2012/2013 to set a new rise on PC Gaming?

[Deleted member 13524]

The reactions I've been watching from this E3 led me to think that the enthusiasm on home/portable consoles is on a downward spiral.

The fact that Microsoft and Sony decided to hold on yet another year for their next-generation devices may take the interest on console gaming to a new "record-low", and PC Gaming to a new high?

Not only that, but we're also starting to see the developers showing game demos on PC (Watch Dogs) because of the huge performance difference there is between PCs and consoles, and there's even this platform game that's coming exclusively for the PC, because updated visuals can't be done on 2005 consoles anymore.


Furthermore, the lackluster reactions to the Wii U show that even the gaming people (not just hardware/IQ nerds like us) are disappointed that the games don't look much better in the Wii U than they look on PS360.


Add to that the fact that because of much better integrated GPUs, console-like gaming is accessible to most new PCs except for netbooks and PC games cost a lot less than their console counterparts.
Plus, we also have the awfully confortable Steam and Steam-alike distributions that let us purchase the game once and play it in our desktop, HTPC and laptop with no problems at all.


So, without flamewars and so-obvious-it-hurts fan-comments, I'd like to know what people think about this.
Should MS and Sony have made at least a soft-launch of their new consoles to prevent migration to the PC?
Is the PC going to steal mindshare from the console people because of this unprecedented hardware stagnation?

 

[McHuj]

On a personal level, I see no reason for myself to buy any console game next year. Everything that I want will have a PC port that's better. I think 3-4 years ago, the consoles had the better versions. And I bought games on xbox.

Maybe Microsoft is making lots of money, but they're certainly losing potential revenue on a guy like me. I'm a 360 owner since Feb/2006, ready to move on, and willing to pay a premium.

I realize that this doesn't apply to everyone, but I bet there's a good portion of gamers who feel the same way and I think they're the ones that are the early adopters and can make or break a high end platform.

 

[Malo]

I thought showing demos of new games on PC was fairly common, they just state that they've set the quality to be on par with what consumers "should" expect from consoles?

 

[Rodéric]

There are more platforms competing for our money now.
There used to be PC or console, rarely both, now we also have smartphones and tablets, and we usually do have a combination of platforms, meaning less money per platform I would think.

Since what you can market more easily isn't gameplay (which is the only thing that matter), but images/videos, I'd think consoles will have a harder time selling games until replaced.

Amusingly I'm only interested in WiiU, just like I was only interested in Wii (but didn't buy, 3D programmer here, I require rather HQ gfx ^^) before that, because I don't care about having the same experience as in the past 15 years I've been playing video games.

(PC offer keyboard, mouse, joystick, joypad, and gameboard already, and smartphones/tablets touch screens.)



I'm starting to wonder if the industry isn't going the wrong way spending so much money on a single title.
I rather see people playing very good short games rather than massive games, with a price according to the quality/length.
The fact Indies are successful shows people might want lower priced games, don't need HQ gfx but prefer strong gameplay (minecraft), and like to play something different.
Not sure for how long an industry of massive titles with little changes can survive.
I wouldn't mind smaller teams and focused gameplay.
(Big titles also seem to only target experienced gamers, which is probably a small demographic.)

 

[Rodéric]

Another thing is social gaming, I realized that I almost don't play single player games anymore, and only play coop games instead, it might be because most games are similar and that's the only way to have fun though.

The PC is rather strong when it comes to social stuff, might be a benefit too.
(Most MMORPG aren't social at all, they are rather asocial and competitive [compete to kill monsters or gather resources])

 

[Malo]

MMORPG's are the only game to offer large(ish) scale cooperative gameplay as well though. Raids.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

I think that neither Microsoft or Sony want to release a new console in the current economic climate. So PCs stretch their lead, and companies showcase their best new tech on the PC, with cutdown versions for the current consoles while they wait for Sony/MS to finally jump to a next generation.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I think that neither Microsoft or Sony want to release a new console in the current economic climate. So PCs stretch their lead, and companies showcase their best new tech on the PC, with cutdown versions for the current consoles while they wait for Sony/MS to finally jump to a next generation.

That sounds like a valid point, but they don't know if the economy will be better or worse within the next 4 years..
Actually, there's a good chance it won't get better. What will they do then? Keep with the PS3 and the X360 all the way until 2016?

In that time period, they might as well never release a "full-blown" console again and shift to cloud-based rendering instead..



I saw all the PS3 demos from E3 today. As intriguing as the sound environment and as good as the voice acting can be, damn those graphics look dated.
Coming from the PC version of Skyrim and Batman: AC on my 2 year-old hardware, I can tell how shockingly weak the rendering looks as a whole. The vegetation in The Last of Us looks horrible, textures are pixelated and there's lots of jaggies everywhere.

 

[Arwin]

We are getting at the point in the console cycle that is the best time to be a PC owner without a question. In the run-up to the new consoles, decent PCs are not only well beyond the capacity of consoles to the point that programming inefficiencies and higher screen resolutions don't hold it back from running at 60fps, but developers start getting a little more budget to make use of the extra power in order to train themselves for net-gen consoles as well as attempt to make some more money off of next-gen R&D, and spread some of the risks of a platform release delay.

If I had the money to spare I'd definitely go for it, but I just bought a Vita and an iPad and my current PC is low-profile only so no dice.

 

[homerdog]

I don't know how low profile you mean, but you can fit a lot of power in a very small space without too much trouble these days.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Yap, a MiniITX system with a 65W Trinity + dual-channel 1600MHz DDR3 will already provide better graphics than PS360.

