Argue like its the 90s! PC Gaming vs Console Gaming

[BlueBMW]

I grew up a PC gamer.  At around age 6 I started playing video games.  I first played games on an Atari 800/810 and a 386 DOS PC.  I did not get a regular Nintendo until around 1992 and a Super Nintendo and Genesis until around 1994.  So basically I grew up playing PC games, and have always like PC gaming a bit better than console gaming.

Some reasons why I like PC gaming better than console gaming:

1. Graphics:  PC games always seemed to have sharper, more detailed graphics than most of their contemporary consoles
2. Sound: Give me a Sound Blaster 16 or give me death!
3. Controls: I personally thing the Mouse Keyboard input is the best out there!  FPS with a controller?  
4. Strategy games: PCs seem to be king of strategy games like Civilization and Heroes of Might and Magic.  Console versions of such games just dont stack up

So what do you guys think?

Edit:
I should point that I do love console games too, so dont take this post the wrong way 

[HercTNT]

Graphics i'm divided on. some classic 16 bit games looked amazing compared to comparable games on the pc. Overall though the pc had the edge.
Sound once again i'm divided on. it depends on the time frame. Some early 90's pc games had pretty good sound, alot of them had basic sound. It was not until SB became the standard that everything improved.
Mouse and keyboard rule for every fps on the planet. gamepad rules for most platformers, its a toss up.
Pc hands down destroys any console for strategy games.

I was into classic and pc gaming at the same time so i got the best of both worlds overall.

[Tatsujin]

arcades and consoles, nothing else

PC = WC

[VestCunt]

PC gaming IS better, which is exactly why I prefer consoles. I had some brief bouts of PC gaming in the Nineties and it wasn't good: I pulled all-nighters playing Civilization, weeks of my life evaporated playing Might and Magic III and multi-player Quake, and, when I played my first online game (Graal), I logged forty hours a week for two months until I almost lost my job.

So, yeah - I've learned to stick to consoles, and old ones at that.

[BlueBMW]

I suppose I am biased as Strategy games are probably my favorite genre.

[HercTNT]

Not many people know of graal. i liked it better when everything looked like the zelda characters. its to bad he had to change it.

[VestCunt]

Haven't checked it out in a long time. I played it Winter '99-00.

[BlueBMW]

PC gaming IS better, which is exactly why I prefer consoles. I had some brief bouts of PC gaming in the Nineties and it wasn't good: I pulled all-nighters playing Civilization, weeks of my life evaporated playing Might and Magic III and multi-player Quake, and, when I played my first online game (Graal), I logged forty hours a week for two months until I almost lost my job.

So, yeah - I've learned to stick to consoles, and old ones at that.

Hahaha!

I know when I was in elementary school, I didn't have to get to school til almost 9am.  I'd wake up around 6 and play Civ for a few hours before school each day.

[HercTNT]

I suppose I am biased as Strategy games are probably my favorite genre.

nothing wrong with the, pc's shined with strategies.

Haven't checked it out in a long time. I played it Winter '99-00.

its still around, but looks nothing like the original

[CGQuarterly]

Much like Herc, I played both.  In the 90's, I had a NES, Genesis, and a 386 DOS machine.  Once VGA and SVGA became standard, top-tier PC games definitely had the edge graphics-wise over console games.  But one thing to remember is that here in the states we were playing our consoles on TVs using RF or composite.  A lot of my old games look much better now that I can see their full detail in RGB.

Sound-wise, again I'd give the edge to the PC.  I had, and still have, a Gravis Ultrasound.  This allowed me to play games like X-Wing using sound blaster emulation for sound effects, while simultaneously using Roland emulation for music.

As far as gameplay is concerned, it just totally depended on what kind of games you liked.  This is the reason that I can't say that one is better than the other.  The PC was AWESOME for simulation games, strategy games, FPSes, adventure games, and American-style RPGs.  To me, consoles were better for platformers, action games (like beat em ups and shooters), arcade ports, Japanese RPGs, etc. 

So my point is, how can any gamer live without both?

Chris

[HercTNT]

yea pretty much, and i will give you my address to send that gravis to me 

[BlueBMW]

yea pretty much, and i will give you my address to send that gravis to me 

No I want it! 

