What is OnLive?
OnLive is a Cloud-based video game streaming service, designed to bring you top tier games with no downloads, no installs, and no waiting.
Gaming on the OnLive service runs a lot like any other console or personal computer. The exception is that OnLive games come without all the excess baggage of an install process, scratch-able media, or a hefty price tag. Once you’ve logged into your OnLive account it takes (literally) seconds to launch into a game, and you can do so from just about anywhere in the dashboard. OnLive boasts a user-friendly, snappy, and attractive interface.
OnLive was in development for seven years before being announced to the public in 2009 by OnLive CEO, Steve Perlman (MOVA, Quicktime, WebTV, X-Band). In two short years, OnLive has become an underdog powerhouse for gamers throughout the US. Featuring a catalog of over 100 games and offering gamers an unparalleled level of flexibility, OnLive is now bringing the Cloud to the UK.
Games
Games are purchased in various formats. There are demos, rentals, the PlayPass, and the PlayPack.
Game Demos: These are 30 minute trials of full-version games on the service. There are no limitations imposed on the gamer other than a 30 minute window. Even the multi-player components of games are accessible.
Rentals: Purchased in 3-day or 5-day increments, this allows unrestricted access to the game until the time allotment has expired. Price varies per game.
PlayPass: This is the golden ticket. Owning a PlayPass to the game allows unlimited and unrestricted access where you want, when you want it.
PlayPack: OnLive’s optional subscription service. For $9.99/mo. you are given full and unrestricted access to a constantly-expanding library of games. In addition, OnLive is now offering PlayPack subscribers an across-the-board 30% discount on its entire library of offerings. This discount applies to all games currently offered on the service, purchase of a MicroConsole or controller, pre-orders, and sales.
Smash hits like Warhammer 40k: Space Marine, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and DiRT 3 are available on the service. Batman: Arkham City, Lord of the Rings: War in the North, and Dead Island will make their debut soon amongst other popular titles.
Typically, pre-orders being offered by OnLive come with a special promotion package. This can include free Microconsoles, a free PlayPass, discounts, or other special offerings.
Note: If you’d like more information on new terms introduced by OnLive please read: The OnLive Dictionary For New Customers
See OnLive in action
How Does OnLive Work?
Thanks to an incredible compression algorithm, video games are streamed almost seamlessly to your home device. You send commands to the server you’re connected to and the video/audio information is fed back at astounding quality.
During this last year of service two methods for connecting to OnLive have emerged. The first is through your Mac or PC: Register, then download a free application where you’ll receive your own digital locker library for games available via OnLive’s state-of-the-art cloud gaming servers. Launch, log in, and you’ll be navigating the main menu within seconds.
The second option has been via the MicroConsole; a home console system equipped to deliver 1080p video (720p games, with 1080p on the way) and SRS 5.1 surround sound pumping into your home theater. The MicroConsole (MC) also comes with a stylish, exceedingly comfortable, and responsive OnLive proprietary controller.
Soon OnLive will also be coming to Android and iOS tablet devices, along with Vizio televisions and Blu-ray players.
Performance
As a revolutionary gaming service, OnLive is tackling the industry with innovation and style. While it isn’t completely perfect, the experience is vastly superior to what some might expect from this kind of technology. On faster paced games like DiRT 3, or quick player-controlled camera movement in Darksiders or Homefront, there can be a few artifacts and screen tearing depending on the strength of your Internet connection and/or server load, but the overall performance is incredible.
This is doubly amplified on the MicroConsole (OnLive games look drop-dead gorgeous on my 51″ HDTV). While playing, it is easy to forget that the actual game is running on a server that can be up to 1000 miles away.
OnLive is designed for the gamer who wants cutting edge graphics without dumping truckloads of cash to update their hardware.
The company has also promised to upgrade their servers every 6 months to keep up with the latest in gaming technology. What this can mean for the end user is never needing to buy a new computer or console to keep up with a continually updating market of high-performance games.
Arena Spectating
OnLive boasts an interactive online experience like no other. In the arena you can “Spectate” any other player on the service at the click of a button. You get to view other OnLive gamers playing anything on the service, with options to “Cheer” or “Jeer” them, preview the player’s profile, add them as a friend, or even jump right into your own instance of that game.
In addition to this, OnLive also provides a developed Voice Chat feature (still in beta as of this review but perfectly usable) which allows you to chat with teammates and friends on the service. Create friend lists to invite your buddies to a game or drop in and spectate them at a moment’s notice. Or make a Brag Clip — a 10 second replay of your in-game action — to show off your finest (or comically worst) in-game moments to anyone on the service.
Competitive Gaming
While OnLive doesn’t offer native competitive gaming just yet, they do provide hosted and sponsored events on an almost-weekly basis. These social events are usually highlighted in the service’s Showcase section of the Dashboard, and are sometimes accompanied by special “Swag” giveaways or the opportunity to play with game developers.
Some third party websites have also stepped up to help fill an organizational need for competitive gamers. One such site is run by our friends at:
FraggedNation.com strives to bring competitive game play, tournaments, and ladders to the OnLive Cloud gaming service.
FraggedNation is a truly innovative website which provides gamers with an attractive and easy-to-utilize interface, designed to help them connect with other gamers. Members can chat on online forums about their latest conquests, organize specialized challenges, join or create ladders and clans, join or create entire tournaments, all at FraggedNation.
