C'mon, don't tell me it isnt a cool idea :D

I'd love a game like that. Have a reputation, start off having to buy crappy routers, then work your way up, multiple datacenters with fiber between them, getting investors and stuff. I think it'd be madfun :) Anyone agree? Or have I just been drinking too much red bull? :p

nononononono, bad BAD idea :(

Although it sounds like some "fun" just imagine what would happen.

If ppl really like the game and get the hang of it they might start a hosting company for real. More competition, more $ 1 hosters.

Just remember when Lassie was on TV. Everybody went out and got a Lassie dog!

And when Skippie was on TV, everybody went out and got a .eh... well you get the general idea.

lol! :D

Nono. Not like, a normal webhost. A datacenter, different, and only release it to WHT.

Problem solved.


It would be fun!
Imagine it.. expand land size, add some more racks. Maybe I just like datacenters too much ? :rolleyes:


(300th post, wooohooo!)

I would buy it in a heartbeat. Though not many people would be interested in choosing whether they want a Cisco 7200 or Juniper M5.

Yeah,
That would be cool....
Then you can go around making the datacenter earthquake proof, fire proof.... etc.. etc...
With that the construction market would come, more jobs,.... one thing would lead to another and soon the recession would be over.... :)

I wish you all the best..

Have a great day ;)

regards
amar

Be aimed at quite a specialist market - so sales would be limited, but it'd be fun :D

Kewl.

Who wants to do it???

When Microsoft release DirectX 9 it will be fully integrated into C# (a new safe, simple, easy to use, similar to java language) and would make programming such a game quite easy in comparison to what programmers had to go through a few years ago. Also it can be setup to JIT compile to native-code once at the setup per PC, and hence have the near enough raw speed of a c++ binary.


Anyways I'm rambling on but just a thought.

Originally posted by NetXL
C'mon, don't tell me it isnt a cool idea :D

I'd love a game like that. Have a reputation, start off having to buy crappy routers, then work your way up, multiple datacenters with fiber between them, getting investors and stuff. I think it'd be madfun :) Anyone agree? Or have I just been drinking too much red bull? :p

how bout a browser based sim game like that
similar to gang wars or pimp wars

hmmmmm

how many people do u think would actually play a game like that ?

Heh..me :D

And me!

I'd play!

It would be almost like the astronaut training that goes on. Have it set so you could have different difficulty levels and have routers fail and do all that kind of stuff.

I'd be willing to pay around $100 for something like that. It wouldn't really be a game, but it would be training so you know how to setup routers and servers and stuff. You could click and have a router fail, and simulate what you would have to do to recover from it...have a budget for Internet lines that you have coming into the building...even simulate getting colocation customers and getting income and having to upgrade lines.

If I was a software programmer that could do it, I would, but Perl has its limits... :(

Troy

p.s. this reminds me of a game that I downloaded a month or so ago...called Enterprise or something like that. You start your own computer manufacturing business and have to expand and advertise products, but a datacenter would be 50 times better!

Originally posted by WebmastTroy
. . . You could click and have a router fail, and simulate what you would have to do to recover from it...have a budget for Internet lines that you have coming into the building...even simulate getting colocation customers and getting income and having to upgrade lines. . . . . . Not to mention . . . . . the disgruntled customers, the rude staff, and all the other human elements.

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
Not to mention . . . . . the disgruntled customers, the rude staff, and all the other human elements.

That would come in a later "Professional" version...lol :D ...but a very good point. Have support tickets and "real" support calls come in, etc.

I recently took a Cisco class, and the teacher had a "router simulation" program where you could simulate setting up and configuring a router, and then trying to ping the different hosts on the network to see if it worked, but it was all within this program and wasn't real...but it would give you a scenario, and you would have to set it up. CCNA Virtual Lab e-Trainer I think is what it was.

I MIGHT attempt to do something in Perl with it (even though I wouldn't be able to use cool graphics or anything like that), but I don't have the slightest clue about some of the things involved with setting up a datacenter, like what "BGP" is and how you would setup the DNS and the IPs and stuff. :(

If anyone could point me to a tutorial, or *something* that might give me an idea about this kind of stuff, it'd be MUCH appreciated.

Troy

I'd buy a copy if someone made it.

Seems like it would be a pretty difficult game though.

Though, I rather go play around in a real datacenter. :D

Pull some plugs, press some buttons... you get the idea. :dgrin:

First thing I'd do is offer unlimited everything for $5 a month.

If you do offer it, you will get a pop-up "GAME OVER - PLEASE DO NOT CHEAT!" :D

I've got a lot of free time over break and I've been looking for a fun project like this.

