Wednesday, March 25th 2009
New On-Demand Gaming Platform Threatens to Kill Gaming PC Upgrades
We all regard PC games, as an entertainment medium, but spend hundreds to even thousands of Dollars regularly, to keep our PCs up to date, to be able to play the latest PC games. Imagine a medium that rids us of that, and we are able to consume PC gaming like any other content, like the TV or radio. Well, that the potential a new on-demand gaming platform holds - to make you never have to buy/upgrade a gaming PC again.
Called OnLive, the on-demand platform consists of a web service, an internet connection, and a thin-client, called "micro-console" that connects your input (game controllers), and output (monitor/TV/HDTV). You control the game - whichever you're subscribed to and playing - the client relays your input to the OnLive servers, that do the processing, including graphics rendering, and send back output to your client. The client then displays the output. Sounds familiar? Cloud computing? Exactly, but for PC gaming. The platform is conceptualized to be advanced-enough to handle any of today's games, Crysis included. The work-model of this platform is what makes it tick with any game, and is far more future-proof than the present mode of PC gaming (where people own expensive hardware that are in requirement of upgrades, the costs of buying games, buying gaming services separate).
For standard definition television quality, a broadband connection of at least 1.5 megabits per second is required. For HDTV resolution, a connection of at least 5 mbps is needed. The service uses patented algorithms that work to counter lag caused by network constraints. The technology is already gaining attention from major publishers, including EA, THQ, Codemasters, Ubisoft, Atari, Warner Bros., Take-Two, and Epic. People can buy or rent a game to play it, the usage fees are expected not to be much more than the subscription fees for Xbox Live.
Source:
Kokatu
Called OnLive, the on-demand platform consists of a web service, an internet connection, and a thin-client, called "micro-console" that connects your input (game controllers), and output (monitor/TV/HDTV). You control the game - whichever you're subscribed to and playing - the client relays your input to the OnLive servers, that do the processing, including graphics rendering, and send back output to your client. The client then displays the output. Sounds familiar? Cloud computing? Exactly, but for PC gaming. The platform is conceptualized to be advanced-enough to handle any of today's games, Crysis included. The work-model of this platform is what makes it tick with any game, and is far more future-proof than the present mode of PC gaming (where people own expensive hardware that are in requirement of upgrades, the costs of buying games, buying gaming services separate).
For standard definition television quality, a broadband connection of at least 1.5 megabits per second is required. For HDTV resolution, a connection of at least 5 mbps is needed. The service uses patented algorithms that work to counter lag caused by network constraints. The technology is already gaining attention from major publishers, including EA, THQ, Codemasters, Ubisoft, Atari, Warner Bros., Take-Two, and Epic. People can buy or rent a game to play it, the usage fees are expected not to be much more than the subscription fees for Xbox Live.
246 Comments on New On-Demand Gaming Platform Threatens to Kill Gaming PC Upgrades
its really Cloud computing, i dont belive in that yet.
Infrastructure isnt there, and not in USA, we in norway got pretty good covered fiber connection to most of the population, with offers of 250 mbit.
My dad acts more childish than I do some days. :rolleyes:
Anyway back on topic.
I still cant see this working, say we get to the point that everyone has the internet fast enough to do this, even if we could stream a HD feed of a high enough res and combat the lag, we will prob have 3d in mainstream by then or some other tech that will render this useless.
Then again if the physics, and the majority of the GPU work was done elsewhere, downscaled, and then sent out ot this, upscaled, AA and AF and finish the graphics it might.
But wiat, it has to phone home, so it my be moraz spying!!!!
Mmmm, pretty pixels. :p
This will be not much more than an interactive film.
Say for instance, your ping is around 55ms (typical for me), and the signal compress/decompress takes 30ms (no farkin clue), the delay from input to output could be adjusted 85ms, and you'd be just fine. Provided both the itty bitty box, and the server itself monitor ping rates, it should be able to adjust on the fly and give near-perfect results. Considering the amount of load that would put on a processor (minimal, very minimal), it could be done.
However, that said network providers are not going to take too kindly to people eating up their bandwith. There are some parts of the U.S., Canada, and even the European contries that have a hard-set data/bandwith cap on their connections. And I have a hard time swallowing the idea that these people are going to be able to provide the extreme amount of bandwith they would require to host a service across a userbase large enough to make it financially viable.
Before I'll drink their punch I want them to share the numbers and prove that the end-user will not have to deal with the ire of their ISP for playing one too many rounds of Crysis each month. Until then this just sounds like a better organized version of the Phantom that is doomed to follow other start-up companies who have tried and inevitably failed.
I just can not see how they can make something like this work, knowing the limitations on bandwith and speed that some areas have, while competing with other consoles, streaming video, and other services that use the internet as well. And that's not even taking into account the kind of back-end they'll need to be able to host this since I seriously doubt they can host something like this on just a few T-3 lines.
But, hey, if they succeed more people will get into PC gaming which is a good thing. But, sooner or later they will get tired of this fisher-price approach and will get a dedicated system especially when they see a stand-alone system can be purchased for a slightly larger investment and will be able to do more.
This is certainly in the realm of feasibility soon, and it's really not even that much of a stretch from what we have now.
i sometimes have trouble streaming youtube! FFS:shadedshu
there is nothing in that box its just like a network device with an output
they are getting desperate they want to get rid of piracy thats all i can see from it
You'll prob be able to mod the box or something.
Much like all channels are sent via cable and satelitte and your subscription just determines which ones will be decrypted.
i prefer distribution systems like steam to this idea
What about lag, you say? OnLive's technology "incubator" Rearden Studios claims that its servers will deliver video feeds that have a ping of less than one millisecond. Its patented video compression technique is also advertised as blazing fast, with video compression taking about one millisecond to process.
and this:
Expected to be deployed by launch will be five server centers hosting the latest and greatest games—OnLive isn't aiming to be GameTap, with no immediate plans to host archival PC games. Server clusters will be located in Santa Clara, Texas, Virginia and elsewhere, hoping to offer OnLive subscribers within 1,000 miles a seemingly lag-free experience.
If in some miracle it would work it would still be USA only and only for those around the server farms. One of these OnLive miracle farms could theoretically serve whole Scandinavia if they'd stick it to like Umeå - Sweden.
Highly skeptical about this, like you all. Firstly all the servers would need to be located in McMurdo - Antarctica, to keep the thousands of servers cool running Crysis 24/7 for thousands of people. Down side would be that only people in the 1000miles range would be the scientist, but at least they'd keep warm :)