OnLive UK

Captain Nemo · 08-11-11, 07:45 AM

OnLive UK is starting up in the autumn. Not sure how good these online gaming services are but if anyone is interested go here for free registration http://www.onlive.co.uk/ .

Nemo

Herr-Berbunch · 08-11-11, 07:59 AM

Okay, I'm intruiged.

Any of our US pals currently using it? What is the minimum broadband speed required? Is it any good? Downsides?

And finally, for now, the Onlive/TV setup is $99. Currently that's about £61. I'm going to bet that that becomes £99 ($160) - and if it does then it's definately a big two-fingers up to the British public, a gesture I'm willing to return.

Arclight · 08-11-11, 08:43 AM

They cite 2Mb minimum, but aparently that's not enough. 5+ is recommended.

Keep in mind that:

- Resolution stuck at 720p. Most people have higher resolution displays, so it ends up being scaled, windowed or banded, none of which is ideal. Not to mention a lot of us use 16:10 monitors for gaming rather than 16:9, so in that case there's always banding.

- It goes over the internet, so there is lag.

- Further quality degradation and lag due to compression. You can't send a full-quality 720p signal over the web, the bandwith requirement would be ridiculous. (around 70 MByte p/s iirc)

(aparently the quality shifts dynamically according to how much bandwith you're getting at that moment. The more it can use, the higher the quality)

It does have it's uses: you can play on just about any junker (including laptops

), and you can try out games that don't have a demo... which is pretty much all of them nowadays. It does allow console-like PC-gaming on your TV, but with the mentioned drawbacks.

Personally I'll never use it beyond demo-ing, if at all. I much prefer gaming without lag, without a required fast&stable connection, without blurry or banded graphics and without sound-quality loss. Oh, and without a subscription.

To be perfectly honest, I hope it dies, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards anymore. Wide-spread adoption would effectively turn PC-gaming into console-gaming and would likely put an end to technological advancement.

Herr-Berbunch · 08-11-11, 09:00 AM

That's too many drawbacks for me then.

NeonSamurai · 08-11-11, 09:46 AM

I hope it dies as well.

Good thing is that it has almost no chance in Canada, not with the major isps putting serious bandwidth limits on customers per month (like the higher end 80$ a month plan gives you only 150gb a month up+down). Something like that would just tear through bandwidth like no-one's business.

Arclight · 08-11-11, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

That's too many drawbacks for me then.

Myeah, same here, especially considering I've got the hardware right here to run anything myself. But again, it has it's uses. Sign up for a free account, small install for your browser, and then you can demo games in their catalog, for free. If you're ever in doubt about a game you can just give it a whirl at no cost, provided it's in their catalog.

(You can buy individual games as well btw, not limited to subscription, though that does seem the better bang-for-buck deal: 10,- a month to play anything on there)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeonSamurai

I hope it dies as well.

Good thing is that it has almost no chance in Canada, not with the major isps putting serious bandwidth limits on customers per month (like the higher end 80$ a month plan gives you only 150gb a month up+down). Something like that would just tear through bandwidth like no-one's business.

That's really the main thing holding it back: bandwith requirements, especially when it comes to ISPs that enforce a cap. Latency is an issue for the time being, untill they can set up more local servers.

Herr-Berbunch · 08-11-11, 09:56 AM

Ok, just checked out their games, SH5 for $30 - only $10 or less on Amazon, and Neal would get a cut!

No Battlefield, no DCS, not even CoD in any guise!

Captain Nemo · 08-15-11, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Ok, just checked out their games, SH5 for $30 - only $10 or less on Amazon, and Neal would get a cut!

I agree that the price is high to buying the actual game from Amazon, but having said that, not everyone has the hardware to run SH5 and don't have the cash to continually upgrade their systems to be able to play the latest games on a PC. This is where the OnLive service might be beneficial to players who cannot afford the hardware requirements to play a particular game. As Arclight has already said, if you have the necessary hardware to run the latest games, OnLive provides the opportunity to demo a game for free before deciding if you want to buy it. As has been said, the only thing that could potentially kill this kind of gaming is the bandwidth issue, but apparently BT have been testing with OnLive and say that this won't be a problem. We shall see.

Nemo

NeonSamurai · 08-15-11, 08:34 AM

Another disadvantage is you can't mod the games either, since it isn't on your system. For me that is a huge problem as I custom mod virtually all the games I play that can be modded.

Dowly · 09-29-11, 05:20 AM

Onlive Interview and Hands On - Eurogamer Expo 2011 (by TotalBiscuit)

Quote:

Onlive had it's UK launch as the Eurogamer Expo 2011 commenced and had a
big presence. Andrew from Onlive takes us through the features as we try out
a couple of different games and film the results.

Of course, that presentation isn't telling much on how well it really works in the "field".

papa_smurf · 09-29-11, 09:49 AM

Quote:

They cite 2Mb minimum, but aparently that's not enough. 5+ is recommended.

