Re:Closed could mean disciplined
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· Score: 3, Informative
In fact, the government seems to be very much against the idea that we're actually at war with Al Qaeda. If we were actually at war with them, then those prisoners we have down in Cuba might actually be entitled to some rights. Can't have that.
Maybe you shouldn't have claimed "everything turned up to max except for the texture size." That would imply playing at the highest available resolution as well. This is probably why the parent post is generating so much controversy. He obviously doesn't understand what he's saying when he says "maximum settings", since his system is quite obviously incapable of running those games at "maximum settings." He, like you, is referring to the settings levels that he can believes are good enough, and certainly not the maximum settings that the games support.
The problem with console RPGs is that most are incredibly linear. Combine that with a lack of customizability and expandability and you end up with games that may be pretty decent, but still don't compare to PC RPGs. Consider some of the better PC RPGs, Baldur's Gate I & II, Planescape: Torment, several of the Ultimas, and then look at the console RPGs. Some of them are neat, and have pretty decent stories, but they end up being more like movies than role-playing games.
Yeah, but if Nintendo quit making games, then their game designers and programmers would be snapped up by some corporation that does make games. You think Sony wouldn't want to snatch Myamoto? The guy is a goldmine.
I'll never be able to aim as well using just my thumbs as I can using a mouse. There's just no way that it will happen. What's funny though is that Goldeneye is the only FPS that I've ever really enjoyed on a console... go figure:) I tried Perfect Dark hoping it would be more of the same, but it just didn't feel right. Yeah, DA may have been more similar to Diablo, but I'm not much of a Diablo fan anyway. I played through the first one, and it got old quick. I tried the demo for the second one and saw that it was more of the same, except that you get to modify your character a bit more as you level up. Wasn't worth buying. While linear RPGs aren't necessarily bad, sometimes I think that they'd make better movies than games. I prefer RPGs that let me explore and go where I want to go. If I can't get somewhere, there should be a good and obvious reason why not. A lot of the Ultima games were like that, and I enjoyed those.
heh... I own B&W, but aside from a save bug that was causing problems early on, I didn't have any trouble with it... of course I didn't have much fun with it after the novelty wore off either. While the PC may not give developers complete freedom, it does give them more than a console does, if only because they aren't tied to a gamepad. They can design it for joystick support (like Mechwarrior 4), or for racing wheel support (can't think of one, i don't play those), flight yoke support, gamepad support (Oni played better with a gamepad than with the mouse), or just plain old keyboard/mouse support. That alone gives them more freedom. PC gamers are familiar with their keyboards. Look at games like Tie Fighter. Almost every key had a function. It was almost like having a real cockpit. Everything from transfering power between shields, engine and guns to communicating with other ships. Sure there's a bit of a learning curve, but the game feels all the more rewarding because it doesn't feel like it's been dumbed down. Bah, I could argue like this forever and it won't matter. I do agree that consoles and PCs both have their place. I just get disturbed when people suggest that the console is such a better gaming platform because it's cheap and doesn't crash. Until I can play games that are as deep and versatile as PC games on a console, consoles will not be king.
Just to let you know, FPS's designed for consoles are designed to use the control pads well. Control has never been an issue with any console FPS I've played.
Yes, they are designed to use the control pads as well as they can, but that's because the control pads are the only option they have. A mouse gives MUCH more precision. Too bad we can't play UT or Counter-Strike sometime. You can use a control pad and I'll use the mouse/keyboard. See who can aim better:)
And most PS2 FPS's also support the mouse, USB, just plug it in.
A mouse needs a good surface too, I don't sit at my desk when I play my PS2.
As for mods' console gamers think that developers should be doing the coding.
And I find that sad. Gamers themselves can create some amazing things. Some of my favorite UT and CS maps are done by amateurs. There are some really cool mods out there too. It's not about making developers do more. It's about gamers getting to pitch in and make good games even better.
Console games are every bit as immersive and full of depth as PC games, in fact some console games ARE PC games, so they have the EXACT same qualities that made those PC games great.
