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Game Center PCs, whats fast, stable, cheap, etc.

M

mikeford

Diamond Member
I am planning on opening up a game center, ie 50 PCs on a fast lan with a T1 in a retail location, and if it goes well a second location with another 50 PCs. No matter how I slice it, this is a LOT of money, so I want to make the best choice I can. Everything is the same, case, motherboards, cpu, video, etc. Only variation I plan will be monitors of various brands, but all 21" with decent 1600x1200 viewing. Even the servers will be the same as the game systems to keep it simple.

My plan so far is that each PC will have a 1.5 Ghz cpu, motherboard with 384 MB DDR, builtin sound (everybody uses headphones so why bother) and 10/100 ethernet, cheap small 5400 rpm ATA HD, and to keep things cool AC ducted right into the back of each case. Running 98se instead of newer less stable OS is also being floated around.

What I haven't decided is AMD vs Intel, which motherboard, GeForce 3 vs 4, and whether or not to include a CD or DVD drive (run off the hard drive with a CD emulator).

Any opinions, experiences with this type of game center?
 
Wait for the nForce 415D mainboards, which has integrated sound and LAN. Three will be out this month (Asus, MSI, and ABIT). They'll all likely be good boards. I'd recommend ABIT or MSI because Asus costs more. Retail Athlon XP 1700+ would be adequate for sure, and 256mb or 512mb or Kingston PC2100 (remember, only use 2x DIMMs on the nForce). 98se is hardly stable, run Windows 2000 Professional, or Windows XP (Corporate if you can get it). Getting a 5400 rpm ATA HDD won't save very much money. Just get 7200 rpm ATA HDDs from Maxtor, they're dead reliable and Maxtor has excellent RMA policies. For monitors, 21" isn't really worth the money. 19" is much more economical and affords almost as much viewing space. As for graphics cards, I would recommend the GeForce 3 Ti200, the GeForce 4 Ti4200, or the Radeon 8500 oem. They'd all be good choices, and the range is about $50 ($150 for GF3 Ti200, $165 for Radeon 8500 oem, $200 for GF4 Ti4200). Ducting A/C into the back of every case would be expensive and impracticle. Just purchase quality and affordable cases with decent cooling, like an Antec SX630 or SX635. I would recommend getting a CD-ROM drive for certain, as it would ease many head aches. You'll probably want powerful main servers as well, I suggest as many APPRO 1124s as you need on a small rack.
 
Go With:

AMD 1800+ XP Best bang for the buck superior gaming CPU
512 meg PC 2100 DDR
Win2K...yes Win2k plays 95% of the game sout there and is also the most stable Windows OS
Video Card I would wait for the Geforce 4 that way your investment will last longer until the next upgrade
I also Suggest using the Antec SX1040 w/400Watt power supply high quality Case with superior cooling
Get a 7200 RPM HD from Maxtor or WD ...far superior in performance compared to a 5400 RPM HD


Ausm
 
Sounds like a cool project, sure wish we had something like that around here - save me having to lug my machine around.

Good luck with it.
 
If you have the start up capital this seems like such a fun project with an opportunity to make some $$...

Good luck with your business,

CK
 
Sounds like a fun project! As others have said, I would go with a 7200 HD (IBM or Maxtor) for a gaming rig. Also, I wouldn't go higher than 256MB RAM, as the performance gains would be minimal above that. As for CPU, I would go with an AMD XP series proc (1800, 1900 or 2000+), due to Solid price/performance ratio (as long as you've got a good plan for keeping the systems cool). For a mobo, if you're looking for a good board for the money, perhaps the ECS k7s6a. Or, if you're looking for a great all around board, perhaps the iWill XP333, or the MSI kt3 ultra. As for OS, I would go with XP Professional or win2k. Personally, I used to run 9x and XP Pro in a dual boot, and I hardly ever use 9x anymore. XP just kicks @ss, and doesn't crash. For vid cards, I would wait for the GF4. I'm an ATI fan, but if you're going to be advertising a gaming center, you want to have the most up to date super kick @ss graphics card on the market. The last thing you want to here is kids leaving your center saying their system, or their vid card at home is better/faster... Lastly, Antec cases would be good... maybe, you could even mod them with window kits and paint them with the the same color theme of your game center (you could probably special order the cases this way for a little extra, if you don't have the time / skills to do it yourself). A cool looking case is just as important as the power of the rig when dealing with the younger gamers...
 
