How PC gamers can be heard (hint: not by threats of piracy)

nomore · Nov 30, 2009, 10:34 PM

PC gamers are outspoken... to a fault. Every bit of news about the industry is followed by shrill threats of piracy and ineffective boycotts. Ars Technica speaks to those in the industry whose job it is to deal with complaints, and explains how to get your voice heard in a way that actually leads to action.

Have you ever met a PC gamer in person? Your experiences may be different than mine, but they tend to resemble normal human beings. Some may even live in your very home. Most of my friends are PC gamers, and they buy their games, have fun playing online, and go about their lives. None of them resemble the skulking, insane caricatures seen in chat rooms, gaming blogs, and comments on the Internet.
Those foul beasts writhe and spit at the slightest provocation. "That's why I pirate your games!" one may howl at a company when faced with a demo that has been pushed back an hour or two. "PC gaming is dying! Sign my petition! I'm boycotting you!" another may shriek at a company that didn't deliver the exact online experience they were hoping for. The question is a simple one: what are these people trying to prove? What do they think they're changing?
Why this is a problem

This is an issue because in many cases, there are tangible steps companies could take to make gamers happier. Foster some discussion about why content is being held back. Ensure the PC experience as open and malleable as possible. Keep your dedicated community close, and make sure they're happy. The problem is, when the first response to any real or imagined slight is threats of piracy and hate, why would you want to engage with these people?
"You need to know it, because nobody else is going to tell you: you guys sound like Goddamned subway vagrants," Jerry "Tycho" Holkins wrote in a Penny Arcade newspost. "Of course when you speak exclusively to each other, it all sounds so reasonable. It'll be reasonable when you all board the bus... and when you douse yourself with gasoline and immolate yourself in front of the offices of Infinity Ward, one assumes this will be reasonable also."
The problem is that the presumed anonymity of Internet can bring out the worst in people. We decided to speak to a few people in the industry and explore how you can make yourself heard... without making yourself easy to ignore.
Discussion leads to positive change

"Active, passionate communities have never been shy about telling teams and companies what they like and dislike. It's actually a good thing. We've seen really positive changes to games made as a result." We talked with Christian Svensson, the Vice-President of Strategic Planning at Capcom. He's also a board member of the PC Gaming Alliance. Capcom, through its Unity blog and numerous events open to the public, has long engaged its fans directly. He agreed to talk with us on the subject after some harrying on our part; this is topic people treat with some care. Who wants to say that the audience for their games can seem slightly insane in their complaints and demands?
Svensson brought up changes made to Team Fortress 2 and the decision to offer the add-on content to Resident Evil 5 as a digital release in North America as things influenced by direct communication with gamers. "There are several projects we've done that wouldn't have existed, or directions we've taken in our games that never would have happened, without listening to that feedback," he told Ars. "There's dozens of good examples around the industry. Vocal communities engaging with smart teams and creative companies in constructive ways have incredible power.
"The key word in the prior sentence is 'constructive.' I know that I'm a lot more receptive to feedback from fans when someone tells me what they are looking to spend money on... and it's not in a post that is ALL CAPS!" The trick, Svensson says, is to explain what you'd be willing to support with your money, not what would cause you to turn a game down. Talk about what you love to see, not what you hate. "[Companies] tend to respond better to 'how can I generate more' discussions rather than 'how can I retain what I should/would have generated,'" he explained.
Svensson pointed out that there is a way to present this data that will make it easier to get the changes the community would like enacted... and it's not by telling everyone how few people will buy the game if a hated feature isn't taken out or changed. "It is much easier to have a discussion like 'I'd like to make these changes that have XYZ costs associated with them in order to raise our forecasts by $PDQ based upon fan feedback (and where $PDQ is some percentage higher than $XYZ)." What doesn't work? Telling the people who control the purse strings that they have to pay to make changes or they'll lose customers. "Regardless of whether it is appropriate to do so, those that control the purse strings are often not moved [by that argument]," Svensson said.
"So, while I certainly understand and respect the passion and conviction of some fans, threatening to pirate or not buy a game isn't likely to provide the ammunition a team needs to affect the changes that the community is asking for."
Especially when it's so often a lie

