Streaming Game Service OnLive Enters Beta

[Bigeyez]

I signed up for this couple days ago. So far they've sent me 3 emails, one welcome email, one saying that when the beta goes live I'll get more info, and a monthly newsletter.

Heres hoping I actually get into the beta when it goes live.

 

[Simalacrum]

I REALLY hope it works... but when something sounds too good to be true, generally speaking I've learnt to teach myself that it usually is =\

 

[Andy_Panthro]

Let's just wait what Nvidia or ATI has to say about the OnLive.

Do you mean the nVidia mentioned here: http://www.onlive.com/partners.html [http://www.onlive.com/partners.html]?

Remember, they do need graphics chipsets for their super-magic-lag-erasing servers.

 

[TaborMallory]

Can't help but wonder WHY they copied the 360's D-Pad though.

Because it worked nicely. Also, the Gamecube controller preempted the same basic layout several years before...

Oh well, it will fail. No exclusives. No Halo 3, No Killzone 2, no Gears of War, No DC Universe Online, as Sony and MS won't allow them to take sales from them. OnLive will die or be bought out.

Holy fucking facepalm, Batman.
You know, there are *GASP!!!* better games on the PC than those you just listed (and Gears of War is on the PC as well). For every console exclusive, there are ten better PC exclusives. Age of Empires, Myst, The Neverhood, Starcraft, Diablo... the list goes on and on.


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As for my personal take on the matter, OnLive won't be the end of all other PC gaming, but rather a nice addition for those who can actually enjoy it. There's no way it could single-handedly beat a 20-year fanbase.

 

[Joshimodo]

Can't help but wonder WHY they copied the 360's D-Pad though.

Because it worked nicely. Also, the Gamecube controller preempted the same basic layout several years before...

I wasn't wondering why they copied the layout-The 360/Gamecube layout FAR exceeds the PS3's and it's ilk, but the D-Pad on the 360 (not the Gamecube, though) is abysmal.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

If only PC games, it will make little sense for most of the current high-end machines users to get it.

Even if 20% of all PC users already have high-end machines, this will open up the left-over 80% of the market to be able to play these games...this would more than double the install base. That's big-time money.

word. and it's clearly not just PC games. according to the website it offers a 'MicroConsole' (just big enough to house wireless controller receiver and HDMI video card - I hope there's a converter included!!) and there will be PC/Mac browser PLUG-INS, which makes me think this will look very similar to watching a Netflix movie in a window using Silverlight, I imagine they'll either have a proprietary system or support for all platforms. And I don't think this will lag as bad as some of you are anticipating - a lot of stress will be removed from the system and connection by reducing it to just frame and controller information. Cloud-computed gaming, this is a really cool idea.

 

[PsykoDragon]

It might be a common thought, but as a kid I've often thought about something like this. Like, I can't afford a new GPU, what if you can play games that are processed through a GPU that's somewhere else online? Wish I could've been a part of this.

But I agree with SirSchmoopy, Today's physical medium that the internet uses is too slow to make such a system worthwhile. For gamers that can afford a subscription to such a system but cannot afford a better PC, they might bite the bullet & play through the lag-fest, but this will be a severe minority (people with a combination of low budget + patience narrows the odds).

 

[bfgmetalhead]

seeing how a high-end gaming rig is extreemly overpriced, this means I can finaly enjoy all those games on my £350 laptop that can barly run counterstrike.

(If this came to consoles PC gaming would truly be anhilated which would be a shame and a funny thing)