PS3???

[dex]

Jan 13, 2009 13:59:03 GMT -5 PoolMan said:

While I'm glad for all your various purchases, I have to say it still stuns me in this day and age of economic turmoil that people even have multiple consoles.

That has stunned me in all the days and ages before. But then, I've never had a console at all and don't spend much money on gaming.

how do they justify them?

I assume you do not mean that in a moral way, so I will go with the following.

I don't mean to harp on anyone here, but there came a point where I just had to say to myself that maybe video gaming isn't as important to me as 30 nice dinners out, y'know?

Excellent argument. That's how I like to gauge purchases as well. However, just look at the postings here. There do seem to be people for whom gaming is very important. I don't see restaurants even in the happiness thread. It's just a matter of individual preferences.

Your trade-off was basically the same with a higher income. Just maybe consoles and some dinners vs. more dinners. Or more expensive dinners. Or weekend getaways. Also, it's a trade-off not just in investing money, but time, too.

So while I am stunned like you, it is simply a question of taste. I don't think you get very far with a financial explanation.

[wdm0744]

Yeah, I'm not at that point.

I don't own all three - have a Wii (which we got as a gift) and the PS3 (which I bought, and spend most of my time playing).

Video games are my hobby. They're almost as important to me as movies and I would have to be in really bad shape to give up either.

I think that if people have any kind of disposable income, they spend at least some money on things they enjoy. You have to, or you go crazy. Some people play golf, some hunt, some go out to eat, some buy tons of books, etc, etc.

My hobbies are video games and movies. I would much rather spend my money on a dvd or a video game than going out to a nice dinner. For me, movies and games last longer and are worth more for my money and I am completely okay with cooking at home and packing my lunch for work.

That's just my opinion, of course. I have a friend who spends money on collecting historical uniforms, my father-in-law buys lots of little electronic gadgets, and several of my co-workers go out to eat every day at lunch.

I don't get that, but they don't get the way I spend money, either.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love movies and games, but that doesn't mean I throw tons of money at them. I rent bunches of movies but only go to the theater two or three times a year (and when I do, I don't get drinks or popcorn). And I suscribe to Gamefly and rent games (which saves a ton of money as opposed to buying them). If I like a game enough to buy, I wait until it is on sale.

And, as far as the PS3 goes, I felt it was a wise investment since it included the Blu-Ray player and could be used for both my hobbies.

Anyway, that was a really long response, but I hope that I've made somewhat of a defensive of video games.

[wdm0744]

Dex is right - it's a matter of taste.

My wife and I budget very strictly and we spend a certain amount on "entertainment" each month. Proportionally, we may spend the same amount of money on movies and games as someone who likes to go out and eat does on dinners.

We've made a rational choice to spend our money that way. I don't think it is any different than Poolman choosing to spend that same amount on nice dinners instead.

As far as I'm concerned, the two are equal on a moral and intellectual basis.

[PoolMan]

Hey hey, I never claimed any moral high ground here. I'm a gamer. I spend my chunk of change on it too. So I'm not putting anybody down.

I guess what I'm really trying to express here is that part of the reason consoles became popular in the 90's and early 00's was because they were usually cheaper than PCs. You could conceivably have two consoles for $500 when I was in my early 20s (yeah, it's the old man speech). But now you have individual consoles going for more than that by themselves, at which point you're actually nearing the price to build a pretty darn good PC gaming rig.

Now that my "good ol' days" of gaming are largely (but not completely) behind me, I guess I can't really figure out why someone would be in for $1,500+ to have all the consoles of this generation. But that IS just me.

[dex]

Jan 13, 2009 18:59:17 GMT -5 PoolMan said:

Hey hey, I never claimed any moral high ground here.

I didn't think you did.

I guess what I'm really trying to express here is that part of the reason consoles became popular in the 90's and early 00's was because they were usually cheaper than PCs. You could conceivably have two consoles for $500 when I was in my early 20s (yeah, it's the old man speech). But now you have individual consoles going for more than that by themselves, at which point you're actually nearing the price to build a pretty darn good PC gaming rig.

People tell me that even today, when PCs and consoles are slowly converging in terms of complexity and price, you can still have a simpler, cheaper (one machine) multiplayer game on a console. But for such quick fun gaming sessions, surely one console should be enough? The only reason for multiple consoles I get is if you're a fan of a huge variety of console games.

