Microsoft’s new rendering research could bring better visuals to Xbox One

During Microsoft’s initial Xbox One reveal and subsequent E3 demonstrations, it mentioned a capability that we haven’t heard much about since. According to the company, the Xbox One could theoretically be paired with offsite cloud rendering platforms at some point in the future to deliver a superior game experience to anything the console could handle on its own. Since then, Redmond has been silent on what form the technology might take or if we’d ever see a version of it in the wild — until now. A new paper, published in collaboration with Duke University and the University of Washington details a joint rendering system, dubbed Kahawai, that pairs a client and server GPU together for simultaneous rendering.

[SeanScythe]

The magic word of the day here is "Could". I "Could be a millionaire, but I never will unless I win the lottery. With the power of the Could err I meant Cloud.

[freshslicepizza]

i tend to agree. right now it seems like on average games are 1080p 30 frames on the ps4 and 900p on the xbox one. that's the gap most of the time. microsoft can say all they want but that is what the hardware shows and this is how consumers see it. no point in comparing exclusives as that doesn't really represent the differences in hardware.

[PlayableGamez]

I really don't get your analogy on the word could. You make it seem like the word could is just wishful thinking. Also, there are many other ways of becoming a millionaire than just trying to win the lottery.

Besides, we already know the Xbox One is going to have better graphics. It's just a matter of when and by how much. And for some reason, you Playstation guys are really nervous about the Xbox One having more graphical improvements over time, even though nobody is saying that the Xbox One is going to have better graphics than the PS4.

[SeanScythe]

MS has been throwing the Cloud card since it launched. They said games couldn't have been made without the power of the cloud. Even though Sony has made more games with better graphics.

[Italiano1234567]

No matter what xbox does and says it doesn't matter. It still has ddr3 ram and is still inferior to the ps4. So unless they make a better xbox with high Speed in it it doesn't matter. They mite be able to optimise games a bit better but that's about it

[GenuineGamer]

So what? Most pc have ddr3 and they destroy the ps4. Why u guys always forget xbox also has esram?? Its faster than gddr5 and is exclusive gpu memory. Ddr3 is better at handling smaller files quicker and that seems smart to me (tiled resources). Xbo may lack in numbers on paper thats easy for everyone to understand but its efficient design in how it can spread its load means it gets more done than alot of you think. The witcher 3 is proof of that. And its just the start. Dx12 games are coming

[IamTylerDurden1]

You just contradicted yourself, you said the xbone will have better graphics and then said nobody is saying the xbone will have better graphics. Just like cloud tech made titanfall a gorgeous looking game, remember all the hype about how the cloud would handle shading ect to make TF a game that would surpass anything Sony could do? This is a jk really. It is PR because ms is desperate to make ppl believe the underpowered xbone has "potential" to possibly improve it's bottlenecked performance. Coming up on 2 yrs now and still nothing, only 3 yrs left this gen cmon cloud you can do it. They screwed up by putting in cheap tech (ddr3) & are paying dearly. Why do you think ms dropped kinect? They were desperate to get more power. News flash, the PS4 hasn't even touched it's grfx potential, you saw how mind blowing The Order looked? SSM is working on something that (visually) far surpasses The Order, all the beauty & creativity is on Sony's side - raw power as well.

[GenuineGamer]

@IamTylerDurden1

Titanfall used the cloud for dedicated servers. It has an amazing online system that works great. The cloud is real and just because MS haven't shown us its potential yet doesn't make it a fantasy. And you know ddr3 + eSRAM costs more than gddr5 right? it wasn't the cheap option.

Personally it makes a lot of sense having dedicated memory only the gpu can use. It doesn't hamper the main ram pool. 192gbps eSRAM is a big deal. People are underestimating the benefits of eSRAM in xbox.

People need to wake up and pull their heads out of the sand. With dx12 and the cloud xbox one has massive potential that cant be matched unless competitors implement a similar cloud based technology.

[Azzanation]

You need to learn your words and understand the meanings. Could is possible, but the way you word it, makes it sound impossible. The X1 Could become a more powerful console which means there's a chance so in this case, since your using the word Could, I suggest you wait and see before downplaying what you read.

Also most of these articles aren't written by MS.

[Bubiii]

I agree. Nothing but "could" and just promises from Microsoft in regard to Xbox One from the start.

[nicksetzer1]

This isn't a statement from MS, neither are most of the articles which are often brought up.

The reality is though cloud rendering is real and MS, Google, nvidia and even amazon are working on the tech. (And have been for years) If you feel more comfortable denying it exists that is fine, but seems pretty pointless. Will they use it with XB1? Who knows. Will it be cost effective? Who knows. Does it exist? Without question

In fact, many statistics firms use cloud power to compare multiple databases with trillions of data points in real-time. This is the same thing MS are doing, just in a way that can affect consumers that doesn't cost million for the end user to implement. Looking forward to seeing this.

Anyone who thinks the "cloud" is an impossibility is a fool, ignorant to the facts. My only question is can MS implement it in a way the consumer can use and at no cost to the consumer. (Or at least minimal cost)

[SeanScythe]

No one said the Cloud doesn't exist, but the thought that your xbone games are going to be so much better is nuts. It's like "Climate Change" no one denies that the Climate changes. That's called seasons, what they deny is the thought that man has anything to do with it and that throwing billions of dollars at it will make a difference.

[nicksetzer1]

@sean but you are wrong. The "cloud" does have the ability to improve the capability of the XB1. Which many on here seem to think is not true, yourself included. (based on your statement)

The only question is cost, and that is likely the only reason it still has not been shown in relation to XB1. We have already seen multiple tech demos showing the capability of the cloud. To the point of quadrupling the amount of physics calculations able to be done by a system under load.
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[andibandit]

@SeanScythe

"It's like "Climate Change" no one denies that the Climate changes. That's called seasons"

Climate changes are changes to the climate of a number of years....not really tied to the seasonal weather.

