Do PC ports of 360 "exclusives" change your attitude towards the 360?

[Caswell]

With Mass Effect announced for a May '08 PC release, the three titles that sold me on the 360 (Gears of War, BioShock, and Mass Effect) will all be available on PC.

It really doesn't bother me though. I was a longtime computer gamer (Questron rocked!), but I just can't be bothered to keep my PC updated. I'm still rocking the Atlhon XP / 6600GT combo that kept me going through WoW until early 2006.

For me, the PC-centric nature of a lot of big 360 releases is actually a selling point, making me view my 360 not so much as another console but really my "PC lite".

[supraazn]

Depends on if they are a PC gamer.

I'm not.... So its a No to your question for me.
Only games i play on the PC are Age of Empire, Company of heroes, and Command and conquer.
Basically only RTS.
I even don't like FPS on the PC.
Yea the controls are way more accurate and easy with a mouse, but that doesn't automatically make it better.
I like having all the buttons on the controller without having my arms out and typing on keys.

So as for your question the only game that i think i would not buy for the 360 if its also on the PC is Halo Wars.
Everything else ... it'll be on the 360.



I have a dual core, 2gb ram, and a 7600gt. So i can play those games at least at medium settings with the perks off.
And i'm a very knowledgeable guy with computers.
But i still don't do gaming on the PC.

[Filbert]

It actually makes me kind of sad that I ever bought a 360. Sure I like it and all. But if these games came out on the 360 and PC within weeks instead of months I would have never put so much money into a console.

(edit)Also. I bought an 8800GT a week before I got my 360. So right off the bat I was disappointed at the visuals and performance of the 360 when compared to my PC.

[InuFaye]

360 is a low end pc.

TRUF.

[Monsta Mack]

It depends on a lot of things. Not all games on the 360 have a lot of extra features on the PC, and some just simply look better... for a price. I have a 8600GT OC and games like Dirt and Overlord run smoother/better on the 360 (bad port?) when that shouldn't be the case, so those two games I'll most likely ultimately get on the 360.

Then you also have to consider the time games get released on the 360 and PC. Could you wait 7 months for Mass Effect? 4 for Devil May Cry 4? 7 for Assassin's Creed? Knowing the Halo 2 and Halo 1 PC ports, you might have to wait almost two years for Halo 3 (although I'm guessing a year and a half). You'll save some money waiting, but some people need the games right now, and rather not wait.

Money is also a factor. A good PC doesn't run $800 like everyone claims, maybe in the $500 range for a rather good PC without a 8800GT. But if you want a 8800 GT you still have to shell out a good $250ish - that's $100 less then a premium 360.

Also there are still some exclusive games for the 360 that won't make the PC cut, and even those that are few and far between make the 360 worth owning on It's own right. These games can be found on other consoles but still aren't on the PC. A few examples: Rock Band, Virtua Fighter 5, Forza Motorsport, Burnout Paradise, Skate, PGR4, DOA4, Dead Rising, NHL08 (play the PC version and you'll know what im talking about), and some RPGS like Eternal Sonata and Lost Odyssey.

At this point I rather own one portable (DS) one console (360 or a Wii) and a beefy PC.

[JC Monkeyballs]

360 is a low end pc.

TRUF.

all consoles are basically low end PC's.

[supraazn]

all consoles are basically low end PC's.

Any new consoles now are medium to high end PCs that become low end PCs in a matter of time because ..... They can't upgrade!

So yes, a system that can upgrade its own components can achieve better performance then a system that can't upgrade over time.
No new news there.

But consoles still hold their own and still have a lot of great games that will never be on the PC.

[benjamouth]

Yeah it does...suddenly I think my 360 is crap.

I joke of course, I think PC gaming is a completely different experience than gaming on a console. I've always been a console gamer despiter having access to various PCs for years, although not ones specifically spec'd for gaming. I much prefer sitting on my chair infront of the telly with a controller than sitting at a desk with a mouse/keyboard setup. Thats just me of course.

The exclusives thing doesn't bother me either, if a 360 "exclusive" gets ported to the PC or PS3 it doesn't really bother me, I'm glad that people don't have to own 3-4 different platforms to be able to enjoy every game available.

[Gourd]

I currently have what might be considered a pretty expensive computer set up.

It just doesn't bother me when a game is released for PC that was once a 360 favorite of mine.

I play different games in different environments. The Living Room is great for playing games with my bro over Live, while the cats and The Wife hang out on the couch next to me. The PC is excellent for MMoRPGs, RPGs (I miss you, Baldur's Gate Series!!), various games where I want to be alone and don't need the 42 inch television to help me feel immersed.

As time passes, however, I upgrade our two computers less and less frequently. I'm on a /five/ year cycle with each. There just aren't enough games exclusively for PC for me to feel that spending money on a gaming rig with regularity would be worth it.

So no. It just doesn't change my attitude towards the 360. I love the system.

