Hello Minecrafters of Minecraftia! My name is Carter Church, and recently I got more into the world of hosting Minecraft servers. I've always been the technical one in the family, so I started my server up. Four months later, surprisingly, my server is fluctuating with users, and here I am writing about how I did it and what to avoid with you now! This tutorial will be split into multiple sections. Anyways, here we go.

Chapter 1, Section 1: Setting up
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, when you first think about starting up a MC server, your really don't know what too do. This tutorial will teach you exactly what you need too do.

1. Make a server folder on your desktop
2. Download Craftbukkit at http://wiki.bukkit.org/Setting_up_a_server
3. Download Notepad++ at http://notepad-plus-plus.org/
4. In Notepad++, click the document with the green plus on it.
5. In that text pad, go to http://wiki.bukkit.org/Setting_up_a_server and find the startup code that fits your system, you can choose from Java 6, Java 6 32 bit running on 64 bit system, or Java 7.
6. When that code is written like the page, go to file--->save as On the "Title" bar, write start. On the bottom dropdown, scroll down until you find "Bat/batch"
7. Drag the .bat you just made over too your server folder
8. Rename the craftbukkit you donloaded too this exact title: "craftbukkit"
9.Double click the bat file (Photo looks like gears)
10. Here your CMD window will open, and your server will start.

Please note: This is the basics of starting a server. You will need to figure out how to edit the server configs on your own. I prefer youtube, but I'm a visual learner. Once you get everything Hamachi'd/Port Forwarded, read below.

Chapter 2, Section 1: Plugins
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, some server owners may think that its "so much easier" to just go with Vanilla instead of a service like Bukkit. Well, let me go ahead and explain that without the proper plugins, your server will go down the crapper. Fast. When you pick plugins for your server, pick things that relate to your server. This might seem obvious, but countless times I have seen plugins that people install on servers that arent even used. Plugins take up a bunch of space, and it isn't worth removing 10 player slots for a mod that makes you fly or a mod that turns you into a mob. Especially if your running a compleatly different themed
server. When I first started my server, I had almost no plugins. The server I am referring too is my Hunger Games server. I had MAYBE World edit and a few others. Remember that before even YOU get on your server, technical work comes FIRST. Also be sure to tweak that config file to make sure those pesky creepers are On/Off depending on your server's theme, or that your MOTD doesn't have something with vulgar language in it that you MAY have done in a joke with a friend (Yes, sadly that did happen to me. Users didn't conform to it very well, let me put it that way)

Plugins you REQUIRE:
-Essentials
-PermissionsEx, GroupManager, or any permissions handler
-Plugins that conform to what you need (Want players to help each other? Try Factions)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Secton 2: Building and Recruiting
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unless your drunk, your not going to build your server map by yourself. I will have to admit, I was lucky. I got about fifty RANDOM people i'd never met before and let them all build with world edit. I must have got a present from Heaven, because after all the map was finished, I didn't have ONE greifer at all on my server. When you start yours up, I would suggest that you get friends or people you trust to help. Do NOT post your IP randomly for builders, as you will be griefed. No doubt about it. When you finaly get your server built, it will be time to hire those trusted admins and moderators. I would recommend to give Moderators the base commands like /kick and /ban. Do NOT give your moderator's the option to stop the server, self destruct the server, or kill users. Those are all fun things most moderators will lurk for, espicaly that last one. Even Admins need basic commands. I would hire those friends that helped build the server as Mods if you don't know em in real life, or Admins if you have known them for over a year, or have known them in real life. Do NOT hire those pesky guys that say "omg dude i hav helpd u buld 4 lik a lung tim and i tink i desrv OP. Kan I hav op plz?" As much as their request is very tempting, deny them. (Sarcasm).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 3: Rising to the top and getting/keeping users!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, I've put my server on PMC.... Why arent I getting millions of hits?
Well, sadly, this is a question I get very often. With both of my submissions combined, I have 47,141 views and 13,468 unique visits. This took me three months, and it wasn't easy. Want to know how I did this? Read below.

