You need to read this guide on choosing gaming servers for your friend group.
Why?
We all have a friend who keeps swearing up and down that they’re going to build that Minecraft server or that they’re going to rip apart an old laptop for server parts. Of course, we also all know that nothing along those lines will ever happen.
Sure, they may make a world on their computer, but that only lasts as long as the game is installed on their system. As soon as that friend gets bored, you can kiss your sweet gaming server goodbye.
So, most of the time, it’s just better to go in on a server subscription. That way, there’s no hardware to maintain, no storage to clean up, and no hardware to maintain. So, with that in mind, here’s everything we think you should be looking for.
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Set Clear Goals
Before you choose a server host, define what you want to use it for. For example, do you want a Minecraft server? Do you need a Starbound server hosting service? Do you enjoy playing more giant games or games that are easier to run? What gaming server options do you need?
More importantly, how many people will be playing at one time? If you intend to monetize the server, you’ll have to make sure that you have plenty of bandwidth to play with.
All of these factors will influence the kind of server you need, the amount of space you have to buy, etc.
Also, be sure you know how long you want the server hosted. You can save a lot of money by only paying for what you need.
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Define the Server Requirements You Need
We mentioned this briefly above, but we want to go more in-depth here. Every game requires different amounts of storage, graphics processing, and CPU processing capabilities.
If you plan to host a WOW game, you’ll want plenty of CPU cores to keep all the players from lagging. Likewise, if you plan to host an Eve Online server, you’ll need lots of storage and excellent graphics capabilities.
Most of this will be considered by the hosting company, and they’ll often have options like “Minecraft server” or “Star Citizen server” that will already be pre-configured with the perfect specs for playing games online. This shouldn’t be an issue 90% of the time. Still, you’ll need to know your specific requirements on the off chance that you need to choose your configuration.
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Make Sure Anti-Cheat/Authentificaion Is Active
Cheating is all too common, and, ultimately, servers are for many people to work cooperatively together. You don’t want one person to turn on their “mad hacks” and ruin the experience for everyone else.
Additionally, make sure your hosting company offers a secure login point. You don’t want people you don’t know hopping in to bother you while you game.
Both of these pieces of security will help reduce the amount of trolling to an absolute minimum. So, before you go purchasing a server-hosting service, make sure they either implement anti-cheating measures or allow you to install them yourself.
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Don’t Choose the Cheapest Option
There’s an adage we like to live by—if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If your server hosting service charges less than ten dollars a month, then you might be looking at spotty service at best and regular crashes at the worst.
Additionally, higher-priced servers tend to offer better support. Some even offer support 24/7, which can be very important for late-night gaming. You’re not just paying for server space. You’re paying for your server host to hire exemplary people.
In the server hosting world, you get what you pay for.
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Be an Informed Buyer
Choosing a server is a lot of work, so be sure to put in your due diligence. Read through the terms of service information, look into the hardware offered, and look up reviews.
An excellent hosting company will be upfront and transparent with its reviews, services, and customer relations strategies.
The worst thing to do is to create a server with a company you end up disliking. But, on the other hand, moving all that data if you decide to change providers can take some serious doing.
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Be Conscious Of Your Bandwidth
A server offers two main advantages over hosting a game locally on one of your machines. Those advantages are:
- Your server will always be on
- You’ll never have to worry about bandwidth (if you choose the right plan)
In fact, these reasons are the only reasons why you would want a server host in the first place. So long as you’ve bought enough bandwidth, you’ll be able to host as many players as you want, whenever you want. People will be able to enter and leave your world without hiccups, and the overall experience will be better for everyone.
If you were hosting gaming servers on a local machine, your compatriates would no doubt be experiencing major lag and stuttering. So long as you keep this in the front of your mind, you should be able to choose a good server without much hassle.
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Make Sure You Know How the Server Handles Your Data
Our final tip is to look into how your hosting service handles your data. For example, do they make a habit of backing up data and game files? Is making backups your responsibility?
Does the hosting service offer data recovery?
A gamer’s worst nightmare is opening up a game they’ve been playing for a year or more, only to find out that all of their progress has been wiped away.
You might have to contact support to find an exact answer, but always make sure you find out your hosting company’s data handling policies.
Are You Ready to Start Choosing Gaming Servers That Fit Your Style?
Alright, gamer, that’s all the advice we have for you about finding the right server host for you. We hope that our advice made your decisions just a tiny bit easier for your to make.
Ready to jack in? We sure are.
Start choosing gaming servers that are right for you!
If you found this info helpful, why not check out the rest of our blog as well! We’re sure that you’ll find more helpful information there.