Will prices on PS/3's come down for the holidays?

[GMichael]

I am looking to pick up a PS3. If prices are going to come down for the holidays then it may be better to wait. Has anyone heard any news on this?
Are all their prices locked by the manufacturer? If so, then why wait? If they are not locked, then I'll wait for the dreaded "Black Friday" and fight the crowds once again.

[kexodusc]

Yeah, me too...My anniversary is coming up soon, and of course year 2 is the Xbox 360 anniversary. :)
So, that's created a dilemma for what to get for Christmas...PS3 would do nicely.
I'll be surprised if they don't cut prices some, or at least sweeten the pot with some goodies thrown in the bundle.
I'm shocked at how many PS2's they're still selling. At some point they've got to start trying to sell the PS3 at least. I figure this holiday season has to be it. Any longer and they might miss their chance.

[L.J.]

Hey GM. EXCELLENT choice in going with the PS3. Not sure about any future deals. The best I know of is the Amazon PS3 + 7 free BR.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_5393252_1/103-5760729-4219838?ie=UTF8&docId=1000125021&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=special-offers-2&pf_rd_r=02VH0KJEG0FYJGPPB3BQ&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=309434901&pf_rd_i=B0009VXAM0

Eventually you will need an HDMI capable AVR to enjoy the full benefits of the PS3, if you are concerned about uncompressed PCM, TrueHD, SACD and all that good stuff. v1.3 is not needed since the PS3 does all the decoding.

One good things is that you will be able to enjoy DD & DTS at a higher bitrate using your current AVR for now.

[GMichael]

Thanks,

Anyone know the deal with the 60 vs 80 GB drives? The 80 costs $100 more and comes with racing game. But the 80 does not have the emotion chip? Not sure of the value of that.

[Rich-n-Texas]

The impression I get here is that people use their PS3's not only for gaming but for Blu-ray movies as well. Isn't the Blu-ray player an add-on item? Did I make a mistake when I built a PC with the horsepower to play the latest 3D PC game titles?

I'm beginning to lean towards blu-ray as well after reading how much s/w is available, but I don't realy care for the game play that the PS3 gives.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread GM, but it seems like going the PS3 route would be a better choice from a pricing standpoint, no?

[L.J.]

Thanks,

Anyone know the deal with the 60 vs 80 GB drives? The 80 costs $100 more and comes with racing game. But the 80 does not have the emotion chip? Not sure of the value of that.

Well, depends on if you think the game + 20g's is worth the $$$$ :D

[GMichael]

Well, depends on if you think the game + 20g's is worth the $$$$ :D


20 Gig, a $50 game, and the loss of some chip that I don't know the funtion of. I was hoping to dig up what this chip does or doesn't do. Tough to choose when I don't know what the differences will be. If it just means that I won't be able to play PS2 games, then I'll go with the 80. If it means more than that, I'll need to know what the "more" is to make a good choice for my needs, or wants.


Tex,

The Blu-ray comes standard on all the PS3 models as far as I know. It's the HD-DVD's that are add on's for the XBOX 360's.

[L.J.]

20 Gig, a $50 game, and the loss of some chip that I don't know the funtion of. I was hoping to dig up what this chip does or doesn't do. Tough to choose when I don't know what the differences will be. If it just means that I won't be able to play PS2 games, then I'll go with the 80. If it means more than that, I'll need to know what the "more" is to make a good choice for my needs, or wants.


Tex,

The Blu-ray comes standard on all the PS3 models as far as I know. It's the HD-DVD's that are add on's for the XBOX 360's.

Well here's a little info. They will both be backwards compatible, just using different methods. I have had no problems playing PS2 & PS1 games on my 60g.

""The current 60 GB model utilizes a hardware and solution for backwards compatibility, namely the Emotion Engine chip. The new 80 GB PS3 will use a software solution for backwards compatibility, similar to that currently found in the PAL model." So there you have it. The Emotion Engine chip will be phased out around August, with the release of the new model. "

[GMichael]

Well here's a little info. They will both be backwards compatible, just using different methods. I have had no problems playing PS2 & PS1 games on my 60g.

