Gaming server

[NinjaD123]

Hi all, 

 

I have two young boys and would like to setup a gaming rig they could share simultaneously. I've been in IT for 18 years so please get as technical as necessary.

 

My idea is to setup a gaming rig with 2 graphics cards, then pass the 2nd graphics card to a VM, so my 2nd son can game simultaneously. The room would have 2 desks and perhaps my 2nd son can either RDP into the VM or perhaps there is a way to pass a 2nd mouse and keyboard to the VM and be directly connected. I'm trying to save a bit of money since they usually play less graphics intense games like Roblox, Minecraft and a few Steam games. I know this is a stretch but maybe I'll get lucky. 

 

Has anyone tried this? I'm open to ideas. 

[Agall]

8 minutes ago, NinjaD123 said:

Hi all, 

 

I have two young boys and would like to setup a gaming rig they could share simultaneously. I've been in IT for 18 years so please get as technical as necessary.

 

My idea is to setup a gaming rig with 2 graphics cards, then pass the 2nd graphics card to a VM, so my 2nd son can game simultaneously. The room would have 2 desks and perhaps my 2nd son can either RDP into the VM or perhaps there is a way to pass a 2nd mouse and keyboard to the VM and be directly connected. I'm trying to save a bit of money since they usually play less graphics intense games like Roblox, Minecraft and a few Steam games. I know this is a stretch but maybe I'll get lucky. 

 

Has anyone tried this? I'm open to ideas. 

In general the complexity isn't worth it, you'll likely end up spending excessive time correcting issues they've induced by the nature of being a normal user. Minecraft and such now a days will p2p just fine and not require a local Java server to run nicely, so they can just join each other's worlds if any or have one machine run the server in the background for a Java only version client.

 

I would save money with some budget hardware, something like a set of R5 5600's or i3 12100/14100 and RX 6600's, equal systems so that in time, you can always consolidate if you run into a couple part failures.

 

Where you can save some money is using something like SteamOS instead of Windows, if you're worried about licensing. Overall, I've been impressed with the Proton API for anything that doesn't run natively through Steam.

[Cloud_1202]

With what @Agall said, You also have anti-cheat issues with lots of game. It's just not worth it, and I have done something like it and it was only worth it for the fun of doing it.

[wasab]

Hm... my idea of gaming for the kids would be to just to buy an Xbox ultimate subscription that allows cloud gaming, two cheap chromebooks, two controllers. Maybe a large TV if I'm lacking and that's it. Literally cheaper than owning a gaming PC that you have to upgrade every 5ish years and buying games on it, especially if you know the VPN hacks and make Bing your default browsers search for those constant free Microsoft gift cards. 

[HorseBattery]

11 hours ago, NinjaD123 said:

My idea is to setup a gaming rig with 2 graphics cards

The hardware requirement to do this properly is expensive enough that I don't know why you wouldn't just get them separate budget gaming PCs. You can build very reasonably priced AM4 budget systems these days. Something like a Ryzen 5500 with a B450 motherboard and an RX6600 isn't that expensive. If you can find last gen parts second hand, even better.

[BoomerDutch]

Its definitely possible i would suggest use proxmox or unraid.

 

Although some online games do not allow VM because of anti cheat methods.

 

Simply do not attach virtual screen and give each gpu to each vm.

 

Oh right use internal gpu as console/main screen for whatever os you're using.

 

And use usb hubs to be each to be able use keyboard and mouse or other accessories.

 

If you want keep gaming specifically for that machine then steamos or batocera would be also valid option.

 

Technically you can make virtual local connection to each vm for lan gaming.

 

Right now I'm experimenting batocera 4 vms in single machine.

[LogicalDrm]

There are multiseat software to achieve this without going to full VM. They haven't been covered by any major channel, but general public has shown them to be working solution.