LRR Minecraft Server

[AdmiralMemo]

Well, since I'm getting way too stressed out again, I'm taking the server down until I can sort some things out. Since I can't personally be on 24/7, and apparently my Mods either can't or don't choose to be on 24/7 either between the bunch of them, LRRcraft needs to go down for a while. The server has grown past the point where we need a Mod or Admin on at all times.

Unless my Mods can step up to this task, this may end up keep happening, with the server going up and down as I have time to spare, which is becoming rarer. I've been trying to hold onto my sanity, but it's breaking, and at this point, I don't want to keep LRRcraft going at the expense of my real-world job, which is suffering.

I thought I could hold out until 1.8 came, but 1.8 was supposed to come in April, and it's now June with things pointing towards it coming out in August. There is SO much stuff in 1.8 that would make my life so much easier, but if I don't live that long to see it, it won't matter.

So, we'll see what I can do and what I can't. I need to collect and think. But, on the bright side, the worst-case scenario is that the server's only down until 1.8 comes out.

If you're wondering what spurred this on, it was a lack of proper communication between many parties. This is apparently a common problem we've all been having.

[SAJewers]

Just a note on 1.8: Dinnerbone tweeted that they have a couple of months left on development.

https://twitter.com/Dinnerbone/status/4 ... 4930536448

[DewKnight]

I know exactly where you're coming from, and I'm so extremely sorry that I haven't been able to help at all lately. Unfortunately my health is not cooperating so I can't realistically offer any of my assistance.

Keep yourself sane. You know I feel you there. And though I may not be online much, feel free to drop an email any time.

If it needs to shut down then it needs to shut down. If it needs to shut down for good, I would be happy to put a copy of the map for download on one of my fast servers for anybody that wanted a copy.

[AdmiralMemo]

DewKnight: Yeah, I know your issues and am not expecting you to do anything at this point in time. It's just that the ball has been collectively dropped by all of us.

Now, if there's enough interest in the server that I could get $40K a year collectively, I could quit my job and run this full-time. But I don't think there's enough here for that.

Regarding the map, as I said, the worst-case scenario is not a permanent shut-down, unless 1.8 never comes and I can't get my life sorted out enough ever. I've also told the LRR team that if permanent shut-down day comes, I will give them a copy of the map, or give it to a person of their choosing.

[Dutch guy]

Memo, always keep your own sanity and well being first and foremost. The server being shut down is not the end of the world in any sense.

I feel I must apologize for not being around much, and even when i'm around I'm mostly doing my own thing on the server.

[DewKnight]

Aw man, if only running a server could be a full time job. Even the servers with staff, donations, subscriptions, etc don't bring in enough for that. Many people just don't understand how much money, and more importantly time and brain power go in to running a server.

1.8 Really sounds like it will help a lot of things. I'm glad you ended up deciding to not use bukkit or other things. A lot of people are up in the air with what's going to happen to them right now. It would have been way too much of a headache.

If I rob a bank, I'll definitely put some funds towards a full-time server job.

....

Not that I would ever rob a bank..... ...

[AdmiralMemo]

The money isn't currently an issue. We have enough to run the server on current specs until next April on community donations, and after that, if more control returns to me from the community, I'll be happy to continue to fund it for the future.

It's the time and brain-power that's the issue. It's only if I have no more job that the money would be an issue.

[Volafortis]

Yeah, I try to be on when I can, but lately I've been a bit busier than I had been previously, with a wedding coming up I need to attend, and I've been interviewing for new jobs, so I can't be on quite as frequently as I have been.

[King Kool]

I'm not sure how many mods we have, but I don't think having a mod available 24/7 is too unreasonable, depending where all the mods live. The only reason I wasn't on much after the stream is because I literally worked all day after that.

If there was a way that certain events on the server could send a message to a mod or an admin, even if they're not playing (through Steam, Skype, IRC, something), that could help us be more available. I'm at my computer a lot, but I'm not always on Minecraft.

[AdmiralMemo]

Kool: I've thought of that, but haven't really looked into it. I know it's possible with plugins, but not sure with vanilla.

Also, how's everyone feel about just going to the snapshots?

[Volafortis]

I'd be fine with going into snapshots.

As far as contacting me when I'm not in the game, my name's the same on Steam, feel free to send me a message if my assistance is needed. I'm usually at my computer when I'm at home.

[DewKnight]

One could write a quick script to watch the server.log and send off emails whenever any certain phrase is mentioned (like !mods). Wouldn't be too complex of a script. I'm sure there are a few people who could write such a thing.

Could also set up a google calendar or similar for all the mods. Give "shifts" to them. Just times they're generally available and whatnot.

Just throwing around ideas.

[Sky_rider19]

Sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but what exactly are the snapshots?

[Volafortis]

Beta releases of upcoming patches.

You get access to new features sooner, but they are potentially buggy.

I've been playing snapshots in single player pretty exclusively, though, and I haven't run into any issues.

