What is your preferred method of video gaming?

Personally, I don't like video games - I'd rather do other things with my time. However, my husband and sons love them, and play constantly.

DH started out on the map type war games, then progressed to the old DOS based map type war games on our first PC, then to the more virtual-reality type games that are more current now for modern PC's. Then we bought an X-Box. The boys like it better than he does - he plays about 50% PC and 50% XB0x games. His main complaint about console gaming is that it's primarily shoot-em-up type gaming with very little actual strategy involved.

He was hoping that the X-Box, and now the 360, being more like a computer than other console systems, would have more of the types of games he enjoys on the PC, and to some extent, that seems to be the case (ie: Fable, and some of the other role-playing games with extensive 3-D maps), but there just aren't enough games out there that require much more than a happy trigger finger, unfortunately.

And for the record, even though I don't like gaming, I like the X-Box because we put a bunch of pictures and music in with Music Mixer, and DH made slide shows out of them. It's fun to be able to sit on the couch with Grandma and watch videos of the kids, rather than everyone gathering 'round the little computer screen to watch!

I keep hoping for one convergent, all-inclusive system that will do everything - games, photo-editing, music, slide shows, dvd's, tv, web-surfing, etc. from the big comfy couch. Gateway had the idea a few years ago with their PCTV, but it was just too $$$$$. Now microsoft has the 360 and the media center. Hopefully the idea of convergence will take off.

Melinda

I have one of those. It's a custom-built PC with wireless keyboard and mouse hooked up from the video cardb to a TV converter and then attached to my TV. very soon, I plan on replacing my older TV with a flat-panel that has PC monitor capability. I just want to make sure that the TV will be compatible with whatever standard they finally come up with for HDTV.

The trick is to read the requirements for the most memory-piggish app you want to run, double the RAM and HD requirements and build from there. With the holiday sales, you should be able to snag some decent hardware to build your own system.

I do not play video games. I prefer the real thing -football, cricket, tennis and the "apres ski" get-togethers.

GeorgeIV

Sorry folks. I consider video games (and tv, for that matter) a total waste of time. Time that I already have too little of. For folks who don't mind wasting their lives, maybe video games are ok, but if you are living for something beyond yourself, it is over the top as a time waster.

You sure had time to read the story and comment on the board. I enjoy video games just like I enjoy reading mystery books. I'm a college student and us kids need a form of mindless entertainment once in a while because our brains are constantly overloading at school.

"Sorry folks. I consider video games (and tv, for that matter) a total waste of time. Time that I already have too little of. For folks who don't mind wasting their lives, maybe video games are ok, but if you are living for something beyond yourself, it is over the top as a time waster."

Of course video games are a waste of time, but no more so than TV. Video games can be a great way to play with your kids rather than you watching a drama and the kids watching cartoons. There's no interaction. Computer internet games can be fun too. My daughter likes it when I watch and ask questions when she plays Disney's Toontown, and Runescape.

At least with video games, I don't have to tune in to the same show week after week to see what's going on. I play for 2 to 3 hours a week and I'm done. You need to veg out once and a while. I called relaxation...

''The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.'' bertrand russell

hey dude over there. dont you know that ur insulting a huge number of people out there by saying that video game is a total waste of time. think about others feelings too before you post a comment saying you dont like video games. use you brain, its there to work, not to rot. video games are a good hobby, work and a past-time for many people. hope you dont insult so many people again.

gaming culture reminds me of "soft porn" industry ... its just CHEESEY and the people involved don't know (or care) if its cheesy.

the clunky tools and "fixed" graphic formats make all the games predictable and familiar. MOVIES may not be interactive -- but these games will prob never graduate to the level of taste and design as say .. Bladerunner. and that was 20+ years ago!

have fun, cheeseballs!

There is already a lot of design work that goes into making a video game. I think we should remember that the industry is still in its infancy and has a lot of time to mature and become something more meaningful. Remember black and white movies without sound? That's where I believe we're at with video games.

The games and game systems cost way too much. They're worse than computers; new systems coming out every couple of years and everybody just HAS to have one. What really floors me are these losers who camped out overnight in all kinds of miserable weather just to get one of these new XBox systems. Get a life!

It is sad that so much attention and energy is placed upon the "entertain me" population. We spend so much of our resources in an effort to be entertained instead of adding something of value to mankind and our individual lives. There are more important ways to spend one's time, regardless of age or perceived needs (wants) with video games, computer games, and other mindless entertainment. Sure, there is a market out there that so much of our society has accepted as meaningful to drive their human existance. Do something real with your energies.

Nowadays the games and game systems cost very high. The systems are very low but the gaming software are very expensive and also there are less number of users going to buy the games. All are using trial versions and nobody enjoy the full version.
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steve
WoW Gold

Thats a nice computer you're building yourself. Now, if you look at the original question, it should mean to you that only game lovers should answer this question, since its asking us whats your preffered method of video gaming. We don't have to hear you say I dont like video games, yada yada yada. Please read the question before you answer. Thank you.