There is that now-famous image of the Steam group for the Modern Warfare 2 boycott... filled with people playing their copies of Modern Warfare 2. I took part in a podcast about the issues involved with Modern Warfare 2 with the people who first broke the story of the lack of dedicated servers, and to our chagrin we found that all but one of us had purchased the game. The problem with threatening to not buy a game is that everyone knows you will probably buy the game after all.
Randy Stude is the President of the PC Gaming Alliance, and is also Director of Intel's Gaming Program Office. I've spoken to him a few times in the past; this is someone who lives and breathes PC gaming and realizes there are plenty of fish in the sea. "There is some bad news about a popular PC game right now, but I believe that PC gamers will wholeheartedly put their energy into a new franchise that supports the gameplay, modifications, anti-cheat, dedicated and large server match play that we know and love about this platform," he told Ars. In other words, stick to your guns, don't buy the games that don't give you want you want, and reward those that do. A nasty comment on a website won't change things. Your money certainly can.
"Like the Internet, video streaming, online gaming, social networks, blogs, and Twitter... the PC moves on. PC Gaming is still the most innovative, highest quality, breakthrough-technology-driven platform in the world," he told us. People are making money on the platform, and Stude points out that only 40 percent of revenue from PC Games would equal the entirety of software revenue from one of the major consoles."The business of gaming on the PC is evolving and some old players will reinvent to keep pace while others will stay focused on the old way of doing things—or worse draw closer to the console model—and cease to be relevant in this marketplace," Stude said. This creates an opportunity for gamers: by buying the games that give us what we want, and sticking to our guns on those decisions, we can shape where the industry goes. Publishers pay attention to sales and positive feedback, not to threats or piracy.
So what can you do?

The easiest thing you can do is to vote with your dollar. Companies don't listen to what you say, they watch to what you do; the loudest complaint doesn't matter if you go ahead and purchase the game. Tell companies what they can do to earn your money instead of threatening them with losing it.
Threatening anyone with a criminal act doesn't get anything done. If you convince everyone you're a pirate, you remove yourself from the conversation completely. Why make yourself so easily ignored?

You can also join the Entertainment Consumers Association to keep up with current events in gaming and stay organized with the greater community. "Prior to ECA, consumers didn't have a conduit with which to speak to the industry in general, or rights holders in particular. So we're in a transitory process at present, ramping-up our membership, getting the word out about the org and educating consumers on the various issue areas in which they can become involved," ECA President Hal Halpin told Ars. "As we do that, I'd hope that we'll see less of the extremist—and often anonymous—ranting and raving online, which is counterproductive and tends to give folks on the other side of the table justification for marginalizing their argument."
Halpin argued for more disclosure in the use of Digital Rights Management in games, and for a standardized End User Licensing Agreement during the Federal Trade Commission's Summit on the matter. This is a man who can help to get things done.
PC gamers make a lot of noise online, but the amount of concrete action pales in comparison. By spending less time organizing public boycotts and more time simply buying good games, by choosing not to fly the Jolly Roger and changing the discussion to things publishers can do to earn your money, by organizing in a real way and criticizing productively, you can make things better for PC gaming.
Change won't begin in the comments of this story, or in any review.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2...-of-piracy.ars

Cartigan · Nov 30, 2009, 10:42 PM

I like how it ended exactly opposite of how it began.

Destroy · Nov 30, 2009, 11:16 PM

Sounds like the game makers can't handle, understand or decipher in your face criticism unless it's explained in dumbed down $$$ values of gained revenue per bitch addressed.

caveman-jim · Nov 30, 2009, 11:23 PM

Large Corporate Execs dont listen to whinemo teenage kids.

So what's new?

logical · Nov 30, 2009, 11:24 PM

So... we vote with our dollar? Didnt we already know that? Problem is that when we do, piracy is their excuse.

vertual · Nov 30, 2009, 11:52 PM

I love how a non-issue that's been around since the computer was invented is now an excuse that companies use to cover the fact that they make horrible games.

