The new Consoles, will they snuff out PC gaming?

[neozero]

No I am not talkng about the consoles that are built as pcs to lpay PC games (Like Phantom, but there are some others). If anything those bring PC games to the more common man and expand the market.

I'm talking about XBOX Next, PS3, and Nintendo's unnanounced Next-gen system.

These systems are all due to come out 2005/6 and they all eclipse anything even the best PCs.

For example I don't know about Sony, but Nintendo and Microsoft are both planning on using video cards that have 500 Mhz clocks. An X800 uses a 500 mhz clock (and an X800 cost 500+).

XBOX next is going to have 3 3.5 GHz processors, when most of us don't have even one!

If you empercally tried to build a PC with the same specs as any Next-gen console you'd have a 5000$+ machine?

Yet it is well known that these systems will assuredly be priced for the common man. I mean no console has ever debuted above 400$?

Beyond that Consoles seem to have better corroboration between hardware and Software. I mean there are games that come out which still compete with PC graphics and capability. We're just getting ahead with HL2 and D3, but thats a window of only one year. Not only will these systems have screaming content to debut, but they will squeeze out improved content, using the same hardware .

In contrast the PC industry is ungraceful when it comes to hardware-hardware-software synergy. I mean look at how slowly the recommended specs increase when compared to moore's law. Consider that the first and only 64-bit PC chip is made completely redundant without a corresponding 64-bit OS?

The only PC manufacturer that actually puts out cohesive systems is Apple, and we know how they are for gaming.


So what do you think, is this the end of an era? IT uses to be that PC gamers had the Advent of the internet, but now that is gone/. It seems the only thing left will be the most dedicated community of gamers on the planet, but also the smallest. The fact is that the games in indestry is a bussiness, and its obvious that it favors people who'd rather be fed through the tubes of their standardized systems then those whose rigs are becoming as unique as their own personality.

 

[gh0st]

No I am not talkng about the consoles that are built as pcs to lpay PC games (Like Phantom, but there are some others). If anything those bring PC games to the more common man and expand the market.

I'm talking about XBOX Next, PS3, and Nintendo's unnanounced Next-gen system.

These systems are all due to come out 2005/6 and they all eclipse anything even the best PCs.

For example I don't know about Sony, but Nintendo and Microsoft are both planning on using video cards that have 500 Mhz clocks. An X800 uses a 500 mhz clock (and an X800 cost 500+).

XBOX next is going to have 3 3.5 GHz processors, when most of us don't have even one!

If you empercally tried to build a PC with the same specs as any Next-gen console you'd have a 5000$+ machine?

Yet it is well known that these systems will assuredly be priced for the common man. I mean no console has ever debuted above 400$?

Beyond that Consoles seem to have better corroboration between hardware and Software. I mean there are games that come out which still compete with PC graphics and capability. We're just getting ahead with HL2 and D3, but thats a window of only one year. Not only will these systems have screaming content to debut, but they will squeeze out improved content, using the same hardware .

In contrast the PC industry is ungraceful when it comes to hardware-hardware-software synergy. I mean look at how slowly the recommended specs increase when compared to moore's law. Consider that the first and only 64-bit PC chip is made completely redundant without a corresponding 64-bit OS?

The only PC manufacturer that actually puts out cohesive systems is Apple, and we know how they are for gaming.


So what do you think, is this the end of an era? IT uses to be that PC gamers had the Advent of the internet, but now that is gone/. It seems the only thing left will be the most dedicated community of gamers on the planet, but also the smallest. The fact is that the games in indestry is a bussiness, and its obvious that it favors people who'd rather be fed through the tubes of their standardized systems then those whose rigs are becoming as unique as their own personality.

decided not to read through the whole thing but the xbox 2 does not have 3 processors, it has 3 CORES.

the answer to your question is no.

 

[FictiousWill]

TVs are crap.

 

[Dalamari]

PC Mods > Console with no mods

'nuff said.

