Founded by noted technology entrepreneur Steve Perlman (WebTV, QuickTime) and incubated within the Rearden media and technology incubator, OnLive spent seven years in stealth development before officially unveiling in March 2009.

OnLive, together with its Mova subsidiary, lies directly at the nexus of several key trends, all of which are reshaping the way we think about and use digital media:

• The shift to cloud computing, displacing the limitations, cost and complexity of local computing;
• An explosion of consumer broadband connectivity, bringing fast bandwidth to the home;
• Unprecedented innovation, creativity and expansion within the video game market.

Pioneering the delivery of rich interactive media to the home, OnLive will change the way that entertainment applications are created, delivered and consumed.

On Beta

Currently Onlive.com is in beta, To sign up you need to be at least 18, based in the US and have a broadband-connected PC running Windows Vista®/XP®, or an Intel®-based Mac. Sign up for beta

In the News

• Few startups have a chance to revolutionize an industry. But if entrepreneur Steve Perlman’s OnLive lives up to its goals, the company will disrupt the entire video game industry — to the delight of both game publishers and gamers. – venturebeat
• The founder of a new service that plans to stream on-demand video games over the internet says he feels like he has a big target on his back. No wonder, given that Stephen Perlman’s vision to revolutionise the way games are distributed and played has been talked up as threatening the future of the console and of retail stores. – BBC
• OnLive is launching the world’s highest performance Games On Demand service, instantly delivering the latest high-end titles over home broadband Internet to the TV and entry-level PCs and Macs. Netcrunch

Links

• Onlive.com

Gameplay

According to Alex Ward from developer Criterion Games, this game is a “complete reinvention” of the Burnout series. He also said “To create truly next-generation gameplay, we needed to create a truly next-generation game, from the ground up.” Despite being in an open world, the game still retains the 60 frames-per-second most Burnout games have used. Initially day and night cycles were not included in the game but a software update entitled “Davis” added this element to the game. Records will now be kept on players’ drivers licenses and there will be statistics such as fastest time and biggest crash for every street in the game. Unlike in previous Burnout games, Crash Mode, now called Showtime, can now be started at any time and place in the game; though Showtime mode is rather different from the usual Crash Mode. Also, for races, players may now take any route to get to the destination. Races and other events are simply started by stopping at any of the 120 traffic lights around Paradise City and applying the accelerator and brake at the same time. Multiple settings have been confirmed to be fully customisable such as:

• Boost Rules”, where the player may choose cars that use the boost styles from previous Burnout games.
• Whether or not there is traffic in an online event.
• Start and finish points for online events with up to 16 checkpoints.

The damage system has also been reworked. There are now two different types of crash based on the car’s condition after the crash. If the player’s car manages to retain all four wheels, and not break its chassis, the player may drive out of the crash and continue playing; this is called a “driveaway”. If a player’s car loses any of its wheels, has the engine damaged too much from an impact, or winds up outside of the game’s map, the car is in a “wrecked” state and the player will have to wait until their car is reset. Cars can also be torn into several pieces, be compressed and deform around objects as you crash into them. However, Alex Ward confirmed in the Official Crash FM podcast that cars may not be ripped in half, as concept pictures and early information had stated. There are also other cars which can be obtained by typing in a sponsor code. These only work for certain regions. One of these sponsor code cars is the Steel Wheels version of the Carson GT concept car, which features the car with an armor plate and supercharger. The code for this car could be obtained from pre-ordering the game from certain retailers. When starting the single player mode you are assigned with a learner’s permit and a single car. While playing you race and win events to earn points towards a higher license, from a Learners Permit (E-class), D-class, C-class, B-class, A-class, Burnout Paradise (S-class), Burnout Elite (SS-class) up to Criterion Elite (SSS-class). After earning a new license every event that you complete is reset so you can replay the event again to earn credit towards a new license.

Cars now have manufacturer and model names, which are loosely based on real-world cars but are mostly fictional (some of the cars are even based on those from a previous Burnout game, e.g. the Hunter Manhattan is the Classic from Burnout 2). Cars may not be “tuned up” or customized apart from color changes, which may be done in real-time by driving through the forecourt of a blow shop, which will randomly assign a color to the car, or by selecting the color in the Junkyard where you select your vehicle (after taking the car through an Auto Repair drivethru at least once). Other real-time changes include driving through the forecourt of a gas station to automatically refill your Burnout meter, and driving through the forecourt of a repair shop to automatically repair your car, allowing you to extend a Road Rage or Marked Man event beyond the car’s damage limits.