[guyver2077]

nope.. i just picked up gears of war on pc.. looking forward to playing through it again

edit- whats up with the pc threads? do they dissapear with time. i cant find the gow pc thread

[DrunkTigerWoods]

No, as long as all the games I want are on 360 Im good. My pc is 4 years old and it would cost me much more to make it gaming ready(id probably just buy a new one) than it did to buy the 360.

[Logg]

I have been rocking Civ 4 all day. Which is not on 360

I play Madden 08 and VF5 with friends not really on PC (I mean Madden is but it sucks.)

[Chacrana]

The fact that so many of the 360's games are also on PC makes the 360 a minor console for me. I've got it for the few exclusives it gets, but yeah, most of the time it's completely overshadowed by the PC for me. The 360 is more convenient, but the overall experience is a lot better with the PC versions of these games.

[007]

I've got to agree with many in this thread... it doesn't effect me in the least.

My computers have always been 'behind the times', so in order to play games like 360 ports, I'd certainly have to buy a new computer.

I think part of the problem is, too, that a large segment of the gaming community doesn't see PC as a 'gaming platform'. Personally, when I hear things like 'BioShock is multi-platform' it throws me off... because I don't usually count PC in that. Mainly because, honestly, it has little effect on the gaming industry at this point. A few years ago, there were GREAT exclusive stuff coming out on the PC that was worth upgrading for. Now, at least to me, it seems if I don't want to play WoW, another MMO, or Crysis, there's nothing I can't just get on a console.

So, ultimately, no, it doesn't change any of my views on the 360 if they port stuff. It's not even a second thought. Now, when things start getting ported to the PS3 (like BioShock), I see that as a bigger deal. Unless it's like a year late and sort of mediocre to begin with (Lost Planet).

[wubb]

Nope, doesn't bother me. I'm also in the camp that a 360/PC game isn't really multiplatform in my mind.

The only thing that possibly bugs me is a multiplatform game that then isn't as good as it could have been on any one system. But that's the nature of the industry so I guess I just accept it. OTOH I'd much rather have most games get a wide release rather than a larger share be 360 or PS3 exclusives as that would mean I miss out on all of the PS3 ones.

Okay so that last paragraph is pretty much completely OT. :D

[Filbert]

What with the different gaming environments thing... I have my 360 hooked up to my computer's monitor. And on top of that, you can use a 360 controller for PC games that support it, like Bioshock. Really I bought a 360 for Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, and the sports games that are always better on the consoles. Now I'm left with just some sports games and impatience as my reasons.

[KaneRobot]

Not really. Half the time the PC versions of console titles (360 exclusive or not) run worse by comparison - even with a decent PC. The quality gap has improved a bit since the days of the horrid Metal Gear Solid PC ports, but 9 times out of 10 I'll take the 360 version if it's "360 first, PC later."

Now, on simultaneous releases it gets a little cloudier - I bought Orange Box for PC since I've only played Half-Life on the PC up to this point and will continue to do so. But something like Bioshock is a toss-up....slight performance hit (albeit with prettier graphics) + lower price + possible free bonus content vs. stability + achievements.


My attitude doesn't change at all, though. As far as software, this console has already proven itself many times over, PC ports or not.

[Dezuria]

My PC is more powerful than the 360, but I'd always get the 360 version of a game because it's more fun sitting on a comfy couch with a 42" HDTV than it is sitting in a chair at a 21" monitor.

[Apossum]

As a PC gamer, no! not at all!

Sure, I bought GoW and Bioshock (which was not a PC port btw, PC was the lead SKU on that one.) I'll also get Mass Effect and probably DMC4 (for the double dip.)

That's 4 games though. I'll never get VF5 online, Ninja Gaiden II, SF:Anniversary online, Rez + lots more on the PC.

I'll never understand the fanboy hangup about ports...and arguments about wanting your console to "win" don't convince me.

slight performance hit (albeit with prettier graphics) + lower price + possible free bonus content vs. stability + achievements.

that's completely relative depending on your system. People get great results with bioshock on low end systems. Stability is also not a factor at all...it doesn't crash randomly on the PC or anything.

but I'm sure the thread will devolve into "lol $5000 pc" soon enough.

[DJSteel]

ms console games get ported to windows...blasphemy..lol

[Chacrana]

We've had almost a page of level-headed discussion though, so that's a good start.

[Mattte]

It does kinda bother me that I can't play the extra Gears of War content on the 360. Why they won't let me give them more money is beyond me.

[Caswell]

It does kinda bother me that I can't play the extra Gears of War content on the 360. Why they won't let me give them more money is beyond me.

I honestly believe Epic when they say they just can't get the bromack (sp?) encounter to work on the 360 as DLC.

They're leaving a ton of money on the table if it's feasible and they just won't release it. I'd imagine every 360 Gears of War would pay 800 points for an entire act. I know I would.

[BustaUppa]

It takes away from the "mystique" of the console... but other than that, the PC ports don't bother me. The issue of "stability," whether exaggerated or not, is a big deal for me. The peace of mind and lack of hassle of playing on a console is enough to make me prefer the 360 versions over their PC counterparts.

