PC GAMING IS BEST GAMING

[Laddy]

Seriously, people. PC IS GHAD.

Discuss why the PC is awesome.

[NeoCracker]

PC had Setperra Core. PC gaming peaked at that. (Mind you I never played Planescape. )

[Laddy]

You haven't played Torment? Then you are unqualified to refer to PC gaming and its "peak".

Septerra Core was boss, though.

[Pheesh]

Since I've bought an actual gaming laptop I definitely can't help but agree. Everything looks better (assuming your computer is a good one), a mouse is just quicker and more efficient to use, and if you have a laptop you can game anywhere and aren't limited to just the room where the TV is. And if that isn't enough, one word: Steam.

[Cloudane]

But the PC is obsolete, we're all switching to tablets now! Tablets are The Future(TM)! Haven't you been listening to the computing industry like a good little sheep?

[Loony BoB]

I don't think I could ever subscribe to "consoles are best" because of games like Dwarf Fortress. Likewise, I don't think I could ever subscribe to "PC games are best" because of games like the Uncharted series. In the end, it's the games, not the platform, that are either good or bad.

But yeah, as for why the PC is awesome: Dwarf Fortress. Also, the sheer number of keys you have access to on a keyboard and the sheer amount of control you have with a mouse. Sure, you can plug them into a lot of consoles these days, but I'm considering the general knowledge of console games being built around controllers first and foremost and PC games being built around keyboard & mouse first and foremost. I just like how much control I have with those things for specific kinds of games, particularly any game that involves a lot of management - so, games like X-COM where you manage multiple soldiers, games like Civilization IV where you manage a lot of everything, games like Dwarf Fortress where you attempt to sort of manage a thriving community of dwarves only to see your management fall apart in spectactularly glorious fashion. Also, Football Manager games.

[Pheesh]

I don't think I could ever subscribe to "consoles are best" because of games like Dwarf Fortress. Likewise, I don't think I could ever subscribe to "PC games are best" because of games like the Uncharted series. In the end, it's the games, not the platform, that are either good or bad.

If we're talking purely games, then consoles win for me because they have the Kingdom Hearts series. But I thought this was about what system is better to play games on. If Uncharted had been made for PC it would have looked better and had better controls. Just like the new Tomb Raider

[Loony BoB]

I disagree regarding better controls - I prefer playing on a controller for games such as Uncharted (and Tomb Raider, which is why I bought it for PS3 instead of PC). I like the freedom of movement allowed by a controller.

As for visuals, that largely depends on the quality of the PC you can afford, which leaves it kind of debateable. The best games I've played on a PC didn't rely on fancy graphics, though - quite the opposite, Dwarf Fortress / Civ IV / FM12 lacked astonishing graphics and focused instead on quality gameplay.

[Pheesh]

But you can make the sensitivity as high or low as you would like for a mouse. Also, if we're being technical, you can plug a controller into a PC and play like that, you can't plug a mouse into a console.

I admit you need to have the right computer to be able to enjoy those high level graphics, but my point is that those games look their best on a PC. Unless it is a terrible port the games graphics peak on a PC, not a console, so that's why PC wins out in that regard. And yeah, graphics aren't everything of course, but on certain games they are quite important to the atmosphere and immersion, and personally I love to see a game that looks as beautiful as it can.

EDIT: My bad, a quick google search showed me that you can put your mouse into a console if you want. But I've certainly not seen many people do it, definitely not as frequently as I've seen people play PC games with a controller at least.

EDIT2: Scratch that, there's maybe a handful of console games compatible with mouse and keyboard controls, my initial point still stands

[Loony BoB]

But you can make the sensitivity as high or low as you would like for a mouse. Also, if we're being technical, you can plug a controller into a PC and play like that, you can't plug a mouse into a console.

I'm pretty sure you can plug a mouse into a console. It's just that few people have a need to because the controller is a superior input system for the incredibly large number of games that are designed to be played using a controller.

But it's irrelevant for me - PC games are designed to be played with keyboard and mouse first and foremost, and when people go on about how PC is the better platform and then point to "you can use a controller" I just feel it's kind of stupid. If a developer wants a game to be played with a controller then they would ship out controllers with the games, or high end PCs would be sold with controllers, or graphics cards would be sold with controllers. Fact is, everyone and their uncle knows that PC games (and we're being forced to generalise here) use keyboard and mouse, consoles use controllers. Arguing that either can use the other is basically on par with saying the PC is a console and that the console is a PC.

I admit you need to have the right computer to be able to enjoy those high level graphics, but my point is that those games look their best on a PC. Unless it is a terrible port the games graphics peak on a PC, not a console, so that's why PC wins out in that regard. And yeah, graphics aren't everything of course, but on certain games they are quite important to the atmosphere and immersion, and personally I love to see a game that looks as beautiful as it can.

