Console Yourself
06 March 2008 by Administrator
I’ve discovered recently that I spend considerably more time playing games on my console than my trusty PC which is fast becoming redundant in that department.
In fact, I’d have to go back several months and even then it was only a recommended demo for about half an hour and not a full game.
I’ve bought my fare share of gaming rigs in the past but for me I really noticed the mood change among the public in general when I first played Panzer Dragoon on my Dreamcast and Wipeout on the Playstation – I clocked up an enormous amount of hours playing those two titles but more than the PC? – Surely not?
My son would challenge this by pointing out to me that he practically lived and breathed Starcraft on his PC for 5 – 6 months straight (I still hear the music building in my head as the Terran army advance to annihilate Protoss or Zerg in Behemoth Class Battlecruisers) and it sounds crazy but I actually enjoyed watching as a spectator with Starcraft more than playing it since I believed that you needed 2 mice working simultaneously to control all the units at any one time.
Obviously he made it look all too easy but would he have enjoyed playing it on a console? - I should ask him about that sometime since he told me over this weekend that he reinstalled Starcraft and Brood Wars on his PC - His girlfriend will not be happy.
So could I live without my PC? - I think not.
Looking at how each successive console release brings us closer to gaming nirvana by incorporating all the good things that the PC offers and the ease of use, price and accessibility that a games console brings, it’s easy to see why it’s become so popular but the question remains - will a games console actually replace a PC for playing games on or offline in the future?
It’s all down to personal preference but we are influenced by what's happening in the business and Joe Public tends to follow the prime movers within the industry for a heads up on where it’s all heading. I read with interest the other day Gameplayer's chat with Mark Rein who towards the end of the interview indicated that he has switched to console gaming and this in turn generated a huge discussion at the good old Beyond Unreal Forums
Colin M
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