Playing on the "wrong" system...

the1andonlyskwex · March 2021

The biggest reason I play ESO over other MMORPGs is the fact that I can play it on my PS4.

Playing on console has a bunch of (often underrated) advantages:
1) You waste way less time configuring/maintaining your system, including hardware, OS patches, drivers, mods, etc..
2) Playing on the couch is way more comfortable/relaxing than playing at a desk (while it's possible to play on PC from your couch, doing so just increases the effort required to configure/maintain everything).
3) Built-in voice chat (no 3rd-party software hassles, voice chat in PuGs)
4) Everyone is on a (more) level playing field. You don't have to worry as much about other people gaining advantages through superior hardware, or software mods.

Lastly, one of the disadvantages people cite about consoles just isn't real. Connecting a keyboard for text chat is trivially easy, and super common.

Kalik_Gold · March 2021

As an MMO vet, and old timer from PC's of yonder (the 90s). Love the console experience also.

THEDKEXPERIENCE · March 2021

I love how there are a dozen or so replies listing why consoles are a fine option but no matter what PC truthers won’t hear it.

Vlad9425 · March 2021

I would play on PC if I had a powerful PC but honestly I’m happy enough playing it on my PS5.

ThorianB · March 2021

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

I love how there are a dozen or so replies listing why consoles are a fine option but no matter what PC truthers won’t hear it.

I'll nutshell this for you.

1. PC players have to already suffer due to old outdated hardware. We accept that we have to play ESO like we own a PS4 and not a $2000 gaming rig.
2. ESO does have performance issues. They didn't fix bugs before adding a bunch of new content to the game and all that does is cause more and worse bugs.
4. Many console players don't seem to understand how MMOs work. MMOs constantly evolve. I played both WoW and Eve in the past. I could not run either of those games today on the PC's i started playing them on without hardware upgrades. Even then the best upgrades would mean those PCs would have to run those games in potato mode.
5. The reason why MMOs evolve is because the devs use more advanced hardware and software to create the game. The textures get better, the shadowing, the fx. All of these are much more taxing on a system.
6. Many console players expect ESO of 2020 to run like ESO of 2014 on their console. Well if you get on a modern high end PC with graphics on ultra and then go from a base game zone to somewhere like Skyrim or Elsweyr you can see a significant improvement in the quality of graphics. Their system struggles a lot with ESO because it can't handle the demands of newer content.
7. There is a group of console players that constantly complain because they think that ESO should run on their system forever the same way it did when they first started playing. So they constantly whine about how ZOS needs to fix performance and needs to fix the game and does Sony and Microsoft know about the crimes being committed against console players. Performance( often in the most taxing of gaming environments such a trials and Cyro) is a massively important to these people but they don't update their systems that can handle that level of performance. Instead they demand ZOS fix it. What they need to do, if performance is so important, is stop gaming on an outdated $500 machine and buy a machine that is capable of meeting their performance needs. You drive a Fiat and complain because it doesn't perform like a Lambo.
8. If performance is a big issue for you then you probably shouldnt play MMOs on consoles if those games are also on PC.
9. If game performance is fine for you on console, then it is a fine option. The problem is when its not fine for you but you want everyone else to fix it instead of fixing it yourself.

PizzaCat82 · March 2021

Its nice to not have to worry about PC inflation.

Inaya · March 2021

Played FFXI on console, will never play another MMO an anything but PC.

AlnilamE · March 2021

The "wrong" system is the one where you're having less fun.

It looks like you are where you are supposed to be. Enjoy the road, OP. :-)

Seraphayel · March 2021

Inaya wrote: »

Played FFXI on console, will never play another MMO an anything but PC.

See, this reply is one of the many issues in this thread. A lot of people who say PC is better haven’t even tried to play ESO on console. They’re basing their opinion on nothing real, no real experience etc. it’s presumptions and assumptions.

I have no idea about FFXI on console, but FFXIV on console is great. And so is ESO. It all boils down to how an MMORPG is build and optimized for consoles - and it works, as these two examples demonstrate.

waterfairy · March 2021

PizzaCat82 wrote: »

Its nice to not have to worry about PC inflation.

you mean in game? because last time I looked GPU prices are still inflated

the1andonlyskwex · March 2021

Vigarr wrote: »

PizzaCat82 wrote: »

Its nice to not have to worry about PC inflation.

you mean in game? because last time I looked GPU prices are still inflated

I think they meant the constant need to upgrade your PC every couple of years to keep up with games' increasing system requirements.

