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Bukkit Plugin Review (In Progress)
Last Update: 8/21/13
Introduction
Hey guys I'm firefwing24 and I've been a server administrator for a couple of years now. I've decided to create a blog/review that reviews over some of the bukkit plugins. As I've tested some plugins, they started to lack features and/or not meet the needs that I've wanted or they contained bugs that made the plugin unusable to me. This caused a lot of frustration for me, and I've decided to help other server Administrators to use good plugins designed for their needs
First off, I'd like to say that my review is completely my opinion. There will be disagreements, arguments, debates, etc about what I may have put for the plugin. I will try my best to give a unbiased standpoint, but I am human and it'll probably happen.
Secondly, I will be giving the version number of the plugin, so before you bash on me, make sure to check if my review is up to date by its version number. If it's really outdated and there's a lot more features/fixes since that version, please kindly remind me to update my review.
Thrid, this is not to set a monopoly on certain plugins. I will definitely try out the small plugins if they are at least developed up to the point to receive a decent review. I love trying out new plugins especially when they're new and innovative.
Now here's how it's going to work. I am splitting the plugins by categories by whatever they seem most fit. Each plugin will be rated among several categories. If the category really doesn't fit the plugin, then it'll contain a N/A and be disregarded.
One last note, I will not be reviewing any plugins that require Spout, and I will not be revewing any plugins that are addons to plugins (i.e. LocketteAddon, Dynmap-Essentials, Dynmap-WorldGuard, LWC-Tweaks).
Grading Scale
Usefulness - How useful is this plugin to your server? Is it for everyone? or just a few people? Does it have a clear point? or is it just flat out pointless?
Features - For the purpose of the plugin, what does it provide? Just because a plugin has a lot of features won't get a 10. It will be graded based on balance because I know some plugins out there just has way too many features that you wish that it had less features.
Bug-Free - Is it barely run-able or does it run smoothly and the way it should? Does it contain many errors that may ruin the purpose of the plugin?
Optimization - Is the plugin fast? Is it simplified as much as possible? Does it overuse too much RAM? or is it optimized so well that it takes up close to 0 RAM/CPU?
Developer - Is the developer nice? is he active with his users? Does he answer problems quickly? Does he release updates continuously trying to make a better plugin? Or is he just being a dick to whoever tries to provide suggestions?
Documentation - How well are permissions, commands, usage, FAQ, tutorials, etc documented? Is it nicely organized? Did they use good formating?
If you have any other suggestions in what I should grade them upon, Let me know in the comments.
Anti-Griefing/Anti-Hacking/Anti-DDoS/Anti-Everythingbad Plugins
Anything that will protect your server from baddies.
NoCheatPlus
Chat Plugins
Anything related to chat
iChat
LegendaryMessages
LiveChat
Chest Protection
Mainly plugins that will protect your chests, dispensers, droppers, anvils, enchanting tables, or whatever ID blocks you choose. Basically a block protection.
LWC
Lockette
Completely Random
Plugins that have no purpose at all. Some are for trolling your users, others are for fun, others are just completely useless and only for some minor purpose like cosmetics.
Economy
Any plugins that has to do with using a money system.
iConomy
BOSEconomy
Essential
These are plugins that lets you have a bunch of basic commands to make server management easier.
Usually contains TPs, warps, give/item, homes, and spawns.
Essentials
http://dev.bukkit.org/bukkit-mods/essentials/
Essentials-Pre2.11.1.6
This plugin has all the essentials you pretty much need to run a normal server. It has a few fun commands, a home system, warp system, ban system, jail system, give/item system, teleportation system, and a few more others. I like this plugin quite a bit, but the main issue I have with this plugin is that there's a lot of useless commands in here that should be removed. Essentials made my help list way too long on its own in addition to the 40+ other plugins I have on my server. There's commands like /bigtree /tree which should just be used with worldedit /compass /depth /getpos which can all be found using F3 and there are a lot of commands that should just be combined together with various parameters to make the plugin a lot more condensed. It is documented well, nothing fancy. The Dev Team is quite large making new updates not too long from the release of the new bukkit RB/BetaBuild. They're always looking for new things that are "essential" to a server. I like this plugin, but I don't use it myself anymore due to the above reasons.
tl;dr This plugin is good for new servers who need a bunch of functions to make the server run-able.
Overall: 9/10
Usefulness 10/10
Features 10/10
Bug-Free 10/10
Optimization 7/10
Developer 10/10
Documentation 8/10
Commandbook
Fix
Plugins that temporary fix any bugs that exist in the game.
