Key to success in running a server?

Me and a few others want to build and create a server to open to the public, and attempt to build a community that will regularly play the server, however whenever I have had servers in the past i've had the same issue over and over:

- Players join, and within less than a day, their names won't be seen on the server again.
- Players join and just leave again without even seeing what the server has to offer.
- No players show any real interest and try to do their own thing despite the server being something unique and original.

What I want to know, is what is the key to building a good community, players that will regularly play, a server that others will join and WANT to play, because one of the biggest turn-offs for a server is when there are very few players online, this has always been the main issue, players will join, and see there is no real player-base to play with, and will just leave.

How do we begin? How can we go about building a community? What does it take to build a successful server?

We do have a few basic ideas that are original, but how could we go about turning something like Factions that in todays world, lacks originality, into something different that players will choose over other servers that offer that same plugin?

Leave your experiences and opinions below

 

I think lot's of people are having the same problem. My plan in running my server (it's only just opened now) is that a server has a front door and a back door which means the front door is getting people onto your server and the back door is keeping them in. Now what i find is the front door seems easy enough because you just post a thread and players join but it's not that simple. In my experiences i post a thread and i get 2-12 players join which seems good at first but usually they are what i consider to be bad players. By this i mean they don't really want to play on your server but they're just looking for a server to get staff on and abuse their power or to find something to grief which poses a problem for me because their aren't many players who actually want to play. Secondly, you need to keep the back door shut so they stay on your server but this is easier said than done. I believe that to keep players on your server has to have something unique to offer that no other server does. On my server i'm going for a custom mob and item plugin and i'm making a bukkit minigame that should help alot.

EDIT: Sorry if this makes no sense; my English isn't too great.

 

I very much agree about the originality part, and I am also doing this, my idea is to combine factions and RP with quests to create an experience which both RPG servers and Hardcore Factions servers offer, combined into one packed server, meaning there is endless possibilities, and players will never get bored.

 

In my opinion factions is too generic and won't get you many players.

 

Its a lot harder to get started today than it was 3 years ago. A lot of the free advertising resources just do not bring in enough traffic to start from scratch. Unless you have the capitol to buy some premium ads it will be very hard work to even get off the ground.

Players will not stick around if there are less than 10 players online. Once you can have about 10 - 15 players online, your staff is nice and not abusive, and you have decent features players will start to stick around.

So to sum up:

• Buy a premium ad. (This is the hardest part.)
  • These go anywhere from $100 - $1000 a month depending on the site.
• Have decent staff.
• Have good features.
  • Even generic plugins will be fine if you have enough ppl online to create a social atmosphere.
• Don't give up too soon.
  • It will take time to build a community. If you are not willing to spend at least 3 - 6 months to get the ball rolling than you should not even try.

 

You need traffic. If people see there are a lot of people playing, they will want to join in.

It could be the best server ever made, but if it is empty I will leave it.

Buy ads and promote yourself, maybe get a server popular with a less original idea, then work on an original server. You can bring in some of the player base from the other server to get it going.

In the beginning, you need to be friendly to the new adopters. If they stick around, then it will continue to grow.

Cheers!

 

object400 People want to start a server that people will play, not a business. I usually do not ask for donations as I see them unfair for players who cant afford it. Granted, my server is relatively small (60), but I keep players on by providing fairness. If one player can accomplish something, then another can do the same.

Anyway, ads are too expensive. I remember when I contemplated placing an ad on minestatus. Not worth it. Big servers rule it, placing above 3 grand to hold the spot, which wouldnt have been possible if they did not get donations from their player base.

Anyway, unless you are wealthy, getting your server populated is near impossible. Ads are controlled by big networks and players do not want to stay if you dont have an already existing player base.

 

I Think That You Can Keep (and Get) players when you:

• add voting with rewords, but don't make so that you have to vote over 2 days.
• Playtime, playtime makes it so that players play to get rewords or ranks, Link To PlayTime: http://dev.bukkit.org/bukkit-plugins/playtime/
• Droppatys and Minepartys
• Playing games with players
• give items to players

i hope this helps your server!
P.S Mangosnake i like your server and will tell my mates the IP!

 

I think the best way to develop a server is to build reliable and friendly community by creating server's site/forum. Another thing - keeping YouTube channel. If your players are your subscribers too - it will attract them to play on your server.

 

Sorry man, it costs money to run a server. It costs a lot of money to run a large one.

You can only go so far into your own pockets then you gotta ask for donations if you want the community to stay.

 

don't do it for the money

 

Ok, Thing is i run a server that dont even have donation ranks becuz i dont like recieving money i just like to see people have fun now i know some peopel cant do that but like goblom said dont do it for the money or anything like that just do it for the fun. Dont abuse your permissions or anything like that. Pvp in normal stuff like the other players got give stuff back and what not. Many DONT ADVERTISE ON OTHER SERVERS! Use fourms or planetminecraft to advertise!