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Set up a dedicated gaming server for the most popular games
Don’t let your computer’s parts off the hook just because they were swapped out in an upgrade; put them back to work! Half of the top-ten most-played games on Steam come with the option to customize your entire gameplay, right up through running your own dedicated server. Are you going to sit back and play the game how somebody else envisioned it, or are you going to grab the goat by the horns, run your own server, and make it personal?
Why run the server on your LAN instead of remote hosting (rental server)?
There are many reasons why people rent a server from a remote provider; ranging from bandwidth availability, dedicated support, or even to eliminate any latency advantages between player and host.
Remote hosting can sometimes be a headache. Some server rental hosting services don’t consistently update the site’s server software for many days after a game update rolls out. By hosting the server yourself on a separate machine, you’re able to take command and update it as soon as you like, and the cost is only in the electricity required to run the system. All you need is to save the parts you replace when you upgrade, and build a new system out of it. Sure, it may be old tech, but most dedicated servers for games don’t require a lot.
What is the benefit of running your own dedicated server?
A dedicated server is often more stable than the game client itself. If something goes wrong on your gaming machine and you need to close the game or reboot your system, those that are connected to the server can still play and enjoy the game.
Remote Management (VNC)
Sometimes, the built-in server admin tools for games aren’t enough. That’s where remote management comes in. There are many options to remotely control the server. The most popular VNC program is TeamViewer, followed by the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection.
For modern Windows systems, there is the option to use the free Remote Desktop Connection software from Microsoft. RDC lets you connect to another computer using login credentials as if you were physically at the computer. As reported at Windows Central (http://www.windowscentral.com/you-do-not-need-activate-windows-10), Microsoft has loosened their grip on un-activated copies of Windows 10.
To find out more about the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection, visit Microsoft’s RDC page: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/remote-desktop-connection-faq.
Voice Chat Servers
Maybe you’re playing a multiplayer game that doesn’t allow for private dedicated servers. Voice chat has come to be an expected feature of most multiplayer games these days, and server requirements have changed very little in the past decade. If you can stream on Twitch or even video chat on Skype, you have more than enough bandwidth for hosting a voice chat server for your guild/clan/group. Assume no greater than 64Kb/s per user connected (10 users = 640Kb/s upload needed).
Common GamesMinecraft
Obtain the server software from the official site at (http://minecraft.net/download). This program will create additional files and folders in the location that you run it from. It is advised to run it from a new folder (e.g., D:Minecraft Server)
When you first run the server, it will create the following: /logs/, eula.txt, and server.properties. Open eula.txt, read it (if you wish), then change the last string from eula=false to eula=true, and save it.
Run the server again and the rest of the server files will be generated.
Edit server.properties using a text editor such as notepad, and make any changes you need. For a full list of what each property does, visit the wiki: http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Server.properties
Note/change the port setting for router config: “server-port=25565” (default line 11).
Steam-based games
Check if the game you want to host is on the list of dedicated servers on Steam: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Dedicated_Servers_List.
This list will provide information on whether you can obtain the dedicated server software by using the SteamCMD program, or from the Steam Client. It will also indicate if the game allows for anonymous login or if you have to purchase the game in order to access the dedicated server software.
SteamCMD
SteamCMD is a command line program that allows you to install software such as dedicated servers without the need to install the Steam Client (https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD).
Use of SteamCMD assumes that you know the app ID of the program you wish to download or update.
The easiest way to use SteamCMD to install your dedicated server is to use SteamCMD-GUI (https://github.com/DioJoestar/SteamCMD-GUI/releases). This program allows you to select all of the desired variables and then install in one click. It even allows for running most Source servers. Usage of the SteamCMD-GUI tool is fairly straightforward. You will need to install the SteamCMD program separately before use; there is a quick button in the GUI tool to do this.
For Steam games with dedicated server software that does not have its own independent app ID, check in the game’s installation directory: (SteamInstall or SteamLibrary)SteamAppscommon(Game Name) or at the game’s website or wiki.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Acquisition: SteamCMD only, Anonymous-allowed. App ID: 740.
Installation over SteamCMD-GUI works well, but running the server will require that you become acquainted with the intricacies of the Source Dedicated Server Software (srcds.exe), which runs all Source engine servers.