[MagisterMystax]

I think snapshots are definitely a good idea if they make your life easier.

[SAJewers]

The only negative I can give regarding snapshots is that Mods like Optifine won't work with them, but I'm not sure how many people use/require Optifine. Otherwise, I say go for it.

For anyone who hasn't kept up with 1.8 development, it might be wise to give these a read:

http://redd.it/p6llh
http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/1.8

EDIT: It might be a good idea to wait for the next snapshot, as that might include the new underwater dungeons and stuff.

[AdmiralMemo]

One could write a quick script to watch the server.log and send off emails whenever any certain phrase is mentioned (like !mods). Wouldn't be too complex of a script. I'm sure there are a few people who could write such a thing.

Could also set up a google calendar or similar for all the mods. Give "shifts" to them. Just times they're generally available and whatnot.

Just throwing around ideas.

I installed IRC on the server and it seems to run fine. Maybe we can have an IRC bot that checks for this stuff?

[Dutch guy]

Would it be possible to run an "IRC bot" in the minecraft console? That could be very interesting indeed. (IE, a bot with "admin rights" that can monitor the minecraft chat and enter commands based on chat messages from authorised people)

I've been imagining a minecraft chatbot which responds to commands with an attitude.
"Minebot, set weather to sunny" "I can do that,your majesty... asshat"

Its too bad I have no idea how to program it, but I would love a minecraft control bot that would require different levels of "pleasantness". For example: a player would have to ask "Minebot, could you set the weather to sunny please?" (Which has about a 20% chance of working). A mod could type "Minebot, weather to sunny please". (Again, snarky reply). The admin could type "Minebot weather sunny" and it would just work.

[DewKnight]

You can do that with plugins, though I don't know about vanilla. There are some things that are just wrappers that can inject commands (ie chat). I think the easiest thing to do would probably be just have a script that parses the logs (in near real-time) for any kleywords.

If somebody has experience with IRC bots though, they might want to go that route as it would be more familiar.

[AdmiralMemo]

1. I'd have to end up registering another Minecraft user, so someone would need to fork over the money for that, or allow their donation to go towards that and sacrifice a little bit of server duration.

2. I don't even know if it's possible.

3. I would not insult the players like that, I already have a rule against profanity. (I don't use profanity myself.)

4. I would not give admin powers freely like that. If people want it sunny, I have the WCV already for that.

Also, if the Admin/Mods want it sunny, they can just type "/weather clear" and it takes many fewer keystrokes. In-game, I already have the common commands in Command Blocks hooked up to buttons/levers in the Admin Base. I see no reason currently to have this Bot for things that can more easily be done another way.

5. I was talking about a bot in the IRC server that monitors the server.log file for certain things. I would mainly have it check for new people joining, people in jail, and a keyphrase in chat, such as !mods perhaps.

[DewKnight]

Yeah that sounds like it would be the easiest way to go. Then people don't have to monitor the console all day for important things, the important things would be noted, emailed or irc message, and possible logged. Just a fey keywords would make things easier like that. I'm not a programmer though, so I don't know the best way to implement that.

[AdmiralMemo]

OK, so I've gotten AdmiralMatt and Likal on the IRC, and I've made some adjustments to the server via the snapshots. I'm going to take SAJewers' advice and update and turn the server back on when the next snapshot comes out.

By then, I'll probably have figured out some of the finer things regarding the server configuration and administration, hopefully.

Also, I'm going to talk to MrPhlip, d3fr0st5, or qrpth to see if I can get one of them to whip up an IRC bot for me. If that works, I'll just have to make sure there's a Mod logged into IRC at all times.

[ChroniclerC]

Possibly premature, but do you have any plans on how you want to handle name changes?

[AdmiralMemo]

No, and I don't think I'll need to, mainly because it's already worked out on the backend, I believe. Nothing's getting stored as "Names" anymore and is being stored as UserIDs now. So the server will see something like User123456789 named Likal and everyone online will see Likal. But if you change your Minecraft name to ChroniclerC, it'll still be User123456789 on the backend. Everyone will see ChroniclerC now, but the information to the server didn't change, and if I banned "Likal" from the server before you changed your name, you would not be able to get back on as ChroniclerC if it was just a name change. You'd need to buy a whole new Minecraft account.

Mods: I want to discuss getting a Mod Shift Schedule worked out on the Mod Communication Sheet. Phlip and I have worked out an IRC bot to relay stuff from Minecraft to the IRC chat. (There's still a few bugs to work out, so it's not ready just yet, but it's close enough to ready to start planning.) So if we can get at least one Mod to be "on call" at all times, that would be great. You wouldn't have to stay in Minecraft the whole time, but you'd need to stay in IRC and be willing and able to pop into Minecraft for a few minutes if something comes up.

[ChroniclerC]

I just don't want to cause confusion when "ChroniclerC" is running around doing stuff in land claimed by "Likal" is all.