Once you’ve created a script, roleplay or not, one of the things that will either make or break the success of it is a good host. Your servers’ roleplay experience depends upon having a good server to provide an environment that is not laggy, and doesn’t crash. A game crashing SAMP often leads to lost player information, because it can’t save – and with roleplay servers the impact this has is exacerbated due to the complex nature of the game.
Another thing to consider is reliability, because if your server is continually going down, then it can become frustrating for players, leading to a diminished roleplay experience. When looking for a host, be sure to check their ‘Uptime’, or ‘Downtime’. This number, or percentage, indicates what amount of time the server is typically online for, taking into account any downtime. You should also see if they offer a guaranteed uptime.
The server host that you choose should also have a good level of support, because things can inevitably go wrong either with your server, or payments for the server, or something similar. A good communications relationship with your host will mean that these issues get sorted quickly and with relative ease.
It is for these reasons that I recommend choosing a larger, more established host. Although you may find new start-ups that offer discounted prices, you can never be sure if they will last, and their server providers may not be very reliable either. With larger companies, the chances are that they own their own dedicated servers and therefore can depend upon them, and the probably also have a better level of support. All in all, there’s a reason why they grew large.
My favourite SA-MP host would have to be ServerFFS, because they are definitely the most reliable and established hosts in the market. They have their own servers, and a good level of support. They also offer hosting for other games, and so you can easily add them to your account too.