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The Economist: "The newest games consoles look underpowered and similar to PCs."

E

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
I am still not sure if this thread will die silently or explode into a 20-page bloodbath.

The consoles are pretty good for the price. The only thing I'd wish for is a shorter generation this time. Otherwise, I will add a HTPC to my setup in a few years.
 
D

D'ultimate

Member
I would say this is a legit reason why MS is trying to sell you something more than a console and more of an experience with the kinect an it's OS. Sony too to a lesser extent with it's OS.

They can't compete with just grapical fidelity cause they are going to lose against the PC every time.
 
A

AAK

Member
The Last of Us looks better than anything I've seen of Next Gen. The PS360 output of graphics are fine. All this extra power is reaching to a point of diminishing returns.

The industry shouldn't be forced to to have minimum graphical detail and fidelity of Crysis 3 at max. Keep things affordable for both the consumer and the developer.
 
F

Fantasmo

Member
kirblar said:
They're not wrong about the diminishing marginal gains in graphics, though.
Click to expand...
Maybe because some console costs are fixed?

Leb said:
I'm struggling to find a comment more off-point than this one; this article has nothing to say about the value proposition of the various platforms.
Click to expand...
Its cool. I'm struggling to find any merit in your statement too.

thelongdarkriversofhell said:
You miss the point. They are talking about architecture and using non-custom chips.
Click to expand...
Trust me when I say I didn't miss that even a little bit.
 
S

slicedmass

Banned
it just wouldn't be worth pumping an extra $100-$200 for ~30% more power in the console that would be barely noticeable. Better off making it more affordable and ending the generation in 5 years.
 
M

Mass Effect

Member
Yoday said:
I disagree. I played through Crysis 3 on the PC, and Shadow Fall looks better to me. I'm sure some of that has to do with art though, and we won't be able to compare it technically until the game launches and we see a final optimized build.
Click to expand...

You can argue aesthetics and preferred art-style all you like, but let's not pretend that, from a technical standpoint, Shadow Fall is ahead of Crysis 3 in any way.

That's not to diminish art-style in anyway, though. A great art-style will always trump pure technicality (though they aren't mutually exclusive).

Sho_Nuff82 said:
Dennis' Deus Ex toilet screenshot looks better than literally every next gen game.
Click to expand...

lol, link? I want to see this.
 
T

Toparaman

Banned
Salex said:
Didn't you know? Consoles should be matching 1k+ PCs brah.
Click to expand...

Thing is, there was a long period of time when consoles at least gave the impression of matching, if not surpassing, PC power. Tell me a 2001 PC game that looks as good as Luigi's Mansion or Final Fantasy X, for instance. Those games looked phenomenal on SDTVs. I was blown away the first time I saw Melee. It was such a big step up from N64/PS1 graphics.

To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed even from the start of this current generation. My first current-gen game was MGS4 in 2008. I had already played BioShock on PC at 1680x1050, and MGS4 (which is sub 720p) had very visible aliasing and blurry textures.
 
F

FinalStageBoss

Banned
I never expected that much power from a 400 dollar console, compared to PC. I dont play consoles for the graphics. I mean its a 400$ machine, sure my pc crushes it but it was also almost 2k. Idk why some are so disappointed, just give me good games.
 
T

TheFLYINGManga_Ka

Member
I'm no tech expert but I even know that. I don't want to spend almost a thousand or more for the best PC just to play BF4 with shinier water. The PS4 is just fine for me, underpowered or not. Besides, I'd rather sit on a nice couch with a soda and some chips and play on a huge big screen than have my bad eyes close to a PC monitor.
 
O

Omega

Banned
lol people that say "build me a PC for $400 that could do the same"

In case you guys didn't know, the PS4 costs more than $400 to make.
 
P

Psychoward

Banned
Mass Effect said:
You can argue aesthetics and preferred art-style all you like, but let's not pretend that, from a technical standpoint, Shadow Fall is ahead of Crysis 3 in any way.

That's not to diminish art-style in anyway, though. A great art-style will always trump pure technicality (though they aren't mutually exclusive).



lol, link? I want to see this.
Click to expand...
dxhr20err6m.jpg
Click to expand...
.
 
JordanN

JordanN

Banned
AAK said:
The Last of Us looks better than anything I've seen of Next Gen. The PS360 output of graphics are fine. All this extra power is reaching to a point of diminishing returns.

The industry shouldn't be forced to to have minimum graphical detail and fidelity of Crysis 3 at max. Keep things affordable for both the consumer and the developer.
Click to expand...
I don't get these comments. Not all video games are the same so not all output is fine.

Hey, tetris was good on the NES and Gameboy and never really got better after that. Should consoles have stopped there?
 
A

apana

Member
Rob N Banks said:
lol people that say "build me a PC for $400 that could do the same"

In case you guys didn't know, the PS4 costs more than $400 to make.
Click to expand...

What does the PS4 cost to build? I know that Sony gets some parts at a good deal compared to the average consumer who wants to build their own PC. I am still wondering if they are breaking even or making a profit on PS4. That certainly would be a big difference from previous Sony consoles were they took sizeable losses.
 
A

AAK

Member
JordanN said:
Hey, tetris was good on the NES and Gameboy and never really got better after that. Should consoles have stopped there?
Click to expand...

