 for Final Fantasy X and such.

Anyway, I've been a console gamer my whole life. With a pretty small computer and not enough cash to get a totally new one (which I really need), I haven't really been caring about graphics and don't see much difference with the consoles and PC other than stability and stuff. And there's the fact of ease and simplicity with consoles. To tell you the truth, my computer is so unstable; probably a BSOD around 4 times a week. (There's the fact that I haven't done a routine re-format, re-install for a long while, which probably leads to crawling performance and eventually the BSODs. But there isn't that problem on consoles, is there....)

So for me, it's a fifty-fifty, between PCs and consoles. Here's my take between the two.

PC Gaming:

Advantages:

Great Graphics, if you can afford it.

Upgradable

Customizable

Does more than gaming

Disadvantages:

You've gotta pay a leg and an arm to get the good stuff.

You've gotta pay to get on the internet, which also raises the cost.

It gets obsolete, so you've gotta pay more to keep the ability to play the latest and greatest.

Crashes.

Instability.

Computer game manufacturers now doing the "make 'em eat patches" routine.

Console Gaming:

Advantages:

Simplicity.

Cheaper than computers.

Buy it once, you can play every single game. No upgrading and "if, ands, or buts".

Almost no glitching and crashing.

No need for patches.

Disadvantages:

Can't make a complete system upgrade. (like a computer)

After a few years, there's always something better. (But that's also on the PC industry)

Not customizable.

Just does gaming.

Those are just my $0.02 on the subject.

----------

What I'm doing right now, is waiting on the sidelines to see what's best. But if you're dead sure you're getting one soon, get the PS2. It's head-start on the competition gave it a bigger choice of games. There's a better chance of finding something you like out there.

quote:

Posted by Epsilon 5:

Alright then how do you do that :

- ONE tv

- a Sega Master system

- a Nitendo 8-bit

- a Sega Genesis

- a Super Nintendo

- a Sega Saturn

- a Playstation

- a N64

- a Sega Dreamcast

- a Playstation 2

I have a NES, Genesis, SNES, PS, N64, and I'm planning on getting one of the newer systems later this year or early next. I run all my systems on RF adapters. Leaves room for the newer ones on my a/v ports and s-video, which until a few weeks ago, were all used by my SNES, PS, and 64. Remeber graphics were never my first priority.

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Here's my advantages/disadvantages rundown:

PC Advantages:

+Extended control layout

+Systems can be upgraded

+Addons for games possible

+Games are scalable as new capabilities are introduced

+Better hardware

+Computer monitor has *MUCH* higher resolution than an NTSB television screen

+Games can be MUCH more sophisticated

+Internet multiplayer

PC Disadvantages:

-Internet multiplayer

-LAN required for home-based MP for most titles

-Gaming companies feel at liberty to release buggy games because patches are possible

-Must ... sit ... at ... computer ... desk

-Games are at times incompatible with some systems for no apparent reason

-So many different hardware configurations -- what do you develop for?

-Results may vary, testing can not cover all configs

-The expense of upgrading

Console Advantages:

+Game companies are not at liberty to release buggy games

+Testing and quality assurance is much easier -- only one system to test

+Can be played on big screen TVs

+Can be played while sitting on sofa (or anywhere)

+Extra hardware is not needed for home MP

+System is designed specifically and solely for gaming

Console Disadvantages:

-System is designed specifically and solely for gaming

-1 piece of hardware doesn't go very far with today's advances

-Controller and hardware limitations mean limited games

-Games cannot be patched for new features

-TV screen is lower res than computer monitor

IMO, each has its place.

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quote:

The PS2 supports DVD through an add-on that doesn’t really work all that great (The PS2 was NOT designed to play DVD movies).

You, sir, are slightly wrong. The PS2 (both Japanese and American) have native support for DVD movies. There is no add-on. Also, the first PS2 in Japan didn't not have the DVD drivers built in, and required them to be on the Memcard, BUT, it came with the software to put the drivers on the card, and gave the PS2 DVD movies support. In Japan, DVD wasn’t really popular among gamers, so this was a brilliant move by Sony, since now gamers would get a Console that have DVD movie capabilities, instead of having to choose between a console or a DVD player. (Consoles won out most of the time). After the PS2's release, the amount of DVD's sold in Japan skyrocketed.

Anyway, on to one more thing: Some PC standbys such as FPS don't really belong on a console. Thing is, most who own a console have a computer anyway, so they have the ability to have the best of both worlds. Deus Ex for PS2 is just an abomination, in my opinion...

To each his/her own, I guess...

Edit:

I still say the whole patching thing for newer features is not right... Console developers try to make the game the best it can be BEFORE release, instead of after, and succeed most of the time.

Think of it like this: The SC is striving for perfection in BCM, as evidence by the fact there is only ONE patch(not counting the multiplayer patch) in development for the Post-release BCM. Typically, console devs do this, too. They don't have the luxury to just slack off and worry about nagging bugs after release, so the end product you buy is better for it.

[ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: XenoZohar ]

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I disagree totally, when a developer releases a patch, it is sometimes for a bug, but more often then not it is to add NEW technologies. The newest Half-life patch added voice commands to multiplayer. They released it for FREE!!

Second, the SC wanted to concentrate on single player first, get it the best it could be and release it. Then work on Multiplayer and when it is as bug free as possible release it. The next patches will get rid of some bugs, but will also add new features I'm sure, knowing the SC.

BC3000AD 2.03 through 2.09 were all new feature releases. Not a bug fixer patch. With a console, YOU'RE STUCK!! And if they do release new features, you go and buy the NEW version of the game, what? another $60.00 or so.

NO THANKS!!

I'll stick with my PC, patch the games up to new technologies for free, upgrade when I want, do MP over the internet. ETC, ETC.

Consoles are a waste of space as far as I am concerned.

Maybe for my daughter, but she'll probably get her own computer first, so kiss that off too I suppose!! LOL

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The Xbox is nothing but a gutted computer with an Svideo output. I would not waste my money on such a thing.

The xbox is for console users that want the multiple functions of a computer. Online gaming, and yes patches etc. If you DON'T have a computer and you enjoy console gaming, then get an X-box. Otherwise I think it's a waste of money.

The x-box is for the masses, it does a little bit of what a computer does and at the same time is a console gaming machine. Nice concept, and I am sure that it will sell well, but I for one have all those components right here, I am typing on it. So why waste money on an X-Box, when I can use that money to upgrade this machine?

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quote:

Originally posted by aramike:

-Must ... sit ... at ... computer ... desk

You can get a wireless keyboard/mouse combo and a video card with TV-Out and play games on the TV. I've plugged in my computer to a pretty big TV and played the BCM Beta with it and BCM looked more impressive than usual!

[ 11-07-2001: Message edited by: LordDavid ]

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quote:


You can get a wireless keyboard/mouse combo and a video card with TV-Out and play games on the TV. I've plugged in my computer to a pretty big TV and played the BCM Beta with it and BCM looked more impressive than usual!

Not a bad idea. May look into this, thanks.

--Wait, still a problem. I'd need a good place to put the mouse as I sit on the couch. Hmmmm....

quote:


Consoles are a waste of space as far as I am concerned.

It all depends upon what kind of games you play. If you're a big sports fan (like me), a console is a MUST for sports gaming. The PC doesn't cut it there.

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