The Servers

[MrR0b0t0]

So I was just reading an interview where they mentioned this... No one wants to pay money monthly to host a server that can only hold a maximum of 8 players, just so they can occasionally play with their friends. Does anyone know or have more information on what they are going to do to solve it?

[Waterboy2go]

Some Match-Making system.

[xXxTboNe34xXx]

I think they Might Be doing it Like x-box 360 matchmaking wear u go to join game Then Mabey it will show some Randome servers or something .. Or llike Halo and just PLace u in 1

[MrR0b0t0]

O no, I understand how they are chosen, just not how its hosted.

[xXxTboNe34xXx]

Thats what i mean like insteead of ppl just Buying a server for only 8 ppl mabey Valve will Creat a bunch of Servers them selves FOr the Game Then Also the Randimzation like quick match Servers

[Boojangels]

I think it will be matchmaking, and once all the players are found, a server is automatically created by Valve's servers. It could also pick the player with the best connection. This also presents a problem to US to Europe connection. Valve knows what they are doing I suppose.

[MrR0b0t0]

Makes sense, but then you'd have to rely on one of the 8 people to have a very good connection. Haha I really hope Valve knows. They have only 4 months left before they need it to be perfected.

[Puscifer]

If Valve Host there own servers for left 4 dead, i'll shit myself and never play another game by a different company ever again:D

[xXxTboNe34xXx]

ahh yes i c ur point there
hmm Valve GoodLuck xD

[MrR0b0t0]

The last interview suggested "dedicated" like servers... And im with Puscifer. Valve barely has enough servers to fulfill all the download requests of its games, I doubt they would dedicate any towards one game.

[xXxTboNe34xXx]

Ahh Ok i c ur point And yeah i remeber the dedicated server thing But who wants to take the tiome to that xD.

[Skeetles]

it will probably be like counter-strike, and most connections can host 3 people, considering boss infected will be npcs in the campaign.

[MrR0b0t0]

Ahh Ok i c ur point And yeah i remeber the dedicated server thing But who wants to take the tiome to that xD.


Hah, i guess anyone who wants to actually play. We'll see. Hopefully its nothing too terrible. =D

[WarTornAlc]

What about for clans? So you pretty much have to get lucky to play with a clan-mate?

[xXxTboNe34xXx]

Well ITs Valve Im Pritty Sure if they can come up with an Amzing Game such as L4D they can Prabaly think Of how to host the servers xD
Then again Mabey there just comepletely stupmed Right now and cant think of ne way to host the servers xD

[MrR0b0t0]

it will probably be like counter-strike, and most connections can host 3 people, considering boss infected will be npcs in the campaign.

Then that would make the whole "Match-Making" system useless. As far as I can understand, you will have the option of starting a random campaign with others at your skill level, or starting a campaign with your friends.

I dont know how that would work in the Versus mode tho, considering there is the possibility of both friends and random in one game. The best I can come up with is you can either chose a random game, where it "Match-Makes", or you can select to join a server off of your Friend's list, or of course, you could host/dedicate a server yourself.

But say you and your friends are all varied as far as skill level goes. You all start a campaign. How would the match-making system rank your game in terms of skill? Maybe just the average of who's in there...

[Boojangels]

Someone needs to send an email. I must know the answer to this.

-Listen servers would fail.

-Buying a Dedicated server for 4-8 people is... not so great. And you can't choose your campaign.

-Valve might not have the funds to get more servers for this game (Unless they get some from EA?).

The matchmaking system is obviously in the game. The server browser we are not sure of. Sense matchmaking is in, dedicated servers by players would be kinda strange. Then, who wants to buy a dedicated server which can be filled up by only 4-8 players.

Valve has to be involved in online play.

[xXxTboNe34xXx]

Valve has to be involved in online play.

I agrre with you there !! Theres no way Valve would See Ne money If they actully made the poeple Pay for the servers.. And Alot of ppl rnt going to want to make Dedis LIke u said ^.. Plus Not every 1 has the Capability to make a dedicated sevrer

[MrR0b0t0]

How they solve this may make or break the game...

[Atari]

Maybe they'll try to split the server load across all those playing the game, a kinda web-farm?

.....Or maybe I have no-idea what I'm talking about.

[MrR0b0t0]

Hmm that would be interesting... Would really encourage people to try to get full game going.

