Game Servers

[sznapsDOTcom]

Hostrocket has its different divisions, Hostrocket.com, Rackfast.com, and Coderforums.com(not really a division), but, i think hostrocket would suceed with a Game server hosting service. Its hard to find a **Trust Worthy** server hosting service. It may require a upgrade more equipment, but, Keep it in mind...Combinding the support, uptime, and value of hostrocket, with other services would be heaven, especially in this service.


Also, Resellers would be nice:) Like Whm

[Spacecadet]

I'd have to agree- it's getting harder to find a place to play certain games

[sznapsDOTcom]

Well, someone agrees, Hostrocket Please consider this...Or even just VPS

[MattS]

I'll definitely pass along the suggestion for you. If any other forum members out there would support this kind of server and would subscribe to it, please let us know as that would give more "weight" to this suggestion.

sznaps, perhaps what you might want to do is purchase a dedicated server through HostRocket. We can work out certain specs with you to make sure that it has exactly what you need. What you may then want to do is resell space on the server to some of your gaming buddies. This, in turn, would allow all of the people you know to put their games up (making them happy) while actually earning you a profit (making you happy).

There a bunch of options. Anyone that might be interested in this gaming service, please put a post up here to mention it so that we can seriously consider the different options.

Thanks for the suggestion, and I'll definitely pass it along for you!

[KLH]

I would be interested. But the game that I use to run, runs on Windows.

[sznapsDOTcom]

I could do that, but, COnsidering i don't know how to do that and, plus, the ease of having a game server Division is alot better, because i don't have to do alot, or the end-customer, Just submits order and game is setup, maybe he has to install some mods, or something but otherwise, you alll set, I understand some games only run on windows servers, wich might end up being a problem, but...

[AgentGreasy]

Actually, in the idea of a setting up a server, most games nowadays do not rely on windows to run. For instance, as far back as quake 1, the server backend for Quakeworld was on *nix based machines. Half-Life has been primarily a Linux based server, as has quake 2/3 and Unreal Tournament (dedicated servers that is).

In most cases the win32 versions of these servers do not run as well and have performance hampers. Linux/Unix have many more resources available for hard-server applications to use for their ability to support multiple users (>10) running a dynamic system (multiplayer game).

I personally would support it, however I would warn that if you are looking to run a highend gaming server, ie: one that will potentially be active, be ready to fork out bandwith, most games are particularly heavy server applications... on top of the fact that they are a 24/7/365 object that is nearly 100% of the time being accessed by at least one person, where every movement is an updated response. That is the main reason why actual server providers are not such a big hit, as it becomes expensive. Most server clusters are run by actual people paying money out for their own physical bandwith.

I support it fully, and would subscribe to it in a heartbeat. It would be particularly good for all the clans out in the world that have a hard time locating private server sponsorship, that dont mind collecting a few bucks from members to support their server. Of course, I would assume the 'package' would include some sort of website provision for the server.

Like it was previously stated the options are endless.

The business of servers has started to come up as more and more services begin to provide for counterstrike and unreal tournament 2004. Its only a matter of time before they become a commodity. I would love to see it become a service on an already great service provider.

[sznapsDOTcom]

Games like, Halo, Cannot be hosted on linux machines. I agree this would be a very good thing to have. The fact that it will pull in alot of clans is, its your datacenter. You can charge cheaper, then almost any other "good" hosting company. Since most hosts just rent dedicated's, which in often times, are 200+ a month, They have things to pay for as well. Hostrocket has most of its expenses i can assume, paid by the webhosting. Besides for getting the servers and any other software, It's basically profit, to what i can see. Only thing, that would cause problems, is locations, People want Central locations, and west locations. Since your east thats all covered. I happen to know some good Game Control panel's, and they aren't really hard to setup.

Hostrocket should defiently get a game hosting division.

[AgentGreasy]

Actually any server can run on linux with the proper backend applied. You just have to dig for it. I have seen doom (not the new doom 3) servers run off linux.

The fact that the company which produced the game may not endorse nor create any server backend for linux does not mean it doesnt exist. Especially for a game such as Halo, I am sure someone in the world has built a linux based server.