ThorianB · March 2021

Seraphayel wrote: »

Inaya wrote: »

Played FFXI on console, will never play another MMO an anything but PC.

See, this reply is one of the many issues in this thread. A lot of people who say PC is better haven’t even tried to play ESO on console. They’re basing their opinion on nothing real, no real experience etc. it’s presumptions and assumptions.

I have no idea about FFXI on console, but FFXIV on console is great. And so is ESO. It all boils down to how an MMORPG is build and optimized for consoles - and it works, as these two examples demonstrate.

I don't need to because:
1. I already own a bunch of games on PC. I switched from consoles to PC in the late 90s and have well over 100 games on PC. I started on Atari 6400? 6600? Something like that. Super Mario Bros and Legend of Zelda ( The OGs) were my first real video games. I recently tried Legend of Zelda for the Wii. Twilight Princess i think it was. NOPE. I had to force myself to play for 2 hours. I was bored to tears at the slow pace and that i had to unlock EVERYTHING even jumping and selling???. My favorite console game of all time was GTA(series) though.
2. My PC is technologically superior to even new models of consoles, so it would be a downgrade.
3. I cant play with controllers. I use to be able to play with controllers but i can't do it. I have big hands and it's just not comfortable to hold a controller. Maybe if it came in XL size.
4. I like addons and mods. I heavily mod my games to tailor them and extend their life. I still play loads of games from 10 plus years ago that have been modded that have loads of content added because of mods. . I can't even make basic changes to games on consoles.
5. I've watched people play ESO on consoles. It looks like PC potato mode. I am not super picky about graphics I don't buy the most high end cards ( usually XX70 series) and i am ok with having graphics on medium if i really need too but console graphics just aren't my thing.
6. I already own a PC. I require a PC for other things( business). I don't need a console in my life. So a console is a waste of money for me.

People should play on what makes them happy. If they like sinking into their favorite chair with snacks a drink and doing a multi hour gaming session on console then go for it. Sometimes i would like to play that way. But it's not practical for me.

THEDKEXPERIENCE · March 2021

ThorianB wrote: »

Seraphayel wrote: »

Inaya wrote: »

Played FFXI on console, will never play another MMO an anything but PC.

See, this reply is one of the many issues in this thread. A lot of people who say PC is better haven’t even tried to play ESO on console. They’re basing their opinion on nothing real, no real experience etc. it’s presumptions and assumptions.

I have no idea about FFXI on console, but FFXIV on console is great. And so is ESO. It all boils down to how an MMORPG is build and optimized for consoles - and it works, as these two examples demonstrate.

I don't need to because:
1. I already own a bunch of games on PC. I switched from consoles to PC in the late 90s and have well over 100 games on PC. I started on Atari 6400? 6600? Something like that. Super Mario Bros and Legend of Zelda ( The OGs) were my first real video games. I recently tried Legend of Zelda for the Wii. Twilight Princess i think it was. NOPE. I had to force myself to play for 2 hours. I was bored to tears at the slow pace and that i had to unlock EVERYTHING even jumping and selling???. My favorite console game of all time was GTA(series) though.
2. My PC is technologically superior to even new models of consoles, so it would be a downgrade.
3. I cant play with controllers. I use to be able to play with controllers but i can't do it. I have big hands and it's just not comfortable to hold a controller. Maybe if it came in XL size.
4. I like addons and mods. I heavily mod my games to tailor them and extend their life. I still play loads of games from 10 plus years ago that have been modded that have loads of content added because of mods. . I can't even make basic changes to games on consoles.
5. I've watched people play ESO on consoles. It looks like PC potato mode. I am not super picky about graphics I don't buy the most high end cards ( usually XX70 series) and i am ok with having graphics on medium if i really need too but console graphics just aren't my thing.
6. I already own a PC. I require a PC for other things( business). I don't need a console in my life. So a console is a waste of money for me.

People should play on what makes them happy. If they like sinking into their favorite chair with snacks a drink and doing a multi hour gaming session on console then go for it. Sometimes i would like to play that way. But it's not practical for me.

Your points are valid and ironically I’m basically 180 degrees the other way. Neither is right nor wrong. It’s just how how it is.

1 - I have more than 100 games on my XBox that I’ve spent a dumb amount of money on just this past decade.

