Multiplayer - Server cost and pricing?

I have alot of questions about the new multi-player features and was wondering if some people could answer them.

1. Isn't there a fee required to keep a general server up and running? So would c2 users pay to use the signalling servers? Or is the expense at the hand of the host's general bandwidth bill since the peers are connecting to the host, so the host pays for the consumed bandwidth? If you have unlimited bandwidth then this isn't really a problem for most hosts.

2. If there is a fee for multi-player outside of the original licensing then I'm assuming there will be a monthly subscription for C2 users who are using dedicated scirra servers? I think it was mentioned awhile back. But it was mentioned in the guide that it was peer to peer connection that uses a signalling server, so does that mean there won't be a fee since its peer to peer and one of the peers is assigned as a host?

3. If there is a fee would this be for only large scale games that required 30+ players? Or for all multi-player games, even the small ones for 2-4 players? Or is there no cost since peers are just connecting to a host?

Can we get more insight on this? As in how pricing models would work and such if there is one? Maybe even estimated costs? I'm fairly new to multi-player in general so these are the questions I'd liked to be answered.

Some of your answers in the blog article Ashley wrote a month ago

[quote:2w7btudl]How will it be released?

[...]

Additionally, given the scope of the feature and the ongoing running costs, we are planning to introduce a low-cost subscription for the full version of the multiplayer feature upon its final release. This is planned to support extended features, including player logins and data storage (e.g. for players to accumulate inventory, achievements, ranks or experience points in a multiplayer game), leaderboards, location-based matchmaking, and possibly relay servers to help connect users who are behind extremely restrictive NAT and would otherwise be unable to connect. We do hope to support a basic but useful version for existing users with a license. This is still under consideration and is subject to change, but please be aware our priority during the beta is to test it is efficient and robust, and that we may make adjustments to the available features after the beta.

In the new demo r164 there's an option "Connect to signalling server "wss://multiplayer.scirra.com". Does it mean we have the choice, settin up our own server later or are we always dependent on scirra's signalling server? Couldn't find an answer in the blog article.

^Yes, it was mentioned before as well. We will be able to use our own signalling server.

Kyatric

Whoops, don't know how I missed this. Much appreciated.

Thanks DatapawWolf, I didn't read that.

If you decide to use your own signalling server, don't use hosts with "unlimited bandwidth", or you're gonna have a bad time.

Fimbul, why that?

Because "unlimited bandwidth" is a lie. All contracts have something like "reasonable limits apply" in the small print. If you use an "unlimited bandwidth" host, as soon as your game becomes popular, you'll receive a message from your host telling you to "migrate" to a (vastly) more expensive package.

You'll refuse to migrate, and they'll shut down your game, just when it was getting popular.

Bandwidth is very expensive, there's no way a host would just give tons of it away for a few bucks.

Much better to go with a limited bandwidth host - at least you know the limits clearly!

Thank you for that info —

I wonder what the typical bandwidth requirements would actually be for a popular game.

Any news about renting a server to get "extended features, including player logins and data storage (e.g. for players to accumulate inventory, achievements, ranks or experience points in a multiplayer game), leaderboards, location-based matchmaking, and possibly relay servers to help connect users who are behind extremely restrictive NAT"? I could use a server for matchmaking in my new game (find players in your region or with similar level/skill - will this be possible with saved data or data players submit to the server?)

Bl4ckSh33p did you find what you were looking for?

i'm looking for the exact same thing

you can't do the database mysql login system to do all that? Bl4ckSh33p