I love to see a game look as beautiful as it can, too, and I did buy Crysis for the PC. I'm just saying this is not something that makes PC games better as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I had a lot of trouble with my graphics card not being optimised properly for the game and so forth. It was a struggle to get those graphics to work (it did happen in the end, thankfully, after a bit of updating of this and that, patching of this and that, tweaking of various graphic settings, etc) but essentially arguing that PC graphics are better is pointless as far as I'm concerned because for every positive that you get out of it, there are a large number of potential negatives.

Also, when PS4 comes out and has, what, 8GB of GDDR5 RAM... do PC gamers still argue that PC games will look better because technically a PC can have that too? I mean, how many people out there own PCs with 8GB of GDDR5? Arguing graphics is silly because PCs vary too much. I wonder if half of the desktops/laptops in the world actually compete with the graphical output of a PS3?

It all goes back to my "I don't like to get into these arguments because it's the game, not the platform, that are either good or bad." Platform debates are stupid.

EDIT: Well, they can be fun and a good way to waste time, but in the end they won't change anyone's opinion and most arguments are subjective at best or inaccurate/misleading at worst.

[Slothy]

Everyone that played PC games during the time Half-Life came out already knows why PC gaming is the best. For those who aren't aware, do some research:
(SPOILER)





Also all of the mods that don't have handy images stating their names in them like Science & Industry, Firearms, Action Half-Life, The Opera, The Specialists, and more I'm forgetting since it's been ten years or more since playing them.

[Del Murder]

I prefer to play on console because I like having a dedicated system for games, playing on my couch, on my TV, and with a controller. I realize that you can do all that with PCs these days I'm too lazy to set that up. Besides, having a bomb ass PC setup sets you back way more than just buying a PS3. Furthermore, the console exclusives are much more enticing to me as a gamer than PC exclusives. You don't get Mario, Zelda, and FF on PC.

[Slothy]

Besides, having a bomb ass PC setup sets you back way more than just buying a PS3.

Yeah, not touching that.

Furthermore, the console exclusives are much more enticing to me as a gamer than PC exclusives. You don't get Mario, Zelda, and FF on PC.

I could probably understand this point of view maybe even ten years ago, but no so much now. Maybe if Nintendo was a bit less concerned with constantly reliving their greatest hits from the 2D and N64 eras or if Square wasn't spending 5+ years making some of the worst RPG's I've ever played, but as is? Those companies aren't giving me a lot of reason to give a crap about their releases and haven't been for a long time.

I also just don't see AAA exclusives being a thing beyond first party developers much longer. Sure, you'll still be able to count on Nintendo to rehash the same series every couple of years, Sony and it's subsidiaries to release an Uncharted, Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet or some other new series, and Microsoft to release... a new Halo I guess, but most companies can't afford to stay exclusive in the world of ballooning budgets. And with the news that the PS4 is basically going to be a cheap PC, there's going to be less effort required than ever to just port a game to all platforms.

Except the Wii U of course since it's basically a generation behind again.

[Del Murder]

That's a matter of opinion of course. I for one still get excited every time a new Mario platform game or Zelda game gets announced. It may be reliving the glory days but those were my glory days too. And even FF. As disappointing as the FFXIII entries have been there is really no equivalent (that I know of) in that genre on PC.

I'm pretty sure over 50% of the games I've played in the last year were console exclusive.

EDIT: Here's the list of what I played in the last year and its PC availability.

Borderlands (yes)
Final Fantasy XIII-2 (no)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (no)
Batman: Arkham City (yes)
Uncharted 3 (no)
Xenoblade Chronicles (no)
Assassin's Creed 2 (yes)
Journey (no)
God of War III (no)
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (yes)
Mass Effect 3 (yes)
Assassin's Creed Revelations (yes)
The Last Story (no)

So 7/13 console exclusives, and not all of those are first party. This doesn't even count handhelds, which I play even more. Again, this is my preference, but if you are an RPG fan you really do miss out on gems like Xenoblade if you are strictly a PC gamer.

[Roogle]

I remember reading an opinion piece about the origins of video game consoles and why they may become obsolete in the future due to the flexibility and nature of a personal computer compared to a console. They have a point, but consoles are branching out to become media devices in their own right.

I disagree regarding better controls - I prefer playing on a controller for games such as Uncharted (and Tomb Raider, which is why I bought it for PS3 instead of PC). I like the freedom of movement allowed by a controller.

I like the feel of a controller from a console a lot. Ironically, though, I actually have played console games on a keyboard due to playing fighting games competitively. I learned how to play those on an arcade emulator called MAME32k with a keyboard, and the mastery over it as a control medium makes me more inclined to use a keyboard than a controller. I have a special keyboard that is gutted on the inside and replaced with parts that allow it to work with a console as a control scheme. (It no longer functions as a normal keyboard if you are curious.) I agree with you though that controllers provide more freedom of movement in certain types of games. The PC could use more standardization when it comes to control schemes.