Want to read Slashdot from your mobile device? Point it at m.slashdot.org and keep reading!

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×

Ten Gaming Myths Debunked 229

Posted by Zonk from the no-jamie-or-adam-here-unfortunately dept.
ThinSkin writes "The Playstation 3 will fail. Video games are too violent. Copy protection is the beginning of the end for gaming. These myths and others are the target for Loyd Case over at ExtremeTech as he takes ten gaming myths apart and debunks them. From the article: 'Rumors are partly due to the nature of the overheated coverage that's the rule of the day on Internet sites. Rumors spread, become accepted as fact and remain embedded in people's belief systems long after the actual facts have emerged. There also seems to be relatively little historical perspective among some writers, which can alleviate breathless hype, either positive or negative.'"
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Ten Gaming Myths Debunked More

Ten Gaming Myths Debunked

Comments Filter:

  • Is this guy a psychic? (Score:5, Funny)

    by kmhebert ( 586931 ) <kev@@@kevinhebert...com> on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:40PM (#16008378) Homepage
    How can he know the PS3 will not fail? Is... is he going to give me $600?

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by PFI_Optix ( 936301 )
      It's a no-brainer that the PS3 *will* sell. But with its high price tag, lackluster performance (to date), and late release, it's not going to be anything special. The PS3 fanboys will be good little consumer whores and run out and buy it as soon as it hits the shelves, just like the Nintendo and MS fanboys.

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by BecomingLumberg ( 949374 )
        I am sure the PS3 will have a successful launch and sell a lot of consoles for this years Christmas (if they make it in time...)

        However, unless things change between now and then, I think many consumers will regret their decision when they realize how little they recieved for how much they payed. I don't know many people that think the PSP is the best handheld they own right now, even if the only other 'current-ish' one is a GBA. It has amazing graphics, but just tried to be way too much.
        • Don't you mean a DS Lite or did I miss something?
          • I think he means that most people have eather a DS or a PSP and the last portable they bought was likely a GBA. Implying that while a PSP is more tecnologicaly advanced than a GBA it isn't at this point more fun.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by 7Prime ( 871679 )
        Yes, Playstation fanboys will be good little consumer whores and run out and buy it as soon as it hits the shelves, the only problem is:
        1. A console's livelihood can't be based souly on sales to fanboys. Fanboys are a VERY small part of the market, the PS3 is priced for fanboys, yes, and that's what they'll get, nothing else. 80% of their gaming market... GONE. This seems like a no-brainer to me.
        2. They're losing fanboys like CRAZY, do to not being able to keep promises and devaluing the "game system" aspect
    • How can he know the PS3 will not fail? Is... is he going to give me $600?

      It's less about whether the PS3 will be dominating like the PS2 and more about the ridiculous doom and gloom on /. and other gaming blogs.

      Personally I think his selection wasn't too bad, I'm especially sick of the "PC games are dead" chant we get at the beginning of every console cycle.

      Btw. here [extremetech.com]'s the print version on one page instead of 324

      • Btw. here's the print version on one page instead of 324

        Oops, the page checks out your referrer, sry. The button's right below the article

  • I was going to try to get free karma with a printer friendly version ... but it automatically redirect ... booooooo [extremetech.com]

  • Yay for blog hits. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by daeg ( 828071 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:45PM (#16008415)
    Since when is blog commentary considered myth debunking?

    I'm happy to say that with Javascript disabled I didn't give him any ad impressions for that drivel apparently deemed Slashdot-worthy. I have a vertical scrollbar for a reason -- and that reason certainly isn't to click "Next page".

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Thaelon ( 250687 )
      This is why I love sites that have "print view":

      http://www.extremetech.com/print_article2/0,1217,a =187287,00.asp [extremetech.com]

      Whole article, one page, no ads, only 1 image (site logo).

      Firefox, adblock and the "printable view" of articles are the only things that make websites livable these days. I pity anyone not using FF & Adblock; those are the bare necessities.

      And yeah, the "article" is still full of shit, but at least it doesn't assault you with ads in the print layout.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Firehed ( 942385 )
        Too true, these ad-laden sites are getting a bit nuts. Though I prefer the multi-platform approach with the HOSTS file, seeing that there's no adblock for Safari. In any case, extremetech redirects that to the full article, so no mod point for you (sorry!).

