The Slowdown: On the PC, Only the Maximum Settings Are Canon

One aspect that sets apart PC gamers from their console counterparts is the wide breadth of very differently performing systems the games are played on.

In "On the PC, Only the Maximum Settings Are Canon," The Slowdown take a look at how settings affect visual design, storytelling and narratives, and whether low-range settings can be considered "canon" from the point of view of the developer.

In taking a look at the various methods of delivering key ideas visually to the player, the article discusses the various textures, posters, decals and video monitors of several games, including side-by-side examples from Batman: Arkham Asylum, BioShock, Left 4 Dead and Portal.

Finally, the article asks, does it really matter if the graphics are not at the very max?

[Raider69]

for me graphics are the low common factor to pick up a game ( But not to some graphics whores and dum kids and fanboys alike!),im mostly driven by a good story,and the gameplay segments!Of course graphics play a great part on a game but i really think the art subject an polish is much more important,but in the end what really matter is the fun you have playing games,addiction will always be link to fun and to the gamers mood to play that certain game and thats it !

[darkmurder]

I cant play a new single game if its graphics are pretty much last gen, game just feels too dated.

[Revvin]

Whats all the more disappointing is when you re-visit an older game and it still runs like a dog. I like flight sims and I a few of them that although released a few years ago still run like dogs on full settings.

While I sympathize with the developers having to cater for a wide range of hardware in PC's there are still only two real choices for CPU and graphics. I do feel that a lot of PC developers have become lazy and go for the 'release now and patch it later' mentality that crept in slowly as the internet become more available to gamers and they could easily release updates. I don't remember it being like this when I started PC gaming two decades ago.

When I load up a game on one of my consoles I know I'm playing the game how the developer envisaged the game to be played because we're all using the same hardware and controllers. For multiplayer games that means a level playing field with far fewer hacks and more often than not a stable platform. Updates have crept into console gaming too but because the platform holders all have their own certification systems it means on the whole buying a game for a console is far more likely to result in a satisfying gaming experience although some do slip through the net - Race Pro on the 360 springs to mind.

The hardware will always change for PC developers but they could go a long way to making their games more accessible to a wider audience by at least releasing titles in a good working state, as optimized as possible. Some developers don't even host their own patch files, why should I as a consumer have to sit in a queue on a file server or trawl through an advert filled file site just to find a fix for the game you sold me! Put a link in the options menu of your game to check for updates, use Steam or a similar distribution system.

I still maintain my PC for gaming but I am finding my gaming time more and more swings towards the consoles I own.

[Setekh]

Gameplay > Graphics.

I'd rather play a game that looks a few years old but get tons of enjoyment from than some polished 'tech demo' of a game that gets old after 2 days.

Sure I like things to look pretty but if the game is fun then that's enough for me.

[TheDudeAbides]

Most ppl just enter first paragrapgh.

I will agree with everyone saying PC is superior in grapics and in controls in certain games. but i deny buying new GPU, CPU, more faster RAM etc every 3 years or so. You can do it less frequently but you can't play on maxumium settings then.
I play old games on PC and I love it.
What i hate the most is when someone says he's got super fast gaming PC so it's a definitive gaming platform, maybe but how many % of PC players do too? Not many.

I know I don't get best possible graphics on consoles as of now but I'll take it instead of warrying about recommended requirements.

[TABSF]

"The eternal cycle that plagues us PC gamers is the constant need to upgrade our hardware, to keep up with the newest and shiniest games."

This is just lies, probably written by a console fanboy.

With any Intel or AMD dual Core over or overclocked to 2.8GHz and at least 9600GT or HD3870 you can max every game at 1680 by 1050 with no AA and no AF

Besides these.

Crysis, Crysis Warhead, GTA IV, Cryostatic, Stalker clear skys, and Arma 2

These games require beefy Video/ Graphics cards and GTA IV only runs well on a Quad core because is a console port

[Revvin]

"With any Intel or AMD dual Core over or overclocked to 2.8GHz and at least 9600GT or HD3870 you can max every game at 1680 by 1050 with no AA and no AF"

Well thats not reall max then is it? its not full HD for a start and with no AA or AF visuals even at high resolution won't look their best. I'd love to see your benchmarks running DCS:Blackshark maxed out on that rig, the game would eat it and spit the processor and GPU back at you pin by pin. To top it off you then rule out some of the visually stunning games that PC gamers hold up as shining examples of PC gaming beauty.

[ATi_Elite]

I love HOT GRAPHICS and games that set my GPU's on fire but It means nothing if the game sucks.

graphics are awesome but I need gameplay innovation, story depth, perfect controls, enemy A.I. and a bunch of other things that make a great gaming experience.

After that yeh i want to crank up the eye candy because high res graphics are needed to create enviroment and realism to help draw you into the games atmosphere.

Graphics are just as essential as gameplay, they go hand in hand.

Do you think Uncharted 2 would be this great if it looked like the original Pitfall? If they released Modern Warefare 2 with the orignal Doom's graphics would it have sold gazillions?

I know high end PC hardware is expensive but you got to pay for high performance. You can't buy a Ferrari on a Ford budget.

[dirthurts]

Graphics can add to gameplay.
Bad frame rates will take away from gameplay.
To me
Graphics + gameplay = better gameplay

[superrey19]

I remember when i was a kid i always had to play games on the lowest settings and i hated it. Now I finally built my own rig and am loving being able to max everything. Occasionally I will come across a game that requires me to tone down the settings to get good frame rates, but for me thats fine. Sure it feels good to know we can run something at highest settings but as long as it runs smoothly, looks decent enough, and is fun, I won't complain.