@ reddozen
You seem to have it backwards.
I don't understand your reasoning that its easier to make a peg to fit several different holes than it is to make a peg for a standard hole. it doesnt matter what level the complexity is, the fact that its all uniform makes it so much easier and easier means cheaper. A console game will be coded specifically for the chip in the console and all end users will get the same end result for a given display.
Now a game for a pc has to be written to work on different processors and different GPU's, all of which can bring about various permutations. This leads to many more man hours coding and re-coding not to mention patches and fixes for issues that don't come to light until the end users come across them.
I just don't see how you came to your conclusion that a console game could possibly be more expensive to produce.
Your ram argument doesn't stand up.
You seem to have the same idea about PC's as the developers of assassins creed, IE that you can just dump the code on a PC and somehow it will magically sort it. Well it wont and that's why these badly coded ports from console games have such stupidly high system requirements.
LOL, Systemlord. I just hooked my Sega Genesis/Sega CD system back up yesterday for the kids to play. Going from a Q6600 and SLI 8800GT to that sure looks different. Still, with so many freakin games (80+) I need to keep that thing just for kicks. The kids really enjoyed it, despite having a PC and a Wii. They aren't old enough to complain about it's aged graphics.
Ugh, I wasted money on those games though. At least 50 of them I bought brand new. Then bought a big lot of used ones dirt cheap on ebay a couple years back.
I like how PC games hit the bargain bin Quicker. Got BF2142 and another copy of need for speed carbon for $10 each recently. You just don't see popular console titles go that cheap after such a short time.
@ reddozen
You seem to have it backwards.
I don't understand your reasoning that its easier to make a peg to fit several different holes than it is to make a peg for a standard hole. it doesnt matter what level the complexity is, the fact that its all uniform makes it so much easier and easier means cheaper. A console game will be coded specifically for the chip in the console and all end users will get the same end result for a given display.
Now a game for a pc has to be written to work on different processors and different GPU's, all of which can bring about various permutations. This leads to many more man hours coding and re-coding not to mention patches and fixes for issues that don't come to light until the end users come across them.
I just don't see how you came to your conclusion that a console game could possibly be more expensive to produce.
Your ram argument doesn't stand up.
You seem to have the same idea about PC's as the developers of assassins creed, IE that you can just dump the code on a PC and somehow it will magically sort it. Well it wont and that's why these badly coded ports from console games have such stupidly high system requirements.
To add to this...
If making games on a pc was cheaper, we would get the game first not the console folks, since the company is going to want to see the quickest return, it would make sense to release first on the pc if that were true, because then they wouldnt have to beg DADDY EA for some money to bring the game out on console. But we see the exact opposite happen, a game comes out on console, and 6 months later it finally hits the pc, and usually leaves us disappointed.
Ugh, I wasted money on those games though. At least 50 of them I bought brand new. Then bought a big lot of used ones dirt cheap on ebay a couple years back. I like how PC games hit the bargain bin Quicker. Got BF2142 and another copy of need for speed carbon for $10 each recently. You just don't see popular console titles go that cheap after such a short time.
Your reading my mind again, lol. After one month Crysis (PC only) dropped down in price by $10, hell if you buy a nice graphics card you get it for free. Company Of Hero's (RTS game) and Opposing Fronts have dropped to $39.99, Halo & Halo 2 after a year still went for the release price $49.99-$59.99. After playing on the computer for two years and then going back to playing the Halo series, I couldn't believe all the jaggies along the mountains. Give me some more AA please, damn! Don't get me wrong I loved Halo better than Halo 2 and never played Halo 3. If you put a controller in my hand I wouldn't know what to do with it, I'd smash it against the wall. Wheres my beloved mouse & key board? When I go and vist my nephew I get mouse & key board sick. I told my nephew don't you dare put that contraption in my hands I'll kill it.
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Intel C2D E6600 @ 3.2GHz * Asus P5E * 2x1 GB Crucial Ballistix Tracers * Raptor X * EVGA Geforce 8800GTX 768MB 651MHz/1525MHz/2100MHz * X-FI Fatal1ty Pro * Enermax Infiniti 720W PSU * Creative THX5.1 * Tuniq Tower 120
Silverstone TJ09 * Windows XP
DiRT is a native PC game and looks incredible, better than that other dirty little racing game on the ps3.. PC have always been able to do more than consoles and thus their higher price is justified, but consoles play better on insanely sized screens, 100% compatible for any game that is made for them...
