Should You Play Minecraft on a Private Server?
With millions of players worldwide, Minecraft is undoubtedly one of the most popular and successful games of the last decade. The simple sandbox experience it offers has enthralled players since it’s release in 2009, and the ongoing updates (including the cross platform play in the most recent version) means it’s set to continue to offer new experiences to players.
One of the more popular things to do in the game is to run a server with your own world. You can build a huge, unique world and explore it with friends and family. There have been some incredible collaborations to build huge worlds from different movies, TV shows and games, and the possibilities are endless if you have the skill and the time to work on it.
The prospect of setting up a server can be a little daunting if you’ve never done it before, but it’s actually fairly straightforward. You essentially have two options – hosting your own server at home or using a VPS from a specialist Minecraft hosting provider.
Home Server
The benefits of hosting at home are that you have control over the set up and you can save some money if you already own the hardware. Unfortunately, most home setups aren’t particularly well-equipped to run a server properly.
To perform well, a server needs access to a low latency internet connection to reduce lag as much as possible. Most home connections are fine for browsing and streaming content, but they aren’t really designed to handle running servers.
Private Hosting
There are a number of companies out there who offer private Minecraft hosting for a small monthly fee, with servers set up specifically to host Minecraft. Companies like Apex Minecraft Hosting will install all your modpacks and help get you up and running, which can save you a lot of trouble if you’re never set up a server before.
You’re also getting server-grade equipment, which is much better at handling multiple users and will offer a far better online experience.
What To Look For
If you’ve decided to get a private server, either at home or through a RPG servers with classes hosting provider, there are couple of factors which will determine the specs you’ll need. The amount of RAM required will depend on how many people are playing the game and how many plugins you need. The more you have, the more you’ll need or you’re at risk of lag.
Another key factor in reducing lag is choosing a server with a fast processor. Again, this will depend on the amount of people playing the game and any mods you have installed, but in general the more players you have the faster the processor you’ll need.
In general you can expect to pay around $3 a month for a small server (ideal if there’s only a few of you playing) and up to $30 or more for the higher end servers. You can usually upgrade or migrate if you find you’ve outgrown your existing set up, so start small and see how it goes.
Minecraft offers a fairly unique experience, and playing it online with friends is a surprisingly fun way to spend your time. You can build and grow your world together, work on a big construction project together or just hang out and mess around – no matter what way you play, Minecraft is best enjoyed with friends!