WARNING: THERE IS ALOT OF READING BELOW

So, You want to start a server? Whell I have some information for you! I recently created a survey on what people like in a server and what they hate in a server and I got some pretty suprising results, I originally started this survey  for my own server but I decided to share it with the rest of you because.. whell, why not? This is designed so you will be able to  create your own server without having only 2 people play because they think it's "boring". All of this information is accurate so don't think I'm lying just because you are suprised. Also, if you want to see an example of a skyblock server setup because skyblock was not included in the survey be sure to check out my website and server below. Also be sure to check out my PMC page for upcoming tutorials on how to make a banner, setup a server, website creation, and more!

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My server: mc.skyblockrealms.com
My website: skyblockrealms.com


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What kind of server should I make?

Most people start out a server making a genre they already know about, for example, someone who has been playing a skyblock server for a year may make a skyblock server because they already know what to add in it and also they think of stuff they might want it, but if you're like me and can make a server on basically anything here are the types of servers people want below: (note all numbers are rounded)

*NOTE: Items in GREEN you may consider, Items in RED you definately want to avoid.

Vanilla (26%):  This kind of server is a bukkit server with few game altering plugins. These servers generally have NO TP, are very small on the playerlist, and are anti-grief.
Reccomended plugins: Griefprevention, NoCheatPlus, MChat, Commandbook, SimpleAFK, PermissionsEX, Playerheads

Enhanced Survival (33% Majority): This kind of server is more of a "fun type". It is basically regular minecraft survival with some enhancements. It is your choice to enable PVP or not but it is reccomended that pvp is to be enabled. This server would be FUN instead of serious and would be mostly comprised of plugins that increase the game experience instead of looking proffesional. This kind of server would also be good to have a couple of minigames included so that if players are bored they can do /sg join 1 instead of disconnecting. These servers are ALWAYS Economy heavy.
Reccomended plugins: Griefprevention, Essentials, NCP, Fe, Coreprotect, MCMMO, LavaFurnace, ChestShop, SurvivalGames, JailWorker, GroupManager, Multiverse, Phatloots, Scavenger, ChestCommands, VariableTriggers

Minigames (20%): You may think that lots of people like minigames servers which may be true but what is true is that people are sick of soo many minigames servers offering the same games, They would rather play Hypixel or Hive because it has alot of players and it's mainstream. Don't be mislead though, If you have a good mingame Idea then you should put it on your server, but what I am saying is that if you plan on doing only generic games (e.g. Tntrun, Walls, SurvivalGames) then you will find yourself at a loss for players and at a loss for money because you will keep paying for the server but no one will join, unless you are a famous youtube content creator (I mean Famous like +100k views per week)

Factions (33%): It may be suprising that many people like factions, even though it's been Almost all of the servers since beta but I guess people can't get enough. If you do start a faction server though, don't expect to get a ton of players because there are LOTS of factions servers out there. If I were a faction server owner I would try to get as many people to vote as possible and I would advertise the server on PMC and other websites like mcserverslist.com because in order to get enough donations to fund the server costs you would have to make sure people play. Another good way to get people on is to get them to vote by giving them amazing items when they vote and also giving them a very decent starting kit.
*NOTE: A good domain for this kind of server would be minecraft-pvp.com it is avaliable.
Reccomended plugins: Votifier, GA Listener, Essentials. Groupmanager, Crates, RandomTPLocation, Lavafurnace, ObsidianDestroyer, Worldguard, Factions (duh), ShopGUI, Fe, MCMMO, KingKits, JailWorker, Orebfuscator, NCP, PwnFilter.

KitPVP (11%): Face it, Kit PVP is outdated. People are using hacking clients, people are camping, and it is boring after 5-10 mins. Some people DO like kitPVP but the market is taken up by servers like MCPVP and mckits. If you found a way to make kitPVP unique then go for it but unless you can WOW your players, you're out of luck buddy.

RPG (30%): Ooohhh! I love these kinds of servers, They have lots of things that the normal minecraft can't produce without awesome plugins. BEWARE though, RPG server take up alot of ram, If I owned one I would rent a dedicated server or I would get atleast 8 GB of ram. Some hosting providers offer for as cheap as $3/gb but there aren't many and I can't list any or else I will get banned from PMC. Rpg servers add a whole new level of experience to the game. You can do quests, get money and awesome items from mobs, get custom items, do dungeons, choose classes, and MORE! These servers are incredibly fun though.
Reccomended plugins: Lore, Phatloots, Groupmanager, Essentials, MyCommand, VariableTriggers, MoreMobDrops, Fe, Realms, HeroStronghold, Griefprevention, MCMMO, myRPG, WeaponLevels, Citizens, Grisworld, Magic, MCMMO horses.

