Pick your systems
 

Which current systems do you own? Which one is your favorite and why?

I personally perfer the X-Box, I like the controllers, you have X-Box Live, and the games just keep getting better.

Have to say Xbox, but GC is a good console too. PC gaming gets less and less appealing. I barely buy games for it, as they never work to their full potential.

GC is a nice option though, playing F-Zero all afternoon at a friends.. damn thats a good game.

Whilst the Playstation has alot of games, i'd say it's the weakest console because of it's age. If the game was on multiple consoles, your better off getting in on the Xbox or GC. I have one myself.. and i find the controllers (especially the shoulder buttons) to be alot worse than the other consoles. I think people like them so much because the've been forced to use them so much. I found THPS 3 near impossible to play, whilst i can play THPS 4 with ease on my Xbox.

pc, ps2, gamecube, dreamcast, snes, sega genesis, nes, sega cd, n64(what a piece of crap), psx.....etc, etc.

Anything but the XBox.

Also to DarkPho, yes it is true that if a game is on multiple consoles I will buy it for the GC instead of the PS2 but how can you not love the amazing games on the PS2? Specifically, FFX, Star Ocean Till the End of Time, GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, MGS2 and soon to be 3 only to mention the first few that popped into my mind.

I own an Xbox, mostly because I think the graphics and sound are far superior to either of it's rivals. Plus I love the hard drive.

I think the PS2 has never matched it's potential.

I hate the controller on the GC

GC and PC. I tend to play PC more, but until I get a new machine, I will probably play more CUBE.

in my own humble opinion, i would have to say a modded xbox is the greatest video game system to date.

But, in your options you have PC, i dont really think that is a 'gaming system', but we could dispute that for yrs. So i choose xbox, but if i had to choose to be on a island with either an xbox or pc.. easily id choose the pc.

I use every console on a daily basis. I can't say there's a best/favorite for me.

PC

Infinitely adaptable and will not die out like consoles. Plus, playing shooters requires a mouse/keyboard combo. Gamepads just cannot compete.

PC

all console games can be played on the PC with their original gamepads..

and not vice-versa

Won't die out like consoles? Gaming PC's require upgrading way more often than consoles. PCs die out <I>faster</I> than consoles.

Most shooters do work better on PC, but some don't (Halo). Gamepads can compete, it's a simple fact of the mouse and keyboard being better for FPS and that's about it. For most of the other types of games, gamepads are more comfortable.

-Lasereth

I own all except GC, and I prefer PC alot more than anything else. I just hate controllers, Keyboard+Mouse is the best combo. The graphics are also way better on the PC then on any console.

Xbox and PC.

IMO, as long as you don't need to type messages (ie: if you have a voice communicator like in xbox live) then FPS work just as well on controller as on a keyboard. I think the only real advantage of the PC over the Xbox is somewhat more modification ability of games and better control in RTS games - I wouldnt' want to try warcraft III on xbox even if it existed.

While I play PS2, I really don't like to if I can help it - the graphics on Xbox are better, and the lack of a HD kills me. San Andreas looks a lot worse than Vice City did on the Xbox (not that its a worse game - its clearly a much better game), and that was a real shock.

Funny, I've been gaming on PCs for over 15 years. What console has been supported by its manufacturer for that long? Exactly.

15 years from now, I will likely be gaming on a PC. PS2s, Xboxes and Gamecubes will be items of nostalgia.

Yes, shooters own on PCs. But they're not the only ones. Ever try playing an RTS like Starcraft on a console?

Halo was made for the Xbox only. Easier development plus larger sales made this decision.

Don't forget the online modding community. Can you say Counter-Strike? Wouldn't have happened without PCs. Doesn't happen with today's consoles. Maybe it will happen in the future though. Maybe.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy console games as much as anyone. But they are not as adaptable as PCs.

while i agree consoles cant compete in FPS or RTS games they are a million times better in every other genre, save possibly some 3rd person shooters.

i grew up console since i was 3 yrs old. love them things. NES even taught me how to read.

Yeah, and 15 years from now, your current PC will be an item of nostalgia. You're making it too complicated. It's not the PC genre that loses support, it's the actual components of your PC that get outdated. PCs are outdated far easily than consoles are. The average console lasts 5 years while the average fully loaded PC lasts 3 years before gaming gets into the subpar gameplay arena.

Saying that PCs are better because they have the same name after 15 years isn't a valid opinion.

-Lasereth

Hell, Nintendo has had the same name for aeons. Longer than PC's have been around, anyway. So there.

