PC Gamers: Are they the biggest Graphics Whores?

[RyaNtheSlayA]

In the 90s, pc gamers had to upgrade every few years. But since the late 00s, we have not had to update nearly as much.

Yes, but is this caused more by advancement in hardware technology or by the fact that these days there are a lot less AAA/big budget PC games than there were during the 1990s?

I think it's caused a bit by both. Most games are designed with consoles in mind, and while the PC will always get the best looking version, there are still lots of things that aren't changed for the better in the process. Beyond texture quality, most console ports/conversions on PC don't have higher poly models or more advanced lighting. In a way, console gaming has made it easier to be a PC gamer in that respect. People can get by on very old hardware very easily at this point. At least that's my 2 cents on it.

I certainly wouldn't say PC is lacking in exclusives right now though. Certainly it's not as good as it was in the 90s, but it's much better than it was for the first half of the 00s.

[J T]

I certainly wouldn't say PC is lacking in exclusives right now though.

I think console-focused gaming media makes it seem like there are not many PC exclusives, but that's not the case.

[Menegrothx]

I certainly wouldn't say PC is lacking in exclusives right now though. Certainly it's not as good as it was in the 90s, but it's much better than it was for the first half of the 00s.

Crysis, Portal, Diablo 3, Starcraft 2....? Crysis and Portal were later on ported to consoles but I count them as PC games. HON, LOL and DOTA2 are the same as SC2, RTS doesn't work on gamepad so it's no wonder they're PC exclusives. None of them have steep system requirements either. There's also been Minecraft and indie games like that, but let's focus on commercial big budget games.

I'm not gonna make a huge list but during 2000-2005 we got games such as Deus Ex, Half Life 2, Neverwinter Nights-series, Thief II: The Metal Age, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, Warcraft 3+Frozen Throne, Vampire Bloodlines, Rome: Total War, Icewind Dale series, Baldur's Gate 2... I don't see how you can say the Xbox 360 era had/has more diversity in terms of PC gaming than 2000-2005.

[isiolia]

I'm not gonna make a huge list but during 2000-2005 we got games such as Deus Ex, Half Life 2, Neverwinter Nights-series, Thief II: The Metal Age, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, Warcraft 3+Frozen Throne, Vampire Bloodlines, Rome: Total War, Icewind Dale series, Baldur's Gate 2... I don't see how you can say the Xbox 360 era had/has more diversity in terms of PC gaming than 2000-2005.

Well, for one, you really can't dismiss smaller titles entirely - for one, many have gotten much better known than they would have prior to Steam/etc becoming as big as they have. Additionally, in some ways they're the new "shareware", which is what plenty of classic PC games originated as.

That being said, I think the PC market went in other directions than the types of games listed. The MMO genre, for example, is almost entirely PC based, and has seen more than its fair share of entries. Other online or social gaming, even loathesome Zynga products, are still more a PC thing than a console thing.

The genres might not be the same, but there's still variety.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Buys high-end PC with powerful graphics card; mostly plays VVVVVV, Binding of Isaac, and Hotline Miami.

Haha I'm the same way. I have a high-end (or it was high-end in 2009) PC and I use it mostly for DOSBox and console emulation. Most of the modern PC games I actually do purchase have pretty low system requirements (Trine, D&D Anthology, etc).

I'm always baffled by folks who consistently drop hundreds of dollars for video card upgrades just to see incremental increases in performance. For me, if the game looks nice and runs at an acceptable framerate then I'm happy.

"Graphics" peaked with the Sega Saturn anyway.

[Hobie-wan]

I hate to admit it, but, I did just sorta spend $300 on a new graphics card earlier this month.

$300? Pfft. Just doing a quick look at the most expensive consumer video card on Newegg right now give you this guy for $1050 and you could load up on 2 to run together. Jump into the professional workstation list and you could spend $3700 on a single card.

[Erik_Twice]

It's poor form to poison the well before starting a topic. The repeated use of "whore" is also quite childish, there are more words in the dictionary you know? No need to use it every twenty words!

Anyways, PC gamers, being older and often more experienced and involved than the average gamer as well as having the technical know-how and money to get a good computer enjoy having a very polished experience. Graphics aren't specially important, they are just part of the whole, like a good sound system or a good mouse. PC gamers will also tend to have joysticks or other complex apparel as well as multiple screens or projectors.


I'm also in the camp that having less than 60 frames and tunnel vission are inexcusable.



TL;DR: I'm using a triplehead setup to play 90s pc games, your argument is invalid:

[AppleQueso]

TL;DR: I'm using a triplehead setup to play 90s pc games, your argument is invalid:

tempted to post that image of the guy playing Microsoft Flight Simulator with like 13 monitors.

[Menegrothx]

Well, for one, you really can't dismiss smaller titles entirely - for one, many have gotten much better known than they would have prior to Steam/etc becoming as big as they have. Additionally, in some ways they're the new "shareware", which is what plenty of classic PC games originated as.

That's true, but like I said, there's a lack of big budget PC games these days.

The MMO genre, for example, is almost entirely PC based, and has seen more than its fair share of entries.

That's true, since MMOs require a keyboard (remember the Gamecube keyboard controller?). The genre has stagnated though. For the past 5 years, every time a new MMORPG has launched, there's been a lot of buzz how it will be the WoW killer, but every time it takes 1-2 months and most people have already gone back to playing WoW. Well, atleas there's EVE Online but from what I know, it's complicated to the point that even most MMORPG players shun away from it so it doesn't have the kind of mainstream potential as WoW has (not saying that's a bad thing by any means).


MMORPGs as a genre function so much differently compared to other genres that imo it's best to leave them out of this discussion.

"Graphics" peaked with the Sega Saturn anyway.

Gotta love the poly goodnes in Nights (and Jumping Flash on PS1)
And this
1993

1996

TL;DR: I'm using a triplehead setup to play 90s pc games, your argument is invalid:

Does it work on an Atari 2600 emulator? I think that's the only true way of playing Adventure and Swordquest Earthworld.

[Erik_Twice]

tempted to post that image of the guy playing Microsoft Flight Simulator with like 13 monitors.

The one where those monitors are CRT and cover 270º? Because that was amazing