[gingerlime]

sorry to follow-up with an even dumber question(?). Feel like an old fossil not playing a game in probably 25 years or so.

What's the motivation for running a server? and how do people using the game decide which server to use and why? I'm really stuck at the basics.

[lelandbatey]

Many people set up servers so they and their real life friends can play in the same world together in real time. That way, you can both work on building a house, or a city or a world.

Larger servers have complex mods that add tremendous functionality to the game. Some may have roleplaying mods, where you can find a role (blacksmith, lumberjack, etc) and participate in the economy. Others may set up a world just for pure creation, a way to make sculptures.

There's a lot Minecraft has been extended to, so there are many reasons you may have to set up a server.

[gingerlime]

Thanks for the clear explanation. I somehow thought everything was in one "game world". The way you described it makes a lot more sense to me now.

[DanBC]

Minecraft is a brilliant game to run multiplayer.

You can either join a server someone else is running, or you can set up your own server.

The Minecraft software had severe limitations around things like "griefing protection" (preventing people causing havoc); charging for stuff (which is one way servers used to raise funds); or minigames.