  • The myths (Score:5, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:47PM (#16008440)
    The Playstation 3 will Fail
    PC Games are Doomed
    You Need a $500 Graphics Card
    Console Games are for Twitch Gamers
    Handheld Games are for Kids
    Console Games are Too Simple
    PC Games are Too Complicated
    PC Copy Protection is Too Onerous
    Games are Too Violent
    I'm Embarrassed About Gaming

  • The PS3 may not "fail" ... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward
    ... but for US$600, I'm sure as hell not buying one.
    • --... but for US$600, I'm sure as hell not buying one.--

      but...

      by the time it comes out $600 will only get you a couple of quarts of gas.

  • True, the PS3 will not fail... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by gkhan1 ( 886823 ) <oskarsigvardsson@@@gmail...com> on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:48PM (#16008450)

    ...but it will sure as hell not do very well. When seriously hardcore gamers, like the Penny Arcade guys, says that no way will they buy it at launch, you have a problem. Sure, the initial batch of consoles will sell out, they always do, but there is no way it can threaten the 360 in dominance. The Xboxs online stuff alone will probably make it more popular (and yes, I know Sony is launching its own thing (PS HUB, is it? or have they changed it?) but I doubt that it will be as good as Micrsofts).

    True, the Playstation brand has some cachet in Japan, and even some in the states and Europe. But weighing that against $600 (and even more in Europe) will ensure it a perpetual second or third place in the rankings. I guarantee it.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by LordPhantom ( 763327 )
      I would have marked this as insightful, but you made the assertation that Xbox will dominate this generation...... and I've gotta say, the Wii looks pretty damn good. (Of course right now it is, as it's the only game in town) I suspect that PS3 will wind up being the odd man out this time around, with people either buyign the Wii or the 360 as an affordable alternative to the PS3.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by gkhan1 ( 886823 )
        Ahh, man, you didn't mod me up for that? Crap. ;) You are obviously right, it's very possible that the Wii will rule, atleast alot more probable than the PS3. If I were to put money on it, I'd still bet 360 (remember that both the original Xbox and PS2 was more popular than the Gamecube, even though it was cheaper). It could go either way though.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Junta ( 36770 )
          To be fair, the Gamecube was fundamentally the same as PS2 and X-Box, the Wii is offering some potentially interesting innovation beyond 'more polygons, more lights, bigger discs'. Whether the Wii-mote will actually be fun or appealing remains to be seen, but it is an innovation that seems much more well executed and central compared to PS3's apparent last minute modification to mimick Wii and offset their likely legal-induced vibration function removal.
    • It doesn't matter, Sony can't make enough of them for it to be successful anyway. They'll sell out the initial batch of PS3s well into next year simply because of the limited supply. I bet that once they get their manufacturing worked out, we'll see the PS3 drop down to $300. Right now all they're trying to do is cash in on the $1200 eBay sales and take a slice of that for themselves because they know they can't make enough to meet demand.

      They're only releasing the PS3 right now for marketing purposes so th

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by timster ( 32400 )
      I think that when most people say "fail" in the context of the PS3, they don't mean that it will go the way of the Dreamcast. Everyone is aware that Sony has huge momentum coming off the PS1 and 2, and it seems unlikely that there would be any mass exodus of developers. Expecting crickets chirping at launch (as seen with the N-Gage) is completely irrational.

      The problem with TFA's thinking, though, is that Sony is in a completely different position from Microsoft and Nintendo. Nintendo spent relatively li

  • Eleven. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:49PM (#16008461)
    Myth 11: Breaking up an article into little bitty chunks and failing to provide a printer-friendly view motivates people to read your content.

  • PS3's failure is not a "myth". (Score:4, Insightful)

    by zyl0x ( 987342 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:50PM (#16008469)
    The Playstation 3 will fail.
    By definition, a myth is:
    1. a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, esp. one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
    2. stories or matter of this kind: realm of myth.
    3. any invented story, idea, or concept: His account of the event is pure myth.
    4. an imaginary or fictitious thing or person.
    5. an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.
    Going from definition 3, which I assume this "journalist" is also using, the PS3's failure would have to be completely made-up. This is, in fact, quite the opposite. The PS3's failure has been a calculated one, gathered from both the facts given to us from Sony's stupid PR team, and the concepts of what have made successful consoles in the past.
    • Yeah, he is contorting the concept of a myth for that one. Normally, when one "debunks" a myth, one shows reliable information that pretty conclusively removes "reasonable" doubt to the contrary. To "debunk" the "myth" that the PS3 will fail, it seems that you need to say, "according to this visit on my time machine..."

