Game Server inquiries

[SyntaxLAMP]

I am currently debating which direction to go in starting a game server web site. This would give clients the option to rent out game servers of popular games.

Upon reading about cPanel GS, I have come up with some questions.

1.) Can I run multiple instances of the same game? Say, 4 America's Army serveres, 3 Call of Duty, 17 Team Speaks?

2.) Can I upgrade the America's Army server from version 2.6 to 2.8.2?

3.) Can you add mods for games, such as America's Army?

4.) Is it possible to add games not supported by cPanel?

5.) Is it possible to obtain IP addresses from a dedicated server host, say GoDaddy, and then apply those IP addresses to various Game Servers?

Thank you for your responses in advanced.

[darren]

Hello,

1.) Can I run multiple instances of the same game? Say, 4 America's Army serveres, 3 Call of Duty, 17 Team Speaks?

Not yet from a single account, but after this release, that is the next big feature to get worked on. For now you need to make a new account to handle each server. one account can run one game of each type supported at this moment.

2.) Can I upgrade the America's Army server from version 2.6 to 2.8.2?

I hadn't even seen the 2.8.2 being available. I'll try to update it this week. As long as a server's config options, variable names etc don't change, you can always upgrade an installation like you normally would, and can make a custom package to use from the upgraded install.

3.) Can you add mods for games, such as America's Army?

Anyone with perl programming knowledge, time and desire can add support for mods. If you have specific mods you want added, I suggest letting me know so I can add it to my list.

4.) Is it possible to add games not supported by cPanel?

Same as above. cPGS isn't compiled, but it's not that easy to edit either. Once I get my feature list down, new game support should take off very quickly.

5.) Is it possible to obtain IP addresses from a dedicated server host, say GoDaddy, and then apply those IP addresses to various Game Servers?

If the dedicated server host allows you to run cPGSD (a perl daemon) then you should be able to run the gameservers on it. cPGSD runs on pretty much any linux or freebsd server with or without cPanel installed and acts as the backend that does all the dirty work of setting up/running/managing the servers themselves, while the cPanel interface is only needed on one machine somewhere to control them. cPGS will let you use any IP on the machine cPGSD is on when configuring and starting game servers. There is a diagram in the following presentation IIRC that may help explain:
http://cpgs.cpanel.net/cPGS.pdf

Let me know if you have any other questions or more details on something above.

Thanks,
Darren

[darren]

I just updated America's Army to 2.82 , let me know if you see any problems with it. As always, early adopters should get the copy on http://cpgs.network3.net/ until it's had time to make it to the other mirrors.

[SyntaxLAMP]

Thank you for the upgrade. I can not test it yet however because I am still setting up my server (Linux Centos 4).

I do have a few more questions, however. Is is possible to have multiple instances of the same game on cPGS? Your answer before stated not on the same account, but can you create another account on the same server?

What I would like to do is create a game server hosting company where if a client purchases an America's Army server I can give them an account via cPGS and they can login and change only their server. Is this available now, or something along those lines you could describe?

So, if I wanted to add Call of Duty 2 to the games on my server I could just download the linux version of the server and then do what with it to get it to work? If it's too complicated I would like to request you to add that game to the list .

I have not installed cPGS on my server as of yet, but to do so, I would just upload the files found from the http://cpgs.network3.net/ site to my root directory, or where do they go? Also, say I had the older version of America's Army on my server and I wanted to update it, would I just overwrite the current .cpgs file? Or do I have to completely reinstall (or overwrite) all the files found from http://cpgs.network3.net/ ?

What is the likelihood that Crysis could be added to the supported games list?

[darren]

Yes, if you want to run 2 counter strike servers, you can create two accounts and install it twice. The gameservers do not share install locations allowing for totally flexibility for mods, edits, etc if needed.

If you want CoD2 support, I think you'll need to wait until I can get it added. Otherwise you have to take the cPGS source and program CoD2 support in to it, not a trivial task.