I'll probably make it in Perl and put it up somewhere. Should be fun. :)

I would play :)
Better play something 'productive' and what can be classed as work rather than online pool which ive been playing (and got addictied to) the last couple of days.

=]

Craig

(happy 300th post andy)

ok well hehe we have been scripting a web based game for a while

what we did was a mideival war type game

does anyone here have any php experience and would want to help

id do a game like this
wouldnt have time for till after january 15th to do it tho

but would be willing to give it a shot and see how popular it got

anyone else willing to help

hehehe

Simulated DoS attacks that you have to actually find, people using way to much bandwidth, keep track of billing, the occasional suicide bomber saying down with *****....

Add some flavor to the game :D

lol, ideas keep flowing

10 year olds break into the datacenter with super soakers while your tech's are playing counterstrike.

Toilet is clogged and overflowing, stop it before it reaches the servers!

Electrical storms, mud slides, earth quakes, tornados.

Techs get caught eating and get their slurpie all over a terminal.

Accidently hire 13 year old techs, have to go through legal suite.

Alarm that wakes you up at 2:00 AM saying one of these problems has happened :)

BurstNET offers to buy you out.

And the ultimate problem:
Rewdog shows up.

One of your techs (or maybe sales) decides to spam a popular forum's member base; giving you a bad name to them. :angry:

Chicken and SWR arrive after rewdog. Snipers come out, lights flash, RED ALERT!

Alaskan Wolf's airplane flys into the side of your datacenter.

Pack of wild dogs arrive and piss on your generators :D

Anthrax is found, do you tell the tech's and risk downtime!??!

Switch to Windows XP operating system for your techs just to try it out, 14 year old takes control of your datacenter.

Tech's try to light each other's farts, sprinkler system goes off and damages a batch of servers.

Hot blonde short skirted girl is hired for sales, no one can get work done. Can't find a reason to fire her.

Hot blonde is caught doing a strip show for the online security cams. (Damage to local tech's keyboards, you figure it out)

Lord of the Rings comes out, to leave, or not to leave.

and the horrible

championhost steals your design
thus stealing percents of your new member base

Someone should contact Maxis about this idea...I can see it now - "dotSim" :D ...or "SimCenter"

You'd have to have some kind of budget and income in the game so you couldn't just give your service away. It would have to (hopefully) be as realistic as possible.

Pilgrim, I don't think it would be that much of a problem. To build and run a datacenter requires hundreds of thousands of dollars, and extreme knowledge (that I, personally, don't have) of networking and business operation and all that good stuff. I think if there was a budget that you'd have and you'd have bills to pay, you *could* become another $1 hoster, but only until you got your first bill.

Theres a lot of different ways that the sim could go. You could have it limited to just running a datacenter which would just be getting the lines, setting up routers, and having problems that could occur (like router failures) and you would have to go fix it. There could also be one that would be a COMPLETE package, including running a datacenter, supporting servers, marketing your product, having fake customers that would complain all the time, and other things like that.

Anyway, I think I'm rambling. I think this is a really cool idea, and would love to help someone that might try to put this together. I'm pretty good with Perl and do MySQL integration and other stuff, so if anyone is going to use Perl, contact me and maybe I could help with the project. :)

Troy

I was gonna try and write up a little something in VBscript, but as it turns out the CD is MIA so I can't install Visual Basic. hmmm well back to looking for it.


Edit: Grrrr I can't type today

My my.. Look what I have done :D

It'll be cool if someone ends up making it, can you imagine how addictive it'd be?

Like craig, i'm also addicted to online pool. First it was electrotank minigolf, then lifesavers pool. :)

What a great idea... endless possibilities, everything from serious to silly...

Wish I'd thought of it first! :idea:

okay
anyone who makes it
I get 50% of the profits? yeah? good :D
j/k

I want it now :(

I have quite a bit of it done so far. I'm making it so that you can start out as a normal host then make your way up to owning a datacenter. And I will take your suggestions for disasters and other features. Great ideas so far!

If there's anything you want me to add, just post it here!

Sounds really cool Quinn! I can't wait..but..too bad it's Perl :)

Originally posted by mkaufman
I can't wait..but..too bad it's Perl :)

Thanks, you just gave me a new feature idea.


if($user eq 'mkaufman') {
$money = 0;
$customers = 0;
set_disaster_frequency 100;
}

:)

Oh, WebmastTroy, you ICQed me last night and I wrote back to you but I guess you didn't get my responses. So, if you wanna work together just email me (qslack at aboutpcs dot com)!

Build your networks and drop routers into place, watch as you techs respond to energency emails :)

Originally posted by qslack


Thanks, you just gave me a new feature idea.


if($user eq 'mkaufman') {
$money = 0;
$customers = 0;
set_disaster_frequency 100;
}

:)

Oh, WebmastTroy, you ICQed me last night and I wrote back to you but I guess you didn't get my responses. So, if you wanna work together just email me (qslack at aboutpcs dot com)!

