近年来，新技术如雨后春笋般涌现，无论您的 PC 或其他设备的规格如何，您都可以玩任何想要的游戏。听起来(Sounds)好得令人难以置信？这实际上是一个非常简单的概念，但所需的技术直到最近才赶上来。
云游戏(Cloud gaming)是一项相对较新的服务，它解决了任何玩游戏的人都会遇到的问题：有些游戏你真的很想玩，但高端 PC 的成本和所需的组件让你无法接触到它们。相比之下，云游戏(cloud gaming)的唯一要求是能够流式传输视频。
它是否真的是一种有效的游戏方式在游戏社区中是一个有争议的话题，因为大多数已经可用的(gaming community)云游戏(cloud gaming)服务都遇到了滞后问题。然而，据报道，影子云游戏服务(Shadow cloud gaming service)可以减少这些延迟问题，并提供强大的游戏流媒体服务。
什么是云游戏？(What Is Cloud Gaming?)
不幸的是，构建玩某些游戏所需的高端 PC 的成本可能非常高。这是云游戏解决的问题。云游戏公司不是自己拥有一台大功率机器，而是提供一台远程机器，可通过云中的服务器访问。
您为这项服务支付月费，大多数公司要么包含游戏库，要么您自己购买游戏。玩游戏的方式更像是流媒体服务，而不是其他任何东西。你选择你想玩的游戏，然后通过这台机器运行。在家里，您可以使用任何设备玩游戏，包括笔记本电脑、电视(TVs)和智能手机。
当您将游戏的控制输入到您的设备中时，这些输入将被发送到服务器，然后服务器告诉位于那里的 PC 按下了什么并复制它。游戏通过视频流式传输，因此您可以观看正在发生的事情。
一些人认为，这种方法会导致游戏响应时间变慢和滞后，因为输入是通过如此遥远的距离发送的。其他人则赞扬云游戏能够为那些可能没有其他选择玩游戏的人 提供可靠的游戏体验。(gaming experience)
影子云游戏提供什么(What Shadow Cloud Gaming Offers)
有很多云游戏(cloud gaming)服务，但是是什么让影子(Shadow) 云游戏(cloud gaming)脱颖而出？主要是它不仅适用于游戏流媒体(game streaming)。
Shadow实际上是一款功能齐全的Windows 10计算机，但针对游戏进行了优化。正因为如此，你可以做任何你通常可以在电脑上做的事情。这使得Shadow不仅是云游戏服务(cloud gaming service)，更是云计算服务。
您可以在大多数设备上使用它，包括计算机和笔记本电脑、使用Android 或 iOS(Android or iOS)的智能手机，以及使用Android TV 或 Apple TV(Android TV or Apple TV)的电视。还可以选择购买所谓的Shadow Ghost ，这是一种小型设备，可让您从您喜欢使用的任何屏幕连接到Shadow 。它运行Wi-Fi和蓝牙，仅使用从(Bluetooth)Shadow 机器(Shadow machine)登录和流式传输所需的内容。
Shadow比其竞争对手更贵，其基本套餐的价格为 14.99 美元/月。您还需要单独购买您想玩的游戏。那么值得吗？凭借其成熟的游戏和计算功能，Shadow绝对与众不同，提供的不仅仅是游戏流媒体(game streaming)。
Shadow 机器(Shadow machine)拥有始终保持最新的规格和硬件，如果出现问题且性能下降，它们会自动更换组件。(specs and hardware)基础包(base package)中还有 256 GB 的存储空间，可以以相同数量的增量进行升级，并且您最多可以拥有 2 TB 的存储空间。
这绝对是必要的，因为Shadow允许您玩的游戏库几乎是无限的，除非只有控制台独家游戏。除了游戏之外，它还可以让您运行普通Windows 10 PC 可以运行的任何程序。假设它甚至可以用于照片或视频编辑(photo or video editing)。
如何使用影子云游戏(How To Use Shadow Cloud Gaming)
由于Shadow根据其用户群的集中度将其数据中心分布在美国和英国，因此(U.S. and UK)Shadow在您所在地区的可用方式有两种可能性（Shadow目前在这两个国家之外不支持）。
有提供最佳体验的“实时”模式和“探索”模式，这意味着影子(Shadow)在您所在的地区可能效率不高。但是，在您所在的州注册Shadow的用户越多，将来在那里建立 数据中心的可能性就越大。(data center)
一旦您确定您的状态是否得到完全支持，您的影子会员资格(Shadow membership)有三个等级可供选择。目前唯一可以使用(use right)的是Boost 层(Boost tier)，一旦注册，您将需要等待很短的时间才能激活您的影子云(Shadow cloud)游戏机。
另外两层Ultra 和 Infinite(Ultra and Infinite)从一开始就提供更好的计算机规格(computer specs)和更多存储空间。但是，这些层级要到 2021 年才能使用，因为它们仍在全国范围内进行配置。不过，您仍然可以注册等候名单，以便在这些等级上线后立即访问它们。
在您注册Shadow后，一旦您的机器被激活，他们就会向您发送一封电子邮件。从这里您可以使用您拥有的任何受支持的设备启动它。
How Shadow Cloud Gaming Lets You Play Games On Rigs You Don’t Have
In recent years, new technology has sprung onto the scene thаt allows you to play any game you want, no matter the specs of your PC or other devices. Soundѕ tоo good to be true? It’s aсtually an extremelу simple concept, but the technology rеqυired wasn’t able to catch up until recently.
