Skip to main content
GameDev.net gamedev.net
🔒 Locked

Simple server that lists host IPs like FPS

Started by brokilodeluxe Jun 14, 2013 at 8:41 PM 2 replies 1.6k views
Original Post
brokilodeluxe
brokilodeluxe

I'm designing a top down fighting game called No Quarter in XNA/C#. I've done the host/joiner architecture and it works great.

The only problem is you have to know the host's ip address, so I'm trying to design a tracker that lists games you can join a la TF2.

I have a few questions:

I doubt the game is going to be really, really huge. Can I host this server on my own machine?

Are there any tutorials out there that can get me started with this sort of thing? I've already designed servers for the host machines, but making a main one that you connect to to view avaliable games seems a little more intricate.

Do I have to do it in a UNIX environment?

I really just honestly don't even know how to get started.

phil_t
phil_t

I seem to remember seeing some matchmaking/leaderboard services that let you do this for free (or at least very cheap) for indie developers. But an internet search just now didn't turn up anything promising :-(.

SimonForsman
SimonForsman

You could just use a cheap or even free webhost, it is pretty easy to load data from websites or post data to them using .Net.

If you are going to selfhost it i'd recommend building a cheap dedicated linux server for the task. a raspberry pi could get the job done for 35 bucks, as long as you don't have too many servers to keep track of (or too many players trying to get a server list at the same time)

[size="1"]I don't suffer from insanity, I'm enjoying every minute of it.
The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
Bacterius
Bacterius

If you are going to selfhost it i'd recommend building a cheap dedicated linux server for the task. a raspberry pi could get the job done for 35 bucks, as long as you don't have too many servers to keep track of (or too many players trying to get a server list at the same time)

There are also $5/mo VPS available, which may make more sense and is a lot less risky than using your home network to host a public server (even if it's isolated, it's still using your main internet line, and you don't want random people and a lot of bots to start interfering with your daily internet activities by using up your cable line, especially if you have a bandwidth cap)

“If I understand the standard right it is legal and safe to do this but the resulting value could be anything.”

Topic Locked

This topic has been locked by a moderator. New replies are not allowed.

Sign in to reply to this topic.