synchronicity
Member
- Platforms
PC gaming is definitely my preferred and by far my most regular way to play, but all I really care about is playing good games. The method is secondary.
Thread: PC is the best gaming platform. For those of you who dont game on PC...
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, and Windows 95 were used by every kid I knew with a home computer to play games. The games on PC weren't "worse", there was an entirely different library available. The shareware scene alone made this far easier on PC than on console. Sure, you could rent games, but you could share entire PC games and/or get freeware and shareware versions of games. Like I said, back then consoles got the hand-me-downs from arcade and PC, whereas nowadays every big-budget game is made for console (or mobile) and then ported up to PC.
Not everyone was upgrading their rig to play the newest Ultima, it's true, but DOOM was pretty popular on PC. You also got stuff like Command & Conquer and Warcraft. These didn't get popular because of the console versions.
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zebraStraw
Member
- Platforms
Having used both for decades, here's my 2c.
PC's strength is its versatility.
Console's strength is its simplicity.
Given the choice, I'd pick PC over console in general.
PC does have a few drawbacks, including local multiplayer (split screen) no longer being a thing for quite a while already, while at least certain console games still support it. Only an issue if you actually have real life friends that visit you, which seems to be rare nowadays for some reason.
Also, for tournaments, consoles are probably more fair in shooters particularly, because the variability in framerate and performance is the same for everyone, rather than the one with the most money having an advantage. This is obviously not an issue for games that lock the framerate, like fighting games, or turn-based games.
Despite what PC maxis would say, both PC and consoles have learned from each other and helped games evolve.
PC's strength is its versatility.
Console's strength is its simplicity.
Given the choice, I'd pick PC over console in general.
PC does have a few drawbacks, including local multiplayer (split screen) no longer being a thing for quite a while already, while at least certain console games still support it. Only an issue if you actually have real life friends that visit you, which seems to be rare nowadays for some reason.
Also, for tournaments, consoles are probably more fair in shooters particularly, because the variability in framerate and performance is the same for everyone, rather than the one with the most money having an advantage. This is obviously not an issue for games that lock the framerate, like fighting games, or turn-based games.
Despite what PC maxis would say, both PC and consoles have learned from each other and helped games evolve.
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Pc was the best way to play doom. There came a point with 16-bit games on the snes where it the only way to play the games were on pc and people would buy arcade cabinets just to play street fighter 2 (a investment that few could afford.) In that regard consoles were lower end but single player games on the other hand were where they shined the most. Even a game like simcity on it was great. I liked the original snes version of that game but simcity 2000 or some rts game it became very cramped feeling so they started to add a snes mouse to these games I think there was even talk of a real operating system on it. Overall it kinda just boiled down to preference tbh.
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PC is still the best way to play any FPS, RTS, or CRPG games. Plenty of PC exclusives still, just from lesser known studios
There's more money in consoles so you see most major studios trying to target both demographics simultaneously
Pound for pound though, I'll take my games on PC 99% of the time, especially if they have support for niche features like ultrawide aspect ratios
There's more money in consoles so you see most major studios trying to target both demographics simultaneously
Pound for pound though, I'll take my games on PC 99% of the time, especially if they have support for niche features like ultrawide aspect ratios
I bought Hogwarts Legacy on both console and PC, and am insane enough to be playing through it with two separate games simultaneously (for when I can't get on the TV).
On PC, I enjoy higher res, higher fps, but have had to endure annoying stuttering in Hogsmeade (which I have mostly fixed, after literally hours of fucking about). Xbox Series S does not stutter in Hogsmeade.
Playing on console sitting on the sofa feels more comfy and more like relaxing leisure time as I'm away from my desk. I'm not second guessing my performance or set up, and never quit the game quickly just to check if there's a mod or fix or whatever. I am more focused on just playing. The larger screen and HDR makes it look great anyway, and the 40fps framerate is pretty much fine. I am probably more immersed in the experience because of the lack of distractions and increased comfort.
