A Very Important Update

So after the new map being up for a while, things seem to have not improved.

So what come's next you ask?

I looked into cleaning up the old map with MCEdit, But the map is so fucked up it is almost impossible to save things. So unfortunatly We will need a new map either way. Howerver! we may be able to come to a deal about moving some of the old stuff onto the new map. but you will need to talk to me about it and we can come to a deal.

I still have plans about town rules and the rank system (which is why you are all refugees) Which I will be implementing very soon but it will go along the lines of

Refugee (Trial) - Cant do a certain amount of things... Join towns. Use diamond tools, can't use shops etc.

Mortal (Member)- After a short mebership application here on the forums, once approved you will get this rank allowing you to do the things you can currently do.

After that it is back to normal. The reason for doing this is to stop people joining and helping towns out, only to quit 1-2 days later.. There will probably be a minimum connection time you have to be on before you can apply for membership.

Sethome and Home... I'm am most probably going to keep these removed. this is to make people be a lot more careful playing the game and keep them on edge with pvp, lava, monsters and the other wonderfull dangerous things. It will also make people use towns more often.

Possibilities

Server map - Boundries. As the server map is actually huge at the moment, I may delete alot of the outside walls and move the towns closer together, (this includes making spawn smaller). The reason for this is it is impossible to generate a world map with the World we currently have. Once again this will also promote player to player interaction. Boundries on the map will stop people running so far out, that it makes the world lag... I do think the map has had some effect on the problems we have been having, but not the map itself, just the sheer size of it. We shall see.

Plugin's - With Bukkit in the Foreseeable Future I am currently Tuning my Java skills to write some plugins for it (Race's and Xp System anyone) Don't know how well this will go or what not. But It is something I am planning in the Future.

The Host
As many of you know the Host is causing us a lot of problems. Lots of people have told me to move host and to have ago at them etc... But not many of you are aware that The hosting company. are currently in teh Bukkit Development team. They have just bought over mcserlist.com and actually have the cheapest Server's out there..... They do have plans to move to bukkit but due to them using there own software to run the server's they need to tune it towards bukkit. and are waiting for bukkit to be realeased. (as far as I am away they are doing bukkit tests this week)... This is good for more than one reason. Bukkit will be tuned to our host. and if bukkit Dies. Our host will take over it.

So for now everyone may be slating the host (including me) and wanting them to fix all there problems. But what you need to remmeber is Minecraft is in Beta at the moment, and I am sure the host is doing the best they can to weed out all the bugs. They are also probably going to dominate the minecraft market in the near future once bukkit is realeased and more minecraft patches come out.


What Can You Do?
Hope fully this post has cleared up a lot of Issues and will make things clearer for some people. But as we are a COMMUNITY. I need help from you. I am still looking for admins. and I have seen lots of people ask for it, but seen no one actually capable of being one. So here are a few hints on what I am looking for.

• Active Member (at least 4 hours online a day)
  
• Active on the Forums
  
• Helpful to players (this should go without saying)
  
• Limited Swearing, acusations, being a twat, Overall Dickhead
  
• Keen in the Progression of the Server
  
• A voice. Still not enough people using TS3, and even when they are on it they don't talk. I want people to talk to me!
  
• A knowledge of the Game (this always Helps)
  

If you don't want to be an admin, there are still things you can do. Be nice and Helpful. Start a town With the New Rules. (they are there for a reason) At the moment War does not exist. If you make an awesome Town with hotels, marketplace's anything else a town should have... Maybe I will be more inclined to let the mayor of that town Create a shop!

Idea's - Suggest things that would make this server better, Don't just say "Get Moar Lapis" actually go into detail about what you want. I know many of you want Chat channels, but it seems the plugin Developer has moved to bukkit (so this will have to wait) But I have done ton's of research on plugins. We could get NPC's, Quests, Achievements. You name it and they probably have it, If not Maybe Someone will develop it! You won't know until you ask. But Please actually go into detail about what you want, Encourage a debate or exchange of views..Post's like "Fail", "This is Stupid", "Alo said no" Don't help anyone. So think about it.

That is all I can think of at the moment, I am sure there is more but for now I have given you lots to think about. So please feel free to Comment and leave your idea's/ thoughts and Lets keep on the original track of creating the best Minecraft Server Ever! :)

Just thought I would let you know, that the Membership Ranks will most probably go Live today. Just need the Forum updated and we are good to go.

This means that Everyone on the server will be a refugee when they log in. and will have restricted Commands.

Thee Include:

• Not able to use LWC
  
• Not able to Join Town's
  
• Not able to Send Mail
  

There will be more things that get restricted Over time.

So how do you become a member you ask?

Well Once it is implemented. You will see a new Forum Pop up and a sticky with a Membership Guide.

The application will have some questions that I am sure won't be challenging at all. But there will be a membership Code you have to Enter. Which Will be Hidden in a thread here on the Forums. Because I'm Nice I will give you a hint that it Will be in a thread that you must read and memorise :)

On a Side note, I have withdrawn Tradecraft From the Server, So once again Gold is Useless (for now), Instead we will be implementing iConomy very soon. As this will port over to Bukkit a lot more easier, Plus I can use it with things like NPC's and other things.

This should now also mean that Craftbook will work again! Hooray! although I will be disabling your use to make things, unless you are a member.

In case you are wondering why go through the effort of all this. It is an extra anti-grief feature, I will be putting a smaller border up for refugee's so they can't go as far as member's in addition to an even further border for Donators.

Thought's on LWC - I am leaning towards removing LWC all together. and Starting a General bank in the new spawn town (once its built) where players can purchase personal Banks.... I would also be inclined to give donator's lwc, but limit it to a smaller amount, and also give townmayor's LWC for the use of a Town Bank...

Anyway Hope that gives you even more satisfaction that we are working on making the Server a better place!

Also Remember to Sign up to help Build Spawn!

Creepers are now tamed once again, They can't hurt you. They will still come looking for hugs though. So feel the Love :)

It also seems I have fixed the logging into walls issue. We have tested it and it seems to be fine. This will obviously need more testing though, so let me know if you spawn in a wall :)

LWC is no longer active on the server, so start making vaults =D

Refugee's are no longer aloud to use chests.

Refugee Border implemented. 450 blocks from spawn refugees will come across this border

Member's will be able to travel to 650 blocks away from spawn until there border.

sounds good =)

Sounds Horrible. :/

and why do you say that?

Now we will feel like dogs that are stuck with chains.
members get that those do that lalala

this is horribad D=

Members get everything they usually get, it is an anti griefing measure to try and stop people logging on destroying things and logging off.

to become a member all they need to do is read the rules and fill out a short form, its hardly painful to do.