the problem with computer gaming, is that there are so many different variations in hadrware between different processing speeds, memory, or even brand-to-brand differences, that two people could have completely different experiences playing the exact same game
a lot can be said for consistency, and GAURANTEED optimum gameplay, which a computer will never provide you.
As much of a scam as the 3DFX 3d card monopoly was, it was actually beneficial in that there were specific levels of card performance, and games were designed to work properly with a given card.
Now that the video acceleration market is more diversified, it would actually be a smart move to create different "tiers" of card performance, with set standards, where rather than having everchanging, and bit-by-bit improving video processors, the video card companies held off, and created different levels.
With new cards coming out each month, it's a bit like sony coming out with a new version of the playstation 2 every couple months as the technology evolved.
Now if they could agree on different levels of performance as they agreed fit, and created different stages of card performance, say stage I, stage II, stage III, stave IV cards, similarly to the console market coming out with 8 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit, 128 bit consoles, and the games were specifically designed to work optimumly with that given "stage" of card, i think you'd see a huge improvement in the quality of computer games, the number of companies creating solid games, and also a surge in the number of consumers who are interested in computer gaming. Because the main reason most people, myself included, aren't into computer gaming is because the constantly-changing hardware requirements, and actual variation is quality of gameplay between hardware, is intimidating, and not to mention ****ing expensive.
That, and creating computer gaming peripherals that would self-calibrate, or at the very least STAY calibrated more than a few minutes would be a huge help, as well. There's nothing more frustrating than finally getting a game of doom3 going, after installing it for 45 minutes, and digging through your closet for the cd-code, and your character starts running around in circles. Everytime i try and get back into pc gaming, i remember exactly why i settled for the inferior graphics of my psx long long ago.
