Is 2016 The Peak of the PC Master Race?

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
To me it seems like 2016 is the ultimate year for PC gamers who love to act superior to console gamers. Let's review:

1. Directx12 gets rid of the API bottleneck that had the consoles performing much better on pretty much the same hardware as a PC.

2. The PC gets the GOOD VR headsets (Vive and Oculus) while at best console gamers get the garbage PS4 VR headset with its lame not made for it motion controller.

3. Xbox One gamers now have to share their exclusives with PC gamers. A Directx 12 PC is basically an Xbox One with a chainsaw penis.

4. PS4 gamers (some of whom are former PC gamers who bought a PS4 to get away from the PC upgrade cycle) now are facing with having to buy more hardware to have a top-end experience. Someone who built a very nice computer in 2013 when the PS4 released (with a 290x and a Intel i7) will actually have a box that delivers top performance longer than a PS4 will without upgrading.

All together it seems to me PC gamers have a lot of reason to gloat in 2016, well except for that whole "every port is buggy for a few weeks after release" thing. ;)
 

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,635
3,095
136
To me it seems like 2016 is the ultimate year for PC gamers who love to act superior to console gamers. Let's review:

1. Directx12 gets rid of the API bottleneck that had the consoles performing much better on pretty much the same hardware as a PC.

2. The PC gets the GOOD VR headsets (Vive and Oculus) while at best console gamers get the garbage PS4 VR headset with its lame not made for it motion controller.

3. Xbox One gamers now have to share their exclusives with PC gamers. A Directx 12 PC is basically an Xbox One with a chainsaw penis.

4. PS4 gamers (some of whom are former PC gamers who bought a PS4 to get away from the PC upgrade cycle) now are facing with having to buy more hardware to have a top-end experience. Someone who built a very nice computer in 2013 when the PS4 released (with a 290x and a Intel i7) will actually have a box that delivers top performance longer than a PS4 will without upgrading.

All together it seems to me PC gamers have a lot of reason to gloat in 2016, well except for that whole "every port is buggy for a few weeks after release" thing. ;)

I love you for this.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
I love you for this.

We have been on the same wavelength recently.

tumblr_miyh8bDvQ81rgqr0mo1_1280.jpg
 

Rakehellion

Lifer
Jan 15, 2013
12,182
35
91
1. Directx12 gets rid of the API bottleneck that had the consoles performing much better on pretty much the same hardware as a PC.

PC has always had better graphics yet graphics have never been the driving point for games. The PS2, Wii, Game Boy, NDS, etc. had worse graphics than their competitors but sold better. Consoles games have traditionally sold better than their PC counterparts.

2. The PC gets the GOOD VR headsets (Vive and Oculus) while at best console gamers get the garbage PS4 VR headset with its lame not made for it motion controller.

VR is an overpriced gimmick. Virtua Boy and Kinect didn't revolutionize the industry either.

3. Xbox One gamers now have to share their exclusives with PC gamers. A Directx 12 PC is basically an Xbox One with a chainsaw penis.

Unless you don't have a gaming PC. Or want to play PS4 games.

4. PS4 gamers (some of whom are former PC gamers who bought a PS4 to get away from the PC upgrade cycle) now are facing with having to buy more hardware to have a top-end experience. Someone who built a very nice computer in 2013 when the PS4 released (with a 290x and a Intel i7) will actually have a box that delivers top performance longer than a PS4 will without upgrading.

See #1. This has never been an issue since the existence of consoles. And the PS4.5 doesn't break compatibility with anything.
 
Oct 30, 2004
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PC Gamers have had some other huge advantages for years. I like to say that PC gaming is about freedom whereas console gaming is for kiddies who like being told what they can and cannot do by a game studio and console maker:

No restrictions on Online Multiplayer.

No restrictions on mods.

Ability to potentially learn to create and publish your own mods and custom maps.

Ability to play RTS games

Mouse/Keyboard control for FPS games

Better access to things like Internet Relay Chat, Voice Comm, league websites, and discussion forums - things needed for clans and competitive play.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
PC has always had better graphics yet graphics have never been the driving point for games.

Actually the Xbox 360 was ahead of PCs for a year or so. The PS2 was too. Consoles being far behind PCs at launch is kinda a new thing.

VR is an overpriced gimmick. Virtua Boy and Kinect didn't revolutionize the industry either.

Virtual Boy wasn't real VR and the real VR that is coming out is selling like hotcakes. People have been promised VR in scifis for decades, that pent up desire will make it more than a fad.

Unless you don't have a gaming PC.

They they aren't part of the Master Race obviously.

Or want to play PS4 games.

Sure, but you could say the same thing about the PS3. It isn't a unique advantage of the PS4 that it can play its exclusive games, each console has them.

Actually that is incorrect, the PS3 had WAY more exclusives that didn't end up on the PC than the PS4 does. That argument is much weaker for a PS4.

