does a game server need gaming hardware

So, I’ve been thinking about setting up a game server lately. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, you know, just to have my own little corner of the internet where my buddies and I can hang out and play games without dealing with all the randos and the lag on public servers. But the big question that’s been bugging me is: do I need to go all out and get some fancy gaming hardware to make this work?

First things first, I started looking around the house to see what kind of hardware I could use. I found an old PC that I wasn’t using. It’s not the newest, but I thought it could work.

After blowing off the dust, I started by trying to install a new operating system. I went with a lightweight Linux distro, seemed like the smart thing to do since it’s free and doesn’t hog resources. The installation was a breeze, I just followed some online guides and got it up and running in no time. Seriously, it’s easier than setting up a new phone.

Next up was messing around with the network settings. I had to forward some ports on my router so that my friends could connect to the server from outside my home network. This part was a bit tricky, and I had to look up my router’s model online to figure out how to do it. Took a bit of trial and error, but I finally got it working. I felt like a bit of a hacker, to be honest.

But then, I had to pick which games to run on the server, and I found that this largely depends on how many people are gonna play at once. If you are talking about a small group of friends, like 5 or 10, the old computer was enough, but it may struggle with anything beyond 20 players. I learned that my CPU is crucial for this, and I don’t need to buy a graphics card since it is not used for game servers.

I initially set up a small server for just a few friends, and guess what? My old, dusty computer handled it like a champ. No need for any top-of-the-line gaming gear. It was a blast! We played for hours, no lag, no interruptions, just pure gaming bliss. It really felt like we had our own private gaming club.

To sum it all up, here’s what I learned from this little adventure:

• You don’t need to break the bank to set up a game server. An old PC can work just fine.
• A lightweight operating system like Linux is your best bet.
• Setting up the network can be a bit of a headache, but it’s doable with some patience and Googling.
• It is important to know the number of players that will be connected to your server before you set it up. The more players, the more powerful your hardware needs to be.
• There’s no need for a fancy graphics card since it is not used for game servers.

So, if you’re thinking about setting up your own game server, don’t let the thought of needing expensive hardware hold you back. It’s more accessible than you might think. And trust me, the feeling of having your own gaming space is totally worth it!