There are very few decent console ports of PC games. Most get butchered. Any PC game with depth to it gets turned into some sad parody of the PC version (case in point: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.. take a great PC RPG and turn it into Gauntlet).
Console gamers are every bit as hardcore as you are, in fact some console gamers might consider YOU a casual gamer because you don't play fighting games or RPG's like Final Fantasy.
While FF is a nice RPG series, I don't see what's so hardcore about an RPG that is completely linear (I did think the magic system in FFX was kind of neat though). I do play fighting games on consoles, simply because they don't exist for the PC (with one or 2 possible exceptions). I think I have a lot more console experience than you think I do. Even with the newest consoles. I'm even considering getting a Gamecube, mostly for Mario, Zelda, and Metroid Prime.
Ah, but you can do all of that on a PC from 8 years ago.
Heh, only if you are programming with vi. If you want to get something done anytime soon, you're gonna want something a bit faster. I have no patience for slow machines.
As for gamepads, the Gravis XTerminator works great for me. It's comfortable and about as accurate as any console gamepad. Halo was a pretty decent game, but it would have been a LOT more enjoyable if aiming wasn't so damn hard to do with the damn knobs. If it had come out for PC like it was supposed to, it would have been 100% better. I wouldn't play SFA3 with a keyboard/mouse. I'd use my gamepad. I wouldn't play Mechwarrior 4 with the mouse either, I'd use my Cyborg 3D Gold joystick and the keyboard. These are the options that I have on the PC that I don't get with a console. Oh, and the computer responds instantly to input. I've been playing a lot of twitch games lately (Quake 3, UT 2003, Hitman 2) and there is NO lag between me moving the mouse or hitting a key and the computer responding. Maybe you've just had the experience of playing a game on a crappy computer setup. I can't think of any other reason you would experience such problems.
How is it immersive again when I finally make it through the outer lines of the general's encampment and WW2 online crashes *again* because Cornered Rat hasn't finished patching it?
OK, you can take shots at games that crash, and that's fine. They shouldn't do that. Most don't though. I play Baldur's Gate II for hours on end without any problem, same with most other games that I own. Just ran through Max Payne again without a problem. I've played FFX, Onimusha, Robotech, Zelda and Metroid Prime. FFX was pretty good, but very linear. Onimusha was both very linear and pretty repetitive. I had high hopes for Robotech, but it turned out to be a mindless shooter that got boring fast. Zelda and Metroid Prime are decent games, and I like them, but I don't like trying to aim in first-person mode with MP.
When I talk about depth and customization, I mean a game that gives you some freedom and let's you do things your way. Deus Ex, Baldur's Gate II, Hitman 2, MOO2, Star Control 2, Syndicate, UT and UT2003, Quake 1-3, any number of PC RPGs could also be included, I could go on and on. You seem to think that I don't play console games. I do. I own a PS2, a Dreamcast, N64, Super NES, NES, and an Atari 2600. I've played plenty of console games. I find the console to be a good option when I have friends over and want to play something. It's a bit more social. But as far as games go, console games don't hold my attention very long. I do prefer to play sports games, fighters, and platform games on a console. Soul Calibur is probably the only reason I still keep the Dreamcast hooked up. I'm not saying that consoles don't have their place. They do, but they aren't going to replace the PC as the gaming machine of choice for hardcore gamers. They are just lacking in too many critical areas. Some developers like having the single hardware platform to create games for. Others like having the freedom to create whatever they want that the PC offers. Two different worlds. I don't see John Carmack or Warren Specter ditching PC development any time soon, nor do I see Shigeru Miyamoto coming over to the PC side. I still think that the PC offers the better gaming experience, albeit at an increased price. Consoles will still be a huge business because they are relatively cheap and every kid has to have at least one. I grew up with consoles, but nothing can keep me glued to the screen like a good PC game.