[pfrsue]

Jan 13, 2009 18:59:17 GMT -5 PoolMan said:

(yeah, it's the old man speech)

I remember when all they had were wood-burning game consoles.

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Jan 13, 2009 14:53:49 GMT -5 wdm0744 said:

I would much rather spend my money on a dvd or a video game than going out to a nice dinner. For me, movies and games last longer and are worth more for my money

That and there's no danger of bodily fluids ending up in your console. If so then it's all you, baby.

[dex]

Jan 13, 2009 20:18:05 GMT -5 BlackCatWhiteCat said:

Jan 13, 2009 14:53:49 GMT -5 wdm0744 said:

I would much rather spend my money on a dvd or a video game than going out to a nice dinner. For me, movies and games last longer and are worth more for my money

That and there's no danger of bodily fluids ending up in your console. If so then it's all you, baby.

That's harsh. And uncalled for. Plus you forgot to mention consoles don't need to be cuddled afterwards.

I can't believe I let myself get dragged into this.

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Jan 13, 2009 20:25:02 GMT -5 dex said:

Jan 13, 2009 20:18:05 GMT -5 BlackCatWhiteCat said:

That and there's no danger of bodily fluids ending up in your console. If so then it's all you, baby.

That's harsh. And uncalled for. Plus you forgot to mention consoles don't need to be cuddled afterwards.

I can't believe I let myself get dragged into this.

It's okay, dextrose. I promise to stave off any further mental scarring tactics of mine. For a little while.

[dex]

Jan 13, 2009 20:48:48 GMT -5 BlackCatWhiteCat said:

It's okay, dextrose. I promise to stave off any further mental scarring tactics of mine. For a little while.

Aww, you're sweet. No wait, I am! All right!

[TheLuckyOne]

Jan 13, 2009 20:25:02 GMT -5 dex said:

Jan 13, 2009 20:18:05 GMT -5 BlackCatWhiteCat said:

That and there's no danger of bodily fluids ending up in your console. If so then it's all you, baby.

That's harsh. And uncalled for. Plus you forgot to mention consoles don't need to be cuddled afterwards.

Plus turning a console on takes a lot less time.

Well, for most of you, anyway.

-D

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Jan 13, 2009 21:01:22 GMT -5 dex said:

Jan 13, 2009 20:48:48 GMT -5 BlackCatWhiteCat said:

It's okay, dextrose. I promise to stave off any further mental scarring tactics of mine. For a little while.

Aww, you're sweet. No wait, I am! All right!

I consider that as a roundabout acceptance of your new nickname. But don't be surprised if I pull out "dexatrim" on you every now and again. The hunt for more good "dex" words continues....

Rolodex....Windex....SupercallifragillisticDEXbealidocious.....

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Jan 13, 2009 21:53:28 GMT -5 TheLuckyOne said:

Jan 13, 2009 20:25:02 GMT -5 dex said:

That's harsh. And uncalled for. Plus you forgot to mention consoles don't need to be cuddled afterwards.

Plus turning a console on takes a lot less time.

Well, for most of you, anyway.

-D

Alright, guys. I have costochondritis. Long story short I can be in such intense pain I can barely breathe, and this is usually brought on by things such as exercise (yay for a good excuse), lots of coughing, or lots of laughing. Now if you Mutants don't stop being wildly funny on here then I must warn you that you may need to hire a new staff member before long. And I'll blame you guys for my mid-20's death and totally haunt the video game board forever. All your base will belong to me (or something like that).

[Hucklebubba]

Wow. Where has this thread gone?

Jan 13, 2009 18:59:17 GMT -5 PoolMan said:

But now you have individual consoles going for more than that by themselves, at which point you're actually nearing the price to build a pretty darn good PC gaming rig.

I don't mean to question someone much taller than me, but if you know how to build a decent gaming rig for not much more than $500, I would like for you to have your people call my people.

I suppose my viewpoint may be skewed somewhat by the $6000 self-aware, future-predicting abominations that PC Gamer presents as industry standard.

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Jan 14, 2009 22:07:20 GMT -5 Hucklebubba said:

Wow. Where has this thread gone?

Topics don't rule this thread. It's the wind, baby!