Who Killed PC Gaming?

[JaFO]

True. It seems to be perfectly acceptable to pay $60 for a used game. There's a lot you can git away with in console games, financially and gameplay, that wouldn't stand a chance in the pc market.

there's a lot that you can get away with in the pc market that wouldn't stand a chance in the real world (cue the 'if cars were built like computers ...'-quote). And it is a damned shame we let them get away with stunts like that time after time.

I've never had to pay 60$ for a used console game ... although I did go to a speciality store for those.

The PC we knew a decade ago may not be around as much anymore, but that is a GOOD thing. Ten years ago I was still dealing with autoexec.bat, memory limitations, etc. It was still Windows 98/ME for pete's sake. Blue screen, blue screen, CTD, blue screen, ctd, ctd, ctd, blue screen, repeat ad nauseum.

no, now it's registry-tweaks, driver-updates, etc.
The crashes still happen.
The only thing that has changed is what needs fixing and how we fix it.
the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Even console-games suffer, but at least I know I can return those if they are too buggy.
I can't do that with the average pc-game as most shops won't accept that (although thank god there are a few that do ...).
Digital delivery-systems are even worse (no consumer protection at all as they're international and apparently don't feel the need to comply with local regulations), but I guess that is acceptable these days.

Although I really should say I never had any crashes or ctd's back in the good old days of DOS.
Win98SE was as solid as a rock on my systems as well.

My current pc otoh... mysterious crashes, an unknown driver for an unknown device that can't be found (like do'h! ... how does anyone expect me to fix that ?). I consider that unacceptable and not reliable enough for a gaming-machine for the average user.

The pc still requires far too much maintenance compared to consoles.
The only reason it manages to survive is WoW and web-based games.
Anything else is not even a blip on the radar.

It's easier to pirate a pc-game than to try and buy a legit version that is as reliable as a console-game.

 

[RoadKillGrill]

NPD sales would show me as a console gamer as I've bought 4 PS3 games and 0 PC games from a store. I have not bought a PC game from a store in years, they never have it on release day/week.

My current pc otoh... mysterious crashes, an unknown driver for an unknown device that can't be found (like do'h! ... how does anyone expect me to fix that ?). I consider that unacceptable and not reliable enough for a gaming-machine for the average user.

My PS3 crashes on games at times, its pathetic. I don't play it as a game console often but its on par with stability with PC games. I know I should expect better from a system MADE for games but modern consoles have every crappy thing PC's have now.

It's easier to pirate a pc-game than to try and buy a legit version that is as reliable as a console-game.

Steam really makes it easier than piracy for me, it downloads at 15mbps and is virtually self contained. All I do to reformat is copy out the steamapps folder, put it back on on a fresh install and all my games are now on the machine again.

Console piracy is easier than PC now on the 360 and DS. Download and burn, you really can't get any easier.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

no, now it's registry-tweaks, driver-updates, etc.

But none of that is required, I am using a graphics card driver from like 10 months ago and it still works fine for everything I use it for (and likely will work fine for the next several months as well). The only reason to (typically) upgrade video drivers is 1) to improve performance in a brand new game on specific cards, or 2) for some fancy new feature added by the driver maker. Old drivers usually continue working fine, regardless.

The crashes still happen.
The only thing that has changed is what needs fixing and how we fix it.
the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I haven't had my computer itself crash for well over a year. Most of the problems I have are self-inflicted.

Digital delivery-systems are even worse (no consumer protection at all as they're international and apparently don't feel the need to comply with local regulations), but I guess that is acceptable these days.

That is more than likely because that area doesn't have laws regarding strictly digital distribution.

Although I really should say I never had any crashes or ctd's back in the good old days of DOS.

Depends on how you defin3e a crash I guess. I had lots of things that wouldn't run because I didn't have enough free memory 640k all the way baby.

Win98SE was as solid as a rock on my systems as well.

I guess I don't know what you were doing with it, then, because I had tons of blue screens and ctds with games back in Windows 98SE. It was such a regular occurrence that I just got used to it.

My current pc otoh... mysterious crashes, an unknown driver for an unknown device that can't be found (like do'h! ... how does anyone expect me to fix that ?). I consider that unacceptable and not reliable enough for a gaming-machine for the average user.