For CS:GO Dedicated Server beginners, the pyr0s-csgo-server-launcher (http://code.google.com/p/pyr0s-csgo-server-launcher/) batch file mostly automates the server configuration and launch, making it easy to step into running your own CS:GO server.
If you want to further customize your server, we recommend reading further on CS:GO Dedicated Server configuration at the Valve Developer wiki (https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Global_Offensive_Dedicated_Servers).
ARK: Survival Evolved
Acquisition: SteamCMD and Steam Client. App ID: 376030 (note: this is not listed on the DS list page). All other guides will say to download app ID 346110, which requires steam login on SteamCMD and game purchase.
This server is best managed using the free Ark Server Manager (http://forum.arkservermanager.com/). This program will manage just about every aspect of the server, including SteamCMD installation and updates. Ark Server Manager uses the 376030 ID, meaning that you do not need to worry about entering your logic credentials to a third-party program. If you do not wish to use a GUI to run the server, the unofficial wiki for the game provides the best information on how to set up the server manually at http://ark-survival-evolved.wikia.com/wiki/Dedicated_Server_Setup.
This server does use a relatively high amount of resources.
Team Fortress 2
Acquisition: SteamCMD Only. App ID: 232250.
As a Source game, the configuration is similar to CS:GO; support is more limited, though. We recommend that users new to running a TF2 server visit the wiki page to get started quickly. Unlike CS:GO, this server is a breeze to run from the SteamCMD-GUI program, as the majority of settings that you will want to modify will be located in the server.cfg file (you will need to create this file in the fcfg folder in the TF2-DS installation. An easy-start example of this file is listed on the wiki: https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Dedicated_server_configuration#Example_Server.cfg_for_TF2_dedicated_server ). Space Engineers
SteamCMD, Steam Client, Automatically downloaded with game client to DedicatedServer(64) and in .zip form in Tools App ID: 298740.
Launch SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe as Administrator (or just click the [Run as Admin!] Button inside the program) from the folder that best fits your system: DedicatedServer for x86 or DedicatedServer64 for 64bit.
If you want to run the server strictly in console mode only, then select Local / Console and [Continue to server configuration]. This will let you set up the server parameters just as you would in the client, but with a few more fancy tricks.
If you want to launch the server as a system service with the configuration window open (not required for server to start or stay running), then click [Add new instance] and give a name to the service so that you can recognize it. If you run a new service instance, it will automatically configure to run when windows starts. You can add many services; each is able to control many different world saves and settings.
Terraria
No separate App ID; automatically downloaded with the game client. You can obtain the server software from the developers without downloading the game, as well as a third-party GUI tool for the server—visit the official Terraria Wiki Server page for more information: http://terraria.gamepedia.com/Server.
Terraria App ID: 105600—requires SteamCMD login to download.
Make sure you install the prerequisite software: XNA Framework 4.0 and .NET 4.0 Framework (Win10 needs only XNA).
Edit the serverconfig.txt to your liking and run start-server.bat; the server program is very straightforward and easy to use for anyone who has played the game.
For a dedicated server on a separate machine, it is advised to ignore the –steam launch option for this game, as it will only work if TerrariaServer.exe is launched via Steam Client (uses the Join Game function from user interactions to bypass port forwarding).
Router ConfigurationPort Forwarding
If you aren’t familiar with port forwarding, or have questions regarding setting up port forwarding on your router, find specific information for your setup at http://portforward.com.
Default ports:
Teamspeak: UDP in (voice) 9987, TCP in (file transfer) 30033, TCP in (serverquery) 10011, TCP in (TSDNS) 41144.
Source Dedicated Servers (CS:GO, TF2, etc.): 27015 (TCP/UDP), 27020 (UDP) Note: add in any other ports you may use for additional servers (e.g., 27015 for CS:GO, 27016 for TF2, etc.)
Terraria: 7777
ARK: Survival Evolved: 7777, 27015, 32330
If your router supports dynamic DNS, it is advised to set that up. If not, there are alternative methods.
Dynamic DNS (DDNS)—hosting your dynamic IP at a domain name
Instead of handing out your IP address to friends, give them an easy-to-remember domain name built to always correctly point to your IP address. Most games allow for domain name connections instead of IP addresses.