5+? Thats me out, with my paltry 4Mbit connection where I live. So, no thank you.

Arclight · 09-29-11, 12:07 PM

OnLive Is Okay

Kinda. It works, but so much better with that box to hook up to your fancy TV, letting you play PC games as you would a console game. On PC, so close to the monitor, the quality loss is too obvious.

Honestly, this thing scares me to death. It's so ultimately restrictive, it's Ubi's wet dream DRM solution. And I imagine the machines running this service all share the same hardware, wouldn't be surprised if developers started to optimise games to run on those setups. We might go from poor console ports to poor OnLive ports. (how would that be for irony?)

HunterICX · 09-29-11, 12:15 PM

^Ahum!

HunterICX

Arclight · 09-29-11, 12:21 PM

What? Oh alright.

Sorry, my internal filter failed on that one.

08-11-11, 07:45 AM	#1
Captain Nemo Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: London, England Posts: 1,144 Downloads: 54 Uploads: 0	OnLive UK OnLive UK is starting up in the autumn. Not sure how good these online gaming services are but if anyone is interested go here for free registration http://www.onlive.co.uk/ . Nemo __________________ "I'm afraid there is no disguising the fact that King's obsession with the Pacific and the Battle of Washington cost us dear in the Battle of the Atlantic". Sir John Slessor GCB, DSO, MC, DL AOC-in-C Coastal Command RAF ___________________________________________

08-11-11, 07:59 AM	#2
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	Okay, I'm intruiged. Any of our US pals currently using it? What is the minimum broadband speed required? Is it any good? Downsides? And finally, for now, the Onlive/TV setup is $99. Currently that's about £61. I'm going to bet that that becomes £99 ($160) - and if it does then it's definately a big two-fingers up to the British public, a gesture I'm willing to return. __________________

08-11-11, 08:43 AM	#3
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	They cite 2Mb minimum, but aparently that's not enough. 5+ is recommended. Keep in mind that: - Resolution stuck at 720p. Most people have higher resolution displays, so it ends up being scaled, windowed or banded, none of which is ideal. Not to mention a lot of us use 16:10 monitors for gaming rather than 16:9, so in that case there's always banding. - It goes over the internet, so there is lag. - Further quality degradation and lag due to compression. You can't send a full-quality 720p signal over the web, the bandwith requirement would be ridiculous. (around 70 MByte p/s iirc) (aparently the quality shifts dynamically according to how much bandwith you're getting at that moment. The more it can use, the higher the quality) It does have it's uses: you can play on just about any junker (including laptops ), and you can try out games that don't have a demo... which is pretty much all of them nowadays. It does allow console-like PC-gaming on your TV, but with the mentioned drawbacks. Personally I'll never use it beyond demo-ing, if at all. I much prefer gaming without lag, without a required fast&stable connection, without blurry or banded graphics and without sound-quality loss. Oh, and without a subscription. To be perfectly honest, I hope it dies, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards anymore. Wide-spread adoption would effectively turn PC-gaming into console-gaming and would likely put an end to technological advancement. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

08-11-11, 09:00 AM	#4
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	That's too many drawbacks for me then. __________________

08-11-11, 09:46 AM	#5
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	I hope it dies as well. Good thing is that it has almost no chance in Canada, not with the major isps putting serious bandwidth limits on customers per month (like the higher end 80$ a month plan gives you only 150gb a month up+down). Something like that would just tear through bandwidth like no-one's business. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

08-11-11, 09:56 AM	#7
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	Ok, just checked out their games, SH5 for $30 - only $10 or less on Amazon, and Neal would get a cut! No Battlefield, no DCS, not even CoD in any guise! __________________

08-15-11, 08:34 AM	#9
NeonSamurai Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Socialist Republic of Kanadia Posts: 3,044 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Another disadvantage is you can't mod the games either, since it isn't on your system. For me that is a huge problem as I custom mod virtually all the games I play that can be modded. __________________ SH3 Newbie Guide Links and other helpfull stuff

09-29-11, 12:07 PM	#12
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	OnLive Is Okay Kinda. It works, but so much better with that box to hook up to your fancy TV, letting you play PC games as you would a console game. On PC, so close to the monitor, the quality loss is too obvious. Honestly, this thing scares me to death. It's so ultimately restrictive, it's Ubi's wet dream DRM solution. And I imagine the machines running this service all share the same hardware, wouldn't be surprised if developers started to optimise games to run on those setups. We might go from poor console ports to poor OnLive ports. (how would that be for irony?) __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia. Last edited by Arclight; 09-29-11 at 12:22 PM. Reason: Braindamage

09-29-11, 12:15 PM	#13
HunterICX Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2006 Location: Malaga, España Posts: 10,750 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	^Ahum! HunterICX __________________

09-29-11, 12:21 PM	#14
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	What? Oh alright. Sorry, my internal filter failed on that one. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.