Why I Don’t Play Games and What I Would Play If I Did
When family, friends and acquaintances find out I am a computer enthusiast, they usually assume that I am also a big gamer. The opposite is true as I have haven’t played any games of my own in years - such is the curse of the Mac user. I don’t own a Wii, XBox 360 or PS3, let alone a decent TV. It’s just me and my MacBook Pro. It’s not that I don’t enjoy games, it’s just that I don’t own the right hardware to play games. That and when I did play games I couldn’t help but think my time could be better spent doing something productive, but I digress..
Back in the day I was an avid player of Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Battlefield 1942, Gran Turismo and other such games. I had a Shuttle SFF PC loaded with an ATi Radeon X800Pro (hot stuff back then) and a spiffy 17-inch 12ms Samsung LCD. I used to attend competitive LAN parties, mod my computers, and overclock to the point of hardware failure, although I did earn a spot the Futuremark 3DMark03 Hall of Fame for a while.
Crysis
Over the last few years that I’ve been a spectator to the gaming scene, I have seen a lot of games that tickled my fancy. Last night I rekindled my old gaming desire as I watched my gaming-enthusiast roommate install and play Crysis. Crysis is arguably the most advanced PC game out right now and is related to the game Far Cry from the same developer years prior. Crysis has a remarkable physics and special effects engine with a powerful lighting system and smarter enemy AI. It also helps that the tropical island-focused graphics are stunning.
Screenshot credit: Gamespot
Graphics blur when you run through the jungle and the world is no longer static. There are natural hazards like earthquakes and tornados to watch out for in addition to those pesky aliens and pernicious North Koreans. As with all cutting-edge PC games though, if your computer hardware isn’t recent you’ll be playing with all the stunning effects turned down.
Need for Speed: ProStreet & Project Gotham Racing 4
When I’m not on my computer, I’m usually strapped to a Sparco racing seat, driving in my car. I’m a true car nut and only the pure attention to detail in the latest Need for Speed game can keep me engaged.
Screenshot credit: Gamespot
The same goes for the latest in the popular Xbox racing series Project Gotham Racing. Tons of great cars with accurate capabilities and engine sounds. I’ve played the demo at a friend’s house; everything about the game was surreal.
Screenshot credit: Gamespot
Call of Duty 4
Read Matt Brett’s review of Call of Duty 4. Enough said.
Super Mario Galaxy
How can you not play the latest game in the Super Mario line, especially when it’s based in space? Super Mario Galaxy boasts perfect or near perfect reviews on every gaming website, making a must have regardless of whether you’re 5 or 25. Now if only I could find a Nintendo Wii for sale.
Screenshot credit: IGN
What games do you play, if any, or want to play? What consoles do you vouch for, or do you only stick with PC gaming? If I had to choose out of any console and a PC, I would probably pick the Wii. While it doesn’t have intense racing/FPS titles, there’s a different kind of fun factor involved and there’s no risk of having a recalled or Red Ring of Death Xbox 360.
I’ll pass on that entire list.
After playing Halo 3 for the past couple of months (and I’m not any kind of gamer in any sense), it’s hard for me to play any other game.
In years past I exclusively played on Nintendo systems, but I now have an Xbox 360 and Wii. The Wii is a system all on it’s own, and a great deal of fun with friends but it’s just not the kind of system I like anymore. The games are too casual, the graphics are terrible and the control scheme doesn’t work for most games. I prefer racing games, but even Wii-only racing games like Excite Truck manage to show off the Wii’s terrible controls; it just can’t match the precision of a joystick and usually ends with me crashing into a wall.
The 360 has a lot of issues (I’m on #3) but in my eyes it’s still the best console available right now. There are so many amazing games available for the system I can’t possibly even play them all, Xbox Live is spectacular, the controllers are the best I’ve ever used and achievements/gamerscore have literally changed the way I play games. On that last point, before getting a 360 I had only ever beaten Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart Double Dash; put simply, I just didn’t have the attention span to finish any games. Now with the 360 I’ve beaten (or nearly beaten) most of my games and I own twice as many games as I do for any other system.
Bricked consoles or not, HDTV or not, I definitely agree with Matt Brett in saying you should give the 360 a go.
I picked up a Wii a month back, and it is fun. Nuff said.