""The current 60 GB model utilizes a hardware and solution for backwards compatibility, namely the Emotion Engine chip. The new 80 GB PS3 will use a software solution for backwards compatibility, similar to that currently found in the PAL model." So there you have it. The Emotion Engine chip will be phased out around August, with the release of the new model. "

Thanks LJ,

Sense I don't own any PS2 games, I won't worry about that. Think I'll opt for the 80 Gig. I would have bought that game anyhow. A lot of people are switching out their 20 Gig drives for 160 already. With the extra 20, it may take me longer to need an upgrade and maybe a larger one will be available at that time.

Now, If we could just find out about any pricing changes that may be coming up in November, life would be good. Where's Wooch? Is that baby keeping him busy again?

[L.J.]

Thanks LJ,

Sense I don't own any PS2 games, I won't worry about that. Think I'll opt for the 80 Gig. I would have bought that game anyhow. A lot of people are switching out their 20 Gig drives for 160 already. With the extra 20, it may take me longer to need an upgrade and maybe a larger one will be available at that time.

Now, If we could just find out about any pricing changes that may be coming up in November, life would be good. Where's Wooch? Is that baby keeping him busy again?

I've had my PS3 for almost a year and my 60g is holding up fine. I picked up a 500g HD though, which is sitting in my office and I just stream to my PS3. The HD was like $149 or something like that. I've been streaming wirelessly and it holds up pretty well. Very few connection drops.

I've read that some people are taking USB powered HD's and just hooking it to one of the PS3's USB ports for quick extra storage.

[GMichael]

I've had my PS3 for almost a year and my 60g is holding up fine. I picked up a 500g HD though, which is sitting in my office and I just stream to my PS3. The HD was like $149 or something like that. I've been streaming wirelessly and it holds up pretty well. Very few connection drops.

I've read that some people are taking USB powered HD's and just hooking it to one of the PS3's USB ports for quick extra storage.

Thanks LJ,

I guess I still have some time to decide.

[Fred333]

I have mine wireless too. It makes it so much easier to configure with the way my room is. To answer the orginal question, I really hope they drop in price So I can get one for my nephew for Christmas.

[GMichael]

New PS3 starter pack unveiled
Rythrine - contributor
Published: 30 minutes ago | News | TGS 2007 | PlayStation 3 Info Report


The new pack includes the 60Gb PS3, two Sixaxis controllers, Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm and new addition Heavenly Sword, which made its debut on the charts this week at number seven.

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News-69056.aspx

[L.J.]

The new pack includes the 60Gb PS3, two Sixaxis controllers, Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm and new addition Heavenly Sword, which made its debut on the charts this week at number seven.

http://www.n4g.com/ps3/News-69056.aspx

Throw in the 5 free BR's and looks like you got yourself a deal :thumbsup:

[Woochifer]

I think stores are locked into "minimum advertised price" agreements. One way that chains like BB and CC get around the MAP agreements is to offer up gift cards or throw in things like movies and accessories. With the PS3, it's a tricky balancing act, because the prices on the standalone Blu-ray players are due to take a tumble.

I know that Sony has a huge Blu-ray promotion coming up in conjunction with their Spidey 3 release, but I have no idea where the PS3 fits in with those plans.

The rumors have been that Sony would lower the price on the 80GB model to $500 once the supplies on the 60GB model run out. But, a couple of weeks ago I read that Sony had restocked the 60GB model, which keeps the price on the 80GB model at $600 for now. At $500, I'm considering the PS3 just to run it as a wireless media center. The only potential obstacle is that I think the client software cannot run on a Mac.

[GMichael]

It looks like they are putting a package together to help them sell out the rest of their 60G units. It includes 3 games and two wireless controlers.
So, is it better to jump on this package as soon as it is available, or wait to see what they do with the 80's once the 60's are done. Also, looks like a new 40G version is coming out as well, to be priced in the 400 range.
So much to choose from.:mad2:

[L.J.]

It looks like they are putting a package together to help them sell out the rest of their 60G units. It includes 3 games and two wireless controlers.
So, is it better to jump on this package as soon as it is available, or wait to see what they do with the 80's once the 60's are done. Also, looks like a new 40G version is coming out as well, to be priced in the 400 range.
So much to choose from.:mad2:

Details.....details......Come on man, just pull the freakin' trigger :D

[GMichael]

Details.....details......Come on man, just pull the freakin' trigger :D

So far, it's all just been talk. I haven't seen the new 60G bundle or the 40G for sale anywhere. This is info released just yesterday. I don't know when it will happen.

[L.J.]

