The tale of the great search for a server host

[dayz247 59]

My tale of my struggle for find a server host that would meet my expectations.

After playing dayz for sometime, decided I wanted to host my own server. Shouldn't be too hard, there is a ton of server hosts out there, right? After looking around the forums for awhile, find the "Start here, beginners guide for servers......." (props to Tremu1ant).

Spent some time looking that over, decided to go ahead with the project.... and decided on Dayz.st as the host. Everyone seemed to be giving them great reviews, so I went for it.

Well, after using dayz.st for awhile (not long really), I go to a point where I was not happy with the services they offered. It wasn't performance, I have to say that Dayz.st offers great performance, much better than what you would expect for what your paying, props to them there. It was more of the fact that I was limited in what I could do with the server. I was purchasing one instance of a dayz server, and there wasn't anything I could do other than that. I wanted more options, and understood that I might have to pay more for it. (let me be clear, I have nothing against dayz.st other than the lack of access you receive there. Their servers have incredible performance, and they have some really great customer service. If all you want to run is a single instance of dayz, and you ask me where to get a server from.... dayz.st is where I am pointing you (not an advertisement either btw)).

After spending some time looking around, I found the vilayer was the only company I could find (at that time) that offered what I wanted. A VPS, something that I could edit and do pretty much anything I wanted on the server. If I wanted to completely screw the server over with editing, was my business. Great.... so here I am on my second server host.

Everything works great the first couple of weeks. Happy "as all git out" with the server, seeing decent performance, the occasional dsync but hey, thats dayz right?

I guess it was about the 3rd, maybe 4th week........................

lol

All the sudden everyone on my server starts having massive dsync. It got to a point that even when there was only 2 or 3 people online, you would get "no message received" for about 15 - 20 seconds, every hour. Maybe I am picky, but that was too much in my book.

My first reaction? "Oh boy, I did something that broke the server". So I start rolling back everything I had done.... end up with an absolute vanilla server... nothing added at all.

Dsync is getting worse and worse..... what finally broke the camels back was when the dsync started causing server wide disconnects 3 to 4 times an hour. So I send a support ticket.

Oh my.

First response I get...... The VPS package they rented me is being discontinued, and I can move to different package (not vps, just a single instance rental like dayz.st).... or I would stay with my own. If I decided to move, I could purchase 2 x 40 slot instances for the price I am paying now.

So I reply asking what kind of dedicated resources I would receive (under VPS I had 2 dedicated cores and 2gb of ram). Asking what the benefit of giving my VPS account up would be to me? As I am lossing the ability to run as many instances I wanted, and full control over the game, I thought there should be some benefit, right?

Nope..... and I quote (is that against the rules? I will leave support personnel name out of it just in case) "Finally.. you asked what benefit there is to change...Well... the benefit of having a server... as we are discontinuing the current server you have and will no longer offer this service."

Same person that told me I could keep my package mind you...... Anyway, my blood pressure is rising at this point.... anyway off goes another reply to the ticket.... asking him why he is giving me different answers in different replies.... and finally explaining ......

and I quote (myself) :

"You must forgive me if I sound aggravated in this message, I am. I am getting different answers in different replies to this ticket. I also came to vilayer from another host because of the flexibility offered in your plans (ability to run multiple instances, at will, without need to contact someone else to do it for me, from the same plan already offered), and it appears this option is being taken away (at which point I begin to question whether I should be paying more for a service I could equal cheaper at another host)."

Maybe I worded this wrong, maybe it was anger or whatever.... perhaps someone else can tell me if I overstepped the line as a customer.... I still (days later) do not think that I did. However, the individuals from vilayer must have thought that I did or something.... as their reply is:

I quote:

"You may keep the current setup if you like... We are telling you that we will not offer any... that means NOT ANY support for ANY issues if you wish to keep it.

If the server crashes...if you can't get it to run... if anything has an issue... you are on your own.

We assume no responsibility for any issues with this service as we have discontinued to offer it anymore."

and later:

"If you can find a better offer with the same performance i would say... You should think about taking it."

5 minutes later I was setting up a VDS server .... 3 cores (1 more than vilayer) ..... 3gb ram (1gb more than vilayer) for a grand total of 90 cents ($0.90, not a typo) more than what I was paying at vilayer. While I'm probably speaking too soon, but after 2 days now, not a single player has mentioned (even after I ask multiple times throughout the day) any dsync at all. Game running much smoother.

Anyway..... moral of the story.

Believe the reports about vilayer.

[TG ! Jimmy 216]

Tried HFB servers yet? Every review is going to be subjective, and every GSP has their pros and cons; however, HFB's been pretty good to me. I've probably put in over a dozen support tickets asking for XYZ access and inquiring about various things. They recently upgraded all of their servers (which moved my IP, which is my one complaint) to a "DDoS-Proof" network, so their "ultimate dayz" package offers a 50 slot official hive for $30/mo.

Like you said: desync happens, that's just DayZ. I wouldn't base your whole experience off random desync, assuming it's random. Sorry to hear about your first few (nightmare) servers, man. I can only imagine that really ruined the experience for you--and made it tough to build a fun userbase to play with.

Cheers

[dayz247 59]

Tried HFB servers yet? Every review is going to be subjective, and every GSP has their pros and cons; however, HFB's been pretty good to me. I've probably put in over a dozen support tickets asking for XYZ access and inquiring about various things. They recently upgraded all of their servers (which moved my IP, which is my one complaint) to a "DDoS-Proof" network, so their "ultimate dayz" package offers a 50 slot official hive for $30/mo.

Like you said: desync happens, that's just DayZ. I wouldn't base your whole experience off random desync, assuming it's random. Sorry to hear about your first few (nightmare) servers, man. I can only imagine that really ruined the experience for you--and made it tough to build a fun userbase to play with.

Cheers

Aye,

I had considered hfb servers..... but they did not offer what I was looking for.

As it stands now, the only limitations to the number of slots (or instances) I run is hardware, and I have pretty decent hardware on this one. Have complete access to the server which I run, its nice being able to remote into the server and change whatever you want, install whatever you want, and run whatever you want. If I want to run multiple dayz servers, or even multiple dayz servers, other games, a web server, ftp server, or whatever else I dream up..... i can. A little more expensive ($52 a month) I agree.... but I like the flexibility.

[TG ! Jimmy 216]

Understood. I'm a big fan of the added features as well, but for all intents and purposes we don't need it for our community--so we stick to a GSP package. Hopefully your experience is better this time around, matey!

Cheers