2 - My console is good enough for what I want to do and I have no interest in making a multi-thousand dollar investment in a gaming PC.

3 - I can type over 100 words a minute but suck at using a KB&M for games. Even if I were to get a gaming PC I’d use a controller for certain.

4 - While mods in one player games are great I truly do not like playing any game that does not have a 100% level playing field. Also, I don’t like floaty numbers. Not an add-on guy personally. Then again I also drive a Ford Fiesta.

5 - Have you ever played PC ESO on a barely functioning poor person laptop? Well I have and it’s way worse than console.

6 - I have a work CPU and a pretty standard run of the mill laptop I use for my bills like once a month. It’s quite common for me not to even open that laptop for 30 days at a time and I spend 9 hours a day starring at my work PC. Much like how the expense of a console is superfluous for you, the expense of a gaming PC is superfluous for me.

At the end of the day the highest of high end PCs are unquestionably better than consoles. No one is arguing any different I don’t think. However, many PCs are far worse than current consoles. I should know because the one I got 4 years ago isn’t able to run ESO as well as my XBox. The potato I had before, it was laughable.

The best part of ESO on consoles to me is the absolute uniformity in the tools we have been given. The tools themselves may not be as good as the ones some PC players have, but at least they are the same.

Somewhere out there is a somewhat poor person trying to PVP in Cyrodiil on a non-gaming laptop under 100% potato conditions. Never forget about that guy. I was him at one point. Consoles fix that issue completely.

Inaya · March 2021

Seraphayel wrote: »

Inaya wrote: »

Played FFXI on console, will never play another MMO an anything but PC.

See, this reply is one of the many issues in this thread. A lot of people who say PC is better haven’t even tried to play ESO on console. They’re basing their opinion on nothing real, no real experience etc. it’s presumptions and assumptions.

I have no idea about FFXI on console, but FFXIV on console is great. And so is ESO. It all boils down to how an MMORPG is build and optimized for consoles - and it works, as these two examples demonstrate.

Never said it didn't work, never said it didn't work, just said I prefer PC for a myriad of reasons. And no I didn't try to play ESO on console. To me a controller vs keyboard and mouse is just clunky. I use my consoles for single player games. Yes, I imagine there are keyboard/controller things you can buy like back with FFXI but having played on both systems I prefer PC.

I have experience playing an MMO on console, I've presumed and/or assumed nothing.

ThorianB · March 2021

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

5 - Have you ever played PC ESO on a barely functioning poor person laptop? Well I have and it’s way worse than console.

My old PC struggles with ESO now. My wife started on a lap top with an i3 and integrated graphics it will barely run the game at all now. Despite what the requirements say, ESO requires some pretty hefty hardware to run properly. I know how to balance my PCs for performance so i can get the most bang for the buck though so it works for me. But some of those PCs i see prebuilt for gaming are just garbage. Fancy video cards but bottleneck central when it comes to memory or storage.

The old gen of consoles are the same way. Their videos cards are much better than all the other components which leads to performance issues on resource hog games like ESO when you get into the right conditions. The new gen of consoles seem to be better balanced to handle more demanding online MMOs. Once the old gens are phased out and games are optimized to run on the new consoles, they should do a much better job of handling games like this.

I should know because the one I got 4 years ago isn’t able to run ESO as well as my XBox. The potato I had before, it was laughable.

Most pre -built PCs are not well balanced for gaming. If you don't what your doing tech wise on PC, you should really get some advice from someone that does or deal with someone that specializing in gaming PCs. I see a lot of people that build their own PCs and they drop a $1000 video card in the PC but they skimp on other components so they can use this awesome graphics card and their PC has poor performance because of it. A well balanced $1000 PC will perform a lot better on a game than a $1500 prebuil or a cheap build with an expensive Vcard. I custom order all my PCs from the factory because it is so hard to get a well balanced one in the store.

At the end of the day what matters is that you enjoy gaming on that system. If you don't enjoy playing this game on that system then you should either stop playing this game or switch to a different platform. ZOS should allow you to swap platforms with gold, characters, major crown items( houses, mounts,pets, etc) for a fee.

oregonrob · March 2021

As a PC user, who has tried consoles in the past and found them wanting, I think we have to realize that there is no one size fits all for gamers. Those who prefer PCs have a valid point, for themselves. Those who use consoles have a valid point for themselves. This is all about personal preference and we need to walk away from trying to say our preference is better than anyone else's. The only valid statement is that it works for me.

