I'm hopeful that this will turn out well for PC gamers. I've had Impulse installed for awhile, and usually start it up a couple weekends a month to see what games are on sale. I bought RF: Guerrilla and Demigod from them and wasn't upset with the service. I prefer it to GFW's program, but that's not saying much. If given a choice though I prefer Steam.
Best-case scenario: Gamestop can use it's clout with the publishers to secure more mainstream games, while continuing to offer indie games. If they can offer discounts competitive to Steam, I'll keep checking them out. They could rebrand it to Gamestop HyperAwesome DL Service, I wouldn't care, as long as it's good. I love Steam, but I would love for it to have some competition to keep Valve on their A-game.
This surprises me - Microsoft usually pay for the timed exclusivity on games that are sure to sell well - GTA 4, the Call of Duty series and the two most recent Fallout games are prime examples. This game - from a second-tier publisher (THQ is no ActiBlizzard or EA) and a developer with a spotty record.
This makes me think that either Microsoft has seen this game running and been impressed enough to shell out big bucks, or THQ and Kaos Studios are pulling a fast one on Microsoft. I'm thinking the former.
I'm really excited for this game, specifically the single player story, and this news makes me even more hyped. I'm still buying it on Steam, though.
I just finished this game on PC, and I really enjoyed it. However, it's not perfect, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks so. What would you add / change?
The thing that immediately comes to my mind is the save system. Autosaves are great, but I wish I could create my own save files - I really want to play through "Frontline" without losing all progress in later levels!
" I wouldn't mind playing PC games more if it weren't for the odd kinds of DRM that publishers have been coming up with lately. It's crazy. Ubisoft primarily as they make some nice games, but I'm not too certain about the DRM they currently use. Maybe I shouldn't worry too much but I'm kind of leery of what kind of craziness publishers will do to minimize piracy, and how it might affect me as a consumer. "
This shouldn't turn into a DRM rant thread, but I can't help myself. I think DRM frustrates PC users and is an inconvenience to developers/publishers, but I don't think it's enough of a factor to keep the majority of gamers away from PC gaming. The (alleged) high cost, the knowledge needed (hardware drivers, server browsers, even system requirements), and the differences between couch + TV vs. desk chair + smaller monitor (not to mention laptops outsell desktops annually) all factor into keeping hardcore PC gaming a smaller market compared to consoles.
"The PC gaming community is so much better than anything I've seen on Xbox Live or PSN, people are a whole lot friendlier and funny and the enthusiasm they put into random games just for the love of playing them is amazing."
Definitely one reason I hadn't thought of, but it's an excellent point. Whenever I'm on Xbox Live, I WILL hear someone being very immature - excessive cursing (like, 12-year-old just learned how fucking awesome the f-word is to use so let's say it every third fucking word), homophobia, etc. When playing TF2 on PC, hearing that stuff is a rarity - it happens, sure, but not EVERY TIME I play. The PC gaming community seems much more laid back and chill.
I think my biggest reason I love PC gaming is the price. Sure, the initial investment is more than a console, but the games are ALWAYS cheaper. Not just initial prices, since they don't include a licensing fee to MS/Sony/Nintendo/Gizmondo/whoever, but the sales are insane! Steam started it, but everyone else is competing now and it's AWESOME. Just this weekend you could pick up Metro 2033, Red Faction Guerrilla, and Saints Row 2 for $22.50. How much would that be for all three of those games on 360? $60+? Considering how many games I own on PC, it's cheaper to pay $600 up front for the hardware, then save money over several years on the games.
OP: Your current computer is a good start. As others have said, the video card should be the first to be upgraded - I can't believe you tried to run BioShock on that POS. A 5770 is a great cheap card - in can play everything out today and look good, and it's ~$150. It doesn't require a lot of power either, but you should check your PSU to make sure it can handle something beefier than your 3450. If you have some money after that, I would double your RAM - you probably have DDR2, so it shouldn't be too expensive, <$50.
My system CPU is similar to yours - Pentium DC E5200 OC'd to 2.93GHz, 4 GB RAM, HD 4830 - and I haven't found a game that it can't play. I can't max most games, but it always looks good. I built it for ~$550 a little over a year ago, without monitor or input devices. It won't last as long as drakattack's new rig (which will kick some serious ass), but it'll last a couple years. My point is, if you spend $200 on your current system (depending on your power supply), it'll last you a couple years easy, especially if it's focused on running The Old Republic and StarCraft II - mass-market games like those won't require beefy systems.
This news makes me sad. This was a game I played not only with my wife, but with distant friends as well. 1 vs 100 was especially fun with friends that don't like CoD or Halo, and it's way more fun than Uno.
I wonder: why did they wait THIS LONG before announcing its cancellation?
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