Optimizing a Dedicated Server

Server-Types

There are actually three types of servers in Half-Life and Source Games.

Listen Server

This is where you start a server from the game itself and play at the same time ... there is only a minimal control panel. This requires the Steam Client to always be running. All the stock game content is contained in a cache file.

Client HLDS Server

This is the option in the Steam Games Menu. This server is a full server and you have to connect to it from LAN or from internet. This requires Steam Client to always be running. This has the full control panel. All the stock game content is contained in a cache file.

Stand-Alone HLDS Server or Source Dedicated Server

This is a totally independent install from Steam. It does not require Steam client to be running. This server is a full server and you have to connect to it from LAN or from internet. There are no cache files, all the maps and things are unpacked. Source Servers must be installed in separate folders from HLDS Servers

HIGH Priority Batch File for HLDS

When you run a Server under Win32, the default is to run the Server at "normal" priority.

Priority is basically a setting whereby you tell the operating system what tasks to service first and for how long. Servers are very real-time applications and players are very sensitive to lag. Running your Server at normal priority can cause unpleasent lag. The solution is to run your server at "High" priority.

XP assigns every program and process running on your PC a priority which determines the relative amount of CPU time that it gets compared to other programs. XP offers several settings: Realtime, High, AboveNormal, Normal, BelowNormal and Low.

NOTE: Realtime is not recommended since it competes with the device drivers and can cause instability.

Most programs are assigned the Normal priority, but using the Task Manager, you can change the priorities assigned to any process or program. If you've got a lot of applications running, but want one - like HLDS - to get most of the processor's attention, this can really speed things up.

To manually change the priority of a running program or process:

1. Run the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. Right-click on the program or process whose priority you want to change then highlight Set Priority and choose the priority for the program.

When you assign a new priority to a process or program, that new priority sticks only as long as the program or process is running. Once the program or process ends, and you restart it, it defaults to the priority assigned to it by XP.

You can set things up so you always launch HLDS at high priority using a batch file.

Here is a somewhat generic batch file you can use as a starter:

Steam_HLDS.bat

http://support.steampowered.com/downloads/faq/108/Steam_HLDS.bat

You can put this on your desktop for easy clicking.

Inside the file it looks like this (HLDM):

c:

cd c:\HLServer

start /high c:\HLServer\hlds.exe -port 27015 +maxplayers 9 -noipx -condebug -secure

If you don't have your hlserver installed on the C: drive edit the file and change it to your install location (edit 3 places there).

NOTE: Source Dedicated Servers (SRCDS.EXE) should be run at "AboveNormal" priority not at "High".

c:

cd c:\HL2Server

start /high c:\HL2Server\srcds.exe -game hl2dm -port 27015 -ip xxxx.xxxx.xxxx.xxxx +maxplayers 9

Maxplayers

The other thing you will want to change is the maxplayers (9 here).

For internet this depends on what your uplink connection can handle.

If you don't know, then go to www.dslreports.com and run the free speed test.

You will see two numbers, download and upload (or uplink).

Download is how fast you can get data to the server. Upload/uplink is how fast the server can send data out to players.

Basically for internet connections (bits/second):

• 128K uplink = 4 players (2 players for srcds)
• 256k uplink = 7 players (4 players for srcds)
• 320k uplink = 9 players (6 players for srcds)
• 512k uplink = 14 players (9 players for srcds)
• 768k uplink = 21 players (14 players for srcds)
• 1024k uplink = 28 player (19 players for srcds - note 16 players is max for HL2DM)
• 1140k uplink = 32 players (max for HLDS) (21 players for CS:S)
• 1708k uplink = 32 players for CS:S (max)

Of course your particular line may or may not be stable enough to support the number listed there. Local players on LAN are not included in this count.

A good rule of thumb for HLDS is 35.6Kbits per player.

A good rule of thumb for SRCDS (CS:S and HL2DM) is 53.4KBits per player (about 1.5x more then HLDM).

Certain maps and MODs may take more uplink bandwidth too.

