Remote game services (OnLive, Gaikai, etc.)

Discussion in 'Console Industry' started by Rangers, Mar 24, 2009.

  1. hoho

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    You certainly won't be able to raid or do any half-decent pvp but you could easily "play" the auctionhouse, talk to guildmates and friends or maybe even do some daily quests. Onlive won't replace the "real" playing but it could be quite helpful for the daily "fix" if you can't access your normal gaming machine for some reason :)
     
  2. Rangers

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    Wow, just saw that if you pre order Homefront on PC throught Onlive, you get Metro 2033 and the Onlive console FREE.

    This is the type of incredibly disruptive thing the cheap Onlive hardware allows. One day they can give these away in cereal boxes.

    http://gamrfeed.vgchartz.com/story/84287/buy-homefront-get-onlive-system-and-metro-2033-for-free/

     
  3. Silent_Buddha

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    As I mentioned, they are desperate now. They will be taking large losses in the hopes it can get the install base large enough to sustain itself. It'll either work, or they'll be bankrupt in a year or two.

    Regards,
    SB
     
  4. AlphaWolf

    AlphaWolf Specious Misanthrope
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    They need an order of magnitude more quality titles to get people to pay a sub and it's just not going to happen in time.
     
  5. Squilliam

    Squilliam Beyond3d isn't defined yet
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    And if they are successful it wouldn't be hard for competitors like console manufacturers to enter the market and steal their lunch as they already have the userbase and contacts in the industry.
     
  6. Platon

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    I could see this working in a few years, maybe the gen after next gen, but right now It will have difficulties. I mean here we discuss whether a DD system in the near future would work or not and DD is not affected by lag and you can get access to the data in alternative means like kiosk and so on, so a system that needs high speed internet all the time as a base to work at all seems quite risky.

    I don't see anything preventing MS and Sony towards the end of next gen, after having a few million consoles out there and with a well built up network to instead-of or parallel-to offering new hardware they could offer a new service which would function similar to onlive and then you would not have to buy the new hardware but it would be functional on the old hardware, hell why not even on xbox360 and PS3...
     
  7. Rangers

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    We dont have any idea of their sales figures...

    It's easy for the haters to say these moves smack of desperation, but with plenty of big time investments and partnerships (like the HTC and Vizio) Onlive isn't going anywhere. Plus as I've said, from what I've read they have very deep pocketed investors, money isn't an issue.

    The thing to keep in mind is the Onlive console hardware is so cheap to produce, moves like these are possible. That's the disruptive of the concept. You aren't tied to hot expensive, often money losing hardware replicated millions of times into peoples homes. Many of which consoles (the majority, quite possibly) will then end up collecting dust in time, given how generational software figures play out.

    So yeah, giving away an Onlive console isn't a sign of desperation because it is cheap. They need to reduce the price to 49.99 imo though, which is probably just a matter of time.

    Seems getting Homefront is an indication of more software support. They need to keep that up and increase it. Crysis 2 on Onlive would be a big coup I think.

    Improving their algorithms and getting less lag and better IQ is another thing that would be nice to see and seems probable.

    Umm, yeah that would require a total restructuring of everything Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo's businesses currently stand for. No indication that will happen (and who knows if they have the tech/patents to even make it possible). The way you just flippantly throw it out there as if they can snap their fingers and do it is mind boggling.
     
  8. AlphaWolf

    AlphaWolf Specious Misanthrope
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    I bet we would if they were doing well.
     
  9. makattack

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    Purely anecdotal, but I just grabbed at this offer to pre-order Homefront with them. Had to sign up for an account, pre-order, get the free Metro 2033 code, try that out -- yikes. It's amazing it works as well as it does within a Win7 virtual machine, but that's the only way I can have a windows machine running on my linux systems.

    I really can't judge response/playability until Homefront releases and I get the console hardware...

    Silly that they don't have a Linux client.
     
  10. whome0

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  11. makattack

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    Nice! Yay, it works under linux as it's a java applet client!
     
  12. djdev

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    Gaikai works very well, and the graphics look crisp and the framerate was smooth for the most part even though games ran in a window (1024x768). I played Dead Space 2, Mass Effect 2, The Sims 3, but I didn't get much chance to play Spore. They have surveys that you take which are pretty telling about the service especially the one you take before playing Dead Space 2 (the other you take afterwards).

    Gaikai uses flash and java, which is on about everything. You still need a good connection and need to be 20 miles away from their servers, but they have servers in every major city.