THEDKEXPERIENCE · March 2021

ThorianB wrote: »

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

5 - Have you ever played PC ESO on a barely functioning poor person laptop? Well I have and it’s way worse than console.

My old PC struggles with ESO now. My wife started on a lap top with an i3 and integrated graphics it will barely run the game at all now. Despite what the requirements say, ESO requires some pretty hefty hardware to run properly. I know how to balance my PCs for performance so i can get the most bang for the buck though so it works for me. But some of those PCs i see prebuilt for gaming are just garbage. Fancy video cards but bottleneck central when it comes to memory or storage.

The old gen of consoles are the same way. Their videos cards are much better than all the other components which leads to performance issues on resource hog games like ESO when you get into the right conditions. The new gen of consoles seem to be better balanced to handle more demanding online MMOs. Once the old gens are phased out and games are optimized to run on the new consoles, they should do a much better job of handling games like this.

I should know because the one I got 4 years ago isn’t able to run ESO as well as my XBox. The potato I had before, it was laughable.

Most pre -built PCs are not well balanced for gaming. If you don't what your doing tech wise on PC, you should really get some advice from someone that does or deal with someone that specializing in gaming PCs. I see a lot of people that build their own PCs and they drop a $1000 video card in the PC but they skimp on other components so they can use this awesome graphics card and their PC has poor performance because of it. A well balanced $1000 PC will perform a lot better on a game than a $1500 prebuil or a cheap build with an expensive Vcard. I custom order all my PCs from the factory because it is so hard to get a well balanced one in the store.

At the end of the day what matters is that you enjoy gaming on that system. If you don't enjoy playing this game on that system then you should either stop playing this game or switch to a different platform. ZOS should allow you to swap platforms with gold, characters, major crown items( houses, mounts,pets, etc) for a fee.

Well said. When I bought my laptop I simply asked the guy at Best Buy. Technically it can run ESO so he was right. Realistically, yeah, not so much.

I’m also the last person who should even attempt to build a computer.

ThorianB · March 2021

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

ThorianB wrote: »

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

5 - Have you ever played PC ESO on a barely functioning poor person laptop? Well I have and it’s way worse than console.

My old PC struggles with ESO now. My wife started on a lap top with an i3 and integrated graphics it will barely run the game at all now. Despite what the requirements say, ESO requires some pretty hefty hardware to run properly. I know how to balance my PCs for performance so i can get the most bang for the buck though so it works for me. But some of those PCs i see prebuilt for gaming are just garbage. Fancy video cards but bottleneck central when it comes to memory or storage.

The old gen of consoles are the same way. Their videos cards are much better than all the other components which leads to performance issues on resource hog games like ESO when you get into the right conditions. The new gen of consoles seem to be better balanced to handle more demanding online MMOs. Once the old gens are phased out and games are optimized to run on the new consoles, they should do a much better job of handling games like this.

I should know because the one I got 4 years ago isn’t able to run ESO as well as my XBox. The potato I had before, it was laughable.

Most pre -built PCs are not well balanced for gaming. If you don't what your doing tech wise on PC, you should really get some advice from someone that does or deal with someone that specializing in gaming PCs. I see a lot of people that build their own PCs and they drop a $1000 video card in the PC but they skimp on other components so they can use this awesome graphics card and their PC has poor performance because of it. A well balanced $1000 PC will perform a lot better on a game than a $1500 prebuil or a cheap build with an expensive Vcard. I custom order all my PCs from the factory because it is so hard to get a well balanced one in the store.

At the end of the day what matters is that you enjoy gaming on that system. If you don't enjoy playing this game on that system then you should either stop playing this game or switch to a different platform. ZOS should allow you to swap platforms with gold, characters, major crown items( houses, mounts,pets, etc) for a fee.

Well said. When I bought my laptop I simply asked the guy at Best Buy. Technically it can run ESO so he was right. Realistically, yeah, not so much.

I’m also the last person who should even attempt to build a computer.

