What do you think will happen to games and servers

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C

Cyberlob

Come to think of last year. Realized to my big
surprice that I only bought 2 games last year. Don't
do any pirating so for me was it 2 new games. Well,
actually 3 kind of counting CS which was free. Already
had HL since way back.

Means that the gaming industry got very little out of
me and that Epic got nothing even though I spent eons
playing UT (bought the game in 1999). Looks to me that the replay value of a really good online game simply rocks. Is this not a concern for gaming companies?
Dunno, maybe was year 2000 just a slow year for good
new titles.

But then I also realized that I spent a smaller
fortune to ISP's. The gaming servers they provide are
really money making monsters. If you pick some minute
rate and multiply that we some number of players and
some number of minutes you will see. Looks to me that
the hardware is payed for in a week or so. Admin costs
should be very small.
But this is changing with the flat-rate stuff. So what
will happen then? Can we expect to see fewer ISP
servers? Are most of the UT servers ISP servers?
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and servers

The ISP will get their money, flat-rate or not. Don't worry ;)
I think you shall also see the servers as a way of getting your name out on the net.
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and servers

Yup, the main reason a isp will set up gameservers is for the advertising effect, then again, if you've ever played on Opasia's UT-AS server you will know these things work both ways :lol:
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and ser

Hihi, I know and avoid that server.

I am actually a very happy Opasia ADSL customer.
The server also shows a nice ping in the browser but
once on, its the worst piece of lagged crap ever
imaginable. Surprisingly frequented though, poor
suckers. Good for them it falls over reguraly.

Anybody working there who can go down to the machine
room with a hammer?
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and ser

Hm...Opasia used to rock a year or so ago...

Come to think of it, *all* the good servers (UKCCL, Fragweurdig Berlin (sp?), Opasia, Skirmish) from back then are either out of business or piles of crap now :( .
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and ser

I'll second that.
I think it has to do with the time admins put into it.
1 of my neighbors works at Get2Net and I got him to get the "gaming servers" admin to put up an Assault server over a year ago.
I know that Get2Net runs some kick ass servers for other games, but I never liked their Assault server.
And with the amount of ppl playing Assault, I don't think it's high priority getting it running smooth..
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and ser

Fragwuedig , yeah

32 ppl assault :) :) :)

they switched from AS to CTF and then it vanished
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and ser

I cant remember buying a game since c64 days.:lol:
Btu ive changed, if the game is good(read HALO) i will buy it.(copies can b to much hasle(read acertion failure)):p
 
Re: What do you think will happen to games and servers

ur definitly thinking too much cyberlob :p
 
....... ugh....I sense SPAM

Hey Fin.. Fragwuerdig 32player rocked! Especially guardia. If I remember correctly I once made it through the door (ppls didn't do lame doorspaming then, OTOH spawncamping was the rage at these times :lol: )


About servers: I just wait when you'll have to look at a banner after dying at CS for the rest of the round.. :x --- or when a G4 is considered a slow machine (that means not so far in the future) brand names on player skins, or even better a scrolling newsletter with SPAM always in the picture. :x ... I can't wait untill I can get my custom crosshairs sponsored from some porn website :lol:

Nuke.... :x
 
The Future

Three words "Pay For Play"...Get used to the sound of it :)

The only other option will be gaming ISP where as a perk you get to play their servers.

The reason why all servers IMO are nothing like they used to be is because providing free gaming servers makes no commercial sense., together with more people playing now.

Take a look at Barrysworld, GI and Wireplay. Wireplay are introducing PfP in 6 weeks time in order to try to survive and they wont be the first. Put simply unless games servers make money then they will get put down the priority list until they suck (as many do now) or they start charging or dropped altogether.

If on the other hand they can provide consistant, low ping servers then I would not mind paying say the £10/month Wireplay will be charging. 1 year from here it will be the norm.

To run a gaming server for a year with the sort of bandwidth useage generated would cost around £40k per server. You do the sums...

moon
fragdifferent.gif
 
Re: The Future

Asvertising was being discussed in the Epic UTservers mailing list. The best idea anyone had was to replace some textures in maps (like a small wall) with real sponosrs. That way its not shoved down your neck, but you still get subjected to a billboard form of advertising. I thought it was a good idea anyway (not my idea though)

Gaming networks are finding it very difficult to make any money - barrysworld, gameslink and wireplay are all having problems with making money from the game. How many of us click on any banners for gaming ISP?s not many of us, and out of thoese people its probably only a one-off thing anyway.

Spreding your name around on the net via the use of a UT server isn't a bad idea, however I haven't signed up for a single Demon service in the time I have played UT. So it can't be that productive.
 
Re: The Future

Many thanks for all the good feedback.

Checked Opasia. They have got something like 70 game
servers (dunno how many physical servers). An amazing
27 is running CS. They recently opened up another 4
CS servers only available for their customers on trial
basis.

Maybe the gaming servers could get sponsored by
companies so there will be a Pepsi-AS-Server.

Moonraker 40.000 pounds a year for a servers bandwidth
costs? Can it really be that much. I have never ran
a server myself and not checked how much data I
transferred during a UT session. In Denmark do I think
I could get a flat-rate ADSL 2048/512 connection for 100 pounds per month. Would that not be enough to run a good UT server?

Pay per Play. Interesting. A business model where you
pay for the time you play sounds attractive if it
includes the game itself. Is there not a Aces High
where you download the game for free and then pay when
you play? Don't know the details. Guess the server
company and game vendor could split the money. Would
mean good servers. And that the gaming vendor would have make regular improvements to keep the players.
 
Re: The Future

I'm an ol' Wireplay gamer, they used to have private servers that you could play on, they rocked because everyone knew each other, always an admin playing, servers were set up how ppl wanted.

Pay per minute play will suck...............You'll just get small 2v2's happening all over the place on someones cable connection, go on Mat :)
, but ISP deals + servers will rock (same reason WP rocked). I mean look at netgames, Moonraker has already got control over a server :)
 
Re: The Future

well cyberlob.. wondering what it cost to have a server running look here
Prices
Look at the bottom table. It tells you the prices for a connection with a constant load on the Danish Science Net..
eg. the top row says : 4 to 6 kbps average load over a year will cost you 31.000 kr = about 3000£..
You'll get to use the linie with average load of 512 kbps over a year for 40.000£
Included in that are a few more services, but just to give an idea..
 
Re: The Future

After 2 years of vast phone bills,i finally have a stable 24/7 conn for £15.00 a month.After spending soooo much before i don't wish to start paying thorough the arse for everything again :lol:
I appriciate gaming companies need to make cash,but i like martz's billboard option better :)
Thats the thing with PC's and the internet...first you need this,then that,then this, it never bloody ends :lol:
But i wouldn't take any of it back,i've had to much fun :)
 
Re: The Future

4 to 6 kbps average load over a year will cost you 31.000 kr = about 3000£..
You'll get to use the linie with average load of 512 kbps over a year for 40.000£
Click to expand...

Hm....finally something that's more expensive in Denmark than in Norway. I can easily get a leased line @ 2048 kbps with one of the major ISP's for 10.000 - 12.000 per month, equaling about 1.000£, or 12.000£ per year. The swedes have the eaven cheaper BredbandsBolaget (10 mbps for 20£/month, but I wouldnt consider that for a "professional" server, as the bandwidth isn't dedicated/guaranteed).

Still too much to pay for privately though :)

Shaitan
 
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