Nintendo: NES, Gameboy, SNES, N64, Gamecube, GBA SP

I agree, N64 is a pretty lousy system, but i had fun with it while it was during its time.. . I still love playing old SNES and NES games..

as far as comparisons between GC, Xbox, and PS2... PS2 is in a far last.. I dislike the hardware, and most games I would enjoy playing are over all of the systems or at least Xbox...

i have been tempted to purchase an Xbox and I still will probably do it... the newer Xbox controllers arent bad, but for some reason i really like the GC controllers... :) I love my wavebird.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree over this one. One parting question: aside from games only available to specific platforms, what can current consoles do that a PC cannot?

a console is solely meant to play video games, pc is not. ok when i play a console i dont want to surf the net, look at porn, play mp3s, become a leet haxor, whatever. I play video games on it. Video games that would be utter crap if they were on pc.

Xbox. It is the king of consoles right now. Faster, better graphics, built in HD, killer audio, Xbox live beats the shit out of PS2 online, etc etc. It's a far superior system. It's starting to show, also. Gamefly's top rentals are almost always Xbox titles. The only problem with Xbox is that it doesn't have the "exclusives" like PS2 does. Gran Turismo, GTA, Final Fantasy..etc etc. Those three titles were the only reason I bought a PS2. I own over 50 Xbox games, and 5 PS2 games(FFX, GTA:VC, A-spec, Kingdom Hearts, and Dark Cloud II). And if Xbox does get any exclusives, they end up on PC about a year later. Xbox's library is really catching up though, and the only reason to buy a PS2 is for those "exclusives." Xbox provides a much better gamer experience.

Xbox for me... I had voted for PC as well but after realized its been a long time since i've played a game on the PC. Now I think the only reason to play some games on the PC would be for some FPS's and most strategy games. Starcraft is still one of my faverate games and still has a thriving online community.

I game on PS2 and PC. Don't see a need for much else.

Xbox - superior hardware

PS2 - best selection games

GC - nintendo exclusive games

Ok, since you're unwilling to bite. Here's a few things you can do with PC games that you cannot with today's consoles:

1) mod the game (Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, etc.)
2) create your own maps/scenarios/campaigns and share with others (sorta like modding)
3) cap screenshots easily
4) record playback of many games, download other's replays and view on your system
5) save anywhere/anytime (Ok, not all PC games are like this. And not all console games are without this ability. But it is far more prevalent on PCs)

You can see my point. I do believe some games are better for consoles, and some simply demand the abilities of the PC. The PC can do things consoles cannot - there simply is no way you can argue around that.

Now, if you want to debate pricing, convenience of use or uniformity of design that's another story.

GC for me. PS2 doesn't interest me much. Xbox has some great qualities but most of the games I want to play I can also find on GC and PC.

Something about those Nintendo exclusives that will make me buy a Nintendo system as long as they're around.

I bought xbox a few months ago, which was difficult for me, since I am former mac lover. buying a microsoft product didn't feel right at first, but I was interested in getting halo2, and that's about it.

I played through Knights of the Old republic, and was pleased.

PC all the way

XBox = Clunky uncomfortable controller

PS2 = Nothing I really want to play

GC = Controller I think im going to break and lack of games that interest me

Overall, I'd take a PC game over ANY console in a heartbeat

The PC vs Console argument is ridiculous.
For a start the XBox is a cut down PC in a smaller (not much) box.
The "consoles are designed for gaming and PCs arent" argument doesn't hold either. I can design a PC specifically for gaming on if I want to. It will still do everything else. I could run games in 1600x1200 with 8x antialiasing with various levels of texture detail. Add all the other modifications that have been previously mentioned like modding and such.
I can and do use a PS2 controller to play games like the Tony Hawk series, and you can get adapters for the other console controllers too as well as the option of using a keyboard and mouse.

The point about the lifetime of a PC doesn't really hold either. Console games are made with one set of hardware specific rquirements in mind. 5 years after the introduction of the GameCube the hardware will still be the same as the day it was bought, and developers know this. When to upgrade your console to a new model is not your choice, it is entirely in the hands of Sony, Nintendo and the like. PC hardware changes dramatically over time and PC games reflect this. If all new PC games that came out were designed for 5 year old hardware there'd be an outcry.

Don't forget this:

http://www.jlthtf.com/chanpin/tupian/x36.jpg

Useful for flgiht sims, space sims and mech sims. Hell, I even used it to play Motocross Madness 2 with excellent results. And yes, I know about Steel Battalions.

Work right out of the box 100% of the time. Play co-op or vs with your buddies all sitting on the same couch. Play on a 55" screen.

If you buy a pre-built system, they work "right out of the box." Better to build your own system, though. I have friends coming over to my house tonight and they're bringing their PCs. We'll probably play co-op and head to head. And my video card enables me to play on a 55" television (if I had one). Better yet, I can use a projector and use a blank wall as a screen and have a much larger image than 55 inches.

A better argument would be that multiple people can much more easily play on one system. Of course this only is good for certain games. But other than that, I don't see anything else a console can do that my PC cannot.

