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raddevon

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raddevon

515

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#1  Edited By raddevon

If you want to run games better, why not downgrade and put XP on it. Windows XP uses fewer system resources than Windows 7 which uses fewer system resources that Vista. If you're just looking to get the most out of the hardware you already have, that may be your best option.

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raddevon

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#2  Edited By raddevon

My suggestion is pretty new but also fairly obscure: Following. It is the feature-film debut from Christopher Nolan who directed the two most recent Batman movies in addition to Memento which is another fantastic suggestion although it is probably neither old nor obscure enough to fit your criteria.

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raddevon

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#3  Edited By raddevon

I feel so much better after reading this thread. Thanks, guys. I'm dialing down my difficulty to casual now without shame!

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raddevon

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#4  Edited By raddevon

I'm with @SeriouslyNow in thinking the problem is most likely your graphics card drivers rather than monitor drivers. Are you running Forceware 71.90? If you are and you still can't get that resolution, you may have to create a custom resolution. There is apparently some way to do this in the nVidia drivers although I don't know off the top of my head what it is.

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raddevon

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#5  Edited By raddevon

 I would have posted a reply earlier, but I have been sick.
 

@SeriouslyNow:

I've never played Rick Dangerous, but it does look quite similar.
 
@ThatFrood: You're correct about cheaper games. PC games tend to experience earlier and more dramatic price cuts than their console counterparts. I imagine you could make up the difference in hardware cost (if there even is one) quite quickly.
 
@ryanwho said:

" This is "PC is dead" thing is an argument propagated by people who don't play PC games. Its like if a Republican says a Democrat is ruining the country. You don't need to validate these people with a response, they're obviously clueless and just trying to rationalize the fact that they can't afford PC gaming(or they think they cant)  so they tell themselves its "dead" so they don't miss the PC versions of games that look so much better than console games that they're playing. They wanna pretend the PC-360 relationship isn't just like the 360-Wii relationship. They wanna pretend the PC doesn't exist so they lie to themselves. "


I'm not sure this is necessarily true. I love PC gaming, but I remember the first time I went to a game store and noticed PC games had been deprived of their generous wall space and relegated instead to a dinky free-standing shelf in the middle of the store. That sort of move makes everyone stop and think.
 
@Teirdome: Interesting comparison of Steam vs. Xbox Live.
 
@Getz: It seems PC indie development is also becoming something of a cradle for PSN and XBLA. There are several PC indie games being released over those services in the coming year (including Zeno Clash).
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raddevon

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#6  Edited By raddevon

PC gaming has been "dying" for the past two console generations, but there is a passion shared by both gamers and developers who love the platform which seems to keep it afloat. Unlike arcade gaming, PC gaming has been able to evolve itself away from extinction by exploiting its unique advantages over the console platforms.
 
Take distribution, for example. If you want to sell a product, it is absolutely crucial to be able to get that product into the hands of consumers. Traditional for video games of all kinds, that meant a box on the shelf at a retail store. For some time, the shelf space devoted to PC gaming has been shrinking at stores to its currently absurd presence bordering on non-existence. If you could take this information back to someone ten years ago, they could reasonably assume that PC gaming is on its way out. Instead of giving in, the PC scene has taken this attack against it and, jiu-jitsu-style, turned it around into something of an advantage. The problem with retail distribution is that it creates more overhead all around. PC gaming, however, in its attempt to survive in the face of the growing popularity of plug-and-play console gaming, has given birth to a number of alternate distribution systems utilizing the ever-increasing speeds of home Internet service. In doing so, they have drastically reduced overhead for game developers small and large and have allowed bigger margins to help combat the problem of smaller audiences.
 
Fortunately for gamers, the PC seems to have enough tricks up its sleeve that it isn't going anywhere unlike our beloved arcades of decades past. It is an incredible platform offering advantages which are within reach of the game consoles but bring about fears from big-wigs of diluting the simplicity of those platforms. Those fears are certainly justified. About a year after launch of a new console generation, any mid-level gaming PC can outperform the most advanced gaming console which is, by its nature, frozen in time. From that point forward (and often earlier) PC gamers can enjoy higher framerates, better resolution, more detailed textures, and a plethora of other technical benefits in addition to user created content for nearly every game, flexible control methods, and (often) more robust online connectivity. If not for their simplicity, I couldn't see a reason for owning a gaming console outside whatever exclusive releases those platforms provided.
 
Cost is often cited as a key barrier to entry in the argument of PC versus console gaming. By nature of the fact that PC hardware is constantly changing, the cost of a gaming PC that will compare to current consoles is always dropping. I'm in the process of retiring a PC that was put together for about $350--less than either my 360 or my PS3--which can run nearly any current PC game at a respectable framerate in 1080p. I'm running games which were released on both platforms (console and PC) at a resolution 50% better than the console counterpart.
 
This is not to say I don't love my console gaming. I often find myself retreating to my 360 and PS3 after frustrating bouts with drivers, hardware, and other configuration nightmares. However, there is much to be said for the underdog that is the PC. Simplicity and flexibility are at opposing sides of a continuum; PC gaming has boldly staked its claim in a region where gaming consoles will forever fear to tread.
 

My Inspiration


I rarely think of things to write out of the blue, and indeed this post was inspired by my recent gaming PC purchase which itself was inspired by the fantastic time I have been having with a few recent game purchases which are, too me, uniquely PC experiences. Two of them are, in fact, also available for game consoles. The first is Dragon Age: Origins which has been discussed at length with even much of the community acknowledging the fact that it is truly a PC game with a console port also available. The second is Left 4 Dead 2 which is available in much the same form on 360, but, from my perspective, you cannot properly control a shooter without a keyboard and mouse. The third game is currently confined to the PC platform although it will ultimately be avaliable on XBLA: Spelunky. (Note: If you have not tried Spelunky, I highly recommend you check it out. It is a free game for Windows.)
 
Getting back to my recent PC purchase, a couple of friends requested I post my build. It is a very modest system by some standards (and I'm sure quite decadent by others). Here it is for anyone interested:
For those of you who made it this far, I would love to play some L4D2, TF2, UT3, or even something else. Feel free to add me to your Steam friends!
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raddevon

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#7  Edited By raddevon

The first car I bought myself was an '84 Honda Accord hatchback. It was a decent car except that it didn't like starting. It was also much smaller than the current Accord. One night, I was leaving my job at the grocery store at 11:00pm when I found that my friends had picked up the car and sat it on the sidewalk just outside the store's exit. That was quite a trip.

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raddevon

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#8  Edited By raddevon
@HypoXenophobia: I guess it's all a matter of opinion.
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#9  Edited By raddevon
@HypoXenophobia: Sounds like a bunch of whining to me. ;-)
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raddevon

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#10  Edited By raddevon
@girdz: I'm not sure. I haven't listened to Idle Thumbs. It's the sound they play on The Price Is Right when someone loses. Almost every podcast I listen to does it.
 
@Chuggsy: I give the Rebel FM guys a pass. I actually like all of those dudes quite a bit. However, I would love it if they would lay off the Price Is Right sound effect. ;-) 
 
@cstrang: Thank you, sir!