I have been meaning to write this post for a while now. Several things have happened since, some of which, such as my purchase of a new PS3, could seem to contradict what I am saying. However, in my opinion, they only helped me establish my sentiments.
I am a PC gamer.
Gaming is a part of my life, and so is my PC. My PC is built as I want it. It is built as I had made it. I know it from the inside out, because I have assembled it. I understand my PC. I understand its specifications. I understand what it does, how it does it and why. I know when its at fault and I know exactly how to correct those faults. The keyboard is not just a tool, it’s an extension of my fingers. I am not typing, I am communicating, and my PC reacts to every key stroke and every mouse click with precision. My control spans over the entirety of PC existence, from the abstract heights of a slick graphic user interface to the beautifully explicit depths of an assembly language – it is mine to decide. The world is my oyster dot com.
I am a PC gamer.
But more than that, I love the fact that I can see their files, modify them, understand them. Ever since Quake, it has been clear to me that some games are not just games, but a showcase of technology. It seems so natural to me that if the files are there, I should be able to modify them. On my PC, I can, even if I am “not supposed” to. Because I understand my computer, and I know what can and can’t be done; and there is nothing that can’t be done.
First time I was introduced to modding
I am a PC gamer.
The PC is not a single specific machine. It is a concept that is comprised of standards. It is the essence of technological advancement, and as such, it is always at the forefront of progress. There is no gaming machine that can compare to the PC, because a gaming machine is specific, rendered obsolete the moment it saw the light of day. It is inferior by definition for all intents and purposes, including the very reason it existed in the first place: gaming. The gaming machine’s strength is also it’s weakness: the ease of use of the gaming machine allows developers to deny the users of any control over the content they have. From the forgivable simplified interface for multiplayer gaming to the shameless On-Disc DLC (Downloadable Content) that are re-sold to customers, the possibilities for game publishers to make easy money on stupid content (armor DLCs) grow while the possibilities of the end user are limited.
I am a PC gamer.
When a console game is “ported” to the PC, it usually is better. It has better graphics, higher resolution and usually has a lot of the issues fixed since the console release. Even if the game is not a port, I can still run it at higher resolutions and higher frame rates than its console counterpart. I know exactly what my PC is capable of, and I know what the game is capable of. While console owners count pixels (I am not joking) to find out at what resolution their game is running on (because why should the developer reveal to them that their game is running at sub-HD resolutions), I can simply decide it for the game. Developers know this. You will not find a PC game that does not support, at the very least, the full HD resolution, because if it didn’t, it will not sell. PC gamers can check. They can run high-res games, and you cannot hide anything from them. Hell, PC gamers around the world had solved the Portal 2 riddle, which included decoding video files disguised as audio files, decrypting Morse codes into a BBS phone number, username and password and finding ASCII art for the sequel!
Viral marketing for Portal 2 via the first game, Morse codes and a freakin’ BBS!
I am a PC gamer.
I can download most of my games legally. I can customize them. I can listen to my own music while I play them. I can chat with my friends on multiple types of chats while playing. I can watch any type of video. I can emulate games from older consoles. I can distribute my games without authorization from anybody. I can develop games without specialized hardware. I can do whatever the fuck I want.
I am a PC gamer, and I’m loving every minute of it.
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