Quick report back from the hostee of the PHers GTL Server

[neil_cardiff]

Was sent an email just now by Giles, mentioning that he monitored the bandwidth usage last night while there were 15 of us playing on-line, and he said that we were consistantly using:

1.8Mb/sec upload!!!

You can see why we've been so lucky to be given this opportunity, and why I want to keep it just to regular PHers - Bandwidth ain't free you know!!!

Also it gives you an idea why ADSL just won't cut it with hosting at 256Kb upload max.

Neil

[FourWheelDrift]

1.8mb !

[mr_yogi]

That's a lot of bandwidth!

How was it running with 15 players? What were the pings like? And how does it compare to the public servers out there?

What is the max connections allowed?

Just out of interest how much is a server like that to rent?

[neil_cardiff]

mr_yogi said:

That's a lot of bandwidth! How was it running with 15 players? What were the pings like? And how does it compare to the public servers out there? What is the max connections allowed? Just out of interest how much is a server like that to rent?

It ran perfectly with 15 players - I noticed no issues, and everyone else seemed very happy. The maximum connections is limited to 36 players and whoever we share the server password with.

Game server pricing is high - we did look at it, and found it too high - many people simply didn't want the commitment, and didn't see it as good value.

It just so happens that I am very good friends with the chap who runs a hosting company and he is doing me and the PH fraternity a big favour - with a small donation recommended to say thanks.

But based on the fact we have a dual Xeon server with 2Gb ram all to ourselves and unlimited bandwidth up to 14Mb/sec I'd say you'd be looking at around £2-300 a month to host this server.

[pentoman]

Awesome . That's 1.8 Mbit on Mbytes right just to check?

Is there an advertising deal your friend's company could arrange with Ted (perhaps advertising in the Computer Games forum of PH) for these services he's so kindly offered?

I wasn't on last night - I hope to bring things up to 16 .

Rusty

[PetrolTed]

Happy to give the chap some advertising on here as a thank you.

[mr_yogi]

WOW neil.

sorry more questions

what are the settings on the server, I noticed from the demo there were options like invunerable cars and different difficulty settings - complexity of the handling? If you crash into a wall are you out of the race?

How much of a donation is required

I'm getting quite excited at the prospect of online play

[neil_cardiff]

mr_yogi said:

WOW neil. sorry more questions what are the settings on the server, I noticed from the demo there were options like invunerable cars and different difficulty settings - complexity of the handling? If you crash into a wall are you out of the race? How much of a donation is required I'm getting quite excited at the prospect of online play

No worries

The server is set up under Professional conditions - no aids, no nanying, and car killing barriers.

To be honest you have to be driving like a twonk to die while normal racing - so you'll be fine.

In regard to donations, once we've soak tested the server (and we did a pretty good job yesterday) I'll set a Pay Pal account up and forward the money to Giles - minus the cost of me travelling to Cardiff (£10 fuel and £5 Bridge Toll) and then I'll add every contributor to a Mailing list to allow us to send out the results and any new passwords we create.

Neil

[mr_yogi]

That all seems extremely reasonable

About these car killing barriers If they attack your car but don't finish the job can you come into the pits and fix it or do you have to finish the race with the car wanting to turn left at every opertunity?

[neil_cardiff]

mr_yogi said:

That all seems extremely reasonable About these car killing barriers If they attack your car but don't finish the job can you come into the pits and fix it or do you have to finish the race with the car wanting to turn left at every opertunity?

You may pit, but you'll find that you've inherited a bunch of tea drinking YTS pit crew and it'll take a while.

Very few of us even bother - I limped around for three laps with a front left puncture (Damn you PV) as I knew the twonks in the Pit Crew would take ages to fix it...

Just get playing and it'll come to you - we all started somewhere...

[_dobbo_]

Sat in the pits for 2 mins 30 seconds after a particularly nasty off... YTS tea drinkers is a compliment me thinks.

(meanwhile on an imaginary forum somewhere else, "Pitstop heads", a bunch of computer generated pit workers complain about their rubbish driver who keeps smashing up his car and expecting them to fix it in 2 seconds)

Neil that is a sick amount of bandwidth, glad I didn't try to host on the work connection!

Definately have to put our hands in our pockets, if you let us know how to pay.

[diver944]

Yes I think that was a great soak test last night. I had no problems whatsoever and am heartily grateful to Neils friend for doing this huge favour for us Pistonheaders.

I think a post race summary really enhances the 'atmosphere'. I used to pour over FWDS graphs and replays after each GTR or GPL race so if GTL can do the same thing it would be ace! Sometimes when you're in the middle of the pack you have no idea who won or how close it was at the front.

Everyone needs to practice the pitstops as you can really speed up the YTS monkeys by quickly selecting which option you want them to do. I have noticed that at the bottom of the pit options list is 'Drink tea before even touching PVAs car'. I think we should all be selecting this as a default

[FourWheelDrift]

diver944 said:

I used to pour over FWDS graphs and replays after each GTR or GPL race so if GTL can do the same thing it would be ace! Sometimes when you're in the middle of the pack you have no idea who won or how close it was at the front.

I've got a GTL version of the GTR race analyser, all I need is the full race stats text file from the servers LOG folder, usually named by date.

Alternatively you can get the GTL race analyser from here - www.funleague.net/files/gtl/utility/GTL_Report_Analyzer_Rev1_32.zip

FWD - I'll email you tonight and sort out these log files.

Neil

>> Edited by neil_cardiff on Monday 30th January 15:41

[UncleDave]

I would be happy to log and publish the results.. I think it can be done from any computer..?

[funkyrobot]

Hopefully installing GTL tonight, whats the password??

Cheers.

[FourWheelDrift]

Same as GTR

Dijon GP circuit next Sunday.