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My computer's not so great and I wanted to see about buying a monthly service to use as a virtual PC for playing games without buying a new rig. Here are the options I found out about. Google Stadia - I can't figure out what it is or what it does from the website. Also somebody told me they suck. No go Amazon AWS workspace thing - priced around $10/mo plus 20c-$2/hr, or higher flat monthly with no hourly: oriented toward office work. Would be okay for gaming if you wanted to pay the higher rates which are simply not worth it. Nvidia Geforce service - not a virtual pc, just a virtual shell for Steam. Does not work with licenses I bought from GOG or elsewhere, does not work with local exes etc. Also does not work with titles I own through Steam, either. So it didn't work at all for me. I'm glad I was able to figure that out without paying. (A pro of this one is they make it very easy to get started for free w/o a credit card or anything so you can figure out if it works for you) Xbox remote play - for tablets and phones, I guess. I didn't look into it cause I want to use PC. Shadow - virtual PC thing marketed for gamers. Available in most US states. Looks like they give you enough computing power. You can use your own games or any program however you like. They go cheap on the storage: only like 250GB unless you pay extra. It's $15 monthly or less yearly. I have a feeling it might be a PITA to get it set up... but I think I might give it a shot. The ease of use probably won't be optimal... I'll have to install an uninstall games on it, do second installs on thing I have already... Steam might not care for me using two computers with my acct, I don't know. But if it works well for me it will be cheaper than buying a gaming computer. Post your opinions on these things
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Jan 4, 2021 23:43
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I used GeForce Now while it was in beta. It was decent. But publishers pulled their support and I doubt the service is worth the sub now. I've ordered a Shadow PC to be activated this month. Being able to install my own poo poo, including old games, mods and demanding software, on the instance is a major draw for me. I'm sure publishers will gut Shadow eventually as well, though. Edit: there's also a service called Paper Space or something you might wanna look into. anatomi fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Jan 4, 2021 |
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Jan 4, 2021 23:52
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anatomi posted:I used GeForce Now while it was in beta. It was decent. But publishers pulled their support and I doubt the service is worth the sub now. Yeah, it was very promising while in beta but there's now a significant hole. It's neat if you play a lot of Ubisoft or Square-Enix games or mid-size indies on Epic and Steam, and that's about it. Games from Capcom, 2K, WB Games, EA and others are not available.
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Jan 5, 2021 00:18
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ErrEff posted:Yeah, it was very promising while in beta but there's now a significant hole. It's neat if you play a lot of Ubisoft or Square-Enix games or mid-size indies on Epic and Steam, and that's about it. Games from Capcom, 2K, WB Games, EA and others are not available. After I couldn't make it work my SO gave me a Steam key for Hitman 2 because it was specifically listed as working on Geforce, and it didn't. Edit: I bought a game recently on GOG because I want to be able to use it any way I want, outside of Steam's ecosystem... and the Geforce thing doesn't let me use my games how I want, it just wants to squeeze me into steam's universe entirely. Mescal fucked around with this message at 00:30 on Jan 5, 2021 |
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Jan 5, 2021 00:28
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Mescal posted:After I couldn't make it work my SO gave me a Steam key for Hitman 2 because it was specifically listed as working on Geforce, and it didn't. Huh, that sucks. Hitman 2 is from WB Games but I thought that after IOI got the publishing rights back, they also got streaming rights and that's why it's listed? And yeah, the only GOG game on there appears to be Cyberpunk.
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Jan 5, 2021 01:11
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Ok so I signed up for Shadow thing. It wasn't super clear about availability until I gave them my credit card... seemed like I could have it immediately, but it looks like they'll have it ready for me by the 21st. If you're in Texas or Chicago you can get it next day, though. I'm impatient but if it works well I'll be happy with it at the price they're offering.
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Jan 5, 2021 01:49
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Yeah, I wonder how long they'll keep that price. I guess they're in whatever phase it is that allows companies to bleed money for years and years before turning a profit.