Besides all that, I like to keep my PC available, and I'm usually running a bunch of stuff on it at once. So dedicating it to a fullscreen game would be inconvenient in my case.

[guyver2077]

unreal engine 3 runs pretty well on older tech as well.. i was running ut3 on my 7900 gs. Now i have an 8800 gt so i can play it even better.

I usually dont pay retail for pc games though because they are much easier to find online/ebay/gogamer deals


If they have live functionality then i add it to my "buy" list.

The "ports" that i have bought on pc include halo 2, shadowrun, and gears of war. i think i payed 20 each for halo2 and shadow and just picked up gears for 25.

Consoles do end getting pc exclusives too so its the same thing. (see orange box, ut3) and you can bet crysis will eventually make it to consoles

[PenguinMaster]

A 360 is cheaper than a PC that can run the same games and has more exclusives than PC games that require a high-end PC. My PC cost around $100 and runs just about every game I want to play that isn't on 360 (except Crysis, of course), so buying a 360 is a much better value than buying a ridiculously expensive PC.

[[Square]]

I think it works against the 360 for some people. I just built a decent gaming rig for less than $700. I use my PS3 for console gaming and when I feel like playing something on my home theater projector. Any of the titles I consider to be "good" for 360 have come out on PC so there is not much point in going console nuetral. I end up with more games than I have time to play as is, so yes I think that PC releases will keep me from ever looking for a X360.

Just for the record...I had an Xbox and not a PS2 last go round.

[trq]

Eh. I don't even see the comparison. My PC can't handle the 360 ports, first off, but even then: so what? There are some games that hit the PC later (Gears of War, etc) and are obviously not the optimal method of playing the game; why should I care that PCs get a less than optimal port over a year later? And vice versa: as decent as they've been, the 360 just ain't the optimal place for RTS games. If I was a fan and my rig could hack it, those would absolutely be PC experiences. So ... I guess the point is the PS3 and the 360 have far more in common, content-wise, than the PC and the 360. I don't even see them as comparable platforms.

[dmaul1114]

No because I don't play PC games, so it doesn't affect me at all.

I see why people like PC gaming, but I just can't get into it for bunch of personal reasons:

-can't stand sitting at a computer at home after using one all day at work
-don't like hassling with installs, patches, settings etc.
-don't like to upgrade computers
-hate the keyboard part of keyboard/mouse control
-playing on my 50" TV and 5.1 sound vs. 17" monitor and 2.1 sound on my PC (and not willing to upgrade those for games)
etc. etc.

All subjective reasons, but they keep me from every getting into PC gaming much.

[VipFREAK]

My carpal tunnel says no...

[yukine]

No, why would I? I hate gaming on the PC.

Yeah, it was cool like eight years ago but now I don't have the time nor the desire to upgrade components and have to tweak each game to properly run on my system.

I like playing with a controller, in 5.1 on my home theater, as well has playing on a big screen instead of a little monitor. I first was like "FPS with a controller? Pffftt" but you get used to it and FPS games nowadays work much better with a controller than before.

[KaneRobot]

that's completely relative depending on your system.
Free bonus content and a lower price are not "relative depending on your system."

People get great results with bioshock on low end systems.
You're saying all this stuff like I'm only talking about Bioshock. I never was only talking about Bioshock, I was talking about all console-to-PC games and just pulling Bioshock as a random example. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Stability is also not a factor at all...it doesn't crash randomly on the PC or anything.
I guess we're still focused solely on Bioshock with that statement....you're overstepping your actual knowledge quite a bit to essentially claim it doesn't randomly crash on the PC for anyone. I don't have the full version, but the demo did crash on me. "Well, it must have been your drivers" - well, duh. I updated everything beforehand. Regardless, I don't have to do that on a console.

but I'm sure the thread will devolve into "lol $5000 pc" soon enough.
You don't have to get that ridiculous - "lol $800 pc" is enough to make the console choice easy enough for some, since you can get a 360 for half that. Or less.


You seem to be pretty defensive about this PC stuff, so allow me to try to quell the frustration within you - I like PC games just fine and will continue to buy them occasionally. But my statements were hardly absurd.

[guyver2077]

im more in the "i like to upgrade/tweak my pc for fun" even though i dont get into pc games that much....

its like my pc must play everything..

I output the video to my tv anyways so i still get to play in a big screen in 5.1 and with the 360 controller :)

[Monsta Mack]

Oh noez my PC just got a RROD! I forgot to mention that one ;)

Still I love my 360, but after seeing Mass Effect get ported to the PC and the fact I haven't touched much of Mass Effect makes me wish I waited a bit and bought the PC version.

[ryanbph]

not a pc gamer, so no it doesn't bother me...I am glad that companies can make extra money by easily porting games between the 360 and the pc.

[eswat]

Nope, not bothered. Not when I had shitty PC, and not when I have a great one.

People who get their panties in a knot about 360 games releasing on PC have way too much time on their hands. ex: Gears fanbois that went ape-shit about that game going to PC with an extra chapter. Boo fucking hoo.

