You Have Questions. We Have a Handy Web Page
Here are a selection of questions that we are commonly asked. If you have a question that you can’t find the answer to here, please contact us.
What exactly does Dream GCS do?
DreamGCS is in the business of consulting and support. We have over 15 years combined experience in the LAN Center industry, and have accumulated a lot of knowledge, and made a lot of tools to help ourselves and others. Our tools are designed to help automate and streamline the essentials of running games in a LAN center environment. This includes CD key distribution, automatic updates, and personal user file management. Most of our tools are available directly from our website here either for free, or for a small fee.
What kind of services are available from Dream GCS?
We offer general consulting, business plan advice, software consulting (including Smartlaunch, Windows XP, Vista, and 7, CyberCafe Pro, Active Directory, and batch scripting), as well as on-call service contracts. We also offer a single point of contact for game purchasing, PC and console hardware, and more.
Why does Dream charge for tools I could write myself?
A lot of LAN Center owners are very tech-savvy and could probably design their own tools easily. Our customers realize that their time is valuable, and that hours spent writing tools is time not spent focusing on growing their business.
What games does Dream GCS currently support?
We currently support every PC game that is on the market today, including games that are no longer on the market. The only class of games we do not support are games protected by GameGuard. We choose not support them due to security and compatibility issues. An evolving list of GameGuard games can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NProtect_GameGuard
Is the software that Dream GCS uses proprietary or a combination of off the shelf packages?
Dream GCS uses tools that are available off the shelf, which include our imaging suite and image mounting tools. In addition we custom write all of the integration software for the game center, which we customize the computer imaging suite software to better fit our/your needs. We also write an entire suite of “game loaders” which are the software launchers for all of the games, which handle the Personal User files, game install, license install and cleanup of the games. Our specialized loaders are one of the key features that set us apart from everyone else.
What happens to the software if I choose to not renew my support contract or cancel it?
You have ownership of any software that requires a purchased licence, and will retain ownership of it if you choose not to continue to utilize our services.
What happens to the proprietary software tools if Dream GCS where to go out of business?
If DGCS were to go out of business, all source-code to the tools (your customized version) would be released to you for your use internally within your center (resale rights would not be included).
How often does Dream GCS maintain my server / network?
We typically monitor a network once every 48 hours or so to ensure that all monitoring software is running and there are no outstanding issues.
What type of monitoring does Dream GCS do to detect problems in my Game Center?
All critical components of your server are monitored using monitoring tools which dispatch emails in the event of exceptions. In addition we do heartbeat listening to all servers, and if a server disappears for a extra ordinary period of time we will call to inquire about its status.
Most Game Centers are open during non-business hours, when is Dream GCS available for support calls?
Our support is 24/7/365, we are available via email, phone, text, and IM. Normal support hours are from 9am-9pm PST Monday through Friday, and typically respond to any issue within 60 minutes. From 9pm to 9am, on weekends, and on major holidays, we will typically respond within 2 hours. We understand that game centers make most of their money in the evening and on weekends and we almost always beat our response estimates above.
What type of training is required by our staff to use the system Dream GCS provides?
Most of our tools run behind the scenes and require no intervention from you or your staff. Basic training is necessary to learn how to operate Smartlaunch in a customer-service capacity, which typically takes a few hours at most.
How does Dream GCS handle Licence Management?
We use SmartLaunch for license management, and adhere to the “One simultaneous user per license” mantra for all of the games. The only exceptions being those that do not require licensing, such as World of Warcraft. You retain ownership of any licence keys put into your system.
How many hours of extra support do most Dream GCS clients require on a monthly basis?
Less than 10 generally.
Does Dream GCS charge extra for administering new patches to games?
Patching and updating games is included in the service contract, and is one of the main reasons people use our service. We do not charge for patching games. Even if we find it necessary to modify a loading utility, or generate a new disc image, there are no additional fees.
What has been the longest delay in deploying a patch or game and why?
Currently the longest delay was 5 days after retail release for Command and Conquer 3. The delay was necessary because we needed to implement an updated version of the disc imaging software to handle a new DRM scheme. Our policy is to deploy patches to games within 72 hours, unless the patch would compromise system security or break the game in any manner.
Given the first few weeks of a gaming center may have more issues than any other time, what type of additional support is offered during the startup phase?
During the first few days of a new Game Center we are on high alert, and will respond to any issues as fast as humanly possible. On request we will also fly out to your location for opening weekend to be able to troubleshoot and solve any issues on the spot. The support team typically consists of one software support specialist and one hardware specialist. On-site support is subject to additional fees, please contact us about this specific service if you are interested.
If I purchase the computers from Dream GCS, is there any fee for installing the games/software?
If you choose to purchase hardware through us, we can significantly reduce the deployment time of the software, and as a result, charge less. Any applicable installation fees are typically rolled into the cost of the hardware itself and presented to you in a proposal document before any contracts are signed.
Can Dream GCS give me a better deal on games than iGames?
iGames is not in the business of selling games. They will offer limited-run promotional showcases in which they typically charge around $100 for 8 licenses. However you are restricted in what games are available and when, and you typically cannot acquire more than 8 copies. However you will still need to acquire the necessary commercial exploitation licenses for each of the major game production houses, which iGames has the exclusive ability to provide.