Basically for a gaming PC you want( if buying today):
1. A 9 or 10 gen i7 or i9 or equivalent.
2. 16 GB RAM is min, 32 GB or more is great
3. Nvidia 20XX series or better. The XX50/XX60 cards are economical but you should really go for a XX70 or higher if you want to be able to crank graphics up on modern game.
4. SSD. HDD is ok for a storage drive but for gaming you need at least a SATA SSD and M.2 SSD is really want you want. 512 GB is the minimum here if you want to play modern games and necessary if you play ESO( as windows and ESO both will eat most of a 256 GB drive)

You can use Passmark to do various tests on your PC as well as compare various components you are looking at buying so you can see if getting a RTX 2070 is going to be a big enough performance boost to you to make it worth the extra cost over a RTX 2060. And that kind of research will help you make an educated decision when buying a PC. You can even go to a variety of manufacturers like HP, Dell, Alienware, and even custom builder sites and have a PC custom built to specs you pick. I get HP to custom build me a new PC every few years and ship to my house for example.

If you don't want to be disappointed in your purchase you have to put some research time into a new PC unfortunately.

THEDKEXPERIENCE · March 2021

ThorianB wrote: »

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

ThorianB wrote: »

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

5 - Have you ever played PC ESO on a barely functioning poor person laptop? Well I have and it’s way worse than console.

My old PC struggles with ESO now. My wife started on a lap top with an i3 and integrated graphics it will barely run the game at all now. Despite what the requirements say, ESO requires some pretty hefty hardware to run properly. I know how to balance my PCs for performance so i can get the most bang for the buck though so it works for me. But some of those PCs i see prebuilt for gaming are just garbage. Fancy video cards but bottleneck central when it comes to memory or storage.

The old gen of consoles are the same way. Their videos cards are much better than all the other components which leads to performance issues on resource hog games like ESO when you get into the right conditions. The new gen of consoles seem to be better balanced to handle more demanding online MMOs. Once the old gens are phased out and games are optimized to run on the new consoles, they should do a much better job of handling games like this.

I should know because the one I got 4 years ago isn’t able to run ESO as well as my XBox. The potato I had before, it was laughable.

Most pre -built PCs are not well balanced for gaming. If you don't what your doing tech wise on PC, you should really get some advice from someone that does or deal with someone that specializing in gaming PCs. I see a lot of people that build their own PCs and they drop a $1000 video card in the PC but they skimp on other components so they can use this awesome graphics card and their PC has poor performance because of it. A well balanced $1000 PC will perform a lot better on a game than a $1500 prebuil or a cheap build with an expensive Vcard. I custom order all my PCs from the factory because it is so hard to get a well balanced one in the store.

At the end of the day what matters is that you enjoy gaming on that system. If you don't enjoy playing this game on that system then you should either stop playing this game or switch to a different platform. ZOS should allow you to swap platforms with gold, characters, major crown items( houses, mounts,pets, etc) for a fee.

Well said. When I bought my laptop I simply asked the guy at Best Buy. Technically it can run ESO so he was right. Realistically, yeah, not so much.

I’m also the last person who should even attempt to build a computer.

Basically for a gaming PC you want( if buying today):
1. A 9 or 10 gen i7 or i9 or equivalent.
2. 16 GB RAM is min, 32 GB or more is great
3. Nvidia 20XX series or better. The XX50/XX60 cards are economical but you should really go for a XX70 or higher if you want to be able to crank graphics up on modern game.
4. SSD. HDD is ok for a storage drive but for gaming you need at least a SATA SSD and M.2 SSD is really want you want. 512 GB is the minimum here if you want to play modern games and necessary if you play ESO( as windows and ESO both will eat most of a 256 GB drive)

You can use Passmark to do various tests on your PC as well as compare various components you are looking at buying so you can see if getting a RTX 2070 is going to be a big enough performance boost to you to make it worth the extra cost over a RTX 2060. And that kind of research will help you make an educated decision when buying a PC. You can even go to a variety of manufacturers like HP, Dell, Alienware, and even custom builder sites and have a PC custom built to specs you pick. I get HP to custom build me a new PC every few years and ship to my house for example.

If you don't want to be disappointed in your purchase you have to put some research time into a new PC unfortunately.

I honestly appreciate the effort but in my moron CTE brain that mostly translated to “buy a PS5”.

🤣

ThorianB · March 2021

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

ThorianB wrote: »

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

ThorianB wrote: »

THEDKEXPERIENCE wrote: »

5 - Have you ever played PC ESO on a barely functioning poor person laptop? Well I have and it’s way worse than console.

