[wower]

After playing multiplayer Quake 2 and Counter-strike solely for years, I left that scene when I moved overseas. Now I am soon moving back and would like some advice about what system - desktop or console - to pick up.

I really miss first person shooters. I love the fine dexterity and hand-eye coordination that style calls for. I have no desire to play anything else. When I get back, I really want to take up a fine FPS experience again with layers of strategy and unlimited re-playability.

But the industry has moved on while I was away with companies increasingly focusing resources on consoles and refining their online play. I am especially hoping to hear from gamers who went from comptuer to consoles as their primary platform. Also, does anyone agree with the logic that if I like FPS best, that experience will always be most refined with a mouse and keyboard? Please advise because the question of which way to go is driving me crazy. I know head-fi will have some interesting insight I haven't even considered which is why I brought it to you. What are your thoughts on: TF2, CSS, Qaukewars VS halo 3, COD4.

P.S. Please resist saying to get both because 1) I'm not made of money and 2) my character is such I rather devote myself to getting really super good at one game.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Mmm...after playing TF2 for many months, and CS:S for years, I'd choose CS:S, because at least every player roughly has the same chance of surviving and killing. I'm tired in TF2 when you run into players that are your major weakness, and your teammates don't help you. TF2 is very team-based (Captain Obvious moment there), and many times I've been frustrated where a Medic just runs by a heavily wounded player, or people who ignore that the enemy is going through a tunnel, while they just prepare in some other area for their own benefit.

EDIT: I used to play with a $10 Logitech keyboard and Logitech Mx518 mouse. Now, I'm playing with a Saitek Eclipse II keyboard, Razer DeathAdder, and SteelSeries QcK mousepad.

 

[G-man]

COD4 FTW!!!!

Seriously though, do not get a console for online play. no way near as fun as on a computer. but, consoles do offer more bang for the buck. it just depends, are you ok at playing on consoles, ie playing in front of the tv with a controller, or do you prefer a keyboard. as for the computer, obviously build one yourself. but remember, to get the high performances of a console, you will have to spend quite a lot.

 

[MasiveMunkey]

Gotta go computer for serious FPS games because as you said mouse + keyboard >>>>> controller.

BTW I currently play A LOT of TF2 and the way around not having crappy teammates is to play on good servers. Also you can play with your friends so you can do combos like Heavy + Medic, which are really fun. Or if you really want to not rely on your teammates play a class that doesn't really need help from other people like Spies.

I've also played CS:S and COD4 for a significant amount of time, but TF2 is more fun IMHO.

 

[roastpuff]

COD4 for the "realer" playing style - with Hardcore mode being quite difficult and fun, with the realism turned up more - or TF2 for the more cartoony/fun experience.

 

[Omega]

The production value of TF2 is unmatched, in my experience. But I was very frustrated playing TF2 after coming from Quake3. I do not think my criticism of TF2 is unique to TF2, but rather it is indicative of all the new crop of FPS's in general...they feel soft and mushy (in terms of control and response). Of course Q3A was written for frenetic arena-style speed of play. But I don't understand why HL2 single player feels about right, while the multiplayer feels off. Eh, I digress.

It can be very frustrating that TF2 is obviously balancing the game. I don't care that a clueless chump ate my rocket the last 5 times I encountered him. When I encounter him the 6th time, he shouldn't get automatic damage boost against me.

Anyway, TF2 is fun if you are able to ignore the idiots and balancing. My advice is to find a good server or join a clan that cares less about frag count than accomplishing objectives cooperatively. Playing on a team with a variety of classes, working together productively, can be extremely fun.

 

[guyx1992]

Buy a good PC.
For about 1000$ you can buy a killer desktop, especially now with the new GPUs [HD4850, 280GTX etc]

 

[Dzjudz]

I played TF2 for a couple of months (got the Orange Box

, great value), but I'm back to playing CS (yes, that's 1.6, not CS:S) all the time again. But for online play I would definitely go with a PC instead of a console.

 

[wower]

Sweet. I found a whole crop of FPS players on headfi. Being out of the scene so long I can't stress enough how great your info is. I understand the comments of mushy controls of TF2. CS was about right: The chess (or go) of FPSs IMO. I loved CS1.6 but want to go all the way with CSS. How does COD4 compare? $1000 is great for a desktop, but are poeple looking at the 256mb vid cards or the 512mb? Is seems like things have plateaud at 512. What vid cards are everyone using? Understand nothing is future proof, what would you recommend?

 

[infinitesymphony]

I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the late '90s playing Quake 2 and Q2CTF as a HPB with dial-up internet and one of the original 3dfx cards (Diamond Monster 3D).

Since then, the only multiplayer FPS game to hold my attention for the same length of time (or longer) has been Battlefield 2. It's basically capture the flag with classes, like TF2 but with a more realistic modern setting.

I'd been using a PCIx NVIDIA 6600, but when that died, I moved up to an 8600GT. Not state of the art, but it has made most games more than playable.