Haven't tried Timesplitters or Wizardry on PS2. Timesplitters just didn't look like much fun. Played Drakan on PC and it was pretty decent. Dark Alliance and Aerial Assault are poor attempts to cash in on the success of their PC counterparts. Neither gets anywhere near being as good as the game it was based on. I played with Army Men on the PC, but I can't stand trying to use the stupid control pads for that kind of game. It's horrible!! Same problem for SOCOM, aiming with thumb-knobs sucks. The mouse/keyboard offers infinitely better control. I'll stick to Rogue Spear:)
Yes, the console mags are fat. There are a bazillion console games out there. Mostly they are cranked out as a merchandising ploy to go along with the latest movie or XTREME! whatever garbage. At least 90% of them are absolute crap. I do own a PS2 and I do play with my friend's XBox. I've rented a lot of games, but none of them can hold my attention very long. They get boring quick. Then I go back to the PC. While RPGs like FFX are pretty decent, they still can't stand up to Baldur's Gate II. Controlling an RTS with a gamepad is an exercise in frustration. Things that should be easy are a pain to do. Keyboards are necessary for such games to make them easy to control.
Flexibility in the sense that you can create pretty much any kind of game for a PC. You don't have so many limitations. Sure, there is no DDR for PC right now, but there's no reason that there couldn't be. It's just not the type of game that PC users normally are interested in.
Tell me GTA3 isn't "immersive". Tell me Virtua Fighter 4 isn't "immersive".
Ok, I'll grant that there are some immersive games on consoles, but they suffer from lame controls for the most part, which makes it tough to really get into a game. Yes, controlpads are good for fighting games and most platformers, but they suck for FPS games, RPGs, RTSs, Simulations, etc. Since those types are the kind that tend to be the most immersive, I tend to feel that the PC gives that experience better.
So? How is this relevant?
It's relevant because it shows that some of the best gaming experiences don't come from a regular developer. Sometimes things created by the gamers themselves can make all the difference. That's something you don't find in the console area.
In terms of what? Sales? Hoo boy are you in for a shock =]
No, I mean in terms of gameplay and overall ability.
How about a custom built machine that never crashes, never needs patches, and has the most polished games with interfaces specifically designed for standardized controllers? You know, like a PS2? =]
That's the problem with console games. You can tell they were designed around the controller and hardware. It's the difference between Mech Assault and Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries. With a PC game, the developer can create his dream game. There aren't many limitations. With a console, he has to design around a one-size fits all controller and that often causes the games to be either simplistic or difficult to control. The smart console developers stick to games that they know will work well with the controllers. That's why you don't see many RTS games for consoles. That's why there aren't really any simulations for consoles. That's why FPS games suck on consoles. That's why there aren't many strategy games for consoles. Console developers should stick to platform games, fighters, third-person action, scrollers, and the various other unclassified games that consoles do well. Leave the bigger badder games with all the options, expandability, and customizability to the PC. One day consoles will grow up and be just like little PCs, except they'll have standardized hardware and an OS that won't let you mess anything up. Then they'll probably be a pretty good gaming platform.
True, but that also seems to be a downside for console developers. They want to write their dream game, but they're limited by the crappy controllers, crappy TV resolution, limited hardware, and they can't even offer gamers all the neat extras like scenario-builders, bonus packs, map additions, etc. Gotta weigh boths sides. They also get the much better online gaming support that PCs offer. Consoles are trying to get there, but they aren't there yet. Like I said though, consoles are going to keep becoming more like a PC until they eventually are PCs, albeit with specialized OS software and standardized hardware.
There are quite a few good mods out there. Navy Seals an Urban Terror for Q3 and the DeathBall mod for UT2003 are quite good, and being a Counter-Strike fan, I find it rather depressing to think of the console world where such things are not possible. As for maps, yes it's tough to make a good map. That doesn't stop people from trying, as the many many bad maps prove, but there are also a lot of good maps out there. A lot of the people that work for developers making the really good maps got their start doing amateur maps for their favorite games. As for games like NWN, no, consoles do not have such games. Cookie-cutter games like RPG-maker do not count, they don't even come close.
