Google: Project Stadia

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Beany
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Google: Project Stadia

Post by Beany »

This is...interesting at worst.

Linux + AMD + Vulkan backend

Cloud compute for CPU+GPU
up to 4K60 display if you have the bandwidth,
Understood to render 4k60 native for streams, so 1080p60 streams would look nice and sharp
Latency? around 160-190ms, or 'a bit more than an X1 Pro on a normal telly'. IE not as bad as you'd think.

Controllers have their own route to the host game instance, not another hop via your Chromecast or Chrome Browser.



Very much worth keeping an eye on, because if Valve couldn't get proper, low level, deep support for Linux gaming (although it's input, and metrics, didn't hurt at all) then can Google?

If this takes off, I can see it being a handy 'try before you buy' for those with decent PCs/current consoles at the high end, and a regular 'piss about for 45mins before going to bed after the pub' thing for normies.

Be curious to see where this goes.
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Matty
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Matty »

I don't see the point. Renting a PC for £30+ a month, with the bonus of latency on top?
Alternatively, I can buy a top-end gaming PC for £1000, that has no* latency, is owned by me, and works even when the internet doesn't. Also, after 3 years, I still own it.

It's not new tech, there are companies in the UK who can offer this now (and works relatively well) but the reason it's not taken off is because it offers no real benefits. Who is this aimed at?
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Beany
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Beany »

Matty wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:00 pm Alternatively, I can buy a top-end gaming PC for £1000
Not one that does 4K60 on AAA games - allegedly, etc.
and works even when the internet doesn't.
Depends on the game....

I guess it's aimed at Filthy Casuals - which I'll class myself as. I do game, but I'm fucked if I'm dropping £250 on a console these days when that could get me things I consider more interesting (exhausts, power tools, etc), given that a lot of games are basically lootbox central, play to win or you have to drop £100+ to get most of the actual content. If I can play a dozen hours of Assetta Corsa* and a Dozen hours of Doom Eternal for near zero initial outlay and £30/month, I might be tempted.

But that is a big might, highly dependant on the actual experiance.

Obviously this is all dependant on publisher support - as I say, Valve couldn't get *serious* support for AAA games, and they're....they're fucking Valve. If Googles offering isn't Good Enough, then I suspect it'll go the same way. I expect this is worth paying more attention to that Valves effort though. Valve are big, but they aren't Google big....

I'll take your point on latency, but given that most people are happy with 160-dd ms of latency on an XB1, are most filthy casuals going to notice 190ms? Perhaps that'll be the kicker. Perhaps it'll be just too much?

Perhaps it's all bollocks. Still, it's interesting, and I like interesting.
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Beany
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Beany »

FWIW a very real reason I've not upgraded my GPU to something that can natively handle Vulkan on Linux is because the crypto-shits have fucked GPU prices.

Throw me a good enough streaming service, with good enough latency, that I can dip in and dip out of on a month on month basis...

Well, fuck the crypto-cunts. Saves me a lot of faffing so I can finally play Doom 2016.

Yeah, I'm a weird edge case, like a proper 0.001% edge case :lol:
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Mito Man
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Mito Man »

£30 a month. Haha. I expect it to be as successful as google+
How about not having a sig at all?
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Beany
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Beany »

Mito Man wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2019 10:33 pm £30 a month. Haha. I expect it to be as successful as google+
To be clear, no-one I've seen has mentioned a price, or even a pricing model, yet.
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Matty
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Matty »

So I can buy an XBox One X for £300 - outright, owned, to play offline (mostly) when I want at 4k.....or I can rent something for £360 a year? Why? And if you're PC gaming, £360 buys you a damn good graphics card, one that will last 2-3 years at least...maybe not 4k, but 1440P with ease.

As you say, maybe people will use it to dabble in gaming. Why spend £500, when you can pay £30 here and there - for the convenience. But unless you're a very, very occasional gamer, its a very expensive way of going about it.

I still think this tech being valid is a long way off - and the latency on the system wouldn't be ideal for anything needing twitch-based input.
Beany wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2019 10:50 pm
Mito Man wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2019 10:33 pm £30 a month. Haha. I expect it to be as successful as google+
To be clear, no-one I've seen has mentioned a price, or even a pricing model, yet.
This is true, I'm estimating based on:
1. There are services like this that already exist, and cost about £30-40 a month.
2. Hosting a cheap Linux box (as I do) is about £20 a month, dedicated.
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Richard
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Richard »

It’s not going to be immediately mainstream. But that’s ok. The first year or so will basically be a massive beta test

Renting rather than buying stuff is getting more and more popular. Looks at Spotify. They charge £10 a month to listen to music you probably already own, and then some new stuff too. You could put that £10 a month towards buying new music and actually own it. But Spotify is popular. See also Now TV, or Netflix etc etc

Lots of people have (this purely theoretical) £30 a month, but might not have £1000 to buy a new good gaming PC.

