Minecraft is a single-player game (unless you're playing on multiplayer). You survive by yourself and your only friends are the animals that you will probably cook for food! Yet you might want to roam the world with friends. Just experience it with other players and more mobs that you can shake a Creeper at. So servers have made a mark in the Minecraft world of blocks. Here is a lowdown on them:
Joining a Server
- Find a server on a Minecraft server listing website
- Read the descriptions and pick one you like. Find its IP and copy it to the clipboard(Ctrl+C for Windows or Cmd+C for Mac). The IP address is often a number displayed next to the name of it, or a domain.
- Start Minecraft, click Multiplayer and click Add Server. There should be two boxes, Server Name and IP Address. The server name does not matter a bit. Call it what you like. Now press Ctrl+V in the Server Address box to enter the IP. Confirm your entries by clicking done.
- You should go back to your list of servers. The server should appear on it with green bars on the right.
- Click this server, click Join Server. Normally, you will be brought directly into the server. If you are not, there is a list of common errors below to help you.
Possible Errors
Things will go wrong at some point, so here are some error messages and what they mean. These messages might appear when you click Join Server:
- Disconnected by server. Outdated server! or Disconnected by server. Outdated client!
If Minecraft updated recently, you might get these error messages. They mean that you are running a diffrent version than the server. You can create a new profile in the launcher with the version the server is running or you will have to wait for the server to update, that may take more or less time depending of the server owners' reactivity.
- You are not whitelisted on this server!
Some servers enable a whitelist system to prevent others from joining - usually, to be whitelisted, you have to ask on some external website, usually where you found the server.
- You are banned from this server!
Your username or your IP got banned from the server. To be unbanned from a server, you need to take contact with an administrator of the server, and request to be unbanned. If it's a server you have never heard of you may have been IP banned meaning your IP adresss was blocked.
- Disconnected by Server. Invalid session (Try restarting your game)
When you log in to Minecraft you get a session ID which the Mojang servers keeps track of. Only the one with the latest session ID for your account are allowed to join servers( which have offline mode off). Do as the message says and restart your game. This might be caused by someone else accessing your account, to prevent that, change your password.
- Cannot connect to server
This appears next to the list of servers. This means you couldn't reach to the server at all. The server might be down, you may not have an internet connection, or the server didn't respond in time( because of lag).
- End of stream
This may happen if you try to connect too rapidly to a server; disconnect, wait a bit and try to reconnect, it should work.
- The authentication are currently down for maintenance.
The server that Minecraft uses to check your session ID are currently down. You can check the current status at help.mojang.com under Service Statuses
- Java error, such as java.lang.aMethodWhichReturnedAStackTrace(): A error message
This might be different depending on the error message. Search the web for others with the same problem, and you might find a solution.
- Buffer overflow
What happens on the server
Servers can be daunting for some. There are people chatting, maybe trading, Ops broadcasting changes and players entering and leaving. So this section shall help you get started.
- You will spawn in the server's spawn point. Depending on which one you are on, you will spawn in a room. It is called the spawn room and is purely used where people spawn. The server may make it look lavish, with gold blocks and diamond as well as lava and glowstone.
- On the left hand side of the screen is the chat log. Players will be talking and things will be announced, in different coloured text. You can chat and bring it up by pressing T. Then enter what you have to say and press enter.
- There will be a rules board. This is just lots of signs that say how the server operates. Here are some common rules:
- No griefing: This is where you do not destroy constructions or don't place rude structures.
- No cheating mods: Anything that changed Minecraft from the original is called a mod. Some servers ban them, mainly because they can make it easier for you to grief, ruin fun for others, cheat in mini-games, etc.
- No swearing or offensive comments: Don't use any profanity or insults. Pretty self-explanatory.
- Sometimes you might have to register online to play on a server. If you really want to play, then create an account.
- Other times you will need to agree to the rules. Type in "I agree" or something like that. Then you will become a builder or the door will open.
- On some servers you have to register and make a password on the server itself and then log in, this is often done by /register [fill in password] and then login using /login [fill in the same password]. You won't have to register again for that server but logging in is sometimes still required for each session.
- What you do next depends on the server. There is a full list under Server.
- Some servers require prerequisites to prove yourself, like building a house, answering trivia, or killing mobs. If you do what you need, and the mods approve, or you finish the trial, you will be promoted to Member, Player, etc.
- Some servers offer rewards when you promote them, called voting. This requires going to a website in a browser (while minecraft is running in the background,) and visiting the webpage indicated and then following a simple instruction. The player then receives XP and/or items.
- DO NOT anger mods or ops by attacking them, griefing them, etc. They have authority and can ban, mute, or put you in jail (that's right, some servers have jails). This is crucial if you want to stay on the server. Of course, you can attack them in the server pvp area.
Getting Yourself Started
Now that you're in the server, you probably want to find a place to live! Some servers will automatically give you some tools (normally wooden) so that you can get yourself started. Other times you will spawn and, well, be on your own! Some servers also have what are called Lots. Lots are places you can build your house. Typically you will need to apply for a lot with the Admins to get one.
Find out what is acceptable, and seek out a place you want to call home. Here are a few things to keep in mind
- You will need a source of food, so make sure there is water for farms, or at least animals for meat.
- You will want to go far enough away from Spawn so you don't have too many visitors (some of them might be griefers!) But not so far, or else you will be all the way back at the beginning if you die.
- Take your coordinates: Press F3 and write down on a piece of paper or a .txt document your X,Y, and Z coordinates in case you ever get lost.
- /sethome, /home and /spawn: several servers have a plugin that allows for the commands /home and /sethome. /sethome will save your coordinates, and /home will teleport you to exactly the same spot. Ask the admins what the exact code is, as they may vary from server to server. /spawn takes you to the server's spawn.
Custom Servers
Multiple archetypes of Minecraft servers exist, distinguished by the unique gameplay features, rules, and societal structures which they implement. No two servers are the same, and frequently the line between archetypes is blurred or indistinguishable. Many special types of servers rely on the use of map editors or the creative game mode to build custom maps and the Craftbukkit server software to provide proprietary features.
For a list of different server types, go to the Server page.
Making Friends
You probably don't want to be spending your time on a server alone, so here are some tips on making friends, and what to do with them. Ask people what time it is? People with near-ish time to you often work best. This will let you know if they are likely to be online at the same times you are, without giving away any personal information. Making a friend is easy enough, just offer to go mining with them or give them a nice little gift. Admins and OP's may seem friendly enough, but they are usually just doing their job, don't think of them as friends. When you have a friend, you have an ally in battle, a mining partner, and a someone who can try and get you un-banned from a server.
Avoiding Betrayals
On PvP servers, some people will use you to their own advantage to get them started, and then betray you at any random moment. In order to avoid this problem, follow these simple solutions.
- Never let the enemy kill you before you can kill them.
- Never make a team with any random person.
- Never allow random people to enter your home.
- Never trust someone with enchanted diamond armor and sword unless you know them.
Following these tips can save you a lot of trouble and regret in the future.