Being that I cannot leave my computer on 24/7, are there any, *cheap* ways to run server software for an MMORPG that I''ve been working on lately? I plan on setting up an Alpha Test, but that would be ridiculously difficult if there is no server up half the time. Any ideas?

buy a cheap system with no frills (no sound card, monitor, printer or any crap like that) and start looking at all your local (or not so local) colocation centers.

A server I''ve worked on didn''t even have a graphics board. We used the serial line for a console, if needed.

But seriously, colos are going to be a routine monthly cost for you. With really good offers, you might be able to scrape up <25 $ a month. Assuming you''re not looking for huge bandwidth or anything.

Forgive me o great one, I am not wise in the ways of hardware.

I understood the part about screwing everything and just getting a basic comp, but what''s a colocation center? And "colos" == abbrev for colocation?

1 entry found for colocation.
co-location

/koh''loh-kay`sh*n/ or /koh`loh-kay''sh*n/ (Or
"colocation") Providing network connections such as Internet
leased lines to several servers housed together in a
server room. This is typically provided as a commercial
service.

The hyphenated form is correct and the most common on the web,
followed by "colocation". "collocation" (/ko`loh-kay''sh*n/,
not /koh''-/), is an old word with a similar meaning. It is
common in dictionaries and follows the pattern of other
Latin-derived words like collect, college, and collate, but is
least common on the web.

The verbal form is "to colocate" or "co-locate" (commonly
/koh''loh`kayt/, also (US) /koh`loh''kayt/).


-=[ Megahertz ]=-

quote:

---

Original post by Megahertz
1 entry found for colocation.
co-location

/koh''loh-kay`sh*n/ or /koh`loh-kay''sh*n/ (Or
"colocation") Providing network connections such as Internet
leased lines to several servers housed together in a
server room. This is typically provided as a commercial
service.

The hyphenated form is correct and the most common on the web,
followed by "colocation". "collocation" (/ko`loh-kay''sh*n/,
not /koh''-/), is an old word with a similar meaning. It is
common in dictionaries and follows the pattern of other
Latin-derived words like collect, college, and collate, but is
least common on the web.

The verbal form is "to colocate" or "co-locate" (commonly
/koh''loh`kayt/, also (US) /koh`loh''kayt/).


-=[ Megahertz ]=-

---

*slaps Mh with a fish*
Thank you, www.dictionary.com. That doesn''t really mean much, I could have figured it out on my own . I was asking how that could help.

If you don''t already have a second computer:

www.newegg.com

I priced a high end system at well under $700. You could build a new system for under $300. Build a second PC and use the lesser of the two as the server.

"Being that I cannot leave my computer on 24/7"

If it''s not a matter of not having a second computer to leave on then give up. The MMO genre is not for everyone. You must be able to have a system you can always have on and at the beginning stages you must have physical access to the server.

If you don''t have a high speed internet connection then you get one (256Kbit upstream is fine for starting). I pay $70 a month currently for my business line. If you can''t get one then give up. There''s no point. Colocation is not your friend until you have a final release. Otherwise you''re just throwing money away. I don''t know where $25 a month came from. Here in the real world such a setup doesn''t exist.

For colocation you can rent hardware which is no less than $100 a month on top of the $100 or more you''ll be spending for the connection. And if you''re coding for Windows, forget it. Rented servers are pretty much Linux only.

IcarusIndie.com is going to colocation and I''m building my own 1U server. The case alone for a 1U was $145 from www.newegg.com and they don''t get any cheaper. Then I had to hunt to find an MB that had onboard LAN and/or Video because you only get 1 PCI slot to work with.

www.getnet.com (my ISP) charges an extra $50 per month to use a Mid-tower vs a 1U and it''s $175 a month for 30GB of transfer on a 10Mbit connection and then $2 per GB over.

It doesn''t get much cheaper than that. Also, if you plan on doing MMOs seriously, get a business license. It''s a rediculously expensive hobby and the tax write-offs help keep it down.

Ben


[ IcarusIndie.com | recycledrussianbrides.com ]

If power usage is a problem, you could buy an EPIA motherboard which requires about 9 watt.
you just need a harddrive, ram and PSU.
Not a very fast computer. but nice for test setup.
And it''s fanless.

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/ - Good forums for people looking for / providing dedicated hosting

http://www.nocster.com - They've got some good deals on Dedicated Linux boxes. $59.95 for a 1.7Ghz celeron, 256MB RAM, 30GB IDE drive, 100GB / month transfer. They're sold out currently.

Generally, managed dedicated hosting is going to be cheaper than colocation because it's less hastle for the hosting company. With colocation they have to move hardware around and they're plugging in an unknown system onto their UPS grid.


[edited by - jonstelly on August 28, 2003 5:55:17 PM]

since you''re on java, google for servlets
it''s the counterpart of applets, running server side instead of client side. The only host accepting servlets (for free) is www.mycgiserver.com... as far as i know.

Hey, go to nationhosts.com, its my brothers business, he can probably lease a counterstrike server system to you, or you can pay a lil extra for a better server. Nice speed too. www.nationhosts.com