Advice to New Server Owners

[I_Luv_Cowz]

Reply to this thread with something you wish you had known going into owning a minecraft server!

I'll go first: Don't think you know everything, the fastest way to learn is to start conversations with as many people possible. If you don't know something, or want to learn more about something, there are plenty of forums with communities more then willing to help (Spigot, MC-Market, Reddit).

 

[snazzeh]

This might be useful to a few -

try and make your server unique.
Dont just install all the plugins on spigot.
dont buy from big sites, its overpriced and horrible

 

[Fhew12]

This might be useful to a few -

try and make your server unique.
Dont just install all the plugins on spigot.
dont buy from big sites, its overpriced and horrible

After owning a few server, I can 100% agree with this.

 

[OAliverpool]

Builds are over rated

 

[I_Luv_Cowz]

I'll add on to this thread; Don't use cracked plugins, they often have malicious code in them, don't properly function, are outdated, and don't have any support.

 

[I_Luv_Cowz]

Adding on: No need to get everything "custom" - There is no point in wasting money in stuff thats already been created 100 times and is publicly available. Save that money for getting custom plugins that are unique... plugins that haven't already been made.

 

[Arcscoba]

Don't expect to get donations in the first few months of running your server.

 

[Arcscoba]

Not necessarily true; If the server is in development, don't expect donations. If you have a successful release of your minecraft server, you can expect a lot of donations for the first month or two and then since everyone has the top ranks or items, Then they stop donating.

Adding:

• Play multiple different variety servers with the gamemode that you are trying to release, figure out what they have in common, what they differ in, and what they lack. Use this to your advantage to create the best and most unique server to the players liking.

That's only if the server is ran by or sponsored by an influencer. If a regular person ran a successful release, players will check the server out, but won't be donating right away.

 

[theFATGUY46]

Not necessarily true; If the server is in development, don't expect donations. If you have a successful release of your minecraft server, you can expect a lot of donations for the first month or two and then since everyone has the top ranks or items, Then they stop donating.

That's only if the server is ran by or sponsored by an influencer. If a regular person ran a successful release, players will check the server out, but won't be donating right away.

In my view, both of you are correct. It's really a game of chance and luck to my knowledge. Another few things I'll add is don't underestimate marketing, nobody will join your server if you don't advertise it very well. Don't waste money on small YouTubers who won't truly bring in players. Put your advertising investment in big clumps, don't spend $25 every week on random ads. Have a plan, don't slack, and pray to God it works.

 

[Dev1]

You do not need A-list plugins (StellarDev, Atlas, or Joseph's). Typically these plugins are overpriced and there are mostlikely similar plugins already released on Spigot or MCMarket.

Oh my goodness. I 100% agree with this. Cough wine spigot better than Gem.

 

[I_Luv_Cowz]

Adding:

• Have 3 major color codes that match your server template/layout.
• Trello - I cannot stress this enough. Use a Trello to plan out/strategize and categorize what you need done before beginning development. What features you want, Plugins, Lore, and Theme.
• Add 1-2 plugins at a time and specifically work on those configurations for those plugins. This will minimalize the procrastination and work overload. Typically your brain will have a meltdown due to how much unfinished work you need to accomplish (well in my case that's what happens).
• Daily To-Do list - Having a Daily To-Do list is great for managing time and keeping up with a schedule. This list should comprise of how many things you CAN DO, not THINK YOU CAN DO. Don't push yourself to where you are all burned out.
• Standardized Theme - Brainstorm a theme for your server a based it on that specific theme, If you want a Space themed server, Have Space themed builds, Crates, Etc...
  
• Economy Breakdown - Have an economy breakdown sheet/layout. This will help in the long-term. Normally players ask for an Economy Sheet stating what the economy is based off of, and what sells and buys for what. This gives players and their groups to strategize on how to win the map. Economy is extremely hard to balance as it plays a major role in the direction your server goes. The economy has many factors such as, Crates, PvP Events, KoTH, and other plugins that may give good/high-tier items or money.
• Don't overuse GUI's. Yes, GUI's look professional and neat in the server owners eyes but in the eye of the players, they could be rather annoying as well. Make sure not to overuse GUI's.
• Limit your server to a set amount of features. You do not have to have 100 different features in order to make your server unique. Typically it is harder to manage the server with more features and it makes it more confusing for the players.
• Interaction - Interact within the community as owner; Hold giveaways, Fun discord events, Server events, Keep your players in-gaged into your server by being an interactive owner.
• Do not respond to DM's and I highly recommend turning them off to non-friends. Typically server owners get hundreds of messages in their DM's and if you respond to one person, you will have to respond to all or else it can cause conflict within the discord as if you message and help one player out and ignore everyone else and someone complains and that one player says "He helped me". It could start a huge ruckus within the community.
• Secure Backend & Front End with 2FA Verification for High Ranked Staff Members - I cannot stress enough to have a secure Front-End and Back-End server host with 2FA Verification for higher ranked staff. This is not only to protect you from greifers and hackers but it is also to protect the players private information such as their IP Address. I recommend having a requirement for 2FA within all of your amenities; Discord, Minecraft, Host, Web, and Web Store. Nothing reassures a player that they are playing in a safe environment with extra security measures.
• Databases - Databases are commonly used within Minecraft Plugins. I recommend using MariaDB (Fork of MySQL) as MySQL is the most common Database used in Minecraft Plugin Development. MariaDB provides extra security and faster data transfer that regular MySQL. If a plugin uses a Database system, Make sure to use it as it could save important files/information pertaining to the server.
• Backups - Just like Databases, I recommend backing the server up every 6-8 hours on a separate device that only you and the other owner(s) (if any) have access to. Typically, You should have an auto-restart to backup the data as it also gives the server time to process and export all the information that it has received over the past couple of hours.

This is all the input that I have on running a Minecraft server and what I have learned over the past 5 years of owning and managing minecraft servers. If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to add me on discord at; DocDrewskii#0001

[EDIT: This is just a suggestion but I recommend creating a Forum post that serves as a guide/helpful resource to newer server owners. This forum will be comprised of all the best advice in this forum post and be thrown into one large forum with multiple categories (spoilers) stating which category helps which subject.]

Yes, this is partly the reason I created this discussion, I plan on creating a post on MC-Market or SpigotMC using all the tips I get on this thread to help new server owners!