 

[crabcakes66]

We still have a ways to go before this happens..... give it a decade or two.

 

[<RJMC>]

in my opinion the PC gaming NEVER will die
I hav and like consoles but I still think that the PC gamen will NEVER die
what make you all think that?

 

[Roland Deschain]

As soon as the consols switch to mouse control and get better first person shooter licenses I might consider buying one, but as of this date the only reason to buy one is to play the Zelda series (beside HL1 one of the best licences ever, GO Ocarina to Time)

 

[crabcakes66]

in my opinion the PC gaming NEVER will die
I hav and like consoles but I still think that the PC gamen will NEVER die
what make you all think that?

Its inevitable.



Sooner or later we will have a single platform that does everything we need it to, easier to use than a PC....more useful than a console.


"Pc gaming" will not die....but it wont be anything like it is today.

90% of the gaming will be on a "unified platform"

 

[Neo_Kuja]

Remember though, after X-Box 2 and such is released, it will be more advanced that PC's for a SHORT time. After that, PC's will leap ahead, like they did with X-Box, PS2 and Gamecube. Consoles ain't released every year, so yes, PC gaming will never die .......

 

[sHm0zY]

PC you have really good stuff and on consoles you have jsut good stuff
case closed pc owns

 

[redundant]

consoles are good for groups of people and the such, but the controllers are to fidgety compared to a keyboard and mouse.

 

[Estevan]

consoles are for ppl that are too dumb to use pc's, unless you own both

 

[kidrock450]

wow lots of PC fanboys in here...


Both systems have there ups and downs..whats wrong with that?

I would NEVER play a sports game like football or baseball on a computer but i would on console. I would never play a FPS on a console but would on a pc.

 

[Dalamari]

Console internet doesn't have as many asshats as PC net, CS kiddies are hard to find on Xbox live and stuff, that is why PC gaming will never die.

 

[neozero]

Ok thanks for your assurance, but you can definately tell that the market for Console gaming is much smaller than the market for pc gaming.

I really hopw that people exploit the abilties to truly make their rigs one of a kind even further. Be it with software mods, caselights, etc.

I think we're definately a more dedicated group than console gamers.

In the same sense you can't ignore how much they've done to bring more to the fold. consoles are paving the way for mainstream gaming. They're making it easier for people to access games with out having as much understanding.

Just compare how many movies today are coming out with a simultaneous game release. (even some that don't deserve to *cough* shrek 2 *cough*)

So they are expanding the industry and providing much innovation. And since people develop both hardware and software for both all 5(?) platforms we don't have to worry about the industry being hurt. I guess I'm just worried because the delays of our next-gen heroes (D3/HL2) has been pushed so late. I mean we can see the baileys beads of a new console revolution, but we haven't yet received our pc one.

Sorry for the worries. I mean why mark the milestones of gaming path by hardware anyway?

 

[Dalamari]

Consoles seem like more of a promo tool than a fun tool, how many revolutionary games are coming out for the consoles, I see Splinter Cell 3, Fable, and Halo 2 (im not gonna count PC and Console Ports) but PC games are all the time being updated and changed in some way to out-do not only the competition but what may come after that, that is why PC gaming will not die.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Well you can really get more juice out of the console. The reason is that it's only one graphics card, one cpu, one sound card etc etc etc so you can use all these backdoor hacks into squeezing out better performance and such. As such, when you go over to PC, you have DX6-DX9 cards out there. That's like a 10+ year gap.

One thing that is good is that Epic totally burst free of the bonds, and is going pure DX9 cards only. Thus forcing everyone to upgrade to a GeForce FX or at least a Radeon 9x00 by 2005/2006. Heck, I got my 9600SE for less than 100 bucks at Best Buy and it supports DX9. Thus, I am ready

I think that console/PCs like Phantom and such will prove to be the actual winner. I mean it's merely a PC that is run like a console. They can stilll use the graphical hacks and such to squeeze out all the cool tricks and such out of the hardware.

