First time on a Dedicated Server.

[Gabriel]

Hi,

Don't worry about the stats of the server - I'm fine with those and they'll be enough.

I've read over some of the main stickies in various boards on this forum, but I still felt the need to post and ask a few questions. I don't want to spend $189 on a Dedicated Server only to find out that I can't get it to do what I want; but I also don't want to spend $160 on a twenty four slot server per month for TF2...

Firstly, out of these three OS choices, which is the best to run two or three game servers on? I've never used Linux before and I'm not particularly 'in-the-know' of what is hot and what isn't. I can also use a Web Edition or Standard Edition of Windows Server 2003, if need be.

• RedHat Enterprise Linux 5 Server
• Debian Linux (Latest)
• CentOS Linux (Latest)
  

Lets say I rent a Dedicated Server running one of the above. What is the process of getting two or three games running? As I skimmed over some of the posts, I see mention of the hldsupdatetool... in which you, after various other steps, just change the name of the game you want to download the files for in the command line (Linux)/batch file (Windows), and it does so. Would I be correct in assuming you could do this for Garry's Mod and Team Fortress 2? Also, for Garry's Mod... would I need to install the files for Half Life 2, seeing as how it's a Modification of Half Life 2?

http://wiki.garrysmod.com/wiki/?title=Dedicated_Server_Setup - I'm assuming it'd be a similar process to this... but I'd just feel better if a few people posted here and told me that it is in-fact fairly a painless process to setup two or three servers, or even just the one, and then I can follow a similar process for the other two.

I'm a pretty tech savvy guy - I've built websites, I game quite a bit, I rebuild computers, but as far as this world of Dedicated Servers and gaming goes, I'm clueless.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers.

[Drocona]

Hi Gabriel,

The OS is simply a choice you have to make, the SRCDS works on all platforms and performs similar on all distr of Linux and Windows.
You can set up all games supplied by VALVe in a commercial way through the hldsupdatetool (with an exception of the few third party mods supported by VALVe recently) so yes you can install garrysmod just like any other game, no other installs needed.

For garrysmod, when you use the hldsupdatetool to install the server it will install all the files needed to run the server, this means it will download the HL2 content automatically.

On that website of garrysmod you've linked they left out one small part you need to know for the extra content. So I'll say it here before hand.
When you update the other games content and it's finished you have to MOVE the mod folders (cstrike, dod, sin) from the SRCDS install folder to SRCDS\Orangebox, where garrysmod is located. Adding extra content for TF2 is just downloading the files and it works (since TF2 is downloaded into the SRCDS\Orangebox folder).

[Gabriel]

Thanks Drocona,

I feel much better now that you've posted that up. I've read more about installing the Dedicated server for games and think I've got it pretty down-pat now.

Now all I need to do is justify spending that much money per month, lmao.

Cheers again,

Gabriel.

[Drocona]

Yeah I feel you there

If you need any help in the future, you know where to find us

[Gabriel]

Yep! I think I'll be coming back very soon.

[Gabriel]

I shouldn't double post, but I just thought of something else I needed to ask - and it's better than starting a whole new thread.

Originally I felt perfectly fine with the stats of the server... but now I'm not so sure.

I'd like to run a 24-30 slot base TF2 server, and I'd like to run a 16-30 (most likely around 20, in actuality) Zombie Master server - No modifications, apart from an Admin plugin, perhaps.

http://www.ozservers.com.au/index.php?page_id=96&pack_id=392 -on this page, I was originally thinking of getting the first one for $189 a month with a $99 once off set-up fee..

But seeing as how I want to run two games (and I'm not sure the load two would put on the RAM, CPU, even the bandwidth/transfer amounts).. would the $249 option (the second on the page above) be a better choice to run two servers?

EDIT: Also, I'm just reading now that if I run Linux, it's hardcoded for only 16 players per server.. is this correct? Seems a bit silly, to be honest.. but is there any way you can change that? I'm assuming there is.. xD

[Hazz]

If you are looking at the $249 one, for an extra $10 you can get a quad core.

[Gabriel]

Yeah.. this is true.. I may do just that, to be honest. I wouldn't mind a bit more space, RAM, and etc..

Plus, I was thinking of maybe holding up some webspace for customers - gives me a way to get money back to pay for the server each month.. so more space is always good, as is more transfers.

[CrimsonGT]

Quote:but I also don't want to spend $160 on a twenty four slot server per month for TF2

Where are you looking? Most server providers are like 1$ a slot for TF2 servers. (Generally not more than about 30 bucks for a 32 slot tf2 server)

[Gabriel]

Most *American* server providers charge that amount... I'm living in Australia, looking to provide for Australian gamers.

It's VERY, very expensive to rent a game server over here. $30 for a 5 slot Gmod server, $140 for a 32 slot TF2 server and $160 for a 32 slot Zombie Master server... - these are accurate prices and don't vary much at all between providers.

For reference though, I was looking here: http://www.quadeye.com.au