Im with Coppertop here. Besides, even if you can play with all your buddies on one system, you then have to split the screen, and I dont care how big it is, Sharing a corner of a screen is ass compared to LANing it up with my buddies. Same fun, buddies still in the same room, and no screen sharing.

Never been interested in the xbox. Most good games on it end up on the pc or ps2 not too long after its release. PS2 has a far better selection of games imo. Only exclusive game I wanna play on xbox is ninja gaiden and the upcoming unreal championship 2. Aside from those 2, ps2 is much better imo. The slight gfx difference doesnt do anything for me. I checked the reviews on ign of xbox games that had a score of 9 and over and I couldnt find anything that looked that interesting. For the amount of time I spend playing games, my pc serves me much better.

I've got all the systems listed. I've always been a fervent PC gamer. But as of lately, I've been moving more and more into the console world.

PC games, while they're great and upgradeable and beautiful for all the reasons listed above, have their share of problems.

Recently, LAN sessions I have with friends have been fraught with looking for patches for games, making sure everyone has the game, coercing idiots who don't have the game into getting it, tackling connectivity issues, getting installers to work, etc, etc, etc. By the time all the issues are worked out, it's time to call it a night. Basically, I'm sick and tired of wasting all my time.

Console systems? Pop in the game, boom. One night, my friends and I were playing X-men Legends at my place. People come over, I pop in the disk, we're playing.

Now you can argue that PCs are the only thing for FPSes and RTSes and you know what? I totally agree with that. Mouse and keyboard are still the only way I'd ever play an FPS. The last FPS I thought was really well done on a console was Goldeneye on the N64. But with the latest FPSes, my computer (2.4 Ghz with GeForce 5600 FX) chugs. A 2.4 Ghz!? I refuse to stay on the upgrading treadmill. The cost of a good video card rivals that of a console system these days.

[rant]
The strength of the console is that it's completely uniform, allowing for drop in and go play, but that's also their weakness, since there's limited upgradeability. Console developers get that and are utilising it to their full potential. Now that online connectivity exists, console makers are using it to deliver CONTENT, not patches. PC developers have gotten lazy and insist on patching the game after it's shipped in order to make their dates.
[/rant]

As for the system, I used to swear by my PS2, because it was shiny and new (many moons ago). I got a Gamecube a few years back because of exclusive content (Zelda titles, Metroid, etc) and got some good use out of it. I just recently picked up an Xbox after many years of protest (the "I've got a PC, why do I need an Xbox" argument) and it's my system du jour.

Long and short, for the PC/Console debate, it really depends on what the game type is. The console implementation has certain strengths that the PC lacks, and vice versa.

Console:
Sports
Driving
Fighting Games
Alternative Peripherals (DDR pads, etc)
Exclusive content
Third Person Action/Adventure (not gun based, e.g. Spiderman 2, Prince of Persia)
RPGs (FFX, Dark Cloud 2)

PC:
RTSes
FPSes
Flight Sims
Any hardcore sim (Steel Beasts, rock!)
Third Person Action/Adventure (gun based, e.g. Max Payne)
RPGs (Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR)
Adventure (Monkey Island, "Aye?")

That's my 2 cents...well, more like a buck and change.

Well I tend to play 3 types of games, strategy (both turn based and real time), fps and mmorpg.

Therefore, for me, the PC is king.

Everything that I want from gaming, flexibility, upgradeability and community, is perfectly provided by this large aluminium box sitting next to me.

PC is good.. and I'm a Nintendo fanboy from way back so GameCube got my tick as well.

PC and Cube.

First off for the guy that said PC's die out quicker? Actually it'd be about the same as any other gaming machine. You don't upgrade yearly, but every coupla years..... which is at about the same rate as a lot of consols. Maybe a bit sooner than consols, but thats easily offset by the sheer number of games it has.

PC is definately a gaming console... if thats why you made it. Sure I can do word processing and other college crap on here as well as check my email, but I made this computer to do one thing well... Play Games. It does its purpose for I've spent countless hours on this machine making every penny spent on it the greatest pennies to ever have existed. :D

Cube? I'm a nintendo FanBoy and they have games that others just can't compete.. Metroid, Zelda, SmashBrothers... :D Gimmie about Six months and I'll at DS to the list (No reason to buy it immediately I still have a game to beat on my SP)

-edit-addin-in---
I almost forgot!! Some people say the computer games don't live up to their potential? Games like CS or Desert Combat would have never existed had Half Life or BF1942 never existed. I believe computer games don't just live up to their potential but take it further and live so much beyond the game that .. well.. that new games sprout from them. There are a lot of great games for consoles, but no one is able to mod them into new ones.

Gotta be my PC. I have owned or heavily played almost every console out there, and I just need my mouse and keyboard. :)

I always think GC is for younger people like ~10 and the PC is for older gamers.