Dedicated server - Free ?

Kro55f1r3Kro55f1r3 Join Date: 2013-04-07 Member: 184674Members
I would ask you a question about this difference between your company and others.
Why we need to buy the game (1 time) to have the possibility to host a server?
I hope you propose a redistrib including only files for server and propose for free.
That's could be important if you want some providers propose your game.
Maybe , when you might work for improve the performance with the multicore server-side distribution.

Comments

  • invTempestinvTempest Join Date: 2003-03-02 Member: 14223Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    The dedicated server files (app_id 4940) are free and have been ever since the start of the alpha.

    Adding more multi-core support on the server side is generally frowned upon as it drives up the overall cost to run a dedicated server (fewer server instances per physical server box).
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    The dedicated server is free:
    Dedicated Server (free) app_id = 4940
    Client ($) app_id = 4920

    Many of us have been using the client version for our server installs to help with the consistency checking (many of us had free copies so it was trivial to gift one to the steamname of our server installs). However, there is a steam workshop mod workaround if you only use the dedicated server files.
  • ezekelezekel Join Date: 2012-11-29 Member: 173589Members, NS2 Map Tester
    I just wish buying dedicated servers were cheaper per month T_T, not that I can't pay for one, but it just feels like such a chunk of money. Cause I'd totally host the best pub around
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    ezekel wrote: »
    I just wish buying dedicated servers were cheaper per month T_T, not that I can't pay for one, but it just feels like such a chunk of money. Cause I'd totally host the best pub around
    It should be noted that running a dedicated server doesn't necessarily mean buying or owning a box located at a datafarm. You can (and I do) run a server off of a computer at my house (a spare one for me, but you can even use your gaming desktop).
  • endarendar Join Date: 2010-07-27 Member: 73256Members, Squad Five Blue
    It's actually a very good point, as a server operation we go through a lot of trouble to get things running. Finding out that to stop basic game "enhancing" mods, you need to shell out $20 or whatever it currently is, is quite disparaging.

    As a side note: How does the mod work? I'd hate to have to wait for whoever owns the mod to update the content before my servers start working after a patch. Let alone the fact that I would never trust the workshop to deliver more than 10MB* of content. (10MB is being generous).
  • IronsoulIronsoul Join Date: 2011-03-12 Member: 86048Members
    I didn't know that if you want such consistency checking you have to purchase a copy of NS2 or use an unreliable mod. That's kind of annoying.
  • ezekelezekel Join Date: 2012-11-29 Member: 173589Members, NS2 Map Tester
    edited April 2013
    ScardyBob wrote: »
    ezekel wrote: »
    I just wish buying dedicated servers were cheaper per month T_T, not that I can't pay for one, but it just feels like such a chunk of money. Cause I'd totally host the best pub around
    It should be noted that running a dedicated server doesn't necessarily mean buying or owning a box located at a datafarm. You can (and I do) run a server off of a computer at my house (a spare one for me, but you can even use your gaming desktop).

    I'm aware, but I'll suffer performance while playing, plus I wouldn't do 24/7 uptime, and my cable is only 2.5~ mb up/ less than 1mb down because my isp has a stranglehold over the area and there is no other option, and they charge $150+ extra to your current bill to get speeds of 50mb/d * 25mb/u

    anyway, it'd probably still run perfectly, but would negatively impact me if I wanted to play and the downtime
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    endar wrote: »
    It's actually a very good point, as a server operation we go through a lot of trouble to get things running. Finding out that to stop basic game "enhancing" mods, you need to shell out $20 or whatever it currently is, is quite disparaging.

    As a side note: How does the mod work? I'd hate to have to wait for whoever owns the mod to update the content before my servers start working after a patch. Let alone the fact that I would never trust the workshop to deliver more than 10MB* of content. (10MB is being generous).
    Another work around is to copy the files from your local client version of NS2 to your server and don't use the steamCMD updating system at all.
    Ironsoul wrote: »
    I didn't know that if you want such consistency checking you have to purchase a copy of NS2 or use an unreliable mod. That's kind of annoying.
    I want to state that the consistency checking by and large does work properly on the server-only version of NS2. The issue is that there are a few notable holes that can be filled with using the client version of NS2. It'll be fixed eventually, but the current workarounds are:
    - Gift a copy of NS2 to your server steam account and update the servers using app_id 4920
    - Use the extended consistency checking mod by Tempest
    - Manually copy your local client-side version of NS2 to your server after each update
  • Kro55f1r3Kro55f1r3 Join Date: 2013-04-07 Member: 184674Members
    Thx for those informations that's good to know it 2 differents steamapp_ID for NS2 client and server side.

