Server for Google App Engine/some other cloud?

Brazilian Joe · Post by **Brazilian Joe** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:23 pm

Hey all,

I was wondering if it is possible to set up a server running under Google App Engine (which is free), or some other platform (such as Amazon EC2, or someone cheaper if available).

I believe the game is programmed in either C or C++, Google App Engine has SDKs for both java (beta) and Python (I am starting to grok it and it is a very cool language).

Fellow gamers, Evochron BDFL, is there such an option? Maybe the server can be ported to python...

Post by **Vice** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:50 pm

I'm not familiar with the google app engine or why it would be beneficial. Currently, the server program uses a C++ interpreter language with a strict dependency on an external link library, so there are several critical conditions that would apply (including the likely time requirement which I currently dedicate to game development and existing code base development).

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:19 pm

Hello Brazilian Joe, welcome to the forum.

Brazilian Joe · Post by **Brazilian Joe** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:31 pm

In the case of Google App, well basically they provide cloud apps for free. They do not provide a complete virtual machine, only an execution environment with an API. The typical use would be for websites.. you could install Django (a python framework for web apps) and run your website in it. It also has APIs to integrate with the other Google stuff, so you can e.g. send mail, access Google Docs etc. The basic Free App already has very reasonable limits, so it should be possible for people to have servers running at no cost at all. Very popular servers could have increased demand which would require using the paid google app for the extra bandwidth, but it is much cheaper that e.g. Amazon EC2.

Cloud computing has the benefit of not requiring fat pipes to the administrator, you don't have to worry about backups or failing hardware, stuff like that.

Having a Google App version of the server (if not for Renegades, it could be for Legends, which is the latest installment) would mean lowering the barrier for people to have servers, at low-to-no cost, and with less maintenance. Which could potentially boost popularity.

I for one would host a server, if I had the option.

Anyway, it's just an idea... If you have the will and time, you could do at least an assessment of what it would take to create a Google App Engine server version in python, to see if it would be worth it.

verbosity · Post by **verbosity** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:39 pm

I doubt the google App would work, simply due the time factor involved, even a few Ms would result in a very choppy game for pilots with even the best connection.