Cloud Parsec is the idea of using the program Parsec with virtual machine instances from providers like Amazon Web Services/Google Cloud and playing games on it with people from anywhere. While the idea has existed for about a year or so, I've spent much of 2020 in quarantine optimizing and creating resources for using it to run online fighting game tournaments to avoid the usual subpar built in netcode.
Around May of 2020, the Marvel vs. Capcom community had largely migrated to using Parsec to play online matches with each other. The usage of Cloud PCs hadn't really spread yet, so the number of users that could host others was limited. Few had set it up with PaperSpace, but the feedback was mixed to some degree. My friend "Hazy" introduced using AWS to me and were both having excellent quality matches. I learned how to set it up from him and tried it with another friend "Kevin Ha" who I had issues when using PaperSpace. The match quality compared to hosting on PaperSpace was night and day, and that was when I decided to spend time more on AWS and figuring out how to use it for running online tournaments.
After spreading the information out, it has been largely adapted by other fighting game communities as the go to method for online play. With momentum of tournaments such as "TampaNeverSleeps" and "Wednesday Night Fights", Twitch Rivals hosted an event for Marvel vs. Capcom 3 using the same technology.
I documented my understanding into various resources and created a Discord community dedicated to players and tournament organizers trying to setup Cloud Parsec or ways to improve it.
TampaNeverSleeps or TNS is a weekly fighting game tournament series hosted by my friend Tong Lee and his team. Due to the 2020 pandemic, they've shifted their focus to online Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournaments with Parsec.
Prior to Cloud Parsec, the number of entrants ranged from 10-20. After Cloud Parsec the number of entrants range from 30-72.
I introduced head tournament organizer Tong Lee to using Cloud Parsec and have been helping the team with improvements, troubleshooting, while also helping run the weekly tournament.
Hosted by my friend Kevin Ha, Wednesday Night Fights is the largest weekly fighting game tournament series in California.
Previously ran in Esports Arena, it has shifted online due to the 2020 pandemic. Kevin was one of the biggest early proponents of using Parsec and Cloud PCs. With early mixed results with a different provider, when I tested with him using AWS we both quickly learned how responsive it was.
Originally restricted to California, the tournament has expanded to all of North America with up to 40 entrants every Wednesday night.
Kyohei Lehr or MarlinPie is a player representing Team Panda Global and one of the most famous Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and Guilty Gear players.
He originally streamed using Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3's in game netcode before moving to native Parsec. I contacted him around the beginnings of Cloud Parsec and helped him get setup.
Starting at around 30-50 Twitch subs, with his frequent and consistent streaming of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 using Cloud Parsec he grew at peak to 300 Twitch Subs and 12.3k Youtube subscribers.
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