Dyn (formerly DynDNS) shut down free services in 2014, leaving many home users to go find a new provider. Luckily, many other companies have stepped up to the plate to welcome those looking for a free, simple Dynamic DNS service for their projects. Some modern routers even come with an account to their proprietary DDNS hosting that you configure on your router directly.
Here’s a short list of free services that you can use for your home server:
FreeDNS (https://freedns.afraid.org/)
DtDNS (https://www.dtdns.com/)
DuckDNS (http://duckdns.org/)
No-IP (https://www.noip.com/)
EntryDNS (https://entrydns.net/)
Get Building!
Many of us upgrade our computers and wonder what to do with the parts that we just replaced. It’s very often the case that those parts end up collecting dust on a shelf or in a box. It’s time to put them to good use by turning them into another rig. If you've ever had other people connect to you to play a game, you've hosted a server. Using dedicated server software on a remote machine is just the same, except that you're freeing up system resources.
Find hosting with these features in GamingOnline Gaming Servers and Hosting
Gaming is the mass medium of the 21st century. We’ve soared past the early days of Tetris and PacMan to multiplayer games designed to solve complex scientific and social problems.
Online gaming’s meteoric rise has been accompanied by a few stereotypes too.
The stereotype of the gamer as a solitary creature still has a lot of hold in modern culture.
Think of the word “gamer” and you start to imagine a caricature of a teenage geek, holed up in his bedroom, subsisting on snack food and ignoring his hygiene and social life, fixated on his favorite game.
The Rise of Multiplayer Gaming
The reality is that gaming is increasingly a social activity.
Players meet online to compete and form teams, swapping strategies and banter over voice chat.
Gamers are also taking themselves out of their bedrooms and into real life gaming competitions, where players from all over the world meet to see who’s the best, competing not just for points, but for real money and prizes.
Making Money From Professional Gaming
Some gamers are so good that they’ve been able to make a living playing competitively, like professional athletes.
Gaming hardware and peripheral makers seek these professional players out for endorsements the way sneaker and cereal makers seek out other professional athletes.
Who said playing games was a waste of time?
Korea’s Lee Jae-dong, who competes under the name Jaedong, has scored over $600,000 from gaming competitions.
Behind the scenes, servers make the new world of social gaming possible.
These servers need to be hosted somewhere, and with the business web hosting market saturated, a number of providers are turning to a very lucrative player base.
History of Multiplayer Gaming
Multiplayer gaming is as old as gaming itself.
The earliest form most people were exposed to is playing simple games with friends like Tic-Tac-Toe.
Early Online Multiplayer Gaming
The first online multiplayer games started to appear in the 1970s.
While most of these earlier multiplayer games were developed at universities, they started to appear in the private sector when early online services like CompuServe were first made available to the public in the late ’70s and ’80s.
Doom And Quake Usher in Multiplayer Online Gaming
It was with the arrival of first-person shooter games in the 1990s like id Software’s Doom that multiplayer games began to get more sophisticated.
A little retro for you? Check out these players and their first encounters with Doom.
Doom not only revolutionized the computer game market as one of the “killer apps” of the PC platform, but it also became popular for its “Deathmatch” mode, where players could face off over the network instead of the computer-controlled demons from a portal from Hell.
Id’s next game, Quake, also brought major changes upon its release in 1996. The game supported internet play right out of the box.
Dungeons dragons 5th edition pdf. Nov 19, 2018 Set in a medieval fantasy world, D&D allows you to experience stories and adventures full of endless possibilities and amazing surprises. The Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons is a PDF that covers the core of the tabletop game. The Basic Rules runs from levels 1 to 20 and covers the cleric.
“Quake” ushered in the modern era of gaming.
How Do Game Servers Work?
Multiplayer video games work on the client/server principle as do many other networking programs.
The game client handles:
The computer engine on the server keeps track of the players and the game logic. This includes:
While it’s possible to host a game server on a home computer, there are issues that may make it difficult to host it on the internet.
Can I Run Multiplayer Gaming on My Home Network?
If you’re on a home network, it might be impossible for other players to reach you.
This is because your Wi-Fi router will likely block the ports used by your game unless you know how to forward or unblock them in your router’s settings.