Hardcore PVP (0%): Yes, I am suprised. The type of server that made MCPVP sooo popular has No votes whatsoever. If you do not know what hardcore pvp is it's more like a vanilla PVP style. Yes there are a few plugins that allow you to teleport to your base and break obsidian quickly and such but this is the type of server you want to avoid the most. The people that like this kind of server already play on MCTeams or MCPVP. The moral of this story is that you DO NOT want to make a hardcore PVP server. At All. Whatsoever.

Prison (15%): Although this isn't a BAD server to make, it's still not as fun as you think. People would rather build then mine in a 25x25 square to get their resources. There are many prison servers out there that are more popular and they basically have a majority of the niche market. If you really want to start a prison server, go ahead, no one is going to stop you. But if I were you  I would make more of an enhanced survival server. They are easier anyways.


Moral: Most people would rather play on a server where they can build around the world and kill monsters and players and all that instead of being confinded to a prison or a game. These types of servers also are better filled with dedicated players instead of people just joining for a minnute or two.

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FAQ based on survey results:


Q: Should I Have Alot of staff?
A: Depends on how big the server is and what you classify as alot. If it were a single server type then I would have anywhere from 3-6 but if it were a huge server like hypixel then I would have upwards of 10+

Q: Should I become a Hub Server?
A: No. People like to join servers that are just what they are looking for. They don't like to be teleported to a hub every time they join. If you are thinking about becoming a server with multiple other servers branching from it I would just stick to the /server command or use a plugin like ChestCommands to make a GUI for people to use.

Q: Should I add Auctions and Lotteries?
A:  Depends, If you are a vanilla server, enhanced survival, or RPG server the answer is no. If you are a factions server I would ask the players on what they want. A good auction plugin is floAuction

Q: What do people like most in a server?
A: Fun. There was an entire question on this topic and everyone (80%) said Fun. People would rather play on a fun server instead of one with bossy and annoying staff. Do you want to play on a server with annoying people? NO! Ban those annoyances! It's okay if some players are immature because immature is fun for other immature players. Try to find fun plugins on bukkit like UMAD.

Q: What do people hate most in a server?
A: Bad staff and hackers (According to 90% of the people surveyed). Who likes an stupid person in control of you! If we loose our diamonds we want them back. We don't want to go through a proccess and we don't want to hear you say no. You are there to HELP us and manage the server, not express your power. Also, hacking is a problem. We don't want other people to have an advantage over us when mining or pvp. 

Q: How should I setup donations?
A: When you do donations you are going to typically want 5 ranks. You may also want to give them the ability to purchase items or in game money. There should not be too many donor ranks and there should not be too much power to the donors. Your drive should not to be to make the most money as possible. If you do that then no one will donate.

Q: How do I get more players?
A: Follow this guide

Q: What's a good way to advertise my server?
A: IF you mean what's the best way to get more players that would be to use planetminecraft. You may not realize but most of the people that join servers join from planetminecraft. Don't forget to bump everyday and STRESS VOTING! Make sure people vote. Voting is really important on here because if you get enough votes your server will be on a list that will permanently be there until the month is over.


Q: What plugins should I avoid?
A: Orebfuscator, PEX, Anti-Cheat, Towny

Q: What plugins do I need to get?
A: Esentials, Worldedit, Worldguard, Phatloots, Vault, Fe, Chestshop, NoCheatPlus, Groupmanager, Mycommand

Q: How much time should I dedicate to the website?
A: About a couple hours to making it, and you should check on it periodically. Most people don't use the website alot and aren't active alot unless they are applying for something or complaining. They usually don't explore it in depth. The best program to use for this is Enjin because it's easy to use and it has a simple setup.

Q: Should I use Dynmap?
A: It's all up to you. If I were you I would but if you don't know how to use it or you are having problems then it isn't that nessecary.

Q: What are Dungeons?
A: Dungeons are like mini-maps in game. They are made for seperate worlds and you can make a quest and once a player completes the quest you make a loot chest using Phatloots. Best plugin to use with this: VariableTriggers. Dungeons will work on almost any server with the acception of hardcore pvp servers.

Q: Should I allow griefing?
A: If It's a factions server then ABSOLUTELY, if it's an RPG/Enhanced/Vanilla No. Use the plugin Griefprevention to eliminate griefing.


Q: What's the most important part of a server?
A: Fun. According to the survey the MOST IMPORTANT part of a server is Fun. No one wants to join a boring server with a bunch of oring staff doing boring things with boring plugins. It just dosen't work like that.


TLDR; Make something new that people want :D

> End of Guide