Last game I played was FarCry! Great game: tropical islands and anything that someone expects from a fps. The problem is that if you are a game enthusiast and you have a large display with high resolution (assuming that you are also a performance enthusiast), you have to pay for graphic cards every second year!
If you want fun and gameplay choose the Wii! If you want graphics and a blue ray player go for PS3!
I’m a recent Mac owner, running Windows XP Pro via Boot Camp on my MBP. I use Windows solely for gaming. I’m a big Hitman fan, and I’ve kept up with the Battlefield series since 1942. Call of Duty’s also a favorite of mine, with CoD 4 being a complete addiction.
Haha Paul, I remember seeing your modded computers back in the day. Mr. Newland said you spent 20k in dremel equipment or something like that… Back at Bellaire, it was all about getting the highest 3DMark score and pushing the limit one Mhz at a time…but don’t forget to loosen the RAM timings! :)
Anyways, I’m still a big Counter-Strike 1.6 fan, and I used to a part of the competitive scene. Now I just mess around as a “Pubmaster.” I’m looking at getting a 8800GT rig this Christmas so I can enjoy the best of Crysis and CoD4 at 1920×1200 :) No console can replace the mouse and keyboard for me… although the Halo franchise looks tempting.
On the subject of cars, Gran Turismo 5 on the PS3 blew me away in all aspects. The interior of the cars look amazing, and the detail of the Ferrari F430’s engine bay looks better than the one in real life! The cars handle exactly like they would in reality. Pair up GT5, PS3, 1080P, and a Logitech G25, and you’re set to hit the track till the real Elise comes in!
However, games usually drain most of my time, so I think it’s time to get a Mac and start coding! :P
But first… latest Top Gear.
Dan
Maybe if a friend will let you get on his super-cool PC, you could try out Team Fortress 2. I swear it’s the best multiplayer FPS ever made.
I’m also not a huge gamer, thanks to being busy with school most of the time, but I am going to enjoy Super Mario Galaxy soon. My girlfriend’s parents bought us a Wii last summer (woot!), and I have almost a month off between the semester break and winter break, so I think I’m going to buy SMG and see how far I can get.
CoD4 is really fun too. I haven’t had much of a chance to play it, but the levels I did, it was really immersive and intense.
Playing through Crysis myself and, holy crap, it’s amazing. Far Cry was amazing and top notch for its time, Crysis is taking it to the next level. I definitely recommend checking out Crysis.
Mostly I play games to compete. Often times for fun, but I usually strive to win things like games or sports. If I were to buy one of these consoles, (why buy a console when a PC does all and more…), I’d have to go with the 360 I think. I’m fairly certain there’s a way to see which factory the 360 came out of to reduce the risk of the red ring of death. I’ve always been a Sony fan but the PS3 just doesn’t have the titles that the 360 does, and being competitive, the Wii is just out of the question; sure, fun with friends and family and non-traditional gamers, but that’s it.
Aside from that, I play a decent amount of Warcraft III: Defense of the Ancients. Really a fun game. If you have Frozen Throne you should check it out, http://www.dota-allstars.com.
Paul im just like you. I used to play games and I just kinda stopped and anythime I try to start again I cant help feeling I could be more productive. Well I have a Wii, I decided if I was to play games it will be for fun with friends, not by myself for hours. Mario galaxy is cool and worth the price
I’m a complete Nintendo nut, and always have been. I stuck with them through the bad times (N64 and Gcube….which have some of my favorite games ever), and currently proudly playing my DS and Wii.
The only PC games I ever played were back in the days of Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Duke Nukem, Warcraft II, and of course, the incredible Monkey Island series.
I would consider picking up a 360 for Resident Evil 5 and Rock Band.
Paul, you’ve got to play Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, for the Wii. It’s pure fun to shoot the hell out of tons of zombies with the Wii remote.
My DS favorites are Tetris, Mario Kart, Trauma Center, Metroid Prime Hunters, and New Super Mario Brothers.
I was never really sold on PC gaming. To me, gaming is best suited for consoles, not desktops.
I used to be pretty into gaming too, and I still follow the industry news and always talk about getting a 360 + assassin’s creed, rock band, etc.
Sadly, since my friend convinced me to try WoW back in December 2004 I haven’t really been able to play anything else seriously.
I know, it’s kind of tragic. One day I’ll get back into real gaming, maybe when I’m done school. ;D
Crysis = Drool. Mop. Repeat.
