The Deleter's Network » Why I hate PC Games Reviewers and Companies

Why I hate PC Games Reviewers and Companies

Damn them!

Published on July 17, 2007 By The Deleter In Industry

So, I promised a rant on my laptop. Not yet. But I WILL rag on other people's computers, and probably come across as moany and bitchy and suchlike. But I feel like letting this out, so bear with me here.

PC games reviewers. We love them, we hate them, we laugh at their snide comments, and we buy games they tell us not to. I don't hate them, but I envy them and the companies that make the games they review. For one reason. PC envy.

From Stardock itself:
Stardock’s update not only addresses minor bugs and play balancing but includes a brand new graphics engine!

"Many of our game developers have been working on our next game, a fantasy strategy game and in the process have made real advances in 3D engine development," said Brad Wardell, Designer of Galactic Civilizations. "We wanted to bring some of those performance advancements into Galactic Civilizations."

As a result, players have reported seeing a 10X graphics performance improvement.

"Now players can play on gigantic maps and be zoomed out quite a ways to display hundreds or thousands of ships and still get fantastic performance," said Wardell.

Ok, sounds good. My PC isn't awesome graphically. But the look at THIS:
Seriously though, one can't help but get very excited about the prospect of being able to start making real use of those Dual and Quadcores.

O.k... You want our computers to run faster, yet your getting excited about BUYING faster computers with fancy dualcores and quadcores and quintuplecores and such. WHO ARE YOU KIDDING? I'm not buying a new pc. My laptop would be fine if the graphics card was better. But this is madness. You're saying, "Yay! New stuff makes it go faster!", yet on the other hand, you're yelling, "BUY A DUALCORE PC OR YOUR GAME IS CRIPPLED!" There's even a post on the latter article from someone EXALTING Stardock for making the game compatible with Dualcore. EXALTING THEM! With more than three exclamation marks, like this!!!!!!!! This is madness.

O.K., Frogboy did mention that Marketing means we are fooled into this sort of thing. So I'll let it slide... this time. But what really gets my goat is this article on Gamespot.
Link

You say that Supreme Commander will make the hardest system buckle. But hang on, whats this? Your computer stats? Let's take a look, shall we? You have an Intel Core 2 X6800, Intel 975XBX2, with 2GB Corsair XMS Memory (1GB x 2), 160GB Seagate 7200.7 SATA Hard Disk Drive, Windows XP Professional SP2, and Graphics Cards Radeon X1950 XTX and Catalyst 7.1.

O.K. Let's get one thing straight. You say Supreme Commander, a game known for killing speed on any computer, will kill said computer, but YOU HAVE A BETTER SETUP THAN ME?!? Talk about high and mighty - my laptop barely runs it, and you're sitting smugly behind your screen, confident in the knowledge that no-one will argue because you work at GAMESPOT, telling us that you need to do such and such WHEN YOU RUN AN EXPENSIVE SETUP THAN CAN PLAY THE GAME WELL! Come on down and say that I need to turn my Fidelity to Low! I'll turn your Fidelity to low, damn it! Play the game on my computer, then say I need to do such and such. Oh, but you can AFFORD that system. WELL, I CAN'T! Sorry I'm typing in all caps, but the point I'm trying to make is:

"What do you do, when you have a low-end system, but you want to play a kick-ass game?"

Some will say "He's only trying to help you - it's your problem if you brought a game you can't play." And, on reflection, you're right. Maybe I'm over-reacting. But if he's telling me to buy a better graphics card, for a LAPTOP, then to the moon with him. I'll play GalCiv2 on low graphics setting, thanks.

Sorry, this hasn't been a very strong rant, more an unleashing of biased rage against a joe guy trying to do his job. But don't tell me how my games should look. If the case may be, I'll just play Minesweeper. In fact, I don't know what it looks like on Vista. I'll have a look.

In closing, I was angry, then I realised I was being silly. Apologies to any offended, but I wanted to say it out loud.