On the note of computer game music, I've been doing some recording.  The SB16 definitely wins out over the Rolands for this game.  Plus with SB you get digitized effects which are lost when using either Roland sound module

[HercTNT]

sound blaster did not make truly great sound until the awe32. What made SB so good was its industry standard compatability that was sorely needed in dos games. Its not that SB sound was bad, it wasn't, jut not great. Digital on the SB was pretty good, but MIDI was terrible.  That gravis on the other hand was light years beyond most other cards with the exception of commercial grade stuff.

(we don't need another midi is not actually sound, interface, bla bla bla whatever. other threads have been derailed by this. "midi sound" is what the industry referred to it as, and thats how people know how to refer to it.)

[Tatsujin]

I was the 100% arcade guy, so a PC was the absolute no-go for me. period

i rather still had an amiga and c64 around me than a pc.

no offense here

sure played some stuff on my friends pcs, but it could never appeal to me. my best memories still going to alley cat and captain cosmic..lol.. and some larry and indy jones stuff.

[BlueBMW]

I know for a long time we had this Ensoniq Soundscape card, which was supposed to be fantastic but had some bad compatibiliy issues, so it got dumped in favor of a SB16/AWE32.

Gravis Ultrasound is something I've heard and would love to get someday!

Lol tats   I'd lump C64 and Amigas in with PC gaming... they're personal computers are they not?

[HercTNT]

I don't blame you, the amiga and commodore were worthy platforms. i had a commie at the same time as my consoles and pc's. Never owned and amiga though, wish i did.

[CGQuarterly]

Hey Blue,

I own the Gravis Ultrasound Archive (http://www.gravisultrasound.com/), and occasionally I get emails from people trying to sell me their old GUSes.  I'll let you know the next time I get an opportunity to get another one.

Chris

[Lilgrafx]

I've always grown up with consoles and the only PC games I ever really played were Civilization and StarCraft. PC games are definetly and unexplored frontier, but from the outside looking in I feel like PC games lack the charm consoles do. 

[HercTNT]

well, in a way your correct, but you really can't compare then. I can see were your coming form though. you really should try out alot of the classic pc games, there are so many worth playing.

[PCEngineHell]

I had two Gravis Ultrasounds, the PnP ones that were co-produced with AMD. Sold them both. To be honest the cards don't hold their own with the AWE. Unless you are really determined you may not get the Soundblaster support going very easily, and most mid 90's Dos titles that support the Ultrasound support the AWE anyway. You can get the midi music stuff going in Star Wars X-Wing, etc using the AWE also rather easily.

As far as having to choose between the two, I'd rather not. I cant imagine just sticking solely to pc gaming, or solely to consoles. I think they complement each other rather well. I am a die hard when it comes to pc gaming though, I admit. I collect pc hardware and games both. I have somewhere between 30-40 graphics cards, and the same amount in soundcards also, both ISA and pci, and I have quite a large collection of AMD stuff.

I'm not going to list what all I play on pc, but I do have pics of the games I keep in my bedroom for easy access:







Link to a high res pic of the jewel case stuff so you can see individual titles:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a66/Amakusa666/customs/DSCN5644.jpg

[HercTNT]

i'm an amd whore for good reason. just love the quality of there stuff for a reasonable price. at risk of sounding like a kiss ass though, i'm completely on par with professor on pc gaming. I thought i knew alot, and he has already taught me quite abit more than i ever knew. classic pc gaming is great, but its apples and oranges to consoles. you really need both.

[turbokon]

Console games for me. PC games I've only played was oregon trail and number muncher on the Mac.

[CrackTiger]

I never got a computer until around 1999. I got to try computer games now and then and PC was good for a few specific genres like King's Quest games and various sim games. But console/arcade style games are in a completely different class and a much better one for my tastes. A huge part of it is that Japanese developers were pushing arcade/console games. I'm also a fan of the kinds of 2D games designed around gamepads. I don't like 3D gameplay and overly complex RPGs. My favorite genre is JRPGs like early Final Fantasy/Phantady Star games.

I appreciate the art of games so much more than tech specs and would rather have an NES and SMS with their libraries than the most powerful computer in the world and every PC/Mac game ever.

