An Open Letter to Server Owners (Part 2):

In my previous post (which can be found here), I talked about how the Minecraft Server Community used to display innovation proudly. However, somewhere in our journey, we have lost sight of this basic principle. The most notable example of this is the way that server owners crowdsource their servers.

For as long as I remember, server owners have used the same, outdated method of selling ranks and other in-game features. As I stated before, this is a cheap way to make a quick buck. The possible solutions that I will list are by no means a complete list. These solutions are just what I came up with to combat the standard, cookie-cutter donation systems.

The easiest crowd-sourcing model is to just accept donations. Tell your players that your server is run on 100% donations. This does not mean that they won’t receive anything in return, just nothing in game. For example, if someone were to donate to my server, I would write them a handwritten thank you note, which would then be emailed. In that note, I would thank them for donating to the server and tell them personally what it means to me and the community as a whole. I would also give them my Skype information so that they can reach me whenever they need. I also would thank them in game and possibly help them with whatever project they are working on.

For those who say that the development of plug-ins and other custom mods are expensive, why not try Patreon. Patreon is a service that allows content creators the chance to raise money on a per month or unit basis. Server owners can create their own account, at no cost, and have people donate to their cause. In addition to the flexibility of raising money in a way that works best for your server, you can also keep your “patrons” up-to-date with the latest development on your server.

To enhance the effectiveness of either method, server owners must be open about what they are doing with the money. Having a stagnant server that continues to ask for money is a recipe for disaster. Keeping a reserve in case donations stop coming in is fine, using the donations to buy yourself “shiny new toys” is not. Keep your players informed on when you are paying someone, or yourself, for development of new plug-ins or game modes, either through Twitter, Facebook, your personal website, or another social media site.

One final subject I touched on in my previous letter was that the Minecraft Server Community could have far reaching effect beyond Minecraft or the gaming community in general. I believe that all servers should pledge to donate all the profits of their servers to a charity of their choice. Tell your players that all donations above what is needed for that month will be donated to charity. In addition, you can advertise a month long donation drive in which you advertise a charity that is close to you and try and raise as much money for them as possible. Nothing encourages me to donate to any charity more than having fun and supporting a good cause simultaneously.

I just implore server owners to look into new ways to finance their servers. Create a community that people are proud to be a part of. Don’t make your players think of it as buying into a Minecraft server; have them excited to donate to a Community. Advertise fun themed nights on TeamSpeak. Get people to socialize on plug.dj. Do activities that make a Community stronger rather than exploiting players. Treat your community as family and you will be amazed at the results.

Sincerely,
soxhawk of Paradox
@soxhawk
@GroupParadoxMC