Security, in general, is just as much an issue for gamers as it is for businesses. Prominent game servers are prime targets for hackers and pranksters.
Most gamers simply won’t have the time or the expertise to maintain proper security on their systems.
For Top Gaming Performance, Use a Pro Dedicated Server
Servers are also designed to run 24/7, 365 days a year.
The hardware available to consumers, even high-end gaming hardware, just isn’t designed for that kind of reliability.
If you try to run a game server with lots of players all the time, it’s likely that you’ll suffer some kind of hardware failure if you push your machine too much.
Uptime and Performance: You Want Them Both
You’ll also need to pay for the power your computer consumes, as well as deal with the heat it generates.
Hosting companies have specialized datacenters running computers that are designed to stay up 24/7/365.
Plus, these hosting companies have Service Level Agreements that specify what will happen if some kind of failure does happen. Usually, you’ll get some kind of credit off the next month’s bill. When your home machine breaks down, you’re on your own.
Performance is also a big reason to opt for an outside hosting provider if you’re at all serious about running a game server.
Do I Need a Dedicated Server for Gaming?
For performance, it’s better to spring for a dedicated server over a shared server. A dedicated server will give you a lot more flexibility than a shared plan, plus you won’t have to share it with any other gaming groups.
You don’t want to be competing with others on a shared server for uptime, bandwidth, and app loading speed. Plus you’ll want maximum flexibility for customizing your set-up. Because modern gaming is so compute-intensive, there’s no real option other than a dedicated server.
Is It Worth Going To a Gaming-Focused Host?
But could you get an account on any VPS or dedicated provider and roll your own game server? You could, but there are easier options.
Gaming-focused hosts will make it deploying game servers easier with all of the creature comforts mentioned earlier. You’ll be able to spend more time playing games than just setting them up.
Internet Connection and Speed Issues for Gaming
Most residential broadband internet connections are asymmetric: the download speed is higher than the upload speed.
That’s fine for surfing the web or binge-watching, but it can be a real problem with a game server that needs to upload and download data.
This asymmetry can cause a delay in game action, known as “lag.”
For these reasons, it’s better to only run your own game server if the players are within your network, such as for a LAN party.
Gaming Voice Servers
While modern video games have chat functions for players to communicate with each other, having to type out their taunts and strategy planning can slow players down.
For this reason, voice servers have become popular applications for gamers.
The most popular of these are:
How Do Voice Servers for Gaming Work?
These applications let gamers talk to each other using headsets instead of typing.
Like the games, they use a client/server architecture. The client runs on a gamer’s computer while the server runs on… well, a server somewhere.
Members of the Discord app team share a gaming stream.
All of the users on the server can talk to each other at the same time. Users can also chat with each other one-on-one.
It’s convenient to host the server at the same place that the game is hosts. Many hosting providers catering to gamers will advertise these voice servers as one of their features.
Targeting a Specialized Market
Superficially, these applications resemble VoIP apps like Skype. They probably would have been general-purpose VoIP apps if Skype hadn’t already cornered the market. These developers have likely targeted a specialized market to survive.
Discord has had a lot of usage outside of gaming for communities with real-time chat, similar to how offices have been using Slack (which was originally created for gaming) to chat with each other. They’re similar to web-based apps to connect people dispersed across the globe.
These apps serve as a substitute for the older Internet Relay Chat (IRC), which has a reputation as the domain of geeks.
Game Server Hosting Options
Hosting companies for gamers advertise lots of features. Many of them include:
A lot of gaming-focused hosts are like conventional hosts: they love to advertise their options.
Cheatsheet: Game Server Hosting Rundown
One of the biggest options is pre-installed games. This one is a big timesaver. Administrators can spend more time customizing the game for their players instead of installing it.
Forums are a big part of gaming where players meet to discuss the game.
Achievement systems, also known as gamification, reward users for contributing to the forum. A player might get a trophy for making a certain amount of posts. These achievement foster a lively community.
Sharktech is one company offering game server hosting. They offer security, hardware, and software optimized for gaming.
Mint Panel is another control panel application similar to cPanel but designed for game servers.
Like its counterparts, it aims to make setting up game, web, and voice servers easy.
