PC Gaming: Best and Worst of 2009

Jason Moyer on 7/1/2010 at 05:40

I think Oblivion is a poor example given that the previous game in the series was a mainstream PC game and didn't hold your hand to the same degree.

Renzatic on 7/1/2010 at 05:59

...that also did quite well on the old Xbox without any handholding features whatsoever.

If you want to blame Oblivions spoonfed quests on anything, blame it on Bethesda trying to reach a wider market, not the consoles.

Muzman on 7/1/2010 at 06:22

Quote Posted by ercles

I don't see how poor spacial audio rendering panders to a "console" audience. I, along with most people I know play their consoles in a room equipped with 5.1 surround sound speakers. Even if you don't use surround sound, what does a developer stand to gain from selling short on audio design?

It doesn't "pander" to a console audience (whatever that means in this context. don't think I even brought it up) it means they didn't bother testing or implimenting audio for listening environments other than the standard console one.

I like Chade's distinctions anyway.

Scots Taffer on 7/1/2010 at 06:28

Quote Posted by Shadowcat

Well let's not get confused here. "Consolitis" is a genuine issue affecting many PC games. (Sometimes it's a good effect. Sometimes it's a bad effect.)

Knowing that there are bucketloads of great console games doesn't also require one to suddenly ignore the fact that PC games can be negatively affected by cross-platform development.

That doesn't mean I don't like console games. It just means that I wish that more PC games were developed for the PC.

I see this has spawned a discussion, so to address this point: I probably used consolitis (in the past) incorrectly to mean dumbing down and general grumbles about the quality of porting and multiplatform development amongst other things. Nowadays I think the lines are blurring, maybe that's due to improved development, maybe it's due to PC gameplay stagnating while console gameplay continues to develop. I'm not sure, but I just wanted to highlight that I feel they are on equal footing in a lot of territories these days.

Not all, though.

SD on 7/1/2010 at 12:22

Quote Posted by EvaUnit02

Worst PC-centric gaming journalist
Kieron Gillen

Worst attempt at trolling one of TTLG's best-known members under the pretext of an end-of-year list thread: EvaUnit02

Nameless Voice on 7/1/2010 at 15:32

Quote Posted by Renzatic

That's exactly what I just said, I used it as an example of a game being simplified to appeal to a wider market, and not having anything to do with consoles?

Zygoptera on 7/1/2010 at 21:19

Quote Posted by SD

Worst attempt at trolling one of TTLG's best-known members under the pretext of an end-of-year list thread: EvaUnit02

It isn't trolling, that actually is his genuine opinion.

june gloom on 7/1/2010 at 21:33

And to be fair it's not like KG doesn't make himself an easy target from time to time.

Aja on 7/1/2010 at 21:44

Quote Posted by Muzman

I'm not sure this is even the case. Every Xbox game is required to support 5.1. I would go so far as to argue that poor spatialization is going to be noticed MORE by a console crowd since they're so used to having all of their games and movies in surround. Either way, I noticed Bioshock's sound problems on the Xbox. I don't think the listening environment has much do to with the fact that you can hear through walls, as though developers can somehow get away with that on one platform over another.

Fafhrd on 7/1/2010 at 21:54

Quote Posted by dethtoll

And to be fair it's not like KG doesn't make himself an easy target from time to time.

Whether or not that's true, his piece on 'No Russian' should automatically disqualify him for 'worst PC games journo of the year.'

Quote:

Every Xbox game is required to support 5.1

No, they're not.