The PC Gamers Tool Kit
As a PC gamer I know all too well that gaming on a PC is not easy, from driver updates and buggy software, to Lack of controller support and more. This is why some prefer the comfort of the easy to use console that is almost guarantied to be fully working for your gaming pleasures out of the box. With all that said, gaming on a PC can be highly rewarding and in some ways better than on console. No i don’t mean just for graphics but for other more important reasons.
I will also like to note for avid listeners of the Buttonsmashers Podcast you may have heard mention of some of the software listed and so may already have them installed. if that is the case pat your self on the back for being awesome 😉
Gaming is all about control
What gamer doesn’t want control? it is the basic premise of our existence as “GAMERS”. We don’t just want it we need it, and i mean literally. When it comes to controls the PC gamer always has the most options. Some of these are free while others can cost you. The most important thing to understand is that the options are there for those who need them. For example I know some that would prefer to play Shadowgun Deadzone with the Keyboard and mouse, unlike me who prefers to play it with controller. the thing with PC is that these options are available in most games and so we can choose how we play to get the best out of the games we play. Choosing the right tool for the job is highly important, and i’ll tell you why. You see even though the PC can support any controller that has a USB attachment, this does not mean that all the games will. Some Devs have made games that have excluded some controller support or in the case of some competing controllers the mapping for some inputs may be inverted or nor represented properly. This is why if you are getting a controller (which i suggest you do even if you primarily play mouse and keyboard) that you get a Windows controller. The Windows controller or Xbox 360 controller for pc is supported by most titles and properly mapped to work just as it would if you were playing on Xbox.
I recommend getting them from amazon as they are cheap and can be shipped directly to you.
Where the collection lays
This is one of those fundamental ways that PC Gaming beats console, via the Digital downloads. You see with a console most of the games are physical and the other thing is that the monopoly that drives pricing is overwhelming. Games in the Playstation store or XBL may be there for years and remain full priced because of consoles and their added charges for hosting services and such, Nintendo Network too. On PC however the rules are not so limiting and so we the gamers can benefit from amazing sales like the ones Steam put on all through the year. Why is this possible? simple really. PC game distributors have a mass of competitors and the software is basically free when it comes to distributing. No manufacturing cost for Discs and cases, so any sale is a profit, no matter how discounted. What you are going to want to get is Steam. Its a gaming client that is used to distrubute games and it easily emulates the experience that was previously only available on consoles. You get achievements, Online multiplayer, Proper friend lists with pretty robust profiles and a few features that are not available on consoles like badges (kinda like an incentive to encourage the gamer to play/buy more). Steam is not the only PC client, but it is certainly the best out there.
Sharing the Awesome
Gaming is becoming more and more social by the day. This is great for us gamers as we can meet more and more like minded individuals, becoming friends and more. The buttonsmashers Family was built on the belief that no matter a person’s bloodline, race, sex, spiritual beliefs or any other distinguishing features that they can become family. To meet individuals and form bonds in this modern day it is important to use social networking, and we gamers have such a network, raptr.
Read my article “The Social Gamer” to learn more about this app/ website and how it enhances the gaming experience.
Getting the best out of ……..
If you play on PC then you have heard of overclocking. If the noob is still strong with you then I’ll try to explain as best i can. Overclocking is a the process where by one makes their computer or component/s operate faster than the clock frequency specified by the manufacturer by modifying system parameters. This can be achieved by many different means but most are too complicated for the unfamiliar and can lead to you damaging the computer components that are being overclocked. The process generates more heat, uses more power and can be unstable so it is unadvised for any that are not tech savvy. Then comes along MSI Afterburner, an overclocking software that simplifies the process and even has some cool features including Video Capture. MSI Afterburner is not just for MSI products and can be used with any GPU configuration. I Highly recommend this software to any gamer but be warned this is still overclocking and you can still kill your hardware if used incorrectly. All it does is make the process much easier.
Come join us
This is the last part of the Tool Kit I would like to mention as it is the app that we the Buttonsmashers Editors are currently using to record the Buttonsmashers Podcast. TeamSpeak is a proprietary voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) software that allows computer users to speak on a chat channel with fellow computer users, much like a telephone conference call. A TeamSpeak user will often wear a headset with an integrated microphone. Users use the TeamSpeak client software to connect to a TeamSpeak server of their choice, from there they can join chat channels and discuss things. The target audience for TeamSpeak is gamers, who can use the software to communicate with other players on the same team of a multiplayer game. Communicating by voice gives a competitive advantage by allowing players to keep their hands on the controls. Its small and easy to set-up so come join us as we play on the server: knightsmasher.typefrag.com this server is shared with our extended family over at nineknights.net so go over and show some buttonsmashers love on our behalf when you get the chance.
I remember I once bought a cheap few dollar PS1/2 controller adapter for computers off of Amazon. It was this little blue hub that you could connect up to two controllers to, but it was really worth that few bucks…I mean it. It had this annoying short in it that required specific positions to even function right and didn’t even recognize all but one of my old playstation controllers. On the other desktop I own, it suddenly stopped working properly for it period one day, but still worked albeit with a short on my older model.
I eventually gave up and stopped using it, and recently got myself a Gigaware gamepad. I haven’t even tested it YET, but I plan to soon. The fun part is its shape and button layout seems to be a combination of Xbox 360 and PS2 controller, which is awesome. Personally, I always preferred the PS2 controller over the Xbox 360 one.
For recording so far I have three on a preferred list. FRAPs, which is good but requires decent extra hardrive space for the large videos and a conversion software to shrink their size down(for that I use Avidemux), Bandicam which is good in its own way and produces less bloated video, but isn’t as good as FRAPs in some situations, and I’ve heard quite a bit about Sony Vegas Pro, but among them that it’s particularly high end and my rig’s a bit of a dinosaur, so I’m putting that on hold. Plus I heard it’s real expensive.
I’ve never considered overclocking. Just my preference, but I’m not that confident in my knowledge that I’d risk damaging my hardware.