How to Choose Hosting for Gaming Applications
What should you look for when choosing a hosting company for gaming? A lot of the same things you’d look for in another hosting company:
How Reliable Are Game Servers?
If you’re willing to pay for the privilege of hosting a game server, you want it to stay up as much as possible. If it crashes, you’ll face angry players just as businesses face angry customers.
Some hosting companies that target the gaming market don’t seem to offer as much information on how they run their servers the way other web hosting companies do.
Find out if they have an uptime guarantee and how it works. Make sure to check the small print. Read customer reviews to gauge overall quality and performance of the host.
Gamer Server Hosting: Try Before You Commit?
Consider going with a host that will let you try them out for a couple of weeks or a month with no contractual commitment beyond that.
Game Server Operating Systems
As it is on the client side, game servers run on Windows most of the time.
There are a few game servers that have been ported to Linux. Some of them are open-source. Performance is a key issue. Games should run at an acceptable speed and not have any lag.
Multiplayer gaming has moved into solving real-world problems. Eyewire is a game that has recruited over 250,000 players to help Princeton University’s Seung Lab map neurons. Game Server Websites and Site Builders
Gaming is not the only use of these servers.
If you want a game server, chances are you’ll want a web presence. That could be for your gaming group or it could be for the server itself. You might want to have a ranking of the best players.
A good gaming-focused host will make it easy to set up a website.
If you’re not skilled to build a website from scratch, they should have some kind of WYSIWYG site builder.
If you remember the bad old days of GeoCities, don’t worry. These builders have come a long way since the ’90s. They’re increasingly using HTML5 and produce clean, professional-looking websites.
You should be able to customize the design. Modern gaming has a visual flair, from the graphics to the clever computer case designs, to the websites, you should be able to show off your style to the gaming world.
What are Some of the Most Popular Online Multiplayer Games?
So what are the most popular multiplayer games that people are setting up servers for today?
Here’s a small sampling of the hottest games.
Minecraft: Colored Blocks With Infinite Permutations
Minecraft is not only one of the premier indie games, but it’s a fountain of creativity.
Players start from nothing and learn to build impressive structures, as well as explore a strange, blocky world.
The popularity of Minecraft’s block-world shows no signs of slowing down.
The game has attracted a lot of attention for its unusual pseudo 8-bit look transposed into a 3D world.
Counterstrike: From a Mod Based on Half-Life to Multi-Million Dollar Venture
In this popular first-person shooter game, players either play as terrorists or counter-terrorists trying to stop each other in fast-paced multiplayer action.
Two students created the original Counterstrike game, which was a mod based on Half-Life. Dig into their fascinating story here.
It’s currently developed by Valve, the creator of the popular “Half-Life” series and Steam, the online game store.
Killing Floor: Zombie-liscious Mod Based on Unreal TournamentGame Server Hosting Software
This horror-based game started as a mod of “Unreal Tournament,” before being spun-off into its own game.
Developed by Tripwire Interactive, it’s a first-person shooter, just like its parent game.
Players try to kill hordes of zombies in the single-player mode, but the multiplayer mode also features one-on-one action.
Online Gaming Culture
With all of the fun games out there, who on Earth would just want to watch other people play games? A lot of people, apparently.
Live Streaming
Twitch allows gamers to stream themselves playing games live to the internet.
Popular streamers attract thousands of viewers to their streaming sessions.
Let’s PlayFree Game Server Hosting Nwn
A popular genre on YouTube is the “Let’s Play.”
Let’s Play videos are exactly what they sound like: a user plays a game while commenting on the action. The worse the game, the more fun it is. Try watching a Let’s Play on a really bad game, like “Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing,” which is a glorified tech demo.
Anyone who’s ever watched the TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 can see the appeal. A lot of the comments are hilarious.
Game Mods and Guilds
As mentioned earlier, game mods are a part of gaming culture. Doom popularized the concept and a few major games started life as mods. The next generation of game developers will likely cut their teeth on mods as well.
As mentioned earlier, gamers have been forming into teams, also known as guilds. Some of these guilds compete professionally.
The Killer App for Gaming: Top Quality Hosting
More web hosting companies are seeing that gaming is not just child’s play, but big business.
As they compete for the dollars of gamers, the best ones will offer impressive performance and solid reliability. Top quality hosting is the killer app for gaming.
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