Making Times Even Better On the Minecraft Addicts Server (Food for Thought)

[AlmightyOwner92]

I was sitting here, thinking about some stuff while playing, and I thought I should write it all down and see what you guys would think of some of these ideas. Please read them seriously, as I really did put a lot of consideration into some of these thoughts.

Making Times Even Better On the Minecraft Addicts Server
AlmightyOwner92​

At this point in time, Minecraft is not only a game - it’s almost a way of life. Players don’t casually put in a couple minutes here, and a couple there, but rather, dedicate hours, sometimes days to a single game. Online servers amplify the enjoyment, by adding the ability to socialize with other players, but far too often, the same problem comes up, again and again. Players end up migrating from server to server in search of something better, or even something DIFFERENT. I myself did this, and stumbled across “Minecraft Addicts”. This server has a lot of things others don’t, and I found it superior in some ways to other servers, but in another way, I also found it lacking. The server definitely doesn’t suck, but there are a few things that I personally would have liked to see when I came in that simply aren’t there, but maybe could be.

A New Beginning

One of the first things I found is that it takes awhile to actually get going on the server. Obviously, for the sake of land claims, it only makes sense, but when players are looking for a fix, the best way to get it is to be able to jump into a server and just go. I myself found the land claim to be quite amusing, but I noticed others who seemed reluctant when it came to the logging, and acceptance of such claims. Without altering the part that some really enjoy, maybe adding something more accessible for new players would be an appropriate improvement. Maybe keeping the idea of claiming unused land in the extremities, but having a central area where new builders can start relatively quickly would be an interesting idea. For those players wanting to get going in a couple of minutes, maybe central plots of land, already pre-divided, could be allocated to those players, so they don’t have to go through the hassle of posting and claiming their place.

The Life of a Hermit

Another thing I noticed fairly quickly, is that, while having a large plot of land all to yourself is very empowering, it can be quite lonesome out there. I know in many online servers, players are continuously seeking that sense of community, and while you can chat to each other while working on your mine does give that social interaction, it’s just not up to par with actually working together to build a monstrous network of tunnels together. You might say that you can work on projects with friends if you want, but even so, I think what’s lacking is the opportunity to do this with new players, to make new friends. Have a project started for the community - a public mine, a huge quarry, an intimidating tower of pure awesome - and watch as their relationships, as well as the projects, evolve, and entice new players to come and join. Also, maybe introduce the idea of player-owned shops, as well as the pre-determined purchasing system. Give the players a place to trade what they own, for other resources or caps.

A Thing of the Past

The third point to mention is that while the way you carry out your activities on this server is different, and in my opinion better than most other servers, it’s still the same game. I think if you really want to lure players into the server, what you need to do is give them a reason to pick this server over the others. Throw a major game-changer out there. Literally. Don’t think of the game in terms of its regularities, think of it in terms of its possibilities. As opposed to being a miner, building a shack, while pulling things out of the ground, give the players a new way to look at them game. Give them the chance to be a budding business man. Buying a low-end apartment in a “New-Yorkesque” environment, going to an interview to land that job, to pay the bills, and go shopping, to turn that little studio apartment. Maybe this idea is a little “out there” but the premise is still the same. Give the players a new way to play altogether, and they may really enjoy it.

Where Are We?

When I came into the server, I thought the idea of different regions was really cool, but I was partially let down when I went to explore them, and there wasn’t much to them in the way of “culture”. They were not really different civilizations, but simple divisions of land in an otherwise normal map, filled with tiny creations done by the players. I think something that would be really cool to see in a server, is a cultural center in these regions. It would be so interesting to see a large city, in which you would start, where you can get a sense from the architecture and the activities being carried out, what is different from one region to another. Rather than just going into the wild, and starting right away, give the players something to be in awe of, and inspire them in some way to create something similar, but at the same time unique. Let the nations develop into nations, and the people grow together. That’s something I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a mine craft server. Ever. Give the players a reason to go from region to region, as opposed to just focusing on their plot of land. A starting place like a “Capital” city, where all players work together to build up something extraordinary, would be amazing.

Overall, I think that what has been done with THIS server in comparison to other servers is quite impressive, but if you really want to take the cake, take some of these, or maybe all of these ideas into consideration as options. Don’t just dismiss them, but really think of whether or not some of this is possible. If I could be of assistance even, I’d love to help. Don’t think of this as me “trolling” on your server, I’m just giving an opinion of how it can be EVEN BETTER. It’s already great, it’s just on it’s way to being amazing.

 

[Godspeedz]

I'll stay a hermit.