That fact sorta blows holes in your argument, since now I have nearly every PC keyboard or mouse at my disposal, as well as the myriad PS2 controllers, as well as most PS1 controllers from years ago.
Does the keyboard/mouse combo function properly for all PS2 games? Can you play a PS2 FPS game with the same control as you would with a PC game? If so, then I'll grant that the PS2 is a large improvement over other consoles. It's still missing all the joysticks, wheels, and various other neat controllers that the PC has available though. I know I would hate to be without my Cyborg 3D Gold joystick.
As the consoles gain power, they are becoming more like a PC. Look at the XBox. It's made up of mostly commodity PC parts. So, what I see happening is that consoles will eventually be nothing but highly standardized PCs that aren't easily tampered with. That gives them the stable hardware/software base to program for, but also gives them more flexibility to create games in some of the genres that consoles are traditionally not very good at. It still isn't quite up to the ability of regular PCs, and it still will still offer gamers and map/mod-makers less flexibility than the PC currently does, but for a lot of people it will be good enough.
True, you don't see many fighters or platformers on the PC. I don't see any reason they couldn't exist, but they just don't. So yeah, if you like those kinds of games, then you'll probably want to have a console. I mostly play simulations, strategy, FPS and RPGs, so the PC is perfect for me.
PCs may cost more and require more knowledge to use properly, but they offer MUCH more than a console does. Consoles are for casual gamers that don't have much use for a PC. PCs are for serious gamers who want the full experience. You get all manner of custom controllers (no more one-size-fits-all controller schemes where every game attempts to use the same type of controller, no matter how badly suited it is to that kind of game). You get massive customizability from the game makers and mod makers, something you aren't ever likely to see from console makers. You get cool games that consoles aren't likely to ever have, like Neverwinter Nights. By the time a console can run a game like that, it will have grown up and become a full-fledged PC.
Since I'm of much the same mind as the original poster, I'll respond to this. First of all, I can do damn near anything with my computer that I want to. It can do thousands of things that the consoles can't even dream of. I even do real work on it. But, even if we're just considering games, the PC still wins. Much better selection of controllers (including keyboard/mouse), giving you just the right type of control for any given game. Compare playing a FPS game using keyboard/mouse to attempting to aim using those crappy thumb-nobs on most console controllers. Much more flexibility and immersiveness in games. No console can match the PC for depth of gameplay, and especially not for customization. Try creating a mod for a console game. Hell, that's where Counter-Strike came from. A mod. And now it's the most popular FPS game in the world. Try creating a game like Neverwinter Nights for a console. Not gonna work. Consoles still have a looong way to go before they can compete with the PC. They're fine if you're just a casual gamer and you don't have much use for a decent PC other than games, but if you're a more serious gamer, then there's nothing out there that can beat a good PC. Sure, it's a lot of money, but you get a LOT more out of it than you get from a console.
Sorry, electric != enviro-friendly. It can be, but not always. Most times, electricity is just shifting the polution some where else.
True, but that's not a bad thing. It shifts it to power plants where it's much easier to monitor and control the pollution than it is when you have a bunch of people in cars. Which would you rather have to do, install better air scrubbers at a power plant or figure out another way to keep people from driving their cars for short-distance trips?
Actually, a lot of people do spend a good deal of time going over those studies. Usually it provides good information as to the biases of the study, and it also helps to highlight areas where Linux/Unix needs work. Dismissing things solely because of the source is just ignorant.
What paranoia? The intent of TCPA/Palladium is clear. There is no conspiracy. There is no mystery. The goal is to remove at least some degree of control over the computer from the owner of the computer. This will be done in an attempt to protect the interests of content-owners. I think we understand that AMI is supporting this for the same reason that anyone supports it, because it will make them money. The only people with no good reason to support it are the consumers. So, like some others here have said, if we have a problem with it, we need to take it up with the hardware manufacturers, not AMI or any of the higher level suppliers. I think that sums it up. Thank you, drive through.
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In fact, the government seems to be very much against the idea that we're actually at war with Al Qaeda. If we were actually at war with them, then those prisoners we have down in Cuba might actually be entitled to some rights. Can't have that.