[urzishra14]

i'll admit.. i didn't read much of the replies before I delve into this..

I play games on my xbox rather than my PC BECAUSE I DON"T HAVE TO UPGRADE.. I purchased an xbox (orignal) in 03.. that lasted a good 4 years for my gaming needs and now in 08 we got a 360 which I imagine will be good at least for another 3 or 4 years.. when it comes to PC gaming you have to literally update your system CONSTANTLY .. like every year you need a better graphics card or more RAM or "newer" faster ram or a new operating system.. not to mention all the Patches one has to download because not all drivers are created equal .. and then you have to update drivers .. its a lot of work to keep up in the PC gaming world.. with my 360.. i just have to worry about the software side of things not really the hardware side of things..

I think its great that games come out on the PC that were originally on the 360 more people playing the games mean more likely hood of similar great games coming out..

my uncle, who purchased a PS3 because he HAS to HAVE blu-ray because "normal" DVDs hurt his eyes and are blurry (don't ask.. i did and got into a huge argument) anyways.. he says "well if I want a 360 game I'll just get it on the PC.. " I had to point out that many of the titles take a huge amount of time to come out and even then you're playing last years games today rather then the latest cool stuff..

but anyways no it doesn't piss me off that PC get 360 ports i'm just surprised people are still willing to "throw money away" at upgrading PC parts every 3 months.

[Apossum]

Free bonus content and a lower price are not "relative depending on your system."


You're saying all this stuff like I'm only talking about Bioshock. I never was only talking about Bioshock, I was talking about all console-to-PC games and just pulling Bioshock as a random example. Sorry if that wasn't clear.


I guess we're still focused solely on Bioshock with that statement....you're overstepping your actual knowledge quite a bit to essentially claim it doesn't randomly crash on the PC for anyone. I don't have the full version, but the demo did crash on me. "Well, it must have been your drivers" - well, duh. I updated everything beforehand. Regardless, I don't have to do that on a console.


You don't have to get that ridiculous - "lol $800 pc" is enough to make the console choice easy enough for some, since you can get a 360 for half that. Or less.


You seem to be pretty defensive about this PC stuff, so allow me to try to quell the frustration within you - I like PC games just fine and will continue to buy them occasionally. But my statements were hardly absurd.


I could get into this with you, and point out how you have misinterpreted what I've said in many ways or I could even expand on what I've said to make it more air-tight and better for discussion, but....dinner sounds like a more worthwhile activity right now.

[Chacrana]

das juz ignint

[rapsodist]

Coincidentally, I just had this same discussion with my friend yesterday. I've been wanting a 360 for a while now but I still don't have one, and I think I really can point to these PC ports as a primary reason.

I've never been much of a PC gamer but I bought a new HP computer recently for $800 AR and it came with a pretty capable video card (8600 GT) at no extra cost. Looking at it from that perspective, I didn't really spend a lot of money to get a gaming rig since I was just in the market for a new computer anyway.

I've actually been able to run games that came out last fall with all medium to high settings at 1280x720 resolution or higher. My wishlist of 360 games has almost been entirely reproduced on the PC side: Oblivion, Gears of War, Viva Pinata, Orange Box, Bioshock, Call of Duty 4, and soon Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect.

At the moment, Burnout Paradise, Dead Rising, Halo 3, and Rock Band do remain as compelling console-exclusive reasons to buy a 360 but I'll need a bit more than that to convince me.

[guyver2077]

remember that there are alot of games that dont end going to pc..

ofcourse big microsoft title will eventually make it.

If your a sports fan , ea's pc version of their games suck major ass as they are catering to lower end system.

2k sports doesnt have a pc line at all (major)

There is still alot of reason to have a console as the lead gaming platform

[guyver2077]

Oh noez my PC just got a RROD! I forgot to mention that one ;)
.


you must mean BSOD :)

[dallow]

Seeing what some of these PC ports look like on proper PCs make me want to rebuy the 360 less and less, and a make me want a better video card more and more.

I've never been into PC gaming, but now with HDMI out and easy use of the 360 controller, I wouldn't mind.

[rapsodist]

Seeing what some of these PC ports look like on proper PCs make me want to rebuy the 360 less and less, and a make me want a better video card more and more.

I've never been into PC gaming, but now with HDMI out and easy use of the 360 controller, I wouldn't mind.

The 360 controller's PC compatibility is definitely something I forgot to mention in my previous post! It's been great in making my life more palatable without a 360 console.

[help1]

No because PC gaming is too expensive for my tastes.

[zewone]

Not at all.

PC gaming is expensive and I don't care for mouse and keyboard controls.

[guyver2077]

bottom line they go hand and hand...

if your a gamer chances are you are a little interested in pc gaming. Its not even that expensive to build a decent rig so throw price out the door.

Now if you have an old win 98 (or mac :) )machine or something you should just shoot yourself

[dallow]

There's a guy on GAF who built a $400 PC and it can play Crysis on medium.
More than enough for every other game out there.

Using a 360 controller (cause kb/m sucks) is icing on the cake.

[zewone]

Why would they "go hand and hand"?

