• 28Oct 07

  Crysis FTW

  Played Demo, everything went nicely, except performance.

  I thought they can run on P3, guess not.

  ridiculous graphics and details though, no way you can complain about that

  • Posted Oct 28, 2007 3:19 pm PT
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• 7Aug 07

  When Consoles wage War on PCs.

  Years ago, when PlayStation first came out, they have nothing to do with PCs. They're simply a gaming machine, no internet, no online multiplayer, no graphics race, nothing. It was simple: a machine to play games.

  Back then, Computer simply stood for "Compute-er", and PS simply stood for "Play-Station".

  now Consoles, for me at least, ARE PCs, hybrid ones. They got all those PC components, and supported by PC-making brands.

  CPU, RAM, GPU, PSU, Internet, DVD ROM or Blue-Ray, USB.. everything PC had, consoles have it, and almost exchangable for some.

  So, there aren't many differences, and talking about Online feature PCs are even ahead of Consoles (especially Xbox360, where you have to pay internet AND microsoft).

  BUT PC games are produced a lot less then Consoles today. Why? Here's what I think.
  

  1. Cost.

  With around $399 you get Tri-core nice-looking all-in-one gaming system Xbox 360, or abit more for Blue-Ray PS3.

  but a Quad-Core level system costs around $1000. and you need monitors, TVs won't work as well for PC. I believe there's load of people have TV in their house but don't have a PC monitor, and if their budget is low, they have no choice.

  2. Size

  Console's size is that big, that's it. It's really not that hard to carry the console itself around, and with wires all you need is a mid-size box. If you wanna bring it to friend's house, just unplug, pack up, and go.

  PCs on the other hand, unless you got Laptop (which usually not for gaming), you have about at least 5 wires connected to different stuff (an battery/charger hating gamer), and Desktops are usually big. For some hardcores their computers are huuuge to achieve what they want. Moving them would be a pain in the butt.

  3. Ease-To-Use

  How do you play a game in Console? insert disk, skip intro, press start.

  Yeah yeah everybody knows this, but not every gamers know how to install a game on PC. Trust me I confirmed this from many of my "360 for life" friends.

  In PC you have to put in disk, make sure you got DVD-ROM if game is on DVD disk, wait for install screen, or open it manually by going into the folder and find the .exe file, Select Install, type in Serial No., choose folder to install, choose other options, click install, finish it, register it for online play, then play. If you're a "$50 a game" hater you'll probably need to use keygen and all that after these are done.

  so, for lazy gamers, or new comers, consoles are definately more attractive in this perspective.

  4. Warranty

  What happens when your 360 burns out? return it and get a new one free if you bought $50 extracare 2 years plan.

  What happens when your PC dies on you? If you're rich and doesn't feel like spend any time on it, call service guide and tell them to pick your PC up and wait for a few weeks before it's done fixing, oh and take out your credit card.

  If you're not that kind of person, you gotta start checking what went wrong. Microsoft's failure yet again? Too many overclocking? fan failure? BIOS is pwned? Hard Drive died? Graphics Card got loose? PSU burned (yeah, that happened to me)?

  and if you find out, take it out, and send it back to Newegg or w/e. then you wait (and I did, a case, a PSU, a few fans, a mobo and CPU, sent back n forth many times).

  5. Start-up Time

  Vista is saying it'll boot up faster cuz of that new program or w/e (even though people says it doesn't). Ok let's use XP for example, fastest time to get to complete startup (not to desktop only)? I'd say like a minute or so if you got some games and apps. and they get longer and longer for many reasons after awhile.

  Consoles require their game developer to show their stuff within 20 secs or so, that's game's stuff, not green grass and blue sky background. You'll instantly start playing without trying to find a game you want in 50 shortcut icons.

  so if you already remembered the button routine already you'll get into action within 40 seconds after you pressed the power button on console.

  For some kids or busy guy who only wants to blow something up quick, have some fun and go out or do other stuff, consoles are most likely their option.

  6. Upgrade Problems

  As a PC gamer I think many people have yelled in front of their comp and yell "#*$%ing Lag! My Comp SUCKS!!" or if you play stealthly in the ****oom: "DAMN, STOP FREEZING AND HIDE THE SCREEN YOU PIECE OF #*$%".

  Yep, if you buy an medium lvl PC it'll get outdated (not unusable) within 2 years or so today, and you'll either upgrade it, or buy a new one. Upgrading it definately costs less, but still you gotta buy them and install them, then drivers, and check for defacts, etc.

  If your PC is like 5 years old, a PII/III with 128 MB SD-RAM and 12 GB HD, I'd say you'll buy a new one. That'll cost a lot if you want a gaming PC, usually from $1000~$4000.

  But Consoles...uh...usually they don't lag bad, cuz games for that console have been tested already. and usually if you want a new one, just buy it. No problem, just use the credit card.

  hey, they're alot cheaper though.

  7. Viruses, Spammers, Hackers

  This is more like why developers stop making them for PC, cuz we hack. So many cracked games on the internet for you to download totally free (it's what's happening, I'm not encouraging). So if everybody does that, who gives money to game developer?

  They get way more $$ in console market because either you buy it, or rental stores will. Sure there's crack for those, but today if you wanna play online, you better don't.