My old PC struggles with ESO now. My wife started on a lap top with an i3 and integrated graphics it will barely run the game at all now. Despite what the requirements say, ESO requires some pretty hefty hardware to run properly. I know how to balance my PCs for performance so i can get the most bang for the buck though so it works for me. But some of those PCs i see prebuilt for gaming are just garbage. Fancy video cards but bottleneck central when it comes to memory or storage.

The old gen of consoles are the same way. Their videos cards are much better than all the other components which leads to performance issues on resource hog games like ESO when you get into the right conditions. The new gen of consoles seem to be better balanced to handle more demanding online MMOs. Once the old gens are phased out and games are optimized to run on the new consoles, they should do a much better job of handling games like this.

I should know because the one I got 4 years ago isn’t able to run ESO as well as my XBox. The potato I had before, it was laughable.

Most pre -built PCs are not well balanced for gaming. If you don't what your doing tech wise on PC, you should really get some advice from someone that does or deal with someone that specializing in gaming PCs. I see a lot of people that build their own PCs and they drop a $1000 video card in the PC but they skimp on other components so they can use this awesome graphics card and their PC has poor performance because of it. A well balanced $1000 PC will perform a lot better on a game than a $1500 prebuil or a cheap build with an expensive Vcard. I custom order all my PCs from the factory because it is so hard to get a well balanced one in the store.

At the end of the day what matters is that you enjoy gaming on that system. If you don't enjoy playing this game on that system then you should either stop playing this game or switch to a different platform. ZOS should allow you to swap platforms with gold, characters, major crown items( houses, mounts,pets, etc) for a fee.

Well said. When I bought my laptop I simply asked the guy at Best Buy. Technically it can run ESO so he was right. Realistically, yeah, not so much.

I’m also the last person who should even attempt to build a computer.

Basically for a gaming PC you want( if buying today):
1. A 9 or 10 gen i7 or i9 or equivalent.
2. 16 GB RAM is min, 32 GB or more is great
3. Nvidia 20XX series or better. The XX50/XX60 cards are economical but you should really go for a XX70 or higher if you want to be able to crank graphics up on modern game.
4. SSD. HDD is ok for a storage drive but for gaming you need at least a SATA SSD and M.2 SSD is really want you want. 512 GB is the minimum here if you want to play modern games and necessary if you play ESO( as windows and ESO both will eat most of a 256 GB drive)

You can use Passmark to do various tests on your PC as well as compare various components you are looking at buying so you can see if getting a RTX 2070 is going to be a big enough performance boost to you to make it worth the extra cost over a RTX 2060. And that kind of research will help you make an educated decision when buying a PC. You can even go to a variety of manufacturers like HP, Dell, Alienware, and even custom builder sites and have a PC custom built to specs you pick. I get HP to custom build me a new PC every few years and ship to my house for example.

If you don't want to be disappointed in your purchase you have to put some research time into a new PC unfortunately.

I honestly appreciate the effort but in my moron CTE brain that mostly translated to “buy a PS5”.

🤣

Oh i was just putting that out there for general passerbys. That is one reason why consoles are still popular, they don't require a lot of thought to be put into "will this play games i want to play". PC have technical advantages over consoles but also require more effort put into them, so its a trade off.

Sylvermynx · March 2021

the1andonlyskwex wrote: »

Vigarr wrote: »

PizzaCat82 wrote: »

Its nice to not have to worry about PC inflation.

you mean in game? because last time I looked GPU prices are still inflated

I think they meant the constant need to upgrade your PC every couple of years to keep up with games' increasing system requirements.

I'm playing ESO on a 7 year old CyberpowerPC. I used their configuration app, got exactly what I wanted for less than $2k US - this machine replaced my previous 6 year old one from CyberpowerPC. It doesn't have a great GPU (because I couldn't consider paying $1k for just the GPU.

The only things in game I don't have maxed to ultra are shadows and grass, because too much of either bothers me. I'm probably stretching this machine until toward fall, because we're getting close to paying off our mortgage, and I don't want to screw that up. Unless this machine dies (seems to be doing fine) it can wait until October or so. I did just have to buy a new monitor - one of my two Samsungs started to have a major flicker in the whole bottom third of the screen so I bought an Acer 28" 4k - really nice for the game!

I'll plan to spend about $3k on the next one - which will include another Acer monitor and the OS (I already had an OEM disk of win7 when I ordered this machine, so didn't have to pay for the OS - which I later upgraded to win10, the free version which is what I still use.)

watts320 · May 2021

I've gone from pc to xbox to pc to xbox for bout 3 months, but then I bought a series x and its amazing. Pc I think add ons r prob only thing I miss, I mean the pc community is much much bigger. But, I do feel xbox has a lot to offer specially when the enhanced version comes out.

