2002-10-08

I don't know about you, but I always enjoy a good PC vs console debate. I seem to recall Penny Arcade covering this some time ago and now PvP is getting into the fray, although I think Scott does it just for the attention. Regardless of motives, however, I enjoy the output all the same.

So here's my two cents - after all, that's what a blog is for, right?

Point #1: PCs are harder to maintain than consoles
This is true. There was a time I would tweak settings and change IRQs and whatnot because that was how you got things done in the old days. Now-a-days, if it's more that the two step process of "Install" followed by "Play" then I can't be bothered. I have passed on certain demos because of this. I mean really, there are enough developers getting it right that I don't think I need to waste time with those others. However, even under the best of circumstances, I STILL expect my PC to crash or do something else freaky - probably because I use Windoze, but that's where the games are.

And there's also the potential for hardware compatibility to rear it's ugly head, although as the years go by I find this less and less of a real issue.

So anyway, I like the plug-n-play-ness of consoles, but computers are getting better at that all the time.

Point #2: PC games have more depth than those for consoles
I've played console games now and again but never found one that sucks me in like a good PC game does. I mean, my college GPA seriously suffered because of things like Civ. I've killed a half hour on a console, but never a whole WEEK.

But I tell ya, I really WANT to like consoles (for that whole easier to maintain thing in point #1). So with that in mind I finally bought a Dreamcast when they came down to $100. - and I can confidently say that nothing has changed: I will be entertained for maybe a half-hour, maybe a whole hour, but that's it. The exception was "Record of Lodoss War" - I played that every night for a few weeks until it got ridiculously hard. Then I gave up.

I'm now currently very slowly working my way through "Rayman 2" - about two evenings a month. But I play "Soldier of Fortune" every night till 1am. So there you go. Hey, if you got a game for Dreamcast you want to recommend me, go for it. I'm always up for being proved wrong.

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