Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 28

Thread: Game Server

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Behind You!
    Posts
    118

    Game Server

    Hey Guys,

    I'm thinking of selling game servers and was hoping on some suggestions;

    Linux or Windows
    Software
    and any other needed things for hosting game servers.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Lincoln, UK
    Posts
    489
    Plenty of games offer Linux versions specifically for servers (but I couldn't tell you which ones off hand, we tend to stay away from the GSP market) but you're probably best off with Windows so you can support the full range.
    Most games let you download the server versions for free, although it would be best to check that the EULA lets you use these for commercial purposes.
    THe other thing you would need would be some kind of control panel. Although Plesk and cPanel etc. can support a limited range of game servers you're probably best off going with a one that is designed purely for GSPs. Some GSP companies (like INX) have their own custom control panels I believe.
    Ethical, carbon neutral hosting and servers from Freethought
    Freethought Internet Limited registered in London No. 5862996. Registered office: Unit 5, Oak House, Witham Park, Waterside South, Lincoln, LN5 7FB. VAT number GB 345 5122 18.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Behind You!
    Posts
    118
    Ok thank you

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    CT, USA
    Posts
    620
    The game server market is very iffy and over-saturated. The clients you are looking to go for would be young and a bit unstable in terms of loyalty. From what I have learned through providers and being a gamer myself, registration and latency are key.

    You are going to want servers that perform and perform well, so going cheap is a bad idea. I suggest sticking with a particular section of the US, maybe not trying to sell to the East, Central, and West.

    Next thing you need to figure out is the control panel for your servers. There are options for both Linux-based and Windows-based servers, so making your OS choice is definitely key.

    So my suggestions in a nutshell:

    1. Deciding your server location offerings and picking a datacenter.
    2. Deciding your server hardware configurations and operating system needs.
    3. Choose your game offerings and pricing.
    4. Choose your billing system and support help desk.

    Good luck!
    SwiftModders - Premium WHMCS Themes, Blesta Themes, and WordPress Development
    View my top-rated WHMCS Themes trusted by over 1,000 businesses!
    █ Now offering Blesta Themes to transform your Blesta client area!

  5. #5
    If you're considering going with Windows, look into TCADMIN for your control panel needs. They have a good product and offer quality support.
    ColoCrossing - Dedicated to Uptime
    Jon Biloh | jbiloh@colocrossing.com | 1.800.518.9716 | Skype: jbiloh
    DDOS Protected Colo & Dedicated Servers in Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Behind You!
    Posts
    118
    Thanks for your help guys.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    48
    Yeah TCadmin is amazing but it's not in linux. You should really really use linux. 10X better than Windows running a server. As for a linux control panel, use brainless.us.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    86
    Im curious Spartan where do you get this impression or information that Linux is 10x better than Windows for servers?

  9. #9
    I believe he was exaggerating with "10x" but there is a noticeable difference between Windows and Linux/Unix in some games. With linux you can optimize the OS for game hosting down at the kernel level whereas with Windows you really can't. Not to mention the added benefits such as uptime, etc.
    Last edited by HG-Daniel; 07-30-2008 at 12:51 PM.

  10. #10
    if it is for HL1 and HL2 Based gaming, there is a notable difference for professional players. However for general selling servers you should use windows with tcadmin, but be prepared to pay some dough.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    86
    Daniel, uptime has nothing to do with the OS, thats all about the network providers, and many other factors but not the OS.

    @Tuffmuffins, there is going to be no noticable difference to a Player, as long as they are close to the server, are getting low pings, and 0 latency they will not know what the server OS is. Again another false pretense.


    I gather that most of these opinions are coming from a general consensus, which is more often than not based on no fact at all, no true standardized testing, and is spread by people who know no better.

  12. #12
    actually there is a difference when you play pro and you require fast response. Believe it or not steve not everyone is playing for fun.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    86
    I can guaruntee you there is no difference between a linux server and a windows server from a "Pro Gamers" point of view. If you could show me some data to back up your views I would certainly retract my statement. But your view just makes no logical sense.

    A gamers point of view whether he play for fun or is "Pro" is all about latency and ping as far as the server is concerned.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by SHSSteve View Post
    Daniel, uptime has nothing to do with the OS, thats all about the network providers, and many other factors but not the OS.

    @Tuffmuffins, there is going to be no noticable difference to a Player, as long as they are close to the server, are getting low pings, and 0 latency they will not know what the server OS is. Again another false pretense.


    I gather that most of these opinions are coming from a general consensus, which is more often than not based on no fact at all, no true standardized testing, and is spread by people who know no better.
    Actually uptime does have to do a lot with the OS. When you use Windows with game hosting you should restart the server at least once a month to keep performance up. That's not really the case with linux/unix variants -- you could have them online for months or even years without performance dropping.

    Game servers like HLDS/SRCDS depend on the timekeeping of the OS to keep track of everything going on in game. Windows and Linux use different methods to manage this -- so yes, there is a difference between Windows and Linux/Unix. Gary Stanley from Velocity could probably explain it better than me.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    86
    There are ways of getting around that Daniel. Its called a properly clustered environment. Think of it as RAID but for servers. A master server and a slave server, when the master goes down the slave takes over, and vice versa.

