What is a Game Server, and Why is It Important for Multiplayer Games?
In the world of multiplayer gaming, a seamless and immersive experience relies on more than just powerful graphics or a fast internet connection. At the heart of every multiplayer game is a game server, the hidden infrastructure that makes it all possible. Game servers manage player interactions, synchronise game data, and ensure smooth gameplay across the network. Without them, multiplayer games wouldn’t be able to offer real-time communication or the competitive dynamics that gamers enjoy.
What is a Game Server?
A game server is a dedicated set of computers that hosts online multiplayer games. It acts as a central hub for players to connect to and interact with each other.
Game servers manage different aspects of the game, including movements, interactions, and the synchronization of the game state among all connected players. These game servers run specialised software designed to handle the specific requirements of multiplayer gaming.
Do I Need a Server for My Multiplayer Game?
If your game is fast-paced and demanding, you're going to need a game server. Competitive games like Call of Duty, Rocket League, or League of Legends need instant feedback. You can't rely on a computer to handle the load.
Why Are Game Servers Important for Multiplayer Games?
The game server is responsible for keeping everything running smoothly and fairly for all the players connected. Here are a few reasons why game servers are important for multiplayer games:
Maintaining the Game State
The game server acts as the single source of truth for everything happening in the game world. It keeps track of all game elements, like player positions, the health status of each player, inventory items, and the state of the game world itself.
Processing Player Inputs
Players send their actions like moving their character to the game server. The server then receives these inputs from all players, interprets them, and determines the outcome of those actions based on the game’s programmed rules.
Sending Updates to Players
It constantly processes the game state based on all player actions and it doesn’t directly control what players see. It then sends updates to each player’s device at regular intervals. These updates inform the player’s device about what’s happening in the game world.
Enforcing Game Rules
The game server acts as the enforcer, ensuring everyone plays by the same set of rules.
It validates player actions to prevent cheating and maintains game balance by ensuring no player has an unfair advantage.
Communication Hub
The game server acts as a central communication hub for all the players connected to it.
It facilitates communication and interaction between players within the game world including chat messages and voice communication.
What Are the Different Types of Game Servers?
There are a few different game servers to choose from, from dedicated servers to cloud-based servers, offering different services depending on each scenario. Here we have outlined four different types of game servers:
Dedicated Game Servers
Dedicated game servers are standalone servers dedicated only to hosting game instances. They provide high performance, reliability, and customization options, making them perfect for large-scale multiplayer games.
Game creators or hosting companies can optimize performance and customize the environment to meet the unique needs of the game with dedicated servers, which provide them with total control over hardware specs, software configurations, and networking infrastructure.
Peer-to-Peer Game Servers
Peer-to-peer game servers use a decentralised networking architecture where players connect directly to each other without a centralised server. Each player acts as both a client and a server, exchanging data and game state with other players.
While this server architecture reduces the need for dedicated game servers and can be cost-effective, players can face challenges like connectivity issues and security vulnerabilities, especially in bigger multiplayer games.
Virtual Private Servers
Virtual private servers are virtualized instances of dedicated servers hosted on physical hardware. Virtual private server vendors partition a single dedicated server into multiple virtual servers, each machine runs its operating system as well as a software stack.
While these servers may not offer the same level of performance as dedicated servers, they provide flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, making them a better choice for smaller-scale multiplayer games.
Cloud-Based Game Servers
Cloud-based game servers leverage cloud computing infrastructure to host game instances and provide scalable, on-demand resources.
Cloud hosting platforms provide networking, storage, and virtualized server instances that are simple to provision and manage through web-based interfaces or APIs. Game makers can swiftly create and scale game instances in response to demand thanks to the flexibility, scalability, and affordability of these game servers.