See #1. This has never been an issue since the existence of consoles.

No console maker has ever tried a refresh mid-generation like Sony is trying to do. The closest thing in console history was the 32x and that was a disaster for Sega.

And the PS4.5 doesn't break compatibility with anything.

I never said it would. What it does do is create two tiers of experience that makes anyone with testosterone in their veins want to upgrade, which is the exact motivation some people try to avoid when they buy a console.

I have some friends that are PS4 gamers who are PISSED about this whole PS4.5 thing. I have been beating them over the head with "I told you so" and so far two of them have committed to letting me build a gaming PC for them. They figure if consoles are going to have short upgrade cycles like a PC why not just build a PC and get a better experience day 1?
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
I have some friends that are PS4 gamers who are PISSED about this whole PS4.5 thing. I have been beating them over the head with "I told you so" and so far two of them have committed to letting me build a gaming PC for them. They figure if consoles are going to have short upgrade cycles like a PC why not just build a PC and get a better experience day 1?

Why are they mad though? I mean... first off, it's technically still a rumor. You can be as mad as you want when it's actually come out of Sony's mouth. Second, their experience won't be changing. It seems like their main issue is that they won't have "the best of the best", and that's not acceptable. But here's the thing... that same problem exists in PC gaming too! How many of your friends are going to have you build them a gaming PC with a high-end 120/144Hz monitor with an expensive GPU to support that framerate and high resolution (1920x1080 or 2560x1440)? I run with a GTX 980 Ti and a ROG Swift... are they going to be mad because they don't have that?

It's not like everything is perfect in the PC space either. I've got a high-end gaming laptop that I bought a few months before G-Sync became available on laptops. My only way to get G-Sync on my laptop is to buy another one as an upgrade path is not available. Am I happy about this? No.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
It seems like their main issue is that they won't have "the best of the best", and that's not acceptable.

Basically. One expressed fear that developers will focus on the new console and the regular PS4 might have a buggier or less optimized experience.

But here's the thing... that same problem exists in PC gaming too!

Sure, but you know that is part of the deal with PC gaming. With consoles the deal used to be at least 4-5 years of owning the top dog. At least with a PC they can chose when and what to upgrade, and maybe mine a little on the side to cut into those costs.

Oh and with a PC they can get the good VR headsets. That is the biggest selling point I think, the Vive is miles ahead of whatever Sony is doing.

It's not like everything is perfect in the PC space either. I've got a high-end gaming laptop that I bought a few months before G-Sync became available on laptops. My only way to get G-Sync on my laptop is to buy another one as an upgrade path is not available. Am I happy about this? No.

Yeah, gaming laptops are (to quote the great Steve Jobs) a "bag of hurt."
 

sxr7171

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2002
5,079
40
91
I'd disagree that the PS2 was ahead of anything. It barely could match a Dreamcast for year after launch. Now the Dreamcast was ahead of my PC without a doubt. My jaw dropped when I loaded that up.

Even the 360 had games that looked better than PC games. I kept my PC up to to spec mostly to play older games with full AA. But the first GOW exceeded anything I saw on PC at that time.

In general consoles have been ahead of PCs every generation until this generation. The use of basically a PC in a box made direct comparisons possible. I think that's the big factor in this generation of consoles.

Given that pretty much everything is available on PC. The era of exclusives is over. The only exclusives anymore are Sony first party games now that even MS first party stuff is on PC.

Everything is great generally but how can we explain how poorly Quantum Break runs. I'm actually tempted for the first time in years to just play the game on Xbone. That's how bad that port is.
 
Feb 4, 2009
34,494
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Why are they mad though? I mean... first off, it's technically still a rumor. You can be as mad as you want when it's actually come out of Sony's mouth. Second, their experience won't be changing. It seems like their main issue is that they won't have "the best of the best", and that's not acceptable. But here's the thing... that same problem exists in PC gaming too! How many of your friends are going to have you build them a gaming PC with a high-end 120/144Hz monitor with an expensive GPU to support that framerate and high resolution (1920x1080 or 2560x1440)? I run with a GTX 980 Ti and a ROG Swift... are they going to be mad because they don't have that?

It's not like everything is perfect in the PC space either. I've got a high-end gaming laptop that I bought a few months before G-Sync became available on laptops. My only way to get G-Sync on my laptop is to buy another one as an upgrade path is not available. Am I happy about this? No.

There has been at least one revision with every Play Station, even the PS1. The extreme whining is more of a Gen Y thing (sorry guys). Many have been taught they are & have the best of everything which obviously can't be true.
 

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,635
3,095
136
If console people don't think I am better than them, they just haven't looked closely enough. Take a good, hard look. The well defined muscles in my mouse hand makes your imaginary girlfriend want me and makes you wish you could be me.
 

