Game System Help

[Daruya]

We currently have a Wii which is several years old (though recently serviced because the drive reader died). My boys are really getting into the Call of Duty (ie, fps) games and are talking about PS3 and X-Box. Being the frugal kids they are (they take after their mom) they don't like that you have to pay to play multiplayer online with the X-Box (I think I saw recently it was $99.99 for Live Gold). OTOH, I'm concerned about security with the PS3 due to the hacking incident that took place where they were down for awhile and customer info was compromised.

 

My boys both like Halo (which they've played elsewhere since we don't have M-rated games in our home ATM) but it's only available on X-Box. However, they do like Call of Duty and they currently have Black Ops (which I like because I can "filter" language - except when they have the chat function on; some little kids have real potty mouths and others just like to hear themselves talk/sing! )

 

Anyway, should we just stick with the Wii? We do need to get another console so that it's not so hard to take turns. It's tough when Mom or Dad want to play Legos HP or SW and the boys are keen to shoot zombies on Black Ops!

[SinisterDeath]

How old are the kids?

 

I wouldn't worry about the hacking on the PSN, Microsofts Xbox live is just as vulnerable as the PSN is, its just that PSN got into Anon's headlights so they had to prove there epeen was larger and hack the site. Only 1% of the accounts were hacked, and they estimated that only 1% of those actually got info on anything, and they can't even be sure they can 'do' anything with said info. (being encyrpted and all). Worst case scenerio, just change your password on your PSn account, and have a different pass for your Email account.

[Daruya]

My boys are 12 and 13 (ack! He'll be 14 in 5 weeks!). I was just looking at some system specs and it looks like PS3 charges for some stuff, too - some type of membership? Do you have to pay to play online with other players? They like to play Black Ops in online multiplayer mode but on the Wii they can't both play unless we have 2 consoles. Would both be able to play one one console, online multiplayer, with a PS3?

[SinisterDeath]

My boys are 12 and 13 (ack! He'll be 14 in 5 weeks!). I was just looking at some system specs and it looks like PS3 charges for some stuff, too - some type of membership? Do you have to pay to play online with other players? They like to play Black Ops in online multiplayer mode but on the Wii they can't both play unless we have 2 consoles. Would both be able to play one one console, online multiplayer, with a PS3?

 

 

No, the PSN Premium memberhsip is NOT required to play ANY game online. Its simply a premium membership, that gives people access to new content, faster, and often 'free' content while they have it.

 

As for co-opping Black ops, I have no idea. Some games you can, some games you can't. Alot of games now days are going for the Online-Co-Op instead of the split-screen co-op. Whether black ops can or not, I don't know, thats a per-game thing, not a per-console thing.

 

Only reason I asked the age is if they were say.. 6, I'd probably stick with the wii. :P

 

 

Also, jeeesh, kids these days, don't even play RPGs and are stuck on this stupid craze of MW3? booo

[Daruya]

So it looks like we're better off with the PS3 . . .

 

I was thinking of checking a local pawn shop to see if they had any new(ish) consoles there. The father of one of my youngest's former classmates owns it and a good friend of mine works for them and speaks pretty highly of them. They've been wonderful to her as she spends time with her seriously ill father. And the owner's wife is a hoot! She's a lot of fun on school field trips.

[Stitch]

In terms of specs the PS3 is the clear winner over the 360; however what it REALLY comes down to is the games. Choose the system that has the sort of games the kids will be wanting to play. Sounds like mainly FPS which are pretty evenly spread across the two consoles, which would mean that I personally would lean towards the PS3 (mainly because of the specs meaning that the PS3 and new titles for the console are likely to be around longer than the 360, plus the same games will likely be a bit better quality particularly in terms of appearance.)

 

Of course the PC is better than either in these categories, however, when you talk costs, the consoles versus gaming PCs are incomparable in terms of price : performance.

[SinisterDeath]

Well, spec wise; they both have advantages and disadvantages.

 

Microsoft also plays habit of strong arming devs to force them content before pc or ps3. (they are paying big bucks for that).

Ms is also forcing multiplat games to look the same, and if its noticably better on ps3, ms forces the dev to make it shittier.

 

Sony, can be just a big of a 'dick'.

 

As for pc not being compareable?

Thats a bowl of shit, and the markets pro-console propaganda.

 

Put it this way, you can go to walmart, buy a pc for $300, and it is 2x more powerful than your console.

 

If you spend $800? Its like 6x as powerfull. Price/Power pc is better.

Price/convienance? Consoles.

[Stitch]

In terms of pure power perhaps, certainly not for gaming performance.

[SinisterDeath]

In terms of pure power perhaps, certainly not for gaming performance.

 

Sure it is, the problem is, Consoles are such big buisness, the developers aren't even 'trying' to make video games to the level that would actually stress PC games, the better looking they are, is also even more expensive. (see crisis, Cost alot to make, but hardly anyone bought it.)