But I do quite enjoy fucking around on PC and having an extra level of control. My Slytherin witch is running around in Yennefer's outfit, which is pretty cool.
On PC, I enjoy higher res, higher fps, but have had to endure annoying stuttering in Hogsmeade (which I have mostly fixed, after literally hours of fucking about). Xbox Series S does not stutter in Hogsmeade.
Playing on console sitting on the sofa feels more comfy and more like relaxing leisure time as I'm away from my desk. I'm not second guessing my performance or set up, and never quit the game quickly just to check if there's a mod or fix or whatever. I am more focused on just playing. The larger screen and HDR makes it look great anyway, and the 40fps framerate is pretty much fine. I am probably more immersed in the experience because of the lack of distractions and increased comfort.
But I do quite enjoy fucking around on PC and having an extra level of control. My Slytherin witch is running around in Yennefer's outfit, which is pretty cool.
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
- Platforms
Why? Say what you will, but backwards compatibility has always been superior on PC. I can still play Need for Speed underground from 2003 on Windows 10. And where there are issues, solutions can be built. And the PC can even emulate consoles. Good luck doing the opposite.
The only console that is coming close to having proper long term backwards compatibility is the Xbox.
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
"where there are issues, solutions can be built" is kind of the hangup though, isn't it? The console equivalent of retro gaming is putting the cartridge in the slot and then the game comes out of the av cables, the end. Oh and all that emulation stuff, too, including hardware emulation via FPGAs, is easier for console games because of the ubiquity. For decades, PC market wouldn't even admit their boxes were "incompatible" with older games from older operating systems or they didn't care, so it became a massive blindspot.
DOS-Box and ScummVM were the first real attempts I remember in modernizing old PC games to run on PC. Also, these were ported to PSP over a decade ago. I remember fiddling with them and getting some Lucasarts adventure games working, it wasn't too difficult.
Credit to GOG.com and Xbox who put in most of the early work to bring older games back to the market and to get them running properly, everyone else on PC nowadays is following in their footsteps as far as I'm concerned.
I grew up with PCs. I have a view of PCs that goes from late MS-DOS to Windows 8. I literally watched console emulation blossom, that's how I was able to play many 8bit and 16bit games for the very first time, and I lived through the march of Windows and DirectX, I lived through games that ran off the CPU clock speed, I experienced the void caused by the death of 3DFX and all those incompatible games, and I experienced the switch from 32bit to 64 bit processors.
The issue of PC games falling out of compatibility has always been present, and I think the surge of new PC players who started with Steam (and especially those who gamed on PC after the standarization of 64 bit / multiprocessor setups) has given an impression that PC gaming has always been so streamlined and consistent from upgrade to upgrade. PC emulation and b.c. is only "superior" in the sense that it has decades of workarounds, patches, mods, and programs to deal with various mismatches with drivers and hardware. I'd say picking a game off my shelf and booting it to a TV within 20 seconds is "superior backwards compatibility" based on the things I value.
synchronicity
Member
- Platforms
Yeah, this is one thing that pushes PC ***WAY*** over the top for me. If you're the type of gamer that likes to swim in the deep end and loves exploring the fringes and the obscure, then PC is your *only* option. (Not saying you can't still enjoy consoles, but you'll never find some of those truly deep-cut hidden gems without exploring all that PC has to offer.)
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
true.
Abandonware games developed by Cactus Software - My Abandonware
List of all abandonware games originally developed by Cactus Software, between 2007 and 2011.
www.myabandonware.com
miona's shoulder monkey
Restless Dreams
Look at his wood.
Or just use a controller.
OmegaSupreme
Member
I'd have a lot of wood too with that piece next to me.
Bolivar
Member
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It's an expensive barrier to entry but once you're in, it's just another hobby, since you can sell your older parts to subsidize new ones.
I don't think it's worth it as a super console, a backwards compatibility preserve, or an emulator. I think you have to have a couple more reasons to be in it if that's what you're looking for. But if you're into the games and genres that never translate as well or at all to console, then it's no contest.