[Skeetles]

well I guess the only way to find out would be for Valve to release betas to the community members.

[MrR0b0t0]

MPC: Will the game run on dedicated servers or will it be an Xbox style local host? What do we need to have set up to get the best experience for us and 3 to 7 of our friends?

MB: All I can say right now is we're investigating some really cool stuff with servers and hosting. Making it easy is a primary focus. Making it clear for you to jump in and play with the optimal experience right out of the box.

MPC: Because we might not necessarily be playing a pick-up game TF2 where you can jump into any server and have fun by ourselves. We want to play with our friends and not necessarily want to pay 10 bucks or 20 bucks a month for an 8-person server.

MB: Yes definitely. You should not have to pay 8 or 10 bucks a month to play on a server to have a good experience.


Thats about all I could find, and it really doesnt answer any questions.
"We are looking into it." "We are trying to make it easy" "You should not have to pay $ to play and have a good experience".

This kinda talk 3 months before the release scares me.

[lilsamuraijoe]

My guess is that the matchmaking system will pick 3 other players that are the closest to you and will make the player with the best connection the server host. Thats how they do it in xbox live anyways.

[MrR0b0t0]

Closest as in terms of skill or location?

[MrR0b0t0]

http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/gameservice s.php (http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/gameservices.php)

Found this on the steam forums. However, still doesnt answer how servers will be hosted.

[DeMoNsXWiThInnX]

Mabey ValvE has figured out a way to host servers but they dont want to announce it just yet. He did say they looking into cool stuff, mabey they have found a way of hosting the server's but it's a new way and they dont want to announce it so early. ( just a thought )

[lurk4dead]

I'm pretty confident the 360 version will be extremly similar to the halo 3 system because it's being done by the same people and for the most part it works really well so it's not a major concern for 360 owners, PC though i dunno

[Falco64]

I wonder if it'll be possible to host multiple games on one 32, 40, 48, or 64 player servers. Privately owned dedicated servers have been working fine for counterstrike, team fortress 2, battlefield series and the like, I really don't see them getting completely away from that method now. The obvious problem now is renting an 8 player server would suck and it would be hard to keep populated. If the game used a standard 32-64 slot server though, 8-16 teams of four might all play in their own 4 player campaign or 8 player versus mode on the same server. You would even be able to quickly pair off 4 player groups for versus mode to play against new people or even see which team can get through a scenario fastest.

[awdrgy123]

i was thinking they would have like 20 giant server hosts spread thru the world and if you "made a server" it would start the server in the closest main server, like the way those free games work IE: soldier front, combat arms, and war rock.

[L4D rulzz]

I hope you don't need to pay 10 dlls. to play this game! I didi't bought SW: Galaxy because I didn't want to spend sooo much moany on a game already cot 50dlls.

[Clamzoni_of_RI]

OMG. Not Even Doom Music could make this comprehensible. Leave Now.

[L4D rulzz]

Don't start to boil yourself becasue I say a fact! Spending 10dlls. per month is too much for some people like me... It's a good 120dlls per year!

[Waterboy2go]

Don't start to boil yourself becasue I say a fact! Spending 10dlls. per month is too much for some people like me... It's a good 120dlls per year!

This is Valve, not some MMORPG.

[Clamzoni_of_RI]

Dude, if you bothered to read a brief summary of the game anywhere, you'd find that ValVe South has not announced that there will be any subscription fees, monthly or otherwise. It's a Co Op FPS and its made by Valve. And In recent interviews, the Dev team has alluded to the fact that you won't have to pay for a server to have a good game experience with your friends.

[L4D rulzz]

I see... that's great! Now I'm sure I'll get this game! Thanks man for letting me know!

[MrR0b0t0]

They have said that, but they havent given a reason why. And the only other option points to dedicated servers, which majority of the people cant host.

[The Chries]

The server matchmaking (http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/gameservices.php) will be something like this:

Multiplayer matchmaking

The same robust back-end that brings players together for Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress 2, and (coming soon) Left 4 Dead. You can customize these features to create specific matchmaking and lobby functions.

http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/images/pic_sw_gs_02.jpg (http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/images/pic_sw_gs_02.jpg)

[MrR0b0t0]

Already been mentioned. That doesnt explain how it will be hosted.