    To decrease the cost of my server ,
    I brought mine and getting in home (600€)
    Processor : AMD - FX8350 - 8cores - 4GHz , overclock 4.3GHz (T°C = 38°C)
    Motherboard : MSI 960A-G46
    RAM : Corsair kit 8Go - DDR3 1333MHz
    HD : SSD OCZ 256Go

    Internet : Optical fiber (up to 66mbps DL - 15mbps UL, server use 1-2mbps)

    20 slots (Tested at 24slots = some slight lags)
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Kro55f1r3 wrote: »
    20 slots (Tested at 24slots = some slight lags)
    Yeah, its been my experience that you need an amazingly high overclock to get a fully smooth 24 player server (e.g. Monash at 4.9GHz and HBZ at 5.0GHz). I'd say anything less than a 4.7GHz Sandy or Ivy Bridge should stick to 20-22 as the max playercount.
  • endarendar Join Date: 2010-07-27 Member: 73256Members, Squad Five Blue
    Actually, when I did the rebuild i've downlclocked it to 4.6ghz. At 5.0 is required daily reboots (IE: crash/bsod), and at 4.7 it was once every 2 weeks. At 4.6ghz its stable (45 days + currently).

    I have no idea ifs its still playable with 24 slots though, but i think its ok, most of the time.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    endar wrote: »
    Actually, when I did the rebuild i've downlclocked it to 4.6ghz. At 5.0 is required daily reboots (IE: crash/bsod), and at 4.7 it was once every 2 weeks. At 4.6ghz its stable (45 days + currently).

    I have no idea ifs its still playable with 24 slots though, but i think its ok, most of the time.
    Ah ok, good to know. I've noticed 4.6 still gives smooth performance roughly 90% of the time @24players. It's only in really long matches with tons of entities when performance drops start to pop up unless your in the 4.7+ range in my experience.
  • invTempestinvTempest Join Date: 2003-03-02 Member: 14223Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    All of the ns2servers.com hosted servers are currently running on 4.3 Ghz i5 3570k's with no issues at all -

    http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/251362/199.192.205.186:27015
    http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/97588/74.117.238.135:27015

    29 ticks @ 24 slots on servers that are full nearly all the time.
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    invTempest wrote: »
    All of the ns2servers.com hosted servers are currently running on 4.3 Ghz i5 3570k's with no issues at all -

    http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/251362/199.192.205.186:27015
    http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/97588/74.117.238.135:27015

    29 ticks @ 24 slots on servers that are full nearly all the time.
    95% of the time, that's perfectly true. However, I've gotten used to playing where that's true 99.9999% of the time (see: http://ns2servers.devicenull.org/servers/161682/130.194.4.241:27018). That's why I've personally been trending towards servers that have a lower playercount, but smoother performance where possible.
  • unter_hosenunter_hosen Join Date: 2003-01-05 Member: 11858Members, Constellation
    Regarding the OP's first post, why dont you turn off steam guard on your player account, install 4920 on your server using your normal steam player account? Steam doesnt have to be running on the server all the time....

    Not sure if that practise is frowned upon by UWE, but its an idea!
  • ScardyBobScardyBob ScardyBob Join Date: 2009-11-25 Member: 69528Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Regarding the OP's first post, why dont you turn off steam guard on your player account, install 4920 on your server using your normal steam player account? Steam doesnt have to be running on the server all the time....

    Not sure if that practise is frowned upon by UWE, but its an idea!
    Not at all (they offer the 4940 server version of NS2 for free anyways), but its a bit of a hassle as you have to log out of steam on your client to update your server.
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