GDC: OnLive adding achievements, voice chat

OnLive is planning a few new features to put it closer to other digital distributors, according to the company's panel at GDC....

4

OnLive is planning a few new features to put it closer to other digital distributors, according to the company's panel at GDC. Joystiq reports that vice president of engineering Joe Bentley presented its plans for the coming year.

The cloud gaming service is working to include achievements, voice chat, game invites, and YouTube uploads of Brag Clips. Developers will also be able to support wireless controllers when games are played on mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad, or Android phones.

We're not sure exactly when these features will be included, of course. Bentley mentioned all of these features as targets for this year, though, so we shouldn't have to wait too long to get our meaningless pats on the back -- in the cloud.

Editor-In-Chief
Filed Under
From The Chatty
  • reply
    March 3, 2011 8:00 AM

    Comment on GDC: OnLive adding achievements, voice chat, by Steve Watts.

    • reply
      March 3, 2011 8:16 AM

      I'd like to see onlive and steam work together to bring steams system to mobile devices over the cloud system. I think that would be a powerhouse in moblie gaming.

    • reply
      March 3, 2011 8:18 AM

      Gooo OnLive!

      Seriously, their interface is so slick already, but it's only getting better and better every day.

    • reply
      March 3, 2011 8:31 AM

      FUCKING SWEET!

    • reply
      March 3, 2011 8:34 AM

      Interesting that they're looking at adding achievements. Obviously they have quite a bit of developer support if that's the case?

      • reply
        March 3, 2011 10:49 AM

        Well, most games must have some kind of hooks for achievements in them nowadays if they are released on the PS3, 360 or Steam... (which is almost everything)... so it's probably just a matter of 'translating' that over to a new platform.

      • reply
        March 4, 2011 7:26 AM

        Achievement unlocked: 2FAST2BUY (> 10MBPS)
        Achievement unlocked: Is this real life? (< 20ms of input lag)
        Achievement unlocked: Artifacts Galore (< 1MBPS)
        Achievement unlocked: Wake up Neo (disconnected while beating a boss)

    • reply
      March 3, 2011 4:01 PM

      I tried it and was quickly turned off from the service.. I was wondering how well it's doing? I guess if the sucker enough people for a monthly charge they can stay afloat. Now you see the turnoff of this service, I don't like monthly charges I already do that with my phone. :P

    • reply
      March 3, 2011 7:33 PM

      The problem with these cloud video-streaming gaming services is that they are trying to sell high-end hardcore gaming to a casual audience. Hardcore gamers will not accept the lag and downgraded video quality, and already own a console or PC gaming rig that they will play their games on. Casual gamers are not going to be interested in the hardcore games they are putting on their service, and why pay a premium price for OnLive when casual gamers have all the low-cost PopCap-type games they need on their PC, or their smartphone, or their tablet. The reason for services like OnLive to exist has evaporated over the last 2 years. You don't need to spend $2500 for a high-end PC every few years anymore to keep up with the mainstream of gaming.

      • reply
        March 4, 2011 4:18 AM

        You pretty much summed up the divide between core gamer and the social media gamer. A lot of casual games are being built-in to new internet ready TVs and Bluray players now and more expected to show up eventually. I think in some ways your right onLive will have to compete in some areas with that.


        In addition to what you mentioned which is pretty accurate you also forgot about the fact that the games on the service have a built in expiration date. If you think about it would achievements really mean anything on a cloud based service if the games no longer exist on it.

Hello, Meet Lola