Multi functional or Dedicated?

[AtticGamer]

Which type of games machine do you prefer, a dedicated games machine or a multi functional console (that plays Dvd, Cd, Mp3, etc)?

I prefer the multi functional ones, but I know there are people who like a console just for playing. Post your opinions.

Edited May 22, 2006 by Atari_kid

[hex65000]

Dedicated.

 

Note: when I say system, I am referring to a circuit or mechanism. For a game machine I'll refer to it as a deck.

 

If only because now the complexity of a single system is easier to deal with. It's common (in general terms) to force compromises or inefficient workarounds when aspects of a system bump into each other. You also reduce your points of failure because it only has to do one thing and you can use tried and true approaches and lots of margin to get from point A to point B.

 

Like software, you can to a degree modularize this down not only is troubleshooting doable, but you can glue them together within reason. For example, let's take a TV. There's a tuner, a power supply, RF demodulation, and a way to get the demodulated signal painted on the screen. You could refer to each part as a system, that should do a specific task, but it's pretty silly to have them all separate. Therefore there has to be a level of integration for the average consumer.

 

On the flipside, the all-in-one TV/VCR/DVD/CD player goes beyond the building blocks I describe for the TV. Now if a peice breaks you have to either replace the whole unit. (which would apply on a game deck) or perhaps limp along by buying a dedicated unit and attaching it to your all in one system instead. The problem I have with these 'multimedia' game decks is that if anything dies, it ususally means I have to buy a replacement or pray that they actually will honor the warranty.

 

Hex.

[ wishes that consumer electronics makers made em' like they 'used to'...]

[ZylonBane]

For a game machine I'll refer to it as a deck.

Decks are for tapes. A game machine is a console.

[n8littlefield]

I don't mind multifunction if it makes sense. For example, when they chose to go with CD as a format for games, it makes sense to allow it to play audio CD's. Similarly, when DVD was chosen, it's not a bad idea to allow the console to play movies.

 

The only time that I have issues with it is when you add something unneccessary just to make the system multifunction. For example, the memory card slots in the PS3. Everyone knows that since they aren't being built into the cheap PS3 model that the chances of them being used with any regularity by games is slim to none. You know the reason they're in there is so Sony can be all "OMG, look you can download PSP stuff directly onto memory card, or watch a slideshow from a memory card". That's the kind of crap I have issues with.

 

The use of Blueray MIGHT end up that way as well. If Sony actually makes all games ship on the blueray discs, and we see an actual use in terms of more content, then fine. However, if we see many games continue to ship on DVD, then I'll probably feel that was an unneccessary add on.

[Vic George 2K3]

I think multifunctional game systems and dedicated game systems both have their places and can co-exist together. If people wanted game consoles solely for playing games, they can get consoles made for that one purpose. If people wanted game consoles that incorporate elements of other entertainment devices (CD players, DVD players, internal hard drives, et al.) to limit the amount of appliances to fit within the limited amount of appliance space for them, then they can get those type of consoles made for that.

 

But I think the real issue comes down to what games are being offered for those systems, since we're not yet at the point where there's even a standardized gaming system format (if such will even come into existence). A dedicated game console can succeed or fail due to the amount of games that are offered and the type of games being offered, so getting such a system that doesn't have the type of games you want to play or even a wide assortment to choose from can turn that system into a plastic paperweight. A multifunction game console, however, could live on in somebody's household regardless of how many games are made for it or even what type of games are made for it.

[AtariJr]

i think if you want a gaming system you get a gaming system .. if you want a dvd player you get a dvd player.. its nice when they are combined if it makes sense, but if the sytem sucks the dvd player wont convince me to buy it.

 

If the atari jr had a built in vcr i wouldnt have thought it any better lol.

[Lemmi]

i like dedicated systems just for gaming, i dont need an mp3 player/dvd/vcd/whatever else they can think of to shove in gaming systems

 

i have never played a music cd i bought in any of my CD systems (not even the sega cd)

 

i have a CDi and i dont like to play movies in them i would rather just use a dvd player to play the vcd movies

[8th lutz]

I am for dedicated systems. The problem with multi-funiction is the cost if it is a new type of format. When a new format comes out, it is expessive to make. The format gets cheaper to make as years go on. If that new format comes out at the same time as a new console that has that format included, it is a big issue towards cost if the person isn't planning on using the format for anything else but games.

[JB]

Which type of games machine do you prefer, a dedicated games machine or a multi functional console (that plays Dvd, Cd, Mp3, etc)?

I prefer the multi functional ones, but I know there are people who like a console just for playing. Post your opinions.

I don't care as long as the added features aren't getting in the way of the primary function.