Well if the 40g doesn't come fully loaded with built in wireless and digital card slots; I wouldn't bother with it.

[drseid]

So far, it's all just been talk. I haven't seen the new 60G bundle or the 40G for sale anywhere. This is info released just yesterday. I don't know when it will happen.

Agreed, it indeed is just talk right now. I read in the WSJ yesterday that Sony had a press conference, and many reporters and analysts were expecting them to announce the price drop at that time. Unfortunately it never happened... Sony talked about something completely different, leaving a lot of folks scratching their heads and disappointed.

This is not to imply that Sony is *not* going to drop their prices... only that it really is speculation at this point, and they have not done anything yet.

---Dave

[Groundbeef]

They are gonna have to do something if sales # continue to be as crappy vs 360 as they were in August. Even after the mighty $100 "drop" (IE sell the 60GB until out of stock sale) the PS3 managed a measly 130,000 units.

PS2 sold 202,000 units, and the
XBOX 360 sold 276,000

Game developers are very happy to build for the 360....PS3, not so much...

Madden sales for the 360- $897,000
For August PS3-$336,000

And on and on. The PS3 continues to suck wind and Sony cant get their head out of their asses. Their "Home" (the console answer to Second Life) savior just got pushed back to '08, and they continue to lack innovative and fun games. The massive hyped Lair game can't garner more than 5/10 on ANY game rating board, and Warhawk is online ONLY. Sucks for those who don't have broadband and bought the game...ooops.

And September will be a blood bath for Sony...I predict that MS will at a minimum 2.5X outsell the PS3. Little game called Halo3. MS is estimating $200 MILLION in 1 day (September 25) sales.

And now Sony has announced that Rumble will be back. Too bad you have to buy a new controller, and Sony has said it will be no different than the PS2 version. Remeber this is the company that said that Rumble was so last gen that they didn't need to have it....hahahaha

Enjoy your PS3 as a "media" player, cause there isn't much else to do with it. I say this as I am streaming music from my laptop onto my receiver via the 360. After watching a HD movie DL, and playing games.

[L.J.]

They are gonna have to do something if sales # continue to be as crappy vs 360 as they were in August. Even after the mighty $100 "drop" (IE sell the 60GB until out of stock sale) the PS3 managed a measly 130,000 units.

PS2 sold 202,000 units, and the
XBOX 360 sold 276,000

Game developers are very happy to build for the 360....PS3, not so much...

Madden sales for the 360- $897,000
For August PS3-$336,000

And on and on. The PS3 continues to suck wind and Sony cant get their head out of their asses. Their "Home" (the console answer to Second Life) savior just got pushed back to '08, and they continue to lack innovative and fun games. The massive hyped Lair game can't garner more than 5/10 on ANY game rating board, and Warhawk is online ONLY. Sucks for those who don't have broadband and bought the game...ooops.

And September will be a blood bath for Sony...I predict that MS will at a minimum 2.5X outsell the PS3. Little game called Halo3. MS is estimating $200 MILLION in 1 day (September 25) sales.

And now Sony has announced that Rumble will be back. Too bad you have to buy a new controller, and Sony has said it will be no different than the PS2 version. Remeber this is the company that said that Rumble was so last gen that they didn't need to have it....hahahaha

Enjoy your PS3 as a "media" player, cause there isn't much else to do with it. I say this as I am streaming music from my laptop onto my receiver via the 360. After watching a HD movie DL, and playing games.

Wow....having a bad huh. Sorry 'bout that......I'm sure it'll get better :biggrin5:

[GMichael]

They are gonna have to do something if sales # continue to be as crappy vs 360 as they were in August. Even after the mighty $100 "drop" (IE sell the 60GB until out of stock sale) the PS3 managed a measly 130,000 units.

PS2 sold 202,000 units, and the
XBOX 360 sold 276,000

Game developers are very happy to build for the 360....PS3, not so much...

Madden sales for the 360- $897,000
For August PS3-$336,000

And on and on. The PS3 continues to suck wind and Sony cant get their head out of their asses. Their "Home" (the console answer to Second Life) savior just got pushed back to '08, and they continue to lack innovative and fun games. The massive hyped Lair game can't garner more than 5/10 on ANY game rating board, and Warhawk is online ONLY. Sucks for those who don't have broadband and bought the game...ooops.

