Question for PCF July

[Drakonis]

Right, I'm jumping the gun here but the faster I get my stuff finished for the next deadline, the faster I can goof around the office playing Japanese games on my DS. So...

Will OnLive change the way we game?

You can check out OnLive at http://www.onlive.com

EDIT: This may never reach our shores but... you never know

[UrBaN]

Well the video certainly does a great job of garnering appeal.

I dislike the idea of losing ownership of games, I would hate to "rent" a game and never call it my own.

Great idea for a console but for a PC, I want a DVD to install from and keep in my shelf.

[UrBaN]

By the time RSA has the bandwidth to run such a system, games will be played telepathically via tinfoil hats.

[UrBaN]

OnLive works over nearly any broadband connection (DSL, cable modem, fiber, or through the LAN at your college or office). For Standard-Definition TV resolution, OnLive needs a 1.5 Mbps connection. For HDTV resolution (720p60), OnLive needs 5 Mbps.

So...we actually could run this here..theoretically.

Though the OnLive servers would require extremely high bandwidth, considering each client requires upto 5Mbps.

It will take a while before RSA can support a system like this.

[RuadRauFlessa]

Will OnLive change the way we game?

Only if the game publishers forces us in that direction

[Fredder]

Nope, can not see it taking off here. Too many variables like bandwidth speeds, caps, etc. I agree with this idea regarding consoles, but nothing more than that.

[Ryan_Cooper]

The Idea of being able to play any game with out really having a monster of a rig or putting out over 2K for a console might change how we play as it opens the gaming market to alot more people that previously may not have had the money to buy the hardware needed to play some of these games....but if you think about it will that not mean that hardware manufactures might not sell as much hardware and this might effect the hardware market in a very negative way.

[Stuart]

if this is to take fof in south africa, seacom is going to have to seriously live up to its hype.

[Tribble]

I am not going to comment - in case I say something stupid and get quoted again

[xumwun]

Never mind the bandwidth, just imagine the hardware required to handle even a 100 people running Crysis .

[RuadRauFlessa]

I am not going to comment - in case I say something stupid and get quoted again

Ooh Nab you have to quote her on that one.

[Tribble]

RuadRauFlessa, no he doesn't. I was quoted last time (at least my comment wasn't too bad). He has to quote someone else this time

As proof - here goes.

I feel the same way about games as I do music - I would not rent a song and I would not rent a game. I like to own it. I want the game manual, the box and the disk/s. I have a 10 gig cap and would not like to waste that on games (as it is - we have to add on towards the end of each month)

[RuadRauFlessa]

RuadRauFlessa, no he doesn't. I was quoted last time (at least my comment wasn't too bad). He has to quote someone else this time

He might have quoted you last time but that was for a mag released almost two months ago.

[Drakonis]

Nab doesn't decide the quotes though, now does he...?

Speaking of which, any more views on OnLive?

[RuadRauFlessa]

Nab doesn't decide the quotes though, now does he...?

Speaking of which, any more views on OnLive?

OOh quote Jee Quote Jee

[lancelot]

This awaits a new generation of gamers, those with us now will not accept such a change with grace.

[D3PART3D]

Have someone else foot the bill of my GPU? Heck yeah!

No wait... I want my E-Peener back!

Of course, we're assuming dirt cheap bandwidth here which isn't happening too soon.

[jee]

Nab doesn't decide the quotes though, now does he...?

Speaking of which, any more views on OnLive?

OOh quote Jee Quote Jee

i actually have a lot to say about this... its something i have looked into - BUT i will say it after the July issue is out

[Drakonis]

Don't you people trust me or something?

[Ron2K]

No.

[Drakonis]

Oh...
Just making sure. I like to know these things.

[jee]

I don't mind stating my view online.... i actually have some real serious thoughts about this... but i am not sure is i like to be summarized in the mag

[Drakonis]

This thread is now safe for comment. We have selected the quotes already. Fire away.

[Stuart]

i think this could work if you can somehow leech your neighbours' bandwidth ...

[jee]

Right... "rent" your games rather than buy them. Cost effective? Creating a video game is very costly - yet the returns are not as high due to the fact that gamers say the games are "too expensive. If you are away from home, on a trip, and want to play a game.. well... its a download away, not so?

If someone can rent a game (and play it on all his/her devices, not just one) for much less that it will cost, more people will be able to afford it. (perhaps less piracy as well? note, i did not say NO piracy - you will always have pirates - to them the cost is not the issue, but rather the idea of having to pay for something!). You will never be bored after you played that R400 game three times and know it so well.....
It will cost producers less - just think of the cost savings that go into the packaging, distribution and cutting out the middleman.

Just think, you can play those high end games on your little un-souped up machine. You don't HAVE to buy different consoles in order to play the games you like (because they are only made for THAT particular console) - just think of the money you can save there - and use that to "rent" more games!


The idea is magic, and probably will be cost effective in many aspects - the most serious negative will be the slow streaming of games - which can lead to ultimate frustration.

It has a place. Cloud gaming... no, it will never spell the end of consoles - just like e-books will never be the end of print. Mind, with Dave Perry from Acclaim joining the OnLive ideas- well, i like his ideas of servers in countries with slow lines - and scaling down games in order for the gamer to play the best game s/he can within their digital environment.

I would rather think that the sensor movement concept, like Wii, will become the threat to the console. Its far more fun for the whole family, it has a health aspect (you don't sit on your tush the whole day and get a frozen shoulder or crippled fingers from repetative movement), and you don't have to be particularly "dexterous" to be able to join in the fun.