Question for Server-hardware/Upstream

[mr.g-c]

Hi, our Internet Provider can upgrade the lines in our town and so we will be able to have DSL with around 80kb/s upstream.

Question: 5kb/s is normal for upstream of the server per client?
If yes this would mean up to around 16players can join, right?

Next Thing: We have a old PC here with a Athlon XP-M 2400+ (OC'd at 2200MHZ) with 1GB ram - is this enough as a server?

Do i need a independent copy/serial of Arma for the server or is ok when i use my serial/copy ?

I'm planning some smaller coops and smaller PvP maps with the ACE-Mod (when it will be out finally)

Do you think this PC can handle it?

Best Regards, Christian

[Bob.Dob]

I assume you're talking Kbytes and not Kbits. BTW have you OC'd to 400mhz FSB or are you stuck @ 333mhz and using multipliers?

Anyways it should be doable but 16 players might be pushing it (it really depends how hardware intensive and complex the missions you run will be).

If the missions are very complex and somewhat bloated, you might need to think about sticking another GB of memory in and even maybe trying to OC the CPU some more if it can take it and stay stable. Even with such small 'upgrades' you'd still probably want to think about sticking to 8-12 players at the very max depending on mission.

Your biggest problem is probably your slow upstream. It might become a serious problem at times once you get more then 8-10 players on.

Either way just give it a try and you'll find out! GL

[mr.g-c]

Ok i already written this in the german arma community and i hope this helps anyone who wants to set up a dedicated server on older Hardware:

1. Overclocked the CPU at 2400MHZ (probab. 3600+ Rating) Primestable (400MHZ DDR FSB)
2. Disabled AGP Apertures Size, disabled ALL unnecessary Ports and functions on the mainboard (like Soundcontroller, modem, SATA controller, Serial and parralel Ports, diskette drive, etc.)
3. Activated 32bit Busmastering and Ultra DMA for the Harddrive
4. Formated the Harddrive
5. Installed Fresh WinXP with SP2 on it
6. Installed ALL NEWEST Drivers and ALL Windows updates since SP2 (160 updates)
7. Disabled all ressource-eating things like services (index-service for instance), trashcan, system-restore, and so on.
Conclusion: System boots in around 10seconds and only 140MB of Ram is used by Windows when IDLE!
8. Prepared it for remote-control and "Wake On LAN" / "Magic packet"

MOST-IMPORTANT: Set the arma_server.exe as a exception in the Windows "Data Execution Prevention"!
I have read numerous reports that this might be a huge FPS killer for Arma and other Dedicated Windows Servers!

9. Banned the Server into the house of my parents, into the working room of my Father (both houses are connected by GB-LAN with 3COM Superstack switches and numerous network-ports in nearly every room)
10. Copied my Arma Installation to the Server, copied the arma_server.exe from the beta patch-folder into the main arma folder, created the server.cfg, a server-profile (viewdistance for AI 2000m) and this other config-file (forgot name currently).
11. Set Server to Veteran Mode and AI-Skills to 0.75 and AI-Precision to 0.40
12. Started Server, summary:

- Played a smaller Coop with Urban Patrol Script and so on, played with 2 Brothers, 2 guys from Korea, a other JIP and Me (6 Guys total) - Server FPS never under 40FPS! AI is absolutely KILLER! Never seen this in Single-Player before.

- Played the stock "Seize the Base" Coop(massive AI) and FPS goes Down to 28FPS in extreme conditions - but never below. AI is still unbeliveable good, flanks you and does other strange killer-tactics which you wouldn't expect from stock-Arma

- Played a custom map created by me, with Grouplink2Plus AI-Enhancer, 300+ AI Units (+ nearly the same amount gets created by numerous triggered events during mission), Revive-Script and others.
Base FPS with one player is 32FPS. Every new player "reduces" the server-FPS by 1FPS in this mission (tried it with up to 7 players). So with 12 Players (my new set maximum) we would be at 20 base-FPS in this mission.
FPS with 4 players during longer tests with my two brothers, me and a JIP (4 players total) and AI calling-in Artillery, the server reaches for some seconds the low limit of 16-18FPS.
So here with 12 or even 16players would be the overkill.

Conclusion: For smaller up to middle sizes Coops it should be OK with up to 12 Players.
PvP didn't impacted at all at the Server (tested it with 7 Players, FPS was continuously around 46FPS, max. 48FPS)


Best Regards, Christian