You really only need one or the other.

It's not like the 360/Wii combo.

[guyver2077]

with 400 i can build a monster. its very possible

edit- maybe monster was overboard, but definitely something very decent that is upgradeable.

[help1]

There's a guy on GAF who built a $400 PC and it can play Crysis on medium.
More than enough for every other game out there.

Using a 360 controller (cause kb/m sucks) is icing on the cake.

Okay, but then in 1 to 1.5 years that computer will be outdated, especially since it was made using cheaper, lower end parts (unless he reused parts from other computers he had, which would be CHEATING.)

[guyver2077]

cheating ftw

Nothing wrong with recycling hard drives. Most of the time you can keep most of your current equipment.

[dallow]

Okay, but then in 1 to 1.5 years that computer will be outdated, especially since it was made using cheaper, lower end parts (unless he reused parts from other computers he had, which would be CHEATING.)I guess the only cheating he did was using his old HDD.

And no, it won't be that outdated.
By then you won't have to upgrade as much, maybe the hottest videocard available in 6 months, because in 1.5 years, it'll be cheap.

[zewone]

Cheap is relative.

The price of the hottest card is more expensive than a Wii or 360.

And that's just one component.

[dallow]

That's why I'm saying, in 1.5 years, that hot card won't cost that much.
Since it'll be a little old, but you'd still be able to play most new games at medium to high settings, and older games at ultra high.

[dallow]

The videocard that guy bought was $140 and he can play Crysis at medium (barely high), and Bioshock, CoD4, and UTIII at max settings.

They really do look a lot better than console versions, I was surprised.

[guyver2077]

Ppl take note.

If you properly plan your purchase then you can have something to last your for a while. Typically though (atleast what im told in class) is that consumers should expect their new pc to last around 2 years. Gone are the make your pc last for x years.

1. Do some research. Most critical part of your pc is the motherboard and what socket is uses. LGA 775 seems to be here for a while so its a safe bet. With that being said you can always upgrade later on to a better cpu if needed.

My aging 939 system can still woop some ass. I must have upgraded cpu atleast two times in the last 3 years.

w.e this is getting ot

[zewone]

That's why I'm saying, in 1.5 years, that hot card won't cost that much.
Since it'll be a little old, but you'd still be able to play most games at medium to high settings, and older games at ultra high.

Yes, but you'll also be playing 1.5 year old games. Doubtful you would want to play 2010 games on a 2008 system.

If you want to stay a generation behind you could just pick up a PS2 for $100 now and buy $2-3 games.

[dallow]

Reading is fundamental.

Crysis playing on a "cheap" card. I don't think Crysis is 1.5 years old.

[zewone]

Ppl take note.

If you properly plan your purchase then you can have something to last your for a while. Typically though (atleast what im told in class) is that consumers should expect their new pc to last around 2 years. Gone are the make your pc last for x years.

1. Do some research. Most critical part of your pc is the motherboard and what socket is uses. LGA 775 seems to be here for a while so its a safe bet. With that being said you can always upgrade later on to a better cpu if needed.

My aging 939 system can still woop some ass. I must have upgraded cpu atleast two times in the last 3 years.

Now you have to worry about you mobo running new CPUs.

I just bought my mobo and Core 2 Duo last year.

I don't think it is compatible with new Duo CPUs that use the smaller technology.

[extzed]

for me the ports to PC rock means I get to play some games I want to without having to buy another console - I tend to keep my PC somewhat up to date anyway. The big thing for me is the bioware games, I seriously thought about getting a xbox for KOTOR I & II but then I read they would eventually make their was to the PC which was perfect so I waited and played through some of my massive backlog.

[Caswell]

1. Do some research. Most critical part of your pc is the motherboard and what socket is uses. LGA 775 seems to be here for a while so its a safe bet. With that being said you can always upgrade later on to a better cpu if needed...

What stopped my PC upgrading was that they seemed to switch every standard (CPU, memory, video card, etc) all at once. I'm sure it was stretched over a longer time than I perceived it, but the move to new sockets, PCI-E, and DDR2 felt like it happened at the same time. So instead of being able to buy one new component I was stuck starting from scratch.

I should have gotten that AsRock board that had both PCI-E and AGP, and had a riser card to move from 939 to AM2. If I had done that I'd probably still be doing the annual $200 PC upgrade.

Of course, staying away from PC gaming keeps me away from MMORPGs, which is a good thing for my marriage :D

[yukine]

There's a guy on GAF who built a $400 PC and it can play Crysis on medium.
More than enough for every other game out there.

Using a 360 controller (cause kb/m sucks) is icing on the cake.

There's a guy down my street that can turn water into wine.

What are the specs of this mystical PC? And where should I buy the components to make it?

[dallow]

There's a guy down my street that can turn water into wine.

What are the specs of this mystical PC? And where should I buy the components to make it?Here's the thread:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9708140

This post has a similar set up but only using Newegg prices, so better deals can be had: (comes out to 447)
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9708140&postcount=519

[Apossum]

edit: beaten!