Cloud gaming is a relatively new service that fixes an issue that anyone into gaming has come across: there’s some games you really want to play, yet the cost of a high-end PC and the needed components keeps them out of your reach. In contrast, the only requirement of cloud gaming is the ability to stream video.
Whether it’s actually an efficient way to play games is a divisive topic in the gaming community, due to the issues with lag many have run into with most of the cloud gaming services already available. The Shadow cloud gaming service, however, has been reported to cut down on these latency issues and offers a powerful game streaming service.
What Is Cloud Gaming?
Unfortunately, the cost of building a high-end PC needed to play some games can run incredibly high. This is the issue that cloud gaming fixes. Instead of owning a high-power machine yourself, cloud gaming companies offer a remote one, accessible through servers in the cloud.
You pay a monthly fee for this service, and with most companies there is either a library of games included or you buy the games yourself. The way games are played is more akin to a streaming service than anything else. You choose the game you want to play, and it is then run through this machine. At home, you can use any device to play the game, including laptops, TVs, and smartphones.
When you input controls for the game into your device, these inputs are sent to the server, which then tells the PC located there what was pressed and copies it. The game is streamed through video, so you can watch what’s happening.
Some have argued that this method leads to slow response times and lag in the game, because the inputs are being sent over such a vast distance. Others commend cloud gaming for its ability to provide a solid gaming experience to those who may not have other options to play games.
What Shadow Cloud Gaming Offers
There are a good handful of cloud gaming services out there, but what makes Shadow cloud gaming stand out? Mainly it’s the fact that it’s not just for game streaming.
Shadow is actually a fully-functional Windows 10 computer, but optimized for gaming. Because of this, you’re able to do anything you’d normally be able to do on a computer. This makes Shadow not only a cloud gaming service, but more so a cloud computing service.
You can use it on most any device, including computers and laptops, smartphones using Android or iOS, and on your TV with Android TV or Apple TV. There is also an option to buy what is called the Shadow Ghost, a small device which allows you to connect to Shadow from any screen you’d rather use. It runs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, using only what is required to log in and stream from your Shadow machine.
Shadow is more expensive than its competitors, its base package running at 14.99$/mo. You also need to individually buy the games you want to play. So is it worth it? With its fully-fledged capabilities not only for gaming but also computing, Shadow is definitely set apart and has much more to offer than just game streaming.
The Shadow machine boasts specs and hardware that are always up-to-date, and if something seems to be awry and performance is decreasing, they will automatically replace components. You also have 256 GB of storage in the base package which can be upgraded in increments of the same amount, and you can have up to 2 TB of storage.
This is definitely needed, as the library of games Shadow allows you to play is virtually unlimited, barring only console exclusive games. Besides gameplay, it also lets you run any program a normal Windows 10 PC could. Hypothetically, it could even be used for photo or video editing.
How To Use Shadow Cloud Gaming
Because Shadow spreads its data centers across the U.S. and UK according to the concentration of its user base, there are two possibilities for how Shadow may be available in your area (Shadow is currently not supported outside these two countries).
There is “Live” mode, which offers the best experience, and “Exploration” mode, which means Shadow may not be as efficient in your area. The more users that sign up for Shadow in your state, however, the more likely it is that a data center will be set up there in the future.
Once you determine whether your state is fully supported, there are three tiers to choose from for your Shadow membership. The only one available for use right now is the Boost tier, and once signing up you will have to wait a short amount of time for your Shadow cloud gaming machine to be activated.
The other two tiers, Ultra and Infinite, provide better computer specs and more storage from the get-go. However, these tiers will not be available until 2021 as they are still being configured across the country. You can still sign up for the waiting list, though, to gain access to these tiers as soon as they go live.
After you sign up for Shadow, they will send you an email once your machine has been activated. From here you can launch it using whatever device you own that is supported.
