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Author Topic: Future of PC Gaming?  (Read 14378 times)

noodle0117

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Future of PC Gaming?
« on: May 03, 2012, 11:18:58 pm »

In about the next 5-10 years or so, how do you think PC gaming will change?

Will it become/remain outclassed by specialized gaming devices or will it gain popularity?
And will games continue to strive towards ever more graphically fancy features or will simpler smaller games dominate the market?

What are your thoughts?
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MaximumZero

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2012, 11:27:25 pm »

Homogenized computing will make multi-platforming simple, because a chip will be able to be both RISC and x64/86 at the same time. From what the AMD guys tell me, this is only a couple years off.
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Criptfeind

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2012, 11:35:53 pm »

PC gaming is not going to ever become outclassed by specialized gaming devices because specialized devices are specialized. They can't do what a computer can and they do not change as quickly.

Five to ten years? I don't see much change from what we have now. It's possible we will see a slow down in advancements in software as the next gen of consoles becomes outdated and once again starts to drag computers down, other then that it is just what we have now, only improved. Maybe 3d will become a thing, but that seems less and less likely. Maybe voice/movement controls will become a thing, but that seems less and less likely.
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nenjin

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2012, 11:39:57 pm »

I see the PC market share shrinking somewhat, relative to the whole industry. Mobile devices have continued to grow in popularity and sales. In 5 - 10 years, Windows 8 will have been out a long time and they'll probably have pushed out another OS by then. Apple will have put out another 8 phones, 4 tablets and will probably start making TVs or something. (Oh wait...) Hardware will have improved to the point where we're going to see games of the quality today on mobile devices.

So I think mainstream games having mobile capabilities is going to become a requirement, if not an industry standard. Instead of porting games to 4 different platforms, I see games probably trying to design in a one size fits all manner where possible. That'll probably lead to some pretty cool re-thinking of how you interact with games...but it'll also probably lead to a lot of compromises for PC users in terms of what the games allow. The trend of main stream games being less optimized for PCs will continue and probably get worse.

At the same time, I think PC users will continue to spend lots of money on the hobby.  Pound for pound, I think PCs will always be more powerful and allow for a greater range of options than a mobile device that has to fit in your hand, and weigh no more than 2 pounds, ect...The indie scene will remain a place where PC exclusives happen, but I think PC exclusives in the larger market are going to be a rarer and more specialized thing. Games that are built strictly for a mouse and keyboard will be getting a little rarer by then. (Or will all have fore-arm keyboards by then, and everything has eye-tracking, who knows.)
« Last Edit: May 03, 2012, 11:44:03 pm by nenjin »
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Mictlantecuhtli

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2012, 11:41:27 pm »

I'll still be playing Dwarf Fortress.
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MaximumZero

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2012, 11:44:27 pm »

I'll still be playing Dwarf Fortress.
Oh, hell yes.
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Knight of Fools

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2012, 11:53:58 pm »

Short version: PCs will eventually eat consoles, graphics will become less important than story/game play, gaming will shortly emerge into a sort of golden age, and games will stand out more for its procedural and organic capabilities, which will allow it to be considered a serious and unique art.


The long version:

I think that the console/PC/Mobile gap is going to be around for a while, but will slowly disappear as stuff develops. Eventually your computer will connect to your TV via WiFi or cable, so there will be no reason to have a console to play games on. The only thing that will separate "console" and "PC" games will be whether you need a special controller or not, and most will probably use both. You won't need a Kinect, either, because you'll just use your Webcam.

As far as mobile devices go, like nenjin said, they'll continue to thrive on account of their portability, but I doubt they'll be able to reach the potential that a good PC can grasp (Both in terms of power and especially controls). Mobile gaming will probably still be 90% casual. There's also the possibility of playing mobile games on your home computer through a mobile device, but I don't see that as too common. Mobile gaming will become a force to be reckoned with, however, and will probably reach the point that PC gaming is at today, if it doesn't go further.

While graphics will definitely continue improving, we've already reached a point of realism that is desirable in a simulation. People actually like the way computer graphics make things less real by overextending certain elements, such as shadows and lightning effects, such as bloom, so that's probably around to stay. What we'll see in the graphics department is a greater focus on scale (IE, more bad guys, trees, blades of grass, etc), and a greater focus on style, game play, and story.

I see the video game industry as nearing a peak in the next few years. It's already kind of visible, but for a visualization I'll compare the video game industry to the film industry: Film started out as a hobby thing, moved on to making a quick buck, and then, as artists were able to express themselves fully in the new medium, began pumping out jewels and pieces that could be easily considered "art". I'm not saying that some pieces before this 'golden age' of film weren't art, but they didn't shake the medium like their predecessors. Since then, film has evolved into a science of genre and story telling.

Right now, we're approaching the point where artists have the ability, tools, and money to bring us into a golden age of video games. There'll be plenty of B-Games, disappointments, and cult classics, but the industry will develop in a way very unique to video games as an interactive medium, and have an impact because of this key difference in movies and other non-interactive mediums.

There will be plenty of games that stick to the linear design of story telling, but we'll see more and more games with highly interactive worlds and As AI and storytelling develops and becomes less linear, people will learn about the consequences of their actions in ways that occur completely naturally rather than by some designed action. You did X and Y happened, not because it was a scripted event in the story the game maker was telling, but because you did X.

Eventually we'll get to the point where game making is as much of an art as film making, and is treated as a serious form of expression. I tried to be vague with how long this will take, because access to information and technology is getting easier and easier, things can pick up really fast. That's a whole different topic, though.
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Criptfeind

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2012, 11:57:18 pm »

Eventually your computer will connect to your TV via WiFi or cable

I am fairly sure that is not only possible, but easy already.
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Knight of Fools

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2012, 12:00:56 am »

I'm saying it'll be much more common, and you'll be able to interact with the computer without directly manipulating it. So you'll have a specialized keyboard/mouse/whatever for the TV, rather than holding the computer on your lap and messing with it directly. You'll essentially be able to have a computer on the other side of the house from the TV, and still be able to play games on the TV that are on the computer.
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MaximumZero

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #9 on: May 04, 2012, 12:12:58 am »

That's...already possible, man. It's not even difficult. They sell the stuff do it at Best Buy.
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Knight of Fools

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2012, 12:16:25 am »

Cool. I didn't know that.

Probably because 1) I never visit BestBuy and 2) I probably won't ever connect my computer to a TV.

Anywho, let's stop focusing on how ignorant I am.

Please.
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MaximumZero

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2012, 12:19:20 am »

Me? I'm waiting for hologram swordfights.
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zombie urist

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2012, 12:29:28 am »

Me? I'm waiting for hologram swordfights.
I believe someone modded some xbox thing to be able to do that sort of thing. Sorry I can't be more specific.
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Criptfeind

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2012, 12:32:20 am »

Yes.

There has been something to that effect. I don't think you can swordfight with it (I assume you mean like a wii) but people have made fake holograms for some device or another.
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MaximumZero

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Re: Future of PC Gaming?
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2012, 12:44:49 am »

Er, no. I want a holodeck swordfight. Against Miyamoto Musashi.
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