If there is anyone who should be happier than Nintendo fan boys right now, it would have to be PC gamers. No one has any idea how absolutely dominating Microsoft had been at E3 06. I consider myself a console gamer through and through, it just suits me better. However, at this time I could almost be envious of those loyal to PC gaming. Microsoft dropped a bomb shell at E3 that seemed to go largely unnoticed. With the Console wars heating up, Microsoft slipped a little ace from its sleeve by announcing Games for Windows on Windows Vista. This is a completely new iteration for Games for Windows and this time Microsoft is dead serious about reviving the once thought dead industry. Windows Vista will finally offer a gamer friendly environment that will suit them nicely. With organization and a lay out to make even the most OCD person feel disorganized, Vista will cater nicely to gamers.
Microsoft also announced that for the first time ever, PC gamers and console gamers will be able to unite under one flag: Live Anywhere. Now the bridge will be gapped between those two demographics and they will be able to compete to find out truly who the best gamers are. Since PC’s and the Xbox 360 run on similar hardware, it is easier now than ever to unify for the total gaming experience. PC users will now be able to keep their gamer card right on their desktop. Think of it as the gamer’s equivalent to MSN Messenger. They will be able to see what games their friends are playing and will be able to join in on the action.
Along with Live Anywhere, Microsoft announced the release of DirectX 10. This new installment will feature even more graphical muscle than what was thought possible. This became very apparent when those watching the conference got to experience Crysis. The people at Crytek have outdone themselves with this new graphics engine. The demo starts out on a damaged aircraft carrier out in the middle of the ocean. The environment is very dark, but the darkness is illuminated by the raging fires caused by the damage. Even though there is little light, the graphics are still detailed and animations are fluid. The player makes their way outside on the deck where utter chaos ensues. It is almost pitch black outside due to the smoke caused by the fires. There is a moment of silence, aside from orders being given by deck personnel. A moment later a large mechanical beast breaks through the smoke and at this point I’m thinking, METAL GEAR!!!!! In a way it is somewhat similar to Metal Gear Ray, but that is completely beside the point. The beast lets out a giant roar and begins its advance. You are instructed to find a rocket launcher, and when you do, the entire deck unleashes hell’s fury on the titan war machine. Moments later the machine retreats back into the water and all seems safe. A chopper radios in for you and you are instructed to board it. Needless to say, it was a stunning demo and I only wish I could have been there to see it.
Shadowrun will be the first game to bring the Xbox and PC crowds together for fragging goodness. Shadowrun is a first person shooter that actually started out as a pen and paper based RPG. There were several video game adaptations developed for it but they never really reached that top celebrity status in the industry. A trailer was shown at E3 that showed potential for good game play. The game has come under some scrutiny lately due to its “Xbox 1 quality of graphics.” I have looked at several screens of actual game play and I think they did some nice lighting and textural work. The point that many people are missing with this next generation of gaming is that developers will not be able to tap into the full potential of the Xbox 360. I recall back when the PS2 came out; the graphics were less than stunning. The only reason they did seem that way was because the gap between 64 bits and 128 bits is quite immense. There were several games that really made the graphics of the PS2 stand out and showed what the system was truly capable of.
I feel as if I’m straying from the main point however, so now I shall get back on track. PC gaming has always had its struggles; it is very expensive to get into and technology always seems to become obsolete. At this point, I believe that the life cycles of technology have lengthened quite a bit. AMD released its very powerful 64-bit processor; Also, ATI and NVIDIA have been great trailblazers for the development of motherboards and GPUs. However, to create a powerful gaming computer, gamers often have to get the right components and put everything together themselves. That has all changed now that the industry is starting to recognize its loyal fan base. Dell’s XPS series offers great technology for an intense gaming experience. Dell recently acquired Alienware Inc. and with this type of merger, I smell pure, raw, power. Also, buying a gaming PC has become cheaper than ever with Ibuypower.com. This is a custom computer manufacturer that takes all the latest components and puts it all together in a slick package for a price that would surprise everyone.
PC gaming is quite possibly the Cinderella story of the year. Yes, Nintendo did impress with the Wii, but Nintendo has never really been in trouble, not the type of trouble that plagued PC gamers. PC gamers have dealt with a surplus of crappy to mediocre games, and now it is time for a well deserved change.
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