[Soc5]

I agree with you, of course the cloud is possible, and in the future it will be inevitable, but most likely it's still a ways off. I'm guessing at least several years. If Microsoft skimped a little on the hardware of this generation, hoping that the cloud would help out I think they mistimed the implementation of it. Thus giving sony a lead by having a slightly more powerful console and at the time of release the ps4 was cheaper, putting sony in a valuable position in the market. Ironically by skimping on the budget of the xbox one they shot themselves in the foot because now they are spending more money recouping market share and investing in research to make the xbox one a bit more powerful than they would have spent using more powerful hardware. If the xbox one had come out more powerful from the get go, this whole cloud talk wouldn't be as necessary since most gamers would be happy with its performance, and not dealing with resolution gate and silly things like that. I'm a non denominational gamer but last gen the 360 was my go to console. This gen due to Microsoft's lets say underwhelming launch I waited and just got a ps4 mainly because it was cheaper and arguably a bit more powerful. The cloud if it were going to be a system selling feature should have been ready a lot sooner if it were to be a selling point for this generation. Next gen I am sure it will be a main feature. But I am not holding my breath for much this gen, at least not until 2017. Of course this is a marathon not a sprint but even so Ms has a lot of ground to recoup.

[WizzroSupreme]

That'd be sweet if it's true. I know I might be in the minority, but The Witcher 3 looks pretty awesome already on the X1. Any better would be even more awesome.

[Rookie_Monster]

The xbox has tech thay are built for the future and it is slowly showing. Crackdown 3 will be demo how this tech will work at E3.

[Lennoxb63]

I hate when these articles come up. Not because I don't believe in the cloud. I'm actually very enthusiastic about the cloud. I hate the people who come here. They figure they know more than the people who have multiple degrees in technology and test these things day in and day out.

Yet they will defend game streaming when it takes LOADS more bandwidth than compute. That is a clear indication that they have no idea what they're talking about right there.

[Spotie]

The difference is that game streaming doesn't require the complication as far as computation and syncing that partial cloud compute does.

Edit: You can take their supposition all you want. It wouldn't be the first or last time that academics were wrong, would it?

[Moldiver]

"The difference is that game streaming doesn't require the complication as far as computation and syncing that partial cloud compute does."

And yet according to the article, that is not an issue. You can try to downplay it all you want, but Ill take the word of academics who are actually on their way into the industry, over yours.

[Lennoxb63]

There isn't much complication with it. Its just taking bits and pieces of a game and having it processed elsewhere. It's nowhere near as bandwidth intensive as processing an entire game.

[maniacmayhem]

"The difference is that game streaming doesn't require the complication as far as computation and syncing that partial cloud compute does."

How do you even know?

[magiciandude]

"The difference is that game streaming doesn't require the complication as far as computation and syncing that partial cloud compute does."

That's interesting. Processing some additional code for a local game is more intensive than processing the entire game remotely. Not to mention the sheer amount of bandwidth required to stream the content with the audio and video quality virtually on par with local hardware.

As someone going to university for IT, that's incredibly baffling. I might have to look like a fool and ask a professor right in a 400 level class this coming fall semester...

[magiciandude]

"You can take their supposition all you want. It wouldn't be the first or last time that academics were wrong, would it?"

Since you probably know something about cloud technology that we don't, why not enlighten us with actual information backed up by valid sources?

[maniacmayhem]

@Hicken

Instead of being all defensive how about you educate us on the complications of computation and synching that cloud compute would do?

Or are you as usual just spouting BS that you saw others post on N4G and decided that since it's a negative against MS and Xbox you are going to run with it?

If only you could use your extra bubbles to actually explain your comments even further instead. But I guess that's impossible when you actually have no idea what you are talking about.

[gangsta_red]

LMAO.. I just posted on how you just spout things with no knowledge of it and someone kindly points this comment out to me.

Spotie. please explain the complexities between cloud compute and streaming.

[JasonKCK]

Yeah there are a lot of cases of "didn't read it before commenting" here.

If this ever sees the light of day, those with good internet speed will have some nice benefits.

[Paleblood]

I believe that one thing is that I can say to you: I could run around the USA running if I get the proper training and stuff.

And another thing is that I actually prove it and demonstrate it. My point is that while it is good to talk about new techologies that could ce in the future, all we can comment here is total speculation since this information is just that, a "could be, could be not". The same logic would apply to Sony, for example, Morpheus could be really good or could be not, we would be speculating.

[ScorpiusX]

Cool sounds interesting, can't wait to see it in action

[frostypants]

This will never happen for the One. Sorry people. It just won't. Maybe their next console.

[filchron]

If it doesnt make halo look like the Halo 4 CGI reveal trailer then who gives af? just to play at high settings? really? wake us up when you use this in an ACTUAL GAME micro "maybe kinect isnt all that useful for playing COD and Halo"-soft.

[WickedLester]

When are MS just going to admit that they purposely gimped the design of the X1 in order to accommodate a camera that nobody wanted! Geez all of these articles that suggest software solutions to hardware problems is getting old.

[PistolsAtDawn]

Sweet, the more and more we hear about things like this...the more it looks like MS was right when they first talked about this tech as the future. They admitted up front that it would take a little time, but with the tech already getting MASSIVELY more impressive by the day...it appears that MS might be turning some heads shortly with the mixture of DX12 and Cloud computing...but the nay-sayers will still be looking to trash talk, rather than appreciating advances in gaming. It won't be instant, but it's good to see gaming companies pushing the tech.