How does a multiplayer server work?

[Panpan]

Basically My question is this:

when creating a multiplayer server, how does it work? i.e.
-does it work like doing a LAN or coop?
-do people or can people drop in and out?
-does the server run many session inside (such as many rooms on the server)?
-what happens to buildings from a user who has disconnected?

Links and such are much appreciated as well as other similar information.

[daniel34]

when creating a multiplayer server, how does it work? i.e.
-does it work like doing a LAN or coop?

Factorio in multiplayer is co-op, where you build a factory together (there are mods for PvP). You can play over LAN with people next to you or over the internet.

-do people or can people drop in and out?

People can join and leave the game at any time. When a new player joins the game is paused while the new player downloads the map (this might change in 0.14).

-does the server run many session inside (such as many rooms on the server)?

A server only runs one game at a time. There is no lobby/rooms on a single server, once you join a server you are directly joining the game. It's also possible to run more than one server on a PC/server, but they are listed as different servers in the server list.

-what happens to buildings from a user who has disconnected?

Everything a player places in a game stays there and everybody else can work with these buildings (changing settings, removing them, ...). You can see who built a specific building by mousing over it, the name will be displayed on the sidebar to the right. A player's inventory is also saved so when he rejoins he still has the same inventory he left with.