Torchlight, an example of a major problem with PC gaming

[ZenfoldorVGI]

Reasonable said:

ZenfoldorVGI said:

twesterm said:
The problem with PC gaming is that there is no quality control. If you put a game on a Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo console, they force you to meet a certain bar. There is nothing like that for PC.

Truth is, without uniform hardware, you can never avoid little crash bugs completely, like the OP points out. Because consoles are all the same, spec wise, devs can tailor the experience to that particular hardware setup and decrease the amount of bugs/crashes users experience.

It's the nature of PC gaming to have these, because of the non-uniform hardware. It's a tradeoff you make for having the freedom to choose your own hardware.

As this gen has conclusively proved, even with uniform hardware bugs, including crashing bugs, are going to slip through.  PS3 and 360 particularly are now home to what are essentially PC games, with very complex code pushing the hardware, and the results have been interesting.

As Twest says consoles have a minimum bar, which helps, but it clearly let's plenty of stuff through too.  On PC its down to the developer - if they are good then you'll see as few bugs as a good console realease - if not, it can get uglier than consoles, but today it's not the clear cut difference in the days when PCs have even more potential configurations in terms of hardware suppliers and consoles where using much simpler tech and games that were easier to keep relatively big free.

In terms of the OP - I don't really see PC for main titles as any different from 360 or PS3 currently.  Games from the core developers will be good, others may be rough around the edges and some will be pretty bad.  Most friends I know have had just as much fun with Fallout 3 DLC falling apart on 360, or Assassin's Creed freezing on PS3 as they have with their PC - and I'd say the same myself.

 

 

I'm not talking about those problems. Every game has universal problems caused by bugs and glitches.

I'm talking about problems like the OPs. Unforseeable glitches caused by particular rigs or problems caused by incompatibility with certain videocards, OSs, or combinations of many other factors.

Sure, all games have universal glitches caused by lazy developers, or developers who didn't have good testers, or who didn't have time to test properly. Especially complex games like Fallout 3.

However, PC games also have a whole nother layer of problems associated with the nature of non-uniform hardware and incompatible hardware/software combination that no human could ever forsee, and that will affect very few.

I don't think it's a deal breaker by any means, but saying that PC is on the same level as consoles when it comes to plug and play, is inherantly wrong, if for nothing else, due to this compatibility issue and unpredicability inherant to non-uniform hardware and software, an issue entirely seperate from universal game bugs and flaws.