OnLive Microconsole and Metro 2033 Free with Homefront pre-order

[Queasy]

The Microconsole is normally $99 so this is a good deal if you're at all interested in trying out OnLive. I would suggest at least a 6mpbs download speed though.

http://blog.onlive.com/2011/02/25/pre-order-homefront-now/

We’re pleased to announce that Homefront will be instantly available to OnLive members on March 15 at midnight. And, when it does, we want you to be able to pick up a controller and soak in the epic, war-torn landscape of Homefront in your living room on your HDTV… so we’re giving you an OnLive Game System for FREE (while supplies last).
Here’s what we’ll do when you pre-order Homefront on the OnLive Game Service:

• We’ll immediately send you a Full PlayPass for instant access to Metro 2033 to hone your shooting skills.
• Then the day Homefront launches, you’ll be able to get an OnLive Game System for just the cost of taxes and shipping so that you can start honing your skills on the big screen in the living room. Yep, a $99 value for FREE.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Will I need a Killer NIC to experience the full glory of OnLive? Along with Monster HDMI cables?

 

[Soundmanred]

Will I need a Killer NIC to experience the full glory of OnLive? Along with Monster HDMI cables?

Why would you need any kind of NIC with a Microconsole?

 

[mleejr]

I just ordered. Good price. I have only done the trials of onlive so far but it works well. I want the homefront game and with the full playpass and the hardware, for me, this was a no brainer. Good deal. Thank you!

 

[dmoney1980]

If I didn't have a ps3 and xbox, I would pick this up in a blink. Great deal!

 

[mleejr]

Did anyone get any sort of email or notification of the actual console? I got a 'thank you for your homefront' type purchase but no information about if/when it will ship, etc. I'm not sure if they even have my address. They didn't ask for it. It is disconcerting. Very bad marketing campaign....very confusing.

 

[SEAL62505]

Has anyone used one of these devices? How does it stack up?

 

[Kaido]

Has anyone used one of these devices? How does it stack up?

I borrowed my friend's for a few days. It works surprisingly well. The controller is very similar to an Xbox 360 wireless controller, although much lighter. It's sort of like playing a game through Remote Desktop - there is compression, but if you sit at a reasonable distance away from your TV, you don't notice it too much. There is lag, but it's pretty close to the normal lag you feel when you play online games. For some reason, the computer client I tried had more lag than the console did - the console was much quicker over the same connection for me. My buddy didn't see a difference on his connection (between the desktop version & the console version).

I can see this getting really big - playing high-end games like Crysis on your Android or iPhone and stuff. HTC just dumped like $40 million into Onlive, so it seems like they have a pretty good future since the product is already 99% there:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/htc-to-invest-40-million-into-onlive-to-help-with-games-on-smar/

 

[gorcorps]

I borrowed my friend's for a few days. It works surprisingly well. The controller is very similar to an Xbox 360 wireless controller, although much lighter. It's sort of like playing a game through Remote Desktop - there is compression, but if you sit at a reasonable distance away from your TV, you don't notice it too much. There is lag, but it's pretty close to the normal lag you feel when you play online games. For some reason, the computer client I tried had more lag than the console did - the console was much quicker over the same connection for me. My buddy didn't see a difference on his connection (between the desktop version & the console version).

I can see this getting really big - playing high-end games like Crysis on your Android or iPhone and stuff. HTC just dumped like $40 million into Onlive, so it seems like they have a pretty good future since the product is already 99% there:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/htc-to-invest-40-million-into-onlive-to-help-with-games-on-smar/

Good to hear the console may be more responsive than the PC client. I tried a few demos on the PC and there was just enough lag to cause quite a bit of frustration, even in slower games. That was a while ago though.

 

[Kaido]

Good to hear the console may be more responsive than the PC client. I tried a few demos on the PC and there was just enough lag to cause quite a bit of frustration, even in slower games. That was a while ago though.