And September will be a blood bath for Sony...I predict that MS will at a minimum 2.5X outsell the PS3. Little game called Halo3. MS is estimating $200 MILLION in 1 day (September 25) sales.

And now Sony has announced that Rumble will be back. Too bad you have to buy a new controller, and Sony has said it will be no different than the PS2 version. Remeber this is the company that said that Rumble was so last gen that they didn't need to have it....hahahaha

Enjoy your PS3 as a "media" player, cause there isn't much else to do with it. I say this as I am streaming music from my laptop onto my receiver via the 360. After watching a HD movie DL, and playing games.

I did a bit of research before I decided on the PS3. The 360 may have more games, but the PS3 still has more games than I'll have time to play. And more and more will keep coming out. I'll be playing games on the PS3 many years after your 360 has been returned over and over again for repairs.

[Groundbeef]

I'll be playing games on the PS3 many years after your 360 has been returned over and over again for repairs.

Been repaired once over a year ago. Never had a problem since. Took 1 week from start to finish. MS paid Next-Day shipping both ways, and it didn't cost me a cent. They sent me a new factory sealed box, and extended the warrenty from 1 to 3 years. Also extended my warrenty from the date of shipment of the replacement unit.(Not the original purchase date, that was already 11 months old)

If you consider that a bad deal, I guess thats on you. For me, it was handled quite professionally, and quickly. In fact, I wish all electronic repair issues were handled as well.

Enjoy your PS3.

[kexodusc]

Well, can't say I share GB's love-affair with MS, but he's right about Halo 3 likely leading to another rough quarter for Sony and PS3. Those guys aren't even trying, it's like they're waiting for Xbox 360 and Wii to lose some steam before they try and compete.
My bro's 360 crapped out, but once MS extended the warranty he was fixed up...the few months of downtime was pretty crappy but MS finally realized they had a desperate situation on their hands and needed to damage control. Good on them.

With Wii outselling both combined and luring in a totally new kind of "gamer", it's conceivable that Sony could continue to finish last for the foreseeable future.
At some point they're going to have to wake up or just accept wasting a great opportunity...can't say it'll break my heart to see them sweat a bit.

I suspect I'll end up with all 3 eventually, but Halo 3 is enough for me to pull the trigger on the 360 now... drrrooooooolll....

[SlumpBuster]

Jeez Louise! I guess there's fanboys for everything. I won't buy any of them. I haven't had a "console" since the Atari 2600. After my first summer playing games on a Commodore 64 it was all PC all the time for me.

FLAME ALERT! I guess if you like playing watered down versions of PC games, having to pay for online play, playing with "rush into the scrum" kids and nOOb middle aged dads then PS3 and 360 is good for you. But if you want to play complex involved games that need joystick, keyboard, and mouse to control and you want to play with the L33T HaXors, then PC is good. And finally, If you're a little girl - I have a Wii you might like.:14:

I'M GONNA PLAY HALO ON THIS!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Atari2600wood4.jpg

[GMichael]

Been repaired once over a year ago. Never had a problem since. Took 1 week from start to finish. MS paid Next-Day shipping both ways, and it didn't cost me a cent. They sent me a new factory sealed box, and extended the warrenty from 1 to 3 years. Also extended my warrenty from the date of shipment of the replacement unit.(Not the original purchase date, that was already 11 months old)

If you consider that a bad deal, I guess thats on you. For me, it was handled quite professionally, and quickly. In fact, I wish all electronic repair issues were handled as well.

Enjoy your PS3.

One return is not bad. I hope that's the end of your returns. You should get to enjoy your system for years without down time.
I'm just a little gun shy with all the stories and threads I've seen about the 360 reliability. Hopefully all those problems are fixed and gone. But my shyness (sp) remains.

As far as the Wii and Atari, I'm sure the Arari is fun. I know the Wii is. I have a friend who has one. We had a blast with it a couple of weeks ago. But I've invested a lot in HD. Wouldn't make sense for me to skip out on HD here.

Everyone has to pick what they want for their own needs. Doesn't mean that your choice is any worse than mine.

Now, about those price drops.........????

[L.J.]