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by 7Prime ( 871679 )

        Well, I wouldn't go that far. It would be perfectly ligitimage to quote marketting statistics, with reasonable margin of error, or things like historical marketting situations very similar to this that have resulted in obvious trends. The problem is, he has done neither of these things, or any other kind of data or even marketting psychology explanations to back up his claims.

        Basically, this artical reads like: "The PS3 will not fail because... because, well, just look at the PS2! It did great! So Sony ca

  • Thank goodness it is a new article! (Score:4, Interesting)

    by bigbigbison ( 104532 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:50PM (#16008471) Homepage
    WHen I saw the headline, I was afrad that someone had stumbled on Henry Jenkins "Video Game Myths Debunked" [pbs.org] had been rediscovered once again and posted. (Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the article, but it just gets discovered every once in a while as if it were a new article).

  • Is this some sort of joke? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:51PM (#16008487)
    So on the first page I read this.

    I've been following interactive games for nearly two decades now, both as a gamer and as someone who writes about gear that PC gamers use.

    Than I get to the second page and read this.

    I'm not much of a Sony fan, and never owned a Playstation 2.

    That is where I stopped reading. How am I suppose to take someone opinion seriously when they aren't even a serious counsel gamer. No offense, but there is a very different world between that of a counsel and that of a PC, and a very fine line as well. A fine line that has long been crossed with a 600 dollar price tag and a trail of broken promises. It is very hard to take this artical seriously whatsoever.
    • How am I suppose to take someone opinion seriously when they aren't even a serious counsel gamer. No offense, but there is a very different world between that of a counsel and that of a PC

      My wife is in counseling psychology. She plays games, so I would consider her a serious counsel gamer and she thinks the PS3 is not going to succeed. Also, you are very correct that there is a big difference between counsel and a PC. However, with the Internet, I get a lot of counsel from my PC, so I guess it really
    • You have to have a PS2 to be a console gamer? So all those machines I've bought from Atari, Nintendo, and Microsoft don't count? Curses!
    • He doesn't have a PS2 so he's automatically not a console player? Crazy me, I thought there were lots of OTHER consoles out there.

  • 5 pages to say nothing? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Xehn ( 669415 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:52PM (#16008495)
    Printer friendly version [extremetech.com]

    This entire article reads like "Here is something no one really believes in the first place, and here is why it isn't true." This isn't "debunking myths", this is taking things that MAY have been true about gaming 10 years ago, and listing common sense exceptions that anyone reading the games section of /. would mutter in their sleep.

    From TFA:
    I'm Embarrassed About Gaming
    This is not so much a public myth, as a private one. I've spoken with large numbers of people over the years who confess to me that they're gamers, too, as if we're part of some giant Gamer's Anonymous group trying to break the habit.

    I don't know about you, but I've never thought of gaming as an embarrassment. Especially when today, the game industry does more in sales than Hollywood. How many people are embarrassed about enjoying movies (certain prequels of certain sci-fi trilogies notwithstanding)? I, for one, am embarrassed I took the time to read this.

  • "Video Games Are Too Violent" (Score:4, Insightful)

    by n6kuy ( 172098 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:55PM (#16008525)
    ...is not a myth. It's a personal opinion.
    For some people, no video game is too violent; for others, even Pac-Man is way too 62% violent.

  • Uh... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Dragoon412 ( 648209 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:57PM (#16008544)
    But the proponents of PC gaming Armageddon forget that the game play styles of PC games versus console games are different.

    This gets bandied about all the time, and I wonder if anyone saying it ever stops to think.

    PC and console games tend to be different because the systems have different capabilities. Your PC's monitor has, traditionally, crammed a lot more pixels onto the screen than your TV's. This has tended to favor genres that need a lot of screen real-estate, like RTS, and the genres that typically go heaviest on the eye candy, like FPS. Furthermore, every PC comes equipped with a keyboard and mouse (spare me the pedantry of your 8086 not having a mouse), which gives a more precise control setup than a typical gamepad. What needs precision in control more than anything? FPS games. Hence, the PC has dominated RTS and FPS, while the console has played to its strengths (or, at least, to minimize its weaknesses), giving us menu-based RPGs, sports, platformers, and the like.

