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2 Guides have been added to the Guides section and at long last the "How to setup a server" link now takes you to actual information.
Direct Links:
Guide: How to Have a Successful Public Server
Guide: Server Setup Configuration
And the color schemes of the Guides section is a lot more reader friendly than the below excerpts. I'd recommend the Guides section rather than reading the below, but here is a preview.
I checked the Guides over, but I'm sure there are some typos in them or some other "proofreading didn't spot everything issues".
Direct Links:
Guide: How to Have a Successful Public Server
Guide: Server Setup Configuration
And the color schemes of the Guides section is a lot more reader friendly than the below excerpts. I'd recommend the Guides section rather than reading the below, but here is a preview.
Originally posted by Excerpt of How to Have a Successful Public Server
How To Setup A Server - 2006
If you are looking to setup a LAN game, read this instead.
Before we start, let's consider the common motivations behind setting up a server. I will classify these into 2 categories:
1. To have one just for fun, for experience/learning, for private games or personal convenience.
2. To have a successful public server.
Major differences between #1 and #2 is that if your intentions are more for experience/learning/private games/convenience -- and those can be very good reasons -- the next section might not all apply.
Scroll way far down to find out the actual things you must do to setup the server. The focus on server advise is vital information, but is long and lengthy.
Running a Successful Public Server
If you intent is to have a successful public server, you are looking at a much higher bar. A successful public server is not easily achieved in Quake, nor any other game.
The following if applied will increase your chances of having a successful server, but that is always difficult.
Public Server Success #1: You must have a DNS
You must have a DNS. This ain't the 1990s. Telling players to connect 54.45.113.206 does NOT cut it.
Players can't remember that and server browser usage in Quake is NOT common, especially among veteran players who already know the 5 or 6 servers they might play on by memory. Even worse than players not remembering a DNS, is the probability of players fouling it up.
Telling a player to connect to bomber.quakeone.com is easy (a DNS). Telling a player to connect to 72.29.12.34 is hard, and 19 times out of 20 they aren't going to remember the next time.
If you need help getting a DNS, ask!
Public Server Success #2: No Impulses
Some people hated Trinicom because it didn't have +hook built into the mod.
This isn't the 1990's. Players expect servers to use the standard binds that used on other servers. Many mods already have this built in. +hook is the most important, although if it is an mod that has a rune like ThreeWave CTF, it is important that rune-delete is supported.
Players do not like having to bind any keys for a specific server. If you have a great mod that doesn't have these aliases pre-set and have the QuakeC, post and someone would more than likely tell you how to add it into the source as it is very easy to do.
Public Server Success #3: No Home Jobs!
Again, if you are doing this for personal pleasure or some other reason, this doesn't apply. But for a public server, unless you have an very abnormal home connection, you don't have the fat pipes required for smoothness.
There are enough server choices out there that players aren't going to be interested in connecting to a laggy server.
Server Hosts/Prices:
#1 Fat Pipe Server: http://www.fatpipeserver.com/
$20/month, or less if prepaid for 6/12 mos for 10 players. Quake.PhatHookups.com uses them and that server is sweet!
#2 Essentrix.Net: http://www.essentrix.net
Essentrix is hands down the best bet in Quake experience. They have run countless Quake servers (20? 30? 40?) in the past. Costs about $4 per month per player last time I checked, minimum of 8 players = $32/mo.
.
.
.
.
.
Public Server Success #5: Be Different
All too often we've seen in the past a new server come out no different than any other server. If a player can connect to an established server with players or your empty server running the same thing, let me tell you it ain't gonna be yours!
You need to have an advantage or difference. It might be your server has better ping or nicer admin or more friendly players that hang around --- but usually those things aren't enough ... typically you need to have either better settings, better maps or a better mod.
Read More ... Guide #44
If you are looking to setup a LAN game, read this instead.
Before we start, let's consider the common motivations behind setting up a server. I will classify these into 2 categories:
1. To have one just for fun, for experience/learning, for private games or personal convenience.
2. To have a successful public server.
Major differences between #1 and #2 is that if your intentions are more for experience/learning/private games/convenience -- and those can be very good reasons -- the next section might not all apply.
Scroll way far down to find out the actual things you must do to setup the server. The focus on server advise is vital information, but is long and lengthy.
Running a Successful Public Server
If you intent is to have a successful public server, you are looking at a much higher bar. A successful public server is not easily achieved in Quake, nor any other game.
The following if applied will increase your chances of having a successful server, but that is always difficult.
Public Server Success #1: You must have a DNS
You must have a DNS. This ain't the 1990s. Telling players to connect 54.45.113.206 does NOT cut it.