Maybe you shouldn't have claimed "everything turned up to max except for the texture size." That would imply playing at the highest available resolution as well. This is probably why the parent post is generating so much controversy. He obviously doesn't understand what he's saying when he says "maximum settings", since his system is quite obviously incapable of running those games at "maximum settings." He, like you, is referring to the settings levels that he can believes are good enough, and certainly not the maximum settings that the games support.
The problem with console RPGs is that most are incredibly linear. Combine that with a lack of customizability and expandability and you end up with games that may be pretty decent, but still don't compare to PC RPGs. Consider some of the better PC RPGs, Baldur's Gate I & II, Planescape: Torment, several of the Ultimas, and then look at the console RPGs. Some of them are neat, and have pretty decent stories, but they end up being more like movies than role-playing games.
Yeah, but if Nintendo quit making games, then their game designers and programmers would be snapped up by some corporation that does make games. You think Sony wouldn't want to snatch Myamoto? The guy is a goldmine.
I'll never be able to aim as well using just my thumbs as I can using a mouse. There's just no way that it will happen. What's funny though is that Goldeneye is the only FPS that I've ever really enjoyed on a console... go figure :) I tried Perfect Dark hoping it would be more of the same, but it just didn't feel right. Yeah, DA may have been more similar to Diablo, but I'm not much of a Diablo fan anyway. I played through the first one, and it got old quick. I tried the demo for the second one and saw that it was more of the same, except that you get to modify your character a bit more as you level up. Wasn't worth buying. While linear RPGs aren't necessarily bad, sometimes I think that they'd make better movies than games. I prefer RPGs that let me explore and go where I want to go. If I can't get somewhere, there should be a good and obvious reason why not. A lot of the Ultima games were like that, and I enjoyed those.
heh... I own B&W, but aside from a save bug that was causing problems early on, I didn't have any trouble with it... of course I didn't have much fun with it after the novelty wore off either. While the PC may not give developers complete freedom, it does give them more than a console does, if only because they aren't tied to a gamepad. They can design it for joystick support (like Mechwarrior 4), or for racing wheel support (can't think of one, i don't play those), flight yoke support, gamepad support (Oni played better with a gamepad than with the mouse), or just plain old keyboard/mouse support. That alone gives them more freedom. PC gamers are familiar with their keyboards. Look at games like Tie Fighter. Almost every key had a function. It was almost like having a real cockpit. Everything from transfering power between shields, engine and guns to communicating with other ships. Sure there's a bit of a learning curve, but the game feels all the more rewarding because it doesn't feel like it's been dumbed down. Bah, I could argue like this forever and it won't matter. I do agree that consoles and PCs both have their place. I just get disturbed when people suggest that the console is such a better gaming platform because it's cheap and doesn't crash. Until I can play games that are as deep and versatile as PC games on a console, consoles will not be king.
Just to let you know, FPS's designed for consoles are designed to use the control pads well. Control has never been an issue with any console FPS I've played.
:)
Yes, they are designed to use the control pads as well as they can, but that's because the control pads are the only option they have. A mouse gives MUCH more precision. Too bad we can't play UT or Counter-Strike sometime. You can use a control pad and I'll use the mouse/keyboard. See who can aim better
And most PS2 FPS's also support the mouse, USB, just plug it in.
A mouse needs a good surface too, I don't sit at my desk when I play my PS2.
As for mods' console gamers think that developers should be doing the coding.
And I find that sad. Gamers themselves can create some amazing things. Some of my favorite UT and CS maps are done by amateurs. There are some really cool mods out there too. It's not about making developers do more. It's about gamers getting to pitch in and make good games even better.
Console games are every bit as immersive and full of depth as PC games, in fact some console games ARE PC games, so they have the EXACT same qualities that made those PC games great.
There are very few decent console ports of PC games. Most get butchered. Any PC game with depth to it gets turned into some sad parody of the PC version (case in point: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.. take a great PC RPG and turn it into Gauntlet).
