Why I don't play PC games.

[Fishy]

Because this is turning into a bitch-fest and everything is apparently viewed as antagonism?

True, all opinions are facts to be disproven on the internet.

[Woe Is You]

No they don't. Auto updates that does everything for you with perfect function is not even close to the amount of updating we all had to do for PC games since the Doom days.

Actually, software-wise, automatic updating has been standard on the PC for a while now. Also, Steam, despite its early suckiness, does its things really well these days. Updates are automatic and if your drivers are out of date, you'll get a dialog box asking whether you want to download new ones. There's been lots of push towards these things work with less hassle and thank god for that.

Hardware is a PC-only problem, I admit, but lots of PC games get released that don't require much from the PC. Aquaria, Defcon and Sam & Max, for instance.

And by the numbers, the vast majority of gamers steer towards console gaming for a reason. I doubt they do that because 'games are simpulrrr hurrrr'.

Actually, despite you thinking it's a completely stupid idea, I do think it has some merit. How else do you explain the literal explosion of party games, singing games and generally games that require you to spank buttons in a preset order really really fast (Guitar Hero and Beatmania)?

[The Coop]

What problems? No, really, what problems? Maybe it's because I live in the magical wonderland of Australia that I'm not subjected to what PC gamers in other nations clearly are, but I'm not sure I quite understand what problems you refer to.

I've been following this argument for a while, and figured I'd hop in to post a few problems that console users (up until recently) really didn't have to contend with...

- Graphics/audio/bios/etc. driver updates that require each file being installed to not be corrupted or put in the wrong place. Otherwise, your PC refuses to work right in some fashion.

- Malware, viruses, trojans, worms, spyware, and of course, the occasional hack attack that affect how well you're system functions.

- OSs that decide to stop working, and require a reinstall... or perhaps a destructive restore.

- The need to make sure your OS/graphics card/audio card is supported by the software you just bought.

- The need to wait for a company's video drivers to properly support the game and/or graphics card you just bought.

- Having a system that meets all the requirements, but it still can't run a given game made for that system.

- Having your older games become unplayable when a new OS comes out.

- Adjusting in game settings, or graphics card/audio settings, to get a game to run.

- Having to wait for a patch to fix some aspect of the game so it does what it's supposed to.

As I said, a lot of that stuff wasn't an issue for console gamers until the 360/PS3 came along. If you had an XBox, and you bought an XBox game, it was going to run as long as your system worked. There have always been missed bugs in games, but PC games have suffered a lot more from those missed bugs than console games. Granted, now console games are doing their best to catch up since they too can be patched, but I believe those are some of the problems I-n-j-i-n was referring to. Some folks see them as regularly occurring problems, others have never had those issues. It's all going to stem from personal experience.

As for me, I personally don't assign genres to a given system. I'll happily play any RPG, FPS, RTS, flight game, or whatever that I'm interested in, on whatever system it's on. I just go for the version that turned out the best overall if it got a multi-system release

[I-n-j-i-n]

Hassle I hear you say. What hassle? You get the patch, you click the button, and off it goes. You just have the choice about whether you install the patch or not (example, I personally prefer the unpatched version of System Shock 2). Beyond that, the only hassle I've encountered was with mods, and then, more a case of weeding the worthwhile from the piss-weak.

Out of the box playability is completely different. Do you ever install console games? No. I'm not talking about the more complex console games either. Just as in 99.999% of console titles.

Given that I find the cost of purchasing most game media ridiculous, I'm going to go out on a limb here and call it fairly necessary. Let us not forget the hassle of importing if you wish to go the purely legal path, nevermind ensuring your system is compatible with the game you imported.