All 3......I've kept up with all this stuff in the past, but I'm done. I currently have the PS3, Gamecube and Dreamcast (That's right Dreamcast, remember those) hooked to my main system and a PS2 up front. A PS1 and Nintendo sitting in a closet. Thought about getting a Wii for a second but I'd rather just invest that $$$$ on my PS3. Now I'd be very tempted to pick up a 360, but the lack of HD audio decoding (that plus all the problems I keep reading about and the fact my friend has been through 2 units already) has held me back since my main purpose in buying it would be for HD-DVD.

[GMichael]

All 3......I've kept up with all this stuff in the past, but I'm done. I currently have the PS3, Gamecube and Dreamcast (That's right Dreamcast, remember those) hooked to my main system and a PS2 up front. A PS1 and Nintendo sitting in a closet. Thought about getting a Wii for a second but I'd rather just invest that $$$$ on my PS3. Now I'd be very tempted to pick up a 360, but the lack of HD audio decoding (that plus all the problems I keep reading about and the fact my friend has been through 2 units already) has held me back since my main purpose in buying it would be for HD-DVD.

Prices on the stand alone HD-DVD players are dropping like a stone. One may not be too far off for me. Early next year maybe.

[L.J.]

Prices on the stand alone HD-DVD players are dropping like a stone. One may not be too far off for me. Early next year maybe.

You may be able to get one for about $59.99 by then :biggrin5:

[Groundbeef]

One return is not bad. I hope that's the end of your returns. You should get to enjoy your system for years without down time.
I'm just a little gun shy with all the stories and threads I've seen about the 360 reliability. Hopefully all those problems are fixed and gone. But my shyness (sp) remains.


Now, about those price drops.........????

If one were in the market for a 360 now, I would only buy one that has the HDMI output. That means either the Elite, or the Pro system. Both have been reconfigured on the innards to reduce the failure rate. The most common thought from the repair centers is that there was inadequate heat-sink protection, and the heat buildup was causing solder to liquify and thus cause wires to not be connected anylonger.

The new units (Elite, and the Pro systems with HDMI) has larger heat sinks, venting, and a more reliable DVD drive. Plus any new system is warrented for 3 years versus standard 1 year warrenty. Many game shops are reporting far fewer returns for failure, and it appears the problems have been fixed. Judging from sales #'s consumers are not really concerned either, as last month they bought 2x as many 360's vs PS3's.

As far as price drops, at this time Sony has all but ruled out any additional price drops for the year. But if it continues to get its ass kicked in the market place they may be forced to. But for every $50-100 they drop, MS can match.

[audio_dude]

I agree with SlumpBuster. The PC was, is, and always will be the best gaming platform. Sure, consoles seem so much faster when they come out, everyone ooo's and ahhh's, but in the end, the PC will surpass it in at max a year. For all the horsepower the PS3 has...the graphics on all the games i've seen suck ass.

Well, i bought a Wii mainly because i can't stand console controllers...they just aren't made for First Person Shooter...i tried playing gears of was on the 360...it just wasn't playable. ah well, a console has all kinds of games, but is suited to none of them. On a PC, mouse and keyboard still rule the FPS camp.

The best thing a controller is good for is Sports games...thats it.

[GMichael]

I agree with SlumpBuster. The PC was, is, and always will be the best gaming platform. Sure, consoles seem so much faster when they come out, everyone ooo's and ahhh's, but in the end, the PC will surpass it in at max a year. For all the horsepower the PS3 has...the graphics on all the games i've seen suck ass.

Well, i bought a Wii mainly because i can't stand console controllers...they just aren't made for First Person Shooter...i tried playing gears of was on the 360...it just wasn't playable. ah well, a console has all kinds of games, but is suited to none of them. On a PC, mouse and keyboard still rule the FPS camp.

The best thing a controller is good for is Sports games...thats it.

Can I hook up a high quality steering wheel to a PC and drive one of the Grand Tarismo games?

[Groundbeef]

Can I hook up a high quality steering wheel to a PC and drive one of the Grand Tarismo games?

Audio Dude, and Slumpbuster bring up some valid points. On the PC there are certainly many advantages over the console with regards to gameplay. Just the ablity to use a keyboard is 1 major one considering how a mouse/keyboard combo works together.

However, the weak spot of PC gaming is the constant need for upgrades. I have a PC that I use for gaming as well as my 360 (and Dreamcast before it), and it is awesome. But it is also 2 years old, and looking a little long in the tooth tech wise. Most new games I can only play on "medium" video quality because I cannot afford the newest $5000 alienware, Falcon Tech, or Dell XPS.