With the specs you are showing I doubt you will enjoy the gaming experience more than on a console. Both the 360 and PS3 are capable of producing good quality graphics especially if you have 1080i or 1080p. Game developers have really turned their attention to consoles over PC games. One of the biggest games on PC last year has barely put a ripple in the big games on console. I personally blame Microsoft and their DX10 debacle, only making it available on Vista killed the gaming market. All the game developers where in a holding pattern waiting for Vista to take off. Last year was a horrible year for PC games. Microsoft doesn't care, it's more profitable to them if you migrate to a console like say a 360. Game developers used to design games for PC and then port them to consoles, now it's the other way around. I own a few gaming PCs, a 360, and a PS3 and I have found myself playing almost exclusively on consoles these days. It's disappointing since I prefer PC gaming but the trend is headed away from PCs. Just look at your average place like Best Buy, the area for console games is about 3x the size of PCs. I don't blame the developers one bit with all the a**hole hackers and people of pirate games. I wouldn't bother wasting my time designing a game where I would have an average of $1,000,000 in lost sales through piracy.
With the specs you are showing I doubt you will enjoy the gaming experience more than on a console. Both the 360 and PS3 are capable of producing good quality graphics especially if you have 1080i or 1080p. Game developers have really turned their attention to consoles over PC games. One of the biggest games on PC last year has barely put a ripple in the big games on console. I personally blame Microsoft and their DX10 debacle, only making it available on Vista killed the gaming market. All the game developers where in a holding pattern waiting for Vista to take off. Last year was a horrible year for PC games. Microsoft doesn't care, it's more profitable to them if you migrate to a console like say a 360. Game developers used to design games for PC and then port them to consoles, now it's the other way around. I own a few gaming PCs, a 360, and a PS3 and I have found myself playing almost exclusively on consoles these days. It's disappointing since I prefer PC gaming but the trend is headed away from PCs. Just look at your average place like Best Buy, the area for console games is about 3x the size of PCs. I don't blame the developers one bit with all the a**hole hackers and people of pirate games. I wouldn't bother wasting my time designing a game where I would have an average of $1,000,000 in lost sales through piracy.
Hay now don't you remember when the first Xbox could rip games right onto the HDD that techs could mod a little chip on the Xbox.
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Intel C2D E6600 @ 3.2GHz * Asus P5E * 2x1 GB Crucial Ballistix Tracers * Raptor X * EVGA Geforce 8800GTX 768MB 651MHz/1525MHz/2100MHz * X-FI Fatal1ty Pro * Enermax Infiniti 720W PSU * Creative THX5.1 * Tuniq Tower 120
Silverstone TJ09 * Windows XP
OK, Ill say this once more. If 80 to 90% of pcs sold cant play games out of the box, then of course pc gaming suffers. If lil Jimmy tries to play a game on his igp driven pc and it stutters, or wont play at all, then he will just ask dad for a ps3. If the makers of pc equipment (Here I blame the chip makers) dont provide a half way decent experience into gaming, then how will the seeds of pc gaming get planted? Looking at ATI's latest (780G) I think thats a step in the right direction. Now, if lil Jimmy gets a out of the box pc, tries a few games, itll at least work. And dont say that experience isnt enuff to entice someone, as , these chips are just a step below a console, and certainly better than the previous gen. I think it all starts at the beginning with the average Joe, and the lack of the industry itself in making a currently dismal starting point for pc gaming
Wow, i really agree with the above comment,, im suprised. A great example of this to me, would be wow, sure when it came out it was cutting edge, but people could even play it with integrated graphics. And i believe that fact alone helped fuel the wow craze, cuz now guys with top of the line comps could play with there buddy from work, school etc. Just goes to show graphics arent everything to a game.I love my pc, and you can pry it out of my dead cold hands, but this is the truth with pc's today. Game makers are out to wow the mass population with graphics that we just dont see great games coming out, sure they look pretty, but i havent been excited to play anything for quite a while, and its a shame. Also CRYSIS is a great example of this, sure its sold well, and many people are trying to play it, but in my mind i see it like soo. What is the point in coming out with such a graphically intesive game, and only 20 % or so of gamers out there even have computers that can even push it? Everyone complains about how graphic card makers havent came out with anything really great in over a year. Are we as a community so obsessed with graphics that we forget about gameplay all together? How about a game that EVERYONE can play, equally at diffrent resolutions? Or with pcs that are 4 to 5 years old? I mean come on if game makers keep doing this, all i can say is I told you so. Unfortunately this may be the true downfall to gaming these days. Now i need to go play some bf1942, just to remind myself what it was like to play something that was new and innovative at the time, and hope we can see this again in the future...
