The unknown future of PC gaming....

[KyleReese]

Ok, so I just finished reading all the posts in the thread about the MP demo of Crysis 2. As far as I can tell, almost everyone here is disappointed, saying the the game feels too much like a console port, the multiplayer isn't innovative, the graphics being even worse than Crysis 1 in DX9, and the gameplay itself too linear compared to its predecessor. It doesn't feel as revolutionary like the first one was....probably because of the "curse" also known as multi-platform...and this is becoming an all too familiar trend these days...just compare Mafia to Mafia II!!
So, I 've been thinking... Which PC game do you think will be the next big one...? the one that sets a new, never-seen-before standard for a particular genre? Or even the industry as a whole? That defines a new era of gaming on the PC?
I remember when I first played Duke Nukem 3D back in 1996...I was completely blown away! Being the 1st game I ever played on PC, and having only played games on a Sega Genesis and a Super NES until then, I really felt that the PC was the gaming platform of dreams...the platform that could have games that 16-bit consoles could only dream of. PC games then felt so much more advanced than consoles, not only from a technological point of view, they also felt more "mature", more complicated. In short, something that just couldn't be done on any console.....yet.
I mean , you played e.g. side platformers and beat'em ups on the consoles, while people with the PC could play Microsoft's Flight Simulator for Win 95! Or FMV adventures... The difference was just....chaotic! And any comparison laughable...
So, now that the game consoles are so much closer to the PC in terms of gaming capability, do you think that we 'll ever have that feeling again? Like in the old days...? Do you think a game will come out that will make people say, "It could only be made possible on the PC".
Sure, games will come out that will (almost certainly) be much better looking the PC, and, hopefully, the gameplay will just "feel" better on the PC. Elder Scrolls Skyrim comes to mind.

But that's not the answer that I 'm looking for. I 'm talkin' about true evolution! Like we PC gamers felt when 3DFX was born...what do you think must be done for us to have that feeling again...? Direct X 12...? advanced motion-sensor controls on PC games, more advanced than Kinect will ever be...? What....?
Or do you think PC gaming is doomed to walk into the shadows of console gaming forever...? having the same games only with higher graphics and resolution options...?

I 'd be very interested on any thoughts anyone might have on the subject...

 

[overclocker]

Having the same games only with higher graphics and resolution options < this is what I think it will stay at.

 

[Maelstrom]

I believe that if anything "revolutionary" will be created, it won't be by any of the big name game creators. It will be done by an indie developer, or a small startup company.

Unless a break-through game comes out, I think pc gaming will be forever tied to consoles in one way or another.

 

[Jack Doph]

Agreed.
It's more likely that a break-through game will be tied to a console, rather than a PC (Gran Turismo comes to mind).

 

[Ev1LrYu]

Cant help but agree too. Consoles are where the money's at at this point, so developers will try to cash in there first

 

[ivicagmc]

Pains me to say that, but this looks like beginning of the end of PC gaming. $$$$$ makes the world go around, and the money is on consoles. Piracy is one of the reasons, greed is the other one. No one creates new things, takes risk with that... It is much safer to constantly repeat things that are certain to bring $$$$$$. Like the movie industry. All about $$$ and no more art. And to me, games were great art...

 

[AltecV1]

both pc and console gaming will become obsolete and streaming services will take over(onlive etc.) once the broadband connections are advanced enough

 

[NinkobEi]

both pc and console gaming will become obsolete and streaming services will take over(onlive etc.) once the broadband connections are advanced enough

Meh, that seems like a false statement. Tons of users will want the ability to customize their PCs. I'd rather have a PC at my house just in case the net goes down or if I want to MOD a game. Onlive may defeat console gaming, but the PC market will meet a different apocalypse.

 

[KainXS]

it will take years for that to happen i mean unless your in a place like korea where fast internet is cheap and is basically the same "quality" throughout many isp's its not really good, like If I use onlive at my house where i have decent internet here in the us i get a decent experience, a little lag, go to my brothers house in texas and his broadband is horrible,and its like that for alot of the isp's he can get.:shadedshu

i don't know how it is in the uk but I expect its better right

 

[n-ster]

A "gaming" PC OEM should come out, with perhaps 3-4 standard desktops (ie: Normal, gaming, hardcore gaming, custom), and make the normal with very cheap parts, appealing, and very simple, with perhaps a game OS, making it a PC console. then PC gaming will start again. Normal should be enough for playing on low, the gaming should be enough for medium, hardcore for high, custom for Max

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Ive been seeing conversations like this since 1996.....and I'll say this your all wrong..

