An MMO server acts as a host for players in a persistent world. Most MMOs use multiple servers, while some use a single server architecture. Private servers are not allowed under EULAs but exist for older MMOs with released code.
A massively multiplayer online game (MMO) server is a computer that acts as a host for people who are playing games. The MMO server runs a host version of the game software, while players run client versions on their own computers. Players are sometimes able to connect to an MMO server through a server browser, although in many cases their characters are locked into one server or another. Most MMOs have multiple servers to help distribute the load across a number of different computers and physical locations; players are typically only able to interact with people who are connected to the same server. There is also a single server architecture, although it is not as common.
Massively multiplayer online games are computer and video games that allow large numbers of people to play together in a persistent world. Many MMOs are role-playing games (RPGs), although many other genres are represented as well. The most important component in the infrastructure that enables these games to exist is the MMO server. Different games use a variety of server infrastructures, although they typically run on a basic host and client model. Unlike conventional video games that rely on a player to act as a host, MMOs always use a server as a host and require players to connect as a client.
Due to the fact that most MMO games use persistent worlds, it is usually necessary for an MMO server to remain up and connected to the internet at all times. The server continues to simulate events and keep track of players’ results, even after people have disconnected. When it becomes necessary to perform maintenance on an MMO server, everyone is typically forced to log off so that one can work on the server’s computer or files.
Many MMO games use a multiple server architecture, where identical copies of the game world exist on a number of different servers. Some of these games allow players to move between servers at will, while others lock players or their characters to a specific server for load balancing purposes. Servers are sometimes hosted on dedicated computers, although multiple game servers can also exist on one host. Some MMOs use a single server architecture, which allows all players to connect to the same virtual world. These games are often designed so that players in certain parts of the game world have very little interaction with players outside that area.
Private game servers essentially consist of an MMO’s host software running on hardware that is not owned or operated by the game’s designer or publisher. This is usually not allowed under software end-user license agreements (EULAs), although there are some exceptions. Some older MMOs that no longer work have had their code released openly so players can run their own private servers. These private servers are typically very resource intensive and usually need to run on dedicated computers that have strong internet connections.
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