Question Is it possible to pair two game servers?

[bjornerik]

Is it possible to pair two game servers, so we have two servers(one in North America and one in Northern Europe) So we can play together just both with low latency?

I understand some of the interactions will lag either way. But we are playing co-op PvE. Iam thinking there have to be a way to make this work?

We are playing Ark right now, but the question is regarding all games really

 

[Eximo]

What I think your assumption is that the connection between the client and server at either end would be faster, making the local lag for that person better. But in reality the information about the other player's actions would still need to be transmitted, processed, and then displayed to you (local processing and rendering). Adding another server in between would just make this slower by having two servers process the information.

Client -> Server -> Client

Client -> Server -> Server -> Client

Which one is longer? Even if the connection between the two servers is as fast as possible, you still have the processing time that would have to exist to keep the servers in sync. (Not that any game server software is designed that way) Multiple servers is generally reserved for MMOs in a cluster, where the load can be dynamically shifted to optimize performance as players enter or leave areas or additional players join the instance. On the small scale it just wouldn't work. (Not to mention that you would be at the mercy of each individual server's access to the internet)

Typical propagation delay between any two points on a network is increased by roughly 10ns for every silicon device required. 23 ping is 23ms, so if you take out the distance between two points on earth, the remainder is the processing and signal propagation delay. Adding a whole server means going in via the Internet, through the router, through the network interface, through the chipset, to the CPU, processing, back to the chipset, through the network interface, back out through the router and back to the Internet, to repeat with your second server. No matter how it is done, it will add that much time minimum to your ping.

 

[kerberos_20]

not possible, some games offer cross server functions, but thats just another server in middle which has access to both servers, nothing you can do as a user
you as a client can just connect to one server and play there

but so you know, you would get about same latency (but probably worse due to another server in middle) as you get from usa to europe
both server have to comunicate somehow even if you add middle man

ever tought of starlink?, it got latency like 50ms now and in future it will be even lower

 

[Eximo]

Best solution if you want to do this regularly would be to rent a server that is roughly between the two of you. Not sure if Iceland has any rentable servers, but that would probably be your best bet. You could also try something in New York or DC those are also on the major undersea cables.

 

[kerberos_20]

i dont think iceland would help

 

[bjornerik]

Best solution if you want to do this regularly would be to rent a server that is roughly between the two of you. Not sure if Iceland has any rentable servers, but that would probably be your best bet. You could also try something in New York or DC those are also on the major undersea cables.

Yeah we went for London. Someone should open Atlantic gameservers 😅

 

[bjornerik]

What I think your assumption is that the connection between the client and server at either end would be faster, making the local lag for that person better. But in reality the information about the other player's actions would still need to be transmitted, processed, and then displayed to you (local processing and rendering). Adding another server in between would just make this slower by having two servers process the information.

Client -> Server -> Client

Client -> Server -> Server -> Client

Which one is longer? Even if the connection between the two servers is as fast as possible, you still have the processing time that would have to exist to keep the servers in sync. (Not that any game server software is designed that way) Multiple servers is generally reserved for MMOs in a cluster, where the load can be dynamically shifted to optimize performance as players enter or leave areas or additional players join the instance. On the small scale it just wouldn't work. (Not to mention that you would be at the mercy of each individual server's access to the internet)

Typical propagation delay between any two points on a network is increased by roughly 10ns for every silicon device required. 23 ping is 23ms, so if you take out the distance between two points on earth, the remainder is the processing and signal propagation delay. Adding a whole server means going in via the Internet, through the router, through the network interface, through the chipset, to the CPU, processing, back to the chipset, through the network interface, back out through the router and back to the Internet, to repeat with your second server. No matter how it is done, it will add that much time minimum to your ping.

The server(s) would need to handle other players and environment differently, but it probably need a lot of development and not something that is easily done..

 

[bjornerik]

not possible, some games offer cross server functions, but thats just another server in middle which has access to both servers, nothing you can do as a user
you as a client can just connect to one server and play there

but so you know, you would get about same latency (but probably worse due to another server in middle) as you get from usa to europe
both server have to comunicate somehow even if you add middle man

ever tought of starlink?, it got latency like 50ms now and in future it will be even lower

I have ordered starlink, but it takes forever to arrive.. ETA is 2023 Not sure if it will help before they get the communication between satellites up and running though.

As it is now, it just sends the information to a groundstation in the users country, doesn't it?

 

[Eximo]

i dont think iceland would help

Iceland adds some distance, but a huge chunk of the internet runs through there. One could hope for a more direct connection via undersea cables, potentially directly to the destination country. Same with New York and DC. They are main branch points.

Some of the best connections I've had are to Texas, despite not living anywhere near there. Just fewer hops to get there as it is also one of the bigger western hubs.

Maybe not as much as I thought if I go by a recent map of the internet. Looks like most US - Europe traffic does go through New York - London.