Combine PC and console gaming into one "gaming" subforum?

[Below2D]

Not too long ago, I made a thread about the PC release of Sackboy, and it got merged into another thread in the console gaming section. Nothing wrong with that.

Seeing that the PC Gaming section isn't that active and that 99% of the games out there are multplatform releases, wouldn't it be wise to simply have one big gaming subforum? As it stands, the last thread on the first page in the PC Gaming subforum hasn't seen a reply since the beginning of June. It doesn't seem to be a section with enough activity to warrant being its own thing. A section dedicated to gaming in general would be much easier to navigate and we could also discuss the pros and cons of the multiple versions without separating them into different threads in different sections (which seems somewhat inconsistent).

Thank you

 

[Deleted member 11852]

A section dedicated to gaming in general would be much easier to navigate and we could also discuss the pros and cons of the multiple versions without separating them into different threads in different sections (which seems somewhat inconsistent).

The history of these forums is not on your side if you hope to have civilised discourse on comparisons between PC and console versions of games. Most threads seem to end up as a PC vs console argument.

As somebody who owns all of the shiny things, it's tedious. But maybe, with another dozen mods.. maybe...

 

[Below2D]

The history of these forums is not on your side if you hope to have civilised discourse on comparisons between PC and console versions of games. Most threads seem to end up as a PC vs console argument.

As somebody who owns all of the shiny things, it's tedious. But maybe, with another dozen mods.. maybe...

Really? The people here seem mature enough. Sure, there are biases and preferences but from what I've seen so far, most of us can hold civilized discussions, unlike other places I won't name.

 

[iroboto]

we've brought it up. There is a suggestion thread somewhere here in general.
I would say gaming shoujld be a combined forum.
we can still separate hardware out respectively, but the games tend to appear on both, so I don't see a need to make that type of separation.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

we can still separate hardware out respectively, but the games tend to appear on both, so I don't see a need to make that type of separation.

As somebody who still frequently visits both console and PC gaming forums, I can tell you that the different is in most of the console forums, people are discussing playing the game - and occasionally some technical issues. In the PC forums, most are people talking about running the game to run, e.g. optimised settings and so on.

It's why even when I play multiplatform games on PC, I will go to the console forum to talk about playing the game.

 

[orangpelupa]

Cyberpunk pc vs console thread.

Basically if you merge them, the console discussion could get buried with pc issues, settings, mods, etc

 

[Deleted member 11852]

we've brought it up. There is a suggestion thread somewhere here in general.

It's been brought up a lot over the years. I am sure there was even talk of a possible vote at one point but that may be a figment of some cheese before bed.

 

[BRiT]

As mentioned before, one way of dealing with that is still having separate threads for PC Specific Settings and Tweaks and Adjustments, while having the overall Game Play thread be fully inclusive. I think this is mostly how posters have been using them recently anyways.

 

[Below2D]

As somebody who still frequently visits both console and PC gaming forums, I can tell you that the different is in most of the console forums, people are discussing playing the game - and occasionally some technical issues. In the PC forums, most are people talking about running the game to run, e.g. optimised settings and so on.

It's why even when I play multiplatform games on PC, I will go to the console forum to talk about playing the game.

We could have a technical thread and a game discussion thread. Technical threads would be like 99% PC but we could still get the occasional console user in them. The game thread is just for everyone regardless of platform.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

We could have a technical thread and a game discussion thread. Technical threads would be like 99% PC but we could still get the occasional console user in them. The game thread is just for everyone regardless of platform.

It's not me you have to convince!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

We could have a technical thread and a game discussion thread. Technical threads would be like 99% PC but we could still get the occasional console user in them.

Which just needs a signpost to guide them out to where they actually meant to be!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I think I'm in favour now too, for the OP's rationale. Console Gaming FAQ needs to identify threads are for discussing gameplay. Technical discussion and comparison should be in a tech forum to ensure it's high enough quality and not just fanboys whacking each other over the head with numbers and screenshots. PC per game technical talk should have its own thread.

SackBoy Adventures [PS4|PS5|PC]
SackBoy Adventures PC support

Dunno what the proper title and purpose of the PC 'support' thread is though? Getting things working? Getting optimal settings? Arguing over AMD/nVidia performance and GPU pricing ad nauseum?

Although isn't the reason PC gamers aren't talking about gameplay because they only fart about with settings and loading IRQs in Extended Memory and hacking .bat files instead of, you know, actually playing games?

 

[BRiT]

I'm still trying to sort out a better organization of some other subforums. Before doing anything, would obviously discuss this further. Anyways, in my mind there's more to be cleaned up and done which should happen at the same time.

So proposed is a Gaming SubForum that is merged Console Gaming and PC Gaming.

Should there be a single "Industry SubForum" which is for merged Console Industry and PC Industry?
Perhaps simply a single "Technology Subforum" which is Console Technology and what?

Also, right now there is top level "Console Section", which maybe simply becomes "Entertainment Section" that has the merged Gaming / Industry / Technology sections ?

 

[PSman1700]

Also, right now there is top level "Console Section", which maybe simply becomes "Entertainment Section" that has the merged Gaming / Industry / Technology sections ?

