By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Machiavellian on 12 August 2014
Edit Thread
Madword said:
Machiavellian said:

One thing this developer states is how they are using the cloud.  If you notice none of it really rely on ms it takes to talk to the server.  All the things listed are global effects which can be process async and not dependent on what the client is current is doing.  I agree if the developers are going to use the cloud for anything reliant on the client performing an action and then processed by the cloud would mean that your connect to the server must have a low ping, low packets (sending binary helps).

On your second paragraph, most of your code you would reuse.  Here is the thing, if you are processing some type of physics operation, the code does not change when run on the server compared locally especially if the CPUs are x86.  Its the same code run server side as its running client side, the difference is your pipeline.  The code that switches between one or the other dependent on whatever triggers used for the switch.  That’s the part that’s a pain in the ass.  Once you write that code then you just write the physics part once and reuse it either server or client side.

 

One way to help with juggling this type of code is the Orleans platform MS created just for this type of scenarios.  MS actually has thought about the complexity of doing cloud based processing and spent 3 years getting that Orleans platform up to make this process much easier.

Making a game is a very complicated process, there are many different features fighting for ms and performance - if a company is making a game, mostly they go for the path of least resistance and the easiest option. Not only is it cheaper, its faster. If a data call suddenly fails, the game would have to react to that very quickly, so you cannot really use this system on something that needs fast response.

It may not be difficult to call the servers, send and receive data, but getting this whole process that it works in a game and then also figuring out how to make it work when the system is offline, its just too much bother for people making single player games. That's the problem. This feature as I said before, it's main benefit is online games, matchmaking etc. I do not expect the majority of games (i.e 99%) to use it in SP games. If that's the case then it's of no benefit to most core content of games.

But we shall see, the proof is in the pudding.

The proof is already out there.  Distributed or as some know it client server technology has been around longer than video games.  There is nothing new here and its not like this type of stuff does not happen every day.  

I do agree that 3rd party developers will always go for least resistance but I am not talking about the now.  Big time developers will improve their engines over time because engine developers do not work on the current engine during game development.  You can also believe that MS will be sending their people to help with integrating cloud tech into current teams engine just like they sent people to Bungie and other developers to help with working with the ESRAM.

You are saying its difficult and I am telling you its not difficult its time consuming.  You keep saying this is only good for online or matchmaking etc but you already have proof from MS own studios as well as others.  Anything new takes time to work into existing projects so yes, we will only see limited uptake in the next few years.  Once the technology is shone to be sound, you can believe more will use it as there will be a lot of avaliable code and MS own library avaliable to push the tech.

In the end I guess we will see how this goes, but in about 3 years who knows if we can have this same discussion.