Language and learning of an MMO Game server [closed]

Question

I am creating a MMO using XNA framework for the client and want to create the server using .Net sockets in C#. I am not a total rookie to network programming, but I am having trouble finding resources, and learning material on developing a game server or learning .Net Sockets. I scanned the MSDN library for quite a while but I feel a tutorial or a step by step book would not go amiss. I considered a WCF program for the server but I want a more educated persons opinion before traveling down that road.

What do you think? Is there a reference I overlooked? Would WCF be appropriate?

Answer 1

This creators club thread suggests that WCF has some unnecessary overhead compared to just using the lower level socket API.

Have you looked at a third party library like Photon? They're built on top of Enet (C++) and allow you to add logic via .NET. They handle providing infrastructure like message channels, packaging multiple messages, and reliable UDP. There's also Lidgren.

Ryzom is a MMORPG that has open sourced their game.

And be sure to check GameDev.net's section on multiplayer programming.