Third Party Does Photon allow other people to host their own games?

Hi,

Just wondering if other people would be able to host their own game servers using Photon? Thanks guys

 

Photon Server SDK provides you with the ability to write and host your own server applications.

 

What I mean is can someone who has purchased my game create their own dedicated server on photon?

 

Photon offers a redistributable license, I don't know much about it, you should log into their website and read about it.

I suppose if you provided players with the server source they could run it on Photon with their own license instead.

 

Mate, if the information on their website clarified that it would be possible I wouldn't be here asking.

 

@tobiass Could clear this up better than I.

 

Well that depends...

If you use the Photon Server SDK to create your own custom game server, that serves your game client, and you don't ever release your custom game server code or executable, then no, nobody can create their own server for your game.

If your server code gets shipped with your game client, there is a possibility someone could hack it so they could setup their own server.

It all depends what you want to do..

 

@Glader: Thanks for tagging me. I found this thread through the alert

@alenb7: Photon clients always need to connect to some Photon server. There are three options where those servers run:

a) We run a bunch of servers in the Photon Cloud where you register your game and your players can play via our machines.
b) You download Photon OnPremise. This is a Server SDK (download) which is very compatible with the Photon Cloud when you run it "as is". But you can modify the server-logic, which is written in C# and available in the Server SDK. These servers are hosted by you, not the players.
c) You can get a "Redistributable License" for the OnPremise Server SDK. This enables you do hand out your game's server to players who can run it on a machine in their LAN. These are more or less for local network games. Not for public hosting. There is no global privately-hosted server list.

For b) and c) you need a Windows machine to run the server, a little knowledge how you'd setup things and you need a license for yourself or one to redistribute. They are not the same.

With Photon Redistributable you can provide the server software to your gamers.