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[beast786]

Poor Ted price and sunset drive

 

[DerZuhälter]

Forza's drivatar

Lol looks worse than the Quantic demo. What 2 years can do.

 

[RoadHazard]

That has nothing to do with this. Games that rely on "the infinite power of the cloud" would always require a constant internet connection, and they still will. The only change here is that offline games will still work even if you don't connect in 24 hours.

 

[Gamefreaks221]

Cloud based games will probably still require a connection as dictated by the publisher/developer. Microsoft just isn't requiring it anymore. At least that is how I am seeing this.

 

[Ryuuga]

I mean if MS didnt outright lie about this, what about the games deep into development, will they have to be substansially altered?

 

[NullPointer]

Poor Ted price and sunset drive

If the game requires an online connection the game will require an online connection. Nothing's changed.

 

[Chaeotic]

Hmm... The driveatar stuff sounds like... Ghost data? Am I missing something...

Seems as much. Closing down the cloud in a way, has shut one door, and opened many others. Maybe the cloud was just that - the secret sauce you lather over mother's bland potatoes to get it done. Without it, that steak sure is overdone

 

[Protome]

The Xbox One never required an always on connection, nothing will change with games that required the cloud. ie: Very few will use it for relatively meaningless things, like Ghosts in Forza or Dedicated servers like Titanfall (which is cool in general but hardly some groundbreaking cloud technology nonsense)

 

[Jinaar]

The thing about the Cloud (tm) was to leverage the processing power of servers to do advance AI and Drive-A-Tards and who knows maybe ragdoll physics. Now what? You would think that Single and Multiplayer games would use this potential power and if that link is no longer there.... ya the policy would have to be "This game is needs to be always online to be powered by vapour."

 

[Happy-Bunny]

Nothing, because "Cloud" is just a marketing mumbo jumbo!

 

[LyleLanley]

Seems as much. Closing down the cloud in a way, has shut one door, and opened many others. Maybe the cloud was just that - the secret sauce you lather over mother's bland potatoes to get it done. Without it, that steak sure is overdone

Microsoft isn't closing down the cloud.

 

[Phire Phox]

Nothing will change. Xbone could be played offline before the policy changes.

 

[link1201]

"We believe that most people, frankly, are going to continue to take advantage of the connected state and all that comes with it,” he told us, “and that frankly it will be experiences like TitanFall taking unique advantage of the cloud, or Forza and drivatars that people are going to love and they’re going to use. And to take advantage of those features you’ll clearly have to be connected and online, just as if you were streaming video or playing multiplayer or any of the other things that require online. But that’s up to the game experience and sort of how they use those features.”-Marc Whitten

 

[Septimus Prime]

Your Drivatar (god, what a horrible word to type) will be the DUMBEST one ever. Won't even know the difference between the brake and the gas pedal.

That, or it will be the best one ever, with perfect racing lines every time, a la old Ridge Racer AI cars.

 

[d00d3n]

The OT raises an important question based on a hilarious good faith interpretation of the MS marketing BS. Nice work, sir.

 

[StudioTan]

1) Since the online thing was 24-hour check-in, the problem you're proposing is not new. They need to be able to degrade gracefully or disable features to reflect this.

2) Did you read their updated announcement? We already know that Destiny (on all platforms) was always-online even if you were playing single player. MMOs are always online. For games that don't degrade, or for the multiplayer portions of games, they will still require online. Duh.

I'm not sure how people are not understanding these basic concepts. There was never a guarantee for developers that every XB1 would be connected 24/7, just once ever 24 hours.

Respawn are using the cloud for their AI yet people still claim that they and Microsoft are lying? They can do that with Titanfall because it's an online game, similarly any game can require being connected to the internet if cloud features are important.

Also, people are forgetting that the Azure powered cloud means every game will have dedicated servers.