Well, for one, NES and Gameboy couldn't do 3D models, so that's something worth a generation leap. What do PS4 games do from a gameplay standpoint that PS3 can't do except motion control gimmicks with the controller?
 
Proelite

Proelite

Member
From what I've seen at Pax in person, I have to agree. BF4 at Xbox One booth was the most impressive looking game. The IQ was razor sharp thanks to dual 7970s.
 
F

Fantasmo

Member
Toparaman said:
Thing is, there was a long period of time when consoles at least gave the impression of matching, if not surpassing, PC power. Tell me a 2001 PC game that looks as good as Luigi's Mansion or Final Fantasy X, for instance. Those games looked phenomenal on SDTVs. I was blown away the first time I saw Melee. It was such a big step up from N64/PS1 graphics.

To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed even from the start of this current generation. My first current-gen game was MGS4 in 2008. I had already played BioShock on PC at 1680x1050, and MGS4 (which is sub 720p) had very visible aliasing and blurry textures.
Click to expand...
The difference between then and now is that custom chips can't keep pace with the specialists. There was a time when more players were in the market, that time is gone. Not to mention that with every passing gen, more required fixed costs have factored into the equation. And finally in 2013 you're paying $200 less than the debut PS3 from 2006. The market made it very clear $600 was a big no no. That, AND they're probably taking a loss on each console.

That's what got us where we are.
 
C

Courage

Member
I'm satisfied with current gen as well. I was playing the new TMNT game and I'm loving the good lighting and great framerate.
 
H

Halvie

Banned
AAK said:
The Last of Us looks better than anything I've seen of Next Gen. The PS360 output of graphics are fine. All this extra power is reaching to a point of diminishing returns.

The industry shouldn't be forced to to have minimum graphical detail and fidelity of Crysis 3 at max. Keep things affordable for both the consumer and the developer.
Click to expand...

no it doesn't

no they aren't

$399 in 2013 for the most powerful console is affordable
 
K

kevm3

Member
The fact that you will also have to put the PC together is another consideration. It's not something everyone can do. If you don't want to put it together yourself, you will have to go through some builder who will charge you $50, and if you're not well versed on pc parts, you will have no idea what in the world you are selecting. Gaming pcs are a rather niche market, and although I really enjoy gaming on the pc to the extent that I hardly ever turn on my console (PS3) anymore, I can understand why a lot of people would simply prefer to turn on a console. Not everyone has the performance guru/tweaker's mindset where they enjoy getting as much performance as possible and aren't afraid to spend the time and money to do so.

For the most part, I feel that graphics will be more contingent on budgets than anything. Sony could have went with that exotic design which probably could have pushed out even more results, but developers wanted them to go simple, which is what they did. When you start developing games at the fidelity they currently are, it gets very expensive. We will have plenty of gorgeous games this generation.
 
JordanN

JordanN

Banned
AAK said:
Well, for one, NES and Gameboy couldn't do 3D models, so that's something worth a generation leap. What do PS4 games do from a gameplay standpoint that PS3 can't do except motion control gimmicks with the controller?
Click to expand...
Well I can't say for sure since I'd rather see more games built exclusively for the PS4/XBO instead of cross gen before I can judge. But I do know certain games would definitely suffer if they were to be held back by the PS3/360 for another 5 years or for eternity (see Resogun which already uses more memory for the cubes than the whole of PS3 has).
 
G

Giant Panda

Member
The Economist is right and I'm okay with that. The diminishing returns to graphics make that okay. This new console generation should focus more on new services and control schemes (namely motion controls).
 
T

TheFLYINGManga_Ka

Member
^^ I just finished TLOU the other week and I can say that cut scenes look amazing, but the console age showed during the game.

Some parts do look amazing, but some parts looked washed out and dated. Made me even say that this gen is getting old, which is a given at this point.

Still amazing what Naughty Dog pulled off graphically, but imagine them doing this during the PS4's twilight years!
 
L

Leb

Member
thelongdarkriversofhell said:
You miss the point. They are talking about architecture and using non-custom chips.
Click to expand...

No, mate, he didn't miss the point. While some of us may have read it as an examination of the benefits of using commodity components in consumer hardware, he cleverly saw through that dreck and identified it as the shameless hit piece that it was!
 
D

Darryl

Banned
I wouldn't advise anyone to get a console if they didn't have a competent PC first. It's overstated how difficult they are to set up and how expensive they are. But I still buy consoles for exclusives. Consoles are what they are though, something quickly becoming incredibly backwards and outdated in a market that is adapting to new technology at a rapid pace.
 
Z

Zoned

Actively hates charity
AAK said:
The Last of Us looks better than anything I've seen of Next Gen. The PS360 output of graphics are fine. All this extra power is reaching to a point of diminishing returns.

The industry shouldn't be forced to to have minimum graphical detail and fidelity of Crysis 3 at max. Keep things affordable for both the consumer and the developer.
Click to expand...

You better get an eye check up.
 
E

Elway7Sharpe84

Banned
RibbedHero said:
I was joking, drawing on the fact that they're about on par graphically. If anything Crysis is ahead. Throw in mods and it's not even a question.
Click to expand...


How powerful of a card do you need in order to max out Crysis like that? (mods included)

I'm not that knowledgeable about tech, but I'm sure it'd be pretty expensive.
 
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