There's a guy down my street that can turn water into wine.

What are the specs of this mystical PC? And where should I buy the components to make it?



So what did I get for 399?
AMD X2 5000+ (99$)
2GB DDR2 800 (39$)
ATI Radeon 3850 256 MB (140$)
Motherboard (50$)
Casing+PSU (50$)
DVD ROM (20$)
(used old HDD with XP, everyone has one right?)

.

not sure where he bought them (he's in euroland) and it also needs a monitor. Not too shabby.

[Bretts31344]

I haven't read anything other than the first post, but...

I am definitely selling my Xbox 360 once it gets back from repairs. Sure, my PC won't look as good as 360, but it will still look pretty enough for me to play. I figure Fable 2 will come to PC too. There is nothing exclusive for 360 that I really care about anymore. I do have one backup 360 I fixed, but that is sure to crap out for another reason than RROD with the way things are going. Mass Effect is awesome and I can't wait to replay it again on PC.

[Drnick]

my computer is an athlon 64 X2, 3800 overclocked with 3GB's of Ram, if I dropped a decent graphics card in ti, I could play games on it pretty easily, but i'd rather not.

I haven't been a PC gamer in a long time, I think because I spend so much time at a computer during work I don't want to be in a chair playing games, I'd rather kick back in a chair and play on my 37" screen than my 19" one, lol

[help1]

Now you have to worry about you mobo running new CPUs.

I just bought my mobo and Core 2 Duo last year.

I don't think it is compatible with new Duo CPUs that use the smaller technology.

Not to mention that your mobo wont have any more slots for ram and will be using an outdated video card slot, so you will need a new mobo, new ram and a new video card.

Even at its cheapest, PC gaming means:
1. Constantly paying more money.
2. Insecurity ("How long will this one last?")
3. Online gaming has more cheating than consoles.
4. Not a level playing field - One guy can have an uber computer and an awesome kb/m and tear it up online while you are struggling to maintain 30 fps at standstill.

Not to mention less money allows you to play LESS games. Sure mods are great, but I rather have money to play new full-fledged games over some of the mods that are being out these days.


not sure where he bought them (he's in euroland) and it also needs a monitor. Not too shabby.

Monitor doesn't count since it is the "TV" in the console terms. However, you and I both know that setup isn't going to last. The last video card that had a great run was the ATI Radeon 9800 pro. That card was dominant for a while.

my computer is an athlon 64 X2, 3800 overclocked with 3GB's of Ram, if I dropped a decent graphics card in ti, I could play games on it pretty easily, but i'd rather not.

I haven't been a PC gamer in a long time, I think because I spend so much time at a computer during work I don't want to be in a chair playing games, I'd rather kick back in a chair and play on my 37" screen than my 19" one, lol

Depending on the graphics card, you could be bottlenecking that 3800.

As for the kicking back in a chair and enjoying a big screen, amen to that brother.

[urzishra14]

some interesting points made in this thread

not everyone's computer setup is created equal.. on a console everyone is playing on the "same" equipment whereas computer gamers are always on different "consoles" so everyone gets a different experience whereas on a 360 you are always playing against people who have the same equipment as you.. makes a huge difference when you think about it.

the "best" graphic card now won't be the best graphic card a year from now .. my xbox 360 will always play at its optimal settings whether its this year or next year I don't have to worry about games looking "any worse" then they do now.. lord knows no one wants to play any kind of graphical game on an outdated video card.

to have a long lasting computer set up you need at least the following:

a super high end graphics card now (as this will more likely be used longer and some people run TWO or more graphics cards on multiple core processors)

HD audio/video outputs (just like on a console these days)

a super high end processor ( as these too will last longer then what people would typically use if you want to use the PC in the long haul)

a motherboard that is capable of expanding the furtherest (you're probably going to end up spending a lot of money here as well.. again we're not talking about "cheapest" or "what you need right now" we're talking 2 years from now when you want to play the super cool PS3 or 360 port over) this also needs ram slots that are fully upgradable for future products

DDR3 RAM which is way pricy now but will be way cheap next year.

not to mention a case/cooling system and other peripherals..

you can easily spend 500 alone on graphics cards even from the "newegg" places. not to mention processors and motherboard easily add up to 300


to get a decent "base" system that you think will last the lifespan of the consoles you got to figure you're spending at least double straight up just to outlast the console life cycle..

compare that to the price tag of the 360.. yeah the games look pretty they damn well better for what you have to drop on the PC.


and like someone else said in the thread already... then 2 years later you have to can it and start over..

[Filbert]

I think the people that are saying the PC will need upgraded and the 360 won't are missing something. Right now, a decent PC can outperform a 360. In 3 years that PC will still outperform the 360. Sure the newest PC games will be more demanding, but if you look at it through the 360's library you're going to be playing games ported from the 360 or on lower settings, like the 360.

I think the extra cost of a PC can be excused since it can be used for other things. But that's my opinion. Right now I have both. Even though I perfer my PC, I still spend more time on the 360. Don't ask me why.

