🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 14:40:21 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:

>On 9/18/2010 12:52 PM, Rin Stowleigh wrote:
>> On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 07:14:22 -0700 (PDT), Insane Ranter
>> <log...@gmail.com>  wrote:
>>
>>> On Sep 18, 5:30 am, Tim O<timo56...@hotmail.com>  wrote:
>>>> I'm expecting digital downloads to be the trend rather than this. They
>>>> pretty much gut the resale aspect, and the thing really holding them
>>>> back is that limited size of console hard drives. I'd expect next gen
>>>> console systems (I know there really aren't any officially in the
>>>> pipe) to have huge hard drives. They've gone from being a data
>>>> buffer/save game tool in consoles to a true storage medium just like
>>>> in a PC.
>>>
>>> This idea just makes me go why not just make everything for PC and
>>> screw the whole console idea.
>>
>> I'm always on a quest to try to understand the appeal of consoles and
>> why some would choose them over PC games.  The best conclusion I've
>> come to is that so many people view a console as a very simple
>> entertainment appliance: you buy the box then buy some games... then
>> done.
>>
>> With PCs there is a false perception that everything is more
>> complicated.  Maybe there is some small amount of truth there, in the
>> sense that in order to get the most out of PC gaming, you need to know
>> a little more about hardware, video card options, etc and be willing
>> to upgrade some things once in a while.  There are lots of consumers
>> that just seem overwhelmed by that.
>>
>> I usually work on teams with very technical people.  I would say the
>> majority of those do most of their gaming on consoles.  That would
>> seem to contradict the "PCs are difficult or scary to deal with"
>> theory.  I sometimes ask around, why an Xbox or PS3 instead of PC?
>> I've gotten various answers, some have told me that they don't like
>> the hardware upgrade cycle, some say they just enjoy laying back on
>> the couch doing everything with the wireless controller, and the
>> benefit of their big TV.  A few guys I know got PS3s simply as a way
>> to play the latest games, because they perceived a cost advantage over
>> upgrading their aging PC which was otherwise still very usable for
>> everything they did (except play cutting edge games). One fellow told
>> me a story about how his memories of PC gaming involved
>> troubleshooting IRQ conflicts on sound cards and such, and that he's
>> just glad to be done with all that (it didn't matter that nobody has
>> dealt with IRQ conflicts in a long time, that was the impression left
>> in his mind).  The point is that sometimes even very technical people
>> sometimes have an impression that PC games are a pain in the ass.  So,
>> in their mind they can just buy whatever the latest console is and be
>> done with it.  A shame, since PC gaming has come a long way.
>>
>> Getting back to the subject of used game sales, I do agree that it is
>> highly likely the next iteration of consoles is going to offer (if not
>> mandate) a download-distribution model along the lines of Steam.  If
>> not that, they will go to something like these services where the
>> games all execute in the cloud, and your console is really just a dumb
>> terminal that lets you remotely play the game.
>>
>Regarding the "PC Hardware Upgrade Cycle": Don't they have to deal with 
>the same thing buying new game consoles so they can play the newest games?

I guess so but on a much smaller scale, meaning less often, at less
cost, and more importantly less mental energy expenditure on their
part.  For example with consoles:

1.  Upgrades are less frequent, for example current Xbox has been out
for 5 years and is expected to not have a replacement from MS until
2014 at earliest (9 years would be phenomenally long cycle in PC
hardware, much has changed/gotted swapped out or replaced during that
time).
2.  The cost of upgrade is (perceptibly) only a few hundred dollars.
Real cost is a lot more once all the accessories and what not are
added to keep the consumer happy, but a $300 game box sounds appealing
on the surface.  PC gamers on the other hand typically consider $300 a
reasonable expense for just a video card.
3.  Upgrading from one generation console to a next generation console
is a no-brainer.  If the Xbox 360 is replaced with the XBox 720 or the
PS3 becomes the PS4, the consumer does not have to "think" about what
they need to move to the next level.  The thing is sure to come out
around Christmas, receive so much media attention that it will alread
be drilled in their head what to buy, and because it's all a self
contained box they do not even need to to think about things like we
do, such as ATI vs nVidia.. oops wait, now ATI doesn't exist and is
the same as AMD..  See what I mean?  It's just a "consumer simplicity"
issue.