Companies that make great games don't worry about piracy, they worry about making great games. Companies that are in business primarily to make money, will continue to make bad games and will blame their ineffectiveness at making money on gamers who hate their product (i.e. it's piracy, not the games themselves that is the problem).

spindoctor · Dec 1, 2009, 12:01 AM

does this part sound right to anybody?

Quote:

Stude points out that only 40 percent of revenue from PC Games would equal the entirety of software revenue from one of the major consoles.

logical · Dec 1, 2009, 12:18 AM

They dont count digital distribution...so numbers are going to be off.

nomore · Dec 1, 2009, 12:21 AM

since I didn't buy MW2, I proved my point therefore I win.... I don't know what I win but I will let you guys know in couple of years.

Sweetz · Dec 1, 2009, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Destroy

Sounds like the game makers can't handle, understand or decipher in your face criticism unless it's explained in dumbed down $$$ values of gained revenue per bitch addressed.

The hyperbolic internet ranting of children does not qualify as "criticism".

badboy · Dec 1, 2009, 02:21 AM

most developers dont care **** what you think.

If its not a mmo game. In MMO games you have a voice.
If they dont improve it or fix the problems the subs go down and they cant make any more money.

In all other games they dont care for **** because you already bought the game and they cant make any more money from you.

MadMartigan · Dec 1, 2009, 03:15 AM

The main point of all the drama and petitions to me is informing potential buyers about the situation. Let's be honest...MW2 is monster release, with $150mln dollar marketing. If it wasn't for all the drama hardly anyone would know how screwed up the PC version was. Voting with your wallet is the ultimate way of communicating with the company, but it just doesn't work if the buyer doesn't know what he's really buying.

FrAg Of FuRy · Dec 1, 2009, 03:23 AM

Pc gaming - at least as far as exclusives, is dead. Move on.

spindoctor · Dec 1, 2009, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMartigan

MW2 is monster release, with $150mln dollar marketing.

i read that it had a 200 million dollar advertising/marketing campaign, and another 50 million to actually develop it. that ratio is just insane... but then, they earned back 550 million in the first 24 hours, so i guess it worked out for them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAg Of FuRy

Pc gaming - at least as far as exclusives, is dead. Move on.

not dead... not yet. the AAA games are mostly gone though, but there's a vibrant indie scene revival going on, and there are quite a few devs based in europe who are still doing pc only games (mostly rpgs i feel).

**andyfowler** · Dec 1, 2009, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAg Of FuRy

Pc gaming - at least as far as exclusives, is dead. Move on.

I'm inclined to agree there tbh. My recent foray into PC gaming has been a total waste of time and money. Which sucks, because I pretty much hate console gaming.

vertual · Dec 1, 2009, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAg Of FuRy

Pc gaming - at least as far as exclusives, is dead. Move on.

AGP is still alive.

Move on.

[edit: for clarification, there are many many many many many exclusive PC games out there, and will will be new ones all the time, from here out until there are no more PC's. This is not the end. It's not the beginning of the end. It's not even the end of the beginning. Lets bring up this subject again in 15 years and see where PC gaming stands.

KickAssCop · Dec 1, 2009, 05:16 AM

PC exclusives are dead? Wtf are people smoking because it's definitely getting to them...

We have Starcraft 2 and Crysis 2 and some other stuff that I don't remember right now but PC exclusives are there. Believe me...

**andyfowler** · Dec 1, 2009, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vertual

AGP is still alive.

Move on.

[edit: for clarification, there are many many many many many exclusive PC games out there, and will will be new ones all the time, from here out until there are no more PC's. This is not the end. It's not the beginning of the end. It's not even the end of the beginning. Lets bring up this subject again in 15 years and see where PC gaming stands.

I bought MW2 yesterday. I went in 3 shops to check the prices (all of which were cheaper than steam btw

). Each time I wandered around the shop trying to find the PC section, with no luck. Each time I had to ask an assistant where the PC games were and each time they took me past literally thousands of 360, PS3, Wii and DS games to one small shelf somewhere. Either in a back corner or on little temporary shelves attached to the front of the serving counter, where they'd basically have one set of MW2, one of L4D2, one of Company of Heroes (or similar) and one of WoW.

