I'm looking for some design input for a project I'm doing for the survival server. Project: Building the new main spawn Requested input: any flaws in the design/implementation of the current spawn Theme suggestions, please offer a broad theme and, if able, an example either in text or picture I will keep this post updated with a list of suggestions that are offered and the list will be reviewed by staff, architects, and myself before construction begins. Once a theme is selected i will be looking for players to help build and critique the project. A project status thread will also be created to keep players up to date. This thread is not to ask to be put on the project; players will be selected based on how compatible their building style is with the selected theme. Flaws: - lack of material diversity - too large and imposing buildings - some buildings useless - arena is too complex - portals closer to main building Themes: - old world - cabins
I think the main flaw with the current spawn is that it is too large and elaborate. That may sound strange at first, but I will go on. Players are coming here to play a harder version of survival, but are greeted by a massive world edited city with no clear path as to where to go. Guests don't actually need anything from the spawn world, but few realize this. They begin exploring the massive spawn area without much direction, then leave shortly after due to confusion. Comparing the old spawn world to the spawn we have now, I notice something funny. While the current spawn is much more impressive building wise, I feel it gets used far less than the old spawn world. Nearly all the buildings in the current spawn do not have a practical purpose for most players and are merely for show. In the old spawn, players were running around all the time to do drop trades, then heading to the mall, arena, or to go look for the admin ship. In short, I think we need a smaller spawn that is easier to navigate. You should be able to get around spawn by running (old spawn had a few warps, but using /spawn and running to any building was still practical). We should make the buildings more relevant to all players and give them actual function. We shouldn't forget this is a survival server. Honestly the spawn would best be done in survival mode if you really want to make it fit with the server, but I doubt that will happen. As for specific suggestions, I think the portals should very close to the spawn area/in the main spawn area itself. After guests read the introduction signs and exit the first room, they should be right next to the portals so they can warp to the world they need to. Just seems logical. Also, while the new arena is much more impressive than the old one, the old one was much more fun. I feel like there might simply be too many features crammed into our current one. While it's very nice to look at, it's rather difficult to have a fair fight with a small number of people because there is just so much room and so many features. Until you know the layout, it's quite hard to navigate. This is only made worse by the fact you warp to a different spot every time. I think an easier fighting area and perhaps spawn points similar to the pvpgames arena would be good. I want to lose a fight because someone picked up a weapon and killed me, not because someone happens knows about a button that makes a random floor disappear. These suggestions are made with the intent of getting the spawn world more daily use by focusing on a more practical spawn. I don't doubt the build itself will be nice, but we should focus on something more fitting for an extreme survival server than an elaborate world edited city with little to no function. Feel free to critique anything I said, and I'll add any more specific suggestions if I think of any.
Maybe we should go for a different style this time. I personally think incorporating the spawn and the mining world might be a good idea, that way the mining spawns does not get totally destroyed. Then you can walk out and go mine, but still have the multiple warps just so people are in varied areas and don't complain about the lack of mats. And like millla said it is more of a survival spawn that way. For the coliseum we should have a more original type of coli this time, like the one in Rome, maybe a circular maze on the outer edges of the arena, and then an open area in the middle. I also did not like having to fight more so the landscape than people, besides we have something else in mind for that
I completely agree with Z, i think that the new spawn should be smaller and very easy to navigate without compromising the design. I think part of the problem is how imposing the buildings are, I know I got lost and a bit confused when I was a guest on the server. If you still feel that the spawn should be big, then I would suggest going for a circular layered design with the main spawn building at the top ( perhaps alongside the arena/casino), and less important buildings at the base. I will edit this post when I go onto survival tomorrow, as this is from a foggy memory and the minecraft servers are down at the moment T_T.
if you are changing the current one, then add windows, or anything to break the world edited stone, and make the buildings taller. the portal room looks hideous from dynmap because it stops at the old height. if a new theme is implemented, then a cabin theme or old world theme that would be relevant to the hardmode plugin. and i really think people should be able to buy plots at spawn. adds mroe variety, something to spend rupies on and adds more people buzzing around the spawn. you would need to show the design ahead of time, so that way there are no cobble shacks lol
Updated the main list. The block diversity is the reason we are going to avoid a modern/futuristic theme. The traps in the arena were not the best idea looking back because of the advantage vets have. The new spawn will be smaller and have fewer buildings since there really isn't much to do there. Also, it is a total rebuild of spawn, starting from scratch for those who want to know. I like the idea of people living in spawn but that would mean that they would be able to do things everyone else could not. The market place was nice since it brought trade to spawn but I think it was removed because of lack of use and some lag issues from having lots of signs in a small area. No offense to anyone else but I am still waiting on max to post his two cents since it is his server. Also spread word of this thread around because I want to get as many vantage points as I can before continuing.
