Owning a server is hard, but the rewards and knowledge that comes later are worth it.
Hello! Thank you for checking out this article where we will be detailing some tips and tricks that a Beginner or should know to get started in 2021.
I have been running a Server for a little over a year and although not as qualified as other Server owners I have learned a lot that could definitely help you get started.
1. Choosing a game mode to start with
One of the first steps a Beginner should think about is determining the type of server you want to create. There are unlimited possibilities for playing Minecraft, so you are going to want to find a game mode that works for you and start from there.
Some of the most popular game modes:
SMP/Survival
Factions
Prison
Skyblock
Minigames
Creative
There should be plenty more, but these are what most people would call the most popular and “core” game modes.
Secondly, one of the things you will need to know when choosing a game mode is to make it stand out against the plethora of similar servers you may face and compete against out there. In order to help you, you will need to find a niche that makes your server stand out. What makes your server better than others? Is it the features? Is it the community? These are questions you should be asking yourself.
Lastly, Minecraft usually updates once or twice a year. At the time of writing this article, the latest version is 1.16.5. There may be other people out there who will call on you to always support the latest versions but I find that 1.8 servers are the ones with the best performance out there, being able to support a large player base regardless of the many exploits that may not have been fixed yet. In the end, this really stems down to your personal preference and is something that you will need to decide on your own. Luckily, there are remedies if you wish for players who use other versions such as 1.16.5 or 1.15.2, or even 1.7 to be able to play your server with ViaVersion and its related plugins or ProtocolSupport.
Best plugins for Skyblock, Prison, Factions, Survival, etc.
Found a game mode to go with? Great! You are now ready for the second step. Below, I have compiled a list of plugins and their descriptions for each game mode you may go with (Listed only open-sourced and free plugins):
Prison
Prison is a game mode that requires you to optimize your server very well due to the number of events or packets to be specific taking place when a player mines constantly which sends packets to the server. This causes constant TPS losses if there are multiple players mining. Nevertheless, Prison is a fun and addicting game mode for players who prefer a grindy playstyle.
Prison. This plugin includes multiple features such as Ranks, Rank up/Prestiges, Mines, Optimised BlockEvents, SellAll, AutoSell, and many more. It is essentially a core plugin every Prison server should have.
Plots/Gangs. If you’re looking for a plot playstyle for players, there is no other plugin better than PlotsSquared. You could use this plugin for land and world management such as plots of lands in existing worlds using plot clusters or even have a full world of plots.
Survival/SMP
Survival is a game mode that has existed since Minecraft Multiplayer has come out. It is a game mode with unlimited possibilities for playstyles where you would prefer RPG or Towny-based.
Some plugins that you could use on your Survival server includes: Grief Prevention. This plugin allows players to protect their bases using Claim Blocks to prevent any type of Grief. Players can trust their most trusted friends to build on their lands and more.
Towny. If you’re looking for something more advanced than Grief Prevention, look no further than Towny. Towny involves many more features than the previous such as Wars where you can declare war against other Towns as well as the ability to manage affairs in your own Towns.
Factions
Factions is a game mode similar to Survival but allows Griefing and Raiding other player bases, similar to Anarchy but with its own organized set of methods.
There are multiple Factions plugins out there but I will be listing the most popular and stable ones: If you’re looking for the original Factions, MassiveFactions is the one to go with. However, it no longer supports the latest versions sadly due to the authors of MassiveFactions leaving the scene. If you’re still looking for one that does not need to support the latest version, feel free to download it at Factions.
Luckily, there are multiple plugins that do support the latest versions such as Saber Factions. This plugin consists of multiple more features and is typically best for the super competitive Factions game mode where FTOP payout is involved. It has features such as Factions Alt, Grace Period management, a built-in Shop, Quests, Faction Upgrades, and much more. It is essentially an All-In-One Factions plugin catered toward competitive servers.
If that is not your cup of tea, there are a couple of the original Factions that can support 1.16 versions such as Factions Reworked, and Factions3 for 1.13+.
Another Factions plugin could be Simply HCF if you’re looking for an alternative Factions game mode where there is no raiding involved using explosions but it revolves around PvP where each death of the opposing Faction can allow you to raid other Factions base.
Skyblock
Similar to Survival, Skyblock is a Survival game mode where players are challenged to live and build on a floating island. If this is what you have been looking for, then fret now. Below are the plugins you can use to get started with Skyblock:
ASkyblock is the original Skyblock plugin which sadly does not support the latest versions of Minecraft only being limited to 1.12 versions. Luckily, the developers of ASkyblock took the time to create a new Skyblock plugin to support the latest versions which are BentoBox which not only has Skyblock but supports other island-type games such as AcidIsland, and SkyGrid.
If that is not what you’re looking for, there is always Iridium Skyblock which is meant for competitive Skyblock servers. It has a couple of features such as Island Upgrades, Boosters, Missions, and a leaderboard Island Top system. Just like Saber Factions, it is an All-in-One Skyblock plugin.
Best Core plugins that every server needs
Now that we have gotten past the game modes and their plugins, we come to the more important part of Servers. Each and every server should have a Core plugin where you could manage and handle ranks or even use new commands that normal Minecraft servers don’t usually have such as /feed or /heal.
One core plugin that comes to mind that every server should have is EssentialsX. This is a fork and a much better plugin than the original Essentials plugin. Just like the name, it consists of essential commands and features that servers should have namely:
Player made homes and server warps
Player kits and first join kits
Easy player to player teleports, including teleport requests
Full chat and nickname customization
Full moderator control, with features such as muting, jailing, and temp banning
Economy support, including shop signs and command costs.
There are more features not named, which is another reason why servers should be using this plugin.
That’s all for today. Thanks for reading the first part of the article! The next article should explain more about the stores you should use, how to set up the store theme, a guide to EULA, how to grow your Minecraft server with advertisements, and more. Stay tuned!
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