Advice on game consols...

Carolus Rex · December 8, 2003, 06:00

I'm thinking about buying a game consol. Sony Playstation 2, X Box, Game Cube, any others out there?

Which should I go for? What's the difference between them (performance, available games, price etc)? For example, now there's one called PS2 The Next Generation, what's the difference between it and the original PS2?

When does the next generation of consols come out? Should I wait until then or is it still worthwhile to buy now?

Carolus

DrSpike · December 8, 2003, 06:49

You have a pc.......aren't you a bit old for Playstation?

Carolus Rex · December 8, 2003, 07:18

Heh, heh! Maybe...

You mean Game Consols are mostly for people enjoying FPS games, heavy on graphics? I tried Civ II some years ago on a consol (don't remember which one), it was a horrible experience!

Medal of Honour on the other hand...

Carolus

DaShi · December 8, 2003, 07:53

If Asher was here, he'd give you all these stats on why the X Box is the best. Since he's not, get a PS2 for the Final Fantasy games.

DrSpike · December 8, 2003, 10:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Carolus Rex
Heh, heh! Maybe...

You mean Game Consols are mostly for people enjoying FPS games, heavy on graphics? I tried Civ II some years ago on a consol (don't remember which one), it was a horrible experience!

Medal of Honour on the other hand...

Carolus

Well I prefer FPS on the PC, but of course to get the same sort of performance as a top console you need a killer machine.

Another point you might want to consider is that FPS towards the more strategic side of the genre appear more frequently on the PC.

MP is also better on the PC, though the gap is closing a little.

Consoles are usually quite cheap, and easy to use. Pricey games mostly though.

Overall I'd never give up PC gaming for console gaming, but that's just me.

child of Thor · December 8, 2003, 12:31

Well the Gamecube is kinda third place unless your mad on Mario

[Plus its not really being supported as much anymore]

That leaves PS or Xbox.

PS has LOADS of games, but most of the ones i've played I found quite easy to complete or offered a fairly shallow gaming experience IMHO.

Xbox has much less software, but the few killer titles it does have offer IMHO far more depth than on any other console. Its games look better too. My girlfriend loved playstation, untill i got the xbox and now with games like Morrowind, Knights of the Republic and Halo ; she said she couldn't imagine going back to PS - and she was a big FinalFantasy fan!

Both are great consoles - look for the best deal with the bundled software and the kinda games it comes with.

But you cant beat a good pc - you also can do other stuff with a pc if you fancy a break from gaming.
I got a clunky old PC for playing good strategy titles and classic games and an xbox for some playing some of the better newer releases.

Oh and i'm an 'old' gamer - the xbox is still fun

Carolus Rex · December 8, 2003, 13:06

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike

Well I prefer FPS on the PC, but of course to get the same sort of performance as a top console you need a killer machine.

Really, I thought PC's were lagging graphic-wise...

I take it you have a killer machine then, or is there something else explaining why you prefer FPS on the PC?

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike

Overall I'd never give up PC gaming for console gaming, but that's just me.

No, that's me too. Who said anything about giving up PC gaming? Do Leontief preferences ring a bell?

Carolus

Carolus Rex · December 8, 2003, 13:11

Quote:

Originally posted by child of Thor

Both are great consoles - look for the best deal with the bundled software and the kinda games it comes with.

Ok, thanks! So far it looks like Gamecube is out and that it's a toss-up between X Box and PS2...

Oh, and hold on to that girlfriend! The kind who is into gaming is a rare species indeed...

Carolus

asleepathewheel · December 8, 2003, 14:32

I have both a PS2 and a Gamecube. both I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of,but lately I've been playing the Gamecube more. Recently got Mario Kart-a blast, and have the gameboy player expansion, so have been playing a lot of gameboy games (I find the side scroller simplicity to be more enjoyable than 3d games, ie love metroid fusion)

the playstation has atrocious load times, drives me crazy waiting to load games. Mostly PS2 I play FF games and sports games.

Right now in the states they are really cutting prices on the Cube and the ps2 is cheap as well, you might be able to pick up both for less than the original ps2 price.