And with some coming with a keyboard/mouse it will be highly possible you WILL be able to make a mod on them. Of course, if the idea takes off it will take a few years for software giants to bring in like 3DS Max, but trust me, for 500 bucks and a PC which is better than mine which cost 600 for it's base/crappy self, it has potential.

My idea does sound far-sketched here because it _would_ seem awkward. However, the Nintendo DS hand-held alone has enough power to run a 3D modelling program. I believe they showed something to the effect that there was a 3D cube and you could cut shapes into it and slice pieces off and such. Thus shaping the model.

PC Gaming though I don't think will ever truely die off....

 

[ray_MAN]

I think that PC gaming won't die any time soon. PC's are so versatile. They have the internet, other programs, etc. You can mod on PC's, too. This is all stuff consoles don't have. Plus, our controls are better. :E

 

[KagePrototype]

PCs are way too versatile, and it makes more economic sense to develop for a PC. With consoles you need a console development kit, and these can cost incredibly amounts of money (especially in X-Box and PS2's case). As long as PCs will remain easy and cheap to develop for, and consoles hard and expensive to develop for, PC gaming won't die out for a long time.

 

[IchI]

I didn't read thought the topic but here is my opinion:

When Microsft brought out the Xbox it had the 2nd best graphics card in the world. It was only 6/8 months before this graphics card was totally owned by the geforce 4 series.

Consoles will never kick PC's out for the simple fact you can do more with a PC. They may be the best home entertainment systems, but PC's still make games and if a console ever wanted to become as good as a PC it would litrally have to become one.

Conclusion, consoles own for about 4/10months before the PC totally pushes them out in capabilites.

 

[Asuka]

Pc always, im more comfortable playing on my desk on a max 22in monitor.

 

[Warbie]

I don't think consoles will replace pcs for a while.

Personally, I think console gaming show's more innovation these days, offering far more quality titles than the pc. However, the communities (and everything they entail) that come hand in hand with pc gaming are fantastic, and make it the first choice for online gaming There's also an occasional 'diamond in the rough' (HL anyone ) that really makes use of the pcs potential.

As both offer something unique I see no reason why either will be snuffed out. To experience the best video games you have to have a pc and all the consoles (expensive hoby this :/)

 

[daveodeth]

I can't see PC gaming dying due to the fact there will always be some wierdo willing to devote years and years to make his own game in a bedroom. And i don't see that happenening on a console.

 

[OCybrManO]

the market for Console gaming is much smaller than the market for pc gaming

Wow... I mean... I don't know whether to laugh or feel sad after hearing that statement. The console gaming market is roughly ten times as large as the PC gaming market (as of 2003).

I can't see PC gaming dying due to the fact there will always be some wierdo willing to devote years and years to make his own game in a bedroom. And i don't see that happenening on a console.

Games are getting more and more complex. You will need higher polycounts, larger textures, normal maps, specular maps, shaders, fancy lighting/shadows, and a good physics engine... just to meet the standards. You won't see anymore awesome games made by one person anymore. Teams of 20+ are starting to take years to develop top quality games.

 

[Direwolf]

Ok....GROUPS of weirdos then.
Neither is going anywhere anytime soon. PCs will probably hit a slump with the new console releases, but will bounce back as always once they're established.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

I don't really think console gaming will be rid of PC's, no matter how hard Microsoft tries to replace PC's with its XBox....I'm really annoyed at them right now because i can see where they want to take it, it will just be another thing to add to their monopoly.


Anyway, PC's won't exist in the same way in the future, i think in "middle" and "upper" class households, everything will be much more integrated, perhaps even some kind of central computer which controls everything and you have stations around the house for different tasks, one of them could be what you use a PC for now, another could be TV etc....At least, that something like i want my house to be. I want everything to be integrated into a computer, so there are small touch pannels on the wall where the lightswitch might be now, and also remote controls which basically let you control anything in the house.


