PC Gaming - It's a pain in many ways.

[AstroBenny]

I entered the PC gaming world about a year and a half ago and I've often found myself doubting how superior the platform really is. Here's my opinion:

To be clear, I'm neither a console or PC "fanboy" but I've noticed several things during my time so far with the PC platform after ditching and consequently selling my consoles.

It's sort of a mess - in many places.

Let's jump right into it! (This will come across as a bit of a rant; because it is. Sort of.

 

Ever since I moved to PC I find myself spending more time getting things to work properly, instead of enjoying the games themselves.

Let's be real here, the PC community is an afterthought in the mind of most developers. Therefore, not only do you have to worry about the game actually being good (something many games struggle with), many many games are poorly optimized for the platform. Sure, PC has its killer games like CS, Dota, LOL etc but these were originally and still are intended to be played on the PC platform and therefore are well optimized. (as most would agree)

 But a huge number of games arrive on this platform infested with bugs, issues and other problems due to the developers lack of support for the PC platform. This causes me to spend much of my time browsing the web looking for solutions (which there are many) just to get a game to work as desired without stuttering and other issues.

 

Now let me move on to one of the other pitfalls of PC gaming and why consoles thrive in so many areas.

Consoles just work.

Sure, on PC, I get all these fancy options allowing me to change how it looks and how smooth I want it to be -  but this comes with it's own problems.

Due to the "limited" nature of the console platform, you don't have to worry about setting frame-rates correctly to avoid tearing, stuttering or even trying to keep framerates within the G-Sync and Free-Sync range..

To put it bluntly, Free-sync and G-sync fixes problems for the PC platform that the console platform never had and never will have. Not to mention the fact that one of these monitors will set you back the same price as a console.

 

"30fps is awful, PC is awesome because of 60fps"

 

I myself own a 144Hz monitor and yes, the difference is huge. Heck, I can barely play games at 60Hz/60fps anymore when playing on PC due to the smoothness of 144Hz with games like CS and Unreal tournament. I've tried playing at 30fps on PC and it isn't enjoyable, not for a second. 50-60fps is definitely the minimum for an enjoyable experience for the PC platform and I think most would agree. But I think consoles are different. I can happily play games at 30fps on console, and that I think is because the controller is arguably "less immersive". To be honest, I much prefer the mouse and keyboard in many scenarios.for gaming, and it is without a doubt more accurate/precise, but this also comes at a cost of a less enjoyable experience when playing at lower frame-rates. Let me tell you, 30fps is enjoyable on console. even if I don't think it is for PC, and I don't think many people would argue with that either. I'd also add that due to the current generation consoles being much more heavily based on the PC architecture (ironically), we are seeing some games on console give you the option to choose between higher framerates (60fps) in return for less flattering image quality.

 

Moving on. I mentioned earlier the superiority of keyboard and mouse for gaming but this too also has its problems. Simply, the controller is just more versatile for a wider range of games in my opinion. Yes, the keyboard and mouse is without question, superior for FPS and MOBA games but what about the sheer simplicity of the controller and how well it works with other genres such as racing games. Sure, you could just buy a controller and it's a win-win, right..?

Well this brings me on to the next issue within the PC space, parity, or should I say the lack of it. What is arguably the largest attractive feature of PC gaming is the amount of options you have as a consumer when it comes to things like the system itself, peripherals, displays etc. I really think in many instances the whole PC platform itself has a "pay to win" element to it. I sit here writing this with my fancy Corsair Cherry Red keyboard and Deathadder mouse with extra buttons and a 144Hz monitor powered by a fairly capable 4690K/970 gaming machine. Sure, the keyboard isn't really a factor but equipment like the mouse are definitely a defining factor in terms of how well someone will play. Are two players with mice at opposite ends of the price spectrum really on equal playing fields? No, definitely not.

 

Next up: Portability.

The PC platform prides itself on its versatility. Let's take a look at a regular lan setup. You'll need a PC, Keyboard. Mouse, display, a desk at the right height. This, in my mind is hardly portable.

For console, you'll need the console (obviously), controller, and display. You don't even need an area to place your peripherals. It's hard to argue the portability advantage of PC, if you ask me, unless you're talking about laptops but I'd say consoles are still more practical.

 

Price.

 

PC gaming is a vicious cycle of always wanting the latest equipment and even though you don't have to upgrade, you probably will anyway. The lack of optimization for the PC platform and the ever increasing optimization for current gen consoles mean PC hardware just simply doesn't last as long meaning you'll be forced to upgrade eventually. Also, you'll definitely be spending more on a PC in the first place for the same console performance a few years down the road if you want to maintain a good experience. People will often argue that games are cheaper on the PC platform and this is often not the case. Sure, steam sales provide greatly reduced prices but a lot of the content on Steam when not on sale is vastly overpriced compared to the same game on console. Furthermore, you can't sell your PC games like on console which is a major disadvantage.

 

To conclude:

 

I miss the console days where the most difficult thing to worry about is your in game sensitivity - that's it. No messing around wondering what "native DPI" to use or whether I should be using weights in my mouse..or what polling rate to use...or finding fixes for mouse acceleration in all the poorly optimized games that exist on the PC.

