Dedicated Servers?

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by Tourmalyn:
What this allows for is lots of games since no game will be hosted 24/7 from an ip address. The only time that will happen is the first 48hrs to allow for players to claim spots.

What an interesting hybrid. I had been looking at it as all or nothing. Either the games would be IP/host operated limiting a server to about a dozen games running. Or would be PBEM allowing hundreds of games but the headaches involved with getting everyones initial files setup.

I like this. My linux server could actually have a dozen signups running at one time with no problem. Once the game is setup then it could shift to being a PBEM game.

Question: Linux supports PHP right?

Yes. It supports pretty much anything that isnt actually locked in as being a windows only thing.

I was thinking of looking into things like "movable type" which allows an easy web interface for file uploading. That would simplify things alot I think.

[ November 05, 2003, 18:52: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

[Pocus]

Thank you Richard & Gandalf for the answer.

As of now, I'm just taking some notes. I have a script util to finish, and then a big scenario before restarting anything on my (crude as of now) hosting utility. So nothing will be done before at least january.

Anyway, I can only propose a windows Version, which would be a stand alone executable, without any web service associated anyway. So if some people have some spare time now, feel free to start something!

[Tourmalyn]

I'm going to go ahead and start something just for the sake of doing it. I've been needing an excuse to learn PHP or JSP anyways. As far as the platform, I would probably lean toward Microsoft since transactions to an access/sql database from PHP/ASP are dead simple. Additionaly, it would be easy to write a VB app to run 24/7 that would manage the lauching/shutting down of Dom2 servers, and maintanence of the databases. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against Linux, I just don't want to deal with the tediousness of writing a C++ app to do the maintanence on an OS I am unfamiliar with.

[Gandalf Parker]

OK time to resurrect this thread.

THANK YOU Illwinter for adding the text-only mode for hosting. It works fine on my debian linux server. Now to play with switches and scripts for awhile.

Questions:

-t --hosttime X Y Host on day X (0=sunday) hour Y (0-23)
--minutes X Set host interval in minutes
-h --hours X Set host interval in hours
--pauseday X Stop timer on this day (0=sunday)

0=sunday. Does that mean that --hosttime 024 3 will process on Sunday Tuesday and Thursday at 3am?

I understand the --hours but whats the thought behind --pausday? Why would you pause the time? Pause for what? How do you restart it?

[Zapmeister]

Any ideas for handling "tyre-kickers"?

By this, I mean people who stumble on a site, click around a bit, then wander off never to be heard from again. This kind of behaviour would play havoc with a Dom2 automatic registration system if it wasn't handled in some way.

My suggestion would be the standard "we'll email you, and wait for your activation before we consider you registered". Even then, you'll still get people who will jump through all the hoops, only to abandon the game almost immediately it starts. I know this from experience with other web-based games I've managed.

[johan osterman]

I understand the --hours but whats the thought behind --pausday? Why would you pause the time? Pause for what? How do you restart it?

--pauseday 0, makes the timer not count down on sundays. This might be useful if you want to rest one day each week.

[Arralen]

Originally posted by Tourmalyn:
As far as the platform, I would probably lean toward Microsoft since transactions to an access/sql database from PHP/ASP are dead simple.

mySQL ?

Additionaly, it would be easy to write a VB app to run 24/7 that would manage the lauching/shutting down of Dom2 servers, and maintanence of the databases. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against Linux, I just don't want to deal with the tediousness of writing a C++ app to do the maintanence on an OS I am unfamiliar with.

shell script? cron job?
I'm not terribly familiar with LINUX, too, but afaik there should be some possiblities to do this "the simple way".
And if you need more complex functions to work with the database and/or want a GUI for administration, why not use Perl/Python/Tcl with GUI-Kit (tk).
Or XBasic (code portable between Linux and W32 Version), so we needn't rely on M$ stuff?

A.