So, when I started my server, I had about 100 unique visits, and I was proud. Now, even as I have 13,468 users, I treat them all the same. The technique I use is the following. Treat EVERY user like the first user. Give them a tour of the server, and even a diamond helmet or some sort of item. Show them the servers best builds, and use great grammar. Think about it as if you were that user. The user is more likely to return to your server if they have started a project. If your server has factions, make sure that user knows how to build a faction. If your server has a game (Hunger Games), make sure they know how to play. Also, there is one main rule in server managing. The rule is Keep Users Occupied. KUO. If a users comes on, reads signs for 30 mins, takes a test on those signs, and then goes through a tutorial, you will get no users that stay online. Make your spawn short and sweet. Five minutes at max, and keep it neat. Don't have users running around to find the secret code word to rank up, just let them on through. One mistake I always see in servers is people that basicly say "OK, This is the hunger games. Please wait in this room for thirty minuites, and then we will start". My technique is, while people are waiting for the games, let them play around. I let users live the life of a district member in their own district. This way I attract PvPers and RPers, which is very hard for a normal server. If you see users comming on and leaving soon after for no reason, spice your spawn up a bit. Give it a sexy look, just like you would when meeting your girlfriend's dad for the first time. First impressions are a MUST in Minecraft. The first thing a Minecrafter sees is your PMC page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 4: Sponsorship Deals
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, you have your server and around 2,000 unique visits, but you have no money to pay for your server, and need an upgrade? This is where Sponsors come in. Now, let me go ahead and tell you, do NOT let someone sponsor you that does not own a company. I have had two people sponsor me so far, and both of them turned out like Hitler dictating everything. Their main goal is to make sure they own the server, and they have the files so you can't do anything about it. Insted of screwing up twice like I did, go directly to a server host. About a month or so ago, I went to OrbitBlade Soloutions and told them my delema. I was being hosted on a 2gb server at my own house, so we made a deal. They gave me a 4GB 80 Slot server in turn for advertising on my forum and server. They have not yet ONCE tried to take control at all of my server, and I have to brag on them for that.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 5: Server upkeep and should you trust that admin?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Running a Minecraft server is HARD work, and sometimes you have to devote a bunch of extra time. I spend about 8 hours daily running the hunger games. On your server, you may not have to do as much upkeep. Usualy the less upkeep you do, the less users you have. Another thing most people ask is should your admins have console access. Well, I had an admin recently (name witheld) that became a big baby because I wouldn't let him have a Zombie server on our hosting. Well, this same guy had begged for FTP and Console access before, and thank god I didn't give it too him. Be weary of who you trust, because sometimes your best friend becomes your greatest enemy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 6: Donations
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When you start your server, you will probably have to pay for hosting, unless you are lucky enough to have a spare computer lying around. It wont be a walk in the park to pay for it, so you will have to accept donations.

Rules that will make people drool to buy:

1. Low prices: If you are hurting for donation money, you always lower the prices. Everyone loves bargains.

2. Make it worth the while: Remember, they arent just paying, but they may also be having to convince a
family member that your deal is worth it

3. Be patient: Not everyone is going to want to give you hundreds of dollars

4. Don't OP your selections: Don't sell stuff that will make other people quit because of the power of it

5. NEVER sell Operator: Selling all the commands is a trainwreck to happen

6. Make different levels of Donations
Example:

Iron Level:
Donator Rank
64 Diamonds
$5

Gold Level:
Donator+ Rank
128 Diamonds
$10

Diamond Level:
Donator++ Rank
300 diamonds
64 Pork
1,000 cobblestone
$20

Obsidian Level:
Head Donator
600 Diamonds
128 Pork
2,000 of any non-rare block of choice
$30

That is the scale I used to use, and it helped me SO much.

7. DON'T BEG: Begging users for money is something noob servers do. Don't do it

8. Don't be mad because someone won't donate: Anger isn't professional.

9. Finaly, DO NOT make your server Pay 2 Play: Worst choice..... ever....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------