How To Make A Great Minecraft Server

You've conquered the Nether and slain an Ender Dragon. Now you can build your own pixelated King's Landing. What's next? Minecraft may be a game of endless possibilities, but once you've seen everything the base game has to offer, you may be asking yourself "how do I recapture that magic I felt on my first play-through?" Thanks to the plethora of options available with custom Minecraft servers, building your own Minecraft server could be just the remedy you're looking for.

Perhaps you've tried mods on your computer. Maybe you've tried your hand with one of the thousands or so player-run servers that are available online. You could be a complete Minecraft beginner or a seasoned player. You're probably reading this article because you want to know how to create a Minecraft server. Let's start with the basics.

History of Minecraft

Minecraft, a sandbox survival video game, was released for the first time in 2011. With its distinctive visual style, comprised entirely of blocky characters and objects, Minecraft has quickly transcended the world of video games and grown into a household name.

Minecraft is unique in that it allows players to choose how they want to play. Minecraft is a game that offers a variety of gameplay elements, including combat, exploration, combat and resource gathering. In fact, as of May 2019, Minecraft has sold over 176 million copies across multiple available platforms. This impressive stat makes Minecraft the best selling video game of all time.

Minecraft has many gameplay elements that combine environmental destruction, architectural construction and exploration with combat, resource gathering, crafting, and combat. Minecraft servers

This success can be partly attributed to the large amount of customization that is available. This is not just true for single-player games, but also for multiplayer. Aren't mining for imaginary diamonds and cutting down blocky trees more fun when you have friends?

Here's where the role of privately-owned Minecraft servers comes into play.

For those of you looking to change up your Minecraft experience but feeling hesitant about the added responsibilities of running your own server, there are a wide variety of specialized servers available online. MinecraftServers.org lists thousands upon thousands of privately-hosted servers. Each server is described in detail and listed alongside its options. These servers offer a variety of experiences, including PvP, Roleplaying and Factions, as well as Challenges. This creates an almost infinite number new experiences within the familiar Minecraft framework. Server lists

Sometimes, however playing on a server made to your specifications is not enough. We all want some control in our lives. Why would our digital lives be any different? By hosting your own Minecraft server, you are gaining exactly that: the power to build your world the way you desire and share that world with other players.

Hosting your own server gives you the authority to modify variables intrinsic to Minecraft. You can change things like the spawn rate of enemies and NPCs or the difficulty level. That's not all though. You can also add mods to the game server-wide using the many mods that have been created outside of the game.

In addition to having control over how the game is played, hosting your server gives you control over who plays the game. Maybe you're a parent desiring greater control over your child's online interactions, or an avid role-player seeking like-minded players. You can decide the type of community that you want by setting up your own server.

As with most things in Minecraft the only limit is the user's imagination.

Getting Started

These are the basics to get you started.

First, a Minecraft server doesn't have to be on a top-of-the-line machine. That being said, it is advised to use a desktop over a laptop. Typically the performance and hardware will be better when compared to that of a notebook or equivalent. This is especially true if a user is playing on the same machine that is hosting the server. It takes more processing power for both to run smoothly.

A wired ethernet connection should be preferred to wireless internet. The faster connection will improve game performance and reduce lag for users.

Third, home-hosting, while possible, is not recommended. Home connections tend to be slower, and personal computers are typically weaker. The game's quality will suffer if there is not enough RAM. Professional hosting services will be more beneficial.

*NOTE: If you're curious about what specs to look for in a Minecraft server, check out Jason's guide on Minecraft Server Buying. Still have questions? Our sales team will be happy to help you build a Minecraft server. They will be happy to help you.

Fourth, it is recommended to use a Debian 9 or Ubuntu 1804 server hosting service when you first start out. Both options provide stable, safe environments that can be used to learn the basics.

Fifth, Minecraft runs using Java. Before setting up your server, you'll want to make sure you have the latest version of Java installed. It can be downloaded from Java's official site. If you are not sure if you have Java or which version you have, you can check by opening the command window and using the command java -version. If Java is installed, this query will return a version number. This number can be compared against the Java's latest version to confirm that your version matches.

Make sure your server is secure from the beginning. It's much easier to prevent unauthorized users from accessing your server than it is to get rid of access once they have been in. As soon as updates are available, install them. Your system will be more likely to close loopholes before these become exploited. Setting Up Your Minecraft Server

The above image is not intended to mislead. You don't have to use any power tools if you don't intend to build your server.

A Minecraft server doesn't have to be on a top-of-the-line machine.

However, before you can set up your Minecraft server, you will need the following:

Java Minecraft is available for purchase through Minecraft's official site.

The latest version Minecraft Multiplayer Server

OpenJDK (an open source implementation of Java): OpenJDK installation instructions can be found on their website. Now it is time to set up your server. These steps will help you get your server up-and-running.

Open your terminal and type the command "mkdir Minecraft_Server" This creates a directory specific to your Minecraft server.

Next you'll want to place your recently downloaded server.jar into your newly created directory.

To list all directories, enter the command "ls".

