Now because I know dual core processors exist, quad CPU motherboards exist with a total of 32GB's of RAM and that large datacenters have large pipes I assume this would allow a significant boost to the max player amount in Empires. Although I dont know if they make dual core CPU's for the quad CPU motherboard sockets lets break that down: 2 cores per 1 CPU x 4 cpu's = 8 combined processors Would 128 players be thinking too small or too large for a server with those kinds of specs? This is just a random question since I've known that Tyan makes quad CPU motherboards and AMD makes dual core cpu's ( can't wait till we got quad core!) Or is the HL2 engine limited when it comes to things like this?
I personally wouldn't have a clue as to what you'd need for that server size. I'd just like to point out that empires barely has that many people playing at one time, let alone enough players to fill a 32 player server =P
Well, shit, you wouldn't have the vehicle limit set to 128... Hell, there isn't enough room in the maps for 128 tanks! Still, though. Lag.
The source engine is singel threaded. So it does not mather how many CPUs are in your box. I run a empires server on a dual Xeon ( That means i have 4 cpus in windows ). But 1 server can only use 1 CPU. ( So in fact i can run upto 4 servers at once). Other then that, you will reach a limit where the BUS cannot transfer any more data before you would ever manage to run 8 CPUs most likely. ( We have another dual xeon machine, that hosts alot of servers. This box has this problem, it starts to lag ingame becuse the BUS cannot transfer the data fast enugh). Other then that you math is proberbly off. Dual core CPUs can have hyperthreading so in fact from 1 physical dual core CPU. You get 4 cpus in windows.
in clear to be able to run such server you would need a system similar to WOW so you can host a part of the server on one computer and other part on another ect so in the end you would have like: 1 computer for map 1 computer for tank 1 computer for building turet 1 computer for players ect its only basic view but would be very fast and lagless server right now no server seem to have enuf power for the max player they use lol
If I were to get a dual core, quad CPU machine it'd be one of the AMD series...intel's in my mind shouldnt be used for games or game servers And regarding zadarblack's post: If valve added this feature in HL2 or even HL3 when it comes out then I'm very sure the mod community would love it. With that kind of structure the amount of players could easily surpass 200 =D And then if they made it even more complex by allowing you to multi server that even more, say two servers per area then were talking MMO style! I dont know about you guys but I'd love to see a 1000 player Empires server or a 1000 player ANY server for a HL2 mod or better yet...CS:S =D 500 Counter Terrorists 500 Terrorists cs_office THE CHAOS!
I assume this will come in time. As Valve has stated their going to support Xbox360, and its dual core. So i guess we will get a update in the future that gives us a threaded engine ( IE can use multiple cpus ) (Considering when they released the Xbox version of Source, us PC users got Update that had a few optimisations in it). Also atm i would not so that the CPU load is the limit on how many players you can have in a map. Before that is fixed, there is little point in a threaded engine ( Other then client side, where we would be able to get more FPS ).
a bunch of cpu would not solve thats problem as many cpu in same computer will ask a too heavy work load on the motherboard Bus so in clear its dont matter how many worker you put in the warehouse if the door is too lil its will still be too lil lol many diferent physical computer solve this as its make posible to have several bus/door for the information to come in and out of the multiple cpu anyway
