So what can I do with OnLive?

With OnLive you get to play a variety of games on the most basic of computers or even simply on a TV, using a controller of your choice. And all it will really require is a good Internet connection. It sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? That’s what I thought. So I decided to test the system out for myself.

I joined the OnLive service (membership is free) and played via PC first. After a quick program download I signed in. The OnLive system starts up just like you’re accessing a dashboard on a modern day console. Even the introduction is video streaming. A rotating sweeping logo comes in to screen then fades out. Then you’re in to the menu system – a grid-like layout allowing you to browse through games in the marketplace, change your settings and even watch other people’s games currently in progress (this is live streaming after all). A nice feature I instantly noticed was the ability to record clips from your games and publish for all to see, great for a chuckle, especially recordings that point out game flaws such as walking through walls and defying gravity.

A brief look through the marketplace and it’s great to see so many well-known game titles available to play. F.E.A.R 3 and Split Second immediately took my interest. Another great little feature is that most games are available to play for free for 30 minutes a day. The system simply disables any save abilities and brings you back to the dashboard after your 30 minutes are over.

I start playing Split Second, one of my favourite racing games. It was at this point I noticed the screen jolt and stick for a moment or two, then a “network problem” image pops up in the top right. A few seconds later and the blip is gone and everything is back to normal. Was this a sign of things to come?

The game played ALMOST flawlessly. Every few minutes or so the network blip would raise it’s head again. I could put this down to teething problems, and keep my finger’s crossed that the good people at OnLive are working on improving the way in which the system streams back to the user. Another issue I considered was that, while console gamers will be generally impressed by the speed of response from their gamepad, PC users may not be as equally impressed when it comes to first person shooters. The ability to spin around very fast when necessary via the mouse is one of the reasons FPS games do so well on the PC. And running via a streaming system, no matter how fast your Internet connection may be, your controls simply won’t be as quick to respond as you may be used to. Short of restructuring the entire infrastructure of Internet communication (which, impressively, Steve Perlman – OnLive’s founder, is currently working on) this will always be cause for concern.

However, I remain quietly optimistic. And, as I mentioned before, I’m more of a console gamer than a PC gamer, so it was time to try the system out with a gamepad. I got it as a package deal… pre-order Saints Row 3 for £35.99 and get a free console (£6 shipping costs added on top) – although had I known October’s deal would be the same with a preorder of Batman: Arkham City I would have held out….doh!.

Two days later my console arrived. My first impression of it was how nice the packaging was. Solid black box, all accessories neatly packaged in a very ”Apple” kind of way. It really appeals to a modern day gadget lover like myself. The console is no bigger than a mini usb hard drive, but technologically speaking it really packs a punch. There are:

• 2 USB ports (allowing you to wire up the gamepad if you prefer – although it’s bluetooth so there’s no real reason – or to plug in a mouse and/or keyboard)
• HDMI out (yes, with full 1080p support)
• a digital audio out (with 5.1 surround supported)
• an ethernet port

No hard drive is required so it’s nice and light. Basically it’s just a very pretty modem with a video and audio card. However, one downside was that the console doesn’t come with Wireless connection as standard. You can still connect wirelessly, but only via a wireless bridge (so it loses a point in my eyes). The gamepad surprised me the most. I wasn’t lying when I said it rivals the Playstation and Xbox. Dual thumb-sticks, standard main controls, 4 trigger buttons and (this bit’s really nifty) additional keys to control video recordings, allowing you to very easily record, review and upload your video clips. Top that off with the usual rumblepad and menu buttons. Possibly the nicest controller I’ve ever used.

So I plug it in to my tv, boot it up and continue my OnLive journey. As before, the dashboard comes up, and intuitive navigation kicks in, allowing me to navigate around and find my games. This time I load up F.E.A.R 3 (a game I previously purchased and played on the PC version of the OnLive system). Loading the game takes seconds, then it takes me to my last saved point. And away I go. The game plays just as well as before, but 5-6 minutes in I get the same issue I had before…”network problem” for a few seconds, then the game continues. I play the game for 3 hours and this problem only appears perhaps 3 times. So overall it doesn’t bother me. It only serves to persuade me to update my 6mpbs connection.

Why you should consider OnLive

• Free membership (no subscription unless you fancy additional package deals)
• Free to play most games 30 minutes a day
• No need for top of the range graphics and sound card
• No hard drive required
• Multi-platform (including when playing multiplayer online)
• Amazing gamepad that works both with the console and the PC
• The ability to save video clips
• The ability to watch others play games and view trailers for games
• The ability to play multiplayer games
• Console is relatively cheap, very lightweight, and simple to use
• Wireless if required (via bridge)
• HDMI (1080p) support
• 5.1 surround sound support
• A vast amount of well-known games
• The comfort of knowing the hardware and game library will be continually updated automatically
• The ability to customise controls (if using a keyboard)
• Can modify settings to help improve your viewing experience.
• Plus realisation that you are playing with brand new emerging technology.

Sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch?

As great as it is, a fast Internet connection will always be required. OnLive’s biggest problem (and sole reason why the system could fail if not correctly dealt with) is that even with a decent Internet speed you may encounter the occasional second or so network delay, or too many people using the server (leading to a delay when logging in), so finger’s crossed this issue will be corrected.

While the console does provide an HDMI output, due to the streaming process the quality is not true HD because of the need to compress the video. And the slower your Internet speed, the worse the video quality.

The cost of purchasing a game is not much cheaper than purchasing the game from anywhere else (either online or in the shops). This is disappointing, especially due to the above issue (not getting TRUE HD quality). I would have assumed the cost would be slightly less. However, perhaps the price may start to drop if more people adopt the service. What also concerned me was that, of the many of the games I demo’d, most of the ones I wanted to purchase could only be purchased through a £6 a month subscription package deal! And I’ve never appreciated being forced down a subscription route. If I want a particular game I should be able to buy it outright, not spend the rest of my life paying a monthly fee to access it.

The OnLive console can only support a maximum of 2 players and they only provide one gamepad when you buy the console (you can buy another separately). And after researching the multiplayer options in some of the games I spotted you can only play against other OnLive members. But I guess this makes sense, so as not to give any none-streamer the upper hand.

Finally, some of the games in the marketplace appear to be console ports. This is usually fine, however in some games the visual control instructions presents an Xbox or Playstation control system. Or the game may be a PC only game, therefore labelling keys incorrectly (i.e. ‘press the E key to open the door’…when there is no E on the gamepad). There is also the issue of some games (ie. Saints Row 2) being ported in a sloppy manner, causing various bugs to appear (the handling of vehicles in this game is, for the most part, impossible). But that’s more down to the game developers, not the hardware.

Halt, who goes there? Console/PC friend or foe?

So is OnLive really the console and PC gamer killer? I don’t think so, and I don’t think it wants to be either. But it is definitely a game changer, sitting itself quite happily, comfortably and perhaps permanently in-between the hard-core PC gamer, the console lover and those who don’t have hundreds of pounds to spend on either.

Should OnLive solve their little network issues out, streaming gaming has real potential to please all people and end the divide. And in time it’ll even make the tablet owners happy too. Personally I’ll keep on playing via the console rather than the PC, but I can also see myself plugging in my mouse and keyboard, just to get that extra control in some more PC-based games.

Despite my new dependency on constant fast internet access, what pleases me the most is that I no longer have to worry about keeping my hardware completely up to date. But instead I now worry whether or not OnLive can keep their hardware up to date.

When playing with more than 2 people in the room, and with its exclusive titles and REAL high definition I’ll always need my Xbox around, plus it’s nice to physically own a game (a bit like those who still prefer CD’s over MP3′s) . But with OnLive being so cheap, sexy, unique and fun to use I’m proud to add it to my console collection, and I look forward to watching the service expand and improve over the coming months and years.

The future of gaming is here. All hail streaming media. All hail the big fluffy cloud!

by James T

A gaming passion

Being a games developer it comes as no surprise that I’m interested in computer games and gadgets. My obsession started back in the 80′s with a Sinclair +2 Spectrum (yes, I am that old).

As computers developed and graphics started to expand beyond their 16 colour limits I followed the trend with anticipation. First buying a Mega Drive (16 bit colour and stereo sound!), Mega Drive 32x (remember that?!), a Super Nintendo, a Gameboy (less colours than a SNES but my first foray in to the handheld gaming world), a PC, an Xbox (my first console with a built-in 3D card), another PC, a Wii, another PC and finally an Xbox 360. For some reason I never went down the PlayStation route much to the derision of some of my friends. I’m not biased; it was just a personal choice. My friend’s followed similar routes, but as hardware improved over the years I began to see a wedge form between the console and the PC users, and this separation still exists today.

Personally I’ve become more of a console-ist myself, partly due to the fact that I have a laptop (and no external mouse). The idea of resting my computer on my lap all night as it heats up my groin, achingly rotating my finger around the mouse pad and shouting at the screen because it thinks that by pressing the Shift key so often I must want it to start using the disabled features of Windows, doesn’t give me the gaming satisfaction I crave.

Console or PC?

