Joined Dec 2008
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Forum Thread
How many of you still play games using computer
January 27, 2011 at
11:34 AM
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I was just wondering that this might be an interesting topic to talk about.
I used to play games using my PC 3 years ago, The trouble I found was the constant requirement for upgrades. New games keep demanding more computing and graphics power to play. Finally I gave up on the PC and bought the PS3 instead. Now I feel much happy as I don't have to go through hardware requirements once again.
I still see some sder's interested in powerful graphics card even today.
So the question is...how many of you guys still use the computer to play video games, If yes, then how do you guys keep up with the constant upgrades demanded by the new games these days? If you keep on upgrading, don't you think thats not economical?
Do you guys think switching to XBOX or PS3 makes sense?
Note: Consider only games that require high end graphics like MOH, COD, etc.....
Advantages on using PS3/XBOX 360
1...No need for any hardware upgrade.
2...Games can be easily resold on ebay. No DRM problems.
3...Can use this sitting on a couch and play using a big screen TV. More comfort.
4...Get more controllers, then the whole family can have a very good time with games. More suitable for time pass during special occasions like friends get togethers.
I used to play games using my PC 3 years ago, The trouble I found was the constant requirement for upgrades. New games keep demanding more computing and graphics power to play. Finally I gave up on the PC and bought the PS3 instead. Now I feel much happy as I don't have to go through hardware requirements once again.
I still see some sder's interested in powerful graphics card even today.
So the question is...how many of you guys still use the computer to play video games, If yes, then how do you guys keep up with the constant upgrades demanded by the new games these days? If you keep on upgrading, don't you think thats not economical?
Do you guys think switching to XBOX or PS3 makes sense?
Note: Consider only games that require high end graphics like MOH, COD, etc.....
Advantages on using PS3/XBOX 360
1...No need for any hardware upgrade.
2...Games can be easily resold on ebay. No DRM problems.
3...Can use this sitting on a couch and play using a big screen TV. More comfort.
4...Get more controllers, then the whole family can have a very good time with games. More suitable for time pass during special occasions like friends get togethers.
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Games played, off the top of my head, have been: COD, Fallout 3 & new vegas, GTA4, Global Agenda, C&C, Overlord, Half Life, L4D & L4D2, TF2, Portal
Games played, off the top of my head, have been: COD, Fallout 3 & new vegas, GTA4, Global Agenda, C&C, Overlord, Half Life, L4D & L4D2, TF2, Portal
The problem is you don't buy games from Steam, you only lease them for as long as Steam exists. Once they go out of business, you are SOL.
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Also do I have to upgrade for a different version of Frogger?
Me: "Please Windows Vista, PLEASE start my damned browser window!"
Vista: "Please wait..."
Me: "But, I really need to surf Slick Deals RIGHT NOW!!"
Vista: "Your Adobe Reader has an update available."
Me: "Yeah, but what about my browser window?"
Vista: "Windows Vista updates are available for your computer."
. . . ad infinitum . . .
Windows Me?
alas, due to real life, i am now firmly in the "casual gamer" category, and the majority of that involves playing with other people (including my wife). with this in mind, my options were as follows:
PC
- buy two gaming rigs (along with peripherals for at least one; we don't even have an external monitor right now).
- hope my wife can get through the initial frustration of getting used to the keyboard/mouse control scheme.
- buy two copies of each game unless it support non-tethered local multi.
- realize that i'll have to upgrade core components once every 3-4 years.
initial cost: a couple thousandongoing costs: $60+ for two copies of many games, several hundred on upgrades every 3-4 years
if wife hates it: lose a decent amount of money selling her system since anything else she would do on that system could be done on her existing laptop.
Consoles
- buy one console and one extra controller.
- hope my wife can adapt her existing controller skills (almost everybody our age played NES/Genesis/SNES/N64 at some point in their childhoods) to the new game types.
- buy one copy of each game.
- realize i'll have to buy the new version of the console once every few years (actually not as true nowadays).
initial cost: a few hundredongoing costs: $30-40/game, a few hundred each time a new console comes out.
if wife hates it: i still get to utilize it for my games and the extra controller gets used when friends come over. and even if she didn't like FPS games, there are still arcade games that about anybody can get into that we can play together.
bonus: with extra controllers, up to four people can play on one piece of hardware.
pretty easy decision from a financial standpoint.
that said: if i were single and making the same money, you bet i'd have a nice computer with a huge monitor.
RTS games will always be better with a KB / mouse. That's a major backbone of the industry, and the #1 reason why they won't be successful on consoles; consoles don't come with a KB/mouse.
PC games have MUCH higher resolution and look MUCH better. PC games are easier to distribute and require no licensing fees to Sony, MS, or nintendo.
I own an Xbox 360, a PS3, 2 original xboxes, a GC, and 3 desktop computers running Win 7 and a desktop running Win XP.
Flexibility is great. Own them both! Play games on the computer most of the time though!
I believe there isn't much disadvantage on switching to a console based gaming system from a PC based system. The PC based games are a bit more easier to play than the consoles, but the advantages of using the consoles still overweigh the PC.
One more thing I have noticed with the PC is that once the game play is over or the game application is closed sometimes the PC struggles a bit to gain back its performance. I used to hate it whenever that happens.
I also never liked to verify the hardware requirements before buying every game, I once played Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, I went through multiple levels without any problems, but when it comes to the big boss fight a key move ( speed attack flash light ) never worked on the game on my PC, after digging through user forums, I realized that my system requires more computing power to get that feature on the game to work because it requires quick graphics processing. Purely ridiculous in my opinion since the game played upto 6th level without any problem. Thats when I decided to put an end to the PC based games.
I believe the days of PC based games is coming to an end from economical stand point.
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Me: "Please Windows Vista, PLEASE start my damned browser window!"
Vista: "Please wait..."
Me: "But, I really need to surf Slick Deals RIGHT NOW!!"
Vista: "Your Adobe Reader has an update available."
Me: "Yeah, but what about my browser window?"
Vista: "Windows Vista updates are available for your computer."
. . . ad infinitum . . .
OP I use my computer to play The Sims sometimes because I don't like the game consoles versions. I don't think that's high intensity graphics though, lol.