PC vs. PS4 limitations

[JonLuso]

The thing with PC scaling is that developers can, with more ease, raise the requirements of a game without so much backlash/negative effects. When you have to support a console alongside a PC platform, then there comes a point where that console's specs, which are locked in, make it so that you can't feasibly make the game any better, technically speaking and low-end/mid-ranged PC's are no longer the culprit.

With PC's, there's always the sense of freedom; this includes hardware scaling, software planning and hardware extensions.

With consoles, no matter what innovation (touch screen, motion control, etc.) the console has, it will inevitably lead to limitations of some sort further down the line.

Low-end and mid-ranged PC/laptops do limit games, yes, but assuming those games are PC-only, this is something that can be easily rectified compared to that of a cross-platform environment-based game involving consoles.

PC games can always be optimized to run no matter what; the argument that low-end/mid-ranged PC's hold back games is a bit base, because the game will be produced, developed and released regardless of an individual's PC specs. You either meet the requirements or you don't. PC games are released to a gaming audience, and most of these gamers know that to effectively play a game, you need to have some sense when it comes to min's and max's in regards to PC gaming performance.

[Kosmos992k]

Low-end and mid-ranged PC/laptops do limit games, yes, but assuming those games are PC-only, this is something that can be easily rectified compared to that of a cross-platform environment-based game involving consoles.

Hand waving and calling it "easily rectified" for low-mid range PCs doesn't alter the simple fact that PS4 is for all intents and purposes an low-mid range gaming PC. And like many PCs it will not get a hardware upgrade. PS4 is an x86 platform, it's as much a PC as any PC sold by Dell, HP, Lenovo or anyone else.There is no difference in scaling a client for low-mid range PCs vs scaling it to PS4, hell it's the same code base.

[JonLuso]

Hand waving and calling it "easily rectified" for low-mid range PCs doesn't alter the simple fact that PS4 is for all intents and purposes an low-mid range gaming PC. And like many PCs it will not get a hardware upgrade. PS4 is an x86 platform, it's as much a PC as any PC sold by Dell, HP, Lenovo or anyone else.There is no difference in scaling a client for low-mid range PCs vs scaling it to PS4, hell it's the same code base.

The PS4 is still a console; you can call it whatever you want: a low-end PC, mid-ranged, whatever. The fact is that its specs are locked in; if it were truly a PC-based environment, you could change the components of said console to match the needs of a game.

The PC-based architecture simply allows games to be better tooled to perform as expected on PS4; to say that it earns the same respects of PCs, though, is not true. You cannot perform hard-ware scaling with the PS4, that is the only thing that's needed to know that it'll hold the game back inevitably. PCs will never do this on paper, as the requirements will just be raised (Look to WoW or SC for examples).

[Kosmos992k]

The PS4 is still a console; you can call it whatever you want: a low-end PC, mid-ranged, whatever. The fact is that its specs are locked in; if it were truly a PC-based environment, you could change the components of said console to match the needs of a game.

The PC-based architecture simply allows games to be better tooled to perform as expected on PS4; to say that it earns the same respects of PCs, though, is not true.

OK, look, stop defending the PC, it's not under attack. The vast majority of PCs in existence will *never* see a hardware upgrade during their life, how is that any different? PC chauvinism isn't a substitute for logic, reason and fact.

p.s. please do not assume I am ignorant of PC technology or that I am some console fanboy. I've worked with PCs at the hardware level since 1985, I've torn down and rebuilt PCs, I've built systems from scratch. I'm by no means a PC hater. I'm just calling it as I see it.