Will there be enough public servers?

[FlyXwire]

As we're anticipating RO2 to be a market success, what are the plans to ensure there will be enough public servers to access, and to handle the player load?

Will the game allow peer to peer match-making?

Is there an expectation that dedicated COD/BF2 servers will be switching to hosting RO2 to take up the slack?

 

[Zetsumei]

The provision of dedicated servers is dependent on clans and other gaming communities. So if ROHOS got great support for competitive play then there will be a lot of clans and with that an abundance of servers.

Initially there might be a small shortage of servers, as communities will still need to switch (aka initially rohos will probably only have the servers from people hosting in roost). Which is why often game companies offer some dedicated servers in the first few months till new clans and communities start hosting servers.

RO:HOS makes use of the steam cloud system which includes the L4D matchmaking system. TWI will most likely make use of that system for making it easier to quickly start a game. However TWI would probably never remove the regular dedicated server browser.

If clans/communities from COD/BF2 switch from those games to ROHOS then there is a big chance that they will switch their servers to ROHOS.

 

[[3.SA]Koba]

No need to worry. If there are too many players and not enough servers - some players will get together (forming clans/communities) and start up their own servers. It's a supply/demand game, any shortage there might be will be quickly remedied.

 

[FlyXwire]

Thanks for the responses guys, the more the merrier.

 

[dogbadger]

can't think of any game where there were too many players for the number of available servers, asides from specific tastes in addons/maps and the like.

 

[hockeywarrior]

can't think of any game where there were too many players for the number of available servers, asides from specific tastes in addons/maps and the like.

Not true -- many times I have seen a new game release and for the first week or so there is a slight shortage of public servers. But as others have said, it's a supply and demand issue -- as long as there is demand the supply of servers will go up.

 

[Mormegil]

The question is will there be enough *GOOD* public servers.

I can imagine a bunch of people trying to set up 64 player servers, when the hardware can't handle that many.


Hopefully, the Beta program will help sort this stuff out, and will be like an early release. That way there should already be some established servers from the beta by the time it goes public.

 

[Nimsky]

I hope there won't be many InstertMapName-only servers...

 

[Ralfst3r]

I hope there won't be many InstertMapName-only servers...

I guess there will be lots of 'Insertgamemode-only' servers.

 

[Major_Day]

The question is will there be enough *GOOD* public servers.

I can imagine a bunch of people trying to set up 64 player servers, when the hardware can't handle that many.


Hopefully, the Beta program will help sort this stuff out, and will be like an early release. That way there should already be some established servers from the beta by the time it goes public.

I think you hit the nail on the head there, the hardware and bandwidth needed to run a 64 player server will be rare and very costly,and anybody thinking that they can just switch their server from one game to another may find that its not possible to run that high a player count using the same hardware.
I don't think we'll see many 64 player servers at the start, it will be mostly 32 slot servers at first

 

[Mormegil]

This does make me wonder about server requirements.

There are two factors in play that I can think of.

Multi-threading - I understand UE3 can multi-thread unlike UE2.5. So a typical multi-core server should handle things better with all things being equal.


But we know all things are not equal, as the new game seems a lot more complicated, with bullet penetration, more "stances" available, more detailed damage model on infantry and tanks, etc. So there would be more calculations than before.


And on top of this, I believe many servers machines run multiple games simultaneously, each on it's on thread. But if UE3 multi-threads, than that might not be feasible, reducing the number of available servers.

 

[dogbadger]

oh if the threadstater is talking about temporary problems in the first few days then i guess that's possible.

I hope there won't be many InstertMapName-only servers...

i recon there will be a fair few.

 

[hockeywarrior]

I hope there won't be many InstertMapName-only servers...

Yeah... one big issue with them remaking Danzig is now there is a big excuse to have Danzig-remake-only servers ...

 

[Major_Day]

This does make me wonder about server requirements.

There are two factors in play that I can think of.

Multi-threading - I understand UE3 can multi-thread unlike UE2.5. So a typical multi-core server should handle things better with all things being equal.


But we know all things are not equal, as the new game seems a lot more complicated, with bullet penetration, more "stances" available, more detailed damage model on infantry and tanks, etc. So there would be more calculations than before.


And on top of this, I believe many servers machines run multiple games simultaneously, each on it's on thread. But if UE3 multi-threads, than that might not be feasible, reducing the number of available servers.

[URL]http://forums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=690412

The closed beta will beta will be starting in a few months time (maybe), perhaps then more info will be forthcoming about just what kind of servers we'll be able to host, what the dedi server files will be like, and the hardware requirements needed to run a server.[/URL]

 

[Walwolf]

I do hope there are a number of GSPs involved - unlike some recent and forthcoming titles that have limited numbers (ie. CoD: Black Ops limited to GameServers only).

 

[Zetsumei]

I think that twi will just bring out the dedicated server over steam, which means that any host can host a hos server.

 

[FlyXwire]

oh if the threadstater is talking about temporary problems in the first few days then i guess that's possible.

Early server, connection, and load problems would seem a given, and have been for almost all the recent releases I've played (despite apparent beta testings).

I'm more concerned about satisfying the general player demand and sustaining a potentially huge user base. As we know, the MP campaign sessions might go on for many hours at a time, tying up servers continously for long periods.

 

[Major_Day]

I think that twi will just bring out the dedicated server over steam, which means that any host can host a hos server.

I can see that being the case for matchmaking type games, but lets hope they will also be providing dedi server files as well. (and hopefully not the UT3 ones, which are a pain in the butt)

:IS2::IS2::IS2::IS2::IS2:

 

[Zetsumei]

I can see that being the case for matchmaking type games, but lets hope they will also be providing dedi server files as well. (and hopefully not the UT3 ones, which are a pain in the butt)

:IS2::IS2::IS2::IS2::IS2:

Thats what i said, the dedi server stuff is done through the server steam client. The hlds update tool.

 

[Major_Day]

What has the HLDS update tool got to do with the Steam client? its a standalone tool from Valve, you don't need to have Steam installed to use it.