Is it worth PC gaming anymore? Why I think I may be switching to consoles.

[johnnyTheMac]

Hello,

First off, this is more of a rant than anything. Sometimes, I think these forums are for things like this because my friends, and especially my wife, cannot stand when I talk about technology, upgrading and gaming lol. I would also like to state that I am a PC gamer, and I have been for a while. This is not to bash PC gaming, at all. I know many may see this as that, but it is not. It really just a stream of consciousnesses that I want to get out and share. And, perhaps, some of you may have the same experience or thoughts that I am having. Please, feel free to respond in any case.

I have been going through a bit of an internal struggle lately. Should I upgrade this or that? Will my rig run this at the highest settings possible? What are the frame rates going to be? Is there going to be screen tearing or micro-stuttering? What do I have to to make my gaming experience smooth and graphically amazing? There are more questions that I have asked myself in my head, here in the forums and other forums around the web.

I think that I may have an obsession with constantly upgrading my rig and constantly wanting to tweak the settings to get the best possible experience that I can have. It has gotten to the point where I actually spend so much time doing this that I have been totally missing the point of gaming, which of course is to take a little break from reality and have fun.

With the latest batch of games that just came out, mainly from Ubisoft, it made me stop and think to myself, "Is it worth it anymore?". I mean, some of these developers are not optimizing games to run on the PC that well, so you have to have a pretty beefy rig to run them, but even then many with beefy rigs still have issues. I have a pretty nice set-up, with an i7 3770K, Gigabyte Windforce 780 GHz Ed, 8GB RAM..., but I have noticed that some games are still riddled with stuttering, screen tearing, low FPS drops and just not being able to run where I would expect games to run. Perhaps, though, that is just my fault for expecting too much, or falling into the graphics hype machine that is game marketing.

I just think that I am at a point in my life where I have to prioritize and ask if it is worth my sanity and my cash to keep chasing the PC gaming dream. Someone once said, "A computer is never finished, you just run out of money." I have a family now, with a wife, a daughter and a boy on the way in January. So, time and money are hard to come by and it seems that those things may not be coming back anytime soon lol.

I took a break from PC gaming a little while ago because I became way to, let's say, involved with upgrading, graphic and performance. I picked up a PS4 and finished Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Infamous Second Son, Battlefield 4, Madden 15 and some others. I don't mind saying that it was quite an enjoyable experience. I popped in the disc, grabbed the controller and gamed right on my couch. Simple and easy. And, to my surprise, the graphics were not that bad. I didn't have to press pause and go into the settings and tweak them. I didn't have to monitor my temperatures. I didn't have to worry if my GPU was good enough to run the game. I didn't have to worry about the noise of running a big rig.

I know, graphically, the PC is superior. However, when you are actually immersed in the game, do you really notice half of the stuff we jack up our graphics for? Is there that big of a noticeable difference between the current generation of consoles and PC's to warrant all of the stuff that I personally get uptight about? Is worth the price of building and upgrading a PC gaming rig? I don't know...these are just some of the things that I have been thinking about lately.

As I stated in the beginning of the post, this is not to bash any type of gaming and I certainly do not want to start a flame war. This is just simply more or less of a rant and some thoughts that I have been having lately that, I guess, I needed to get out of my head and off of my chest. Whether you agree with me or not, or share some similar thoughts and experience, I welcome all conversation.

I know this was a long read, and if you made it to this point without losing interest and falling asleep, I applaud and thank you.

[LemonSpice]

Hello,

 

why why no no

 

[ShadowCaptain]

You just need to stop tinkering around with your PC and play games instead

 

I literally only buy new PC parts every 3 or 4 years when the PC starts grinding to a halt, I also have my PC hooked up to my TV so I can sit on the sofa with a headset and xbox controller to play games

 

I mostly only sit at my desk when editing, or playing FPS/RPGs

 

If your PC cant play it on ultra, stick it on high and enjoy the experience, PC gaming is not a dick measuring contest, I just recently completed black flag on my 11" laptop on lowest settings because it was the only computer I had access too, it was a GREAT time still

 

PC gaming is NOT about building rigs and messing around - sure that is a part of it, but PC gaming is about the freedom, using any controller you want, using a monitor and desk or sofa and TV, having 30 years of backwards compatibility, having settings that let us choose between frame rates and visual fidelity etc etc etc

[Recon97]

*Claps* for such a big post.Couldn't read it all Feeling sleepy.

[johnnyTheMac]

why why no no

Thanks for the well thought out response. I appreciate your time and most helpful input.

I understand that I would get some responses like this, being a PC forum and all, but thanks nonetheless.

[Jack.EXE]

I have upgraded one single part since my origonal build in 2010 (ok, twice, but my first choice was stupid, didn't count. 8600GT...)

 

My computer has cost me $750 over the years in total, and I run every game I own maxed or pretty close, with 45FPS minimums.

 

In short? Yes. it's worth it.

