The Personal Computer (PC) and why it finally is relevant compared to consoles…
- desolate9
- Feb 7, 2015
- 6 min read
The Personal Computer (PC) and why it finally is relevant compared to consoles…
Seriously? They were this big? Yes, building sized...
Long ago in a time long past was a computer… A megalo-behemoth of a system that utilized various forms and functions that often took an individual or teams to operate. Of course with time, as all things do, the punch cards were turned in floppy-disks, given to smaller machines, still large by today’s standard, but small compared to their ancestors. This was the personal computer, ran on a screen with either green or orange tinted typesets, and often capable of basic, but useful functions. Throw in things like impact printers, external keyboards, drives, etc. You had a functioning system. At this point became a desire over the coming years to continue to evolve the systems. Companies would spend billions competing for rights to be the first out of the gate. And I am not quoting the Steve Jobs movie here, but let’s follow that for a minute since we are on similar ground. There was a point in the movie where Steve, post-Apple was doing work for Atari. Let’s stop there, and take a different path.
An older-styled computer, complete with coloration...
Now we have heard of the advent of computers in a nutshell, I don’t dare elaborate due to most of you reading this will know all of that anyways. Let’s discuss what happened when someone took an idea, made it function on a system like a computer, and thus gaming was born. Between Ralph Baer’s Magnavox Odyssey and Nolan Bushnell’s Atari, the computer was evolving, again. It was going in now three different directions, with a fourth coming soon. We had Personal Computers (PCs) in the home and office. We had computers in the living room on TV’s playing games of all things. And then we had business servers; which weren’t taking off for anybody at the time because of multiple factors, mainly being cost of running a “network” in your office. Internet changed that in the 90’s and as technology grew and expanded, so did the PC and its cousins, the Video Game Console. The crash in 1983 happened, Atari buried E.T., damn-near folded, and Mattel pulled out entirely. When in Japan a different story was brewing entirely.
A SEGA Advertisment in Japan
We had one company who specialized in providing entertainment machines and early amusements to servicemen, based originally out of Hawaii. The company moved to Tokyo Japan, and eventually became Service Games or SEGA (the first two letters of each word). This happened after a merger with another servicemen from our Air Force who had a photo-booth company and arcades. Our other new-jack so to speak came from Japan as well, and I won’t dare argue who came first (despite the rumors, no-one really knows…) was a card company who decided to get into toys and games. And thus the Nintendo was born in Japan as Famicom. All this time this was happening, people were becoming excited of the thought of video games coming back, while others fought it tooth and nail. Eventually the argument settled, Nintendo was facing off against SEGA and for over 10 years, there was nearly nothing from anywhere.
Not stating my allegiance here, it was just great advertising during those days...
Enter the next step, Sony falling out with Nintendo on the fabled “Nintendo CD Project” and PlayStation entered the fray. No big deal, it was a more mature system, it left Nintendo and SEGA room to focus on all gamers of any age. Eventually figured out they couldn’t leave kids aside in gaming, and started talking a more diverse lineup, the console launched to mixed reviews that all agreed on one thing; Sony was here to stay. So now we have three big ones, and the PC is still quiet… but 3D is coming. And it came with a vengeance. When the world saw Ultima cross into new hardware in the late 90’s, people were stoked. Seeing a view that was 3D in realm, but still included the character on screen, like 3rd person movies! Well of course console manufacturers saw this as a problem because they knew in order to compete console prices would sky-rocket, and they would lose their customer base… A line had been drawn, and no one wanted it. Now instead of taking you all on a ten-page history lesson, lets fast-forward a bit shall we?
Comparisons again?! At least it shows what I'm talking about...
Its 2002, The GameCube just came out 6 months ago to much accolade, and concern as the Dolphin just turned into an ugly purse-like purple cube. Sorry, I digressed there, I used to hide mine, say it was “built-in to my TV stand”. However, over a year earlier, the successor to the PlayStation, PS2 was released, and had gathered steam. SEGA released the Dreamcast, the arguable first “HD” console due to its ability to support progressive scan, which the GameCube could as well. We had our three right? Wrong. Here is where the PC starts building relevance again as Microsoft releases in November 2001, the Xbox (Origin). A big green box that had computer guys going nuts. The first console built like a computer. And it would change the console forever. It featured a built-in Hard-Disk Drive (HDD), something Sony thought ahead for but saw no use yet. This HDD made so many things possible for gamers now it wasn’t funny. The game was changing, and people started making comparisons between consoles, more specifically Xbox and PC. Fast-forward through many wars and arguments we have all fought on the sides for, and we now have 2015.
SEGA died shortly after Dreamcast failed. Nintendo went in a different direction entirely post-GameCube with the Wii and now, Wii U. PlayStation 4 is kicking the snot out of Xbox One. And PC gamers have been jumping off consoles for about 3 straight years now after gaming has slowed. And people continued to pay attention to mobile games as being the “successor” to consoles… Those people get routinely kicked in the mouth by “gamers”. Clearly a battle of a new kind is brewing. And so far, the Personal Computer is the Golem looming in the background with his one bare hand holding onto the top of a mountain. A mountain where the foundation was surrounded by gamers of the console kind. We were being surrounded, and not everyone was happy about it. But since the “YouTube Generation” has grown into prominence, things have shifted. E-Games are a sport to the community, and feature all aspects of gaming. Including PCs and Consoles. But the war rages on, because now, the PC has the capability to match, if not outperform the consoles. Although the PlayStation 4, and Xbox One are both considered graphical power-houses, the still have many barriers keeping people from connecting. With the advent of Windows 10 and Microsoft blurring those lines for themselves with Xbox One, and Windows PC. I think it is time for Microsoft and Sony to shake hands, stop the bull and let us all connect together. But we know there are miles of excuses for us to listen to which is why I now have ALL the consoles of this generation PLUS a Personal Computer for Steam gaming. I know those days won’t be here anytime soon, until one buys the other out, but even then what will happen. Is the PC taking over? I know I am seeing a lot of potential, but the controller still feels nice in these hands… Plus, Destiny isn’t on PC.
Wow... Thanks Google Images, just what I needed...
So, while I have tried over these last few days to point out some of the larger arguments in gaming today. Why we should be fair, how to compare appropriately, my plea to reviewers and developers, and you the gamers. You can see the shared idea between the days, and I hope everyone keeps spreading the word! Thanks for checking this out, I appreciate you tuning in for this series. So remember everyone; "Keep on gaming, play fair, play hard, and play strong".
This is Desolate_9 just sharing some thoughts... Want to join the conversation, and you can be constructive? Leave it in the Comments, I check in. You can also follow me on Twitter @TheDesolate_9, and on my other Channels. Thanks for stopping by, and if you like the message, please share it on your local social-network... The only way thoughts are shared with others is through talking...
Comments