The Ultimate Guide to Minecraft Server

Book description

Run your own Minecraft server: taketotal controlof your Minecraft experience!

What’s more fun than playing multiplayer Minecraft? Running your own Minecraft server. Now there’s a complete, up-to-date guide to doing just that–even if you have no networking or server experience!

Best-selling tech author Timothy L. Warner covers all you need to know, from the absolute basics to cutting-edge customization. You’ll learn from crystal-clear, step-by-step instructions designed for today’s newest Minecraft servers.Warner guides you through prepping your computer and network…installing a basic server and powerful third-party alternatives…welcoming and managing users…protecting against griefing and other attacks…adding powerful plug-ins and mods…using easy subscription hosting services…giving your users a truly awesome game experience.

This book’s #1 goal is to help you have more fun with Minecraft. But you’ll also master practical skills for a well-paid technology career!

  • Gain deep multiplayer Minecraft knowledge for running your server well

  • Configure your computer to reliably host Minecraft

  • Control your server through the Minecraft Server console

  • Connect users, communicate with them, and set rules they must follow

  • Master basic networking skills for improving server uptime and performance

  • Safeguard your server and users, and prevent griefing

  • Simplify complicated mods with integrated modpacks and launchers

  • Run on the Realms public cloud—let Minecraft worry about maintenance and security

  • Evaluate and choose a third-party hosting provider

  • Customize your spawn “lobby” to help new users find their way

  • Support multiple worlds and teleportation

  • Earn cash with ads, sponsorships, cosmetic upgrades, or VIP access

  • Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Synergies / Notch Development AB. This book is not affiliated with or sponsored by Mojang Synergies / Notch Development AB.

    Timothy L. Warner is the author of Hacking Raspberry Pi and The Unauthorized Guide to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Repair: A DIY Guide to Extending the Life of Your iDevices!. He is a tech professional who has helped thousands of people become more proficient with technology in business and education. He holds the CompTIA A+ Computer Technician credential and 20 other technical certifications. As Director of Technology for a progressive high school, he created and managed a self-servicing warranty repair shop for all of its Apple hardware. Now an author/evangelist for Pluralsight, he shares Windows PowerShell scripting knowledge at 2minutepowershell.com.

