The client and server in Conquest are separate. To launch the server, you start the Conquest executable with -s as parameter. There is also a -t (terminal) option for running a dedicated server with no GUI. You cannot create a game with the client. This makes for a very cheat-proof experience if the server is hosted by a 3rd person, because the client only knows what it has to.
The first public beta release will only have the most basic create game / join game functionality. One person will open a server, and the others will connect to him through his ip/hostname and port.
So for the purpose of making play against strangers at least a little easier, we will host a few dedicated servers and create a simple interface for the website, which will query these dedicated servers for their status. This will make it possible for potential players to visit the website and instantly know if anyone is currently on the official dedicated servers. If not, he will still have the option to join the official #conquest-game IRC channel on QuakeNet and ask around if anyone would like to play. The website will be available under http://www.conquest-game.com when we are ready for the release of the first public beta, but more about the website in another sneak peek.
We have also implemented a minimum player requirement for the match to start, which should make gameplay as smooth as possible (since there is no lobby before a match starts). We will most likely start with two 1v1, tiny map dedicated servers and one medium-sized for up to 4 players.
In the future there will most likely be a public lobby system for joining games. That means hosters will be able to start public servers which will get listed on the master server. Players will then get this list of servers when wanting to join a game.
There is also always the option to make a ladder system when the game goes gold, and perhaps even proper matchmaking so the system tries to find you an opponent automatically, or a simple AI to let new players get into the game easier, but that all really depends on how the game goes and on the players' feedback.