Nice project. Good luck with it. Since a solid, stable platform is important, and I assume you wont be doing any overclocking. You can use an Intel D845BG mobo, P4 Northwood 1.8A, 384 meg Crucial DDR and a GF3 Ti200. If you wanted to go micro ATX, you could use a D845PT Since you will have integrated audio and nic, I think the mATX is a not a bad idea. Using a cool running setup like this would not require ducting AC into the case (although its a neat idea). This is today. Tomorrow, who knows. GF4 4200 once it comes out for certain. I'd skip the CD drive for security reasons. You may also want to rethink Win98. Win2K and XP have much better file system security, which you will need in that environment.
 
I'm just curious, how much does a T1 line currently cost?

I'm certain I don't have anywhere near the startup capital, but the post just has me thinking a few years down the road how this would be right up my (and probably a lot of our) alleys.

Just thinking if you budget $50,000 for the computers (very generous if bought in bulk) and ?? for the building location + the added cost of a T1 line = rough estimate of how much it costs to get something like this off the ground.

CK
 
I agree..use WIndows 2000..period.

Who knows who will be using the pcs..some hacker kids (script kiddies) could destroy your "investment"

I would also recommend some type of imaging software that restores everything to the original state(Beyond windows' "System restore") so that any trojans and crap are wi[ed at the end of the day.

Make sure all the settings are perfect..then lock 'em up...from firewalls to Antivirus, EVERYTHING should be password protected.

They will only get to play the games....

Have fun...I don't mean to be a party pooper, just hate to see good ideas go down in a fireball of Hacking smoke....


Good Luck
 


<< I'm just curious, how much does a T1 line currently cost?


Just thinking if you budget $50,000 for the computers (very generous if bought in bulk) and ?? for the building location + the added cost of a T1 line
CK >>



lol plus staff, electricity bills, advertising blah blah
 
I was thinking 98se as a cheap (less than $30 for a full legal copy), but also it seemed the most game compatible. The clear preference here for 2k or xp will make me look into it more, but my concern is running all the best games, and no service pack fuss.

T1 is a little over $1k/month, biggest bites are , rent $2500/month, utilities $2500/month, or could be employees depending (several places are so busy Fri/Sat nights that security is required. License issues can be a lot too, ie Blizzard wants $167/month plus a per machine media charge to license their games for public play. (Making the place technically private with membership may be a way around that but, thats for lawyers (more $$$)). A not too far off guess is that the nut (outgo) is over $12k/month with about $50k up front for equipment.

5400 rpm was for cooler drives, but it will work out to a best value of what is available. Target opening date is 6 weeks, so all the hardware better be in my hands in 3 or 4, no matter how good something is going to be, I likely won't be able to wait. The AC ducting I have seen, and it isn't hard to do or expensive (flex sewer pipe from home depot).

Part of the appeal of a 21" monitor is that few people have one at home, and that is a big selling point. Come here and play with what you wish you had. We might even set one system up with a really big screen, either a projector, or a 42" plasma.

$2/hr is the going rate, and thats cheap enough if one was close to me I'd be going to it myself.
 


<<
T1 is a little over $1k/month, biggest bites are , rent $2500/month, utilities $2500/month, or could be employees depending (several places are so busy Fri/Sat nights that security is required. License issues can be a lot too, ie Blizzard wants $167/month plus a per machine media charge to license their games for public play. (Making the place technically private with membership may be a way around that but, thats for lawyers (more $$$)). A not too far off guess is that the nut (outgo) is over $12k/month with about $50k up front for equipment. >>

Why would you need a T1? You could make the facility LAN gaming only, thus saving much money.
 
One of my friends is sure the big draw will be working on homework, but in practice most people want to play online multiplayer games, and 50 people doing that needs a T1 to keep it fast. I do plan to run as many as half a dozen game servers though so local play will scream.

Think of the numbers this place should crank out if I have seti running on everything as an idle process. 😉
 


<< Why would you need a T1? You could make the facility LAN gaming only, thus saving much money. >>



that would be sweet if the place was packed, but what if there are only 1 or 2 people there at any given time? pretty boring single/2player game if you ask me...T1 would allow connection to other servers, and the ability to play with a whole bunch of people even if there's only 1 person in the store.
 
Another idea....How about give Dell a call and get a quote? I'd think for 50 Pc's you'd get a decent price. The black systems would also look nice!
 
For the T1, get a Frame Relay circuit with a low CIR, but a high burst rate. This way you aren't paying for the full bandwidth all the time.
 
I hope you have a solid business plan! If your expenses alone are close to $10,000 per month (!!:Q!!) you need to make MUCH more than that in return! What are going rates for similar such "game arenas" and their success/failure rate?
I do remember someone in our own buy/sell forum selling off a ton of equipment (P3's voodoo4's...) when his "gaming arena" project failed.

Don't go in half-cocked... be 110% ready with ALL, ALL, ALL information and advice you can possibly gather.
I wish you the best of luck! I'd like to have a business of my own as well. 🙂 That's in the future though.
 
