09-09-2016, 11:18 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-09-2016, 11:58 AM by Zapmeister.)
From the outset, I need to stress that this is an excellent server. My congratulations to whoever is responsible for keeping a relatively high population without letting the lag get out of control. But there's more to it than low lag, much more.
I've been here less than a week, but it's been a pretty intense week. I'm one of a rare breed of minecrafters that prefers the challenge produced by NOT having perks or make-easy features of any kind. As far as I'm concerned, gold shovel land claim is the only reason not to be playing pure vanilla. Oh, OK, I suppose that without Votifier, I never would have found the server in the first place - point taken. But when they put those two things into vanilla MC, there will be no reason to run Spigot at all, IMO.
I don't know how many plug-ins are running on this server, but I do know that they're not getting in my face, which is great. It feels like a semi-vanilla server. More importantly, none of the challenges have been removed by a server shop or by any other means. It took me ages to get my first cows, meaning that I had plenty of gameplay doing it, and a real buzz when I finally achieved it. And don't get me started on zombie villagers! (actually, that was probably a bit TOO hard).
Server shops are the main way that admins break their own servers. Rare items are rare for a reason - it's supposed to be a challenge to acquire them. If everything's available in a shop, no matter how high the prices, the game is reduced to an exercise in farming. But here, the only things you can sell are non-farmables and the only things you can buy are claim blocks. Perfect.
So now that I've completed my home castle with farms (including iron) and a villager breeding compound, its time to set out in search of some of the more exotic content that Minecraft offers, but here's where I hit a snag.
There isn't any.
That's right, every village, ocean temple and nether fortress that hasn't been completely demolished carries a sign somewhere saying "This is mine, keep off". And if I'm read the rules correctly, this carries the weight of law. If I ignore these signs then I'm a griefer and I get banned. Anyone else see the problem here? So here's my first suggestion:
1. Ownership based on gold shovel claims only.
Your jurisdiction goes to the edge of of your gold shovel claim and no further. No more "I was here first, so bugger off" signs. I can't see that the latter adds anything for anyone that wants to get some sleep in the first few days after the server opens. Also, if claims time out after some period of inactivity, then claimed spaces wouldn't remain claimed long after the claimant has left the server (as appears to be the case at the moment).
As part of this, perhaps the 100 block building exclusion radius could be reviewed as well. Personally, I like it when people build close to me as it means my farms keep growing when I'm offline. The rule could be softened somewhat, I think, by just asking people to be reasonable, to move if asked by a neighbour, and by getting an admin to intervene in the case of conflict. I doubt there would be many.
My second suggestion also addresses the exhaustion of content and some other issues besides. I know you're not going to like it, so I'll just put it out there and then explain why I think it should be considered:
2. No more flying for VIPs.
Ah yes, flying. Whoever thought up that idea has a lot to answer for, IMO. Needless to say, I would never want that ability for myself (see opening paragraphs) and I can see the damage that it has done, especially regarding the exhaustion of content. And why even bother striving for that pinnacle of achievement - the Elytra - when flying is so much better?
Of course, I understand the need to reward donators for their generosity, but the only way to do that without adversely affecting the gameplay of others is to confine those rewards to eye candy.
Give your donators fireworks or trails, or sell their heads at the shop. Ranks and coloured names in chat. Anything that affects only what you see, not what you can do. Otherwise, you have yourself a pay-to-play server. I don't really think I need to elaborate on this, so let's move on to suggestion 3:
3. Reset the map.
The content has been exhausted and the only way to address that is to expand the world border or reset the map. I actually like the 6k world radius, as I think that an unlimited world means everyone winds up playing single-player in their own patch. A new, limited world with limited ownership and no flying. How awesome would that be!
Just my 2c,
Zap.
I've been here less than a week, but it's been a pretty intense week. I'm one of a rare breed of minecrafters that prefers the challenge produced by NOT having perks or make-easy features of any kind. As far as I'm concerned, gold shovel land claim is the only reason not to be playing pure vanilla. Oh, OK, I suppose that without Votifier, I never would have found the server in the first place - point taken. But when they put those two things into vanilla MC, there will be no reason to run Spigot at all, IMO.
I don't know how many plug-ins are running on this server, but I do know that they're not getting in my face, which is great. It feels like a semi-vanilla server. More importantly, none of the challenges have been removed by a server shop or by any other means. It took me ages to get my first cows, meaning that I had plenty of gameplay doing it, and a real buzz when I finally achieved it. And don't get me started on zombie villagers! (actually, that was probably a bit TOO hard).
Server shops are the main way that admins break their own servers. Rare items are rare for a reason - it's supposed to be a challenge to acquire them. If everything's available in a shop, no matter how high the prices, the game is reduced to an exercise in farming. But here, the only things you can sell are non-farmables and the only things you can buy are claim blocks. Perfect.
So now that I've completed my home castle with farms (including iron) and a villager breeding compound, its time to set out in search of some of the more exotic content that Minecraft offers, but here's where I hit a snag.
There isn't any.
That's right, every village, ocean temple and nether fortress that hasn't been completely demolished carries a sign somewhere saying "This is mine, keep off". And if I'm read the rules correctly, this carries the weight of law. If I ignore these signs then I'm a griefer and I get banned. Anyone else see the problem here? So here's my first suggestion:
1. Ownership based on gold shovel claims only.
Your jurisdiction goes to the edge of of your gold shovel claim and no further. No more "I was here first, so bugger off" signs. I can't see that the latter adds anything for anyone that wants to get some sleep in the first few days after the server opens. Also, if claims time out after some period of inactivity, then claimed spaces wouldn't remain claimed long after the claimant has left the server (as appears to be the case at the moment).
As part of this, perhaps the 100 block building exclusion radius could be reviewed as well. Personally, I like it when people build close to me as it means my farms keep growing when I'm offline. The rule could be softened somewhat, I think, by just asking people to be reasonable, to move if asked by a neighbour, and by getting an admin to intervene in the case of conflict. I doubt there would be many.
My second suggestion also addresses the exhaustion of content and some other issues besides. I know you're not going to like it, so I'll just put it out there and then explain why I think it should be considered:
2. No more flying for VIPs.
Ah yes, flying. Whoever thought up that idea has a lot to answer for, IMO. Needless to say, I would never want that ability for myself (see opening paragraphs) and I can see the damage that it has done, especially regarding the exhaustion of content. And why even bother striving for that pinnacle of achievement - the Elytra - when flying is so much better?
Of course, I understand the need to reward donators for their generosity, but the only way to do that without adversely affecting the gameplay of others is to confine those rewards to eye candy.
Give your donators fireworks or trails, or sell their heads at the shop. Ranks and coloured names in chat. Anything that affects only what you see, not what you can do. Otherwise, you have yourself a pay-to-play server. I don't really think I need to elaborate on this, so let's move on to suggestion 3:
3. Reset the map.
The content has been exhausted and the only way to address that is to expand the world border or reset the map. I actually like the 6k world radius, as I think that an unlimited world means everyone winds up playing single-player in their own patch. A new, limited world with limited ownership and no flying. How awesome would that be!
Just my 2c,
Zap.