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Jan 5, 2021 11:42
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I've been having a pretty good experience with GeForce Now for a handful of games (Cyberpunk, Satisfactory, Phoenix Point) but just signed up for Shadow PC since being able to use mods and trainers and edit saves and stuff sounds wonderful and not having such a restrictive library will open up a lot of options  Though the $11.99/month "Shadow Boost" plan has some fairly low-end hardware compared to GeForce Now - hopefully it won't be a problem, but does anyone know what their upgrade pricing is like? They don't list it anywhere on the site. e: I've had zero problems adding supported games to my GeForce Now account whether the games are on Steam, GOG or Epic. Make sure you've gone into the GeForce Now settings and refreshed the game sync for your Steam account if you're not seeing your supported Steam games! deep dish peat moss fucked around with this message at 12:08 on Jan 5, 2021 |
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Jan 5, 2021 11:56
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The copy in this blog post is truly disgusting to read, but here you go: https://shadow.tech/en-gb/blog/news/choose-your-shadow-configuration
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Jan 5, 2021 12:31
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My Shadow Boost activated today. The only game I've tried so far is Control, which doesn't feel too bad even at 40ms. I like the launcher/streamer software. It's very light on bullshit features and detects my Xbox controller just fine. So far I've no complaints about using it as a work computer. Handles Unity, Creative Cloud and Blender fine.
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Jan 12, 2021 14:22
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I also just got access to a Shadow over the last few days and after a bit of hacking on the old chromebook I managed to get the client up and running in Gallium. Having lived the better part of the last two decades at 30FPS I can't really offer much criticism outside of the lack of native chromebook support. For some reason I'm consistently getting a 45ms ping to their data center but ~10ms to everything else. DMC5 is in sale at a price that won't break my heart if the input lag is a huge factor so I'll likely take that for a test drive tonight.
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Jan 14, 2021 20:24
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So far DMCV is running really well, even on my unsupported setup (HP Chromebook 15 w/ GalliumOS). I'm not playing at any high level and I'm awfully rusty with Vergil but so far I haven't noticed any appreciable difference in how the game feels as compared to when I played it on PS4 at release, though I think the real test is going to be getting Royal Guard going with Dante. The very first time I ran the game last night I had a little bit of stutter, I turned on the H.256 streaming option tonight and I had no issues whatsoever. Tomorrow I'll set it back to the standard codec and see if the stutter returns.  For reference I'm about 45 minutes away from their Miami datacenter. Lib and let die fucked around with this message at 06:03 on Jan 15, 2021 |
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Jan 15, 2021 05:50
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Oh Jesus, Shadow doesn't recognize USB devices (my controller) on Windows older than Win10. THEY COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE. It's responding somehow... in shadow, I can scroll on screens with the sticks, but the OS doesn't see the thing.
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Jan 19, 2021 05:14
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Ah, that's a bummer. I haven't used any devices other than my old wireless 360 controllers. For whatever reason, the last couple of days the latency to the AMS server dropped by 5-10 ms. Feels good, man. I filled up the harddrive almost immediately and added another 256gb to my subscription for an extra 3€/month. I imagine they're gonna expand this microtransactional aspect of the service at some point.
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Jan 19, 2021 10:47
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I found a way to make my controller work: if I launch the shadow app through steam it works. That's my pc -> steam -> shadow launcher -> virtual computer -> other copy of steam on that computer -> game ->  Edit: and they seem to have done something to fix it after I talked to their support people? It recognizes my controller now when I launch it normally. Mescal fucked around with this message at 03:00 on Jan 20, 2021 |
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Jan 20, 2021 02:53
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Just figured I'd give an overall update since I started the thread on the topic: Shadow has occasional, rather rare actually, stability problems. I'm not happy that they weren't totally clear on what the compatibility would be. I found a way around them: launch Shadow through Steam for controller compatibility, and restart the stream (not the app or the OS, but the stream) when the audio stops working. The storage, again, is very stingy in my opinion and that's where they'll be getting their "and-a-glass-of-Coke" profits I think. The tech support's attentive when I need them. Generally, it works quite well--better than expected. And I use it for most of my computing now, not just games. If it continues being cheap, I will probably never buy a gaming PC and I'll use this or a similar service. I'd call it a great value on the lowest tier of service, and a not-great value with the extras. I like it. I recommend it if you're on a fully-supported OS and within their good service areas. I'd recommend paying yearly, because at some point or another they'll increase the price, and that way you can bonus time at the current rates.
