What is a Game Server?
So, just what is a game server? Before answering that question, it’s important to understand how online gaming works. Many popular games today, first person shooters in particular, support online play. Such Internet-based play expands the game to whole new levels, and provides an experience not possible in single player environments. Players ranging in numbers from half a dozen to as many as sixty-four can all join what’s called a game server and play on the same map (game level) at the same time. Gaming servers work much like web servers, but instead of hosting websites, host game matches that others can join. Though the game itself is not loaded from the server, important game information such as player scores and rules are. Think of them in terms of a soccer stadium. The stadium provides a scoreboard and a field to play on, and the players come to the stadium to play.
While it is possible for a gamer to host a server on his computer, such servers are only suitable for a small number of players due to the slow speed of their connections. Game servers of any decent size are hosted by what are known as server providers in large data centers. With high-speed connection speeds and high-end server hardware, these providers can host servers of any size. The most popular games hosted these days include the Battlefield series, Counter Strike: Source, the Call of Duty games, the Medal of Honor series, and Unreal Tournament. Most providers offer free support, the ability to change the hosted game on the fly, free voice servers for oral communication, and web hosting. Prices for gaming servers vary greatly from provider to the provider and game to game, but the average is around $2 per player. People who run game servers sometimes pay for them out of their own pockets, but often times a group of gamers will form what is called a clan and share the cost of the server. Once a server is setup, anyone can play on a server for free, though some servers are private and require a password to join.
They make it possible for game lovers worldwide to get together and play their favorite games in an online environment, and have created a whole new market in the gaming world and have changed the way people view gaming. As technology increases, it will be interesting to see how the game server market changes.
on August 16, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Permalink
is this about creating Web server
on August 16, 2006 at 5:23 pm
Permalink
on August 16, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Permalink
nice
on August 16, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Permalink
on August 17, 2006 at 1:48 am
Permalink
Theres a solution for that in the router settings..
on August 19, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Permalink
Many people have the idea of renting a game server. most of their problems is that they do not have enough information to do so and do not want to waste their money on something that they cannot do. That is why some people create their own server to get the idea of how it works. i will give you help on creating your own Source or Regular Game Server. People who usually try to make their server uses their steam account and goes to the tools section.
DO NOT DO THAT.
That is the express way for a server, if you want to fully understand your server you need all the files a real game server has.
I will be giving you instructions for Source Dedicated Server.
It is pretty straight forward, as long as you have some sense of windows and command prompt this should not be a difficult task. This also works best if you have a old computer that is not used but is still hooked up to your network. Remember that to run a game server you do not need a graphics card, you really don't need much, a Pentium 3 is fine to do the job.
How To Create A Dedicated Source Server, The 8 Step Program by: Whyy
STEP;
1. download the HLDS UPDATE TOOL
2. after you finished downloading the .exe run the wizard. when it asks you for the destination folder, click browse and type c:srcds in the text and then click OK. Finish installing the wizard.
3. Press Start and click on Run (right side of the start menu). after you click on run a small window will open. type cmd in the box and hit enter.
a command promopt will open and it would say
C:Documents and SettingsUser>
type cd.. and hit enter. Now it will look like
C:Documents and Settings>
type cd.. and hit enter again. Now it will look like
C:>
Do not forget that this is case sensitive.
now type cd srcds and hit enter.
It should now look like
C:srcds>
type hldsupdatetool and hit enter. it will check for the newest version of the tool. there will be a list of things in the command prompt. do not read that it would most likely not make sense to you. just follow the steps here and not on the command prompt.
4. now in your command prompt type
hldsupdatetool -command update -game "Counter-Strike Source" -dir C:srcds
that is assuming you want cs:s for your game server. this will take you on the average about 30 minutes to an 1 hour depending on your internet connection. in that time you can either surf for admin plugins and game mods, or you can "drop the kids off at the pool" if you catch my drift. who says you can't have a good time while working?
5. You will know that your download is finished because it will say it on the command prompt. go to your srcds folder, that means click on my computer then local disk drive C: and then srcds.
6. If you don't know how the server works then i would suggest using the GUI, this is the easiet thing to do.. if you know your commands to run a game server for ex. mp_friendlyfire, then you could probably work through the server console and not the GUI. The advantages of the console over the GUI is that it uses less cpu usage and would not lag as much.a GUI is fine for learning. If you want to use a GUI then you are done. your journey has stopped and you can leave.
7. To run in console you first need to make your own config file. it is simple becuase i will give you the tools to do so. first your C:srcds folder should still be opened. go into your cstrike then your cfg folder. in there you should see a game.cfg file. if you do then open it up using notepad. if there is information in their press ctrl + a and then press the delete button. Now go to this site CFG MAKER
this is a easy way to make your own cfg. it is straight forward not that much explanation. after you are done creating your cfg from the website copy and paste the information from the website in the black box to your game.cfg file. now press save. close the notepad and right click on the game.cfg press rename and rename the game to server.
8. Now press start and press Run. copy and paste this information in the run box. depending on what map game and players you want to have.
c:srcdssrcds.exe -console -game cstrike +map de_dust2 -maxplayers 16 -autoupdate
http://www.bygamer.com to see more