DrSpike · December 8, 2003, 14:33

Quote:

Originally posted by child of Thor
Oh and i'm an 'old' gamer - the xbox is still fun

Shouldn't both you and Carolus be playing with your abacus, muttering something under your breath about damn computers?

asleepathewheel · December 8, 2003, 14:42

Oh, regarding that new ps2 (PSTwo IIRC). I don't think it has improved on any aspect of the actual game console, I think they just threw in stuff to make it more of a multimedia center, not sure what, and jacked the price way up., maybe its a smaller box or something.

child of Thor · December 9, 2003, 08:12

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
Shouldn't both you and Carolus be playing with your abacus, muttering something under your breath about damn computers?

How did you know i used an abacus at school? It sadly wasnt very good at side scrolling games, but then the ZX81 was only slighty better at it

My big dislike about consoles is that it a pure consumer product - it doesnt encourage creativity like a computer(of any sort) does. Still its the cost that makes them so appealing(the reason i got one, and to see if they were really that much better than the old Atari 2600!).
I'm very happy with my xbox - its got some complex games(Championship Manager/Morrowind and a few others), that offer a little more than the other console platforms i've played a couple of times. Ok so its Microsuft, but then most stuff people do on their PC is as well, and it provides Sony with some much needed competition.

Carolus, just cause i like the xbox doesn't mean its the one for you - go look at your local software outlets and see the kind of games it stocks for both the xbox and PS, i find there are very few if any that appeal to me in the PS section. In the xbox section there are a couple that take my interest from time to time. So thats what helped me decide. I figure i may buy two console titles a year - on the PC its usually twice that.

Traianvs · December 9, 2003, 08:49

don't buy a console

Carolus Rex · December 9, 2003, 10:48

Hm... Care to elaborate on why?

Carolus

Carolus Rex · December 9, 2003, 10:57

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike

Shouldn't both you and Carolus be playing with your abacus, muttering something under your breath about damn computers?

Aye, on a good day that is! Mostly, however, the old run-the-walking-stick-through-the-monitor solution will have to do...

Hm... Not a surging interest in consols judging from the small number of replies... A sign as good as any advice?

Carolus

DrSpike · December 9, 2003, 11:01

Not really.......does sample selection problem mean anything to you?

lord of the mark · December 9, 2003, 11:42

Quote:

Originally posted by child of Thor
But you cant beat a good pc - you also can do other stuff with a pc if you fancy a break from gaming.
I got a clunky old PC for playing good strategy titles and classic games and an xbox for some playing some of the better newer releases.

well yeah, its hard to make sense of the Console vs PC decision out of context of what you own, do etc.

I think its a pretty rare household that should buy a console before the first PC, given the other important uses for the PC. The usual assumption of PC vs console debates is a console vs a new or upgraded PC, with the assumption that the existing PC is adequate for non-gaming purposes. Which then gets into long debated over replacement cycles, game costs, hardware upgrades, etc. But leaves out the total household piciture i think. People need new PC's for non-gaming reasons - to run new non-game software, because of actual hardware problems, or because the household needs a larger number of PC's. Which changes the whole replacement cycle economics. Theres also the question of how many tv sets you have in your house - the assumption is often made that theres at least one set per person. Some of us watch little TV and have far fewer sets (one in my household of 3) - if one set was taken up gaming that would be an ISSUE, and so buying a console would likely mean buying an additional TV as well.

So we cant help you unless you tell us how many people you live with, how many PC's there are in your household, etc.

child of Thor · December 9, 2003, 11:45

Well you could look at it this way - if by spending £200 approx, you can upgrade your pc to play all the new graphically heavy FPS type games, then maybe you dont need a console. I got one cause i was curious and doing a bit of modern game research. I could very happily live without my xbox - but not my pc and if i was forcd to make the choice the console would go.

If on the other hand you really want a console you have two good choices(three on an outside chance) IMHO.

Better still spend that money on something to keep you fit - like a rowing machine or something. Computers are bad and make us weak

Carolus Rex · December 9, 2003, 12:45

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
Not really.......does sample selection problem mean anything to you?

