SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - The future of video games? Pay as you go?

RSColonel_131st · 04-06-10, 04:19 AM

The problem with OnLive will be that long term, it will cost you more, even facturing in upgrades.

Lets see: Their initial offer will be 720p HD, which means 1280x720 pixels. That is a fairly low gaming resolution these days, which you can easily achive, even for modern games with playable framerates, on a 600EUR computer.

You'll be paying 180USD a year (likely 180EUR here, when it starts) just for basic access. So in three years, you paid the price of a computer that can run the same games at the same resolution.

But you also need a computer for OnLive, just a very basic one. Like a 500EUR bargain from the local electronic shop. At the absolute lowest, lets say you need a 400EUR "basic terminal". So the cost of OnLive is now 400EUR + 180 *3 equals 940EUR for the first three years.

You also need wired broadband (cable or DSL). I could get a wireless UMTS data stick for 20EUR a month that would mostly fill my needs (I don't game multi these days) but a wired connection suitable for OnLive will cost me 40EUR. So for three years, that's another 36*20EUR extra which comes out at 720EUR.

We are now already at 1660EUR - lets say, to give benefit of doupt, 1500EUR - for three years of OnLive. But there are additional costs.

Like the question if games you "buy" at OnLive can be transfered to your own computer if you quit paying 15bucks monthly. Or will you lose the games you "bought" since they are only available trough the OnLive service? You certainly won't be able to resell OnLive games, which means some more lost money if you regularly trade or resell old games.

Also, I'm fairly sure that OnLive will have to deal with "input lag" like a bad multiplayer server. Even if their computing centre is close by, you can expect a 50ms Ping time to them. So your keyboard input needs 50ms to travel, and the resulting change in game graphics also need 50ms. You're looking at a tenth of a second lag between input and visual reaction here.

I'm sure they'll try some advanced algorythms to prevent this, but technically there is simple no way you can have realtime "input/response" situation with a system going over wired broadband.

Factor in the inmaterial costs of loss of control over your game (no modding), eventual internet downtimes keeping you from playing... seriously, where's the advantage?

If they start offering 1920x1200 pixel service for 15USD monthly, including a game or two for that price, and so that I can run it on my TV screen with a free settop box from them, then we're talking.

For console gamers, the cost relationship between owning a console and OnLive is even worse, btw.

But even for computer owners, I can get a very decent brand new gaming rig every three years for the total "Cost of Ownership" I have with OnLive. I can then use that high-powered gaming rig for other productive applications (like Photoshop or Video Editing) that I can't do on my low-power "OnLive Terminal". I can cut my broadband costs if I want to play SP, and I'm not dependent on availability of any "service" if I want to play offline.

But still, OnLive will sell like hot cakes. Because the average people this is aimed at like "financing" (as in, pay more long term than you'd pay now, short term), they will like the idiot-proofness of it (gaming made as easy as cable TV) and they will simple like the marketing hype that comes with it. Still, I think a 300EUR current generation gaming console would fit everyone better who wants low-cost, idiot-proof gaming.

04-06-10, 04:19 AM	#7
RSColonel_131st Medic Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 164 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The problem with OnLive will be that long term, it will cost you more, even facturing in upgrades. Lets see: Their initial offer will be 720p HD, which means 1280x720 pixels. That is a fairly low gaming resolution these days, which you can easily achive, even for modern games with playable framerates, on a 600EUR computer. You'll be paying 180USD a year (likely 180EUR here, when it starts) just for basic access. So in three years, you paid the price of a computer that can run the same games at the same resolution. But you also need a computer for OnLive, just a very basic one. Like a 500EUR bargain from the local electronic shop. At the absolute lowest, lets say you need a 400EUR "basic terminal". So the cost of OnLive is now 400EUR + 180 3 equals 940EUR for the first three years. You also need wired broadband (cable or DSL). I could get a wireless UMTS data stick for 20EUR a month that would mostly fill my needs (I don't game multi these days) but a wired connection suitable for OnLive will cost me 40EUR. So for three years, that's another 3620EUR extra which comes out at 720EUR. We are now already at 1660EUR - lets say, to give benefit of doupt, 1500EUR - for three years of OnLive. But there are additional costs. Like the question if games you "buy" at OnLive can be transfered to your own computer if you quit paying 15bucks monthly. Or will you lose the games you "bought" since they are only available trough the OnLive service? You certainly won't be able to resell OnLive games, which means some more lost money if you regularly trade or resell old games. Also, I'm fairly sure that OnLive will have to deal with "input lag" like a bad multiplayer server. Even if their computing centre is close by, you can expect a 50ms Ping time to them. So your keyboard input needs 50ms to travel, and the resulting change in game graphics also need 50ms. You're looking at a tenth of a second lag between input and visual reaction here. I'm sure they'll try some advanced algorythms to prevent this, but technically there is simple no way you can have realtime "input/response" situation with a system going over wired broadband. Factor in the inmaterial costs of loss of control over your game (no modding), eventual internet downtimes keeping you from playing... seriously, where's the advantage? If they start offering 1920x1200 pixel service for 15USD monthly, including a game or two for that price, and so that I can run it on my TV screen with a free settop box from them, then we're talking. For console gamers, the cost relationship between owning a console and OnLive is even worse, btw. But even for computer owners, I can get a very decent brand new gaming rig every three years for the total "Cost of Ownership" I have with OnLive. I can then use that high-powered gaming rig for other productive applications (like Photoshop or Video Editing) that I can't do on my low-power "OnLive Terminal". I can cut my broadband costs if I want to play SP, and I'm not dependent on availability of any "service" if I want to play offline. But still, OnLive will sell like hot cakes. Because the average people this is aimed at like "financing" (as in, pay more long term than you'd pay now, short term), they will like the idiot-proofness of it (gaming made as easy as cable TV) and they will simple like the marketing hype that comes with it. Still, I think a 300EUR current generation gaming console would fit everyone better who wants low-cost, idiot-proof gaming.