Additionally, many dedicated servers are run on high-end hardware in data centers, providing high performance and fast, reliable connections to players, which can seldom be guaranteed on residential connections. Dedicated servers are preferred due to decreased overhead, among other factors. These types of servers are best suited to LAN-based events.Ī Dedicated Server is a standalone server that does not require Steam to run. Other players can connect to the server, but the overhead of running a regular client on the same system will often strain the host player's hardware. It can be easily created through selecting the Create Server button at the main menu. There are 2 types of servers that can be run using the Source engine.Ī Listen Server is a basic server running within a player's TF2 client. Custom modifications may also be installed on the server to provide alternate gameplay. Additionally, other built-in settings can be altered, such as gravity, class slot limit, Highlander limitations, and so on. This can allow the host player to set the map rotation, determining which particular maps and subsequent game modes are played. Instead of joining an existing server, players can opt to create their own servers to host the game.