PC gaming is definitely dead as far as brick and mortar stores are concerned.

Edit: Where I live, anyway. Your mileage may vary.

Silent-Runner · Dec 1, 2009, 05:39 AM

Well, i wouldn't count on that. At least over here at the crazy germanz there's more than enough of each type of games. It's just not as exclusive as it was some years ago. Every console has it's own section at stores here. They're all the same size as far as i've seen. So, PC-gaming isn't dead here. "PC-exclusive" sure is another story. But i don't really care as long as we don't get consolified crap, which happens sometimes granted.

vertual · Dec 1, 2009, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyfowler

I bought MW2 yesterday. I went in 3 shops to check the prices (all of which were cheaper than steam btw

). Each time I wandered around the shop trying to find the PC section, with no luck. Each time I had to ask an assistant where the PC games were and each time they took me past literally thousands of 360, PS3, Wii and DS games to one small shelf somewhere. Either in a back corner or on little temporary shelves attached to the front of the serving counter, where they'd basically have one set of MW2, one of L4D2, one of Company of Heroes (or similar) and one of WoW.

PC gaming is definitely dead as far as brick and mortar stores are concerned.

Edit: Where I live, anyway. Your mileage may vary.

It does indeed vary. Aside from internet/digital downloads, there is the local gamestop (there are 2 or 3 here, but only one has PC games), and there is a decent selection of PC games, multiple copies of games, and a lot of times games out on release date. Pre-order any game you want, to make sure it is in the store if you want to go that extra mile.

Of course, there is always walmart where you can pick up MW2 (multiple copies) and the other commodity games of the quarter. If I want cheap games then I head to OfficeMax where I can pick up any older games (the discount rack), and they stock a couple of "modern" games.

This is all PC mind you, and it's as recent as of today.

And it's not counting the internet-based or internet-only-downloads like Mount and Blade (though they may be in stores now, I haven't seen that in stores....but I haven't seen Rise of Flight either).

And there is always my favorite PC-only (well, mac too) game, WWIIOnline/Battleground Europe which is currently undergoing a graphics upgrade (among other major changes) for it's 31'st major upgrade. The game has been around since 2001 and managed to not die.

I don't care how many cross-platform games there are, there are tens of thousands of console games available for home entertainment in front of the TV, and it's okay. Some of those games were once PC games. Some of those console games are available for PC (I almost crapped when Final Fantasy's were available for PC's).

PC gaming has always been for a different kind of audience, and as long as you can walk into any electronics-type store and walk out with a cheap pre-built quad core computer with 4 gigs of ram and a monitor bundle, buy a videocard to go along with it (likely from the same store), you will always have games to play on those computers.

Hell, the pre-built machines come with a few dozen PC-only games right there in the start menu.

sandorski · Dec 1, 2009, 07:14 AM

hgrrrrraaaa, not Piracy, Purchisy!

genci88 · Dec 1, 2009, 09:25 AM

Amazon.com is a pretty good venue to make your voice heard, especially when there is several reviewers complaining and the main rating is low.

Amazon scores do not just affect Amazon sales, but overall sales as well. Many potential customers look at Amazon reviews when deciding what to buy next.

xFilter · Dec 1, 2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genci88

Amazon.com is a pretty good venue to make your voice heard, especially when there is several reviewers complaining and the main rating is low.

Amazon scores do not just affect Amazon sales, but overall sales as well. Many potential customers look at Amazon reviews when deciding what to buy next.

If you think this is going to improve pc gaming your kidding yourself.

Half of those that posted crap reviews ended up buying the game in
the end anyways.

javiermq · Dec 1, 2009, 11:57 AM

Besides, those european game developers are still pumping out pc only games, mostly crappy formulaic adventure or fps games, but some are really good.

night · Dec 1, 2009, 03:01 PM

i'm sure some of the retail crowding is from 3 succesful consoles when it was previously only 2.

but the days of walking into my mall EB and the entire left and rear wall was pc games is gone for good. (and that EB no longer exists at all btw)

Dragex · Dec 1, 2009, 03:29 PM

If you care a lot about a feature, just have the guts not to buy it. It's that simple really.

mabran · Dec 1, 2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragex

If you care a lot about a feature, just have the guts not to buy it. It's that simple really.

