How the PC is making consoles look out of date

[Meat-O-Rama]

I say live and let live.

I can agree with you on that. A PC will always have more raw horsepower due to the fact you can pull it apart and slap in a new GPU, CPU, RAM whatever. With consoles you are stuck with what is in the latest iteration of that hardware.

Where consoles shine is the lack of overhead from the OS. Pop in a game and you are ready to play. Some people prefer the joystick only approach, some need the keyboard to be effective. The best solution is the one that makes you happy and keeps you distracted from getting your work done.

 

[theogt]

Evidenced by the 37,000+ posts you've made all from your XBOX 360, amirite?

There are an astronomical amount of things PC's can do, a console doesn't even come close.

*looks*

Yup, this thread's still about gaming.

 

[TheCount]

The problem with PC gaming vs console is more games are being developed for consoles because it's easier. Instead of having to make a game compatible with all the different pc hardware they can develop it for 3 platforms. I loved playing Madden on my pc but now EA is only making it for consoles and it sucks.

Madden doesn't suck because they are making it for consoles either, it sucks because either their development team is lazy, or EA is money hungry. Possibly both.

It might be easier to develop for PC, but I question if developing for consoles is easier than developing for PC's. The amount of people buying Madden on consoles easily dwarfed the PC players, so EA made a money decision (which is the only way they make decisions) and killed it for PC.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I think he means in comparison to gaming only.

If you want to get extremely specific (detail wise) in what you're talking about, I'm positive there are still over 37,000 things that a $1,000 PC can do gaming wise that can't be done on any of todays consoles. The keyboard alone makes that possible. I'm not even talking about several year old video cards, old CPUs or even infinitely more memory that are more powerful than any console has today.

Even the weakest PCs you buy today are more powerful than consoles.

 

[theogt]

If you want to get extremely specific (detail wise) in what you're talking about, I'm positive there are still over 37,000 things that a $1,000 PC can do gaming wise that can't be done on any of todays consoles. The keyboard alone makes that possible. I'm not even talking about several year old video cards, old CPUs or even infinitely more memory that are more powerful than any console has today.

Read posts more closely. It will save everyone time. No one contests that there things the PC can do that consoles do not.

What do "quality" and "value" mean?

Even the weakest PCs you buy today are more powerful than consoles.

And here lies the issue. No PC programmer optimizes a game for the "weakest PC." Optimization most often beats firepower when the firepower difference is relatively small.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Read posts more closely. It will save everyone time. No one contests that there things the PC can do that consoles do not.

What do "quality" and "value" mean?

And here lies the issue. No PC programmer optimizes a game for the "weakest PC."

I said the keyboard alone in a gaming environment can produce 37,000+ things that make gaming better.

CoD and BFCB are infinitely better in PC than console. (quality and value wise)

You wouldn't have to *optimize* to beat a console's performance today.

...but I digress. Arguing with you is pointless.

 

[theogt]

I said the keyboard alone in a gaming environment can produce 37,000+ things that make gaming better.

CoD and BFCB are infinitely better in PC than console. (quality and value wise)

You wouldn't have to *optimize* to beat a console's performance today.

...but I digress. Arguing with you is pointless.

An apt description of your arguments.

 

[WarC]

This happens every few years.

I built a computer last summer on a budget of about $700. It is far and away more capable than any of the consoles out now. And it's not even close.

PC technology is the lead here, and consoles nowadays are built on PC technology, essentially. Progress in the PC world is made every six months or so, so it was only ever a matter of time before PC gaming technology exceeded the consoles.

In the next year or two, the "new" next-gen consoles will come out and they will use a lot of technology that the now top-end PC's are carrying. They'll bundle it up in a cheaper package and mass-produce it and then for the next year or two after that, it will generally be said that console graphics are "better" or at least on par with PC games, and that will be basically true. Console gaming will enjoy a renewal and it will be kind of hard times to be a PC gamer, because friends will be chirping about how much better their new PS4's and Xbox 1080's are.

Then, the cycle will continue. Consoles will always only have one hardware configuration which has its own positives and negatives. On the one hand, software developers can push console hardware to the MAX because they know they are designing their games for exactly one type of configuration, whereas PC game developers have to deal with a wide range of possible configurations. Meanwhile, as the consoles age their developers will find ways of making the same games look better because they're finding out how to get more out of the hardware.

But, fancy programming and development can only do so much - As time goes on and the PC world keeps moving, the technology and eye-candy edge will fall back into the PC's court. Right around year two of the next gen consoles, it'll start to become obvious that the exact same games generally look better on a mid-range PC than they do on the consoles.

 

[WarC]

I was expecting a thread about consoles.

Personally, PC games can get lost. I don't want a keyboard or mouse and I don't want my ability to play a game being based on my ability to spend as much as the other guy.

I'll never switch from a console. Likely never switch from Xbox either because their online system is the best thing going right now.

Actually, in some competitive gaming circles, especially in first person shooters, some of the pros turn DOWN their graphics and reduce resolution on their machines inorder to maximize framerate and reduce visual input, so that they can concentrate better. So its not always about spending more.

I guess its a matter of taste because I am terrible at gaming with a gamepad the joysticks on them, whereas I feel I have a whole heck of a lot more control with a keyboard and mouse.