    But think about it - HDTV? A 1080p TV is pushing a lot more pixels than most peoples' monitors. Even at 720p, you've got a whole lot of pixels on that screen. And the consoles are taking advantage. RTS is looking more and more feasible on the console. Meanwhile, they've got the "ooh, wow, eye candy!" effect from the resolution increase. So does anyone think it's really a major stretch to see a KBM setup on a console? Hell, the Xbox already has one! And for all we (no pun intended) know, the Wiimote is going to blow the KBM setup out of the water for FPS gameplay.

    So, I'm not saying the PC is dying, but looking at this zomg pc gamez r difrent then console games argument: the gameplay experiences are different because of the hardware differences, and the hardware differences are decreasingly significant.

    The PC once had exclusive dominion over online play, superior control, superior display, and moddability, at the expense of higher cost and (potentially) having to deal with the headache of PC hardware/compatibility issues.

    Now, the consoles have online play. They've got the great displays, and tentatively, even better control, with none of the hassles of PC gaming.

    The only thing the PC's got a leg up on, now, is moddability, and with the likes of XBL, how long can we expect that to last, maybe this generation?
    • So does anyone think it's really a major stretch to see a KBM setup on a console?

      No. But I think it's a major stretch to think that people will start to have their consoles at their desks. Because using a mouse and keyboard at your sofa is simply not gonna happen. Of course the Wii could change things.

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by mcmonkey ( 96054 )
        No. But I think it's a major stretch to think that people will start to have their consoles at their desks. Because using a mouse and keyboard at your sofa is simply not gonna happen.

        Word. Remember, the history of keyboards for consoles goes back (at least) to Colecovision and Intelivision, through Dreamcast, up to XBox. That's not to say it will never catch on, but the trend is certainly for folks to not buy keyboards for their consoles.

      • I use a wireless mouse and keyboard sitting on my couch and using my HDTV as a monitor while playing PC games all the time. I don't know why, but sitting on the couch and using the TV to play my PC games seems to work so much better for me most of the time.
        • For me the wires isn't much of a problem, but the lack of a good surface to use the mouse on. Using a mouse on the surface of a couch sounds annoying, so I'd need a suitably large piece of plywood or something else flat. Also having the keyboard in your lap isn't very ergonomic, and feels shaky.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by brkello ( 642429 )
      Not that I disagree with your point about games being different (even though they are to a certain extent)...but I disagree with the spirit of your post.

      I play both PC and console, and really don't have any sort of bias because I like both. The difference between the two is more about how I want to interact with the game. If the game has simple controls, then they are great for a console. If they are more complex, they are better for a PC. Now hold up, I know you mentioned that consoles will have (in f
    • A 1080p TV is pushing a lot more pixels than most peoples' monitors. Even at 720p


      What? 1080p is 1920x1080 and 720p is 1280x720.

      The crappiest $485 Dell laptop has a 1280x720 LCD.
      The medium range Dell laptops (~$900 base) have LCDs with 1600x1200 resolution.
    • > The only thing the PC's got a leg up on, now, is moddability, and with the likes of XBL, how long can we expect that to last, maybe this generation?

      Oddly, the leg up my computer has over a console is the office suite. And the Internet. And email. And so on. The reason PC games aren't going to die is that the console can't substitute for a PC. Therefore, people will continue to have PCs in their houses, and therefore games will continue to be made for them. I certainly can't give up my computer

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by plumby ( 179557 )
      For me, the big difference is more at the input level than the output. I usually play PC games sat on an office-type chair, at a desk with a keyboard and mouse in front of me. I play console games slumped on the sofa with a joypad.

      I wouldn't want to play something like Civilisation on a console. It would just be painful. But by the same token, I wouldn't really want to play Pro Evolution Soccer on a PC (or at least in a typical PC environment).

  • Read on tomorrow when we learn that the grass is green and the sky is above us!

    Seriously now. Is there any fact hidden in that somewhere or am I just missing it between the general knowledge drivel? I was hoping to see some statistics or cross referenced research that can be used to come to the revelation that (insert 'myth' here) can be busted.

