The eternal Struggle between Pc's and Consoles

[san_pali]

Well, things are going somewhat good here , and i've been thinking of upgrading my rig.

My future rig should be something like

Mother ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=101&l3=300&model=1163&modelmenu=2
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
2GB (2 x 1GB stick) Kingston DDR2-667
and a Gforce 7600GT

and that only would costs me a little more than a 1000 bukos. Damn.

And the thing is, (and that where i need your wise and insightful comments) that i started to consider to buy a console and some games for that amount of money. A console.... *shudders*


So, what should i do?

Bear in mind that

*My last console was a Sega Genesis.
*I love Rpg's , Horror/Survival games ( a la shadowman/ Silent hill) and Strategy (Supreme Commander is finally coming and i'm considering a console... lol) .
*i would like (if possible) to use my current monitor instead of a tv.

[MrBored]

I made the move to the Xbox360 almost 2 months ago after being a pure PC enthusiast for almost 20 years. It was my first console, I had never owned one before. The experience has been somewhat eye opening. Microsoft has really released an amazing little machine. The games are varied and excellent and the upcoming releases look to be even better. The most surprising thing is that I have come to enjoy FPSes on the Xbox. The controller is very adept, even for a game like Rainbow Six Vegas. The games are designed with the controller in mind, so its not like plugging a controller into a PC and not being able to do a thing. The Xbox also allows for an optional VGA cable. It will plug into any monitor (widescreen is preferable as the odd game doesn't support 4:3 and you get black bands). The nice thing is that the cable doesn't convert the video signal, the Xbox outputs proper VGA signals, so the image is perfect. You really couldn't tell the difference between a PC output or Xbox (except the Xbox will probably look better).

Now, onto the games. Gears is amazing, its a must get. You'll see visuals you had only dreamed of and the first time you chainsaw through someone you will need to change your pants. There aren't really any next gen RPGs out yet, but Mass Effect is coming along with Bioshock (slightly RPGish, but fullfills your horror requirement) and Fable 2. Mass Effect being the most interesting imo. Bioware plus UE3 should be a match made in heaven.
Strategy games are slightly lacking due to the controller limitation, but C&C3 is coming and it might work well. Also, all the games support ingame Dolby Digital, which knocks the socks off EAX & D3D. All the sound is absolutely exceptional.

The major concern for me, if I was in your shoes, is the lifetime of the console or that PC you specced. The console will last a good 2 more years, if not more, whilst I would consider that PC already outdated.

Oh, I also forgot the Achievement system that comes with the Xbox, it extends the life of your games greatly. Xbox Live Arcade has some really fun titles and the Market place is a great place to get the latest videos and demos without having to click through 10 links of advertising to get what you want.

Also, you MUST get the Premium version, the core system is completely useless.

[san_pali]

Damn. That Vga output sound really what i was looking for... So, i would just take the monitor cord and plug in the console and 'voila!?

You know, each time i read the threads on the console section, everyone seems to have so much fun with the 360 that the idea of having a console again, after all this years, started to grow on me. ( and i'm specially looking at you DL. Microsoft should make some sort of a salesman :p)

But.... there's something that bothers me. And it's the strongest side of the 360. The online component.
I have a 512/128 ( D: ) ADSL connection, and, i'm guessing the ping times up to the USA Servers (because i don't think they have any Xbox Live Servers in Argentina) should be something above the 200 ms. (given my experience when i used to play UT2004 and counter strike)

Do you think it would work somewhat ok?

Also, you MUST get the Premium version, the core system is completely useless.
That goes without saying :cool:

[Roq]

I made the move to the Xbox360 almost 2 months ago after being a pure PC enthusiast for almost 20 years. It was my first console, I had never owned one before. The experience has been somewhat eye opening. Microsoft has really released an amazing little machine. The games are varied and excellent and the upcoming releases look to be even better. The most surprising thing is that I have come to enjoy FPSes on the Xbox. The controller is very adept, even for a game like Rainbow Six Vegas. The games are designed with the controller in mind, so its not like plugging a controller into a PC and not being able to do a thing. The Xbox also allows for an optional VGA cable. It will plug into any monitor (widescreen is preferable as the odd game doesn't support 4:3 and you get black bands). The nice thing is that the cable doesn't convert the video signal, the Xbox outputs proper VGA signals, so the image is perfect. You really couldn't tell the difference between a PC output or Xbox (except the Xbox will probably look better).

Now, onto the games. Gears is amazing, its a must get. You'll see visuals you had only dreamed of and the first time you chainsaw through someone you will need to change your pants. There aren't really any next gen RPGs out yet, but Mass Effect is coming along with Bioshock (slightly RPGish, but fullfills your horror requirement) and Fable 2. Mass Effect being the most interesting imo. Bioware plus UE3 should be a match made in heaven.
Strategy games are slightly lacking due to the controller limitation, but C&C3 is coming and it might work well. Also, all the games support ingame Dolby Digital, which knocks the socks off EAX & D3D. All the sound is absolutely exceptional.

The major concern for me, if I was in your shoes, is the lifetime of the console or that PC you specced. The console will last a good 2 more years, if not more, whilst I would consider that PC already outdated.

Oh, I also forgot the Achievement system that comes with the Xbox, it extends the life of your games greatly. Xbox Live Arcade has some really fun titles and the Market place is a great place to get the latest videos and demos without having to click through 10 links of advertising to get what you want.

Also, you MUST get the Premium version, the core system is completely useless.

dolby digital is a codec based on AC3, EAX is a way of adding reverb effects to different environments, they arent comparable like that

[Digital Limit]

But.... there's something that bothers me. And it's the strongest side of the 360. The online component.
I have a 512/128 ( D: ) ADSL connection, and, i'm guessing the ping times up to the USA Servers (because i don't think they have any Xbox Live Servers in Argentina) should be something above the 200 ms. (given my experience when i used to play UT2004 and counter strike)

Do you think it would work somewhat ok?