The gameserver package files should be downloaded to a partition that has a lot of free space. I suggest /home/gameservers/ or something like that. The next release will use a slightly different config for it.. currently the file /var/cpanel/gameserv_global.cfg points to each supported game's location. To simplify things, I'm getting rid of that config and adding on pkgdir=/home/gameservers/ (or wherever) line to /var/cpanel/cpgsd.cfg . This allows for easier support for 3rd party server packages in the future and is less confusing for most, without really sacrificing any control over where the servers go. Whenever a new "official package" comes out, you just need to download it and replace the older package. The downloader in WHM (currently being revamped for latest released) will tell you which of your packages are up to date or not.

As for Crysis, if they release a stable linux dedicated server, the chances of getting added eventually will be fairly good.

[SyntaxLAMP]

So to create multiple accounts I would create two accounts in cPGS and could put the game files in separate locations such as /home/gameservers/gameserver1 and another at /home/gameservers/gameserver2?

Is that how I would create multiple accounts? Or where would I install the multiple accounts to make them separate from each other, so specific accounts could control certain game servers while other account control others and so on?

I also think you should add CoD2 because more people play it now than CoD1. As for Crysis, I think it would be a good idea because a lot of people play it now too and I have had requests to have Crysis on my server from multiple people, but, as I know so far right now, they haven't created a linux server for it yet.

Thank you for all your help Darren, I hope I'm not being too much of a burden, but I am REALLY interested in starting a Game Server. I have knowledge in many programming languages and operate sites already, but when it comes to the server, I don't know too much about the technical setup and running of it. I appreciate all your help and hopefully I will be able to implement all of your instructions soon.

[darren]

You would create two accounts in WHM, then configure them using cPGS to use whichever game server you want. Download the game server packages from WHM. Then use cPanel/cPGS to install the server on the account, then manage the game in the user's cPanel.
I think if you take a few minutes to look at it, it will become fairly obvious. I'll try getting CoD2 added soon, it's been near the top of my list for some time now. Crysis I'll look at once they release a linux server, I can't even consider it until then. The tech demos look good though

[SyntaxLAMP]

I guess I'm selling my self short on doing this and should just give it a try when we acquire our server in December. I just want to make sure everything works before I attempt so I don't really mess things up.

I really appreciate your help Darren! To tell you the truth, one of the largest reasons I am choosing cPanel over Plesk is the customer support for cPanel and cPGS is one of the best I've seen.

Thank you for all of your help so far and the uprgrading of America's Army. Call of Duty 2 would be very nice, but take your time because you do A LOT.

[darren]

I just made a little flash video capture of me installing, configuring and using cPGS to run a game server (Savage in this case but they are all pretty much the same as far as controlling them from cPGS). Watch it here and it should help clarify some questions and give you an idea of how it works and what it looks like

http://cpgs.cpanel.net/demo.html

[SyntaxLAMP]

The prompt you were using at the beginning with the black screen, was that WHM Telnet? If so, is there a manual or readme that comes with the installer to know what to type in?

Can I install this on a dedicated server that I don't have physical access to right? Which would be similiar to installing PHPBB, where it's just files to upload, and maybe some commands on a telnet?

Does the Half-Life server option include Counter Strike? If not, that's another game that should be added to the to-do list, along with COD2.

[darren]

The black shell/prompt you saw was a terminal window (aterm on my workstation) logged into the server via SSH. Same thing as Putty for windows, basically. You don't need physical access, just SSH in. The questions the installer asks should be self explanatory, if you aren't sure, just say no (like SIM monitoring, if you aren't using SIM, then don't worry about it.)
Counterstrike is a supported mod of the Halflife server, says so on the main page @ http://cpgs.cpanel.net/ ^_^

[SyntaxLAMP]

So the mod is included with Half Life or you have to download and install the mod separately?

[darren]

All mods are included in the main server's packages, it'd get too messy if we tried to split them up, at least right now.

[SyntaxLAMP]

Agreed, much easier to have them with the package. But good note for later to have it where the user can upload mods, unless they can already do that and I'm just covering old ground