This maxplayers setting also assumes you are running the following server rate limits (in the server.cfg file):

//minimum rate allowed

// use 5000 for SRCDS Servers

sv_minrate 3500

// no limit on maxrate for LAN only use 7500 for regular server

// this controls how fast maps can be downloaded by clients

//sv_maxrate 0 = unlimited

// Use 9999 for SRCDS servers

sv_maxrate 7500

// this is the minimum playable updaterate, leave this at 13

sv_minupdaterate 13

// 60 for updaterate is LAN ONLY use 13 for internet

// 20 is default but will cut the maxplayers you can handle in 1/2

// for SRCDS Servers use 30 - you might be able to use 20

// sv_maxupdaterate 60

sv_maxupdaterate 13

Quick Settings Alias

You can use the following set of alias parameters to do testing with. Put these in your server.cfg file:

//echo "*** Adding Server RATE Alias' ***"

alias "dslow" "sv_minrate 2500;sv_maxrate 2500;sv_minupdaterate 5;sv_maxupdaterate 5;echo dead slow"

alias "vslow" "sv_minrate 3500;sv_maxrate 3500;sv_minupdaterate 13;sv_maxupdaterate 13;echo very slow"

alias "slow" "sv_minrate 3500;sv_maxrate 5000;sv_minupdaterate 14;sv_maxupdaterate 14;echo slow"

alias "norm" "sv_minrate 3500;sv_maxrate 7500;sv_minupdaterate 15;sv_maxupdaterate 15;echo normal"

alias "fast" "sv_minrate 3500;sv_maxrate 9999;sv_minupdaterate 20;sv_maxupdaterate 20;echo fast"

alias "vfast" "sv_minrate 3500;sv_maxrate 20080;sv_minupdaterate 20;sv_maxupdaterate 60;echo LAN fast"

// quick display of all the current settings

alias "rates" "sv_minrate;sv_maxrate;sv_minupdaterate;sv_maxupdaterate"

Server.cfg file for Source SRCDS Servers

Here is a generic server.cfg for CS:S Servers:

http://support.steampowered.com/downloads/faq/108/cs_server_cfg_file.cfg (must be renamed to "server.cfg" for use)

Here is a generic server.cfg for HL2DM Servers:

http://support.steampowered.com/downloads/faq/108/hl2dm_server_cfg_file.cfg (must be renamed to "server.cfg" for use)

server.cfg files for SRCDS are placed in the CFG folder for each Game Type.

Server FPS

FPS control

HLDS Servers render frames independently from the Client.

HLDS Servers use the CVAR sys_ticrate to control how many frames per second are rendered.

SRCDS Servers use the CVAR fps_max to control how many frames per second are rendered.

Why do you need to control this?

There are two good reasons for you to manage the server FPS. The number one reason is loading on your Server CPU. The higher the FPS the higher the load. If you are getting more then 50% CPU utilization with your current FPS settings, you are either running too many players or you have the FPS set too high.

HLDS Servers start with a default of 60FPS and can easily run up to 1000FPS (sys_ticrate 1000)

SRCDS Servers start with a default of 300FPS can can also run up to 1000FPS but will require a substantially higher performance CPU to support this.

Win32 Servers should be run on WIN2K / XP Pro platforms with HLDS on a 1.8GHz cpu and a minimum of 512MB of RAM and SRCDS Servers should be run on 2.2GHz CPUs minimum with 512MB of RAM.

FPS Boost

Unfortunately, both of these servers will not achieve these FPS settings on a Win32 platform without one tweak. In order for the server to get service from the operating system, there must be a high-resolution timer running. Normally, the operating system runs a low resolution timer that is only good for a max of maybe 100FPS.

Running Media Player (you don't have to run a file, just have it sitting there open) will force the operating system to use a high-res times that will give your server the capability of running up to 1000FPS. Media Player requires about 5MB while in idle, so it isn't too bad. You can also run a Macromedia SWF file in Internet Explore and it will do the same thing.

Intel vs. AMD CPUs

One thing about FPS and the processor manufacturer. If you set sys_ticrate (HLDS) or fps_max (SRCDS) to 1000, most Intel CPUs running on Intel chipsets will run the full 1000fps (plus or minus a few). AMD CPUs and Intel CPUs on non Intel motherboard chipsets may only run at 500FPS with a setting of 1000.

It doesn't make a lot of sense and it may not be consistant from platform to platform but it's just the way the motherboard and the operating system works.

Why higher FPS?

The key reason to run higher FPS is the render time. At 1000FPS, the server is rendering one frame every 1 millisecond (ms). This means that the worst-case adder to the player ping is only 1ms, IE: the player gets more accurate data and can get it more often.

At 300FPS it's only 3ms which is perfectly acceptable, but at 100FPS it's 10ms, which is a significant percentage of a 100 ping (10%). A player with a 100 ping would actually be getting 110ms response time from the server. Many AMD systems will only run 60FPS without the ping booster which is 17ms.

This is still not too significant but it can change the feel and response time of your server for players.

Without the FPS Boost your server will use significantly less CPU but accuracy may suffer.