Turns Out Microsoft’s Cloud Can Be Useful For Gaming

Since it was first mentioned, the potential for using the Azure cloud servers to back up the processing power of the Xbox One and improve the games on the system has become more a running joke than a selling point. Early mentions of what it could add were rather wishy-washy and light on details, so it was only once we saw Titanfall bringing on-the-fly dedicated servers and controlling the AI grunts within the levels that we got an inkling of what it could add to games.

While the usage of the cloud was more for infrastructure and flexibility on Titanfall, a new tech demo from Microsoft’s Build developer conference shows that it could actually add to a single player experience too:

There are several caveats to this demo, starting with the relatively minor point that this is running on two PCs, rather than Xbox Ones, and the cloud connected PC surely has an idealised internet connection to the server. We also do not know if the code running locally on the PC was being optimised to run the complex physics simulation using the GPU or CPU, with the former much more capable for these sorts of calculations.

However, it is still an impressive example of the ability to offload certain intensive calculations to remote servers in real time, which would free up local resources for other aspects of the game. As long as it’s being used to enhance connected consoles and doesn’t detract from the overall game when not connected to the internet, this can only really be a good thing, and one which will be fascinating to see evolve as developers get to grips with what is possible.

Source: Kotaku via VG247

27 Comments

  1. I’m still going Waaaat????? after reading how a 5 year old boy apparently logged into his Dad’s XBL account simply by pressing the spacebar till the login characters were all ‘filled’ with empty spaces on the 2nd attempt log in screen, to really buy into MS claims about the bloody cloud.

    Everytime i turn 360 on, MS seem to want 3 Billion different email accounts to make my account more secure…..maybe fix the basics, then try selling me on The Cloud.

    Anywho..so this tech demo, running on…say what now? basically not on Xbox One in actual honest to god gaming conditions i could expect to find at home?

    Pop Quiz..name the last tech demo that was used to enhance a game? i still recal Red Faction tech being demoed and geo-mod or whatever B.S trademark they threw at it would turn FPS genre on it’s head, no need to spend ages looking for a key or pass card, blow the wall out….why bother battling that heavy weapons platform, just divert the lava flow and let it destroy the bridge struts….

    Welcome to the modern era where tech demo’s replace Snake Oil and Magic Beans….

    Yes it has potential as did 3D, Motion Control, touch screen, dual screen, VR, Dolby 5.1, but unless that potential is tapped into and really used to enhance a game, it’s just more smoke and mirrors B.S and when it fails, you’ll get a P.R statement saying gamer was’nt ready for it….

    Cloud’s going to allow for OMG type physics calculations is it? right i’ll file that alongside claims PS2 will allow for real emotions in games and could be used for nuclear missile guidance systems/number crunching to give facist enemy state of the day, THE BOMB…….

    Hardware people, please, stop with all the carrot dangling claims…if this sh*t is going to enhance games, show us it in actual bloody games, you know, roll it out on day 1, still waiting to see Kinect really make a game ‘better with Kinect….’ i really don’t need 2014’s slogan to be ‘Better with the cloud’.

  2. I don’t think you guys realise what a milestone this could be for the Xbone. If they manage to utilise & harness the power of cloud to its full potential, the Xbone could be running games like Mercenery Kings or Don’t Starve in under 2 years!!!

    • Steady on there! I think Xbone will require more than the “cloud” to run Don’t Starve at a decent frame rate ;o)

  3. Thing is though Double-O-Dave, you yourself have said could be running and if they…..

    As it stands it;’s nothing more than a tech.demo and not even using the Xbox One per say.So until MS showcase some honest to god games using the potential and actually running on Xbox One…

    I’ve no idea what the 2 games you mention are, but what advantages would the cloud bring?

    • It was a joke. Look up the fabulous Mercenery Kings & you’ll get my point :)

Comments are now closed for this post.