The 360/PS3 are dedicated gaming machines (although in this round it is a little blurry with some of the D/L opportunities etc). The nice thing about the console is relative ease of use. You buy a game for the machine, put it in, it works. Every machine is the same, so programmers can really optimize a game for a particular machine.

In the past PC games ruled supreme in the simulation catagory (IE, flight, racing in particular) but not really anymore. PGR, DiRT, Sega Rally (little arcady), GT for the Sony folks, have really started to shine, and graphically are on par with some of the best PC systems.

And most console racers also support the use of a wheel. I know the MS wheel offers force feedback, wireless control, and other PC like features. Not sure about the Sony offerings.

Flight simulators will be the PC's best chance at standing out. The flight control options for the PC are the best bar none. Consoles gamepad control of a fighter plane are pathetic, and really don't match up.

Console online gameplay is typically a bit easier to use than the PC as well. I know, I know, the 360 charges you $50/year for the priviledge of online play. But, as both a PC gamer, and a console gamer, I say let me pay. I have had more trouble getting online with PC games, and frankly none with the 360. If you want to play online with 360, you click mulitplayer, and viola, your online with players ready to go.

With the free PC setup, you are at the mercy of the company providing the play. EA is really bad, Valve is hard to authenticate, and a slew of smaller companies never seem to have enough server bandwidth to support online play. So it may be "free" but it aint "easy".

And to GMicheal, Gran Tourismo, isn't really a "high quality" racer. It's pretty to look at, but as far as simulation goes, its a crapper. No damage modeling (hit a wall at 200mph, and keep on goin!), and wonky physics.

I haven't bought many racers for the PC as of late, but yes you can hook up driving wheels from MS, Logitech, and some other makers to your PC.

[GMichael]

Audio Dude, and Slumpbuster bring up some valid points. On the PC there are certainly many advantages over the console with regards to gameplay. Just the ablity to use a keyboard is 1 major one considering how a mouse/keyboard combo works together.

However, the weak spot of PC gaming is the constant need for upgrades. I have a PC that I use for gaming as well as my 360 (and Dreamcast before it), and it is awesome. But it is also 2 years old, and looking a little long in the tooth tech wise. Most new games I can only play on "medium" video quality because I cannot afford the newest $5000 alienware, Falcon Tech, or Dell XPS.

The 360/PS3 are dedicated gaming machines (although in this round it is a little blurry with some of the D/L opportunities etc). The nice thing about the console is relative ease of use. You buy a game for the machine, put it in, it works. Every machine is the same, so programmers can really optimize a game for a particular machine.

In the past PC games ruled supreme in the simulation catagory (IE, flight, racing in particular) but not really anymore. PGR, DiRT, Sega Rally (little arcady), GT for the Sony folks, have really started to shine, and graphically are on par with some of the best PC systems.

And most console racers also support the use of a wheel. I know the MS wheel offers force feedback, wireless control, and other PC like features. Not sure about the Sony offerings.

Flight simulators will be the PC's best chance at standing out. The flight control options for the PC are the best bar none. Consoles gamepad control of a fighter plane are pathetic, and really don't match up.

Console online gameplay is typically a bit easier to use than the PC as well. I know, I know, the 360 charges you $50/year for the priviledge of online play. But, as both a PC gamer, and a console gamer, I say let me pay. I have had more trouble getting online with PC games, and frankly none with the 360. If you want to play online with 360, you click mulitplayer, and viola, your online with players ready to go.

With the free PC setup, you are at the mercy of the company providing the play. EA is really bad, Valve is hard to authenticate, and a slew of smaller companies never seem to have enough server bandwidth to support online play. So it may be "free" but it aint "easy".

And to GMicheal, Gran Tourismo, isn't really a "high quality" racer. It's pretty to look at, but as far as simulation goes, its a crapper. No damage modeling (hit a wall at 200mph, and keep on goin!), and wonky physics.

I haven't bought many racers for the PC as of late, but yes you can hook up driving wheels from MS, Logitech, and some other makers to your PC.


So dude..........

Don't take this the wrong way, but...
How much time do you spend gaming?
:eek6:

[Groundbeef]

So dude..........

Don't take this the wrong way, but...
How much time do you spend gaming?
:eek6:

Probably 3-4 hours a week. Unfortunatly schooling, work, and family don't leave much time for it. I do read a couple of gaming magazines though, as the games themselves are too expensive to just buy without any research.