Permissions
These plugins manage permissions to give to users/groups to allow them to execute certain actions or commands.
bPermissions
PermissionsEx
Mechanics
Plugins that uses their own API to do random mechanics in Minecraft such as open/close of gates, making bridges that can be raised/lowered, IC Redstone, etc.
Craftbook
Mini-Game Plugins
Plugins that provide games on your server. Hunger Games, PVP matches, CTF, Spleef, etc.
Super Bow Spleef
http://dev.bukkit.org/bukkit-plugins/superbowspleef/
3.8
This is a revised version of Double0Negative's Super Spleef. This game type uses bows and arrows instead of shovels/clicking to knock blocks away. This is a nice way off preventing people from camping. However, it does come with its downsides. It's hard to spam blocks away which takes out some of the fun (for some maybe not :P). It does come with the "come up and explode" animation for the blocks that are hit by arrows. Some suggestions I would love to see in this plugin is that there would be more additions to the signs. It would be nice to be able to set a max player for each arena and to show the amount of players in each arena (showing something like "2/10" on the signs). It's also quite easy to set up with only a few steps to set it up. However, just like many other plugins, it still has inventory bugs if you are in creative mode and join the match.
Overall: 8/10
Usefulness ?/10
Features 8/10
Bug-Free 8/10
Optimization 9/10
Developer 9/10
Documentation 7/10 - Not all commands/permissions were listed causing slight confusion when I was setting it up.
Prop Hunt
http://dev.bukkit.org/bukkit-plugins/tomskiesprophunt/
1.35
This is similar to hivemc.eu's Hide and Seek and Gmod's Prop Hunt except for Minecraft. It's a fun game to play with somewhat easy setup. However, this plugin was probably meant for hubs and not for a general server that wants to have a little mini-game on the side. They don't specify that either. Upon using this on my server, I ended up not being able to open chests, furnaces, etc. in any world. I was quite frustrated and disappointed. However, if you are running a multi-server hub. You should be completely fine in using this. Bugs have been reported such as double blocks and such, but seems like the developer is currently trying to fix it.
Overall: 8/10 if you are using a correct server setup.
Usefulness ?/10
Features 10/10
Bug-Free 7/10
Optimization 8/10
Developer 9/10
Documentation 9/10
Role Playing
Anything that would belong to a RPG Server.
Teleportation/Warps
Plugins related to TPs and Warps. Portals count as well.
World Management/Editors/Generators
Plugins that provide different world generating codes. Plugins that help manage your worlds like multiverse, multiworld. Plugins that has the capability of editing large scale of your world.
World Edit
http://dev.bukkit.org/bukkit-mods/worldedit/
This will always be one of the core necessities of your server. This plugins is integrated into many other plugins. This allows you to create large structures, copy and paste, cuboids and spheroids. This is often a requirement for his other plugins such as Commandbook and WorldGuard. Because of the nature of the plugin, It's always bound to have bugs/glitches/errors. The developer has been a little bit on the laid back side, releasing updates when needed.
tl;dr If your going to use WorldGuard, Commandbook, or CraftBook and you plan to build anything large, this is a must get.
Overall: 9/10
Usefulness 10/10
Features 9/10
Bug-Free 9.5/10
Optimization 9.5/10
Developer 8/10
Documentation 10/10
World Guard
http://dev.bukkit.org/bukkit-mods/worldguard/
5.7.5
This plugin is a powerful plugin that protects your world. You can disable creeper, wither, ghast explosions, prevent flint and steel or lava-fire spread. You can blacklist certain items, and send warnings to your staff when someone places a certain type of block. You can region protect certain areas in different ways. There's different flags you can attach to your regions. If you want it so that only you can build and everyone else is allowed to only interact with certain dispensers and buttons, you can do that. If you want to allow a few people to build in a certain area and allow nobody else to even enter the area, you can do that. This plugin has so many different possibilities of protecting your land. People have made variations and plugins dependent on World Guard to integrate selling/buying of regions, or allowing people to protect their own lands. This is a very convenient "all-in-one" plugin for admins. Of course, you could always replace this with 2 plugins: 1 dedicated to world protection(fire-blocking, Blacklisting-IDs) and another one for Region protections like Residence, Towny, or MCTowns. The developer is very reliable in keeping this up to date, and I recommend this for all servers unless you are using substitutes. This plugin is documented very well and newbie-friendly using a personal wiki by the developer.
Dependencies: WorldEdit
tl;dr I don't see why you wouldn't get it.
Overall: 10/10
Usefulness 10/10
Features 10/10
Bug-Free 10/10
Optimization 10/10
Developer 10/10
Documentation 10/10
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