    Instead we get "oh really" statements from someone. C'mon, I can do that myself, if that's all it takes to create a well received blog, I think it's time to start ty

  • For PS3, it depends on how you define failure (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Astarica ( 986098 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @12:59PM (#16008555)
    If failure means 'fail to utterly dominate the market like PS and PS2', which is certainly a valid criteria, then it does seem like PS3 is definitely going to fail. Note that you can get a 51% market share, which would be plenty good for any companies not named Sony, and still be considered a failure relative to the PS and PS2.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by thedletterman ( 926787 )
      So the Wii will be a smashing success, because it's hurdle is the 12% marketshare the Gamecube enjoys, and the PS3 will be a total failure because their hurdle is the PS2's 62% marketshare. Great argument.

      People will inevitably look at figures like the sheer number of consoles manufactured and sold by each respective companies and make useless predictions about which console is king. Of course, that will be a mere five months into the PS3 and Wii's production and nearly two years into the Xbox 360's product

  • I was debunked too (Score:3, Funny)

    by ReidMaynard ( 161608 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @01:01PM (#16008575) Homepage
    at summer camp

  • Myths or opinions? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by AKAImBatman ( 238306 ) * <akaimbatman AT gmail DOT com> on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @01:02PM (#16008581) Homepage Journal
    Myth: The Playstation 3 will Fail
    This isn't a "myth", it's an opinion. It can't be proven or disproven, because it involves matters that haven't happened yet. Once the PS3 is launched, then we can argue if it failed in the market or not.

    BTW, I find it disturbing that this fellow feels that there's no way Sony will lose third party support. It's already happening *before* the console is launched. If they lose much more *after* the console's launch, the console may very well "fail".

    PC Games are Doomed
    As a sweeping statement, I agree that it's too broad. However, I feel compelled to argue that PC Games lack a lot of the popularity and developer support that once existed. Rather than having titles that are uniquely suited to the PC, we're instead faced with titles that are designed to be ported to consoles. The result is that the PC Platform is missing all the fresh titles that would push gaming into new realms. PCs are quickly falling back into business and communications machines with Indie, Web Based, and Casual titles providing less sweeping amusements.

    You Need a $500 Graphics Card
    Where did he pull this one from? Hardcore gamers want a $500 graphics card, but I've never seen it advertised that you need a $500 graphics card for your inexpensive gaming machine. NVidia and ATI have budget lines for the occasional gamer.

    Console Games are for Twitch Gamers
    He thinks Tomb Raider: Legends is an example of a non-twitch game? Um, Civilization? Sim City? The Sims? Methinks this is what is meant by "non-twitch" games. In any case, this idea died with the SNES. (Populous, Sim City, and several other good non-twitch games.) He needs to get with the program.

    Handheld Games are for Kids
    This "myth" is no longer a "myth". It's blindingly obvious that the PSP isn't targetted at 8 year old Jimmy.

    Console Games are Too Simple
    Is it just me, or is this guy REALLY behind the curve? Again, PC Games and Console Games are the same games these days! There are very few PC exclusives anymore. So I don't know where he's getting this idea that people think this. Unless, that is, he's pulling from his 10-years-out-of-date knowledge on PCs vs. Consoles.

    Games are Too Violent
    This isn't a myth. As games target higher age groups, they quickly gain a lot of "adult" content in the form of violence and sexuality. Max Payne pops to mind as a game that was quite disturbing. Similarly, the new 360 title Gears of War is full of disturbing imagery like corpses hanging from hooks. Just because he's playing the Sims doesn't mean that games aren't getting more violent. Then again, just because violent games exist, doesn't mean that games like The Sims don't exist. My only wish is that there'd be a bit more diversification than there is today. Far too many titles (especially for the 360) target "Mature" audiences.

    • Games are Too Violent

      This isn't a myth. As games target higher age groups, they quickly gain a lot of "adult" content in the form of violence and sexuality. Max Payne pops to mind as a game that was quite disturbing. Similarly, the new 360 title Gears of War is full of disturbing imagery like corpses hanging from hooks. Just because he's playing the Sims doesn't mean that games aren't getting more violent. Then again, just because violent games exist, doesn't mean that games like The Sims don't exist. My

    • No, it's never advertised that you need a 500$ card, but still, for some reason that's what most people seem to think. I'm sure you've also heard a lot of console-biased people say retarded things like "computers gaming sucks because the video card alone costs more than a console", which is only true if you buy one of those higher-end cards that are way overkill for playing any game currently on the market, and that would all run fine on a middle-class card that most likely costs less than most consoles.