That is a stupid argument. Because the analogy does not work. Why? Because if you pirate consoles, IT IS ALL FREE. Same for PC gaming. Why do you put the onus only on console games? I know people in my dorm who owns HUNDREDS of 360, PS3, PS2 and Xbox games by pirating them. Likewise with PCs, there is no onus on the videocard and memory and other hardware manufacturers if you fool around with your own system on your own accord. That, and if you know what you're doing with console modding, it basically is no risk. Same could be said of PC modding. It can be dangerous/problematic if you don't know what you're doing.

I couldn't care less - 2% of several millions is still on the order of tens of thousands - significant.

Ditto for all the MILLIONS of computer complaints. Overall, you can still get by them even with a virus stuck in your computer (my old computer had 300 viruses hovering in it and it worked well enough, aside from the fatal error occasionally).

Again, you're just going from one sided view on this. And the comparison simply does not work.

What problems? No, really, what problems? Maybe it's because I live in the magical wonderland of Australia that I'm not subjected to what PC gamers in other nations clearly are, but I'm not sure I quite understand what problems you refer to.

I don't even need to specify the bevy of hardware and software problems PC gamers are subject to. You can deny all you want, but going 'LALALA' over the problem isn't an argument.

Jesus fucking Christ what did you DO to that poor thing to make it do that?

Nothing. It broke by itself. I defrag every week and don't even press the power button to shut down, for Christ sakes.

Never ending? What, you click every single .exe that comes into your inbox? This "never-ending" stream you talk about is hype - browse intelligently, sufficiently obfuscate your email, and you won't be subject to this. Common sense.

I never even use mail system or open any exe's or any mails anymore. And it still comes through. It's common knowledge. Coop posted a nifty post up there that basically explains everything about it.

Uh, yeah? Where did I ever say it wasn't more of a hassle. Pardon my geekiness, but that's always been half the fun - getting things just right. Must be my perfectionist streak at work again, but knowing I got the game running by my hand alone is significantly more satisfying than just popping it in and watching the pretty colours.

Don't you think you're backtracking a bit here? Because the crux of my entire argument was about the most basic FACT that it is more of a hassle with PC gaming. Not that it's worse for it. That's what you assume, but I never even implied that. Again, tell me how a PC is a pure gaming system. Because by its very function, it isn't.

I have a theory on that. You probably won't like it. Anyone who espouses the "wisdom of the masses" definitely won't like it.

There is no battleground for gaming like some people would imagine it would. I don't get why *some* PC gamers (do I need to mention names now?) look down on console gamers as if they're another breed. They aren't. It's that simple.

I'm saying these are the types of game I usually end up on a console playing. Final fantasies and similar, platformers, EA sports games and racing games. The other list is the type of games I usually end up on a PC playing. Its my personal preferance. How is that funny?

Adventure, sports, RPGs...

If we're to dumb it down that way, there's always the action, platformers, puzzle (since when was the last time a puzzle game came out specifically for the PC that broke the bank? I can't remember), etc etc. I don't even think it's a matter of preference other than that if you're going by the actual number of genres, it is not worth comparing PC games to consoles. Go ahead and compare a lake to an ocean. Not a good comparison. And I'm saying that to DEFEND PC gaming there.

Actually, despite you thinking it's a completely stupid idea, I do think it has some merit. How else do you explain the literal explosion of party games, singing games and generally games that require you to spank buttons in a preset order really really fast (Guitar Hero and Beatmania)?

Yeah, I think you make a good point with some games that are really exploding in the general masses. Then again, most 'game of the year' types of games that sold into the millions were typically action, FPS and RPGs. Traditionally the stuff most 'hardcore' gamers play. I really don't think it's a matter of PC gamers being more hardcore either. Just that it's more of a niche market.

[FiremanJoe]

I've been playing PC FPS games solidly for about a year now, and I don't think I could go back to console FPS games... dual analog just doesn't cut it any more. I also like the convinience of being able to just start up a game immediately and be able to play online. I can go from chatting, to gaming in about 60 seconds. Perhaps if I had a tv near my PC or some other way of playing my consoles with my monitor, I'd use them more often.