Bullets.

[Chris!(($$))!]

Dedicated servers are servers that are hosted by the use of a dedicated server... Ahh Shit, just google it like brother said.

[randy4321]

Dedicated servers are servers that are hosted by the use of a dedicated server... Ahh Shit, just google it like brother said.

lol okey dokey, they can probably explain it better (no offense)

[MadassAlex]

A dedicated server is a storage centre for data, essentially.

To understand how it's a part of a game, you first have to understand its other applications. Basically, whenever you download something from a website, you are accessing the server (or location, if you will) in which the data resides. Your computer is taking the data from that place and saving it either temporarily or permanently.

A dedicated server in a game is a server that's dedicated to processing the game data. That means that when you perform an action, you send data to the server and then the server sends that data to the other players. Likewise, you're receiving data about the actions of other players. The time this takes is based on your "ping" or "latency". A latency of 1000 means there's on second error from when data is transmitted to when you receive it. Generally, people like to play with a latency of about 100 or less. Ideally, you're in a server with about 10-50 latency, wherein the difference between data being transmitted and you receiving the data is minimal.

Dedicated servers are awesome. Here's why:

- You get to know a bunch of players who play in the same location and same timezone as you.
- Clans can buy or rent servers for their own use
- Privately owned servers can be customised, taking advantage of mods and custom maps
- Competitive dedicated servers can have passwords, meaning that only the specific combatants can enter

In essence, dedicated servers put the multiplayer experience in the hands of the players themselves. A game with a good community, dedicated servers and players that keep coming back will thrive for a long time.

[Brother]

AvP2 came out in 2001, stil has 40 something dedicated servers running.
You can ban hackers, basically control your server. Alex mentioned the clans, they are the ones that run the most servers, bring people to the game, keep the game busy...

With a great fan base this game has huge potential. I mean come on, 8 years of AvP2 multiplayer, you have to be f**king blind to not see what the game needs.

[hudsoniscool]

hey goys im wondering how many copies avp1 and 2 sold for pc. i heard avp 1 sold 500,000(which is damn good for a game from 1999) im wondering because id like to know what AvP3 could sell. im guesing if the game is as good as the first 2 it will sell around 2.5 million copies on xbox 360, and 1.75 on ps3. im not to familiar with pc so i wont guess.

[Brother]

The fan base has grown, maybe, and this is being released for 3 platforms. I'd say it can be quite successful if done right.

[hudsoniscool]

i agree. no other game like this has ever been released on this gen of consoles. so my guesses of 2.5, and 1.75 could be way off.

[randy4321]

A dedicated server is a storage centre for data, essentially.

To understand how it's a part of a game, you first have to understand its other applications. Basically, whenever you download something from a website, you are accessing the server (or location, if you will) in which the data resides. Your computer is taking the data from that place and saving it either temporarily or permanently.

A dedicated server in a game is a server that's dedicated to processing the game data. That means that when you perform an action, you send data to the server and then the server sends that data to the other players. Likewise, you're receiving data about the actions of other players. The time this takes is based on your "ping" or "latency". A latency of 1000 means there's on second error from when data is transmitted to when you receive it. Generally, people like to play with a latency of about 100 or less. Ideally, you're in a server with about 10-50 latency, wherein the difference between data being transmitted and you receiving the data is minimal.

Dedicated servers are awesome. Here's why:

- You get to know a bunch of players who play in the same location and same timezone as you.
- Clans can buy or rent servers for their own use
- Privately owned servers can be customised, taking advantage of mods and custom maps
- Competitive dedicated servers can have passwords, meaning that only the specific combatants can enter

In essence, dedicated servers put the multiplayer experience in the hands of the players themselves. A game with a good community, dedicated servers and players that keep coming back will thrive for a long time.

so, basically were screwed since we dont have dedicated servers? What are some games that have them? (console games)

[MadassAlex]

That's sort of the thing.

Dedicated servers don't mix with consoles very well, for these reasons:

- There are massive numbers of games released for consoles every year
- Game companies do not want to pay money for dedicated servers when players can connect via peer-to-peer technology
- Console games don't take advantage of mods or map packs (apart from DLC)

I can't actually remember playing any console game with dedicated servers. There might be a few. Not sure, but I wouldn't count on it.