Pauwer · May 2021

First i started playing on commodore 64, it was so much fun. Took long to load the games from casettes, but was totally worth the wait

then i moved onto to pc. Very good games, like monkey island games and homm3. Oh gawd how i love homm3. Oh and i dont even know how many hours i have on diablo 1&2. Then i got ps2 and mainly just partied alot and played singstar and rock band and guitar hero. Omg, such gooood times. Then i played on pc again and then i got xbox 360 and played mainly skyrim on it. Then i got ps4 and eso and have only played eso since. I have eso on pc too, but it just feels more comfy on ps4. I dont mind the pc version, it's cool. But just have too much effort put into ps4

Goregrinder · May 2021

Seraphayel wrote: »

Inaya wrote: »

Played FFXI on console, will never play another MMO an anything but PC.

See, this reply is one of the many issues in this thread. A lot of people who say PC is better haven’t even tried to play ESO on console. They’re basing their opinion on nothing real, no real experience etc. it’s presumptions and assumptions.

I have no idea about FFXI on console, but FFXIV on console is great. And so is ESO. It all boils down to how an MMORPG is build and optimized for consoles - and it works, as these two examples demonstrate.

Have you even been gaming at all in the past 20 years? PC generally has access to superior hardware, less software restrictions, better mouse and keyboard input support, access to virtually any application you want that can help you with your game (Discord, Team Speak, Web Browsers, etc) without the need to use another machine to run those things. That doesn't include access to UI mods and Addons for MMORPGs, or the amount of graphical options you can choose to enable or disable.

It's just an empirically superior platform. That doesn't mean people won't prefer to play on a PS5 or Xbox, but it's superior and I can't think of an MMORPG where the console version offers a better experience than the Windows PC version. Better framerates, access to more high refresh rate monitor solutions, the ability to completely adjust your graphics settings at the GPU level (resolution, 3D settings, reshade, etc.). Windows PC just has everything, literally.

There isn't a need for me to drive someone's Geo Metro to know that a Nissan GTR is a better car.

Urzigurumash · May 2021

Goregrinder wrote: »

It's just an empirically superior platform.

In terms of gameplay rather than performance, it depends on your view of things - empiricism is limited by our distorted individual perception. I view the Add-on Free environment on Console as a more competitive setting. I think playing without any UI whatsoever is more "skillful" (in the way most people use this word), as is playing in 1st person instead of 3rd. These things take the RP out of the RPG. No, I don't play competitively in 1st person with no UI, but I understand that's because I'm not good enough, and have to "crutch" on 3rd person and the UI.

I think a No UI, No 3rd Person campaign would be more competitive than a No Proc campaign.

ThorianB · May 2021

Urzigurumash wrote: »

Goregrinder wrote: »

It's just an empirically superior platform.

In terms of gameplay rather than performance, it depends on your view of things - empiricism is limited by our distorted individual perception. I view the Add-on Free environment on Console as a more competitive setting. I think playing without any UI whatsoever is more "skillful" (in the way most people use this word), as is playing in 1st person instead of 3rd. These things take the RP out of the RPG. No, I don't play competitively in 1st person with no UI, but I understand that's because I'm not good enough, and have to "crutch" on 3rd person and the UI.

I think a No UI, No 3rd Person campaign would be more competitive than a No Proc campaign.

Add-on free to me means worse not better. Add on's and mods allow me to customize my games and extend enjoyment and thus my play time of that game. Interestingly a lot of the UI features that are missing from ESO are missing so they could fit it inside the console requirements and still keep other aspects of the game.Having more stuff on your UI bogs down load times( as anyone running a bunch of addons will tell you). While most PCs can handle this last gen consoles wouldn't have really had terrible performance with it. Many add-ons just turn on features that are already coded into the game or add features considered standard in the MMO genre.

I don't find playing without a UI( screenshot mode) to be more skillful. Denying yourself basic information in a game is sort of like being blindfolded on a battlefield with a machine gun and grenade launcher. The same is true of first person. The UI helps make up for our limited perception in games. I remember playing in first person when i first started on the beach of Khanarthi's Roost. I was getting stuck on all the debris on the beaches constantly. I couldn't see where enemies that were hitting me were located if not in front of me. I sure couldnt feel the hits and the sound is not good enough to hear the direction the enemy is in. I didn't know if a rat, archer, or stabby guy behind me was attacking me and by time you figure out who is killing you, you done lost a third of you health.

