{"id":9332,"date":"2021-05-18T13:02:02","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T10:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/?p=9332"},"modified":"2021-05-18T13:02:02","modified_gmt":"2021-05-18T10:02:02","slug":"the-hassle-of-setting-up-a-game-server-during-an-ordinary-evening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/the-hassle-of-setting-up-a-game-server-during-an-ordinary-evening\/","title":{"rendered":"The hassle of setting up a game server during an ordinary evening"},"content":{"rendered":"

For a <\/span><\/span>few<\/span><\/span> weeks<\/span><\/span>, I <\/span><\/span>have<\/span><\/span> been<\/span><\/span> playing <\/span><\/span>modded<\/span><\/span> Terraria<\/span><\/span> with<\/span><\/span> few<\/span><\/span> friends<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>Being<\/span><\/span> a <\/span><\/span>veteran<\/span><\/span> of <\/span><\/span>the<\/span><\/span> game<\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>the<\/span><\/span> responsibility<\/span><\/span> of <\/span><\/span>hosting<\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span> gameworld<\/span><\/span> fell<\/span><\/span> upon<\/span><\/span> me. <\/span><\/span>The<\/span><\/span> hosting<\/span><\/span> itself<\/span><\/span> is <\/span><\/span>nothing<\/span><\/span> complicated<\/span><\/span> – a <\/span><\/span>few<\/span><\/span> clicks<\/span><\/span> on <\/span><\/span>the<\/span><\/span> client<\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span>your<\/span><\/span> world<\/span><\/span> is <\/span><\/span>up<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>The<\/span><\/span> bigger<\/span><\/span> problem<\/span><\/span> is <\/span><\/span>server<\/span><\/span> uptime<\/span><\/span>: <\/span><\/span>our<\/span><\/span> group<\/span><\/span> could<\/span><\/span> only<\/span><\/span> play <\/span><\/span>when<\/span><\/span> I, as a <\/span><\/span>host<\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>had<\/span><\/span> my main <\/span><\/span>computer<\/span><\/span> up<\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span>running<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>With<\/span><\/span> my <\/span><\/span>peculiar<\/span><\/span> sleep<\/span><\/span> cycle<\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span>that<\/span><\/span> was<\/span><\/span> a <\/span><\/span>huge<\/span><\/span> problem<\/span><\/span> for <\/span><\/span>game<\/span><\/span> progression in a <\/span><\/span>grind-intensive<\/span><\/span> game<\/span><\/span> such<\/span><\/span> as <\/span><\/span>Terraria<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>That<\/span><\/span> led me to <\/span><\/span>one<\/span><\/span> solution<\/span><\/span>: I <\/span><\/span>had<\/span><\/span> to set <\/span><\/span>up<\/span><\/span> a <\/span><\/span>dedicated<\/span><\/span> server<\/span><\/span> machine<\/span><\/span> that<\/span><\/span> runs<\/span><\/span> around<\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span> clock<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Attaining the required hardware for running servers was not a problem for me as I have two idle computers ready to be booted up. The main obstacle was deciding the OS (operating system). Currently, both of the machines run Windows 10, which I’m most familiar with. Running a small server for few players isn’t a problem for Windows machines, but if I ever want to run a more data-intensive server, I might have to switch for Linux. Operating Linux machines is definitely out of my comfort zone, even though I can handle some basic functionalities like running servers and securing the system. Furthermore, a basic knowledge of Linux is required for some of my computer science courses, which is definitely an argument in favor of choosing it. Besides, according to numerous guides on the internet, the process of installing a Linux-based server on one of my machines would require just one tool: a USB stick.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides<\/span> choosing<\/span> the<\/span> OS, <\/span>setting<\/span> up<\/span> the<\/span> machine<\/span> does<\/span> have<\/span> other<\/span> minor<\/span> inconveniences<\/span>. For <\/span>the<\/span> first<\/span> launch<\/span>, <\/span>I’d<\/span> require<\/span> a <\/span>mouse<\/span>, a <\/span>keyboard<\/span>, a VGA <\/span>cable<\/span>, an internet <\/span>cable<\/span>, and a <\/span>power<\/span> cable<\/span>. <\/span>After<\/span> further<\/span> investigation<\/span>, I <\/span>noticed<\/span> that<\/span> my <\/span>inventory<\/span> lacks<\/span> such<\/span> items<\/span> as extra <\/span>cables<\/span> and a <\/span>keyboard<\/span>. <\/span>Being<\/span> at my <\/span>wits<\/span>‘ <\/span>end<\/span>, I <\/span>considered<\/span> giving<\/span> up<\/span>. How <\/span>could<\/span> I <\/span>possibly<\/span> run<\/span> game<\/span> servers<\/span> without<\/span> required<\/span> items<\/span>? How <\/span>could<\/span> I <\/span>write<\/span> an <\/span>article<\/span> about<\/span> setting<\/span> up<\/span> my <\/span>own<\/span> server<\/span>, <\/span>if<\/span> it’d<\/span> be<\/span> physically<\/span> impossible<\/span>?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Enter <\/span>the<\/span> savior<\/span>, my <\/span>old<\/span> hybrid<\/span> laptop<\/span>! <\/span>After<\/span> trying<\/span> to <\/span>find<\/span> some <\/span>excessive<\/span> cables<\/span>, <\/span>the<\/span> laptop<\/span> caught<\/span> all<\/span> my <\/span>attention<\/span>. At <\/span>that<\/span> moment<\/span>, I <\/span>realized<\/span> that<\/span> I <\/span>wouldn’t<\/span> have<\/span> to <\/span>anything<\/span> too<\/span> difficult<\/span>. I <\/span>wouldn’t<\/span> have<\/span> to <\/span>install<\/span> Linux <\/span>nor<\/span> buy<\/span> new<\/span> cables<\/span>. <\/span>All<\/span> I’d<\/span> have<\/span> to <\/span>do<\/span> is <\/span>booting<\/span> up<\/span> the<\/span> laptop<\/span>, <\/span>connecting<\/span> it to my <\/span>wireless<\/span> network<\/span>, <\/span>transferring<\/span> the<\/span> game<\/span> world<\/span> to <\/span>the<\/span> laptop<\/span> by<\/span> using<\/span> a <\/span>USB <\/span>stick, <\/span>launching<\/span> Terraria<\/span>, and <\/span>hosting<\/span> the<\/span> world<\/span>. <\/span>Which<\/span> I <\/span>did<\/span>. <\/span>Successfully<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Credits: all of the pictures are taken by the author<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Being an ordinary gamer, I am by no means a wizard with servers and operating systems. Regardless, I tackled the problem of hosting a Terraria server around the clock and wrote my thoughts about all of the hassle. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":9339,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[1398,1400,1399,714],"class_list":["post-9332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-gameservers","tag-terraria","tag-windows","tag-linux","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/105"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuni.fi\/playlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}