If I had to keep up with the consoles, I'd be broke. Each new console that comes out costs on average $300. My computer will be around forever, the games will improve, but in my opinion, it does not cost as much to upgrade your computer as it does purchasing all of the gaming consoles.

Plus having to purchase a separate console for certain games is a bust. I much prefer the computer for my games.

If you want a new game for a Sony (i.e.), you must purchase the latest console, for a PC game, the most you need to do is upgrade a little. If you shop like I do, you can purchase upgrades for your computer pretty inexpensively.

PC Gaming will never die...

yeah I agree with you, but it sometimes come down to game choices and selections. PC does not offer many games, and even if they do offer a console counterpart of the game (like NFS Underground 2) its controls are inferior to those of the consoles, unless you buy a gamepad, although those things doesnt look too good put next to console controllers and its controls are inferior, too. anyways, consoles offer a way wider range of games (like PS2, with uncountable number of games for all ages) while computer games are limited to a few successful ones.

I agree with this post completely, but I take it one step further. Why should I but anything Microsoft? Really, what else can you do with an XBox 360? I build computer systems and if you know what you're doing, a good gaming system does NOT have to cost a fortune, PLUS---you have a computer! What about all the computer functions that the gaming consoles lack? I owned a PS2 for a VERY short time and then Ebay'd it. The graphics on my computer were much superior with an average video card. Pop in a high end card and there is absolutely no comparison. Marketing is an amazing thing----it was able to get people standing in the cold for hours waiting to spend many, many dollars for an XBox. Just you watch---in a few months Ebay will be inundated with people trying to sell these things. Don't trust me---just watch. I'll keep on computin' !

Totally new to gaming at "40" I prefer PC myself, I have just purchased 3 x GBA units for the kids - all under 10. I think the PSP etc is a little too expensive for young ones and the game selections are greater with GB for that age group. We can connect them all x wireless and they have a ball.
My PC is connected to YAMAHA amp and Projector, 7:1 speakers and a switch over for in ceiling speakers through the house, so if I`m listening to music or playing games I can Crank the sound and watch DVD or Game through projector to a 2m Screen. More enjoyable for me. The kids love portability so GB suits them.
If at 40, my main interest was to take a gaming console everywhere with me, I would have to STOP AND HAVE A REAL HARD LOOK AT MY PRIORITIES IN LIFE and WHY I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH A GAME THAN WITH THE REAL THINGS IN LIFE. Restaurants, Water Skiing, Scuba Diving, Kids days out to the Beach, Camping, Boating,Motor Bike Riding,Horse Riding,Mowing the Lawns, keeping myself fit & Healthy by being outdoors & not stuck to either a Game Console or PC. Life is out there, not on a screen. Go find it - then you will see it doesn`t matter what you enjoy, In life - ALL THINGS ARE EQUAL. If your priority is a game, Good luck to you, just don`t let it rule your life.
ps. The money I save from the GB Games & set up over say the alternative choices - I`ll probably buy my daughters a new Pony, 3 Skateboards,Jewelery,Clothes, Rollerblades and a set of Water Skis this year alone. Now thats life.

Opps, what I meant to say was I would never buy a PS3. In fact I am returning a reciently purchased sony (with a small s, all they diserve now) camcorder.

The previous post about having to but new consols for different games is right on. I also build all my own computers. Even my olderst, four years old, has been upgraded to play all the newest games. As for screen size, have you ever used a real computer connected to the DVI in of a big DLP T.V. with a few thousand watts of suround sound? Wow!!
DO the same with a console and it is a little ho hum.

I do gaming occasionally and graphics mostly, so a game console doesn't cut it for me. However, the requirements for intense graphics work is not that much different from gaming. My PC was custom built with a Gigabyte motherboard with dual BIOS, an Intel 2.8 GHz hyperthreaded processor, Radeon 9200 graphics card with 128 MB video RAM, 1 GB of DDR RAM, and 7200 rpm HDDs. Not counting the Sony Trinitron monitor I've had for years, it cost less than 2 Xbox 360s.

The point of this whole thread is that gaming consoles, sony, microsoft, sega, and any other you could think of all suck when compared to PC gaming. Not to mention all the other applications you could perform with a PC, or even a MAC. There is no reason to own both. Just spend your money on a decent PC, or MAC, and you will have more than everything you will need for the whole family. The fact is the games are exactly the same, the graphics are far superior, the possibilities are limitless, and you'll never have to buy another console to keep up the pace. It is purely a marketing ploy for these companies to make more money. Just like diet Pepsi, and Pepsi One or diet Coke and Coke Free. They are both the same thing, but by marketing a new product they get to increase their profitability at the expense of simple minded consumers like us...

I'm glad someone else is paying attention to all the marketing ploys out there besides me and my family. When there is a product I like I buy it, if I don't like it I don't buy it, simple as that. Not because of marketing or any other plot, but because I like it!
Which brings me to my next point. I am a computer geek and I love playing PC games. Me and my brother have constant friendly wars/conversations on which plays better and since I am the oldest I win.