I keep planning to get Steam and play through so many computer games I can't run on current PC's, but console games will always be my favorite.

[kazekirifx]

Sega Genesis is way better than Super Nintendo. Mortal Kombat has the blood code.

[HercTNT]

kaze, the console fanboy thread is in another......well.........thread. this is the pc vs console thread. not the "i will only play this console and not another cause i have no clue thread"

[PCEngineHell]

I never got a computer until around 1999. I got to try computer games now and then and PC was good for a few specific genres like King's Quest games and various sim games. But console/arcade style games are in a completely different class and a much better one for my tastes. A huge part of it is that Japanese developers were pushing arcade/console games. I'm also a fan of the kinds of 2D games designed around gamepads. I don't like 3D gameplay and overly complex RPGs. My favorite genre is JRPGs like early Final Fantasy/Phantady Star games.

I appreciate the art of games so much more than tech specs and would rather have an NES and SMS with their libraries than the most powerful computer in the world and every PC/Mac game ever.

I keep planning to get Steam and play through so many computer games I can't run on current PC's, but console games will always be my favorite.

The mid-90s on up actually became a decent time period for pc gaming if you like arcade ports. Many arcade games started being released for pc at very high quality. This includes Daytona USA, T-Mek, Primal Rage, Sega Touring Car, Sega Rally, Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 1 and 2, In the Hunt, Darius Gaiden, Samurai Showdown 2, Fatal Fury 3, Mortal Kombat 1 through 4, War Gods, Bio Freaks, Hydro Thunder, Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, X-Men COTA, SF Alpha 1 and 2, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Bust a Move/Puzzle Bobble series, RayStorm and Raycrisis, Area 51, WWF Arcade Game, NBA Jams, House of the Dead 2, Guilty Gear titles, etc. In Korea Mega Enterprise also ported over many NeoGeo titles to pc which can be purchased online easy.

Many console titles also made it over with superior products on the PC, like Resident Evil 1-3, Re-Loaded, Rayman, Panzer Dragoon, Hundred Swords, Grandia II, Destruction Derby, Wipeout XL, Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2, Silent Hill 2 on up, etc. It just keeps getting better and better for pc as the years have gone by. Now most multi-platform titles released are far superior on pc hands down, and you can use 360 gamepads for most of them too if you need that controller fix.

[BlueBMW]

This is great guys   Im getting nostalgic of having these sort of discussions with friends back in the day!

[PCEngineHell]

Sega Genesis is way better than Super Nintendo. Mortal Kombat has the blood code.

[SignOfZeta]

Personally, I was always more of an arcade person until arcades died.

When PC gaming meant stuff like Deja Vu and Fairy Tale Adventure and Pool of Radiance I was somewhat into them. When 3D and Windows 95 came about and it became more about stuff like Decent and Doom I lost interest. Everything was brown and ugly and depressing. To me video game=Japanese made so I wanted to play Mario and Street Fighter and Final Fantasy and stuff like that and PCs just didn't have it. Once PC gaming lost its quirkiness in the mid-90s I became even less interested.

Now PC gaming basically means casual shit for grandmas, World or Warcraft, and games where you kill arabs. While all sorts of cool stuff does exist on the fringes of the PC scene, the focus is on some of the worst shit ever made. We went from, say, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, where the game seemed limitless, to farming shit and popping off dune 'coons with M16s. Its...really sad.

However, to be honest, I'm not that into the current gen of console gaming either so...I'm not sure where I stand on any of this. Overall my favorite games are consoles and arcade boards from 1989-1997. Late 8-bit through the early 32-bit 2D stuff.

[PCEngineHell]

I'm not sure where I stand on any of this.

Basically you stand uninformed, and thats fine and all, but you are making it out to be stereotypical based upon a small fraction oif what goes on in pc gaming. A few FPS and facebook games don't define pc gaming. There are tons of RPGs, action titles, RTS, arcade and racing sim titles on Pc, none of which are for casual gamers who only get their fix on PopCap games or Farmville, and non of which are "on the fringe".

[HercTNT]

amen brother. the number of quality pc games at the time are mind numbing. were the hell you get games about killing arabs is beyond me. the whole conspiricay theory, screw the man point of view is getting old. play some good games and enjoy them. if your that angry about so much, how the hell do you even wake up in the morning?