EDIT: Minesweeper looks all shiny on Vista. Surprise, Surprise.

Comments (Page 1)

Bichur

on Jul 17, 2007

but I wanted to say it out loud.

ummm... you do realize....

eh, never mind

vStyler

on Jul 17, 2007

Im glad I dont game.

scott Kendall

on Jul 17, 2007

ouch

on Jul 18, 2007

I had to try minesweeper. I don't like the new graphics and effects. Way overdone for small game.

whatwhere

on Jul 18, 2007

the only games i play are FPS such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R shadow of chernobyl,DooM 3,Quake IV,UT2004 and soon to be quake wars:enemy territory,UT3,GOW (gears of war) ETC

Jafo

on Jul 18, 2007

Jafo has lots...but most commonly played....Spider Solitaire ...

on Jul 18, 2007

Too damn many is unplayable to me. My computer can run anything, but my "wetware" can't stand 3d motions of most games. Last 3d game I ever played was quake 1. Last 3d game I actually finished was Doom.

That's why I stopped seriously gaming for a long while. I miss it, though!

Night Train

on Jul 18, 2007

"What do you do, when you have a low-end system, but you want to play a kick-ass game?"

You go to the movies.

Yarlen

on Jul 18, 2007

You should check out some of the games we've got on TotalGaming.net. There's a number of fun indie-games like Astral Masters, Space Rangers 2, Defender of the Crown, Aveyond and many others.

Zydor

on Jul 21, 2007

"BUY A DUALCORE PC OR YOUR GAME IS CRIPPLED!"

Incorrect, in fact compared to most games makers Stardock's downward compatibility is of far greater quality, and the numbers of lower spec machines play it are far higher than equivelent games from others. As to extolling the need for Dual & Quad core coding, thats perfectly legitimate for those who have them. That compatibility code in no way whatsoever alters the numbers who can play with a lower spec machine. (no I dont work for them)

I hear the general frustration of game makers who do aim at the entry level machine as a minimum spec for longevity of the code they write that does not specifically address lower spec machines.

There is no magic wand, but I do genuinely feel your frustration

Supreme Shogun

on Jul 21, 2007

I have to say I agree with the OP. I've been there too many times. It's called time to upgrade. Seriously. The life cycle of a computer is about 4 years give or take. Less if you got the $$$ and want all the latest stuff, more if, like me, you want to ride out your investments and get as much out of them. At some point you'll need to make that decision to get a whole new one rather than upgrading said vid card. I hear you on that. It is not just one company, it's a group consipiracy. Sooner or later (ok so its always sooner than we want) it's no longer just 1 title we cannot play, there's another and another with the same demanding system specs. How dare they! Then something comes along and its even worse. I feel your pain, man. I've been down that road.

REDstyler

on Jul 21, 2007

I had to try minesweeper. I don't like the new graphics and effects. Way overdone for small game.

Now why do I agree?
Well it's simple, you see. There's no point in making tremendous graphics for silly little games like that.

In fact, all Vista games have been overdone, except for the new ones.

$0.02

Jythier

on Jul 21, 2007

What really, really bugs me, is that Europa Universalis 3 came out, needed pixel shader, and a 3D accelerator, etc. Yet it has WORSE graphics than EU2. It's just 3D. Crappy 3D, unneeded 3D, and a game I would've bought becomes a game I won't touch with a 10 foot pole. Can't play it on my system anyway, but if I upgraded, I wouldn't want to. It's despicable. Why does everything need to be in 3D? It DOESN'T. Not when you're playing EU.

Zellio

on Jul 28, 2007

There there emo kid, just because technology keeps moving doesn't mean you gotta move along with it.

You'll be stuck in the stone age, but stick it to the man!

The Deleter

on Aug 08, 2007

You'll be stuck in the stone age, but stick it to the man!

I'm not sure weither to laugh or cry at that, but very well put. Oh, and don't call me emo please. *puts on silly buisinessman voice*I do not wish to be associated with that group.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!