Thanks for the replies and advices. On 5/23/07, Cocoy Dayao <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 05 23, 07, at 7:43 PM, Tata Dano wrote: hello guys, I just would like to inquire if clustering technology can be used for offline games to speed up its processing... what exactly would you need to run in parallel? "theoretically" yes it can and i don't know if peer-to-peer is being used in massively multiplayer gaming. if you mean distributing the code across the cluster to improve game play...? then practically speaking, i don't think it would be worth the experience for now. it would also be a matter of having the game code (which part) to be executed in parallel and that's kinda hard to do since most games that have been written take advantage of single cpus. we're only starting to see games taking advantage of multicore cpus and multicore/multiple gpus. hmmm... since a lot of gaming is done in real-time... you'd also have to consider latency across the cluster nodes and its practicality of sending results across that cluster. it may be that it would be practical to simply do what gamers have done--- buy the fastest gpu to process graphics or have two or more gpus to processes your game graphics. you might also consider getting that physics graphics card expansion. Max out your ram--- 2GB at least big. when you look at the gpu-cpu-memory of such a box--- that's a what a "cluster" designed for gaming means anyway. Any advice? Thanks in a million. there are linux-based dedicated game servers for things like star wars jedi academy (quake engine) for example. as well as dedicated warcraft 3 servers. That said... there is a linux flight simulator. perhaps that one can be used as a test case to take advantage of a cluster of cpus. then again, like i said multiple cpus+gpus+physics engine may be the advantage you're looking for. Can someone here provide me a how-to and what do i need to setup a clustering with a linux machine? Thanks again. hardware--- lan (consider 1 gigabit v. 100mbps), your cpus--- perhaps it would be practical to have the latest and greatest multicore cpu as opposed to using ancient hardware. routers and switches. cooling--- imagine packing a 15 square meter room of 20 cpus and not a single aircon... it can be pretty hot. you will need cluster management tools. what will your network topology be? will your cluster be a beowulf..? a cluster of workstations...? etc. you will need also to identify what portion of the game are you going to use in parallel and it will play a role in your design. GCC 4.2 has incorporated openMP--- which in a nutshell makes it "easier" to do parallel code. you might also checkout distcc--- will it be helpful in actual game play--- dunno. from what you may want to do it may be great for compiling your code though. redhat has excellent cluster software. you might also checkout the beowulf site as starting points. as this is a linux mailing list--- this is heresy: look into XGrid from Apple. it practically makes clustering SO bloody easy. there is an Xgrid code for linux i think somewhere, i forget if its still in play. it all boils down to this: ask google for help. google is your friend. And hey--- let me know in private how things are (email is below). clustering is sort of a hobby/interest of mine. cheers and good luck. ------------ Cocoy Dayao [EMAIL PROTECTED] big mango - http://arkangel1a.blogspot.com "People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware." --Alan Kay _________________________________________________ Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG) Mailing List [email protected] (#PLUG @ irc.free.net.ph) Read the Guidelines: http://linux.org.ph/lists Searchable Archives: http://archives.free.net.ph
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