  And it's not likely that your, let's say Xbox tags, can get hacked randomly. Console makers did a fairly nice job on protecting this, but nobody is protecting your PC, unless you buy anti-virus stuff.

  And Consoles don't get viruses, at least yet. In PC if you got virus, you either feel the pain and keep playing, or you gotta recover/reinstall OS. that sounds like blow up hell for many people who have no idea how computer/console works.

  8. Parental Control

  Hey kids, who paid for your games? and what do they do to those games? lock all kinds of stuff up!

  This is kinda sad for kids in US today, they are somewhat "protected from violent/profanity" while watching many TV shows, or sometimes their own parents doing them.

  For me I cannot play Gears of War without any blood or profanity (yeah I often get stuck with 8 years old playing rated M games with it turned off, not joking), I mean that's the whole point of that game. Chainsawing a guy but no blood? that's lying to kids.

  Anyway, little kids have no choice, their parents bought them the stuff, they were "granted" the right to play.
  And Parents LOVE (to control *ahem*) their kids, don't they?

  for me that'll only make them unaware about the real cold-hearted society outside, and they'll get shocked when they see it. I mean they're gonna see it one day or another, so why bother? just tell them not to do it, I don't see blocking those blood and violent lowered the death rate at all. but anyway...

  _____________________________________

  don't get me wrong if you did, I'm a uber PC game lover. I didn't get my 360 until 6 months after GoW released (yep, I bought console only for that game).

  I love PC games since I first typed "show me the money" in StarCraft back in 1998, so yeah I pretty much never have the time to care about consoles, but I have to admit PC games have been $#*$ these years, besides this year of course.
  

  The Dude in Epic said that "PC games will follow Consoles", well for me only the numbers will.

  Crysis, BioShock, StarCraft II, WoW-WOTLK, Spore, GoW for PC, GTA4, COD4, UT3...

  I believe that PC will always have better graphics, if you don't believe it I'll prove it now.

  Give you a concept first:

  Resolution=how many dots on screen,

  Same Resolution on a Smaller screen have better details then on Larger Screen.

  Here we go....

  Mainstream Monitor for PC is 19", Resolution 1280x1024 or 1440x900 depends on WS.

  Xbox 360 for example, basic resolution is 852x480 on avg 29" TV, almost only half of 15" PC screen's resolution, wow.

  Now Jump to Second Level on 360, the so called 720p, which is 1280x720, looks awesome on 29" TV, but still not quite CLOSE to the very standard on PC Screen.

  OK you're rich, you got a huge 50" HDTV, PC only gets to 30" max. and that uber HDTV got 1080i ultra-high resolution, sounds sweet. the resolution is 1920x1080.

  On the other hand, 24" PC is already 1920x1200,

  btw 30" PC is 2560x1600, a few hundred more dots both horizontally and vertically, BUT WAAAAY SMALLER SCREEN!

  __________________________________________________

  so talking about image quality, consoles aren't quite there yet, I would guess they need SLi to make it that far to play smoothly.

  However, most of the non-enthusiasts gamers don't care these distinctions, as all they want is to play games.

  But I do believe mouse and keyboard is still better paired with FPS, and RTS. You can't expect controllers to aim as fast as mouse to either shoot an fast-jumping-moving head or to select your tank army excluding a sniper squad standing in there.

  All in all I believe PC games will decrease as we all do not hope, but it's happening, there's just too many stuff to worry about that console gamers/game developers do not.

  However, at the very center and the very foundation of this gaming continent, there will always be a place belongs to PC, and people who will only settle for the best of the best.

  I mean seriously, buy a 360 controller receiver for PC and play CS with it online, and you know what's gonna happen.

  • Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:57 pm PT
  • Category: Editorial
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• 6Aug 07

  What the hell man, Those holes can pop up anywhere?

  and the hole is nearly on PC screen, helllllll yeah!

  for any of you played GoW but haven't seen the PC trailer, you gotta go watch it.

  that was one of the best F()$#in S*$) I've seen so far, apart from Crysis and UT3 gameplay. no I'm not quite a BioShocker, but I'm excited about that too.

  the shooting and aIiming is alot faster and I think the taking cover thing will matter alot on multiplayer.

  I think it says the space bar will be working as the "A", and right click will be popin out, left click will work like always.

  and I assume"E" will be picking up stuff/kicking the door, and "R" will be reloading.

  Melee might be "F"? I dunno, but there's lots of other idle keys on PC that can be used for different moves, like...silent walk? or a "real" jump/duck button?

  but anyway it'll be a LOT faster than 360, aiming, shooting, covering, jumping all kinds of stuff are just mechanically faster on a mouse, even if you turn the sensitivity to highest on 360 it still takes time to turn around or something, where mouse is just "turn" and you're there.

  one thing needs improvement is the cover, whenever you're in a close combat in some crowded room you usually wanna jump sideways but always end up taking cover and your enemy will easily take you out when you're trying to get out of cover but you can't.

  anyway I'm really excited about playing that game on DX10 mode and ultra high resolution and settings, that's something consoles don't deliver, or can't.

  and let us play with 360ers please, oh yes...

  • Posted Aug 6, 2007 6:59 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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