And, again, I must just not know how you are using your computer. As I mentioned above, I haven't had a crash on my XP/Vista/7 machine for well over a year (the last one I can remember was when my previous video card was dying making the video card driver crash all the time).

The pc still requires far too much maintenance compared to consoles.
The only reason it manages to survive is WoW and web-based games.
Anything else is not even a blip on the radar.

The PC is more maintenance than a console, but it is not significant (depending on what you are doing). The average PC user/gamer doesn't need to do much to keep their computer up and running just fine for ages with no more maintenance than a non-gaming PC.

You've got to be kidding, otherwise. I have seen plenty of non-web-based non-MMO games doing quite well on the PC. Consoles having a larger market doesn't mean the PC doesn't even show up in comparison.

 

[BooGiTyBoY]

Im not gonna write a book here on the subject, plus I know whatever I say is going to be analyzed, quoted, and most likely thrown back with mud on it.

My main gripe with this whole subject is the fact that ever since consoles became almost like computers pretty much all of our games have suffered on PC.

Look at how in-depth and well for lack of a better word, complicated some of our popular pc games were. PC games were hardcore fps, completely in-depth rpg games and strategy games. Consoles were always for "action" games pretty much or simple menu driven RPG games. Basically once again for the lack of a better word, simpler games.

Now we have bastardized pc titles due to the console frat-boy invasion. Games like System Shock and Elder Scrolls become graphical eyecandy tours with completely simplified gameplay ala bioshock and oblivion. FPS games with tons of depth are overtaken by once again, more simple games like Halo. Take for example a "professional" quake 3 CPMA match. Tons of movement techniques, weapon usage, and map strategies are used. I've watched a few "professional" console Halo matches and all the winners did was sit in a corner with a scoped pistol. Remember huge rts game wars with your friends in warcraft 2 and the old command & conquer games? Not anymore, we can only have 15-20 units MAX because otherwise we cant come out with an easily controllable console port! Even "big name" games like Ghostbusters and Transformers felt like half-assed console ports on the pc. They had mad acceleration in the controls which catered to joysticks. Also look at how many of our games have built in xbox 360 controller support.

I've been a gamer a loooong time and honestly we were the geek-a-nerds of days yonder. We liked complex things and liked to figure things out. We LIKED games with instruction books you could kill a small bear with. Now with every cheerleader, emo kid, and football player playing games as well, the companies are of course going to garner to their new audience figuring "well we've already GOT those guy" when thinking of the pc fanbase.

I think im starting to ramble so Im just gonna stop now.

 

[Crotale]

Well, to be honest, and without actually looking at numbers, has PC gaming been as big as console gaming, ever?

And with consoles, you can rent games at places like Blockbuster instead of buying them. That alone makes consoles more palatable in that regard.

 

[dethmanrulz]

They're seriously saying requiring programs to not require admin rights is a problem? It doesn't take long to setup user files and avoid any UAC popups in your programs and push all write access stuff to your user file folders....

read that back again and see how many casual pc users have any idea what the hell you're talking about.

 

[Sir_Brizz]

Im not gonna write a book here on the subject, plus I know whatever I say is going to be analyzed, quoted, and most likely thrown back with mud on it.

My main gripe with this whole subject is the fact that ever since consoles became almost like computers pretty much all of our games have suffered on PC.

Look at how in-depth and well for lack of a better word, complicated some of our popular pc games were. PC games were hardcore fps, completely in-depth rpg games and strategy games. Consoles were always for "action" games pretty much or simple menu driven RPG games. Basically once again for the lack of a better word, simpler games.

Now we have bastardized pc titles due to the console frat-boy invasion. Games like System Shock and Elder Scrolls become graphical eyecandy tours with completely simplified gameplay ala bioshock and oblivion. FPS games with tons of depth are overtaken by once again, more simple games like Halo. Take for example a "professional" quake 3 CPMA match. Tons of movement techniques, weapon usage, and map strategies are used. I've watched a few "professional" console Halo matches and all the winners did was sit in a corner with a scoped pistol. Remember huge rts game wars with your friends in warcraft 2 and the old command & conquer games? Not anymore, we can only have 15-20 units MAX because otherwise we cant come out with an easily controllable console port! Even "big name" games like Ghostbusters and Transformers felt like half-assed console ports on the pc. They had mad acceleration in the controls which catered to joysticks. Also look at how many of our games have built in xbox 360 controller support.

