Greetings,
As an avid PC gamer, I (and most PC enthusiasts) have become more and more frustrated over the years by the focus on console game releases, and the tendency to either not release a game for PC, or else release a crappy port of console versions. I recently was gifted a PS4, and so I bought FIFA 15 for it in order to compare the PS4 version with the PC release.
One of the only reasons that I purchased FIFA 15 for PC is that I read in reviews that this year's FIFA was supposedly a quality release on PC... in fact, there were some reviews claiming that the PC version was superior (as it should be, given the fact that even a mid-range PC is far more powerful than the so-called 'next-gen' systems). Having had a chance to compare the two releases, I am disappointed to report that the two versions are FAR from equal. Here are my findings:
Areas where the PC version is superior:
- Graphics
I play the PC version on a 1440p monitor. My PC houses some serious power, sporting dual GTX 980's in SLI (although this is of no benefit to FIFA). With the higher resolution, as well as extra graphical enhancements implemented through the Nvidia control panel, the PC version looks far better. When I played a game on the PS4 in which it was raining, I noticed that the rain was hardly noticeable -- this is likely due to the demanding nature of transparency anti-aliasing. Player faces are sharper as well. It's all a lot prettier; however, this is where the superiority ends.
Areas where the PS4 version is superior:
- Game Physics
This is the most shocking and frustrating of the PS4's advantages over the PC version. The gameplay on the PC lacks the fluidity of the PS4 version, and the difference is more than just a little bit noticeable. When I deliver a run on pass on the PS4, the receiving player runs onto the ball with realistic acceleration and run movement. On the PC version, player movement is jerky and responds inconsistently with regards to run, shot and pass direction. I cannot emphasize how much of a discrepancy there is in this respect... had I known how little EA cared about developing a physics engine for the PC, I would not have purchased the game.
- Game Interface
While the differences are far fewer in number, the PS4 game menus and 'polishing' (so to speak) are better refined than those on the PC. The differences are subtle, but noticeable enough for me to see them upon starting the PS4 version for the first time. For example, when I created a pro in the PC version, the player face icon (while looking at the player bio, for example) was just a blank shadow (in other words, there was no face icon); on the PS4, though, my created pro's likeness -- which is my own via game face
-- was rendered and implemented as a face icon.
- Kits and Extras
I could be wrong about this one, but I am pretty sure that there are more boots extras available for purchase on the PS4 version. I need to go back and check, but it seemed like there were kits available on the PS4 that were not available on the PC.
Obviously, the second two areas of superiority for the playstation are minor annoyances. However, when paired with the superior game physics that the PS4 provides, the two versions of the game are not even close to equal. If I had to give 1-10 ratings on each, I would say:
PS4 = 8.0
PC = 6.5
Finally, I cannot help but go on a little rant. A desktop PC with even mid-range hardware is exponentially more powerful and capable than a 'next-gen' rip-off. While I realize that piracy deters game developers from focusing on PC gaming, I think that the increased popularity of online gaming makes this much less of an issue. Why don't game developers put a little money into piracy safeguards, and then produce games that utilize the full potential of today's technology. The PS4 sports 8GB of DDR5 RAM... however, this ram is not GPU dedicated! Rather, it is used for graphical and data processing... this makes it comparable to an AMD APU, which any tech enthusiast will tell you are sub-par when used for gaming. Desktop PC's built for gaming possess at least 16GB of DDR3 RAM (or DDR4 RAM if using Broadwell), and they utilize dedicated GPU's which have their own DDR5 VRAM just for graphics... what does this mean? It means that a gaming PC can render data and graphics at a rate that leaves next-gen consoles in the dust.
People will respond: yea, but a gaming PC costs so much. Let's think about it from a cost-benefit point of view. 'Gaming PC's' don't just provide gaming capabilities... they are powerhouses, capable of heavy multitasking, 3d rendering, word processing, media playback, web browsing, ....... anything technologically feasible. So, for ~800$ you get a multifunctional device that can replace your entire media setup, act as a home workstation, and serve you in multiple ways for 8-10 years before becoming outdated. The 400$ PS4 (which is far superior to the XBOX One) gives you gaming and DVD/Bluray playback. There are 3rd party streaming apps offered as well. But that's it. I don't know... I just find it frustrating. It's like having Ferrari in the garage, yet constantly riding a go-cart.
So that's it. I'll be playing the PS4 version from this point on, but I do so begrudgingly
.
Thanks for reading,
Carson
As an avid PC gamer, I (and most PC enthusiasts) have become more and more frustrated over the years by the focus on console game releases, and the tendency to either not release a game for PC, or else release a crappy port of console versions. I recently was gifted a PS4, and so I bought FIFA 15 for it in order to compare the PS4 version with the PC release.
