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What is GNS?

Figure 2: A graphical representation of a GNS server hierarchy.

A GNS server is a superset of the DNS server. It has all the code functionality a typical DNS server does. If you want to find Steve's Unreal Team Fortress game, you would have to resolve the name

stevesgame.awesomegamenet.3_2_1.tf.unreal

to the IP address of his computer.

The top-level domains in the GNS are not com or org like with DNS, but rather, can be the names of video games: Quake, Unreal, or Cycles3D. The lower level domains could be a variety of things, depending on the game. For popular 3D shooters, they could be a hierarchy that goes from add-on, to version, to third-party servers like Awesomegamenet (which is non-existent as far as I know) or BattleNet. Who says this has to be written in stone, however? The top-level domains could in fact be the BattleNet's and GameSpy's of our day, while game names appear at lower levels. The point I'm trying to make here is that the concept of DNS may not only apply to finding websites, but also, to finding video games.

I said earlier that the GNS server is a superset of the DNS server...what more could it do than just resolve names to IP addresses? Well, let's be creative for a moment. Who says they have to just point to games? Why not rankings, too? Obviously, clan servers would have to join the hierarchy...and game statistics (like player count and frags) may not only be retrieved from one specific game, but to all the games in a specific sub-domain.

I know what you're thinking: "Who is this guy? Why doesn't he get with the times, and use GameSpy? We already have all the technology we need to find people and games over the Internet!" Well, you're absolutely correct. I do not know; however, how GameSpy works. Maybe it already works this way (in which case I hide behind my disclaimer). Still, I think that the development of a client and server side package for this concept would be a great help to small time developers or individuals who can write video games, but don't want to invest a great deal of time in this particular aspect of their games. The best part is, 90% of the GNS package has already been programmed by those who write DNS servers and clients! Now lets see if we can get them to release their source code so we can finish the other 10% :).