Players can't remember that and server browser usage in Quake is NOT common, especially among veteran players who already know the 5 or 6 servers they might play on by memory. Even worse than players not remembering a DNS, is the probability of players fouling it up.
Telling a player to connect to bomber.quakeone.com is easy (a DNS). Telling a player to connect to 72.29.12.34 is hard, and 19 times out of 20 they aren't going to remember the next time.
If you need help getting a DNS, ask!
Public Server Success #2: No Impulses
Some people hated Trinicom because it didn't have +hook built into the mod.
This isn't the 1990's. Players expect servers to use the standard binds that used on other servers. Many mods already have this built in. +hook is the most important, although if it is an mod that has a rune like ThreeWave CTF, it is important that rune-delete is supported.
Players do not like having to bind any keys for a specific server. If you have a great mod that doesn't have these aliases pre-set and have the QuakeC, post and someone would more than likely tell you how to add it into the source as it is very easy to do.
Public Server Success #3: No Home Jobs!
Again, if you are doing this for personal pleasure or some other reason, this doesn't apply. But for a public server, unless you have an very abnormal home connection, you don't have the fat pipes required for smoothness.
There are enough server choices out there that players aren't going to be interested in connecting to a laggy server.
Server Hosts/Prices:
#1 Fat Pipe Server: http://www.fatpipeserver.com/
$20/month, or less if prepaid for 6/12 mos for 10 players. Quake.PhatHookups.com uses them and that server is sweet!
#2 Essentrix.Net: http://www.essentrix.net
Essentrix is hands down the best bet in Quake experience. They have run countless Quake servers (20? 30? 40?) in the past. Costs about $4 per month per player last time I checked, minimum of 8 players = $32/mo.
.
.
.
.
.
Public Server Success #5: Be Different
All too often we've seen in the past a new server come out no different than any other server. If a player can connect to an established server with players or your empty server running the same thing, let me tell you it ain't gonna be yours!
You need to have an advantage or difference. It might be your server has better ping or nicer admin or more friendly players that hang around --- but usually those things aren't enough ... typically you need to have either better settings, better maps or a better mod.
Read More ... Guide #44
Originally posted by Server Setup Configuration
Actual Setup
To setup a server, you need the following:
1. A host (FatPipeServers, Essentrix.Net, someone else)
2. A mod (Rune Quake, xCTF, CAx, CRMOD, IHOC)
3. A server executable (ProQuake Linux|Windows or squake-ihoc Linux)
4. A compiler (probably FRIKQCC 2.5, not any other version)
5. A command line
Actual Setup: #1 A Host
This was discussed earlier. Unless you have an extraordinary home connect or direct server access, you will likely need an FTP client and SSH.
FTP will allow you to place files on the server. SSH (secure TelNet) is often required to restart/shutdown the server, but some hosts have other methods available.
Two common choices:
1. FTP Clients: http://www.winplanet.com/category/2244-1-d.htm
2. SSH: http://www.download.com/PuTTY/3000-1...ml?tag=lst-3-4
Actual Setup: #2 A Mod
This is your choice.
.
.
.
Actual Setup: #3 A Server Executable
For a public server, there are 2 and only 2 answers .. at least right now.
1. ProQuake (Windows|Linux downloads)
2. SQuake-IHOC (Linux only, I think, ask for it at QuakeBoard.net)
SQuake-IHOC supports colors 14/15 and has built in optional chat spam, color change spam, name change spam functionality and otherwise is a lot of fun. Plus it has built-in IP masking! Rock solid and battle-tested for years.
ProQuake is the traditional choice. Rock solid and supports a cheat-free mode (which, unfortunately, only allows ProQuake clients to connect -- this is some chance this may change in the future).
A potential future option is DarkPlaces dedicated. Currently DarkPlaces dedicated does not permit connections from ordinary Quake clients and I don't believe QStat, QView or GameSpy can query it (I could be wrong about this). This may end up being the server engine of the future for the Quake community, but as of right now isn't an option.
Actual Setup: #4 A Compiler
The best compiler, which should be able to compile any mod from the QuakeC source code, is FrikQCC 2.5. This may change in the future, but presently many mods commonly used on Quake servers require this version of FrikQCC.
Place the compiler in the folder with the QuakeC source code and run it to generate a progs.dat in the parent directory.
Actual Setup: #5 A Command Line
In a LAN game, a command line might go like this:
But on a public hosted server, particularly Linux, it usually gets just a bit more complicated.