Here’s my problem though, I think the latency will be too annoying for me. I could be wrong. But, I have to put my TV into gaming mode, to play games, because my TV input latency is already annoying enough. Maybe others won’t notice. But I expect they will.

Looks like you’ll need a 25mb/s connection to play. Lot of people won’t have that sort of speed available all the time. Especially families where a 36 or 72mb/s line is being shared by multiple people.

I’m interested to see how it all works, but I’m very hesitant
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Rich B
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Rich B »

Renting stuff is a good model these days, but it’ll always be on a contract. Companies don’t want you dipping in and out.

As for the actual thing - surely it’s only as good as the games that support it.
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Richard
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Richard »

Rich B wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:06 pm Renting stuff is a good model these days, but it’ll always be on a contract. Companies don’t want you dipping in and out.
Tell that to Spotify, Netflix, Now TV, Blue Apron, Porsche, Etc
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Rich B
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Rich B »

Richard wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 3:49 pm
Rich B wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:06 pm Renting stuff is a good model these days, but it’ll always be on a contract. Companies don’t want you dipping in and out.
Tell that to Spotify, Netflix, Now TV, Blue Apron, Porsche, Etc
all of those try to get you into a monthly subscription.
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Richard
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Richard »

Yes, monthly. Single monthly.

Cancel when you like
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Rich B
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Rich B »

Richard wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:23 pm Yes, monthly. Single monthly.

Cancel when you like
Fair enough. They do go the softly softly route rather than a full on 12 months. whats the Porsche one you refer to?
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mik
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by mik »

You pay Porsche £5k every month for a new alu strut tower.
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Matty
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Matty »

The other issue is that both Sony and Microsoft have their own models in the pipeline too - so I can imagine it'll be looking like Google = PC games, and the consoles offering their respective titles.

There are rumours they may try to make it free, subsidised with adverts....

Alternatively it could be another Google+, Google Glass, Google Fiber.... ;)
RobYob
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by RobYob »

Going to be interesting how agressively priced this is going to be. Google could smash new console sales if it was £10/month.

Sales conversation goes like this.

"Mum I wanna play Fornite/ApexLeg/Warframe/CODreremastered/Bejewelled like I can at Billy's house"
"How much will that cost?"
"Only a tenner a month, I could pay with my pocket money and I promise I'll mow the cat every weekend"

Data mining exec's would be positively lubricant at the thought of access to all those consumers...
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Richard
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Richard »

Rich B wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:28 pm
Richard wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:23 pm Yes, monthly. Single monthly.

Cancel when you like
Fair enough. They do go the softly softly route rather than a full on 12 months. whats the Porsche one you refer to?
“Porsche Passport”

It’s US only, and only come cities

You pay a monthly fee, with a couple of different tiers.

Then you can select any car in your tier, and swap it as often as you like. Maybe you want a Macan for usual day to day stuff, but then you fancy something more fun for the weekend? Porsche come to your house, collect one car and deliver another. You can swap cars as often as you like too

It’s not cheap...

Tier 1 - $2000 per month
Boxster S
Cayman S
Macan S
Cayenne S

Tier 2 - €3000 per month
As above, plus
911 Carerra S
911 Carerra S Cab
Panamera S
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Mito Man
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by Mito Man »

Wow I know this all depends on how you like to spend your money and all that but I can’t imagine using one of these Porsche style rental schemes. I reckon they’re aimed at your average middle class punter because a wealthy person would just buy what they want. So middle class punter sees that $3000 a month ain’t bad and it’s the only way they can drive a range of cars from their dream brand so keeps paying for it. After 10 years they’ve spent $360k and still own fuck all. Mind blown.
How about not having a sig at all?
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integrale_evo
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by integrale_evo »

Richard wrote: Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:56 pm
Looks like you’ll need a 25mb/s connection to play. Lot of people won’t have that sort of speed available all the time. Especially families where a 36 or 72mb/s line is being shared by multiple people.

I’m interested to see how it all works, but I’m very hesitant
I know I'm fairly out of touch living in east anglia, but how much of the country, outside big cities has a stable, constant 25mb/s line? Never mind that sort of bandwidth for just one device while other people in the house Facebook, Spotify and Netflix while you're trying to play a game?
Cheers, Harry
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ZedLeg
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Re: Google: Project Stadia

Post by ZedLeg »

Streaming is going to be the future for gaming, the same as it is for all other entertainment media. I'm curious as to why Google think now is the time, I can't imagine a lot of place have the broadband infrastructure to support it.

I could see me switching if it works and there's a monthly subscription service. I'm not fussed about owning a bunch of hardware and you don't actually own games you buy anyway.
An absolute unit
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