[BlueBMW]

I'll agree that about 1990 to 1995 was a real golden era for PC games... though there were some greats between 95 and 2000 too.  (Civilization 2 and Heroes of Might and Magic 2 and 3, I'm looking at you!)

[SignOfZeta]

So Call of Duty must have just been a dream I had once. Sorry.

But seriously, I did used to work at an EB. It was quiet a few years ago, but had a pretty good idea what mainstream PC gaming was because I was selling the shit every day. People come in and say, "I want the game where you can kill Saddam Husain", or "When is the newest Grand Theft Auto coming to Windows?". Those exact words over and over and over again. It was extremely rare for me to sell anything other than The Sims or some sort of bullshit fps war game. Occasionally you'd get the historical sim or flight sim people, but those guys were pretty rare.

I admit that I am uninformed about PC gaming, sure, but I do remember when games like Quarterstaff and Wing Commander and Battle Chess and such were the biggest sellers. Those days are long gone, that was my entire point.

[HercTNT]

well you got me on call of duty, but most games like it, allowed you to play as the arabs or anyone else for that matter. Hense battlefield 2 and three. they were not designed to hate just one country. if you play the multiplayer aspect of said games, you would know that. in battlefield 2, the mec weapons are some of the best in the game. i have been playing bf2 everyweekend for 6 years on lan, and i can tell you, games like it are not a propaganda tool against the arabs, no matter how much you want them to be.

[PCEngineHell]

COD has more going on then "killing arabs". For that matter, which COD would you even be referring to anyway? There is more then one, and most of them have to do with before the Gulf War period on up. Many are based around World War 2 and Black Ops was dedicated to the Cold War. The Modern Warfare titles involve more then just Americans and "arabs" as you put it. I honestly don't consider pc gamers as the people who shopped at EB games in the early 2000s. Thats when I jumped in on pc gaming, and when EB was still around pc gamers didn't really shop there much, and the pc game selection was relegated to a few small racks. During the 90s EB did actually cater to Pc gamers though quite well, I remember their huge game selections and them selling pc hardware, but they catered to all the consoles about too and felt more like a specialty store for gamers and less like the game section at a Wal- Mart.

After 2000 it was more for casual people who just bought whatever, or people who did not have access to online shops, Newegg, Best Buy, Comp USA, or Circuit City. EB games stopped being a "legit" game store for real gamers around the time the Dreamcast experienced its demise anyway. The Gamestop buyout was just the nail in the coffin for them.

[SignOfZeta]

Best selling games of 2011 according to Amazon:

Physical (platforms are combined, but collector's editions are not included)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Just Dance 3
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Battlefield 3
Batman: Arkham City
Madden NFL 12
Portal 2
Just Dance 2
Gears of War 3
FIFA Soccer 12

Digital
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Battlefield 3
The Sims 3
Battlefield Bad Company 2
Sid Meir's Civilization V
Dead Island
Total War: Shogun 2
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
Crysis 2
Dragon Age 2"


Again, I'm not saying that cool stuff isn't out there, I'm just saying that it doesn't exactly top the charts.

An analog: in 1987 Iron Maiden was widely known in the US with number one singles and such. They still exist, sure, and they still kick ass (I just saw them in concert a few weeks ago) but most of today's 16 year old kids might recognize the name, and that's about it.

The people who actually buy PC games are, for the most part, not buying Cave Story or I Want to Be the Guy, or whatever the cool stuff is.

[BlueBMW]

Wow! I own ONE of those games.  Civ 5 hehe.  Technically I also own MW3 but on PS3... which is mega fail IMO.

[PCEngineHell]

The people who actually buy PC games are, for the most part, not buying Cave Story or I Want to Be the Guy, or whatever the cool stuff is.

The actual pc gamers out there are not all buying Cave Story or I want to be the Guy because they are not compelling pc games. Most people who game on Pc like to invest their time in games that satisfy both visually and story wise and last longer then a few hours. They want to become submersed in whats going on. No ones going to waste time buying a triple or quad core pc with a decent graphics card, steering wheel, flight stick, etc just to solely play freeware or digital purchase throw backs to the 8 and 16-bit periods. That would be retarded. Its nice that they are there, to be extras to compliment things, but that in no way defines "cool" pc gaming, unless you're a hipster or something maybe.

