Computers vs. Consoles

by Andrew Geczy (WingcommanderIV)

There has been a war going on since the dawn of electronic gaming. This war has probably been the longest running argument ever to surface. I am of course talking about the ever popular question: what's better, computer games or console games? I have no doubt that half the people out there who read this will instantly blurt out consoles, while the other half will blurt out computers. But is one actually better than the other?

It is surprising how many people claim to be Role Playing Gamers, and yet have never played computer RPGs. They seem stuck with their consoles, and are completely ignorant with that world that lives beyond. Surely they have reason. The console is home to what might be hundreds of turn based RPGs. The reason why these are liked over the action RPG is simple. TBRPGs usually tell a greater story, and put emphasis on plot and character development over gameplay. And when you do enter fights and the such, TBRPGs don't rely on reflexes and are usually quite easy to get by. When they are difficult, the key benefactor is usually luck, not skill. A well known example of this genre is Final Fantasy.

And then there is the action RPG. The Action RPG usually is a game in which you control one man (though can be as many as 3), as he journeys the world, ridding it of evil after evil. Most of these games are as simple as one, two, hack. They are made a little more complicated with spells, and puzzling bosses that you need to use your brain to defeat. A good example of this genre is The Legend of Zelda.

And then there's the computer. It has it's share of RPGs. It has its own version of action RPG, that many have nicknamed, hack and slash. These games are simple games where the idea of the game is to run through level after level, killing monsters with a click of your mouse, collect items, and face bosses. The story or plot in these games are usually as simple as the gameplay, which is usually a let down to many players. A good example of this genre is Diablo.

Then there are the conventional RPGs that are almost a cross between the turn based and action RPG. The game is considerably more complicated then the average game, relying on a more complicated story, but harder gameplay, and more variables, with more things to do. The story in this game is usually very fleshed out, and takes many twists and turns. They usually combine both skill with luck, and create a mighty fine balance. However, it is hard to maintain that balance and some topple one way or the other. An example of a game that manages to hold the balance is Baldur's Gate.

There is one game that tries to take both games and put them together. It takes the fun multi character gameplay of Baldur's Gate, and adds it to the simplicity of Diablo. It also has stunning graphics, trying to show off amazing locales, and while the story is as simplistic as the game, it tries to put you into complex situations, that increase your overall concept of the world you are exploring. This game is Dungeon Siege, and while it has been complained that the plot is simple, I for one thought it perfectly balanced all forces of an RPG, and still maintained its simplicity. I recommend it to anyone hoping to get into the computer world.

But what is it, you might ask, that keeps so many console gamers from entering our domain. It's the learning curve. Computers are complex machines, with each one being different. The developer must try and adapt his game so that it will work with most combinations of parts. When there is something he missed, or forgot about it can lead to bugs. Anyone who has tried to get into computer gaming can tell you about the bugs. Ranging from slight graphical irregularities, to complete restarting of the machine, with a loss of all the data since last you saved. Game developers are aware of these problems, and they release patches on the internet to fix them. The patches usually make the game much more stable for everyone, and sometimes adds more to the experience. However, those who come from consoles may not be willing to put extra effort into making a game work, because they are used to just putting in the disc and voila, a game. Again I offer Dungeon Siege, which was shipped to shelves already very stable, and the patches add much to the enjoyment. The game is fun, and is as before mentioned very stable. It is easy to install, and everything is simplified. It's main purpose was to allow even the dumbest person to be able to enjoy quality gaming. For the most part, the developer (Chris Taylor) succeeded.

Does this mean that consoles should be gathered up and burned? No it doesn't (well maybe the Xbox, just kidding). It merely means that if you can afford it, you should consider upgrading that P2 300mhz computer to a much more decent P3 1ghz computer with 256mb of ram, and a 16mb 3D accelerator card like an ATI Radeon, or something. I can assure you it is worth the money.