Ok so I've just had to restore this forum and change admin password because it seems 'DillonBass' wanted to remove my access to my own forum aswel as delete this post. He cannot run a server properly it seems. Not even one I practically handed him on a plate and setup for him.
To top it off i'm hearing his server is closing down already.
For that I'm sorry to all you members again, so much for trying to keep things going.
The below is old news for most of you, though if you been under a rock for the past 2 weeks it might be worth reading...
I will be going back to the original plans laid out below. ie upload the map or try find a new owner.
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Well no easy way to end a server that you've put time into, and certainly not when so many have come to make it their favored server to play and build on.
However as much I would like to carry the server on having already let many of you know that it was coming to end, it would just be a slower ending to the server with less and less playing on it for another month. And I just don't have the time and commitment to put into it anymore. Running a minecraft server is a big undertaking if you want any sort of success in growing your server and being a good host for players. Running an auth off server is an even bigger undertaking, as you sacrifice the popularity of your server, many just don't want to register a password or get confused by it. Anyway all the downsides eventually pile on, server crashes and the constant need to babysit (really no way of getting server to restart itself, and nothing annoyed me more than finding my server down for hours while I was away leaving you guys without this server to play on), buggy plugins, patches, conflicts, maintaining it all and dealing with the few annoying players and all the other details. I don't have time for all that anymore, and when I look at all other minecraft servers out there, many of whom trying to compete for new players to come join them, it feels selfish of me to keep this going when I don't have the motivation for it anymore, so its time to move on basically.
The timing of the server hosting company in move away from providing a monthly payment method via paypal this month (understandably as dealing with paypal when you're a business is well..) ...anyway their change has coincided with my own life changes. Not wanting to setup a new payment method for something I'm wanting to end anyway just doesn't make sense.
A word about server donators, big thanks to them as they have kept this server going and helped pay for 2 server upgrades. Kept me obligated to what I started, had it not been for them this server would have ended many months earlier. However I'm glad no one has donated in over 2 months because I don't want anyone to think that the ending of this server is purely about the lack of money to keep it going, while I honestly don't feel like paying the full hosting fees anymore, its more about me wanting to move on and have that free time, not with a minecraft server I started in the back of my mind, that I have got to run, keep a presence & maintain... I think I should have got more staff to help out sooner, however its sometimes easier to deal with things yourself than trying to find others that would run it as you would yourself.
Also a little word about about how all minecraft server top lists basically force all server admins to have to compete in similar ways of bribing players into voting for the server... Planetminecraft moved away from being useful for smaller servers from getting noticed via server updates, and basically became just another minestatus top list. Getting players to vote is something I hated doing, nothing is more annoying than having to come up with ways of getting players to go vote, on top of tying it into ranks and counting votes to make sure it was fair. Again its just another one of those things I don't care to do anymore.
The few favorite minecraft servers I played on before I started my own all just ended without any notice, there is no easy way to end something. I hope you all find some replacement server to play on when this goes down. I will continue to find a new owner for the server, would like to share the skin mod I made, though I'm sure with the 1.3 changes to minecraft that will probably not work anymore.
This website/forum will remain up for anyone to check for updates or to see what players on here are doing now, you are free to post other server ip's etc.
I will edit this post later to include the months top voters, sorry no prize in that some are however still interested in knowing.
The future...
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While I haven't found any new owner yet who wants to take on Kraftzone or at least the world/towns under a different server name. My time is available to help anyone with server setup, config, etc... to anyone who steps forward with the hosting requirements for the server, basically at least 1.5gb ram, and decent connection to support 20players and preferably 24/7. This help is purely for bukkit server setup, not for OS how to setup on port forwarding etc, you need to know how to do a few things yourself. The host the server is/was currently on is warservers.net I do recommend them as having the best prices for minecraft servers and good game panel. If anyone is interested in setting up a new account I can help get this server transferred perhaps even keep the same server ip. PM me on here if you are interested or know someone who would take on ownership.
I'll still be playing other games, chances of me playing minecraft as a player again are probably slim though. I left being a minecraft player when I started this server and became an admin, still if any of you find a new server to play on, and want me to visit let me know. I probably wouldn't say no to an admin position either.
How to get the stuff I built....
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I'm going to wait a week before I put up the server map for download, just incase I do find another server owner. It will be a link to the entire main world & nether. I might also on request be including the entire bukkit server plugin setup such as towny worldguard regions, permission setup etc.. so you will be able to effectively run the Kraftzone server locally and tinker around with running a bukkit server on your own PC.
You will need to send me a pm on this forum under your regular kraftzone playername, those players will be given the link(s). If you haven't bothered playing on this server in a long time please don't be offended I don't give you the link, and especially if you have never played on this server.. this is purely for those I know who gave their time and creativity to Kraftzone.
Note this file will not include the player authentication passwords, or anything else I decide not to share... though anyone who intends to carry on Kraftzone publicly online for other players will possibly be given that for a seamless transition.
tl:dr Sorry to all those who feel let down by this, its sadly disappointing I do know, and I will miss this server more than most really, as its been big part of my life since I started it. Of course it will also be a relief to finally move on and so should you .. at least if I don't find a new owner
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