New Server Help

[Emerghency]

Hi guys, i am looking for some help firing up another Epoch server. I had my own server sometime last year and had a great time and even made a little profit off of it, but eventually i gave up on it. I was looking at creating a new server, and was looking at some pricing and was asking for some help. For Survival Servers its coming out to $18 a month for a 50 slot server (wow thats cheap). And i was looking at Vilayer, which comes to about $30.57 for a 30 slot server. Is it worth it to take the cheaper route and go with Survival? I can pay for Vilayer, but im trying to find the most cost effective route, but i also dont want a server no one will play on. I am planning on going into college in a few months for computer engineering/science and perhaps becoming a software engineer. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[MatthewK]

No matter who I've used, there's always been issues.

At the end of the day server location is key in my opinion. If you're based in the UK, get a London based server for example. 

You can pay $30 for 30 slot server and have exactly the same if not worse issues than a $18 50 slot server. Paying more doesn't always mean you'll get better service.

Getting players on  your server takes months (it's taken me over a month to get 4 regulars this time round), you can start by posting your server details on Reddit and possibly donating for a top-spot listing on DayZ Launcher, then post your server details on the official dayz forums. But the results are very hit and miss. 90% of your visitors will find something to complain about and then quit.. Not enough AI.. Not enough scripts.. Too many AI.. Too many scripts. etc.. etc.. Don't give in, build your server how you like to play it and be tough with your players, tell them you aren't installing/removing x-script .. Eventually you'll have a bunch of regulars who stay because they like your style of gameplay... You can't please them all, don't even try! 

One last tip. Don't be breaking stuff while you have people playing on your server. Wait until the late hours when nobody is going to be on to start with script additions etc. Try to add something other servers don't have. On mine I've got a Zombie Slayer achievement system, where you get bonus humanity per zombie kill based on your current zombie kill count (the higher the count, the more humanity per zed kill). You also get bonus humanity for long distance 90, 200 and 300+ shots. The player has to discover most of this and it's not easy to get slayer levels ;) ... I also have a Level 1 to 5 Hero/Bandit badge system, see the screenshot for an example.  The higher your level, the more stuff opens up to you, like a VIP Clubhouse, cheaper gear, etc.. 

Well, there you go. I can talk for England, but I'll stop now and let you catch up :p

Good luck with your college studies and good luck with your new server. Paying more is not always better ;)

Pop on say hi if you've got questions:     212.129.63.140:2302

Find us via DayZ Launcher (TEA PARTY) we're running Epoch Origins Lingor 

[theduke]

DO NOT use vilayer lol

They take minimum 24 hours to respond to tickets.  I have free service with them till 2017 because they messed up BAD with my account.  I have a free server, website and teamspeak.  i only use the website.  The last week my site was down for 48 hours. i sent a ticket to the web support department. 36 hours after sending the ticket, they responded by saying they escalated my ticket to the web support department.   LOL thats where i had sent my ticket.   So i got frustrated and went on skype to talk to the CEO, (he added me to resolve my last issue) and it got resolved...imagine if i didnt have the CEO on skype lol  The service isnt good nad the support is really slow, and when you talk to someone they arnt very helpful...thats my 2 cents about vilayer.

GTX on the other hand, they are fast at replying, but not all support agents know what they are doing.  GTX "offers" free backups...when support can find them.  Got hit by a hacker, wiped the database.  GTX new guy support couldnt "find" my backups...i had to wait 12 hours.  This happened twice!!  But as soon as the owners of GTX came about in the tickets...issues were resolved..  I think they try hard, but they need support agents that know what thye are doing. specially when you pay for priority support.

Now, i have all my servers on a dedicated box. Im in canada so for me "SO You Start" was my best bet, and they take canadian currency. works in my favor.

also what matthew mentioned, location, is always something to look at.  but my server is in montreal and i have all kinds of nations playing, they love the fact they they can play together, being so far apart. and their ping is good. 

but to sum it up. these are the hosting companies i've had

vilayer - Slow support, ok prices

GTX - Fast suport, not always the right support, good prices.

Host havoc - Super fast support, knowledgable and very well priced.  But i havnt stayed with host havoc as it ws my third server and it was jsut too much..for now lol

If ever i decide to go with a host, im going host havoc again.  They had great reviews and so far with the little bit of time spent they were honest and willing to help.

Hope this helps

Duke

 

[MatthewK]

I agree with everything TheDuke says about GTX. i'm with them for my server and support is fast, but not always clued up. I fix more problems for them, than they do for me :)

 

 

[BigEgg]

I would highly recommend getting a VPS from someone like NFO servers. They have a 4 core for $40 a month. You can easily run a test server on it as well. However, if you are going to go with a hosting provider, go with vert. Great service, good support, and performance is the best out of all of them.