If you love videogames and you consider yourself a true gamer, then you’ve likely heard people talking about dedicated servers and how they wish more games would start using them. For multiplayer games that connect people from all around the country, and around the world in many cases, the servers are truly essential if you want to have a good time. Let’s look at some of the reasons that you need to have dedicated servers if you want to have the very best gaming experience.
Most of the time, PC gamers are the ones who are using dedicated servers. However, with new consoles available, some games are now on dedicated servers. Some, such as the Battlefield series, allow players to rent servers, and this is available to both PC and console gamers. Overall, this can provide a much better experience for the gamers involved. The reasons to use dedicated servers apply to both PC and console, and to all types of games.
Better Performance
Of course, the main reason that you will want to have a dedicated server is the simple fact that it will provide better overall performance for those who connect to it. Those games that allow for the use of a dedicated server should always make use of them. Too many games today use something known as a “peer-to-peer” connection, and in theory, this could be workable. However, you will find that the games are not consistent at all. The game will look for the “best host”, but that doesn’t always mean that they find a good one. The result is a game that can sometimes become unplayable.
A recent example of this is Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. While the game is an extraordinary amount of fun thanks to the fast pace and the new movement system, some of the matches can suffer when they connect to a poor host. In addition, the server allows for a host advantage, meaning they can react faster to what’s happening on the screen.
This causes deaths that occur seemingly instantly, as well as the feeling of getting shot around corners. Naturally, this has caused a number of issues with the player base. While most gamers thought they would offer dedicated servers, it does not seem to be the case, at least not in the way that gamers hoped. Instances such as these aren’t evident in every round, but they happen more often than gamers would like. Using true dedicated servers could alleviate this. However, since the servers are more expensive, Activision has decided not to include them. It’s unlikely that this will change, even with the next entrance in the franchise.
You Have Far More Control
Another one of the great reasons to consider using a dedicated server is because you will have quite a bit more control, at least with most games. You will be able to determine the setup and the rules of many titles – to an extent. It is even possible to add modifications to some of them.
Yet another one of the benefits of more control is that you have the ability to determine who is able to get into the server. This is important for those who want to play only with their friends, as well as teams of players who want to practice. Additionally, it allows users to disallow or kick out players that have a high ping, which we will touch on in the next section.
Low Lag
Ping is the amount of time that it takes for an Internet signal to go to a destination and then back to the source. Essentially, those who have a low ping, which is good, will generally be at an advantage to those who have a high ping. Those who have a high ping could simply have a slow web connection. More likely, they are players from another part of the world. This means that they will lag, which can provide a bad experience for them as well as everyone else who is on the server.
Some games, Battlefield 4 in particular, tried to address this because they have a large player base around the world. However, most feel that they went about it the wrong way. It seems they’ve implemented a “high ping advantage” that actually gives players with a bad connection an advantage over those who have a good connection. This has encouraged players who are out of region, meaning far from the host server, to connect with a bad connection as it nets them more kills. Servers in the United States, for example, are often filled with players from Japan, Germany, and Russia. This is happening even though the game uses dedicated servers, simply because of what the developer built into the game. Those who are on PC can see the ping of other players, but it’s not possible for those who are on console, unfortunately.
Still, most of the games that run on true dedicated servers and that have quality code running for them will not have to suffer from the effects of lag, so long as they limit those in the server by ensuring they have a good connection.
More Reliability
Of course, when you have your own dedicated server, you will find that it is generally quite a bit more reliable than using any other type of server. Most of the companies offering these servers will provide a guaranteed amount of uptime, as well as 24/7 surveillance and monitoring to make sure things are working as they should. In addition, you will find that with a dedicated server, you will have all of the power of the server at your fingertips – not just a portion of it as you would with a shared server. This means that your games will not suffer because someone else is using resources.
Support When You Need It
Chances are that most gamers have only a limited amount of knowledge when it comes to actually setting up and running a server. When you have a dedicated server hosted by a high quality company though, you can be sure that you will have support around the clock when you have questions and concerns. You may not always get this level of support when you choose shared hosting.
A Dedicated Server Is the Right Choice for a Serious Gamer
If you are considering a dedicated server so you can host your favorite games, whether it is a shooter such as Battlefield 4 or Battlefield Hardline, or you are looking to set up a Minecraft server so you can play with some friends, you need to choose carefully. A number of options are out there, but to get the best experience, you really do need a dedicated server. Some companies will tell you that working with a shared server or a cloud server is a viable option, but a dedicated server is always your best choice. Make sure you know exactly what you are getting, and check out some reviews, before you decide to choose one over another.