    Table of contents

    1. About This eBook
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright Page
    4. Contents at a Glance
    5. Table of Contents
    6. About the Author
    7. Dedication
    8. Acknowledgments
    9. We Want to Hear from You!
    10. Reader Services
    11. Introduction
      1. Who Should Read This Book
      2. How This Book Is Organized
      3. Conventions Used in This Book
        1. Follow Me!
        2. About the Bitly Hyperlinks
      4. System Requirements
    12. 1. Minecraft Multiplayer from the Gamer’s Perspective
      1. Understanding Minecraft Multiplayer
        1. Minecraft Demo Mode Versus Minecraft Premium
        2. Please Avoid Cracked Launchers
        3. The Three Types of Minecraft Multiplayer
      2. Finding “Good” Minecraft Servers
        1. Understanding Minecraft Server Lists
        2. A Word on Minecraft Minigames
        3. About Connection Addresses
        4. Public Versus Whitelist Servers
      3. Joining an Online Server
      4. Minecraft Multiplayer Netiquette
        1. The Importance of Help
        2. Chatting with OPs and Other Players
        3. Setting Chat Options
        4. The Three Rules of Multiplayer Netiquette
      5. The Bottom Line
    13. 2. Building a Vanilla Minecraft Server
      1. Preparing the Java Environment
        1. Verifying Your Java Version (Windows)
        2. Verifying Your Java Version (OS X)
        3. Downloading and Installing the JRE
      2. Installing the Minecraft Server
        1. The Windows Installation Process
        2. The OS X Installation Process
      3. An Interlude...Your Lab Environment
        1. Buy Another Copy of Minecraft? Really?
      4. First Run and Initial Configuration Steps
        1. Understanding the Server Configuration Files
        2. The Minecraft Server Console
        3. Running More Than One Server Instance
      5. Finding Vanilla Servers on the Internet
      6. The Bottom Line
    14. 3. Operating a Vanilla Minecraft Server
      1. Understanding Our Test Environment
      2. Configuring the Server’s World
        1. Introducing Sublime Text
        2. Understanding server.properties
      3. Getting Your User(s) Connected
        1. Scanning, Scanning...
      4. Interacting with Your Users
        1. /say, /tell, and /me
        2. /tp and /give
      5. Exerting Discipline on Your Server
        1. /kick
        2. /ban and /ban-ip
        3. /pardon, /pardon-ip, and /whitelist
      6. Adding a Management Layer to Your Server
        1. Introducing McMyAdmin
        2. Installation Notes
        3. Configuration Notes
        4. McMyAdmin Editions
      7. Opening a Single-Player Game to the LAN
      8. The Bottom Line
    15. 4. Understanding Networking as It Relates to Minecraft
      1. Revisiting Our Test Network
      2. Learning as We Go: Basic Networking Terminology
        1. IP Addresses
        2. Private and Public Addresses
        3. Network Address Translation
        4. DHCP
      3. Taking the Next Step: Preparing Our Network for Minecraft Server
        1. Discovering Our Computer’s Networking Configuration
        2. Viewing Our Router’s Configuration
      4. Allowing Minecraft Traffic Through the Firewall
        1. Ports
        2. Configuring Port Forwarding
        3. Testing the Connection
        4. Let’s Play!
      5. Using a Hostname Instead of an IP Address
        1. Understanding DNS and DDNS
        2. Setting Up No-IP
      6. Sweeping Up the Shavings
      7. The Bottom Line
    16. 5. Installing a Custom Minecraft Server
      1. Beginnings: It’s a Wild, Wild West
        1. If Not Bukkit, Then What?
      2. Installing SpigotMC
        1. Starting SpigotMC Server
      3. Configuring SpigotMC
        1. server.properties
        2. spigot.yml
        3. bukkit.yml
        4. Testing the Player Experience
      4. Introducing Bukkit Plugins
        1. Describing the Most Popular Plugins
        2. A Question of Balance
      5. Installing, Configuring, and Using Bukkit Plugins
        1. Obtaining Essentials: RTFM
        2. Configuring Essentials
        3. Testing the Gameplay Experience
      6. The Bottom Line
    17. 6. Integrating Mods into Your Minecraft Server
      1. Introducing Cauldron
        1. Minecraft Forge in a Nutshell
        2. Installing the Forge Client
      2. Getting Cauldron Up and Running
      3. First, Our Plugin Proof of Concept
        1. PermissionsEx Quick Start
        2. Testing the Plugin
      4. Now for the Good Stuff—Installing a Mod
        1. Installing RailCraft
        2. Testing the Railcraft Player Experience
      5. Experimenting with Integrated Modpacks and Launchers
        1. Feed the Beast (FTB)
        2. Installing FTB Server
        3. Starting the FTB Launcher
        4. ATLauncher and Other Options
      6. Quality Client Mods
      7. The Bottom Line
    18. 7. Exploring Minecraft Realms
      1. Understanding Cloud Services
        1. Pros and Cons
      2. Introducing Minecraft Realms
        1. Let’s Sign Up!
      3. Playing in a Minecraft Realms World
        1. Inviting Players
        2. Managing Players
      4. A Brief Tutorial on Command Blocks
        1. About Target Selectors
        2. Programming Command Blocks
      5. Configuring Minecraft Realms
        1. Backup and Restore
        2. Viewing Backups
        3. Forcing a Backup
        4. Downloading a World to Single-Player
        5. Uploading a World to Realms
        6. Restoring a World
      6. The Bottom Line
    19. 8. Taking Control of Minecraft with Third-Party Hosting
      1. What to Look for in a Third-Party Minecraft Host
        1. Minecraft Hosting Terminology
        2. What’s Important in a Minecraft Host
      2. Joining MCProHosting
      3. Getting to Know the Control Panel
        1. Configuring and Starting Our Minecraft Server
        2. Logging In
        3. Adding Some Plugins
      4. Making Additional Tweaks to Your Server
        1. Editing Your Config Files
        2. Deploying a Resource Pack
      5. Mapping Your Server to a Domain
        1. Domain Name Mapping with GoDaddy
      6. A Brief Roster of Other Well-Regarded Minecraft Hosting Companies
      7. The Bottom Line
    20. 9. Giving Your Players the Best Gaming Experience
      1. Protecting Your Server from Abuse
        1. Distributed Denial-of-Service Attack
        2. What to Do to Prevent DDoS Attacks
        3. Griefing
        4. Hack Yourself
        5. Blocking Griefers
        6. Tips for Addressing Griefers
      2. Customizing the World Spawn
        1. Setting the Server Spawn
        2. Building a Spawn Lobby
        3. Preparing the Land for a Lobby Schematic
        4. WorldEdit—A More Flexible Terraforming Solution
        5. Using WorldEdit to Drop in a Schematic
      3. Supporting Multiple Worlds and Teleportation
        1. Using Multiverse
        2. Creating and Teleporting Between Worlds
        3. Deploying Portals
        4. Connecting the Two Worlds
      4. The Bottom Line
    21. 10. Monetizing Your Minecraft Server
      1. Understanding Mojang’s Position on Minecraft Server Monetization
        1. The New Minecraft EULA
        2. The Backlash Against Mojang
      2. Monetizing Minecraft While Maintaining EULA Compliance
        1. Donations
        2. In-Game Advertising and Sponsorship
        3. Cosmetic Upgrade Sales
        4. VIP Server Access or Subscriptions
      3. Setting Up BuyCraft
        1. Creating a Paid Package
        2. Giving a Paid Item to All Players
        3. Creating a Free Package
      4. Advertising Your Minecraft Server
        1. Where to Advertise
        2. The Importance of the Server Status Banner
        3. Registering Your Minecraft Server
        4. About Voting
      5. Someplace to Compare Yourself
        1. Creating a Custom Server Entry for the Minecraft Client
        2. Customizing the MOTD
      6. Final Thoughts
    22. Appendix. Tim’s “Top 10” Lists
      1. Top 10 Minecraft Hosts
      2. Top 10 Public Minecraft Servers
      3. Top 10 Bukkit Plugins
      4. Top 10 Modpacks
      5. Top 10 Resource/Texture Packs
      6. Top 10 Minecraft YouTubers
      7. Top 10 Minecraft Minigames
      8. Top 10 Minecraft Custom Maps
      9. Top 10 Minecraft Seeds
    23. Index
    24. Code Snippets

    Product information

    • Title: The Ultimate Guide to Minecraft Server
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: July 2015
    • Publisher(s): Que
    • ISBN: 9780134077475