Regarding couch gaming, I once did the whole keyboard and mouse set up and, while I respect those who enjoy it, I think it's absurd and never as comfortable or practical as sitting at a desk. The Steam Controller is wonderful at bringing the vast majority of mouse and keyboard games to the couch. I just played Crusader Kings all day on a day off on the TV with it. The only thing I really wouldn't use it for is RTS. It's also not good at traditional analog stick games, but a Dualshock and a Steam Controller are good for playing probably 90% of PC games comfortably on a TV.
I don't think it's worth it as a super console, a backwards compatibility preserve, or an emulator. I think you have to have a couple more reasons to be in it if that's what you're looking for. But if you're into the games and genres that never translate as well or at all to console, then it's no contest.
Regarding couch gaming, I once did the whole keyboard and mouse set up and, while I respect those who enjoy it, I think it's absurd and never as comfortable or practical as sitting at a desk. The Steam Controller is wonderful at bringing the vast majority of mouse and keyboard games to the couch. I just played Crusader Kings all day on a day off on the TV with it. The only thing I really wouldn't use it for is RTS. It's also not good at traditional analog stick games, but a Dualshock and a Steam Controller are good for playing probably 90% of PC games comfortably on a TV.
synchronicity
Member
- Platforms
true.
Abandonware games developed by Cactus Software - My Abandonware
List of all abandonware games originally developed by Cactus Software, between 2007 and 2011.
My game of the year for 2022 was Unreal World. You'd never see anything like that on console.
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
You might be surprised. Siralim 3, Ultimate ADOM, and Tangledeep are all available on Switch and I'd consider those at the same level of depth/complexity as UnReal World. Still missing the really heavy-hitting simulation roguelikes / strategy games such as Dwarf Fortress and Caves of Qud. But then again, Switch got Factorio... not the most ideal way to play the game for min/maxers but still... fully playable Factorio on Switch would've seemed too far a few years ago (to me at least). Console publishers nowadays are already pretty efficient at scooping up the low and mid-range indie PC hits. The number of 4x/city mgmt ports to console in the last 5 is insane, you can play stuff from Evil Genius to Stellaris to They Are Billions.
As VR becomes more ubiquitous, the keyboard-complexity that kept certain games permanently stuck on PC will go away. Consoles and PC both seem to be moving towards a user-friendliness future where build-quality of your controller and ease of using your product will matter more than the hardware power in your machine or the brand. We'll see. i think if that "singularity" happens both consoles and PC would greatly benefit.
synchronicity
Member
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Yeah, I know consoles have been getting many more previously PC-centric titles than used to be the case. It's interesting that you mentioned the keyboard complexity, because that is the one thing that would keep Unreal World off consoles probably. Sure there are ways to map controller options (and as you said VR), but for many small (speaking of sales) games/developers, they won't bother. It's probably a question of how many sales would be seen for the work, and it's probably not warranted in many cases. But to be clear, I'm all for all games on all devices. Of course, that's an idealistic fantasy, but it would be great for the gamers of the world.
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
the input is important. I played MUDs and roguelikes when every key was a hotkey for something, and you learned it all (eventually over time). Consoles have fewer discrete inputs compared to keyboard, there's no way around it. But to be fair, Consoles have bridged a lot of the gap between controllers and keyboard, whether it's through weapon-wheels or on-screen cursors or touch controls.
I wouldn't want PC games to be "dumbed down" in order to fit within the console sausage-tube, but I think that is already happening across most genres whether we like it or not. For every ARMA 3 and PUBG and Falcon 4.0 you're gonna have a "dumbing down" of the inputs. For instance A genre like 4x strategy was almost completely limited to PC for the longest time, but the rise of "Clash of Clan"-style mini-strategy games and the rise of console ports have forced PC devs to build their games with an eventual mobile or console port. PCs still dominate the 4x genre, but that gap has been measurably shortened in a very brief span. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the Total War games ported to Xbox by the end of the gen, Crusader Kings 3 already made the jump.