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Feb 1, 2021 09:27
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Yup, I'm pretty satisfied too. I've had issues once or twice, but restarting the stream fixed them. The only real downside to Shadow, for me, is the 30 minute inactivity time limit. I understand why it's in place, but it's annoying having to babysit the computer. The lowest tier is indeed a good deal. Apparently the Ultra and Infinite tiers, which aren't available in Europe, are severely bottlenecked by lovely CPUs — so if you're a 4K gamer you probably shouldn't bother. It still feels like magic to me, being able to stream a much more powerful PC on my ancient laptop.
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Feb 1, 2021 09:50
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I'm not even on a supported OS (Gallium on chromebook) and my only complaint about Shadow is...Comcast. gently caress a data cap.
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Feb 1, 2021 16:14
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Lib and let die posted:I'm not even on a supported OS (Gallium on chromebook) and my only complaint about Shadow is...Comcast. Comcast bandwidth-shamed me after about a week lol. I assume I'll be fighting with them about it for a while. It's probably advisable to throttle the bandwidth limit all the way down when you install, then increase it until it looks good.
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Feb 1, 2021 21:23
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Is this the new stadia thread? Lol Anyway looks like its going to die soon: https://kotaku.com/google-stadia-shuts-down-internal-studios-changing-bus-1846146761
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Feb 1, 2021 21:27
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The REAL Goobusters posted:Is this the new stadia thread? Lol Stadia failed the "wtf is this and how do I use it" test for me. Not surprised it's shutting down. Shadow is not longterm viable in its current form, but at least they're taking themselves seriously and trying. They have tech support, for example. I'm sure stadia didn't. anatomi posted:The only real downside to Shadow, for me, is the 30 minute inactivity time limit. I understand why it's in place, Me too, and I hope people aren't abusing it yet. When I lock the OS it doesn't ever time out. Try that
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Feb 1, 2021 21:45
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The REAL Goobusters posted:Is this the new stadia thread? Lol Time to pour one out for HA.
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Feb 1, 2021 22:03
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C-Bangin' it 
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The article says that Google are shutting down their internal game studios, not the service. It's just a matter or time of course, but still. I hope the 150 affected devs got decent severance packages. Mescal posted:When I lock the OS it doesn't ever time out. Try that anatomi fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Feb 1, 2021 |
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Feb 1, 2021 22:25
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Lib and let die posted:I'm not even on a supported OS (Gallium on chromebook) and my only complaint about Shadow is...Comcast.
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Feb 1, 2021 22:29
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https://twitter.com/Hummingdragonx/status/1356338174805635077
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Feb 1, 2021 23:11
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lol this company is seriously a bunch of vultures.
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Feb 1, 2021 23:16
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drat two month wait to get shadow in my state
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Feb 2, 2021 18:57
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I waited six months. 
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Feb 2, 2021 19:19
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I was told I had to wait 3 and got mine in 2 in South Florida. I think they overestimate like restaurants do.
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Feb 2, 2021 19:20
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I said come in! posted:lol this company is seriously a bunch of vultures. https://twitter.com/ChambersArt/status/1356510641620733954 https://twitter.com/Lukas_Genever/status/1356548624889577472
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Feb 2, 2021 19:34
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Fwiw I made another game streaming thread a while ago which kinda covers some of the other platforms. https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3940423 I’m not super thrilled with shadow and I feel like GFN offers the best service / price right now. GFN just has a terrible user experience though.