The online lobby system used by most video games has been replaced by a streamlined system known as “Easy Drive”. While driving, players simply hit right on the D-Pad and the Easy Drive menu pops up on the bottom left hand corner of their screen. From there, players are able to invite another player from their friends list. Once friends have joined the game, the hosting player is then able to pick from a variety of events to play. There are also special Burnout Racing Team cars that you can get.

Car types

Cars in Burnout Paradise can have one of three types of “Boost Standard”, showing what a player will have to do with the car in order to build up their boost bar:

• Speed: Driving the car at high speeds through oncoming traffic and/or weaving through traffic (performing a “Near Miss” where the car avoids another by a few inches or less) builds up the boost bar. This is the only type of boost in which the boost is not available until the meter is completely filled. When it is filled, the boost bar becomes inflamed and the player may use it until they crash, let off of the boost, or run out of boost power. However, the depletion of boost power on a Speed Boost can cause a “Burnout” if the player keeps the boost button pressed after their boost bar is depleted, after which the bar refills allowing the player to continue using their boost. As long as the boost is continued to be used and the car is continuing to be driven, the player can create a “Burnout Chain” for as long as the player is able. This is the only standard that allows a Burnout chain.
• Stunt: The player can only build up this boost bar by performing stunts with the car (driving through oncoming traffic counts). However, as long as there is boost power stored, the player is able to use it. The Stunt boost is the longest boost bar initially.
• Aggression: The player can fill up this boost bar by reckless driving, such as performing traffic checks and/or takedowns, knocking over signs, performing stunts, and driving through oncoming traffic. Initially, the boost bar of these cars shows a “x2″ at the end of the bar. If a player performs a takedown, the bar can be extended until the player switches cars (the only boost standard that has this ability), thereby showing a “x3″ at the end of the bar instead. Like the Stunt standard, boost can be used immediately, regardless of if the player has the bar completely filled.

Cars are also rated on three merits when viewed at the Junkyard:

• Speed: How fast a car can go. The higher the rating, the higher the top speed in which a car will be able to reach without using boost.
• Boost: The cars boost power. The higher this rating, the longer the boost power on that car will last before running out.
• Strength: How long a car can go before becoming completely totaled. The higher the rating, the more likely the car will be able to survive a crash or be able to make another car crash instead of them (if a car is stronger than another, it is more likely that it will takedown the other in a collision). This rating also determines how many crashes a car can withstand in a Road Rage or Marked Man event if the car enters when it is in perfect condition.

Event types

Races, Marked Man events and Burning Routes can start in any location around Paradise City, but the destination is always one of eight: the Maplemount Country Club, the Coastguard HQ, the Waterfront Plaza, the Paradise Wildcats Baseball Stadium, the Fort Lawrence Naval Yard, the Lone Stallion Ranch, the Paradise City Wind Farm and the Crystal Summit Observatory. Road Rages and Stunt Runs have no set end destination.

• Race: Races consist of the player and at least one other car (races with just one opponent are known as ‘Duels’). The player is given a location to race to. The player can take any route through the city to the location, with the aid of a flashing road names at the top of the screen when the player is advised to turn. The first to arrive at the destination wins; there are no points or prizes awarded for placing second or third, unlike most racing games. Online races can also include checkpoints that need to be crossed before reaching the finish.

• Road Rage: The player is given a target number of takedowns and a time limit. A Road Rage event is won by meeting or exceeding this target in the given time limit. A variant of this event was made available for online play in the “Cagney” update.

• Marked Man: In this event, the player is given a destination. At least one opponent is trying to stop the player from reaching the destination by scoring takedowns against them. The player must survive from start to finish in order to win (the player can be part of collisions, but loses the event if he totals the car). A variant designed for online gameplay was included in the “Cagney” update.

• Stunt Run: Players are given a target score. They must earn points towards that score by using boosts, jumps, drifts and other such stunt moves. An online version of this event type was added to the game as part of the “Cagney” update.

• Burning Route: Each Burning Route requires the player to use a specific car. Once the player is driving the required car, they race against the clock to a specified location. When a Burning Route is won the player wins an upgraded version of the vehicle they completed it with. The upgraded vehicle can boast extra boost power, more base speed or a stronger body (but usually in exchange for another category being made weaker). This event is unique in that it does not reset when the player earns a new license, because it’s tied to the car used to run it rather than the license level the player is presently at.

After the “Burnout Bikes Update” (formerly called “Davis”), two new events were added that are exclusive to the Motorcycle

• Burning Ride: Same as a Burning Route but for the motorcycles. However, some of these are now timed checkpoint events wherein the rider must ride through a set number of checkpoints before the time limit expires. These checkpoint events also do not have to end at one of the predetermined endpoints in Paradise City (they can terminate at intersections).

