OnLive Goes Live in June

[Asehujiko]

So you pay $15 a month, then you "buy" a game for $60, and when you aren't paying those $15 a month, your game is gone.

That's not even counting the collosal internet connection requirements that are completely unfeasable outside major metropolitan in the usa and the fact that all the graphics(their main selling point) they provide are utter shit. Crysis was played on Low during their conference and PoP looked suspiciously like the console version. Then there's the input lag issue and the fact that i greatly doubt that they have the hardware to support any of it. Ubishit can't keep their goddamn login server online so why the fuck should we trust a nobody to do that AND keep enough hardware power in reverse to actually play the games?

 

[Syphous]

So remote access gaming, eh? I'm more interested in how the frame-rates will be. Technically speaking, this seems like it will rely heavily on you having a REALLY good internet connection. I'm intrigued and hope they'll offer some kind of free-trial for skeptics like me.

 

[Baby Tea]

I'll try this, provided they have some sort of free demo trial thing.
Otherwise, color me skeptical.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Does anyone else realize what this means? It's streaming games, that quite possibly means no local saved games, if you can save at all, requiring a constant and extremely fast Internet connection, AND if you should ever get disconnected for any reason, all your progress is shot. If you're going to buy into this, you might as well buy into Ubisoft's new DRM thing too.
Incidentally I find it interesting that several of their launch titles are from Ubisoft.

 

[josh797]

i might actually pick this up. 15 bucks a months isnt bad at all for all the newest games. this could be really awesome if it succeeds.

 

[Vet2501]

Monthly fee? Why should we have to pay for the ability to buy a game. I'll be sticking with Steam.

 

[TraumaHound]

Hmmm...at least now I know what "OnLive" is. I remember seeing stickers for it at PAX09 though I don't recall seeing any other info or even a booth for them; I think the stickers came in the swag-bag handed out upon reaching the show (had the PAX09 booklet and other advert-things in it.)

Wait, don't we already have GameTap for something like this? Or is OnLive something totally different?

 

[Booze Zombie]

Colour me unintrested, sorry to say.

 

[Geamo]

I'm confused about this...

So it's a program for the PC, initially? Where you have to pay $15 monthly subscription - more then your usual MMO. Then you have to pay on top of that the price of the game?
What's the advantage here (apart from the rentals bit, which seems to be the only plus I can see), if anyone can clarify?

 

[MurderousToaster]

I don't particularly get why they charge $15 on top of actually buying/renting the games. Sort of a bit off-putting.

 

[Generic_Dave]

So I pay a subscription, buy a game...and then if I stop paying the sub I lose the investment in my game? I'll keep my shiny disc thank you very much...

 

[Destal]

Pasted from non-news-post thread:

But if you factor in the fact that you could play crysis 2 on a $500 PC at the highest graphics vs having to pay $2000 for your computer to run it on its own it doesn't sound as bad.

Please. Any geek worth anything could build a top of the line machine for $700-900. When you pay $2000, 70% of that is paying for the label, same as buying brand name clothes.

Also, they will never be able to completely eliminate lag, not even with 100% perfect conditions.

Also, see the hassle Ubisoft's DRM is causing? This is MUCH worse than that in terms of problems.

Also, this might be [note: MIGHT] plausible in the USA or other countries with great telecommunications services, but this would be totally impossible in, I would say, MOST countries.

~~~

*Takes breath*

Also, the damn thing only goes up to 720p, as opposed to normal computers, which can go up to whatever the hell you want.*

Also, there's probably a million and a half other problems I can't think of right now.

*Depending on what monitor you have, naturally.

Notice, I said eventually. Figure in the fact that some companies are offering fiber optic directly to your home net speeds should start drastically increasing in the next few years. Also, if you could explain how you could build a top of the line computer for $900, when the newest graphics cards are ~$400 alone. The point is that you wouldn't have to worry about upgrading your computer every few years to stay at the highest graphics for the newest games. Hell, as more and more stuff can be streamed through your TV as well these days it could be plausible to eventually see this kind of service built directly into the TV, then all you need is a wireless/BT mouse and keyboard.

 

[jubosu]

Ill stick with steam

 

[electric_warrior]

$14.95 per month? and you have to purchase games on top of that and presumably buy the machine itself?
That's a terrible deal!

 

[lkevil]

This could be seen as good value compared to something like world of warcraft where you have to subscribe and buy the game, as the subscription fee only gives you access to one game.

 

[DividedUnity]

EH no thanks. I dont have unlimited bandwidth and unless i did there would be no way for me to get my moneys worth from something like this. even then itd probably better to buy games from a game shop when they have those pc game clearouts selling off games for next to nothing

im just sayin

 

[ThreeKneeNick]

I'm sort of excited and eager to see how it turns out. I live in eastern europe so chances are i will not be seeing it any time soon, even after they bring servers to europe, most likely i will still be too far away from them to enjoy a lag free experience. But it is an interesting development in technology and if it survives the initial hurdles it could prove to be a great boost to PC gaming because of the lowered price/technology barrier.

On top of that i doubt there will be onlive-exclusive titles, maybe a few indie ones but the big budget ones certainly not, so the modding community will still have their modding opportunities and people with bad internet could still play if they buy the 'regular' version.

If it turns out in practice as well as it sounds in theory. Ohh, cant wait to find out.