I don't consider either of those to require more skill in a game, just to be much more annoying.

MindOfTheSwarm · May 2021

BlueRaven wrote: »

Mac user here.

•No real client support. On the Mac forums you get better help from other players then from Zos.
•Major bugs that go unaddressed for years. Like serious lag and frame rate drops beyond the issues pc has.
•Macs can use PS and Xbox controllers for years now, eso has yet to update the client.
•Oh and the newer macs they refuse to support.

So if you want to talk about systems...

I bought a new M1 Mac recently as I use Final Cut for my work and was hoping to make the jump to Mac for eso but then I read that they won’t support it. So I’m sticking with console.

Urzigurumash · May 2021

ThorianB wrote: »

Urzigurumash wrote: »

Goregrinder wrote: »

It's just an empirically superior platform.

In terms of gameplay rather than performance, it depends on your view of things - empiricism is limited by our distorted individual perception. I view the Add-on Free environment on Console as a more competitive setting. I think playing without any UI whatsoever is more "skillful" (in the way most people use this word), as is playing in 1st person instead of 3rd. These things take the RP out of the RPG. No, I don't play competitively in 1st person with no UI, but I understand that's because I'm not good enough, and have to "crutch" on 3rd person and the UI.

I think a No UI, No 3rd Person campaign would be more competitive than a No Proc campaign.

Add-on free to me means worse not better. Add on's and mods allow me to customize my games and extend enjoyment and thus my play time of that game. Interestingly a lot of the UI features that are missing from ESO are missing so they could fit it inside the console requirements and still keep other aspects of the game.Having more stuff on your UI bogs down load times( as anyone running a bunch of addons will tell you). While most PCs can handle this last gen consoles wouldn't have really had terrible performance with it. Many add-ons just turn on features that are already coded into the game or add features considered standard in the MMO genre.

I don't find playing without a UI( screenshot mode) to be more skillful. Denying yourself basic information in a game is sort of like being blindfolded on a battlefield with a machine gun and grenade launcher. The same is true of first person. The UI helps make up for our limited perception in games. I remember playing in first person when i first started on the beach of Khanarthi's Roost. I was getting stuck on all the debris on the beaches constantly. I couldn't see where enemies that were hitting me were located if not in front of me. I sure couldnt feel the hits and the sound is not good enough to hear the direction the enemy is in. I didn't know if a rat, archer, or stabby guy behind me was attacking me and by time you figure out who is killing you, you done lost a third of you health.

I don't consider either of those to require more skill in a game, just to be much more annoying.

Exactly, it puts the RP in RPG PvP, you can't tell what's going on, you're confused and disoriented. It's much more challenging.

Ohtimbar · May 2021

People should play what and where they like. I abandoned my stacked pc/mac account to play exclusively on ps5. I can afford the best pc money can buy, but I’ve no use or desire for one. I use a Mac for general purpose computing and consoles for gaming. For me, that’s the best possible arrangement.

amm7sb14_ESO · May 2021

oregonrob wrote: »

As a PC user, who has tried consoles in the past and found them wanting, I think we have to realize that there is no one size fits all for gamers. Those who prefer PCs have a valid point, for themselves. Those who use consoles have a valid point for themselves. This is all about personal preference and we need to walk away from trying to say our preference is better than anyone else's. The only valid statement is that it works for me.

This is really the only valid answer.

"PC Master Race" has way too much ego tied up in PC's over console.

They both offer their own benefits.

PC can have the best graphics and performance... at a monetary cost.

Console is cheaper and more accessible... but doesn't have the top end performance.

While the highest level PC's are superior in graphics and performance to a console, a console (especially the new next-gen) are more powerful than the PC's that a high amount of gamers will actually have.

You will have less compatibility issues on a console, as you won't have software and programs that conflict with each other. You can play comfortably on a couch with no hassle of connecting your PC to the TV.

I am both a PC gamer and console gamer. I am pro-both. I own both. I play games on both. I use both for different reasons. ESO is a game that I prefer on PC, but there are many games that I prefer on console. Sports games are one that come to mind that I'd much prefer play on a console.