Perhaps it’s my borderline OCD, or perhaps it’s simply a desire for everyone to get the most out of what they buy, but when I see people pick up a brand new PlayStation 3 or an Xbox 360, I’m compelled to ensure they’ve also got a HDMI cable. And a high definition television. And broadband. And an extra controller.
Although this is a far more socially acceptable exchange when it’s with people I know, I have to really force myself not to do it when I see someone I don’t know splashing their cash. The questions run through my mind: do you know it’s only got composite cables? Do you know that game you’re buying needs a hard drive?
It’s not just the consoles themselves, either – when I see people buying a game I’ve poured dozens of hours and over a thousand words into telling the world it’s terrible the urge to grab the generic shooter out of their hands and stamp on the disk, instead showing them something half decent. Ignorance, you see, is hard to deal with.
Some people are blissfully unaware that the game they’re playing on their expensive 50 inch plasma is running in 576i. They won’t get it, and – frighteningly – might not even be able to tell the difference when you show them. It’s like the people that watch 4:3 formatted television stretched out to fill their widescreen TV sets. Totally unaware.
Finally, and the blame for this lies squarely at the feet of the manufacturers, but the number of people I’ve spoken to that don’t know you can buy games online, be that via the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace or even the likes of Steam. Where did you get that game? On the Store. What? What do you mean?
It’s probably just me, but this sort of thing baffles me. When I get something new I have to dive into every single options screen, fiddle about with every single setting, to make sure it works the way it was intended. I spent hours calibrating my TV, my PS3s are set up perfectly, and – yes – I do have an extra controller. Or two.
You?
Daywalker
I spent around 3 hours trying out all my TV settings for games, just to make sure i have the optimum settings. I made little stands for my speakers just so you could hear them the best. Along with that, i own 3 controllers, a headset, and an ‘Official’ Sony clip on keyboard, just to maximize my gaming experience. Not only that, i have to position myself in the center of the screen and at the right distance so that i can see everything on screen.
After all of this, i know a few people that have a 42″ Full HD tv and they connect to their PS3 via component cable, and have the most minimal settings. Nice 480p picture. *Cries* “1080p? That won’t make a slight bit of difference.” I refrained from Falcon punching their face.
The Mysterious Phantom Bear
Component can output HD resolutions, you’re thinking of composite I think. (Red, White, Yellow)
E8_BALL_
never been one for instruction manuals, i too go through every option. its best way for me to familiarise myself with my purchase
2 controllers a must, especially for those low lvl battery moments when online with no pause
re hdmi. i knew i needed one, but the price range varies dramatically
i knew i didnt want cheapest and as the tv id been pondering over was suddenly reduced by £100, i spent around £80 on lead
E8_BALL_
oh and £10 on a usb external fan
web_pirate
I don’t know everything, but if I want to know something more, I come on these websites to get informed from those that do know something that I don’t :-P
For instance,
did you know that this code will give you 60 day free trial on LOVEFiLM for DVD and games?…
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enjoy
Mikiyaru
1000% Agree with this whole article. Selfconciously Nodded after every statement :)
GodDarnKat
I can relate to the comment about feeling you have some OCD type issue with all things related to ‘gaming quality’. I also agree it has more to do with the constant cycle of new products and diminishing knowledge of what the varied innovations can really do. This can be bamboozling to anyone (usually the sales staff) who either don’t have some obsessive reason to research this ‘tech’ or a degree in engineering. I like to consider this a recycling of the original deal people had with their inability to programme the video machine… Darwins theory won out in that case (piles of blanks tapes and equally blank faces) and it will in regards to gaming, some people will will simply get on the ‘sparkly gaming technology bus’ and enjoy the ride… while some people will remain in the dark and wonder just why they were given thumbs.
ericzap
I once helped a couple pick out a console, about five games, and the right accessories for their four kids. If I hadn’t been there to tell them that Xbox 360 would have cost them $50 per year PER USER if they wanted any online functionality, they would have gotten the cheaper Xbox 360. Recommended LittleBigPlanet and Warhawk among others. Left the store feeling good.
eccelex
nice article. i remember randomly helping out a middle aged couple buying a console for their kids in comet. the poor people seemed so confused. this was back in the days of playstation vs saturn so it was a bit of a no brainer but still it was a good random act of kindness.
i have some friends that probably only know about the Live Marketplace because i showed it to them.
it just seems weird to me that you’d pay such a significant amount of money for something and only use half of it. maybe it’s a symptom of a commodity culture that creates varying technical literacies. online functionality and technical features are plastered all over the box when you buy a shiny new 360, but that still goes over the heads of so many people