 

[Brokun]

 

[The Gaming Zen]

I'm not sure how people are not understanding these basic concepts. There was never a guarantee for developers that every XB1 would be connected 24/7, just once ever 24 hours.

Respawn are using the cloud for their AI yet people still claim that they and Microsoft are lying? They can do that with Titanfall because it's an online game, similarly any game can require being connected to the internet if cloud features are important.

Also, people are forgetting that the Azure powered cloud means every game will have dedicated servers.

This^^

People just need something to bitch about and make fun of instead of using their brains

 

[Tallshortman]

Titanfall is an online multiplayer game.

It will use the dedicated servers for physics and AI calculations, then transmit that data to the clients.
Nothing is done differently than how dedicated servers function now on PC.

Which has been done on PC's for forever, the point is respawn trying to make it sound like it's practically undoable on other platforms and even putting the quality of the PC version into some doubt iirc.

 

[LyleLanley]

Which has been done on PC's for forever, the point is respawn trying to make it sound like it's practically undoable on other platforms and even putting the quality of the PC version into some doubt iirc.

Obviously it's not undoable on other platforms but I'm sure it's nice being able to use Microsofts servers rather than having to pay for their own.

 

[NervousXtian]

Not sure how the announcement has anything to do with always online games.

Sony will have games that are always online as well. They just were playing the offline PR speak for E3.

The 24hr check is gone, you have to have the disc in to play, you can't share.

That doesn't change games from requiring always online... just consumers will have to read the boxes now to make sure if they require offline play.

 

[StudioTan]

Which has been done on PC's for forever, the point is respawn trying to make it sound like it's practically undoable on other platforms and even putting the quality of the PC version into some doubt iirc.

No, Azure is extremely sophisticated and robust. I believe only Amazon can match MS's cloud service abilities.

 

[FlyFaster]

great Q OP.

This just goes to show the absolute and utter bullshit that MS has been vomiting all over the place since they started talking about clouds and "infinite" power.

George Carlin said it best:

It's all bullshit and it's bad for ya

 

[flyingmonkeywhoa]

Not sure how the announcement has anything to do with always online games.

Sony will have games that are always online as well. They just were playing the offline PR speak for E3.

The 24hr check is gone, you have to have the disc in to play, you can't share.

That doesn't change games from requiring always online... just consumers will have to read the boxes now to make sure if they require offline play.

Microsoft is touting the cloud powered AI stuff. Sony is not. In order to make use of it you need to be connected to the internet obviously (during gameplay) and they've been making a pretty big deal about all their games using cloud computing...

 

[StudioTan]

Microsoft is touting the cloud powered AI stuff. Sony is not. In order to make use of it you need to be connected to the internet obviously (during gameplay) and they've been making a pretty big deal about all their games using cloud computing...

Well, Sony is saying "we can do it to if we need to!" which of course means that they are dirty liars since cloud processing is apparently a myth according to many posters here.

 

[plagiarize]

No, Azure is extremely sophisticated and robust. I believe only Amazon can match MS's cloud service abilities.

Right, but EA can still use Azure for their PS4 servers if they want though, but yeah, obviously getting direct help from MS and presumably free/cheaper rates for the Xbone version is nice.

But running AI of bots on dedicated servers is something that PS3 games have done, as is running dedicated cloud based servers.

As robust? Again, no. But probably robust enough in most cases. Will it be as wide spread? That's unlikely, but predicting the gap is a fools errand right now.

 

[Bornstellar]

Which has been done on PC's for forever, the point is respawn trying to make it sound like it's practically undoable on other platforms and even putting the quality of the PC version into some doubt iirc.

At cost. Microsoft is providing servers for every game as part of the platform. That's huge. The technology is not new, it's the fact that it is immediately available to every XB1 developer, period.

 

[Jondoyle123]

What games are actually going to work offline?

-Dr3
-quantum break
-ryse


Anymore not third party?

Asking from collector's perspective

 

[LyleLanley]

What games are actually going to work offline?