And while I'm at it... I'd recommend not having the PC box itself out in the open, but have them all locked up in compartments at each desk/workspace. There's enough "people" (read: "scum") who like to damage public property with graffiti, lighters, whatever... have the machines locked in cabinets or compartments and you won't have to worry about them nearly as much.
For a large, busy place of 50 machines (all in use) you won't be able to watch everyone to keep them out of trouble and out of your machines!
You'll also need security software to keep people out of the control panel, or basically making ANY changes to your systems whatsoever.
One more reason for you to use Windows 2000... security.

EDIT: Hey... I just turned "Diamond"! 😀
 
Why even get a t1 line. Just get businessclass dsl and save yourself a lot of money. I imagine a 7Mbit line shouldn't be more than 150-200 a month. T1s are expensive because they are more PERMANENT and releable, but your are not going to be something like that.

As for OS, use win2000 trust me. YOu do not want hacker -pun k piece of crap kids screwing you over. Basically all they would have to do is incorrectly-flash the MOBO bios when you aren't looking, and you have a dead pc.

THe evil ones would do that on purpose. how?

with no bios password or if the machine is acessable and they can clear the cmos...

Basically think security through...

basically think EVERYTHING THROUGH


and...get dells..save yourself money
 


<< $2/hr is the going rate, and thats cheap enough if one was close to me I'd be going to it myself. >>



by that do u mean u'd charge only $2 an hour to go on a computer? i may have misunderstood but if that was the case u'd only be taking in what, $100 an hour peak? i'd pay something like $10 to go on a really fast computer

oh, and maybe u could look into sponsership, like let companies pay u to put banners up on u're walls in the complex, just a thought
 
sup man..I just spoke with Dell and they very eager to help. Basicallty they can have all 50 ready quickly. For the love of god do not endeavor to build them youself. It will take you ages, and will be too much money. Just get the dells and a server to administer them.

Make sure the server also controls the broadband etc. It will be the router through advanced server. You can also setup a filserver using and additional server ( not the router/administrative one) for saved gamed data that only peoples' acounts could access. Basically everyone that came into the store would get thier own account/password etc that they could look up with you with proper id if they forget.

Seriously...think this trough. It is by no means as easy as one might think. You have to make this place secure as hell.

 
by the way the Dell guy i spoke to gave me his info...

Devon Hyde Devon_Hyde@dell.com

1800 456 3355 ext 6294


I bet he would LOVE the commission on that BADBOY of an order..heh

good luck man


by the way, make sure you get small hds, 256MB Ram, integrated sound,


YOu might as well just talk to Dell personmally so they can setup the whole thing for you.
 
yea that's a good idea, buying in bulk form dell, cause then if something goes wrong they have to fix it, and they'd do u a good deal

 
I'd agree here; would charge way more than than $2/hour. Just compare how much is the play-time in any silly arcade (a couple of quarters every few minutes?) Also, I'd start with maybe half amount of machines to see the demand in your area first; can expand fast if necessary, provided you'll have seats ready for more.

Was thinking about gaming place when I used to live in Tahoe area couple of years ago (for skiers to relax); after all calcs I pulled away from that idea (PCs were to expensive back then, as well as crazy rents over there in resorts and ski-season visitors mainly).



<<

<< $2/hr is the going rate, and thats cheap enough if one was close to me I'd be going to it myself. >>



by that do u mean u'd charge only $2 an hour to go on a computer? i may have misunderstood but if that was the case u'd only be taking in what, $100 an hour peak? i'd pay something like $10 to go on a really fast computer

oh, and maybe u could look into sponsership, like let companies pay u to put banners up on u're walls in the complex, just a thought >>

 
$2/hr times 50 machines and packed 10 hrs a day, times 30 days is $30k/month gross. $12k expenses, leaves a net of $18k/month. These places tend to either suck and die, or rise and fly, and my guess is its the oldest rule of retail, location.

Dell is a possibility, but just one of many, and what it will come down to is who can deliver what and when. Ideally I would just buy out some poor smuck who picked a bad location and move it.

BTW Goosemaster you aren't that kid in the Dell commercial are you?

Right now I am thinking of the Iwill 333 motherboard, 256MB of PC2700, XP1800, Geforce 3ti200, and still undecided on the other details. I am wondering about things like mice, maybe a mix of this and that. What is a BoomSlang 2000? The idea is to make this as SPECIAL of a gaming experience as possible, to keep it full as many hours a day as possible. I may also build one or two super systems, freon cooled massively overclocked, with a projection screen etc. Lots of fun possibilities.

As for security the units will be strapped down with metal bands, and by local ordinance FULL of security cameras, and on the busy nights uniformed security walking around.
 
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