Server Cluster.
by Fusegen Entertainment · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 03/18/2009 (10:54 am) · 15 replies
Developing an MMORPG is hard enough, buying server cluster is really expensive. Around $80,000 per cluster. Is there anyway, one can make their own? Maybe just make a server pc and host it on super-fast internet with allot of bandwidth. Is that possible?
About the author
#2
Would you help me out if I come out with a game (going to take allot of months)
03/19/2009 (6:10 am)
Okay, I will be making an MMO. I read a book which said, that I have to worry about the PIPE and so on. And I have to think how much data is a player going to send back and forth (they said if I make it around 2kb. Im golden). But that book was old. Would you help me out if I come out with a game (going to take allot of months)
#3
Also read the MMO thread on this forum :)
03/19/2009 (7:04 am)
Slimming down the data per player is quite easy. Everquest had packages at less than 200 bytes, and probably still does. Typical number of concurrent players per world is 1500-3500 (EVE does not count :), so there's your starting point for calculations. I think you will need someone (or several people) dedicated to the task of server tech. Or just buy MMO middleware (check out Nevrax for a potential free solution, though).Also read the MMO thread on this forum :)
#4
03/19/2009 (8:55 am)
Sorry, are you referring to the post by Ted? I've read it actually. And where is MMO Middleware? 
#5
One of your options is Zen Worlds on SourceForge. It's the highest performing, and most advanced MMO middleware for under $100k (i.e. it's free for commercial and non-commercial use).
Check it out in a couple of months when the public beta testing begins.
It's compatible with any C++ game engine client, including TGE and TGEA.
Zen Worlds is also compatible with Amazon's EC2 Compute Cloud, so you can develop your game at home and then test it on EC2 and only pay for what you use.
03/19/2009 (1:04 pm)
Quote:And where is MMO Middleware?
One of your options is Zen Worlds on SourceForge. It's the highest performing, and most advanced MMO middleware for under $100k (i.e. it's free for commercial and non-commercial use).
Check it out in a couple of months when the public beta testing begins.
It's compatible with any C++ game engine client, including TGE and TGEA.
Zen Worlds is also compatible with Amazon's EC2 Compute Cloud, so you can develop your game at home and then test it on EC2 and only pay for what you use.
#6
03/19/2009 (1:37 pm)
Isn't Zen an engine?
#7
Zen Worlds is MMO Middleware.
(edit for clarification)
Zen Worlds does not require Zen Engine as the client. You can use any client including a 2d Flash game client or a JavaScript AJAX or even TGB (if you have source to TGB).
03/19/2009 (1:49 pm)
Zen Engine is a game engine client.Zen Worlds is MMO Middleware.
(edit for clarification)
Zen Worlds does not require Zen Engine as the client. You can use any client including a 2d Flash game client or a JavaScript AJAX or even TGB (if you have source to TGB).
#8
03/19/2009 (2:22 pm)
What does a Middleware do?
#9
You write the code using the middleware's API and the middleware takes care of all of the networking for you, allowing you to focus more on creating your application (or in this case, your game).
The advantage of Zen Worlds vs generic middleware is that it already handles a lot of your game specific services (login, chat, community services, object replication, data logging, etc) and it's useful for more than just MMORPG games.
Because of this, you can write your backend services once and use it with your game clients, web browsers, and even game clients that are plugins to web browsers.
One note of caution though... No middleware can be everything for everyone and you will have to write some code in order to complete your game. Since Zen Worlds supports C++, Lua and Python, you can choose any of those languages.
I can help you if you're interested, but only on the technology part, it would not be free, and you will have to supply your own game design, artwork, etc.
03/19/2009 (3:05 pm)
Middleware allows your applications to be transparently distributed across a network.You write the code using the middleware's API and the middleware takes care of all of the networking for you, allowing you to focus more on creating your application (or in this case, your game).
