OnLive

[GostHacked]

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=859&type=expert&pid=3

Here is a good look at this new OnLive service. OnLive servers stream the computer game right to your computer!! The video quality is not as good as if it was run from your PC, but I don't think it is a big deal for those who want to play new games and don't really care about keeping up on PC hardware.

Your bandwidth is going to get hammered though. And latency is an issue the further away you are from the OnLive servers. Overall, watching these comparison videos I am pretty damn impressed about the quality and technology used to provide this service.

I will still buy games myself, just because I like having the box displayed on my shelf !!

[Riverwind]

I will still buy games myself, just because I like having the box displayed on my shelf !!

I finally got tired of games that use the CD for copy protection and now download them from places like steam. I see Steam as the future of games distribution.

The cost of outfitting a computer that could handle OnLive to handle games installed on the PC is marginal at best (<$200). The console market has ensured that PC graphics hardware lasts at least 2 years.

The OnLive servers don't come free and I would rather pay a small upfront cost and have the better quality and the option of playing games without access to a high speed internet connection.

I suspect this kind of service will only compete with the existing market for flash-based web games.

Edited January 21, 2010 by Riverwind

[GostHacked]

I finally got tired of games that use the CD for copy protection and now download them from places like steam. I see Steam as the future of games distribution.

This is what I said about Steam years ago!! I really love how Steam/vALVE does games and digital distrobution. Steam was launched about the same time HL2 was released. Right there and then I knew that they had it. I am impressed with how vALVE handles cheaters online. You get caught your Steam ID is banned and locked. Any game you have bought through Steam no longer works. You lose it all! More of an incentive to buy and play the game as they made it. People cheat because they suck at the game. Plain and simple.

I agree with your beef with the CD verifying crap. More garbage is installed on my PC to validate the game. This really ticks gamers off more than not. But I do see the reason for it.

We have seen a couple cheats happen on our TF2 servers. We got a report back on one that his account was locked after we showed the evidence. We don't tolerate cheating on our servers. We try to keep it as respectful as we can.

The cost of outfitting a computer that could handle OnLive to handle games installed on the PC is marginal at best (<$200). The console market has ensured that PC graphics hardware lasts at least 2 years.

From what I understand is that you don't need to keep all the hardware up to date because most of the graphical processing is done by OnLive's servers. But you will still need to have a decent machine due to the picture being displayed in 780p. Not high high def, but a little high def.

The OnLive servers don't come free and I would rather pay a small upfront cost and have the better quality and the option of playing games without access to a high speed internet connection.

And even with Steam being an online client. You can still play in Offline mode for all the single player games. Also my fave game of all time is about 10 years old as well. Homeworld 2. (with the latest Complex Mod for HW2, you won't find a better RTS, well except maybe Comany of Heroes)

I suspect this kind of service will only compete with the existing market for flash-based web games.

I think it is a different market alltogether.

[Riverwind]

And even with Steam being an online client. You can still play in Offline mode for all the single player games.

This is the key feature for me and would not have gone the 'steam' route if that was not an option.

From what I understand is that you don't need to keep all the hardware up to date because most of the graphical processing is done by OnLive's servers.

You can get a video card that can handle the latest games for <$200. I don't see any market for a service that cannot save you more than $200 in h/w costs. Especially once you factor in the lower quality and the potential for network issues.

I think it is a different market alltogether.

I am saying their putative target market does not exist and if they wish to survive they will have to become like a glorified flash game provider.

[GostHacked]

This is the key feature for me and would not have gone the 'steam' route if that was not an option.

Right with you there!

You can get a video card that can handle the latest games for <$200. I don't see any market for a service that cannot save you more than $200 in h/w costs. Especially once you factor in the lower quality and the potential for network issues.

My 8800 GTS-OC is a little out of date itself. No plans on upgrading anytime soon. But I think this is more aimed at people who want to get into these games but don't want to or don't know how to keep hardware up to date and for them crisp graphics are not a must have in order to enjoy the game.

This service will really take off if internet connections simply get faster. A higher bandwidth on the upload always helps to cut down the latency.

I am saying their putative target market does not exist and if they wish to survive they will have to become like a glorified flash game provider.

You got a point there.