When does a console stop being a console...

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

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At what point is a console just a purpose built PC with games that offer input peripherals such as wheels, pads that consoles are traditionally shipped and used with and a streamlines operating system.

I mean, why even have a platform distinction these days...it's going to get to a point where the console developers just say "This is stupid....distinction for the sake of distinction" when hardware gets to a point.

I realise the marketing potency of it being a XBox/Playstation/Wii instead of "Personal Computer" as well as the support/warranty issues but yeah....

Perhaps one day there will be a bootable operating system to turn a PC into a 'console platform' alongside traditional console hardware which IS just a purpose built PC system with hardware.

Would the gaming world not be a more expanse and better place if it was one platform with the only differentiation between users being the hardware they implemented.

Are consoles just a product of days gone past in a world where audio/visual is more tied to our Personal computing in way of storage, broadcast and usability? Where a TV connected to a PC is far less rare and options to do it should needs be are more accessible then ever before?
 
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A platform where the hardware changes is infinitely more difficult and expensive to develop for than a closed one.
 
Memphis said:
A platform where the hardware changes is infinitely more difficult and expensive to develop for than a closed one.
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What? Developing for PC is only costly (or 'risky') because of the increased piracy and smaller market share.

I've heard more bad press about development for the PS3 being hard than I've heard about developing for PC. I can't recall any developers really moaning about PC development actually. Moot point.
 
Margaret said:
What? Developing for PC is only costly (or 'risky') because of the increased piracy and smaller market share.

I've heard more bad press about development for the PS3 being hard than I've heard about developing for PC. I can't recall any developers really moaning about PC development actually. Moot point.
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No it's not a moot point because he's right, the hardware configuration is guaranteed to be the same. They know they can do this certain graphical effect because the amount of shader pipelines are fixed (as an example). When a developer makes a PS3 or a 360 game, they know exactly what they can and can't do, which affects their overall vision and ambition for the project.

PC developers are hamstrung by knowing that they have to be aware of the tremendous variety in hardware, and a lot of time is spent on making sure the range of detail modifiers is adequate, that they can get the appropriate LOD models and textures in and so on and forth. They have to make sure the graphics will work faultlessly across a spectrum of potentially thousands of different graphics cards and drivers.

And you must be living in a sound and light-proofed cave if you can't find PC developers who moan about designing for PC hardware.
 
As above comment states a console is what it is no changes in hardware from one to the next, the day they do this is the day the lines become blurred!
 
Margaret said:
What? Developing for PC is only costly (or 'risky') because of the increased piracy and smaller market share.

I've heard more bad press about development for the PS3 being hard than I've heard about developing for PC. I can't recall any developers really moaning about PC development actually. Moot point.
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PC and 360 share a similar architecture and development on the two platforms could be streamlined. PS3 architecture was quite different and a vocal developer moaned about the need to familiarise themselves with this. I don't think I've heard that complaint though for several years...

Piracy is also rife on the 360 and Wii so that argument is moot point.

Consoles are closed environments - the architecture will not change in the life cycle so developers only need to focus their work on that environment.

On PC you have a number of different variables including Operating Systems, memory availability, GPU capability, DirectX versions, do they have a PhysX compatible card? Etc. These factors increase time in development and testing, thus adding to the cost of development and eating into profits. That's your risk, right there.

@OP Am I reading it right that you're wishing for "one magic box to rule them all"? You'd then be wishing away innovation and freedom of choice! Imagine if Apple was the model for your pipe dream. If Apple doesn't want an innovative app in their marketplace then they block it (think: Google Voice). Think about browsers... what are you going to do if your magic box forces you to use Internet Explorer?

Don't underestimate the freedom of choice.

Or maybe I just misread your original post and you've got sour grapes because of these exclusives deals on the various platforms.
 
I think that we will get 2 more generations of console. The PS4 and new Xbox in 2012 and then the final generation in about 2018. By the time that generation becomes end of life in about 2025, we will just play games via a TV (sky/virgin?) box by downloading them. The box itself will not be anyones focus, the focus will just be on the games.

In some ways, I think each increment of technology is less important than the last.
 
Aside from the obvious that's already been stated with hardware.

I'd also say that a Console is a Console because it's been specifically designed for playing games. Sure, they have web browsers, music players, tv etc... but their main purpose is to play games.

What differentiates a PC is that it was never designed for playing games and it does a million other things that a console doesn't. On a PC I can do wordpressing, on a console I couldn't and wouldn't want to.
 
Nexus said:
What differentiates a PC is that it was never designed for playing games and it does a million other things that a console doesn't. On a PC I can do wordpressing, on a console I couldn't and wouldn't want to.
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You could on the PS3 but not sure any more ;)

With the cloud computing stuff only needing a browser, you can theoretically do everything which Chrome OS can do on a Console I imagine with the next round of consoles
 
Smit said:
You could on the PS3 but not sure any more ;)
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Was that not by installing Linux on it though? Which is technically modifying the console, it's not like it comes in the box like that. Fact is, it's still a machine specifically designed for games.
 
icehot said:
When you can no longer just pop in a game and play straight from the disk.
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Already exists. You need to install some PS3 games.

I agree with what has been mentioned already, when hardware needs to upgraded etc. but I think the main think for me will be when they are promoted and bought solely for a purpose other than playing games.

For example: The PS3 was promoted as a cheap way of getting a Blu-Ray player (which it was, initially) and people buying it solely for Blu-Rays.
Or
The next Xbox being promoted as a media machine (over games) and more of a push put on downloading movies, last.fm, etc and people buying it without games.
 
Fortyseven said:
Already exists. You need to install some PS3 games.

I agree with what has been mentioned already, when hardware needs to upgraded etc. but I think the main think for me will be when they are promoted and bought solely for a purpose other than playing games.

For example: The PS3 was promoted as a cheap way of getting a Blu-Ray player (which it was, initially) and people buying it solely for Blu-Rays.
Or
The next Xbox being promoted as a media machine (over games) and more of a push put on downloading movies, last.fm, etc and people buying it without games.
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It worked for the PS3 because of the Bluray player, like you say. Infact, the main reason I bought one was because of it.

Nintendo UK has obviously advertised on Television the fact you can use the Wii to watch BBC iPlayer, but then they go after a very casual market.

In general though, I think you still have to market a proper game console as just that. Anyone else still remember before the PS2 was launched and how it was shown it was going to be totally integrated into our homes and control everything? :p
 
icehot said:
MMmmmm ya but you dont get the install problems that you get with pc games.
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Metal Gear Solid 4 sucks far harder than any PC game I've had to install. Not to mention more and more PC games no longer need the disc in the drive once installed, whereas I need the disc in the drive everytime I need to play MGS4 plus I need to sit through it reinstalling each chapter.

Konami even told reviewers that if they wanted early reviews they didn't mind if it scored low but they absolutely weren't allowed to mention the installations. It was that atrocious.
 
hmm tbh the 360 hardware is so old most computers have surpassed it. having a purpose built operating system? yes please! have the option to install the game or have it run off disk like a console - which ever is quicker but having the option is cool for ssd users ;)

I'm liking this idea tbh!
 
KNiVES said:
Metal Gear Solid 4 sucks far harder than any PC game I've had to install. Not to mention more and more PC games no longer need the disc in the drive once installed, whereas I need the disc in the drive everytime I need to play MGS4 plus I need to sit through it reinstalling each chapter.

Konami even told reviewers that if they wanted early reviews they didn't mind if it scored low but they absolutely weren't allowed to mention the installations. It was that atrocious.
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Tbh installations dont bother me at all, espcially for a game as good as MGS :)
 
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