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I thought basically the same when I first read about OnLive, but let's wait and see. It could be interesting, but as long as video on demand is not commonplace, it would seem strange to even think about a (much more demanding) game on demand service.
Come to think of it, it seems more like a console replacement than as a game PC replacement to me. It should be quite easy to play a game which is the console's strong point.
OTOH, if this would really work, maybe games would be designed from the ground up with both couch (with controller) and desk (with mouse/keyboard) in mind. But will the HUD and other interfaces be designed for use at 3 meters or 60 centimeters? Making this a variable complicates matters for the console crowd I suppose.
Also: gaming might actually become more expensive (paying to play by the hour would seem the logical business model) for non-casual gamers and you cannot sell your games to recuperate some of the costs.
Last edited by berzerker on Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:14 am, edited 2 times in total
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:54 am
puk
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At first glance it seems ludicrous to me, but if they can dump multiplayer games like a plague onto the console gamers, then this isn't too far of a stretch.
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:36 pm
berzerker
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puk wrote:
At first glance it seems ludicrous to me, but if they can dump multiplayer games like a plague onto the console gamers, then this isn't too far of a stretch.
I have no clue what you are trying to say after the "At first glance it seems ludicrous to me" bit, so probably either of us is drunk.
BTW I do not drink.
PS I seem to be promoted to poopypants too, apparently this happens on the 300th post.
Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:31 pm
puk
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Well at first glance it seems like it requires a buttload of processing power to run so many games in paralell, and then you need a shit load of bandwidth to stream HD video games.
sorry this post is too boring for me.....i cannot continue....i...i....
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:21 pm
Suislide
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It's gotta be bullshit and that article you posted is the reason why.
Besides that, why would I want to play games at 720p? That's a much lower resolution than what I use currently.
Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:12 am
berzerker
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Some additional information here. Unfortunately it fails to answer the fundamental questions.
Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:51 pm
CrapMan
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How can onlive function with many, many people using the service? Easy employ Chinese people they work in all kinds of shitty conditions.
Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 6:30 am
berzerker
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The onlive prices are not going to persuade anyone at this stage. I could not get these prices verified on their own website BTW. If these prices are correct, they seem somewhat high. Basically these are retail prices which is quite unusual for a rental service I'd say.
If this actually works it would allow you to save money on hardware on the one hand, but on the other it could increase your bandwith cost, you'll have to pay the subscription fee and cannot resell games to get some of your money back.
Based on the pricing model this service seems interesting only to occasional gamers (because for them the saving on hardware cost would weigh heavier, since they play few games), but I would imagine occasional gamers will be least inclined to subscribe to this service, because it is purely a gaming service.
So the pricing model has not increased the already low hopes for this service,
Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:46 pm
_Master_
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cloud computing is cool, imagine you just need a thin client and you can play all the games at best quality.. however the technology still has to mature. it looks good on paper, but the current internet infrastructure in practice doesn't guaranty QOS. And the pricing model should be cheaper like itunes. Also its not efficient yet because ultimately you are still having to render one scene per end user for single player games and send that rendered frame across the network . its only efficient for multilayer games...perhaps this could be a topic of research for engines. right now its more on ray tracing.
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:47 am
berzerker
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I ran into some user experience on comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action. Google doesn't seem to have archived it yet, so I choose to cut and paste the entire post:
Quote:
I was recently selected to use OnLive for an year without cost. Before I write my impressions on the overall experience, let me cover a bit of a background.
Some of you may already know that OnLive is a new gaming service that
went active a few days back. Instead of places selling download version
of games like Impulse, Steam, GamersGate or Direct2Drive, the games at OnLive stay remotely on their servers. Those with fast internet
connection, can then play the games online. OnLive servers send a video
stream and the client application (running locally on the PC) takes the
input through mouse/keyboard or controller and sends it to the server.
If you have ever used a remote-control application like Remote Desktop
or LogMeIn, then it's the same concept except that you can play games
as well.
The benefit is that computers that are behind the times can still play
modern-day DX10/DX11 games requiring faster CPU/GPU, since the game is actually run on the remote side. Mac users or most laptop users can run high-end windows games. Someone on Windows XP can play a DX10 only game. The only requirements are dual-core CPU, ability to do 1280x720 resolution and a 5mbps internet connection.
On the flip side, there are a lot of things that don't make any sense.
