PC gamers beat XBox gamers

[lazarus]

http://gizmodo.com/5593116/were-pc-gamers-too-good-for-microsofts-cross+platform-gaming-project
So, Microsoft decided to try bringing PC gamers and XBox gamers together online. The results were fairly predictable.

I've heard from reliable sources that during the development they brought together the best console gamers to play mediocre PC gamers at the same game... and guess what happened? They pitted console gamers with their "console" controller, against PC gamers with their keyboard and mouse.

The console players got destroyed every time. So much so that it would be embarrassing to the XBOX team in general had Microsoft launched this initiative.

I got into this debate on the night of the God of War III launch at my favourite Gamestop, and those of us who play (or used to, in my case) FPS on a PC were sure we'd smoke anyone using a console. Vindication is mine!

[Ignis]

1. This was the case with Shadowrun, too.

PC gamers can stop and spin on a dime, and have the ability to keep fingers on all the necessary keys at the same time.

Besides which, targeting with a mouse >>> targeting with the XBOX controller.

[realisticphish]

2. right

using a console is kind of like flying a plane at times (i even have my y-axis inverted)

[lazarus]

3. full confession

I can't even play a FPS with a console. I've tried, but my right thumb just doesn't work right or something. Action games, no problem.

I also hate turn-based combat, so I'm kind of limited in my games. :(

[realisticphish]

5. i'm ok

i love call of duty (at least the WWII ones), but i usually can't compete well on expert. hard, I can usually do ok.

but the modern FPS games are boring

[semillama]

17. I actually have the opposite problem with FPS

I just can't play them with a mouse - much prefer a controller.

[YOY]

4. Only real bonus to console games is better graphics at cheaper price and PNP.

Yet to see a PC to console port that wasn't "dumbed down".

Not that console gamers are dumb...no. I think there are a bunch of younger gamers there though with shorter attention spans.

[Ignis]

6. Personally, when it comes to casual gaming, PNP is a big selling point.

I don't mind fussing with driver updates before playing a really nerdy, graphics-intensive PC game.

But when I have friends over? I just want to put the disk in the appliance and have it work. :D

[YOY]

7. Although bug fixes are a bear. Means the QAs gotta do their job and well.

None-the-less, I do not see complex games (yes...I supposed that includes turn based and RTS primarily) on the platforms. Most "time assassins" on platforms are the JRPGs or the multiplayer shooters.

Sad to say most strictly or primarily platform games are not worth the money to me. They simply do not have the playtime...and part of me loves complex games...just not the overgrindy types.

Now something like Civ, Company of Heroes, or the Total War series (not to mention the occasional good MMORPG)...drool...must avoid angering the missus...

[realisticphish]

8. Oh, I'm a BIG Civ nerd

I can play endlessly. I was a big SimCity fan too, and I'm kind of pissed that the franchise has basically died. Now they focus on The Sims, which was fine for a while, but got boring and repetitive for me.

Not to mention that since they stopped using Aspyr to port their mac versions, EA has basically told mac users to go fuck themselves. They do ZERO support for macs... reading the ea sims forum is depressing. People who email about bugs are repeatedly told to download some exe patch, or open the start menu, etc. I would rather get a fairly competently ported game 6 months late then a shitty, unsupported port on the PC release date.

I also miss Warcraft. I dislike WOW, and it sucks that the RTS warcraft has stopped progressing.

[lazarus]

9. I'm a Civ2 nerd

I tried Civ3, hated it, and went back to Civ2. I only play the One City Challenge. You get only one city, on Deity mode.

I used to win all the time, but then I took a computer break for a year or two, and now I'm barely losing. Every time, by a year or two.

I used to play Starcraft and other RTS games (Total Annihilation was my all time favourite), but I don't know if my laptop's graphics can do it.

[realisticphish]

10. Civ IV is brilliant

the religions and great people add a lot, as well as corporations if you get Beyond the Sword. Honestly, Civ IV with expansions is the best one so far, IMHO.

I'm kind of disappointed in some parts of V; the hex thing is fine, but I'm not sure how I feel about not allowing stacking. It'll be interesting to try it out. I also heard they're cutting religions, which is disappointing again.

I admit, I kind of RP with Civ, and V may make it harder to do

[lazarus]

11. "RP"?

Back before I went to One City, my strategy in Civ2 was simply to churn out the money and buy cities. I'd provoke them into dropping out of Democracy, then send in the spies.

I think my favourite thing about One City is that it's relatively short. I get bored with fiddling with each city, balancing trade and science and stuff. One City, you have to focus like a laser on every turn, but it can be done in just a few hours.

[realisticphish]

14. rp

role play

I had the exact same strategy as you in Civ2 lol

[YOY]

12. Ever try Colonization?

So glad they made a mod for Civ IV for it. GREAT GAME.

[lazarus]

13. oh yes, that was a neat game

I enjoyed that a lot.

[YOY]

15. I wish Empire Total War and Medieval II had something like it inbetween them.

Cuz that would be teh funness!