[HercTNT]

Zeta, your examples do not explain your killing arabs theory. plenty of high quality games have come out that have nothing to do with your bizzare fight "the man" theories. this whole thread is about early pc games vs console games of the same period. if your past the 90's, and you are, then you have missed the point, or are making a statement irreleveant to the original thread. not every thread is this forum is based on a conspirecy theory.  play some games, have some fun, then make an intelligent statement based on said games. if you can't then your in the wrong thread. not everything has to do with zionist, anti isrealii, screw the man, corrupt establishment, who gives a f*ck mentality.

[PCEngineHell]

Zeta, your examples do not explain your killing arabs theory. plenty of high quality games have come out that have nothing to do with your bizzare fight "the man" theories. this whole thread is about early pc games vs console games of the same period. if your past the 90's, and you are, then you have missed the point, or are making a statement irreleveant to the original thread. not every thread is this forum is based on a conspirecy theory.  play some games, have some fun, then make an intelligent statement based on said games. if you can't then your in the wrong thread. not everything has to do with zionist, anti isrealii, screw the man, corrupt establishment, who gives a f*ck mentality.

That too, he is ignoring the fact that you are referring to the 90s and classic gaming and that is what the thread is about. His sole focus seems to be on modern gaming, and even on that he is wrong anyway.

[HercTNT]

his sole focus is on anything that involves a conspiracy theory. if you told him you were M&M's he would tell you that it was designed by "the man" to hold down the minorities while the zionist, isreali butt kissers were holding hollywood hostage and making proganda films. i have no idea why he can't just take a breather and enjoy games, and consoles for what they are. not everything is a front against "the man"

[CGQuarterly]

Maybe I'm confused.  Are we talking about consoles vs. PC *now*, or back in the 90's? 

Chris

[HercTNT]

what is the matter with people that they can't read the op's thread. the op is referring to a 386 and soundblaster audio, if you don't know what that is, look it up before you comment. if you can't, dont comment. its not against you, its against people in general. if you want to be part of a topic, know what your talking about, if you dont', read and learn before you do

[PCEngineHell]

Maybe I'm confused.  Are we talking about consoles vs. PC *now*, or back in the 90's? 

Chris

It was aimed at talking about the stuff from the 90's. Zeta took it off topic when he decided to shift gears and focus on "modern gaming" and "arabs".

[Arkhan Asylum]

When I was gaming in the 90s, I just played games.

Maybe it's because I was < 12 years old the entire time...

but all I cared about was playing games.  There were days I'd sit and play Sega Genesis til I couldn't see straight...

and then the next day I'd be sitting on the computer playing Ultima VII or some fuckin goony freeware game

or that fucking game "Sapiens".

That game was weird as fuck.


I was never partial to anything, except for the Turbo Grafx.    It's always been my "goto" system when I feel like playing stuff.  I pick it above everything.

[Deletion]

In the 90s, I played both equally. I loved the Genesis for the Madden, NHL and Streets of Rage games, still played the NES for Baseball Stars and Crystalis, and spent hours on Command & Conquer, Dune 2, SimCity 2000, Theme Hospital, and Warcraft 2 on the PC.

[HercTNT]

thus cementing the point that quality gamers had a mix of all that was available and did not suffer from fanboyism.

[BlueBMW]

I should have been more clear that I was referring to pc gaming in the classic sense.

On the point that zeta is making... I think it boils down to a real degradation of the quality of gaming that is on offer nowadays.  Sure there are some new games that blow us away, but for every one of those titles there are dozens of crapware and shovelware titles to go with them.

Nowadays I seem to play a mix of classic pc and classic console games, but I know as  kid i definitely gravitated towards pc games.

All good points folks!

[CGQuarterly]

I think it boils down to a real degradation of the quality of gaming that is on offer nowadays.

Yup.  Not that there wasn't a fair share of shovelware back in the day, but it's getting increasingly difficult for me to get excited about new game releases these days.

Chris

[BlueBMW]

The only new game Im excited for right now is the new Xcom game by Firaxis.  Im only interested because its supposed to retain the feel of the original Xcom Ufo Defense.  Hopefully they wont disappoint!