Google Stadia - Streaming Platform - Pro 2019 | Basic 2020 | Graveyard 2023

[6souls]

Pretty good discussion on the platform.

[6souls]

The conference w/o the filler;

[6souls]

https://store.google.com/magazine/stadia

Doing the Konami code on this site brings up a 3D model of the controller.

[Moridam]

hell yeah baby onlive but backed by unlimited capital lets force this awful idea to finally take off

[Bombur]

It will likely have a rough start because the intentionally sad state of ISPs (especially in America) isn't ready for cloud gaming. But if there's a company that can kick all of the ISPs into stepping up their service, it's Google.

[Cantih]

I dunno, considering ISP fuckery stopped Google Fiber in it's tracks.

[6souls]

In turn Google also changed strategies by focusing on antenna-based internet. While it is slower than fiber (500MBs vs 1GBs), it still provides a much faster service than most providers and doesn't require the installation of new infrastructure.

https://www.lifewire.com/google-fiber-4157590
https://webpass.net/about_us

[6souls]

GI asked Playstation's Shuhei Yoshida, who was at the keynote, if he was worried to which Yoshida replied "It will take some time, right?"

[Tokitoki]

So what I'm hearing the concerns are:

1. Individual ISPs - Not everyone has access to good ISPs or internet speeds. This will severely limit playability for these consumers.
2. Infrastructure - In order to get low latency cloud gaming you'll need fiber or comparable from consumer to server, but that's not possible unless all ISPs rip out their existing lines that include sections of coaxial from the 90s and replace with new fiber.
3. Latency - As stated above, you have about double the latency of a console with 60 fps. This could be okay for single player games, but anything PVP related will put you at a disadvantage compared to someone who has the hardware. Fight games and FPS are likely out completely.
4. Payment model - How will they sell these games? Do you need to buy each game or is it a subscription service. Onlive was a similar service and everyone who bought games from them are now out that money.
5. Throttling - This is going to use more bandwidth than services like Netflix, Hulu, etc. Now that net neutrality is fucked, and there was already the threat of throttling these services or charging more, what would happen with a service like this?

[Salodin]

As far as infrastructure and ISPs, that's not as big a problem as you think. Google already has data nodes everywhere, how do you think they get you search results in milliseconds? Latency won't be an issue for anything that isn't relying on frame by frame data which no game really does except for offline fighting games. The hardware they have is powerful and super scalable, and they're constantly adding to their network and expanding it.

My only concern is data caps, but Google is that one nigga that is large enough to maybe keep ISPs from freaking out. 5g is a thing and will work wonderfully with this, and Google is creating their own landline/wireless internet so they're not oblivious to this problem either.

This is the future boys. Try not to act like old grandpas as the future of tech gets released.

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[Tokitoki]

Google may have data nodes everywhere, but they use infrastructure that is old. I don't think getting us search results in milliseconds is comparable to giving us low latency video game streaming. Having powerful hardware is great, and it's definitely a selling point, but it won't do much good if you aren't able to have a smooth gaming experience because of input lag or stuttering.

I'm all for this going well. If I can buy a controller and pay for a subscription service it'll only benefit me in the long run. I don't have the money to invest in a new PC every few years, despite me trying, especially with a new little one. I'll reserve my praise until we have some more first hand experience from an "average consumer" situation. By that I mean someone on like 100/20 internet, maybe cable, playing from a fair distance from the main server hub.

[Tokitoki]

Double?

Sent me into advanced post reply, but already posted? No idea.

[D44kpunk]

comparing search results to this, lul

[Serra]

You can say that Google is big enough to fight issues like throttling and data caps, but I'll believe it when I see it. They couldn't win the fight against net neutrality 'reform', so I don't see how they win now that the laws are not in their favor. If I'm not mistaken, some of the protections that were eliminated were the ones that prevented ISPs from throttling streaming video content, so it seems overly hopeful to not expect the same thing to happen to game streaming.

Also, I was under the impression that Google wasn't expanding their fiber networks at the moment..

[Tokitoki]

You can say that Google is big enough to fight issues like throttling and data caps, but I'll believe it when I see it. They couldn't win the fight against net neutrality 'reform', so I don't see how they win now that the laws are not in their favor. If I'm not mistaken, some of the protections that were eliminated were the ones that prevented ISPs from throttling streaming video content, so it seems overly hopeful to not expect the same thing to happen to game streaming.

Also, I was under the impression that Google wasn't expanding their fiber networks at the moment..

Agreed. Regarding Google Fiber, 6souls just posted about that above.

In turn Google also changed strategies by focusing on antenna-based internet. While it is slower than fiber (500MBs vs 1GBs), it still provides a much faster service than most providers and doesn't require the installation of new infrastructure.

https://www.lifewire.com/google-fiber-4157590
https://webpass.net/about_us

[Botosi]

On the whole throttling issue;

If this did take off and got popular I would see it as an opportunity for ISPs to start throttling more than ever.. "Oh you want your video games at a decent speed every month? Extra $20 or fuck off" or "Our costs have gone up so your bill increased another $20/month, you can go fuck yourself now".

[Salodin]

Yeah, but then they'd have to fight Google. Google is one of the largest corporations on the planet. They have agency here lol.

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[Cantih]

Except they fought Google and won before.
6souls said Google aquired webpass, but they have not appreciably expanded since then.

The only real Google Fiber news since 2017, is that they're abandoning Louisville.

[Salodin]

I can't wait for a year from now when all you grandpas have gotten over your fears of 56k lag and are playing the new AAA on the go like a better version of the Switch.

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[Tokitoki]

Just the mention of 56k reminds me of the terrible grating noise the modems conjured. Thank you for that.