[dallow]

I'm not even a PC gamer, at all. ::hugs console::

But some of you guys just don't get it.
Even I have the sense to know that it's not a pain in a neck and worrisome platform.

[zewone]

PC doesn't see nearly as many games as consoles.

Where are the ICOs, Persona 3s, and the SotCs?

[torifile]

bottom line they go hand and hand...

if your a gamer chances are you are a little interested in pc gaming. Its not even that expensive to build a decent rig so throw price out the door.

Now if you have an old win 98 (or mac :) )machine or something you should just shoot yourself
In case you hadn't heard, Macs can run Windows (and often do a better job than "PC"s).

[rapsodist]

PC doesn't see nearly as many games as consoles.

Where are the ICOs, Persona 3s, and the SotCs?

Yeah, that's my main personal problem with the PC market. Nearly all PC games fall into one of four categories: first person shooter, real time strategy, massive multiplayer online, or sim, of which the latter three do not appeal to me at all. I need more comedic point-and-click adventures in my life.

[mykevermin]

Cheap is relative.

LOL.

Personally, I've always owned Macs, save for one mistaken foray into a Dell laptop. So, for the record, "computer games" is an idea I'm completely unfamiliar with. ;)

I'm a console gamer because I like to know games will operate uniformly on my system. I can run any 360 title with no concern for RAM, virtual memory, installation, updates and patches, resolution, frame rate, etc. It's a peculiar argument, I suppose (the other side of the "I don't care for resolution" argument is "well, the low-end resolution on the PC is what you get on the 360," though I don't know the truth of that). But, simply, I want to put a disc in the console and play the fuckin' thing the way it was meant to be played.

Actually, I must confess. I did own a copy of "Reader Rabbit" on an Apple IIGS two decades ago.

[dallow]

PC doesn't see nearly as many games as consoles.

Where are the ICOs, Persona 3s, and the SotCs?That's why the PC would never be my main source of entertainment.

[guyver2077]

if your a performance whore.. go with pc..

end

[zewone]

It's really not that simple at all.

[Caswell]

I think the extra cost of a PC can be excused since it can be used for other things. But that's my opinion. Right now I have both. Even though I perfer my PC, I still spend more time on the 360. Don't ask me why.

That (like everything else) is dependent on your situation.

College was the peak of my PC gaming and PC hardware buying. A lot of that had to do with the dual use of my PC for gaming but also engineering work. More RAM and a faster processor cut down the time I needed to run ANSYS sims - better framerates in Quake II was bonus. I needed a decent OpenGL 3D card to run I-DEAS - again, better framerates were bonus.

Now my PC gets used for e-mail, iTunes, and personal finances. Throwing money at it for gaming would be that and that alone. Nothing else I need my PC for requires any upgrading.

[yukine]

I have a computer with similar specs, so I can play Crysis on medium settings?

[Chacrana]

there's a demo out if you want to try it. The full game runs a bit better than the demo, as well.

[prence]

It actually makes me kind of sad that I ever bought a 360. Sure I like it and all. But if these games came out on the 360 and PC within weeks instead of months I would have never put so much money into a console.

(edit)Also. I bought an 8800GT a week before I got my 360. So right off the bat I was disappointed at the visuals and performance of the 360 when compared to my PC.

This point is completely seconded in myself. I got a 360 so I could play GOW because it was supposed to be a "360 exclusive." Fortunately I got my 360 for free from those freexboxblahblah.com sites otherwise I would be furious (even more so than I am right now that they get more content in Gears Of War than I do, yet I spent 60 bucks on the game) that GOW came out on PC and I could have just played it like that.

[Apossum]

Monitor doesn't count since it is the "TV" in the console terms. However, you and I both know that setup isn't going to last. The last video card that had a great run was the ATI Radeon 9800 pro. That card was dominant for a while.



Is he going to be running new games on decent settings? No. But if he's running Crysis and Bioshock well, then he has a lot of recent good games to play (well, basically everything that has come out up to now.) Not sure how the high profile games that'll release this year will fare. Anyway, that's also why I think the whole experiment is kind pointless--to anyone who wants a PC that'll last, the hot $400 rig is not convincing.

If you're going to get a PC, might as well future proof it a bit. I think the notion of the pure gaming PC is crazy--may as well make it your main PC that you do everything on. Presented as a main PC that can run kick ass games, act a nice media center, and a workstation--it becomes a lot more sensible.

Unless, of course, you're rich and can afford to have a couple PCs. ;)

[Nifty_Shark]

Nope. I'm happy to know that the game will always run fine on the 360. The Halo PC port ran like crap and I had a PC that had much better hardware than the Xbox. Plus the PC guys have to wait so it kind of seems like they are just getting shafted for a period of time.

[PrarieD0G]

This point is completely seconded in myself. I got a 360 so I could play GOW because it was supposed to be a "360 exclusive." Fortunately I got my 360 for free from those freexboxblahblah.com sites otherwise I would be furious (even more so than I am right now that they get more content in Gears Of War than I do, yet I spent 60 bucks on the game) that GOW came out on PC and I could have just played it like that.