Not just not buy it but not play it. Sadly many that didn't buy it pirated it and play it anyway. If you don't buy it don't play it.

Jokerzwild · Dec 1, 2009, 03:52 PM

Suprisingly my friendly neighborhood Wal Mart has a really big PC game section, with a pretty good selection. It's one side of a whole aisle, with POS material for the most popular games and everything. Going in there you'd never think PC gaming was in it's death throes. Of course going in there you'd never realise mullets went out of style either so...

They are a huge retailer though, with a thriving PC game section.

FrAg Of FuRy · Dec 1, 2009, 05:22 PM

There are tons of pc exclusives, what I meant was, as far as Triple A, blockbuster exclusives, pc gaming is dead.

Someone stated Crysis 2, but that is a mutli-platform game, not an exclusive to anyone.

Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 are exclusive....for a little while, we're basically getting it first, we'll pay to be beta testers, the more polished version will find it's way to consoles with extra items and maps and sadly, be greatly overlooked because those kinds of games aren't very appealing to console gamers.

And hey, I'm not some bitter guy with old hardware that says it's dead cause it won't run on my system. I feel I have a pretty damn good system, I even purchased a 3D monitor and nvidia goggles to try and enhance the experience and that is also a big expensive beta test. I mean when you get a game to work in 3D it;s fantastic, but there are so many glitches and headaches...which pretty much sums up pc gaming.

Lately I've been enjoy Serious Sam HD (not in 3D) and Batman Arkham Asylum (in 3D) ...one is multi-platform, one will be on xbox live. Once Sony pushes out 3D for the ps3 in mid 2010, there's another vanished exclusive.

You either want to pay top money for some extra AA/AF and higher res, or you're willing to settle with lower res textures and less AA on a console - that's pretty much what it's come to - not the type of games, just the quality of displaying them.

xNaquada · Dec 2, 2009, 04:09 AM

Teamfortress 2 might as well be PC exclusive... compare the current iteration of Tf2 to the xbox360 one if you want to laugh.

TF2.

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Nov 30, 2009, 10:42 PM	#2
Cartigan Rage3D Veteran Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 7,169	I like how it ended exactly opposite of how it began. __________________ "You cannot have zero piracy and if you try to get to zero piracy you will make the experience of consuming music so painful you'll have zero industry." - Chris Anderson, Wired magazine "All these forms of DRM are simply creating more technical hassles that I have to deal with as a legal customer. Meanwhile, cracks and keygens and other ways to steal BioShock are all over the file-sharing networks, and are actually less hassle than the legally purchased bits." - Jason Cross, Extreme Tech

Nov 30, 2009, 11:16 PM	#3
Destroy Rage3D Spammer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: WI Posts: 10,767	Sounds like the game makers can't handle, understand or decipher in your face criticism unless it's explained in dumbed down $$$ values of gained revenue per bitch addressed. __________________ Member of the Glorious PC Gaming Master Race-"Doesn't any game maker know how to make a PC feeling game anymore? I hate all this console afterbirth crap we're getting lately."

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Nov 30, 2009, 11:24 PM	#5
logical thinking logically... Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Not Home Posts: 6,024	So... we vote with our dollar? Didnt we already know that? Problem is that when we do, piracy is their excuse. __________________

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Nov 30, 2009, 11:52 PM	#6
vertual Canopus Pure 3D Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Maui Posts: 2,179	I love how a non-issue that's been around since the computer was invented is now an excuse that companies use to cover the fact that they make horrible games. Companies that make great games don't worry about piracy, they worry about making great games. Companies that are in business primarily to make money, will continue to make bad games and will blame their ineffectiveness at making money on gamers who hate their product (i.e. it's piracy, not the games themselves that is the problem). __________________ I'm you from the future! We have to finish our time machine before the Angels of Destruction find the portal! Nah, I'm just messing with you!