Maybe I will not use mkaufman as my username :)

This is so cool :D

Someone's actually making it, I am so proud of me.
j/k

I have only done a few TI- Assembly games from pure assembly, and some Gameboy Advance games, and well this idea isn't too bad. The engine will be freaking hard to make because the so many variables you are going to have to play with, I will start on it tomorrow, will take me like at least 2-3 weeks to finish with the engine and start with progress, and I will try my first computer game...maybe Direct X

Anyone good with 3D Studio MAX?

Originally posted by Eryxma
Anyone good with 3D Studio MAX?

I was just making my version have a HTML front end...but you're going to make a 3D engine and all that stuff? :)

Not 3D, man I only have 2 hands...

Myabe 2D and have a 3D look... I like working individually in programming because like that I know what I wrote and know what to change later on... will release source code for anyone who like ot od moifications, but I will stick to my own. On images that is going to be though...

I have lots of free time, and our datacenter is not even near completion. Well, I started already heh 23 lines so far :)

I am willing to work with any good graphic designers...I have someone, but he is only 1 person with 2 poor hands :)

I know a 3d modler, but he'd want cash :(

Quinn, just a few features and small stuff you should include:

1) Staff and staff costs
2) Bandwidth (Make it so you can purchase from Verizon, Cogent, Sprint etc..)
3) Choose the location of the datacenter (Chicago, New Jersey, San Francisco) and base the diaster frequency based on where you live..like earthquakes in san francisco etc.
4) Law suits from other hosting companies (hire your own lawyer etc..)
5) Computer costs..adding computers
6) Rent costs


Umm..I think that's about it? Everybody should reply with something that they think could be useful, and this could turn out pretty big! :)

Hmm..just playing, but like any of these? I can change them around for you if you like.

do you like this logo? i had nothing to do :D

Originally posted by Cyber
do you like this logo? i had nothing to do :D

Hmmm.. did you cut and paste screenshots from The Sims?

no, i got that guy from someones sim family. otherwise i found the other stuff on the net

Deal with investors? They come up to you and say what they want in return, and you decide whether or not to accept?

How about being in the stock market too, and having your shares rates hinge on the health of your company? I think that could work somehow.

Being able to expand your buildings sq ft would be good.

Can't let the game become too predictable though, otherwise people will know they have to sit right in the middle, no underselling, etc etc.


Oh I almost forgot, mkaufman, nice logos :stickout

Originally posted by NetXL
Oh I almost forgot, mkaufman, nice logos :stickout

Really? Took like 5 minutes..thanks :D

Simple things very often look best :)

You should be able to zone space...

Cubicles
Colocation
Dedicated Servers
Colo suites
Shared Hosting

And then add things like security stations, routers, switches, and things. Have different lines you need to connect zones to each other and ocnnect to the internet.
( Instead of highway and road you get T3, FastEthernet and OC3 LOL )
It would be kinda like simcity... The way it would work. And running power and ethernet cables underneath in the raised flooring.

Zones would run themself standardly racks would be added as more customers come in, Cubicles come in as needed. ( Depending on budget of course. ) You would get legal suits and have to renew contracts change contracts with isps/powerco/telcos. And I want it to feature REALISTIC pricing. Cisco routers cost close to what they cost in real life so does power etc. Not exact of course but close.

it just occured to me we are such dorks lol.
3/4ths of my friends don't know what a datacenter is.

HOW DARE YOU!!! We are not dorks. We are geeks. Some of us are also nerds.

it just occured to me we are such dorks lol.
3/4ths of my friends don't know what a datacenter is.

*Doesn't wanna be a dork*

ummmm....... ummmmm....... yeah what is a datacenter?

ok, geeks and nerds. Sorry for the terminology screw up. :D

Cant use real company names like Cisco with permission can you though?

Sisco?

A-TEE & TEE?

Cognent?

I think if it's for non-profit purposes they wouldn't really care.

Level 4
Ewe Ewe Net
Below Net
Yikes

;)

I don't really think they will care. The CEO's will probably be addicted to it too :D

Free advertising for them....
Unless the hardware/lines constantly go bad LOL

Does anyone by any chance... have the Sims or Age of Empires 2 engine?

Heh...


Building this one... I just stopped, I will upload what I have completed in a couple of hours.

To hard, I give up :)

Awh :(

Good ideas everyone. Some would be really complicated but I'll see what I can do. :)

Originally posted by qslack
Good ideas everyone. Some would be really complicated but I'll see what I can do. :)

If you need help.. drop me a line..