 

[WarC]

Evidenced by the 37,000+ posts you've made all from your XBOX 360, amirite?

There are an astronomical amount of things PC's can do, a console doesn't even come close.

Not to mention that in most PC games there are vibrant modding communities that release content to extend and change playability. Something consoles are only now coming around to in the form of downloadable content packs, although most of these cost money and aren't from the user community.

For instance, a game like Oblivion or Fallout 3. They are still impressive games in their regular vanilla form, but add the user modding community that PC's have and those games become a heck of a lot more vibrant and replayable.

 

[WarC]

I said the keyboard alone in a gaming environment can produce 37,000+ things that make gaming better.

One example of this is the "Total War" series on PC, published by Sega. Where you play a turn-based war game on a strategic world view and then zoom into fully 3D battles with thousands of troops on both sides, controlling individual units and making battle plans with your mouse and keyboard. The control devices on the PC make this game playable, whereas it will never be released on a console because console control systems just lack the same abilities. I don't think it is possible to implement that kind of game on a console at all. Atleast not without seriously dumbing it down.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Building a power pc is not even necessary, a high end laptop for around $1,200 can run anything coming out for the next few years with the mobility of it being a laptop.

 

[tupperware]

*looks*

Yup, this thread's still about gaming.

Is it?

"How the PC is making consoles look out of date"

How is that specific to only graphics? How is value and quality only specific to graphics?

both Microsoft and Sony have focused efforts on increasing their user base with more casually focused interaction through Kinect and Move.

This thread isn't just about graphics and visual quality, similar to how topics can and do evolve and branch off into different sub-topics. Happens all the time here at CZ.

 

[TheCount]

Building a power pc is not even necessary, a high end laptop for around $1,200 can run anything coming out for the next few years with the mobility of it being a laptop.

Well of course, but probably not at the top graphic settings.

 

[theogt]

Is it?



How is that specific to only graphics? How is value and quality only specific to graphics?

HOLY ****** ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!!!!

They're *gaming* consoles. You don't surf CowboysZone on an Xbox.

Dear lord, it's like talking to five year olds sometimes.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Well of course, but probably not at the top graphic settings.

No one really needs those, do they? My laptop was around $1,250 last year and I can run anything i've tried so far on top graphic settings, im sure crysis 2 and upcoming games ill be running on Mid-Range, but that's more than fine. Movies on the crisp 1080p screen are awesome too.

 

[TheCount]

No one really needs those, do they? My laptop was around $1,250 last year and I can run anything i've tried so far on top graphic settings, im sure crysis 2 and upcoming games ill be running on Mid-Range, but that's more than fine. Movies on the crisp 1080p screen are awesome too.

Yeah, I doubt anyone needs to play anything at it's absolute best settings, but if the thread is about how PC's are putting consoles to shame, it should be noted that those "shame inducing" graphics require a lot of horsepower.

 

[Dallas]

Yeah, I doubt anyone needs to play anything at it's absolute best settings, but if the thread is about how PC's are putting consoles to shame, it should be noted that those "shame inducing" graphics require a lot of horsepower.

No they don't. I completely don't understand this at all. Does it take more money to get these FPS rates than a console? Yes, but not break the bank type of prices. You don't have to have the best MB/CPU/GfX combos to attain these great visuals.

Many of us pointed out that even the old gen cards selling for $100 or so dollars now will output outstanding and far better graphics than a console.

I promise you. I can build a system that will SMASH an Xbox in the face as far as graphics and gaming scores and benchmarks go for UNDER 500$.

Go to the store and price the new Xbox 360 Slim 250GB w/ 2 controllers and a game of w/e choice you prefer. Let me do that for you since I recently bought one for the house. They sell for $399.99 w/ 1 controller - add another contoller 49.99 and game 59.99. What's the total? I am at $509.97 atm...what's your total theo? Probably less than mine and wind enough to argue it. ANYWAYS...

Let's just stop the silliness comparing the console over the PC. It's isn't fair because the hardware is consistently changed and prices dropped over 1-3 months in the PC hardware world. As you all know, consoles can't take advantage of that one specific and by not being able to do so, you can't argue that they are better than a PC.

Consoles are MADE for ease of use and best experience for all users AT THAT TIME and for a specific budget AT THAT TIME. They are not built to encompass all catagories of gaming people nor should they be.

I buy games for my Xbox all the time that I stop playing and run out to buy the PC version when available. Why?

You probably already know the answer.

 

[tupperware]

HOLY ****** ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!!!!

They're *gaming* consoles. You don't surf CowboysZone on an Xbox.

Dear lord, it's like talking to five year olds sometimes.

You can.

It's just not very practical. We're also not ONLY talking about the 360, but that's what I referenced. There are browsers for you to browse online.

We're not talking about the 8 bit nes here. Consoles do more than just game now, you know?

When people say that the console is superior and/or say there is a better value/quality I beg to differ, because the PC does so much more that you get much more for your money.

 

[tupperware]

Let's not forget the prices of games. Console games are outrageous. Sales are always going on via steam where you can get developer bundles or single games for fractions of the price you'd pay for the console versions or console counterparts.