• Midnight Ride: Same as a Burning Ride but takes place between the in-game hours of 8PM and 8AM.

More Information

• Developer(s)  Criterion Games
• Publisher(s)  Electronic Arts
• Designer(s)  Alex Ward (Creative director)
• Series  Burnout
• Platform(s)  PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
• Release date(s)  Retail, PS3, Xbox 360, NA January 22, 2008, EU January 25, 2008, Download, NA September 25, 2008, EU September 25, 2008, Ultimate Box, February 2009
• Genre(s)  Racing, Sandbox
• Mode(s)  Single-player, Multiplayer

Links

• Official developer web site
• Official publisher website
• Wiki on this subject at Burnout Wiki

As such, when game reviewers name their favorite games of 2008, they will make good cases — probably for the epics, “Grand Theft Auto IV,” “LittleBigPlanet,” “Rock Band 2” and “Fallout 3.”

But everything is personal. So here are my Top 10 games of 2008, based on: how much they made my heart race and how many hours I played them.

•“God of War: Chains of Olympus” by Sony for PSP. This is the best PSP game yet created. You play once more as Kratos, the killing muscle of mythical gods. Its cinematic sweep is breathtaking; screenshots could hang in galleries; the orchestral score hums. It’s a flawless masterpiece.

•“Frontlines: Fuel of War” by THQ for Xbox 360. Offline, “Fuel” is a short, war-for-oil, shooting adventure. Online, this was the best shooter of 2008, featuring some of the most fun battlefields, rocket launchers, tanks and helicopters you’ll ever see.

•“Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots” by Konami for PS3. Legendary co-writer-director Hideo Kojima directed this very long work of art in an action-adventure (spanning the globe with guns).

•“Patapon” by Sony for PSP. You make stick-figure warriors march and toss spears by touching PSP buttons as if they are drum pads. It is unforgettable, clever and endearing.

•“Call of Duty: World at War” by Activision for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS. Offline, it’s more World War II battlefields, trenches and killing. You can also unlock a bonus “Nazi Zombie” mini-game (hilarious).

•“Mirror’s Edge” by E.A. for Xbox 360 and PS3. You play as a “runner” in an anti-utopian futuristic city (drawn with primary colors in street art style), jumping from roof to roof in human ways, and “wall-climbing” Jackie Chan-style. It ends too soon, though.

•“Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution” by 2K Games for Xbox 360, PS3 and DS. You play this engrossing “Risk”-style strategy role-player by leading your nation to empirical victory, starting from the Stone Age and ending with the Space Age.

•“The Club” by Sega for PS3 and Xbox 360. This was a stellar online shooter, though after just 10 months on the market, I find only a handful of gamers still shooting each other online via PS3.

•“MotorStorm: Pacific Rift” by Sony for PS3. Drive motorcycles, trucks and four-wheelers across incredibly vast and gorgeously illustrated open spaces in the great outdoors, offline and online.

•“WALL-E” by THQ for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP and DS. This movie-based game is a solid journey where you portray Earth’s last garbage-cleaning robot who goes to space in search of love and companionship. Other games were better in traditional ways. But the profound heart of “WALL-E” almost made me cry every half-hour. That is the first time a game has ever made me emotional.

The top 10 video games of 2008 – Kansas City Star

Having trouble finding any of these stat-boosting collectibles? Read on for videos, maps, and detailed directions that explain how to find all twenty Bobbleheads. Although we’ve done our best to avoid any major spoilers, explaining how to find each one may reveal a few details that you may not want to see. So scroll on with care, fellow Wastelanders.

You’ll find the Strength Bobblehead in Lucas Simm’s home in Megaton. It’s the very first shack on your immediate right when you enter the city. It’ll be locked, so you’ll either have to pick the lock, steal the key from Lucas, kill Lucas and take the key, or get Mr. Burke to kill Lucas by reporting him. Enter the house, climb up the stairs and enter Lucas Simm’s bedroom on your left. Check the top of his desk for a boost to your Strength.

WARNING: If you’re planning to take the evil route by blowing up the city of Megaton, make sure you grab the Strength Bobblehead first! If you don’t, it’ll be blown to smithereens along with the rest of the city.

News that the “Play, Create, Share” scoring system will be reactivated soon enough, since it was de-activated for a long while, leaving folks wondering why.

Sam_Protagonist, Senior Community Development Manager posting on the Official PlayStation EU forums, shed some light on the feature earlier this week…

It’ll be good to see it up and running in the game, although whether or not it will backwardly add all your previous scores for time spent playing, creating and sharing looks pretty unlikely.