When it comes to the world of gaming, we've seen quite the slew of advancements recently. We've recently ventured into the realm of VR (Virtual Reality), and with some grace, I might add. But at the end of the day, one of the biggest concerns that arises is graphics. No one is wanting to buy new tech, whether it be the latest console or the new VR headsets, unless they come complete with a graphics overhaul. As it stands however, every gamer knows this one reluctant truth; PC gaming will always have the best graphics. So, if graphic capability and power is what you're questing for, then you need to decide how you're going to go about your gaming PC choice.
If You Build It Games Will Come
If you're going to go the way of building your gaming PC, then you're essentially ahead of the pack. This is definitely the way to get the most out of your money. No matter the use of your gaming PC, be it playing a few rounds of League or pushing out GTA V with full 4K ultra graphics, deciding your what your gaming needs are is half the battle. If you only require something to scratch your League of Legends itch, then you're not going to be paying for much when you build. Concurrently, if you're looking to push polygons upon polygons, then your price increases pretty drastically. That being said, if you know what you're doing when you build your gaming PC, this option gives you the most free reign to pick and choose your parts as you see fit. And by buying parts separately, you can space your purchases out instead of dropping a lot of money all at once.
On The Road Again...Just Can't Wait to Game on the Road Again
Maybe you're more the traveling gamer type. Are you on your way to/from a business trip or vacation and you just have to play some Crysis? Gaming laptops will offer the best option if you are the wandering type. Many of the gaming laptops out there currently offer a good bit of power, even with the exchange for portability. The only problem is, you guessed it! Battery life. Even the top of the line gaming laptops out there will start flashing their battery lights at you only after a few hours. If you're near an outlet, then gaming on your laptop won't be that much of an issue. If you can't be without gaming wherever you go, then you're gaming laptop will be your new best friend. Just get ready to be very acquainted with that spot right next to the power outlet.
If THEY Build It...Games Will Still Come
If you want a little bit more power without having to haul around a tower that requires two people to lift, getting a pre-built gaming PC wouldn't be a bad choice for you. This comes as the best middle ground option for most gamers. Most of the pre-built gaming PC's out there will only come with the tower and require a separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse. If you don't mind doing a bit of the grunt work and picking up these extra essentials yourself, then having a gaming PC come pre-made for you may very well be the best set up for you.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, almost any gamer who tells you they don't care about graphics is a flat out liar. Of course we care about graphics! Time and example has proven over and over again that a gaming PC, especially your own personally built one, will give you the best graphics and performance for your hard earned cash. When it comes down to it, you'll have to decide your gaming needs and preferences, how mobile you'll be, how powerful you want your machine to be and exactly what you are willing to pay. When you do finally get the gaming build you want, sit back, relax, and enjoy those smooth frame rates!
Alright gamers, lets talk about one of the BIGGEST games to hit the market in the past few years; The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
This has to be one of my favorite games, easily, and for many reasons that I won't go into. With a game this big, and with such a huge cult following, it's only natural that it came out on multiple platforms (including PC). Since it's out on PC, that can only mean one thing; mods. Lots and lots of mods.
These mods range from really awesome graphic enhancements and new regions, with included quests, to the ridiculous exploding chicken mod. The community of these modders is very tight knit, and Valve unfortunately found that out the hard way.
On April 23rd, Valve implemented an optional "pay for mod" feature on Steam and the reaction was so horrid that it was gone that following Monday. Naturally, after that incredibly severe backlash, there were some that could see the pros and cons of this paid mod feature.
The Pros
First of, lets think of the obvious here. Wouldn't a hardworking modder like to be compensated for the hard work that they do? I personally don't play Steam, but I've seen plenty a YouTube videos with countless mods showcasing some amazing features. I can only imagine the maddening hours of coding that go into some of these mods and I'm sure that these guys wouldn't mind a few bucks tossed their way for it.
Next you have to think of incentive. If John Doe knows that he's getting paid for a particular mod, wouldn't that just give him a bit more incentive to make the mod that much more amazing? We are talking about a game that lets you go out and kill fire breathing dragons with a sword, which is already incredible. If someone is getting paid to make something more awesome than it already is, just imagine the possibilities.
Should this type of paid modding catch on, think of the gaming companies that would jump on board the modding train. If the companies saw a bit of the profit for their original games coming from these modded codes, then surely they'd be more inclined to support the modding community way more than they do now. And, as always, the option to sell your mod is just that; an OPTION.
The Cons
The modding community, again, is a very close knit family. Because of this, you are essentially putting a wedge in the community because some modders may be ecstatic at the fact that they might get paid for some of their work while others may want to tarnish the thought completely. That could easily sever ties between modders who might be friends and work in conjunction with each other.
Speaking of working together, some of these mods build off of previous coding. For example, lets say you want the exploding chickens mod, but in order for it work properly, you have to have the nuclear explosion mod equipped. The nuclear mod is $20 but you only want to pay the $10 for the exploding chickens. You see where the problem lies here now?
Then you have the issue of the big companies charging for modders to use their materials in order to mod properly. At that point, modders would have to increase the prices for their mods. Heaven forbid it become a legal rights and distributing issue.
The Verdict
There are definitely clear pros and cons to the idea of paid modding, but if a company as big as Valve had to take down this feature only days after implementing it then it might not be the best idea. If any other company decides to give this paid mods thing a try they better get ready for a long and challenging ride.