Some console-ists will argue that using a console is more entertaining, offering a better gaming experience and providing a more sociable gaming environment. Others however will point out that the PC will always be the better choice simply because computer games are always demanding more from its hardware and only the PC can evolve with them.

Games companies are continually pushing the boundaries of their game engines, but console systems and PC hardware are finite and limiting in that they can only present to the user whatever their hardware and software can achieve. Sooner or later the dreaded drain on your finances will arrive, leaving you to make that same choice once again – buy the latest console, or upgrade your PC’s hardware. And there’s the rub…the one thing that binds both console and PC users alike. Either way you look at it, sooner or later you’re going to have to shell out for new technology.

This issue hasn’t gone un-noticed, and one company has been quietly working at a solution, one that solves the console/PC issues using other modern day technologies. The result? A cloud-based gaming platform!

Gaming in the Cloud

I first heard about Onlive about 4 years ago. Their chief director was discussing how they had begun developing a system that will allow any user to play a computer game with the best possible graphics and sound, and all they’ll need is a basic PC or, alternatively, purchase the OnLive box. The only requirement was that the user must have a reliable and relatively fast Internet connection. Of course 4 years ago we couldn’t afford the speeds we can get now and had the system been released around 2007 it is safe to say that it simply wouldn’t have worked. Fast-forward to 2011, where an Internet speed of less than 6mbps is laughed at, where cloud-based technology is the new buzz word and where games are more hardware demanding than ever. Onlive couldn’t have picked a better time to launch.

Cloud gaming? Explain yourself!

So what is it, and how exactly does it work? The simplest way to describe it is to imagine having a Skype conversation with your friend and asking them to put a webcam in front of their TV and boot up their console. Once the game loads, start shouting the direction you want your player to move, and your friend will navigate the controls accordingly. Technically you’re not playing the game directly, but you are in total control of it via your friend’s actions.

OK that example’s a little crude but you get the idea. OnLive works in a similar (but obviously more technical) way. You send the movements you want to make down the Internet to the OnLive cloud based servers that are running the game, and they will (virtually) instantly stream back the visual response to that movement. You are remotely playing a game through the Internet. And what’s really great is that you don’t have to worry about how good your graphics card is because you’re effectively watching a video, not rendering a 3D environment on the fly. OnLive have built an incredibly powerful piece of architecture to handle all the hardware and software involved in the game, and all you see is the final result. And as technology improves, so too will their servers.

OnLive is not only available on both a PC and MAC (and soon a tablet version will be released!) but they have also released a small, lightweight console and gamepad. The gamepad rivals both the Xbox and Playstation both in terms of looks and usability. If you went for the console and gamepad it will cost you a measly £70 (but keep an eye for their constant deals. You can pick up a game and console for as little as £35 plus shipping). Simply plug your ethernet cable in (or go wireless via a wifi bridge), and use the HDMI out to plug in to your TV, press the on button and you’re ready to go in less than 3 seconds.

Can a cheap, affordable console that plays all the latest games and never needs upgrading exist? I’m quietly confident, but maybe I’ve just got my head in the clouds….

James T

[In my next post, I shall delve into more detail my experiences' with OnLive - the good, the bad and the cloud]

[image from http://newmediamonthly.co.uk]

As my previous post mentioned, Matmi co-chaired a brand-e.biz event with Microsoft last week. It consisted of a panel of business men, all experts in their fields, in which they gave a brief talk on their given topic followed by a Q and A.

Jeff is no stranger to projecting his voice and speaking to an audience on a subject he is passionate about. He is always happy to share his thoughts on how effective an advergame can be to a brands exposure. So it came as no surprise that he was asked to tackle the topic of Branded Gaming and it’s use in effective marketing. Naturally, the subject of gamification came up.

Jeff Pabst, head of international planning and product management at Microsoft was just one of the Brand-e.biz panellists who mentioned the topic. He told the audience that the term gamification need not even include what is traditionally associated with the idea of gaming. BA offering air miles is an example of gamification (similar to the United Airline campaign offering passenger incentives…the difference being that games were used to pull in the user initially).

Pabst said:

“At its heart, it is simply about keeping the consumer engaged through ever-increasing rewards. To do this effectively, marketers need to know their target audience, and how audience interests change over time.” - Brand-e.biz

Gamification is at the very heart of everything Matmi does and has done (very successfully might I modestly add) for the last ten years. However, as previously stated, it is important not to get too caught up with the ‘game’ terminology.

