PUBG on the Cloud

If you're anything like me, the recent storm around PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has had you itching to play. Unfortunately for me, the only computer on hand was the lightweight laptop I use for work, which means the game is unplayable on my local machine.

Enter the solution: cloud gaming

I'm going to share with you a simple process that you can use to play PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (or any game you own for that matter), running maxed out settings and getting 60 fps, regardless of your computer, for as low as 40 cents an hour.

Step 1: Download Parsec on your local machine

Once you have launched it, you should see an empty connect screen like this. You won't have access to any servers until we complete the next step.

Step 2: Set up a Paperspace gaming machine.

After you have signed up for the Paperspace service, hit the Launch console button in the upper right hand corner. Navigate to machines and click the + button to create a new machine. Once you've created your instance - all you need to do is launch Parsec on the remote computer via the in browser viewer. Paperspace has this awesome helpful video you can follow to get started.

Protip: Use the promo code GL60LD to get $10 free credit on Paperspace.

Step 3: Connect and play!

Now you can go back to the Parsec app on your local computer and click "Refresh" on the connect page. You should see your instance up!

Before you press connect, make sure the in browser view of the Paperspace machine has been closed out. I have had trouble with the mouse when the in-browser window is open and also connecting via Parsec. Enjoy!

Details:

A few things to note. Firstly, this is a pay-per-minute solution, offering a finer granularity over billing than AWS instances (hourly billing). The recommended machine type, P5000, is currently at 65 cents an hour, but if you boot up your machine only for 10 minutes, you will only be charged for 10 minutes, vs an entire hour if you were on AWS. Next, because we are paying for uptime, you really want to be sure you shut your machine down via the Paperspace web portal after you are done with your gaming sessions. Bootup time is only about a minute so this really isn't a terrible inconvenience.

If you want settings to be maxed out for PUBG, you will have to submit a request to use the P5000 machine type. This Nvidia server GPU is comparable to a 1080. It's a bit overkill and a tad bit more expensive, but if you would like the equivalence of a 1080Ti, you could also submit a request for a P6000.

In my experience these requests usually get through in about a day.

Lastly, because we are streaming this remotely, it is important to pick a Paperspace machine location closest to your region, as well as using an ethernet connection if possible. 5Ghz wifi is still playable, but you won't be getting the best performance. If performance is still not excellent, you can try tweaking the settings of Parsec. I've found the combination of settings below to generate the best gaming experience. Make these changes on the machine that is HOSTING.