pc gaming

[Scorpian]

Are any of you guys still avid pc gamers? (mmo's aside) For 15+ years people have been saying pc gaming is dying, the pc game sections in the stores are shrinking and etc. but do any of you consider yourselves a "PC gamer"? It pretty hard to find anyone of these rare breeds out there, especially amidst all this mindless first person shooter madness.

Wow has pretty much been the only pc game I've been playing for a good while now, since I wouldn't have time for anything else right now... I still remember Nevewinter nights , I thought 2 would have done much better than it did... Do any of you prefer gaming on a pc rather than a console?

[Vexx]

eh? Do you read the Games subforum? Its *filled* with various threads on PC gaming: all kinds of MMOs, RPGs, etc. The recent Borderlands and Dragon Age: Origins are big releases.

Check the "currently playing" thread for more details. Basically.. until someone waves a console at me that has a keyboard and a mouse -- I'm a PC gamer. Console pads are too restrictive and awkward to me (though I do play console games).

[Mueti]

I'm a PC-Gamer, fully agree with Vexx's statement about controllers (except for a few genres). Funny how FPSs are all the rage this generation yet do best by far on the platforms least fit for the genre.
In Germany the PC-Community is still alive and well though (biggest in the world, I believe). I wouldn't say it's dying elsewhere either, except maybe for here in Japan where PC-gaming is pretty much non-existent. Dunno about the rest of the east though I'm under the impression that I find more Korean and Chinese servers than local ones most of the time.

[LoweGear]

Rare? PC Gaming is actually still incredibly common in this day and age: most of the people who game here in the Philippines are PC Gamers, who play either Korean MMORPG's, DoTA Allstars, or any FPS that catches their fancy (favorites including the ever immortal Counterstrike and Left 4 Dead) in crowded affordable internet cafes that pop up like mushrooms around here. As Vexx pointed out, most of the topics here in this subforum alone are dedicated to games available on, and played primarily on PC.

Count me in as a dedicated PC Gamer, due to the fact that many PC games are just simply played best on mouse and keyboard, from RTS games to FPS to adventure games

[SpyderSidiouss]

Originally Posted by Vexx

eh? Do you read the Games subforum? Its *filled* with various threads on PC gaming: all kinds of MMOs, RPGs, etc. The recent Borderlands and Dragon Age: Origins are big releases.

Check the "currently playing" thread for more details. Basically.. until someone waves a console at me that has a keyboard and a mouse -- I'm a PC gamer. Console pads are too restrictive and awkward to me (though I do play console games).

he said mmo's aside. lol looks like he probably read one of those articles saying "pc gaming is dying", which has been supposedly "dying" for like 15+ years. People have been saying that mmo's are the only thing keeping gaming on pc alive, whatever. I used to play most games on my pc - I don't game as much anymore but I still call myself a pc gamer if anything. Theres just something about customizing your rig/command center (both mods as well as expensive components) and playing your games. I do play some games on console, but pc gives you another type of feeling you dont get on console. (to me anyways) last game i played on pc was mass effect.

[NorthernFallout]

While I do have a console, it's only for 3rd Person RPGs/exclusives. The few FPS I have to it is inferior to any other FPS or RTS on the PC and I much prefer M+K. The precision and movement is perfected, compared to a controller. (I still do not understand the argument that a controller can compare to M+K, it's almost impossible.)

If I would have to choose, PC is the only viable option for my gaming (my friends also have this opinion, even more so). More powerful, more customizable, more upgrade-friendly, more versatile, mods, etc.

However, the PC-gaming market is declining somewhat (going by other sources than here), now with the recent MW2 fiasco and a lot of other companies who, instead of going PC -> Console goes Console -> PC, which results in poorly optimized software and "consolization" when it isn't thought through. It's a logical step for companies really, as developing for consoles is "easier" and I guess cheaper. Plus the market is a lot bigger, since it appeals to a bigger demographic.

PC <3

[LoweGear]

The MW2 fiasco isn't really what you'd call a guage to say that PC Gaming is dying, considering that it's just one game out of a dozen more being created and released each year. The only reason it gets as much attention as it is is because it's the sequel to one of the biggest games of the decade And of course for each multi-system game out there, there are a few more PC-only games out there, so I wouldn't call PC-Gaming "declining" just yet, not in my experience as someone who has run an internet gaming cafe before.

[NorthernFallout]

IW, being a powerful and big player in the gaming market, can be used as an example for how other companies should do it to be successful. They "lead the way" so to say. That is the danger I mean to say.

As for declining, well I don't have suffice data so it's more of an opinion, I admit. Things implicate it in the near future.

[Hanzoman]

Originally Posted by LoweGear

The MW2 fiasco isn't really what you'd call a guage to say that PC Gaming is dying, considering that it's just one game out of a dozen more being created and released each year.

Dont they have console only games as well? Weren't there more pc games ported to console than the other way around? Which was one of the biggest reasons for the xbox's creation: a way for gamers to play pc games without spending a grip on a gaming rig.

And for the people who are saying fps are better on K+M, both xbox and ps have keyboard and mice. Anything you can do on a pc you can do with those platforms, and arguably better since they are dedicated machines. All they have to do is start porting some of the exclusives to the console market which is much larger.

[Who]

Aside from MMOs, the only genre which I see that hasn't been successfully implemented to a wide scale on consoles are RTS (Starcraft64 was just... wow. So bad).
But doesn't mean it's going into a sharp decline. Shooters are still popular, MMOs pop up every other minute and once Blizzard decides to stop trolling with Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3, there'll probably be a resurgence in PC gaming.

[brocko]

Trolling? I really don't see how fan-pandering can constitute anything close to trolling. In fact it'd be the complete opposite.