Console gamers are every bit as hardcore as you are, in fact some console gamers might consider YOU a casual gamer because you don't play fighting games or RPG's like Final Fantasy.
While FF is a nice RPG series, I don't see what's so hardcore about an RPG that is completely linear (I did think the magic system in FFX was kind of neat though). I do play fighting games on consoles, simply because they don't exist for the PC (with one or 2 possible exceptions). I think I have a lot more console experience than you think I do. Even with the newest consoles. I'm even considering getting a Gamecube, mostly for Mario, Zelda, and Metroid Prime.
Ah, but you can do all of that on a PC from 8 years ago.
Heh, only if you are programming with vi. If you want to get something done anytime soon, you're gonna want something a bit faster. I have no patience for slow machines.
As for gamepads, the Gravis XTerminator works great for me. It's comfortable and about as accurate as any console gamepad. Halo was a pretty decent game, but it would have been a LOT more enjoyable if aiming wasn't so damn hard to do with the damn knobs. If it had come out for PC like it was supposed to, it would have been 100% better. I wouldn't play SFA3 with a keyboard/mouse. I'd use my gamepad. I wouldn't play Mechwarrior 4 with the mouse either, I'd use my Cyborg 3D Gold joystick and the keyboard. These are the options that I have on the PC that I don't get with a console. Oh, and the computer responds instantly to input. I've been playing a lot of twitch games lately (Quake 3, UT 2003, Hitman 2) and there is NO lag between me moving the mouse or hitting a key and the computer responding. Maybe you've just had the experience of playing a game on a crappy computer setup. I can't think of any other reason you would experience such problems.
How is it immersive again when I finally make it through the outer lines of the general's encampment and WW2 online crashes *again* because Cornered Rat hasn't finished patching it?
OK, you can take shots at games that crash, and that's fine. They shouldn't do that. Most don't though. I play Baldur's Gate II for hours on end without any problem, same with most other games that I own. Just ran through Max Payne again without a problem. I've played FFX, Onimusha, Robotech, Zelda and Metroid Prime. FFX was pretty good, but very linear. Onimusha was both very linear and pretty repetitive. I had high hopes for Robotech, but it turned out to be a mindless shooter that got boring fast. Zelda and Metroid Prime are decent games, and I like them, but I don't like trying to aim in first-person mode with MP.
When I talk about depth and customization, I mean a game that gives you some freedom and let's you do things your way. Deus Ex, Baldur's Gate II, Hitman 2, MOO2, Star Control 2, Syndicate, UT and UT2003, Quake 1-3, any number of PC RPGs could also be included, I could go on and on. You seem to think that I don't play console games. I do. I own a PS2, a Dreamcast, N64, Super NES, NES, and an Atari 2600. I've played plenty of console games. I find the console to be a good option when I have friends over and want to play something. It's a bit more social. But as far as games go, console games don't hold my attention very long. I do prefer to play sports games, fighters, and platform games on a console. Soul Calibur is probably the only reason I still keep the Dreamcast hooked up. I'm not saying that consoles don't have their place. They do, but they aren't going to replace the PC as the gaming machine of choice for hardcore gamers. They are just lacking in too many critical areas. Some developers like having the single hardware platform to create games for. Others like having the freedom to create whatever they want that the PC offers. Two different worlds. I don't see John Carmack or Warren Specter ditching PC development any time soon, nor do I see Shigeru Miyamoto coming over to the PC side. I still think that the PC offers the better gaming experience, albeit at an increased price. Consoles will still be a huge business because they are relatively cheap and every kid has to have at least one. I grew up with consoles, but nothing can keep me glued to the screen like a good PC game.