Actually, I've heard that GoW runs kind of sluggish on the PC. It wasn't really optimized enough to run as efficiently on the PC. The extra content is really the only thing that makes the PC version worth buying at all.

[Lonestar9]

I like both, bought a decent pc last year for $1200, first new pc in over 2 years, and am happy with it. It's not the latest nor greatest, but it plays most everything really well. I and my girl also enjoy some of the simple, layed back games on pc(from Bigfish, etc..).
I also really enjoy my 360, it plays games I enjoy on my 51' TV, and again, other simpler games from XBOX live arcade. When it comes to ports from 360 to pc, I usually will get the pc version for the better graphics, but not always.

[prence]

Actually, I've heard that GoW runs kind of sluggish on the PC. It wasn't really optimized enough to run as efficiently on the PC. The extra content is really the only thing that makes the PC version worth buying at all.

I've heard that too but I've also heard that if your system is good enough, you can max all the settings and it will look better than it did on 360 :\ Not that I care about the looks as much as I do the gameplay (and extra content im missing out on.)

[BigT]

I was a 90-95% exclusive PC gamer from the time period b/w the SNES and XBOX 360.

Now, it's more 75% Xbox 360, 25% PC. The main reasons for the switch:

*PC ports were becoming unoptimized afterthoughts that required high-end hardware. I didn't feel like spending $250-$450 for a new vid card annually. I build my own PCs and didn't have time to keep up with hardware developments, etc.
*In the 360, I just pop a game in and it works w/o configuration. On the PC, I would often spend 30 min to 2 hrs installing and the configuring optimal video settings/gamepad mapping/etc.
*I'm too busy in real life to keep up with driver updates/patches manually on the PC, or to fight with retarded copy protection schemes.

In theory, you can get better graphics on a PC version, but it will cost a lot in terms of $ and time. I still don't like the fact that my 360 sounds like a vacuum cleaner, but...

[sendme]

I only buy first person shooters on the PC. Other then that its on the 360, ps3 or wii in that order. Bad thing is I just got COD4 for the PC and it runs great on my 3 year old pc but all I have done is multiplayer and would rather have that on the 360. Sucks that I can't play people on the 360 on my PC. I would gladly buy a multiplayer only version for the 360 and think that M$ needs to start puting that in the PC version of the game. I would pay an extra 10 or 20 bucks for that.

[GuilewasNK]

Exclusivity was never an important thing for me and I don't see why it should be to anyone else. With dual analog, I am just as comfortable with console FPS as I am PC.

The only argument I could agree with is if the PC version of a game that has features/content not found in the console.

[Filbert]

I'll tell you right now. Sometimes I just can't stand the graphics on 360 games. The textures are often much lower resolution, and the resolution itself is too low (and stretched since I play on a 16:10 monitor. I never thought I cared about graphics that much until I played Crysis on my PC and then switched to Mass Effect on my 360. (Of course in that case the horrible texture pop-in, whether it's fixed in the PC version or not, was really awful.)

[sendme]

Another thing I do not like is that some times it seems that the PC game is a bad port of the 360. Atleast whe it comes to controls. Like bioshock some of the keys seem out of place and it seems that way with cod4 on the pc also. could just be me though.

[PrarieD0G]

I've heard that too but I've also heard that if your system is good enough, you can max all the settings and it will look better than it did on 360 :\ Not that I care about the looks as much as I do the gameplay (and extra content im missing out on.)

Hmmm.... didn't know that about the graphics. I doubt my 7900GS would be able to produce better graphics than the 360... or would it?

edit: Ugh, no matter. A lot of bad reviews on Amazon about the bugginess of the game. Seems to be very hit or miss; I'll stick with the 360 version.
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/B000VBFW7E/ref=cm_cr_pr_link_1?%5Fencoding=UTF8&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

[Friend of Sonic]

No, not at all. I think games should be made available to more audiences as much as possible in most circumstances.

[thrustbucket]

Hmmm.... didn't know that about the graphics. I doubt my 7900GS would be able to produce better graphics than the 360... or would it?
Not really. The 360 contains some features of DX10. Your card doesn't contain any.

I am ok with PC ports of exclusive 360 games, and here is why:

Developers spend a massive amount of money on a retail nextgen title. It's a huge risk. And unless they are getting super high subsidies from Sony or Microsoft, they have no choice but to expand it to as many platforms as possible to recoup cost and make money.

I actually feel that developers can be more attracted to the 360, knowing that Microsoft is more lenient about PC versions. It means more potential money.

[hostyl1]

Personally, other than games like RollerCoaster Tycoon and RTSes, I have no desire to play games on my PC (even though it too is hooked up to my 52" HDTV). I spent less than 400 bucks for the 360. To make my PC "BioShock-worthy", I'd almost have to spend twice that! Not only that, but I couldnt care less that games come out on other systems. I'm happy with the 360 (failure rates aside), and I'm happy with the games that I can play on it. PCs getting ports (or vice versa) doesnt affect me one bit.