That goes without saying :cool:

You can always just snag one of those one month Xbox Live Gold free cards and a premium console and test out the connection for yourself. There are numerous multiplayer Xbox Live demos so you don't even have to worry about getting a game. Just pick those two things up, set up your system, and if it doesn't go as smoothly as you like you can simply take it back for a full refund. I forget if premium systems come with a free month of gold, so if not I can just send you one of my cards, assuming they aren't expired or anything.

Let me know if you're interested.

[MrBored]

dolby digital is a codec based on AC3, EAX is a way of adding reverb effects to different environments, they arent comparable like that

EAX also deals with positional audio and dolby also deals with enviroment effects.

@san_pali, I play from SA, which has terrible internet and for the most part its ok. My ISP shapes the gaming packets to a very low priority over http packets and the only game which is affected badly was TDU, Gears worked fine. I have a 384/128 line.

@DL, the premium does come with a free month.

[Digital Limit]

Then he's set.

Welcome to the world of Xbox 360, san_pali.

:)

[san_pali]

Then he's set.

Welcome to the world of Xbox 360, san_pali.

:)

Thanks guys . hope to see some of you online soon. :)

specially since i'm getting gears of war with the whole package!:D

[Fortune Hunter]

It looks like your mind is set, but I just want to add that I completely agree with Mr Bored, while only being a PC gamer for about 11 years, but I went to college and my old desktop was outdated, I needed a laptop with a battery life, and I didn't have the money to put into a desktop, so I eyed the 360... and MrBored is right, its really impressive. My long time mentality of the PC being greater than the coonsole is fading, I still like PC gaming, but the 360 is very good.

[tisl]

I used to get consoles for about a dozen and a half games a year, because that's the only stuff that appealed to me. It's simply a shift in the market. PC gaming has become a very small market, and I have a hard time finding anything to play. I just went to where the games are, and that's consoles.

[san_pali]

A little update guys, if everything goes ok today , i should have it before tonight. :)

i'll try to keep you informed, and/or keep bothering with questions

[Roq]

your always more hardcore if you play games on the pc

[Digital Limit]

YOU'RE

[JerraMaya]

PC gaming is doing bad nowadays . reasons are :

1: too many VGA cards keep on coming in limited time period too grab more cash from PC Gamers
( 7900GT , GTO , GTX , GS , 7950 GT , GX2 Series cards ) just think in how much time these cards were released , while before this there was only a Top of the line card then there was a Above average card and then and budget/limited gamer card like 6800Ultra , 6800GT and 6800 simple that's it

2. Second reason is limited game titles , company like Nvidia which has no competition now is more worried about releasing costly cards than helping game developers to make more/better games for PC gamers

3.Only 8800GTS is for 400bucks minimum in a PC and u will get to play 7-8 (worth playing Games) this year while console have a lot more game titles also console like Xbox360 is for 400 dollar or less and u can spend that much too play all the games in a little less graphics environment so who will not go for Xbox360 instead of a 8800 Series card which has 7-8 games under it

I still am a PC gamer but right now there is no game i have to play except Warhammer (Dark Crusade) in Multiplayer or Tiberian Sun which i am waiting for in strategy

GPUs must be under 250-300dollars (Top line) and PC games should be more in numbers and better only then we have any chance to compete with Console gaming industry , PC's better graphics and LAN gaming isnt an edge anymore against Console gaming

[Digital Limit]

PC gaming is dead. That is, until consoles become PCs.

[MrBored]

I disagree with the "PC better graphics" comment. The graphics on the Xbox are amazing, sure the 8800GTX probably can do better, but the only game thats going to take advantage of it is Crysis and that isn't even out yet.

At the moment nothing can touch the Xbox, whether its because all PC games are console ports, the hardware is better or people don't take advantage of the PC is irrelevant.

[xenophage]

I disagree with the "PC better graphics" comment. The graphics on the Xbox are amazing, sure the 8800GTX probably can do better, but the only game thats going to take advantage of it is Crysis and that isn't even out yet.

At the moment nothing can touch the Xbox, whether its because all PC games are console ports, the hardware is better or people don't take advantage of the PC is irrelevant.

360 whore :)

[MrBored]

Me? Never :D

[Roq]

I disagree with the "PC better graphics" comment. The graphics on the Xbox are amazing, sure the 8800GTX probably can do better, but the only game thats going to take advantage of it is Crysis and that isn't even out yet.

At the moment nothing can touch the Xbox, whether its because all PC games are console ports, the hardware is better or people don't take advantage of the PC is irrelevant.

you can always force settings on the pc to be better than a console. settings such as antialiasing, anisotropic filtering, mipmaps, and resolution. And you can tell since monitors are much higher quality even than HD TV's

[MrBored]

Except it won't be playable, and the Xbox works with monitors...

[SuperDavidGT]

At least with consoles you're guaranteed your system can handle the game. Unless you're trying to play PS3 games on a PS2, which wouldn't happen unless you went to school on the short bus.


I'm 100% certain it's time for a PC upgrade. Blame a combination of Crysis, Stalker, Bioshock, and the want to play 360 on a massive, widescreen monitor. The draft speccs are almost identical to San_Pali's, except with a 4600+ and an Asus 7950GT. Coming from a Sempron 2500+ and a 9550, I'd say it's quite the leap.



And while I'm here, which is better, RS Vegas on PC or on 360?

[Digital Limit]

I haven't played the PC version, so I can't comment.