[johnnyTheMac]

You just need to stop dicking around with your PC

 

I literally only buy new PC parts every 3 or 4 years when the PC starts grinding to a halt, I also have my PC hooked up to my TV so I can sit on the sofa with a headset and xbox controller to play games

 

I mostly only sit at my desk when editing, or playing FPS/RPGs

 

That is really what I have to do if I decide to stick with PC gaming.

 

*Claps* for such a big post.Couldn't read it all Feeling sleepy.

I knew that it would be a tough read for most, but I guess it was really just to get some thoughts out of my head.

[LemonSpice]

Hello,

With the latest batch of games that just came out, mainly from Ubisoft, it made me stop and think to myself, "Is it worth it anymore?". I mean, some of these developers are not optimizing games to run on the PC that well, so you have to have a pretty beefy rig to run them, but even then many with beefy rigs still have issues. I have a pretty nice set-up, with an i7 3770K, Gigabyte Windforce 780 GHz Ed, 8GB RAM..., but I have noticed that some games are still riddled with stuttering, screen tearing, low FPS drops and just not being able to run where I would expect games to run. Perhaps, though, that is just my fault for expecting too much, or falling into the graphics hype machine that is game marketing.

 

Ru u wanting the 30fps cinematic feel consoles are 30fps 792p machines that are much worse at lag than a pc

have you made sure your gtx 780 is running above 500mhz

[JeffreyEagan]

I do agree with "A PC is never done, you just run out of money" thing. I do this as a hobby. You just upgrade where you can. I've been working on computers since I was 13. It's fun, sure. But so much money gets dumped into these things. If you want to back out, that's fine, but you could also try to just set aside money each year for your computer while playing on console.

Apologies if this reply doesn't make a lick of sense, I haven't had my coffee yet.

[johnnyTheMac]

Ru u wanting the 30fps cinematic feel consoles are 30fps 792p machines that are much worse at lag than a pc

have you made sure your gtx 780 is running above 500mhz

I honestly do not know what that means. I played the games I mentioned at 1080p @ 30 FPS on the PS4.

[DeViLzzz]

If people keep buying games from Ubisoft and companies that support the dumbing down of pc games to make them look like console games then yes there will be some reason to go just console but really not enough.  Here are the reasons why you don't go console :

1. More sales on games on pc putting games at ridiculous prices.

2. PC can be used for much more than gaming.

3. At this time there are still many, many games that are much better looking on pc.

4. Keyboard and mouse control are common for many games and at times it is much more fun to play a game that way vs using a controller.

Eh if I forgot anything else someone else can add to what i said.

[johnnyTheMac]

I do agree with "A PC is never done, you just run out of money" thing. I do this as a hobby. You just upgrade where you can. I've been working on computers since I was 13. It's fun, sure. But so much money gets dumped into these things. If you want to back out, that's fine, but you could also try to just set aside money each year for your computer while playing on console.

Apologies if this reply doesn't make a lick of sense, I haven't had my coffee yet.

No need to apologize lol. I know how it feels to not have coffee.

I appreciate your input, and that is a great idea. I started off with this as a hobby, too. I think I just got a bit too obsessive in the last few years.

[JeffreyEagan]

No need to apologize lol. I know how it feels to not have coffee.

I appreciate your input, and that is a great idea. I started off with this as a hobby, too. I think I just got a bit too obsessive in the last few years.

Obsession is never a good thing. This is why I have 10 hobbies to balance it out. Then again I'm only 18 so I get paid for odd jobs.

[johnnyTheMac]

If people keep buying games from Ubisoft and companies that support the dumbing down of pc games to make them look like console games then yes there will be some reason to go just console but really not enough.  Here are the reasons why you don't go console :

1. More sales on games on pc putting games at ridiculous prices.

2. PC can be used for much more than gaming.

3. At this time there are still many, many games that are much better looking on pc.

4. Keyboard and mouse control are common for many games and at times it is much more fun to play a game that way vs using a controller.

Eh if I forgot anything else someone else can add to what i said.

I agree. There are so many sales, especially with Steam and GOG. Point 2: Absolutely. I am a web and graphic developer/designer, so I will always have a powerful computer. And, mouse and keyboard is definitely more accurate in FPS shooters than a controller.

[ShadowCaptain]

 I started off with this as a hobby, too. I think I just got a bit too obsessive in the last few years.

 

You need to just forget about hardware and play games!!!! its all about the game

[mark201200]

But seriously, just don't buy Ubisoft games.

[dragosudeki]

I understand that you're concerned about the PC port optimizations. Though, If developers don't put in extra time to get you to play their game properly, why should you spend extra time and money to get yourself to play their game? That is how I think of it at least.

[aidenrelkoff]

I honestly do not know what that means. I played the games I mentioned at 1080p @ 30 FPS on the PS4.

dude, how do you not know what 500MHz is? thats the speed of your gpu. some gpus have bugs where they only run at 50% capacity. so a 780 suddenly turns into a 760 in performance...