Haven't tried Timesplitters or Wizardry on PS2. Timesplitters just didn't look like much fun. Played Drakan on PC and it was pretty decent. Dark Alliance and Aerial Assault are poor attempts to cash in on the success of their PC counterparts. Neither gets anywhere near being as good as the game it was based on. I played with Army Men on the PC, but I can't stand trying to use the stupid control pads for that kind of game. It's horrible!! Same problem for SOCOM, aiming with thumb-knobs sucks. The mouse/keyboard offers infinitely better control. I'll stick to Rogue Spear :)
Yes, the console mags are fat. There are a bazillion console games out there. Mostly they are cranked out as a merchandising ploy to go along with the latest movie or XTREME! whatever garbage. At least 90% of them are absolute crap. I do own a PS2 and I do play with my friend's XBox. I've rented a lot of games, but none of them can hold my attention very long. They get boring quick. Then I go back to the PC. While RPGs like FFX are pretty decent, they still can't stand up to Baldur's Gate II. Controlling an RTS with a gamepad is an exercise in frustration. Things that should be easy are a pain to do. Keyboards are necessary for such games to make them easy to control.
Flexibility in the sense that you can create pretty much any kind of game for a PC. You don't have so many limitations. Sure, there is no DDR for PC right now, but there's no reason that there couldn't be. It's just not the type of game that PC users normally are interested in.
Tell me GTA3 isn't "immersive". Tell me Virtua Fighter 4 isn't "immersive".
Ok, I'll grant that there are some immersive games on consoles, but they suffer from lame controls for the most part, which makes it tough to really get into a game. Yes, controlpads are good for fighting games and most platformers, but they suck for FPS games, RPGs, RTSs, Simulations, etc. Since those types are the kind that tend to be the most immersive, I tend to feel that the PC gives that experience better.
So? How is this relevant?
It's relevant because it shows that some of the best gaming experiences don't come from a regular developer. Sometimes things created by the gamers themselves can make all the difference. That's something you don't find in the console area.
In terms of what? Sales? Hoo boy are you in for a shock =]
No, I mean in terms of gameplay and overall ability.
How about a custom built machine that never crashes, never needs patches, and has the most polished games with interfaces specifically designed for standardized controllers? You know, like a PS2? =]
That's the problem with console games. You can tell they were designed around the controller and hardware. It's the difference between Mech Assault and Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries. With a PC game, the developer can create his dream game. There aren't many limitations. With a console, he has to design around a one-size fits all controller and that often causes the games to be either simplistic or difficult to control. The smart console developers stick to games that they know will work well with the controllers. That's why you don't see many RTS games for consoles. That's why there aren't really any simulations for consoles. That's why FPS games suck on consoles. That's why there aren't many strategy games for consoles. Console developers should stick to platform games, fighters, third-person action, scrollers, and the various other unclassified games that consoles do well. Leave the bigger badder games with all the options, expandability, and customizability to the PC. One day consoles will grow up and be just like little PCs, except they'll have standardized hardware and an OS that won't let you mess anything up. Then they'll probably be a pretty good gaming platform.
True, but that also seems to be a downside for console developers. They want to write their dream game, but they're limited by the crappy controllers, crappy TV resolution, limited hardware, and they can't even offer gamers all the neat extras like scenario-builders, bonus packs, map additions, etc. Gotta weigh boths sides. They also get the much better online gaming support that PCs offer. Consoles are trying to get there, but they aren't there yet. Like I said though, consoles are going to keep becoming more like a PC until they eventually are PCs, albeit with specialized OS software and standardized hardware.
There are quite a few good mods out there. Navy Seals an Urban Terror for Q3 and the DeathBall mod for UT2003 are quite good, and being a Counter-Strike fan, I find it rather depressing to think of the console world where such things are not possible. As for maps, yes it's tough to make a good map. That doesn't stop people from trying, as the many many bad maps prove, but there are also a lot of good maps out there. A lot of the people that work for developers making the really good maps got their start doing amateur maps for their favorite games. As for games like NWN, no, consoles do not have such games. Cookie-cutter games like RPG-maker do not count, they don't even come close.
That fact sorta blows holes in your argument, since now I have nearly every PC keyboard or mouse at my disposal, as well as the myriad PS2 controllers, as well as most PS1 controllers from years ago.
