Servers

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Revision as of 22:06, 19 January 2011 by LingoSalad (talk | contribs) (cleanup)
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Like all multiplayer games based on Valve's Source Engine, Team Fortress 2 is designed around the idea of a client/server architecture. The "client" in this case being simply being the copy of Team Fortress 2 running on a player's computer. However, the client needs something to connect to. It requires a server to connect to to allow the player to interact with other players over the internet. There are more than 3,000 Team Fortress 2 servers currently running worldwide.

To put it simply, a game server is what handles the virtual world you are playing in. It processes where players are in the game, what they are doing, and lets everyone see what everyone else is doing. The server manages a virtual map which everyone connected to can interact within.

Why would I want a server?

Running your own server has a number of advantages, for example it allows you to:

  • Set your own map rotation
  • Have your own settings regarding gravity, slot limit, etc
  • Install custom mods such as Prop Hunt and TF2DM
  • Password your server to allow only a small group of friends to play
  • Let communities grow by providing a common place to play and chat
  • Configure admin plugins to allow friends and people you trust to kick/ban problem players

Types

There are 2 types of servers that can be run using the Source engine.

Listen/Local server

A Listen Server is just a basic server running within your TF2 client. To create one, simply click the "Create Server" button at the main menu. Other players can connect as normal, but Dedicated servers provide much better performance.

Dedicated server

A dedicated server is simply a standalone server. These do not require Steam to run, and typically run in a command line window. They are usually run on specialized high-end hardware dedicated to run game servers.

Differences

For most purposes, a Dedicated server is usually a better option in most situations. As they are run as an entirely standalone program, it is far easier to manage and modify. It also puts far less load on the computer it is running on, due to not having the extra work of rendering the game graphics. A Listen servers, on the other hand, are ideal for small LAN events where there may only be a handful of players.

Requirements

While GSPs (Game Server Providers) typically use high-end, dedicated hardware to run game servers, this isn't necessary for simply learning how to set one up. All you need is a spare computer running either Windows (XP or newer) or Linux (x86 or amd64). Unfortunately, despite Team Fortress 2 now being available on OSX, Valve are yet to release OSX dedicated server files.

See also

External links