 

[michaelavena]

I have to say, you have some really well thought out ideas. But, alot of the stuff you mention is stuff we already have on the server. For example, we have many communiy projects. The outlands wall, the subway, regional projects, and more. The reason that the regions dont differ very much from each other, is becuase theyre fairly new. Regions were only formed sometime back in May. As for the economy, some people do have thier own stores, in addition the the shop plugin. For example, dph owns a successful wool shop. He sells all wool colors, cheaper than the plugin shop. There are also plenty of cities you can join. The reason we have land claims, is to stop each other form stepping on each others toes. We all have our own place we can call home, where we are free to build whatever we want, with almost no restrictions. Check out some stuff on the world map. You would be amazed what can be acomplished by yourself. If in any way, a part of this comment sounded a bit mean, it was unintentional. I 100% respect your ideas and opinions. But we do have an awsome community already, but we are always looking for improvment.

 

[AlmightyOwner92]

Good to know. Makes sense, like I said, these were all just basically ideas I came up with when I was sitting here thought I'd get them into words and post them though, just to get an opinion. And it didn't sound mean haha.

 

[staticfactory]

I appreciate the time and thought you have put into this post AlmightyOwner92. Very refreshing.

This server has been in a state of constant evolution since it launched last September. That's right... this puppy is almost a year old! There aren't many servers out there with the ability to share this claim. There aren't ANY servers that have a community like we do.

When the server launched, it was a simple place where people just popped on, found some land, and went to work. The only rules were that you introduce yourself to your neighbor and make sure they didn't mind having you build next to them. Eggs were introduced as currency and the core area (surrounding spawn) was built by the folks we now consider "Pioneers". This included things like a functional bank with employees and a hotel with rooms for rent. When the world map came along, signs were used to stake claims. We started to experiment with different plugins including stats, shops, and protection... the next thing you know, beta was here.

As the game grew in popularity, more and more users decided to pay us a visit. The map got bigger and bigger due to exploration. You get a pretty interesting mix of users when you don't have a whitelist, so we decided that builder applications were the way to go, and that land claims should be mandatory. All you needed to do was pop into the forum and post a quick "Hey, this server looks really cool and I'd like to build here" and you were set. We'd change you from a guest to a builder and off you'd go to explore the map and find some land to claim.

As more users joined, the need for management increased, so we decided to introduce more plugins and invested more time into the foundation of an economy. Instead of take the path of many servers, where plugins are added/removed at will and without regard for the community, we took our time and investigated each and every tool/feature. Our number one priority has always been the safety of our users' creations. The last thing we wanted to do was end up in a situation where we'd have to ditch the map and start again (like so many other servers do). Beyond that, we wanted to maintain a relatively "vanilla" Minecraft experience yet have it skewed to the creative user at the same time. We didn't want to add silly things like flying cars or risk installing mods/features that weren't stable (like Nether, up until fairly recently). We wanted to ensure that our server stayed up, stayed easily accessible, and relatively lag-free.

Thus, our server evolved at a steady pace and so did our community. We have maintained 99%+ up-time throughout and have provided a product for our users that we take pride in. As the game continues to expand and more options become available, we give the new frontiers careful consideration. We aim for staying power over novelty and we encourage our users to dictate the course of the continued evolution. Forum threads like this one are valuable in that regard and we will certainly take your thoughts into account as we stay our course as THE BEST Minecraft server.

 

[Autom3]

oh boy, and i don't rly like those WALL'S OF TEXT u put in there jk but most of it is already answered

 

[astraeasan]

Halleluya static

Nice thread with nice and (some) new ideas, and brought in a good way
wonderful, that is what I love in the community

 

[jWhiteOwl]

I'll stay a hermit.

THE BEST Minecraft server.

Also seconded.

 

[CommanderFluffy]

i really like these ideas. however the game and server community changes so often.

when i first joined i joined right on the first dday when alot of the major staff was just getting together in december. i had an idea for land claims so users werent stepping on each others toes all over the place like hey had been for the past few months before i had gotten their. the community was great and i wanted to stay.

as static said the egg bank was open and we had alot of fun. slowly the community grew bigger and bigger. we would have land claims that would come in and build a small house then vanish again. we had mushtown that would grab users and let them build their. most of the users that werent making land claims and went into towns usually got banned or never came back.

we had tryed buying and selling land it almost never worked because no one wanted the server to become reaal life in minecraft. alot of the players that we do get dont build really awesome things because its like a vanilla type server. most awesome builds are useing item commands. we dont have that here and that makes me proud. why because its all hand built. time really went into it..

now as for the culture thing.. the server itself is a culture. the names of the regions are just to distinct each other from themselfs on the map rather than 1,2,3,4 ect... each region could set a theme but thats no fun. all the towns/citys that are really good are built by only a few people and not build by new randoms.

