[Alceste]

Hey i was wondering, whether you guys user your HTPCs to play games ? Personally I was amazed by the idea to be able to play computer games, comfortably with my friends in my living room. Yet apart from You don't know Jack and Mario Kart Wii (which has to be run through an emulator and is thus a very slow process in case you don't have an extremely fast CPU) I didn't find anything which is fun playing together.
So the aim of this thread is to find games that are fun to play with your friends on a HTPC.

[Nahaz]

Would you then get 4 USB controllers for the HTPC?
It seems like you really need a ps3 or xbox 360 where the games are made for up to 4 players sitting in a couch with individual controllers. The games for PC are not optimized for this.

[rausch101]

I use 4 XBOX360 controllers on my HTPC with the wireless Microsoft adapter. Works great with xpadder. There several threads talking about the games integration (currently unusable) and the current workaround (launcher plugin)

[Nahaz]

But PC games are optimized for mouse/keyboard interaction.
Wouldnt you agree that finding ways to work around that seems much more complicated than just buying a xbox or ps3 where everything works as intended already?

[retro11]

Im also using the xbox wireless controllers without to much trouble.

Yeah it's not as good as ps3 or xbox maybe but then they aren't as good as PC's for alot of stuff mainly running xbmc.

I have been using the launcher app with nice game cover images to use for browsing through it works pretty well for me.

Mostly I end up playing a bit of Left4Dead with the split screen mod (same goes for unreal tournement), SF IV, and various emulators for when friends are over. But for those designers that don't bother implementing native controller support I go through pinnacle but heard good things about xpadder too.

Have a look at http://www.co-optimus.com it tells you which games support multiplayer or splitscreen (may need an advance search). I just wish designers would start making split screen games for this growing market.

[rausch101]

Wouldnt you agree that finding ways to work around that seems much more complicated than just buying a xbox or ps3 where everything works as intended already?

of course

Yeah it's not as good as ps3 or xbox maybe but then they aren't as good as PC's for alot of stuff mainly running xbmc.

I have been using the launcher app with nice game cover images to use for browsing through it works pretty well for me.

What he said

[Alceste]

Hey,
first of all I did not ask you whether you would find it reasonable or appropriate to use my HTPC as a gaming platform, I asked for games so don't come up with a discussion, I started this thread to get suggestions!

Besides If I would like to head for simple solutions (like you suggested by buying a PS3) I wouldn't use XBMC at all, which is honestly a pain in the *** to configure when you want to customize it to your needs. I would simply buy some kind of out of the box mediacenter solution. But this is not what I want and that is the reason why I have a PC in general:
I want a solution for my needs.
Of course this is not easy to achieve but I am completly aware of this fact and willing to work on finding a way to overcome obstacles!

[magicrat80]

A couple of games that are multiplayer (one tv / monitor):

Kayne & Lynch
Left 4 Dead
Overlord
Street Fighter IV
Lego Star Wars 1 & 2
Lego Indiana Jones 1 & 2
Lego Batman

I've tried these games and often play the Lego ones with my fiance and nephew. As for emulators, there are more options there, especially MAME arcade game.

Gaunlet
Gaunlet Legends
Bubble Bobble
Street Fighter Series
TMNT
Simpsons Arcade

The list keeps going.

MAME is probably your best choice using the Launcher plugin. And in answer to everyone else's comments, I've owned a lot of consoles in my years and you'll notice that the PS2 / Xbox to PS3 / Xbox360 machines lack multiplayer / Co-Op games (not internet or lan games either). Sure there's Gutiar Hero's, Singstars, Quiz Games, but you can see their trend. And just to be sure, I have a HTPC with a 360 Controller cause neither an XBOX 360 or a PS3 can do what I want. A PC can handle all video formats without conversion and can play games. You can't upgrade a PS3 to a PS4 to play the latest games, but most PC's can get by on a decent graphics card.

[retro11]

Just another mention about emulators. The dolphin emulator for Gamecube and wii is pretty advanced. Mario Kart double dash works perfectly along with super smash melee and loads of others giving you 4 player options on some old classics.