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Feb 4, 2021 20:02
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GFN's problem is that it's a curated selection. IMO they will always be second rate to a full desktop environment with install permissions a la shadow.
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Feb 4, 2021 21:44
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Lib and let die posted:GFN's problem is that it's a curated selection. IMO they will always be second rate to a full desktop environment with install permissions a la shadow. True but shadow is 3x the price and has limited storage.
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Feb 4, 2021 21:46
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MarcusSA posted:True but shadow is 3x the price and has limited storage. I mean, you're getting what you pay for. Of course GFN is cheaper - you simply can't play as many games with it. I can only speak for my own tastes, but I generally only play a handful of games at a time so this isn't really that big a deal for me. I don't need fortnite and among us and skyrim bloated to 3x its usual install size with mods and Microsoft flight simulator and apex and destiny 2 and Monster Hunter world and devil may cry 4 and 5 all installed at the same time.
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Feb 4, 2021 21:51
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I took the Shadow "chromebook" "app" for a test drive yesterday and...wow, what a disappointment. It's not a Chrome-installable app, they just fussed around the edges of the Shadow Android app to make it work "better" on a chromebook. Because it's an Android app, it relies on whatever lovely emulated version of Android is running in chros which has entirely substandard gamepad support - my DS4 is useless save for the cardinal directions on the d-pad - no face buttons, no directional sticks, no shoulder buttons or triggers. ds4drv does fuckall to recognize is in crostini. It worked immediately upon plugging it in when on GalliumOS. Just a real half-baked attempt at native chromebook compatibility. I guess I'm going to spend my morning getting my linux environment up and running again. what a waste of a loving saturday that was.
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Feb 7, 2021 15:42
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Today my computer burned up - thank God for Stadia! posted:To make a long story short, we had a electric error in our house disabling the safety switch for a short while. The result was like putting Thors freaking hammer through our electric equipment and my computer took the biggest hit and literally went up in flames. Hopefully I can save the hard drive.
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Feb 7, 2021 19:22
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Lib and let die posted:I took the Shadow "chromebook" "app" for a test drive yesterday and...wow, what a disappointment. It's not a Chrome-installable app, they just fussed around the edges of the Shadow Android app to make it work "better" on a chromebook. Wow, that sucks. I would send them some feedback telling them how bad it is. Or complain on Twitter or something. I assume Steam works well with chromebook--try what I tried and load the shadow launcher through steam for controller support. IDK what most of the stuff you said means but if the app itself works outside of controller support, if you can get it to launch that way it might work fine.
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Feb 7, 2021 23:41
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Mescal posted:Wow, that sucks. I would send them some feedback telling them how bad it is. Or complain on Twitter or something. I assume Steam works well with chromebook--try what I tried and load the shadow launcher through steam for controller support. IDK what most of the stuff you said means but if the app itself works outside of controller support, if you can get it to launch that way it might work fine. The Linux container that runs on chromebook doesn't have support for sharing gamepads from the main chrome system to the linux container so Steam isn't able to pick up the controller. It's trivial and mostly automated to flash back to a full Linux installation though so I'll probably be back playing dmcv tonight
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Feb 8, 2021 22:11
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In news that should surprise no-one, Shadow are undergoing restructuring and are trying to find a buyer. https://shadow.tech/blog/news/a-new-beginning-in-sight-for-shadow Upgraded tiers are on hold, but as I understand it Boost accounts should roll out as usual. Anybody's guess what's gonna happen long-term. But I doubt the new owners want a business that haemorrhages money.
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Mar 5, 2021 12:12
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Tried Stadia back in November because my aging PC was having frame rate trouble with cutscenes in the latest Destiny 2 expansion. Stadia was horribly laggy and required a separate product key for content I'd already owned elsewhere. GeForce Now was much more responsive and let me play the new expansion. It's a shame Now only supports a few games.
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Mar 5, 2021 12:50
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