Dig In - Why we love Spoon
by Christopher Tauscher · 08/05/2011 (12:20 pm) · 22 comments
We know what you’re thinking, and no, we haven’t gone crazy by declaring our love for a kitchen utensil. We’re talking about Spoon, an innovative service that offers you the capability of streaming your game instantly to your audience, whether it’s via your web site, a social networking site, or on a blog. We’ve been watching these guys for a few years and we think their tech is promising.
So how does it work? Using a browser-based plugin, Spoon allows you to instantly stream your game on any browser on a PC while skipping the hassle waiting for a download, installing, and uninstalling. While you’re playing, Spoon downloads the sections relevant to what you’re playing, and continues quietly downloading in the background as you get instant satisfaction. They feature a variety of full applications, including full games such as Alien Shooter and Dig Dug available in a few seconds. The server even incorporates machine learning to optimize the downloads based on how people are using your app ( i.e. If everyone loads level 2 first, it will optimize and prefect level 2 ). It also virtualizes your application by providing a game specific registry, file system, etc.
Head on over to get the free evaluation of the Spoon Server at Spoon.net. While you’re there, get the Spoon plugin for yourself and check out Burg, Deathball Desert, and Sector T3D.
We’re big fans of the technology and love what it could mean for gaming, but we want to know what you think. There are a couple of hitches we see to Spoon: it’s PC only right now, it also requires a plugin to run the sandbox, and you must create a Spoon account to use their service. With that being said, do you see yourself using this technology? Do you believe this is a viable service to the gaming industry that could take off? Do you see this technology actually hindering gaming at all? Weigh in below and let us know.
So how does it work? Using a browser-based plugin, Spoon allows you to instantly stream your game on any browser on a PC while skipping the hassle waiting for a download, installing, and uninstalling. While you’re playing, Spoon downloads the sections relevant to what you’re playing, and continues quietly downloading in the background as you get instant satisfaction. They feature a variety of full applications, including full games such as Alien Shooter and Dig Dug available in a few seconds. The server even incorporates machine learning to optimize the downloads based on how people are using your app ( i.e. If everyone loads level 2 first, it will optimize and prefect level 2 ). It also virtualizes your application by providing a game specific registry, file system, etc.
Head on over to get the free evaluation of the Spoon Server at Spoon.net. While you’re there, get the Spoon plugin for yourself and check out Burg, Deathball Desert, and Sector T3D.
We’re big fans of the technology and love what it could mean for gaming, but we want to know what you think. There are a couple of hitches we see to Spoon: it’s PC only right now, it also requires a plugin to run the sandbox, and you must create a Spoon account to use their service. With that being said, do you see yourself using this technology? Do you believe this is a viable service to the gaming industry that could take off? Do you see this technology actually hindering gaming at all? Weigh in below and let us know.
About the author
http://www.christauscher.com
#2
08/05/2011 (2:06 pm)
Looks like some good tech. What would the pricing plan be like? From what I can see on their website it's sold on a 10 user licence version at $40 each user, but I'm guessing that this is just for staff type connectivity, or allowing 10 sockets at any given time to play the game? 
#3
Basically, would be good to have this tech without the need/worry of being tied to a plataform. Some of the guys here know what that means after the InstantAction collapse.
Also, at indie level, Windows only doesnt speak too well.
08/05/2011 (2:29 pm)
Chris, Im on the same page regarding the need for an spoon account.Basically, would be good to have this tech without the need/worry of being tied to a plataform. Some of the guys here know what that means after the InstantAction collapse.
Also, at indie level, Windows only doesnt speak too well.
#4
Since Spoon runs your app in a virtualized space, you can have different system software bundled and streamed with your app. Spoon has nothing to do with Java, it's just an example. (Assuming you have permission to redistribute it) You could provide your specific version of system software for your user so that you don't have to ask them to do it. That version of the system software stays in the sandbox and won't overwrite another version that is already installed on the users OS. And you can share multiple apps with any Spoon Sandbox. Cool stuff...
08/05/2011 (4:03 pm)
Oh, and I had a question about the diagram so I'll clarify.Since Spoon runs your app in a virtualized space, you can have different system software bundled and streamed with your app. Spoon has nothing to do with Java, it's just an example. (Assuming you have permission to redistribute it) You could provide your specific version of system software for your user so that you don't have to ask them to do it. That version of the system software stays in the sandbox and won't overwrite another version that is already installed on the users OS. And you can share multiple apps with any Spoon Sandbox. Cool stuff...