Gamification does not simply mean making a game and reap the rewards of the masses flocking to your site/brand. Matmi are all too aware of this false perception of ‘if you build a flash game, they will come’ (I think that’s how it went) in relation to building brand awareness. There’s far more to it than that. I think it only fair to leave the last words on the subject to our very own Jeff Coghlan, MD:

“Gamification is everywhere. Nectar cards, Tesco Club Card, LinkedIn profile percentage complete ect. are all forms of gamification. It’s about achievements, getting rewarded for interaction. They are all ways to encourage users to return and engage with the brand. To reach that magical 100% complete or to breach the next barrier for point rewards.”

He went on to say:

“Everybody is a gamer, everyone plays some form of game. So [when it comes to brands getting involved], brands should decide what they’re seeking, what audience. If they’re trying to talk to 18-to-34 year-old males, they should look at Xbox-style(console/pc) games.“ – Jeff Coghlan

‘Gamification’ is becoming the buzz word of the year for web development.

“Gamification is the concept that you can apply the basic elements that make games fun and engaging to things that typically aren’t considered a game. In theory you can apply Game Design to almost anything…
Gamification at its core is about fun, rewards and social connections. It has the opportunity to connect people in ways never seen before.” – Gamification Wiki

There is a new breed of business consultants and businesses. Ones who promise to invigorate stale websites by turning them into video games. Turning visitors into players.

“Bunchball, Badge-ville, and other game consultancies charge clients as much as $10,000 a month to bring game features to their sites. Industry revenues will total $1.6 billion by 2015, up from less than $100 million last year, estimates M2 Research, a gaming and technology researcher based in Encinitas, Calif.” – BusinessWeek

The origins of gamification are pretty obvious from its’ name. Over the past few decades, video game designers have honed the art of making their products addictive. It is by using these gamification techniques that companies are building loyalty for their websites. The gaming based standard bearer of having a leader board are now common place on a lot of websites. The idea being that users are encouraged to compete against one another for points and hence cause them to return to the site on a regular basis.

Not that this is a particularly new concept. We at Matmi know from personal experience how to develop a site using the theory that gamification is an extremely effective ploy to pull in (and keep) users to a site.

The work we did for Vimto took on this method when we created the new Vimto website. The site is created in such a way as to give the user a more interactive experience. The Vimto site used the gamification technique to great effect. The achievement system added an incentive for users to return to the site, which lead to an impressive 35% return rate (if only to full-fill a desire to see more fruit smushed ). The more activities the user completed, the further the Vimto juice bar filled up.

Instead of a boring old static website that simple throws brand information at the users beleaguered eyes, the Vimto site offers mini games, competitions, silly(but fun) little factoids about the fruit characters, videos and more. The site became a more personal experience. A place where a user can spend a few minutes at a time, watching an animated short video, play a quick game and have the chance to win a prize. There are also the now standard social sharing aspects to the site (Facebook, twitter etc..) which helps spread the awareness of the site (and brand) virally.

Matmi’s very own MD, Jeff Coghlan, was at a brand-e.biz event, co-chaired with Microsoft, in which this very topic arose. I shall be discussing this in the next post. For now, I shall sign this post off with a quote I found which I felt had to be shared. It’s from game industry consultant Gabe Zichermann commenting on gamification:

“Had he been alive today, Shakespeare would have written ‘All the world is a game.’

p.s. Click HERE to view a nice and simplified diagram of what gamification is all about.

Apple has announced that downloads from its App Store have now passed ten billion. No, you didn’t just mis-read that. It DOES say 10 BILLION! That’s almost 3 billion more App downloads than there are people currently alive. What an incredible statistic. And they are not done. The company continues to grow, as do their profits.

30% of the revenue made from those 10 Billion apps go directly to Apple. If you add that to all the profits they make from their hardware sales, then you can pretty much say they have an un-limited amount of funds. No wonder they considered buying Facebook.

Here’s some more stats to boggle the mind:

“The iPhone firm revealed that around seven billion of those downloads had occured during the last year – following a record quarter in which Apple claimed $6 billion in profit.

“The ten billionth App was downloaded on Saturday 22 January, with UK citizen Gail Davis from Kent being awarded a $10,000 iTunes gift card for being the downloader in question. Her app of choice was Paper Glider.” (gameindustry.biz)

And this is where we’d like to say a well-deserved “Congratulations mate!” to Oli Christie at Neon Play. Oli – I remember the discussion we had when you were setting Neon up (and I hope some of what I had to say was useful…!) I’m a little green (maybe more than a little…) but it’s great to see your news – I’ll race ya for the 20th billionth download!

Which will probably only take until Christmas…

And well done to Apple too. Love them or hate them, you have to admire their success.

Enjoy, Jeff.