  • The "myths" (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Rob T Firefly ( 844560 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @01:03PM (#16008594) Homepage Journal
    None of these are even remotely qualifiable as "myths."

    The Playstation 3 will Fail - This is still wild speculation either way, until it is released and either does well or flops. Either way, speculation on the future is not a myth.
    PC Games are Doomed - Groundless FUD, not a myth.
    You Need a $500 Graphics Card - Not a myth for even the most basic Slashdotter with the slightest grasp on the subject.
    Console Games are for Twitch Gamers - See above.
    Handheld Games are for Kids - See above.
    Console Games are Too Simple - See above.
    PC Games are Too Complicated - See above.
    PC Copy Protection is Too Onerous - Mostly a subjective argument, and too widely ranged a subject to debate in one chunk. It's an issue, not a myth.
    Games are Too Violent - See above.
    I'm Embarrassed About Gaming - See above.
    • You Need a $500 Graphics Card - Not a myth for even the most basic Slashdotter with the slightest grasp on the subject.

      Sadly a noticeable portion of slashdotters seem to not have the slightest grasp on the subject, so I think restating the obvious is in this case a good thing.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by brkello ( 642429 )
      I know you are trying to prove a point...but you go too far. Some of these are myths, some are not. Your reasons for them not being myths are pretty piss poor. Some are myths and some are misconceptions...and a few don't really fit. It's just on par with the other terrible game journalism I have come to expect from people who write about games.

  • Who ever believed these "myths"? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by DesireCampbell ( 923687 ) <desire.c@gmail.com> on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @01:18PM (#16008714) Homepage
    Are they trying to say anyone ever believed in these "myths"? I can't pick out anything that any normal person would actually believe.

    1. The Playstation 3 will Fail
    Huh? What's the difference between this playstation and the last one? This scenario is exactly like when the PS2 was introduced: nothing really ground-breaking, better graphics, new media options, better controllers... and people still bought the PS2. I see no reason the PS3 won't do just as well.

    2. PC Games are Doomed
    Who the hell ever said that? I can't even fathom where that idea came from.

    3. You Need a $500 Graphics Card
    When has that ever been true? You need a mid-range ($150-$200) video card for top-notch graphics and performance. That has been true for nearly a decade. As new games come out and need better graphics cards, new graphics cards come out and push down the price of the older ones.

    4. Console Games are for Twitch Gamers
    Huh? Consoles are for platformers, auto-aim shooters, and RPGs. Where does "twitch" come into play there? The console controller doesn't lend itself to 'twich gameplay' at all. A computer mouse, on the other (twitchy) hand...

    5. Handheld Games are for Kids
    I've heard "video games are for kids" but nothing about handheld games specifically. Why would handheld games (the majority of which are styled after, or are remakes of, old console games) be treated differently than a TV-based console game?

    6. Console Games are Too Simple
    Huh? You mean the few console-only games? Most games on consoles are ports of PC games, or vice versa.

    7. PC Games are Too Complicated
    How is this even it's own entry? Isn't this just the inverse for the last "myth"?

    8. PC Copy Protection is Too Onerous
    That is true. Just being there is too onerous for my tastes. Strangely though, there's no mention of the extraordinarily more onerous 'console game copy protection'.

    9. Games are Too Violent
    Is Jack Thompson still alive?

    10. I'm Embarrassed About Gaming
    I can't imagine anyone being embarrassed about playing video games. Perhaps there's some shame in 14-hour WoW sessions, but with the general "coolness" regarded to video games over the last five years or so, I can't see anyone hiding the fact that they play Mario on occasion.

    Unless they meant "myths" like 'believed by a few crackpots who have no idea what their talking about', then yes - these certainly ARE myths.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Pluvius ( 734915 )
      Are they trying to say anyone ever believed in these "myths"? I can't pick out anything that any normal person would actually believe.

      Welcome to Slashdot!

      Rob

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by oGMo ( 379 )

      Huh? What's the difference between this playstation and the last one? This scenario is exactly like when the PS2 was introduced: nothing really ground-breaking, better graphics, new media options, better controllers... and people still bought the PS2. I see no reason the PS3 won't do just as well.

      Yes, in fact, check this funny article in Salon [salon.com] that outlines why you shouldn't buy Sony's next console:

      • It's the most powerful video game platform, but that's not enough
      • There is likely to be a shortage of
    • I'll give you 600 reasons why it might fail.