One of the only reasons that I purchased FIFA 15 for PC is that I read in reviews that this year's FIFA was supposedly a quality release on PC... in fact, there were some reviews claiming that the PC version was superior (as it should be, given the fact that even a mid-range PC is far more powerful than the so-called 'next-gen' systems). Having had a chance to compare the two releases, I am disappointed to report that the two versions are FAR from equal. Here are my findings:
Areas where the PC version is superior:
- Graphics
I play the PC version on a 1440p monitor. My PC houses some serious power, sporting dual GTX 980's in SLI (although this is of no benefit to FIFA). With the higher resolution, as well as extra graphical enhancements implemented through the Nvidia control panel, the PC version looks far better. When I played a game on the PS4 in which it was raining, I noticed that the rain was hardly noticeable -- this is likely due to the demanding nature of transparency anti-aliasing. Player faces are sharper as well. It's all a lot prettier; however, this is where the superiority ends.
Areas where the PS4 version is superior:
- Game Physics
This is the most shocking and frustrating of the PS4's advantages over the PC version. The gameplay on the PC lacks the fluidity of the PS4 version, and the difference is more than just a little bit noticeable. When I deliver a run on pass on the PS4, the receiving player runs onto the ball with realistic acceleration and run movement. On the PC version, player movement is jerky and responds inconsistently with regards to run, shot and pass direction. I cannot emphasize how much of a discrepancy there is in this respect... had I known how little EA cared about developing a physics engine for the PC, I would not have purchased the game.
- Game Interface
While the differences are far fewer in number, the PS4 game menus and 'polishing' (so to speak) are better refined than those on the PC. The differences are subtle, but noticeable enough for me to see them upon starting the PS4 version for the first time. For example, when I created a pro in the PC version, the player face icon (while looking at the player bio, for example) was just a blank shadow (in other words, there was no face icon); on the PS4, though, my created pro's likeness -- which is my own via game face
-- was rendered and implemented as a face icon.- Kits and Extras
I could be wrong about this one, but I am pretty sure that there are more boots extras available for purchase on the PS4 version. I need to go back and check, but it seemed like there were kits available on the PS4 that were not available on the PC.
Obviously, the second two areas of superiority for the playstation are minor annoyances. However, when paired with the superior game physics that the PS4 provides, the two versions of the game are not even close to equal. If I had to give 1-10 ratings on each, I would say:
PS4 = 8.0
PC = 6.5
Finally, I cannot help but go on a little rant. A desktop PC with even mid-range hardware is exponentially more powerful and capable than a 'next-gen' rip-off. While I realize that piracy deters game developers from focusing on PC gaming, I think that the increased popularity of online gaming makes this much less of an issue. Why don't game developers put a little money into piracy safeguards, and then produce games that utilize the full potential of today's technology. The PS4 sports 8GB of DDR5 RAM... however, this ram is not GPU dedicated! Rather, it is used for graphical and data processing... this makes it comparable to an AMD APU, which any tech enthusiast will tell you are sub-par when used for gaming. Desktop PC's built for gaming possess at least 16GB of DDR3 RAM (or DDR4 RAM if using Broadwell), and they utilize dedicated GPU's which have their own DDR5 VRAM just for graphics... what does this mean? It means that a gaming PC can render data and graphics at a rate that leaves next-gen consoles in the dust.
People will respond: yea, but a gaming PC costs so much. Let's think about it from a cost-benefit point of view. 'Gaming PC's' don't just provide gaming capabilities... they are powerhouses, capable of heavy multitasking, 3d rendering, word processing, media playback, web browsing, ....... anything technologically feasible. So, for ~800$ you get a multifunctional device that can replace your entire media setup, act as a home workstation, and serve you in multiple ways for 8-10 years before becoming outdated. The 400$ PS4 (which is far superior to the XBOX One) gives you gaming and DVD/Bluray playback. There are 3rd party streaming apps offered as well. But that's it. I don't know... I just find it frustrating. It's like having Ferrari in the garage, yet constantly riding a go-cart.
So that's it. I'll be playing the PS4 version from this point on, but I do so begrudgingly
.Thanks for reading,
Carson
- with no stuttering and no slowdowns.
), and the install process is broken into all sorts of steps -- you need to install versions 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.6 plus full combo database, then install Adv GP Evo 3.2. (this was a sarcastic example BTW). Then down the page I read that Moddingway must be installed... I mean, how does anyone make sense of the instructions? If someone would release a coherent install I would be more inclined to try out such mods.
).
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