# FreeBSD versus Linux: game server performance diffs



## hacktor_ (Jul 12, 2015)

Hello!

Me and a friend are planning to develop a multiplayer game based on Unreal Engine 4. The game engine supports Linux natively, so we tough compile it and use it under a Linux distribution.

We came across with a great question mark: choosing between Linux and FreeBSD for best performance.

I am a Linux user for 3 years and I know how well Linux works. I'm focused onto Linux system administration. My friend is focused on FreeBSD system administration for 3 years.

We don't care if we'll use Linux or FreeBSD. We only want best performance. We want to know if FreeBSD can handle better the game and give more performance.

The game will be a multiplayer first-person shooter game. We'll have both open world and indoor maps. The game will be a futuristic play set, so it will contain futuristic-looking weapons with some nice looking effects at shooting and sound. I think a minimum of 4GB RAM will be enough for beginning, approximate up to 20 players supported.

I want to know your opinion. We want best performance possible, so we'll hack our game for this. But it'll depend on the OS. What do you recommend for such a game?


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## drhowarddrfine (Jul 12, 2015)

For many decades it's been stated or known that FreeBSD can out perform Linux, even on Linux built games, though I've never found any link to the original article for that. Phoronix, a couple of years ago, did show their own tests of FreeBSD outperforming Linux in game development.

But you have to perform your own test for what you are doing. Going just by some wide ranging question or statement doesn't prove anything. Suffice to say, anything Linux can do, FreeBSD can do.


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## Crivens (Jul 12, 2015)

If you are still looking for beta testers ... *cough cough*


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## hacktor_ (Jul 12, 2015)

drhowarddrfine said:


> For many decades it's been stated or known that FreeBSD can out perform Linux, even on Linux built games, though I've never found any link to the original article for that. Phoronix, a couple of years ago, did show their own tests of FreeBSD outperforming Linux in game development.
> 
> But you have to perform your own test for what you are doing. Going just by some wide ranging question or statement doesn't prove anything. Suffice to say, anything Linux can do, FreeBSD can do.


I've read this one in FreeBSD docs, but it was written: "in some cases". We'll do a test and compare the results  thank for the tip!



Crivens said:


> If you are still looking for beta testers ... *cough cough*


Yes, we'll have a beta testing period, but right now we're planning the game mechanics, features and more.


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## vermaden (Jul 12, 2015)

hacktor_ said:


> Hello!
> 
> Me and a friend are planning to develop a multiplayer game based on Unreal Engine 4. The game engine supports Linux natively, so we tough compile it and use it under a Linux distribution.
> 
> ...



Write the game on open standards so it will run both FreeBSD and Linux ...


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## junovitch@ (Jul 13, 2015)

I believe the context of the Linux games being faster with linux(4) ABI translation was back in the FreeBSD 7.x time frame when the SMP improvements had matured nicely.  A lot has changed since then on both sides.


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## ANOKNUSA (Jul 13, 2015)

hacktor_ said:


> We don't care if we'll use Linux or FreeBSD. We only want best performance. We want to know if FreeBSD can handle better the game and give more performance.



And you believe asking a bunch of FreeBSD fans on their home turf will give you an objective answer?


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## hacktor_ (Jul 13, 2015)

ANOKNUSA said:


> And you believe asking a bunch of FreeBSD fans on their home turf will give you an objective answer?



Just a general opinion about this. Until the game will be playable in multiplayer, there's a long road.


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## Crivens (Jul 13, 2015)

One thing that comes to mind now - and I am drumming for my favorite daemon here  - how much effort will it take you to support FreeBSD and how much effort will it take you to support one Linux distro? Maybe it is not that bad to reach out to us, for the expense of 2 or 3 different distros? Someone needs to run these numbers, but I have not the data nor the effort it will take you for one supported platform...


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