    • 2. PC Games are Doomed
      Who the hell ever said that? I can't even fathom where that idea came from.

      Actually, a lot of people, including me, believe this in one form or another. I don't think PC games overall are doomed, but I think that big commercial PC games are getting increasingly uninteresting and unimaginative. All the cool new ideas are moving over to the console.

      Seriously, take a look at the recent noteworthy PC games. FPSes, RTSes, MMORPGs, Civilization, and Java games. Wheeeee. Now take a look at th

  • Forgot one (Score:5, Funny)

    by MImeKillEr ( 445828 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @01:30PM (#16008803) Homepage Journal
    11. Duke Nuke'em will actually be finished and brought to market sometime in the next decade.

  • If I only had a brain... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Sebastopol ( 189276 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @02:16PM (#16009211) Homepage
    This article could have been called:

    "An Introduction to Strawman Arguments for the Sake of Wasting Bits"
  • Seriously, if someone's prepared to pay over £200 for a ticket to see The Killers [ebay.co.uk] (more by the time the bid finishes), then they'll pay £600 for a PS3.
  • . . . as long as Sony adopt's extremtech's click-through-one-sentence-ad-fest business model. Honestly, I think they should just put it all on one page and just have an ad every few lines instead of forcing me to click through like 12 pages.
  • He forgot about Ermac in MK. I think its about time to officially consider that debunked.

  • What is this supposed to mean? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Wilson_6500 ( 896824 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @02:36PM (#16009384)
    "Although the user interface was tailored well for PC first person shooter fans, you could whip through Halo in about half the time it took many console players. The UI conversion may have been too good."

    So, instead of either:

    a) Taking advantage of the unique features of a PC to "enhance" a console-game experience with added content--and I DON'T mean just a multiplayer mode OR
    b) Porting fewer games and instead focusing on developing games that play off of the strengths of their systems

    ... we should instead cripple the PC ports by forcing them to "play at the same level" as the consoles? I don't think I understand what the author is trying to imply with that assertion. It's a fact: PCs have a more robust control scheme barring applications that benefit greatly from analog input (joystick games such as flight sims aside--I'm talking about "tilt stick to walk" applications). If your game is hard on consoles but easy on the PC, then you've likely developed a game that's hampered by a poor control layout or simply wasn't meant to be played on a gamepad.

    I'm no economics expert, but if a guy could find a way to emulate mouse control on a gamepad, he'd probably have his idea ripped off by Sony and make them a ton of money. Wiimote, I'm not looking at you because I'm unconvinced, based on what I've observed of your mode of operation, that you'll be any good for FPS.
  • Apart from the PS3 "myth", they all seem made up. I mean, who says console games are too simple? Who says PC games are doomed? Who says you need a $500 video card? Nobody I know. It's all just a bunch of waffle. Oh, and the PS3 is going to fail. Too expensive, and no way are the developers going to be releasing games as quickly as they will on the 360. Sony has focused too much on complicated hardware and left the developers out to dry.

  • PC Copy Protection (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Imagix ( 695350 )
    Regarding their myth 8: PC Copy Protection They're wrong about TotalGaming.net. You need a valid login to install/update the games, but not to play the games. Also they try to draw the parallel that nobody complains about inserting the CD into a Playstation, but people complain about PCs. How about because I've already installed the program onto my harddrive. The only reason (in many, many cases) to insert the CD is to "verify" the license. Nobody would be complaining if the content actually resided on
  • As a long time PC gamer I am to the point where I hope PC games do become niche again. All though I seriously doubt that will actually happen. But when I started in this hobby in the early 80s it was the domain of the hardcore nerd. And as far as I am concerned let it go back to that. I don't need EA and the latest rev of Madden wouldn't play it anyway. Bring back the hardcore developers with their giant manuals and incredibly complex games. Bring back the hardcore players and get the n00bs off the servers.

  • Riiight (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Kenoli ( 934612 ) on Wednesday August 30, 2006 @04:25PM (#16010329)
    >> "I'm not much of a Sony fan, and never owned a Playstation 2. But I think the Playstation 3 will do just fine."

    Direct translation:
    >> "I am an idiot."

    Now go click on the sidebar ads, and the pop-ups, and flips through all the pages of that crap so he can get more hits.

Slashdot Top Deals

It is easier to write an incorrect program than understand a correct one.

Close