[Tslat]

So as some of you may have noticed, the modded server is now whitelisted.
This means that the inflow of new players will be significantly lessened, but also means in theory that any players who do make it through will be of better quality.
This spurred from a continuous problem with griefing and cheating (primarily griefing).

Because modded servers run on Forge, they don't have the amazing grief-protection that servers that run on Bukkit have. Most big modded servers out there run on a combination package that runs both bukkit and forge, but this significantly reduces the performance.
I don't have the luxury of using that since this server financially comes from the pockets of both Clay and I, and is limited in resources.

So currently this is the state:
- The server is whitelisted.
- The server is played by a base of about 10 players at varying times of the day and days of the week
- There is zero advertising put up

I want to know what you guys think we should do with this.
I can go and put more effort into advertising, or un-whitelist the server, or something - but everything has ramifications.
If I remove the whitelist, we go back to the old problem where players are very open to griefing, and there's no way for me to roll it back (due to being on forge now).

I want to know what you guys think, and what your ideas are for the future.
If you're happy to leave it with its current base, then let me know - all opinions are welcome

[Boromin]

i think we should leave it as is now and maybe do a little moe advertising

[Farquad94]

advertisement would help. I would say I could but im very inconsistent with that stuff LOL. Also we can donate, you should mention that!

[Zito]

I think we have two options here. We can leave it whitelisted, and have people apply for whitelisting. This has the benefit of keeping out 90% of greifers, as they won't take the time to apply. It also lowers the population of good players we would get, as some people are just looking to put in an IP and play. Our second option would be to un-whitelist the server, and have someone watching things at mostly all times. The problem is, with no rollback, nobody can catch everything, and some grefing may still happen. This option has the benefit of higher server population, but more risk. Either option that we choose though, would need advertising I think. Advertising will help us get more players, more players means seventually more donations, and more donations would eventually lead to being able to have greif protection (I think).
I'm good with either option, no matter what I'll still play. Once I get a few paychecks in at my new job I'll start donating to the server, so that may help a bit.

[Clay]

advertise more, everyone not just slat and myself, and keep the white list. I do think that the application process needs some work tho.

PS. thank you tslat.

[Tslat]

I do think that the application process needs some work tho.

Fair enough, I just rushed this one to get it out.

What would you recommend?

[Clay]

I have no idea, I have been trying to think of a better way for 3 years now.
I started to make it so when u register on the forums it has you answer all of the questions as part of registration. I kind of feel that by having people do that it discourages them from posting. On the flip side of that: asking people to create an account and make a post has the possibility to turn away, not only trolls and bad people, but people who could end up contributing a lot to the community as well.

I have very mixed feelings about applications for a minecraft server and what is the best way to do em. Im not much help.


What are some other opinions?

EDIT: sorry for hijacking your thread. do you want to do a new topic for registration ideas?

[Tslat]

To be honest the whole point of the applications process is that it takes effort - if it didn't, it wouldn't deter much of the problem people.
It's an odd situation.

This thread is fine btw

[Farquad94]

May I suggest a poll? In any case I vote to unwhitelist the server. Yea I had a super shitty experience the other day but we all recovered and learned from it. Heck im back and better than before! I learned though to be way more careful of new players and to have backup, which I have done... just a tought

[Zito]

I'd be down to unwhitelist if that were something that was being considered. I think we can handle any new threats that come, and it'll help us get some good people even though some bad will always be coming.

[Tslat]

How are we any more equipped to handle new threats than we were before the whitelist?

[Zito]

Well, fire spread has been turned off, so they can't burn down houses, and I think you disabled TNT so that's gone too. The only thing they could do would be to actually go around breaking blocks,and that's too much work for most greifers.

[Clay]

is a grey-list an option?
anyone can join but have limited perms...

[Tslat]

Forge doesn't have perms, I'd have to code everythign myself - I'm avoiding that

[Zito]

Damn I wish I knew coding so I could help out with stuff like that.

[Clay]

Forge doesn't have perms

didnt know that

[Tslat]

There's a lot of things forge doesn't have thatd surprise you
Its partly why i hate developing for it

[Farquad94]

how about set up a spawn related area one must go through in order to access the rest of the server?

[Tslat]

In my experience they have 0 effect on griefers anyway, so its more just an annoyance

In reply to zito:
Even if i have tnt and fire spread disabled, there's nothing in place to do the following:
- stop people breaking blocks manually (expensive/hard to get blocks)
- stop people stealing from chests or any other container
- stop people killing players and breaking their bed (even if pvp turned off,  just breaking the bed)
- stop people pouring lava to break down blocks
- stop people killing off any pets, animals, or other useful mobs
- restoring any damage done by any of the above listed items

[Zito]

Yeah, you have a point there, it just sucks that we can't get new players because of a few bad apples.