I have mixed feelings about this. I also feel like it’s a larger issue than just OPFactions. Servers and multiplayer has become quite polarized today, as more core and central forms of the game have decreased and polar opposites have increased. You could say that factions, semivanilla survival and creative have been replaced by landclaim servers and then overpowered factions along with similar grind or economy based gamemodes (prison and skyblock).
I support good server diversity, but I dislike this. First of all, peaceful survival with no threat of griefing has its place, and I can enjoy it, but some players including me may feel like it has no spice or challenge to it. There’s no competition from other players, and it’s similar to playing on single player in the sense that you have nothing besides mobs challenging you. I think it’s good many servers have this, but would also like to have a more challenging option, and basically the only other common option is to go to overpowered factions. Second of all, I think factions was much more than just raiding, griefing and grinding. To me, it was about organizing a team, dealing with trust, occasional battles between rivals, and also as a team ending up building some really cool stuff. Earlier factions was not too raiding heavy, and maybe had room for more types of players- and that’s why I think it was so popular. I also think this is why the oncoming of OPFactions has ended the common factions era, as it takes away much of that and players are instead encouraged to be expedient and use the quickest means of making money. Insanely competitive games that sacrifice other elements tend to be played less by the majority of people.
I don’t know of any good factions servers right now, but I am making a new survival server that won’t have landclaim or be too peaceful. If you want, you can join when it’s up or help. Also, how do you think factions can be made to be more appealing, with a realistic effort? I wonder if the most rotten players just being ruthless is in part what drives off many players.
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IGN:spiderbatkid
Age:19
What can you contribute to our community?: I'm a fairly experienced player looking for some simple SMP to get back into, I've had a fascination with the end ever since the 1.9 update. you can expect me to gift some elytra's at some point
How long have you been playing MC?: Since update 1.3
How often do you think you'll be playing on the realm?: At least a few hours a day depending on my work schedule.
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Yeah I'd have to agree with everything you said there.
I am totally down to check out that server once it releases. Also down for helping. no idea how i would do that. but hey.
as for making it appealing, i think just having it be real simple. give it a casual feel.
I think the main thing however was the players themselves for sure.
like you said, Being more focused on who you let in to your team. having battles, and then the occasional raid was the way i played,
There were days where we just built ridiculous things right outside the spawn because we could and give the whole server a laugh.
and the people were cool and didn't destroy them! it was the most amazing thing. No-one was Ftop hungry, everyone just played because they were having fun.
that's what i miss most i'd have to say. everyone is playing to win, not to have fun. (not saying winning isn't fun however, don't get me wrong, i love winning myself)
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I've found a few before but they have since died as well,
really sad to see. i loved factions. but not so much these newer ones.
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I'm looking for a factions server more styled like the original ones,
where everyone just had their bases dug out underground and sugar cane was the item to sell.
and none of this OP junk, just the starter kit and then your off, no custom enchants,
something like that, do these exist anymore? at least any with at least a 20+ player base?