The Console forums being placed above is probably the reason for most activity there. PC gamers are generally always discussing their things in the console sections including myself. The whole thing is already merged by the users themselfs. It would be appropiate to rename to what you recommend doing.

 

[Below2D]

The Console forums being placed above is probably the reason for most activity there. PC gamers are generally always discussing their things in the console sections including myself. The whole thing is already merged by the users themselfs. It would be appropiate to rename to what you recommend doing.

Pretty much what I noticed. When I want to create a thread for a game, I just create it in the console section despite having the PC version lol.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Should there be a single "Industry SubForum" which is for merged Console Industry and PC Industry?
Perhaps simply a single "Technology Subforum" which is Console Technology and what?

Yes. In the tech discussion, Console gets anything gaming focussed which is 90% of discussion. Industry has too much overlap to warrant separation.

The main obstacle is, as mentioned before, dealing with platform warring and the relentless PC vs console derailments. Any "PCs are better value than consoles" remark should result in permaban for the poster and three generations of progeny! If we can keep talk on games, gaming tech, and having fun with these machines, it'd be better to have it all together.

That said, one of the huge differences between PC and consoles is modding. Don't PC game discussions evolve into recommendations for mods? That wouldn't be appropriate to include in a general game thread on platforms that don't support it. I guess the 'PC only' tech/support/whatever thread could include modding.

 

[pharma]

Would the post below (deleted member) be considered suitable for the proposed "Console/PC" combined Gaming subforum? Personally I would not want to be read similar posts in a Gameplay thread and is something I currently find to a less degree in the current PC Forum Gaming posts.

God of War: Ragnarok [PS4, PS5] Console Gaming subforum.

I believe Jim Ryan did say the decision to launch Ragnarok on the PS4 came in rather late, and he hinted that GoW Ragnarok is coming to the PS4 because Sony haven't been able to sell the amount of PS5 consoles that match the demand for them. That's due to the inability to ramp up production, which is due to the global semiconductor shortage which in turn is indeed due to covid.

Had Sony been able to produce and distribute say 30 million PS5 consoles up until the end of 2021 then maybe they would have focused on a PS5 exclusive version. Throughout 2020 they figured out they wouldn't be ramping up PS5 production anytime soon, so they had to reduce some IQ, scale and/or gameplay elements to fit the game into the 1.8 TFLOPs console.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Well the Gaming threads aren't just about gameplay, but discussion around the games which can branch out into franchise, business, etc. Something like the above may be better spawned off. Indeed, I see Brit had a spawned "Cross Generation Discussion" thread. But it's also just a few posts in that game thread and something one can skip over. If it gets bogged down, the thread can be moderated.

Importantly, there won't be a massive increase in traffic because the game discussion is, according to this thread, already happening in the Console Gaming threads, so moderation duties shouldn't escalate much. Threads should be much the same as they are now.

What are PC users concerns over having console talk in their PC thread? Is there threat of muddling unassociated talk?

 

[Deleted member 11852]

That said, one of the huge differences between PC and consoles is modding. Don't PC game discussions evolve into recommendations for mods? That wouldn't be appropriate to include in a general game thread on platforms that don't support it. I guess the 'PC only' tech/support/whatever thread could include modding.

I don't see that much mod discussion in the PC gaming forums. Sometimes you get occasional PC mod discussion in console gaming forums and it's pretty light. Were it likely to cause any big issues I think Fallout 4 and Skyrim would be highlighted it because whilst PlayStaton and Xbox both support mods, they support different mods.

I think it's worth trialling a change and adjust as we go along. In terms of structure and where the gaming discussion goes, is it not possible to merge the Console Gaming and PC Gaming forums/threads from the Console Forums and PC Forums and combined them into a new Gaming sub-forum that can be reached from Console Forums or PC Forums?

E.g.

Graphics Forums
Console Forums
o Console Technology
o Console Industry
o Gaming
Mobile Forums
PC Forums
o PC Hardware, Software & Displays
o PC Industry
o PC Purchasing Help
o Gaming

With Gaming being the one unified gaming discussion forum?

 

[PSman1700]

The only changes that should be having to be done is rename 'Console forums' to 'Gaming forums' and the 'PC forums' into 'PC modding, tweaks/tech support forums'.
Theres more PC talk then console talk in the 'Console' forums, same for the 'Graphics forums', basically everywhere. There should be no need for concerns as nothing really changes in that aspect.

E.g.

Graphics Forums
Console Forums
o Console Technology
o Console Industry
o Gaming
Mobile Forums
PC Forums
o PC Hardware, Software & Displays
o PC Industry
o PC Purchasing Help
o Gaming

Or

Graphics Forums
Gaming & Technology Forums
o Technology
o Industry
o Gaming
Mobile Forums
PC, Modding, Tweaking and Support Forums
o Hardware, Software & Displays
o Purchasing Help

Because as explained, thats already what is happening basically and will continue to be happening. PC users will continue as is today, talk in the console technology forums as has been the standard since 'forever'. Basically adjusting the forum names into what is basically happening already. It is either to change the according forum namings or all of the users sectional behaviour which is going to be a more time consuming thing to do if even possible.
With consoles basically being PC's nowadays sharing practically all games together, its seems like a swift idea to just change the forum namings.