Game server queries
Ill tell you what i want to make it easier…
I wish to run a game server for about 5 people to begin with then increase this to a 32 player server. I will also require a fair amount of access to the server myself to make constant file changes. In addition, this server will import and export data to a seperate SQL database server.
Also, in addition, can i please have an IP of a test machine i can ping?
14 Replies
@Erron:
I read in the abilities on Linode that a game server is possible but it mentions a minimum, i cant find anywhere on the page what this means?
Ill tell you what i want to make it easier…
I wish to run a game server for about 5 people to begin with then increase this to a 32 player server. I will also require a fair amount of access to the server myself to make constant file changes. In addition, this server will import and export data to a seperate SQL database server.
Also, in addition, can i please have an IP of a test machine i can ping?
You can ping host1.linode.com - host19.linode.com. The first 8 or so are in Texas, the remaining are in California. I have found that a Linode's ping times are about 10 ms longer than the host ping times, so if you get a ping of 75 ms to host12.linode.com, then a Linode on host12 is likely to see a ping of 85 ms.
@bji:
@Erron:I read in the abilities on Linode that a game server is possible but it mentions a minimum, i cant find anywhere on the page what this means?
Ill tell you what i want to make it easier…
I wish to run a game server for about 5 people to begin with then increase this to a 32 player server. I will also require a fair amount of access to the server myself to make constant file changes. In addition, this server will import and export data to a seperate SQL database server.
Also, in addition, can i please have an IP of a test machine i can ping?
You can ping host1.linode.com - host19.linode.com. The first 8 or so are in Texas, the remaining are in California. I have found that a Linode's ping times are about 10 ms longer than the host ping times, so if you get a ping of 75 ms to host12.linode.com, then a Linode on host12 is likely to see a ping of 85 ms.
Hm, I just tried this and it may not be true anymore. I was pretty sure that a while ago I was seeing a 10 ms ping delay in my Linode on host5 compared to a direct ping to host5. But now it seems like they are virtually identical … YMMV …
Now i need to know which plan to go on, how much download/bandwidth etc would an average game server use for a modern game? anyone?
Also, it depends on how many players are on the server. More players -> more events -> more bandwidth.
With that said, I did some rough back-of-the-envelope calculations a while ago, and I came up with an estimate of 100 MB per player-day for Quake 3. Trust that number about as much as you trust some random schmuck on a web forum.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but I just don't think it's the best idea.
@asura:
Actually I run a game on my linode. Its a text-based MUD though.
Lol
@Quik:
Lol
;)
Hmmm…
I am not sure how to take your reply. I could almost be offended.
@asura:
@Quik:Lol
;) Hmmm…
:? I am not sure how to take your reply. I could almost be offended.
Don't be!
Somehow though, Quake 3 servers and text-based games can't really be compared (this most certainly does not mean that Quake 3 servers are the better of the two
For a real-time FPS game, you really need a dedicated server, and unmetered bandwidth (that is, it's rate-limited, not a cumulative monthly limit). For 32 players or so you probably need about 1.5 Mbps both ways. Plus you need more constant and reliable CPU performance than you'll get in shared hosting like this, IMHO.
Now on the other hand, if you're running something like Starfleet Command's Dynaverse server package, the bandwidth usage to and from the server is quite small, and battles are handled peer-to-peer. This would probably work quite well. I'm not sure how other strategy games compare in this regard, and I'm not sure if the Dynaverse is even available for Linux.
MUDs I would imagine work quite well on this sort of system.
So it all depends on what game you're talking about.
@Quik:
Don't be!
Somehow though, Quake 3 servers and text-based games can't really be compared (this most certainly does not mean that Quake 3 servers are the better of the two
;) )
OK, that's what I thought. Better to ask than to assume.
Great
It sounds like you're looking to set up a game server with room for growth and the ability to handle data transfers to a separate SQL database. When Linode mentions a "minimum," it likely refers to the minimum server specs required for stable performance. For your needs, especially as you scale to 32 players, you might want to consider Dedicated Gaming Servers for better performance and control. If you're looking for more robust solutions, HostNoc also offers powerful options. For an IP to test, it's best to contact their support directly for access.