-Dr3
-quantum break
-ryse


Anymore not third party?

Asking from collector's perspective

I don't think we've seen a first party game that actually requires you to be online.

 

[Jondoyle123]

I don't think we've seen a first party game that actually requires you to be online.

Don't forza and insomniacs New game?

 

[plagiarize]

Don't forza and insomniacs New game?

Forza 5 definitely doesn't.

 

[PG2G]

It obviously depends on how the 'cloud' is being used by the specific game. Its kind of like asking what happens to my smartphone apps when I lose signal.

The only games that we have seen that require online are multiplayer.

 

[Striek]

What games requiring the cloud?

I don't think we've seen a first party game that actually requires you to be online.

Yep. I can't think of anything except Destiny and Titanfall, and they are multiplayer only.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Looks like they misread the forecast.

 

[LyleLanley]

Don't forza and insomniacs New game?

Forza 5 uses it for custom AI based on your friends but it'll definitely have generic AI too, I'm not sure about Sunset Overdrive though.

What games requiring the cloud?


Yep. I can't think of anything except Destiny and Titanfall, and they are multiplayer only.

Neither of those are first party games.

 

[RobbieNick]

Why would they have to change the cloud powered games? Do you play an MMO offline? It's the DRM that hurt the most, I don't mind not playing a CERTAIN game for awhile if my internet goes down.

 

[plagiarize]

Forza 5 uses it for custom AI based on your friends but it'll definitely have generic AI too, I'm not sure about Sunset Overdrive though.

Forza 5 only needs periodic connections to the internet to upload and download driver profiles, just to be clear. You do not need to remain online to race against the profiles you already have downloaded to your copy of the game, only to update them and get newer ones.

 

[timmaysmittay]

They'll try to sweep it under the rug since it turns out it's ridiculous for these games to require "cloud" integration to be played anyway and it was always a PR move on their part.

It will be just like it always was, being online will have advantages (drivatars, etc) but will not be necessary.

Cracks me up how much this clashes with their previous statements though, guess this means the people who do have an internet connection will have access to a 40x more powerful system than you poor offline users.

 

[paranoidfortean]

At what point can we just forget the cloud and move on with our lives? MS had to have something to make them seem technologically advanced, let's just forget they said this shit.

 

[halogamer]

So, it's not always-online, but always-online at the same time?

 

[plagiarize]

So, it's not always-online, but always-online at the same time?

it was never always online. however, some games will be. that was the case with the old policies and it will be the case with the new policies. clear?

 

[GuitarAtomik]

I've only read the first page but it's pretty obvious people have no idea what Microsoft is talking about when they mention the "Cloud". I guess that's Microsoft's fault though for hyping it so hard without properly explaining examples.

 

[alphaNoid]

Nothing, because "Cloud" is just a marketing mumbo jumbo!

Its really not, but the average consumer.. or even average computer enthusiast knows VERY little about it. I dont blame people for thinking so.

Go read about Azure and learn something. Infrastructure and Platform as a service is mind boggling technology. Forget SaaS or virtual servers/apps. Complete infrastructure running in the cloud is perhaps something people can't wrap their heads around. When MS says the unlimited power of the cloud, they are being very literal.

 

[Tallshortman]

At cost. Microsoft is providing servers for every game as part of the platform. That's huge. The technology is not new, it's the fact that it is immediately available to every XB1 developer, period.

Which publisher's can provide on other platforms (PC), also it's certainly not inconceivable Sony can do the same with the infrastructure they are doing with Gaikai.

 

[StudioTan]

I've only read the first page but it's pretty obvious people have no idea what Microsoft is talking about when they mention the "Cloud". I guess that's Microsoft's fault though for hyping it so hard without properly explaining examples.

They have given example, but people choose to think they're lying.

They showed a demo at E3 where they Xbox One was able to accurately recreate the trajectories of 40,000 real asteroids in our solar system. When they added computations done from the cloud they were able to display 300,000. Currently some games are calculating AI in the cloud and they've given many other examples like precalculating lighting in a scene or doing physics calculations for foliage and grass. All kinds of stuff that isn't latency sensitive. One example was someone firing a missle at a target like a tower, once the game knows where the missle is going to impact the cloud could be used to calculate the tower destruction and send the data back to the console before it impacts. That kind of stuff.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

They have given example, but people choose to think they're lying.

They showed a demo at E3 where they Xbox One was able to accurately recreate the trajectories of 40,000 real asteroids in our solar system. When they added computations done from the cloud they were able to display 300,000. Currently some games are calculating AI in the cloud and they've given many other examples like precalculating lighting in a scene or doing physics calculations for foliage and grass. All kinds of stuff that isn't latency sensitive. One example was someone firing a missle at a target like a tower, once the game knows where the missle is going to impact the cloud could be used to calculate the tower destruction and send the data back to the console before it impacts. That kind of stuff.

Oh I know. I think they could be doing a better job of getting that info out though like a video with the engineers explaining/showing this off. The only reason I've heard any of these examples is because I've heard second hand reports from people on podcasts who've had it explained to them.

 

[commedieu]

They have given example, but people choose to think they're lying.

They showed a demo at E3 where they Xbox One was able to accurately recreate the trajectories of 40,000 real asteroids in our solar system. When they added computations done from the cloud they were able to display 300,000. Currently some games are calculating AI in the cloud and they've given many other examples like precalculating lighting in a scene or doing physics calculations for foliage and grass. All kinds of stuff that isn't latency sensitive. One example was someone firing a missle at a target like a tower, once the game knows where the missle is going to impact the cloud could be used to calculate the tower destruction and send the data back to the console before it impacts. That kind of stuff.

are you under the impression that titles using the cloud, will look different/perform differently than their offline counterparts? better destruction, better grass, and lighting? the only information from Microsoft you have.

or would offline tower destruction be different?

 

[Jarmel]

1) Since the online thing was 24-hour check-in, the problem you're proposing is not new. They need to be able to degrade gracefully or disable features to reflect this.

2) Did you read their updated announcement? We already know that Destiny (on all platforms) was always-online even if you were playing single player. MMOs are always online. For games that don't degrade, or for the multiplayer portions of games, they will still require online. Duh.

Pretty much. Nothing has changed on this front.

 

[DocSeuss]

The daily check-in was to prevent abuse of the family sharing system and people downloading games on one license to like fifty xboxes so a bunch of people could play. Had nothing to do with games and how they ran.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

They have given example, but people choose to think they're lying.

They showed a demo at E3 where they Xbox One was able to accurately recreate the trajectories of 40,000 real asteroids in our solar system. When they added computations done from the cloud they were able to display 300,000. Currently some games are calculating AI in the cloud and they've given many other examples like precalculating lighting in a scene or doing physics calculations for foliage and grass. All kinds of stuff that isn't latency sensitive. One example was someone firing a missle at a target like a tower, once the game knows where the missle is going to impact the cloud could be used to calculate the tower destruction and send the data back to the console before it impacts. That kind of stuff.

The vast majority of computations done for games are latency-sensitive. And by vast majority, I mean pretty much all of them.

Let's say you wanted to play Civilization V in the cloud. Which you could. But outside of games which are turn-based, the cloud can do fuck-all for the important stuff that game consoles would like to see offloaded from the local CPU.

The other problem is if you do manage do something completely game-essential out in the cloud, if your Internet experiences even a momentary loss of connection, your game goes kaboom. This is completely unacceptable for any single player games, and it would be quite disruptive for conventional multiplayer games. When the MMO's server dies a melt-and-die, no one can log on and play until the server comes back up. Now let's apply that to all games, single or multiplayer. I can't think of a better recipe for the end of the world for gaming than that.