Have you toyed with the idea of hosting your own gaming server? It could be that the servers that you’re using are unreliable and you’d want to get something more stable and dependable. Hosting your own server is usually seen as the best way to go but there will be a couple of challenges that you’d first have to overcome for the whole process to be seamless. Here are some of the basic things you need to know before setting up a gaming server in your home.
What is a Gaming Server?
A gaming server can simply be defined as a computer that provides a platform that makes it possible for different games to enter the game simultaneously. If it is a dedicated gaming server, it means that it is dedicated to one person or device. There are server companies like ServerMania that provide dedicated servers for gaming hosting which you can take advantage of if you’re searching for something that is robust and scalable.
What is a Game Server?
This will mainly depend on the type of game you’d want to play. For action-oriented games, the majority of them will be based on a dedicated server. Peer-to-peer servers are usually used by strategy-based games that involve groups of people. If you want to publish your game online, you’ll have no other choice but to look for a dedicated server. The setup for the server will mostly depend on the number of users that you’ll be having at that particular time. This brings us to our next point.
Determining Server Specifications
There is no one size fits all when it comes to determining the gaming server for your needs. There are games with intricate modes and even a few users could overwhelm the servers. That is why it is important that you’re first looking at your needs before anything else. The game might also be required to be updated regularly which could have an impact on the server. If you’re serious about taking your game online, it is important that you’re consulting with experts so that the users are having a painless experience when playing your game. Tons of games offer the ability to set up dedicated servers to play with friends. With games like Rust setting up a server is pretty simple and lets you have control over who joins and more.
Resource Requirements
Game servers even with the most basic features could eat up a lot of resources, especially when they’ve not been optimized. The first thing you’d need to figure out is the computing resource that would be needed to power just a single instance of the game. It is a good way to calculate the server resources that will be needed to ensure that the game is running smoothly. A server is only good if it offers flawless performance. Operating at 70% is not efficient enough in the gaming world. You’ll be trying to satisfy a group of people that are spoilt for choice and are aware of what flawless performance feels like.
Cheat Prevention Mechanism
There are people who only care about winning even if it will mean cheating. Such people might install scripts that give them an unfair advantage over their competitors. Such scripts could have an effect on the performance of the servers. There should be monitoring tools provided by the hosting companies that are able to detect if there is an issue. Additionally, you’d want to install DDoS mitigation systems so that your game is not going off in case of such an attack.
Community Outreach
Once your game starts getting bigger, you’ll entirely be depending on the community for growth and support. It is important that you’re reaching out to them and sharing some insights into the kind of dynamics that you’re dealing with from a game and a technical perspective. You can talk to players and ask them questions about the server and the overall playing experience. If you want your server to survive and thrive, it makes sense to reach out to the people that will be using it.
Getting the Right Hosting Provider
When it comes to choosing the right host for your game, it is important that you’re searching for a company that has a track record of excellent service and uptime. You should reach out to them, explain your predicament, and ask them how they can help. Most web hosting companies that offer such specialized services will provide technical support so that you’re having peace of mind that everything will go according to plan. Make sure that you’re asking as many questions as possible in case something is not clear from the onset.