Hello<3 I decided to make this blog after seeing way too many good servers go bad, because of abusive staff. I hope you'll find some of it useful.

What not to do:

1. Do not OP someone just because they ask for it. Many people will join your server, and ask for OP within the first couple of minutes. This means that they're most likely just power-hungry immature people that will abuse their powers. You should only ever give OP to dedicated players, that know how your server works, and have played for more than just a week.

- Many people will ask you for OP, and even try to guild-trip you into giving them OP by telling you a fake sob-story. Sometimes it can be hard to say no, but if you want to have a good server with no abusive OP's, you're going to have to learn how to say no.


2. One of the worst mistakes guys do (stereotypes inc). If a girl gets on your server, don't just immediately give her OP. Being a girl doesn't mean that you'll automatically be a good OP, and no.... Giving her OP won't get you l**d.

- A big amount of the girls asking for OP, will be guys in real life anyway, trying to take advantage of all the girl-loving young guys out there. Remember, everyone in the internets can pretend to be a girl.

3. Do not OP someone because they try to scare you into doing it. Nobody is going to just "hack" into your account, or shut your server down. If you OP someone threatening you with hacking you, they'll destroy your server for sure. If anyone tries to threaten you into giving them OP, simply just IP ban them, and poof! They're gone.

-This counts for people claiming that they're from PMC too. Admins and Mod's from PMC don't come to review your server. Trust me. And neither does anyone from Mojang, or any other company for that sake. If someone tries to fool you, saying this, just ban them. POOOFF. :3

4. Do not OP people just because they suck up to you. This counts for friends too. Friends can be very hard to turn down, but the truth is, a good friend isn't always a good OP. I have seen many servers being destroyed because of abusive admins, that wouldn't get demoted because they were friends with the owner. If your friend is not fit to be an OP, don't make them one. And if you do it anyways, don't expect people to like your server.

-I know it's a hard thing to do. Nobody wants to turn down their own friends, but sometimes it's just for the best. Remember, if your friend doesn't want to be your friend, just because you won't give them OP, then they aren't really your friend. -Besides, a friend would want the best for your server anyway, and wouldn't want to be abusive, sooo...

5. If someone (an admin, mod) asks you to get access to your server files/control panel, NEVER ever ever ever give them access. If they have access to that, they could destroy your server in seconds, and basically do what they want with your server. I would never recommend giving anyone access, not even your friends. You never know.

What to do:

1. If you want staff on your server, the first and best option is always friends! If you have someone that you can trust, and have been friends with over a longer period of time, they usually always make the best OP's, because they obviously don't want to let their friend down.

-That being said, not all friends are fit to be moderators. Be sure to make the rules clear. This is very important, make sure that all your server staff knows the rules, so there will be no loopholes, or misunderstandings. Even if they are your friend, you shouldn't let them break the rules more than once.

2. Have the people on your server apply for OP. You should always make requirements such as "Must have played on the server for x amount of time, and, "must be at least xx years old". It's always important to make it clear what you want, to narrow down the search. For example; i always prefer my server staff to be over 18, and i'd prefer it if they have played for more than a month on my server.

-Always keep an eye out for the people who are naturally helpful and nice, despite not being an OP (and not actually asking for OP). They usually make the best mod/admins.

3. I usually prefer adding my server staff to skype, so i can always reach them via private messaging. If you like, you can always call them and do a more personal interview, depending on how serious you are about your server/staff. That way you'll also know if they sound their age, or gender. (as i said before, many people fake their age and gender online)

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What makes a good admin, and what should you be looking for?

Here are some of the questions i'll be asking when looking for an OP.

How old are you?:

Are you fluent in English?:

What's your timezone?:

How many hours do you have to spend on the server a week?:

How mature would you rate yourself, from 1-10?:

Have you ever been admin/mod/owner on/of another server before?:

Why do you think you would be a good OP/why do you want to become an OP?:

How do you handle a stressful situration, where a person might be verbally aggressive towards you?:

Are you a good builder? If yes, please provide some screenshots/pictures of your buildings:

How do you think you could help improve the server?:

These are just some of the questions i personally think you should be asking. You can use these questions for your own application if you want. :)