I am not a big gamer either - certainly wasn’t an option in my day :-) I have a PSP, PS2 and have just bought a Wii and I go in phases, but like you tend to stick to Mac related tasks.
I have to say that the Wii is brilliant - more from a what it can do perspective than any particular game, it is just such a great concept!
Even though there are reliability issues with the 360 (I just sent mine in last month), I still believe it’s the best console out today as far as games. I also own a PS3 which gets more use as a Blu-ray player more than anything. But after seeing the play and graphics of Uncharted Drake’s….I’m pretty sure I’ll be hooked on that soon. Right now I’m playing Assassin’s Creed .
For some reason, I have zero interest in the Wii. It seems like the type of console that it is really only good when you have a group of people. Plus I’m really big on graphics and the Wii just doesn’t cut it when compared to my 360 and PS3.
It’s a shame you haven’t been able to get back into gaming, or justify the time for it Paul. I know you’ve gone through a couple close calls and nearly fallen prey to the hype. One of these days!
I have all three current gen consoles, but the vast majority of my gaming time is spent on the Xbox 360. Currently, I’m playing lots of Halo 3 multiplayer with my wife and daughter. Played through Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty 4 in the past few weeks and really enjoyed both of those (as you’ve seen on my blog). I’ve got quite a list of games to get to that I didn’t have time for when they were released, but for now I’m hoping to get more time in with Halo 3 MP, Team Fortress 2 and Warhawk when it receives an update and some DLC love later this month. Unreal Tournament 3 is also being released within the next 2 weeks for the PS3, and I’ve already got it pre-ordered. So it looks like lots of FPS action for this guy. After Christmas that will change, as I’m planning to pick up Super Mario Galaxy then and most likely Tomb Raider Anniversary. It’s still feels strange maintaining a gaming schedule, but with so many great titles out this year, I really had to.
i just recently bought the orange box from valve.
five games for the price of one.
the one i had time to play, portal looks quite nice on my first gen intel iMac (see link)
I like all those nifty games but I just don’t have the time to play them. I also don’t want to _make_ time for them. :) Too many other interesting things to do.
I do own a Nintendo DS though, on which I play Mario Bross when the train is to crowded to do some work. ;)
I’m not a player either. As a teen I used to play a bit of Wolfeisten or Doom (with cheat codes of course!) as well as the first Need For Speed games and Mortal Kombat games, thats about it. I actually never ever had a console!
I dont really feel the need for games, i already spend way too much time online and I could not handle another addiction.
In fact i believe that my time spending online is actually constructive and somewhat draws me into an active feeling. TV and games, on the other hand are way too passive habits to make me feel good.
Aww Paul, I guarantee if you got a 360 you’d love it! The Wii loses its appeal (at least it did for me) after a few months. Developers aren’t making great use of the motion sensing controller at this point in time. There seems to only be a handful of titles where this isn’t the case.
The 360 is the only console I own at the moment (the comments above regarding the Wii come from having hands on time with the console I bought my boyfriend) but the Playstation 3 does look interesting - just too expensive for me. Xbox Live is an amazing addition to gaming, and I can’t imagine owning a console without it.
You should really get back into your PC gaming, even if it is to play through Call of Duty 4 once - it would definitely be worth it :)
I really want Animal Crossing on the Gamecube - how girly is that?
I play Wii, my only next-gen system, rarely, but I do enjoy it. Getting SMB Galaxy for X-mas, along with a Zapper.
Paul, you said it’s a “must have regardless of whether you’re 5 or 25″ like that’s old! I’m 27 dude, and my age group was on the mid-to-late side of the Mario phenomenon in the 80’s. You weren’t even born probably when the first Mario game came out. I’d change it to “5 or 35″ at the least.
Like you my game playing diminished when I cam to Georgia Tech. I don’t really see myself picking it back up either. I will occasionally play Age of Empires just because that is the only game I have for my Mac.
All three current-gen home consoles provide great interactive entertainment. The trouble is, most of us can’t afford to pay $900+ to own all three systems, let alone shell out $50-$60 for the latest and greatest games…that’s a pretty hefty investment.
If you like first-party Nintendo franchises, get a Wii. Mario (Galaxy is a masterpiece; finally beat it this past weekend), Zelda, and Metroid are probably the best 3 current releases, and Smash Bros and Mario Kart (and possibly Animal Crossing) will most likely do the same in 2008. Wii Fit will also sell like hotcakes.