    If you want direct links to the games:

    Mass Effect 2 if you just visit: http://www.gaikai.com/ (Just wait and if your connection quality to our Server is fast enough, one of several pop-up designs will appear.)
    Dead Space 2: (after a short survey): https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F2QFNY7
    Spore: http://www.beta.gaikai.com/beta/spore/RBDFHrrK5rK8597H27HjyD03013
    SIMS 3: http://www.thesims3.com/trial
    Second Life here: http://maps.secondlife.com/ (Just wait and if your connection quality to our Server is fast enough, a pop-up will appear.)
     
  13. Rangers

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    Saw posted on Neogaf, Onlive is growing like a weed, has a lot of E3 announcements

    http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...For_Strong_E3_With_Multiple_Announcements.php

    Really think Onlive might be the beginning for gaming what Netflix was to movies. Took them from dedicated players to the cloud. If only I could buy Onlive stock :lol: I am not sure they can be as revolutionary as Netflix, but even a third of that would make them huge.

    Also saw on Engadget they are launching some sort of tablet service as well, you can play onlive on a tablet with a wireless controller. Cool I guess.

    I also saw on visiting their website the other day that, "buy game X for regular price, get the microconsole free" offers seem to be the norm on Onlive now, latest being Red Faction Armegeddon. I think it would help to price the Microconsole at 49.99 and get it in brick and mortar retail though.

    It's become obvious to me what Onlive's niche is, as a lot of people here tried to complain that you can get a great GFX card for $100 etc etc, it seems obvious that any (especially) laptop or PC that is not gaming capable, is with Onlive. I saw on a forum the other day somebody posted something like "I'm traveling with my wimpy laptop, what can I play gaming wise?" It seems obvious the solution is Onlive.

    Hell I'd even consider it LOL, the Witcher 2 seems to be the first game that might be too much for my HD4890 and Q6600, I might even consider Onlive soon for such games, not that Onlive has Witcher 2 but you get the idea.

    Haha, also noticed a few people on the Onlive forums are supposedly occasionally seeing this


    [​IMG]


    Apparently indicative of exploding popularity. Or a dying service running out of money I guess if you're one of the haters in here.
     
    #593 Rangers, Jun 3, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 3, 2011
  14. ShadowRunner

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    Plays ok at 720p with my HD4850 and Phenom x4 9950 at ultra settings so you should be good to go. On another note what framerates does onlive play games at? are users guaranteed a 60fps framerate at all times, is it dependant on server load etc.
     
  15. Rangers

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    Why the heck do I want 720P on my 1080P fixed pixel monitor though?

    I guess I do it all the time for consoles :lol: But it just seems like a horrible idea for a PC game.

    Dont know about the framerate, doubt it's 60 though.
     
  16. RudeCurve

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    I'd give it a try if there was an exclusive game that I really wanted to play.
     
  17. Shifty Geezer

    Shifty Geezer uber-Troll!
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    And why would you want compressed video instead of pristine 1:1 RGB output?
     
  18. hoho

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    From what I've heard they generally don't use high-quality settings in games and don't run at higher FPS than what they send to clients (24fps?)
     
  19. ShadowRunner

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    Might want to read some of the user impressions if crystal clear 1080p is important to you:

    http://onlivefans.com/showthread.php?3481-OnLive-Resolution-and-graphics

    Onlive does have its uses on low spec machines but i have no doubt your current setup will play every game much better than what onlive will offer. Id put money on it.
     
    #599 ShadowRunner, Jun 3, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 3, 2011
  20. Rangers

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    Sure it's better than upscaled 720p

    Edit: If this is true:

    Hmm, then yes local 720P would be better. Though, muddy.

    I've never actually played Onlive. Maybe that's a lot of what people complain about with the "muddy" graphics. A large part of that could be simply the 720P aspect.

    Apparently so. However a reasonable headroom upgrade to this machine will run ~$800 (new CPU=core i3-2500=200, Mobo=100, 8GB RAM=~100, 2GB 6950=$260, while I'm at it def need that Antec 900 case=100, total=760, thats reusing my current 600 watt power supply and Windows copy) and I probably wont do that anytime soon as I just dont PC game much at all, so, perhaps Onlive is in my future.

    I've been told a while ago Onlive server run on a 9800GT, if thats true, my 4890 is def superior.
     
    #600 Rangers, Jun 3, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 3, 2011
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