 

As it is, we are reaching the stagnation of video games entering the 'teens'of the 200s, until the Xbox 720 and Ps4 comes out, Skyrim/MW3 is about the best looking games we are going to see on the consoles, or Even PC because all the developers are to busy, making a quick buck on that, instead of actually 'trying'. ;)

[Barmacral]

A friend of mine owns Black-ops for the Xbox 360, and on his machine there is an online co-op mode. This way he can have somebody else playing on his xbox live account at no extra cost. They just won't have access to extra features like using a headset. It is very game dependent though, and a lot of games don't offer it. But yes, for Black-ops it is available (on the xbox at least)

[Sakaea]

I'm a life long PS fan, so I would say a PS3 is your best bet. Great games, better controller layout, the games have more on them then xbox games do, and the PS3 has a great storage capacity.

[Silver]

Not going to really debate which is better, they both have their pro's and con's, but I have to say I detest the PS3 controller. I much prefer the 360 one. It just fits my hands better. Besides that, the 2 main reasons I prefer the xbox controller is for the swapped placement of the D-Pad and left analog stick and the concave tops of the 2 sticks, as opposed to the convex PS3 sticks. While they PS3 analog sticks have rubber grips on top, it's just not enough and my thumbs constantly slip off of them.

[Nolder]

I have a lot of experience with FPS games and Xbox Live (been a gold member since...2004? I think?)

judging by your first post I'm going to suggest the PS3

you do have to pay for Xbox Live (it's $60 a year) and honestly? I've heard some of the worst things said in my life on Xbox Live, some by kids no older than yours

additionally I have seen people stripping their clothes off on cameras in arcade games such a Uno

on the other hand I haven't heard of such horror stories from the PSN, though I have limited experience with it myself

if you'd like to retain at least some control over the content your kids experience I think the PSN is the better choice

not only because of the content but you also get a blu ray player if you don't have one already!

also I was a really big fan of the PS2 and if you want to get older games for cheap you've got a LOT of options

even though the graphics aren't the best when you compare them to todays games there were still a lot of really amazing games content wise on the PS2 (I particularly loved Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando)

 

I would like to note since this seems to be a budding debate in this thread that I fully support the 360 as the winner of this generations console war I just feel like the PS3 might be a better option for what Dar is going for

[Red2111]

or you could try to track down one of the original 60 gig PS3 that is backwards compatible (like i have *grin*)

[Nolder]

they don't make backwards compatible PS3's anymore?

[Red2111]

thats why i said track it down. ebay, pawn shops, ect

 

 

and i know they dont *snuggles my PS3*

[SinisterDeath]

Yea, they stopped bc because it easilly added $100 to the price. Now ps3 and 360 are almost the same price but you get blu-ray, wifi built in, free psn, and possibly some other goodies. "mine has 3 slots for different types of mem. cards"..

 

As for controllers, i cant stand the 360s, had they kept the standard style but kept the size i could like it more.

That isnt to say the ps3s is superior, i've a noticed pretty bad dead zone and an overall lack of sensitivity. theres actually a pretty large area....

[SinisterDeath]

... where the controller doesnt recognize any movement, and it lacks any good amount of acceleration... meaning if i move it a little it should move a little versus move alot to make big movements.

give that dead zone and no acceleration means i can only turn really fast or make fine tune adjustments, but not both.

hence the mouse is superior for aiming, but the joy stick is better for movement.

 

Split post due to mobiles /char limit.

[Nolder]

I didn't know they stopped making backwards compatible PS3s

I'd rather have that then a blu ray player

but then I kind of dislike blu ray so...

 

also I prefer the Xbox's controller to the PS3's

the PS3's feels really flimsy and breakable

I like the weight of the 360's

 

also

because it needs to be said

 

cord>wireless

[Red2111]

the only bad thing abotu the PS controllers is how expensive they are to replace, and when that internal battery goes dead and wont recognize a charge you have to purchase a whole new controller (about 40 bucks used)

 

i know this because we had a controller recently that wouldn't charge. with the xbox thier controllers have a removable battery pack.

 

 

 

and yeah Nol, Sony stopped making the original backwards compatable PS3's earlier this year when they intorduced the PS3 slim. from what i've heard, it still plays PS1 discs, but not PS2. i do think there are patches you can download from PSN so the system will recognize the PS2 discs, but that costs money. i don't get on PSN or xbox live, so someone else will have to confirm that.

[Nolder]

meh

as far as I'm concerned the PS3 was a big flop

they didn't put out one exclusive game I cared enough about to be upset about not playing

 

honestly I thought I was going to have to buy one just to play KH3

I'm glad it didn't come to that

[The Harbinger of Light]

I would also recommend the PS3. You get free online gameplay (with no plans currently to change that), a blu-ray player, built in wifi, and some great titles only available on Playstation. Besides,since you have an Xbox 360 already you would have access to games for both consoles.

[Red2111]

meh

as far as I'm concerned the PS3 was a big flop

they didn't put out one exclusive game I cared enough about to be upset about not playing

 

0.o what about the God of War seires and Infamous1 & 2???? those were great PS only games.

[Nolder]

meh

as far as I'm concerned the PS3 was a big flop

they didn't put out one exclusive game I cared enough about to be upset about not playing

 

0.o what about the God of War seires and Infamous1 & 2???? those were great PS only games.

I didn't play any of those but from the little I've seen I don't think I'd enjoy the god of war series very much

[Red2111]

its a classic dungeon crawler with a great story thrown in. if you like Darksiders, Dante's Inferno or Doom, then you'll like God of War.

 

 

and if you like Arkham City, you'll like INfamous.