One example of a game without dedicated servers that did very well was Left 4 Dead, but that was a console game born and bred. Despite being, essentially, a modification of Half-Life 2 and taking advantage of Steam, PC users didn't have access to servers and instead had to get lumped in with randoms or try to get three friends online at once.

[randy4321]

That's sort of the thing.

Dedicated servers don't mix with consoles very well, for these reasons:

- There are massive numbers of games released for consoles every year
- Game companies do not want to pay money for dedicated servers when players can connect via peer-to-peer technology
- Console games don't take advantage of mods or map packs (apart from DLC)

I can't actually remember playing any console game with dedicated servers. There might be a few. Not sure, but I wouldn't count on it.

One example of a game without dedicated servers that did very well was Left 4 Dead, but that was a console game born and bred. Despite being, essentially, a modification of Half-Life 2 and taking advantage of Steam, PC users didn't have access to servers and instead had to get lumped in with randoms or try to get three friends online at once.

Do companies not realize how much more business and sales they would get from dedicated servers, I mean think about it.

[MadassAlex]

The thing is, for the most part, they're right.

Most games don't have the staying power to make up for profit lost paying for dedicated servers. However, for a big project, dedicated servers are certainly a plus as they provide physical space for the game to reside, so to speak.

Given the precedent set by the previous games, I'd say AvP3 is a "big project". Dedicated servers are still a gamble, though. If the game does well and dedicated servers are set up, the game will trickle income to Sega for a long time to come. If it doesn't do well, those servers are a liability and it's bad PR for Sega to shut them down.

[Chris!(($$))!]

I think Star Wars Battlefront 2 had dedicated servers. Or else the Xbox/PS2 server setup/list just seemed identical to the PC one.

There are MANY reasons to say AvP3 will do well.
- Its THE first "next gen" game with ALIENS and PREDATORS.
- Aliens vs. Predator always makes money regardless of quality. (Not saying AvP3 will be bad.)
- Its being released on PC, 360 and PS3.
- Players will buy AvP3 so Sega has money to give to Gearbox.
- Its f**king ALIENS.
- Its f**king PREDATORS.
- Its f**king Marines, not generic space marines but THE f**kING Colonial Marines.
- Its got the whole "Three games in one" thing.
- It being "Adults Only" will make the youngsters want it even more.

So with just that, AvP3 will do very well in my opinion.
Lets say it does turn out to be a bad ass game, something that shits on CoD or Halo than it will probably get the most sales by a LONG stretch in Q1+Q2 of 2010.

[randy4321]

The thing is, for the most part, they're right.

Most games don't have the staying power to make up for profit lost paying for dedicated servers. However, for a big project, dedicated servers are certainly a plus as they provide physical space for the game to reside, so to speak.

Given the precedent set by the previous games, I'd say AvP3 is a "big project". Dedicated servers are still a gamble, though. If the game does well and dedicated servers are set up, the game will trickle income to Sega for a long time to come. If it doesn't do well, those servers are a liability and it's bad PR for Sega to shut them down.

So basically they know whether or not the game will do go, hence giving us dedicated servers, unless thats the thing there keeping under-wraps.

[randy4321]

I think Star Wars Battlefront 2 had dedicated servers. Or else the Xbox/PS2 server setup/list just seemed identical to the PC one.

There are MANY reasons to say AvP3 will do well.
- Its THE first "next gen" game with ALIENS and PREDATORS.
- Aliens vs. Predator always makes money regardless of quality. (Not saying AvP3 will be bad.)
- Its being released on PC, 360 and PS3.
- Players will buy AvP3 so Sega has money to give to Gearbox.
- Its f**king ALIENS.
- Its f**king PREDATORS.
- Its f**king Marines, not generic space marines but THE f**kING Colonial Marines.
- Its got the whole "Three games in one" thing.
- It being "Adults Only" will make the youngsters want it even more.

So with just that, AvP3 will do very well in my opinion.
Lets say it does turn out to be a bad ass game, something that shits on CoD or Halo than it will probably get the most sales by a LONG stretch in Q1+Q2 of 2010.

We dont know officially if it is going to be Adults Only yet.

[Chris!(($$))!]

I know, I know but they said its was VERY violent and made for adults in mind