What's the difference between dedicated and non dedicated servers?

[Itharus]

Subject :)

[margalus]

dedicated is nothing but what is says, a program that is dedicated to doing nothing but act as a server for the game.

Non dedicated means your program is acting as the server and also running the game at the same time, so performance is not as good.

Non dedicated has a tether that will leave anybody who joins tied at the hip to the host player. If the host gets too far away, the others are jerked to the host's position. Dedicated does not have a tether, anybody can go anywhere they want.

[Itharus]

So with a dedicated server you can't play on the same instance of the program? Another question then - does a dedicated server actually run the world - like, is there an actual simulation that you can see on the monitor and what not? Or does it just do it without all that and just have some sort of operations screen? The reason I'm asking is because I want to know if the machine used to run a dedicated server needs to have GPU up to snuff to do it, or if CPU/RAM/HD is all you really need for it.

[margalus]

the dedicated server is just a program that runs the game world, it is not a playable version of the game. There is no graphical representation or simulation of the world that you can see. It is just a program running. You can only see the world in the clients that connect and play on the server. The server does not need a gpu at all. cpu, ram, operating system and storage is all you need

[margalus]

If you have a decent quad core cpu with a decent amount of memory you can run a dedicated server in the background of that computer and then play a seperate instance of the game on that same computer.

Use this program to make running your dedicated server simple:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=468312476

[Itharus]

Wow, right on. Thanks for all the info, Margalus. I'm on a Core2Quad, so I doubt I have the processor for that :( How much RAM do you suggest? Almost pondering adding a copy to my Wife's Steam account and using her desktop as a server, lol :)

[margalus]

you do not have to use steam for the dedicated server. The server is program by itself that does not need the Steam Client installed. Just install that ARK server manager to a folder of your choice, then run the program and hit the "upgrade" button, it will then download and install all of the server files you need to run the game.

for a core2 quad, no I would not recommend running both on the same computer, just a little too much stress, but it may work..

the server computer should have 8GB of ram, but it can get by with less. When you first start up the server it uses around 4GB of ram, but after it runs for a while it settles down and uses around 2.5GB. Same thing applies to the client you are playing also.

[Itharus]

Oh awesome! Hah... you just saved me $17.99 :)

[Screg]

Originally posted by margalus:

dedicated is nothing but what is says, a program that is dedicated to doing nothing but act as a server for the game.

Non dedicated means your program is acting as the server and also running the game at the same time, so performance is not as good.

Non dedicated has a tether that will leave anybody who joins tied at the hip to the host player. If the host gets too far away, the others are jerked to the host's position. Dedicated does not have a tether, anybody can go anywhere they want.

Sorry I'm not tooo good when it comes to hosting servers etc. But if I host a non dedicated server just for me and my brother to play will that work? How would he join my game? would it just be through the join an ark button?

Cheers in advance

[Itharus]

He'd enter the game, click join ark, and search for your server and join it. Apparently there's some kind of weird tether in non-dedicated servers that means you two will have to stay somewhat close to eachother, though.

[margalus]

Originally posted by Powerserge:

Originally posted by margalus:

dedicated is nothing but what is says, a program that is dedicated to doing nothing but act as a server for the game.

Non dedicated means your program is acting as the server and also running the game at the same time, so performance is not as good.

Non dedicated has a tether that will leave anybody who joins tied at the hip to the host player. If the host gets too far away, the others are jerked to the host's position. Dedicated does not have a tether, anybody can go anywhere they want.

Sorry I'm not tooo good when it comes to hosting servers etc. But if I host a non dedicated server just for me and my brother to play will that work? How would he join my game? would it just be through the join an ark button?

Cheers in advance

He could search for your server by the server name in either Steams server browser or the in-game browser. The in-game browser is accessed thru the "join ark" button.

Or you could just invite him from your Steam Friends list. Once you are in the game, just right click on his name and "invite to game" when he accepts the invite it will start up the game for him and join your game automatically.

[Screg]

Originally posted by margalus:

Originally posted by Powerserge:

Sorry I'm not tooo good when it comes to hosting servers etc. But if I host a non dedicated server just for me and my brother to play will that work? How would he join my game? would it just be through the join an ark button?

Cheers in advance

He could search for your server by the server name in either Steams server browser or the in-game browser. The in-game browser is accessed thru the "join ark" button.

Or you could just invite him from your Steam Friends list. Once you are in the game, just right click on his name and "invite to game" when he accepts the invite it will start up the game for him and join your game automatically.

Awesome! I'm assuming if its non dedicated though the server wont come up until i'm in the game correct?
And I saw what you said about the tether, which is kinda suckie. I might have to restart my server >.< haha

[Apocalypse]

Originally posted by Itharus:

So with a dedicated server you can't play on the same instance of the program? Another question then - does a dedicated server actually run the world - like, is there an actual simulation that you can see on the monitor and what not? Or does it just do it without all that and just have some sort of operations screen? The reason I'm asking is because I want to know if the machine used to run a dedicated server needs to have GPU up to snuff to do it, or if CPU/RAM/HD is all you really need for it.

You can run a dedicated server and the client on the same machine still. It is more resource hungry, but on a i7 the server performance should be still better than on the official servers. ;-)

For the simulation question. The world is seperated into local bubbles around players. Basically if there is no one to hear a tree fall than no tree will make a sound. ;-)

The world outside of those local player bubbles is basically in a freezing state, basic calculations like food consumptions and the like will still happen, but nothing complex like combat. There is still a chance for stuff to move, vanish, etc, but the details for this 'background sim' are unknown to me.

Oh and btw, private dedicated servers are cheap these days and combine convienence with control.

[margalus]

Originally posted by Powerserge:

Awesome! I'm assuming if its non dedicated though the server wont come up until i'm in the game correct?

yeah, if your not playing nobody else will be either. Their game will be on your computer, so if you don't play, they don't play.

[Screg]

Originally posted by margalus:

Originally posted by Powerserge:

Awesome! I'm assuming if its non dedicated though the server wont come up until i'm in the game correct?

yeah, if your not playing nobody else will be either. Their game will be on your computer, so if you don't play, they don't play.

Thanks for your help!

[ActaNonVerba]

So if I'm reading this correctly, a non-dedicated server means the player is tethered to the host and if the host quits no one else can play. But a dedicated server gets rid of the tether and the players can come and go whether or not the host is there as long as the server program is running?? I was going to try and run the server and play on the same desktop.
I have as follows...
i7-6700k 4.2ghz
16gb DDR4 3000mhz RAM