OK, Ill say this once more. If 80 to 90% of pcs sold cant play games out of the box, then of course pc gaming suffers. If lil Jimmy tries to play a game on his igp driven pc and it stutters, or wont play at all, then he will just ask dad for a ps3. If the makers of pc equipment (Here I blame the chip makers) dont provide a half way decent experience into gaming, then how will the seeds of pc gaming get planted? Looking at ATI's latest (780G) I think thats a step in the right direction. Now, if lil Jimmy gets a out of the box pc, tries a few games, itll at least work. And dont say that experience isnt enuff to entice someone, as , these chips are just a step below a console, and certainly better than the previous gen. I think it all starts at the beginning with the average Joe, and the lack of the industry itself in making a currently dismal starting point for pc gaming
actually jaydeejohn is quite indubitably correct about that. Intel larrabee will compete directly with amd/ati 780g, and soon Nvidia will too, if they just make the IGP stronger and better able to handle graphics then pc gaming as a whole will get better!
The end of this year will see 256-bit midrange cards on par with the 9600GT but for half the price... well, that's what I'm expecting to see anyway.
512MB Graphics - 256bit @ £70
4GB Ram is available at a low price too.... around £60
500GB HDD @ £55 .... CPU @ £100 (E6750 / E8300)
I think I'd rather pay that little more and have a machine that can adequately do EVERYTHING, over a console where games cost a fortune and it's only true advantage is BluRay (which drives for the PC are falling in price weekly).
So, by the end of this year I expect a sub £500 machine will outpace a PS3 and offer extra capabilities (maybe not taking into account my Avatar)
The problem is that the majority of the gaming population don't know about computer or graphic cards. They just go buy anything that says "great for gaming"!!!
Like Dell, HP that crap.
Or they go buy super expensive alienware computers. LOL
I'm waiting for the day PC people can play against PS3 and xbox people online on the same game. I wonder if we would have the advantage? haha. And I don't mean paying for freaking Xbox LIVE! crap either.
I think Rainbow Six Vegas works like this, PC vs Console. But, I could be wrong.
Consoles have promised backwards compatibility (PS3 & XBOX 360) and failed!! That was the main reason for giving up on consoles, what am I supposed to do start stacking all my consoles up like a high rise? How about the HD-DVD for the Xbox360 add-on, HD-DVD is dead, dead, dead!
Yeah like I'm going to by a console without backwards compatibility, what an investment! If you think game makers won't do that release now and patch up later (Ubisoft the poster child for that) after its released, think again!
Console as an investment for playing future games on new hardware = a joke!
Able to play your old PS2 games on PS3 = Very sad!
Using a handheld controller = a big joke!
How about Microsofts Xbox360 ring of death issue = a huge joke!
A little off topic from what you are talking about, but could be cool for some.
I think there is a fairly strong and usable PS2 emulator for PCs. I haven't tried it yet, but plan on it. I have been playing tons of PS1 games on my PC, though. Working through Final Fantasy 9! The graphics are much better than the old PS1 on a TV and it works flawlessly. EPSXE
I know there is one out there that I have seen quite a bit of info on, that is supposed to work pretty good. But, I can't remember the name. I will do a little research and see if I can get it working.
I think it also depends on your hardware. If I remember correctly, you needed something like atleast a x800 or 7800 series card to get playable performance.
PC gaming is not in dire straits. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Just ask Valve who is seeing sky rocketing sales for PC games. Retail for Pc may look bad, but it's because you can't find many PC games at most retail gaming stores and many PC gamers are starting to use online distribution.
"It's not that dollar sales are down; it's just that retail PC sales are the narrow focus that ignorant people are looking at." This quote is from the head of Sony Online Entertainment, and he seems to think PC gaming is at it's strongest point ever. Epic is just really confused. They make a repackaged Unreal Tournament game that offers nothing new and then blame the market for it's lack of sales on the PC. The funniest part is that they just put their catalouge on steam, so they'll probably see a pretty big gain in sales, and maybe then they can quit their pc games are dying statements.
Still, with so many freakin games (80+) I need to keep that thing just for kicks. The kids really enjoyed it, despite having a PC and a Wii. They aren't old enough to complain about it's aged graphics.
After playing on the computer for two years and then going back to playing the Halo series, I couldn't believe all the jaggies along the mountains. Give me some more AA please, damn! Don't get me wrong I loved Halo better than Halo 2 and never played Halo 3. If you put a controller in my hand I wouldn't know what to do with it, I'd smash it against the wall. Wheres my beloved mouse & key board? When I go and vist my nephew I get mouse & key board sick. I told my nephew don't you dare put that contraption in my hands I'll kill it.
pogsnet 
That was the main reason for giving up on consoles, what am I supposed to do start stacking all my consoles up like a high rise? How about the HD-DVD for the Xbox360 add-on, HD-DVD is dead, dead, dead! 