[LoweGear]

Originally Posted by Hanzoman

Dont they have console only games as well? Weren't there more pc games ported to console than the other way around? Which was one of the biggest reasons for the xbox's creation: a way for gamers to play pc games without spending a grip on a gaming rig.

I'm not really sure how your reply follows from the quote, but I wasn't really comparing consoles to PC here, just saying that using the situation with Modern Warfare 2 as a gauge to say that PC gaming is dying isn't really prudent, and at best alarmist. It is a self-contained fact that there still are many PC games being produced out in the market, irrespective of what the consoles are doing.

[rg4619]

PC gaming is declining fast in terms of the number of units publishers/retailers can sell.

Nevertheless, the market is here to stay.

[Claies]

Originally Posted by Scorpian

Are any of you guys still avid pc gamers? (mmo's aside) For 15+ years people have been saying pc gaming is dying, the pc game sections in the stores are shrinking and etc. but do any of you consider yourselves a "PC gamer"? It pretty hard to find anyone of these rare breeds out there, especially amidst all this mindless first person shooter madness.

Wow has pretty much been the only pc game I've been playing for a good while now, since I wouldn't have time for anything else right now... I still remember Nevewinter nights , I thought 2 would have done much better than it did... Do any of you prefer gaming on a pc rather than a console?

Screw that crap. I haven't played regularly on a console for 4 years.

People get console games when they can't make their own PCs fun. PCs are the new highbrow gaming, I say. :P

[Vexx]

Well... like I say... if they'd sell a closed unit console with keyboard/mouse -- I might be inclined to go that way. But they don't --- and I think the keybd/mouse combo is indispensable for most of the games I like to play.

The only reason I use Windows at all anymore is for gaming (and supporting other Windows users). I also like homebrewing my computers... but a console with upgradeable modules would be tempting.

[0utf0xZer0]

Busy semesters at university have pretty much forced me to choose between anime and gaming, but when I do game it's all on PC. I have a nice little list of titles to try out when my schedule allows, including The Witcher, Stalker: Shadows of Chernobyl, Fallout 3, and Crysis:Warhead.

My only other issue is that I seem to have a right wrist that's quite prone to RSIs... I usually back off before it gets bad, but it kicks in much faster than I'd like. This may be in part due to having developed poor mousing habits at some point... I tend to use my wrist rather than my arm a lot of the time.

Originally Posted by Hanzoman

And for the people who are saying fps are better on K+M, both xbox and ps have keyboard and mice. Anything you can do on a pc you can do with those platforms, and arguably better since they are dedicated machines. All they have to do is start porting some of the exclusives to the console market which is much larger.

How many console games have keyboard and mouse support? How many turn off auto-aim to maintain play balance when you use them?

I will admit that many of the problems I have with consoles are more software than hardware. Although having only 512MB of RAM on the 360 and PS3 would be a problem for porting some games.

[2H-Dragon]

I do have a gaming rig, but to be honest I don't use it to game anymore. I bought it for MMO's, but I can't seem to find the time for that either. I just don't play games hardcore anymore and then games like MW2/L4D become interesting on the consoles. Rather then playing with friends I made online. I play with friends I know irl. It's just more quick fun without wasting hours.

[SoldierOfDarkness]

PC gaming can't die,

Otherwise how else will AMD/Intel and ATI/Nvidia sell their products? Even a guy who pirates games still needs to buy that ATI Radeon 4870 card and Phenom 2 Quad Core to run the game to begin with

The way I see it it's starting to shift more onto torrents and online downloads with online platforms such as STEAM/IMPULSE/GAMES FOR WINDOWS LIVE/BLizzard's new one for Starcraft 2. So while the store shelf is getting smaller, the games are easily acquried through the internet (Though I still prefer hard copies)

Empire: Total War for example is exclusively PC yet the sales were double that of its previous titles and is one of its most successful games.

WHen Starcraft 2 comes out that too will be successful.

[FRS]

Still a PC gamer, i have consoles to play JRPG but my main interest are on the PC plateform:

- Turn based strategies games
- RTS
- FPS
- and MMORPG

[rg4619]

Originally Posted by SoldierOfDarkness

PC gaming can't die,


The way I see it it's starting to shift more onto torrents and online downloads with online platforms such as STEAM/IMPULSE/GAMES FOR WINDOWS LIVE/BLizzard's new one for Starcraft 2. So while the store shelf is getting smaller, the games are easily acquried through the internet (Though I still prefer hard copies)

Empire: Total War for example is exclusively PC yet the sales were double that of its previous titles and is one of its most successful games.

WHen Starcraft 2 comes out that too will be successful.

That's definitely true. However, it depends on whether digital sales can compensate for whatever's resulting in lost sales. If retail shrinkage were simply resulting from a shift to digital distribution, I don't think publishers and developers would be so worried.

I have no doubt select games will continue to do well. MMORPGs will also continue to be big business. However, if the overall picture isn't good, with few PC games actually making money, we can't expect much selection for the consumer.

Otherwise how else will AMD/Intel and ATI/Nvidia sell their products? Even a guy who pirates games still needs to buy that ATI Radeon 4870 card and Phenom 2 Quad Core to run the game to begin with

Continued demand will depend on the quality and quantity of games on the market. Gamers (including pirates) invest in expensive hardware only if there's a strong supply of cutting-edge software. However, if supply becomes low, hardware manufacturers will simply cut back on their enthusiast lines (it's already an issue now with both the poor economy and the fact that leading companies are focused on making game engines that target console hardware).

Basically, the decline of enthusiast hardware will follow the decline of enthusiast games that push the limits.