Does the keyboard/mouse combo function properly for all PS2 games? Can you play a PS2 FPS game with the same control as you would with a PC game? If so, then I'll grant that the PS2 is a large improvement over other consoles. It's still missing all the joysticks, wheels, and various other neat controllers that the PC has available though. I know I would hate to be without my Cyborg 3D Gold joystick.
As the consoles gain power, they are becoming more like a PC. Look at the XBox. It's made up of mostly commodity PC parts. So, what I see happening is that consoles will eventually be nothing but highly standardized PCs that aren't easily tampered with. That gives them the stable hardware/software base to program for, but also gives them more flexibility to create games in some of the genres that consoles are traditionally not very good at. It still isn't quite up to the ability of regular PCs, and it still will still offer gamers and map/mod-makers less flexibility than the PC currently does, but for a lot of people it will be good enough.
True, you don't see many fighters or platformers on the PC. I don't see any reason they couldn't exist, but they just don't. So yeah, if you like those kinds of games, then you'll probably want to have a console. I mostly play simulations, strategy, FPS and RPGs, so the PC is perfect for me.
PCs may cost more and require more knowledge to use properly, but they offer MUCH more than a console does. Consoles are for casual gamers that don't have much use for a PC. PCs are for serious gamers who want the full experience. You get all manner of custom controllers (no more one-size-fits-all controller schemes where every game attempts to use the same type of controller, no matter how badly suited it is to that kind of game). You get massive customizability from the game makers and mod makers, something you aren't ever likely to see from console makers. You get cool games that consoles aren't likely to ever have, like Neverwinter Nights. By the time a console can run a game like that, it will have grown up and become a full-fledged PC.
Since I'm of much the same mind as the original poster, I'll respond to this. First of all, I can do damn near anything with my computer that I want to. It can do thousands of things that the consoles can't even dream of. I even do real work on it. But, even if we're just considering games, the PC still wins. Much better selection of controllers (including keyboard/mouse), giving you just the right type of control for any given game. Compare playing a FPS game using keyboard/mouse to attempting to aim using those crappy thumb-nobs on most console controllers. Much more flexibility and immersiveness in games. No console can match the PC for depth of gameplay, and especially not for customization. Try creating a mod for a console game. Hell, that's where Counter-Strike came from. A mod. And now it's the most popular FPS game in the world. Try creating a game like Neverwinter Nights for a console. Not gonna work. Consoles still have a looong way to go before they can compete with the PC. They're fine if you're just a casual gamer and you don't have much use for a decent PC other than games, but if you're a more serious gamer, then there's nothing out there that can beat a good PC. Sure, it's a lot of money, but you get a LOT more out of it than you get from a console.
Still better than cars. Modern combustion engines waste a ton of energy too, plus they pollute more than most power plants.
Sorry, electric != enviro-friendly. It can be, but not always. Most times, electricity is just shifting the polution some where else.
True, but that's not a bad thing. It shifts it to power plants where it's much easier to monitor and control the pollution than it is when you have a bunch of people in cars. Which would you rather have to do, install better air scrubbers at a power plant or figure out another way to keep people from driving their cars for short-distance trips?
I really enjoyed that :)
Sounds like a failed dotcom company :)
Actually, a lot of people do spend a good deal of time going over those studies. Usually it provides good information as to the biases of the study, and it also helps to highlight areas where Linux/Unix needs work. Dismissing things solely because of the source is just ignorant.
No, but it's illegal for people to allow you to download it from them, so it amounts to the same thing.
What paranoia? The intent of TCPA/Palladium is clear. There is no conspiracy. There is no mystery. The goal is to remove at least some degree of control over the computer from the owner of the computer. This will be done in an attempt to protect the interests of content-owners. I think we understand that AMI is supporting this for the same reason that anyone supports it, because it will make them money. The only people with no good reason to support it are the consumers. So, like some others here have said, if we have a problem with it, we need to take it up with the hardware manufacturers, not AMI or any of the higher level suppliers. I think that sums it up. Thank you, drive through.
I just finished the first chapter. Definitely some interesting reading. I plan to finish it.