Which console?

[Lee H]

I don't even run my 360 through a HD tv for 90% of the use I get out of it.

The only way I get the HD effect is to take it upstairs and connect it via the VGA cable to my monitor and put the sound through the PC.

one day I'll get a HD tele, but at the moment it's good enough for my lesuirely sessions when I've a few hours free and want to blow off some steam.

[Agent]

What are recent games like in your experience Lee?

We know they won't look much better than a Xbox 1, but hows things like interfaces / text / HUD?
Do you come across anything which makes you think "What the hell did that say"?

[Steve B]

I used to play Halo 3 on a big widescreen CRT jobby, and the HUD was blurry as anything. I couldn't even read the text when playing blue dragon it was that bad!

[Stringent]

Wii games are short lived. I played Rayman Ravin Rabbids all the way through ONCE. It comes out now and then for party games but thats it. The longevity is shortevity. Mario Kart? Well so much you can do single player ... The real fun is online.

Choosing a console isn't an easy feat, particularly if you are in no particular camp.

Do you have any mates which have the consoles? Go round theirs and have a bash for a few hours and see which one you like, genre of games etc, then you could make your mind up.

FYI SD on the PS3 isn't bad, however its stunning on a proper HDTV, I would say the same goes for the XBox. It was like me going from an ATI 2D graphics card to a Voodoo 2 and seeing the difference in Quake 2 back in the day!

You really do need an HDTV. The Sony 26" T3000 is a goodun, or their new W4000 range.

[Saracen]

....

You really do need an HDTV. The Sony 26" T3000 is a goodun, or their new W4000 range.

But as i said earlier, I'm not interested in an HDTV for TV 'cos I don't watch that much, and if I need one for the console experience to be worth having, the result won't be a new TV, it'll be no console. £200-£300 for the console, plus the cost of games from time to time I can stomach. But as soon as you add £800+ for a good TV onto that, it becomes far, far too expensive for what is, after all, supposed to be just an occasional bit of fun.

I think my best bet is to just give up on the idea.

[grayg1]

Or just get a Wii since it doesn't do HD anyway

[Saracen]

Or just get a Wii since it doesn't do HD anyway

I may yet end up doing just that ..... when and if I can get the Fit. And if I can convince myself that the games have the staying power.

[SiM]

Get a new monitor then! You need one (iirc from the scan new site thread). Dell 24" perfect for your PC needs and your Wii/360/PS3

[Saracen]

The monitor is for the PC. My PCs are in one of two offices. The console is for the lounge. See post #6 for the reasoning.

[SiM]

Sorry Saracen, missed that... You write too much... can't remember it all!

[grayg1]

Don't forget you can play all the old Gamecube games on the Wii too e.g. Metroid Prime, probably my favourite game ever!

[G4Z]

I have the wii60 combo myself, I would recommend some of the wii games as games with good longevity, Metroid for example has oddles of depth and then you have mario galaxy and super paper mario which are quite long games.

[Ferral]

We have he 360 and Wii. Wife managed to lay her hands on Fit a few days ago for £50 as it was an unwanted gift.

There are a lot of party games on the Wii, most of the games we have are in that category. Raving Rabbids 2 is a great laugh must admit. Not forgetting the retro catalogue is getting bigger all the time. So if you like old school stuff it is ideal.

I think if you are wanting games that are a bit more serious though head for the 360 or PS3. Like a lot of people have said already, look at the games catalogues and decide that way.

As for the 360 it is worthwhile paying a bit extra and getting the premium. Hard disc does come in handy. You can get a lot of the old arcade games from live if that is your thing! The extra space also saves on having to buy extra memory cards when they start getting full.

As for HDTV, I only encountered one game on the 360 that requires it. That is Dead Rising, text is really hard to read on a standard TV, HD and it is crystal clear. Other than that you don't really need it.

I have my 360 connected up to my 47" Phillips LCD in 1080P, must admit it looks awesome. But if you are going for a bit more casual then just hook it up to your existing TV in front room and enjoy.

[Lucio]

And if I need a new TV, just for a games console that's supposed to be about the occasional bit of light-hearted, hassle free fun .... well, it's all getting a bit out of hand, and starting to look like it's not worth it at all.

You know, if that's your main requirement in a console, I wouldn't get any of them. Get a DS, because it's certainly cheaper than any of the consoles, still has an entertainment factor involved and you don't need to worry about whether or not it has "major titles available", because it's a handheld!

I think at the end of the day, you've overthinking this anyway, because you don't *really* want a console, you want a new way to fill your time that isn't the internet and thought a console would be the answer. Personally I buy a new PC game when I feel like this, something that's got either a long play time on it, or plenty of replayability (so usually an RPG or RTS).


Alternatively, take the money and spend it on a huge ass selection of books, try to pick up stuff both in genres you normally read, and some that you wouldn't imediately think to buy. Reading is a great way to fill the hours

[SmileyUK]

hmm 3 of my mates have 360's and no hd and it really doesnt bother them. I notice it when i go round theirs and they say it looks a lot better when they come round mine, but this doesnt stop them loving their consoles

i would say dont let it put you off if thats what you want. I have a wii as well but it mostly gathers dust apart from when i play on it with my son or with my mates.

[Saracen]

You know, if that's your main requirement in a console, I wouldn't get any of them. Get a DS, because it's certainly cheaper than any of the consoles, still has an entertainment factor involved and you don't need to worry about whether or not it has "major titles available", because it's a handheld!

I might indeed, but for a different reason - and that's when I'm away from home. But that's a different exercise from this one, and for a different reason.

....

I think at the end of the day, you've overthinking this anyway, because you don't *really* want a console, you want a new way to fill your time that isn't the internet and thought a console would be the answer. Personally I buy a new PC game when I feel like this, something that's got either a long play time on it, or plenty of replayability (so usually an RPG or RTS).

You're not far off there. I don't want a console because I want a console. I want to play games, but to do it on a rather more casual basis than the more thoughtful games (the NeverWinter Nights type thing) which are a long-term project. I'll do the NWN thing too, but I'll do that on the PC. I just want a casual, hassle free blast, in the comfort of the lounge, not the work-oriented atmosphere of the office.

And it seems to me that a console should fulfil that purpose.

It's then a question of whether it's practical without buying a new TV to do it, because that's just ridiculous. And if it is, which one.

I've just discovered that an old friend has a console collection. It certainly included PS2, PS3, XBox, XBox360 and Wii, plus a few other relics, apparently. So I'm going to go have a play. We just can't coordinate it 'til next week sometime. Hopefully, that will answer a lot of concerns.

But currently, it's looking like 360 if anything, and then as and when the Fit comes back into stock (if they don't, as according to the rumours I hear, jack up the price), maybe the Wii too. Meantime, we've got visitors for a few days, so I won't be around much over the weekend, and the console saga will have to go on pause.

Alternatively, take the money and spend it on a huge ass selection of books, try to pick up stuff both in genres you normally read, and some that you wouldn't immediately think to buy. Reading is a great way to fill the hours

Well, I've already got a big-ass book collection. Big enough to use a barcode reader to input them into the database, so I can find what I want when I want it. I don't remember how many, off the top of my head, but it'd be easier to measure it by square yard of wallspace.

And I agree, reading is a great way to fill the hours. I'm just after a gaming alternative.