Read More ... Guide #45
To setup a server, you need the following:
1. A host (FatPipeServers, Essentrix.Net, someone else)
2. A mod (Rune Quake, xCTF, CAx, CRMOD, IHOC)
3. A server executable (ProQuake Linux|Windows or squake-ihoc Linux)
4. A compiler (probably FRIKQCC 2.5, not any other version)
5. A command line
Actual Setup: #1 A Host
This was discussed earlier. Unless you have an extraordinary home connect or direct server access, you will likely need an FTP client and SSH.
FTP will allow you to place files on the server. SSH (secure TelNet) is often required to restart/shutdown the server, but some hosts have other methods available.
Two common choices:
1. FTP Clients: http://www.winplanet.com/category/2244-1-d.htm
2. SSH: http://www.download.com/PuTTY/3000-1...ml?tag=lst-3-4
Actual Setup: #2 A Mod
This is your choice.
.
.
.
Actual Setup: #3 A Server Executable
For a public server, there are 2 and only 2 answers .. at least right now.
1. ProQuake (Windows|Linux downloads)
2. SQuake-IHOC (Linux only, I think, ask for it at QuakeBoard.net)
SQuake-IHOC supports colors 14/15 and has built in optional chat spam, color change spam, name change spam functionality and otherwise is a lot of fun. Plus it has built-in IP masking! Rock solid and battle-tested for years.
ProQuake is the traditional choice. Rock solid and supports a cheat-free mode (which, unfortunately, only allows ProQuake clients to connect -- this is some chance this may change in the future).
A potential future option is DarkPlaces dedicated. Currently DarkPlaces dedicated does not permit connections from ordinary Quake clients and I don't believe QStat, QView or GameSpy can query it (I could be wrong about this). This may end up being the server engine of the future for the Quake community, but as of right now isn't an option.
Actual Setup: #4 A Compiler
The best compiler, which should be able to compile any mod from the QuakeC source code, is FrikQCC 2.5. This may change in the future, but presently many mods commonly used on Quake servers require this version of FrikQCC.
Place the compiler in the folder with the QuakeC source code and run it to generate a progs.dat in the parent directory.
Actual Setup: #5 A Command Line
In a LAN game, a command line might go like this:
c:/quake/wqpro.exe -game crmod –dedicated 16 –condebug –heapsize 32768 –zone 1024 +map dm6
In the above:
0.) wqpro.exe is the ProQuake dedicated engine, basically an improved WinQuake.
1.) -game crmod is an example where c:\quake\crmod is where the progs.dat and other mod files reside.
2.) -dedicated 16 is an example where the server is setup to allow 16 players to connect
3.) -condebug generates a qconsole.log text file of events on the server, a server log.
4.) -heapsize 32768 is a memory allocation of 32 MB. -mem 32 could be substituted with some engines.
5.) -zone 1024 is another memory allocation of 1 MB for alias memory.
6.) +map dm6 is the map the server starts on.
In the above:
0.) wqpro.exe is the ProQuake dedicated engine, basically an improved WinQuake.
1.) -game crmod is an example where c:\quake\crmod is where the progs.dat and other mod files reside.
2.) -dedicated 16 is an example where the server is setup to allow 16 players to connect
3.) -condebug generates a qconsole.log text file of events on the server, a server log.
4.) -heapsize 32768 is a memory allocation of 32 MB. -mem 32 could be substituted with some engines.
5.) -zone 1024 is another memory allocation of 1 MB for alias memory.
6.) +map dm6 is the map the server starts on.
z:/servers/myaccount/sqpro –game xctf –dedicated 8 –noipx –condebug –heapsize 32768 –
zone 1024 –ip 66.55.44.33 –udpport 26000 +map e1m7
1.) Your folder on the server in this case might be something like z:\servers\myaccount
2.) In this example, sqpro is the Linux ProQuake binary.
3.) -ip 66.55.44.33 is the IP address to use for the connection
4.) -udpport 26000 is the connection port. 26000 is the most desired port, the Quake default, meaning that clients can connect without indicating the port #. In this example, someone could connect typing CONNECT 66.55.44.33, but with other ports they would need to type CONNECT 66.55.44.33:26001 (you'd want to get a DNS for the IP alias, but you often won't have that when you are doing initial setup.)
zone 1024 –ip 66.55.44.33 –udpport 26000 +map e1m7
1.) Your folder on the server in this case might be something like z:\servers\myaccount
2.) In this example, sqpro is the Linux ProQuake binary.
3.) -ip 66.55.44.33 is the IP address to use for the connection
4.) -udpport 26000 is the connection port. 26000 is the most desired port, the Quake default, meaning that clients can connect without indicating the port #. In this example, someone could connect typing CONNECT 66.55.44.33, but with other ports they would need to type CONNECT 66.55.44.33:26001 (you'd want to get a DNS for the IP alias, but you often won't have that when you are doing initial setup.)
Can someone take a look into this?
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