The advantage of Zen Worlds vs generic middleware is that it already handles a lot of your game specific services (login, chat, community services, object replication, data logging, etc) and it's useful for more than just MMORPG games.
Because of this, you can write your backend services once and use it with your game clients, web browsers, and even game clients that are plugins to web browsers.
One note of caution though... No middleware can be everything for everyone and you will have to write some code in order to complete your game. Since Zen Worlds supports C++, Lua and Python, you can choose any of those languages.
I can help you if you're interested, but only on the technology part, it would not be free, and you will have to supply your own game design, artwork, etc.
#10
03/19/2009 (3:47 pm)
Okay, so basically its a peice of code which is already given. And I can bend it to change the way it looks and acts. For example the default login screen would look alright. But I can make it look good if I have some knowledge of C++ or python. Correct? Yeah I might need some help. Not now though. I will contact you for sure. What can you help on?
#11
03/19/2009 (4:25 pm)
There's server networking middleware, data abstraction middleware, AI middleware, cloud generation middleware...just about anything you can plug into your existing games can be bought.
#12
03/19/2009 (5:15 pm)
Okay. I just want to know how to get a proper number of bandwidth usage so I don't extend it thats all. Do we just ballpark.
#13
Not exactly. A game client like Torque or Zen Engine is what displays the login screen and you would need to customise the game client or use a scripting language and/or GUI editor in order to change the appearance of the login screen.
(Note: None of the mentioned game clients come with a "default" login screen, so you have to write your own login screen from scratch, but it's not hard.)
MMO Middleware is what makes the login screen actually work (i.e. reach across the network, authenticates the user-id and password and returns the results of "password valid" or "password invalid" or whatever.)
When you are ready, I can help you (or anyone else making a MMO game) with a quality custom game client, custom tools and custom middleware specific to your game.
If you don't need custom tailored programming, I can provide you with off-the-shelf MMORPG middleware, tools, and project hosting services (and a lot of that is free).
I also provide mentoring, training and consulting services to help you and your team on the technology side.... i.e. with my services you won't get stuck like so many other Indies creating MMO games.
We can discuss terms and conditions and I can send you my resume when you're closer to being ready.
03/19/2009 (5:50 pm)
Quote:For example the default login screen would look alright. But I can make it look good if I have some knowledge of C++ or python.
Not exactly. A game client like Torque or Zen Engine is what displays the login screen and you would need to customise the game client or use a scripting language and/or GUI editor in order to change the appearance of the login screen.
(Note: None of the mentioned game clients come with a "default" login screen, so you have to write your own login screen from scratch, but it's not hard.)
MMO Middleware is what makes the login screen actually work (i.e. reach across the network, authenticates the user-id and password and returns the results of "password valid" or "password invalid" or whatever.)
Quote:What can you help on?
When you are ready, I can help you (or anyone else making a MMO game) with a quality custom game client, custom tools and custom middleware specific to your game.
If you don't need custom tailored programming, I can provide you with off-the-shelf MMORPG middleware, tools, and project hosting services (and a lot of that is free).
I also provide mentoring, training and consulting services to help you and your team on the technology side.... i.e. with my services you won't get stuck like so many other Indies creating MMO games.
We can discuss terms and conditions and I can send you my resume when you're closer to being ready.
#14
03/19/2009 (6:55 pm)
Wow. Okay, you will be hearing from me in a year or longer. Hahaha, hope you are available after that long because the services you just listed, are the ones I need. I need a trainer for GMs and so on. Anyways, how can we contact you?
#15
03/19/2009 (6:58 pm)
e-mail trichards at indiezen dot org or visit IndieZen.org and post in the help wanted forums. 
Torque 3D Owner Ronny Bangsund
Torque Cheerleaders
Self-managed servers or co-location runs pretty cheap. Starting at less than $200 for a good dedicated server, around the same to have a 1U rack of any spec, with varying bandwidth plans.
The next trick is to have a master server in the front to delegate workload. Load balancing is not simple :)