In fact, OnLive is the first new gaming platform added to FraggedNation.com in nearly three years, which complements their already-existing PC and console categories.
What this provides is an incredibly social experience for the modern gamer. Coupled with OnLive’s arena, organizers are able to put together challenges where spectators can sit in the center of the action right from the viewpoint of anyone in the game.
FraggedNation is also providing spotlight views in their Youtube channel for anyone who plays and submits their OnLive Brag Clip.
As of this writing FraggedNation.com currently offers the following games for competitive and social match-ups: Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, F.E.A.R. 3, Homefront, Split/Second, and is prepared for the release of Warhammer: Space Marine’s multiplayer component.
Click Here if you’d like to learn more about FraggedNation.com and their history.
Requirements
Almost anyone with a modern computer and a broadband Internet connection can try out this service immediately and for free. OnLive states their current minimum connection speed to be 2Mbps, with a 3-5Mbps connection recommended to stream high definition content (particularly to HDTV’s 32in. or larger). Your computer should be 2.0+ pixel shader capable. Wired Ethernet is recommended but WiFi performance is perfectly acceptable.
While the OnLive client is officially only available for PC and Mac, thanks to the efforts of one of OnLive Informer’s community members OnLive can also be used on Linux. An official Linux client is in the works, but for now you can follow the instructions here: OnLive on Linux/Wine
If you own an OnLive MicroConsole you can connect it to any HDTV via HDMI port or use an optional component cable w/adapter. A modified version of OnLive is available for the iPad in the app store, and is coming soon to Android tablets, which will allow you to watch live game play, view Brag Clips, watch trailers, and chat with friends.
You must be 18 or older and have a valid credit card to purchase games on the service.
Price
You can try out OnLive for free, right now. No credit card is required and you won’t receive any OnLive-related advertisements you don’t request. You’ll be able to spectate any game on the service to get a feel for what it looks like and how it responds. In addition you can demo almost any game on the service for up to 30 minutes to get a solid impression of what to expect.
OnLive also provides frequent sales promotions for various games on the service. If there’s a major holiday coming up, you’d better believe OnLive will have a sale. Recently OnLive discounted Batman: Arkham Asylum from $29.99 to just 0.99¢ for 72 hours when they reached 45,000 “Likes” on their Facebook fan page.
Suffice it to say, OnLive and value go hand-in-hand.
Q&A
There have been many questions asked about the OnLive service. It is a new, exciting, and unique service that many gamers are understandably curious about. So we wanted to take a moment to address some of the following questions.
-Is OnLive available outside of America?
Yes! OnLive has announced that it will be launching in the UK on September 22nd, 2011 to coincide with the Eurogamer Expo event. After which Steve Perlman has said he hopes to begin rolling the service out to other countries as quickly as possible.
-Are games stored on my computer or my account?
OnLive games are accessed through your account. The only information stored on your computer is the OnLive application. Once games are purchased or rented, you will find them listed under the “Games” category on the home screen or by clicking the OnLive icon and navigating to Quick Launch.
-Can I play OnLive with my friends on their PC or consoles?
OnLive is set up to connect players with other OnLive players only. This serves multiple purposes. It gives gamers peak performance by keeping the networking in-house, prevents third party cheat bots and mods from affecting an OnLive game, and ensures that all games can be spectated in the OnLive arena.
-Speaking of mods, what about the modding community?
Believe it or not, OnLive has plans in the works to embrace the modding community. Perlman has stated that OnLive will support game mods in the future.
-Can I buy games using a pre-paid credit card?
Absolutely you can. OnLive interprets pre-paid credit cards the same as standard credit cards, and you should have no problem.
-Is it possible to use the OnLive Microconsole with a router?
Yes. Plug one end of your Ethernet cable into the MicroConsole, the other into a numbered port on your router.
-How is OnLive different from services like Gaikai or Happy Cloud?
Right now OnLive is the only Cloud-based provider to stream full version PC games to its users. Gaikai is a demo service which provides limited access to a much smaller catalog of games through your Internet browser. While there are some similarities in the presentation, OnLive has lower bandwidth/hardware requirements, allows users to spectate other gamers, provides demos, and provides rentals along with their continually growing selection of full version games.
Happy Cloud is, contrary to the name, not an entirely Cloud-based solution. They provide limited game play-streaming while the entire file downloads to your computer. After being downloaded to your hard drive, Happy Cloud games are run locally.
Wrapping Up
OnLive is an impressive new force in the gaming world. Its ease of use, overall accessibility and flexibility (taking your entire game library anywhere you have high speed Internet access), and a consistently expanding game selection are very appealing. In addition, the numerous promotions and discounts offered by the company and its publishers allow OnLive users affordable access to great games at prices that are unmatched by local gaming shops. For instance, have you ever purchased Borderlands GOTY edition for $7.50, Batman: Arkham Asylum for .99¢, or received Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood free of charge? OnLive users have).
What OnLive needs most are users viewing and playing their games: They need you, they know it, and they’re not afraid to acknowledge that through their amazing promotions and affordable service.
Considering the price point of getting started with OnLive (free) anyone and everyone should give this service a try. It’s worth it.
Get Started with OnLive Today!
OnLive US Website: http://www.onlive.com/
OnLive UK Website: http://www.onlive.co.uk/
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