Which console?

[usxhe190]

wii - useful when you have friends over, good for girls BUT will not used so often
x360 - all guys friends will love it, great games good price - noisy
ps3 - all guys friends will love it, expenisve

[directhex]

there's more to console online than just multiplayer though - things like game add-ons, download-only titles, and game updates, all come under the heading

[directhex]

The controller question raises an entirely noob question, though. Are there no joystick-type controllers for consoles? If not, is it that the hardware doesn't support it or that games are execting button-press only type input?

The reason I ask is that I had a PC game a while back, and I can't remember for sure what it was but I think it was a Colin McRae rally game, where even with a joystick, the vehicle responses seemed to be digital ... i.e. jerky. NO amount of subtle, gentle joystick movement seemed to give a smooth vehicle response to input. I'm used to getting the feel of a game, ad that be it a MotoGP bike or an aircraqft in an "accurate" simulator, it's easy to overdo a response, then have to correct it, then have to correct the correction, etc. It wasn't that. It was just that the control system seemed jerky .... and it wasn't just me. It ruined the game for me and friends, and after a few attempts, it got stuck on the shelf and never touched again.

If my only method of controlling is going to result in that type of experience, I'll just abandon the whole idea, because it was no fun at all.

all consoles have had multi-hundred-level sensitivity on analog thumbsticks since the n64

most games don't even let you play with the old 8-way d-pad

[grayg1]

Colin McRae rally

I think what you might be feeling from that game if it is "Colin McRae Dirt", is that a lot of people say Dirt's an arcade style racer and not a realistic one.

If what you want is realistic then you should pick up Gran Turismo (Playstation) or Forza Motorsport (Xbox) and a steering wheel.

[Saracen]

I think what you might be feeling from that game if it is "Colin McRae Dirt", is that a lot of people say Dirt's an arcade style racer and not a realistic one.

If what you want is realistic then you should pick up Gran Turismo (Playstation) or Forza Motorsport (Xbox) and a steering wheel.

I've had a rummage around on my shelves, and it was Colin McRae Rally 2.

Not much point in picking up either of those games, until I pick up either an XBox or Playstation, though .... which was the point of the thread.

But what I want is 'fun' rather, necessarily, than "realistic". I just don't want to buy a console and either get the wrong one, or find it isn't fun. Guess there's only one way to check put the latter - try it.

[Saracen]

all consoles have had multi-hundred-level sensitivity on analog thumbsticks since the n64

most games don't even let you play with the old 8-way d-pad

Sorry, hex - I've no idea what that means.

[SiM]

Wii = fun for family/women/children and mario kart = awesome
PC = fun for Saracen and come play cod4 with us online

So get a Wii and a decent graphics card

Hex just means that the analog sticks are very sensitive to direction... eg if you move the stick half way only the car will turn at half the angle (or thereabouts)

[Saracen]

PC = fun for Saracen and come play cod4 with us online

cod4?

Hmmmm ...... fishy.



Me + online gaming = not gonna happen.

[Ferral]

What Hex is saying is that they are sensetive. I used to have Colin McCrae Dirt and the handling was excellent.

It doesn't feel like a digital input at all. Gradual movement works a charm, whether you are steering a car or wanting to walk slowly it responds really well.

I think you will find after using the 360 controller for 30 mins or so it feels great and is so comfortable and easy to pick up. Absolute pleasure to use.

[Mr Flibbles]

I'd go for the ps3, it's no where near as noisy and hasn't broke down once. This might not sound like much of an annoyance but believe me after six months of having a jet engine in your front room you soon get sick of it. I also found my old 360 was very unreliable, it would crash, a lot, it also had the red ring of death. For me the reason not to buy 360 is pretty long.

Live is also not that much better, once firmware 2.40 is out for the ps3 then it wont be any better at all. I would much rather have free online play than pay for the privilege.

I also have a Wii, it does look nice and we played non stop for the first three months. We never touch it now, wii fit also doesn't have that long of an interest level.

[Ferral]

Sice they changed the maufacturing on the XBox just before christmas last year the RROD has been a lot less common.

I don't think mine sounds that noisy at all and hasn't crashed once.

[directhex]

it's the disc drive that's noisy on the 360 - the ps3 is just as noisy fanwise, when it gets hot

[spazman]

I'll stand by my previous advice, go for the 360. It's cheaper, has more games, superior online and IMHO the controller dosnt suck. PS3's arnt immune to breaking mine stopped reading disks about 4 days after i bought it. The 360 is noisy but thats what the volume button on the TV remote is for. At the moment Live stomps all over PSN.

[Andy3536]

The best thing would be to go through the back catalogue of games for both 360 and PS3 and near future releases and pick from each games you want to own, then buy the console from there. If there all games that are on both consoles then get the cheaper option of the 360. At least that way you won't in a few months think, 'i wish i had bought the PS3 to play Gran Turismo' (or somthing similar)

[shadowmaster]

it's the disc drive that's noisy on the 360 - the ps3 is just as noisy fanwise, when it gets hot

Is that with the newer Xbox 360,the one with the falcon chip and the different drive? As the old one was definitely louder then the ps3, even after 3 hours of gaming.

Saracen judging by your requirements I would say the wii is probably the best option, it has some good fun games and I think Super Smash Bros Brawl is coming out soon which looks good If not the wii then the ps3.

[dave87]

Me + online gaming = not gonna happen.

I give it a month, tops, before you decide it might be nice to play online.

Oh, and as for COD4, it has to be on the 360, so you can join us online (should you decide to go that route) and is the easiest to pick up and just play I found.