Touché!

Carolus

DrSpike · December 9, 2003, 12:47

£200 is a little light............my Radeon 9800 Pro cost £230 by itself.

Carolus Rex · December 9, 2003, 13:01

Quote:

Originally posted by lord of the mark
So we cant help you unless you tell us how many people you live with, how many PC's there are in your household, etc.

Well, let me put it this way. I was under the (false?) impression that PC's were lagging in graphics compared to game consols. Normally I play strategy games, but Medal of Honour opened my eyes to FPSs (i. e. it was one of the first FPSs I really enjoyed).

Since I played that one on the PC (and really liked the game) I figured there are more FPSs out there worth playing, and that they're probably best played on a game consol. Maybe this is wrong...

I have one desktop and one laptop. Both are old, but I can play MOHAA and Deux Ex on the desktop. It really isn't a choice between a new desktop or a game consol; I just thought graphics were better on the consol. The idea is to play strategy games on the desktop and FPSs on the game consol.

I don't have a TV yet, but I'll start a new thread on which to buy once I've decided on the consol...

Carolus

Carolus Rex · December 9, 2003, 13:05

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
£200 is a little light............my Radeon 9800 Pro cost £230 by itself.

That's like, what, the graphics' card?

Carolus

DrSpike · December 9, 2003, 13:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Carolus Rex

Well, let me put it this way. I was under the (false?) impression that PC's were lagging in graphics compared to game consols. Normally I play strategy games, but Medal of Honour opened my eyes to FPSs (i. e. it was one of the first FPSs I really enjoyed).

Since I played that one on the PC (and really liked the game) I figured there are more FPSs out there worth playing, and that they're probably best played on a game consol. Maybe this is wrong...
Carolus

As I said earlier, the main benefit of the console is it wont cost you much to get one. Certainly the Xbox uses its hardware more efficiently than a PC. However, you can upgrade your machine to match/beat the performance of the Xbox, but it wont cost you £200.

DrSpike · December 9, 2003, 13:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Carolus Rex

That's like, what, the graphics' card?

Carolus

Yup.

Also another point is that there is a wider range of FPS games for the PC. If you were into the more tactical shooters which are very popular these days the PC would probably be best.

MrBaggins · December 12, 2003, 08:26

Absolutely... nothing on the Xbox comes close to approaching the graphical yumminess of Max Payne 2 with all options enabled.

PC's are absolutely the way to go playing FPS' anyway. No experienced FPS player I know would be caught dead playing MP at TV resolution, no matter how smooth or antialiased it was.

Hi-res monitors, top end gfx cards, plus really good FPS controllers make PC's the platform of choice for FPS'

MrBaggins · December 12, 2003, 08:30

Oh, and, BTW... another reason to buy a PS2... the Gran Turismo series. GT4 is out soon. GT3 A-spec is fabulous already, for what its worth, and reason enough to buy a PS2 on the strength of that alone.

Maquiladora · December 12, 2003, 15:14

Sega Saturn

Zero · December 13, 2003, 16:23

PCs suck. Try playing fighting games on PC.

IMO if ur a heavy fighting game/sports/platform gamer u should stick to console. but if you like RTS or FPS, PC is better for ya.

Quote:

MP is also better on the PC, though the gap is closing a little.

True. Internet connection is a big advantage and console has been slow to catch up, but PC MP games can make you into such antisocial losers (unless you play LAN party). Not alot of PC games allow you to play MP in one machine. I hate that.

Maquiladora · December 13, 2003, 17:16

Which was the first online multiplayer console?

Consoles are also better for shootemups, i cant even recall an original scrolling shootemup on PC.

I have the Japanese version of Civilization 2 (called just Civilization) for Sega Saturn, very confusing and made 10 times worse using a joypad.

Space05us · December 13, 2003, 20:13

Gamecube = Crap. Nintendo died when they came out with N64

PS2 = Good, lots of games to choose from, including tons of cheap ones. It also doubles as a DVD/CD player.

X-box = Great, but expensive in comparison to the PS2. Not a lot of games to choose from and they're all expensive, even the crappy ones.