And I'm not even counting with the inevitable coming of low-profile cards based on GK107 and Caicos, which would more than double the performance of a desktop Trinity.

 

[Jedi2016]

Not only that, but we're also starting to see the developers showing game demos on PC (Watch Dogs) because of the huge performance difference there is between PCs and consoles, and there's even this platform game that's coming exclusively for the PC, because updated visuals can't be done on 2005 consoles anymore.

I think it's good that devs are starting to push the fact that they need newer hardware. The impression I got from both of these titles are developers that said "You know what? **** current gen, let's build something that's actually new." And those two games are about the only thing that people are talking about from E3 this year. I've just about lost faith in Star Wars titles, so I'm not really anticipating 1313, but Watch Dogs has me intrigued. At the very least, I know it'll be a PC title, which is my preferred platform these days anyway.

They've said that the games are also targeted for current-gen consoles, but I don't think that's going to happen. We're either going to see really dumbed-down versions of them, or they're going to come out at the eleventh hour saying that they've decided to make them for next-gen systems in order to give the "best experience", when they're actually planning to do that from the start. I don't think they really want to release either of these games on PS3/X360, or waste the dev time trying to make them work there.

IMO, we need more devs to do this kind of thing. The longer MS and Sony keep pushing back the real next-gen systems, the fewer devs are going to keep making games for them.

 

[green.pixel]

Not only that, but we're also starting to see the developers showing game demos on PC (Watch Dogs) because of the huge performance difference there is between PCs and consoles, and there's even this platform game that's coming exclusively for the PC, because updated visuals can't be done on 2005 consoles anymore.

Honest question, are presentation values all you care about? Because if that's the case, you are wasting your time and money on PC, save the multiplatform games you can play in higher quality.

s the PC going to steal mindshare from the console people because of this unprecedented hardware stagnation?

No, not really. There are too many people who are too lazy and dumb to play on PC, in addition to being loyal like dogs to their consumer electronics corporate overlords.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Honest question, are presentation values all you care about? Because if that's the case, you are wasting your time and money on PC, save the multiplatform games you can play in higher quality.

Oh save the extremism, please..
"Presentation values" are not what everyone cares about, and neither is "gameplay only".
Otherwise, we'd all be sitting on Nintendo Entertainment Systems and Sega Master Systems.

No, not really. There are too many people who are too lazy and dumb to play on PC, in addition to being loyal like dogs to their consumer electronics corporate overlords.

I can't comment on loyalty, but the PC is getting really lazy and dumb-friendly.

 

[eastmen]

Consoles are at a generational shift and last generation we saw PC developers take full advantage of the new machines while the traditional console developers flounder. In fact some can say the traditional developers in japan have never recovered from the shift last gen.

It makes total sense that Developers would start to focus on PC titles since the hardware next gen will be much closer to what we are using today on consoles.

Star Wars will simply be an early next gen game that could get its first release on the PC side kinda like oblivion was.

 

[green.pixel]

Oh save the extremism, please..
"Presentation values" are not what everyone cares about, and neither is "gameplay only"

How is it extremism? I'm just offering you advice to save some cash.

And if production values weren't what the majority of today's gaming audience cares about, not nearly every first impression about random new game wouldn't be 'IT LOOKS AWESOME".

And gameplay is a pretty useless word. You should replace it with either "mechanics" or just "game" depending on the context.

Otherwise, we'd all be sitting on Nintendo Entertainment Systems and Sega Master Systems

No, we wouldn't. New systems provide the hardware for expanding the possibility space. However, technological advances don't automatically mean improvement in mechanical depth of the games. Playing a game like Uo Poko or Bubble Bobble after being in a virtual Skinner Box of an MMO is so much more enjoyable and feels like such a relief. Same with Quake vs. MW, etc.

I can't comment on loyalty, but the PC is getting really lazy and dumb-friendly.

That's what happens when you open something up to the masses.

 

[Arwin]

Yap, a MiniITX system with a 65W Trinity + dual-channel 1600MHz DDR3 will already provide better graphics than PS360.

And I'm not even counting with the inevitable coming of low-profile cards based on GK107 and Caicos, which would more than double the performance of a desktop Trinity.

Last time I upgraded, not long ago I may add, I stuck in a 5570 1GB, but in most cases that gave me really crappy framerates. I was hoping to get 60fps by toning down all details and setting resolution to 720p, but almost all games run worse than the PS3 version. So if there are much better low profile cards now that would be great, and I might consider investing another 80 euro.

 

[green.pixel]

Arwin, why don't you change your case so you can fit normal cards? There are desktop cases which are affordable, can fit normal hardware and good looking. For example, http://www.antec.com/product.php?id=1147&fid=86

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Last time I upgraded, not long ago I may add, I stuck in a 5570 1GB, but in most cases that gave me really crappy framerates. I was hoping to get 60fps by toning down all details and setting resolution to 720p, but almost all games run worse than the PS3 version. So if there are much better low profile cards now that would be great, and I might consider investing another 80 euro.

Really? That's strange, the HD5570 should be a solid performer for playing console ports at 720p.

Perhaps you got one of those nasty models with halved memory channels, 64-bit DDR3/DDR2?
Is it a "HyperMemory" model?

Nonetheless, a low-profile card based on mini-Kepler should be quite a lot faster than a HD5570.

As long as you don't turn up the resolution too much above 720p (128-bit DDR3 only gives it 30GB/s or so), you should be able to play almost everything on medium.
Check the laptop equivalent, that should give you an idea on how it performs.

And I think we will be seeing low-profile versions of Cape Verde (512/640sp GCN), with similar gaming performance and better computing/media potential.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

His case can only take low profile single slot cards.