51 replies to this topic

[Lord_Raven]

Ok, im a little new at the server side of things, since all i have done since i was younger is software develpment for small business, and home use, when i was 11 i started into graphical software, and games, since then i have moved up to know Basic, Visual Basic, C, PhP, and Html. I am a skilled artist when it comes to 3D modeling, and more so texturing, so if any of you need assistance in that department, I would be more than glad to help.

All i need to know is how, and with what do i need to start a game server?

Cruse

[Methulah]

I really, really need a texture artist and 3D modeler. Please!
I'm not the most knowledgeable about server-side architecture but I would recommend checking out RakNet http://www.rakkarsoft to get the source and find out for yourself.

[Lord_Raven]

ok well, i need to know what file types you need the models created in, and and what models/textures you need?

[Methulah]

just .3ds files will work fine. I have to say though, I will need a sample of your work before I can just say "go for it, you're on the team".

Email me on django@white-epsilon.com with some samples and we can get talking then :)

Thanks.

[Lord_Raven]

Alright...Done, but i still need some help with this server stuff, lol

[Methulah]

Yeah, sorry about the hijack.

[Lord_Raven]

It's alright, stuff hapepens, anyways, i would like to take a look at whatever you have, it sounds really interesting judging by your posts... is that a possibility?

[Methulah]

Which game. The one describd in the fantasy trading post has been merged into a different project. I can't really talk about that too much, other than to say it is a wacky project that will create a unique MMO.

The other one, White Epsilon is best viewed at the website. You can mail me for more info and access to the page I show developers with key features in some detail.

BTW: I can't mail you, AOL says it bounces as it is unsolicited email. My mail daemon gave up :lol:

[ray648]

Im part way through doing the server side for my game currently so I may be able to help you out a bit. Server design greatly depends on what sort of game you are developing. For example, a FPS server would probably use UDP connections and would have a high data flow through it, where as the server for my RPG uses TCP connections with a relativly low data flow.

A basic game server loop may look something like this:
1 - Check for new connections from clients
2 - Check for any clients who have disconnected
3 - Check for data from existing clients
4 - Act on data received
5 - Send new data to clients if needed
6 - Loop back to 1

If you want to know anything specific, ask and ill see what I can do.

[Lord_Raven]

Well, i am setting up a game that is sort of both RPG/FPS but with other attributes as well, what would be the best for that? UDP?

[Methulah]

Yes. UDP is faster than TCP/IP as the packets aren't verified on arrival. If you are going to have FPS elements, you want speed.

[Lord_Raven]

ok thanks, and would you know how to by chance or where i could find out how to integrate the website and the game server together?

[awood]

If you use a database for your game server (e.g. MySQL) you could write up a PHP script that would interface with the database. For example, if you were to store player stats in your database, your website could query the database for the the top 25 most dangerous players in your RPG realm.

Look into MySQL and PHP documentation to see how this can be done.

[Axel]

Please don't give him bad advice. Calling a PHP site over HTTP is much too slow for things like that.

MySQL has C libraries for interfacing it and there are C++ OOP wrappers aswell.

[awood]

Axel said:

Please don't give him bad advice. Calling a PHP site over HTTP is much too slow for things like that.

MySQL has C libraries for interfacing it and there are C++ OOP wrappers aswell.

There is some sort of misunderstanding here (very possibly on my end). I was suggesting that one could use their webserver to interface with the MySQL database using PHP.

Of course the gameserver will interface the MySQL database using C++ wrappers.

If this notion is incorrect, I would be interested in knowing the better way to do things.

[Lord_Raven]

so which is it guys?

[roel]

I guess that they mean one MySQL database with two different ways to interface with it for two different purposes. 1. The game server itself should use direct MySQL commands preferable using a library, for its game logic. 2. You can use the same database for statistics (number of registered users, activity, etc.) that people can browse online, using PHP.

[Methulah]

ODCP (open database connection protocol (I think that is what it is called)) allows you to connect and use SQL lines in basically any code. There are SQL wrappers for C++ and C# and anything else you care to name aswell.

[Lord_Raven]

Cool, thanks guys, i am buying a game server soon, what specs do you think i would need to run a server with, oh say, 100,000 people playing a futuristic FPS?

[Methulah]

A cluster. A big cluster. You have a futuristic MMOFPS?? Any idea tell of what it is?