Anyway, does it really matter? How much time do you spend listening to music/watching movies? Its all in how you choose to spend your time I guess.

[GMichael]

Probably 3-4 hours a week. Unfortunatly schooling, work, and family don't leave much time for it. I do read a couple of gaming magazines though, as the games themselves are too expensive to just buy without any research.

Anyway, does it really matter? How much time do you spend listening to music/watching movies? Its all in how you choose to spend your time I guess.

Movies? More than you spend on gaming.
Music? The exact number is, "a lot." But I can listen to music while doing other things, so that doesn't count as much.

When you gonna be done schooling?

I've been reading up on games now that I an planning on buying a unit. They sure do look nice. Beats the heck out of my last unit. Pong!

[SlumpBuster]

Groundbeef states some good points against PC. But I always considered upgrading to be a strength, not a weakness. My PC rig is ultimately limited by only by the processor and motherboard. Those are the only two things I need to "future proof" when buying. But, that also assumes I'm tech savvy and adept at building and upgrading computers (which are actually both pretty easy).

But, your right about cost and sunsetting as downsides of PC. My Dell XPS wasn't cheap. But, I have found that if selected well with upgrades in mind, I can get 5-6 years out of a tower computer.

Sunsetting is the biggest problem and Valve is the biggest culprit. You can't play Half Life 2 without an internet connection. Also, the Valve software triples my bootup time. However, when MS sunsets some of their games and shuts down the servers and doesn't have a sequel on the horizon, they will open up the source code to the fan community and allow the fan community to continue online play on their own servers. That happened with MechWarrior.

Audiodude is right, too. FPS is like all I play and PC is the only way to go. But there is a weakness. While I can become a really good player with a top notch PC rig, most PC games are subject to way to much hacking and cheats. Call of Duty's Kill Cam was a god send, but still problems remain. I never got into FEAR's online play because I suspected hacking. I've seen plenty of hack free play with circles of friends that I know and trust. So, I know when something looks fishy.

Oh and finally, to all the PS3 players: Welcome to Hi-Def. We (PC players) have been waiting for you... for like 6 years. :D

[Groundbeef]

Groundbeef states some good points against PC. But I always considered upgrading to be a strength, not a weakness. My PC rig is ultimately limited by only by the processor and motherboard. Those are the only two things I need to "future proof" when buying. But, that also assumes I'm tech savvy and adept at building and upgrading computers (which are actually both pretty easy).

But, your right about cost and sunsetting as downsides of PC. My Dell XPS wasn't cheap. But, I have found that if selected well with upgrades in mind, I can get 5-6 years out of a tower computer.

Sunsetting is the biggest problem and Valve is the biggest culprit. You can't play Half Life 2 without an internet connection. Also, the Valve software triples my bootup time. However, when MS sunsets some of their games and shuts down the servers and doesn't have a sequel on the horizon, they will open up the source code to the fan community and allow the fan community to continue online play on their own servers. That happened with MechWarrior.

Audiodude is right, too. FPS is like all I play and PC is the only way to go. But there is a weakness. While I can become a really good player with a top notch PC rig, most PC games are subject to way to much hacking and cheats. Call of Duty's Kill Cam was a god send, but still problems remain. I never got into FEAR's online play because I suspected hacking. I've seen plenty of hack free play with circles of friends that I know and trust. So, I know when something looks fishy.

Oh and finally, to all the PS3 players: Welcome to Hi-Def. We (PC players) have been waiting for you... for like 6 years. :D

Actually, Motherboard, and Processor are less important as programmers are optimizing game play to utilize the latest in either Nvidia, or that other off brand graphics card. Without that you can't utilize the latest in Direct X 10, and have to suffice with lower frame rates, less AA smoothing, and overall playback.

The CPU doesn't shoulder much of the load anymore for games, although many of the graphics cards do scale depending upon processer speed.

I just wish I had a PCI-E motherboard. I'm stuck with AGP cards for now. Cant justify the upgrade right now.

And PS3 players can't compete on "Games For Windows" PC vs 360 games...to bad for the Sony folks!

[kexodusc]

Audio Dude, and Slumpbuster bring up some valid points. On the PC there are certainly many advantages over the console with regards to gameplay. Just the ablity to use a keyboard is 1 major one considering how a mouse/keyboard combo works together.