    What is your experience with Windows and Linux based Game Servers? Maybe ask your host if they offer this?

    If I were a "Pro" Gamer I would demand it.


    And Velocity doesnt even offer Linux Game Servers, if there was such a performance difference dont you think they would atleast offer them? I know I would.
    Last edited by SHSSteve; 07-30-2008 at 03:00 PM.

  16. #16
    not sure, but I don't think tcadmin works with linux thats why the use windows.

    as far as the timing goes, I have to agree it is all about the timing. Windows timing is off and if left unboosted will be screwy. Where as linux is always boost and like someone said before you can tweek it at the kernal level. Windows you cannot tweek, you can only have boost it, 500FPS which is still puts on +2ms or more than the actual linux server with outputs +1 or +0ms because they run at 1000fps.

  17. #17
    I know what server clusters are. However, I don't know of any game server provider that actually have true clustered environments, do you? Regardless, it is widely accepted that linux can usually offer better performance in-game servers, specifically in HLDS. Sure, there are no "standardized" tests (I think there's a reason for that..) but playing in a linux gameserver vs. windows gameserver is a pretty good indicator.

    I can't speak for Velocity but I would assume they stick to Windows because it is more convenient for them because of TCAdmin. Summit-Servers, a subsidiary of Velocity-Servers, utilizes DragonflyBSD (CentOS now, I think)

    http://people.summit-servers.com/monk/archives/24

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    86
    tuffmuffins, im now pretty convinced that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

    Daniel, i know of plenty of server providers that provide true clustered environments.

    I do not know if Velocity is a clustered Environment, but I do know that if I were a "PRO" Gamer I would be having my server in a Clustered Environment there by negating any of the downtime that you speak of.

    Now, as per the comment of playing ina linux vs windows gameserver is a pretty good indicator I would like to refer you to my previous comment that Players only see/feel the latency and ping. There is no way playing on a server can indicate whether it is windows or linux, and even if you know, there is no way of seeing/feeling a difference in performance.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Buffalo NY
    Posts
    400
    Linux/Unix have better timekeeping capabilities, which was previously mentioned by Daniel, which helps enable (and increase) performance possibilities on the HLDS/SRCDS engines. Case in point, Windows 2003 simply can't obtain the levels of FPS Linux/Unix variants can, namely 1000FPS.

    However, it's my opinion (and experience) through 6 years of game hosting that Windows vs Linux on a sub-1000FPS level (where the timekeeping capabilities of Linux aren't needed to obtain increased FPS), it's a relatively level playing field. We've worked and provided servers to multiple professional teams, most notably Team3D with Craig Levine, and never received a performance complaint because of using Windows.

    True, many providers are opting to move to Linux based solutions, but that goes with the trend of Linux servers becoming more popular, better supported, and the changing game server market, where 1000FPS is a demand. Someone could by-pass this by using Windows 2008 with HPET to obtain 1000FPS, but there is no debate that Linux 1000FPS will be more stable than a Windows 1000FPS, based on aforementioned reasons.

    All of this debate about uptime, latency differences based on OS, and 'gamers can feel the difference' really seems trivial to me. Most people don't mind the 3 minutes it takes to reboot a Windows box a few times a week at 6AM to maintain performance. Latency is far too dependent on the network you're running on, and it's not hard to find a price sensitive, high performing network these days. As for the pro gaming thing, I've never been one, but I've worked with them, and they have never seemed to mind what OS the provider is using.

  20. #20
    again steve, it is a matter of opinion. I say I feel a difference and I believe there to be a difference. If it is all mind games, then let it be but I feel better playing on a linux box.

    i forgot what we were arguing about, but i do believe inux boxes overall are cheaper and take less effort to run

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Posts
    86
    Tuff i agree with you finally

    Linux boxes are overall cheaper and take less effort to run.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by SHSSteve View Post
    Tuff i agree with you finally

    Linux boxes are overall cheaper and take less effort to run.
    Game Server hosting is pretty much a science in itself. Windows doesn't offer the low latency, RTOS (with patches) that Linux/FreeBSD can offer. You can't pick windows' timecounter, and QueryPerformanceCounter() is buggy. It all boils down to time.
    Gary Stanley | Email: gstanley[*at*]colocrossing.com ColoCrossing Internet Services Providing High Quality Colocation and Dedicated Services BGP Cisco Powered Networks in NYC|DFW|CHI|SJ|VA

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Bluesquare dc, Uk
    Posts
    1,591
    We've been linux since 5 and a half years ago. Never touched windows.

    Performance hasn't been the key card. It's the fact with linux you can do what you want. With Windows....it's closed and you need tcadmin
    Olly | INX-Gaming
    Call of Duty 4 hosting

  24. #24
    Servers are naturally more stable on Linux than on a windows based due to its lower resource usage. Not to mention prior 'experience' with windows.


    Most games offer a free dedicated server to download, so you will not need to go out and buy each game...You will however need to if you want to test the server.

    cPanel had a game server add-on at one time, im not sure what they did with it, but it was made (within a year ago).

    Good luck in your quest to hosting game servers, as they can be very resource demanding.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Birmingham
    Posts
    128
    if you target your business to middleast and arab ciuntries you need to host some of your game servers near by your customer for performance issues.
    Delay time for customers away form your data center will kill the game.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •