Off to a rocky start; and a sudden end.

[=OS=GHOST=]

OK, so I'm not the world's most uber gamer. I can tell you, I run a couple of websites, and work in a position to purchase a couple dozen game servers. I decided to give TCadmin a try. So we've started with one, more or less on a trial basis through my clan...so see if this is a good service that will fit into a much larger project.

 

//Initial Rant removed by author//

 

So...our game server didn't work at first. I blamed TC admin...it was the server reseller, Hypertech who botched the install. Once we got that straight, we were off and running. The TC admin software, (Which I understand a whole lot better now) works as advertised. Hypertech, on the other hand...not so much.

 

UPDATE: We finally identified the problem as a faulty install. We were informed of this by a mass e-mail. When we re-installed the server, we were able to get it up and running and continue with the process of refining our server. OK, maybe It was a rocky start, but we won't have the sudden end.

[DougK94]

Sorry that you could not get TCA to work properly for you. I would guess that a vast majority of the users here will strongly disagree with your impression of TCA.

As for TCA causing higher pings, that is not the case, high pings are normally caused by a poor network or overloaded/underpowered server. There are many here who are successfully using TCAdmin to their advantage and their customer's satisfaction. I know my customers would kill me if a switched to any other competing products that are on the market.

[JasonF]

You need to order a server that is preconfigured or have someone install TCAdmin for you. The statement you quoted means is that you have to know how to run game servers, TCAdmin is not a turn key game panel install. I think you were expecting a piece of software that is ready to create game servers after purchase.

 

TCAdmin support will help you with installing and using the product but it does not support loading the server with game files or how to tweak the games to you liking.

 

Also to say that TCAdmin increased your pings is grossly incorrect. TCAdmin does not get between the gamer and the game server.

[ECF]

We are sorry that you feel this way. We state the above information to warn clients that it is not simply a point and click solution as many think it is. As for calling support non-existant, I must disagree with you there. We answer all tickets in a timely fashion.

 

Perhaps you were looking for something a bit more hands off? If so, we would be more than happy to help you find a solution that is preloaded and point and click.

 

Feel free to contact me directly at kevin [at] tcadmin.com if you wish to discuss this further.

 

 

 

Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion. And unlike many panel providers we will not delete this post.

[=OS=GHOST=]

I'm sure your Beta tester status has nothing to do with your impartiality.

 

Simple fact is...we've tried for two days to get this game server running without success. I'd just be happy if a player could connect to the server, given the ip and port number. Can't even do that, much less locate the server on game server browsers.

 

There is poor documentation, and what is there is directed at tech-savvy people...there is nothing but condescending sarcasm directed at less than expert users.

 

As a businessman, I see this as less than optimal. Your response, and position as a beta tester is also less than optimal. Whether officially recognized as staff or not, you represent the company. My Betas wouldn't dream of doing anything but ask How can I help you resolve your issue?

[WR-Rob]

I came to using TCAdmin, with only knowledge of setting up steam based games. Since using TCAdmin ive found it is very usefull and works very well. As for pings, we have never had a high ping using the system that is a problem your end im afraid.

 

It seems this isnt the product for you, there for no need to slag it off as it does work VERY well to those of us that gave it a chance and learnt the program. And no i am in NO WAY whatso ever partnered with TCAdmin, i am simply a happy customer.

 

As for the no support comment, ive always got the support ive needed in a very fast time no matter what it is.

 

I think the problems lay with you and your setup of the product.

 

Simple fact is...we've tried for two days to get this game server running without success. I'd just be happy if a player could connect to the server, given the ip and port number. Can't even do that, much less locate the server on game server browsers.

 

Simple fact is... you are doing something wrong.

[ECF]

I'm sure your Beta tester status has nothing to do with your impartiality.

 

Simple fact is...we've tried for two days to get this game server running without success. I'd just be happy if a player could connect to the server, given the ip and port number. Can't even do that, much less locate the server on game server browsers.

 

There is poor documentation, and what is there is directed at tech-savvy people...there is nothing but condescending sarcasm directed at less than expert users.

 

As a businessman, I see this as less than optimal. Your response, and position as a beta tester is also less than optimal. Whether officially recognized as staff or not, you represent the company. My Betas wouldn't dream of doing anything but ask How can I help you resolve your issue?

 

Did you try putting in a support ticket to get help with your problem?

 

These forums are simply for user to user help. While we do often respond to posts, this is not our main support method. Any question should be entered at https://essuport.tcadmin.com.

 

If there was any sarcastic response from a staff member then please let me know and I will look into it. You are more than welcome to post your ticket number if you have it handy and I will personally take a look it at if you entered one.

[JasonF]

I think he is referring to Doug's post. Doug is not an employee, just a long time customer/user of TCAdmin.

[DougK94]

Ghost, I did not mean to come across as being harsh. You never said what your problems are so that we could help. "I can't get it to work" gives us no clue whatsoever as to what the problem is. I little clarification would allow us to offer suggestions and help.

 

I disagreed with your statements about support and about TCAdmin causing lag. TCAdmin support has to be one of the best around in my experience. Tickets are usually answered very quickly and if a ticket will not handle it, the TCA staff will log into your system and find the problem. As for the lag issues, I stand with what I stated earlier, a poor network, server, not TCA.

 

My guess is you were able to get TCAdmin installed and the initial setup done, as that is pretty well taken care of by the installation setup. The problems most have are with the game server files themselves. Take a look at the pre installed configss included with TCA, then make sure you have your game files with the same directory structure.

[studeggle]

The problem is the idea that one setting, or one game configuration, is best for all situations. Turn key control panels that install and manage the game for you work off this principle. Someone sitting on a totally different network, probably with totally different machines is making the decision of how the game should be configured to run best.

Trouble is in the IT world this is not realistic. One configuration does not fit all situations, and it is for this reason that TcAdmin would be a ping reducer not a ping increaser if you were to consider its effect on ping at all. Because it requires the hoster to understand the game they wish to host, and allows them the full control they need of the game to make it work best on there equipment and network.

I started out knowing nothing more then how to start some steam games from the desktop, and then my way around the OS and the machine when I ordered TcAdmin. And I have never been anything but pleased with it. Sure I have put in my share of support tickets. But those tickets have always been answered in a polite professional manner with great expediency. And to expect that one would never have an issue with a piece of software is to be naive and foolish, as there are to many variable in the IT world for any piece of software to be deployed on a mass scale by numerous different administrators and never hit a snag.

As stated earlier by several, everyone is entitled to your opinion. But it is not just beta testers and TcAdmin staff that support the product. In fact the majority of the testimonials come from those with NO affiliation in any way, aside from they bought and used the software, to TcAdmin. So one certainly must ask how can a piece of software, and a company that are supposedly so bad, have so many people singing its praise for no reward but to help someone else come to know of it.

[maddanny]

I 1000% agree with "If you DO NOT know how to host a game without the help of a control panel, then DO NOT order"

Ok, TCadmin manuel can be improved but their support is ALWAYS responding, even to stupid questions, and really fast.

GSP is a real job, not just for funny ...

[Jissh]

I've been with two other companies before coming to TCA and neither of them could come close to the quality of product and support that Kevin and Luis provide us with.

 

The software installs with a few simple clicks a little manual inputing of other settings then it's ready to go (aside from system configurations and game files).

 

If your having troubles connecting to your games even the most novice of admins would first check if the service is even running then the firewall if you have one and third if your game is configured correctly.

 

The issue is on your end not TCA's

 

If you were to post on these forums with less attitude and more information on your problem (eg. errors, what you've tried) even Rich would respond and try to help you out and he don't like no one (J/K Rich).

[ragecritter]

I must say that as a customer of less than two weeks, I have no affiliation with TCAdmin other than an end user of the product. With that said my experience of TCAdmin has been sublime.

 

I did have trouble at the start, i was trying to set up the website on my master server as well as the game servers. this did not work. That being said, it was more my lack of knowledge of websites administration that brought me to a grinding halt.

 

After deciding to take on TCAdmins webhosting service in adition to the control panel license, i was enormously shocked at the speed of the support teams response (considering I am a UK based host and the support team is US based. all tickets so far have been answered in less that an hour even at the weekend! During my own business hours not theirs) with in a couple of hours of ordering the webhosting package, my TCAdmin webhosting details were passed to me, and thanks to their support staff, my master server had been set up expertly.

 

I had knowledge of only steam games but since then I have been able to set up games outside of steam based games, with very little trouble at all. This package comes with everything needed (once up and running) to run a vast variety of games and never even played let alone ran a public server. (cod4 being the example)

 

All that you need to run a server is the basic files with no configuration, along side the community and otherwise created templates for running servers that are available through the forums, the service couldnt be easier to use.

 

The only downside i would point out is the reliance on forum posts for documentation. I have to say that the documentaion provided by TCAdmin could be a lot better. Having said that NO service is perfect. A real step by step guide would be very useful, which would explain what what the requirements are and why they are required. ( it took me a long time to figure out that TCAdmin will not run with Apache)

 

Other than that I have received an exemplary service from their team.

 

So far an A* service which I hope to continue to enjoy.

 

Chris Webster

http://www.ragecritters.com

[Redeye]

Sorry to here that i does not meet your expectations, but:

 

"If you DO NOT know how to host a game without the help of a control panel, then DO NOT order. It is as simple as that."

 

Order a managed server with one of TCAdmin customers and you're rit of the problems.

 

About the documentations, it's not bad, the support is good and the community helpfull.

 

No beta tester here, just a satisfied customer.

[=OS=GHOST=]

Well, it turns out that the issue was a botched install, one of many, I gather, which we became aware of through a mass e-mail. Our server is up and running, with a few kinks (Honor, etc) to be worked out. It only took us a little while to noodle through the system once we got a correct install.

 

As an IT integrator I can observe that with proper documentation, the issue of a botched install would have been found easily, and we would have saved a lot of hours of frustration.

 

As far as the rest of the tweaks we'd like to make, we'll prowl the rest of the forums to gain knowledge and improve our server, carefully and gradually tweaking things as we go along.

 

Sorry for the acerbic tones in my first post. It was written after many hours of beating my head against the wall, and I have a short fuse to begin with.

[DougK94]

Glad you got it squared away and welcome aboard Really we are not that bad around here There is a ton of info you can find here on the forums

[WR-Rob]

Glad you got everything sorted, as far as support if you are having issues post it on the forums and between all TCAdmin customers/staff we always find a solution.

[ECF]

Ghost,

 

Please do not hesitate to use the support system for questions regarding the software. As for game related questions the forums are a great place to gain info.

 

I am glad to see that your issue was worked out and hopefully you will continue to be a TCAdmin client for sometime to come.

[=OS=GHOST=]

Your license has been disabled. Contact an administrator. If you are an administrator please contact TCADMIN SUPPORT.

 

OK...Our game server is running, but we get this message when trying to log in. Is there something between the re-seller (hypertech) and TCadmin I need to be aware of? We paid our bill, and the next one isn't due for a while.

 

I've gotten fairly comfortable with the control panel, and the TCAdmin system was working well. Now what?

[Redeye]

Your license has been disabled. Contact an administrator. If you are an administrator please contact TCADMIN SUPPORT.

 

OK...Our game server is running, but we get this message when trying to log in. Is there something between the re-seller (hypertech) and TCadmin I need to be aware of? We paid our bill, and the next one isn't due for a while.

 

I've gotten fairly comfortable with the control panel, and the TCAdmin system was working well. Now what?

 

Contact your reseller hypertech, your their client.

[DougK94]

You may have paid your bill to Hypertech, but it looks like Hypertech may not have paid THEIR bill with TCAdmin.

[=OS=GHOST=]

Probably the case, but I can't get Hypertech on the phone to determine if we have to pay TC admin separately, or if they do. I'm getting the hang of it, but I can't seem to get anyone on the phone at all, wither with TC admin sales or Hypertech.

 

I also now know that my previous issues were a Hypertech problem with the server they resell.

 

TC admin is a way to manage the server someone else sells you that someone else actually owns, Right?

[DougK94]

You can install TCAdmin on any windows server you own/manage or you can get TCAdmin already installed from a provider who is authorized by TCAdmin as a reseller at www.tcadmin.com/dedicated.php

 

Since Hypertech's TCAdmin install is displaying the same error message, I would venture a guess they are billing you for your TCAdmin and they are supposed to be paying TCAdmin.

[ECF]

If you simply have a rented gameserver from a company then they would be responisble for paying their bill to us. You would not be paying anything to our company unless you signed up for a license in your own name.

 

As stated above, you will need to contact your server provider.

[=OS=GHOST=]

Hypertech isn't even listed on there.

 

Pity. This was more or less a tryout for a much larger project involving multiple servers. While TC admin didn't do bad at all, Hypertech has pretty much shown that they are not ready for the type of business I need to throw around.