Co-op play and PC gaming

[frozentundra123456]

Hi all

Just wanted to get some input about the lack of co-op play on a single PC like can be done on the consoles.
It seems with so many games having co-op play now, it is a real handicap to the PC gamer not to be able to play co-op on the same PC. For instance Modern Warfare 2. I want to play co-op with someone else in my family, but we need 2 PCs capable of running the game and 2 copies of the game. The person I wanted to play with went to a friend's house and they played together on an X-Box.
Is there any technical reason one cannot play co-op on a single PC? I don't think so because I know several lego games allow 2 persons to play together on the same computer.
I try to defend PC gaming as not being too expensive because most people have a computer already and with the addition of a 100.00 graphics card you can play most games at moderate settings. However, PC gaming does become prohibitively expensive if you have to have 2 gaming PCs and buy 2 copies of a game just to play co-op with a friend, especially since so many PC games now play just like a console.

 

[zerocool84]

First you just can't add a $100 video card to any computer and be able to play games. Well you could technically but they would look like crap cus you'd have to run them on super low settings. Second, two people almost never use the computer at the same time so no reason to have co-op. That's just not how it is.

 

[frozentundra123456]

First you just can't add a $100 video card to any computer and be able to play games. Well you could technically but they would look like crap cus you'd have to run them on super low settings. Second, two people almost never use the computer at the same time so no reason to have co-op. That's just not how it is.

You are entitled to your opinion, but I added a 100 dollar graphics card (9600GT) to a mid level C2D computer and can play almost any game at mid to high settings. Granted, it is not optimal or on a 30 inch monitor, but the games are definitely playable, and I would not say they look like "crap".

I do not understand (or agree with) your comment about co-op on the PC. Yes, two people do not play at the same time on the PC because most games do not allow it. I don't understand why co-op on the PC is any less desirable than on an X-Box 360. Why is there "no reason" to have co-op on the PC but it is OK to have it on the X-Box?

 

[Sureshot324]

Ya I agree. Considering so many PC games these games are console ports, and the consoles versions have split screen co-op, it can't be that hard to have split screen in the PC version.

 

[WildW]

I guess the issue has always been that Windows doesn't support multiple mice, so mouse driven games wouldn't work well split-screen. This is where the old Commodore Amiga has the upper hand

It's just down to the PC gaming "scene" I suppose. PC gaming is generally a solitary activity, so they don't see much benefit in putting in split-screen modes.

 

[eggrolls]

I can't imagine playing a FPS like MW2 with split-screen. Wouldn't that reduce the field of view?

 

[WildW]

I can't imagine playing a FPS like MW2 with split-screen. Wouldn't that reduce the field of view?

Vertically (top/bottom) split screen should double your horizontal field of view shouldn't it?

People play Halo with 2 or even 4 player split screen. . . it's quite normal on consoles.

I know I wouldn't 'want' to play a PC FSP game split-screen. Perhaps the game creators assume that PC gamers are the fussy and relatively affluent kind who just would rather buy another PC than stoop to playing split screen.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I can't imagine playing a FPS like MW2 with split-screen. Wouldn't that reduce the field of view?

True, but doesn't it do the same thing on consoles, and they have it. I agree it would not be as good as on 2 separate comps, but it would be nice to have the option.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I guess the issue has always been that Windows doesn't support multiple mice, so mouse driven games wouldn't work well split-screen. This is where the old Commodore Amiga has the upper hand

It's just down to the PC gaming "scene" I suppose. PC gaming is generally a solitary activity, so they don't see much benefit in putting in split-screen modes.

You are probably right about the 2 mouse situation. The games that I have played on the comp with 2 players, one used the keyboard and the other had to use a joystick. I am mostly a solitary gamer actually, but games are becoming so co-op oriented now that it is almost necessary to be able to play it.

 

[pontifex]

most people have small monitors so split screen would suck any way

 

[wrbt]

First you just can't add a $100 video card to any computer and be able to play games. Well you could technically but they would look like crap cus you'd have to run them on super low settings.

This was probably true three years ago, but not now. Low end desktop computes come with at least 2 gigs and a reasonable CPU, throw a 9800GT in there you can indeed play most games on reasonable settings. $20 more and you hit the sweet spot where 4850s and 250GTSs start to come into play.

 

[ultimahwhat]

You are probably right about the 2 mouse situation. The games that I have played on the comp with 2 players, one used the keyboard and the other had to use a joystick. I am mostly a solitary gamer actually, but games are becoming so co-op oriented now that it is almost necessary to be able to play it.

It would probably work with one player using a keyboard and mouse and the other using a gamepad. (I guess if you want to have the console co-op experience, then maybe you can't be too picky about using a mouse...). Guitar Hero on the PC can be played with 2 xbox360 guitar controllers. It's probably technically feasible but not practical for PC gaming, due to some of the reasons mentioned above.