[sega saturn x]

Dedicated, all the extra junk just jacks up the price. If I wanted a crappy mp3 player I would have bought another lyra. They tack all this crap onto systems and it almost never works well or it's just passible.

Edited May 23, 2006 by sega saturn x

[liveinabin]

Dedicated every time. I always buy seperates. I want my console, DVD player etc. all distinct and seperate.

Two reasons really, seperate devices always outperform all-in-ones and, of course, if one device breaks, with seperates you still have everything else to enjoy.

[Clock]

I say to all those who choose a dedicated system..... what do you use your PC for? Its probably the most multifunction electrical item you own, and you wouldn't want to restrict it to one function.

 

Why should your console be different?

 

It's a whole different situation with Music or Cinema equipment and for a whole bunch of reasons, (individual power supplies, different manufacturers specialising in specific equipment etc etc.)

[hex65000]

Simply because I don't particularly want to type up a term paper on my Xbox. A game system should be for playing games. A PC is multi-functional, true, in that it can play games and also browse the web, and acts as a general purpose tool. By the same token you don't have a truly consistent platform either. Other than a few anomolies, a game deck is a game deck regardless of the board revision number. I don't like to compare PC gaming to console gaming because it's one of those perpetual flame wars in a can; second, I consider their applications to be a bit different. It also reinforces the argument of complexity to the n-th degree. Since there is no truly standardized platform, drivers and compatibility issues have a nasty habit of appearing on PC games. Well, that and the whole "release early, patch later" mentality that should be corrected with a runaway arc-welder.

 

Hex.

[ Needs a new hat. ]

[8th lutz]

I say to all those who choose a dedicated system..... what do you use your PC for? Its probably the most multifunction electrical item you own, and you wouldn't want to restrict it to one function.

 

Why should your console be different?

 

It's a whole different situation with Music or Cinema equipment and for a whole bunch of reasons, (individual power supplies, different manufacturers specialising in specific equipment etc etc.)

Game consoles and computers were made to be 2 different types of animals. I use computers for internet and office stuff for the most part. I always felt, it is too hard to keep up with computer gaming. You need a new computer for every 1 or 2 years for gaming purposes. I am talking about the time I first got a computer for home use -1994 to now. The second thing to remember is you can't compare a computer to a console with multifunction. A computer's features are optional in software, and stuff to made it into a computer for gaming and a game console's is not with there other feature..

 

The Problem with Multifunal game consoles and video game handhelds for me is I would be paying for futures that are already in the handheld or in the console that I don't want. That is not the case with a pc. My brother and I's computer included stuff everything that we wanted with the computer.

 

I didn't get a psp because of the price. That price is higher then I want because of the other features included and I didn't want those.

 

The ps 3 is the same way. I am not interest in Blu-ray movies. Sony is forcing that technology in the ps 3 and that is why it so expensive. As a gaming media I got no problem if that media format was out for 3 or 4 years. The early cd systems like Turbo cd, or sega cd to an extent had a problem with price because of the newness of the parts used for cd Technology. The cost of the future cd systems from the time of the saturn were not based on the making of the media, but the processors.

[JB]

The Problem with Multifunal game consoles and video game handhelds for me is I would be paying for futures that are already in the handheld or in the console that I don't want. That is not the case with a pc. My brother and I's computer included stuff everything that we wanted with the computer.

 

I didn't get a psp because of the price. That price is higher then I want because of the other features included and I didn't want those.

Price of the PSP is actually the hardware. It's got a lot of kick for a portable, and getting it to work AS a portable was expensive.

 

Music and movie playback is cheap. It consists of a bit of code and a license fee to whoever owns the format, or patents related to it.

 

The ps 3 is the same way. I am not interest in Blu-ray movies. Sony is forcing that technology in the ps 3 and that is why it so expensive.

Indeed. It's too early to put a BluRay drive in a mass-market product.

[Shannon]

You know what they say...

 

Jack of all trades... Master of none.

 

That's what happens to systems that try to do too many different things. XBMC is probably the closest I've ever seen a console coming to doing what I like. But you will never see something like that made by Sony, Nintendo, or Mickeysoft.

[MCHufnagel]

Back when I was younger, component music systems were all the rage. You could get the pieces you wanted in a price range you could afford. I think companies went away from that because they discovered that they couldn't sell you all the pieces. If a competitor had a better turn-table or tape deck than yours, than you would lose that sale. Dedicated pieces are always better than an all-in-one monster. But sometimes you just don't have the room for all the extras. And buying seperate is usually more expensive because the all-in-one monster shares common hardware (i.e. power supply, controls, etc.) with all the enclosed pieces.