But, nevertheless, just as with Rackspace and other such dedicated server companies... a request for a windows based or linux based server are ample. Some have better abilities managing a windows based server as opposed to a linux based server. Reality of it is, it all depends on you. However, personally I dont believe the lack of popularity the pc version of halo got is at all worth a server =| I was talking more of the increasingly popular games such as Counter-Strike, Quake 3, unreal tournament 2k4, and so on and so forth. The whole resolve would simply be choice.

[sznapsDOTcom]

Well, No actually there isn't any way to run halo on Linux Machines, Unless you use Wine, Which causes horrible performance. One person did it, and it was horrible on a dual xeon 2.8ghz with nothing else running, and it scripted down to the core. There would be alot of planning needed in order to do it. At least alot of planning to do it properly.

[SnakEyez]

Originally posted by AgentGreasy
Actually, in the idea of a setting up a server, most games nowadays do not rely on windows to run. For instance, as far back as quake 1, the server backend for Quakeworld was on *nix based machines. Half-Life has been primarily a Linux based server, as has quake 2/3 and Unreal Tournament (dedicated servers that is).

In most cases the win32 versions of these servers do not run as well and have performance hampers. Linux/Unix have many more resources available for hard-server applications to use for their ability to support multiple users (>10) running a dynamic system (multiplayer game).


Well I would definitely support it if the prices are reasonable.

Also to comment on that quote. If you have run a Half Life server since Steam has been around then you should probably know that the Windows server of Half Life is much more stable than the Linux one because the latest Windows version has fixed the memory leaks that are still present in the Linux version.

And personally I could care less about Halo servers. Personally I would like to see some CS Source servers and a Battlefield Vietnam server since our current BFV server host seems to have overloaded their server which usually causes our 32 player server to crash when it gets near capacity (which btw is an often occurance that I get tired of very easily).

[Tammy]

I think this thread deserves to be revived. Some game servers could be good! Lots of new games out recently, a lot of excitement in the gaming community.

[Viper007Bond]

But HR is a webhosting company...

It's not like they can just make a new package and be done. They need to setup boxes with completely different software probably, they need to hire tech support and network admins familiar with game servers, etc. Why try make orange juice from apples when you can just get it from oranges?

Point being, HR should stick to what they do best - webhosting - and if you really want a game server, there are tons of other companies out there that offer game packages.

[KLH]

I don't really know if it would require that much MORE work on HR. In my opinion, it wouldn't be that much work. All they need is someone who knows how to run Windows....

The user would do all the work with getting the machine running correctly with the game on it that they needed. It would be nothing more than a windows dedicated server. Since they already have Linux, why not Windows also?

[Viper007Bond]

Why do you say Windows?

[Tammy]

Originally posted by Viper007Bond
Point being, HR should stick to what they do best - webhosting - and if you really want a game server, there are tons of other companies out there that offer game packages. One or two of the HR support people on these boards have suggested they might do it. It's not like they are a computer company being asked to build automobiles or something. I bet they are way capable of installing the necessary software and making it accessible, they just need the encouragement.

[Viper007Bond]

That is indeed true.

[Silmaril8n]

Still - when you throw Windows into the mix you have to worry about a whole other spectrum of security. If one of this ducks gets compromised then you could have other problems with the webservers.

[Ruben]

Doing this would be cool but hard for HR...
I would get one with Vietcong - my fav game :D

[Silmaril8n]

Is that it's own game or a mod of another?

[Viper007Bond]

Google is good. ;)

http://www.vietcong-game.com/

[Silmaril8n]

Chance for a free post is better... thank you and your welcome! :D

[KLH]

If HR can offer colocation, then why not just supply the server for the people who don't want to purchase a server, and ship it to HR to keep in their datacenter...

[Silmaril8n]

Now theres an idea! If I had good enough hardware I would gladly load a server with Windows and send it up. I highly doubt that anything I use would do very well though.

[Viper007Bond]

Originally posted by KLH
If HR can offer colocation, then why not just supply the server for the people who don't want to purchase a server, and ship it to HR to keep in their datacenter...
Not a bad idea, but again, that'd require a lotta work as they'd have to hire people to manage your box (hit the reset button when it f's up) and stuff.