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Dec 1, 2009, 12:18 AM	#8
logical thinking logically... Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Not Home Posts: 6,024	They dont count digital distribution...so numbers are going to be off. __________________

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Dec 1, 2009, 02:21 AM	#11
badboy RIP Paul Gray Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Sweden Posts: 11,245	most developers dont care ** what you think. If its not a mmo game. In MMO games you have a voice. If they dont improve it or fix the problems the subs go down and they cant make any more money. In all other games they dont care for because you already bought the game and they cant make any more money from you. __________________ ”Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” - Albert Einstein "I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world." - Richard Dawkins "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin "I'll happily keep risking it and enjoy my life"** - Doozer Luke: "God will make sure that evil gets punished" Jason: "Oh yeah, then explain Europe to me?" - True Blood

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Dec 1, 2009, 03:15 AM	#12
MadMartigan Rage3D Veteran Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,773	The main point of all the drama and petitions to me is informing potential buyers about the situation. Let's be honest...MW2 is monster release, with $150mln dollar marketing. If it wasn't for all the drama hardly anyone would know how screwed up the PC version was. Voting with your wallet is the ultimate way of communicating with the company, but it just doesn't work if the buyer doesn't know what he's really buying. __________________ reasons why it's worth to be a PCgamer in --- A Tree falls; a page arises. A scarab is captured; ink is released. Life is taken; and Age is given D`ni

Dec 1, 2009, 03:23 AM	#13
FrAg Of FuRy Aaron Rodgers, 2010's MVP Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,319	Pc gaming - at least as far as exclusives, is dead. Move on. __________________

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Extra Info	nVidia 3D Vision Kit w/ Samsung 120Hz 3D ready LCD

andyfowler's System Specs
CPU	XPS M1710 Core 2 Duo Processor T720
Graphics	XPS 256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS
Memory	2048MB DDR2 667MHz (2x1024)
Display	17" UltraSharp Widescreen WUXGA (1920 x 1200) Disp
Optical Drives	24x CDRW/8xDVD ComboDrive

Dec 1, 2009, 05:16 AM	#17
KickAssCop Silent Stalker Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Lahore Posts: 13,818	PC exclusives are dead? Wtf are people smoking because it's definitely getting to them... We have Starcraft 2 and Crysis 2 and some other stuff that I don't remember right now but PC exclusives are there. Believe me... /sarcasm

KickAssCop's System Specs
Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
CPU	Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 @ 3.2 GHz
Graphics	Sapphire ATi Radeon 5850 1 GB
Memory	4 GB DDR 2 800 G.Skill 5-5-5-15
Cooling Solution	Gigabyte big ass cooler
Display	Samsung 226BW 22" LCD (1680*1050)
Soundcard & Speakers	Stock
Hard-Drives	WD 250 GB SATA 2 16 MB \| Seagate 80 GB SATA 8 MB
Optical Drives	20X LG DVD-RW
Power Supply	FSP Epsilon 600W Quad 18A Rails
Input Devices	Logitech G5
Operating System	Windows XP Pro SP3 \| Windows 7 Pro

Silent-Runner's System Specs
Motherboard	Asus P5Q-Pro
CPU	Intel Core 2 Quad @3.6Ghz
Graphics	GeForce GTX 295
Memory	2 x 4GB DDR2 Mushkin 1066
Cooling Solution	stock
Display	Asus VW193D-B 19" TFT
Soundcard & Speakers	SB Creative X-Fi extreme Gamer, Logitech Z-5500
Hard-Drives	Samsung 1TB Sata 32MB/1042
Optical Drives	20x DVD/RW +/- DL SH-S223F
Power Supply	700W be quiet Straight Power
Case	Thermaltake Shark black
Input Devices	Razer Copperhead Gaming Mouse, Microsoft Reclusa Gaming Keyboard
Operating System	Vista64

Dec 1, 2009, 07:14 AM	#21
sandorski Rage3D Veteran Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: coquitlam, bc, canada Posts: 1,621	hgrrrrraaaa, not Piracy, Purchisy!