To change your current directory to the designated folder on your server, use cd Minecraft_Server

To launch the server, use the command java -Xms1G -Xmx1G -jar server.jar. Xms and Xmx represent the starting and maximum RAM respectively, and server.jar is the name of your Minecraft server's version number. If you're using Minecraft server.1.15.2.jar (current as of this articles publication), then your command should look something like this:

java -Xms1024M -Xmx1024M -jar minecraft_server.1.15.2.jar

Additional information can be added at the end of this line if necessary. If you wish to start the server with no GUI, or -o true if the server is to run in an online mode that allows only authenticated users to connect, then use nogui.

After entering the command above you should see the output below:

[main/ERROR] Failure to load properties from file.

[main/WARN]: Failed to load eula.txt

[main/INFO] You must agree to the EULA to run the server. For more information, visit eula.txt

If you are a first-time user of the server, a EULA (End User License Agreement), file must be created. Before you can play, you need to agree to the EULA. This can be done with your favorite text editor or via your command window by typing the following command: nano.eula.txt

Once you've opened the text file, change the eula field from false to true: eula=true. This signifies that you have read and accepted the license agreement.

Now you can save your file and launch the server again. You can save the file and launch your server again. Creating a Startup Script

You can run your server from the command line above if you wish. You can also create a script to run the command for yourself.

Start by creating a new file. This document can be named however you like, but we will use server.sh for the sake this article.

Within the new document, enter the following lines:

#!/bin/sh

java -Xms1024M -Xmx1024M -jar minecraft_server.1.14.4.jar

After you have created your document, open the terminal and type chmod +x Server.sh.

Now, you can use this command to start your server.

/server. Sh to start it up, and stop to stop it.

It is recommended that your server be run from within a GNU Screen session in order to ensure it runs correctly without an SSH Connection. Before running your startup script, you can use the screen command. Assuming you have agreed to the EULA the console should start automatically generating the required configuration files. When you're ready to begin playing on your new server, just follow these 4 easy steps:

Start by opening Minecraft client and logging into it.

Select "Multiplayer" from the list on the home screen and click on "Add Server."

Create a name for your server, enter its IP Address into the appropriate form fields and click "Done" when you're finished.

Next, click "Join Server" to play. Your server is now live. The Minecraft Wiki has all the information you need to help you with any problems, questions, or to change your operating system. You may find it useful for your particular needs.

Customizing Your Minecraft Server

When your server.sh script starts, a default set of variables will be used to generate a new world. Let's assume, though that you would like your own custom variables to be used for the world created by your server. Probably customization is what got you interested hosting your own server.

How can you do that? Easy.

Start by opening the server.properties file. Once you have opened the server.properties file, you will see a long listing of properties that has numbers and true/false statement associated with them. By tweaking the variables in this list, you can control how the world on your server is generated.

Scroll down the list until the line spawn_monsters=true appears. Change the true to fals. Monsters won’t spawn in the world until this value has been restored to its default setting.

You think that's pretty cool?

This page on the Minecraft Wiki has a complete list of variables and explanations for each parameter. just keep in mind, in order for any changes to take effect, you'll need to restart your server.

What if these options aren't enough though? Perhaps you are interested in customizing the server beyond what is required by the game. This is possible, but requires external modifications.

There are many websites and videos on the internet that list the best Minecraft mods. There are so many options that you can choose from, it is important to understand how each mod works and any possible conflicts with other mods. You can add mods to your server by doing a quick Google search.

Are you looking for a good place to start? MINECRAFTMODS.com provides a wide range of mods available for download that you can start exploring.

Next Steps

You have now set up your server and modified the default variables. What now?

Now that you have learned how to create a Minecraft server, it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You'll need other players to join the server, unless you want to play in an unpopulated world. These might be friends or possibly even strangers. You have to offer something unique to get people to play on your server.

Ultimately, what truly separates the best Minecraft servers from the rest is the community that supports them. Establishing guidelines, hiring staff to enforce and police your expectations, and creating interesting events to keep your players engaged. These are the elements that will make your server unique. You can advertise your server online through Youtube and Twitch to encourage new players.

A strong Minecraft server can even be profitable for its owner. Your digital world can be made a source of income by selling unique cosmetic products or joining memberships. Some of the largest and most popular servers house thousands of players. This can be leveraged in a way that makes them six figures every month.

Chances are you've still got a ways to go before you reach the level of these top-performing servers. Communities aren't built overnight. Regardless, the fact remains that these Minecraft servers all started the same way. Someone took a chance on their server and decided to host it.

Ultimately, what truly separates the best Minecraft servers from the rest is the community that supports them.

Now that you have your world up and running, it is up to you to decide where you go.

Now it's your turn!

Have a question about Minecraft servers or a specific story you'd like to share? Leave a comment below.

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Sean Kelly wrote this article

Additional Links

Are you looking to learn more about Minecraft? Be sure to check out our comprehensive Minecraft Server Buying Guide.

When you're ready to build your ideal Minecraft server, head over to our complete list of instant deployment and custom built dedicated servers. Need personalized assistance for your server build? Contact our sales team for personalized assistance with your server build!

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