Much easier though than providing gaming boxes themselves though.

[Silmaril8n]

Would they co-locate a Windows Server?

[Ruben]

Why not?

[Silmaril8n]

Well from the admin point of view. Who's going to work on the server? It's super easy to operate a Linux server via SSH. Would a user just load a remote desktop program and use that to manipulate their server?

[Ruben]

Good point :/

[Tammy]

Most of the games I like would do better on a Windows server....

[Silmaril8n]

Originally posted by Tammy
Most of the games I like would do better on a Windows server....

I'm not sure why developers are making their server apps for Linux anymore. It's just a more stable OS for servers.

[Ruben]

You're right, totally right :p

[KLH]

You can easily use a remote desktop program to administrate a windows machine.. How else do you think people run windows servers from far away?

[Ruben]

Some games don't have that kind of programs, they need to go in the game and change everything manually...

Like vietcong :P

[Silmaril8n]

Originally posted by KLH
You can easily use a remote desktop program to administrate a windows machine.. How else do you think people run windows servers from far away?

I don't know how else. I guess after administrating my own Linux servers for the past year via SSH it just seems like a waste of bandwidth to have to use an entire windows system to manipulate your server when a simple text console would be some much nicer.

[Viper007Bond]

Originally posted by Silmaril8n
I'm not sure why developers are making their server apps for Linux anymore. It's just a more stable OS for servers.
I 100% disagree with you, especially for web servers.

However, game server apps seem to run better on Windows than Linux. I dunno if that is a result of the program or the OS though.

[Viper007Bond]

Originally posted by Toyminator
Some games don't have that kind of programs, they need to go in the game and change everything manually...

Like vietcong :P
That's an game thing, that's an OS thing. The desktop is transfered over the Internet to another computer.

It has nothing to do with the game's server application.

[Silmaril8n]

Originally posted by Viper007Bond
I 100% disagree with you, especially for web servers.

However, game server apps seem to run better on Windows than Linux. I dunno if that is a result of the program or the OS though.

Oops - that should have read "aren't"!!! From my previous posts you should know that I would never condone using Windows as a server OS! Rubbish unstable junk...

[Viper007Bond]

Originally posted by Silmaril8n
Oops - that should have read "aren't"!!! From my previous posts you should know that I would never condone using Windows as a server OS! Rubbish unstable junk...
Haha, okay, good. :D

[Ruben]

Originally posted by Viper007Bond
Google is good. ;)

http://www.vietcong-game.com/

That's just a commercial website, for cool stuff you should visit
Pterodon (http://www.pterodon.com), the creator :D

[Viper007Bond]

Hmm, may have to download the demo... :)

[Ruben]

Multiplayer? (http://pterodon-download.com/dll.php?d=0|vietcong-fistalpha-mpdemo.exe|.html)

Or

Singleplayer? (http://pterodon-download.com/dll.php?d=0|vietcong-single-player-demo.exe|.html)

[Viper007Bond]

lol, thanks. :D

[Ruben]

I suggest you try the SP first, since its a good tutorial and it connects with my cool story :P

[KLH]

Looks like fun!

[Tammy]

The storyline sounds like Ghost Recon 2.

[Ruben]

Well actually it wasn't really the storyline... I just made it up :D

You crash in the jungle with a Helicopter and then you have to make your way to higher ground so you can radiocall someone...
Its still fun tho :P

[Viper007Bond]

Sounds like FarCry..

[Ruben]

Ohhh its better believe me :D

[Silmaril8n]

Originally posted by Toyminator
Well actually it wasn't really the storyline... I just made it up :D

You crash in the jungle with a Helicopter and then you have to make your way to higher ground so you can radiocall someone...
Its still fun tho :P

Are you some kind of idiot savant?

[Ruben]

No a soldier :D

[Mr. Popularity]

Simple... get a copy of Windows Server 2003 (probably web edition will do for you). It comes with 5 terminal server licenses.

Have HR install it for you and viola! you're setup for windows backbone gaming