Optimus
Member
- Platforms
Have to say that so far I'm really happy with my 4090 purchase and jumping back into current PC gaming. I get to play Atomic Heart on Ultra. It's buttery smooth even without DLSS, and with DLSS my GPU seems to run much cooler. Either way, I get to play it fully maxed out, and if my hands get cold that 4090 puts off some nice heat. Just saying...
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Optimus
Member
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Still running like a champ. I don't get as much time to play as I had been, but I did play a bunch of Sons of the Forest and that's a really fun game with nice visuals.
Honestly, of late, I'm doing nearly all of my gaming on a ROG Ally. I'll be playing more in my 4090 when I decide to pick up Starfield again.
The_Mike
Member
- Platforms
Fucking hurts to see the 40xx series is already over two years old where did the time go
It feels like just yesterday I bought my 4060 Ti. I enjoyed playing Flight Simulator on it and Marvels Rivals as well. I just hope that City Skylines 2 will have a bit more work done on it, then I'll be playing that for a while.
The_Mike
Member
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Bought the 4070 only because my faithful 2070s died.
Hated paying for such an expensive card, even more because it was not a noticeable upgrade besides not crashing every five minute.
Feels like yesterday.
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Ye im still running my Evga 2070 XC in my secondary rig. Thing will outlast me i figure.
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
I have a steam deck since the last time I posted in this thread and I see no reason for me to dabble in high end PC gaming. In the 80s-2000s PC gaming legitimately had AAA genre defining games made specifically for high end PC hardware. Those days died when Minecraft came out, around the same time that BioWare's The Old Republic flopped. A steam deck + console can cover 99% of AAA titles plus the majority of indies.
WTH!? @teezzy plagiarized my GIF Bait from this threadOBLIGATORY:
Nintendo Failed the Gaming Industry with the Switch 2 Price Tag (Franky Family, DO NOT GET ITT!!!)
$449 for a Mid-Gen Upgrade that has only two launch titles & a cross-gen cross-dresser simulator (Metroid Prime 4) does not sound like a good deal, bro 💅🏻 #PlayStation #ForTheGaymers
d-pad.life
- Platforms
WTH!? @teezzy plagiarized my GIF Bait from this thread
Nintendo Failed the Gaming Industry with the Switch 2 Price Tag (Franky Family, DO NOT GET ITT!!!)
$449 for a Mid-Gen Upgrade that has only two launch titles & a cross-gen cross-dresser simulator (Metroid Prime 4) does not sound like a good deal, bro 💅🏻 #PlayStation #ForTheGaymers
Check the post date, you plagiarized me pal
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High end components ensure hardware longevity. The majority of the PC crowd isn't chasing the newest CPU/GPU combo, and most are perfectly satisfied with lower settings and resolutions. It's the open-endedness and freedom of the platform which appeals to PC gamers most. Design your rig however you want, use whatever controller or m+kb you prefer, with no need to pay a subscription fee for online gaming, etc. That's a premium well worth investing into
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
I understand the value proposition. What you're describing is how it has always been on Pc, but in the past you actually had devs making their games with PC in mind, with PC audience in mind. Now it seems like that is still going on but strictly in the indie/midtier range. AAA devs aren't prioritizing PC like they once did 15 years ago.
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Most of us just wanna play Balatro in one window, with a JOI video in another, and Discord on a secondary monitor
AAA devs were prioritizing PC games back in 2010? Dude, that was like the tail-end of the dark age of PC gaming when Xbox 360 dominated and PC ports were often dogshit and had stuff like Games for Windows Live forced into them.
Dacon
CROM
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TFW I finally have my high end gaming pc ive wanted my whole life, and 90 percent of what I want to do with it is play older games faster.
DonDonDonPata
Bridge Burn Man
No that was the tail end of any major AAA support. Before that it was better. To use 2011 as an illustration, we got…
Portal 2, Valve's last major game developed unless we count Alyx.
Witcher 2, a major PC exclusive at the time.
Skyrim, a teat still being milked
SW The Old Republic, one of EA's most expensive flops
Total War Shogun 2, the last game from Creative Assembly that was actually balanced