Can We reduce Lag in 0AD by using Dedicated Game Servers to Only Do the Host Activities

[leopard]

I came across this video about game servers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoOrY-MPVzw,

Can we reduce lag of 0AD by hosting a game in dedicated servers, I understood by watching this video that if a host is also playing the game or as an observer rendering it, it will make his/her computer slow and will cause lag for everyone, is there a server software for 0AD which we can host in a dedicated server (best case) or  a computer (ok case) which will not do any game rendering and stuff but only do the host activities, also this will help other players if host is "juarca" type person. @Stan` 

 

[Stan`]

The “Hosting part” is not the problem. It used to be a bit more synchronous but now with the threading it should be mostly fine. The problem comes when someone the game is struggling to keep up with the others as the slowest play slows down everyone. Observers can now lag behind which means they no longer have to be in sync with the players.

[leopard]

ok @Stan` that part 0AD can't fix right? players should get better hardware and network, but I was hoping that if a 0AD instance could be run in a cloud server just to manage the hosting, not to render the game, then can it reduce the lag due to geographical distance between players to the server. I have to really learn how the cloud works but I am just enquiring about the possibility!!!

[Stan`]

It's possible, but I have yet to see a finished implementation of dedicated servers

There have been attempts in the past. We might also host some for rated games to eliminate quitters. We won't however in the near future provide geographic servers but we might encourage individuals doing so

But we have to get the thing to work first

[leopard]

Hypothetically

I was thinking about running 0AD in Cloud services like Amazon Cloud, (will it be a bad idea??)

but if we run a current version will it not use up a lot of resources for rendering etc,

so we need a different application to host in amazon cloud, right?

which will handle only the work of host.

@Stan` . 

[Stan`]

Sorry If I wasn't clear there isn't currently any working / finished way of hosting a headless server in the cloud.

First you or someone need to develop the dedicated server application then we can start deploying stuff to the cloud.

Summary of the current progress https://code.wildfiregames.com/D3973

[leopard]

thank you @Stan` . This is cool @wraitii @Stan` . so if this is complete people can do the cloud server stuff. 

45 minutes ago, Stan` said:

First you or someone need to develop

I do try sometime to look around 0AD code. since I am not used to C++(I am a Web developer), not very sure I will be of much help any time soon, also I end up playing 0AD too much when I get free time, so in effect I made no progress in learning how to do anything inside code or art.

but I will try. These words are motivational. but 0AD game is addicting. 

[SeanCJ]

On 17/11/2021 at 1:59 PM, Stan` said:

Sorry If I wasn't clear there isn't currently any working / finished way of hosting a headless server in the cloud.

First you or someone need to develop the dedicated server application then we can start deploying stuff to the cloud.

Summary of the current progress https://code.wildfiregames.com/D3973

Hey, I'm new here, so if my comments are not helpful or useful - no need to get into depth explaining, I'm just trying to share views (and I didn't understand everything on the page you linked).

I'm coming from the SpringRTS engine community, and there "dedicated servers" are more or less the norm, as far as I can tell. If iirc, that's true both for the "lobby side", ie setting up the game (which I think you are just implementing?), as well as running the game / simulation

Ok, I notice I'm not sure enough to give much insight, I'll check on SpringRTS side and get back to you :P.

[Stan`]

18 minutes ago, SeanCJ said:

 

I'm coming from the SpringRTS engine community, and there "dedicated servers" are more or less the norm, as far as I can tell. If iirc, that's true both for the "lobby side", ie setting up the game (which I think you are just implementing?), as well as running the game / simulation

We've had the hosting lobby part for a few years now, maybe almost a decade. But we don't have the running the simulation part. The version we're implementing would not compute the simulation, it would just ensure that there is no abuse from the host side by shifting the hosting to dedicated servers.

[SeanCJ]

Ok, I've been rooting round the SpringRTS forums (I've not been round there myself - 'xept for short glimpses - the last 10 years ).

My impression was right, what most games use is a lobby-client bot, that also starts headless "dedicated" servers that run the game:

https://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=17130

I'm sure this helped address some issues (lag and other), but from descriptions I read here, that's only part of the problem for you.

 

Side note: a difference between here and things with SpringRTS, is that over there, its more of an "ecosystem" than the more clearly deliminated and official components that you have here (my impression - The "SPADS" server being an example of that). I reckon both has its advantages and disadvantages.