Is the sim genre dead?

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Frumpkis

I don't think so. We're in the middle of a transition from traditional ways of delivering passive entertainment like music, video, and movies to computer-based ways of delivering this media. We have satellite TV in the house, but my family is already spending half its TV-watching time on streaming Netflix via computer. As soon as the selection improves enough, we'll probably ditch the Sat TV and go online-only.

Another thing... people now shoot camera stills and video on digital media, which is stored, edited, and displayed on PC's. Have you ever tried to edit an hour of HDTV-res digital video? I couldn't do it on my last PC. I can only do it on my new, much faster box with a blazing-fast GPU (which is also a great gaming machine).

As long as people want to view, store, and process HD-quality digital media on their computers, we'll have healthy platforms for running games. The main restriction on games developed for PC's will remain what they are now -- the ease-of-use in running games on consoles (no configuration hassles), and the built-in DRM advantage with console games.

I agree, and for the simple reason that the PC has become a fixture of daily modern life. You aren't going to email work from your Playstation. Because of that, everyone is going to continue to own and buy PCs. And so long as people continue to buy them, companies will continue to make games for them.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

I agree, and for the simple reason that the PC has become a fixture of daily modern life. You aren't going to email work from your Playstation. Because of that, everyone is going to continue to own and buy PCs. And so long as people continue to buy them, companies will continue to make games for them.

I wasn't saying people wouldn't continue to buy PC's. I think what will happen however, is people upgrading or replacing their current PC's, A LOT less often. Personally, I have NEVER upgraded a PC unless it fell behind the games i was trying to run. I have never heard of anyone else, not family, nor friends of family, nor cowokers who have ever upgraded or replaced a PC for any other reason.

And yeah, i suppose someone will be making some PC games, but i strongly suspect it will be very crappy software not worth buying. Existing in a similar vain as the "token minority" on a sitcom. A stroll into any major electronic retail outlet (like the best buy down the street from my apartment), the writing is on the wall. 5 to 7 years ago, the PC game sections for that retailer, at any store, covered both sides of two isles. Today the PC game section is ONE side, of ONE isle, of any store. The console section, each major system has two isles devoted to it. The selection for PC games is crap, and it gets crappier every year.

ON the plus side, i save money i suppose.

[longam]

I currently purchase quad core and medium level video cards systems for workstations. We want everyone to be as productive as possible and not have to wait for software to load.

The new Office programs are getting heavy as more power is available for development. The sales personnel usually run multiple apps at once to track and make calls, some run locally some browser based, and CAD. Fast multitasking is a must. There loading PDF's for quotes and emailing, faxing, printing at a fast pace.

So the office isn't what you think it is anymore, power PC's have a huge market. We upgrade about every 4 years.