Any plans for an "official" hosting server?

[Gandalf Parker]

YAY MORE SERVERS!

I had a game startup page started but I was afraid of what user-created games could do to my servers. Games could run for months. Even if 1 game a week was started it could overload me if they were tcpip games that were up and waiting for logins 24/7

If run as PbEM games (maybe with a web page upload) then it might be better since the game could be done as a host-then-quit allowing me to spread out the load. But even then, users could create a lot of games. Not to mention the admin headaches of games created but never started, how to decide when to cleanup a game, etc.

Gandalf Parker

[Arralen]

Gandalf, I may have asked you before, but can't remember that I ever got an answer.. therefor:

Do you know Stars! Autohost.

It does that what you plan for Dom3 for the old Stars! game for years already. Might be possible to get the scripts and 'convert' them for the use with Dom3/Dom2 ...

[Gandalf Parker]

I know of Stars! which is a favorite game of mine. I havent looked at the hosting scripts for it.

By the way, the Stars! usenet forum is rumbling with noise about an approved clone project. Im trying to stear them toward Shrapnel.

[DominionsFan]

Kristoffer O said:

I will gladly give you a copy of Dom3 for all you have done in the past and hope that you find the time and energy to do the same in the future. You have been most appreciated. We as well as the fans owe you great!

PM me or send a mail to kristoffer(at)illwinter.com if you want a copy.

Kris you are a real gentleman.

[ceremony]

DominionsFan said:

Kris you are a real gentleman.

Indeed. Very classy.

[Shmonk]

Talk about great "Dominions community" customer service. I think that is very cool, Kris O. My first few MP games were on the Mose Hansen server, and it was very nice to see that available.

I can't wait for Dom 3, maybe several servers will be available for starting MP games. I can see Oct/Nov being very busy months for me - work, Dom3, little sleep, work, Dom3, little sleep, etc.

[Tim Brooks]

Okay. We have questions for those who are 'in the know'...

1. How many games can be hosted by a dedicated server at one time?

2. How much bandwidth does this take?

3. If we supplied the server, could we get the code (some already exists, correct?)?

4. Would there be any volunteers to administer the server?

Thanks.

[JaydedOne]

Tim,

The mere fact that you're asking rocks.

I now sit back to watch Gandalf and Esben offer more useful comments.

[Gandalf Parker]

Tim Brooks said:
Okay. We have questions for those who are 'in the know'...

1. How many games can be hosted by a dedicated server at one time?

Im not good at exact numbers but here are my impressions so far. Going with a simple linux server (1 unit, max memory, max standard desktop CPU, min hard drive, min graphics, min sound) that is dedicated to this purpose by itself...

I would say that it can host 5-8 mega games in Xwindows and tcpip mode. (easier to manage but uses up the most system resources)

That becomes 10-15 mega games if its run in text mode

Easily 20-30 if they are not run tcpip (direct connect) but are instead as pbem

Also small blitz games would raise the number

Those sound like alot of games but consider how long they can last. If a game lasts for months, and you can run 10 large games, then you might be looking at only starting one game a month to make sure that things run smooth.

In MY opinion (and this will probably tick some people off) the biggest gain that Shrapnel could provide us is to not worry about pbem and blitz games. Those can be done by the players. Its the high end stuff. Large maps, many players, needing an impartial host we trust. Those need abit more machine than someones crowded desktop to run. If Shrapnel could run one big official game a month it would go far toward stablizing this community. Maybe one game for each era, so that would be starting 3 games each time.

2. How much bandwidth does this take?

Very little bandwidth. The game is very efficient that way. The big bandwidth is if a game is started with a randomly generated map then it sends the map to the players. But thats only on the initial connection.

The problem area is in CPU. Altho Ive watched that be incredibly improved during beta testing. But getting late into a large game can make the hosting the turns into something that the machine will "feel" the load. Games that are run as 24-hour turns and then space the hosting times so they dont overlap will take care of that.

3. If we supplied the server, could we get the code (some already exists, correct?)?

Esben has the decent code. I dont think its for the types of games I described. Of course I will provide my scripts which can be used to generate large occassional games.

4. Would there be any volunteers to administer the server?

No Im too flakey for that. Id be glad to help out setting things up or working on problems that come up. But Im better at sporadic help than I am at being regular and dependable.

Gandalf Parker

[DominionsFan]

Hm my comp could easily host a Doms 3. server. Dual Xeon processors, 2 GB RAM, 6 mbit DSL line [not capped so its 24 Mbit basically].
The problem is that its not just me whos using the computer, but my girlfriend also. [She is living with me.]
Hm...maybe I will buy her a laptop.