I've been a gamer a loooong time and honestly we were the geek-a-nerds of days yonder. We liked complex things and liked to figure things out. We LIKED games with instruction books you could kill a small bear with. Now with every cheerleader, emo kid, and football player playing games as well, the companies are of course going to garner to their new audience figuring "well we've already GOT those guy" when thinking of the pc fanbase.

I think im starting to ramble so Im just gonna stop now.

I think this is a function of production costs rather than as a result of the rise in popularity of consoles.

 

[BooGiTyBoY]

Which brings me to my whole point im trying to make. It's not the rise of production costs, it's how they are USING the production money.
Keep the dummied down crap on consoles . Give us less eye-candy and more content in pc games. Keep in mind I enjoy console games and dont want to be labeled some kind of pc game elitist. I just dont think bloom effects and motion blur makes a good game these days nor does it warrant the production time/money when everyone just bitches about it and turns it off.

it's been said before and I whole heartily agree with this statement and it holds true for both pc and console markets.

Why make great when good sells just as well

 

[Kyllian]

At first glance of thread title, I put up 2 suspects
- Consolitis: Deciding to make a game multi-platform then just porting it from one to the other
Console versions do not port well to PC and vice versa due to the massive differences between the 2, hardware and control-wise

- "OMG Eye Candy!!1!": This is when a game dev decides to cram as much prettyness into a game but fails to put as much focus on the gameplay itself

In actually reading the article...

DRM/Piracy: These damn near go hand-in-hand. The worse and more restrictive the DRM, the more the pirated version looks good and gets downloaded
In my opinion, lack of a good to decent demo is a factor in this one as well

Hardware Issues: See Suspect #2 above

I'd offer more, but I'm just too brain-fried from a 9 hour drive

 

[Wail of Suicide]

Look at how in-depth and well for lack of a better word, complicated some of our popular pc games were. PC games were hardcore fps, completely in-depth rpg games and strategy games. Consoles were always for "action" games pretty much or simple menu driven RPG games. Basically once again for the lack of a better word, simpler games.

Now we have bastardized pc titles due to the console frat-boy invasion. Games like System Shock and Elder Scrolls become graphical eyecandy tours with completely simplified gameplay ala bioshock and oblivion. FPS games with tons of depth are overtaken by once again, more simple games like Halo. Take for example a "professional" quake 3 CPMA match. Tons of movement techniques, weapon usage, and map strategies are used. I've watched a few "professional" console Halo matches and all the winners did was sit in a corner with a scoped pistol. Remember huge rts game wars with your friends in warcraft 2 and the old command & conquer games? Not anymore, we can only have 15-20 units MAX because otherwise we cant come out with an easily controllable console port! Even "big name" games like Ghostbusters and Transformers felt like half-assed console ports on the pc. They had mad acceleration in the controls which catered to joysticks. Also look at how many of our games have built in xbox 360 controller support.

I've been a gamer a loooong time and honestly we were the geek-a-nerds of days yonder. We liked complex things and liked to figure things out. We LIKED games with instruction books you could kill a small bear with. Now with every cheerleader, emo kid, and football player playing games as well, the companies are of course going to garner to their new audience figuring "well we've already GOT those guy" when thinking of the pc fanbase.

Pretty much agreed.

I'm sure some industry wonks love to talk about how the games industry now racks up more dough than the movies industry. But the gaming industry is a lot newer, and they've made the same mistakes the movies industry made a lot faster. Going for the lowest common denominator just drove away everyone except the lowest common denominator.

I'm sure we'll continue to see plenty of big-budget titles that are the videogame equivalent of Baysplosions, but the soul of videogaming is actually back in the smaller indie studios these days.

 

[elmuerte]

Car analogy failure!

I'm not going to pay 20k-50k for a game, or between 8k-15k for small games.

 

[Unregistered]

Please, put the blame where it hurts

The blame is simple, it is people who killed PC gaming. But, it is not their fault, it is the fault of the dev's making games that are too focused on one man heros. Remember back to when PC gaming was it, there was not ranks, nor medals, nor all that other "personal" junk to cause the game to be so addictive and non-team play. Everyone was for themselves to get that special medal or perk or rank. Just plain sad. Heard of Pride? Yup, it was killed by the people.

 

[Forgetful]

We killed it, and here is the proof.
Pirate Bay Top 100: Video game downloads for PC

Anyone who argues against this .. we honestly I don't think you can. This is exactly why good games are becoming console only. It's all you idiots who **** wear you sleep.

 

[Crotale]

We killed it, and here is the proof.
Pirate Bay Top 100: Video game downloads for PC

Anyone who argues against this .. we honestly I don't think you can. This is exactly why good games are becoming console only. It's all you idiots who **** wear you sleep.

There were over 100K downloads on that top 100 list. I know it can be argued that literally none of those would have otherwise resulted in sales if the offenders could not have downloaded the titles, but the mere fact that it could have counted for over 5 million in sales in that list says a lot. That is a huge chunk of money. To boot, those numbers only represent a small portion of pirated PC software, games in particular.

 

[Locster]

Ok, so this is more about MP, but still applies

The blame is simple, it is gamers who killed PC gaming. But, it is not their direct fault really, it is the fault of the dev's making games that are too focused on one man heros. Remember back to when PC gaming was it, there was not ranks, nor medals, nor all that other "personal" junk to cause the game to be so addictive and non-team focused. Everyone was for themselves to get that special medal or perk or rank. Just plain sad. Heard of Pride? Yup, it was killed by the gamers.

 

[Locster]

We killed it, and here is the proof.
Pirate Bay Top 100: Video game downloads for PC

Anyone who argues against this .. we honestly I don't think you can. This is exactly why good games are becoming console only. It's all you idiots who **** wear you sleep.

hahahahaha, good try. If you think this is new your are crazy, this type of thing has been going on well back in the days. They just can not report on it. Noob.

Most gamers I know will purchase the game if it is any good at all. Sure they may torrent to try it or copy the disk from a friend to try it (which is more popular and has always been around), but in the end they purchase it if the game is good.

Just like with Music, give me a break and produce a full albumn that is worth buying and people will not be so eager to just download the ONE song that is any good.

People who argue about torrents are merely uneducated on facts and are not seeing that people are tired of crap. Again, there is nothing different today then back before CD's and internet except we now can see people getting it for free. Sure you can argue that it is higher because it is more available, but a very small fraction of that is due to it being more available, the other part is those that would have gotten it from a friend anyway and just use torrents for ease of use and not having to bug their buddy.

In the end, they need to start making games worth the purchase that do not force you the need to upgrade your hardware. Times are tough and people respect their dollar more now then before, so they need to make adjustments to fit the need.

 

[Cr4zyB4st4rd]

We killed it, and here is the proof.
Pirate Bay Top 100: Video game downloads for PC

Anyone who argues against this .. we honestly I don't think you can. This is exactly why good games are becoming console only. It's all you idiots who **** wear you sleep.

Console games get pirated too, so that argument is kinda pointless. If consoles continue to rise you can certainly expect the amount of pirating to rise as well.

 

[Crotale]

That is a crap argument, Locster, and you know it. If a pirate does not feel a game is worth the money spent and that pirating the game is his way of "sticking" it to the developers who make such crap games, stealing is the wrong message to send. Do you go down to your local Chrysler dealer and tell the salesman, "Hey bud, you sell crap cars but I'm going to take one without paying just so the Man gets the message that he needs to build better cars."

The fact that a recording company may make what you feel is one good song on a CD does not give you any legal justification to steal that song in a "free" download. For that matter, why don't you use the other reasoning and download the entire album, since you probably want to stick it to that "Man" as well?

 

[Locster]

oh no, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it is right by any means. It is completely wrong and should not be done. But to say that is why pc gaming in suffering is just completely incorrect. But it is your opinion and I respect that you have one, so me saying it is completely incorrect is not an attack on you, just me stating my opinion.

 

[Wulff]

I still find it amusing people seem to ignore piracy on consoles, and call it a safe world. Yet piracy on pc equals automatic doomsday.