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,635
3,095
136

I hate to keep saying this, but I can't get past it. I think it will fade out pretty fast simply because people can't be bothered to strap that damn thing over their face every time they want to play a game. Its going to be a pain in the ass no matter how amazing it might be.
Know what I think WILL take off like a rocket? Big, beautiful, high RES OLED gaming panels under $1,000.00. My gawd they will be the holy grail of thin panel technology. Finally something BETTER than CRT that doesn't require a crane to place it on your desk.
 
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Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,856
4,974
126
I hate to keep saying this, but I can't get past it. I think it will fade out pretty fast simply because people can't be bothered to strap that damn thing over their face every time they want to play a game. Its going to be a pain in the ass no matter how amazing it might be.

I possibly agree.
I'll NEVER bet against the laziness of mankind.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
There has been at least one revision with every Play Station, even the PS1.

That isn't even close to comparable. In the past the playstations were shrunk, but had essentially the same hardware outside of hard drive sizes. This is the first playstation revision that is actually more powerful.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
I hate to keep saying this, but I can't get past it. I think it will fade out pretty fast simply because people can't be bothered to strap that damn thing over their face every time they want to play a game.

It will go beyond games though. That is what people miss with VR. Soon it will be the way poor people take vacations, or rich people walk through a vacation home in a different town that they are thinking about buying. There are all kinds of non-gaming applications for VR.
 

Sabrewings

Golden Member
Jun 27, 2015
1,942
35
51
I hate to keep saying this, but I can't get past it. I think it will fade out pretty fast simply because people can't be bothered to strap that damn thing over their face every time they want to play a game. Its going to be a pain in the ass no matter how amazing it might be.
Know what I think WILL take off like a rocket? Big, beautiful, high RES OLED gaming panels under $1,000.00. My gawd they will be the holy grail of thin panel technology. Finally something BETTER than CRT that doesn't require a crane to place it on your desk.

Is putting on goggles that much of a pain? I can put it on with one hand in just a couple seconds. It's barely more effort than a ball cap. Everyone I've showed it to has been itching for more. And nowhere in either the Oculus or Vive subs has anyine said "y'know what guys, I'm tired of it." With people having a couple months or longer with these devices, you would think someone would say it if true.

The shock you feel when you take it off and it sets in you've been standing in your man cave and not on that asteroid, on that mountaintop, or in that castle is something your brain will never forget.


Try it.

I possibly agree.
I'll NEVER bet against the laziness of mankind.

My counter is this: Why do people play sports? Why do people go for walks? Why do people go mountain biking? Because it's fun for them, they don't care about exertion. Same thing here. Because it's fun to walk over, pick up a bow, pull back on the string, feel the tension, and release the arrow people will do it, and they do - in VR.
 

Fallen Kell

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,009
417
126
I hate to keep saying this, but I can't get past it. I think it will fade out pretty fast simply because people can't be bothered to strap that damn thing over their face every time they want to play a game.

That is no different than saying headphones are a fad because people won't want to strap that thing over their head every time they want to listen to music in stereo. My one speaker radio was good enough for the last 40 years, headphones are a fad....
 

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,635
3,095
136
You guys have some good points, but I compare it with my experience with 3D glasses. They are enough to ruin the experience. I do agree there will be other great uses for VR besides gaming. I can easily see it succeeding in those areas for absolute certain. The reason is because you don't have it on for hours for most of those uses, such as doing a walkthrough of a new kitchen before you hire the contractors to start ripping yours apart. Or buying a house and doing a walkthrough or visiting other virtual areas for specific purposes.
I don't think it will succeed as a mainstream, frequently used gaming device. Simply sitting in front of a beautiful 2D panel and enjoying the experience will always be better and less constrictive than this VR tech. The headphones comparison is a good one and is an interesting point. I think headphones are different because they sit on your head and don't interfere with your ability to function normally. They don't ask anything special of you and don't get in the way. I understand the comparison but they are a different thing.
 

Midwayman

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2000
5,723
325
126
I hate to keep saying this, but I can't get past it. I think it will fade out pretty fast simply because people can't be bothered to strap that damn thing over their face every time they want to play a game. Its going to be a pain in the ass no matter how amazing it might be.
Know what I think WILL take off like a rocket? Big, beautiful, high RES OLED gaming panels under $1,000.00. My gawd they will be the holy grail of thin panel technology. Finally something BETTER than CRT that doesn't require a crane to place it on your desk.

The thing is VR is really a fundamentally different experience. Its not like the stupid 3d glasses where you have to wear shit to have a half assed 3-d in a window effect. Games are normally a solo experience anyways and VR transports you in a way that 3d glasses can't. It'll be awhile before its mainstream, but for gamers.... I don't think it'll be a fad.
 

sxr7171

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2002
5,079
40
91
VR is the future but it will need to be much smaller and lighter. And maybe even one day glasses free. Like lasers shooting onto your retina.