sandorski's System Specs
Motherboard	Gigabyte 890GPA-UD3H
CPU	AMD X6 1055T
Graphics	Gigabyte Radeon 4850
Memory	G Skill DDR3 1600 4gb
Cooling Solution	Silenx IXC 120HA2
Display	Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 91
Soundcard & Speakers	Klipsch 5.1 Ultras
Power Supply	Seasonic M12 II 500watt
Case	Thermaltake XaserIII Skull
Operating System	Win 7 Home 64bit

Dec 1, 2009, 09:25 AM	#22
genci88 The Furry Animals Join Date: May 2002 Location: Arkansas, USA Posts: 13,210	Amazon.com is a pretty good venue to make your voice heard, especially when there is several reviewers complaining and the main rating is low. Amazon scores do not just affect Amazon sales, but overall sales as well. Many potential customers look at Amazon reviews when deciding what to buy next. __________________ Member of the Glorious PC Gaming Master Race. Reasons why it’s worth to be a PC gamer in 2010. If I had the choice between being gay and owning a Mac, I would rather be gay, because if I owned a Mac I would be both gay and own a horrible computer.

genci88's System Specs
Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-MA780G-UD3H
CPU	AMD Athlon 7850 Black Edition -Kuma
Graphics	ASUS Radeon HD 4850 512MB @ 680MHz/2100MHz
Memory	4GB DDR2-800 @ 5-5-5-12 Dual Channel (G.Skill)
Cooling Solution	CoolerMaster Eclipse CPU Cooler -- Four 120mm & one 140mm case fans
Display	19" ASUS VW193T Widescreen LCD Monitor @1440 x 900
Soundcard & Speakers	Creative Audigy 2 ZS Platinum (w/Front Audigy Drive) + Altec Lansing 2.0 Speakers
Hard-Drives	WD 750GB Black + WD 640GB Blue
Optical Drives	Samsung S223L 22x DVD±RW drive SATA w/LightScribe
Power Supply	Antec Basiq 500W
Case	Antec Three Hundred
Input Devices	(all Logitech) G500 Mouse - Cordless Desktop EX100 - RumblePad 2 Gamepad - Strike Force 3D Joystick
Operating System	Windows 7 Professional x64
Extra Info	Nostromo Speedpad N52 gamer pad -- Zowie G-TF "SpawN" mousepad -- Sennheiser HD212 Pro headphones

Dec 1, 2009, 11:57 AM	#24
javiermq Rage3D Veteran Join Date: May 2008 Location: peru Posts: 3,570	Besides, those european game developers are still pumping out pc only games, mostly crappy formulaic adventure or fps games, but some are really good. __________________ *My 30 level compilation levels for Rise of the Triad!* http://tiny.cc/gTMBf --- 02:55 Mackey-IW No, PC has custom stuff like mouse control, text chat in game, and graphics settings. Steam's Logic on currency: $1 =€1 The euro is just a european version of the dollar! ITS TEH SAME THING!!

javiermq's System Specs
Motherboard	Intel 965
CPU	Intel E6600 Core2duo 2.4ghz
Graphics	ATI Radeon X1950PRO
Memory	SuperTalent 2GB
Display	Samsung 932bw
Soundcard & Speakers	onboard
Hard-Drives	300GB SATA
Optical Drives	DVD-RW
Power Supply	HEC winpower 550W
Input Devices	ps2 mouse
Operating System	winxp sp3/linux

Dec 1, 2009, 03:01 PM	#25
night Rage3D Veteran Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: houston Posts: 7,187	i'm sure some of the retail crowding is from 3 succesful consoles when it was previously only 2. but the days of walking into my mall EB and the entire left and rear wall was pc games is gone for good. (and that EB no longer exists at all btw) __________________ However, I am in the extreme minority, and I understand that there is something fundamentally wrong with me

night's System Specs
Motherboard	Asus M4N98TD
CPU	X4 955
Graphics	8800gt 512 SLI
Memory	4gig
Display	FW900
Soundcard & Speakers	X-FI
Hard-Drives	72gig raptor OS / 1.5t stor
Power Supply	Corsair 550vx
Operating System	Win 7

