PC snob checks out Xbox 360

[Jon Miller]

I got more than 20 hours of game play from the Resident Evil game (4?). It was amazing.. and is the only thing I have used the gamecube for...

Of course, I borrowed it from a freind.

JM

[El_Cid]

Re: PC snob checks out Xbox 360

Originally posted by lord of the mark
......... Am I missing something?

no imho probably not - unless super realistic graphics is what gaming is about for you?

Originally posted by Asher
My gamecube didn't give me more than 20 hours of gameplay. Rippppped offfff...

And in relation to that - if you get a GC make sure you get the Gameboy player(its a gadet that the GC sits ontop of that lets you play GBA games on the GC - so big screen possible).

This would be especialy relevant to LotM who likes strat games, as all other console options give you a pretty poor strat choice(although the PS2 does have some rpg/strat type titles) - with the GBA player+GC you can get the awesome tbs games 'Fire Emblem 1+2' + 'Advanced wars 1+2' all these are great tbs games in the tradition of the best pc equivelants. Those games alone were worth getting the GC+GBA player for imho.

[lord of the mark]

just to clarify, Im not actually contemplating buying a console. We've got other priorities for spending right now, even if you limit it to electronics only. And I've got gads of gameplay stockpiled for the PC, due to my odd playing (dont play that much, and tend to spend a lot of time on my favourite games) and buying habits (buying old games for little, etc) Im still playing through the campaigns in AOK (and am tempted by some of the user made campaigns) I still want to play a couple of more games of Vicky before I put it aside, Ive finally DLed the AGC-EEP mod for EU2, ive only started MI4, and i havent yet installed BG2. And Im planning on buying The Sims, either Simcity3000 or SC4, Halflife, and probably several others. Im far from the point where im interested in upgrading my new (albeit budget) PC.

Its just that Xbox has been touted as the console for PC types, and 360 is supposed to be very good, and BFME (?) would seem to be a game that would appeal to me, so I thought Id open this up for discussion.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Solver
I am continuously stumped about the argument that consoles are good because you don't need to upgrade your PC to meet system requirements. It's all fair, okay, but for the price of a console, I could upgrade my PC anyway if needed...

Oh dear, the console economics argument. So much goes into that. The classis argument is that ASSUMING you have the PC power you need for non-gaming (or for types of gaming that what never go to console) AND that you have enough suitable TVs (so you dont have to add that cost) you can, usually, get as big a bang, dollar for dollar, with a latest gen console as with PC upgrades, which may involve more than a video card. And then you get all the console only games.

Thats never applied to me, as we've had needs for more PC power for years. Also we are a one TV household, and adding a console would almost certainly mean one more TV, and that kills the above economics.
Now we're getting close to where we want to be with PCs (two new PCs and one dino of limited usefulness for 3 people) a console COULD make more sense. But still doesnt cause A. Id still rather replace the dino and get a third new PC that can serve for games plus other stuff than a game machine only B. The cost of an additional TV C. Not really a big fan of console specific genres, but then thats why I was checking out BFME.

[Asher]

Its just that Xbox has been touted as the console for PC types, and 360 is supposed to be very good, and BFME (?) would seem to be a game that would appeal to me, so I thought Id open this up for discussion.

The PC version of BFME2 is better...

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Asher

Its just that Xbox has been touted as the console for PC types, and 360 is supposed to be very good, and BFME (?) would seem to be a game that would appeal to me, so I thought Id open this up for discussion.

The PC version of BFME2 is better...

Ok, let me take the unfamiliar role of Xbox advocate. Would BFME2 run on my machine (the best in the house) 512 Meg Ram, ATI Radeon integrated graphics (128 meg, i think) Id need at least a new video card, right/ (lets assume im gonna get more RAM anyway) Would the card id need be much cheaper than a 360? And then id get all the other joys of the 360 right? I mean if I WAS wild about BFME2 it might make sense to get the 360, even if it played better on PC?