I hear you about Mac games too - there seems to be some untapped potential there. Not necessarily the most realistic, graphic-intensive stuff. But maybe something that plays up the creative DIY factor of most Apple software. We’ll see.
being a gamer, i enjoy trying out different games, usually those that tend to receive favorable reviews, however rpg (i.e. final fantasy) and music (i.e. guitar hero) would have to be my main genres. as for next generation, i only own a nintendo wii. i do find it interesting keeping tabs on the industry and seeing how all the competitors seem to be offering their own unique experiences. while it isn’t exactly obvious between the xbox 360 and the ps3, i have a hunch the ps3 will differentiate itself in the future with rpg’s and other types of games that tend to be more enjoyable by the japanese audience (just like with the ps2). of course, only time will tell.
it is a personal preference of mine, but i prefer playing fps games on a pc over the console. i play counterstrike and team fortress 2 from time to time. at one point i used to play world of warcraft.
but yeah, sometimes i do find myself wondering how things would’ve turned out had i spent all my collective time playing video games and placed it into something else, like a piano or something. but i guess in the end video games is something i do enjoy playing and analyzing so i can’t imagine my interest of it dying off.
Having a mac does kill off the ability to play computer games, but I have wasted many hours on Splinter Cell, the Thief Trilogy, Max Payne, Doom, Simon the Sorcerer and Discworld, Halo, Timesplitters… I do enjoy my computer games.
In need of a Wii though, and I am going to have go find a way to play Assassin’s Creed at some point.
Super Mario Galaxy is amazing. I have been enjoying it immensely.
I’m still getting over my WoW addiction after quitting some time back, but I really enjoy RTS games as well. I’ve just finished playing Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War to death, its graphics aren’t exactly cutting-edge but the gameplay is fun as hell. I can’t wait for the next expansion, Soulstorm, to come out next year. Eagerly anticipating Starcraft 2 as well, but Blizzard hasn’t intimated as to when it’ll be released.
Paul, haven’t you tried gaming using Boot Camp on your MBP? It works out quite well for me. Or maybe you’re just not into gaming anymore!
That’s too much trouble for me and I like keeping my main computer clean with just the stuff I need, nothing more. That and gaming on a MBP will melt it and it’s not like it can power my external LCD with any good framerates. Better off just building a PC if I went that route.
For me, the biggest hassle was in having to install Windows itself, which is tedious to say the least. Removing the partition using Boot Camp Assistant is only a click away though. I’m not sure how games like Crysis would perform on the MBP but I’ve played both FIFA 08 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, both graphics-intensive soccer games, on my 20″ cinema display in Vista and they’ve run very smoothly.
Being an avid gamer, I own a PS3, and an XBox 360 in addition to having Boot Camp on my MBP. The Boot Camp partition is reserved primarily for City of Heroes, the comic book themed MMORPG. It runs great, but newer games I can tell (such as Crysis) would make the processor cry, which is why I’m currently speccing out a real gaming rig.
As far as games being played on the XBox 360 this holiday, two words:
Mass Effect. I bought that game 3 days ago, and I’ve already logged almost 20 hours on it. It may not sound like much to a hardcore gamer, but I’m a 31-year-old man with a full-time job and other commitments. I haven’t played a game that much in years.
Other titles vying for my attention include Assassin’s Creed and Halo 3, which were both purchased two weeks ago.
The PS3 is currently serving primarily as a linux-based media center for me, but I bought it to play Heavenly Sword and Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. I beat R&C after fairly obsessive play (though nothing compared to ME), and I’m halfway through HS, but stuck on a boss.
Crysis looks sick, but I don’t get all that hot and bothered for FPS games, though I will be getting Unreal Tournament 3 when I get my new rig together. But that’s mostly for nostalgia.
Crysis looks highly demanding for my PC Hardware enough so i dont think i could play it on it by now, but i like the oldies but goldies like counter-strike and Half Life.
In the gaming scene, i own a nintendo gamecube but as you know, there arent any new game releases for this console but for the wii, so i have Zelda and prince of persia in my collection.
I would probably be a rabid World of Warcraft fan. Which is probably why I don’t try it…. I was locked in my room playing Ultima 4 all week back in the 80s…
I mostly don’t like any of the games that are coming out these days. But I love a few OLD games, like Commandos II, Worms Armageddon and GTA II. Oh that brings back memories….