Yeah, I tried it on my Mac and on the console. The Mac had like a full second of delay, whereas the console only had a split second - something you could get used to. My buddy tried both as well and said he didn't have a lag problem with either (west coast) - I dunno if the servers are closer to him or what.

Vizio is also adopting OnLive as part of their built-in suite of web apps on their new flatscreen TV's. So between Onlive, Vizio, and HTC (plus $40 million invested), I think it's going to steadily grow into something really nice. Just like Netflix - it's available, it's cheap, has a decent selection, and it works.

 

[mleejr]

Did anyone get any sort of email or notification of the actual console? I got a 'thank you for your homefront' type purchase but no information about if/when it will ship, etc. I'm not sure if they even have my address. They didn't ask for it. It is disconcerting. Very bad marketing campaign....very confusing.

They are going to send me some promo code when homefront comes out!? What?! Why not send it now so I can have the console by the time the game comes out or at least a few weeks jump start on getting it!

 

[JSt0rm]

They are going to send me some promo code when homefront comes out!? What?! Why not send it now so I can have the console by the time the game comes out or at least a few weeks jump start on getting it!

So you dont cancel your preorder? I talked to them on sunday and the guy said they had plenty of consoles left and if they were gone they would tell everyone.

I jumped on this myself as I dont have a console in the living room and it will be fun to play some simple games there.

 

[mleejr]

So you dont cancel your preorder? I talked to them on sunday and the guy said they had plenty of consoles left and if they were gone they would tell everyone.

I jumped on this myself as I dont have a console in the living room and it will be fun to play some simple games there.

I think it's for everyone.
This is the email I received;

"You will also receive a free OnLive Game System promo code. A promo code for the free OnLive Game System will be delivered to you on the day Homefront is released on OnLive. Shipping, handling and tax are not included. Additional terms and conditions apply. For details, please visit: http://www.onlive.com/go/homefront."

 

[SEAL62505]

With multiplayer games - do you only play againt other onlive users? For example with homefront... not sure how many people play multiplayer on onlive compared to the other systems.

 

[JSt0rm]

With multiplayer games - do you only play againt other onlive users? For example with homefront... not sure how many people play multiplayer on onlive compared to the other systems.

Ithink you play with everyone who has the pc version

 

[SEAL62505]

Ithink you play with everyone who has the pc version

Can anyone confirm this? If so, I just might have to get one of these!

 

[mleejr]

Can anyone confirm this? If so, I just might have to get one of these!

Yes. Its just a PC render farm with video streaming to your pc.

I dont know how good this will be against PC users. I like my onlive for what it is, but the lag will destroy you in a real twitchy FPS like counter strike, etc.

 

[SEAL62505]

Yes. Its just a PC render farm with video streaming to your pc.

I dont know how good this will be against PC users. I like my onlive for what it is, but the lag will destroy you in a real twitchy FPS like counter strike, etc.

Awesome - Thank you all for the feedback!

 

[mleejr]

They are going to send me some promo code when homefront comes out!? What?! Why not send it now so I can have the console by the time the game comes out or at least a few weeks jump start on getting it!

Homefront is out. I could play it at 12:01 as of last night. I got the promo code this morning at 3:50. Just ordered it. We'll see. I've been wanting this thing when I saw it at like E3, GDC or one of them a few years ago. I have steam and love the idea. It is too laggy for online, multiplayer shooters though. I finished metro 2033 so shooters are ok single player but I wouldn't want to do it online with this thing. Stuff like world of goo and lego batman are probably ok. Metro 2033, a shooter, single player were fine. Pretty good actually considering what they are doing.

 

[hc2]

On the second podcast back, Ryan at PC Perspective was doing a review of the OnLive console. His take was that it was well crafted.
He said you get used to the little bit of lag in RPG and strategy games. But he said he was constantly missing head shots in FPS due to the bullet going where the head had been instead of where it is due to the lag.
No way to overcome the lag unless you can weed out some of the relay servers between you and the source. Hopefully OnLive can have regional server farms one day.