[Kuciwalker]

Was BFME2 well executed on the 360? None of the RTS's I've ever seen on a console worked very well.

[vovan]

LotM,

Personally, I used to be a gamer very much biased towards the PC. In fact, I used to say consoles are evil.

Well, it's kind of odd... I got a 360 this past summer without actually wanting one. And now I am quite the fan. I absolutely love the thing, and I have spent hours and hours playing it. In fact, it's fair to say that I've played much more of the 360 lately than the PC.

However, I have to say that the 360 excels at different kinds of games than the PC. Anything action with relatively simple controls goes to the 360, anything with more complex controls goes to the PC. To go to your bfme example, I haven't actually played it on either platform, but if I were to consider buying it, I'd probably go with the PC. I just can't see RTS controls working well with the joypad. Also, form what I've seen of the reviews, I think my suspicion is confirmed more or less.

OTOH, I believe sports games work much much better on the console. I have been a big fan of EA's NHL series on the PC, but got the 360 version this year, and I have to say it is much more enjoyable with the controller.

Also, I had bought NFS: Most Wanted for the PC last year, and this year, my roommate got it for the 360, so I played both versions, and I also prefer the 360 one, since it runs better, and I like the stick controls better than the keyboard.

With shooters it's a bit harder. I love and hate the controller. It is good for everything... except the most important bit - aiming. So I don't know.

But any way, my answer to your question: "Am I missing something?" Probably not, if bfme and other strategies (are there any?) are all you are intrested in from what the 360 can offer, however, yes, if you might be interested in other games, such as sports, racing, and action.

My 0.02 MS points

Vovan

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


Oh dear, the console economics argument.

Um, you started it!

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by DrSpike


Um, you started it!

Not really. There was nothing in the OP about the relative economics of getting graphics via PC or via console. Rather there was a general impression of a console game, and a question whether perhaps my impression did not do justice to console games. The answer, from what I can gather, is that my impression WAS fair, at least as far as RTS games are concerned.

Now since, as I overlooked, BFME2 is availble for PC, and is thought of as better for PC, this may not have been the best game to discuss in this contex, and may have led naturally to the graphics economics question.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by vovan
But any way, my answer to your question: "Am I missing something?" Probably not, if bfme and other strategies (are there any?) are all you are intrested in from what the 360 can offer, however, yes, if you might be interested in other games, such as sports, racing, and action.

My 0.02 MS points

Vovan

Im not interested in racing or action games. I might be interested in a sports game, but its not a particular craving.

[Solver]

Oh dear, the console economics argument. So much goes into that. The classis argument is that ASSUMING you have the PC power you need for non-gaming (or for types of gaming that what never go to console) AND that you have enough suitable TVs (so you dont have to add that cost) you can, usually, get as big a bang, dollar for dollar, with a latest gen console as with PC upgrades, which may involve more than a video card. And then you get all the console only games.

Heh. I always want enough PC power. So my CPU and memory are always adequate for games, as I need those anyway. Which would leave me, if I wanted to play the newest games, with upgrading my video card once in a while, but I actually don't have to do it often. I don't necessarily play the best-graphics games, and I have no objections about running any games at lower graphical settings. And I don't really have a TV that would be good for consoles...

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


Not really. There was nothing in the OP about the relative economics of getting graphics via PC or via console.

Come on, look at the title. If you couldn't predict that part of this thread would turn into a PC v Console debate, economics warts and all, then you need to think more. And I don't think you need to think more.

[lord of the mark]

well I certainly understood that was POSSIBLE

OTOH these threads are quite unpredictable. Sometimes ones i think will draw interest simply die. Or go off in odd directions. This one could as easily have gone off into a PS3 vs Xbox flamewar, or a long discource on Tolkien geekery, or RTS geekery - as likely as a console vs PC BCA (or CBA if youre old fashioned).

[DrSpike]

Perhaps you are right. As we all know the PS3 will blow the wimpy X-Box away, so it could have gone in that direction.