 

Sure, I wish consoles were more capable in terms of hardware, but for the price, they do offer a great package, even if I would be willing to dish out more money for better hardware in return for a more immersive experience.

 

 

Done! - I don't even know why I took the time to write this.

I guess I just wanted to say that PC gaming isn't always as perfect as it's often made out to be.

[ShadowCaptain]

Use a controller, or a pletheora of other inputs if you dont like kb+mouse

 

we have gaming laptops for portability which are super good

 

use automatic settings like in geforce experience -  honestly i never spend anytime getting games working, I go on steam, install game, spend 30 seconds setting my settings and I just play it

 

Modern consoles are not simple easy, installing games, DLC, micro transactions, lobbies and parties, slow download speeds for games, limited install space, etc etc etc 

 

[Catalonia]

In many ways you're right. But everything has pros and cons. I personally prefer PC as I love messing with it and you can do so many things a part from playing. But I do get your point. As always there is a different product for different tastes.  Getting to work is part of the pleasure of creating your machine. IMHO. 

[brune67]

You make some very good points about certain things, but I'm not sure if I agree with all of it. I mean sure, PC's aren't portable, but who said they were? And for me, the setting up and getting everything to work at a LAN party is half the fun. You mention how PC is more pay to win than consoles because of the different peripherals and equipment, For a long time I used a crap mouse, A crap keyboard, A crap headset, and I did fine. And now that I had enough money, I got the quality items that I wanted. Another thing that I really like about PC's is that they are versatile, I use my PC for school, Video editing, photoshop, gaming, music, and a plethora of other things that I can't do with a console

[AstroBenny]

2 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Tldr; you're too lazy to appreciate the PC

Don't blame the platform for shitty ports. Blame the devs

I never blamed the platform for poor ports. But the points I raise in this thread are why there are poor ports.

Too lazy to appreciate the PC..? I'm currently in the process of reading a 700 page computer tweaking guide.

[BrightCandle]

Considering a lot of console games also have severe bugs and performance problems and inferior hardware it seems the quality of games on release is generally bad all round. PC is worse not least because its a more mature platform and it has a lot more choices and often those choices don't work well due to lack of support. But lets not kid ourselves and say that everything works on consoles because its not true, games are broken messes there as well.

[AstroBenny]

13 minutes ago, brune67 said:

You make some very good points about certain things, but I'm not sure if I agree with all of it. I mean sure, PC's aren't portable, but who said they were? And for me, the setting up and getting everything to work at a LAN party is half the fun. You mention how PC is more pay to win than consoles because of the different peripherals and equipment, For a long time I used a crap mouse, A crap keyboard, A crap headset, and I did fine. And now that I had enough money, I got the quality items that I wanted. Another thing that I really like about PC's is that they are versatile, I use my PC for school, Video editing, photoshop, gaming, music, and a plethora of other things that I can't do with a console

The fact that the PC is a multi-purpose machine is why I use it, and why I'm here to stay

[GirlFromYonder]

Well take it this. A console is your average prius. You just drive it, but you dont street race or do anything stressful with it. Your dont even go on road trips. A PC is like a powerful modded civic or a thunderbird or something. It keeps you busy. You fix it, you mod it, you make it better, visually and performance wise. You can street races, drift, take it to car shows, take it across the country. And guess what you enjoying doing all that, that is why you have a civic and not a prius. 

[givegomezthegun]

All of your complaints, while legitimate, to some people are part of the fun of pc gaming.  Some people get as much satisfaction from tinkering and problem solving to achieve the most glorious amazing picture quality in a game, as they do from playing the actual game.  Sometimes I find myself actually having more fun tweaking game settings or overclocks and benchmarking than I do actually playing.

 

On the other hand, I have pc gaming friends who have never tweaked a game setting, ever.  They use fairly mediocre hardware, and just play at whatever the default anything is and move on.  Their only complaint is the odd time a game requires a work around to get running.

 

My big complaint about pc gaming is that there are console exclusive titles.  I will probably never get to play fable 2 or destiny or some of the others that I have forgotten about by now simply because I won't ever own the console required to play those titles.

[dditty]

I think there's a learning curve to PC gaming as well. I built my first gaming pc just under a year ago, and the merits of pc gaming were definitely true. like you, however, I did find it frustrating troubleshooting problems and learning how to configure settings and whatnot. After a while though, I think you just learn how to fix the various things that you have to deal with and it gets easier. From time to time I still need to troubleshoot issues, but in general doing so doesn't bother me as much anymore

[AstroBenny]

7 minutes ago, givegomezthegun said:

All of your complaints, while legitimate, to some people are part of the fun of pc gaming.  Some people get as much satisfaction from tinkering and problem solving to achieve the most glorious amazing picture quality in a game, as they do from playing the actual game.  Sometimes I find myself actually having more fun tweaking game settings or overclocks and benchmarking than I do actually playing.

 

On the other hand, I have pc gaming friends who have never tweaked a game setting, ever.  They use fairly mediocre hardware, and just play at whatever the default anything is and move on.  Their only complaint is the odd time a game requires a work around to get running.

