Never did I think I would understand the idea that consoles were unfit for First-Person Shooters. I had grown up with Golden Eye, The Orange Box, Resistance: Fall of Man, and others. I was perfectly happy with the duel analog game play and the long load times and updates that came with console connections. And then I went to college and discovered the world of PC FPS. Between the WASD keys and mouse I found a whole new way to play. Among my play time, I found a game called Hydrophobia: Prophesy, an adventure game like Jak and Daxter that I had enjoyed on my PS2. I tried it with high expectations and was sorely disappointed. I came to a realization (as I so often do).
Each system is set for its own games; crossing some lines is inadvisable.
There are so many kinds of games out there, and each type requires its own set of skills and mentalities to go with it. Real Time Strategy games require micro management with a big picture perspective. Turn Based games require forethought and anticipation. Fighting games require precision timing and knowledge of counters and combos. FPS games call for observation and twitch reflexes. These are pretty basic, and there are others across the board depending on the game and the system.
Certain genres are better suited to certain play styles. RTS games need you to be able to select and move both specific units and groups easily and to a variety of locations. FPS games need precision moving for aim and easy weapon cycling. These games lend themselves better to the easy of motion with the mouse and the various keys on the board. Action games and platformers need easily adjusted character movement. Fighting games need a range of motion using only a few inputs. The duel analog and button layouts work well for this.
When we cross platforms it gets hard. Yes FPS games are on the counsel, but the game play is more rewarding on a PC. On the other hand, Action/Adventure games don't perform as well on PCs. The game play is usually more cumbersome and awkward. That's why games like Shank, when ported to the PC, suffer, they weren't built at the ground level with keyboard and mouse in mind.Saint's Row 2 is another good example of a great game being brought down by poor transitioning. The menu set up was atrocious. The developers didn't make it so that the mouse could switch between options and menus, instead they used keyboard buttons and the arrow keys. This made basic actions like saving and navigating options a hassle and brought down the games quality.
This is the crux of the issue. Games need to be developed with their intended play style in mind. Some games port well between the systems, but there is never a perfect transition. Controls may end up sloppy and awkward, menus and options are difficult to navigate, or software bugs may hinder play. This isn't talking about cross-platform games like Modern Warfare or others like that. Those are built on the idea that they will be marketable to either audience. What I am saying is a basic idea. Proper planning needs to be done, not just for the short goals, but with the possibility of change over.
Or you could buy another Xbox controller if you really want to deal with that refrigerator of plastic....
Just something to chew on.
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