The pricing model is such that a subscriber paying $15 a month for this
service, won't get access to any game, except for demos. The games need to be purchased separately with few pricing options. They can be played for 3-5 days while paying a rental fee of $4-8, or can be bought for
unlimited access (which actually is limited till 2013 after which
OnLive deals with the game publishers will need renewal) for a price
very close to the retail price of the game. So you never own a game,
but you pay almost full price, if you need extended access. Streaming
over the internet with low lag can only work if you are closer to the
server actually playing the game. 5mbps access means that one hour use
will eat up 2.5GB, which can be an issue for those with usage caps.
Above all, if someone wants to pay $180 an year for the service, and
where the games need to be bought extra then why not just buy a graphic
card like HD 5770 or GTX260, which would work great with most games.
Gaming on laptop while traveling around the country may sound nice, but
access to 5mbps wired connection isn't always there. I think the target
market really narrows down to people who like to play high-end games,
yet don't want to upgrade or have a gaming PC or a $150 console
One way it can work is if they make a deal with cable/digital-TV
providers, where the other company sells a higher-end TV/gaming bundle
and include few games for free. The game servers can then be put not
too far from susbscriber homes.
In any case, as a promotion OnLive offered this founding member program sponsored by ATT, where the subscriber won't pay monthly fee for an year. I gave them my email and got an invitation few days later. So I created an account and logged in. Here are few things I noticed;
* Even at the welcome screen while browsing through a list of games,
the bandwidth usage is normally pegged at 5-5.6mbps. The application
window is 1280x720, and the video stream is encoded with a tweaked
H.264 codec. The video quality isn't bad, however going to full-screen
(alt+ent) enhances the compression artifacts.
* Games work a lot better than I imagined. It could be that I am just
20 miles from OnLive's location. A slight input lag is there, but it
may not be too bad depending on the game.
* Apparently OnLive client doesn't work with Logitech Dual Action
gamepad. It may be that only XInput compatible controllers (like XBox
360 one) are supported. Keyboard/mouse controls work fine.
* The game menus are tweaked so that most graphic tweak settings are
gone. I didn't see AA applied in any game. AF was also of low quality.
* Some demos came with a time limit. I wasn't sure it was an OnLive
restriction, or the demo itself had a limit.
* Trine worked fine. Someone could be tricked into thinking that the
game was actually getting played locally on the PC.
* Few other puzzle games (World of Goo) worked great too.
* Borderlands was where you could notice the input lag, but it still
gave a decent experience. Graphic quality settings were toned down and
there wasn't any AA. It worked fine though.
* Just Cause 2 was a bit harder to control. Borderlands and Just Cause
2 both may have worked better on a gamepad, which could hide some of
these latencies. It wasn't an option for me, since I far prefer m+kb
controls for FPS.
* During the 30-40 minutes, the performance was consistent.
* I also got on-screen messages a few times, that a user had joined to
view the game while I played. I don't understand the appeal, but
apparently there's a 'spectate' option, that you can control.
All in all, it did beat my expectations, but they were low to begin
with. I still don't understand the pricing model or the target market
they are after, and I think buying a decent graphic card (or a console)
is a lot better way to play new games instead of spending money on this
service. It does however work as advertised, and it may be a good place
to check out demos. Those who like to play single-player games once by
beating it in 3-4 days and moving on, may like the cheaper rental
option. I can't see why anyone would buy a full game there at retail
price.
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:02 am
Dick_In_Your_Ass
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Joystiq readers arent really buying in2 it too.which is a shock as,those are console hugging faggots,who think regen health is a gift from god.
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:57 am
_Master_
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berzerker wrote:
I ran into some user experience on comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action. Google doesn't seem to have archived it yet, so I choose to cut and paste the entire post:
action approved
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Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:57 am
puk
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Dick_In_Your_Ass wrote:
which is a shock as,those are console hugging faggots,who think regen health is a gift from god.
lol I have gotten into some heated debates with console gamers who think the controller is superior to the mouse
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:29 pm
_Master_
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puk wrote:
Dick_In_Your_Ass wrote:
which is a shock as,those are console hugging faggots,who think regen health is a gift from god.
lol I have gotten into some heated debates with console gamers who think the controller is superior to the mouse
it depends on the app, a flight sim or racer is better played on a custom controller.
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 4:22 am
Dick_In_Your_Ass
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+1 True.
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:24 am
berzerker
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berzerker wrote:
If this actually works it would allow you to save money on hardware on the one hand, but on the other it could increase your bandwith cost, you'll have to pay the subscription fee and cannot resell games to get some of your money back.
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