 

[pez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mmm...after playing TF2 for many months, and CS:S for years, I'd choose CS:S, because at least every player roughly has the same chance of surviving and killing. I'm tired in TF2 when you run into players that are your major weakness, and your teammates don't help you. TF2 is very team-based (Captain Obvious moment there), and many times I've been frustrated where a Medic just runs by a heavily wounded player, or people who ignore that the enemy is going through a tunnel, while they just prepare in some other area for their own benefit. EDIT: I used to play with a $10 Logitech keyboard and Logitech Mx518 mouse. Now, I'm playing with a Saitek Eclipse II keyboard, Razer DeathAdder, and SteelSeries QcK mousepad.

haha, I still use a $20 keyboard and mx518 and regardless, I still consider myself to be quite good. To be honest, as long as I have a decent mouse, I'm good. I would take a mouse and keyboard anyday over a controller, unless it's a racing game, but that's not what you want, so I would tell you to get a computer, including the fact that you can keep progressively upgrading your computers as a console will most likely become nearly obsolete after the company comes out with a newer one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the late '90s playing Quake 2 and Q2CTF as a HPB with dial-up internet and one of the original 3dfx cards (Diamond Monster 3D). Since then, the only multiplayer FPS game to hold my attention for the same length of time (or longer) has been Battlefield 2. It's basically capture the flag with classes, like TF2 but with a more realistic modern setting. I'd been using a PCIx NVIDIA 6600, but when that died, I moved up to an 8600GT. Not state of the art, but it has made most games more than playable.

I haven't played TF2, but I really want to purchase it, so I'm unable to say what it's like, but I've heard great things from a couple of my friends. Now, CoD4 on the other hand I think is a fantastic game. I really like how they combined the ability to customize weapons and classes to fit your liking no matter the team you decide to play on. They also just had a recent update for CoD4. They updated to 1.6 and added 3-4 maps I think. The map Chinatown for instance is exactly like CoD2's Carentan with a Chinese makeover. Also, for a computer to run CoD4 I think you could get away with a computer for <$1000. I run CoD4 on a AMD 3500+ 2.2 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, Windows Vista Ult., and a 8600 GT. No matter what game you decide to go for, the 8600 GT is a very nice card IMO, I just purchased it and everything I've thrown at it, with the exception of Crysis has run very well with very very little to no lag at all.

 

[Snicewicz]

I have all three counter strikes and the one I play the most for various reasons is Condition Zero.

I love that game and always will, and there will always be enough people playing.

Gaming is more precise with a mouse at least, thats why when I was in middle school and I would play halo with my friends I would plug in a mouse and it was unfair when I snipped.

I use a Razer Copperhead, dont ask my why I thought it was a good idea to spend $100 on a mouse. And I also have a crappy Razer Piranha headset, at least the blue LEDs match!

 

[Dzjudz]

As a mouse I use a Razer Diamondback, Razers are the way to go if you want a fingertip mouse IMO. If you're going for a palm mouse then the Logitechs are a great choice. I play with a Diamondback, one of my brothers plays with a Copperhead and two of my brothers play with an MX518. It depends what your style is I guess. As a matter of fact, my brother is building a PC right now with a budget of €1000, and you can get pretty much top of the line for that.

 

[srozzman]

Play urbanterror, since its free, and requires tons of skill to be good at it. Plus, it can run on integrated hardware! heres the website --> www.urbanterror.net

 

[wower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif I spent a ridiculous amount of time in the late '90s playing Quake 2 and Q2CTF as a HPB with dial-up internet and one of the original 3dfx cards (Diamond Monster 3D).

Dear lord. That post brought back some memeries. Same vid card too. I got hooked on Q2 also. Almost forgot the HPB reference after all those years!! That was me too!!

Loved lithium-mod deathmatch. RL mostly but if I plugged into a LAN then at least I could rail. Tried CTF but loved Jailbreak. Kind of a smallish mod community but we were hardcore. Friday nights were great. Playing into the wee hours of Saturday. It had a lot in common with CS in that once you were fragged you were in jail and could just chat until released.

Quote:

nvida 8600GT. Not state of the art, but it has made most games more than playable.

This info is gold. Its been recommended twice in the thread. How much vid ram is on it? Price?

Quote:

Originally Posted by srozzman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Play urbanterror, since its free, and requires tons of skill to be good at it. Plus, it can run on integrated hardware! heres the website --> www.urbanterror.net

I checked the link. Doesn't look too bad. I like the fun over realism idea but I also want a fine tuned FPS experience. No randomness (GTA4 multiplayer has issues with this from my understanding). No mushy controls. There is also a difference between being complicated and thus needing skill and a game where the rules are easy enough to learn but over time, because of the nature of their constrution, slowly stratify players into expectionally wide skill levels. Again I fall back on the chess or go analogy. Quick to learn, forever to master. And between the top 3 players in the field, there could still be quite large differences in skill among them. That's what all good games have in common in my opinion and its a very hard attribute to design.