towns that build without any direction or vision just become... how should i put this... cluttered... unneccicary?... bad looking? i dont know how to say it but i came here because on this server the community will help if asked and you have a plan. other servers i have been on that have these towns that new people build on i never see those people again once their house is made. here we try to get you to build more on what you have.

plugins and more and more just kinda clutters the experience of what minecraft is about. minecraft is mine and build. we have that their but here we also have friendship. and that says something to me. friendship in the community where admins and mods can actually participate where people arent afraid or think they are special so they treat them better. i like our community. i like your ideas however i dont know how to add them or what it is exactly you are suggesting other than regional culture.

somehow my reply isnt what i thought it was.. thanks for the topic though! and your not trolling. i like to read community suggestions they are fun

 

[jWhiteOwl]

Please note that nothing that I say speaks on behalf and/or for MCAddicts in either whole or in part in any way.

A New Beginning

One of the first things I found is that it takes awhile to actually get going on the server. Obviously, for the sake of land claims, it only makes sense, but when players are looking for a fix, the best way to get it is to be able to jump into a server and just go. I myself found the land claim to be quite amusing, but I noticed others who seemed reluctant when it came to the logging, and acceptance of such claims. Without altering the part that some really enjoy, maybe adding something more accessible for new players would be an appropriate improvement. Maybe keeping the idea of claiming unused land in the extremities, but having a central area where new builders can start relatively quickly would be an interesting idea. For those players wanting to get going in a couple of minutes, maybe central plots of land, already pre-divided, could be allocated to those players, so they don’t have to go through the hassle of posting and claiming their place.

Builders can start as quickly as they want to. When I first joined (which may be around a month ago), all the information I needed was already posted on either the signs or the forums. Where did I initially build? The outlands! I did so because it gave me the opportunity to chat with the community while building my own temporary spot and finding a decent plot to claim.

I don't think we want to even appear to adhere to random players' notion of instant gratification. If you really want something, you have to work for it. And the work will be worth it. Adversly we'd be saying is that impatience is tolerated.

And if you're like me, I'm very opposed to nonsensical complaining.

/warp pvp = instant build

The Life of a Hermit

Another thing I noticed fairly quickly, is that, while having a large plot of land all to yourself is very empowering, it can be quite lonesome out there. I know in many online servers, players are continuously seeking that sense of community, and while you can chat to each other while working on your mine does give that social interaction, it’s just not up to par with actually working together to build a monstrous network of tunnels together. You might say that you can work on projects with friends if you want, but even so, I think what’s lacking is the opportunity to do this with new players, to make new friends. Have a project started for the community - a public mine, a huge quarry, an intimidating tower of pure awesome - and watch as their relationships, as well as the projects, evolve, and entice new players to come and join. Also, maybe introduce the idea of player-owned shops, as well as the pre-determined purchasing system. Give the players a place to trade what they own, for other resources or caps.

That's why there are private, player, and public warps. In my case, even though I have a fairly remote plot of land, it takes me little to no effort to get to anyone that needs help with something. There is a public shop system, private shops may be kind of nice. Like say only base materials can be bought on the shop system and private shops are the crafted goods (picks, furnaces, rails, dyed wool etc).

The thing to remember here is that people have to choose to want to play with others, and all it takes a little time with the community and planning to get people motivated to want to build large and elaborate structures.

Bottom line space really isn't the problem here.

A Thing of the Past

The third point to mention is that while the way you carry out your activities on this server is different, and in my opinion better than most other servers, it’s still the same game. I think if you really want to lure players into the server, what you need to do is give them a reason to pick this server over the others. Throw a major game-changer out there. Literally. Don’t think of the game in terms of its regularities, think of it in terms of its possibilities. As opposed to being a miner, building a shack, while pulling things out of the ground, give the players a new way to look at them game. Give them the chance to be a budding business man. Buying a low-end apartment in a “New-Yorkesque” environment, going to an interview to land that job, to pay the bills, and go shopping, to turn that little studio apartment. Maybe this idea is a little “out there” but the premise is still the same. Give the players a new way to play altogether, and they may really enjoy it.

I agree with Fluffy on the theme thing. I don't think this server claims to be RP, and themes can be tiring to adhere to. What really appealled to me already about this server is the tiered management system. There are plenty of roles that people can work with that apply to the base gameplay mechanics of Minecraft itself: building and/or crafting. Which also works to the fact that people can't just jump on and be a complete douchebag.