 

My big complaint about pc gaming is that there are console exclusive titles.  I will probably never get to play fable 2 or destiny or some of the others that I have forgotten about by now simply because I won't ever own the console required to play those titles.

I don't deny the fun in the tweaking aspect; that's why I moved to PC.  But sometimes I just want the game to work without issues and stuttering problems.

[CyanideInsanity]

1 hour ago, AstroBenny said:

Due to the "limited" nature of the console platform, you don't have to worry about setting frame-rates correctly to avoid tearing, stuttering or even trying to keep framerates within the G-Sync and Free-Sync range..

To put it bluntly, Free-sync and G-sync fixes problems for the PC platform that the console platform never had and never will have. Not to mention the fact that one of these monitors will set you back the same price as a console.

Meanwhile games on consoles still drop frames or have stuttering issues. The way the industry seems to desire to go, with being "cinematic", freesync could probably be one of the best additions to a new revision of xbone/ps4, and certainly in my eyes the xbox 4 and ps5. That way devs could target 40/45/48/50fps instead of 30 because they can't achieve a, relatively, stable 60fps while trying to push graphics as hard as they are now.

Edited April 19, 2016 by CyanideInsanity
Additional info

[Praesi]

I play on PC since the 90´s and didnt regret a single Moment. Not only the superior Controlls and Graphics, i love to tweak the last drop out of engines and mod Games to Oblivion. The last Console i owned was the PS1 and there is no way i buy a Console again. I dont start with whats wrong with Consoles, i dont want fall into a rant myself.

Why dont you just sell your PC?

[danhulud]

3 hours ago, AstroBenny said:

I never blamed the platform for poor ports. But the points I raise in this thread are why there are poor ports.

Too lazy to appreciate the PC..? I'm currently in the process of reading a 700 page computer tweaking guide.

Slightly off topic, but what guide are you reading?

[SirDucksallot]

I actually agree with you.Altho I cant find myself wanting to go back to console,PC is just way better for gaming imho,depsite its flaws.

[EscalatorBoy]

• Portability: I play on a gaming notebook that's less that half the size of your average console, and the screen is built in.
• It works with any controller I choose, give the right adaptors
• It works with the largest back catalogue of any platform, and if you count emulators, it can serve as any console up to the Wii, with various upgrades to visual quality, hardware horsepower and control.
• Price - while the hardware itself is more expensive, the games are far cheaper in the long run, and since I can play my back catalogue, I don't need to wait around for HD re-releases of classic games. I can just turn up the resolution.
• Even when the PC doesn't "just work" you can always turn down your settings, apply patches and mods to get things working right, and tailor your gaming to your own needs. 30fps not good enough? Well, lower your settings! This is a luxury option that consoles rarely have.
• The expanded variety of games available given the PC's flexibility make it ideal for both desk and couch use. You even have access to Android games if you run an app player, so mobile games that "would suck a lot less if only it had M+KB support" is no longer a concern!

[AstroBenny]

33 minutes ago, danhulud said:

Slightly off topic, but what guide are you reading?

It's the Windows tweaking Companion from a guy called Koroush Ghazi. He had a contract with Nvidia for providing game-tweaking guides and that's how I found his website.

He rarely produces specific game guides anymore due to the fact that they can be easily copied without credit but he is still making the Windows Tweaking companion guides, which are recommended by Nvidia on their website.

 

You can find his website here:

http://www.tweakguides.com/

 

It's only $4.50 for the deluxe edition which contains 687 pages of tweaking stuff. There is so much useful information in the guides he produces. It literally covers everything from software advice, drivers, maintenance, game optimization etc

He also has free guides on what all the graphical settings do in the Nvidia control panel etc.

The only problem is finding the time to read all of it!

He doesn't have a Windows 10 tweaking guide due to the OS being so similar to Windows 8.1 so he recommends using the Windows 8.1 tweaking guide for Windows 10.

You can find the Tweaking companion guides here:

http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html

Good luck!

 

[ThomasD]

I'd agree that PCs are not for everyone.

 

If your main desire is to play console type games then going with a PC is probably not a wise move.

 

If your interests extend beyond those games then maybe a PC is right for you.

 

If you want to get into heavily modding games, or playing games only available on PC, well then you probably need a PC.

[leelaa14]

Moved from console to pc. My pc is now a WII, PS2, PS1, GameCube and a monster pc that can handle all games pc games pretty much.

I use mouse and keyboard, xbox one controller, xbox 360 controller and steam controller.

I use a 144hz monitor, upgrading to 144hz gsync 1440p on Friday

I have a 15m hdmi cable running to the tv in the living room so I can also play games there and watch kodi.

I don't have to pay to play online.

Much of the old games are still very much alive.

The community has less screaming kids.

I get to access to thousands of free dlc (mods)

I tweak settings to my liking to give me the best experience rather than what the developer thinks I should play at.

I'm also getting a steam link for the tv upstairs.

 

For me, pc is by far the better platform, this decision comes after 20 years of console gaming.

[AstroBennyBoo]

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