(I basically replied to the name of the thread, I didn't really read everything else other than to scan it. If I've repeated anything, then good and if it seems a little off the current topic....Oh well )

 

[Warbie]

The console gaming market is roughly ten times as large as the PC gaming market (as of 2003).

Very true. The pc is small potatoes in comparison.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

There are a lot of people who own consoles as well as PCs though, and consoles at the moment appear to be considered a lot less geeky than PCs.

 

[Warbie]

There are a lot of people who own consoles as well as PCs though, and consoles at the moment appear to be considered a lot less geeky than PCs.

I wonder why that is

 

[Direwolf]

Maybe because they don't throw down $450 on a videocard?

 

[Warbie]

I think it's cause console gaming is generally a more social experience. PC gaming is far more solitary.

 

[Kyorisu]

There are a lot of people who own consoles as well as PCs though, and consoles at the moment appear to be considered a lot less geeky than PCs.

I wonder why that is

From my experiance it's the fact you need to be able to know what you're doing with Drivers, Driver settings etc

 

[Cybernoid]

These systems are all due to come out 2005/6 and they all eclipse anything even the best PCs.

Yes, and after a year PCs will have already eclipsed them. Consoles are static, PCs get faster and better every year. Case closed.

 

[lePobz]

The specs for new consoles always look good... the next gen consoles like Xenon and PS3 do not disappoint - but by the time they are actually released, the average PC gamer has upgraded with a nicer-specced PC. There's always a battle between console and PC, but PC always wins... The next gen consoles do look very good but they are still achievable specs by a nice PC.

I think consoles will never be a replacement for PCs. As long as there's a load of PC geeks complaining about consoles, there's a market for PC gaming.

 

[The Mullinator]

Consoles are slowly turning into PC's. Plus what is probably the major factor in driving people to consoles is the price of hardware for PC's, but the general prices for whatever the up-to date hardware might be in the future is expected to begin to drop drastically. So buying a top of the line computer will not be all that much more expensive than buying a console, meaning PC gaming will easily take over.

 

[Dedalus]

everytime the next set of consoles come out, we hear the death knell for the PC. "too expensive...crap games....not as good as a cons.." whoa wait a sec kiddo! here's a tissue, wipe your nose, now tie your shoelaces, take a seat and i'll let you in on a little secret. consoles have come and gone. they get released, have a whirlwind 6-12 months where they release a few games, cause a few giggles and hiccups etc. but at the end of it, the PC is still there making it's quiet little profit.

truth is, consoles don't have what it takes to take the PC market share. they've been trying for years, but it doesn't look like happening.

so we'll have this discussion in 3-4 years time..."yeah, so PS3/XBOX2, here's the ebay link, i need to raise some funds to buy a new PC..." :|

 

[Warbie]

The specs for new consoles always look good... the next gen consoles like Xenon and PS3 do not disappoint - but by the time they are actually released, the average PC gamer has upgraded with a nicer-specced PC. There's always a battle between console and PC, but PC always wins... The next gen consoles do look very good but they are still achievable specs by a nice PC.

I think consoles will never be a replacement for PCs. As long as there's a load of PC geeks complaining about consoles, there's a market for PC gaming.

Unfortunately you can't compare pcs and consoles spec for spec.

A pc needs much better specs just to match a console with less powerful components. Look at the Xbox.

Hardware means little if the platform doesn't have decent games. Unreal 2 is a good example - very pretty, but a horrible game. I really hope HL2/Doom 3 etc live up to our expectations. A decent single player pc game has been along time in coming :/

 

[Cybernoid]

A decent single player pc game has been along time in coming :/

That's funny, I've played tons of good games.

 

[Warbie]

I meant in comparison to the good console single player games

 

[Cybernoid]

I meant in comparison to the good console single player games

In comparison, I've still played tons of good games. Console games are overrated.