However, the weak spot of PC gaming is the constant need for upgrades. I have a PC that I use for gaming as well as my 360 (and Dreamcast before it), and it is awesome. But it is also 2 years old, and looking a little long in the tooth tech wise. Most new games I can only play on "medium" video quality because I cannot afford the newest $5000 alienware, Falcon Tech, or Dell XPS.

The 360/PS3 are dedicated gaming machines (although in this round it is a little blurry with some of the D/L opportunities etc). The nice thing about the console is relative ease of use. You buy a game for the machine, put it in, it works. Every machine is the same, so programmers can really optimize a game for a particular machine.

In the past PC games ruled supreme in the simulation catagory (IE, flight, racing in particular) but not really anymore. PGR, DiRT, Sega Rally (little arcady), GT for the Sony folks, have really started to shine, and graphically are on par with some of the best PC systems.

And most console racers also support the use of a wheel. I know the MS wheel offers force feedback, wireless control, and other PC like features. Not sure about the Sony offerings.

Flight simulators will be the PC's best chance at standing out. The flight control options for the PC are the best bar none. Consoles gamepad control of a fighter plane are pathetic, and really don't match up.

Console online gameplay is typically a bit easier to use than the PC as well. I know, I know, the 360 charges you $50/year for the priviledge of online play. But, as both a PC gamer, and a console gamer, I say let me pay. I have had more trouble getting online with PC games, and frankly none with the 360. If you want to play online with 360, you click mulitplayer, and viola, your online with players ready to go.

With the free PC setup, you are at the mercy of the company providing the play. EA is really bad, Valve is hard to authenticate, and a slew of smaller companies never seem to have enough server bandwidth to support online play. So it may be "free" but it aint "easy".

And to GMicheal, Gran Tourismo, isn't really a "high quality" racer. It's pretty to look at, but as far as simulation goes, its a crapper. No damage modeling (hit a wall at 200mph, and keep on goin!), and wonky physics.

I haven't bought many racers for the PC as of late, but yes you can hook up driving wheels from MS, Logitech, and some other makers to your PC.

Good post.

I've just found different games do better on a PC than on a console - I dunno why, but for whatever reason I have found almost all sports games to behave better on a console than on my PC. And yeah, I have a PCI-E mobo, but I don't have the $400-$500 equivalent video card of whatever's in that 360.

And I never managed to get it looking as nice on my 51" screen either...I think if budgets weren't an issue, PC would be easily be the way to go. That's just not the case though.

[Groundbeef]

Good post.

I've just found different games do better on a PC than on a console - I dunno why, but for whatever reason I have found almost all sports games to behave better on a console than on my PC. And yeah, I have a PCI-E mobo, but I don't have the $400-$500 equivalent video card of whatever's in that 360.

And I never managed to get it looking as nice on my 51" screen either...I think if budgets weren't an issue, PC would be easily be the way to go. That's just not the case though.

Oh, I whole-heartedly agree. I much prefer Civilization IV on the PC, Command & Conquer series on PC, any flight game, and I just got this game called World in Conflict. It was for both the PC and the 360. I don't know how you could really play it on the 360. So much action, and I had a hard time with the keyboard/mouse combo. Let alone try and hotkey on a gamepad? No way.

I wish I had more money for a top rate PC, but I don't. And the 360 does excell in sports and driving games.

[L.J.]

Hey shouldn't you guys be off somewhere playing Halo =)

[GMichael]

Hey shouldn't you guys be off somewhere playing Halo =)

Is that today?

[L.J.]

Is that today?

Bunch of people were standing in line like idiots last night.

[GMichael]

Bunch of people were standing in line like idiots last night.

HAHAHA I love people who have to be the first one on the block to own something.

[Groundbeef]

When you gonna be done schooling?



If I don't finish up MBA school next May(08) I won't be posting much as I'll be dead (according to my wife).

[GMichael]

If I don't finish up MBA school next May(08) I won't be posting much as I'll be dead (according to my wife).

Cool, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel then? (talking about the school thing here, not the wife killing you)

[GMichael]

Looks like Sony has filed a new model of the PS3 with the FCC.

http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/gamesnews/archive/2007/09/28/sony-registers-new-playstation-3-model-with-the-fcc.aspx