OnLive is hoping to rekindle its short-lived status as a tech novelty and halt the slow march to irrelevance apparent in the company since its restructuring last year with a patch that allows the service to take advantage of up to 12 Mbps of bandwidth. The PC-only update (for now) dramatically improves the image quality of streamed games, but final results are mixed.
OnLive has also implemented new latency controls, allowing players to sacrifice image quality for a more responsive experience. Eurogamer reviewers ultimately found it wasn’t worth the graphical hit, however. The extra bandwidth is apparently a boon for OnLive’s service, but it also serves to highlight the low to mid-tier performance of PCs running games on the other end, not to mention the game catalogue is in dire need of a refresh.
Enhanced Bandwidth and Image Quality
The introduction of the 12 Mbps bandwidth capability is a significant step forward for OnLive. This enhancement means that users with high-speed internet connections can now enjoy a much clearer and more detailed visual experience. The increased bandwidth allows for higher resolution streaming, which is crucial for modern games that rely heavily on detailed graphics and visual effects. However, the improvement in image quality is not without its caveats. While the visuals are sharper, the overall performance can still be bottlenecked by the hardware limitations of the PCs running the games on the server side. This means that even with better bandwidth, the experience may not be as seamless as playing on a high-end gaming rig.
Latency Controls and User Experience
One of the most notable features of the new update is the introduction of latency controls. This feature allows users to adjust the balance between image quality and responsiveness. In theory, this should enable players to customize their experience based on their preferences and the capabilities of their internet connection. For instance, competitive gamers who prioritize quick response times can lower the image quality to reduce latency, while casual gamers might opt for higher image quality at the expense of some responsiveness. However, Eurogamer’s reviewers found that the trade-off often wasn’t worth it, as the reduction in image quality could be quite noticeable and detract from the overall gaming experience.
Despite these advancements, OnLive faces several challenges. The service’s game catalogue is outdated, and many of the titles available are not the latest or most popular games. This is a significant drawback, as gamers are always looking for the newest and most exciting titles. Additionally, the performance of the PCs running the games on the server side is another limiting factor. Even with improved bandwidth and latency controls, the experience can still fall short if the server-side hardware is not up to par.
To truly compete in the current gaming landscape, OnLive will need to address these issues. Updating the game catalogue with newer titles and ensuring that the server-side hardware is capable of delivering a high-quality experience are essential steps. Moreover, expanding the service beyond PC to include other platforms could also help attract a broader audience.
In conclusion, while the new update brings some much-needed improvements to OnLive, there is still a long way to go. The enhanced bandwidth and latency controls are steps in the right direction, but the service’s outdated game catalogue and server-side performance issues remain significant hurdles. For OnLive to regain its status as a leading game streaming service, it will need to continue innovating and addressing these challenges.
Source Eurogamer
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