I used to think that the best spawn would be one that a more realistic feal to the functionality of the buildings. So the ore shop will be large enough to look nice and be an ore shop, the chest auctions would be in the town hall or community building, ect. After joining Shadecrest and helping with the current spawn I realized something. I like helping with massive builds, and that some minecraft servers are building the largest buildings for the largest city and calling it spawn, and to me it has an empty feel. I like the current spawn, and I like the build style, but in my absence on Shadecrest I saw quite a few spawns that had fewer and smaller buildings, but were fun to be in. Some of the things that made spawns come to life were players running around making trades, building something, ect. That said, I absolutely love the massive amount of secrets you can hide in the current spawn, and a small spawn would have a hard time having as many Easter Eggs. "I love Easter Eggs " So, I would like to see a spawn that... 1. has more functionality. cut out the clutter. 2. has more of a town or village feel instead of a massive city. 3. has reasons for players to be at spawn more. "I was most impressed with servers where I could go to spawn and interact with players almost immediately." 4. have some games that players can play at any time. Some games I saw were a massive glass maze suspended over lava, with missing glass in some areas so you ended up falling in lava if you weren't careful, a difficult par-core course with many jumps and ladders, and with both of them there was a prize for finishing. 5. I like the idea of incorporating spawn with the mining world, and while it may not be easy I would like to look into it. That is my two cents. Just make it feel comfortable
thats why i really think there should be a section of houses or something like a spawn town in the spawn. Make a thread to post your house idea, then build it or ask someone to build you one. I think that would create another use for money, have people bustling around spawn and fill it up with some cool build's
Also, lets have the mining area outside of the spawn like other servers do. Many new players leave because they can't find a place to mine.
An idea is to have an area that gets reset every 1-2 weeks where only guests who have been on the server for 2 days are allowed to mine there and say that area will have no mobs spawning and an increase of ores?
I recently joined your server and play on both the creative and survival servers. I have built two spawns elsewhere. I have to say that the massive buildings on your survival server, while impressive.. seemed odd to me at first, being so big and empty. I could tell right away that they were builds from creative builders of course. Nothing wrong with that but it gave that 'creative server' feel. I've been there for several weeks now in little bits of time. I often go to spawn to trade but I have to stand there and try to remember which of those buildings it is that has it. I can't fly.. and it takes a long time to run, so other than a quick tour through.. I just headed out for the open as soon as I could. I don't think I ever see anyone in spawn. I do meet players for trades there sometimes. I guess my main input is that spawn seemed empty and semi-abandoned. Frankly, most spawns seem like that. As you know, I work on another server as co-owner (almost a year now) and the spawn is always bustling.. and since you seemed to want that element I thought I'd share with you why I think that is the case if it would help you. It's chaotic too ( run by a 16 yr old who is usually high and who is about as ADHD as it gets --believe me you wouldn't like it there so don't ask. LOL) I will never tell anyone where it is out of respect for Max and all of you guys'hard work. But I thought an inside look at a spawn that is always busy might help you. The builds on the plots in 'spawn town' as we call it, are well.. colorful and newbish. We have to work hard to maintain it--all the admins do, as newbs often abandon their builds. But many players and even supporters keep a small home there because no one wants to miss out on bartering, pvping, or selling.. and we host special events right there. Also there is a public garden and four spawners of mobs so animals don't run low. Our main spawn building is an well built but not too big. We keep the nice natural landscaping protected and added nice seating areas and foutains like a park but have a main gate and walkway leading out to where the action is. We let players claim plots and pvp is an immediate threat.. with still some oversight by us. We have a small building where you can trade with villagers.. star gates for going to elven biomes. This is used constantly as spawn is the main hub and the portals are the only way to go to the eleven biomes we connected to it. Still most new players seem to be oblivious of those stargates much like your mining areas. They usually run right out in spawn looking for trees, animals, and friends. I think you guys are certainly headed in the right direction. Stuff needs to be happening in spawn.. trade, games ( spleef , parkour, pvp arenas, building, resources.. to some extent. It's more work to maintain.. but I have to say it's the most popular place on the map for most players. For those of us with brains.. we grab our boats and start trekking before building. But many younger players just want to hang out in spawn regardless of the danger. LOL It's like a-- what do you call it--refugee camp, that is kept orderly by others. I hope you don't mind me sharing but I thought my input might help a little bit since you are trying to improve things. Frankly, as simple as our spawn is.. it still puts off those hunting for pure survival or is confusing for the younger players. We have to fight the urge to make it too 'wow'. Ps. I want to stress we have a very pretty but straightforward spawn that is nicely built and landscaped and can't be destroyed by the players... and it leads to spawntown --a short walk-- where the fun as well as the the land and activities for new players are located. So we combine the two and make sure the pretty part isn't too big or complicated. Hope this helps with your plans. I adore your survival server!
I think the spawn now is a little bit too busy and confusing. Maybe a smaller scale version would be better and less overwhelming. Also I like the cabbin theme idea too.