 

[Over_Lord]

NExt gen games this year are gonna look better, because EPIC just announced Unreal Engine 3 with DX11 at GDC

 

[KyleReese]

And to me, games were great art...

Couldn't agree more...

 

[claylomax]

Here's a similar thread for you: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1275519#post1275519

 

[KyleReese]

I believe that if anything "revolutionary" will be created, it won't be by any of the big name game creators. It will be done by an indie developer, or a small startup company.

Unless a break-through game comes out, I think pc gaming will be forever tied to consoles in
one way or another.

I personally don't care if it's an indie developer or not, as long as someone makes us believe in PC gaming again!

Having the same games only with higher graphics and resolution options < this is what I think it will stay at.

This is the worst case scenario for me.... but, unfortunately, it's also the most probable looking at how things are right now...

 

[BumbleBee]

please elaborate.

 

[KyleReese]

please elaborate.

are you referring to me?

 

[BumbleBee]

both of you. why makes you think games have lost their artistic value.

 

[KyleReese]

why makes you think games have lost their artistic value.

Well, I can't really explain it, it's just a feeling that I have for some years now...pc games do progress technologically, but lesser and lesser effort goes into making them unique...game developers are not willing to risk so much anymore, to create something totally different aesthetically...of course, there are exceptions, like Bioshock. Now that was a game with flair..! But most of the games feel...how to say...pretty generic to me....developers are willing to risk less because of piracy they say...i don't know if that's the reason, but I just feel something is missing

 

[FordGT90Concept]

There's more computers on this planet than consoles. Games $20 and under are very popular/common on computer but they don't have $1+ million budgets so the publishers don't go around bragging about them. PCs, as a gaming platform, will never go away unless the PC itself does and that's not going to happen in the foreseeable future.

Remember, Solitaire is the most popular computer game, ever, with over 1 billion players.

 

[KyleReese]

There's more computers on this planet than consoles. Games $20 and under are very popular/common on computer but they don't have $1+ million budgets so the publishers don't go around bragging about them. PCs, as a gaming platform, will never go away unless the PC itself does and that's not going to happen in the foreseeable future.

Remember, Solitaire is the most popular computer game, ever, with over 1 billion players.

Naturally. Hundreds of millions of people use computers all over the planet, and some of them want sometimes to play something that's easily accessible, fast, and easy to learn, and that doesn't require special hardware to run (dedicated GPUs). No wonder so many people play garbage games on facebook! I just hope the game industry doesn't forget the hardcore gaming portion of PC users and turn its attention to consoles exclusively...

 

[TAViX]

I wont be that pessimistic.

I think the gaming on PCs will continue to evolve, now that the piracy on console is on pair or even bigger with the one on PCs. Until now, producers have the lame excuse to create crappy games because of piracy of PC games. Until a couple of months ago PS3 was uncrackable, XBOX almost the same, but not today.
Besides, some rumors are saying that AMD, Nvidia and even Intel are putting pressure on game developers to start using advanced features in games capable of running on the latest games. It gets a little logic, since if the trend continues, that 95% of the games released are ports, nobody will want a new graphic card to play games capable of running with full quality on a 3870, for example.

Remains to be seen.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Naturally. Hundreds of millions of people use computers all over the planet, and some of them want sometimes to play something that's easily accessible, fast, and easy to learn, and that doesn't require special hardware to run (dedicated GPUs). No wonder so many people play garbage games on facebook! I just hope the game industry doesn't forget the hardcore gaming portion of PC users and turn its attention to consoles exclusively...

They wont... we'll continue to get crappy ports...but worry not as PC gamers will get to test out all the new engines with crappy games while they refine em for consoles...

 

[KyleReese]

I think the gaming on PCs will continue to evolve, now that the piracy on console is on pair or even bigger with the one on PCs. Until now, producers have the lame excuse to create crappy games because of piracy of PC games. Until a couple of months ago PS3 was uncrackable, XBOX almost the same, but not today.
Besides, some rumors are saying that AMD, Nvidia and even Intel are putting pressure on game developers to start using advanced features in games capable of running on the latest games. It gets a little logic, since if the trend continues, that 95% of the games released are ports, nobody will want a new graphic card to play games capable of running with full quality on a 3870, for example.
Also I'm really interested about this game LA Noir, that will be a PC exclusive I think, because of the advanced features implemented like facial animation with expression and stuff...

That's the thing I 'm counting on the most! The pressure from the GPU makers...
And LA Noir is coming to PC!!!!???!! really???!!!! that's FANTASTIC!! I though it was only a PS3 exclusive or something..!!! Are you sure...???

 

[BumbleBee]

L.A. Noire is not coming to PC.