Multiplayer

Multiplayer Minecraft is a server-based version of the game that enables players to interact in one world. Players can join others to create various constructions, mine and fight with eachother.

Users can download and run the server package that allows other players to connect to and play on their server. Future versions will have multiple game modes, although the current version supports both Creative and Survival multiplayer modes. It should be noted that game modes can be individually attributed to players, with some in creative and some in survival modes. Individual players can also be promoted by the admin and other ops (system operators) to op status, which grants them access to server commands such as setting the time of day and teleporting players around.

Minecraft currently does not have a pre-populated server list available, but there is a server list for Minecraft Classic, and the wiki's sidebar has a link to the Classic server list.

However, there are third-party server lists; Orcworm Minecraft hosts a Minecraft server list and Redstone Wire, Ltd. also hosts a Minecraft server list. Other lists include a Minecraft [[survival] server list] and Minecraft [[Survival] & Classic server list]. However, players can set up their own servers on a local network (using the local IP address as opposed to a global IP address presented by the server's router). A local server usually does not require port forwarding.

In multiplayer, players can press to chat to others or enter commands. Commands are identified by the server with the use of a forward slash (/) at the beginning of the message. Chat functions:
 * Chat history
 * Links are clickable in chat.
 * Mouse wheel can be used to scroll up/down for history. and  keys can also be used.
 * Up/down keys for recently sent messages.
 * If you start typing a player's name, and press, it'll automatically type the rest of the username for you.
 * Copy & paste in chat. ( is for paste and is to copy.  will select text for you.)
 * Just like typing §k in chat displays random characters, §l §m §n and §o creates bold, striked, underlined and italic text respectively, while §r resets any set states. These (the section symbol: §) cannot be typed in vanilla clients. If § is pasted and posted in chat, the player who sent it will be automatically kicked from the server.
 * Pressing the '/' acts like a command key: it opens the chat with a '/' in it. In other keyboard layouts, it might be another key.

History

 * Minecraft Multiplayer was officially released on the 8th of June 2009, after many beta trials.


 * November 10, 2010 (Alpha 1.2.2) - Vehicles are now functional.


 * November 24, 2010 (Alpha 1.2.3) - Health and Damage are now functional.


 * November 30, 2010 (Alpha 1.2.4) - Other players are shown as sneaking when they are sneaking.


 * December 3, 2010 (Alpha 1.2.6) - The /kill command was added to multiplayer.


 * December 20, 2010 (Beta 1.0) - Inventory is now server-sided (fixes disappearing items and duplication glitches).


 * January 13, 2011 (Beta 1.2) - Worn armor is now visible on other players. Paintings work.


 * February 22, 2011 (Beta 1.3) - Players standing on fences no longer get stuck.


 * March 31, 2011 (Beta 1.4) - "Ghost" client-sided slimes no longer spawn.


 * April 19, 2011 (Beta 1.5) - Wolves no longer constantly whimper when they have full health.


 * May 26, 2011 (Beta 1.6) - Huge bugfix update. The Nether works in multiplayer, dispensers now emit smoke and play sounds when used, fixed fake client-sided music discs spawned when ejecting them from a jukebox...


 * July 8, 2011 (Beta 1.7.3) - Modded clients may no longer edit text of placed signs.


 * September 14, 2011 (Beta 1.8) - Ghast attack sounds were fixed.


 * January 12, 2012 (1.1) - It was made possible to enter colored text in multiplayer's chat.


 * March 1, 2012 (1.2.1) - It is no longer possible to enter colored text in multiplayer's chat with the vanilla client. Monster Spawners now show the correct mob inside them. Mob hitboxes were fixed (it is now possible to hit their legs).


 * March 22, 2012 (1.2.4) - Chat was greatly improved. There is now a chat history, it is now possible to complete usernames using the key, and it is now possible to copy-paste. Many multiplayer bugs were also fixed, such as ghost TNT.

Technical notes
The server saves the level to the server_level.dat file every minute, or by issuing the /save-all command.

Homebrew servers do not strictly require access to minecraft.net, and so can be played on an isolated local network with no Internet connection. They use minecraft.net as a repository of player skins and also a database containing a list of accounts, preventing hackers and griefers from using false names while on such a server. This and other settings are modified by editing the server.properties text file.

Variations of Servers
There are many different server types, including SMP's, free builds, and more.


 * SMP stands for "survival multi-player." This is the standard server type and when creating a server, it will automatically become this.
 * Free-build servers are dedicated to just building; no mobs or caves or anything else. Sometimes everybody is set on creative mode to allow faster building.
 * There are also other variations of these two like RPGs that give people ranks.

Some servers use mods ("modifications") that add items, crafting recipes, and more that are dedicated to servers (like mods that make a currency item).

Bugs

 * Multiplayer is unpolished and contains many bugs, most of them being graphical or sound-related (like some sounds not playing, or the inability to hit mobs in some cases).
 * Many events of the game are affected by multiplayer latency (often called "lag"), with effects such as resulting in mobs hitting you more easily than in singleplayer.
 * Livestock including pigs, sheep, cows, and chicken seem to jump on and off of fences making noises as if they were taking fall-damage.
 * Sometimes your skin changes back to default skin.

Trivia

 * In multiplayer one is able to change the gamemode (as Survival or Creative) by simply using a command, however one needs the operator status to do so.
 * When changing the game mode from survival to creative, your normal inventory is preserved and replaced by the creative items/blocks; when you change your game mode back to survival your normal inventory will be restored.