#5
08/05/2011 (4:38 pm)
Cool stuff indeed!
#6
It feels really good to see you guys around like this, discussing comoneers topics :)
08/05/2011 (4:40 pm)
And btw... (and sorry for the multiple consecutive posts).It feels really good to see you guys around like this, discussing comoneers topics :)
#7
08/05/2011 (6:05 pm)
I really don't understand fully but it sounds great. Sounds like something i can use for my project i'v been working on for the pass two to three years. I would love to know more about it. 
#8
08/05/2011 (6:57 pm)
Been waiting on such technology for Torque. Don't like that players would have to create an account just to play the game though. 
#9
08/06/2011 (8:24 am)
Does the App stay on the user's machine after shutdown, or does the plug in stream the App from the spoon server to the user every time? 
#10
I wish services like Steam would implement some form of streaming, though. The best example of streaming tech which works is Guild Wars.
08/06/2011 (6:13 pm)
If it basically makes a virtual network filesystem available to a spooned program, it would be great for games. But not only is it Windows only - they don't even warn you that it's Windows only before force-feeding a .exe download! Very rude. It's as if they don't know anything else exists.I wish services like Steam would implement some form of streaming, though. The best example of streaming tech which works is Guild Wars.
#11
08/07/2011 (6:16 am)
I looked into this a while back as a way to browserize my TGB game, but the one hangup I saw was the price. Looking at their site now, its $40 per user, per year. The site doesn't explain this in great detail, but does this mean that if I'm running a game and there are 1000 people on it at once, I'm spending about $40000 every year to support them? This seems outrageous, but maybe I misinterpreted the pricing. 
#13
blogs.spoon.net/post/11-03-12/Silver_Spoon_is_now_in_public_beta.aspx
08/08/2011 (1:57 pm)
@Bruno - What you are looking at is their enterprise business model. I know they are working towards other solutions that are not. Some of it I know about but I'm not sure exactly what I should/should't share. But I did find this public link that you can check out. I'll see if I can ask them to give a more official response.blogs.spoon.net/post/11-03-12/Silver_Spoon_is_now_in_public_beta.aspx
#14
08/08/2011 (2:12 pm)
@Alain Labrie: The sandbox plugin remains active on the user's desktop after closing down an application. The sandbox plugin allows you to manage the applications data and sync updates.
#15
08/08/2011 (4:32 pm)
I'm not sure Spoon will survive well. I mean it just seems like Unity3D all over again. 
#16
08/08/2011 (5:05 pm)
I'm not sure how it's like Unity. Unity's not providing any virtualization packaging, nor is their plugin designed to work on that level.
#17
08/09/2011 (4:26 am)
Thanks Eric. I think technology-wise Spoon is really cool and reminds me of OnLive. I'd be really interested to hear what the GG/Spoon pricing model would be and how the tech would be integrated into GG products. 
#18
08/11/2011 (7:15 pm)
I think that the spoon product has significant merit, however it seems they have "locked down" user ability by having to go through them. They need to open it up to individual authentication sources kind of like how you can create your own webpage format and still use paypal without going through PayPal pages 
#19
If they backed off of wanting to control the entire ecosystem and made it more a plugin, then I think it would great.
08/12/2011 (9:31 am)
@Eric: Checked out that link, and it sounds like a combination of Carbonite and some cloud application stuff. I just don't buy that it's the thing to use for games. Sure, it streams and does all that- but I use OSAKit now and streaming is a feature there too. Or Portalarium (whenever they wake up and get responsive). And there's other solutions on the way, and none of them require a user to register with them (which means an additional registration since if it's in the browser, it's probably social/multiplayer and requires a registration for your use as well).If they backed off of wanting to control the entire ecosystem and made it more a plugin, then I think it would great.
#20
08/28/2011 (1:08 pm)
Is there any new info on this- especially if it changes how their model works for the better? 
Torque 3D Owner Dan Keller
Default Studio Name
I wonder if they could take this in the direction of a peer to peer application, to reduce server stress for large games.
Also, does it require / install Java?