esports routing

[browolf]

Various teachers are badgering us about the possibility of esports or competitive gaming. Now another teacher is trying to organize a fifa event with multiple users. Apparently port forwarding is likely required https://portforward.com/fifa-23/

 

but is it even possible to manage multiple instances of a game like this behind @smoothwall? Apparently smoothwall doesn't support uPnP.

Edited June 7, 2023 by browolf

[jnfarmer]

Separate VLAN that isn't routable with the rest of your corp network, and only allow ports for gaming on that VLAN? Bit of an administrative overhead having to change VLANs on ports but at least it keeps it segregated a bit.

[mavhc]

Your computers are powerful enough to run games? How do you license the games? Are games in 2023 still using P2P and not routing via a server, or at least using STUN?

[free780]

I wouldn’t even proxy the traffic. Just allow the outbound ports for the VLAN. Keeping the games up to date is another challenge.

[browolf]

I found this which may be the way

 

https://kb.smoothwall.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002031110-Blocking-or-allowing-a-games-console-through-the-Smoothwall-Filter-and-Firewall

[PotNoodleTech]

Two schools in my LEA are trying to run Esports courses this year and so far have not been able to due to LEA Filteirng Firewalling etc etc.

 

It's pretty pathetic really that the LEA are holding back Teaching and Learning in these schools.

[Roberto]

Two schools in my LEA are trying to run Esports courses this year and so far have not been able to due to LEA Filteirng Firewalling etc etc.

 

It's pretty pathetic really that the LEA are holding back Teaching and Learning in these schools.

 

How much of this is the LEA "holding back teaching and learning" and how much of this is the schools just YOLOing into running the courses with inadequate planning and notification?

[sigma]

I assume your pupils are old enough to comply with the T's&C's?

[PotNoodleTech]

How much of this is the LEA "holding back teaching and learning" and how much of this is the schools just YOLOing into running the courses with inadequate planning and notification?

 

Fair point but I believe they've had almost a years notice.

 

It's more to do with them being so totally risk adverse to such an extent that the core primary aim of the (school) business is not achieved?

[mavhc]

What are they learning by playing computer games?

[LeMarchand]

What are they learning by playing computer games?

 

Becoming an eSports pro is the new, "I'm gonna be a footballer when I grow up".

[Dos_Box]

What are they learning by playing computer games?

 

We had a chat with someone involved with Esports in education last year. The subject is about a lot more than just playing games. It covers organisation, promotion, costs and a whole lot more besides. The actual playing of the games is the end result of a lot of other work.

Esssentially it's about the 'unseen' things rather than gaming.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Dos_Box

[mavhc]

Do you need to play actual games to do the course then?

[Roberto]

Do you need to play actual games to do the course then?

 

I wouldn't think it completely outrageous for an A-level film studies course to involve a bit of film watching and critique, nor a course in sports studies to involve watching or playing a bit of sport. As such, it doesn't seem outrageous that an esports lesson might need access to actual esports.

 

I'm old enough to remember the raised eyebrows at the idea of computers in classrooms - my upper school had one in the whole campus and it only rarely featured in our computer science classes. These days there's probably at least one computer in every classroom - besides the phones in pockets and bags, I mean.

Edited June 8, 2023 by Roberto

[Dos_Box]

Do you need to play actual games to do the course then?

 

From the chat we had, no, not really.

I found this from Barnsley College - https://www.barnsley.ac.uk/course/sports-esports-level-2-full-time/ - which should give you an idea of what's covered.

 

Core modules:

• Esports Business
  
• Practical Gaming
  
• Esports Tournament Organisation
  
• Gaming Citizenship
  
• Coaching, Health and Fitness
  
• Enterprise and Creativity
  
• Leadership
  
• Personal and Professional Developmen
  

 

Don't ask mne what 'Practical Gaming' is though!

[localzuk]

I'm not sure how a school could run esports stuff legally? Taking the earlier mentioned Fifa, if they want the online stuff you have to have an EA account. And EA accounts are for individuals, and must be over 13 to sign up. Games are licensed to those individuals. The terms also specify that the games are only licensed for personal, limited licenses - not commercial etc...

 

That said, realistically, the technical side may be problematic from a filtering/routing POV. Games use their own networking engines etc, so may not play nice with enterprise class firewalls. If you need port forwards, then you may have issues with running more than 1 copy at a time.

[mavhc]

There are lots of free games, webgl means web games are perfectly fine too

[Dos_Box]

There are a few games mentioned here - https://www.bmet.ac.uk/our-courses/courses-for-16-19-years/esports-academy/

It may well be that there are 'other' ways these games can be run and maintained for a course leagally, not requiring lots of individual accounts. I may just reach out to a few games companies tomorow to get some answers.