A server that appeals to everyone is a server that appeals to no one. Some people like to destroy, troll, curse, build giant vulgar structures, and just be the total opposite of civil character. Some people like RP, survival, hardcore, creative, and the list goes on. But I think what appeals the most are the kinds of game play that build on the elements of vanilla MC. This system works to the effect that people have their own area that they can feel free to do with whatever they want. And if their 'area' happens to turn in to a big intentional eyesore... you'll know who owns what since (hopefully) those plots are marked and there's a record on the forums if the claim even really exists. It's a community based building/security mechanic.


I can't count how many times I've been to previous MC servers and it was either a matter of totally open pvp/grief, controlled building but allowed slander, or join x open pvp/grief server until we get to know you then join y server. All of those concepts work to their own degree. I won't refute the effectiveness of whatever they're attempting to achieve.


But it's nice to have just one server, where there's open space to build, but there's also a controlled environment that you can be a part of as well.

Where Are We?

When I came into the server, I thought the idea of different regions was really cool, but I was partially let down when I went to explore them, and there wasn’t much to them in the way of “culture”. They were not really different civilizations, but simple divisions of land in an otherwise normal map, filled with tiny creations done by the players. I think something that would be really cool to see in a server, is a cultural center in these regions. It would be so interesting to see a large city, in which you would start, where you can get a sense from the architecture and the activities being carried out, what is different from one region to another. Rather than just going into the wild, and starting right away, give the players something to be in awe of, and inspire them in some way to create something similar, but at the same time unique. Let the nations develop into nations, and the people grow together. That’s something I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a mine craft server. Ever. Give the players a reason to go from region to region, as opposed to just focusing on their plot of land. A starting place like a “Capital” city, where all players work together to build up something extraordinary, would be amazing.

Overall, I think that what has been done with THIS server in comparison to other servers is quite impressive, but if you really want to take the cake, take some of these, or maybe all of these ideas into consideration as options. Don’t just dismiss them, but really think of whether or not some of this is possible. If I could be of assistance even, I’d love to help. Don’t think of this as me “trolling” on your server, I’m just giving an opinion of how it can be EVEN BETTER. It’s already great, it’s just on it’s way to being amazing.

Covering these regions with pleasing aesthetics would take an IMMENSE amount of planning, time, and work. Plus it would also require that any players wishing to build in these areas follow those regions' building guidelines so you don't have 'black sheep' (not black wool... well, maybe, purely contextual) structures getting in the way of the whole effect.


Would be a great project to be covered by Follow My Build though. Maybe just, like you said, capital cities near the warps then progressivley the rest of the region.




But overall you have some good ideas with lots of potential. I don't intend to say you're wrong or your ideas are bad. The sky is always the limit (well, that'd be 64 blocks from sea level or 128 blocks from bedrock, but you get the drift).

 

[_Leprince]

I guess you just need to spend more time here. Each paragraph was not necessarily written in the order you read it. Please bear with me.

A New Beginning:
This is an idea that has been proposed before. There are pros and cons to this idea and to the actual system. While being very friendly to new folks, it reserves quite a lot of space for temporary and or lesser quality builds. This, in my opinion, is not what we are looking for here.
There are lots of community projects going around the server: the Monopoly board (in Rural) and the subway (soon all regions) they just need more PR.


The Life of a Hermit:
Spend more time around here, you'll see it everyday. People hiring people, people offering help, people planning and building stuff together. Rural's regional center was (and is still) a community build. A mall has been tried and failed miserably, because of the fact that people needed to be online to sell stuff and that advertising was a pain in the ass (in the chat).
Transactions between persons is more common than you think.

A thing of the past:
One thing to say: Minecraft, as far as I know, is not a RPG, nor is it second life. I wouldn't want to have to work my way in MC the same as in real life.
There are servers that are organised this way, the whole server is a prebuilt mega city and you have a job and all that stuff.


Where Are We?

Forcing the use of a certain architectural style over an entire region doesnt make it a game. It would also mean massive demolition and/or "historification" or preservation.
I already have to deal with the people who want to build a farm and nothing else on their land because the name of the region is "Rural", no need to police the architecture... Regions ARE divisions of land. I guess the culture thing will develop as months go by. Regional centers are meant to be a starting point that inspires you to go further into said region.

 

[AlmightyOwner92]

I'd like to thank everyone that took the time to read my post, as well as those who took the time to reply to it. It really opened my eyes as to what already is a part of the server. It also made me realize that, while I was thinking of just mentioning these ideas openly as an idea for the server, I can, if I wish, make some of these ideas come to life MYSELF. I appreciate the politeness you all used in showing me that some of my ideas were already in use, as opposed to just flat out telling me I'm wrong. Thank you and I hope to hear from you all again in future posts. Play on.

-AlmightyOwner92-​