 

plus on PC you can:

skype/teamspeak (go away 5 year old xbox live kids)

listen to music/do other things while your map loads

YOU CAN UPGRADE STUFF

install whatever you want

play games that are from 2004 and not find out that "this game is no longer backwards compatible"

60fps, 120fps, 144 fps. 1080p, 1440p, 2160p. SURROUND GAMING

 

the list goes on, and plus a computer isent JUST a gaming rig, its a computer too. Let me ask you, how well can you wright an essay on your PS4?.... thats what i thought...

[johnnyTheMac]

dude, how do you not know what 500MHz is? thats the speed of your gpu. some gpus have bugs where they only run at 50% capacity. so a 780 suddenly turns into a 760 in performance...

 

plus on PC you can:

skype/teamspeak (go away 5 year old xbox live kids)

listen to music/do other things while your map loads

YOU CAN UPGRADE STUFF

install whatever you want

play games that are from 2004 and not find out that "this game is no longer backwards compatible"

60fps, 120fps, 144 fps. 1080p, 1440p, 2160p. SURROUND GAMING

 

the list goes on, and plus a computer isent JUST a gaming rig, its a computer too. Let me ask you, how well can you wright an essay on your PS4?.... thats what i thought...

I am tire of upgrading constantly. I know that I don't have to, but like I state in my post, that is mostly a personal issue that I have.

I will always have a powerful rig. I am a web and graphic designer/developer. I know that when I build a rig for work, I won't have to upgrade to keep up with the latest and greatest for the applications that I run.

I thought I would get a hard time for this thread, but geez with at least two of the posters...lol

[typographie]

I know, graphically, the PC is superior. However, when you are actually immersed in the game, do you really notice half of the stuff we jack up our graphics for? Is there that big of a noticeable difference between the current generation of consoles and PC's to warrant all of the stuff that I personally get uptight about? Is worth the price of building and upgrading a PC gaming rig? I don't know...these are just some of the things that I have been thinking about lately.

 

Graphics are the least important issue here. You may not notice the visual differences that much, but you will certainly notice being locked at 30 FPS. You'll certainly notice having no option to use a keyboard and mouse in games that call for them. You'll certainly notice being deprived of the option to change the balance between visual quality and performance to your liking.

 

Using Assassin's Creed: Unity as an example, as that seems to be the spark for your post, yeah, it sucks that high-end PC owners have to put up with so much. But the console alternative is 18-20-ish FPS much of the time, with a hard-cap of 30 FPS. Not exactly what I'd consider a reasonable alternative.

 

There's been one or two high-profile, much-publicized poor PC ports lately, but that doesn't change the fact that PC ports have generally gotten better, not worse, over the years. But when a bad port comes out, that's a reason to malign the port, the developer, and/or the publisher. Not the platform.

[Maheshvara]

I, kinda, agree with you

 

I'll give you some advice i think will help

 

Since you said that because of your work your computer will always be powerful? Then just forget about CPU's, GPU's... Just relax and play games at nice settings 60FPS! I don't see why are people so obsessed with 4K UHD 60+FPS gaming... Games exist to help us relax and spend our free, possibly antisocial, time Why fuss so much hardware You can enjoy gaming even with 760

 

EDIT: Also, a very important reason why i'll always go with a PC instead of console is because i spend all of my free (and work) time on it, and i seriously don't have a need (and i don't have the money) for consoles!

[johnnyTheMac]

I am tire of upgrading constantly. I know that I don't have to, but like I state in my post, that is mostly a personal issue that I have.

I will always have a powerful rig. I am a web and graphic designer/developer. I know that when I build a rig for work, I won't have to upgrade to keep up with the latest and greatest for the applications that I run.

I thought I would get a hard time for this thread, but geez with at least two of the posters...lol Must have missed the part where I stated is was personal problem.

[razor767]

It's true that some games are poorly optimised on PC but there are plenty of games that are well optimised and do not require the latest and greatest (and most expensive) hardware to run well. It's always a good idea to check reputable reviews regarding optimisation (e.g. TotalBiscuit), also there's always these forums if you ever need recommendations.

 

Whilst PC hardware may be more expensive than console hardware remember that PC games can be a lot cheaper (especially with Steam sales) and no monthly subscriptions are required.

 

Stick with PC gaming.

[johnnyTheMac]

I, kinda, agree with you

 

I'll give you some advice i think will help

 

Since you said that because of your work your computer will always be powerful? Then just forget about CPU's, GPU's... Just relax and play games at nice settings 60FPS! I don't see why are people so obsessed with 4K UHD 60+FPS gaming... Games exist to help us relax and spend our free, possibly antisocial, time Why fuss so much hardware You can enjoy gaming even with 760

 

EDIT: Also, a very important reason why i'll always go with a PC instead of console is because i spend all of my free (and work) time on it, and i seriously don't have a need (and i don't have the money) for consoles!

That is very true. Thanks for the insight!

I am on my PC for at least 8-12 hours a day lol, but maybe you are right...just set it and forget it.

[Laurysss]

Well i dont think because of Ubisofts shit you have to quit pc. Ofcourse there are other bad ports but not much.

 

 

Oh rockstar i hope you give a shit about pc. Please optimize GTA V