Dec 1, 2009, 03:29 PM	#26
Dragex Pwned and Boned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Neverland Posts: 5,171	If you care a lot about a feature, just have the guts not to buy it. It's that simple really. __________________ Currently playing in amazing 3D: Fallout3, Mirror's Edge, HL2:Ep2, Braid, CoD4, Crysis WH. Upcoming games I'm going to play: FF7 PSOneEmulator, FarCry2, NWN2, BioShockPc, Finish Assassin's Creed, SW:Force Unleashed, Trine, The Witcher, Finish Doom3.

Dragex's System Specs
Motherboard	DFI 939
CPU	Currently X23800+ / Q6600 Saved
Graphics	BFG 8800GTX OC
Memory	1GB currently / 2Gb DDR2 saved
Display	SAMSUNG SyncMaster 2233RZ
Soundcard & Speakers	X-Fi Plat - Logitech 5.1 Z5500
Hard-Drives	500GB SATA II
Optical Drives	Dual DVD-R
Power Supply	CoolerMaster iGreen 600W
Case	Thermaltake - Tsunami
Input Devices	X360 Controller, 3D Glasses, Wacom Tablet, G15-Logitech Keyboard
Operating System	Windows 7 / Windows Xp

Dec 1, 2009, 03:52 PM	#28
Jokerzwild Rage3D Veteran Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,974	Suprisingly my friendly neighborhood Wal Mart has a really big PC game section, with a pretty good selection. It's one side of a whole aisle, with POS material for the most popular games and everything. Going in there you'd never think PC gaming was in it's death throes. Of course going in there you'd never realise mullets went out of style either so... They are a huge retailer though, with a thriving PC game section. __________________ "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." - Oscar Wilde

Jokerzwild's System Specs
Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R
CPU	Xeon X3360@3.4ghz
Graphics	eVGA GTX 285 1GB
Memory	4 GB Crucial Ballistix 4-4-4-12 900mhz
Cooling Solution	Corsair H5O
Display	Acer H233H+LG W2252TQ dual screen
Soundcard & Speakers	X-Fi XtremeGamer
Hard-Drives	2x Seagate 300gb RAID 0
Optical Drives	hp DVD Writer dvd630
Power Supply	Corsair TX750
Case	Antec 300
Operating System	Win 7 64-bit
Extra Info	10 inches long

Dec 1, 2009, 05:22 PM	#29
FrAg Of FuRy Aaron Rodgers, 2010's MVP Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 5,319	There are tons of pc exclusives, what I meant was, as far as Triple A, blockbuster exclusives, pc gaming is dead. Someone stated Crysis 2, but that is a mutli-platform game, not an exclusive to anyone. Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 are exclusive....for a little while, we're basically getting it first, we'll pay to be beta testers, the more polished version will find it's way to consoles with extra items and maps and sadly, be greatly overlooked because those kinds of games aren't very appealing to console gamers. And hey, I'm not some bitter guy with old hardware that says it's dead cause it won't run on my system. I feel I have a pretty damn good system, I even purchased a 3D monitor and nvidia goggles to try and enhance the experience and that is also a big expensive beta test. I mean when you get a game to work in 3D it;s fantastic, but there are so many glitches and headaches...which pretty much sums up pc gaming. Lately I've been enjoy Serious Sam HD (not in 3D) and Batman Arkham Asylum (in 3D) ...one is multi-platform, one will be on xbox live. Once Sony pushes out 3D for the ps3 in mid 2010, there's another vanished exclusive. You either want to pay top money for some extra AA/AF and higher res, or you're willing to settle with lower res textures and less AA on a console - that's pretty much what it's come to - not the type of games, just the quality of displaying them. __________________

Dec 2, 2009, 04:09 AM	#30
xNaquada Home= PC Gaming Subforum Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,532	Teamfortress 2 might as well be PC exclusive... compare the current iteration of Tf2 to the xbox360 one if you want to laugh. TF2.