 

[dguy6789]

This was probably true three years ago, but not now. Low end desktop computes come with at least 2 gigs and a reasonable CPU, throw a 9800GT in there you can indeed play most games on reasonable settings. $20 more and you hit the sweet spot where 4850s and 250GTSs start to come into play.

Indeed, you don't even need a $100 video card. You can take pretty much any cheapo desktop made today and throw in a $50 card like a 4670 and play any game on at least medium settings pretty much perfectly.

 

[BD231]

Why go through the hastle when most multiplayer co-op games are massively online anyway? Seems like a waste of time to me. Its one thing if CRT's or LCDs were the size of typical TVs, but thats just not been the case over the years.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Hmm, guess I must be in the minority. Seems like most PC gamers are not interested or feel the experience would not be a good one. Still, seems like it would be a useful option to me.

 

[CP5670]

Splitscreen PC games have always been very rare. I have only ever seen 3 or 4 of them (only one of which has a co-op mode, Jazz Jackrabbit 2), but they're actually a lot of fun.

I would certainly like to have more of them but can't see that happening. Such games necessarily have to be keyboard-only, which basically rules out FPSs.

 

[lord_emperor]

Would be nice to see PC support like this.

I've got a nice PC w/ component out, I can connect it to my TV, stereo and plug in two USB gamepads. Now I've basically got a super powered console system but M$/Sony didn't have to take a loss selling me hardware. They could still sell me a game though.

Guess I'll just stay a few years behind with emulator technology.

 

[jlee]

I'm not sure about newer racing games, but I know the old Need for Speed games all had split screen mode. Serious Sam did as well, though it was a PITA to play as the second player with a joystick..heh.

 

[PingSpike]

Its technically feasible. I'm pretty sure at least the first versions of Left 4 Dead you could even get split screen to work with a little config file tweaking. There's nothing stopping it, the PC has the power and when you divide the screen up it has to render less. And when I played split screen on the console, it also seemed to chop the FOV down in many cases, further reducing the load on the system.

As mentioned though, not a lot of people hoard around a PC to play one game. It would have limited appeal. A better question is why PC Games, often console ports at that, so often come with the co-op mode completely stripped of them. I can only assume it is to prop up console games sales. I've heard some mush mouthed blubbering from developers about their not being demand for it (horseshit) or that it was technically hard (also horseshit when you've already implemented it on the console version it was ported from).

 

[BladeVenom]

I guess the issue has always been that Windows doesn't support multiple mice, so mouse driven games wouldn't work well split-screen. This is where the old Commodore Amiga has the upper hand

Although Microsoft may be inferior to Amiga, two mice can be done. Rag Doll King Fu could use two mice, and it's also done for MAMEs, http://jstookey.com/arcade/rawmouse/

 

[aigomorla]

I guess the issue has always been that Windows doesn't support multiple mice, so mouse driven games wouldn't work well split-screen. This is where the old Commodore Amiga has the upper hand

Xbox360 dongle for USB allows more then one Xbox360 controller.



I play all my games which are easier to play on a control pad with my 360 controller.

I want to play co-op with someone else in my family, but we need 2 PCs capable of running the game and 2 copies of the game. The person I wanted to play with went to a friend's house and they played together on an X-Box.
Is there any technical reason one cannot play co-op on a single PC? I don't think so because I know several lego games allow 2 persons to play together on the same computer.
I try to defend PC gaming as not being too expensive because most people have a computer already and with the addition of a 100.00 graphics card you can play most games at moderate settings.

Because it simple, you can mod the game on a PC but you cant mod the game on a console without DLC.

Also a 100 dollar video card wont net you jack unless you buy used. Im sorry, thats not even mid tier. Possibly if u have a 15 inch monitor, but a 24+, keep dreaming.

15 inch split screen just absolutely BLOWS.

Borderlands was a great Coop game, but also requires 2 computes, 2 copies.
So was the original GAW.

 

[jlee]

Xbox360 dongle for USB allows more then one Xbox360 controller.



I play all my games which are easier to play on a control pad with my 360 controller.



Because it simple, you can mod the game on a PC but you cant mod the game on a console without DLC.

Also a 100 dollar video card wont net you jack unless you buy used. Im sorry, thats not even mid tier. Possibly if u have a 15 inch monitor, but a 24+, keep dreaming.

15 inch split screen just absolutely BLOWS.

Borderlands was a great Coop game, but also requires 2 computes, 2 copies.
So was the original GAW.

A couple months ago, you could get a Radeon HD 4850 for 80 bucks. That's perfectly okay for most people. I paid ~$160 for my 4890 and I haven't had to drop detail on anything yet, and I run 1080P (I do not play Crysis, though).