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Dogma · Jul 22, 2003, 11:00 AM

I feel the pain, I feel the daggers pointed towards me, but I have taken a definitive decision on the machine that I will purchase next...

You guessed it, it'll be an x86 machine. I was seriously considering a G5, and may get one after the PC, but so many games are just never gonna be out for the Mac, and a good gaming PC is plenty cheap if you don't worry too much about the extras. All I'll need is fast processor, fast graphics card, lots of RAM and a nice Sound Card, no DVD-R requirement here.

The main reason I have decided this (and I'm not switching, I'm seeing this PC as a games console - and perhaps a cruncher for Team MacNN) is Warhammer Online - which is looking to be one of the best MMORPG I've ever seen, and the PC specs are pretty high, basically locking out any Mac version for a good couple of years longer. That and FFXI online, plus a plethora of cheap games, and it seems to be the best deal.

Yeah, the PC'll be outta date quicker than you can say "Jack Rabbit Slim", but it's for games, see.Thankfully, I do have various versions of Linux I can install when I don't need to suffer the cage that is windows.

My point, and question is; I have never ever contemplated a PC before now, and I don't see myself as switching - I'll still hate them; What game or other program would it take for you to pluck up the courage and say "Okay, maybe for a little while.."?

[APi]TheMan · Jul 22, 2003, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by Dogma:
You guessed it, it'll be an x86 machine. I was seriously considering a G5, and may get one after the PC, but so many games are just never gonna be out for the Mac, and a good gaming PC is plenty cheap if you don't worry too much about the extras. All I'll need is fast processor, fast graphics card, lots of RAM and a nice Sound Card, no DVD-R requirement here.

Cool. I have a Mac and it makes pretty colors. I have a PS2 that I can play silly games on if I want. Too bad they're all $50. Gah. I'm not much of a gamer anyways.

If I can't play it on Mac, I don't play it. End of story. If I can't play it on MY Mac, boohoo. I don't play it. End of story. I ain't the type to buy a "cheap" PC just for gaming...

What's this about Warhammer Online? I have no interest in playing it, but hey, I like looking at screenshots.

MindFad · Jul 22, 2003, 11:53 AM

Jack Rabbit Slim.

macnnhelpme · Jul 22, 2003, 12:19 PM

When is warhammer out?

No shame in buying a PC for gaming. They are good for something, after all!

Dogma · Jul 22, 2003, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
What's this about Warhammer Online? I have no interest in playing it, but hey, I like looking at screenshots.

If you've ever been a bit of a nerdy tabletop or paper and pen RPG'er you should be already familiar with the Warhammer World (by Game Workshop , a tolien-esque world and a whole lot more. Kinda like D&D but actually fun to play - classic british humour for the orcs and stuff. They also have Warhammer 40,000 futuristic battles.

Anyhoo, Warhammer Online is the MMORPG online game still in development (due Spring 2004) which the brief was to 'bring Warhammer to life'. Going by the screenshots, the videos (hard to get these on a mac), and FAQ's, it all boils down to a gritty and realistic MMORPG game.

You are an adventurer (Human, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Ogre) with no skill. You have no skill level, and in fact the only thing you can really do when you start out is beg or fight other plebs. However, rather than 'skill levels' that you can max out, and quests for magical pieces of equipment - the focus is rather on role play, and learning skills by practising them. You will be a rubbish thief to start with, but with a touch of practice you may get better, a little bit of tuition, better still, and so on. You are not a mage, thief, Fighter or anything though - no-one is characterised as these - you are you. Hard to explain other than just saying "Gritty, realistic, believable world". Read the FAQ on their website... (I had problems with Safari BTW)

chrisutley · Jul 22, 2003, 11:34 PM

You can build a really nice gaming PC for around $700, and a kick ass gaming PC for around $1000. Chump change really...

I'm thinking of building one myself.

DrBoar · Jul 23, 2003, 02:36 AM

My wife want to have a Win XP box "to learn windows". I will make sure that it will suit games like HL2 and applications like loudspeaker time domain measurements and some other stuff that is not aviable on the Mac

Then our belowed IT department aimed for crossplatform tool for us to put up our web pages... It only works in Windows, some version that is not all of them, it only work in MS Explorer, not all versions only the lastest...

DBvader · Jul 23, 2003, 03:42 AM

ive always said that macs are more proficient machines than PCs for everything but one thing...gaming. i think that if gaming is important to you, then a mac is a bad choice, so i hope you enjoy your PC!

mac freak · Jul 23, 2003, 12:19 PM

I bought a gaming PC late last year...
My computer gaming experience has improved tenfold. It's worth it. I snagged a P4-3.06 with HT/Radeon 9700 Pro/512 MB PC27000 (basically top-of-the-line at the time) for a little under $1500 from www.ibuypower.com . I probably could have saved a little more still if I just bought the components and contructed the thing myself.

I also bought a Belkin KVM switch -- allowing me to share my monitor, mouse, keyboard, printer, scanner, ext. burner, microphone, USB speakers, the whole shebang between the two machines, switching via the press of a button. Surprisingly, the Apple keyboard works with WinXP with no setup, and even the volume keys work!

Macs are a superior platform. I love the OS, I love the look, I love the solidness, I love the whole experience -- but if you're a gamer, you just NEED a PC, bottom line.

benb · Jul 23, 2003, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by Dogma:
I feel the pain, I feel the daggers pointed towards me, but I have taken a definitive decision on the machine that I will purchase next...

Heh. Once you play Warcraft III and see how smoothly it scrolls, you will cry.

So, want to buy a decent motherboard cheap? I got one layin' around. Asus P4S8X with FireWire and SATA I'd be willing to part with for cheap. I used it about a month, but downgraded to the P4PE to save money. Except I forgot to put it on eBay...

Oh, and my advice? Unless you are all "hard core" about games, don't use the best of the best. Get a Pentium on a 533 bus instead of an 800 bus and save the cash. Get a 9700 Pro instead of a 9800. It'll still run fine, and by the time it won't run games anymore, the latest and greatest of today will just barely run em. And you've saved tons of money.