[lazarus]

16. I really wanted to like the Total War games

but never could get the hang of controlling my armies, so it turned into a very basic Civ game, which is boring. I tried tutorials, FAQs, everything, and never could control my army well.

[YOY]

18. That's why it's got a pause.

Pause...organize and place. Unpause. Contact...pause. Plan counter reaction. Unpause. repeat as needed.

[lazarus]

19. hmmm.....

I may have to pull out Shogun and try it again, then. Thanks.

[YOY]

20. The pause is always the space bar in the TW series.

It's the biggest button because its meant to be used often.

Formation, maneuvering and use of the land are everything.

[lazarus]

21. why did nobody ever tell me this before?

I'll definitely pull it out now.

[YOY]

22. Because nobody likes to admit it but it's a turn based game that you decide length of the turns.

Sometimes just stopping it every now and then you notice things like...OH SNAP...they're flanking me with stealth troops or they're screening the archers with their swordsmen, better reaim for the archers with my own.

Shogun has a simple formula. Spear beats horse. Sword beats spear. Horse beats sword. (Archers beat everyone until they get close.)

Medieval and Rome take it further by making different types of spear/sword/horse/archer/seige.

Napoleon and Empire turn it on it's head by making it all about missile and less about melee. Suddenly your heaviest horsemen ain't the tanks of the battlefield. Sure they may have a powerful charge...but charging a group of bayoneted musketeers is the equivalent of charging a bunch of spear-men.

EVERYONE is a spear-man with bayonets. And cannons...nothing like cannister shot...a giant shotgun ripping through advancing ranks.

[lazarus]

23. installing now

just hope it runs on Win7. I will get Medieval next (I'm sure I can find it used somewhere).

I really want to find my old copy of Total Annihilation. Did you ever play that?

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

24. Ooh! Ooh! *raises hand*

I did.

Loved Supreme Commander, too. SC2 wasn't as good, but the skill trees were interesting.

Sorry to interrupt.

:D

[lazarus]

25. I've got a copy of TA around here somewhere

but no Core Contingency, which made it all more fun. Never played SC.

[YOY]

26. Didn't really get into it. Gots too many units working at the same time and no quick pause.

But I see HKC likes it!

[lazarus]

35. the key to TA

is hotkeying units into larger groups using the function keys.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

37. I liked TA 'cause of this (among other reasons):

In the loading screen, it shows progress bars for various elements of the game. Textures, geography, and the like.

The second progress bar from the bottom one was "Explosions"

:D

[lazarus]

33. pause isn't working in Shogun

maybe it's a feature of the later games in the series? Either way, I'm rocking right now. Most advanced, biggest armies, most money, I have yet to have a battle where I wasn't up 2-1.

[YOY]

34. The skill of the game is when you can defeat armies that are "better" or larger than yours.

Check the keyboard layout in options. Gotta be a pause.

[lazarus]

38. found the pause

it was preset to P, I changed it to space bar. I've been reading FAQs and stuff, because I just got my butt handed to me. I was up 3.5 to 1 in troops, no bridge, equal honour. I can't figure out how it happened.

Wait, i think I just did. IIRC, the area I was tackling was that one that has bonuses for warrior monks, and I'll bet that's what I was fighting.

[Ignis]

27. Another big Civ nerd checking in!

:hi:

Have you tried the Fall From Heaven mod--and the associated mod-mods like Orbis? If you like Civ, and you enjoy fantasy settings, I simply cannot recommend these mods highly enough. They've added another full year of gameplay to Civ4 that I did not expect to get.

http://kael.civfanatics.net/

[realisticphish]

28. i have been hesitant of the mods

probably unwarranted. I just like "sandbox" worlds, and it annoys me when scenerios are too limited (very certain time/place, limited turns, etc)

I'll check those out, though

[Ignis]

29. I understand; I'm not a fan of most scenarios, either.

But you can play FFH2 (Fall From Heaven) and its associated mod-mods without scenarios, so they simply modify the game rules, unit types, civilizations, etc.

I've tried Civ mods previously, but I uninstalled most within a day or a week. I've had FFH2 and/or Orbis running as my default Civ4 mod for about 6 months now, and I still haven't tired of it.

Check back in once you try them. Or start a new thread, since we've hijacked this one. ;)

[realisticphish]

30. nice

yeah, I'll take a look. It's been a LONG time since I used a mod, so my mileage may vary :D

[ZombieHorde]

31. This is why I hope keyboard and mouse never come to the PS3.

I love shooters, but I hate playing games using a keyboard/mouse combo.

[lazarus]

32. I'm the exact opposite

I love shooters, but hate console controllers. :hi:

[Ohio Joe]

36. I've always felt certain genre's were better on different platforms

FPS's have always been best on PC, racing games I've always enjoyed most on consoles, RPG's and ARPG's can work on either platform, RTS is really only for PC, TBS can work on either but the scope seems to always favor PC. Action can work on either but I've always preferred console. platformers... well I guess those are pretty much dead but I always preferred them on console.